The Gunners boss accepts his squad is thin at the back, but insists "in quality we are still strong".

Youngster Kieran Gibbs will undergo a fitness test on his groin problem suffered in the closing minutes of the midweek Champions League win over Villarreal, but fellow full-back Bacary Sagna will be out again because of a virus.

With goalkeeper Manuel Almunia, Gael Clichy, William Gallas and Johan Djourou all also unavailable, Wenger will be forced to send out a makeshift rearguard against the Blues tomorrow.

Veteran Mikael Silvestre is expected to start, while midfielders Emmanuel Eboue and Alex Song are on stand-by to drop back if needed.

However, the likes of Russian playmaker Andrey Arshavin, who was cup-tied in midweek, and Croatia forward Eduardo, back to full match fitness, join Samir Nasri, England winger Theo Walcott, in-form Togo frontman Emmanuel Adebayor and leading scorer Robin van Persie among the attacking options available to Wenger for whom captain Cesc Fabregas has been deployed in a more forward role.

Such firepower would be the envy of many sides around Europe, and Wenger believes Arsenal have no other way to approach tomorrow's game than with their usual quick-passing, forward-thinking style.

"You know how we play. We will not sit back and wait for Chelsea to make the game. We will go in there and try to dictate the game," the Gunners boss declared.

"If you say that we have too many players at the moment going forward it is because many of them were out and we discovered those who came in are very good as well.

"But do not forget that two or three months ago, people were saying 'you cannot score goals, you don't have enough offensive weapons'.

"We show now that we have the players and the confidence."

Wenger, though, insisted: "I don't expect Chelsea to fear us, I just expect them to play a good game.

"I expect us, with the needed confidence we have built up, to go into this game firing on all cylinders and play with the passion, hunger and happiness we have shown in every single game."

Arsenal's last trophy was the 2005 FA Cup.

Wenger, though, insists his team has not gone backwards since then.

"You are always positive, but I believe people made out like we have disappeared since 2005," he said.

"However, we were in the Champions League final in 2006 and last year, we nearly won the championship.

"We have always been there and now some new people discover that we have good players and a good team - but every year we have a good team."

Arsenal have certainly turned things around over the past three months, following what was a testing opening to the campaign.

An unbeaten run of 18 matches in the Barclays Premier League has taken the Gunners back into the top four and there is also a Champions League semi-final against holders Manchester United to look forward to.

"We are in a strong position," Wenger said. "Nobody expected that from us three months ago.

"But we did not stand still. This team is focused every day and tries to improve. The combination of the two is the explanation of their improvement.

"We have a good reason to feel strong and determined, and to show we have the required quality."

Under interim manager Guus Hiddink, Chelsea have improved significantly, giving themselves a fighting chance in the title race as well as qualifying for the semi-finals of the Champions League against Barcelona.

Wenger has been impressed by the approach of the veteran Dutchman to his first taste of the English game.

"I feel that he is an experienced manager and he has given them what he knows about the game - belief and strength," said Wenger.

"It is always difficult to assess on a short period of time. I believe if Hiddink stays for five years at Chelsea he will certainly print his own way into the club."