Saturday 15 March 2008

Adebayor - We'll KO Reds


Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor is confident the Gunners can record three wins out of three against Liverpool on their way to UEFA Champions League and Premier League glory this season.

Arsene Wenger's side will be forced to get past Liverpool if they are to win their first European Cup after being drawn against the Reds in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

The last eight clash means Arsenal will face Liverpool three times in one week as the sides are also due to meet in the Premier League in between their Champions League fixtures.

Arsenal will welcome Liverpool to Emirates Stadium for the first leg of their European tie on 2nd April before travelling to Anfield for the return fixture one week later.

Confident

And Liverpool will also make a league trip to North London on 5th April, but Adebayor is not intimidated and the Togo international has his sights on a hat-trick of wins.

"We're confident we can win all three," Adebayor told The Sun.

"We've told ourselves this is the year for Arsenal to win the Champions League trophy and the Premier League.

Arsenal currently sit top of the table domestically and will hope to maintain their spot at the summit when they host Middlesbrough on Saturday evening.

Hleb reveals Lehmann anger


Alexander Hleb has revealed how Jens Lehmann gave his Arsenal team-mates the silent treatment after losing his place in the side.

A combination of injury and poor form in the opening weeks of the season saw Lehmann replaced by Manuel Almunia, with the Spaniard now Arsene Wenger's No.1 choice.

The veteran German took the decision badly, and came close to leaving the club in the January transfer window.

Gunners midfielder Hleb was taken aback by Lehmann's reaction as he became a withdrawn figure.

Angry

Hleb told The Sun: "At first, when Jens was not picked, he was very angry. He did not speak any more.

"He has a good heart - as long as we speak about private things.

"But when he stands on the training ground he becomes a different person. The way he acts there sometimes needs getting used to."

Popular

Belarus international Hleb does not believe Wenger is trying to ease Lehmann out of the club, and insists the players are more than happy to have Almunia behind them.

He added: "I don't think it was part of a big plan from Wenger.

"Jens had a few problems, that's why Almunia got his chance. Almunia is very popular."

Thursday 13 March 2008

Who Is The Fastest Player?


Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor shot to the top of the leaderboard following his side's goalless draw with Wigan. Adebayor posted speeds of 20.6mph to the ball, and 20.8mph in possession, giving him the weekend's fastest average top speed, measured by sports data experts OPTA.

The Togalese striker takes the top spot away from Everton's matchwinner Andrew Johnson who moves down to ninth place - to see the full table go to www.whoisthefastest.com


Vieira - Reds will win CL


Patrick Vieira believes Liverpool will win this season's UEFA Champions League, but is desperate for his former club Arsenal to lift the trophy.

The Internazionale midfielder witnessed first hand Liverpool's European expertise on Tuesday as the Italian giants were dumped out of the last 16 of the competition 3-0 on aggregate following a 1-0 defeat at the Giuseppe Meazza.

Liverpool have reached two of the last three Champions League finals, including winning the competition in 2005, and Vieira believes that the Reds are again well placed to sample glory in Moscow on 21st May.

"Liverpool were tough opponents and they can go on and win it now," said Vieira. "They have done it before and they know exactly what it is about at this stage.

Experience

"They are in the last eight, so of course they have a great chance now but you also have to say they are the most experienced of all the sides left in the competition.

"They know how to get through these ties, as they showed against us, and they know how to win the cup. They are the side the others will want to avoid now."

However, Vieira - who left Arsenal in 2005 for a brief stay with Juventus before joining Inter the following year - is eager for his former club to win their first European Cup.

The Gunners, who suffered final defeat to Barcelona in 2006, earned rave reviews for knocking out holders Milan 2-0 at the San Siro to book their place in the quarter-finals and Vieira believes Arsene Wenger's young side will also be a force to be reckoned with.

Wonderful

"I hope Arsenal win it," Vieira added. "They have been waiting a long time to win this trophy and they deserve to win it.

"I watched them in the San Siro last week and they were incredible. It was a wonderful performance.

"They not only won, but they won brilliantly and with style and that counts a lot.

"In terms of quality they have an outstanding chance now and I really hope they do it."

Tuesday 11 March 2008

Lehman at it again - but this time he has a point


Jens Lehmann does not believe Arsene Wenger should have dropped him when Manuel Almunia regained his fitness.

Lehmann began the season in goal for The Gunners but a combination of injury and poor form meant he lost his place to Almunia.

The Spaniard then suffered an injury in January and Lehmann was recalled to the side.

He was much more consistent and Lehmann feels he did enough to deserve a long run between the posts.

Instead Wenger opted to bring back Almunia for the dramatic 2-2 draw against Birmingham last month and Lehmann once again had to settle for a seat on the substitutes' bench.

The Germany international has now accused Wenger of missing an opportunity.

"I believe fate gave the manager the chance to make the right decision, but he did not take it," Lehmann said in the Daily Mail.

For once, I agree with Lehman - it should have been him playing between the posts. We would be well and clear at the top of the league.

Wenger hails 'best' partnership


Arsene Wenger rates Cesc Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini as the best midfield duo he has worked with at Arsenal.

It is a bold statement from a man who nurtured Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit into world-class performers during the early years of his reign.

The French duo were the driving force behind the Gunners' 1998 double-winning side and helped their country to World Cup glory on home soil the same year.

Wenger acknowledges that Vieira and Petit were a fine partnership, but believes that his current combination just have the edge.

Fabregas has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence since making his debut in 2003, while Flamini has made the holding midfield berth his own this season.

Technical

"Yes, this is the best partnership," Wenger told Arsenal's official website.

"Going forward they are technically good and very mobile. Before we had players with impact and now the players' strength is in mobility.

"Maybe they are less physically strong in the challenge than Vieira and Petit but they have a good understanding and they cover each other well."

Wenger also feels that the emergence of the young duo is testament to the club's policy of nurturing their own talent as opposed to paying over-inflated transfer fees for the finished article.

"We build a team over years, being very restrictive about our spending and you are only rewarded if you can keep the team together," he said.

Monday 10 March 2008

Gunners star Fabregas fine with leaving Barca


Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas insists he has no regrets over leaving Barcelona - but has not ruled out returning to the Nou Camp in the future.

Fabregas began his career at the Catalan club's youth academy, alongside players such as Lionel Messi and Giovani dos Santos, but left to join Arsenal aged just 16 in 2004.

He has since matured into one of Europe's finest players under Gunners boss Arsene Wenger and is now highly coveted in Spain, with Real Madrid and Barca repeatedly linked.

Speaking on Catalan television programme 'Gol a Gol' on Sunday, Fabregas said he was happy with life at Arsenal and could not ask for a better coach than Wenger.

"I don't know if I'll return," he said. "I'm fine where I am, I'm learning a lot and I'm at the ideal club to grow, with a great coach and good team-mates.

"He [Wenger] is the best coach I've ever had and the more time I spend working with him the more I learn.

"In the future I don't know, but I'm happy where I am.

"Everyone chooses their own path in life. I chose one and I can't complain. I don't know how things would have gone for me at Barca and I'd prefer not to think about it."

Sunday 9 March 2008

Wigan v Arsenal stats&ratings

Arsenal were forced to switch things around after their fantastic win at the San Siro as Abou Diaby picked up an injury and Emmanuel Eboue is suspended in domestic competition, meaning Nicklas Bendtner came into the attack with Alex Hleb switching to a wide role.

Cesc Fabregas started at right midfield with Gilberto Silva playing alongside Mathieu Flamini in the centre of the park. Robin van Persie and Kolo Toure were both on the bench.

Wigan were unchanged from their 0-0 draw at Manchester City eight days previously, but Ryan Taylor and Kevin Kilbane returned to the bench.

WIGAN
ARSENAL
Chris Kirkland 7 Manuel Almunia 6.5
Mario Melchiot 7 Bacary Sagna 6
Paul Scharner 6 Philippe Senderos 6.5
Emmerson Boyce 6 William Gallas 6
Erik Edman 6.5 Gael Clichy 6
Antonio Valencia *8 Cesc Fabregas 7
Michael Brown 5.5 Mathieu Flamini 6.5
Wilson Palacios 6.5 Gilberto Silva (off 65) 5
Jason Koumas 7.5 Alexander Hleb 5
Emile Heskey (off 55) 6 Emmanuel Adebayor 6
Marlon King (off 87) 6 Nicklas Bendtner (off 65) 6
Substitutes
Substitutes
Mike Pollitt - Jens Lehmann -
Ryan Taylor - Kolo Toure (on 65) 6
Kevin Kilbane (on 87) 6 Alexandre Song -

Titus Bramble

- Justin Hoyte -
Antoine Sibierski (on 55) 6 Robin van Persie (on 65) 6

Wigan Athletic Team Statistics Arsenal
0 Goals 0
0 1st Half Goals 0
2 Shots on Target 4
4 Shots off Target 3
6 Blocked Shots 3
8 Corners 5
11 Fouls 8
2 Offsides 3
2 Yellow Cards 2
0 Red Cards 0
66.8 Passing Success 78.2
32 Tackles 24
71.9 Tackles Success 66.7
41.2 Possession 58.8
54.7 Territorial Advantage 45.3