Arsenal FC 2009/2010

[Judge Judy]

IMO i think Bendtner will have a good year and i am expecting him to

CLUTCHING AT FUCKING STRAWS MOTHER FUCKER

N'GOG IS GONNA HAVE A MASSIVE YEAR TOO WOO!!

[ruud]

Bendtner is absolute rubbish

[delfino_1936]

IMO i think Bendtner will have a good year and i am expecting him to

CLUTCHING AT bottle of shiraz STRAWS MOTHER bottle of shiraz

N'GOG IS GONNA HAVE A MASSIVE YEAR TOO WOO!!

hahaha i'll make a bet with ya that Bendtner will have a better year than N'Gug!

[# 9]

Bendtner is absolute rubbish

ajax wouldnt hesitate taking him

[Judge Judy]

IMO i think Bendtner will have a good year and i am expecting him to

CLUTCHING AT bottle of shiraz STRAWS MOTHER bottle of shiraz

N'GOG IS GONNA HAVE A MASSIVE YEAR TOO WOO!!

hahaha i'll make a bet with ya that Bendtner will have a better year than N'Gug!

YOU'D HOPE SO

[ForzaChievo]

Marouane Chamakh spotted in a London restaurant, won't be long before it goes through.

In my opinion.

[Tony Adams]

Girondins de Bordeaux Striker Marouane Chamakh In London – Report


The Moroccan could be on the verge of a move to England...

Girondins de Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh is reportedly in England and could be on the verge of completing a move to a Premier League club.

Sunderland had been tracking the Moroccan international, but Bordeaux manager Laurent Blanc insisted he would not allow Chamakh to leave unless he was joining a big club.

Arsenal were then thought to have bid around €6 million (£5m) for the promising hitman, a fee Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud quickly knocked back.

"What [Arsene] Wenger proposes is not decent," Triaud said, according to Sky Sports.

However, the same website now understands Chamakh to be in London, fuelling speculation that the Emirates Stadium could be his destination this summer.

Chamakh had declared himself unavailable to play against Villarreal at the weekend due to illness.

"I received a phone call on Saturday evening. He told me he was sick and I am forced to believe it," Blanc told L'Equipe.

[Tony Adams]

Arsenal End Negotiations With Fiorentina Over Emmanuel Eboue – Report

The Viola will have to pursue other targets after Arsene Wenger pulled the plug on the deal...

After some protracted negotiations between Arsenal and Fiorentina, Arsene Wenger has taken note of the Gigliati's transfer ultimatum and ended talks, according to Tuttosport.

Pantaleo Corvino, Fiorentina's sporting director, had warned the Gunners that "if we do not reach an agreement, it means we will sign other players", and it appears that this is now the case.

Fiorentina were unable to match Arsenal's asking price for Eboue and may choose to use some of the cash set aside for the Ivorian's transfer in their deal for Luisao. The Viola have found themselves in a similar situation with Benfica; they have agreed a deal with the player but are yet to offer an acceptable bid to the club.

The Tuscan outfit will reportedly now turn their attentions to one of the Lazio 'rebels' as they look to sign another right-back. Lorenzo De Silvestri, who has been left in Rome while the first team travel to Beijing for the Supercoppa Italiana, is looking for a way out of the club and voices around the Eternal City outfit suggest he is the next option for Corvino.

Although it is not for a lack of trying, Fiorentina have yet to really make their mark on the summer market and coach Cesare Prandelli is still awaiting reinforcements as the season rapidly approaches.

[Tony Adams]

Arsene Wenger: Patrick Vieira To Arsenal Is A Possibility I Will Consider


The Frenchman has not ruled out bringing the former midfielder back to north London...

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that a move to sign Patrick Vieira is still something he is considering, although he reiterated that he would not be rushed into any hasty transfer deals after his team clinched the Emirates Cup today with a 3-0 win over Scottish champions Rangers.

"I have two games to think about and after the weekend we have Monday off and I will now think about the whole squad. Two weeks ago, I did not know if we would have Eduardo [Da Silva] or not, or [Tomas] Rosicky. They both look to be completely back, so that makes the squad quite big," he told the club's official website after the game today.
"Patrick is a great player and I have not considered it yet to bring him back. It is a possibility that I have to think about. It is not sure he will decide to join us if I decide to try and make him come.


"There is a lot to think about. I have no personal problem with Patrick Vieira. I have a huge respect for him and we have good relations.

"We don’t make any comment about the transfers. If we sign someone we will come out with it. I read in the newspapers that I have called him and called him, I go for so much, but I never speak about that because you have to accept that it might disturb the player, it might disturb the club. If transfers don’t happen you have an unhappy player so I keep it as quiet as possible."

Bringing back players to former clubs is not something Wenger is fond of doing, but admitted that he might be about the make an exception, adding, "It is a general policy I have [not to do it] but I never said I would not do it. Usually I don’t do it, I’m not a big fan of that because I feel once the players have gone they have gone."

Young midfielder Jack Wilshere followed his stellar performance on Saturday against Atletico de Madrid with another fine display against Rangers, bagging a brace of goals. Observers have already begun to heap plaudits on the youngster's shoulders, but Wenger insists that patience is very much the order of the day when it comes to the teenager's talents.

"I don’t know how much he will play. I sped him up. I put him at 16 years of age in the dressing room and gave him a chance to practice everyday with the first-team players," the Frenchman continued.

"If I had taken him out of the youth team now you would not have seen what you have seen today. That means he has benefited a lot from special treatment and an acceleration of his education because he plays for one year with the first team.

"But how many games? I don’t know. The only problem in England is knowing the impatience of the people is that it will be difficult to keep the right pace in his progress.

"Could he play the whole Premier League campaign? Certainly not. He is physically strong because he has a strong body, Jack. It’s difficult to predict.

"Let's be calm and quiet. There is still a year to go to the World Cup, and let's see how he improves, is consistent. Let's not make stars in just two games. You have to respect the development of the players.

"Before it was different, you had to play four or five years well and then somebody says ‘maybe he can play for the national team’. Now everybody is quick because everybody sees everything."

[Tony Adams]

Birmingham City Hoping To Conclude Armand Traore Loan Deal – Report


The young Gunner could be set for another season away from the Emirates on loan...

Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish has admitted he is still hopeful of being able to take Arsenal youngster Armand Traore to St Andrew's on a loan deal.

The Scot has openly admitted he is after a left-back before the start of the season and has targeted the 19-year-old Traore as his first choice.

However, injuries at the Emirates have meant that the youngster may now be needed in north London and this has put any possible move to Birmingham in jeopardy.

Speaking to Sky Sports, McLeish revealed he was still hopeful of luring Traore but added that it was far from a done deal.

“I don't want to upset Arsene Wenger by speaking [about Traore],” he explained.

“I also see he [Wenger] has got a couple of injuries himself, like Gael Clichy, so I hope that's not ominous.

“We've got other targets, but we want to bring in a bit of quality for the position.

“It's not a bottomless pit, in terms of the money, and we'd try to structure a deal on maybe a loan.”

The Birmingham boss also admitted that he did have other options, should a move for Traore fall though, but he stopped short of revealing who they might be.

“I'm not talking necessarily about Traore, there's one or two options. It's better that I don't talk about other people's players at the moment,” he added.

“All that does is upset the Birmingham fans when we don't get them.”

[Tony Adams]

Fulham Want Carlos Vela, If Arsenal Sign Brede Hangeland - Report


The Cottagers may request the Mexican striker's services for the season, if the Gunners make a move for their star stopper...

Fulham could be set to make an approach to sign Arsenal striker Carlos Vela on a season-long loan, should the Gunners make an approach for defender Brede Hangeland.

Arsenal are thought to have been interested in Hangeland for some time now and may approach the Cottagers with an offer for the Norwegian stopper, after allowing Kolo Toure to join Manchester City.

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson has stated that he is hopeful of keeping Hangeland, but did concede he may have to sell the player if an irresistable offer is tabled.

Hodgson guided his squad into the Europa League last season after a seventh place finish in the Premier League and is in need of firepower, as Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson proved far from potent last campaign, with the former finding the net just twice.

The People is reporting that the addition of a year-long move to Craven Cottage for Vela could sweeten the deal for Fulham.

Whether Gunners boss Arsene Wenger would allow the Mexican striker to leave, however, remains to be seen, as the Frenchman rates him highly and has not yet brought in a replacement for the departed Emmanuel Adebayor.

[haywood djablowme]

If Chamakh, Vieira & Hangeland = watch out

[Chelsea4thewin]

looks like Solaman Kalou is heading your way

would be a quality signing at a rumoured price of 8million pounds, bargain

[ruud]

Bendtner is absolute rubbish

ajax wouldnt hesitate taking him

pfft

we dont sign strikers like ibrahimovic, huntelaar and now the next big thing suarez ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iflINDXjPos ) for nothing

for the record, i dont mind eduardo and v persie, but bendtner has nothing special about him - i even rate walcott higher than him

[Tony Adams]

Karembeu Leaves Portsmouth For Arsenal Role

World Cup winning former France International Christian Karembeu has left his role at Portsmouth to join Arsenal’s ever expanding scouting network.

The 38-year-old who also won the European Championships and Confederations Cup in a 10 year international career played for FC Nantes, Sampdoria, Real Madrid, Olympiakos, Servette and Bastia is controversial career. Sandwiched between that, Christian spent a single season with Middlesbrough where he played 33 times, scoring 4 goals.

Noted for his dreadlocks and combative playing style, Karembeu was awarded with the prestigious Légion d’honneur in 1998 – an award similar to an OBE in England. His career continued to grow after retiring from the game in 2005 despite being accused of beating his super-model wife Adriana Sklenaříková – something both parties denied. He has worked for both FIFA and UEFA and previously took part in draws for the Champions League and World Cup.

However, a move to Portsmouth in a scouting capacity followed where he focused mainly on young players in France. Although being named the FIFA Ambassador for Oceania, he continued his work with Pompey until Arsenal offered him the chance to combine the two roles by scouting such Oceania countries as Australia and New Zealand.

Karembeu will take up his role immediately.

lookin forward to seeing a few aussies in an arsenal shirt soon

[# 9]

Fabregas - I didn't think Arsenal wanted me!

By Richard Clarke

Cesc Fabregas has revealed that, initially, he was not sure Arsène Wenger wanted to sign him as a 16-year-old from Barcelona – even though the manager had sent scouts to watch him 44 times.

The Spaniard has been in North London since 2003 and is now firmly established at Emirates Stadium having taken over the captaincy just before Christmas last season.

However when Wenger was interested in bringing him to North London he mistook the Frenchman’s thoroughness for indecision. But, in the end, it was Wenger’s eagerness that sealed the deal.

“The Spanish scout told me after Arsenal signed me that they had come to see me 44 times," he said at a Members' Day forum last week. "I thought '44 times? They aren’t very sure about me!'”

“But when I came here to talk with the boss, he was the one that really came to talk to me. He cut his holiday short to come and see me as a 16-year-old. For me, that was a big honour.”


[Thursday, August 13, 2009]

www.arsenal.com

[# 9]

i have alot of faith in fabregas this season. im confident he will do great things!

[ruud]

i have alot of faith in fabregas this season. im confident he will do great things!

yea cause hes been bad the past 2 seasons

[# 9]

Everton 1 (Saha 90) v Arsenal 6 (Denilson 26, Vermaelen 37, Gallas 41, Fabregas 48, 70, Eduardo 89)

Arsenal lineup
Manuel Almunia
Bacary Sagna
William Gallas
Thomas Vermaelen
Gael Clichy
Alex Song
Denilson
Cesc Fabregas
(73) Andrey Arshavin
Nicklas Bendtner
(63) Robin Van Persie
(73) Substitutes Eduardo
(73) Aaron Ramsey
(73) Mikael Silvestre
Vito Mannone
Emmanuel Eboue
(63) Kieran Gibbs
Fran Merida

Everton lineup
Tim Howard
Tony Hibbert
(58) Joleon Lescott
Joseph Yobo
Leighton Baines
Leon Osman
(58) Phil Neville
Steven Pienaar
Marouane Fellaini
Tim Cahill
Jo
(58) Substitutes Carlo Nash
Louis Saha
(58) James Vaughan
Dan Gosling
(58) Jack Rodwell
(58) Jose Baxter
Shane Duffy

By Chris Harris

Also-rans? Arsenal might be rather more than that on the strength of this performance.

They were written off in most quarters before a ball was kicked this season but Arsène Wenger’s players showed they mean business with an emphatic win on Merseyside.

Denilson curled in a sumptuous 25-yarder to get the ball rolling and Thomas Vermaelen marked a hugely impressive debut with a thumping header from Robin van Persie’s free-kick. William Gallas nodded in a third from close range as Arsenal took a stranglehold on the game before half-time.

Cesc Fabregas rounded off a classic counter-attack two minutes into the second half and added a fifth from long range before Eduardo tapped in late on to compound Everton woes.

Louis Saha scored a stoppage-time consolation for Everton but that did not stop the travelling fans roaring a heart-warming refrain as they left Goodison Park: “We are top of the League!”

There’s an awfully long time to go, of course, but Arsenal have laid down a marker. The early signs are promising to say the least and they won’t face many tougher away trips than this before May.

The most notable name on Wenger’s first team-sheet of the season was Vermaelen’s. The summer signing from Ajax had a taste of the 'up and at 'em' nature of English football at Barnet last month but Everton, among the top flight's finest set-piece exponents, would test Vermaelen to the limit.

He passed his examination with flying colours.

After kicking off four consecutive seasons on home soil, Arsenal were probably due an opening-day away trip. And they don't come much harder than Everton. Mind you, as Manuel Almunia pointed out last week, he'd sooner be here in the August sunshine than the January frost. The Goodison Park surface is rather more pristine at this time of year and you sensed that might suit Arsenal's neat, passing game.

So it proved.

With Alex Song providing a solid base in midfield, Fabregas and Denilson broke quickly to support the front three of Nicklas Bendtner, Andrey Arshavin and Van Persie. And after an even opening, the pendulum swung Arsenal’s way.

Bendtner and Van Persie had already fired early shots across Everton’s bows when the Dutchman made a break down the right in the 25th minute. He clipped the ball inside to Fabregas and the captain slid it into Denilson’s path, 25 yards from goal.

The Brazilian met it perfectly, curling the ball beyond Tim Howard’s despairing dive and into the top corner. No one touched the ball more than Denilson in the Premier League last season; none of those touches were as impressive as this one.

Everton looked for an immediate response but found Vermaelen in their path. The centre back stood up well to twice deny Leon Osman as the midfielder looked to break into the box.

Then Denilson, just seven minutes after opening the scoring, kicked Maroune Fellaini’s header off the line to deny the hosts an equaliser.

A goal then would have changed the context of the game. Instead, Arsenal tightened their grip nine minutes before the break.

Van Persie, having over-hit a couple of free-kicks from a similar position, floated a perfect delivery towards the far post from 40 yards out. Vermaelen had peeled off cleverly and powered a header past Howard.

It was a pleasant surprise to see Arsenal score from one set-piece; to see them score from two was pure delight.

This time Fabregas provided the ammunition, curling a free-kick in from the left, and Gallas glanced the ball into the bottom corner. That was pretty much game, set and match.

Denilson almost added a fourth before the break but Howard got down well to deny the Brazilian. The Everton keeper did not have to wait long to pick the ball out of his net once again.

Only two minutes of the second half had elapsed when Arsenal cleared a corner and then raced the length of the pitch to score a beautifully-crafted fourth. Denilson found Van Persie on the left and Fabregas made a gut-busting charge through the centre to collect the Dutchman’s pass and beat Howard.

Jack Rodwell, one third of a triple Everton substitution, fired over the bar as the home side searched in vain for scraps. But David Moyes’ side were a shadow of the team that troubled Arsenal so much here in January.

Fabregas soon underlined the visitors’ superiority, storming through the middle before arrowing a low shot into the bottom corner. Eduardo got in on the act with two minutes left, tapping in after Arshavin’s effort had bounced off the post, before Saha snatched a late consolation.

Before this game Wenger suggested that his team would need 82 points for a serious stab at the title.

Three down, 79 to go. Arsenal are up and running in the grandest manner.

www.arsenal.com

[# 9]

FUCK YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[simoo3]

what a fuckin game
every goal was perfect. bendtner was class.. cexc was class
vermaelen looks very good

[pires7]

Good start to the season eh..

[delfino_1936]

Good start to the season eh..

i think Bendtner is going to be tremendous this year! as i said before the season started, i'm expecting a big one from him!

[adriano10]

Good start to the season eh..

i think Bendtner is going to be tremendous this year! as i said before the season started, i'm expecting a big one from him!

You'd still have a mazza from last night boy

[delfino_1936]

Good start to the season eh..

i think Bendtner is going to be tremendous this year! as i said before the season started, i'm expecting a big one from him!

You'd still have a mazza from last night boy

really good V's and his multi bet

[adriano10]

Good start to the season eh..

You'd still have a mazza from last night boy

really good V's and his multi bet

unbelievable...

DIDI DROGBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[haywood djablowme]

well who would of picked that result

Must admit watching it I was surprised myself, on how good we looked, but i also know its only one game.
Very impressed with Song & Denilson in the two DM roles they gave good cover for Cesc, Arshavin, Bentdner & RVP. Vermalen had a very impressive debut he slotted in next to Gallas nicley & looks the goods to form a strong partnership.
Cesc was pro!
Arshavin didnt have a big influence but how nice was his chip of Howard that was ruled offside

Overall nice way to warm up & install some confidence for a big clash with Celtic on Tuesday

[E. Grant & Co]

I'm sure the Gunners supporters are thinking this might be the start of a good year............. Yes it's a good start but it is only one game and it was only Everton.

[pires7]

yep we are going to win the league this season

[Tony Adams]

I'm sure the Gunners supporters are thinking this might be the start of a good year............. Yes it's a good start but it is only one game and it was only Everton.

cos we have been all over the forum with it so far and since when is everton a poor team :?