EPL: Reading vs Arsenal

last SG · 2007-11-12T02:28:33+00:00

*Kitson - Arsenal are amazing* Reading's Dave Kitson was amazed at the quality of the Arsenal players following Monday night's 3-1 loss at the Madejski Stad...

corebooster SG

muz frequent more wor.

ornot our chairman may banish u back to BMT. Laughing

felirox SG

SONKO READY TO PUT BOOT IN

Ibrahimo Sonko has been given a family secret on how to stop Emmanuel Adebayor: Kick him!

Reading's giant centre-half - nicknamed Superman - decided he would need some extra help to halt the Arsenal centre-forward when they meet tomorrow night.

So he called his cousin Daniel Bocande, who used to play alongside Adebayor for Metz in France. Sonko (right) revealed: "My cousin said to me, 'Be careful, he is so quick! When he has the ball at his feet he can be really fast'.

"I think he is the complete player, but apparently he doesn't like being kicked.
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"I'm not really like that but if I have to kick him I will do it. My cousin told me kicking him is the only way to stop him playing. "If you do it early on it puts him off. When he starts smiling you know he is going to play well; I hope he won't be smiling."

Adebayor hit a rich vein of form early in the season, grabbing six goals by mid-September - but hasn't hit the target since the 5-0 demolition of Derby.

seriously,wad a c u n t this sonko is. the togonator must shoot the ball and smash his face..and when arsenal face reading again,,adebayor will said " sonko doesnt like a ball to be smashed onto his pitiful face"

felirox SG

Gunnarsson has Cesc in his sights

The Iceland international is one of the Premier League's least flamboyant characters but that suits his role in the team.

He is a spoiler rather than a creator and that was exactly what was lacking last season when Arsenal came away from the Madejski Stadium with a 4-0 victory.

Royals boss Steve Coppell usually employs him as a central midfielder but occasionally hands him a special man-marking mission.

And that was the case in the first game of the current campaign when the Royals held Manchester United to a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford in the Red Devils' first game since being crowned champions.

Regaining the Premier League title is unbeaten Arsenal's aim but Gunnarsson was looking forward to the prospect of trying to stop Spanish sensation Cesc Fabregas in particular..

He said: "Against United we followed our man. Me and James Harper were up against Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick and we shared them between us. I was more on Scholes than Carrick and we got the point. We limited their chances. They only had three or four good ones.

"I would be fine about doing the same with Fabregas. It's a job. If you are given a job you do it."

But the former Watford man admitted he could hardly have been handed a tougher task.

He said: "Fabregas has been fantastic so far. He has 11 goals already, which for someone who didn't score that many goals last season, is unbelievable.

"They are just creating chances - maybe 10 good ones a game - and there are five or six different players who could be on the end of those chances. Fabregas plays in the middle of the park and makes runs forward so he is always around the box.

"They pass it around well and their movement is fantastic. They are not rigid like other teams who have a back four, four in midfield and two up front. They come at you from all directions."

That point at Old Trafford remains Reading's only away from Berkshire so far but in front of their own fans they have been more impressive, with Everton, Newcastle, Wigan and Derby all beaten.

Gunnarsson made it clear he would be happy with a stalemate, especially as the Royals had not budgeted for any points against the top four teams.

He said: "A point at home would be a good result for us, if we got more it would be fantastic.

"Our season doesn't depend on how we do against these teams. That won't keep us in the league or get us into Europe. It is the points against the Fulhams and the Middlesbroughs that are going to make our season. Anything we get we see as a bonus."

Defender Michael Duberry is unlikely to feature after cracking ribs in last week's 3-1 defeat at Fulham so Ivar Ingimarsson stands by for a recall. Winger John Oster is available again following an ankle injury.

Trump_Card SG

Wenger predicts changes for trip to Reading

Arsène Wenger will rotate his side for the trip to Reading on Monday but, as yet, he does not know how much.

The Arsenal manager made eight changes for the Champions League game at Slavia Prague on Wednesday and, although the performance was disjointed, the 0-0 draw they obtained suggests it was a gamble worth taking.

Wenger will have the octet back at his disposal on Monday and, given that Manchester United may have assumed top spot by the time his side kick-off at the Madejski Stadium, many of them are likely to come back.

I will change things around, he said at Fridays press conference. I dont know by how much though. I left out eight players at Slavia and they are all capable to play again.

We have just Van Persie injured now. Senderos is back in full training but we will not use him on Monday because he has not played at all. Rosicky is back and Toure is back. They had a good session today.

Kolo has a small calf problem in midweek but had it been a Champions League Final then he would have played.

gunner77 SG

siao liao Shocked

gigabyte14 SG

is fabregas playing?

if yes = win

if no = draw, no matter whatever thrash talking you have, wenger

bryanw SG

go go arsenal rape reading Mad

felirox SG

what if we win without fabregas? u people like to think tt cesc is arsenal's backbone. tsktsk

turbo_drift SG

nb.. Laughing

corebooster SG

will we win without HENRY?

Will we win without Vieira?

Will we win without Sol Campbell?

thats the qns ppl are asking, and the answer they get is, SOCCER is a game among E L E V E N players, NOT O N E.

get it? Smile

turbo_drift SG

*Reading v Arsenal*

Reading defender Michael Duberry is doubtful after damaging ribs in the recent defeat at Fulham.

But winger John Oster (ankle) and utility man Kalifa Cisse (knee) are both back in contention.

Arsenal's Kolo Toure (calf) and Tomas Rosicky (groin) have been passed fit, but Philippe Senderos will not be risked following a back injury.

Midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Alexander Hleb are likely to feature having been rested in midweek.

Reading (from): Hahnemann, Federici, Murty, Rosenior, Ingimarsson, Sonko, Duberry, Shorey, Doyle, Gunnarsson, Harper, Hunt, Convey, Lita, Kitson, Long, de la Cruz, Bikey, Fae, Oster, Cisse.

Arsenal (from): Almunia, Sagna, Song, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Eboue, Flamini, Gilberto, Rosicky, Fabregas, Hleb, Diaby, Adebayor, Walcott, Lehmann, Diarra, Eduardo, Denilson, Hoyte, Traore, Bendtner.

akinos SG

so.... any dudes awake? Very Happy

felirox SG

yeah im awake. looks liek another 4-5-1 formation again. tsk.

felirox SG

is adebayor scared to shoot from long range??

felirox SG

nice one flamster!

akinos SG

1 nil to the Arsenal!!!

great attack from the Arsenal lads, swift and accurate. They really deserve it all!!

Reading for the whole game has been parking bus inside, what boring football from them.

it is actually a 4-4-2 formation, hleb is up front attacking.

Adebayor almost scored!! grrr...

corebooster SG

Reading 1-3 Arsenal

Arsenal again signalled their intent to battle Manchester United's `golden generation' all the way as Arsene Wenger's men went back to the top of the Premier League following a 3-1 victory at Reading.

Empics
Emmanuel Adebayor scores Arsenal's 1000th goal in the Premier League.

The Gunners extended a club record unbeaten run to 27 successive games as the Royals were simply outclassed, with Mathieu Flamini and Emmanuel Adebayor finishing off superb moves either side of half-time before Alexander Hleb's fine late individual goal wrapped up a comprehensive victory before England full-back Nicky Shorey grabbed a late consolation goal.

While Sir Alex Ferguson may believe his own crop of talent, spearheaded by Cristiano Ronaldo, have what it takes to be the best he has managed at Old Trafford, Wenger's emerging side once again proved they have the undoubted potential to deliver top honours - and signs are 2008 could turn out to be a vintage year.

Adebayor keen to prove a point

As expected, the Gunners boss recalled his key men for the clash, having rested the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Hleb for the Champions League trip to Slavia Prague.

Despite the fast-freezing conditions - not to mention unusual kick-off time in international week - it was a bright start by the visitors at a packed Madejski Stadium.

Arsenal - who still have a match in hand on their rivals - came within inches of taking the lead after three minutes.

Fabregas won possession just inside the Reading half, and instantly split the home defence with a first-time through ball for Adebayor.

The Togo frontman stayed ahead of Ibrahima Sonko and drew the keeper out of goal.

However, despite rolling the ball coolly past Marcus Hahnemann from 16 yards, the African was unfortunate to see his shot come back of the base of the right-hand post.

After the early scare, Reading soon found their own rhythm.

However, despite making some progress down both flanks, the final delivery into the Arsenal penalty area was poor.

When the visitors went forwards, they often found nine men behind the ball at the other end.

Slowly, Arsenal continued to build the pressure, with Reading not able to get any sort of counter-attack going.

However, after 31 minutes, visiting keeper Manuel Almunia was finally called into action as he beat away a fierce drive from Brynjar Gunnarsson after the ball had dropped sweetly for the Reading man some 25 yards out.

After 37 minutes, Fabregas got a push in the back from Gunnarsson to earn a free-kick in a central position, just outside the penalty arc.

The dead ball was rolled to Kolo Toure, but the Ivory Coast defender drilled his shot horribly wide.

Arsenal then snatched the lead shortly before half-time.

The ball was won in midfield by Tomas Rosicky - fit again following a groin problem - and quickly fed Adebayor down the right, who in turn found Hleb on the overlap.

The Belarus winger pulled the ball back across the six-yard box, where Flamini was on hand to steer it into the net ahead of his marker Sonko.

Arsenal had to win by two goals to return to the top of the table following Manchester United's win over Blackburn on Sunday and they were again bright at the start of the second half.

Eboue almost picked out Adebayor with a chipped cross following a quick break down the right.

Flamini sent in a stinging low drive from 20 yards, which Hahnemann pushed behind even though it was probably going wide.

It was 2-0 soon enough.

Another quick interchange of passes saw Adebayor speed away down the left in the 52nd minute.

He fed Rosicky on the overlap before the ball was pushed into Fabregas just inside the box. The Spaniard in turn laid it back to Adebayor, who calmly placed the ball low into the far right corner to end his eight-match goal drought.

The big Togo frontman was celebrating again as he prodded home Rosicky's centre following a blistering counter-attack - only to be denied what looked a perfectly-executed goal by a rather dubious offside flag.

The match opened up during the final 20 minutes, with plenty of space both in midfield and down the flanks.

With 13 minutes left, Hleb latched onto a loose ball at the edge of the area.

The Belarus winger skipped one challenge and showed quick feet to keep Hahnemann at bay - before stepping back to smash a close-range effort past the man on the line and into the back of the net.

Fabregas was booked - his fifth of the season which will see him serve a one-match ban - for a foul on substitute Emerse Fae.

Shorey then hit the base of the post with a curling 20-yard free-kick.

Reading did get their consolation with three minutes to go when the England full-back drilled the ball home following uncharacteristic moment of chaos in the Arsenal six-yard box.

Adebayor keen to prove a point

Emmanuel Adebayor was keen to deflect attention away from his own goalscoring exploits and insists he is more concerned with claiming maximum points following the Gunners' 3-1 win over Reading.

Mathieu Flamini put Arsene Wenger's side ahead in the first half before goals from Adebayor and Alexander Hleb put the game beyond Reading's reach.

Not even a late consolation from Royals defender Nicky Shorey could take the gloss off yet another classy performance from the north Londoners.

Adebayor told Setanta Sports: 'The most important thing is for team to win. I'm proud of my performance but the most important job is for the team and getting the three points.'

Man-of-the-match Cesc Fabregas said: 'They are a very good side. They try to play football.

'But when we play as a team it's very difficult for others, once again it was a great performance from us.

'If we keep going like this we have good chance (of winning the Premier League).

'The season is very long and we'll have to fight for our place at the top.'

Arsene Wenger felt his side were in control for long periods against Steve Coppell's side.

He said: 'I felt we were in control, but we needed to be patient.

'They didn't come at us and they wanted to catch us on break - it was us going at them, we were always in control.

'I didn't want my team to get frustrated, we knew we needed to be patient, maybe the first goal coming before half-time was the killer for Reading.'

Wenger was also quick to lavish praise on his young side following another imperious display.

He said: 'It's enjoyable to watch and work with them. They are hungry, they have a fantastic spirit and attitude.'

Royals boss Coppell admitted Arsenal's goal just before the break was the decisive moment of the game.

He said: 'The first goal before half-time was critical, they had a lot of possession but didn't create a great deal. There were signs they were getting frustrated.

'We talked about getting hurt on rebound from our corners and set-pieces and, lo and behold, they score from it.

'We found it hard to get back into game when their confidence started flowing.'

turbo_drift SG

bryanw SG

reading raped. serve them right for talking rubbish Mad

798 SG

yeah, glad dat we won again. Very Happy

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