Tottenham signing Murphy: Charlton not big enough for me
tribalfootball.com - February 2, 2006
New Tottenham signing Danny Murphy has taken a swipe at Charlton Athletic, claiming they weren't big enough for him.
He said: "When Tottenham came in this time I don't mind admitting I was the first one to express to Charlton and the manager that I wanted to go.
"No disrespect to Charlton, but they are not Tottenham, in terms of the squad they have got, the fan base and in terms of the potential.
"Everything was right this time and it is an opportunity for me which, if I had not taken it, I would have regretted for the rest of my career.
Tottenham have great ambitions to win trophies and fight for the Champions League spots. That is the level of football I want to play again."
Murphy was on the sidelines at Charlton which fuelled talk of a rift with boss Alan Curbishley.
And Murphy admitted: "Charlton obviously let the move happen so you can read into it what you want.
"If anything, they have given me the chance to better myself which I suppose, in a way, is good of them, because they did not have to do that."
I think he too ambitious
West Ham boss: Beating Arsenal best moment of career
tribalfootball.com - February 2, 2006
West Ham boss Alan Pardew says yesterday's win at Arsenal was the best moment of his managerial career.
Pardew said: "In terms of prestige, this is the best result of my managerial career.
"To win at a Blue Riband club like this is magnificent. My players, my young players, are not used to that, which is why at times they sat back in the second half.
"We need to learn that we can win at big clubs now so perhaps next time we won't do that.
"I told them at half-time we needed a third goal."
Winning Arsenal @ highbury is indeed some acheievement as the only team that did it this season other than west ham was Chelsea Not Even Man Utd Win @ Highbury
Campbell storms out of Arsenal at halftime
tribalfootball.com - February 2, 2006
Sol Campbell stormed out of Highbury at HALFTIME during Arsenal's shock defeat to West Ham
Campbell, 31, was to blame for the Hammers' first two goals and was substituted at the break.
Then came a big dressing-room bust-up and Campbell made his early exit - leaving him facing the biggest crisis of his career just four months before the World Cup.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said: "I think he was very down at half-time and felt very guilty.
"I took him off because in that mental shape, he was too down to come back. I don't think Sol has a problem with his physical fitness but he is not well.
At half-time I had other worries. You want your players to stay, but there are exceptional circumstances when you can understand what he did tonight.
"He was not being disrespectful to the club or the team but he was just very, very down. It isn't working for him at the moment.
"That was the only issue he had tonight, his confidence is not at the highest at the moment.
"Taking him off was a gamble because I had no other defenders on the bench."
To add to Campbell's anguish, England boss Sven Goran Eriksson was watching at Highbury.
This is a unprofessional behaviour !
Arsenal boss Wenger ready to play Walcott
tribalfootball.com - February 4, 2006
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has hinted he'll give Theo Walcott a debut today against Birmingham City.
Wenger said: "Walcott has been lively, alert and is playing with belief. He deserves to be involved through his performance rather than the amount of his transfer fee.
"He has a lot of good ingredients in there with his movement and his timing of runs. And he knows how to use his pace. That is the first intelligence - how to use your qualities.
"I can't believe he has been playing only since he was 10. You would think a guy who started that late would have a problem with his touch but not at all.
"It's too early to say what impact he can make. He has been with us only two weeks.
"But he's capable of coming on, scoring and making a difference. He has scored in training but it's difficult as you never get the intensity of games and the harshness of the competitive nature of the Premiership.
"The good thing is we are going through a difficult patch and one of the positives is the youngsters come into the team when it's not a Rolls-Royce.
"It's chaotic. That toughens them up. It's not too bad for the youngsters not to start on the red carpet."
Walcott might save Arsenal Season....