Arsenal FC - The Gunners Thread

last SG · 2006-10-24T19:02:39+00:00

Whether they made it big or not i am not too sure about that but one thing is for sure... These so called "bigger clubs" like Barce & Real always pick on...

dragg SG

wenger is really good at developing youngster.

zocoss SG

I think its also Arsenal has a very good network of talent-scout going around the world looking for youngsters all the time... Wenger himself wouldn't have so much time to do this himself as his youngsters are from all over the world and not just from England alone... and he has to be in London most of the time. To be fair, their young players don't come cheap also... For their age group, they are probably considered expensive too like Walcott $12m but compare them the mature players, they are still consider a good deal.

But then again, for every young player that come out, we won't know how many have they had to let go as well.

felirox SG

cant wait for tmr’s match!!

anhydrouscoppersulphate SG

go gunners. reduce that gap! Twisted Evil

bryanseb SG

No way man.. kidding only la.

The ball is round, and the team players are priceless. I'm sure both teams will fought hard till the end..

anhydrouscoppersulphate SG

henry vs ronaldo Twisted Evil

anhydrouscoppersulphate SG

Wenger predicts bright future for Arsenal youth

Arsene Wenger hopes it is not too long before his young Arsenal side emerge as genuine title challengers.

The Gunners host Barclays Premiership leaders Manchester United tomorrow knowing the championship is again all but out of reach given their current 15-point deficit.

But Wenger firmly believes this group of players have all the 'ingredients and potential' to one day assert themselves as the dominant force in English football.

While not wanting to put any timeframe on such progression, the Frenchman is hungry for it to come sooner rather than later.

'The team is developing well, that is why I am optimistic,' said Wenger, whose squad performed above their collective experience to reach the Champions League final last season.

'It looks like in my team that the young players have the ingredients not only to be very good players, but to be a winner and that makes the difference like the generation of [Paul] Scholes and [David] Beckham. They won championships, one, twice, three, four and still were hungry. They are winners.

'I believe that we have the potential to become Premiership winners - that is why I developed this team.'

Wenger added: 'Patience is not my greatest quality.

'I thought they would be ready this year - and I have not given up, we just fight to win every game.

'It is, though, a bit early for us this year, unless we have no injuries at all - Thierry Henry not out, [William] Gallas not out and to have them always in the picture.'

Arsenal may trail United by perhaps an insurmountable gap, but Wenger feels his side are nevertheless finding some consistency which they were distinctly lacking during the early part of the campaign.

He said: 'What made me angry when we lost at Fulham, to lose at West Ham was the way we lost. We did not test them really.

'We had superficial superiority, it was not good enough.'

Arsenal have now won four in a row, with just one defeat in 12 from all competitions.

Last weekend they secured a 2-0 victory at Blackburn following the dismissal of key midfielder Gilberto, who will start a three-match ban tomorrow.

Wenger said: 'What has changed is that you feel that you have something missing in the games to win the games.

'When you watch games long enough then you know you played well but in the end you will not win the game because something is missing, that can only be that little bit extra solidarity and unity, desire to win.

'They have all seen enough games to know that it is a good team, but is it a winning team?'

The Arsenal manager added: 'I do not want us to derail United - I want us to win the game, to continue the run.

'I feel at the moment that the team has found a good team attitude and a development in the way that we play the game and I just want this team to progress.'

Wenger has transformed the fortunes of the north London club since his arrival a decade ago and has overseen their move into the impressive new 60,000-seater Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners boss firmly believes the club is moving in the right direction, if somewhat slower on the pitch than when he first arrived.

Wenger said: 'In my job at Arsenal I am the guy who makes decisions and the board supports you or does not support you.

'I was lucky that over the 10 years the board supported me and I have proven that I can make the right decisions and allow the club to build the stadium.

'You have to combine results to generate the profit to build the stadium.

'I am lucky because I am in a club where I do what I want, the way I have worked is always the same, I have not known another way.'

zocoss SG

Arsenal's Hleb out for a month

Arsenal's Belarus midfielder Alexander Hleb is likely to be out for a month after picking up a hamstring injury during the 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday.

"It will be a good four weeks," manager Arsene Wenger said on the club's Web site (www.arsenal.com). "That is disappointing because you don't want to lose players in January because, if you lose them for a long time, then their season is over."

Dutch striker Robin van Persie is already facing a long lay-off after breaking a metatarsal in his right foot during the 2-1 victory over Manchester United on Sunday.

"Ideally you would say six to eight weeks but as well it could 10," Wenger said. "That means April and you are close to the end of the season and then you need to get back to your best level. I hope it is six weeks but that's really optimistic."

Jeremie Aliadiere (back) and Emmanuel Eboue (ankle) both suffered knocks in the match at Tottenham, although Wenger said both should be fit for next week's second leg at home.

Wenger also said that former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour, released on Thursday by Middlesbrough, is training with the side. Parlour, who made 468 appearances for the club, is returning to gain match fitness.

"He wants to get back to full fitness and I offered him the chance to come and train with us," said Wenger. "But I won't be signing him."

iveco SG

Why can't we beat Bolton?

zocoss SG

This have been happening for years... Bolton was just beaten 5 - 1 last week by some team and they are not very much on form lately. Arsenal alway have problems playing with them... and they could also lose at the Reebok next.

Arsenal 1-1 Bolton

Kolo Toure's diving header cancelled out Kevin Nolan's opener and denied Bolton progress in the FA Cup.

Nolan struck in the 50th minute when he collected Kevin Davies' cross-cum-shot and clipped the ball into the net. The midfielder was denied a second when he had the ball expertly flicked from his feet by the diving Manuel Almunia.

Arsenal increased the tempo after that and the intense pressure told when Toure dived to meet a cross and bounced a header over Jussi Jaaskelainen. It was the third consecutive season the teams had been dawn together in the FA Cup, with Arsenal winning the first and Bolton claiming the second.

And there was little to choose between them for much of the first FA Cup match to be hosted at The Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger:
"It was a bit unfortunate that we went 1-0 down as in the second half we were on top of the game. We are used to going behind here at The Emirates but we always find the resources to come back. "But today we lacked the ability to score a second goal and kill the game off - we had the chances. But Bolton's keeper and defenders played very well."

Bolton coach Ricky Sbragia:
"We went one up and for the next half an hour we were under severe pressure and we folded in the end. But in the end to get a draw and take them back to our place is a great result for us. "We needed a second goal but we didn't get it. Nolan was unlucky but their keeper did well to save from him."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arsenal: Almunia, Hoyte (Julio Baptista 70), Toure, Senderos, Clichy, Walcott (Aliadiere 86), Fabregas, Flamini, Rosicky, Henry, Adebayor.
Subs Not Used: Poom, Diaby, Denilson. Booked: Flamini, Senderos, Aliadiere.

Goals: Toure 78.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Faye, Meite, Gardner Pedersen 78, Davies, Nolan, Campo, Speed, Giannakopoulos (Vaz Te 83), Anelka.
Subs Not Used: Walker, Teymourian, Tal.

Booked: Faye, Hunt, Meite.

Goals: Nolan 50.

Att: 59,778 Ref: M Dean (Wirral).

zocoss SG

Wenger was shocked I left

ROBERT PIRES has revealed his decision to quit Arsenal shook manager Arsene Wenger. The French star said: It was a terrible blow for him because he didnt think I was going to leave.

Pires, now with Spanish club Villarreal, claims his future hung on what happened in the Champions League final defeat by Barcelona last May. He was substituted by Wenger when keeper Jens Lehmann was given a red card after 20 minutes.

Pires, 33, explained: I was in advanced talks with the directors of Villarreal but, despite what was being said, nothing was signed. What happened at the Stade de France tipped the balance in favour of the Spanish club. I thought, Ill have to leave now. I met Arsene Wenger 48 hours after the game and told him so. Until then, I didnt really know what I was going to do.

After six years at Arsenes side, it wasnt the end of our adventure that I wanted. But that takes nothing from what I learned thanks to him.

Pires, recovering from a knee operation that has kept him out for five months, will never forget the drama that finished his Gunners career. He added: It was a terrible blow. Ive had it out with Arsene since but I admit I wouldnt like to have taken the decision in his place.

I know that, for him too, it was difficult to live with. Frankly, though, being taken off by the manager so soon in the game in Paris, moreover was the hardest thing to accept. I cant bear him a grudge. But, after that hard blow, I knew I could no longer continue with Arsenal.

« Previous Page