Redaction are organising a march of solidarity for Arsene Wenger starting from the The Rocket on Holloway Road at 3:15pm before Sunday’s last match of the season against Stoke. The march will reach the roundabout in front of the Armoury at the Emirates (The Bear roundabout) at 3:30pm to sing songs in support of Mr. Wenger. If you are coming to the match tomorrow please join in. Arsespeak will be there and we will send a few real time photos to our Twitter feed.
What are Arsenal fans’ views on the future of Adebayor?
One of the main talking points as we reach the end of the 2008/2009 Premier League campaign is the future of Emmanuel Adebayor. There has been plenty of speculation about the Arsenal striker’s future with Inter Milan, AC Milan and Chelsea all reportedly tracking his progress.
Sections of the Arsenal crowd booed the Togo striker during the recent defeat to Chelsea and in doing so, made their feelings clear on where they hope Adebayor will be playing his football next season – away from the Emirates. Is this the case throughout Arsenal’s support though?
I am intrigued to find out exactly what Arsenal fans think. Is Adebayor a world-class striker that Arsene Wenger would be crazy to get rid of? Or is he a player that the club should cash in on as soon as possible?
During another season without a trophy for the Gunners, there is no doubt that Adebayor hasn’t hit the heights of the previous campaign. Compared to 30 goals last season, he has only managed to find the back of the net on 16 occasions. In fact, he has only scored in the Premier League three times since the turn of the year.
It hasn’t just been his lack of goals though. Many have criticised him for a lack of effort and commitment to the Arsenal cause. It has, perhaps, looked like he is happy with the fact that his time with the Gunners is coming to an end.
Nothing is certain as yet though and the forward’s future is very much up in the air. Arsenal lost key first team players in Mathieu Flamini and Gilberto Silva last summer, so they should be wary about breaking up a relatively settled side once more.
Surely Wenger should be adding to what he already has rather than selling one of his most talented players? Consistent selection often pays off in the end and if Adebayor was sold, he would more than likely be replaced by an unproven striker trying to make a name for himself in England.
On the other hand though, if Adebayor doesn’t want to be at the club anymore, why should Arsenal hold onto him? If he is kept involved against his wishes, it will surely have a negative effect on team morale next season.
What is your opinion though? A groin injury is likely to rule Adebayor out of Sunday’s game against Stoke City, so he could have played his last game in an Arsenal shirt. Would you be happy if this was the case?
Arsenal troubles: Retain Wenger and strengthen the squad
This season has been Wenger’s most difficult one at Arsenal, he’s had to cope with an inexperienced squad, injuries, impatient fans, player strops, and at the end of it he has still managed to ensure that we squeezed into the big time yet again next season, as well as taking us to the last 4 in Europe and an FA Cup semi-final.
Now he has to put up with harsh questioning from fans at the Shareholders meeting, and endless speculation that he will leave to go to Real Madrid.
Personally I think it would be awful for Wenger to go. His work isn’t finished at Arsenal and there is more to come. A barren patch is just that – a patch – and we are going to come out of this.
The main thing we need is to learn the lessons of the past two seasons – both fell apart due to a lack of depth in the squad.
We need to sign quality players with experience as Arshavin is asking for:
“We must buy in the summer. Not more potential, but players who are ready to do it now, players like me.
“We need two or three. If Arsenal want to win, they have to do it. We are tired of waiting.
“I believe that out of the top four English teams, when it comes to football, Arsenal are the best.
“They have the best style and the best coach. At the moment, young players come to Arsenal because they see it as a very big team, but if we carry on like this without winning trophies, young players will not want to come.
“Everyone likes the appeal of Arsenal, the football of Arsenal, the young players of Arsenal, but if there is no result they will stop.”
Action has to be taken – sell Adebayor to Milan if that is what it takes, and bring in several new players. Ade has potential, but he doesn’t seem happy at the club – as shown by his interview on the BBC. Best thing we can do is get a large sum of money for him.
He is the only player I could tolerate leaving, if any more go then we are looking at another season of disappointment – and disillusionment among the team.
Stick with Wenger though, stability is the key – what is the rush anyway – surely a team built over years which develops to its full potential and is successful over the long term is more preferable to a quick fix?
Are Wenger’s comments a sign that he is nearing the end?
Arsene Wenger has been a busy boy in the last couple of days. In the lead up to tomorrow’s game against Manchester United, the Arsenal boss has made a number of uncharacteristic comments that suggest he might just be cracking under the pressure.
As has been mentioned in pretty much every Arsenal related article over the last week or so, the Gunners have not won a trophy since 2005. For this to come to an end next season, you would have thought that Wenger would want to keep hold of his best players, invest in some new ones and continue to get the backing of the supporters.
Well, if you think this is the case, you may be wrong because Wenger has put all three of these notions in doubt. He has done so in such a manner that I’m not convinced all is ok in the world of the Frenchman.
Anyway, let’s get on to what he said.
Speaking about Emmanuel Adebayor’s future, Wenger said that ‘all of the big clubs will want him this summer’ and that he wouldn’t hesitate in selling the striker to another member of the top four.
Carlos Ancleotti – who tried to sign Adebayor for AC Milan last summer – is favourite to take over at Chelsea and it is thought that he will try to get his man once again. Considering Wenger said you should ‘never say never’ because Arsenal have already sold a player to Chelsea – Ashley ole – this shouldn’t be ruled out.
Next up on Wenger’s agenda was to speak about how much money Arsenal would spend this summer. Many have called for the Gunners to buy more players like Andrei Arshavin to assist in the quest for silverware.
However, the Arsenal boss has said that he will ‘manage within his own resources’ as he only believes only ‘one or two players’ need to be added in order for his team to be competitive in all competitions.
This is fair enough as he doesn’t want to put the club’s finances at risk. However, he was being very defensive with these comments about his transfer policy and will probably refuse to budge on it. No matter how long the team goes without a trophy.
The final subject on Wenger’s hit list was the Arsenal fans themselves. He said that the home crowd have been too quick to jump on the backs of players this season and created a ‘negative environment’ inside the Emirates.
The Frenchman praised the ‘fantastic’ away fans, but said that sections of the home crowd have created ‘negative vibes’ which have had an adverse affect on the confidence of some players.
Wenger finished by saying that this Arsenal team needs genuine ‘fans of the club’ to come to matches because this season, the coaching staff has had to work too hard on maintaining confidence and energy levels ‘against the odds’.
So, there you have it. Wenger has had his say on many things. A lot of these opinions could upset Arsenal fans, but it seems these comments were made with this in mind. That’s why I raise questions about Wenger’s way of thinking right now.
Will there be a relationship problem between Wenger and the fans if Manchester United run out comfortable winners on Saturday? This may not be the case with Wenger and Arsenal, but the moment a manager publically criticises the fans, it is normally the beginning of the end.
Theo signs new deal – what can he achieve at Arsenal?
The main news concerning Arsenal this morning is the revelation that Theo Walcott has committed his future to the club by signing a four-year-deal worth £60,000 a week.
This news was expected, but is still very good to hear. Since joining the club back in 2006 from Southampton, Walcott has made a significant impact in Arsenal colours and has firmly established himself in Arsene Wenger’s starting eleven.
In total, he has made 103 appearances for the club and has found the back of the net on 14 occasions. Speaking about signing a new deal, Walcott said that he was ‘absolutely delighted’ to show his loyalty to the Arsenal cause.
The England international went on to say that he is ‘so happy’ at the Emirates because he is working with the ‘best manager in the world’ in Arsene Wenger. Walcott was also very thankful to everyone who had helped him get to ‘this point in my career’.
One of the final points that Walcott made was that he anticipated ‘many successful seasons ahead’ and this is the point I wanted to touch upon today – what can Walcott achieve as a player? Just how good is he?
By the time his contract runs its course in four years time, there is no doubt that Walcott will want to win some trophies with Arsenal. There is only so long he can be an integral part in the ‘potential’ of this team.
In fact, should Walcott start to perform like a world-class player on a more consistent basis, it could lead to some of the other Arsenal youngsters to kick on. Therefore, the team as a whole can become more serious about challenging for major trophies.
So, in my opinion, Walcott is integral to Arsenal’s future. He is one of the most talented youngsters in the team and his rise could coincide with the team’s rise. When he is in the starting eleven and on form, Arsenal are a better team. This could be even more the case in the coming years.
How good is Walcott though? When you compare him with Cristiano Ronaldo, is he at anywhere near the same level? Possibly not. However, he could be as important to Arsenal as Ronaldo is to Manchester United. They are different players, but he can be as influential.
Opposition teams need to fear Walcott every time they play Arsenal. He needs to become the man that they put two players on in an attempt to halt his progress. Then, players such as Andrei Arshavin can run riot elsewhere on the pitch.
There is no doubt that Walcott was disappointing in the two games against Manchester United. This may well be down to his lack of games, but I would still like to have seen more from him.
The next couple of seasons are crucial to Walcott’s future. He needs to show just how good he is on a more consistent basis. He needs to be in contention for the PFA Players Player of the year every season and he needs to help Arsenal progress as a team to win more trophies.
There is plenty of pressure on Walcott’s shoulders, but he can handle it. Show us what you’ve got Theo. You are the future of Arsenal Football Club.
Depressing result but I’m still proud of the Arsenal
Last night was not a great experience for any Arsenal fan. Two early goals and the tie was most definitely over. It was disappointing to see so many fans leaving so early, but I have to say that for the first ten minutes the atmosphere was fantastic.
Nevertheless you have to look at things in perspective. We have been blighted by injuries this season and in November you wouldn’t have thought that we would have made two semi finals and managed to qualify for the Champions League next year. The way we were playing then was awful and the team has improved a lot.
There is still a lot of work to do on this team, but considering this is the hardest season Wenger has had at Arsenal I think we have come out of it well.
Tonight I’m supporting Barca, I would hate to see another Chelsea – Man U final, either winning it would be a disaster. I don’t want Chelsea to win it before Arsenal, and I don’t want Fergie to have back to back CL titles.
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Offer available online only – for collection or delivery – T&Cs apply.
Visit Domino’s Pizza Football Special and select Meal Deals.
Portsmouth 0 – 3 Arsenal Highlights: The second team gets a run out
Portsmouth 0 – 3 Arsenal: Bendtner 13, Bendtner 41 pen, Vela 56. Highlights from the Arsenalist
Comfortable is what you could call this result, and the 3 points have now secured 4th place in the league, and Champions League qualifiers next year. We are now unbeaten in 21 league games, and have equalled a club record scoring at least 3 goals in the last 5 away games.
Arsenal’s youngsters dominated for most of the game, although Portsmouth did have their chances to even the scores. Wenger rested most of the first team, including Almunia, opting for Djourou and Song in central defence – Vela and Ramsey also got starts, whilst Arshavin captained the side.
Wenger:
“We were sharp, composed and mobile with a great attitude.”
The changes were obviously made in order to give as many players as possible a rest before the crucial Champions League game on Tuesday. Walcott and Bendtner were both taken off in the second half – Sagna and Song were the only players from Wednesday’s team to play 90 minutes.
Randall, Bischoff and Merida got their chances in the second half as subs and the team looked impressive, by the end of the game we were in complete control.
Bendtner’s first goal was a header from Arshavin’s cross which David James dropped and let itno the back of the net. That will add more weight to the fans calling for Almunia to get his chance in the England squad.
Then Arshavin was brought down just before half time in the box, and a penalty was given although Arsh himself thought it was a clean tackle. Bendtner slotted home, and then in the second half Vela added another.
The only other event of note was Portsmouth’s red card – Arshavin was through on goal and Pamarot the last defender took him down. The resulting free kick came to nothing, but Pompey were down to 10 men with little chance of getting anything from this game.
The visiting Arsenal support was in high spirits, there is a little hope that we can beat Man Utd on Tuesday, and now that the league position is secured, the Champions League is what will make or break this season. It’s going to take a more composed performance than the first leg to go through, but we still have an outside chance of making it.
Arsenal Injuries ahead of Portsmouth and Man Utd
The Arsenal squad has been living under a plague of injuries this season and this week has been no exception.
Eduardo is out for the next three weeks with a groin problem, which means his season is basically over.
Silvestre, who I thought performed ok against Man Utd also has a groin injury as does Van Persie. Gael Clichy is still ruled out with a back problem too.
Central defence is now down to the bare bones – Toure and Djourou will have to start in central defence against Portsmouth, with Alex Song the next choice.
In midifled we are ok, but Wenger will rest some players ahead of the Man Utd game on Wednesday.
Fourth place is almost ours, and the Champions League is the biggest competition for us by far this season.
It is a huge challenge to go into this second leg 1-0 down. The strikeforce is also looking thin, although Arshavin can obviously play in the league.
Diaby can play against Portsmouth, but he shouldn’t play on Wednesday – he doesn’t contribute a great deal to the team, and until his attitude changes he will always be a liability in my eyes.
Expect changes this weekend, but I hope we have the quality to see off the Portsmouth team this weekend.
Fabregas needs to grab the opportunities against Man Utd. Champions League Build-up
Ahead of the game against Man Utd at OT on Tuesday the press have been setting the stage for what everyone expects to be a Champions League classic.
United are going to be up for the game and they have experience in these matters. Meanwhile Arsenal only have 3 players remaining from the squad that took us to the 2006 Final just 3 years ago.
That in itself shows you just what transistion the team is going through. I think the experience of the last two years has been invaluble, but our opponents have the advantage in their steady squad.
Vidic knows how to stop us – He says that the key will be stopping us scoring. This is no mean feat as we have been scoring freely recently and Man Utd have started to concede reguarly.
I can’t see the game being goalless, and Wenger will know our best chance is to attack. But their defence is still decent and we will have to be at our best because as Scholes says:
“We don’t really care how good it is to watch or how much pretty football is played, as long as we get to Rome.
“We are looking forward to the challenge [but] I don’t know how much of a spectacle it will be.”
I think the game will be exciting, but it may be a little tense in the first half. All we need is an away goal and we have a massive advantage.
Fabregas’ leadership will be a key factor in the game:
“It doesn’t get much bigger than a semi-final against Manchester United”
“When English teams face each other in the Champions League it can look like a domestic of a League Cup match that Arsenal’s in a European game, but we need to realise it is not like that and we just want to be in the final again.”
Even Flamini is supporting us, you can read his interview on the BBC:
“They deserve success because they have worked so hard and have great quality – I feel they are capable of big things.
If we can keep the defence reasonbly tight against Man Utd’s fluidity up front, and keep possession then the game will be very even. We have had good results against United in recent years, and it can be maintained, but we are the underdogs tomorrow.
More to follow ahead of the game.
Arsenal – Middlesbrough. Champions League prelude
It’s a gorgeous day in London, great day for football.
I’m making my way to the Grove for an old fashioned breakfast before the game. It looks like we may rest a few players ahead of the Champions League game against Man U. They are looking like they will win the Prem after yesterday’s 5-2 win.
Meanwhile we have nothing to play for except the CL, so Wenger should focus on that. We only need 5 points to secure CL qualification, and it looks a little late to make up the ground to 3rd place.
The team should be up for it to day, we still need to retain focus, after all we have conceded sloppy goals to weaker teams at home this season. Middlesbrough are fighting for survival, so those who are picked need to give their all this afternoon!
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