Arsenal FC @ Emirates All Gunner fans fall in

[nsr250]

Finally arsenal throw in the money to buy a established star! I am sure with Arshavin coming in, arsenal will start collecting full points every match! Go Gunner Go!

[kiko]

Bro nsr250: U are Arsenal fan , i watch arsenal game regularly .. cheers!

[kiko]

Arsenal all the way !

[CKee]

Originally Posted by nsr250

Finally arsenal throw in the money to buy a established star! I am sure with Arshavin coming in, arsenal will start collecting full points every match! Go Gunner Go!

Don't be so naive...one midfielder does not equate to winning ALL remaining games nor any Championship or Title or Trophy. Though not an Arsenal fan, I am an admirer of Arsene Wenger and his coaching/mentoring and managerial abilities. What irks me and I believe the majority of Arsenal fans is that Arsene refuses to budge the wage ceiling imposed by either Arsenal or himself (like I said, I am not a a fan and don't follow club news or any inside information on who has the final say in meeting transfer and/or wage demands). He may possess great grooming skills but once these talents blossom, they leave the club for more $. In addition, look at the bench - not much depth and therefore, season after season, they are almost there but never reach the summit. The only club who won the English Championship with kids was Man Utd...Could it happen to Arsenal? Sure, never say never but not this year and only if these talents are kept and further groomed for the next 3 - 5 years.

On another matter, Arsene would be wise to resist the charms of Real Madrid. This club wants INSTANT SUCCESS - think Vincente Del Bosque. In his 4 seasons as coach (1999 - 2003), he won 2 UEFA Champions Cups, 2 Spanish League titles, Spanish SuperCup, UEFA Super Cup + The Intercontinental Cup. Not a bad haul, right? Yet after winning the domestic title in 2003 he kenna chopped. Other Real Madrid coaches come and have gone - no long term continuity in the club. Now they have Juande Ramos as coach, who replaced Schuster who lasted only 1 year (2007-2008), who succeeded Fabio Capello (2006 - 2007), who succeeded Carlos Queiroz (2003-2004. I miss him at Man Utd but our fren has ambitions to be the Top Dog). In total, from 2003- present (7 years), Real Mardrid have had 4 coaches.

Arsene last won the Premiership League title in the 2003-2004 season and the FA Cup in 2005. In total, Arsene has won 3 Premiership League titles and 4 FA cups in his 13 years. Sure he has the competence but not at Real Mardrid - just my opinion.

[kiko]

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that new signing Andrei Arshavin will prove to be a big hit with the Gunners, having finally sealed his transfer from Zenit St Petersburg.

The 27-year-old forward has at last got his wish to try his luck in Western Europe and Wenger is confident that the Euro 2008 star has the qualities to make an instant impact.

He told the club's official website: "Andrei Arshavin is a player I have admired for a long time. He is a versatile player with great experience, who will add real quality to our squad. "

Andrei is an exciting impact player with a huge amount of ability and has been an influential force with both Zenit St Petersburg and the Russia national team in recent seasons."

Arshavin himself was also delighted to have at last got his desired move, adding: "Arsenal are one of the leading football clubs in the world, with a group of fantastic young players and a great manager.

"I am looking forward to making the Arsenal supporters happy and helping this great club win trophies. I am happy to be an Arsenal player, it was my dream.

"I moved because I like the Arsenal style, Arsene Wenger as a coach and I like some of their players.

"Every time I talked to Arsene Wenger, he said: 'I want you to come to Arsenal'. He had confidence in me.

"It was a very hard few days for me, but now it doesn't matter because I am a Gunner. It is great."

[kiko]

Premier League club Arsenal appear to be inexhaustibly linked to young French players and, somewhat inevitably, Lille’s flourishing midfielder, Yohan Cabaye, is reportedly the target of Arsene Wenger’s microscope.

Radio station RMC suggests that the Gunners are tracking the tenacious 23-year-old, who has already made over 100 Ligue 1 appearances despite his relatively tender age.

Cabaye is considered a key player at Lille, where he balances the attacking instincts of Michel Bastos, Ludovik Obraniak and Florent Balmont, acting as something of a support to Rio Mavuba in the centre of les Dogues’ midfield. Despite his defensive attributes, Cabaye’s game has found some edge in recent times, as he scored seven times in Ligue 1 last season in addition to three strikes this term.

Arsenal could face stiff competition from within France for the former under-21 international, who is under contract until 2013 and will, therefore, command a significant transfer fee. Olympique Lyonnais, Girondins de Bordeaux and Olympique de Marseille are all reportedly tracking the player.

Lille have earned a reputation as something of a feeder club in recent times, as they have lost many of their brightest young talents to ‘bigger’ sides. In spite of this, they are currently seventh in Le Championnat and harbour very real European aspirations.

[kiko]

It seems at the moment the Arsenal that we've all grown to love and admire has changed.

The engrossing passing game, the fluid runs and beautiful chemistry have all, but disappeared.

Everyone has an opinion, their own "two cents" of what is wrong with the club. Some blame the manager, others the club's lack of ambition and some the players’ inability to produce.

These are all good reasons and all have merit in their logic, but none are the main source of the malfunctioning team.

I hate to say it, but the problem is and always has been for the Gunners ... injuries.

Look at what happened last term when Arsenal was in contention to play in another Champions League final as well as win the Premiership.

A hard, career threatening slide tackle came in on the fox in the box Eduardo Da Silva's leg and broke it in two places!

I know none of us want to be reminded of that ill-fated day but the look on the players’ faces said it all. From that moment on their hearts and minds were cursed and the thoughts of that happening to them playing their beautiful football lingered.

Imagine the number of goals the lad would have scored if he remained healthy for another two months.

Surely it would have been enough to see them through.

[kiko]

Arsène Wenger will not ask his players to bombard Tottenham's goalkeeper with crosses during the North London derby on Sunday.

Arsenal's opponents have looked vulnerable at the back in recent months. Summer signing Heurelho Gomes has endured a difficult first season between the posts in English football and Carlo Cudicini, who moved from Chelsea to Spurs last month, struggled to deal with crosses into the box during last weekend's 3-2 defeat at Bolton.

Wenger will have done his homework on Harry Redknapp's side but he has no special plans to test Cudicini from wide positions this weekend.

"It is not our basic strength," said the Frenchman.

"Cudicini is a good goalkeeper and I believe that, before he got injured, Heurelho Gomes did well.

"He had a difficult start but he has a positive attitude and he wants to come out for everything. He realised after a while that in England it is not possible [to do that] and he adjusted well.

"They now have two good goalkeepers but we won’t base our tactics especially on that."

[kiko]

SLAVEN BILIC reckons Eduardo is all set to save Arsenal’s season after his double leg break hell.

Croatia’s boss will call Gunners manager Arsene Wenger today to give him a full update on the striker’s progress.

Eduardo played his first official game for a year in Croatia’s win over Romania on Wednesday and Bilic said: “He didn’t hold back. He is ready.”

[kiko]

Arsenal’s Theo Walcott is set to hand the club a major boost by signing a new four-year deal with the Gunners.

The Sunday Mirror reports that the 19-year-old has been in talks with the club recently and is now on the verge of signing a new, lucrative contract that will triple his wages.

Walcott’s current deal expires at the end of next season and the Gunners are believed to be keen to tie him to the club before the end of their current campaign.

The teenager signed for Arsenal from Southampton in 2006 and has slowly forced himself into the first team at the Emirates Stadium.

The England international had been in scintillating form for club and country this season, hitting a hat-trick for the Three Lions against Croatia in September.

The news is a big boost to Arsenal who have endured an inconsistent season. Arsene Wenger’s side currently lie fifth in the Premier League and look to have a battle on their hands to secure Champions League football for next season.

Indeed, recent reports have suggested that should the Gunners fail to finish in the top four, they could face losing some of their key players at the end of the season, with the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor, Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie all linked with moves away from the club.

However, one player who looks to be staying is Walcott, although he may find himself struggling to get straight back into the team as he returns from injury following the arrival of Andrei Arshavin from Zenit St. Petersburg in the January transfer window.

[kiko]

Last night was a great night. It was the first time in a while where I completely enjoyed watching us play. We showed great football, attacking flair, confidence, creativity and we had Eduardo back.

Eddy was named in the starting eleven and put in a great hour’s performance. He got a fantastic reception, as you would expect and he rose to the occasion. He was the scorer of our first goal after 20 minutes. A one-two with Vela set up Eduardo for a placement header at the near post. A well worked goal and one, which Eduardo has waited for, for a long time. He celebrated by sliding to his knees and kissing his wedding ring and then was mobbed by the rest of the team. It was an emotional goal for everyone but boy was it welcomed.

So we were 1-0 up after 20 minutes and it felt good, usually we’re scrapping for goals in the final ten minutes or so, so it was nice to make an impression early on. However we could’ve taken the lead much earlier than that, we had some great chances and Tom Heaton was forced into making some good saves.

6 minutes later the Cardiff ‘keeper wasn’t so impressive when he let a Nasri shot spill through his arms. Luckily for him though it rolled across the goal line and to safety. We wouldn’t have to wait much longer for the second goal though; Nasri’s corner from the left in the 34th minute was meant by Bendtner at the near post and headed across goal. A nicely worked corner by Arsenal but really poor defending by Cardiff, 2-0 Arsenal.

We really should’ve had a third just before half time when Bendtner missed an absolute sitter. Eduardo’s initial shot was spilt across goal to the Dane who was waiting at the back post with an almost open goal looking at him. His shot somehow hit the post and then his second shot was saved by the ‘keeper! An absolute miracle for Cardiff City. With that chance and Nasri’s shot rolling across the line I wondered if the game was going to turn in their favor.

Half time came and we were 2-0 up. It really could’ve been at least 4-0 by this point though.

We continued to pile on the pressure in the second half. Cardiff were really struggling against us. The did have one chance in this period after half time by Fabianski saved Jay Bothroyd’s shot.

The third finally came when Eduardo was tripped from behind in the penalty area. The replay makes it look like a slightly soft penalty but moments earlier the ref should’ve pointed to the spot anyway so luck evened itself out. Eddy stepped up himself to take it, the waited for the ‘keeper to make the first move and calmly slotted it away. He ran straight to the bench and hugged Tony Colbert, the man who helped Eduardo through his recovery and a big player in getting him back playing football. A nice moment.

A couple of minutes later he could’ve had a comeback hat trick when the ball fell at his feet in the area but it was blocked - what a story that would’ve been.

He wasn’t risked for much longer and he was replaced by van Persie. If we had kept him on I’m sure he would’ve completed a memorable hat trick but after the long recovery he has just made Wenger felt happy with the 67 minutes he put in and took him off. It was a great comeback for Eduardo, scoring two and playing an influential role in the game. He looked sharp, quick and feisty. He looks like just the player we need at the moment and I’m really excited about the season run-in. Eduardo has described last night as the best day of his life. It’s a game I’m sure I’ll never forget, not exactly the biggest match we’ve ever played in but one of the most emotional and important games for one of the club’s most loved players.

Samir Nasri was also taken off at this point and replaced by Aaron Ramsey. A few minutes after that Vela was replaced by Amaury Bischoff, getting a rare appearance. We started the tone the game down now, it was job done.

We did continue to have chances; Bischoff even had a shot flash across goal. van Persie added the forth in extra time, a great through ball by Bendtner and a calm finish through the legs of Heaton by Robin.

So 4-0 to the Arsenal it ended and we’re through to the next round of the cup facing Burnley at home. It was a great night of football; Eduardo’s return has completely lifted spirits around the club. It was a great performance last night, probably the best this season - it was the Arsenal of old and we should’ve scored 7 or 8, no exaggeration. Alright, it was only Cardiff but we proved that we can play well again and I’m hoping that will continue against Sunderland in the league on Saturday.

[kiko]

ARSENE WENGER is weighing up a bid for Brazilian prodigy Nene.

The 25-year-old striker has caught the eye of the Arsenal boss after netting 14 times in 17 games for Portuguese side Nacional.

Gunners scouts were in Portugal last week to check on the forward in his team’s 3-0 win over Vitoria Guimaraes.

Nacional paid just £400,000 to Cruzeiro for him last summer but he is only contracted to the club until June 2010.

And Arsenal could make a move for Nene when the transfer window re-opens, with the player thought to be keen on a move to the Premier League.

[kiko]

MY TURN NOW . . . Andrey Arshavin will be hoping to have a similar impact on his debut that Eduardo, right, had in his return game on Monday night
AFTER Eduardo's triumphant return on Monday, all eyes are now on the man who's name has been on every Arsenal fans lips since Christmas.

Until now, Andrey Arshavin has been kept under wraps by Arsene Wenger. The £15m signing from Zenit St Petersburg was unfit to play Tottenham and ineligible to face Cardiff on Monday night.

But now against Sunderland on Saturday, the most eagerly anticipated Arsenal debut since Theo Walcott first pulled on the red and white shirt three years ago should finally go ahead.

Arshavin is unlikely to play the full match against the Mackems, but he will certainly be in the squad and, should Arsenal find themselves ahead in the second half, is bound to get a run-out.

If he does, it will be another big step in the right direction for Wenger and, with Walcott and Cesc Fabregas to return before May, the turbulence that has rocked great chunks of Arsenal's season should continue to ease.

That turbulence was approaching its worst when these two sides last met in October, when Fabregas' last-minute header salvaged a point for the Gunners at the Stadium of Light.

Roy Keane was sacked as Sunderland manager barely a month later as the team slipped down the league, but under new boss Ricky Sbragia, the Wearsiders have enjoyed a rapid change in fortunes.

Sitting comfortably in 11th, the Mackems have takens seven points from their last three games and will be confident of a mid-table finish.

And while Arshavin hopes to make his Arsenal bow on Saturday, Sunderland's latest signing has also declared himself fit and ready for the trip to north London.

Tal Ben-Haim moved north from Manchester City two weeks ago in a loan deal that will keep him at the Stadium of Light until the end of the season.

The former Chelsea and Bolton Wanderers centre-back will join a rapidly improving defence and the Israeli international believes Sunderland can disrupt the Gunners again.

"The team is going in the right direction and hopefully we can continue that at Arsenal," he said.

"Of course Arsenal is a difficult game but you never know in football."

Ben-Haim joins a back line in top form, with Anton Ferdinand and Danny Collins having formed a strong partnership.

At the other end of the pitch Djibril Cisse and Kenwyne Jones have hit 19 goals between them this season.

But the focus will be on Arshavin on Saturday and, with Arsenal's feel-good factor returning, this should be three more important points.

[tiewleilowmei]

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis maintains his club's commitment to remaining self-sufficient is as resolute as ever, as the Gunners seek to ride out the credit crunch.

The investment firm co-owned by Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov recently increased their stake in the Premier League club to just over 25%.

But Red and White Holdings - who first invested in Arsenal two years ago when they bought the 14.65% stake of former vice-chairman David Dein - insist they are ``committed long-term investors and supporters of the club'', rather than seeking to mount a hostile takeover.

Arsenal's board of directors have always remained steadfast in their determination not to sell out, signing up to a ``lockdown'' agreement, although the departure of Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith in December saw her 15.9% holding no longer subject to that.

Gazidis is in no doubt of the importance of the club being able to control their own finances from income generated through success on the pitch at Emirates Stadium and other marketing streams.

``It is very important to this club that it is run on a self sustaining basis,'' said Gazidis, speaking before the announcement of Red & White Holdings' increase had been made public.

``What that does is release you from the day-to-day pressures of anything that may be happening at board level. The club effectively functions as a club independent of what ownership changes may take place.

``That in itself lends a stability to what we are doing here, so I focus on what the club's needs are and [manager] Arsene [Wenger] is able to do the same.''

Gazidis officially took up his position at the start of January following 15 years with the Major Soccer League in the United States, where he held the position of deputy commissioner since 2001.

The 44-year-old South Africa-born Oxford law graduate, who once lived a stone's throw from Highbury, feels everyone at Arsenal is committed to moving forwards in the same direction.

He said: ``All of the board members I interact with are all very focused on the self-sustaining model. They all believe in it and have the interests of the club at heart.

``I have been very impressed by their commitment to that cause.''

Gazidis added: ``You can never say anything in life with certainty but the uncertainties which surround Arsenal are far less than which surround the world in general these days.''

Despite having only been in his position for a few weeks, Gazidis - who is expected to take over many of the roles formerly undertaken by ex-vice-chairman Dein - has already helped oversee the successful transfer of Russia international Andrei Arshavin, which was finally pushed through on deadline day in a reported £12million deal.

Gazidis maintains funds will be available should the manager wish to strengthen again in the summer but feels the current uncertain economic climate is bound to have an impact on what level some clubs can operate at.

``This has been a club which has always supported Arsene Wenger in what he has wanted to do and we will continue to do that,'' Gazidis said. ``However, I think that the summer transfer market is going to be interesting.

``There will be opportunities out there for all clubs that have managed themselves well. For those that have not, it is going to be a very challenging environment.''

Gazidis believes spiralling transfer fees will ultimately be brought into check.

``I expected that transfer fees would go down and player salaries would go up after (the) Bosman (ruling), and what we have seen is that both have gone up,'' he said.

``At some point the amounts of money that are involved become so large and the pool of owners that can play at that level becomes so small that it is no longer able to sustain itself.

``I think that over some period of time - particularly in this economic environment we are in - we are going to see transfer values become a little bit more rational in relation to player salary.''

[kiko]

He looked every diminutive inch an Arsene Wenger player - poised and balanced, with neat control, perceptive passing and lively movement. And there is the concern for Arsenal: Andrey Arshavin may not bring too much that is new to the Emirates party.

The Arsenal manager gave his £12million signing a first start and just over an hour to show what he could do. Initially, the Russian looked outstanding and took the game by storm before inevitably fading in his first competitive match for almost three months.

No Arsenal player could fashion a goal as obdurate Sunderland swatted away all the buzzing movement that lacked an end product.

hen Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott are fit to join forwards Arshavin and Samir Nasri, Arsenal will have a surfeit of darting talents. What they now need is variety and for the most incisive passer of the lot, Cesc Fabregas, to be fit - he has set April 4 against Manchester City as his date for a return - along with Emmanuel Adebayor and Eduardo. They might then possess something more inventive and predatory.

In the meantime, four consecutive Premier League draws - the last three goalless - tell of the team's shortcomings in front of goal. Six points behind fourth placed Aston Villa, they are even in danger of being cut adrift in the race for a Champions League place. Now Tuesday's home match against AS Roma assumes an even greater significance. They may have to win the tournament to qualify again.

Wenger disagrees. 'If there were three games left I would say yes, but there is a long way to go,' he said. 'Aston Villa and Chelsea both have difficult fixtures. We can come back.'

Arsenal will need to sharpen up. 'Our game is not vertical quickly,' said Wenger - a translation being that they needed to get the ball forward faster. 'And we are not relaxed enough when we finish.'

Wenger may have dismissed the visitors as 'one Colossus up front and 10 who defend like mad' but they are well organised under Ricky Sbragia. With eight points from their last four games, they are coming to enjoy the look of mid-table.

'We knew we would come under pressure but we tried to frustrate them and I think we did that,' said Sbragia. 'We have enough to stay in the Premier League.'

Arshavin's impact on the game, which he began wide on the right of Arsenal's midfield, was swift. With just a few minutes gone, he was allowed to stride forward from midfield before driving a low, 20-yard shot only just wide of Marton Fulop's left post. The goalkeeper, who is keeping £9m signing Craig Gordon out of the side, then produced a flying save after the Russian had cut in from the right and hit a fierce shot.

Arsenal really should have had the lead when Teemu Tainio failed to cut out Denilson's ball forward, allowing Robin van Persie a run on goal. As Fulop advanced, the Dutchman clipped his shot wide. Arsenal looked vulnerable on the break and Manuel Almunia had to save driven shots from Anton Ferdinand and Dean Whitehead, as Kieran Richardson looked capable of delivering a decisive pass.

Fulop was sure in his work, notably when he turned aside Nicklas Bendtner's downward header from Arshavin's clever cross and kept out Kolo Toure's drive. When he was beaten by Toure following Van Persie's corner, William Gallas came to Sunderland's rescue by blocking his own man's header. Arshavin was withdrawn having shown, as Wenger observed, 'he has talent and you can see if he is more on the ball he will affect the game'.

His replacement, the Mexican Carlos Vela, promptly wasted the day's best chance by screwing a shot wide of the far post from 10 yards. In added time, Gallas slashed wide and Fulop saved from Van Persie.