Latest Arsenal News

Arsenal make bid for Faouzi Ghoulam

2015-07-22T22:12:00.003-07:00

Arsenal have made a bid for Napoli defender Faouzi Ghoulam, according to reports in Italy.

MediaSet claim the Gunners have tabled an offer of around £10m for the Algeria international who played in two of his nation's four World Cup group games last summer.

The 24-year-old made 21 Serie A appearances for the Naples side last season but was not always first-choice with 10 of those outings beginning from the bench.He moved to Serie A in January 2014 and has spent a season-and-a-half with Napoli.

He made 20 league starts last term and was a regular in the Europa League.

Arsenal already boast Kieran Gibbs and Nacho Monreal at left-back but the later has been linked with a return to Spain.

Arsene Wenger has so far signed only Petr Cech this summer while Arsenal's rivals have been busy.

And Wenger admitted this morning that he may not make any more moves unless he finds the right man.

"I don’t close the door," he said. “If we can find any player who can strengthen the squad then we will.

"We have strengthened the squad already and I believe part of the success of the team is down to the level of cohesion.

Arsene Wenger isn't the only coach interested in rising asset Ghoulam, however, as David Amoyal of Gianluca Di Marzio revealed Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are also intrigued in a summer pursuit:

Monreal became the Gunners' first-choice left-back last season ahead of Kieran Gibbs, starting in 26 of his 28 Premier League appearances.

Despite Athletic's interest in cutting a £7 million deal, Wenger won't be cashing in on Monreal this summer, according to the Mirror's John Cross, who adds the Spaniard may even sign a new contract.

Ghoulam started only 11 Serie A matches last season, but he is attracting interest from some of Europe's biggest outfits as a wing-back capable of impressing in attack, notching four assists in 2014-15.

It's likely Monreal's immediate future will have a direct impact on Ghoulam's potential future as an Arsenal player.

3 Major signings Arsenal can still make this summer

2015-07-22T22:00:00.002-07:00

3 Major signings Arsenal can still make this summer

It looks increasingly as though Arturo Vidal will join Bayern Munich from Juventus for a fee of around £26 million plus £2 million in add-ons. He is, of course, a very fine midfielder, but he’s not somebody who obviously seems to fit Pep Guardiola's style of play. That raises two possibilities, both intriguing: Firstly, that, given Guardiola has only one year left on his contract, Bayern are already looking to a future without him, or that Guardiola is considering modifying his approach.

Yet in terms of the make-up of the squad, the two are clearly linked. It had been widely assumed that one of the reasons Schweinsteiger was allowed to leave was that Bayern have a glut of midfielders: Philipp Lahm, Thiago Alcantara, Javi Martinez and Xabi Alonso all play in that same central position. But with the arrival of Vidal, Martinez could be the next play to leave because of his injury woes.

Lacazette is yet another player the gunners could snap up, It's a switch Wenger would be proud of. He engineered similar transitions from former wingers Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie. Both became prolific once they moved through the middle.
Reports in France claim that Arsenal have had Lacazette watched by scouts several times and Fournier's comments are unlikely to dampen speculation surrounding a possible move to north London.
Lacazette has certainly followed a similar path. He scored 31 times in all competitions for Lyon last season, according to WhoScored.com.
Arsenal have been cleared to sign Karim Benzema, as Real Madrid are reportedly considering selling him. The Gunners are believed to be preparing a £17.8million bid for the France international forward, and Real are on the verge of letting him leave, according to reports in Spain

Arsenal Sign Nuri Sahin from Real Mardrid

2012-08-20T03:06:00.000-07:00

"There`s no smoke without fire" goes the old adage, and in the case of Nuri Sahin to Arsenal, there`s a sky full of smoke.

Rumour has had it for much of the summer that Arsene Wenger is looking to bring in the Turkish midfielder on loan (possibly with an option to buy) from Real Madrid, and given the confirmation of Alex Song`s departure to Barcelona, the rumours have gathered much more pace this morning.

Despite interest from Liverpool (Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers served under Mourinho at Chelsea, seemingly giving him the, edge) it appears as though Sahin will opt for Arsene Wenger`s Arsenal.

John Cross of the Daily Mirror is one of the more competent journalists out there and has been in action on Twitter over the past day or so claiming the deal should be announced soon.

As Mr Cross points out, Sahin is a completely different player to Song so his signing might not mean the end to our transfer dealings or the French manager could be looking at an alternate set-up.

Whatever happens, Sahin is a player who I admire greatly and would love to see him in the famous red and white (and blue) of my beloved

Cazorla - Vital to replace duo Arsenal new boy pleased with debut performance

2012-08-20T01:59:00.001-07:00

Santi Cazorla has expressed his joy at making his Premier League debut but warned it is important for Arsenal to fill the void created by the departures of Robin van Persie and Alex Song.

The Gunners kicked off the new campaign with a frustrating goalless draw against Sunderland on Saturday, with new strikers Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud unable to provide the firepower that Van Persie so regularly delivered last season.
Arsene Wenger has insisted it would be unfair to make judgments after just one game, while Cazorla is also confident the team will improve as the season develops.
However, the Spaniard admits it is disappointing that Van Persie has joined Manchester United and Song is set to complete a move to Barcelona after a deal was agreed over the weekend.
Cazorla said in the Daily Mirror: "It's clear that Van Persie is a great player and obviously we would all have preferred it if he had stayed. Song has gone as well and there are still 10 days left in the transfer market.

Build

"I do not know if we will sign anyone but obviously it's important to replace players like that because they were so important for the team."
While Arsenal did not get the victory they were looking for against the Black Cats, Cazorla caught the eye with an impressive performance in his first appearance since arriving from Malaga.
He said: "It felt really good making my debut. Of course, it was not the result any of us wanted, but we had chances and we did well.
"It's a long season, so we can build on this. I had one chance and so did a few of my colleagues and that was the key to the game. We had complete control but that final step just eluded us."

I would be nothing without Arsenal says Song

2012-08-20T01:35:00.000-07:00

Alex Song has now confirmed that he is close to a move to Barcelona and also reveals that he will always be thankfull to the support, that the gunners provided him
Arsenal agreed a fee with Song of £15m and the deal was announced by both clubs on their official websites yesterday. Song will join Barcelona and wear the number 25 shirt on a five year deal with an €80m release clause in his contract.

Barcelona sign Alex Song from Arsenal

2012-08-18T09:31:00.003-07:00

Barcelona have confirmed the signing of Arsenal midfielder Alexandre Song for a fee of €19 million.
The Premier League club announced the signing via their official website on Saturday afternoon following their opening day draw with Sunderland.
The statement read: “Song will now travel to the Catalan club to agree personal terms and undergo a medical ahead of the proposed move.”
Barcelona also confirmed the deal, saying: FC Barcelona and Arsenal FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of Alex Song for 19 million euros. The player will sign a contract for the next five seasons with a release clause of 80 million.”
The Cameroon international will link up with his new team-mates on Sunday before being presented to the club’s fans before Monday nights Gamper Trophy against Sampdoria at Camp Nou.
Song will sign a five-year contract with the Catalan giants that features a buy-out clause of €80 million.

Victor Wanyama Would Be Ready-Made Replacement for Alex Song, Arsenal

2012-08-18T09:18:00.000-07:00

Alex Song is an underrated Premier League player in the grand scheme of things, but there are several players around world football that could do good jobs as his replacement.
The player that I think presents both the most talent and value for money is Victor Wanyama.
I believe he would cost anywhere between £5-8 million, but compared to the silly-money spending in the EPL for players of a similar ilk, it's a bargain.
Despite Song and Wanyama being different players, the core values they bring to teams are the same; they are both versatile and have great distribution despite being primarily defensive-minded players.
As a Rangers fan, I was happy to see that we were linked with the Kenyan international back when he was at Beerschot AC, but Celtic were smart enough to snap up the 21-year-old around a year ago and have never looked back since.
At 6'2" and with a muscular physique, Wanyama can unsurprisingly perform well at centre-back but defensive midfield is where he really thrives the most.
Wanyama is that under-the-radar player that breaks up the play, allowing things to keep ticking over until the team's playmakers get their feet on the ball.
It's not certain that Song even wants to leave, but with a deal appearing to be close, Arsenal could do worse than to open talks with Celtic.
Celtic do not need to sell, but it's clear that Wanyama wants to play at a higher level, and he is one of several SPL players who is actually good enough to do so.
The Daily Mail reported a few weeks back that Arsenal saw Wanyama as an option, and despite no solid quotes in the article, this limited reporting may actually turn out to be true.
Wanyama can do a little bit of everything, whether it be getting his head to the ball, showing some nice touches or drilling 25-yard screamers into the top corner of the net.
Wanyama suits the Arsenal mold well and would also bring a little bit of physicality that may be missing.
At only 21 Wanyama is still raw and has much to learn, but he already has the skills to do well at a higher level, and it wouldn't surprise me if he follows the likes of Nikica Jelavic into the Premier League and does very well.
The competition would be a step up, but he is already accustomed to playing under pressure.
Playing in Glasgow is like playing in a cauldron, and he would actually enjoy the more mild-mannered Arsenal fans, I'm sure.
He is used to more fan pressure with Celtic than he would get in London, and I'm sure that means he will be ready for anything thrown at him.

Report: Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland

2012-08-18T09:11:00.002-07:00

REPORT

Arsenal could not find a way past a resolute Sunderland defence as they opened the new campaign with a goalless draw.

Van Persie’s replacements Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud failed to score on the latter missing the best chance of the game in what was a frustrating afternoon for the Gunners.

tsinepa - FourFourTwo

2012-08-18T06:23:00.001-07:00

tsinepa - FourFourTwo

BYE BYE SONG

2012-08-18T04:41:00.004-07:00

Alex Song attended training this morning ahead of Arsenal’s opening game of the season against Sunderland. The Cameroon international will not be playing, however. Arsene Wenger had a meeting with Song and was told that the midfielder is determined to leave, so he has sanctioned the sale.
Song has now collected his personal belongings and told his team mates that he is off. The transfer fee has apparently been agreed at £17 million, and Song has already sorted out his personal terms with Barcelona.
This situation comes about after Wenger heard about Song being offered to a number of top European clubs, Metro reports. Despite having three years left on his contract, Wenger has agreed to the sale in order to bring in a replacement sooner rather than later. The deal for Song should be closely followed by the arrival of Nuri Sahin from Real Madrid on loan.
Wenger may also be ready to re-invest the money on a permanent deal for Yann M’Vila, Lucas Biglia or Etienne Capoue who are all long term targets for the club.
There are rumours that Song did not actually want to leave Arsenal, but Wenger and the club wanted to sell him, either to balance the books or to free up money for other signings. Whatever the truth is, it seems as if Arsenal fans will not see Song play for the club again.

2012-08-18T04:41:00.001-07:00

Barcelona Set to Complete £17m Deal to Sign Arsenal Midfielder Alex Song Within 24 Hours

2012-08-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

Emirates Stadium star set for Nou Camp move.

Alex Song set for £17m Barca transfer after demanding to leave Arsenal
Alex Song is on his way to Barcelona in a deal worth £17million after telling Arsenal he does not want to stay at the club.
The news comes after manager Arsene Wenger spent the last seven days deflecting questions about the future of the 24-year-old, who is a subject of interest from Spanish giants Barcelona.
SOURCE: Metro
Speculation is certainly growing over Alex Song’s expected move to Barcelona. After Arsene Wenger stated earlier today that the Cameroon international could indeed be set for a Nou Camp move it would appear that the deal is indeed set to be completed.
Having already seen Robin Van Persie leave for Man United Gunners fans will not be pleased to see another first team regular depart this summer. Clearly if Arsenal want to keep hold of Song then they could do so, unlike the Dutch striker the midfielder has three years to run on his contract and therefore there is no imperative to sell the former Bastia man.
Alex Song has grown into a more complete midfielder over the past year and finished the last campaign as the North London club’s top assist-maker. The 24 year old has made 204 appearances for the Gunners since he joined the club seven years ago.
Barcelona have been relatively quiet in the transfer window, their only notable signing thus far being that of Jordi Alba from Valencia. One would have thought that new boss Tito Vilanova would be looking to ring the changes after the Catalan club lost both their La Liga and Champions League crowns last season.

Arsenal out to hijack Liverpool move For real

2012-08-17T13:49:00.001-07:00

Arsenal have made a last minute attempt to stall Nuri Sahin’s loan move from Real Madrid to Liverpool as they consider selling Alex Song to Barcelona for £15m, according to the Daily Mail.
The Gunners asked Sahin to delay any move until the future of Song had been resolved, a request which the 23-year-old Turkish international has agreed to. It is believed that Sahin would prefer a move to a club that can offer Champions League football, a lure which Arsene Wenger hopes will sway the midfielder’s mind.
The centre midfield star was considered the best player in the Bundesliga two seasons ago but has failed to adapt in the Spanish capital under Jose Mourinho. After barely featuring in Real Madrid’s triumphant La Liga campaign in the 2011/12 season and a pre-season of playing in a left-back role, it is obvious both player and club are keen to see a loan move. Sahin has five years remaining on his contract at the Bernabeu, and even a ‘sell and buy-back’ clause is included. There is no lack of confidence that the young midfielder can fulfill his potential and play regularly for the Spanish champions in the future.

Wenger Confirms Sahin Interest & Admits Song Could Go

2012-08-17T12:26:00.002-07:00

With the summer transfer window in full swing, Football Talk will be keeping you up-to-date with all the latest transfer news throughout the summer. Today, Arsene Wenger discusses Alex Song and Nuri Sahin.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed his interest in Real Madrid midfielder Nuri Sahin and admitted Alex Song could be sold this summer.

Speaking to Sky Sports News at his weekly press conference ahead of this weekends Premier League opener against Sunderland, Wenger was quizzed on whether he would be making any further additions to his squad and also if Song would be sold this summer, to which he replied:

“Both could happen, but my focus is on the Sunderland game (on Saturday).”

Song has been strongly linked with a move to Spanish giants Barcelona in recent weeks with the Catalans looking to replace the departed Seydou Kieta.

The Cameroon midfielder has been at the Emirates for over seven years and clocked up over 200 appearances for the club but it’s understood boss Arsene Wenger would be open to selling if a suitable offer came in.

Speaking to Arsenal.com later on, Wenger conceded he had not made his mind up on the future of Song, but revealed no bid had been tabled as yet.

“This decision is not made [on Song],”

“No bid has been made and I cannot tell you more.

“I don’t know [about Song] at the moment, my focus is more on tomorrow’s game.”

The Frenchman was then quizzed about reported interest in Real Madrid midfielder Nuri Sahin, who Wenger is believed to be keen to bring in should Song depart, and Wenger confirmed he is tracking the Turkish ace:

“He is one of the players we are following,”

Wenger is quoted as saying on Arsenal.com

So it looks very much like the papers have this one correct, and Wenger is considering selling Song and may very well bring Sahin in to replace him.

Expectations for new season

2012-08-17T11:09:00.001-07:00

Wait a minute, the new league season’s here? Oh wow, time didn’t even let me have to wait for this day to come. But it’s been kind enough to have me mull over his exit. This life.
After 90 minutes against Sunderland I’m sure I’ll have great cause to have time speed things up a little. Before then, we’ve bumped heads together and come up with our thoughts of how the 2012/13 season will go for us off our respective crystal balls.
So here’s our preview of Arsenal’s campaign in the 2012/13 Barclays Premier League…
*********************************************************************

Barclays Premier League logo

First question, Are you satisfied with our current squad? Any additions and/or subtractions needed?
QED:

We are almost there. Defensive cover and we’ll go unbeaten.

Escobar:

Not at all. Exicted, yes. Satisfied? No. We could do with 2-3 additions with one being a defender as I have no faith in Jenkinson, he needs to go on loan and is not solid cover for Sagna. A loan signing should be good. Also a striker and a midfielder. Giroud and Podoslki are good but why can’t we have one more?

Punkenstein:

The current squad looks very good on paper, Wilshere and Rosicky’s injury absence won’t be so much felt but Sagna’s could prove damaging. So, I’m mostly satisfied with the squad but we do need good cover while Sagna is out.

2. Where do you see Arsenal finishing in the league this season?
QED:

We’ll finish champions. 19 points ahead of United.

Escobar:

Hard to say. 3rd. But that would be acceptable if we win the FA Cup and Capital One Cup. I’ve always asked for us to prioritize those over any other competitions.

Punkenstein:

With the new faces, I honestly thought we’d fall just short and get 2nd place… then he made a deal with the devil and 3rd place seems more like it now.

3. How far will we go in the UEFA Champions League?
QED:

Semi finals, losing out to Barcelona on penalties.

Escobar:

Quarterfinal. Don’t see us getting past that.

Punkenstein:

I’d say the quarterfinal stage. But if we happen to get AC Milan in the last eight, we’re definitely making the semis then.

4. How well do you think the Koscielny/Vermaelen combination will work this season?
QED:

Perfectly. We’ve got Bould. We’ll concede less than 10 goals this season.

Escobar:

Of course. What’s stopping them from exploding? Nothing. They are in their primes and can only get better. But I’m not bothered about the players of old, more of the new signings.

Punkenstein:

It will be better, it better be anyway. Verm’s talked of Steve Bould’s influence and now’s the time to show what’s been imparted from the new assistant. As for Kozzer, that would show through (among other areas) not scoring own goals.

5. Which player do you think will surprise everybody this season?
QED:

Diaby. Ramsey close second.

Escobar:

Since you’re going with surprise? I’d say Gervinho. He’s the only one with something to prove from last season. And if he’s going to start the season on the bench, then that’s extra motivation. Can’t say AOC, he’s quality already.

Punkenstein:

First name to my mind here was Vasiriki Glassfeet. Then Wilshere (with a return to full fitness and form) but I’ll go with instinct and settle with Thomas Eisfeld.

6. We have gone 7 seasons without a trophy. Should Arsene Wenger prioritise the Capital One Cup more highly this season?
QED:

Do we have a choice? Let’s start our first XI, or at least something close. We must win a trophy this term.

Escobar:

He would be stupid not to. But he’s stupid enough to go after all four cups. FA Cup and C1Cup should be the targets.

Punkenstein:

Maybe. But he’ll play the Eisfeld, Ox and the likes as usual so I think the FA Cup should be our priority.

7. Who would you play as top striker now that RVP has left and no replacement will be brought in?
QED:

Poldi Goldi

Escobar:

Podolski. Everyone would say Giroud but if we start both Giroud and Podolski, which striker is going to come off the bench? Exactly.

Punkenstein:

Play Giroud there with Poldi from the left flank as an inside forward since Giroud makes for a good target man, which would benefit Poldi (maybe Walcott too).

8. Diaby’s season appears to be a bit make-or-break, which way do you think it will go?
QED:

He’ll surprise us all, stay fit till mid September, and do the usual.

Escobar:

Break. I don’t fancy him at all. For 60k/w he’s done more harm than good. He needs to leave.

Punkenstein:

While not literally bidding him “break a leg this season mate”, this should be a ‘make’ season for Diaby.

9. What about Arsenal’s biggest new name – Santi Cazorla – how will he fit in?
QED:

Too well. I’m creaming all over, just thinking of him and Arteta in midfield.

Escobar:

He’s going to be huge for us. I was against the signing. WAS. Now, he’s going to lead the charge for us from the middle. If he can average 9 goals + 9 assists or more, we’re good.

Punkenstein:

Oh? I thought he already did? I mean.. his height advantage ensures that anyway. And good Lord, his intelligence on and off the ball… oh Santi!!

10. Who do you think will finish as top goalscorer for us?
QED

Podolski. 25 goals. You heard it here first!

Escobar:

Whoever plays the CF position for us. Most likely Podolski

Punkenstein:

Here’s your chance Chamakh, make it happen. But knowing Shisha’s ways… I’ll say Poldi will.

*********************************************************************
And that’s how we see the season going. Can’t wait to read match-day tweets and have a laugh. Before leaving, some bit of club news to put out.
Alex Song’s move to Barcelona is now very close to completion having reportedly agreed terms with the Catalan club after asking to leave earlier today. All that’s left is for Arsenal and Barcelona to agree on a fee with the Gunners seeking at least £17m for the midfielder.
Consequently, a loan move to Arsenal for Turkey midfielder Nuri Sahin looks back on the cards with le boss said to have made a call to the player himself.
This comes on the heels of RvP’s move to Manchester United being confirmed today. As Thierry Henry said though, we’ll move on. A very happy birthday to him, a real legend at 35!
Meanwhile Squad numbers have been updated and Wilshere will take over the number 10 jersey. Podolski gets the 9 while Cazorla will have 19 on the back with Park Chu Young down at number 30.
We’ll leave the rest for tomorrow’s match preview. I’m looking forward to having match ratings back on here.
So, how do you see the season going for us? Do share your thoughts on that and more below or with me on twitter.
Have a great weekend! The EPL is back!!

Song going to Barcelona for real

2012-08-17T10:22:00.002-07:00

Cameroonian midfielder Alex Song would appear to be on the verge of a move to Spanish giants Barcelona. The holding midfielder has three years left on his contract, but Arsenal seem to have decided to sell him anyway.

Barcelona's interest has been public for the last couple of weeks, but because of the length of time left on his contract, Arsenal had been seen to be in a strong position, with little inclination to sell. However, Song's agent has reportedly infuriated the club by touting his client around the top clubs in Europe, and there has been some speculation that the club have been having some issues with the player over his attitude.

Other sources have been saying that Arsenal do in fact want to keep Song, but he has had his head turned by Barcelona's interest and that the Arsenal hierarchy just are not interested in yet another transfer saga, so will be naming their price.

In his press conference this morning, Arsene Wenger did little to dispel rumours that another of his star performers from last season could be set for pastures new. He said, "both [Song leaving and new signings] could happen. I don't know [about Song] at the moment.

"This decision [on Song] is not made. No [bid has been made]. I cannot tell you more."

Strong speculation has emerged this evening that Barcelona have successfully negotiated a £20m fee for the 24-year-old and that the Gunners will make a formal announcement that he has left the club by Monday. Spanish paper El Mundo Deportivo are reporting that the Catalans will be announcing his signing in a matter of hours, after the clubs agreed a fee of €20m (£15.7m) - although, as I said, British sources are suggesting a figure of £20m.

If Song does depart, Arsenal will be almost certain to strengthen, with Turk Nuri Sahin, 23, a likely arrival, on a season-long loan from Real Madrid. It had not been clear if Arsenal's move for Sahin was linked with Alex Song's future, but that does now seem the case (although I personally feel it's totally unrelated), with Sahin said to be stalling on a loan move to Liverpool so he can join the Gunners instead.

Another thing that was mentioned by Wenger during the questioning over Song's future, is that he now sees Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as a centre midfielder, rather than playing a wide role as he did last season, "Oxlade-Chamberlain now plays centre midfield - this is an area we have more freedom to make decisions."

2012-08-17T10:19:00.001-07:00

Squad numbers updated for start of season

2012-08-17T08:37:00.001-07:00

he Club has updated its first-team squad numbers ahead of Saturday’s match against Sunderland, and in line with the Premier League’s deadline for submission of squad numbers for the opening match of the season.

Among the changes, Jack Wilshere has now taken the number 10 shirt, from previously wearing number 19.

The Club can also confirm the shirt numbers for the three new signings. Lukas Podolski will be wearing the number 9 shirt, with Santi Cazorla taking number 19, using ‘S.Cazorla’ on his back. Olivier Giroud had already been confirmed as wearing the number 12 jersey.

Ju Young Park now moves to number 30, which is in addition to the previous confirmed moves of Wojciech Szczesny, who now wears the number 1 shirt from 13, and Francis Coquelin who has moved to 22 from 39.

The Club is pleased to advise that it will replace any 2012/13 replica kit, including ‘Wilshere 19’ or ‘Park 9’, which was purchased from any official Arsenal club outlet or Arsenaldirect.com.

Proof of purchase will be required at time of exchange, which clearly identifies ‘Wilshere 19’ or ‘Park 9’ personalisation on the receipt. All returned ‘Wilshere 19’ or ‘Park 9’ items will be replaced with similar kit. All returned kit will be distributed to worthy causes via the Arsenal Foundation.
This offer will be extended for a two-month period from 17/08/2012 to 17/10/2012. Redemption can be made either through coming into any official Arsenal club outlet or returning it to Arsenal Returns Department, Anchor Works, Holme Lane, Bradford. BD4 6NA (with proof of purchase and return address).

First-team squad as follows:

1          SZCZESNY
2          DIABY
3          SAGNA
4          MERTESACKER
5          VERMAELEN
6          KOSCIELNY
7          ROSICKY
8          ARTETA
9          PODOLSKI
10         WILSHERE
11         SANTOS
12         GIROUD
14         WALCOTT
15         OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN
16         RAMSEY
17         SONG
18         SQUILLACI
19         S.CAZORLA
20         DJOUROU
21         FABIANSKI
22         COQUELIN
23         ARSHAVIN
24         MANNONE
25         JENKINSON
26         FRIMPONG
27         Gervinho
28         GIBBS
29         CHAMAKH
30         PARK
52         BENDTNER

Vermaelen - I'm so proud to be captain

2012-08-17T08:35:00.000-07:00

Thomas Vermaelen has spoken for the first time about his pride at being named Arsenal captain.

The defender has inherited the armband on a full-time basis following Robin van Persie's departure, and is delighted to be starting a new chapter in his career.

"It makes me really happy and proud to be Arsenal captain - it's a real honour," the Belgian says in his programme notes for Saturday's match with Sunderland.

"I won't change the way I am, though. The boss makes you captain because of the way you are, so I won’t change how I am in the dressing room or outside. I want to lead by example, and do as well as I can on the pitch.

"Maybe I am not much of a talker away from the pitch, but I want to lead the team through the way I play."
Vermaelen, who skippered previous club Ajax as well as the Belgian national team on occasion, said he enjoys the responsibility of captaincy, and paid tribute to his predecessor.

"Every captain is different, everyone has his own personality and does it in his own way," he said. "Robin did it really well last year, and of course what he did on the pitch was great as well.
"But away from that he did a lot of team building, making sure the team was a real team, and I want to do things like that as well."

Wenger says Life goes on after Robin

2012-08-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

Arsene Wenger accepts sanctioning the sale of captain Robin van Persie to Manchester United was a "massive gamble", but has faith his team can recover to mount a successful Barclays Premier League campaign.
Holland international Van Persie has finalised a ?24million switch to Old Trafford, having earlier in the summer announced he would not be signing a new deal with the Gunners.
"The reality is when the player doesn't want to stay you have two ways: you either force him to stay or you accept the reality and you let him go. I have chosen the second solution," said Wenger. "I know it is a massive challenge and a massive gamble I took."
He added: "We have the quality to deal with the problem we have, and at the end of the day I can talk and talk and talk but we can only show it on the pitch now."
Van Persie is the latest of Wenger's key men to move on following last summer's departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri - with Alex Song the next possible transfer amid reports of a £15million bid from Barcelona.
While the manner of Van Persie's exit may not sit well with many Arsenal fans - following his carefully worded summer statement questioning the direction of the club which stood by him during injury-plagued spells on the sidelines - Wenger maintains it is now time for everyone to look to the future as he prepares for Saturday's season opener against Sunderland.
He added: "Time heals all things and of course at the moment people are hurt, which I understand, but what is important for us is to focus on the season in front of us. Players have gone, life goes on and the football club is 125 years old and other big players have left this club and we have always gone from season to season in a strong way."
While Wenger may not want to go on the record over his personal thought on the saga, there remains a sense of having been let down by the Dutchman, whom he brought to Arsenal as a raw talent in May 2004.
Publicly, though, the Gunners boss maintains people should remember what Van Persie contributed on the pitch, plundering 30 league goals last season to fire them into third place.
"We lose a great player, a world-class player, I don't deny that, it is a massive challenge to replace him, so we have to be even more of a team and work even more together to compensate that loss," he said. "However, we have lost world-class players before and we always survived."

I Am Not Angry, Arsenal Are A Part Of Me - RVP

2012-08-17T08:18:00.002-07:00

Robin van Persie disclosed he has no hard feelings with Arsenal.

Robin van Persie told reporters after sealing the move to Manchester United that he has no feelings with Arsenal.

"From my side and Arsenal's side, there is no hard feeling. No one is angry with me and I'm not angry with them," Van Persie told reporters.

"Arsenal are part of my life. They've been great to me. We didn't agree on the future - that's life.

"When I have to make tough decisions in my life I listen to the little boy inside me. That little boy was screaming 'Manchester United'"

Oxlade-Chamberlain hails good Arsenal-We shall win Trophies

2012-08-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain feels there is a good vibe in the dressing room despite the departure of Robin van Persie.

The Dutchman is set to seal 24 million pound-move to Manchester United after spending eight seasons with the Gunners.

But the 19-year-old feels Arsene Wenger's side has enough quality to cope without their skipper and is impressed with the club's signings.

Oxlade-Chamberlain told the club's official website: "In training I'm seeing the likes of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, and then we have Gervinho and Theo Walcott too, so it's looking really good. That brings strong and healthy competition, which can only push us on to do well.

"But we also have a good time and we're all friends - we're together as one and looking to achieve the same goal at the end of the season. We all push ourselves to do better and that can only be a good thing.

"We are all fixed on success, everybody is pushing as hard as we can and we all know what our aims and goals are. We have had meetings about how we are going to achieve it and every little detail - physical, psychological - we are looking at. It is looking really positive for us."

Oxlade-Chamberlain has also hailed the attitude of the club's new arrivals and believes it will help them settle into the English Premier League quickly.

"The new strikers are looking really good - I think Podolski has one of the best shots I've ever seen. Olivier's isn't too bad either - he's scoring a few in training," he said.

"They all look like good signings. Santi (Cazorla) looks fantastic too. He is the typical Spaniard - fantastic technically and lively. He can score, he can dribble and he looks like a brilliant player.

"They are three players who I can say will add quality to the team. And their personalities too - they are really good lads. We've been speaking about positive energy in the camp and they bring it in abundance."

Andre Santos: we’ve lost a lot but we’ll cope

2012-08-16T12:44:00.000-07:00

Andre Santos has reacted to the departure of Robin van Persie just as you would expect him to; in a positive manner.
The Brazilian, who can make leaves grow on trees in winter simply by tittering gently at them, told ESPN that he believes the team is more grown up and that competition for places will ensure the players achieve something this season.
“We lost a lot”, he chuckled. “Van Persie is a high quality player, a big idol of the fans and he had a great championship season in 2011/12, but I’m sure the team is much more mature”, he smiled.
“Today we have experienced players and also the arrival of some new players, like Santi Cazorla and Podolski, who are excellent. We are well focused”, he guffawed.
The team is well prepared and well motivated,” he grinned. “I’m sure we’ll have a totally different season from last year. We’ve brought in some top quality players and I’m sure that Arsenal will have a great campaign in the English league”, he beamed.
Santos will battle it out with Kieran Gibbs for the left back position at Arsenal and he believes that healthy competition within the squad will bring rewards.
“We have two or three players for each position”, he chortled. “This is important also for the growth of the team, because everyone wants to play.”
“It creates healthy competition within the group,” he sniggered. “This only strengthens the team and I have no doubt that we are well prepared to start the season”, he said with a straight face.
Before breaking his hole laughing.

My Prayer for RVP

2012-08-16T12:28:00.000-07:00

I just had to go to church and reflect...that is, after I got sober

So my heart has been broken, I've drunk a little too much scotch, I've been through a roller-coaster of emotions - Anger, Nausea (If that's an emotion), Contempt, Depression and then indifference. That's where I'm at now.

The deed has been done, what I feared has finally come upon me but, I've turned sober and thrown away my bottle of scotch. I only want to give RvP my blessings before we send him off riding into the sunset.

My Prayer For Robin "villain" Persie

What else was I to do? I became a desperate, desperate fan.

I pray, gather yourselves together that I might tell you what is to befall "the villain" in the last phase of his career.

O harken to the voice of desperate, hurt and ridiculed fans; hear the pain in our silence, see the pain in our smiles, in our reluctance to ever visit Old Trafford again. See, hear and if you can, feel.

He was our first-born, our might, our vigour, the one who scored 37 goals and managed to keep us in the top 3. This gave him pre-eminence in the heart of the management, in the heart of Wenger, in the heart of us - the supporters. ( I know that's not grammatically correct but I'm beyond caring right now)

Ye, we have seen the true man that lies beneath the grey hair - headstrong, vindictive,deceitful and cruel. Ah! The heart of man has been said to be deceitful and desperately wicked, who can know it except the Lord! RvP has made true this statement, we didn't know his heart's intent until he put it out for us to see.

Forgive us Father for putting our trust in the man, in the villain because alas!, he has failed us.

So, from the very depths of our hearts, we offer these blessings:

You, Robin villain Persie shall not excel and have pre-eminence at Manchester United because you have defiled the people of the Canon (us) with your lies of loyalty and service; with your foul mouthed declaration of love and trust.

RvP, cursed be your time at the Old Trafford! Cursed be your first play on the pitch. May the trials and tribulations of Fernando Torres be your portion albeit something much worse.

Ye, a goal drought shall befall thee, that which was akin to the 7 year famine/drought in Egypt. We do not pray for injury, nay, we pray for the confounding of your creativity on the field of play. A situation where you give the opposition valuable passes and score own goals.

A situation where you would be called the worst gamble of the transfer market the English Premiership has ever seen. A situation where Sir Alex Ferguson sends you onto the pitch with much trepidation as he will feel more confident playing with 9 men on the pitch than playing with you as the 12th.

Ah! Ye! And in years to come when we all are no more, in the time when cars shall fly and dogs shall be able to use cell phones, your story shall be used as a folklore to remind want-away footballers of the consequences of wanting to want-away from a club that has given you its everything.

As you leave us, us who have hung on with hope, this is our prayer for you.

~~We wait for your salvation, O Lord! The salvation of Arsenal.~~ And we wait for the salvation of Arsenal.

Amen

Biglia on Wenger agenda Arsenal consider midfield options

2012-08-16T11:47:00.003-07:00

Lucas Biglia: Back on Arsenal agenda

Sky Sports understands that Arsenal have moved into pole position for Argentine international Lucas Biglia.

The 25-year-old Anderlecht player has long been on Arsene Wenger's radar, even from when he first moved to Brussels back in 2006.
Biglia has progressed well in recent seasons and now a number of Europe's top clubs are chasing his signature.
Real Madrid and Inter Milan are amongst the clubs who are keen on Biglia, along with a number of Premier League sides.
But now with Alex Song's future far from certain with Barcelona looking to snap him up, Sky Sports understands Arsenal have returned to the Biglia option.
Biglia is settled in Belgium, but he has never ruled out his desire to link-up with a club like Arsenal.
It is believed that Arsenal's interest in Nuri Sahin would be unaffected by their move for Biglia or another holding midfielder.