Gunnersaurus

Arsenal to play Liverpool 3 times in a week!

2008-03-15T00:02:00.001+08:00

Clash of the titans

The Quarter finals of Champions League is out and guess what, in a sickening twist of fate, Arsenal will have to face Liverpool 3 times in a week. Its bad enough that we play them twice, now we have to face them 3 times in a week. By the time we play them on Tuesday 8 April, I am sure the teams would have been bored with each other.

Wednesday, 02 April 2008

UEFA Champions League

Arsenal v Liverpool, Quarter Final, L1, 19:45

Saturday, 05 April 2008

Barclays Premier League

Arsenal v Liverpool, 15:00

Tuesday, 08 April 2008

UEFA Champions League

Liverpool v Arsenal, Quarter Final, L2, 19:45

Sunday, 13 April 2008

Barclays Premier League

Man Utd v Arsenal, 16:00

When two teams play each other so often, there is a tendency to get so familiar with each others tactics and play that it becomes harder to beat each other. If Arsenal can win both games at home, I think they would go into the next 2 games with confidence. If Arsenal loses both at home I think we will kiss good bye to the Champions League and Premiership.

And guess what, we face Man Utd away after the 3 grueling matches with Liverpool. Fated? or Destiny?

Technorati Tags: Arsenal, Champions League, Liverpool, Arsenal Fixtures

'Milan: The End'

2008-03-06T00:57:00.001+08:00

The Italian press react to Arsenal's victory over Milan at San Siro
Paolo Bandini

Defeat to Arsenal saw Milan fail to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time since the second group stage was abandoned in 2003-04, and the first time they have failed to reach the semi-finals since 2004-05. With Milan's starting XI boasting an average age of over 30 last night, and 39-year-old captain Paolo Maldini set to retire at the end of the season, it is unsurprising, perhaps, that the Italian press have greeted last night as the end of an era.

"Milan: The End", booms the front page headline - written in English - of today's Gazzetta dello Sport, while other papers have taken a similar tack. "[Milan manager Carlo] Ancelotti's era is over", insists a Corriere dello Sport headline, despite the fact the club's owner, Silvio Berlusconi, has insisted he plans to stick by his manager even if he fails to qualify for next year's Champions League. "End of the Road", concurs the Corriere della Sera.

Nevertheless, few writers have been particularly critical of Ancelotti's team - most preferring to reflect simply on a remarkable spell of European dominance. "Now that it is finished, before explaining why it is finished, let's have a round of applause for the exit of the champions of everything," says Gazzetta's Franco Arturi. "Milan deserves it. They carried for a long time a legend, founded on their play, class, and desire, around the world; they are one of the most successful Italian brands. They burned themselves out as they did so often, pushing themselves to the very edge of their limits. A serene end, if not a glorious one, to years spent in the very best way.

"Ancelotti knew he had a squad on its knees, one that had been bouncing for months between Wednesdays and Sundays to an unsustainable rhythm: the last high, the intercontinental cup won last winter, was paid for at the highest price possible, with an impossible calendar. To try to repeat the miracle achieved last year would have required a complete turnover of players between the championship and the [Champions League] - 10 players in and 10 players out each time. Milan's precarious position in the league wouldn't permit such a course of action."

To a man the Italian press corps seem in accordance that Arsenal fully deserved their victory, but nevertheless a few were left ruing the timing of Cesc Fábregas's opener. "I have to admit I allowed myself to be fooled in the last 20 minutes of the game, when the exhausted Milan drew out their very best, through sheer heart and positive thinking," says Gazzetta's senior writer and former editor Candido Cannavò. "Some members of the team called for the physio, but the flashes from Kaka and [Alexandre] Pato allowed one to keep dreaming."

Corriere della Sera's Mario Sconcerti agrees. "With the sort of irony that often accompanies goodbyes, Milan's run ended with the concession of a goal in their best moment of the match," he says. "Arsenal were no longer managing to hold on to the ball, [Arsenal striker Emmanuel] Adebayor, extraordinary atypical monument of modern football, had disappeared. Indeed, Fábregas had understood the slowness of his team and took the responsibility of going it alone. He got lucky, but neither he nor his team-mates stole anything. They dominated the game. In the first leg and the second."

Arsenal are lauded for their attacking intent, La Repubblica's Gianni Mura noting that: "Arsenal brought seven players looking to play the ball in Milan's half, while Milan for long periods were restricted to two: Pato and [Filippo] Inzaghi forward, sometimes supported by Kaka, and the rest a long way behind." Fábregas, meanwhile, comes in for special praise from Mura's colleague Andrea Sorrentino. "Here he is, the splendid midfielder who disappointed a little in the first leg. This time he was the master of the pitch, in front of the defence to shut down (well) Kaka, then indefatigable weaver of the play, often the furthest forward, avoiding Gattuso and Ambrosini's traps and even getting himself into positions from which to shoot."

Inevitably, however, the acknowledgement of the end of an era has also opened the discussion of how Milan can progress from here. "The elimination now opens the route to a remodernisation," says Sconcerti, "maybe even a real refounding. The last time, at the beginning of the 2000s, Ancelotti managed to find new solutions on the fly. He had a 23-year-old Pirlo, a 28-year-old Inzaghi, a 25-year-old Nesta. He had leaders as well as champions. This team now, however, is a decadent Milan that no longer has a firm point of reference. Kaka goes on his own, Pato is a kid and outside of any communal initiative. Pirlo follows but doesn't lead. I don't think it was by chance that their worst night arrived when they were missing the one truly charismatic player they have left - [Clarence] Seedorf."

The last word was saved for Maldini, for whom last night marked the sad end of a glorious European career in which he has picked up five European Cups across three decades. All of the major Italian dailies named him Milan's man of the match. "In London, Maldini had been 'magnificent' according to the English press," concludes Corriere della Sera's Paolo Tomaselli. "Yesterday Paolino was simply one of the best in Ancelotti's team. One of the last to give in to the evidence of a generational clash which Milan couldn't win."

Guess what, the pundits are flipping back to our bandwagon

2008-03-05T21:15:00.002+08:00

A good result against the odds - as in the first English Team in history to beat AC Milan in San Siro - and every pundit now sing praises of this Arsenal team.

Wait a minute. Just a few games ago, everyone was tearing this team for lack of maturity, experience, depth, leadership etc.

I for one, have never taken pundits in the media too seriously. They all write what we want to hear or play up sentiments we fear. (Incidentally, dont they remind us of our UMNO or MCA papers?)

Anyway, Election aside. A big vote of confidence came with barely 10 minutes to play.

Imagine, if our team fell to the odd accidental goal. The likes of Senderos against Birmingham. What a sorry tune we will hear, there will be condemnation, there will be the "I told you so" and plenty of doomsday predictions - like season falling apart blah blah blah.

What a goal can do to a season. What a goal, actually! 30 yards out of nowhere. Out of someone who hasnt scored for a few months.

I guess its another the turning point for this team. As everyone said, Arsenal play better when they have self-belief. But guess what, they won despite their dented self-belief!

At the end, its talent, grit and passion. And Arsenal just had more.
And that my friend is what Arsenal is about. We want nothing less.

Technorati Tags: Arsenal, pundits

Arsenal offer further proof that Premier League is best

2008-03-05T11:27:00.001+08:00

Tony Cascarino from TimesOnline

Arsenal’s performance last night showed that it was about time we start giving our Premier League teams the credit they deserve. If AC Milan had come to England and done that to one of our own we would have been raving about them for a long time to come.

The sides in England are probably the best around at the moment but we don’t give them the credit. Liverpool made Inter Milan look average in the first leg of their Champions League tie a fortnight ago. Arsenal made Milan look even worse. Imagine what we would have said if the shoe had been on the other foot.

The Barclays Premier League may be the richest in the world, but sometimes we go over the top about the money because it’s also the best and it showed on the pitch at the San Siro. If Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea or Liverpool get it right, they can all beat each other — and they’d have a better chance of doing that than any of the big foreign teams would.

I would be amazed if all four of the English side do not make it to the quarter-finals with their squads, their talent and their unity. I cannot remember a team giving Milan at home such a beating. I have seen teams win there before — I remember Rosenborg doing so — but Arsenal battered them. If they get it right, they are as good as anyone. It was one of the great team performances. People will look back and remember that night for years to come. It was an opportunity for Arsenal to mature and disprove everyone who had thought they were vulnerable.

I don’t think the argument that this Arsenal team are naive and not mature enough stands up. It’s just that, at times, it has gone badly wrong for them. But, as Milan discovered, they have shown they can bounce back. The problem we have is that we all seem to be up in arms whenever one of the top four has an off day and a bad spell. It’s laughable.

There was a brief period in the game after Arsenal had missed a couple of chances when I feared Milan might nick it, but it would have been a travesty. The Italians are incredibly experienced but they couldn’t hold a candle to Arsenal in any department. Arsenal out-ran Milan, outplayed them and were more athletic.

Talk about pace and power in all areas. I have been banging on about Theo Walcott for a long time and he destroyed Kakha Kaladze for the second goal, showing toughness and balance to stay on his feet. I don’t think anyone could say that when he gets in those positions he doesn’t show a cool head. Every player that goes to Arsenal and plays under Arsène Wenger seems to improve.

The 0-0 draw in the first leg at the Emirates was a better result than people gave Arsenal credit for. If they had drawn 0-0 against Barcelona, it would have been a different problem because Barcelona will commit men forward and look to score, but while Milan don’t give much away, they don’t create a lot of chances, either, and Wenger knew that if his team could score a goal they would go through.

When playing Milan you have to take your chances because you don’t get many. You are faced with two banks of four when they lose the ball. They deny you any space and they are good at committing clever little fouls. But last night Arsenal had five or six good chances and that’s a rarity, especially at the San Siro.

It was such a great team effort that you couldn’t pick anyone out, but Philippe Senderos was a man mountain. Kak� is tremendous but he wasn’t given any time or space to cause any damage. Of all Wenger’s players, Senderos has more captain and leadership qualities than any. He makes the odd error but as a leader you cannot fault him and that is why Wenger thinks a lot of him. He was the one dictating things at the back. It is easy to criticise those who make the odd poor decision, but he’s more of a captain than William Gallas.

Wenger had a smirk on his face at the end of the game as if to say, “I’m proud of what you’ve all achieved here.” You try to be humble in victory and defeat but that smirk said it all: “Look at what we can produce.”

History Makers

2008-03-05T10:35:00.001+08:00

I usually can't make it to watch a mid morning match, but i managed to watch the last 20minutes of the game. And boy was I happy I woke up at 5.00am this morning! I witness history.

Cesc's goal was worth the wait and was out 30 yards! That signal for me the end of the era for AC Milan and the resurgence of Arsenal. I love AC Milan and Arsenal and that I love Arsenal more. So it was a bit of a strange feeling to see AC Milan out at this stage.

The Sun's Steve Howard sums it all up.

(Arsenal win 2-0 on agg)

THEY have paid tribute to some special teams down the years at the San Siro. And the 81,000 who packed the famous old stadium honoured a new one last night as Arsenal produced the greatest victory in their long and illustrious history.

Cesc Fabregas capped a stunning solo show by firing Arsenal ahead on 84 minutes. And as Emmanuel Adebayor’s shot hit the back of the net to make it 2-0 in stoppage time, the ripple of applause that started on the Curve Nord turned into a full-scale standing ovation.

The Milanese crowd, one of the most perceptive in the business, knew they had witnessed something special.

Gunners fans thought they had died and gone to heaven when they came to the same stadium five years ago and destroyed Inter 5-1.

This, though, was an even more staggering victory given the nature of the opposition. AC Milan were not just the holders but seven-time winners of the tournament and a side who had NEVER been beaten at the San Siro by a British team.

Yet it was no more than Arsene Wenger’s team deserved on a night when time and a new set of young-bloods caught up with the ageing maestros of Milan. At the centre of it all was the truly outstanding Fabregas.

You need say no more than this was the night the great Kaka finally met his match. The night that will once again launch a fresh push by both Real Madrid and Barcelona to take their young boy home.

The night when the young Spaniard crowned his own imperious performance with the goal that announced Milan’s time at the top was over.There were just six minutes remaining of a match that Arsenal should have won a lot earlier. A match you feared might be plucked away from them by some last act of outrageous Milanese fortune because Arsenal had not scored the goals that reflected their increasing superiority.

But at that moment Fabregas stepped in between World Cup-winner Andrea Pirlo and Massimo Ambrosini to strike a low 30-yard shot that was still gathering speed as it accelerated away past the despairing dive of AC Milan keeper Zeljko Kalac and buried itself in the corner of the net.

It was no more than his performance merited, an evening of huge energy, movement, touch and finesse from the moment he split the Milan defence for the first time in the 13th minute with a 60-yard ball in to Adebayor. Five minutes earlier he had even kept Arsenal in the tie with a goal-line clearance from a header by Paolo Maldini. And he rattled the bar with a shot just before half-time.

When football coaches ever talk about the quintessential all-round performance, they will reach up to the shelf and bring down the DVD of Fabregas last night to illustrate the words.

But there were other best supporting roles worthy of Oscar nomination all round him. From both Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy, who showed just how you play the attacking full-back game these days. From William Gallas and Philippe Senderos who finally drew the sting out of Pippo Inzaghi — last seen scoring the two goals that took care of Liverpool in last season’s final. From Alex Hleb, who never stopped trying to perform those little bits of magic for which Wenger brought him. From Mathieu Flamini who never stopped running. And from Adebayor, who carried the attack and was eventually rewarded with his first Champions League goal for the club.

What a result this was for a team who were under the most suffocating pressure. Defeat last night to a side that had thrashed Manchester United 3-0 here in last season’s semi-final and their whole season would have come tumbling down. Now, though, they will be reawakened and re-energised for the Premier League title battle ahead.

Heads that were down after four games without a win will now be carried high with fresh pride. But if it was victory for the players, it was also a total triumph for Wenger who set his team out in more or less the same 4-4-1-1 fashion that saw off Real Madrid two seasons ago — when the Gunners won 1-0 and became the first British team to win at the Bernabeu.

Apart from an initial spell when Milan threatened to take the tie out of Arsenal’s hands this game was solely about the Gunners’ spirit. They poured forward at every opportunity and should have settled it long before they actually did. Abou Diaby was narrowly wide in the 13th minute, Kalac tipped over an Adebayor effort 14 minutes later and then Fabregas went closer still when his 34th-minute shot beat Kalac but came back off the bar.

Suddenly we were having images of Adebayor’s header against the woodwork in the last minute at the Emirates and wondering how costly it might be. Then, just as we thought we were going to extra time, Fabregas dropped his bomb.

What a night. What a bloody fantastic night. Now Liverpool arrive next week to complete the annexation of Milan as the football capital of the world.

For the moment, though, all hail Wenger’s glorious Gunners.

Technorati Tags: Arsenal, AC Milan, Champions League

Our prayers are with you, EDUARDO

2008-02-25T16:20:00.001+08:00

Dear Eduardo,
Our prayers are with you that you will recover quickly from this horrific injury. We will never know how much you have to endure nor the sort of agony mentally and emotionally you have to go through to recover. But one thing you can count on is that all of us Arsenal fans will be praying for you.

We know you might have thoughts that this will be career ending. We hear you will fight it. We take heart from your strong heart.

We know how much you want to help the team win honors and how frustrating it is not to be involved since the team is down with so many injuries.

All is not lost. Your team mates will now want to win the League for you.

You can be sure of that now.

Arsenal 2 Blackburn 0

2008-02-12T09:51:00.001+08:00

WHEN your biggest rivals cock up and the other mob only draw, it does not really matter how you win.

It was hardly the usual swashbuckling Arsenal display but goals at either end of the match provided some astonishing symmetry with their title-winning season of four years ago.

On 10 February 2004, a 2-0 win over Southampton sent Arsenal five points clear at the top. Thierry Henry scored in the last minute for his 19th league goal of the season. And so on to 11 February 2008. Arsenal went five points clear again — courtesy of Philippe Senderos’ fourth-minute opener and a late second from Emmanuel Adebayor.

Like Henry that night, it was Adebayor’s 19th league goal of the campaign.

Freaky stuff.

5 points clear again

2008-02-12T09:31:00.003+08:00

It is far from over - but it is nice to have a 5 point cushion at the top!

That said, I suspect that many pundits are still predicting that Arsenal with their young squad will falter in the run in and that we have a thin squad and lack cover, etc etc. Maybe they should be reminded that Arsenal won this game without 11 injured players?

Wenger says it best: “It was a very good weekend for us. We were a bit under pressure to take advantage of the situation after what happened to United but we handled it well. I feel we have dealt with the pressure very well each time this year when we’ve had our backs to the wall. Last week we played first out of all the teams at Manchester City and we won. This week we played last and we won again. We’ve come up with the same answer each time."

I am reminded of how the Giants won the SuperBowl against the odds - RESILIENCE

You're Gunner have to believe it

2008-02-04T10:03:00.001+08:00

By Steve Howard

WHAT more do Arsenal have to do to convince people they can take the title?

On Saturday they became the first side to win at Manchester City in the league. Yet there are still doubts. This morning Manchester United remain 4-5 favourites with the Gunners at 6-4. Then come Chelsea at 5-1. You can also have Liverpool at 125-1 (don’t all rush).

All season punters have drooled over Arsenal’s football but warned of their relative inexperience, their lack of strength in depth — especially at centre-half — and how the season would finally catch up with them.

All season we have been waiting for Arsene Wenger’s team to crack. The fault lines were supposed to have been exposed after their shock 2-1 defeat at Middlesbrough on December 9. But they came back with 13 points out of 15 including home wins over Chelsea and Spurs and an emphatic 4-1 thrashing of Everton at Goodison. Held 1-1 by Birmingham at the Emirates, they were then obliterated 5-1 at White Hart Lane in the Carling Cup.

This was surely it. But, no, successive 3-0 victories over Newcastle were followed by Saturday’s victory at Eastlands. That reverse at Boro still remains their only Premier defeat of the season. But still the money stays on United and the huge playing resources available to Old Trafford boss Alex Ferguson. Yet, if anything, United have proved more brittle than Arsenal.

After the midweek trouncing of Portsmouth and Cristiano Ronaldo’s majestic free-kick, the superlatives flowed. Once again we were in Treble-winning territory as United made it six successive wins and a goal tally of 16-1 since their 2-1 reverse at West Ham.

And yet. But for a 93rd-minute equaliser against Spurs on Saturday, United would have suffered their fourth league defeat of the season. As Rio Ferdinand admitted: “We can’t afford to drop too many more points.”

It makes little sense. Just when United should be pulling clear, it’s Arsenal who have again opened a slight gap — even with key defender Kolo Toure away in Ghana, Robin van Persie never off the treatment table and Cesc Fabregas yet to recapture his early-season form.

But still the arguments are made AGAINST Wenger’s side. That their challenge will finally splinter in and around the Champions League double-header with AC Milan. Yet while Emmanuel Adebayor continues his Ronaldo-style scoring, as long as Eduardo more than compensates for Van Persie’s absence and as long as Mathieu Flamini holds it together, this one can run and run.

In many ways, it’s the most fascinating title race since Arsenal appeared to have overhauled United in 1998-99 only to see a 20-match unbeaten run end at Leeds in the penultimate match of the season. In 2002-03, Arsenal again looked to have the league won until Ruud van Nistelrooy went into turbo-drive, with 16 goals in the last 17 games as United reeled off 18 without defeat. Some of that resilience was seen at Spurs, where United refused to throw in the towel.

No one was more committed than Wayne Rooney who, at one point, ran 70 yards to block a shot. Sadly for him, he was also ruled out of the Manchester derby after being booked for a dive. Those of a superstitious nature will point out that Rooney has missed all four games United have lost this season.

Though United and Arsenal meet in Manchester in the FA Cup in two weeks’ time, the real clash comes at Old Trafford on April 12 with five matches to go. No doubt, Arsenal fans will be dusting down the old Sylvain Wiltord posters from May 8, 2002. And yet. And yet.

Despite Chelsea drawing at Portsmouth to trail the Gunners by six points, the Blues still have Didier Drogba and Michael Essien to return from Africa — plus John Terry and Frank Lampard from injury — and face both Arsenal (March 22) and United (April 26) at Stamford Bridge.

By that time, the Chelsea team should be something to behold. For the moment, though, Arsenal continue to defy the sceptics. The next big one? The next potential crack-up? No doubt, the trip to Birmingham just a few days after they meet AC Milan at the Emirates.

Fergie will hope to call in a favour that day from his old Aberdeen skipper Alex McLeish. Likewise, Steve Bruce when Arsenal travel to Wigan two games later. And on it goes. Right to the last day of the season when Arsenal are at . . . Roy Keane’s Sunderland. No wonder Wenger feels that the whole world is against him!

Deja vu

2008-01-30T09:47:00.001+08:00

Arsenal 3 - Magpies 0 - in the FA Cup and in the League. Twice in four days, Keegan’s Newcastle have been played off the park by Arsenal — first in the FA Cup and now the Premier League.

I didnt catch the match because it is in the middle of my beauty sleep. But these fellow have a lot to say. We won and we are top of the table again. It would be nice to see Portsmouth score without their African stars. I am dreaming.

Giants collide

2008-01-29T09:16:00.001+08:00

This can be good or bad depends on how you view Arsenal's form.
In terms of fixtures it comes a few days before THE BIG one vs AC Milan.

Judging from our recent patchy performances, this fixture will be a big ask for Arsenal. Unless the midfield and strikers start clicking to their usual groove again, I dont see us pass 2 of these games. We could well be out in 2 cup competition in a week and everyone will start talking about CRISIS.

If however we perform well over the next 2 weeks in the league, this could be the defining matches of our season. Its always good to knock the Devils out at their own backyard.

FA Cup fifth round draw:
Bristol Rovers v Southampton
Cardiff v Wolves
Sheffield United v Middlesbrough
Liverpool v Barnsley
Manchester United v Arsenal
Preston v Portsmouth
Coventry v West Brom
Chelsea v Huddersfield

There is also good news for dreamers, with at least three teams from outside the Premier League guaranteed to be in the quarter-finals.

Gunners in for Woody?

2008-01-28T21:09:00.001+08:00

One Vela-va player!

2008-01-25T22:27:00.001+08:00

Osasuna are worth watching for Carlos Vela alone.

Of course, he belongs to Arsenal and he is on loan to Osasuna for the season and he's playing really well at the moment.He scored a fantastic goal at the weekend and made Sergio Ramos look very mediocre when Osasuna played Real Madrid before Christmas.

He plays on the left hand side or as a second forward - he's going to stay at Osasuna until the end of the season and then go to Arsenal after that. So keep an eye on him.

Arsenal 1 Spurs 1

2008-01-10T08:36:00.001+08:00

The pic & report courtesy of the Sun UK.

ARSENAL striker Theo Walcott enjoyed a slice of luck to make it 21 games without a win in the north London derby for Spurs. The youngster, watched by England boss Fabio Capello, struck with 10 minutes left to break Tottenham's hearts in the League Cup semi-final first leg.

It was substitute Eduardo's slide rule pass that cut the defence in half, before Lee Young Pyo tackled the ball into Walcott's chest, sending it ballooning into the net.

Spurs fans must have thought tonight was the night after Jermaine Jenas had given them the lead before half-time.The midfielder was on hand to tap the ball into an empty net after Robbie Keane had combined with Dimitar Berbatov.

But Tottenham's winless streak, that started in 1999, will continue with Walcott having the last laugh.

Gunner gun you

2008-01-08T15:56:00.001+08:00

Burnley gave us a game

2008-01-07T11:28:00.001+08:00

I watched the whole match! Unbelievable, that is- because it was boring! But I must say, Burnley played out played Arsenal yesterday. But for their poor finishing, they would have given us a real scare. Thanks to Eduardo - we were playing to keep a goal lead.

My assessment is that our mid field were poor - they were not in sync. as if they didn't really want to play with each other. Gilberto had plenty of misplaced passes as well as Eboue. Kolo was the play-maker yesterday from defence! Too many try to take on the game themselves, with Eboue the main culprit - I suppose we wont miss him that much in the ANC.

Anyway Arsenal played a better when Diably moved into the middle and Denilson and Gilberto were playing sweepers. It was as if we played a 4-2-2-2 formation with Eboue running wild.

I hope we get the midfield sorted for the Carling Cup. I would love Diably & Diarra in the Middle with Denilson and Walcott on the wings in the Spurs match. Edu and Bentner should stay in the attack.

Rafa 'Mad Hatter' Benitez

2008-01-07T10:23:00.001+08:00

I usually don't want to write much about other teams - especially
Liverpool for fear that it would offend their wonderful fans (with the
exception of one idiot so far). Despite the recent failures of the
team, Liverpool has always had wonderful - level minded fans (except
one idiot) who appreciate the beauty of the game whether it is from
their own team or the opposition. I recall the Kop giving Henry a
fantastic applause when Arsenal won a game in Anfield with his stellar
display.

But this post concerns their crazy manager, not the Liverpool team or its fans.

Before the game against Luton, he said: "I don't think that they are
putting more pressure on me. We are working hard together trying to
improve the squad in January. If it's just a race against the watch,
we are faster than before. But if it's against the others, it depends
on them also whether you finish first, second or third. Arsenal,
United and Chelsea have very good teams and are also spending big
money."

I have no doubt that anyone who reads the last line will have serious
questions about Rafa's sanity. Putting Arsenal in the same breath as
big spending team is a joke, at best. Yes, Arsenal is a good team like
the other 3, but I doubt he can prove that Arsenal had been spending
big money. In fact before the season, all the pundits and fans alike
were complaining about the lack of spending by Arsenal to match the
ambitions of the rest of the 3.

I suppose, anyone under pressure like Rafa would want to defend the
state of his team's performance on the lack of spending. For me thats
no excuse after spending the kind of money he did over the last 3
seasons, Liverpool should have won 3 Premier League titles already.

I just hope he is not saying that Arsenal's success is all down to big
money spending. That would be an insult to the way and philosophy that
built Arsenal to its class and success today. Wenger is head and
shoulders above all other managers in the league for bringing success
at optimum cost. Hands down.

By the way, my sympathies to all Red fans for the draw at the Hatters.
I guess Rafa is just being "generous" with another replay to help
struggling Luton. No?

What pundits think of Arsenal

2008-01-02T23:39:00.000+08:00

It always amazes me how fast the local press and football pundits everywhere would jump into conclusions about Arsenal. When the Gunners play well for one or two games, they will quickly join in the praise. But when the Gunners draw a game and somehow lost the lead in the table after the game at Portsmouth, the word 'crisis' appears to abound.

The Gunners had a run of 4 away games beginning at the end of November at Sevilla where they lost the game after fielding a 2nd string. They have already qualified and a few players were injured or needed rest. A few days later they scrap passed a good Villa side on 1 December with a Flamini special. Injuries and fatigue took its toll, and with a few players out, they struggled against Newcastle and drew on the 5th November a mid week fixture. The pundits were ready to pounced when Boro shocked Arsenal with its first lost of the season at the weekend fixture on 9 December.

Clearly suffering from lost of key players such as Cesc, Flamini and Helb, they lost the game against a spirited Boro side. Without Hleb and Cesc, the team lacked creativity and mustered only a few shots on goal.

The pundits where quickly writing the Gunners off. They were already predicting losses to Chelsea and called the game against Spurs the a great test. Of course, the Gunners rose to the challenge without Cesc, Flamini and Helb and beat Chelsea and Spurs, while the Younger gunners beat a good Blackburn side in mid week in the Carling Cup.

Then the tune changed again, the pundits were praising how wonderful great the team depth was that Arsenal can field an entirely different team and still beat Blackburn.

Then the pundits in ESPN came out saying, looking at the fixtures over the hectic Christmas period, they believe that Arsenal would drop the most points compared to the other top 3 teams, with most pundits saying the Devils were unstoppable since Ronaldo can't stop scoring. They predicted the MU would gain 9/9 points, Chelsea 9/9, Liverpool 9/9 and Arsenal 6/9.

Arsenal had to play 2 tough away games in Portsmouth and Everton in the space of 2 days and then entertain West Ham at home on new years day.

A lack lustre performance and unlucky draw against Portsmouth, and with MU winning their game and boom everyone was writing "crisis" again and saying how MU now is unstoppable, etc etc.

The pundits came out guns blazing and some fans were predicting the worst. Then 5/6 pundits have the cheek to predict that Everton would beat Arsenal at this current state.

We all know the results, Arsenal thumped Everton and then did the double over the Hammers who beat MU the match before.

Now everyone is praising Arsenal again.

This Arsenal team who has been written off as also rans because of the lack of big name signings and youth have proven time and again it has the will and the talent and the guts to win in tough physical games, held its own against the top 3 and also capable of defending leads. It has shown it is capable of varying its game - which is frightening - and shocked the likes of Everton and West Ham with route 1 football. It is winning ugly, winning by route 1.

No defense now can keep a highline and crowd the mid field and get away with it.

After 20 games played, it is time that people and pundits alike view Arsenal as a credible title contender. This team isn't the same one 1 or 2 years ago. It has matured, it has developed more variety to its tactics and they are tough.

Time for pundits to stop using the crisis word everytime Arsenal draws a game or two.

Christmas Charity

2007-12-26T00:22:00.001+08:00

From Arsenal-world.com

Christmas is the time for giving, but despite the best efforts of
Charles Dickens, it's still the case that the best presents go to
those who don't need them rather than the poor people who need them
the most. That's also the case in football, it seems, as the two best
sides in the country were literally gifted some festive cheer this
weekend by opponents who had otherwise given them really tough games.

Arsenal had rarely been at their best against neighbours Tottenham
Hotspur, least of all in a tepid first half, and after being pegged
back following Emmanuel Adebayor's opening goal, they gave the
visitors the chance to take a deserved lead with a penalty. The
responsibility went to Robbie Keane, who stepped up and had his
spot-kick well-saved by Manuel Almunia. A couple of minutes later,
their misery was compounded by the league leaders going up the other
end and taking the lead themselves.

From having the chance to claim a famous victory - it would have been
their first in 20 attempts against the Gunners - Spurs had blown it
again and instead gifted three points to their neighbours. It wasn't
for lack of trying, but effort doesn't count for much if it isn't
rewarded, even at Christmas time. Just ask Everton, who put in just as
much work at Old Trafford at day later and came close to snatching a
point, only to present the champions with one of the softest and most
downright stupid penalties you'll see all season.

The Toffees made a good start against Manchester United in a game that
saw more cards given out in the first half hour than most people get
sent for Christmas, but it was United who took the lead through
Cristiano Ronaldo (obviously). Everton showed enough quality and
spirit to equalise soon after though, with Tim Cahill's header
knocking the stuffing (sigh...) out of them. After that, the visitors
didn't really push on for a winner of their own, but did a good job of
stifling United's efforts to claim one of their own.

At least until a moment of mad generosity from Steven Pienaar. With
Ryan Giggs dribbling in the general direction of nowhere, the South
African midfielder sticks his leg out behind him and sends the United
winger tumbling in the area with just a few minutes left. Good work
Santa Pienaar. Of course, Ronaldo was hardly likely to miss and cooly
scored to take all three points and leave David Moyes on the touchline
looking like a man trying to work out which corn-row to rip out first.

So, the top two remain the same for Christmas, with just one point
between them and five separating them from third-placed Chelsea after
last weekend's Grand Slam Sunday schenanigans. Chelsea and Liverpool
might have been hoping for some dropped points this week as both
Arsenal and United had tough opponents, but a tale of two penalties
put paid to those hopes. Instead, the theme of the weekend at the top
was most one of the Big Four coming up against teams who would wish to
challenge them, and beating them.

Champions League Top Draw: Arsenal vs AC Milan

2007-12-21T19:31:00.001+08:00

This is the pick of the tie. Two of my favorite teams.

It will be awesome. Best passing team and youth vs Guile and experience.

The whole world will be watching.

Other interesting ties:
Lyon v Man Utd
Liverpool v Inter Milan
Celtic v Barcelona
Roma v Real

Boring ties:
Olympiakos v Chelsea
Fenerbache v Sevilla
Schalke v Porto

Hleb goes for topless stunner

2007-12-21T15:44:00.001+08:00

ARSENAL midfielder ALEXANDER HLEB is following in the footsteps of ASHLEY COLE by wedding pop royalty. But he's passed over the GIRLS ALOUD babes in favour of a minx from, er, chart-toppers TOPLESS.

They were big in Hleb's homeland of Belarus apparently. Huge, in fact. Not that their chart performance seems to matter much when considering the evident talents of extraordinary ANASTASIA 'NASTYA' KOSENKOVA. Y ou can see more of Anastasia by clicking on the link below.

Hleb said: "My wedding will be in the summer. For a long time I've been looking for the girl of my dreams and I have finally found her. Nastya is a very nice and pure person." [Josh: I am sure she has a NICE body, but PURE? I suppose Hleb is referring to her soul not her other assets.]

The beauty, who now lives in London, fell in love with the star after spotting him on TV. She gushed: "I thought: 'What a Teddy-boy!'"

Almost Topless ... Nastya and the band

From the Sun.co.uk

Young Gunners as good as any Premiership team

2007-12-19T12:03:00.001+08:00

From Sun.co.uk

GOLDEN oldie Eduardo struck in extra time to settle another spicy clash between these two rivals and book 10-man Arsenal a semi-final place.

The Croatia striker, at 24 the oldest Gunner on show last night, slotted in his second on 104 minutes just when Blackburn looked likely to complete a spirited fightback.

Arsene Wenger had fielded a side with an average age of just over 20 yet they raced into a two-goal lead inside the first 29 minutes.

But Roque Santa Cruz struck twice to haul Rovers back into the game and take his personal tally to an amazing five goals in four days.

Denilson was sent off for an horrific two-footed lunge on David Dunn in stoppage time — the 70th player to be red carded in Wenger's reign.

The game looked to be up for Arsenal's kids but Eduardo had other ideas and guided the youngsters to victory.

It was a typically stormy encounter between these teams with ref Mike Riley booking eight as well as dishing out one red card. Now Wenger is tipping his young guns to go one better by lifting the Carling Cup in the New Year after finishing runners-up in February.

Boss Wenger said: "We want to finish the job now. We got a taste for the final last year against Chelsea and we want to get there again.

"We're in the semi-final again so that shows it was no coincidence last year — so now we'll see who we get. I have belief in them so it's no surprise to me. This was more of a physical test for much of the game."

Blackburn were added to the list of conquests by these young players who have already knocked out Newcastle and Sheffield United this campaign.

Wenger has no doubts they could perform well for him in the Premier League as well — but will not rush them into the big-time yet. He added: "It's difficult to say how they would do in the league but they are all Premier League players.Their quality is not in question but I don't know if they could last the whole season."

Arsenal were a joy to watch in the opening exchanges as Mark Hughes' experienced Blackburn side were left chasing shadows. Nicklas Bendtner's sixth-minute cross somehow eluded Steven Reid and fell for Abou Diaby whose delightful floated half-volley looped over Brad Friedel. It was either slightly lucky or an outrageous piece of skill but it was just the start the young Gunners needed.

Bendtner almost doubled their lead when he chipped a delightful effort against the bar but the second arrived in the 29th minute.

Christopher Samba made a terrible hash of clearing Denilson's through-ball and Eduardo produced an ice-cool finish.

It had been a masterclass by Arsenal's young team but Rovers got their lifeline on the stroke of half-time. Matt Derbyshire could have been offside when he crossed for Santa Cruz who flew in to smash his team back into the game. Polish keeper Lukas Fabianski denied the Paraguayan a second just after the re-start but the £3.3million hitman did pull the home side level on the hour.

Ex-Gooner David Bentley swung in a free-kick from the left and former Bayern Munich striker Santa Cruz nodded in. That made it five goals in four days and 11 in an impressive debut season.

A vibrant Rovers now looked the likelier winners at that stage as Santa Cruz fluffed a great chance to score back-to-back hat-tricks — following a treble in the 5-3 defeat at Wigan.

When Denilson saw red the tie looked there for the taking but still there were more twists to come in extra time. The north Londoners were rocked by an extra-time injury to Dutch substitute Nacer Barazite.

The 17-year-old midfielder, signed from NEC Nijmegen in the summer, crumpled to the ground in agony and after lengthy treatment was taken off on a stretcher with a dislocated shoulder.

But Arsenal dug deep and right on the break of extra-time Alex Song played in Eduardo, who showed his class to slot in the winner.

Still there could have been more drama as Rovers' 6ft 5in Congo defender Samba almost atoned for his earlier error when he headed against a post.

Spare a thought for poor old Santa Cruz who has certainly delivered the goods at the right time but has been left empty-handed both times. Rovers have now won just one of their last eight and are shipping goals at an alarming rate as they prepare to face Chelsea this weekend.

Boss Hughes said: "Roque's form has been outstanding. He's scored five goals and lost both games — and that's hard to take for him and us. The fact we have come back in two games shows the belief we have in the team, so our recent form is frustrating rather than a worry.
Our defending has cost us again and because of that we are finding it difficult to win games. We have a tendency to just switch off and teams can capitalise on that. Arsenal have a fantastic squad and they are a very talented group of players.People call them kids but the lad who scored the winner cost £11million so these so-called kids don't come cheap do they?"

Grand Slam Sunday?

2007-12-18T10:20:00.001+08:00

No matter how much ESPN inevitably hyped it up, Grand Slam Sunday was never going to provide spectacular entertainment. The games between the Big Four are just too tense and important (probably because of the hysteria whipped up by the media) for anything resembling flowing football to be played, and the two games played yesterday were as pragmatic and prosaic as anyone other than Richard Keys would have expected.

A BLACK DAY AT ANFIELD

Results rather than entertainment are what count on days like this and while nothing is ever decided in mid-December, victories for Arsenal and Manchester United could go a long way towards turning a four-horse race into a two-horse race. Had Liverpool and Chelsea won, there could have been a case for suggesting that this year we really could have four top teams battling it out for the title and while that's not out of the question now, it's less likely.

Liverpool, in particular, needed a win from yesterday's visit of their biggest rivals. United have had a great record at Anfield recently and it would have been a big psychological boost. Losing yet again was quite the opposite, particularly as the home side looked so impotent against the resolute champions, with Fernando Torres not able to justify the pre-match talk about him being the difference between Liverpool as almost-contenders and Liverpool as real contenders.

For Liverpool, it looks like once again Europe and the cup competitions will be where their hopes of silverware lie. Ten points adrift of top spot after two defeats in a row, they have also played all three title rivals at home already this season, gaining just two points from a possible nine. They aren't out of it yet of course, but trips to Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and the Emirates will hardly make chasing down the front-runners an easy task in the second half of the campaign.

Chelsea are closer to the top two than Liverpool after their 1-0 defeat at Arsenal, but injuries are taking their toll. Without Didier Drogba up front, they looked toothless at the Emirates, an area that Avram Grant must surely address in the January transfer window, with Andriy Shevchenko, Salomon Kalou and Claudio Pizarro not adding up to much as replacements. When John Terry went off, their defence fell apart too, showing just how much damage Jose Mourinho's transfers did to his title-winning squad of a few years ago.

That was brought into ever-sharper focus when William Gallas - a player mis-used and then discarded by Mourinho - headed in the game's only goal to cap another excellent inspirational performance by the Arsenal captain. The player Chelsea got in their swap for him was meanwhile snarling and making obsence gestures to the fans on his first 'return' to Arsenal (albeit at a different ground to the one he played at), making an all round miserable afternoon for poor Ashley Cole.

The Gunners weren't at their best against Chelsea, just as United weren't when they delivered Grant's other defeat since his appointment, but that is something that should concern him, particularly as his predecessor had such an impressive record against both sides. On the plus side, they do still both have to travel to Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea remain undefeated in living memory in the league, while January's transfer window will give Grant his first chance to spend Roman Abramovich's money.

Even so, it is hard to look beyond Arsenal and Man United when it comes to identifying potential title candidates, and their hard-fought victories yesterday proved that they have the brawn to go with their skills. The Gunners also showed that they can bounce back from the adversity of last week's defeat and stay just above the champions, though a North London derby next weekend will provide them with another pre-Christmas hurdle to get over.

Arsenal 1 Chelsea 0

2007-12-17T09:41:00.001+08:00

PARTY TIME ... Arsenal's stars mob William Gallas after his goal

From the Sun.co.uk

CHELSEA were rocked by a double blow at leaders Arsenal.

Blues old boy William Gallas headed home the winner after a clanger by keeper Petr Cech.

And they face an anxious wait on injured skipper John Terry, who hobbled off in the first half.

The win propelled the Gunners back to the top of the table and they are now six points ahead of Chelsea.

In the first half, it was Arsenal's Manuel Almunia who was the busier keeper.

One deflected shot from Shaun Wright-Phillips saw him make a spectacular flying save.

And a swerving 25-yard effort from Andriy Shevchenko saw him add another equally effective denial.

There was no lack of feistiness to this London derby, which was accompanied by constant boos for Ashley Cole on his first return to Arsenal.

One shuddering tackle from Cole on Arsenal full-back Bacary Sagna set the tone, as did a high lunge on Cole for which Emmanuel Adebayor was booked.

Emmanuel Eboue joined him in referee Alan Wiley's book for a lunging challenge on Terry that saw the England captain substituted late in the first half.

Grant hoped to regroup in the dressing room but his plans were dashed by Gallas' header on the stroke of half-time.

Cesc Fabregas' swinging corner should have been an easy catch for Cech.

But somehow the Chelsea keeper waved it by to see the unmarked Gallas head the ball into the empty net.

In the second half, Wright-Phillips should have scored when he skewed wide from three yards.

But sub Robin van Persie might have extended Arsenal's lead if he had not fired over following a superb flowing move.

The finale was truly frantic.

Van Persie and Adebayor had the ball in the net only to be ruled offside, while a thunderous injury-time free-kick from Shevchenko was turned over by Almunia.

And right at the death Fabregas should have scored but was then booked for a lunge into the back of Ashley Cole, who pushed his former team-mate in the face.

The Gunners held their nerve to seal a crucial victory.

Rantings of Old Devil Sourpuss

2007-11-05T11:03:00.000+08:00

Arsenal vs Devils. Half the male population of Malaysia watched this match. 80% of them supports the Devils. The rest loves everything good about football and support Arsenal. One old sourpuss rants..

Following his side’s pulsating 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Saturday, Sir Alex Sourpuss could not help but raise a question over referee Howard Webb’s performance.

Unusually this game lived up to the pre match hype. However, there is no doubt that Wenger was happier than Ferguson at the end of the game. Sir Alex was full of sour grapes, he could not, “believe it”, his team had chucked two points away.

He had the gal to claim that the Ref had favoured Arsenal – a real surprise for the home crowd jeered Webb for most of the match. His booking of Cesc, and failure to give a penalty for foul on Hleb were only two of his many pathetic actions.

Meanwhile after the match Wenger claimed that Arsenal had passed the test set for them twice. They had come back from being a goal down twice, in a game against of team of quality, a team that had only conceded four goals all season before this game. However that should not be taken as meaning that Man U were better on the day, they were not.

It could be argued that a draw was a fair result, and it probably was, but it was Arsenal that had the most possession (56% to 44%), and the most shots (18 to 10). The only area where Man U were superior was in the finishing department; the Gunners were clearly missing RvP, but still managed to find the net twice.

Old Sourpuss complained that Man U had given Arsenal two goals for free. To deflect criticism from himself he tried to make it sound as if only Man U were interested in winning, but had thrown away victory with sloppy defending.

However, Cesc had to carefully place the ball past Ferdinand on the line for the equaliser. In fact Arsenal were just as sloppy at the back; just on half time the defence fell asleep and let Utd score a soft goal, and then repeated the error a few minutes from full-time. In fact, the bulk of Man U’s chances were harmless shots from outside the box.

Indeed to claim that the Devils’ goals were somehow superior is nonsense, Rooney miss hit the ball and Gallas’s trailing arm helped it in. For the second Almunia came out too far leaving an empty goal.

Sourpuss claimed that Arsenal’s equaliser came after a foul on Man U, but then Utd’s first came after a foul on Hleb – what went around came around. And this time the whiner is non Wenger but Sourpuss.

Sourpuss had even this to say:

‘Arsenal are good football team and they had plenty of possession but they didn’t actually make anything of their chances. They got their second goal from pumping the ball into the box. It got a bit of a deflection when they pumped the ball into the box in injury-time and ended up at the back post (with Gallas).

We produced some good football for our goals but their goals were a bit scrappy. It’s unlike Arsenal. They normally score goals from good passing movements. Today they were slashing the ball in the box and getting goals from it.’

What possessed this Devil from saying this? A game can be won with many tactics and pumping the ball in to score a goal hasn’t been employed by the Devils? True it is unlike the old Arsenal of 2 years back but this is the Young Gunners who can score in which ever way it is required. Scrappy goals are goals too.

What possessed this Devil to say that “we produced some good football for our goals” when all they do the whole match is to cross the ball from the wide areas. Isn’t it slashing the ball into the box too, in their 2 goals? If by doing that Arsenal are guilty of bad football, then I think the Devils should be in the relegation zone of good football league because most of their goals are slashing the ball into the box, right?!

Back to the match.

Last season, I would be bitting my nails and the crowd would be bitting their nails at the tense ending. But this time I was totally relaxed. I really believe that the team has become experts in scoring in the last 10 minutes with their never say die attitude. When the TV showed 2 Gooners with 3 minutes to go, none of them where bitting nails! They also knew Arsenal will come back to grab a goal. With the announcement of added time the Emirates crowd roared the team on, they sensed there was enough time to save the game.

So in the final minute with a scramble in the Man U area Gallas was true to his word, instead of worrying about defence he was there to equalise. Fortress Emirates would not fall against Manchester United.