Tag: Wenger

Fabregas was tapped up by Real, but Ivan says it doesn’t matter!

On By jamesgillespIn Arsenal, Transfers3 Comments

It turns out that Fabregas really was tapped up by Real Madrid in the summer, the tide of transfer rumours is rising and it’s only the beginning of April! There are rumours over RVPs contract, Clichy, and of course Fabregas. So Ivan Gazidis has stepped in to put the record straight:

“I can’t marry the stories that I read with reality,” “We are very confident that this team will stay together, progress together and achieve success together.”

He went on to firmly state Cesc’s commitment to Arsenal:

“Cesc is extremely happy at Arsenal and totally committed to the club, and that’s every message that Arsene Wenger or I have ever received from him or his representatives,”

“Arsenal offers good money..It offers a great development programme and a superb environment so it is difficult for me to imagine why players would want to leave.”

Some people will raise the old arguments that we don’t spend as much as the other big teams, but Gazidis went over some of the sound economic principles behind our policies:

“Arsenal is not a gambling club, it is a very conservatively-run club… The revenue levels to service the contracts are levels we are comfortable with and those players’ contracts are at levels that are sustainable to us.”

Basically, stay sustainable and prosper is the rule.

Fabregas and Van Persie will be here for a while longer, but don’t expect them to stay at Arsenal forever – the call for them to leave will get stronger every year we go without a major trophy.

Phil Brown is talking rubbish – listen to his radio interview today

On By jamesgillespIn Arsenal, FA Cup19 Comments

The BBC interviewed Phil Brown today, and he sounded rather sheepish about the furore Hull have caused. Click here to listen to the interview. There are no witnesses to the alledged Fabregas spitting incident. He is now bringing up superfluous facts about Fabregas wearing inappropriate clothing. He can’t even remember what he said last night, he sounds very uncomfortable during the interview.

Another one of his claims, that Wenger has never shaken his hand after games this season is also clearly untrue. See the photos below for proof of Wenger shaking his hand after the 2-1 defeat in the league in September. Also click here for the Eurosport photo.

He is quoted:

“He wouldn’t shake my hand when we beat them fairly 2-1 at the Emirates, he wouldn’t shake my hand when they beat us, fairly, 3-1 at the KC Stadium.”

Arsenal.com have posted Wenger’s reaction here, you can listen to his response on the BBC today. Wenger has a perfectly reasonable explanation for not shaking hands, and the spitting allegations seem to be out of the blue totally. Fabregas vehemently denies them.

This is Brown’s post match press conference:

One word is going through my head – bull***t. This is another Sam Allardyce in the making. Phil obviously learned a lot during his time with ‘Big Sam’.

The FA have now written to Hull to ask them what exactly is going on. This all seems very strange. To be honest Phil Brown sounds like he is suffering from the pressure he is under at the moment.

I think we need to know the truth, these allegations are just Hull’s bitterness towards us for winning. Look at the evidence Phil, it just isn’t there, and you sound like a very, very sore loser.

Arsenal 2 – 1 Hull City Highlights. Bitter Brown’s spitting controversy

On By jamesgillespIn Arsenal, FA Cup5 Comments

Arsenal 2 – 1 Hull City: Barmby 13, Van Persie 74, Gallas 84. Highlights here.

Morning all! Last night provided a satisfying win in controversial fashion. Hull’s early lead, through a lucky Barmby goal, was cancelled out by typically late Arsenal goals, from RVP and Gallas. Arshavin was the all-important factor again in this win; this was the sort of game we would have lost a few months ago.

A twisted Phil Brown had a bit of complaining afterwards which focused on three points:
1. He claims Gallas’ goal was offside, as Djourou headed it last – this is debatable.
2. He was unhappy that Wenger didn’t shake his hand
3. Most controversial of all – his assistant Horton, claims that Fabregas spat on him in the tunnel, and he is taking this to the FA.

Firstly the Gallas goal – it looked like it did come off the goalkeeper’s fist last, so Gallas probably wasn’t offside, but it may have come off Djourou. In either case it has been given, we were looking like scoring a second at some point, and luck, which we have lacked, finally came our way. So I can understand his frustration.

Wenger saw the goal afterwards on the Setanta interview and looked very awkward, the questions asked also focused on the fact he didn’t shake Brown’s hand – this was because Brown had gone off to the away fans and players at the final whistle, that is all.

The most crazy claim is the spitting accusation. Wenger told the post-match interview that this was the first he had heard of it. A very bitter Phil Brown said that Fabregas had spat at Horton:

“I was there and I witnessed it, he spat at my assistant manager down the tunnel, that’s their club captain. Hopefully he’s proud of himself. He spat at his feet.”

Fabregas has now put out an official statement on Arsenal.com.

“I categorically deny that I spat at anybody after the match. I have never done this in my whole career on the pitch, so why would I do it when I am not even playing?

“I can understand the frustration of losing a game to a dubious goal, that has happened to me many times in my career as well. But this is not the fault of me or any of the Arsenal players.”

I can believe Fabregas, I see no reason for him to spit, but we don’t know the whole story. It may be some sort of mix up, which has been misinterpreted. It would be in our best interest to get this sorted out as soon as possible. It would be very sad it if it has happened, but equally stupid if bitter Hull have fabricated this story.

Anyway a great result, with a good performance from Song yet again. I was happy with Walcott who looked dangerous at times too, even though his delivery wasn’t the best. Our best player by far was Arshavin, he created most moves, again showing his value, whilst Nasri and Bendtner showed their class, coming on in the second half and changing the game.

Nasri is looking increasingly effective in the central role late on in games, while Bendtner can drop off into the hole, and Arshavin drift in the wide left area. Our attack looks very convincing even if we were poor in the first half, I think that was down to the suprising nature of Barmby’s deflected goal. The fact that we have so many players who can switch from attack to the flanks and midfield is very exciting. We have kept the momentum up with that win, and now we need a result at Newcastle on Saturday.

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Arsene, learn the lessons from this season. Trophies anyone?

On By jamesgillespIn Arsenal, FA Cup, Injuries, Transfers11 Comments

Arsenal’s 4-0 win against Allardcye’s Blackburn this Saturday was impressive, it was like watching the Arsenal of old, and it was just what the club needed. Arshavin seems to have brought the team out of the mire, and I hope it stays that way!

This season has been tough, the hardest that Arsenal have experienced under Arsene Wenger. We have seen a lot of inconsistent form, and a small squad stretched to the bare bones through injury. Yet now it seems there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The way the midfield of Walcott, Song, Denilson and Nasri/Arshavin performed on Saturday was fantastic. The goals were sublime, and Eboue capped it off for me! I know there will be setbacks ahead, but now the defence has tightened up and the team aren’t taking games for granted I think that we can salvage some pride from this season.

Arsenal are in the FA Cup and Champions League QFs and 4th in the League, with the top three still to play. We should relish that, because we are good enough to beat all three, and that gives us the chance to move higher up the table than we already are. As long as we can maintain form, which has been the struggle this season, then we will finish the season with some self-respect.

Next season we will hopefully start the season injury-free, and Wenger add one or two players to the squad. Our team is very good, but Wenger needs to learn the lesson of the last few years and add some depth. Hopefully younger players like Song and Denilson will have matured further and be playing top football this season, which they have begun to show glimpses of.

In any case I don’t want to get too carried away, it’s just nice to see the team play well and score some goals. The best realistic finish I can see is 4th place and the FA Cup in our trophy cabinet. I would settle for 4th though, and that will be a big enough challenge in itself.

Arsenal are in a position now to save themselves from UEFA Cup anonymity, and allow Wenger to begin to plan for next season. I just hope he learns the lessons from this year.

Here’s to a win against Hull tomorrow night and a Semi at Wembley!

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Arsenal well done! Highlights of those special goals. Wenger – keep building this team!

On By jamesgillespIn Arsenal, Injuries2 Comments

West Brom 1 – 3 Arsenal: Bendtner 4, Brunt 7, Toure 38, Bendtner 44. Highlights.

Well done Arsenal! We scored a goal! Things are finally starting go our way! 3-1 is a decent result even against West Brom, who have the worst defence in the league. I don’t care, as long as we take 3 points!

The main thing Arsenal need to do now is maintain stability within the team and become more clinical. Wenger is building something good here, Gooners need to keep the faith.

Arshavin impressed me again yesterday, he has the ability to make killer passes, and when settled in will surely be a great player for the club. Wenger went with Bendtner and he proved that he can play up front for Arsenal with two well taken goals.

One concern is Gallas, Toure and Silvestre are all out injured, but I am confident that Djourou is good enough, and Song looked so much better last night when playing at centre back, it seems to be a much more natural position for him to play.

Tonight the Villa – Man City result will be crucial, I’m praying for a City win, that would put us 3 points behind Villa, and in a very good position.

Also folks, Arsespeak is now on Twitter, you can follow our updates at http://twitter.com/arsespeak. If you haven’t signed up for Twitter then you should go and do it now!

Denilson is the answer! Roma reaction and highlights

On By jamesgillespIn Arsenal, Champions League, Injuries, Video14 Comments

Well played Arsenal. A great performance on Tuesday, without Cesc Fabregas in the side, has shown that we still have the quality to win trophies. Denilson now looks like he can fill the Flamini shaped hole in midfield and the defence is full of confidence and beautifully miserly compared to last year.

Van Persie’s penalty (Mexes shove) was the difference against Roma, but it could have been much more as you all know. This shows just what happens when you don’t put 10 men behind the ball against Arsenal (read Nasri’s comments on this).

With a now steady defence, and RVP firing on all cylinders we can mount a challenge for honours this season. I know it is unlikely, but it is still possible, just not the league (see Cesc’s comments on the title here).

On the plus side, Eboue played very well on Tuesday, as well as Denilson who I thought was exemplary and deserves a lot of praise for the way he has developed this season. He was fouled very dirtily by Totti in the second half, I think that deserves an investigation to be honest. Have a look at the video here.

I know there will be setbacks ahead, but this shows you how well this team can play, add in the fact that we have many more attacking players to return from injury and you have a great side, we are close, but not quite there.

Arsenal 1 – 0 Roma, highlights here.

Wenger confirms Arshavin will make debut against Sunderland

On By jamesgillespIn Arsenal2 Comments

This is a guest post by sports writer Thomas Rooney

The Emirates played host to a night that belonged to Eduardo on Monday night. This weekend, it is the turn of new signing Andrei Arshavin to adhere himself to the Arsenal faithful as he makes his debut against Sunderland tomorrow.

Arsene Wenger has confirmed that the Russian will make his debut at the Emirates, but has admitted that he has ‘not decided what to do with him yet’ in terms of whether Arshavin will start the game.

Arshavin hasn’t played a competitive game since the end of the Russian domestic season in November and Wenger admits that he is ‘still working on his preparation’.

The Arsenal boss went on to say that because Arshavin isn’t qualified for the Champions League game against Roma next week, this gives the player another week of working hard in training. This should then ensure that he is 100% ready.

With this in mind, it is probably more likely that Arshavin will be on the bench to begin with. Wenger obviously feels that he isn’t quite ready to play 90 minutes as yet, so the best option could be to use him as an impact substitute against the Black Cats.

It will be a very significant moment when he is introduced for the first time as the Arsenal fans are expecting plenty from their new £15m man. Hopefully, his ability will shine through and he can help the team secure an important victory.

As for the game itself, well it is one that has to be considered as a must-win. Arsenal are still five points off Chelsea in fourth place and they can’t afford to drop many more points. Sunderland are a decent team on their day though, so they shouldn’t be taken lightly.

In terms of team news, Eduardo is out of contention after picking up a hamstring injury. However, Emmanuel Eboue is back from suspension and Johan Djourou is back in contention after recovering from a sickness bug.

The most significant news though is that Arshavin could well make his first appearance in an Arsenal shirt. Hopefully it will be marked with an encouraging individual performance as well as a victory for the team.

Wenger has his say on managerial departures as Arsenal finally prepare to host Cardiff

On By jamesgillespIn Arsenal, FA Cup

This is a guest post by sports writer Thomas Rooney

It has been a very busy week in the Premier League with Tony Adams and Luiz Felipe Scolari both leaving their respective roles as manager of Portsmouth and Chelsea. Many have had their say on both decisions, but now it is the turn of Arsene Wenger.

The Arsenal manager’s opinion is very significant for both men as he once managed Adams and Scolari was boss of one of Arsenal’s biggest rivals in the Premier League.

Also, it is interesting to see what Wenger – who has been at Arsenal for many years – makes of managers getting the chop after just a few months.

So, what does he make of it? Well, speaking about Adams, he says that the former Arsenal defender will make a good manager eventually and that his spell at Portsmouth was extremely unlucky.

Wenger said that he didn’t believe Adams was given the ‘needed time’ at Fratton Park and that it was a ‘big surprise’ to see him sacked after only 16 Premier League games. Overall, Wenger believes that a young manger has to be given time to show what they can do.

As for his views on Scolari and Chelsea, Wenger has questioned how ‘the atmosphere inside the club’ affected the decision to sack such a ‘well-known manager’ after just six months. The Arsenal boss then went onto admit that he believed the whole process to be a ‘massive surprise’.

Despite Scolari’s exit though, Wenger thinks that Guus Hiddink will do a good job at Stamford Bridge because he rates the Russian boss ‘very highly’.

Onto more relevant Arsenal matters, well there is no football for the Gunners this weekend. Instead, they will have to wait until Monday evening where they can finally take on Cardiff in the 4th round of the FA Cup.

The original game at the Emirates was postponed because of the weather, but now that it is finally time to play the match, Arsenal will be determined to book their place to face Burnley in the next round.

As we all know, Arsenal are without a trophy for a while now and if they are to achieve one this season, the FA Cup is probably their most realistic chance. It is a competition that Wenger’s men should put lots of effort into because they have the ability to go all the way.

In terms of team news, well Monday night should be the first chance for Arsenal fans to see long-term injury victim Eduardo make his first-team return.

Overall, it could be a very special night at the Emirates, but this would only be the case if victory was achieved so that the aim of winning a trophy come May is still a very realistic one.

Hleb tips Arshavin to shine as Derby Day looms

On By jamesgillespIn Arsenal, Transfers3 Comments

This is a guest post by sports writer Thomas Rooney

Alexander Hleb – remember him? The one time Arsenal man – who moved to Barcelona in the summer – has found time to speak about his former club. In particular, he has had words of praise for new signing Andrei Arshavin.

Shouldn’t he be concentrating on all things Barcelona, I hear you ask! Well, he would do, but to put it politely, he isn’t getting a look in at the Nou Camp. Since moving from Arsenal last year he hasn’t played nearly as much football as he would have liked. Many Gunners may find the following phrase appropriate – ‘I told you so.’

In my opinion, Hleb should never have left Arsenal. He was playing regular football, was part of a team that suited his style of play and most importantly he seemed settled. Despite this, he jumped shipped to Barcelona and if his latest comments are anything to go by – he is regretting it.

Hleb says that he is desperate ‘for more time on the pitch’ and will do all he can do ‘fight for a place in the team’ between now and the end of the season. The problem being that Barcelona are top of the league by a mile and are playing some excellent football at present. Thus decreasing Hleb’s first team chances in the next couple of months.

So, what does the future hold for him? Well, he has admitted that he will ‘see what might happen in the summer’ because he isn’t willing to sit on the sidelines for two seasons on the trot. Maybe you should have stayed at the Emirates then Mr Hleb? I’d be interested to see if he would consider a move back. Would you take him?

Anyway, onto more immediate matters that Hleb has been discussing. He says that Arsenal’s new signing Andrei Arshavin will suit the ‘style of the team’ and that the Russian will prove to be ‘a success’ in the Premier League. Overall, Hleb strongly believes that Arshavin will ‘enjoy his time at Arsenal’.

Speaking of Arshavin, he is all set to make his debut for the club in this weekend’s game with Tottenham. Let’s talk a bit about this eagerly anticipated 144th North London Derby.

First things first – it is a must win for Arsene Wenger’s men. In terms of points to secure a 4th placed finish, in terms of confidence for the rest of the season and in terms of condemning Spurs deeper into the relegation mire – this is a must win game.

Nothing other than three points will do. Some people may consider a draw to be a decent result, but not for me. A similar performance as the wins over Manchester United and Chelsea please Arsenal. Let’s make sure that Arshavin gets off to a winning start so that the team can finish the season strongly.

As far as team news is concerned, Arshavin is included in the squad and could well start the game. Elsewhere, Emmanuel Eboue is fit but Abou Diaby is banned. For Tottenham, Robbie Keane is set to captain the side on his return from Liverpool.

Whatever players are in an Arsenal shirt on Sunday though, they must show the fans how much they care about this game and they must prove that they have what it takes to claw back Aston Villa in the race for 4th place.

Diaby is latest to mention the title as Arsenal prepare to host West Ham

On By jamesgillespIn Arsenal, Injuries5 Comments

This is a guest post by sports writer Thomas Rooney

Arsenal’s players and management team seem to be taking it in turns to promote the team’s title chances this season. They may well sit eight points off top spot, but they seem determined to let everyone know that they are not giving up hope.

The latest to have his say on proceedings is Abou Diaby. The midfielder appears to be very defiant as he insists that he and his team-mates will ‘not let up until the end of the season’. This means that they will do all they can to ‘get points in every game’, so that if the top teams do suffer a dip in form – Arsenal are ready to pounce.

It seems that the general consensus was that the point achieved at Everton in midweek was not enough for the Gunners, even though they only just managed this thanks to a late Robin van Persie strike.

Diaby sees this differently though and has claimed that it was ‘very important’ to get a point at Goodison Park. He also believes that considering the way Arsenal played that night, a draw was ‘good for us’. Overall, he admits that Everton were the better team.

As for the man who rescued a point for Arsenal on Tuesday night, Diaby has nothing but praise for his Dutch team-mate. He says that van Persie – who has now netted 13 times this season – has an ‘unbelievable first touch’ and that his presence in the team makes a ‘big difference’.

Diaby himself has been involved in the last few games and will be hoping to keep this run going for the rest of the season. The Frenchman is beginning to establish himself in the team and looks set to eclipse the amount of appearances he made in the last campaign before long. There is no doubt that he will want to have a big say on how Arsenal fair in the final 15 games of the season.

The 22-year-old will almost certainly be involved this weekend as Arsenal face West Ham at the Emirates. It will be the first of two successive Premier League London derbies for the Gunners as they face Tottenham at White Hart Lane next weekend.

As much as the fans may be looking towards the Spurs game though, the team must remain focused for this clash against Gianfranco Zola’s men. They have been very impressive of late and find themselves third in the form table.

Their performance against Hull on Tuesday night was a very assured one and they definitely have enough attacking talent to cause Arsenal’s defence some problems. The in-form Carlton Cole, David Di Michele and Mark Noble are the ones to watch.

It is also worth pointing out that this fixture sees the battle of the undefeated as Arsenal haven’t lost in nine games and West Ham haven’t tasted defeat in seven matches. It should make for an entertaining game of football.

As far as team news is concerned, well Arsene Wenger is going to have to do without Mikael Silvestre who has suffered an injury set back and will be missing for at least two or three weeks. Other than that, there appear to be no fresh injury worries.

In fact, the team may well be the same as the one that started at Goodison Park as Arsenal look to claim a valuable win that would see them progress over the 950 points mark for the Premier League.

By Thomas Rooney