Tippen4You.com - Sportwetten Forum Forum Alle anderen Sportarten & Paten-Foren Paten-Foren (Alle Sportarten) FC Arsenal London

Wenger - I'm not jealous of Man City's money



Arsène Wenger does not do jealousy.

The Arsenal manager says he has never envied any of his contemporaries at other clubs and the thought of spending £100m does not enter his head.

The English media have been talking telephone numbers ever since news seeped out that Manchester City might be about to make an astronomical offer to Milan for Kaka.

Inevitably the issue was put to Wenger at his press conference on Thursday. But the Frenchman strongly refuted any suggestion of resentment about Mark Hughes' spending power or his salary.

“No, not at all,” he said. “I’ve never felt like that. You can ask all the clubs where I have been, I never renegotiated any of my contracts. Once I sign, I am happy with what I do and I try to give my best for what I have signed. Never in my life have I had that - I have never asked another manager how much money he is making, I have no interest in that. I enjoy what I do and try to do it as well as I can.

“In fact, I am more concerned with what to do to win the next game rather than how to spend £100m," he went on. "I am not really interested in that.

“My purpose is to develop the team on a daily basis and to think how we can improve. You ask me about this £100m and frankly I only heard about it because you cannot in today's world and ignore it.

“But I didn’t read one line about that because I have no interest in it. For me what is interesting is being on the football pitch in the morning and trying to see how we can develop as a team.”

Hull City 1-3 Arsenal

Barclays Premier League, Kingston Communications Stadium

Saturday, January 17, 2009, 17:30



* Cousin 65

* Adebayor 30,
* Nasri 83,
* Bendtner 86

Arsenal pulled off another late, late show at the KC Stadium on Saturday.

Goals from Samir Nasri and Nicklas Bendtner in the last eight minutes secured a vital victory at Hull after Daniel Cousin’s second-half equaliser had suggested the home side might just reprise their shock win at Emirates Stadium in September.

Half-an-hour before this 5.30pm kick-off, it appeared that Arsène Wenger’s could make up serious ground on their title rivals. In the end, Chelsea, Manchester United and Aston Villa all came back to win so the pressure was on Arsenal to continue their seven game unbeaten run in the Premier League.

Emmanuel Adebayor’s header on the half-hour seemed set to ensure that transpired but they lost their way when Hull switched to 4-4-2 on the hour.

However recent games have proved Arsenal’s character. The victories against Portsmouth, Bolton and now Hull have been secured with goals in the last 10 minutes.

Better late than never and Wenger's men are still in touch at the top.

This was Arsenal’s first League fixture at Hull since April 2, 1915. In fact it was only the fifth time the sides had faced each other outside of cup competition.

Of course, Hull announced their candidacy as the campaign’s surprise package with a famous 2-1 win at Emirates Stadium in September. That proved to be no flash in the pan but they had fallen away steadily in the last two months to such an extent that this week Brown had brought in Kevin Kilbane from Wigan and Manucho on loan from Manchester United. Both were involved this evening though the latter started on the bench.

The Hull defeat had cost Arsenal a large part of their early-season confidence. They had been clawing it back in recent weeks with narrow home wins and creditable draws against fellow title contenders. It was hardly football baring the hallmark of Arsène Wenger but it had been enough.

Injuries had not helped. William Gallas (hamstring), Mikael Silvestre (thigh), Theo Walcott (shoulder), Cesc Fabregas (knee) and Tomas Rosicky (hamstring tendon) were still on the list going in to this game. Alex Song did return this evening but only made the bench as Wenger stuck with the side that had squeezed past Bolton last weekend.

Perhaps the spectre of that September victory helped Hull in the early stages. The home side dominated the opening minutes in terms of territory but did little with it.

Apart from the odd flashing cross, their only real chance came after seven minutes when Denilson’s pass strayed to Nathan Doyle, who strode forward but his low shot was easily gathered by Almunia.

Arsenal were struggling to find their feet. However they nearly grabbed an unlikely lead in the 12th minute when Adebayor was hauled down 25 yards out. Van Persie’s low free-kick deflected a matter of inches past the post with Boaz Myhill beaten.

Gradually the visitors discovered some of their fluency and just before the half-hour they would take the lead. In the 28th minute, Emmanuel Eboue’s skills saw him brought down on the right. Van Persie’s whipped-in free-kick looked destined for the top corner but Myhill’s fingertips touched the ball onto the bar and Djourou could not turn in his shot from close range.

It was a massive chance but Hull could not clear the ball and it would cost them. A couple of quick corners later, Van Persie floated the ball to the far post and Adebayor steered home the simplest of headers. It was the Togolese targetman’s 12th goal of the season and lifted him level with Van Persie at the top of Arsenal’s scoring charts.

A lead was a luxury. In recent games, Arsenal had been forced to roll up their sleeves and graft their way to late victories. The goal seemed to make a massive difference.

Suddenly there was a spring in the visitors’ step while Hull’s body language betrayed their lack of confidence.

Nine minutes before the break Arsenal should have doubled their lead. Adebayor crossed from the left and an unmarked Eboue sliced the ball wide at the far post.

The striker was clearly in the mood today. Five minutes into the second half he ended a fine Arsenal move by blasting a stinging shot at Myhill.

Wenger’s men were starting to look comfortable. But the introduction of Manucho unsteadied them and the home fans claimed penalty when the Angolan clashed with Djourou in the area on the hour.

Six minutes later, Hull would grab their equaliser. Bernard Mendy had ample time to fire in a cross from the right flank but his effort was aided by a deflection off Clichy’s foot. It was a crucial touch because it meant the ball floated nicely into the path of Cousin who had a simple job to nod into the top corner from close range.

Wenger changed formation immediately. Eboue was brought off and Bendtner came on as Arsenal went 4-3-3.

Van Persie dribbled a free-kick wide and Diaby slashed a shot equally adrift but Arsenal were searching for ideas.

They found one with eight minutes left. Bendtner tucked a ball inside to Van Persie just outside the area. The Dutchman showed elusive skills to immediately fed Nasri on the left. The Frenchman buried a low shot beyond Myhill and just inside the far post.

Four minutes later Bendtner killed the game by sweeping home a third.

The Dane could have snaffled a fourth in injury time but his close-range header bounced back off the post.

Yet, but that time, Arsenal had what they wanted.

'We are determined and have strong resolve'


On the performance…
"It was a good battle. I believe that in the first half we were really on top of the game, with a lot of fluency. At 1-0 we wanted to keep them under pressure but they made a real battle of it with a lot of long balls and a high line. They scored from a deflected cross and after that we had the mental resources to come back and win in a convincing way because we kept going, and kept going."

On another late, late show…
"I think we have scored 16 goals in the last 15 minutes of the last 33 games, and we did that again today."

On keeping pace with the league leaders…
"There was extra pressure [after the results earlier] and we knew we couldn’t afford to drop points and it is good that the team showed they can cope with that. Our ambition is that we are up for it, we are determined and have a strong resolve. You will see us give everything to finish as high up as we can."

On relying on others to drop points…
"I am sure that you will see some more surprises this season, because there were nearly some today and that shows until the end, we want to give everything to come back."

On Robin van Persie's contribution…
"He was outstanding."

On his players attracting interest from other clubs…
"I am not worried at all."

Wenger - I was right to take chance on Ramsey



Aaron Ramsey’s rapid transition from Championship youngster to Premier League starlet was made at the perfect time, according to Arsène Wenger.

Arsenal’s summer signing has made 15 appearances this season, including eight starts, and helped himself to his first Arsenal goal in the Gunners’ 5-2 victory against Fenerbahce in October.

Wenger believes that he was right to pluck the Welshman from Cardiff at such a young age, describing his development as “ahead of plan”.

“I believe that it’s better to make the step at that age than five or six years later,” the manager told the Official Arsenal Magazine.

“He has not only made the step up from the Championship to the Premier League, but also to a Premier League team that wants to be at the top and who fights in the Champions League, and that means it’s a massive difference at such a young age.

“I believe he did extremely well because he has drive and he can push the team forward. He is always available, he wants the ball and he is very dynamic in his play.

“Overall I’m very pleased with his progress because I must say that he is ahead of where I planned for him to be in January. You have to remember though that he is still only just 18 years of age and you need to be a little bit patient with him.

“He has shown that every time we’ve picked him, he has responded in a very positive way.”

Eduardo - Now I am ready for the first team



Eduardo has sent out an ominous warning to Premier League defences by declaring: “I am ready”.

The Brazil-born striker completed his first 90 minutes since last February when he lined up for Arsenal Reserves in their 2-2 draw against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on Wednesday night.

After hitting the post in his first ‘comeback’ match against Portsmouth Reserves in December, the Croatian international went even closer against the Potters but saw his 87th-minute strike ruled out for offside.

Despite that minor disappointment, the 25-year-old is delighted with his progress and is confident that it will not be long until he finds the net again.

“The goal is coming,” Eduardo told Arsenal.com. “I am happy because I have got the chances, and that is not easy. Only when I get a chance can I finish it.

“It has been a long time since I’ve played 90 minutes and now I feel better knowing that I can play a whole game. I feel much stronger than I have and I am very happy now

“The plan against Portsmouth Reserves was to play an hour but we decided with the small injury that I should go off because of the risk in continuing the game. But I am happy now, I played 45 minutes of that game which was good for my confidence.”

The next step now of course is turning out for the first team again and Eduardo has no doubts that he is ready.

“I think I am ready for the first team but you would have to ask the boss,” the striker said. “I feel very well and I’m training hard every day. Of course I want to come back quick and strong. Now, every game for me is a big step.

“In my head and everything I am ready. I am happy with the 90 minutes tonight on a very hard pitch with all the hard rain. I needed time in the Reserves to get my match fitness back.

“But playing my first game for the first team, I am ready now and I am just waiting for my chance.”

Fabianski set to come in again for FA Cup tie



Lukasz Fabianski will reprise his role as Arsenal’s FA Cup keeper at Cardiff on Sunday.

The Polish international has been handed the gloves for the duration the competition this year and will be brought into the side for the Fourth Round tie at Ninian Park.

Wenger is likely to stick with the same sort of team that saw off Plymouth in the Third Round on January 3. That means he will field a full-strength side apart from the inclusion of Fabianski and couple of others.

William Gallas is back in full training after his hamstring injury and close to fitness but, speaking to TV Online on Thursday afternoon, Wenger suggested he would not be risked.

“Fabianski will play because it is the FA Cup,” said the manager, “maybe one or two others will come in too. The team will be comparable to the side which played against Plymouth. It is a tricky cup tie and we want to come out on top.

“As for William Gallas, he will be short for the weekend but he is back in full training so he will be available in a very short period.”

Eduardo needs 'one or two' Reserve games



Arsène Wenger says Eduardo will need one or two more Reserve games before he is ready for the first-team.

The Croatian striker started his comeback against Portsmouth before Christmas and completed 90 minutes for the first time at Stoke on Wednesday night. Afterwards he felt confident enough to tell Arsenal.com that he was fit and ready to return at the highest level.

His manager agrees he is physically fine but wants the 25-year-old to have a couple more outings in the second string.

“I believe he needs three to four games, at least three,” said Wenger. “But what he did on Wednesday was encouraging. Gradually he gets more free in his decision-making. He showed he was physically ready and, of course, intelligent, but he needs one or two more games."

Wenger - We have NOT agreed Arshavin fee


Arsenal have not agreed a fee with Zenit St Petersburg over the purchase of Andrei Arshavin and any deal is still some distance away.

Media reports on Tuesday morning suggested the 27-year-old’s move to Emirates Stadium was nearing completion with only personal details still to be negotiated.

At his press conference ahead of the trip to Everton, Arsène Wenger denied that was the case.

“There is no news about Andrei Arshavin or about anybody else that is why I cannot give you anything,” he said. “At the moment it is all quiet.”

The Frenchman was asked outright if a price had been decided and whether a deal was far away.

“[That is] not true,” he replied. “In this job ‘far’ doesn’t mean a lot. I believe that we are not close to concluding any transfer, Arshavin or anybody else.

“I don’t know [if it will happen] frankly. Time is getting short and at the moment I am more focused to win the game tomorrow. We know we are in front of a big game and the most important thing is to focus on that.”

This stance is directly opposed to the noises coming out of Zenit. But Wenger’s policy through this saga has been to maintain media silence as much as possible.

“I am only responsible for the statements we make and I cannot be responsible for the statements that other clubs make,” said the Frenchman.

“Zenit look to have different voices coming out of the club and I’m not sure if it always the official voice. I believe what I see and what I hear directly.”

Wenger confident over new deal for Walcott



Arsène Wenger is confident that Theo Walcott will sign a new contract with Arsenal.

The England winger is currently sidelined after dislocating his shoulder while on international duty in November. The injury curtailed a promising start to Walcott's season - the 19-year-old earned a regular spot in the Arsenal line-up and announced his arrival on the global stage with a hat-trick against Croatia in a World Cup qualifier.

Wenger expects to have Walcott back in March to bolster Arsenal's push for honours. The manager also expects the teenager to commit his future to the Club before long.

"We will sort that [his contract] out," said Wenger ahead of tonight's trip to Everton.

"We are in negotiations. He wants to stay and we want him to stay, so we should find an agreement."

Wenger - January buys take time to settle



Arsène Wenger has warned not to expect too much of overseas players signed in the January transfer window.

The Arsenal manager has been heavily linked with Russian playmaker Andrei Arshavin while a handful of major deals have already gone through including Emile Heskey's move to Aston Villa, Jimmy Bullard's switch to Hull City and the return of Jermain Defoe and Pascal Chimbonda to Tottenham.

Wenger believes that quartet - already well-versed in the rigours of the Premier League - should settle quickly at their new - or in some cases old - club. But he cast doubt on the immediate impact of newly-imported overseas talent such as Colombian striker Hugo Rodallega, the replacement for Heskey at Wigan.

"It is very difficult to assess what kind of impact the player will have on the club and the results of the club," said Wenger ahead of tonight's trip to Everton.

"For example with Defoe and Chimbonda going back to Tottenham there is no uncertainty about their performance, but when I see Rodallega go to Wigan it is difficult to judge now what sort of impact he will have.

"Maybe he will be an instant success but normally it will take three or four months to settle."

Wenger - Van Persie’s fitness is priceless


Arsène Wenger has hailed Robin van Persie’s continued match fitness as the “good news of the season”.

The 25-year-old’s ability has never been questioned since his arrival at the Club in 2004 however a series of injuries restricted him from making maximum progress. This year is different.

The most starts Van Persie managed in a single season was 25 during the 2006/07 campaign. Currently on 24, the Dutchman looks set to equal that tally in tonight’s clash with Everton. And, if he were to score against the Toffees, he would equal the 13 goals he notched that season, currently his best tally.

Speaking ahead of the match, Wenger praised Van Persie and pointed out that he wasn’t just responsible for finding the net. After all, the Dutchman has seven Premier League assists this term.

“He makes goals as well,” said Wenger. “For me that is in his position as important as scoring goals.

“Having him fit is the good news of the season. We had lost Robin in the second half of the season, people forget.

“This year he has had a sustained run and you can see when he has that he scores goals.”

Arschawin denkt über Gehaltsforderungen nach

Obwohl sich Zenit St. Petersburg und der FC Arsenal über einen Wechsel von Andrej Arschawin nach England geeinigt haben, könnte der Transfer an den Gehaltsvorstellungen scheitern.

Der Wechsel des russischen Nationalspielers Andrej Arschawin von UEFA-Cup-Sieger Zenit St. Petersburg zum FC Arsenal in die englische Premier League könnte noch an den Gehaltsforderungen des Offensivspielers scheitern.

Zenit-Generaldirektor Maxim Mitrofanow bestätigte der englischen Nachrichtenagentur "Reuters", dass sich die beiden Klubs zwar auf eine Ablösesumme von umgerechnet knapp 16 Millionen Euro verständigt hätten, der Transfer aber noch an den Gehaltsvorstellung des Mittelfeldspieler scheitern könnte.

"Wir sind uns einig, jetzt liegt es an ihm. Er muss wissen, ob er sich einen Traum erfüllen möchte oder ob es ihm in erster Linie um das Geld geht", sagte Mitrofanow.

Arschawin soll bei St. Petersburg umgerechnet rund drei Millionen Euro pro Jahr verdienen und will in London offensichtlich deutlich mehr einstreichen.

Rosicky’s comeback may be ‘in eight weeks’


Tomas Rosicky could be as little as eight weeks away from a return to the Arsenal first-team.

On Monday it was exactly 12 months since the Czech international last wore a red-and-white shirt. He came off after nine minutes of the Premier League game with Newcastle and has been plagued by a problem with his hamstring tendon ever since.

Ironically the player who replaced him on that occasion was Eduardo, who would suffer a far more horrific-looking injury a month later but has returned to Reserve team action already.

According to Arsène Wenger, Arsenal have badly missed the 28-year-old midfielder but he has handled his long absence admirably.

“If all goes well [he’ll be back in] eight weeks,” said the manager. “But that assumes he survives as we increase the intensity of training.

“So far Tomas has been exceptional frankly - exceptionally strong, exceptionally patient, exceptionally resilient.

“The most difficult thing in sport is when you have an injury and you try to practice very hard to come back and it doesn’t work so you have to rest and start again. That’s the most difficult thing.

"But he is a brilliant guy, Rosicky. We miss him highly.”

Everton 1-1 Arsenal

Barclays Premier League, Goodison Park

Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 20:00

* Cahill 62

* Van Persie 90

Robin van Persie kept his incredible run going as Arsenal snatched a draw from the jaws of defeat at Goodison Park.

Tim Cahill's second-half header looked like condemning the Gunners to their first reverse in nine games but Van Persie fired home a thunderous effort in stoppage time to salvage a point. Astonishingly, the in-form Dutchman has scored - or assisted - every Arsenal goal in the month of January.

Van Persie's late intervention put a rather more positive slant on a largely frustrating night. The Dutchman went closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half while Denilson wasted a glorious opportunity in the second half but Everton more than matched their visitors and will feel hard done by after letting their advantage slip so late.

But Arsène Wenger’s side won't care about that. They now trail Aston Villa by five points in the race for a Champions League place - and Manchester United are eight points clear of Arsenal in top spot - but this point could prove valuable in the context of the season. Not many sides will leave the blue half of Merseyside with the spoils between now and May.

Wenger made six changes from the side which started Sunday's stalemate at Cardiff. Almunia, William Gallas, Denilson, Abou Diaby and Emmanuel Adebayor were all promoted from the bench while Gael Clichy returned from suspension. The major casualty was Kolo Toure with Johan Djourou chosen to partner Gallas at the heart of defence. There was a notable milestone too, Bacary Sagna racking up his 50th Premier League appearance.

Before kick-off there was much talk of unbeaten runs - neither team had not lost for eight games in all competitions. But this would be a serious test of both side's credentials. For Arsenal, grinding out results against Bolton, Portsmouth and Hull was all very well, but winning at Goodison Park was a step up in class. Everton, for their part, had been tagged as 'title contenders' by Wenger but would need to improve on a record of just three wins in 29 games against the traditional 'Big Four' to up to their billing.

Arsenal started brightly. They were busy and bustling and barely relinquished possession in the first five minutes. However they had nothing to show for it bar a fierce Van Persie free kick which deflected wide off Cahill.

The home crowd were cowed into silence but Everton soon got a foothold in the game and, more specifically, Arsenal's right flank. Cahill, Marouane Fellaine and Steven Pienaar regularly ventured over to that side of the pitch to outnumber Sagna and Denilson, exploiting their man advantage and Fellaini's height advantage.

It was a profitable ploy. After eight minutes, Leighton Baines raced to the byline and crossed low for Fellaine at the near post. Gallas smuggled the ball behind as the Belgian sized up a shot. Then Mikel Arteta's corner flicked off Phil Jagielka's head and bounced wide. It sparked a long spell of Everton pressure with Arteta dictating proceedings from a 'quarter-back' position in front of his own back four.

Arsenal, after their promising start, were struggling to get Samir Nasri and Van Persie on the ball. They reverted to Plan B at times - going long to Adebayor - but Jagielka and Joleon Lescott nullified the big man's threat. Everton had only conceded two goals in seven weeks - both to Liverpool's Steven Gerrard - and you could see why.

Diaby and Nasri picked up bookings for careless challenges but the visitors continued to probe and, after weathering the Everton storm, they finished the first half strongly. After 32 minutes Nasri sped past Tony Hibbert to the left byline and crossed towards Van Persie. The Dutchman stretched but could not quite wrap his 'chocolate leg' around the ball and his effort bounced wide. Seconds later Adebayor stormed through the centre but was crowded out. Nonetheless, these were good signs for Arsenal.

They continued to impress early in the second half. Van Persie led a swift breakaway five minutes after the break and picked out Denilson, lurking on the right corner of the box. The Brazilian had time to take a touch but opted for a poorly-executed first-time effort with his left foot. Arsenal's best chance of the match so far went begging.

Everton hit back. This time Cahill, anticipating well, pinched the ball in front of Djourou and fired low past Almunia's post and into the side-netting. It was agonisingly close but the Australian didn't have to wait long to make amends. As the hour mark passed, Everton made further inroads down the left and Baines crossed for Cahill to leap and nod into the bottom corner from 10 yards out. It was his 100th goal in English football, and it left Arsenal with plenty to do.

They set about their task gamely. Van Persie picked out Alex Song with a free kick in the middle of the park and charged into the box to meet the lofted return with a downward header which Tim Howard grabbed at his feet. Then Wenger brought on Emmanuel Eboue and Nicklas Bendtner to try and rescue a point.

Everton - bolstered by their resolute back line - held firm and could even have sewn up the points on the counter-attack. But they were pegged back at the death. With just 70 seconds left on the clock, Diaby's diagonal pass from deep found Van Persie in the left channel. The Dutchman chested the ball into his path and lashed a fierce drive past Howard.

Time will tell how significant that will be.

'We needed to show character to come back'



On the performance…
"I believe it was a game of quality with two teams who gave absolutely everything. We were playing against a good side and needed to show a lot of character to come back. I knew we wouldn't give up and we kept fighting until the last second, but you couldn't predict that we would score in injury time. I knew we would give everything. There is a lot of character in the team and we showed that again tonight."

On avoiding defeat …
"It was very important not to lose, and to keep our run going is vital. It was a game where I felt we went 1-0l down at a time we didn't expect to. We didn't give many chances away and had to gamble much more when you are 1-0 down. We had to go for more up front but I am very happy with our defensive performance for 99 per cent of the game."

On Robin van Persie's rich vein of form …
"It was an exceptional finish, and when you see him on his left leg like that you always think if it doesn't hit the keeper it will be a goal."

On losing ground on teams above them…
"A point is never enough because we always play for three, but it was a difficult tonight and I maintain what I said yesterday; for me Everton is as much a threat for us as Aston Villa. Everton are a good side."

On Everton's goalscorer …
"Cahill is a fantastic player, tactically very good and also very intelligent. You look at all the defenders in the league and they are a head above him, but he always pops up with a header. He has something you cannot give to everybody - he knows where to be on the football pitch."

On Andrei Ashavin…
"There is nothing new, because today I have been focused on the game, and I did not pick up any phone calls so nothing has happened. It was 90 per cent that I will be able to give you more in the next two days. Remember in this job the other 10 per cent can be more important than the other 90 because people can change their mind quickly."

Silvestre out for 'two or three' more weeks



Mikael Silvestre has suffered an injury set-back and will not be available for another two or three weeks.

The French defender has been out with a thigh injury since hobbling off after half-an-hour against Plymouth on January 3. It was hoped that the 31-year-old was close to a return however, speaking to Arsenal TV Online on Thursday, Arsène Wenger suggested his wait would go on.

“Silvestre has had a little set-back so he will be two or three weeks more,” said the manager.

There was better news for the rest of the squad following the 1-1 draw at Everton. Wenger reported no new injuries however he did suggest he may rotate a couple of players for the visit of West Ham on Saturday.

“We don’t think we have any new injuries from the game at Everton,” Wenger went on. “Looking at the players today I don’t think there is anything to announce.

“I will change things a little bit because we play on Tuesday but this game against West Ham is very important to us. I will make changes but I don’t want to disrupt the side too much.”

Arsenal TV Online subscribers can see the full interview on Friday morning. In it Wenger talks about: the latest on Arshavin, the desire to get the deal done, whether he has bid for anyone else, the transfer window overall, Arsenal’s record of late goals, Van Persie’s stunning season, the importance of the Liverpool v Chelsea fixture, Man United’s return to free-scoring ways, Gianfranco Zola, Carlton Cole and Mark Noble.

Tuesday's Cardiff City match postponed



Due to adverse weather conditions, the FA Cup Fourth Round replay against Cardiff City scheduled for Tuesday, February 3 at 7.45pm has been postponed.

A date is yet to be determined but match tickets for this fixture remain valid.

Walcott could return to action in four weeks


Theo Walcott is still leading the race to be the first of Arsenal's long-term absentees to return to action.

The England international dislocated his shoulder while on international duty in November but Arsène Wenger revealed that Walcott could get the "green light" for his comeback in four weeks' time.

Arsenal fans will have to wait a little longer to see Tomas Rosicky or Cesc Fabregas. The Czech star has been sidelined by a tendon problem for over a year while Fabregas will not be rushed back despite suggesting in his West Ham programme notes that his recovery from knee ligament damage was ahead of schedule.

“Walcott is the closest because he has four weeks before he sees a specialist again and then he should get the green light," said Wenger.

“Fabregas, I believe, will be six to eight weeks before playing. I can understand his optimism, and we hope [that he will be back quicker] but with a medial knee ligament you have to respect the time.

“For Rosicky, [it will be] eight weeks.”

Schwierige Verhandlungen

Bestätigung durch Premier League ausständig, da die offizielle Transferzeit überschritten wurde.
Der Transfer des russischen EM-Stars Andrej Arschawin von UEFA-Cup-Sieger Zenit St. Petersburg zum Premier-League-Club Arsenal ist am Montag, am letzten Tag der Wintertransferzeit, nach einigen Verwirrungen und widersprüchlichen Aussagen doch erfolgreich über die Bühne gegangen.

Eine offizielle Bestätigung durch alle Beteiligten steht jedoch noch aus. Genaue Details des Millionendeals sollen am Dienstag bekanntwerden.

Rätselraten über Einigung
Der 27-jährige Mittelfeldspieler war am Montag nach London gereist, um mit Arsenal Vertragsdetails zu klären. Auch wegen der Verlängerung der Transfer-Deadline aufgrund der winterlichen Bedingungen in der britischen Metropole herrschte vorerst Rätselraten über eine mögliche Einigung.

Englische Medien zitierten jedoch Arsenal-Trainer Arsene Wenger, wonach der Wechsel Arschawins bereits fix sei. Auch die FIFA-Website berichtete schon über den Transfer.

"Wechsel findet definitiv nicht statt"
Vonseiten Zenits kamen hingegen widersprüchliche Aussagen. "Der Wechsel findet definitiv nicht statt, Arschawin bleibt bei Zenit", zitierten internationale Nachrichtenagenturen noch um 18.30 Uhr Zenit-Sprecher Alexej Petrow.

Die hohen Gehaltsforderungen Arschawins seien der ausschlaggebende Grund für das Scheitern gewesen sein.

1,9 Mio. statt 3,8 Mio. Euro Gehalt
Die Londoner wollten dem russischen Teamspieler laut Medienangaben nur die Hälfte seines bisherigen Jahresgehalts von 3,875 Millionen Euro bezahlen, um das Gehaltsgefüge nicht durcheinanderzubringen.

Diese Einbußen seien dem Offensivspieler, der mit seiner Familie nach Großbritannien habe umziehen wollen, aber nicht zuzumuten.

Wieder alles anders
Knapp eine Stunde nach dem vermeintlichen Scheitern des Deals sagte Zenit-Generaldirektor Maxim Mitrofanow im russischen Fernsehen, dass der Transfer durchaus noch möglich sei: "Beide Clubs wollen den Transfer vollziehen, deshalb sind noch Verhandlungen im Gange."

Im Hintergrund lief offentsichtlich ein Poker um die finanziellen Vertragsmodalitäten.

Arsenal drückt Ablöse
Noch in der vergangenen Woche hatte Zenit mitgeteilt, dass mit den "Gunners" nach langen Verhandlungen Einigkeit über die Ablösesumme bestehe. Sie sollte dem Vernehmen nach bei rund 21,5 Millionen Euro liegen.

Am Montag wurde bekannt, dass die Ablösesumme nicht mehr als zwölf Millionen Pfund (13,28 Mio. Euro) betragen soll. Dafür gibt es bei entsprechendem Erfolg aber einen Bonus von drei Millionen Pfund (3,32 Mio. Euro).

Am späten Montagabend lichtete sich dann der Nebel um Arschawin etwas. "Der Vertrag wurde für dreieinhalb Jahre unterschrieben, finanzielle Details werden am Dienstag veröffentlicht", bestätigte diesmal Zenit-Sprecher Petrow.

Treffer in der Nachspielzeit
Aus Arsenal-Kreisen sickerte durch, dass der 27-jährige Russe einem Vertrag zugestimmt hatte, allerdings erst nach dem englischen Transferende um 18.00 Uhr MEZ.

Laut Arschawins Berater Dennis Lachter soll die Spielgenehmigung am Dienstag vorliegen. "Der Deal wurde erst in der Nachspielzeit abgeschlossen. Jetzt müssen wir auf eine Bestätigung warten", sagte Lachter der BBC.

Factfile on new signing Andrey Arshavin





ANDREY ARSHAVIN
FACTFILE



FULL NAME: Andrey Sergeyevich Arshavin

NATIONALITY: Russian

BORN: May 29 1981. Saint Petersburg, Russia

AGE: 27

HEIGHT / WEIGHT: 172cm / 62kg

PREVIOUS CLUBS: Zenit St Petersburg (2000– January 2009) 232 appearances (51 goals)

CLUB HONOURS: 2003 Russian Premier League Cup
2007 Russian Premier League
2008 Russian Super Cup
2008 UEFA Cup
2008 UEFA Super Cup

TRANSFER DETAILS: Long-term contract for an undisclosed fee

POSITION: Midfielder

INTERNATIONAL CAREER: Russia (2002 - Present) 41 appearances (15 goals)

INTERNATIONAL DEBUT: May 17 2002 v Belarus (International friendly, in Moscow, Russia) 1-1, Belarus won 5-4 on pens.

FIRST INTERNATIONAL GOAL: February 13 2003 v Romania (International friendly, in Limassol, Cyprus) Scored third goal in 4-2 Russia victory.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

* Voted Russian Footballer of the Year in 2006
* Started all 30 matches in Zenit’s Russian Premier League campaign in 2007, the first time Zenit had won a league title since 1984
* Played a key part in Zenit’s 2008 UEFA Cup winning campaign
* Came on as a half-time substitute in the 2008 UEFA Super Cup victory over Manchester United in Monaco, in August 2008. Zenit won 2-1
* Three impressive performances earned him a place in the ‘EURO 2008 Team of the Tournament’
* Graduated from the Smena football school. In 1999 – 2000, he played for Zenit’s ‘farm club’, Zenit-2 in the Russian Second Division
* Made his full Zenit debut in England, against Bradford City in the Intertoto Cup at Valley Parade in August 2000. Zenit won the match 3-0
* Is comfortable in many positions. He started his career as a right midfielder, then as an attacking midfielder and more recently has been playing in the ‘second striker’s’ role

RUSSIA IN EURO 2008:

GROUP STAGE:

* v Spain - Lost 1-4 (suspended)
* v Greece - Won 1-0 (suspended)
* v Sweden - Won 2-0 (played and scored)

QUARTER FINAL:

* v Netherlands - Won 3-1 (played and scored)

SEMI FINAL:

* v Spain - Lost 0-3 (played)

Russian international Arshavin joins Arsenal



Arsenal Football Club is delighted to announce that Russian international midfielder, Andrey Arshavin has joined the Gunners from Zenit St. Petersburg on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee.

Arshavin, 27, who played a key part in Zenit’s UEFA Cup winning campaign last season, was also a member of the Russian EURO 2008 squad in which he scored two goals from his three appearances, earning him a place in the ‘Team of the Tournament’.



Arshavin won the Russian Premier League with Zenit in 2007, making a total of 232 appearances for his previous club, scoring 51 goals. During his time with Zenit, he was also part of the winning team that picked up the Russian Super Cup in 2008, the Russian Premier League Cup in 2003 and featured in the UEFA Super Cup victory over Manchester United in Monaco last August.

With 41 international caps for Russia, Arshavin has scored a total of 15 goals for his country. His versatility has allowed him to play in a variety of positions; the 2006 Russian Footballer of the Year started his career as a right midfielder, but has since played as an attacking midfielder and more recently has filled the ‘second striker’s’ role.

Manager Arsène Wenger said: “We are delighted to have signed Andrey Arshavin, he 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. Andrey is an exciting impact player with a huge amount of ability and has been an influential force with both Zenit St Petersburg and the Russian national team in recent seasons.”

After completing his move to the Gunners, Arshavin said: “I am so happy to be joining Arsenal. They 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.”

Ivan Gazidis, Chief Executive of Arsenal Football Club added: “Andrey was identified by Arsène as a quality creative player that would add something special to this youthful but talented squad. The Board has always backed the manager with his transfer targets and we are delighted to welcome Andrey to the Club where he will help us to challenge for honours this season.”

Due to his participation in the UEFA Champions League with Zenit St Petersburg this season, Andrey will not be available to play for Arsenal in this competition for the remainder of the 2008/09 season.

Andrey will wear the number 23 shirt.

'Arshavin really is a very special talent'


Most Arsenal fans' knowledge of Andrey Arshavin extends to his exploits at Euro 2008 last summer and those customary online clips of his goals and assists.

But what can we expect of the Russian international now his move to Emirates Stadium has finally been completed? What are his qualities as a footballer? How quickly is he likely to adapt to English football? How will he fit into the Arsenal side?

For a more in-depth view of Arshavin the player, we spoke to Jonathan Wilson, an expert on Eastern European football and author of 'Behind the Curtain: Travels in Eastern European Football'.

Jonathan, how big a deal is Arshavin's move to Arsenal?

"I think for Arshavin it’s a huge deal. He was pretty keen to leave last summer after he had those two great games against Sweden and Holland at Euro 2008. I think he realised then just how good he was. Before that, I don’t think he was aware that he could do it on a European scale. So I think he was looking for a move but stayed because of Zenit’s Champions League campaign.

"They didn’t have much luck in that campaign - it was derailed almost as soon as it started - so for Arshavin the last six months have been difficult. His interest seemed to have waned and he was substituted in five of his last seven League games for Zenit."

How significant is it for a player to leave Russia for England?

"I think for Arshavin, he’s 27, he has to move now if he was going to move. In terms of money he would be fine staying in Russia because, although Russian football has to be careful in the economic climate, Zenit would be one of the two or three teams who can ride out that storm. You have to have solid backing to sustain the wages and outlay we’ve seen in Russian football recently.

"So, financially, Arshavin would have been fine staying, but the truth is that the Premier League is the biggest league in the world. It gets the most exposure, the most coverage, and for Arshavin it is an opportunity to prove himself, to prove he can cope outside the Russian League."

What are Arshavin's strengths as a footballer?

"I keep hearing people say that ‘he’s only played two good games’, referring to Euro 2008, but the fact is he was brilliant in those games against Sweden and Holland.

"He only played three games in total at the Euros and, OK, he was disappointing against Spain in the Semi-Final. That was partly because Marcos Senna marked him very well but it was also because Spain played 4-1-4-1 when David Villa got injured and managed to push back the Russian full-backs. Part of Russia’s game had been the way the full-backs got forward, and playmakers need players moving around them. Arshavin was clearly restricted by Senna but, equally, he didn’t have those players moving around him. It’s very easy to blame the playmaker for what is actually a systemic failure in the team.

"So if I was an Arsenal fan I wouldn’t be too concerned about the fact that Arshavin didn’t show in that game. I think I’d look at the two games before that when he was absolutely magnificent. He dominated those games from midfield in a way I haven’t seen anyone do since the days of Michel Platini. To be honest I didn’t think it was possible for someone to dominate like that so I think he really is a very special talent.

"He’s quick, he’s sharp, he reads the game very well, he is a typical Arsène Wenger player in that he seems to have a very acute understanding of where other players are on the pitch. Technically he’s very good, he is diminutive, but he is top, top class."

Like Russia, Arsenal push their full-backs forward and have a fluidity about their attacking play. So Arshavin will fit in well, won't he?

"Yes, that’s true. If Arshavin comes into the team and they have that movement, he really will fit in well. He could be the catalyst for Arsenal to show more movement going forward than they do at the moment. If they get him in there and if he starts spraying the ball around like he can, it will encourage more movement from his team-mates."

With Fabregas and Rosicky to come back, Arshavin should also have a number of players on the same wavelength...

"Yes. If you look at the squad, the hole being filled by Arshavin is the one left by Alexander Hleb. He is in that mould because his passing is very precise, but it’s a very exciting prospect where you have a midfield of Nasri, Fabregas, Arshavin and perhaps Van Persie playing wide in a 4-1-4-1."

Do you expect the timing of the Russian League to affect how quickly Arshavin settles at Arsenal?

"It could be a problem for him. He hasn’t played football since November so I think it will be a good two or three weeks before we see him start to come through. Arsenal fans need to be aware that this could be a player for next season and not necessarily this season.

"It’s very easy to assume that, because Arsenal have injuries to Walcott, Fabregas and Rosicky, that Arshavin will fit in immediately and add a creative spark. But there’s a good chance he won’t have an instant impact because the Russian League ended in November and he didn’t really play at his best just before that.

"He has kept himself fit but he did not play in any of Zenit’s three pre-season friendlies. It’s a long time since Arshavin played a match so we should be very cautious not to expect too much too soon.

"But the flipside of that is if Arsenal can cling on and are still in the hunt come March, they suddenly get Arshavin finding fitness and their injured players back, that could be a real boost."

Arshavin will NOT make debut against Cardiff



Andrey Arshavin will NOT make his Arsenal debut against Cardiff City in the FA Cup Fourth-Round replay at Emirates Stadium on Monday, February 16.

The Russian international was an unused substitute in the North London derby at Tottenham on Sunday but he is ineligible for the Cardiff match because he was not an Arsenal player before the date of the first tie against the Bluebirds.

Arsenal drew 0-0 at Ninian Park on Sunday, January 25 while Arshavin completed his transfer from Zenit St. Petersburg to Arsenal on transfer-deadline day - Monday, February 2.

Arshavin WILL be eligible to face Burnley in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup should Arsenal beat Cardiff in their Fourth-Round replay.

Arsenal-Angreifer Emmanuel Adebayor aus Togo wird seinem Klub rund drei Wochen nicht zur Verfügung stehen.

Der Goalgetter musste am Wochenende beim Derby gegen Tottenham (0:0) nach 35 Spielminuten verletzt ausgetauscht werden.

Wie Gunners-Coach Wenger bestätigt, soll es sich um eine Oberschenkelverletzung beim Stürmer handeln.

Adebayor wird damit das Champions-League-Hinspiel gegen AS Rom am 24. Februar versäumen.

Arsenal ist aktuell Tabellen-5. der Premier League.

Walcott could be fit enough for Roma clash



Theo Walcott hopes to be back from injury at the end of February and may have a slim chance of making the crucial Champions League tie against Roma.

The midfielder last played for Arsenal in the defeat to Aston Villa on November 15. He dislocated his shoulder while on England duty a few days later.

The 19-year-old had surgery at the time and is well on the road to recovery. He is due to see a specialist on February 24 – the day of the Knockout Round first leg at Emirates Stadium – and is ambitious enough to believe he just might be involved.

"I am nearly there, and hopefully [will be back] by the end of this month," said Walcott in a webchat sponsored by EA Sports yesterday.

"I am doing a lot of rehab work now with the shoulder, landing on it, and also in the gym with a lot of weights to build the muscle strength back.

"I am seeing a specialist on February 24 so he will give me the heads [up]. Maybe it can be for that game I don’t know. I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up but I hope to be back by the end of the month certainly."

Shoulder problems run in the Walcott family however the winger feels this latest setback in fact could be beneficial in the long run.

"My dad had an operation on his right side (shoulder) as well, and when I had my left side done, they did a scan on my right and said that something might have to be done at a different stage," Walcott added.

"So actually it is good that it has come when I am young, and hopefully now it will be as strong as anything."