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Tomas Rosicky is back in full training and could return for Saturday's trip to Old Trafford.

After spending 18 months on the sidelines, the Czech midfielder made his long-awaited return to action during pre-season, playing three games for the Gunners.

But he sustained a hamstring problem before Arsenal's final clash of the summer against Valencia.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Arsène Wenger confirmed that although Wednesday night will come too soon for the 28-year-old, he might return on Saturday.

"Tomas Rosicky is back," the manager said. "not for tomorrow, but he was in normal training today.

"He could be in the squad on Saturday if needed."

Quelle: arsenal.com

Arsenal 3-1 Celtic

UEFA Champions League, Emirates Stadium

Wednesday, August 26, 2009, 19:45



* Eduardo 28 (pen),
* Eboue 53,
* Arshavin 74

* Donati 90


For the 12th consecutive season, Arsenal will compete in the Group Stages of the Champions League.

Arsène Wenger’s side secured their berth with a comfortable 3-1 win over Celtic in the Play-Off Round second leg at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night.

Arsenal already had the cushion of a 2-0 lead going into the game and extended their advantage midway through the half when keeper Artur Boruc was controversially adjudged to have fouled Eduardo in the area. The striker picked himself up to score from the spot.

The decision dominated the game but Arsenal made sure of their progression when Emmanuel Eboue fired low into the area after 53 minutes. Andrey Arshavin added a third 16 minutes from time. Massimo Donati volleyed a goal for Celtic with the last kick of the game but, frankly, it meant little.

In the end this game was a stroll. Wenger’s men had gained a grip on the tie in the first half at Celtic Park last week and never really let go.

Tougher tests surely await in Thursday’s draw however, for now, Arsenal’s European advance is assured.

In the build-up, Wenger had said this game dwarfed Saturday’s trip to Manchester United in terms of importance. At kick-off, only two things belied that assertion – the presence of Robin van Persie and Arshavin on the bench. However the Arsenal manager could argue his rotation this evening was more about freshening up his side for the anticipated physical threat of Celtic.

The other omissions from Saturday’s 4-1 win over Portsmouth were Cesc Fabregas (hamstring) and Kieran Gibbs. The replacements were Nicklas Bendtner, Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy and Alex Song. In addition, Eboue moved forward from full back to the right side of the 4-3-3.

Although Arsenal had that handy lead, Wenger was preaching vigilance before the game. As well as the visitors had played at Celtic Park, there had been fortune in both of their goals and, on the evidence of that game, Tony Mowbray’s side were very capable of providing a difficult evening.

However, in the end, it never came to that.

In the first half, Arsenal dominated once again. And, once again, scored with a stroke of good fortune.

As early as the eighth minute, Clichy clipped the ball inside to Eboue who, in turn, found Bendtner. The Dane produced a stern stab at the near post but Boric batted the ball away. It fell to Eduardo who slid his shot inches beyond the far upright.

Just before the quarter-hour, Denilson scuttled into the area, played a one-two with Eboue and sent a shot into the sidenetting.

Midway through the half, Abou Diaby found Eboue, who swung a shot just wide.

Arsenal were a constant threat. Celtic had not really created any clear chances but they had enjoyed enough possession to cause the odd palpitation in the home defence. William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen were both called upon to make timely interventions from centre back.

However the two teams knew that the first goal would be crucial tonight and, in the end, it went to Arsenal.

Denilson sent Eduardo through on the left of the area and the Croatian striker tumbled as Boruc challenged him. The Polish keeper was furious when referee Manuel Gonzalez pointed to the spot. However the 26-year-old retained his composure and converted coolly from 12 yards.

Five minutes later, the former Dinamo Zagreb striker nearly scored another when he poked a volley just wide.

In the 40th minute, Celtic thought they had grabbed a toe-hold when Scott McDonald turned home a right-wing cross from Marc-Antoine Fortune at the far post. However by the time the ball hit the net, the assistant referee had flagged for offside.

On the half-time whistle, Eduardo produced a swerving shot that the stretching Boruc only just managed to turn aside. From the resulting corner, Bendtner nodded wide when he might have scored.

Surprisingly Celtic’s only change at the break was to swap a defender for a defender. Mowbray’s men needed three goals after all.

Aiden McGeady flashed a curling effort just wide in the opening minute but, by way of reply, Eduardo meandered through only to slice his shot horribly from the edge of the area.

In the 53rd minute, Arsenal finally ended all resistance. Bendtner’s clever backheel from the left flank put Diaby into space in the area. The Frenchman found Eboue, who darted inside Daniel Fox and fired low into the net.

Job done.

Celtic tried to create some pressure but, by now, they were a spent force. (In contrast their supporters displayed admirable energy).

Wenger started to make changes. On the hour Ramsey replaced Diaby. Ten minutes later, he withdrew the two scorers for Jack Wilshere and Arshavin.

And within three minutes of the substitution the Russian had hit the net himself. Denilson stole the ball in midfield then Arshavin exchanged passes with Ramsey before sending a swivelling shot past Boruc and into the corner of the net.

The game drifted to its dénouement. Arsenal had what they wanted and Celtic could not take it from them.

There was a slight sting in the tail when Donati volleyed home with an improbable cross-shot with the last kick of the game.

But Wenger’s side were safely through.

Quelle: arsenal.com

'We are organised and structured to attack'



On the referee's decision to award Eduardo a penalty...
“From outside I must say it looked a penalty but having seen it again on television, it doesn’t look to be a penalty. But I must still say that we were always likely to score the first goal because Eduardo had a great chance before the penalty and we always looked in control of the game tonight.

“I believe that it was not a penalty but having seen it again, I'm not sure that the ‘keeper didn't touch him with his right knee. I am a bit cautious because with what happened to Eduardo, you know. He might have jumped out of the way, so you have to speak to him. I don’t think he would have complained if the penalty was not given but did he want to get out of the way of the ‘keeper? I have to ask him. I haven’t spoken to him yet.

“We looked capable of scoring but that doesn’t mean that the penalty is important if it is not a penalty. That doesn’t mean I do not want a penalty that is not a penalty, but I do not go as far to say Edaurdo dived. He went down, for what reason I do not know. But I do not think he would have complained if the penalty was not given.”

On diving…
“Is it acceptable? I have never asked in my life any guy to dive to win a penalty, but sometimes players go down because there is no other way to escape the goalkeeper’s tackle, sometimes they dive. We got a penalty against us two years ago in the Quarter-Final of the Champions League that made the difference when Babel dived. Nobody ever apologised to us, it was a blatant dive and nobody spoke about it.”


On the difference in quality between Arsenal and Celtic…
“I believe that in the two games Celtic were well organised and showed some great mental qualities. They never gave up at any moment, and for me, they are a good side. Over the two games, they were a bit unlucky, because in the first game the free-kick deflected. They were always one behind the score and when there is a technical difference between the two sides, it makes it even harder.”

On injuries ahead of the Manchester United game…
“Aaron Ramsey is injured. I do not know how bad it is. I know they checked his knee but I have not spoken to the physios yet. Cesc looks to be short for Saturday. I could take Diaby off because he has not played for a long time. Three games in the same week would be a lot, apart from that, everybody looks alright.”

On Tony Mowbray’s comments that his side won’t play a side in Europe as good as Arsenal again this season…
“It is a great compliment. We are now in the top, top league in Europe, with all the big names. Somebody told me our team tonight had an average age of 23.9 years. That means if we can get out of the Group Stage, then in six months we can be even stronger.

"That is what we want to focus on, to continue to improve our team play, the speed of our game and show that we have made big improvements come Saturday at 5.15.”

On the Emirates atmosphere…
“There is a little wave of optimism again because our team has started well and the fans are a bit more optimistic.”

On scoring goals…
“For any team, you would want to score goals. We are orgainised and structured to go forward. The price we pay is sometimes we concede as well, but as long as we score, we do not worry too much.”

On Abou Diaby’s fitness…
“Diaby can’t play three in the trot because he has not played for a long time. I took him off in case I want to play him. After playing 60 minutes, the last 30 minutes can make a difference.”

On the 4-3-3 system…
“I believe we defend better as a unit. The system is not that new, we have played many games like that. At the moment, it works well for us. We have another test to see that on Saturday afternoon.”

On the 4-3-3 system working at Old Trafford last season…
“We played using that system in the Champions League game against Manchester United as well and it didn’t work at all. What changed? I feel in the Champions League, we were on back foot and in the Premier League we were more adventurous and going forward more often. We were too passive in Champions League; it is more mentally than tactically.”

On Thomas Vermaelen settling in…
“Who wouldn’t be happy, the two centre-backs were again outstanding. Thomas was great.”

On going to Old Trafford…
“I’m happy to go there because it is the first big, big test. You want to have a high level of confidence when you go to Old Trafford and we have that at the moment. For us it is most important to recover physically because Man United didn’t play tonight.”

Quelle: arsenal.com

Arsenal-Stürmer Eduardo droht Sperre nach Schwalbe

Arsenal-Stürmer Eduardo da Silva könnte sein herausgeholter Elfmeter im Qualifikationsrückspiel zur Champions League gegen Celtic Glasgow (3:1) teuer zu stehen kommen.

Dem 26-jährigen Kroaten droht eine Sperre von bis zu zwei Europacup-Spielen, sollte er nachträglich für eine Schwalbe belangt werden. Das bestätigte UEFA-Präsident Michel Platini am Donnerstag vor der Auslosung der CL-Gruppenphase in Monaco.

"Es gibt solche Disziplinarmaßnahmen"
Schottlands Verbandsgeneral Gordon Smith hatte die Bestrafung von Eduardo bei der UEFA angeregt. "Es gibt solche Disziplinarmaßnahmen bei der UEFA, und es könnte in Betracht gezogen werden, den Spieler zu sperren", erklärte Platini.

"Eines Tages werden es die Spieler aufgeben zu simulieren, weil sie die Schiedsrichter sehen." Eduardo hatte den folgenden Elfmeter beim Stand von 0:0 selbst verwertet (28.). Arsenal hatte bereits das Hinspiel mit 2:0 gewonnen.

Quelle: sport.orf.at

Cesc Fabregas is “50:50” to make the trip to Manchester United on Saturday.

The Arsenal midfielder injured his hamstring in the first half of the 4-1 win against Portsmouth last weekend and consequently missed Wednesday’s win over Celtic at Emirates Stadium.

However, according to Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal captain is improving and will have a fitness test on Friday to determine his inclusion for the squad at Old Trafford.

“He had a training session today that was quite positive,” the manager told Arsenal TV Online on Thursday afternoon. “He will have a definite test tomorrow where we will decide if we include him in the squad or not. Today I would say it is a real 50:50. Yesterday it I would say it was 60:40 against but he looked positive today.”

Meanwhile Wenger had mixed news over another two midfielders.
Aaron Ramsey has undergone a scan after picking up a knock against Celtic but it is hoped no significant injury will be diagnosed. Tomas Rosicky is back in training but will not be risked at Old Trafford.

“From last night we have an uncertainty about Aaron Ramsey,” said Wenger. “He is having a scan at the moment.

“The news was quite re-assuring this morning and we are hoping we’ll get some more [news later]. We don’t think it is a knee injury. We were scared it was a cartilage problem but the news was positive today. It did not swell and he had no restriction of movement. It could be a muscle behind the knee provoked, at first, by a kick on his shin. But we could have some news today that he has nothing at all.

“Rosicky is back in full training but I think a game of that intensity will be too early for him.”

Quelle: arsenal.com

Champions League Group H fixtures released


Arsenal's fixtures for Champions League Group H are as follows:

Match Day 1

R. Standard de Liege v Arsenal
Wednesday 16th September 2009
Kick Off: 19.45 UK
To be played at Maurice Dufrasne Stadium


Match Day 2

Arsenal v Olympiakos FC
Tuesday 29th September 2009
Kick Off: 19:45 UK
To be played at Emirates Stadium


Match Day 3

AZ Alkmaar v Arsenal
Tuesday 20th October 2009
Kick Off: 19:45 UK
To be played at DSB Stadion


Match Day 4

Arsenal v AZ Alkmaar
Wednesday 4th November 2009
Kick Off: 19:45 UK
To be played at Emirates Stadium


Match Day 5

Arsenal v R. Standard de Liege
Tuesday 24th November 2009
Kick Off: 19:45 UK
To be played at Emirates Stadium


Match Day 6

Olympiacos FC v Arsenal
Wednesday 9th December 2009
Kick Off: 19:45 UK
To be played at Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium



Quelle: arsenal.com

Champions League Group Stage draw made


The draw for the 2009/10 Champions League Group Stage has been made.

Arsenal will face Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar, Greek champions Olympiacos and Champions League newcomers Standard Liege in Group H

Below is a brief description of the Gunners' Group Stage opponents.

AZ Alkmaar

AZ Alkmaar
This is Alkmaar's first appearance in the Champions League Group Stage. Arsenal played AZ most recently in a pre-season match in August 2006. The Gunners ran out 3-0 winners on the occasion.

Olympiacos FC

Olympiacos
The Greek champions reached the Group Stage having defeated Slovan Bratislava 4-0 over two legs in the Third Qualifying Round. They then beat FC Sheriff 3-0 on aggregate in their Play-Off.

Standard Liège

Standard Liege
This is the first time Standard Liege have competed in the Champions League Group Stage. The Belgian champions eliminated Everton in the First Round of last season’s Uefa Cup, having come agonisingly close to doing the same to Liverpool in the Champions League Third Qualifying Round. Arsenal beat Liege 7-0 away in the 1993/94 Cup Winners' Cup. The scoreline remains Arsenal's biggest away victory.


Quelle: arsenal.com

Manchester United 2-1 Arsenal

Barclays Premier League, Old Trafford

Saturday, August 29, 2009, 17:15



* Rooney 59 (pen),
* Diaby 64 (og)

* Arshavin 4

Abou Diaby’s own goal consigned Arsenal to their first defeat of the season at Old Trafford on Saturday evening.

The Frenchman midfielder inadvertently nodded home a Ryan Giggs free-kick in the 64th minute to complete Manchester United’s second-half comeback on a disappointing day in the North-West.

Arsenal had looked good value for their lead until the 59th minute when Manuel Almunia clipped Wayne Rooney in the area and the England striker scored from the spot.

Andrey Arshavin’s thunderous drive had given the visitors the advantage five minutes before the interval and, just after the restart, keeper Ben Foster saved point-blank from Robin van Persie.

This was a decent performance from Arsenal but the key moments in the second half did not go their way.

This game was never going to be decisive in Premier League terms but it was an illuminating yardstick for both sides at the start of the campaign,

Manchester United took the spoils but Arsenal showed enough to suggest they will be a force this season.

Wenger opted to make two changes for the first “Big Four” clash of the Premier League campaign. Nicklas Bendtner and Eduardo dropped out from side that beat Celtic in midweek. Van Persie and Arshavin came in.

With Cesc Fabregas (hamstring) injured Diaby, Denilson and Alex Song formed the midfield three while Willam Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen were paired at centre back.

Before kick-off, victories for Chelsea and Tottenham had put them joint top with 12 points. Both of these sides began this game with just six. A defeat for either would be far from terminal in terms of the title race but it would certainly make the table unhappy reading in until the Premier League kicked off again in a fortnight’s time.

Arsenal started brightly but had created little before hesitancy at the back saw Darren Fletcher hook the ball from close range in the ninth minute.

The home side then started to pressure and, on the quarter-hour, William Gallas’ miskick allowed Nani to go clear and only a superb challenge from Bacary Sagna stopped the Portuguese going clear on the left.

The game was starting to open up. In the 22nd minute, Patrice Evra reached the byline and whipped the ball back to the near post where Vermalen shepherded Rooney out of the way. Arsenal broke immediately and suddenly Van Persie was in the area. The Dutchman pirouetted to get the ball on his left foot however Evra had raced back and deflected the resulting shot high over the bar.

Van Persie took the corner himself and keeper Ben Foster could only slap the ball out to Arshavin 15 yards out. His rising sidefoot shot whistled a whisker wide of the far post. Arsenal’s closest effort so far.
Manchester United continued to have more pressure. Gallas clipped Evra as he burst through and Rooney curled the free-kick wide.

But Arsenal had a couple of credible shouts for a penalty before they would took the lead. Van Persie was clipped on the right of the area and then, more obviously, Darren Fletcher clattered into Arshavin a minute or so later. Both times referee Mike Dean waved play on.

The Russian would have swift revenge.

Five minutes from half time, Arshavin collected the ball on the left and unleashed one of his, now trademark, thunderbolts. It was too powerful for Foster, who could only palm the ball into the top corner of the net.

Manchester United were stung. They had edged the first half until then and tried to restored parity before the break. The closest they came was when Nemanja Vidic saw his shot kicked off the line following a corner from Giggs

By the time the second half had begun, rain had arrived in Manchester.

The home goal was also under a bit of a deluge as the game restarted. Arshavin’s burst of pace saw him beat Vidic to the byline and cross low for Van Persie in the six-yard area. The Dutch striker got away his shot first time but Foster flicked out a foot to divert the ball wide from point-blank range.

Seconds later, an unmarked Eboue miscontrolled Clichy’s cross at the far post when he should have tried his luck with a volley.

Antonio Valencia blazed over as Manchester United started the claw their way back into the game. They would not have to wait long for an equaliser. In the 59th minute, Rooney raced across the area and poked the ball away from Almunia. The keeper certainly made contact with the striker as he went through. Rooney picked himself up and stroked the ball home from the spot.

Arsenal nearly produced a sucker-punch two minutes later when Van Persie whipped in a free-kick from the right, Foster misjudged it and the ball bounced off the bar.

However Manchester United took the lead shortly afterwards in bizarre fashion. In the 64th minute Giggs curled in a free-kick to the near post and, under little pressure, Diaby nodded the ball into his own net.

Evra forced a low save from Almunia as Manchester United looked for a third. With 19 minutes left, Wenger withdrew Eboue for Bendtner as he pushed on for an equaliser.

The change produced pressure but no real chances. Vermaelen sent a header wide while Diaby and substitute Eduardo tried to be a danger in the Manchester United area.

In fact it was the home side that had all the opportunities. Another replacement, Dimitar Berbatov sliced horribly wide then, in injury time, Nani wasted two chances.

In the final seconds, Van Persie slammed home from six yards but in the build-up, Gallas had been flagged offside. Following that, Wenger was sent from the dug-out by referee Dean.

A disappointing end to a display that had promised much.


Quelle: arsenal.com

'We were the better team and lost the game'


On bad luck during the match…
"I think what is the most difficult to take is that we were the better team and we lost the game. We were in front and had a chance to score the second goal and got punished on two goals. It is beyond belief.

"So overall I would like to keep the positives of this game because I believe that we can deal well with the disappointment of losing the game today. We have a great future and we can be a real force. But of course, it’s difficult to sort out tonight and we go home without any points."

On being sent off at the end of the match…
“I kicked the bottle of water when the goal was cancelled from disappointment and the fourth official called the referee and sent me off. Frankly, I don’t know what to say. Thirty seconds to go. It was really spectacular. I didn’t even know where to go. He told me to go into the stands, but there was no way to get into the stands. Just because I kicked a bottle of water, I didn’t say a word to anybody. And it was quite a good kick."

On Robin van Persie’s cancelled goal…
"I didn’t kick the bottle because Gallas was not offside, but because I was disappointed. I thought we had equalised."

On missing out on a penalty in the first half…
"Maybe I’m not the most objective, but for me I believe it was a penalty in the first half.

On the differences between Rooney’s and Eduardo’s penalties…
"It will be a big difference tomorrow in the newspapers. I don’t know…I have not seen it, I do not want especially to see it. He kicked the ball to the corner flag, Rooney, and after - was he touched or not, was it a penalty or not – leave these decisions to the referee."

On the frustration of not getting any points from the match…

"Football is unpredictable. I believe in this team we lack some calmness, maturity and experience when we were in moments where we were not under panic at all. We assessed wrongly two situations. The first one, Rooney was no danger to score, there was no need to panic. And on the second one as well. There was not one player of Man United around our players. So it’s lack of communication and still little bit I feel in these situations that we might be lacking a little bit of experience."

On the missed opportunities at 1-0…
"We couldn’t finish the game off. You play at Old Trafford you get 1-1 of course. And any mistake and then you’re down. We had the chances to kill this game and even to come back to 2-2."

Quelle: arsenal.com

Heftige Kritik an Schiedsrichter

Arsene Wenger und Alex Ferguson haben schon so manchen Strauß ausgefochten. Nach der knappen 1:2-Niederlage gegen den amtierenden Meister am Samstag beendete der französische Arsenal-Manager die zwischenzeitliche verbale "Waffenruhe" und beschuldigte Manchester United, "Anti-Fußball" praktiziert zu haben.

Der 59-jährige Franzose beschwerte sich nach dem Schlager in Old Trafford über viele seiner Meinung nach absichtlichen Fouls, denen seine "Gunners" ausgesetzt waren. "Ich habe einen Spieler gesehen, der nur auf dem Platz war, um Fouls zu machen", wurde Wenger am Montag in britischen Medien zitiert.

Manchester wurde außerdem ein Elfmeter zugesprochen, den Rooney nach einer Stunde zum 1:1 verwandelte. Seine Elf reklamierte dagegen vergeblich einen Strafstoß, als Andrej Arschawin, der Torschütze zur 1:0-Führung, im 16-Meter-Raum von Darren Fletcher zu Fall gebracht worden war.

Keine Namen
"Und diese Spieler kommen damit durch, sie bekommen nicht einmal eine Gelbe Karte. Für mich ist das viel mehr Anti-Fußball, als es zum Beispiel Schwalben sind", bezog sich Wenger auf die UEFA-Ermittlungen gegen Arsenal-Stürmer Eduardo, der in der Champions-League-Qualifikation gegen Celtic Glasgow mit einem unfairen "Faller" im Strafraum einen Elfmeter herausgeholt hatte.

Die United-Mittelfeldspieler Fletcher und Michael Carrick hatten mit wiederholten Fouls das Spiel der Londoner zerstört. Auf die Frage, ob er Fletcher beschuldige, meinte Wenger aber nur lächelnd: "Warum erwähnen Sie diesen Namen?" Konkreter wollte der nach Schlusspfiff fuchsteufelswilde Ober-"Gunner" nicht werden.

Entschuldigung beim Wassertreter
"Absichtliche Fouls sind ein größeres Problem, weil sie den Spielfluss brechen. Die Leute zahlen, um Fußball zu sehen, nicht Freistöße", argumentierte Wenger aber lautstark, nachdem er die Tribüne des United-Stadions wieder verlassen hatte. Auf diese war er nach dem Wegtreten einer Wasserflasche nämlich vom Schiedsrichter verbannt worden.

Eine völlig unnötige Aktion auf Veranlassung des vierten Offiziellen Lee Robert, die sogar die Premier-League-Spitzenfunktionäre auf die Palme brachte. So kündigte man sogar an, sich offiziell bei Wenger entschuldigen zu wollen. Robert habe das Geschehen ohne Not vom Spiel auf die Tribüne gelenkt, wo Wenger übrigens einige Minuten vergeblich einen freien Sitzplatz suchte.

Quelle: sport.orf.at

Wenger - Diaby can still be our powerhouse



Arsène Wenger believes Abou Diaby can still become a “powerhouse” if he can overcome his Old Trafford error.

The Arsenal midfielder nodded past his own keeper in the 64th minute on Saturday to give Manchester United an unlikely three points.

The mistake was at odds with the dominant displays the 23-year-old has been putting in this season. His manager says Diaby can continue his ascent if he responds to Saturday’s disappointment in the right way.

“If he stays injury free, he can be an athlete and powerhouse,” said Wenger. “We just have to touch wood and see in the next three weeks if he can get through the games.”

Quelle: arsenal.com

Wenger - Diving is NOT the biggest problem


Arsène Wenger is proud that British football abhors diving but the Arsenal manager still feels there are bigger problems to solve in football at the moment.

The issue has been in the news after the award of two game-changing penalties in matches involving the Emirates Stadium side this week. The first revolved around Eduardo on Wednesday and the second concerned Wayne Rooney, of Manchester United, on Saturday.

Both spot-kicks took centre stage in Wenger’s post-match press conferences and, although the Frenchman argues that the very concern about diving is a strength, he feels the strong-arm tactics of certain players needs more urgent attention in the modern game.

“I like that [focus on the diving problem],” he said. “I believe that is a quality in this country. In some countries it is a quality to dive. I’m still more proud to be part of England where they fight against it.

“But there are other points that are for me more urgent. There are players who play only to make fouls who are never punished and they get a result out of the game. That for me is more anti-football than a player like Eduardo who did what Eduardo did.”

Quelle: arsenal.com

We’re best equipped to dethrone the champions


Arsène Wenger believes his side are best equipped to dethrone Manchester United despite Saturday’s defeat at Old Trafford.

Andrey Arshavin handed the Gunners a deserved lead five minutes before the break in the champions’ backyard. However, Wayne Rooney’s penalty and Abou Diaby’s own goal in the second-half sent Arsenal to their first defeat of the season.

Speaking after the game, a disappointed Wenger insisted that his confidence in the side had not diminished as a result of the reverse. But the manager admitted that there is room for psychological growth among his squad.

“We were very strong today. I am very confident, I just hope that this unexpected defeat will not derail their confidence,” Wenger said.

“I feel we are equipped to challenge for the title. Frankly, when you see a comparable two performances of the two teams, you can recognise that.

“I think they have won a game today they should not have won.

“I believe we looked mature on the pitch, in the way we are positioned on the pitch but individually in this team there is some nervousness there.”

Quelle: arsenal.com

Eduardo given two-game Uefa suspension



The following statement appeared on Uefa's website on Tuesday.

"The Uefa Control and Disciplinary Body today examined the case of the Arsenal FC player Eduardo "for deceiving the referee" during the Uefa Champions League play-off second leg match on 26 August against Celtic FC, and has suspended the player for two Uefa club competition matches.

"This decision may be appealed against by the club or player within three working days of the dispatch of the reasoned decision."

Official Club statement - Eduardo


The Club is disappointed with Uefa’s decision to suspend Eduardo for two Champions League matches starting with Standard Liege on September 16.

We have been informed that we will receive a “reasoned decision” from Uefa by Thursday of this week. Once we receive Uefa’s rationale, we will make a decision on the next steps.


We have been deeply frustrated by the perfunctory and apparently arbitrary process that Uefa has followed in this instance. We believe it is imperative that Uefa’s explanation for its decision provides clear and comprehensive standards that will be consistently enforced. It is also critical that Uefa provides specific details of the processes it plans to adopt in reviewing all games under its jurisdiction.

Quelle: arsenal.com

Bendtner signs a new long-term contract

Denmark international Nicklas Bendtner has today signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal Football Club.

The forward (21) came into the 2009/10 season looking to build on his performances of last term when he finished second in Arsenal’s appearances table and was the top scorer in the Premier League aged 21 or under - boasting a strike rate of 15 goals in 27 starts. Picking up where he left off for the new campaign, Nicklas has appeared in every fixture to date and is looking to further impress in all competitions.

A key man for the Denmark side, Nicklas has appeared 27 times and scored eight goals for his country and is keen to play his part in a vital World Cup year.

Manager Arsène Wenger commented: “Nicklas has impressed me highly with his application and determination over the last season, you can see that he wants to compete at the highest level and win things with his team-mates. He scored a number of important goals for us last season and he will look to replicate that again this year. However, it’s not just about the goals, his all round contribution has improved and will continue to do so. I’m very pleased that he will be part of the team for years to come.”

Upon signing his new deal, Nicklas said: “It means a lot that I can commit my future to Arsenal because I have a great affection for this Club. I’ve been here for five years now, and my development both on and off the pitch as a player and person is thanks to Arsène Wenger and the team here. We’ve got a group of players that is capable of achieving great success, and I am really excited to be a part of it.”

Everyone at Arsenal is looking forward to Nicklas’ continued contribution for seasons to come.

Quelle: arsenal.com

Denilson signs a new long-term contract

Arsenal Football Club is delighted to announce that midfielder Denilson has signed a new long-term contract with the Club.

Having joined Arsenal in 2006 from his homeland club Sao Paulo, Denilson (21) firmly established himself in the Gunners’ engine room in the 2008/09 season, making more appearances than any other Arsenal player during the campaign. Having played in every Premier League game, the young midfielder clocked up an impressive 51 appearances in all competitions scoring three goals.

A busy and efficient player with a good eye for a pass, Denilson has captained his country at every level from Under-15 to Under-20 and was a finalist at the 2005 FIFA Under-17 World Championships.

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger said: “Denilson’s contribution to the Club last season was outstanding. His work rate really was exceptional and it is valuable to have players that we know will perform to the very last minute in such a demanding league. I’m pleased that he has committed his long-term future to the Club. ”

Commenting on his new deal with the Gunners, Denilson said: “My development since I joined back in 2006 has really pleased me, and I just want to build on last season’s performances. We have a hugely talented group of players here, and I am convinced that with everyone working together we’ll be able to achieve great things. It’s a special time to be part of this Club and I’m delighted to have signed a new long-term deal.”

Everyone at Arsenal Football Club is looking forward to Denilson’s continued contribution

Quelle: arsenal.com

Official Club Statement - Eduardo and Uefa

The Club is in receipt of Uefa’s reasoned decision in relation to the charge against Eduardo.

We strongly believe that the decision taken is deeply flawed and not based on any forensic review of the video evidence available.

There are obvious errors and inconsistencies in Uefa’s judgment and we intend to appeal.

Quelle: arsenal.com

Andrey Arshavin will miss the next three Arsenal games after aggravating a groin injury while on international duty this week.

Speaking to Arsenal TV Online on Thursday, Arsène Wenger admitted he was “upset” the midfielder had played a full 90 minutes for Russia in Wales the night before. The manager had taken him off against Manchester United 10 days earlier after he had picked up the problem during the 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford.

There is better news about Tomas Rosicky, who returned to competitive action for the Czech Republic on Wednesday, and Cesc Fabregas, who made a scoring comeback for Spain. But the manager is unsure about the fitness levels of both players for the weekend trip to Manchester City.

Thankfully, the quartet of French internationals have certainly come back unscathed from their travels.
“We have had one piece of bad news,” said Wenger. “Arshavin has come back injured from the Russian game last night.

“We are upset because he should not have played. He was not in a condition where he could afford to play 90 minutes. We took him off against Manchester United because he was injured already at half-time. He will be out for Saturday, Wednesday and certainly next Saturday.

“As for Tomas, he played 54 minutes in good shape. Of course we have to be cautious. But the good news is he is back and he played. I don’t know if he’ll be in the squad for Saturday.

“Cesc played [for Spain] but I have not actually seen him yet. One of the discomforts of the international break is that you don’t know when your players will come back or what state they will be in."

Finally, Wenger confirmed that Theo Walcott’s back problem has cleared up. The England international only needs fitness now and he could be ready after the Champions League trip in midweek.

“Theo is rid of the injury now,” said Wenger. “What is important now is to get him competitive again. He has not had any normal training sessions with the team. But I hope that will happen soon. He should be available next week.”

Quelle: arsenal.com

Eduardo can deal with 'unfair' treatment’



Arsène Wenger insists Eduardo has the mental fortitude to cope with the fall-out from his Champions League ban.

The Croatian striker was suspended for two matches after being found guilty of attempting to deceive the referee when he won a penalty against Celtic last month.

Arsenal have appealed against that decision but Wenger feels that Eduardo is already paying a heavy price for being singled out by Uefa.

The 26-year-old has been jeered by opposition fans ever since the Celtic incident and had a decent penalty shout turned down when Croatia lost to England at Wembley on Wednesday night.

“The situation has been created by the media impact of his case,” explained Wenger at his pre-match press conference.

“That [the opposition taunts] is not the worst, the worst is that now he is not given penalties when they are penalties. That is much worse. The one last night against England was a penalty.

“You want everybody to be treated fairly, and I do not believe he is treated fairly. There was a good opportunity to take a media campaign against many players, which the media did not do. You cannot give him the feeling that he has been treated fairly.”

Eduardo is suffering at the hands of opposition fans at the moment but he has plenty of support in the wider football word.

And Wenger has no doubt that the man who returned from the horrific injury he suffered at Birmingham last year can overcome this rather less painful obstacle.

“Any situation you face as a top-level player you have to deal with, and you can only do that by being mentally strong,” said the Frenchman.

“I do not believe it will affect his game. He is a player who has gone through much more difficult things than that.

“On the one side, a good way to deal with that is that he is in good health. This is a minor event compared to what he has gone through before.”

Quelle: arsenal.com

Djourou ruled out for 'six to eight months'


Arsène Wenger has confirmed that Johan Djourou will miss “six to eight months” after undergoing surgery on his knee.

The centre half suffered swelling to the knee in training for Switzerland’s game with Italy at the start of the season. He has since been under the surgeon’s knife.

Speaking exclusively to Arsenal TV Online on Thursday afternoon, Wenger revealed the length of his recuperation.

“Johan is six to eight months,” he said. “He had big surgery, and it is a big blow for him and the Club. He will have to be patient this season.”

Quelle: arsenal.com

‘Top talents need to be at the top clubs’



Arsène Wenger has voiced his concerns over proposals to change Fifa’s transfer rules in the wake of the Gael Kakuta affair.

Chelsea have been banned from signing any new players until January 2011 after they were found guilty of inducing the French youngster to break his contract with Lens in 2007.

Kakuta was 15 when Chelsea are alleged to have made their first approach and there are now moves to increase the minimum age at which a youngster can change clubs.

This worries Wenger. The Arsenal boss is renowned for nurturing young talent and he believes a new ruling would have a detrimental effect on the sport as the best players are denied the chance to develop at elite clubs.

“I am against the process of stopping the players moving to the top level,” said Wenger at his pre-match press conference.

“If you have a child who is a good musician, what is your first reflex? It is to put the child into a good music school, not in an average one. So why should that not happen in football?

“If a player goes to Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, it's all clean and he gets a good education. That's why I am very sharp on cases like that. We have to respect the rules that are in place. You have always to look if you make one decision, what kind of alternative there is. If your players cannot move to the best clubs, I believe they will not improve.

“What I'm fighting against, if you take for example Lens in this case, where did Lens find the player [Kakuta]? In a smaller club. Where did the smaller club take the player from? A smaller club? At the end of the day, to be a top-level player is to be with the best.

Quelle: arsenal.com

UEFA zieht Sperre gegen Eduardo

zurückDer kroatische Nationalspieler Eduardo da Silva von Arsenal muss beim Start in die Gruppenphase der Champions League doch nicht zuschauen. Die Berufungsinstanz der UEFA gab am Montag dem Einspruch des Londoner Spitzenclubs gegen eine Sperre statt.

Zuvor war der 26 Jahre alte Angreifer wegen einer angeblichen Strafraum-"Schwalbe" im Qualifikationsspiel gegen Celtic Glasgow Ende August für zwei Partien der europäischen Königsklasse suspendiert worden.

Arsenal begrüßte die Entscheidung. "Wir konnten zeigen, dass es Kontakt zwischen Eduardo und dem Keeper gab", hieß es auf der Vereins-Website. Arsenal startet am Mittwoch bei Standard Lüttich in die Gruppenphase.

Quelle: sport.orf.at

Eduardo - We have finally arrived at the truth


Further to Uefa’s decision on Monday night, Eduardo has made the following comment to Arsenal.com:

“I’m very pleased that we have finally arrived at the truth. All we needed to do was to prove what happened and we have managed to do that. This decision makes me feel a lot better.

“I certainly feel relieved now. I have had great support from my family, friends and of course everyone at the Club.

“Now I just want to forget about this and think about our match against Standard Liege on Wednesday. I was always prepared for the match in Belgium because I had good feeling and I always remained positive about the outcome. Now we have a final result, I can now look forward to helping the team on Wednesday night.

“All I remember of the incident is that as soon as I had possession of the ball I headed towards goal at full speed. I was very close to the Celtic keeper and felt contact on my foot and then lost my balance. I know perhaps more than anyone else that when you have contact at speed it can be dangerous.

“I just want to say that I’m a fair player. To score goals you must take your opportunities and I’m not the type of player who needs to be dishonest to score goals.”

Quelle: arsenal.com

Wenger will consider new deal for Gallas



Arsène Wenger is so impressed with the centre-half partnership established between William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen that he will consider handing the Frenchman a new contract at the end of the year.

Gallas, 32, endured some tough moments last term, including being relinquished of the captaincy. But the experienced defender has bounced back with some solid performances at the start of this season.

Apart from Mikael Silvestre, who was born eight days earlier, the former Chelsea player is the oldest player in the Arsenal squad but that will not stop Wenger looking to the future at the turn of the year if his form continues.

"I will assess that in December," said Wenger before the weekend's game. "But they both look comfortable together, Thomas and William.

"It's like you have a guy who scores many goals and the guy who provides the assists. It's always difficult to know who makes the other one good."

Quelle: arsenal.com