Nyssie's Gooner Blog

All the Best Eddie

2008-02-24T10:42:00.002Z

I havent posted for the best part of eighteen months, but feel compelled to do so this morning just to wish Eduardo all the best.

There is nothing I can say about the brutality of that tackle that hasn't already been said...but this morning, for some reason, I love my club more than ever before.

Good luck Eddie, I really hope to see you pulling on that number 9 again soon...

Ralph Out Until January

2006-10-25T12:04:00.000+01:00

The Gaffer has revealed that we will be without Lauren until January '07...

"I don't think you will see Lauren in the team before January," he said.

"He played up to the limit of his pain and then maybe he played a little too long."

"That created some damage in his knee which had to be repaired."

"But he is a tough, tough boy. He works hard and he will come back."

"He is making good progress but he still has four or five weeks before he comes back to normal training and then it will take a month's full training to come back into the team".

AW: Theo Will Develop On The Wing

2006-10-25T08:37:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has said that he wants Theo to fine tune his skills playing on the wing for the next couple of years. Theo played on the right during our 2-0 win against West Brom last night. He made a goal for Jeremie Aliadiere and almost scored himself.

Here's what AW said after the game...

"When you have a player like Theo, it is important to let him develop on the wing."

"He has to learn how to dribble and gain confidence in attacking people in one-on-one situations."

"Then, in a year or two he can move into the middle and use those abilities to do a better job."

The Gaffer also went on to speak about Jeremie, who scored both goals last night...

"Jeremie has had consistent problems with injury."

"Every time he got close to the first team he got another one."

"This is the first time since I have had him that he has got through the beginning of the season and not been bothered by a problem."

"Now we can see what a good player he is."

KT5 Signs New Deal

2006-10-24T17:11:00.000+01:00

Kolo has commited his future to Arsenal by signing a new long term contract with the Club.

Speaking earlier here's what he had to say...

“I can see myself staying here [at Arsenal] for the rest of my career. Why would I want to leave. I love my football here, my family is settled here and the club is ambitious. It is fantastic.”

COME ON!!!

Vote For Arsene, Jens, Arsenal and THAT Win At The Bernabeu

2006-10-24T15:15:00.000+01:00

Cut and paste the link into your URL bar and DO IT!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/sport/personality2006.shtml

Tonight's Squad

2006-10-24T12:26:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has announced tonight's squad for tonight's Carling Cup game against West Br*m.

It is as follows...

Manuel Almunia
Mart Poom
Philippe Senderos
Johan Djourou
Joe O’Cearuill
Matthew Connolly
Gael Clichy
Armand Traore
Mathieu Flamini
Alexandre Song
Denilson
Mark Randall
Jay Simpson
Theo Walcott
Emmanuel Adebayor
Jeremie Aliadiere

Gilberto: "Cesc Has Done So Well"

2006-10-24T09:25:00.000+01:00

Gilberto has expressed his delight at Cesc's commitment after the youngster signed an eight year deal last week.

"Cesc has done so well. Last season it was hard for him because it was hard for the whole team." he said.

"But this year he's looked stronger because the team has been more solid as well."

"I'm delighted he's decided to sign a long contract with Arsenal because it's an amazing club to be at."

"If they want to give me another eight years then why not - it would be amazing!"

AW: Mine's A Carling

2006-10-24T08:50:00.000+01:00

AW has said that he would be bang up for winning the Carling Cup this year as it is the only domestic title he hasn't won - YET!

Speaking earlier, here's what he said...

"We want to qualify in the Carling Cup and we want to go as far as we can. It is a competition I have never won in England despite having been here for 10 years."

The Gaffer has also confirmed some of the starting XI...

"You will see Walcott, Adebayor and all the players who were on the bench against Reading. And also the players I left behind like Senderos, Denilson and Jeremie Aliadiere will play.

"Manuel Almunia will play in goal, Gael Clichy will play of course and Johan Djourou might play again but I don't know yet."

Cesc: ..."It Will Be Difficult..."

2006-10-24T08:38:00.000+01:00

Young Cesc has stated that he believes we can challenge for the Premiership this term.

Speaking on Arsenal.com here's what our little matador had to say...

"I think it will be difficult to win the title, but we feel we can make it.

"We are up against very good teams, not just Ch*lsea and M*nchester Un!ted but Liverp*ol too, even though they are not at their best at the moment.

"And be careful of B*lton. No-one is talking about them, but they are still winning. I'm sure there will be four or five teams up at the top and we need to be one of them.

"After the first three games this season people were saying that we would have the same problems as last year.

"We were creating so many opportunities and the ball didn't want to go into the net."

Injury Setback For Freddie

2006-10-20T15:03:00.000+01:00

Freddie could be out for up to another month according to reports.

"Freddie had a setback, and will be out for two or three more weeks." The Gaffer said.

The following are available for this Sunday's trip to Reading...

Lehmann, Almunia, Djourou, Gallas, Clichy, Toure, Senderos, Hoyte, Hleb, Fabregas, Gilberto, Rosicky, Flamini, Song, van Persie, Walcott, Henry, Adebayor.

Any predictions on starting XI?

AW: "...We Will Produce Top Domestic Talent..."

2006-10-20T12:21:00.000+01:00

Those who constantly harp on about our lack of English talent will soon have little to moan about according to Mr Wenger.

Speaking at yesterday's AGM the Gaffer insisted that we have a wealth of domestic talent working it's way up the ranks and it won't be too long before these lads are featuring for the first team...

"Through the years it is true we have developed less English players than young foreign talent. It is down to one basic reason — England produces less young talent because they responded later with the quality of their academies."

"But I think that with the work of [director] Richard Carr we have really developed our youth system and in the next three or four years we will produce top domestic talent because I know we have it here at the Club."

SO THERE!

Le Boss: Cesc Is An 'Exceptional Talent'

2006-10-20T09:10:00.000+01:00

The Gaffer has stated his belief that Cesc will only get better as time goes on...

"He came here at 16 years of age but his football brain allowed him to play at the top level," said AW.

"When you're always in the class of the best, especially with the talent and dedication Fabregas has, I still feel there is a lot more to come from him in the next three years.

"He's only 19 years of age. It's amazing because he's an exceptional talent."

Cesc: "I Am So Happy Here..."

2006-10-19T14:33:00.000+01:00

Young Cesc has expressed his delight at signing his huge new contract extension...

"I am so happy here and I am delighted to have signed this new contract that will keep me at the Club for years to come," he said.

"I wanted to pay back the Club, especially Arsène Wenger for the support and faith he has shown in me.

"What is important now is for the team to realise its potential and win trophies. That is our main aim, that is my aim as well."

Cesc Signs

2006-10-19T11:25:00.000+01:00

According to reports Cesc's agent, Joseba Diaz has revealed that our little matador has signed his new EIGHT year contract extension, making him a Gunner until 2014!!!

Here's what he said...

"It is a fabulous contract for the player and also for the club,"

"This is the word [fabulous] that best defines this contract.

"Cesc feels very happy with how much Arsenal value him and in the knowledge that Arsenal are going to build their future around him."

NICE!!!

JD20: "...There Were Two Bad Decisions..."

2006-10-18T17:26:00.000+01:00

Johan Djourou has backed TH14 and agreed that the dickhead ref cost us a draw at least last night.

Here's what he said...

"We could have finished with a draw because there were two bad decisions by the referee,"

"On the free-kick, I do not think it was a foul. One on one in the challenge, I did not touch him.

"Later, the referee has said it was handball - which it never was.

"If it had been a foul, then the keeper and defenders would have claimed for it. Nobody did.

"They were two bad decisions."

TH14: "I Am More Than Angry"

2006-10-18T09:05:00.000+01:00

Me too! That WAS a goal and I can't understand how the ref thought it was handball!!!

I do think that CSKA played very well...Dudu and Daniel Carvalho in particular, but it should have been a draw!

As a result of last night's shenanigans I feel like SHIT this morning. I watched the game at home with a mate - but afterwards I had the arsehole so went down the pub for a few then ended up at the Missus' house - who has a huge fucking bar which I attacked!!!

Anyway, here's what the Skipper had to say...

"I am more than angry. If you look at the replay, you will see that it is not handball. I was shocked the referee gave me a yellow card. It was a good goal."

"Do you think if the keeper had seen handball, he would not have reacted and appealed for it?"

"We did not play that great to win the game, but a draw would have been a good result."

AW Explains Denilson Decision

2006-10-17T12:01:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has explained why he has included new boy Denilson in tonight's squad...

"He is what you call an all-round player here in England,” said the Gaffer. “He defends well, is a good passer of the ball and has good technique. He has fantastic stamina and has a good first touch too."

“I feel he can play in the side already and we will see him certainly at West Bromwich Albion [in the Carling Cup] next week.

“If he is needed he can come on. He is 18-years-old but he will not be fazed."

“One-and-a-half years ago I was in Brazil watching a boy called Ramon and I saw Denilson on the tape."

“At the moment he is a bit unsettled because it is the first time he has left his country and he is still in a hotel. But I know he has a strong character. He's a leader but at the moment, because he doesn't speak much English, he doesn't do a lot of leading!”

Right people, I'm off now - booked a half day to go and watch the boys at 5:30. Enjoy the game Gooners!!!

UP THE GUNNERS!!!

AW On Franck Ribery

2006-10-17T09:17:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has revealed his admiriation for Franck Ribery, but insists that we have never made an offer for him and that, quite simply, we don't need him.

"We have never made an offer to Marseille for Ribery." said the Gaffer.

"I find him a good player, but I do not look for any players at the moment because I feel I have exactly the squad I need."

"Offensively we have lost some players, but people like [Tomas] Rosicky have come in and the young players have also developed."

"So at the moment, I am not looking for anybody to come in."

Save The Clock

2006-10-17T08:45:00.000+01:00

Would you like to see the Clock End clock at the Emirates? Cut and paste this link into your browser and follow the instructions...

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?Clockend&1

Many thanks to the anonymous poster yesterday who made me aware of this!

GOOD WORK!

Le Boss: "They Are A Good Side"

2006-10-16T15:30:00.000+01:00

The Gaffer has spoken out ahead of tomorrow night's game against CSKA Moscow...

"They are a good side,” said AW. “The chairman of Porto said to me after our match that they had been impressed by CSKA Moscow.

“They have some good Brazilians there and also seven players from the Russian national team, which is a solid combination.

“While I feel we can beat them, you always have ingredients in Moscow during October that you cannot master. I have heard that the quality of their pitch has been destroyed by a tournament, and it is already cold there now.

“A victory would nearly qualify us, so of course we will really go for it. We want to qualify as soon as possible, because it is always a relief. You can go into the winter and focus on what is coming next.”

Denilson Included In Tomorrow's Squad

2006-10-16T14:16:00.000+01:00

New signing Denilson has been included in tomorrow's 18 man squad that will travel to Russia.

The full squad is as follow;

Jens Lehmann
Manuel Almunia
William Gallas
Gael Clichy
Kolo Toure
Justin Hoyte
Johan Djourou
Gilberto
Denilson
Alexander Hleb
Cesc Fabregas
Alexandre Song
Theo Walcott
Tomas Rosicky
Thierry Henry
Robin van Persie
Emmanuel Adebayor
Jeremie Aliadiere

Gael's Up For It

2006-10-16T12:46:00.000+01:00

Gael Clichy has revealed his desire to break into the first team and make the left back position his own - and after the departure of Cashley Hole it seems likely.

Here's what Gael had to say...

"Ashley is a friend and I am really happy for him if he is happy at Ch*lsea,"

"He is a great player and it is a shame for the club to lose a player like this."

"Of course, though, I have to be realistic and it is a big opportunity for me."

"Now I am fit and am waiting for the boss to give me a chance. I will not let him down."

"We have to work together and be as good as possible for the team - but of course I think the boss knows I am in a good position to play on the left, so I am just going to work hard and try my best to make this position my own."

"It has been really difficult. I had three bad injuries last season, all the same," he said.

"Maybe the first one was not fixed properly and then I had the others."

"It was bad luck as well. But that is the life and you have to go with it."

"The thing you have to understand is there are people worse than me, so I have to just focus on my rehabilitation and playing again."

"Hopefully it is all behind me now and I can look forward to my future."

Beast Wants To Stay

2006-10-16T09:20:00.000+01:00

Julio the Beast has once again stated his desire to remain at Arsenal...

"It will depend on Arsenal as to whether I stay here beyond the season loan," he said. "I'd like to stay but it is out of my hands right now."

"It also depends on how I play but if I have the chance to play regularly here and the club wants me to stay it will be a matter of closing an agreement with Real Madrid."

"I like English football. It is physical and competitive but that is good for my style of play."

AW: "Thierry Is The Best..."

2006-10-16T08:59:00.000+01:00

The Gaffer insists that TH14 has to win the FIFA World Player of the Year award this time round...

"Thierry is the best player in the world. I do not think he will miss out again. This is his time." said Le Boss.

"The key to being a great player is your consistency and being able to produce it regularly - and if you look at Thierry's record over the last five years he has that."

"His consistency, in terms of the amount of goals he scores and the number of assists he has, makes him the best player in the world. Definitely."

"Thierry has been second on two occasions and third a few times too. So I believe that has to change."

"Ronaldinho and (Samuel) Eto'o both had good runs in the Champions League - but so did Thierry.

"This year he has played in both the European Cup final and the World Cup final - and there cannot be too many others who have done that. I cannot think of any."

Le Boss continued: "There is another great aspect to Thierry which people might forget - his image is perfect for football and he is a great role model for kids who want to get into the game."

Theo: "It Was A Dream Come True..."

2006-10-16T08:51:00.000+01:00

Young Theo has made clear how happy he is after his first Premiership start for the Club...

"It's great to be learning from the master, Thierry Henry," he said.

"It was a dream come true to start because starting is different to just coming on. I was so pleased to get really good cheers from the crowd."

"I found out the day before that I was playing and I was nervous. But I think I came through it."

"It was really exciting and I got so many calls and texts from my friends and family for tickets for the game."

"It's great to hear the crowd and they and the other players give you confidence."

"I don't know when I'll play next. That's up to the boss. But like any player, I'm just itching to get on and play."

Dude, Where's My Car?

2006-10-11T10:25:00.000+01:00

The Gaffer has yet again slammed International coaches for their treatment of our players, likening them to joyriders!

He has echoed the views expressed by Lyon coach Gerard Houllier, saying...

"(Gerard)thinks that what the national coaches are doing is like taking a car from his garage without even asking permission. They will then use the car for 10 days and abandon it in a field without any petrol left in the tank. We then have to recover it, but it is broken down."

Le Boss Wants It All

2006-10-10T11:49:00.000+01:00

AW has stated that he wants to make us the biggest force in European football...

"My project is to dominate the English league and to dominate Europe," he told France Football.

"Nowadays Arsenal is a club superior to what I could have imagined at the beginning.

"When we built our new stadium we talked about a capacity of 50,000, then 55,000, then 60,000. Now we are asking ourselves already if it is too small.

"That could seem pretentious, but I believe that if you don't give real ambition to a club it will not take off."

"At Arsenal, I even have more freedom than a lot of other English clubs," he explained.

"That is why I refused opportunities like Real Madrid.

"I am like an animal that has a lot of freedom and then you want to keep him on a leash."

Denilson: "It Has Been A Dream For Me..."

2006-10-10T09:28:00.000+01:00

New boy Denilson is hoping that it isn't too long before he makes his competitive debut for the Club. Speaking earlier this week the young Brazilian had this to say...

"It has been a dream for me since I was young to play in Europe, but I never imagined I could sign for a club like Arsenal so early in my career.

"I am going to try to my maximum and I want my football to mature here.

"I really think I can become a champion with Arsenal and make it into one of the best players in the world."

"The manager has said I have real quality, with a good touch and good technique.

"He says that now I just have to adapt so I can start to play in the first team.

"In Brazil, you would not really get kicks like I did for the reserves - if a player had done that to me at home, then he probably would have got a red card.

"But this is English football, the players are very strong and the tackles are very strong. You just have to take one or two touches so you do not get tackled in the same way."

Theo: "...I'll Be There Again"

2006-10-09T08:45:00.000+01:00

Young Theo has insisted that his trip to the World Cup in Germany this Summer was far from a waste of time...

He said: "I didn't expect to go to the World Cup but it was a brilliant experience for me.

"Ronaldo went to a World Cup when he was just 17 and also didn't play but look at him now.

"Just watching how the England players prepare for games, watching them train, watching Wayne (Rooney) was unbelievable.

"There is another World Cup in four years, so, hopefully, I'll be there again."

Freddie A Doubt For Saturday

2006-10-09T08:39:00.000+01:00

Freddie picked up a knock playing for Sweden against Spain at the weekend and may miss our game against W*tford on Saturday...

"It wasn't a blow, but I got the injury when I was running," Ljungberg said.

"It got worse and worse, but it was an important match and I didn't want to go off.

"Hopefully, I will get an X-ray. But right now, it does not feel very well.

"I will talk to the boss and see what he feels. As captain, you should follow the side but, at the same time, Arsenal might want me to come back for treatment."

AW: "Now I Am Ready..."

2006-10-06T14:49:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has stated his desire to win the Premiership again. He feels that two years without the title is long enough!

Here's what the great man had to say...

"I do not think you can be happy without winning trophies - somewhere it would raise doubts about your ability to win things."

"Now I am ready to win another one [championship] because the last two years have been very difficult."

"I always feel you can do better in life and I regret every wrong decision I have made, and every time we have lost."

"Overall we have had a consistent level of performance and we are proud of what we have done."

"But I believe as well the duty of a manager is to always think you could have done better and how can you do better in the future."

Jens Wants One More Year

2006-10-06T10:25:00.000+01:00

Mad Jens has stated his desire to remain with us for at another year at least. However, he hasn't ruled out returning to the Bundesliga eventually.

Here's what the mad shot-stopper said...

“Playing for any other team would be a step backwards compared to the Arsenal team I’m in at the moment,” he said.

“Other clubs may be more successful, but I don’t know of any that play more attractive football.

“I would like to spend another year here, but I also know that Arsenal wouldn’t hesitate to sign any other goalkeeper that they thought better than me."

“The Bundesliga is still of interest to me,” added Jens.

“When my wife Conny and I returned to England after the World Cup we both said that it would be nice to go back to Germany.

"The grounds and the atmosphere there are great, but I’m not prepared to make any statements on specific clubs.”

Cesc: "We Are A Strong Team..."

2006-10-05T15:23:00.000+01:00

Young Cesc has stated that we still have everything to play for this season, despite our slow start...

"We have a game in hand," said our little Matador.

"If we win it, we are two points behind Ch*lsea and M*nchester Un!ted, so I don't think this is bad or this is poor.

"We are playing very well. We are a strong team and we are winners.

"Now, we have won five games in a row. We've won in the Champions League and in the Premier League, so I think the confidence is high and we just have to keep going.

"I think like every team that is a winner, we just want to win everything.

"We have four cups - Premier League, Carling Cup, FA Cup and Champions League - and we will to try to win everything, as every team wants to win.

"We all know it's really difficult, but as I said, we have a special squad with big players and we are not afraid of anything.

"I think we have the quality to do it, but of course it could be difficult because there are a lot of teams in Europe which are really strong as well and will want to do the same thing."

I hope that the above makes sense, I have read it through a coupla times but I've been to the pub for lunch, had a few pints and some of that Peruvian marching powder...so I'm not too with it right now!

Anyway...UP THE GUNNERS!

Banfield: "Arturo Is A Natural Goalscorer"

2006-10-05T11:15:00.000+01:00

Neil Banfield believes that Arturo Lupoli's loan spell at derby will be the invaluable experience he needs if he is ever to break into the first team.

Here's what he said...

"Arturo is a natural goalscorer. I think going to Derby and playing at the sharp end, where there’s a physical side of the game, will help him improve on something he needs to work on. He’s played reserve football for two years now and scored goals, but he now needs to move up to that next stage. We think Derby will help bridge that gap before he really pushes into the first-team squad here.

“Loaning players out is a development cycle. Obviously the Premiership is such a high standard, and if players are not in the first-team squad but are playing regular reserve football they need that next step. We feel sending them out to Championship teams and lower Premiership clubs does that.

“By playing first-team football at that level they’re playing where the points really do matter and where there’s a little but more of an edge to it. That helps finish off their development before they come back and Arsène decides whether they’re going to make the first-team squad, or if they have to seek their careers elsewhere.”

“I think all Arturo can do is what he’s doing at the moment and continue learning the game. Again, it’s down to the manager to look at his progress and decide if and when he uses him.”

You've gotta admit - they boy has been knocking the goals in..!

AW Worried About Billy G

2006-10-05T10:22:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has voiced his concerns over the finess of Billy G ahead of France's Euro 2008 qualifier against Scotland.

"The case of Gallas is still worrying. I do not think he's cured." said the Gaffer.

"Gallas has trained but, from what I have seen, I am convinced he has gone back a bit."

"Domenech is like other managers of countries. They don't contact you."

"It's like giving your car to a guy and him returning it without any petrol in it."

AW: We Will Never Play 'Ugly'

2006-10-04T11:19:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has reiterated that we will never sacrifice our free flowing, beautiful football just to get results...

"I believe you cannot be in a big club and have the ambition to play ugly football." he said

"The people who watch football have changed, they are used to different standards and have a choice of which games they can now watch on the television."

"We have a responsibility as a big club to play with style and have a certain ambition in the way we play the game."

The Boys Are Back In Town

2006-10-04T10:30:00.000+01:00

Big Phil Senderos and Gael Clichy both featured in our reserve game last night against West H*m. Big Phil played the entire game, while Gael was subbed at half time - which was the plan!

We won the match 2-1 with goals from Jeremie Aliadiere and Joe O'Cearuill.

Tomas Pleased With Arsenal Move

2006-10-03T11:08:00.000+01:00

New boy Tomas Rosicky has spoken out about his move to The Mighty Gunners, and by the sounds of things he's quite chuffed...

"Before I moved to Arsenal, I had been saying they would be the right team for my style of play," he said.

"That has been confirmed now. We play extremely running-based and active football which I like very much."

"There are two options of formation, in the second one I play more in the middle," he continued.

"But I like both of them because I have a major role in attack anyway."

"However, on the other hand, I have to defend a lot too. But every player has to defend so I cannot complain."

What are your views on our 'Little Mozart'? I can't think of a player who has adapted so quickly...well happy with the signing!!!

Freddie: "...I Was Very Happy."

2006-10-03T10:55:00.000+01:00

Freddie has bigged up the boys' spirit following the 2-1 win at the Valley on Saturday...

"We showed some character. After they scored I felt we were playing a little bit too straight and too quickly." he said.

“But then we controlled the game quite well with our passing and we went into the lead. They put us under pressure with some crosses but I felt we coped so I was very happy."

“To be honest I was quite sure that [their goal] was offside but afterwards I was told that it was not. If we were a bit harsh on the linesman then we have apologise about that. It really looked very much like offside but I heard it was not.”

“It is a different game in the Champions League than in the Premiership. It is not so physical. We had a lot of success in the Champions League last year so we all have high belief when we go out on the pitch. After the first three Premiership games we have won every match so maybe that was a factor."

“But really if I knew there was any specific thing we would have talked about it. We played well at the start of the season but we drew some games and lost one too. We conceded some early goals too. Against Ch*rlton we conceded as well but we managed to come back and I am very happy with that.”

AW: "Ch*lsea Can Be Beaten This Year..."

2006-10-03T10:45:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has thrown down the gauntlet to Chel$ki by stating that we can, and will beat them to the title this season...

"It's satisfying to think that Ch*lsea are not the only ones who can be successful, even with money" said the Gaffer

"Ch*lsea can be beaten this year in England. I'm profoundly convinced of that. And I believe we can beat them."

COME ON YOU RED AND WHITE MACHINE!!!

AW: "I Was Not Worried..."

2006-10-02T16:34:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has revealed that he was never overly concerned by our slow start to the Premiership this term...

"I was not worried too much when we started the season without winning games because I felt the quality was there.

"However, I know there comes a point where you have to win - if you do not do that, the confidence drops so much so that you lose the quality of your game because the players then start to play scared.

"That is why the Hamburg game and after that the Manchester Un!ted match were certainly turning points for us."

AW Peeved With Internationals

2006-10-02T09:15:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has expressed his frustration at the timing of the forthcoming internationals...and I for one agree with him.

AW said: "It is terrible.

"The international teams play Saturday and Wednesday and when they come back we do not have enough time with them.

"We have asked before if the international teams can follow the same schedule as club sides and play on Saturdays and Tuesdays but nobody has done anything about it.

"I have calculated that over the next 10 months, our players will be away with their countries for 100 days. That is just not acceptable.

"We have to live with it. But we are the ones who employ the players and yet they spend all this time away from us. It is simply not logical.

"There needs to be a better compromise than the one which currently operates because this one is not in favour of the clubs at all."

RVP: "It's The Best I've Ever Scored..."

2006-10-02T08:46:00.000+01:00

Mornin' Gooners and Goonettes,

I didn't post last week as I was away on a course at my comapny's head office in picturesque Luton!

Not much to say this morning - apart from WHAT A FUCKING SCREAMER from RVP!

You don't get many of them to the pound!

Our flying Dutchman was quite pleased with it aswell by the sounds of things...

"It's the best I've ever scored and the best feeling I've ever had after a goal." he said.

"It was a fantastic cross from Emmanuel Eboue. There was a bit of a curve on the ball and I just focused on hitting it straight and at the heart of the ball.

"At first I thought it was going over but then it dipped under the bar and it was a fantastic moment.

"What makes it even more special for me is the fact we've won the game when Ch*lsea have dropped points and L!verpool have lost.

"The confidence is starting to come back and everyone realises we have the ability to keep winning.

"It's not easy because it means we have to play a fantastic game every three or four days, coping with the pressure and demands on our bodies.

"But it was very important to get the win in our last game before the international break because there is nothing worse then going away for two weeks thinking all the time about a poor result."

AW Not Concerned About The Past

2006-09-22T19:06:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has insisted that he will mark his decade in charge not by looking back, but by looking forward.

Here's what the great man said...

"It doesn't have any special meaning to me because what is important to me is only tomorrow's game."

"I have never been somebody who collects prizes or photographs so I have nothing at home at all. I must have some medals but I don't know where they are."

"I give them away sometimes, even the Champions (League) final medal I didn't take home. I don't know who has got it. I am not interested in that at all."

"Sometimes I give them to my family but when I give them something they keep it, so it is not like throwing it away."

"The only thing that is interesting for me is the future. That's why time passes quickly. In my office at home you would see I am a football manager but nowhere else in my house."

"When I don't work any more and I sit there living in the past, maybe I will try to put things together but at the moment, no."

"What is important is Sheffield United and if everyone could forget I have been here 10 years, I would be happy."

Let's hope he's here for another ten!

Henry Looking To Blunt The Blades

2006-09-22T14:29:00.000+01:00

TH14 is fit and ready for action tomorrow against Sheffield United. As you are all aware we are still waiting for our first home win in the League this season, and Thierry is determined to end that wait tomorrow...

"I am fit again and can play. The foot injury stopped my progression but I have to be ready." said the Skipper.

"We just have to score early then finally we can use the width of the pitch and try to play the game that we can."

"I think it was a big one (the M*nchester Un!ted win) but some people were saying M*nchester Un!ted were tired and had a difficult game against Celtic in the Champions League.

"Yet we played away in the Champions League and had to go away again. Sometimes we don't get the credit we deserve but whoever we have got we just need to get three points."

Calderon: "I Think Reyes Is Going To Stay Here Forever"

2006-09-22T13:44:00.000+01:00

Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has revealed that he wants to keep Jose Antonio Reyes at the Bernabeu permanently...but he is unsure as to the future of Julio Baptista.

"I think Reyes is going to stay here forever. My idea is to sign a contract for six or seven years." said Calderon.

"It's true, at that time (of concluding the deals), it was very difficult to decide what to do because Baptista wanted to leave Real and Reyes wanted to leave Arsenal."

"We did that at the last minute and did that in a way with the loan, with an option to buy."

"Both clubs can buy the player, paying an amount we've already fixed.

"I'm quite sure Reyes is going to stay here, but I don't know what's going to happen with Baptista."

"It's something the coach has to decide. My intention, which I said in my campaign, is I am not going to interfere with what the coach is going to do.

"This case depends on what's going to happen at the end of the season."

Kolo: "Johan Is A Fighter..."

2006-09-22T10:26:00.000+01:00

Super Kolo believes that our young Swiss defender Johan Djourou will be a huge success in the not too distant future.

Here's what KT5 had to say...

"Johan is young, but is doing well. The only thing he needs right now is games. The more you play, the more experienced you get - against different opposition as well.

"He has played in both the Champions League and the Premiership and that is good for his development.

"Johan is a fighter on the pitch, the supporters can see that, and he always does his best.

"He will grow up a good player, with a lot of quality - for Arsenal he just needs more games under his belt."

Beast Takes AW's Comments On Board / TH14 & RVP Back

2006-09-22T08:39:00.000+01:00

The Beast has said that he agrees with Le Boss with regards to his lack of match fitness...

"I have taken that on board." he said

"The training here is very different to Real. The sessions are shorter but much more intense and physical.

"Whatever the manager, says I will do."

Good man! I can't wait till this guy reaches peak fitness - as I've said previously I am a big fan of Baptista.

Two players who will probably start this weekend are Thierry and RVP...well, Thierry will! After Adebayor's performance last week I think it would be a tad harsh to drop him, but you never know..!

"Thierry is available and we should have Robin van Persie back too," Wenger told Arsenal.com

"We have no big injuries from last week. The other ones like Senderos, Diaby, Lauren and Clichy are not back yet but Henry is and van Persie should be."

TH14: "It Might Surprise You..."

2006-09-22T08:26:00.000+01:00

Thierry has admited that he watches other players in football in order to add to his own game.

This is what he said...

"It might surprise you but I do watch games even in the Championship.

"I'm not afraid and scared to say that sometimes I look at other players.

"For example I can look at Paul D!ckov, the way he moves because he's always moving everywhere.

"For another type of game, I watch Davies, to see what he does to annoy players - not in a bad way - but just looking to see him in a situation.

"I put it in my brain and maybe it'll pop out without me knowing.

"When I watch the game, I watch how the players are moving. I'm not following the ball."

"I am passionate. I love the game. I watch a lot of games on TV.

"I do sometimes love to speak to Arsene about games involving other teams or us.

"We talk about how people are playing. I do think to be a great boss you have to be a good man-manager.

"You have to know what to do on the training pitch obviously but managing the players is the most difficult thing I think from what I've seen."

The Skipper said: "It's like when you used to see Ajax, they had this tradition of passing the ball and that's what Arsene has brought here.

"We did win some ugly games like the FA Cup final against Man Un!ted - if that was a boxing match they would have stopped the game.

"But I still think that now we have an identity and people now recognise Arsenal by the way we play.

"Everybody has their own way. I don't know if 'boring, boring Arsenal' was fair. They won some stuff too, even playing like that.

"But now we are winning stuff, playing like this. Arsene has changed the view people have of the club.

"When I walk in London or even abroad, people come up and say: 'I'm not an Arsenal fan but I love to see you play'. That's because of Arsene."

The striker said: "I don't know if he can live without football. Thankfully for us that's just him. This is his life.

"When you go through all your active life, every morning training, every Saturday and Wednesday a game, you don't want to stop.".

TH14 has also revealed of his admiration for the Mickey Mousers...

"A kid asked me on Wednesday if I would have liked to play for another team. Straight away I said Liverpool."

"First of all, I would have loved to play with Steven Gerrard and second I like the club and their fans. There’s something about Anfield that you can’t explain."

"I love it when you step out of the dressing-room and you see the Kop, the scarves, and [hear people] singing You’ll Never Walk Alone. Just that, that would do it for me."

"Obviously it can never happen because I love Arsenal too much. There can never be a possibility of playing anywhere else in England."

Those last two lines are music to my ears!!!

Injuries Inspired Adebayor

2006-09-21T15:10:00.000+01:00

Manu Adebayor has revealed how the injuries to TH14 and RVP inspired him at Old Tr*fford last Sunday...

"We knew that going to Old Trafford without Thierry and Robin would be very difficult but we also knew we had to do a job for them and play for them."

"We knew they were somewhere watching us and shouting and enjoying the game. We had them somewhere behind our heads. I was playing as a lone forward but for me it was like Robin and Thierry were somewhere behind me because they are my friends."

"The win at Old Trafford shows we have confidence in the boss at any time. He has confidence in us and we have confidence in him. I can say we played for Thierry and Robin and did it for them, but they will be back soon and they will be scoring goals as well."

Big Phil Set To Return

2006-09-21T12:49:00.000+01:00

Big Phil is set to return to training next week after damaging his shoulder while playing for Switzerland in the World Cup...

Here's what he had to say...

"My shoulder feels better and I'm seeing the specialist this week."

"I expect to get the green light to resume training next week. It has been a test of my mental strength but I will come back stronger than ever."

"Now it's down to me to win my place back in the Arsenal defence."

Question: If all of our defenders were fit, ie. Ralph, Clichy, Senderos etc. Who would be your first choice back four?

Freddie: "...We Are Going To Do A Lot Better..."

2006-09-21T09:05:00.000+01:00

Freddie is feeling confident that we will perform better in the League this season.

Here's what he said...

"Last season we had a lot of new players and I think we had to get used to some aspects of the game,"

"I think now they have learned it and we are going to do a lot better this season.

"We had a bad patch for example last winter so hopefully we'll be able to do much better and compete for the title.

"When you play in a big club you always have to win your games. Sometimes you will lose of course but that is the belief you must have in the dressing room.

"With wins against Hamburg and M*nchester Un!ted hopefully there will be an even stronger feeling."

"Last year was a bit of a transition period for the team so of course I did not score as many goals, so I haven't set a target," he explained.

"Normally I say that if you score more than ten goals as a midfielder it is a great scoring record, so we will wait and see how this season goes."

Edelman: Arsenal Will Become 'Even Stronger'

2006-09-20T16:47:00.000+01:00

MD Keith Edelman believes that we have nothing to worry about with regards to the future of Arsenal FC, but he's not gonna let the Club rest on it's laurels...

“I think we are very well set up,” he said. “We have magnificent facilities at Emirates Stadium which has completely sold out. I think there are very few clubs in the UK who are like that."

“We have grown our membership dramatically over the past few years and we still have 32,000 on the season ticket waiting list after the move. But I still feel we have a lot of work to do. I am big on customer service and it does not stop because we have the stadium built.”

“There is the extra broadcasting money. In a few years time there will be sponsorships up for renewal. Then we have our property developments. We have a lot of work to do and a lot of revenue to bring in over the next four to seven years. That will make the Club even stronger.”

Gunners In The Red

2006-09-20T09:06:00.000+01:00

Our overall debt has increased to £262.1million from £153.3million in 2005, according to figures released today.

Chairman Peter Hill-Wood has revealed the debt relating to the change of stadium has been restructured.

"As well as completing the new stadium, we have also refinanced the related debt.

"The refinancing is strongly beneficial as it secures the group's financing arrangement for the long term and, by extending the repayment term and reducing the annual debt service costs, frees up significantly more of the group's future cash-flow for investment in the development of the team."

A good thing then, I guess!

AW: Beast Needs To Be Sharper

2006-09-20T08:59:00.000+01:00

AW has revealed the reason for not starting Julio 'The Beast' Baptista yet this season...

"Julio is a very good player who is versatile and can play in different positions - and that will be good for us." said The Gaffer.

"But he has not played a lot of football and needs to be sharper and get some match-fitness before he is ready to start games."

Gotta be honest peeps, I'm a BIG fan of The Beast. When he was at Seville he was fucking lethal! Scored about 34 goals in about 60 games...or something like that. I can't wait for him to get match fit and start clattering people!

Not EVERY T*ttenham Fan Is A Dick

2006-09-20T08:56:00.000+01:00

Just wanted to share this with you...

Last week it was my birthday and a good friend of mine, who happens to be a big Sperz fan (yeah I know) bought me a present...

Here it is...

Not bad, eh?!? Certificate of Authenticity and all! I know it killed him going into a shop and buying that. Bet he didn't feel as bad as when Sperz fucked their Champions League spot on the last day of last season though!!!

UP THE GUNNERS!

Freddie: "We Have Always Been Confident..."

2006-09-19T17:21:00.000+01:00

Following our win at Old Tr*fford on Sunday, Freddie feels that we have shown we are still a potent force in the League...

"We have always been confident, but of course when you only have two points from the first three games, it is not a good start," Freddie stated.

"We have just not been able to win the games."

"We have conceded some soft goals in the past, then it has been hard to win games."

"That has been something we have had to work on and hopefully we can now get back on track."

"Against M*nchester Un!ted, we showed everybody how good we are."

What do you think, are we good enough to win the Premiership this term or are we still lacking in certain areas?

Your thoughts...

Mad Jens In Old Bill Probe

2006-09-19T10:25:00.000+01:00

Mad Jens is apparently being investigated by the Old Bill after he hoofed a bottle of water into the crowd at Old Tr*fford on Sunday...

Greater Manchester Police have now confirmed that 'officers are investigating an allegation and enquiries are ongoing.'

A statement read: "We have received one complaint in relation to an allegation that a water bottle was kicked into the crowd."

Apparently it hit some little Manc in the boat! HAHAHAHAHAHA GOOD!

Domenech: "I Can't Believe They Let Gallas Go"

2006-09-19T10:02:00.000+01:00

France national coach Raymond Domenech has stated how surprised he is that Chel$ki sold Billy G to us...

"I can't believe what Che!sea have done. I can't believe they let Gallas go. For a coach, he's the best defender in the world."

"Look at the positions he can play, anywhere along the backline, all with exactly the same ability."

"If I had been coach Jose M*urinho I would never have done it. Any club lucky enough to have William should never allow him to leave."

"Since I've been French coach, we've lost only one game, against Slovakia this year and that was the only one in which he didn't play."

You see people, Arsene knows...

Manu: "It Was A Very Important Game..."

2006-09-18T17:21:00.000+01:00

Our win over ManUre yesterday has left Manu Adebayor in bullish mood...

"I hope this is a breakthrough for the team. We never got down. We were never out of the race," he said.

"We needed this win and we showed we are a good team. We showed we can play good football. We showed we enjoy playing as a team and working for each other.

"It was a very important game, we won it and I think confidence will come back a little bit."

"It was the most important goal I've ever scored," he claimed.

"I knew all the fans were watching this game and I had not scored in The Premiership this season.

"I got my chance to play. I enjoy the way Arsenal play and it was important for us to win our first game.

"Now I hope we are going to win a lot of games at home. We have to focus on our next game."

Was yesterday the turning point in our season in the same way the win at Real Madrid was last year?

Watch this space...

AW: Cesc Was 'Amazing'

2006-09-18T12:40:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has praised young Cesc following our 1-0 win at Old Traff*rd yesterday...

"Cesc was absolutely outstanding. He does not stop from the first to the last minute. His passing is fantastic." said the Gaffer

"He defends, he attacks and in the last five minutes he was still in the box, every time. He was amazing."

No arguments there Arsene..!

Wenger also went on to say that our slow start to the season was inevitable...

"We were really disturbed after the World Cup. We had lots of players at the World Cup, lots of young ones too. It took them some time to recover. I never really saw the players until this week because of the international schedule.

"I told the players to be faithful to the way we play. I said it is because we do not win that are being criticised for the way we play. We just want to be better at what we want to do."

"A loss could have been decisive but this win reinforces the belief that we are a very strong side. I would never have thought that our challenge would have been over if we had lost but psychologically it might have been difficult for the players."

Who The F*ck Are Man Utd?!?!

2006-09-18T08:31:00.000+01:00

That's better! Needless to say like the rest of you I'm proper chuffed! Feeling a little sheepish this morning, so gonna be brief. Let's hope that we can keep this momentum going now...

Here are the Gaffer's thoughts...

"I believe in my team and I believe we have a chance to win the championship," Le Boss said

"I felt everybody had written us off straight away. When you opened the newspapers they had us playing in Division One next year, so of course we sent out a signal to everybody."

"In the first three games we did not get what we deserved. We could be a team that had won four games."

"But since the Middlesbrough game we have won at Hamburg in the Champions League and won at M*nchester Un!ted. If you don't have special qualities you don't do that."

Gotta say people, I did not expect that result yesterday...COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!!

Billy G: Arsenal Are 'Magnificent'

2006-09-15T16:58:00.000+01:00

It would appear that new recruit William Gallas is more than happy so far with his move to Arsenal...and he has no problems with filling in at left back either!

"The fans have welcomed me perfectly, they are so nice," Gallas said. "I feel good in this brand new stadium.

"Gael Clichy is injured, so I have to replace him on the left side of the defence. That is not a problem at all.

"The most important for me, is to win trophies, the league, the FA Cup, or the Champions League.

"If I play I have no problems, that shows that the coach trusts me.

"During the last World Cup, I wanted to show the world my qualities.

"I wanted people to see why being a central defender is the best for me.

"It was a challenge for me to try to be one of the best at this position during a big competition.

"Wenger is one of the best coaches, he talks a lot and understands the player.

"A Ch*lsea fan has asked me why I left last week. I told him the full story, so he was relieved and understood my reasons.

"Arsenal's defence is young but paradoxically very experienced because of the Champions League.

"Arsenal are a team of young stars and their football is magnificent."

"I will give my all to Arsenal, like I did with Ch*lsea or Caen, I am a pro," Gallas added.

"Ch*lsea's accusations have hurt me.

"I will tell the truth at the right moment."

JAR Supports Arsenal

2006-09-15T16:04:00.000+01:00

Jose Antonio Reyes has backed Arsenal in the Ashley C*le saga, stating that the claims our former left back made are simply untrue...

"He is just trying to cause trouble," said the Spaniard. "There was a good atmosphere in the Arsenal dressing room no matter what he says."

So there you have it. C*le must be fucking livid, he has brought out a book in the hope of making us look like the bad guys and making him look like the victim. It has backfired in a BIG way.

Everyone in football, with the exception of Chel$ki 'fans' (if you can call most of them that nowadays) hates the little cunt - and quite rightly too.

I know I must sound bitter by this 'rant' but I can assure you I'm not. We're better off without some premadonna dickhead who think he's all that. It just annoys me.

UP THE GUNNERS!

United Colours Of Arsenal

2006-09-15T14:50:00.000+01:00

Apparently we have set a Champions League first by fielding a starting eleven comprising of eleven different nationalities when we played Hamburg on Wednesday night.

They played for 41 minutes before Baptista and the Flamster replaced RVP and Hleb.

Arsenal's record XI: Jens Lehmann (Germany), Emmanuel Eboue (Ivory Coast), Johan Djourou (Switzerland), Justin Hoyte (England), William Gallas (France), Tomas Rosicky (Czech Republic), Gilberto (Brazil), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Alexander Hleb (Belarus), Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo), Robin van Persie (Holland).

Le Boss: "It's Too Early..."

2006-09-15T13:37:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has warned ManUre not too get carried away with their perfect start to the season. As you know, United have secured four wins out of four in the League, while we are yet to win a game.

Speaking earlier the Gaffer had this to say...

"It's too early for me to say they will be the favourites for the championship. The only thing you could say is they have a good team, they've had a good start and those are always good ingredients to have a good season.

"But after four games it is too early. You need eight to 10 games to see what is the real strength of the team."

What are your views on Sunday's match, do we really stand a chance of getting three points?

Brady Slams Chel$ki

2006-09-15T09:18:00.000+01:00

By the sounds of things Liam Brady ain't too keen on Chel$ki, but then again who is these days?

Speaking recently, the legend had this to say...

"There could be trouble. I wonder how Arjen R*bben is going to feel about the situation if he is not included in the plans,"

"I'm hoping they lose a couple of games and there's a crisis because they've upset a lot of people over the last three years, M*urinho in particular."

Nice, Mr Brady, Nice!

Tom: ..."I'm Not Scared..."

2006-09-15T09:09:00.000+01:00

Rocket Rosicky has spoken out ahead of our game againt ManUre on Sunday, and by the sounds of things our 'Little Mozart' can't wait to get stuck in...

"I'm looking forward to it although I know it will be physical. I remember the game at Old Trafford with what happened to Ruud van Nistelrooy - everyone remembers that!"

"But I said when I joined Arsenal that you will never see me jump when the tackles come in.

"I'm not as strong as some but I'm not scared either so I will never jump out of the way of tackles."

'AVE IT!!!

Kolo OK But Thierry And RVP Doubtful

2006-09-14T17:18:00.000+01:00

It appears that TH14 and RVP are both unlikely to feature in Sunday's clash at Old Traff*rd. On the plus side it appears that Kolo will be fit to face ManUre.

Speaking earlier, AW said;

"Kolo Toure will have no problem to play on Sunday, Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie are a bigger problem. We have to wait a little bit but there is a doubt about both of them."

"Robin has a hip problem. His (foot) got stuck in the pitch when he wanted to keep the ball on. There is a major doubt about him."

Tomas: "I Will Do My Best..."

2006-09-14T13:22:00.000+01:00

Tomas Rosicky has stated that he would love to have played alongside Robert Pires. Speaking after his wonder goal last night, 'Little Mozart' had this to say...

"At first, I thought the shot was going into the crowd but when it went in it made me very happy,"

"I scored a goal like it at the World Cup but I think this one is better. It was higher and I enjoyed this one more."

"For my country, I have scored quite a few goals. At Dortmund I wasn't so successful and averaged five goals a season so I know from my position I have to score more. I want to try to score more goals for Arsenal."

He also went on to praise our former number 7...

"Robért Píres was a player that I have always liked. When I watched Arsenal, I always liked watching him because he is a very good player, similar to David Beckham.

"On the one hand, I wanted to play with him but I also knew that if he stayed then Arsenal probably wouldn't have bought me.

"I know Píres scored a lot of goals and I will try to do my best, but I think he is more prolific than I am. I will do my best to be productive.

"But it doesn't matter who scored, what's important is that we won. However I am very happy to have scored so early on for Arsenal."

AW "...Gallas Is The Only Other Option"

2006-09-14T12:10:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has told new recruit Billy G that he's gonna have to play at left back for the time being...

Le Boss said; "It would have been useful to have him at centre-half but at the moment I have no real choice. Clichy is still four to six weeks away and who knows what could happen to him after that.

"There’s always a chance he could suffer another setback to his recovery. It makes it very difficult for me to plan.

"Mathieu Flamini played there for a spell last season but he is not really a left-back and Gallas is the only other option.

"I have a strong team but we have not started well because of our disturbed preparations."

To be honest, Clichy does seem to be a little injury prone and I don't think Hoyte is up to the job - yet. Should we be looking at signing another left back or do you think AW would be right to keep the faith with Hoyte?

Liz To Officially Open Emirates

2006-09-14T10:11:00.000+01:00

Queen Elizabeth is to officially open our new ground on October 26th!

I didn't see that one coming!!!

The Chairman, Peter Hill-Wood is bang up for it by the sounds of things...

"We are absolutely delighted that Her Majesty is to officially open Emirates Stadium." he said. "It is a true honour and we are immensely looking forward to welcoming Her Majesty and The Duke of Edinburgh to our new stadium next month. In 1932, the West Stand at Highbury was officially opened by the HRH The Prince of Wales, so we are again extremely honoured to have Royalty mark the start of the next chapter in the history of Arsenal Football Club."

Fair play!

Super Tom

2006-09-14T08:37:00.000+01:00

That'll do. 3 points away from home - can't complain! I thought the boys done a good job last night - and what a screamer from Tomas!!! Not unlike the one he scored against the USA in the World Cup...Thats what we need, someone who WILL have a crack from there.

It was a shame to lose Kolo and concede what I consider to be a bit of a soft goal, but given our recent performances in the Prem I'm rather chuffed!

Le Boss was also pleased with our display...here's what he said;

"I feel it was an important result and performance,"

"It was more difficult to rate as a performance as they had a man sent off, probably similar to us in the final when the keeper was sent off for making a foul.

"It's a shame, it would have been a very interesting game if it stayed 11 against 11 as they started well and we started well, but they continued to battle and it was still difficult until we got the second."

"But they kept going and in the end looked dangerous."

ManUre next!!!

This Time I'm Back For Good!

2006-09-13T15:10:00.000+01:00

Greeting Gooners and Goonettes,

I'm back!!!

As you know, it's been a coupla months since my last post and a lot has happened since then.

Back then we thought England were gonna win the World Cup, we hated Gallas, Baptista was playing for Real Madrid, we were yet to enter Ashburton Grove and Ashley Cole was a cunt! (Not everything has changed!)

As you are all no doubt aware, we have had a pretty poor start to the Premiership - obtaining only two points out of a possible nine - but tonight we begin our campaign in Europe - and I have high hopes!

Le Boss has called for 'patience' ahead of tonight's game, saying;

"I feel this team is one of the strongest squads I have ever had.

"But we need a bit of patience, keep our nerves and find the right balance in our attacking and defending.

"We look strong everywhere, but we are making it difficult for ourselves."

"We want to do well in the Champions League, but the Premiership means a lot to us this season as well,"

Let's hope the boys get off to a flying start...any predictions on starting lineup?

I Like All This World Cup Malarchy

2006-06-13T10:15:00.000+01:00

So, the World Cup is well and truly underway! Today no less than five Gunners will be featuring for their respective countries...

Big Phil and Djorou will have their work cut out when they face Titi et al as France face Switzerland. Although Phil admits he has no real plan for coping with Henry...

"There is no recipe," he said.

"He (Henry) is very fast, he loves running and can create space that way. You have to watch him all the time because he is a player who can create something in just a moment.

"That's how he scores many of his goals."

Gilberto and Brazil face Croatia tonight and Adebayor also plays today as Togo face South Korea.

My highlight so far has been Tomas Rosicky's performance yesterday as the Czech Republic smashed the USA 3-0. He scored two AMAZING goals aswell as hitting the bar...I can't wait to see him in an Arsenal shirt next season.

RVP has had a pop at 'greedy' Arjen Robben...he claims the Chel$ki winger tried to hog the limelight in Holland's 1-0 win over Serbia & Montenegro...

"He needs to take his team-mates into account. Sometimes he makes choices that are good for him, but not the team.

"We need to realise we are in this together. We had several chances against Serbia, but against the really big countries, you maybe get one chance."

"In that situation, you have to make the right choice. He can't do it on his own."

And finally, Pascal 'Zinedine' Cygan may be going to Blackburn. Bothered.

Thats about it!

My posts will be few and far between during the World Cup as not a great deal is happening Arsenal-wise...but keep checking back and posting your comments.

As soon as anything Gooner-related happens, it'll be on here!!!

Enjoy the World Cup Gooners!!!

PS. If any of you don't already know, the BBC are streaming all of their games live on their website. Very handy if like me, you're stuck in an office all bloody day!

Sol Man Off To Turkey?

2006-06-07T12:38:00.000+01:00

A Turkish newspaper has published a report regarding Sol's future. If the story is to be believed, it would appear that the Sol man is likely to move to Fenerbahce after the World Cup.

Sol is quoted as saying;

"The likelihood that I will go to Fenerbahce is higher than the likelihood that I won't. Playing for Fenerbahce could be interesting for me, but first we have to return to England with victory. That's all I want for now."

Your thoughts?

Ribery To Arsenal?

2006-06-06T08:31:00.000+01:00

I don't usually post stories about speculation, but.....reports out this morning suggest that we have tabled a late bid for Marseille star Franck Ribery. ManUre have already had a £9M bid rejected.

Now THIS is a player I would LOVE to see join Arsenal. I first saw him play for the France under 21's against England a while back - and he was head and shoulders above every other player on the pitch.

Don't believe me? Cut and paste the following link into your URL and enjoy....

http://www.youtube.com/results?search=franck+ribery&search_type=search_videos

Let me know what you think!

AW In No Rush

2006-06-05T14:47:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has revealed that if he does decide to splash out again this summer it will be later rather than sooner...

“I have already respected my word,” said Le Boss when questioned about further signings. “One is in."

“But I give myself time now for the second if it happens because I feel we have plenty of players. Look at our squad. In defence there’s Djourou, Senderos, Campbell, Toure, Cole, Clichy, Flamini plus Hoyte coming back. In midfield, Gilberto, Fabregas, Hleb, Rosicky, Ljungberg, Flamini who can still play there and Reyes. Up front as well we have plenty of players too.

“Remember we have players at the World Cup who have not featured for us.”

“I would be comfortable yes [if we brought in no one else] but you never know, we might go for somebody else if the right occasion comes along. There are one or two positions we can still strengthen.”

Mad Jens Staying Put

2006-06-05T11:19:00.000+01:00

Mad Jens has dismissed rumours that he is planning a return to Germany after the World Cup to see out the rest of his career...

He said; "I am fit, like a 26-year-old. And I am much fitter than when I was 30 years old. We (Arsenal) have a new stadium and we will have a very good team."

He also commented on the similarities between AW's and Jurgen Klinsmann's coaching styles...

"Both have the same philosophy: a quick, direct attacking style." stated Jens.

"Klinsmann holds a similar view, he has acted very cleverly and added the right people, for example to take care of our fitness. The training at Arsenal is very similar to the national team practice."

Tom The New Bob

2006-06-02T11:05:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has revealed that as soon as he found out Bobby was doing the off, he made a swoop for Tomas Rosicky....

"I took Rosicky to replace Robert. I moved very quickly after Robert told me he would go," AW told Arsenal.com.

"I wanted to secure [Rosicky] before the World Cup starts. He is a little bit similar position-wise to Robert.

"He can play in Dennis Bergkamp's role, on the left, in a 4-3-3 or central. But he is a slightly different style.

"Rosicky is an accelerator of the game, a guy who can create things, see things quickly and whose best years are ahead of him."

Arsenal In The Shit?

2006-06-02T09:02:00.000+01:00

Fifa have launched an investigation into whether or not Arsenal have broken regulations which may leave us expelled from the Champions League. It has been stated that we have made secret payments to our feeder club Beveren of £1M.

The Club last night released a statement;

"Arsenal Football Club is aware that BBC Newsnight is carrying a story this evening purporting to describe Arsenal's relationship with Belgian football club, Beveren.
Arsenal does not normally make public its agreements with third parties. However, Arsenal can confirm that it has had a technical relationship with Beveren since 2001. This relationship has a number of benefits to both clubs such as providing a platform to share coaching methods and techniques as well as facilitating the option of players being loaned between the clubs. For example, during the course of the relationship, Arsenal players David Grondin, Liam Chilvers, John Halls and Graham Stack all spent successful loan periods at Beveren as did Emmanuel Eboue, who played in a number of trial matches with Arsenal whilst contracted to Beveren. Such was the latter player's success, Arsenal subsequently signed Eboue on a permanent basis.

In addition, Arsenal confirms that it has never owned, directly or indirectly, any shares in Beveren or had any power whatsoever to influence its management or administration. It did in 2001 provide funds of 1,570,703 Euros by way of loan to a member of the consortium to assist in stabilising the finances of Beveren.

At no time has anyone at Arsenal been contacted by any regulatory or investigatory body with respect to its relationship with Beveren. Arsenal and all its staff have acted properly throughout, in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations, and in the best interests of Beveren, Arsenal and the broader footballing community."

Is this someone making something out of nothing, or are we in hot water? Your thoughts please....

This Is Killing Me

2006-06-01T16:38:00.000+01:00

I HATE this time of year! All that we get is bullshit rumours and Chel$ki spending yet more millions on yet more players!

THANK CHRIST THE WORLD CUP IS JUST ROUND THE CORNER!!!

The reason I haven't posted for the last couple of days is quite simply because, there's been nothing worth posting about!

I'm so BORED at work it's just not true - I'm actually considering doing some work to help the time pass...!

Anyone got anything interesting they wanna post? PLEASE?!?!

Au Revoir Bobby

2006-05-25T11:59:00.000+01:00

Bobby Pires has joined Villarreal on a two year deal.

Speaking earlier he said; "After six wonderful years at Arsenal, full of fantastic moments, I have decided to accept a new challenge at Villarreal for the next two years of my career.

"I am very grateful to Arsène Wenger, the players and all the fans for their amazing support over the years."

I'm quite upset by this. Admittedly Bob is past his best, but still a great player nevertheless.

Le Boss also thinks that he will be missed;

"Robert has had six tremendous years with us and made a huge contribution to the team's success during his time here." said AW

"He is not only a great footballer but a good man, so of course, we are sad to see him go."

Good luck Bobby and thanks for everything.

Ash Nearly There

2006-05-25T08:48:00.000+01:00

After missing a huge chunk of last season, Ash finally feels as though he's on his way back to full fitness...

He said; "After the Champions League final, I started to see light at the end of the tunnel. I feel good, but I know I can be sharper."

"I'm not 100 percent back but, but with the game on Thursday and the other friendlies next week, I have a chance to get that.

"The swelling on my ankle took time to go down but now I feel fine."

Rosicky: "I Had Decided To Go To Atletico"

2006-05-25T08:28:00.000+01:00

Our new 'Little Mozart', Tomas Rosicky has revealed that he was all set to join Atletico Madrid. He was aware of our interest, but said no attempt was made to secure his services...until now!

"Arsenal were interested for a longer time, but they never came out with a concrete offer," Rosicky explained.

"I had decided to go to Atletico. If the clubs had agreed, I would have gone there.

"But suddenly Arsenal came into it and everything was clear."

"It was very hectic. [My agent] Pavel Paska hinted to me that I should be ready. I had to take one extra bag to Seefeld [training camp in Austria].

"First we had to ask coach Karel Bruckner to release me from the training camp. I would like to thank him for doing so.

"The medical was in the morning, then there was a break and later they examined me once again. At 5pm we drove to Highbury where I signed the contract."

Theo Is An 'Old Head On Young Shoulders'

2006-05-24T16:55:00.000+01:00

AC3 believes that Sven's 'gamble' on taking Theo to the World Cup may not be such a gamble after all...

Ash said: "I've seen Theo in training and the pace he has can be used to our advantage.

"He came to Arsenal with a lot of pressure on him and it's increased now because he hasn't yet played for Arsenal and yet is in the England squad.

"But he's a great talent and once you see him in training you realise that. He's always going to be a threat if we use him up front and he is going to terrify some defenders. He has the pace to get in behind them.

"Is he the quickest player at Arsenal? I'd have to say it was once Thierry (Henry) but now it's out of Theo and Thierry. I've had to mark Theo and I know just how fast he is - very, very fast."

Ashley added: "Theo is only 17 but he doesn't play like a 17-year-old. It was like when you first saw Wayne Rooney coming through, playing with an old head on young shoulders. He's playing like an old hand.

"He's young but he's ready. He's also getting used to the way we're playing, the quick one-twos, and he really is one for the future. These sorts of tournaments can make your name. Hopefully, that's going to be the case with Theo and Aaron Lenn*n.

"I'm not surprised Sven has faith in Theo. I think Theo has something special. He caught my eye the first time I saw him at Arsenal. I've played in the reserves with him and he's a great player. He has no fear either.

"He reminds me of Wayne in some ways. It's like he's playing in school without a care in the world. You could say that's a weakness but I think we can use that freshness to our advantage.

"In a way he's nothing to prove because he didn't ask to be picked for the squad. Now he's got a chance to excel and show why Arsenal paid all that money for him."

Ramos: Cesc Is 'Spectacular'

2006-05-24T10:30:00.000+01:00

Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos has claimed that Cesc would be a huge success if he were to leave Arsenal and head for the Bernabeu....(on your bike Ramos!)

"Cesc is a spectacular football player and also a great youngster," Ramos told AS.

"I know this from the Under-21s, the first groups and the few that we have played together."

"It is incredible that now we both go to the World Cup."

"I am glad that Cesc is with us, he has a great future ahead.

"That would be good" [Fabregas moving to Real].

"Cesc do very well to come to Real Madrid, although that is something for others to decide."

We better get used to this! Cesc is gonna be THE best midfielder in the world over the coming years - big teams are gonna be after him big time!

Sol Man To Decide After World Cup

2006-05-24T10:05:00.000+01:00

Big Sol has stated that he will consider his Arsenal future after the World Cup. We all know about the Fenerbahce rumours, but Sol himself insists he knows nothing about the Turkish outfit's interest.

Sol said: "What is my future with Arsenal? We will have to see what happens."

"I don't know anything about interest from Fenerbahce."

"I'm not considering anything. I've just got to weigh up the situation."

"Arsenal is there and that's all I've got to say about it at the moment."

"It is about getting the World Cup out of the way and taking things from there."

I have mixed feelings about Sol at the moment. I do feel he is past his best, and that if an offer of £5M plus was to come in we'd be daft not to take it - but he does bring a huge amount of experience to the back line...something which Senderos and Djourou do not have - yet.

What do you think? Should we offload Sol or do our best to keep him?

Rosicky: Wenger Will 'Improve Me'

2006-05-24T08:14:00.000+01:00

New boy Tomas Rosicky is convinced he will become an even better player under the guidance of AW...

He said; "There is a lot of work to do with me still, and I think he [Wenger] can improve me, to make me much better than I am now."

"When I joined Dortmund, people said that I was too lightweight for the league, but I have proven that I can play there, and I think I can show it here also."

Rosicky: "This Is The Best Club In Europe..."

2006-05-23T13:16:00.000+01:00

New signing Tomas Rosicky has spoken about his move to N5...

"I'm really happy to be here at Arsenal, it is a great day for me." he said

He added: "The team showed their strength recently in the Champions League and have big potential with a lot of young players - I think we can be even better next season.

"This is the best club in Europe and I will give everything."

Thats good to hear Tomas!!!

Rosicky Deal Done

2006-05-23T12:17:00.000+01:00

Tomas Rosicky has signed for Arsenal for an undisclosed fee from Borussia Dortmund.

A great signing I believe!

Le Boss has said: "We are delighted to welcome Tomas to our squad. He has great technique, skill on the ball and sharp passing. Tomas has good experience at all levels for club and country, and we look forward to welcoming him to Arsenal after what will hopefully be a successful summer for him at the World Cup."

Good work Arsene!!!

Rosicky To Arsenal?

2006-05-23T08:40:00.000+01:00

By the looks of things we are on the verge of signing Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky.

Yesterday Czech national manager Karel Bruckner said: "I am surprised it did not come to light earlier.

"We have tried to keep our promise to keep quiet but I must now admit that Tomas is undergoing medical tests."

Rosicky will be a good signing in my opinion, he is a quality play-maker and comes from a physical league - so it shouldn't take him too long to adapt to the Premiership.

If you wanna have a little look at what he can do, paste this link into your URL and enjoy!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZptQphoLM8&search=Rosicky%20

Let me know what you think!

Theo v Hleb

2006-05-22T14:33:00.000+01:00

Sven Goran Erkisson has confirmed Theo will feature in Thursdays England B team friendly against Belarus. Alex Hleb will also be on the pitch...but for Belarus, obviously!

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Sven said...

"You will see him on Thursday. Maybe not from the beginning but you will see him."

Nice!

Jens Talks Balls

2006-05-22T13:43:00.000+01:00

Jens has predicted difficulties for goalies at the World Cup due to the choice of ball that is to be used...

"It's a ball for the outfield players and the crowd -- not for the goalkeepers," said Jens.

"When it rains it's not going to be very comfortable for us. It gets very slippery. It also moves a lot in the air."

The World Cup ball is known as the Teamgeist and is made by Adidas. Lehmann compared it to the ball from rival manufacturer Nike.

"The Nike ball feels more like an old fashioned leather ball," he said. "The Adidas one is more plastic.

"When it comes down to it, both of them make the goalkeepers look bad."

Fenerbahce Deny Sol Link

2006-05-22T12:58:00.000+01:00

Fenerbahce have just released a mini statement on their official website denying claims that they have signed Sol. The statement reads...

"Rumours that we have agreed all terms with Arsenal FC’s Sol Campbell are untrue.

Claims that the player concerned will be arriving in Turkey to complete the deal do not reflect the truth."

Watch this space...

Thierry Is The Best

2006-05-22T11:12:00.000+01:00

Le Boss has stated that TH14 is the best player ever to grace the Premiership - something we all knew anyway!!!

Speaking to Arsenal.com he said;

“I believe he is, yes,” said Wenger. “It is all about opinion but after that you have the numbers.

“With great players you check two things — one, they make their team win, two, the numbers are there to prove what they have achieved. In four years you will look back at the numbers he achieved and find they are really impressive.

“But what I rate much more is the number of assists. Even when you score less he can still contribute to making his team win. That was Dennis Bergkamp's strength - to score and make goals for others. The great players have it."

Captain Fantastic

2006-05-19T09:42:00.000+01:00

Henry is staying. No words can express just how pleased I am. Don't really know what to say apart from...

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

Here's what Thierry is reported to have said;

"I hope to stay as long as I can keep running. I couldn't leave the fans.

"They're like family.

"I love Barcelona, but on Wednesday Arsenal showed they had heart.

"I hope to finalise details today."

I think this is gonna take a coupla hours to sink in......!!!

The Morning After

2006-05-18T11:22:00.000+01:00

For some bizarre reason I'm not too distraught this morning - nothing like I was last night. I think the boys did us proud last night - ESPECIALLY as we were down to ten men after just 18 minutes. I'm not gonna sit here and slate the ref, cos we all know how fucking abysmal he was - and TH14 thought so too.

Here's what our skipper said...

"I don't know if the referee had a Barcelona shirt on because they kicked me all over the place. Some of his calls were strange. Maybe next time I'll learn how to dive. I expect the referee to do his job but I don't think he did. In fact, I'd like to have seen a proper referee out there."

"So many times Puyol should have got a yellow card and so many times Marquez came from behind to take my ankles. I have ended with bruises all over my body. I've also been told that their first goal [by Eto'o] was offside. They are already a good team, so if you help them, it is going to be very difficult to beat them."

Le Boss was equally fuming, here's what he thought...

"That goal is my biggest regret. To play 11 against 10 and be on top of that situation, but then to concede an offside goal is difficult to accept. I thought the whole story of changing the linesman because of the Barcelona shirt was not important. But, when we concede an offside goal, no one says anything."

On a more positive note, there may have been a tiny hint from Thierry that he's not gonna leave. On the way home after the game, he is reported as saying;

"WE must pick ourselves up and make sure WE come back stronger next year,"

Am I clutching at straws here, or does this bode well?

What do you reckon?

D-DAY

2006-05-17T08:09:00.000+01:00

FUCK! It's here. In twelve hours time we'll be watching our boys against Barcelona in the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL! This IS the stuff dreams are made of!

I had THREE, yes THREE separate dreams last night about this evenings game...

In the first, we won the European Cup, in the second we lost 2-0 and in the third the halfway through game was abandoned and rescheduled for Saturday!

It's probably these antibiotics I'm taking!

Right then. Frank Rijkaard has spoken ahead of this evening and praised DB10 for his contribution to the game, this is what he said...

"Bergkamp is someone special,"

"I know him from the days when we played together, he was very young then."

"In the past few days, there has been a lot of talk about exciting football. But a long time ago, Bergkamp had already started to play an attractive game."

"He was one of those players who made people turn up to stadium just to watch his game."

"In a way he was making art, scoring beautiful goals."

"He has already left a mark in football."

In other news Stevie G has revealed that he will be backing us tonight, mainly because Titi was supporting L!verpool last year...

"Once Arsenal were eliminated, he wanted L!verpool to win it," Gerrard said "He was texting, making phone calls before and after games, wishing us good luck and congratulating us when we won.

"I remember having a text message from him after the final and he was really pleased for us.

"It is vice-versa now, I have been texting and phoning, wishing him well."

"I hope they follow suit and win it."

"I want them to bring this (trophy) back home to England."

Finally Gibba has warned the boys not to become too obsessed with Ronaldinho tonight...

He said: "To stop him we need to stop all of them. If we do our job like we have done in the last couple of games we have a good chance."

He added: "I have never played against Ronaldinho. I have only played with him for the national team. Arsenal have never asked me to mark man for man."

Right then, I'm going back to bed as I still feel like shit...more later!

COME ON YOU GUNNERS!

It's Getting Closer

2006-05-16T18:50:00.000+01:00

Typical! The day before the biggest game in our Club's history and I'm laid up in bed with a fucking chest infection! NOT HAPPY!

One plus though - no work!

Anyway, no point moaning. I'm currently watching Sky Sports preview of tomorrow night and I have to be honest...I AM SHITTING IT NOW!!!

Fuck knows how bad it's gonna be tomorrow...but these are the type of games we live for as football fans I guess!

Le Boss has announced tomorrow night's squad...here it is in full;

Jens Lehmann
Manuel Almunia
Mart Poom
Ashley Cole
Philippe Senderos
Sol Campbell
Gael Clichy
Kolo Toure
Emmanuel Eboue
Johan Djourou
Mathieu Flamini
Freddie Ljungberg
Robert Pires
Gilberto
Alexander Hleb
Jose Antonio Reyes
Cesc Fabregas
Alexandre Song
Thierry Henry
Robin van Persie
Dennis Bergkamp

As expected then.

Right, I'm going back to bed. BIG day tomorrow!!!

COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!!