NEW Gunner Marouane Chamakh says he is ready to lead the Gunners attack when Arsenal kick off the season at Anfield in 10 days time. The summer arrival from Bordeaux scored on his Emirates Stadium debut against AC Milan as Arsenal lifted the Emirates Cu

NEW Gunner Marouane Chamakh says he is ready to lead the Gunners' attack when Arsenal kick off the season at Anfield in 10 days' time.

The summer arrival from Bordeaux scored on his Emirates Stadium debut against AC Milan as Arsenal lifted the Emirates Cup at the weekend, and looks set to start against Liverpool as Arsene Wenger faces a striker shortage for the opening weekend of the season.

Nicklas Bendtner is definitely out and Robin van Persie will only return to training today (Thursday), and will not feature in Arsenal's final pre-season friendly against Legia Warsaw in Poland on Saturday. Eduardo has been sold while Carlos Vela is also short of match fitness.

Wenger is prepared to hand a Premier League debut to Chamakh in the lone striker's role, and the 26-year-old believes he is tailor-made for English football and can't wait to get started:

"I guess with my height and my qualities in the air, playing in England was always the best choice for me," said Chamakh. "I have always dreamt of playing in this league.

"I know that I still have a lot of hard work to do to perform well in the Premier League but I am very motivated and hungry to do well. There is still a lot of room for improvement in my game.

"My favourite position is up front with another striker, however I can play my own as well and drift on the left and right. I will do what the boss asks me.

"I am not what you would call a very selfish striker," added Chamakh. "I am very collective in my game. I love playing for the team, working hard for the team and helping other people to shine too."

Chamakh finally joined Arsenal in July, almost a year after Wenger had first registered an interest in the player who scored five times in nine Champions League games for Bordeaux last season.

And the 6ft 2ins striker admitted he was glad to have finally sealed his move to Arsenal, and to realise his dream of playing in the Premier League he has held since watching games as a young boy growing up in France.

"For a player there is nothing better than England," said the player Wenger picked up on a free transfer at the state of July. "This is a real football country with love and passion for the game and for the clubs.

"More than the physical aspect I would say it is the pace of the game in England that has always fascinated me. It's fast, with no breaks, from one goal to another, start to finish. It's like that in every game, not just the big games.

"I used to watch all the big games on TV in France, with the amazing fans, in great stadiums with great goals and great players and I used to think 'I want to play there one day'. I love the rhythm of the game here.

"Arsenal is a club that has always made me dream. It's the place where I wanted to be and the shirt I wanted to wear more than any other.