Arsenal FC 2009/2010

[delfino_1936]

ummm really excited for the game, pity i can't watch it

[Piola]

ummm really excited for the game, pity i can't watch it

hahah why not??

whats up with you people from Rome??? supposed to be the most civilized people but everyone's saying negative things bout you its like your still a bunch of apes.. stab this stab that.. what a joke..

we made the mistake of civilizing the English...now we're trying to make up for our mistake

[Juventino]

Why you not watching it? Did you win indoor?

[delfino_1936]

Why you not watching it? Did you win indoor?

cause ill be watching inter with a lot of man utd and inter fans at my mates house. For the 1st time i'll be meeting Aussie Ascoli as well.

I'll just get live score updates and watch the highlights at the end of the game.

Yeah we won 2-1. you love that goal i scored buddy ;)

[Juventino]

Why you not watching it? Did you win indoor?

cause ill be watching inter with a lot of man utd and inter fans at my mates house. For the 1st time i'll be meeting Aussie Ascoli as well.

I'll just get live score updates and watch the highlights at the end of the game.

Yeah we won 2-1. you love that goal i scored buddy ;)

Wasn't as good as my cracker

[delfino_1936]

Why you not watching it? Did you win indoor?

cause ill be watching inter with a lot of man utd and inter fans at my mates house. For the 1st time i'll be meeting Aussie Ascoli as well.

I'll just get live score updates and watch the highlights at the end of the game.

Yeah we won 2-1. you love that goal i scored buddy ;)

Wasn't as good as my cracker

peaking i missed it

[barbarez01]

ummm really excited for the game, pity i can't watch it

hahah why not??

whats up with you people from Rome??? supposed to be the most civilized people but everyone's saying negative things bout you its like your still a bunch of apes.. stab this stab that.. what a joke..

we made the mistake of civilizing the English...now we're trying to make up for our mistake

haha that's a good one, must admit.

[Piola]

For the 1st time i'll be meeting Aussie Ascoli as well.

RIP delfino

[delfino_1936]

For the 1st time i'll be meeting Aussie Ascoli as well.

RIP delfino

haha don't you mean Long Live delfino

[Lilly Whites]

Long Live Aussie Ascoli

[Piola]

For the 1st time i'll be meeting Aussie Ascoli as well.

RIP delfino

haha don't you mean Long Live delfino

mate I dont know the guy but judging by his posts, u wear your pescara scarf and it'll be the end of you

or at the least you'll cop a few hours worth of ascolano propaganda...so take an iPod or something

[Juventino]

Probably the latter, he is not really the vicious type .

[delfino_1936]

he didn't end up coming

BUT, it was a long morning of nervousness!

LOOK AT THIS

Arsenal fan wounded ahead of Roma match

March 11, 2009

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An Arsenal fan suffered a suspected stab wound in a clash with hooligans before the Gunners' Champions League match against Roma on Wednesday.

The British Embassy in Rome said the victim was travelling on a minibus when it lost its way near the Olympic Stadium and was ambushed by rival fans.

An embassy spokesman said the injured man managed to make his way into the stadium where he was treated for a bleeding leg.

Rome is due to host the final of Europe's elite club competition in May and, after a string of hooligan-related incidents over recent years, it remains to be seen if tonight's events will effect the city's position.

The incident happened shortly before the dramatic last-16 second leg which saw Arsenal squeeze into the quarter-finals after a sudden-death penalty shoot-out win.

The embassy spokesman said: ''This bus got a bit lost around the stadium and some Roma fans tried to get on the bus. One managed to get on to the bus and there was a fight.

''The driver managed to get away when the Roma fan was pushed out of the bus.''

The victim was able to watch the match after receiving medical care, the spokesman said.

He added: ''We don't know if it was a stabbing or glass from a smashed window.''

An Arsenal spokeswoman said: ''A male Arsenal fan was believed to be stabbed outside the stadium. Roma fans threw stones at a bus, smashing windows, and an individual allegedly entered the bus and stabbed a fan.''

A Foreign Office spokesman said: ''We are aware of the incident that happened in Italy and we are providing consular assistance.''

Arsenal fans were warned before the game to avoid certain areas of the city because of fears there could be trouble with Roma's notorious hardcore fans, or 'ultras'.

In a statement on the embassy website, supporters were told: ''Do not take the metro to the Piazzale Flaminio or use the Ponte Duca D'Aosta bridge as these are regular routes taken by the Ultras to the stadium.''

[barbarez01]

Eduardo out for the bburn clash suffered groin strain vs roma.. poor bloke cant string two games together..

[haywood djablowme]

Eduardo out for the bburn clash suffered groin strain vs roma.. poor bloke cant string two games together..

being out for that long & to be thrown straight back into that pace of game would have some effects on the body. Hopefully he can get himself fit as he is missed when not in the starting 11

[ForzaChievo]

Goal from Arshavin.
http://www.footyfilms.com/footyvideo.php?vid=0d7544a45

[pires7]

fifa are soft! The final should be taken away from Rome!

[pires7]

Goal from Arshavin.
http://www.footyfilms.com/footyvideo.php?vid=0d7544a45

haha curbs with some gun commentary there! He's comfortable with both feet which makes him so good at beating players.

[delfino_1936]

Goal from Arshavin.
http://www.footyfilms.com/footyvideo.php?vid=0d7544a45

haha curbs with some gun commentary there! He's comfortable with both feet which makes him so good at beating players.

is that alan curbishley doing the special comments?
if so very funny stuff

[delfino_1936]

'We know that every game is a challenge now'

On the emphatic performance…
“We have been waiting for goals for a long time and I believe that maybe the pressure came off the team a bit after the Roma game so we played with more freedom. I believe we have more creative talent and the game is more fluid. Our football is coming back which I think is down to psychological reasons.

“The team were always highly focused and they always want to do well. We are on a long and consistent run now and that’s why I believe we can go from strength to strength from now until the end of the season.”

On Andrey Arshavin’s contribution…
“He has intelligence, vision and talent to pass one against one. His second goal was an example of that. I changed him at half time and put him on the left but he can play right, central or left. You ask any good football player where he wants to play he will say central.

“He had four stitches in his foot at half time, it is cut along the outside completely and the doctor had to make four stitches at the break. We delayed kick off a bit because of that.“

On taking momentum from Wednesday’s Roma match…
“If we had gone out in midweek, would we have gone out and produced the performance today? I don’t know because the win lifts the spirit. You can see signs of our game coming back against Burnley and we scored three at West Brom then four today. It looks like it is not a problem anymore and we play with more freedom.”

On Liverpool’s early victory opening up the title again…
“It is [open] yes. I think Man United have played many games since January and today they looked a little bit jaded. You could see that Liverpool didn’t play in the FA Cup last week and they had a good opportunity to refresh before playing Real Madrid and Man United. Plus they had one more day than Man United did. You could see when the experienced United players make mistakes it is down to fatigue.”

On the chances of Arsenal finishing in the top three…
“We know that every game is a challenge. Before we start to dream we play every three days and we can rotate a bit at the moment. We have a challenge in every single game from now until the end of the season and we cannot drop off one or two per cent in our performances. I feel in the dressing room that the team are really up for it.”

On challenging on three fronts for the rest of the season…
“I just rotate a little bit. I know that the players can’t always play. For example I didn’t play Kolo in the cup game but he played on Wednesday and today. I decided to rest Gallas because we knew we would face a lot of high balls today.

“I put four fresh players in today and we have Eduardo injured but Fabregas and Adebayor coming back in two weeks. I rested Van Persie today as well. It looks today that we can do it.”

On the performance of Nicklas Bendtner…
“I am pleased with his overall contribution. He didn’t finish well but he played well. I think after he missed the first chance he took too long on the second one. Then it becomes a problem for you. What is most important is that he creates the chances because once he scores one he will score three or four. He is always in the situation and his first touch was much better today and his movement was good. The rest will come along.

“He likes to play as the lead striker and he has power and pace. He understands the game and he’s only 20 years old, people forget that. I think it completely wrong to boo him. The fans clapped him when he moved off the pitch. They were not happy when he missed the chance but overall I feel the fans are behind him.”

[pires7]

The new signing ain't half bad composure to the max!

[delfino_1936]

FABREGAS: WE CAN BEAT ANYONE


Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas is in no doubt the Gunners have the quality to beat whichever team they draw in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

All four English sides made it through to the last eight of Europe's elite club competition so an all-Barclays Premier League affair is a strong possibility.

However, Arsenal, who secured their place with a dramatic penalty shoot-out win in Rome to beat Roma, have lost at the quarter-final stage twice before to teams from their own division - against Liverpool last year and to Chelsea back in 2003/2004, the season in which Arsene Wenger's side won the domestic title with an unbeaten record.

Holders Manchester United, German giants Bayern Munich and Barcelona - winners against Arsenal in the 2006 final - are the other big hitters, along with Villarreal and Porto, who topped the Gunners' opening group.

However, Fabregas - who is closing in on a first-team return from a serious knee injury that has sidelined him since before Christmas - feels Arsenal should fear no-one.

"We know it will be tough in the next round but we also know we can beat any one of them," said Fabregas, who hopes to be fully match fit for both of next month's quarter-final ties.

"We are in the quarter-finals, among the eight best teams in Europe, and we are there on merit.

"We deserve to be there and it's serious now. If you want to win this competition you have to beat the best players in the world and now is that time."

Gunners boss Wenger is also not unduly concerned by who his team may face, insisting it is now all about how Arsenal perform.

"We know the other seven teams in the quarter-finals very well. We are confident we could beat any of them," he said.

"At this stage of the competition, I do not think it really matters who you play, so let us see who the draw gives us and knock them out."

Arsenal head into a crucial stage of the season with a much more positive outlook, now back up into fourth place in the Premier League following an unbeaten run of 15 matches and also through to an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea at Wembley.

The Gunners - who last lost in the league at Manchester City on November 22 - have conceded only six goals in the last 17 games.

First-choice keeper Manuel Almunia is expected to be fit for tomorrow's trip to relegation battlers Newcastle following an ankle injury.

Fabregas, meanwhile, categorically denies allegations by Hull boss Phil Brown, who claims he witnessed the Spaniard spit towards assistant manager Brian Horton as they went down the tunnel after the fiery FA Cup quarter-final clash at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Football Association have written to Hull asking for their version of events, as nothing was mentioned in the report of referee Mike Riley or any other match officials.

[pires7]

salivating remarks from Cesc there

[pires7]

Pompey (Y) 4 points clear of Everton with 2 games in hand.

[Juvefan 08]

bit worried atm villa got liverpool who have pressiure to beat villa to gain 3 points on man u to 1 point and villa to win to put pressure on arsenal on 4th spot for champions league.!!

could be a tough game tonight as well with owens making his return tonight as well
is always dangerous.....as long as he doesnt get injured with martions and viduka

[Judge Judy]

bit worried atm villa got liverpool who have pressiure to beat villa to gain 3 points on man u to 1 point and villa to win to put pressure on arsenal on 4th spot for champions league.!!

could be a tough game tonight as well with owens making his return tonight as well
is always dangerous.....as long as he doesnt get injured with martions and viduka

what are you worried for, juve are in the serie a

[delfino_1936]

'We kept the tempo high and slowly took over'

On a game of two halves…
"I think it was a very good football game, one where Newcastle played well. They had a very good first half and put us under pressure and could have been in front, of course, with the penalty. They had two or three other good chances. In the second half we kept the tempo high, slowly took over and then won the game in a convincing way. I must say as well Newcastle were unfortunate to lose players, like Sebastien Bassong and Steven Taylor, at the wrong period of the game."

On the day's other results…
"It was a good opportunity today, to close in on those at the top. You never know, even in a one in a billion chance, we want to come back and fight to get as close to the team at the top."

On being 16 games unbeaten…
"We feel that we are on a very good run and improving in every game. This is a young side and the spirit is great, the quality is there and we feel we can go forward from game to game. People don’t realise how young we are in the Premier League, and what we achieve. I think today you had six or seven players between 20 and 22-years of age."

On Manuel Almunia's penalty save…
"That was certainly an important part of the game. I felt, though, that when the penalty was given, that Rome would help him; it made him feel strong on penalties. Of course it is a bit of a toss up, but I think some part of a penalty is psychological. On that front, the fact he helped us to win in Rome gave him the needed confidence."

On Newcastle's forward line…
"Yes . But I read that this morning that he would not play. Maybe he is not in top physical form. I must say [Obafemi] Martins and [Peter] Lovenkrands were lively - they played very well."

On Arsenal's improved league position…
"The only thing that has changed from two weeks ago is that it is in our hands now. We do not have to focus too much on the results of Aston Villa. That shows you, if you drop a little bit, you are quickly caught. We could have been eight points behind Aston Villa two weeks ago, so we want to keep our focus, and our performances at a high level."

[pires7]

Same old Arsenal always winning!

[delfino_1936]

Same old Arsenal always winning!

16 games unbeaten, lets hope it continues for the rest of our HOPEFULLY 15 games!

[delfino_1936]

Van Persie feels unbeatable

Robin van Persie feels his Arsenal side are 'unbeatable' at present after going 16 Premier League games without defeat.

The Gunners have turned their season around in recent weeks after, for a short time at least, it looked like they may not even qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

But after overhauling Aston Villa in the race for fourth spot the North Londoners can now look forward to the run-in with an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea and a quarter-final Champions League showdown with Villarreal to look forward to.

Arsene Wenger's men may be too far behind in the title race, they are 10 points behind leaders Manchester United, but with a host of their star players set to make a return from injury in the coming weeks the future looks rosy for the Gunners.

"I feel we are unbeatable. I go out there thinking we can win every game," said Van Persie.

"Even when Newcastle drew level on Saturday, I never thought 'Oh no we are not going to win'.

"I looked at the time and saw we had 30 minutes left and I was convinced we would win.

"I still look back at the dropped points from earlier in the season and it hurts.

"We are 10 points behind United and six behind Chelsea because we lost some silly points against teams we shouldn't have."