Arsenal FC - The Gunners Thread
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Arsenal Lineup
-----Almunia-----
Eboue Toure Gallas Clichy
-------Gilberto-------
Hleb Fabregas Flamini
---RVP Henry--- -
Half-time
Arsenal 1 - 0 Liverpool -
Wenger says Henry should get the Ballon d'Or
Arsene Wenger maintains it would "not be right" were Thierry Henry to once again be overlooked for the European Footballer of the Year award.
Reports in Italy suggest World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro is set to scoop the prestigious Ballon dOr later this month.
However, Arsenal boss Wenger maintains there are few who could compare with the remarkable season of Henry, who led Arsenal to within minutes of Champions League glory and played in his second World Cup final this summer.
Wenger declared: "Congratulations to Cannavaro if that is the case - but for me there is only one candidate this year and that is Thierry Henry. It is unfortunate and it is not right that he does not have the recognition. Thierry just deserves it. He was the top goalscorer in England, the best player in England, the second-highest goalscorer in Europe behind Luca Toni. He played in the Champions League final and he played in the World Cup final. He lost one on penalties and he lost the other in the last few minutes with 10 men. Overall I do not think the fact that a team wins on penalties can make such a difference. When you look at what this guy has achieved in his career as a player I can tell you there are some players in the Ballon dOr who have a lot to answer for when you compare them to Thierry Henry."
Wenger added: "The only one in contention with him this year was [Samuel] Etoo, who won the Champions League and the Spanish Championship. He is the only one who could fight with Thierry."
Both Henry and defender William Gallas played a full 90 minutes for France in their midweek 1-0 win over Greece in Paris.
The Arsenal captain chalked up his 39th international goal to move to within two of Michel Platinis record.
Wenger, though, lamented the fact two of his key men were left to play out the whole match where others - like Manchester Uniteds Luis Saha - did not.
The Arsenal boss said: "I feel overall the friendly was not best placed. What is difficult for us is we played Sunday against Liverpool, then Wednesday, Saturday, Tuesday - and at a period of the season when the players who played the World Cup suffer a little bit. But on the other hand I have enough players to deal with that."
Wenger added: "What can I do about it now? They have played. I ignore it. The fact that I am upset with it or not does not change a lot. I just think this friendly is not in an ideal position - somewhere physically you cannot be 100% in every game in such a short period of time."
Wenger played down reports of a spat with Les Bleus manager Raymond Domenech over the issue.
"Everybody does his job like he thinks he has to do it," the Arsenal manager said.
"I do mine like I think I have to do it and that is it. What is important for us is to win tomorrow - to beat Newcastle - and all the rest I cannot influence."
Henry could well be deployed as the lone striker once again on Saturday, the skipper admitting it was a somewhat "harder" role he has grown into.
Wenger observed: "He rightly feels a little bit more responsibility to stay central, even if you do not stop him from going out wide on the flanks. We play normally with four strikers because he has less direct support and more from deep. But I agree physically it is a bit harder for him." -
Gallas suffers thigh strain
Influential defender William Gallas will be out for several weeks for Arsenal with a thigh strain.
The former Chelsea stopper collapsed in training ahead of Tuesdays UEFA Champions League match with Hamburg.
Manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed that he expects his fellow Frenchman to face a spell on the sidelines.
The absence of Gallas, who scored in the recent win against Liverpool and has formed a rock-solid partnership with Kolo Toure, will be sorely felt by the North Londoners as they seek to qualify from Group G.
"Weve lost Gallas in training," explained Wenger.
"He pulled his thigh and will be out for a few weeks. It is a blow because he stabilises our defence and its a very good opportunity for a young player to come in and show he is good. We wanted him to be fit to play, not only because of his quality, but because of the number of games we have now until January."
Better news for the Gunners is that Freddie Ljungberg and Robin van Persie both came through the session without any problems and are in contention for a place in the Emirates Stadium encounter. -
Wenger backs calls for video replays
Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger has thrown his weight behind calls for referees to use video technology, saying that failing to use TV replays was like refusing to use electricity.
The issue is back on the agenda after Blackburn Rovers manager Mark Hughes and Watfords Adrian Boothroyd called for technology to be used in the wake of controversies last weekend.
Asked if he backed the use of replays by referees, Wenger told a news conference on Monday: "I agree. Its a position Ive defended for a long time but some people refuse progress. Its like saying we dont want to play with electricity - we want to play night games with torches."
Wenger, whose team face Hamburg SV in the Champions League on Tuesday, said: "I feel that refusing progress is difficult to defend. You want the right decision to be taken. Now, every game, every decision of the referee is analysed on television and the only one in the whole game who has no access to the video, and the right picture, is the referee. I dont find it right. But what is even more surprising is that the referees dont want to use it. Its amazing."
Wengers comments echoed those made by Hughes, whose team had a penalty appeal turned down in their stormy Premier League draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
"Ive never been an advocate of technology but sooner rather than later they should bring it in," Hughes said.
"When huge decisions at the top level have an impact on teams, management and players then something has to be done."
Boothroyd gave his backing to technology for referees after his sides defeat by Portsmouth on Saturday. -
Arsenal 3 Hamburg 1
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last min goals
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We got what we deserved says Lehmann
Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann believes Arsenal got what they deserved at the Emirates Stadium tonight after coming from behind to beat Hamburg.
Arsenals Champions League future was anything but certain when they fell behind to Rafael van der Vaarts early stunner, but Robin van Persie levelled after the break.
Emmanuel Eboues first European goal and second for the club put Arsenal ahead before Julio Baptista came off the bench to net his first Gunners goal to secure a 3-1 win.
"It was very close," Lehmann said on ITV4.
"Unfortunately it happens now to us that we always concede and have to fight against 10 men defending. We worked hard and weve got what we deserved because sometimes you need to have that little bit of luck and we had that today. At the end it was a vital win for us."
One sour note was a yellow card for captain Thierry Henry, who will miss the final Group G game in Porto, in which Arsenal need to avoid defeat to guarantee qualification.
"Its sad but you have to cope with everything," Lehmann added.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger hailed his sides attitude after going behind. "They scored a great goal and this time we couldnt do a lot about it," he said.
"After that I feel weve shown great character, great spirit. Very unfortunately, (we were) 1-0 down at half-time but we hit the bar, we made a few changes and it worked out. Overall it was a great team performance."
Wenger acknowledged Henrys booking was a blow but believes his side will cope without their talismanic skipper when they travel to Portugal.
"Thats unfortunate but we know that it will be a good game for us and Im confident we can do it," he added.
"He was frustrated tonight because his shirt was held a lot. In the box a lot happened. Its difficult for the referee - he couldnt always see it. Because it was a lot of unfair play against him, he got a little bit frustrated."
Wenger says Arsenal will do it without Henry
Arsenal captain Thierry Henry ruled himself out of the decisive Group G clash with Porto with a third Champions League booking but manager Arsene Wenger insisted after a 3-1 win over Hamburg: We will do it without him.
Henry completed a hat-trick of cautions - he was booked for a disputed handball when he thought he had scored against CSKA Moscow last month and again in the opening minute of the Emirates Stadium return against the Russians - following a second half shove in the back on Hamburg defender Joris Mathijsen.
Henry then appeared to have words with Danish referee Claus Bo Larsen who brandished the yellow card.
Now the Gunners need just a draw in Oporto to go through to the knockout stage with the 2004 Champions League winners - and consign CSKA Moscow to the UEFA Cup despite failing to beat them in two meetings.
Wenger, who saw his team come back with two goals in the last seven minutes by full-back Emmanuel Eboue and Brazilian substitute Julio Baptista, said: I could see Thierry was frustrated. He was held back by his shirt pulled on quite a few occasions.
Of course it was a blow. We wanted to go to Portugal with Thierry, but now we will go and do it without him.
Wenger added: Im sure both teams will fight for a win but if it is a draw then neither need be disappointed.
The Arsenal boss could well look to £12million teenager Theo Walcott for inspiration in Portugal.
Walcott, 17, came on as 75th-minute substitute for Freddie Ljungberg and set up decisive goals in the last seven minutes for Eboue and Baptista after Robin van Persies clinical 52nd minute finish wiped out a stunning opener in just three minutes by Hamburgs Holland hero Rafael van der Vaart.
Wenger, who has given Walcott just one Premiership start, said: He will play more and more now because we have so many games. When he came on against Hamburg he gave an injection of power and pace - especially after he moved from the left to the right.
Wenger added: It was a convincing comeback against a good side. It will convince the players we can come back from a goal down to win here. The team refused to accept defeat and never, at any time felt sorry for themselves after going behind and then hitting the bar and post. Hamburg are better than their league position in Germany (17th) - because my scouts have seen them give some impressive performances. We were a little bit sideways in the first half but after half-time we were more direct. In these matches the last 10 or 15 minutes and can make a big difference and we mastered Hamburg physically in the end. I was always confident about that.
Thomas Doll, Hamburgs coach admitted: We knew about Walcott. We knew when he came on he would be very fast. Our tactics worked in the first half but Arsenal kept up the pressure and it was too much for us. We were punished in the end but they deserved their victory. -
Hleb wins Belarus Player of the Year award for the fourth time
Arsenal midfielder Alexander Hleb has been voted Belarus top player for the fourth time in the last five years.
In a nationwide poll of the countrys soccer experts, conducted by the sports daily Pressbol, the 25-year-old playmaker was the overwhelming winner, ahead of Dnipro striker Sergei Kornilenko and Tom Tomsk midfielder Alexander Kulchiy.
Hleb also won the honour in 2002, 2003 and 2005 and finished second behind Dynamo Moscow striker Maxim Romashchenko in 2004. -
BOLTON END GUNNERS' TITLE HOPES
November 26, 2006
Arsenal once again found a trip to the Reebok Stadium too hot to handle, as Bolton moved third in the Premiership after beating the Gunners 3-1.
To add insult to injury it was Arsenal old boy Nicolas Anelka who won the game for the Lancashire outfit.
El-Hadji Diouf, booed by the travelling supporters throughout, whipped in a corner that the unmarked Abdoulaye Faye headed in after just nine minutes.
Anelka doubled the Trotters' lead against his old club in first-half injury time, but just seconds later Gilberto scored a header and Arsenal went in trailing 2-1 at the interval.
Emmanuel Adebayor struck the woodwork for the Gunners in the second half before Jens Lehmann pulled off a fabulous double-save and tipped an Anelka effort onto the post.
But Lehmann could not stop the Frenchman doubling has tally after 75 minutes.
In a hot-tempered game Kevin Davies was lucky to escape a red card after pushing Emmanuel Eboue to the ground, while Ivan Campo also saw an appeal for a penalty waved away.
Faye heads Bolton into the lead against Arsenal
Davies pushed Eboue but escaped with a yellow card
Bolton boss Sam Allardyce:
"We knew this was a must-win match after throwing points away recently.
"Doing that against a team of Arsenal's quality was always going to be a big task but we have done it again.
"It was a really great victory at a difficult time and gives us so much confidence."
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger:
"I'm sad for my team as they gave a lot and they played well.
"We should have won this game and I don't know what impact it will have but it is a big blow to lose.
"In every game it is the same - we have fantastic potential but we do not get what we should. That is down to experience and a learning process." -
again...former player scoring a spectacular goal and his first in the league against his old club....it just had to happen....
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what are the odds of that happening...Originally posted by The man who was death:again...former player scoring a spectacular goal and his first in the league against his old club....it just had to happen....
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Wenger: Robin is my Bergy Van
ARSENE WENGER hailed Robin van Persie as ArsenalÂ’s new Dennis Bergkamp after his stunning late strike secured a 2-1 victory at Watford.
Gunners boss Wenger said: “There are similarities between the two of them. Dennis is a good role model for him and I’m sure Robin copies the way he played. He’s developed very well. “When he arrived he was obsessed with the technical side of the game. Now he’s a team player and he has matured a lot.”
Skipper Gilberto headed WengerÂ’s men ahead in the 19th minute only for Tommy Smith to haul the PremiershipÂ’s bottom side level four minutes later. Arsenal fluffed a host of chances to wrap up the win but in the 83rd minute Theo WalcottÂ’s superb pass put in Van Persie, who cut inside and curled a left-footed shot past keeper Ben Foster.
Van Persie, 23, said: “Six points have made it a very happy Christmas for us. We won without being at our best. “We put our bodies on the line and had to show a lot of heart.”
He added: “It was hard to adapt in my first two seasons here but I’m now playing more. “Our manager says we can still win the title and we have to believe him and go for it.”
Baptista unsure over Arsenal fate
Julio Baptista wants to stay at Arsenal but it unsure whether he has a long-term future at the club.
Baptista, on a season-long loan from Real Madrid as part of the deal that saw Jose Antonio Reyes go the other way, said: "I want to help the team.
"The idea is to participate as much as possible and at the end of the year evaluate everything and decide if the positives outweigh the negatives.
"I don't want to be just one more player," he told Spanish paper AS.
The Brazilian was a long-term target of manager Arsene Wenger before joining the London club.
But he has made just two starts for Arsenal and appeared as a late substitute during the Boxing Day win at Watford.
And Baptista added: "Arsene Wenger tells me he will wait until I get used to this league, but until I play regularly I won't achieve that.
"But I can imagine myself being here for a few seasons."
SILVA SPARKLING FOR GRITTY GUNNERS
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Gilberto Silva is finally gaining the recognition he has always deserved.
The Brazilian has been wearing the captain's armband in the absence of the injured Thierry Henry and led his side to victory at Watford on Boxing Day as Robin van Persie's late strike sealed a 2-1 win.
The defensive midfielder is nicknamed the "Invisible Wall" in his homeland but the 30-year-old has also started to score goals, with his headed opener against the Hornets his eighth of the season and third in as many games.
And Wenger insisted the 2002 World Cup winner had long since proved himself a vital component in his team, even if everyone else had not noticed.
He said: "Gilberto was tremendous. He scored the first goal but as well he was intelligent and dictated the game in the middle of the park.
"Finally he gets the credit he deserves, which after four years is good. -
gilberto is definitely playing much better this season.
to me, van persie looks the most promising. -
I hope Arsenal continue their good run. But Adebayor will be injured for the match against Sheffield Utd. Oh man...
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Henry captaincy debate goes on as Gilberto leads to the manner born
As Gilberto Silva reflected on Arsenal's latest successful result without Thierry Henry, he emphasised how much the team look forward to having the striker back. "We need him because we know how important he is," the Brazilian said. Most Arsenal fans would agree, despite a seven-match unbeaten stretch in his absence, but whether they all want Henry to reclaim the captaincy from Gilberto is a moot point.
Gilberto's performance during Tuesday's win at Watford confirmed the inspiration he has drawn from taking temporary hold of the armband. As at Chelsea he was the outstanding player, and he scored his fifth goal since Henry's enforced break. That is an impressive return for a defensive midfielder who had scored 15 times in 180 previous Arsenal appearances, even if his two against Tottenham this month were penalties.
Whereas questions have been asked about Henry's suitability to lead the team, the captaincy is sitting comfortably with Gilberto. The 30-year-old World Cup winner is naturally quiet and undemonstrative but Arsène Wenger has described him as "a real leader in the dressing room" and Gilberto has been more vocal and expressive when required.
Wenger will not strip Henry of the armband but it is legitimate to ask whether doing so would benefit the striker and team. Henry's 33 Arsenal goals last season hardly suggested he was burdened by the task but his form this term has dipped below his high standards. Might it help to have one less worry? His leadership style has long been picked over, with doubts raised about some of his body language and whether occasionally he daunts team-mates by showing displeasure.
The debate extends to whether midfielders or defenders are better placed to be captains. "You are probably in a better position to see the game," Davis conceded. "When you are at the front you can't organise things at the back but you have some great captains who have led from the front.
He took particular pleasure from beating direct, aggressive opponents in Watford. "We have been criticised for our physical strength but we showed we are more competitive than some people say," he remarked. "We played our game but when we had to play physically we did." -
Henry or Gilberto for captaincy ???
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Originally posted by zocoss:
Gilberto for me, Henry to lead the attack.
[b]Henry or Gilberto for captaincy ??? [/b] -
Pires has yet to make a competitive appearance for the Yellow Submarines due to a knee injury but he is already hankering after a return to Arsenal.
The former France international told TF1: 'After my two years here, I would love to play one last season for Arsenal.
Pires quipped: 'Arsene, boss, have you got the message?' -
Let Gilberto do the talking, I'm sure without the armband, he would already have gained in leadership. Henry needs to wear the armband to retain a sense of continuity.Originally posted by T.Ryousuke:Gilberto for me, Henry to lead the attack. -
The thing is Robin van Persie seems to get better after Pires left... Perhaps it could be he feels that he has more responsibilities now as a senior member of the team and it has help him to become more mature in his game and a better player too.Originally posted by T.Ryousuke:Pires has yet to make a competitive appearance for the Yellow Submarines due to a knee injury but he is already hankering after a return to Arsenal.
The former France international told TF1: 'After my two years here, I would love to play one last season for Arsenal.
Pires quipped: 'Arsene, boss, have you got the message?'
Pires time is already over, Van Persie is probably the most improved gunner's player this season and he is for now and the future... -
Woo hoo~~~~ Arsenal!
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I dun mind pires going back to Arsenal. But the problem with him is that when it's time to help the defenders to defend,he's lazy to do it.
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ADEBAYOR OUT FOR BLADES TRIP
Arsenal will be without striker Emmanuel Adebayor for the trip to Sheffield United on Saturday.
The in-form Togo striker picked up a thigh strain during the final stages of the 2-1 win at Watford yesterday.
With captain Thierry Henry still sidelined because of a problem with his sciatic nerve, manager Arsene Wenger is already short in attack.
The hamstring problem suffered by defender Johan Djourou at Vicarage Road is, however, not considered too serious.
Wenger said: "Djourou is injured a little bit, but what is worse that we lost Adebayor with a thigh strain.
"It is exactly the same but on the other leg. He will be out for Saturday." -
Young Gunner wants Arsenal answer
Young Gunner Anthony Stokes wants to know where he stands with regards to playing time at Arsenal.
The 18-year-old is currently on loan to Scottish side Falkirk and has scored 11 goals for them this season.
Stokes' loan spell expires at the end of this month when the January transfer window opens and the striker is still unsure of his future at Arsenal.
Stokes said: "Those two weeks have gone very quickly and the only disappointing thing is that I still haven't heard from Arsenal what is happening.
"If Saturday is to be my last game for Falkirk then of course it would be sad because I have really enjoyed my time up here.
"We will just have to wait and see what happens because at the end of the day it is up to Arsenal as to whether I come back."
Few of arsenal's young players now wants first team football after they return frm loan. Do u think its a great idea to loan these youngsters? that time it was aliadiere then bendter.. Once these young players had done well at that certain club,then they demand first team if they return to arsenal. isnt Anthony stokes trying to hint tt he wants first team football at arsenal??
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