Wenger beams: I told you so!
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vs 
Everton - Arsenal
Saturday, August 15 2009
Channel 27: (12.30 am) "Live" (Sun Morning)Expectations will be high among the sell-out crowd as Everton entertain Arsenal in the season opener at Goodison Park. The Toffees finished fifth in the Premier League last term, as well as reaching the FA Cup final.
If the club are now going to push on and upset the 'Big Four', manager David Moyes will be looking for a win here against the Gunners, who finished fourth last time.
But there have been off-field distractions at the club with Manchester City's continued pursuit of Joleon Lescott.
The Toffees have so far held firm in the face of two bids from City for the defender, who has put in a transfer request, which was rejected by the club.
City's transfer dealings have also loomed large over Arsenal this summer, landing Gunners striker Emmanuel Adebayor and defender Kolo Toure for a combined fee in excess of £40million.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is yet to splash this cash on big-name replacements - Thomas Vermaelen being his only summer signing so far - as he attempts to win the title for the first time since 2004.
Team news
Everton striker Jo, who returned on loan from Manchester City this summer, is progressing well following an ankle injury and could feature.
The Brazilian is now back in training after suffering the injury in a friendly against Blackpool earlier this month.
Moyes told the club's official website: "When Jo went over on his ankle, we didn't really think it was that bad and we hope that he is going to be okay for the weekend.
"He is back running now but is only doing straight line work. He's not twisting and turning yet but we hope to do that kind of work with him in the next couple of days."
Meanwhile, new signing Vermaelen is set to make his full debut for Arsenal at Everton after recovering from a groin problem.
With Toure having been sold to City and Johan Djourou (knee) set for a spell out, the 23-year-old is expected to partner veteran William Gallas in a defence which was all too often exposed last season.
"Thomas Vermaelen played 45 minutes for Belgium on Wednesday night and came through okay so he will be available," Wenger told the club's official website.
But Wenger will have five players missing - Tomas Rosicky (hamstring), Samir Nasri (broken leg), Theo Walcott (back), Lukasz Fabianski (knee) and Djourou, while Abou Diaby is a doubtful with a groin injury.
Possible starting XIs
Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Lescott, Yobo, Baines, Pienaar, Fellaini, Neville, Osman, Cahill, Jo.
Arsenal:Almunia, Sagna, Vermaelen, Gallas, Gibbs, Fabregas, Denilson, Abou Diaby, Arshavin, Bendtner, Van Persie.
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Everton
24 Howard
02 Hibbert
03 Baines
04 Yobo
05 Lescott
18 Neville
17 Cahill
20 Pienaar
21 Osman
25 Fellaini
11 JoSubstitutes
01 Nash, 34 Shane Duffy, 19 Gosling, 26 Rodwell, 08 Saha, 14 Vaughan, 37 BaxterArsenal
01 Almunia
03 Sagna
10 Gallas
22 Clichy
04 Fabregas
05 Vermaelen
15 Denilson
17 Song Billong
23 Arshavin
11 Van Persie
52 Bendtner
Substitutes
24 Mannone, 18 Silvestre, 27 Eboue, 28 Gibbs, 16 Ramsey, 46 Merida, 09 Eduardo -
Why Bendtner starting and not Eduardo o.o
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Good, good, Fellaini is playing. I have him on my fantasy squad as well... Will he score?
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i got nevile in my squad. :crazy:
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arsenal draw
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i wonder if capello will call alumnia up for england no. 1 spot, since alumnia can play for england now
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Bendtner seems good in this game, at least up till now
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Originally posted by limpper:
i wonder if capello will call alumnia up for england no. 1 spot, since alumnia can play for england now
I hope not...
Almunia also not say very zai...to me quite average nia. Rather he give pure English goalkeepers like Robert Green or Joe Hart a chance.
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omg, sagna seem bad
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Originally posted by omgukilledkenny:
I hope not...
Almunia also not say very zai...to me quite average nia. Rather he give pure English goalkeepers like Robert Green or Joe Hart a chance.
i will back joe for the no. 1 spot, and scott or ben for the no 2.
i like joe's keeping style, he's good.
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Originally posted by limpper:
i wonder if capello will call alumnia up for england no. 1 spot, since alumnia can play for england now
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=666630&sec=soccernet.com&cc=4716right at the bottom.. it says
*But Capello has ruled out any chance of Almunia being called up during his time as England manager."Almunia, for me, is Spanish,'' he said. "He is Spanish and he plays for the Arsenal team.''*
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Oh man... Fellaini almost score only the Arsenal defender standing on the line clear it...
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Any one saw that header? It was so delicious...
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so fast ars 3-0
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4-0 liao.
Vermaelen looks like a mini-Vidic.
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When did they start showing Championship football?
Newcastle vs Reading is on goalTV1.
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0-5 o.O
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0-6
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1-6
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so many goals -
With adebayor gone, arsenal will start to shine.
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kao. i was wrong about arsenal.
look like mancity won't be joining the top 4
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lolx good job arsenal
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arse is like that, every season they rush out of the gate with their young legs and they can lead the table for quite some time then they start craping....eventually fitness alone can't win the trophy......