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Wenger: 'Our pace and movement were key'


On the nature of the game...
"It was a very open game because the two teams were going forward. Fenerbahce are an attacking side and are very dangerous. Both teams were going forward 100 per cent but the fact we scored an early goal forced Fenerbahce to come out and we caught them many times on the counter-attack.

"It was open because we scored early and it forced them to come completely at us. Overall our pace, movement and technique made the difference and allowed us to take advantage of it but it was not an easy game."

On the youth of his side...
"I am very proud of the team. The average age was 23 and I am proud because we came in and tried to dictate the game in a very heated atmosphere. It is very pleasing that they seemed to play with no fear. I am pleased to see it works. We came here and had a go. We started strong, we remained quite strong and we finished strong."

On the state of the group...
"We have not qualified but we need one more victory."

On Ramsey scoring...
"It is fantastic. The boy is only 17 and to come on and show that he is not scared to play and wants the ball. He has a presence in the game straight away when he comes on, you see that. It is very good to see."

On Theo Walcott's finishing...
"Once again early in the game he got a good goal and he always gives you hope he can make things happen."

On English clubs dominating in Europe again this season...
"It is early to say that but the English clubs have a good chance to come out of the group stages, that looks very positive."

On how the result will be viewed around Europe...
"We want to improve. There are things in our game we want to focus on.The next game we face West Ham on Sunday and that is more important than what people say about us.

"But I hope people who love to watch us we have given them some good moments so they love football."

On Aragones and specifically on whether he would like to coach Fenerbahce...
"Fenerbahce have a very good coach. They just need to give him time work things out. I have a contract with Arsenal until 2011."

Adebayor - The next step is to rule in Europe



Emmanuel Adebayor argues that Arsenal will only be satisfied by winning the Champions League this season.

The Togolese striker hit the first goal at Fenerbahce on Tuesday night as Arsène Wenger’s side stormed to a 5-2 victory that kept them top of Group G and looking to seal early qualification to the next round.

Last season, Arsenal went through in similar style and then swept aside Milan before being knocked out by Liverpool at the Quarter-Final stage. Adebayor demands improvement on that and, realistically, he argues that means lifting the trophy in Rome next May.

“What we did last season is behind us now,” he said. “We want to achieve something better than that.



“If you want to go further that really means to win it. Once you go past the Quarter-Final you only have the Semi-Final and Final so you have a lot of chance to win it.

“We have not lost a lot of players. We have only lost Hleb and Flamini but we have changed them. Nasri and Denilson have come in and are both playing good football.”

Almunia - It seemed like a training match



Manuel Almunia has labelled Tuesday night's victory at Fenerbahce as a “strange” and “crazy” game.

The 31-year-old was handed a tough task for his first match as Arsenal captain – a European tie in Turkey.

However, Almunia saved from Ugur Boral at point-blank range in the opening moments and the visitors capitalised on that by scoring twice in 70 seconds around the 10-minute mark.

Mikael Silvestre then inadvertently put the ball high past Almunia however Arsenal responded immediately through Abou Diaby.

The visitors could have added to their lead before the break but Daniel Guiza, a former team-mate of Almunia at Recreativo Huelva, spurned two fine chances to pull Fenerbahce back into the game.



Alex Song seemed to have put the game beyond doubt early in the second half but Guiza did beat Almunia before substitute Aaron Ramsey wrapped things up in injury time.

The match finished 5-2 but it could have easily have been 10-4.

“It was a crazy game,” admitted Almunia afterwards. “There were so many chances it seemed like a training match.

“The game started well for me with that save. It made things easier. After that I found the game more comfortable.

“Personally I had a strange feeling about the match, everything seemed much easier than normal in the Champions League.

“But it must have been a great game for the supporters of both clubs.”

Eduardo is 'three weeks away' from return



Eduardo will be back playing competitive football in three weeks.

The Arsenal striker suffered horrific leg and ankle injuries at Birmingham back on February 23 and, in the immediate aftermath, it was feared his career could be in doubt.

However the Croatian was operated on that evening in the Midlands and has been working hard on his rehabilitation ever since.



Speaking at Arsenal’s AGM on Thursday morning, Arsène Wenger confirmed that the long wait is nearly over.

“Eduardo is three weeks away from playing competitive football,” he said.

However, it appears Tomas Rosicky’s return will take a little longer.

“He should be back after Christmas,” said Wenger.

The Czech midfielder has been out since January 29 with a hamstring problem.

Wenger - We won't rule out January signing


Arsène Wenger may make a signing in the January transfer window.

Speaking at Thursday’s AGM, the manager revealed that he would consider opening the cheque book in the New Year if it would help his side win their first silverware since 2005.

Despite this, the Frenchman said that no decisions would be made until the window swings open, insisting that his focus would be solely on the team’s current performance.



“We will not rule anything out,” Wenger said. “We want to win at the end of the season and if we feel that signings are needed in January to accomplish this we will do so.

“What is more important until then is to deliver as much as we can. If, in January, it is needed then we will do something.

“But what makes me unhappy is that we got beaten by Hull. If we had won then we would only be one point behind the leaders and in a very strong position.”

Wenger - My three reasons to be cheerful



Arsène Wenger outlined his three ‘reasons to be cheerful' at the Club's AGM on Thursday lunchtime.

The Arsenal manager believes that supporters have been in "recession mood" recently while he feels the team are about to deliver.

Wenger argues the Club is financially stable off the pitch, consistent on it and a steady stream of young talent coming through the ranks means the future is relatively secure.

"You are all very quiet," the Frenchman began. "A little bit like the game on Saturday.

"It is a recession mood but it will not last do not worry. I would like to give you some reasons to cheer up and be optimistic.

"First of all I feel the Club is well-managed financially and I am very proud that we within the resources we create from our own business and we do not need external income. I feel that is very important for the future of the Club.

"Another big reason to be optimistic is that we have been very consistent. Through the years we have always been at the top level and we always want to win trophies but the most difficult thing to achieve is consistency.

"For example, there are only four teams around Europe who have been in the Champions League for 10 consecutive years and we are one of them.

"The third thing I would like to say as well is the structure of our team is fantastic, but very young. That means that tomorrow will be better than yesterday.

"It means as well that nothing dramatic will happen to this Club. For years we have had a foreign influx but we have worked hard with young English talent. They will be ready within one or two years to produce results."

Wenger also argued that it is precisely in these tough times that a young side like his needed leadership and support.

"I am personally very proud," he said. "But I believe this team needs a strong guide to go through difficult periods, because at the moment I do not feel that, either from the media or our supporters, that this team gets the support that it deserves.

"That is why I think they need a stronger guide than ever. I want to be that guide and I want to get this team to deliver not next year, but this year.

"That is my reasoning for being such an optimist. That is part of my job you will tell me but it is also an objective assessment of what I really believe."

Gallas and Toure available for West Ham trip


William Gallas and Kolo Toure are back for the trip to West Ham on Sunday.

The Ivorian injured his shoulder against Everton last Saturday and missed the game at Fenerbahce in midweek while the Frenchman was absent for both because of a hamstring problem. However the pair are set to return for the game at Upton Park.

In addition, Bacary Sagna (knee) is in line to make his comeback against Tottenham next week.

“It looks like Kolo Toure and William Gallas will be available while Sagna could be available for Wednesday,” Wenger told Arsenal TV Online.

The Arsenal manager also clarified his comments over the return of Eduardo. At the AGM on Thursday, Wenger said the Croatian striker is "three weeks away from playing competitive football".



Speaking to the Club’s official website later on, he said: “What I mean by competitive football is joining in completely with a normal training session. After that he has to come back to match-fitness. But he is ahead of where we expected him to be and that is fantastic news.”

West Ham United 0-2 Arsenal

Barclays Premier League, Upton Park

Sunday, October 26, 2008, 16:00


Real title contenders pull off victories like this.

Having won so comprehensively in Fenerbahce on Tuesday you could have forgiven Arsenal for being leg weary at West Ham on Sunday. After all, the weekend results suggest the travails of the Champions League did have an affect on Manchester United and Chelsea.

However, Arsène Wenger shuffled his squad at Upton Park and the XI he sent out produced a disciplined and committed performance against Gianfranco Zola’s equally determined side.

The vital goal came via the errant boot of West Ham defender Julien Faubert 15 minutes from time when the Frenchman turned in a shot from Emmanuel Adebayor at the far post. It came just as Arsenal were starting to get on top. They had made an arduous ascent.



West Ham had matched the visitors all the way for the first hour but Wenger’s men just managed to draw away in the final stretch.

Adebayor added another in injury time and that was perhaps hard on West Ham. Carlton Cole’s last-gasp red card also did not befit the effort they had put in.

However the very tightness of the game and effort required to win it will satisfy Wenger greatly.
Arsenal moved back into fourth with the victory but the spirit on Sunday suggested they may be higher at the end of the season.

With games coming thick and fast, it was not surprising to see Wenger makes changes. However the extent and the nature of them was interesting.

Those left on the bench told the story. Though passed fit, perhaps Bacary Sagna (knee) and Kolo Toure (shoulders) were still working their way back from injury. Despite his goal in Turkey on Tuesday, Abou Diaby was also lacking full match-fitness after a long lay-off. Adebayor, you presume, was simply rested and Nicklas Bendtner came in to the side.

Mikael Silvestre retained his place in the starting XI and William Gallas returned from a hamstring injury to join him at centre half. Alex Song moved into midfield alongside Cesc Fabregas with Samir Nasri and Theo Walcott on the flanks. Emmanuel Eboue continued at right back, Robin van Persie returned up front while Denilson was omitted completely.

In the build-up, this game had looked like a cracking Sunday afternoon affair. However, by kick-off, it had only third billing in London, let alone the division. Even Chelsea v Liverpool was trumped by the surprising managerial switch at Tottenham ahead of their game with Bolton.

In the openings stages, it was as if the fixture had been hurt by the snub.

Traditionally, West Ham v Arsenal has been spicy however the opening stages were pretty bland and it took 10 minutes for either side to fashion a chance. Van Persie’s loose pass was intercepted by Lee Bowyer, whose touch set up David Di Michele to let fly from 25 yards. Almunia acrobatically tipped the ball over the bar.

Arsenal had started like an old banger on a frosty morning. There were signs of life but only sporadically.

However, in Theo Walcott, Wenger has a Rolls-Royce player. The England winger had been on a couple of mazy runs before, in the 20th minute, he dodged around three West Ham defenders and fired in a rising drive at the near post. It flicked off the bar en route over.

After that, Arsenal started to flex their muscles.

In the 25th minute, Fabregas chipped the ball into the area and Van Persie cleverly chested it into the path of Walcott. Despite the heavy presence of Herta Illunga, he got off a decent shot from close-range but Robert Green made an excellent low stop with his right hand.

Buoyed with confidence, the visitors were now pressing forward. However that tactic nearly saw them caught on the counter-attack a couple of minutes later.

Scott Parker’s first-time pass sent Craig Bellamy clear with Gael Clichy in hot pursuit. The Frenchman was breathing down the neck of the West Ham striker but Bellamy still got away a low, angled shot. Manuel Almunia kicked the ball away with his trailing leg.

In response, the visiting fans chanted the name of their keeper for perhaps the first time. It said much about both his blossoming reputation and the importance of that save.

Suddenly we had a real game on our hands. Just past the half-hour Bendtner failed to connect with a header from Nasri’s cross. However the Dane redeemed himself in the 37th minute when he cut in from the left and forced another flying save from Green. An entirely self-made opportunity.

The half-time whistle was welcome respite. After a slow opening, this had developed into a rousing, end-to-end affair. At the midway point, both sides had cause for optimism.

The equilibrium continued after the start. The Arsenal defence missed Bellamy’s corner and the ball bounced off the chest of the startled Matthew Upson for Almunia to collect easily. At the other end, Walcott slid a dangerous ball across the face of goal and James Collins hacked it over from under his own bar.The pace was unrelenting with neither midfield having much control on matters. But West Ham were getting most joy down their left flank.

They had claims for a handball in the area against William Gallas. On the hour, Bellamy barged past Eboue, stormed in to the area and cut the ball back. Gallas half-stopped it and then had to show bravery to block as Bowyer attempted to convert the loose ball.

Walcott remained Arsenal’s best outlet, you could almost feel the nerves coming off the West Ham defence whenever he got the ball.

In the 65th minute, the 19-year-old found room on the right of the area and fired low across the area. Collins' clearance fell to Van Persie, who returned the ball with interest. However his goal-bound shot was blocked.

Seconds later, Wenger made changes. Adebayor and Diaby came on, Nasri and Walcott went off. The Arsenal manager was forsaking width for directness. However the change seemed to bring the best out of Van Persie.

First he cut inside two defenders and fired in a curling cross-shot that forced the best out of Green. Then he hit the woodwork with a cracking free-kick from just outside the area.

For the first time in the game, one side was sustaining pressure on the other. You sensed an Arsenal goal was coming.

It arrived in the 75th minute. Adebayor collected the ball just inside the area then used all his strength and tenacity to fire a shot across the face of goal. It was not going in until Faubert touched the ball in at the far post.

Now Arsenal went for the jugular. Bendtner crossed and Adebayor arrived to thump a low shot towards the near post. Green saved again and the Togolese striker sent his follow-up over the bar.

Adebayor did grab another on the break in injury time to seal the game.

In the final seconds, Cole was sent off for going through the back of Song.

A sad end to a stirring game.

'We could not afford to drop points today'


On the result…
“It is a big win for us because if we had come out of it with a frustrating 0-0 draw, we would have felt that we had wasted an opportunity to get closer to the top.

“For us it was important not to make a mistake and to take one of our own chances. We gambled a lot and fortunately we had some strikers on the bench and in the end that made the difference.

“We knew before the game that we couldn’t afford to drop points today but I must say that West Ham can feel frustrated because they defended very well and gave absolutely everything today. In the end we got a little opening, maybe they got a little bit fatigued in the last 20 minutes.”

On the fear that it could have been ‘one of those days’…
“It could have been. West Ham decided to frustrate us by defending very deep. They protected the centre very well and I thought in the first half they we tried to go through the middle a little too much. We needed to stretch their defenders in the final third. On some occasions we did that better in the second half.”

On West Ham’s penalty claims…
“Maybe for the deflected hand-ball in the last five minutes but I did not see the other one. It was a guy who was protecting himself when it hit him. I felt that their keeper was outside the box in the first half and they could have been playing with 10 men.”

On Robert Green’s heroics…
“He always has the game of his life when he plays against us. And he repeats that every year.”

On Adebayor's impact...
“What is fantastic is that he is a regular starter in my team and he fights very hard. Today he came on with 25 minutes to go and fought for every ball. That is more than any speech I can make. We have a great spirit in the side and we have great quality. We are of course very determined to come back to the top. If you look at the results against Fulham and Hull and you see where we are it is quite positive.”

On there being more to come from Theo Walcott…
“At 19 years of age I hope so. There is already a lot there but of course there is a lot more to come. We have all been 19, we were not all better at 21, but he will be better. “

On the prospect of facing Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham…
“It was a surprise for me to see him move from Portsmouth to Tottenham in October but football is full of surprises.”

Wenger - Title race will punish any weakness


This year’s title race will be merciless, according to Arsène Wenger.

Speaking after Arsenal’s 2-0 win at West Ham on Sunday, the Frenchman argued that “any weakness will be punished” between now and May as the so-called ‘Big Four’ - plus a couple of other contenders – battle it out for top spot.

This weekend was a case in point. Manchester United dropped points at Everton on Saturday and, the next day, Chelsea lost to Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. Aston Villa and Hull also kept up the pace with big victories.

For Wenger, last season’s title race is a lesson. By the end of October in 2007/08, Arsenal had been top for five weeks and they would not be usurped for any serious length of time until the middle of March. However in mid-May they finished four points off the top two.

“I said it many times we were very, very close last year,” said Wenger at Upton Park. “We got 83 points and we lost only three games in the whole season. Teams who have got 83 points have been champions.

“Manchester United had a fantastic run in the second part of the season but we dropped a little bit of quality in April.

“That means any weakness will be punished this year too.

“It will be a bit tight again. But I believe it will be interesting as well.

“One week ago everybody made Chelsea super favourites but today it is Liverpool. Things change very quickly and that makes it interesting.”

Wenger - Why I left Adebayor on the bench



Arsène Wenger left Emmanuel Adebayor out of his starting line-up on Sunday because he wants to protect the Togolese striker from burn-out.

Adebayor came off the bench with 23 minutes remaining at Upton Park and assumed the mantle of matchwinner, providing the assist for Julien Faubert's own goal before wrapping up a 2-0 victory over West Ham with a cool finish on the counter-attack.

The 24-year-old's eighth goal of the campaign summed up his importance to Wenger's team but the Frenchman's determination to keep Adebayor fresh means he can expect to take the occasional breather as Arsenal chase silverware on four fronts.



"Last year I overused him," admitted Wenger.

"Now we go into a period where you play every three days. When there is a little breather in the championship you play a game in the Champions League.

"[That's why] I want to rotate a little bit. I have a small, compact squad but it is full of quality and I can only show that by trusting the players who are young but have quality."

Van Persie: This shows we can fight for title


Robin van Persie believes Arsenal’s “massive win” at Upton Park on Sunday shows they can be real title contenders.

Arsène Wenger’s side sealed victory at West Ham thanks to Julien Faubert’s own goal and an injury-time strike from Emmanuel Adebayor.

The visitors deserved their win but, for the first hour, the game was in the balance. Along with Theo Walcott, Van Persie perhaps did the most to break the deadlock, hitting the post and forcing one of a number of fine saves from Robert Green.

Afterwards, the Dutchman felt his side had shown the resilience of title-chasers.

“I think so, yes, because we scored a goal after more than 70 minutes and it was a tough game,” said the 25-year-old.



“They had their chances in the first half with Bellamy and a few others. But if you win this game 2-0 at the end, it is a great job and a massive win.”

Indeed, it was a massive weekend in the Premier League with last season’s top two both dropping points.

“At half time we found out Chelsea lost 1-0 and, of course Man United had drawn, so we knew it was really important to get back and make some steps up the table," said Van Persie.

“It was not easy. West Ham played very well, especially in the first half an hour.

“But we knew somehow we would get chances in the second half because they gave everything in the first.

“That is what we said to each other at half-time. We would get chances. The only thing was to make them and just keep the belief high. This is what we did.

"In the end I think it was a big, big win for us.”

Wenger on a high after weekend title boost


Arsène Wenger believes his players are heading into Wednesday's North London derby on the back of their best week of the season.

Since the international break the wins and goals have flowed for Arsenal with Everton and West Ham dispatched in the Premier League and Fenerbahce well beaten in Europe. A tally of 10 goals in those three games proves that the Gunners have found their range.

What's more, Arsenal's title prospects have been boosted by Chelsea's home defeat against Liverpool and Manchester United's draw at Everton at the weekend. Wenger's side trail Liverpool by four points but are just one behind Chelsea and four clear of United.

The Frenchman could not have asked for much more over the past week but he warns that there are plenty of twists and turns to come as the title race unfolds.

"Overall it has been very good," said Wenger. "We have come back to one point behind Chelsea when everyone thought they were untouchable and that makes it open. Maybe next week Liverpool will drop points.

"It's a very open championship but it's very early, with just nine games played. We are not even halfway through the first half [of the Premier League campaign] so we will have a lot of surprises to come.

"Now we have a big game on Wednesday so let's win it. Arsenal is playing Tottenham at home and that means we want to win the game."

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Denilson returns to squad to face Tottenham


Arsène Wenger has revealed that Denilson will be back in the squad to face Tottenham.

The Brazilian had started every Premier League game before Sunday but missed the trip to Upton Park with a back problem. The Arsenal manager also confirmed that Bacary Sagna and Kolo Toure are both fully fit and available for selection on Wednesday night.

"Denilson is back in the group after a little inflammation in the back," said Wenger at Tuesday's pre-match press conference.

"Sagna was back in the group at West Ham and Kolo is back too but you will have to wait and see the selection tomorrow night."

Wenger - The substitutes can be the stars

In busy periods like this, the bench can play a vital role according to Arsène Wenger.

Arsenal fans had a perfect example on Sunday at Upton Park. When Emmanuel Adebayor came on with 23 minutes to go the game was in the balance. By the end he had registered an assist and a goal as the visitors went home with a hard-fought three points.

Wenger had rotated his squad for that game and has promised to do the same when Tottenham visit Emirates Stadium on Wednesday. However, the Frenchman knows the eventual matchwinner may not be in the starting line-up.

“We will rotate a bit because we play many, many games at the moment,” said the Arsenal manager. “It is a period where rotation and the quality of your bench are important.

“We saw that against West Ham when Diaby and Adebayor came on.”

That win was heartening because, as Theo Walcott told Arsenal TV Online afterwards, the side had showed they could do the dirty jobs as well as play flowing football. Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Wenger said that sort of psyche is crucial right now.

“We are in a period now where the squad mentality is vital,” he remarked.

“But I am very confident because we have a very strong united spirit in the dressing room and we want to do well.

“We have shown that in recent games. We won at Fenerbahce, we won at West Ham, we also beat Everton in a convincing way.

“Now we want to keep that going against Tottenham.”

Wenger - Liverpool are not 'super-favourites'



Leaders Liverpool may have beaten both of last season’s top two but they cannot be classed as “super-favourites” for the Premier League title yet, according to Arsène Wenger.

Rafa Benitez’s side are riding high having defeated Manchester United and Chelsea already this season. The Arsenal manager admits the Anfield side are in a “strong position” but argues that no team is truly dominating right now.

For example, Wenger’s side have lost twice themselves this term but they could still close the gap at the top to one point if they beat Tottenham tonight at Emirates Stadium and other results go their way.

“Liverpool have been very consistent until now,” said the Frenchman at Tuesday’s pre-match press conference. “They have an advantage because they have played both Manchester United and Chelsea.

“They are in a strong position, but it is such a long way. It looks to me that nobody dominates the League to make themselves super-favourites at the moment.”

Arsenal 4-4 Tottenham Hotspur

Barclays Premier League, Emirates Stadium

Wednesday, October 29, 2008, 20:00

With 88 minutes gone in this pulsating North London derby Arsenal were leading 4-2 and as good as celebrating victory over their near-neighbours.

However that’s when Jermaine Jenas scored to give Tottenham hope then, in the final minute of injury time, substitute Aaron Lennon followed up to finish after Luka Modric’s shot had come back off the post.

It was an incredible end to an incredible derby and gave Tottenham a most unlikely point.

However no-one should have been completely surprised, this game see-sawed all evening.

The fireworks started in the 12th minute when David Bentley’s volley beat Manuel Almunia from fully 40 yards.

However Arsenal responded when Mikael Silvestre and William Gallas nodded home goals either side of half-time.

Emmanuel Adebayor seemed to have secured the points just past the hour but substitute Darren Bent reduced the arrears from close range.

Van Persie made it 4-2 almost immediately as the home side tried to cruise home but Tottenham would respond again with two goals in the dying seconds.

It was a bitter pill for Arsenal to swallow having dominated the game.

As is customary, Wenger made considered changes to the side that had beaten West Ham on Sunday. Denilson came into central midfield for Abou Diaby and Emmanuel Adebayor, the Upton Park matchwinner, replaced Nicklas Bendtner. Meanwhile Bacary Sagna’s return at the expense of Emmanuel Eboue meant Arsenal named an all-French defence for perhaps the first time. The right back was also making his 50th start for the club since signing from Auxerre the summer before last.

Tottenham had Harry Redknapp in charge for the first time but they arrived at Emirates Stadium still rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table.

It was now officially winter. British Summer Time had ended at the weekend and, just to hammer home the point, much of North London had been hit by a deluge of snow.

Little of it had actually fallen on Emirates Stadium. To all intents and purposes, it was the visitors who seemed likely to suffer a winter of discontent.

In fact, Tottenham would take the honours in the early stages of this game but their breakaways were only brief. After a relatively cagey opening, the first real chance of the game arrived in the 11th minute when Adebayor set up Theo Walcott to fire a cross-shot just wide.

In truth Arsenal were still working through the gears but they game would come to a juddering halt in the 12th minute.

Silvestre prodded the ball clear and a combination of Modric and Jenas set up Bentley for a volley 40 yards out. It seemed an impossible distance but the former Arsenal midfielder must have spotted Almunia off his line. He sent forth a dipping shot that the Spanish keeper could only palm into his own net.

The pocket of Spurs fans at the southern end of the stadium erupted like a volcano.

Arsenal’s response was to turn up the heat. Van Persie forced Heurelho Gomes to scramble a low shot around his near post before flashing an effort inches past the same woodwork.

The home side were exerting pressure on the visitors whose defence was creaking under the strain.

The best example came in the 20th minute when Gomes caught then spilt a corner from Samir Nasri. The ball fell to Gallas in space at the far post however the skipper blasted his effort over the bar.

Arsenal were doing all they could, hassling and harrying where possible but still sticking to their passing game. Before the half-hour it brought a couple of efforts from Walcott, both were blocked by a packed Tottenham defence.

Then Clichy thumped a long-range effort over the bar.

Arsenal were chasing the game, Tottenham were defending for their lives.

In the end it would be tenacity rather than pure talent that forced the equaliser.

Clichy muscled and hustled Bentley on the left until he had won the ball. The full back fed Fabregas whose curling cross-shot was touched behind by Gomes. Van Persie swung the corner to the near post where Silvestre arrived on cue to divert a header high into the Tottenham net. It was his first goal since signing from Manchester United in August.

Now the rest of Emirates erupted, although the cheers were laced with relief.

To their credit, the home side kept their foot on the gas until half time but chances were sparse.

At the break the scores were level but the prevailing mood was advantage Arsenal.

And so it proved.

Within seconds of the restart, Tom Huddlestone fouled Van Persie on the right. The Dutchman took the free-kick and this time Gallas glanced his header low at the near post.

Tottenham seemed instantly demoralised. They were certainly struggling to cope with Arsenal in the air. Silvestre nearly nodded in a third from another Van Persie corner and the Dutchman then cracked an effort just wide.

On the hour, Adebayor had a great chance to all but seal the points but thumped a drive past the post.

By this time Arsenal had utter control of the game however their lead was still slender. Bentley caused a ripple of concern with a low shot but Almunia smothered the ball with his body.

The seemingly crucial goal came in the 63rd minute after Van Persie’s long pass forward sent Nasri clear. The Frenchman lifted his shot over the advancing Gomes and Adebayor got ahead of Alan Hutton to touch the ball home from close range.

However Tottenham grabbed a lifeline. In the 67th minute Huddlestone’s low drive was pushed out by Almunia into the path of Bent, who slammed home from close range.

But the contest was alive again for less than 60 seconds. Arsenal poured forward and Adebayor slid a pass across the area to Van Persie. He steadied himself to rifle home his 50th goal for the Club.
Having had a major hand in Arsenal’s previous three strikes, the Dutchman certainly deserved a goal on the night.

With 15 minutes left he would have got another had he put any sort of touch on Nasri’s cross to the far post.

Wenger made changes towards the end. The aim was to protect weary limbs and introduce new ones. It did enough to keep Arsenal’s lead but did not help them extend it.

And there would be a sting in the tail.

Jenas scored from the edge of the area with two minutes of normal time left.

Suddenly Arsenal were nervous.

Four minutes of injury time were indicated and in the last of those Modric hit the post from distance with Almunia beaten. The ball came out to Lennon who had a simple job to score from close range.

At the end the Tottenham fans celebrated like it was a victory.

It certainly felt like a defeat to the Arsenal supporters.




Wie bitter war das denn?

'I would like to keep the positives tonight'


On his side’s performance…
“I believe that we produced an excellent game and the positive side is that we were really superior to Tottenham. We produced the game we wanted to and put a lot of energy into the performance. The negative side is that we didn’t win and I believe that was down to a lack of maturity. I would like to keep the positives tonight because I believe we were really outstanding and I don’t believe that the lack of maturity is linked to experience.

“The maturity will improve with intelligence. I think my players are intelligent and they will learn from their mistakes. In life you must make the maximum with what you have. In a game like tonight we did not get the result that was available, we must think ‘how did that happen?’ and ensure that it doesn’t happen again.”

On failing to kill off Spurs…
“I believe we were too cautious, we wanted to keep the ball in a negative way instead of scoring goals number five and six. We were not going forward with enough purpose and that is why we were punished. I believe that defensively we made some mistakes.

“At 4-2 they had given up but then we let them back into the game. Then at 4-3 they have nothing to lose. We have lost the ball in the middle and we had two opportunities to score goal number five but we lost the ball.”

On Spurs deserving their point…
“You have seen the game like I have seen it. I let you judge that and I believe that we were closer to scoring goal number five than we were to conceding two in the last three minutes. With one minute to go we were 4-2 up so you couldn’t expect to drop points here.”

On building the side up ahead of the weekend’s trip to Stoke…
“They are deflated, of course. It is difficult because the players are very, very disappointed so it is my job to do that [build them back up] and it is my job to make sure there is no resentment against the mistakes we made. We dropped two points tonight and it is unfortunate because all of our opponents and title contenders won. Because of what we produced tonight we should have won. We made the minimum with the quality of our game.

“I believe there are a lot of positives after the game and the team can take a lot of encouragement from that. Nowadays you only judge the game by the result. Tonight we either go back home and say ‘we are not good enough’ or we think we have a fantastic side coming out here so let’s work hard to make the maximum with what we have in the team.”

On dealing with the Redknapp factor…
“I do not want to develop on that because with two minutes to go it was not a factor. But two minutes later it is a factor, it is very difficult to prove scientifically that it works.”

On the decision to withdraw Van Persie and Walcott…
“If you don’t do it and they score two goals, everybody says you made a big mistake by not securing the game. I wanted to put some height in the team so that we wouldn’t concede from corners. I take some responsibility for that but then again it is difficult to prove that we would have scored more if they had stayed on. Maybe we would have conceded three, you never know.”

On the lack of a defensive midfielder…
“I don’t know because I feel that Denilson had another outstanding game today. When we conceded the goal we had our defensive midfielders on the pitch. We had Song on the pitch who is a defender and midfielder when we conceded the two goals.”

On conceding another goal of the season contender…
“It was a great goal. Our keeper was a bit advanced and when he went back he got a touch on the ball. We know Bentley can do that because he is a great finisher from long distance.”

Gallas set to miss Stoke trip, Eboue doubtful


Arsenal could be without William Gallas and Emmanuel Eboue for the trip to Stoke on Saturday.

Both defenders were involved in the 4-4 draw with Tottenham on Wednesday night and picked up niggles. The captain has a hamstring problem while the Ivorian defender is struggling with his knee. The former is almost certainly out while the latter is facing further tests.

“It looks like Gallas will be out and maybe Eboue too,” Wenger told Arsenal TV Online on Thursday lunchtime. “We’ll assess him tomorrow.



“It is a little recurrence of the hamstring for William and for Manu it is his knee. He is not running properly at the moment. He still has pain there.”

Stoke City 2-1 Arsenal

Barclays Premier League, Britannia Stadium

Saturday, November 01, 2008, 15:00



* Fuller 11,
* Olofinjana 73

* Clichy 90

Arsenal slipped to their third defeat of the season in fractious fashion at Stoke on Saturday.

The home side secured a surprise victory with goals in the 11th minute from Ricardo Fuller and Seyi Olofinjana in the 73rd. Both were the result of Rory Delap’s torpedo throw-ins. Gael Clichy’s long-range strike in injury time was simply too little too late.

Arsenal’s horrible afternoon was capped three minutes after the second Stoke strike when Robin van Persie was sent off for a challenge on keeper Thomas Sorensen. The Dutchman had only been on the pitch for 10 minutes after coming off the bench. The visitors also had Emmanuel Adebayor and Theo Walcott stretchered off in the second half. Incredibly they ended the game with just nine men on the pitch.

Arsenal did play well in patches but they failed to pack much of a punch all afternoon and, after Tottenham’s two-goal comeback on Wednesday, this is the last result they needed.

They must recover their Premier League form quickly because the gap between Wenger’s men and the leaders is growing.

The only upside of a dismal day is that Arsenal have ample time to regain the points lost at the Britainnia Stadium this afternoon.

Stoke’s strongarm reputation perhaps precipitated the four changes made by Wenger ahead of the game.

Certainly Samir Nasri, Walcott and Van Persie were players less atune to the scrapping required this afternoon than their replacements - Nicklas Bentdner, Abou Diaby and Alex Song. The final change of the afternoon was enforced. William Gallas hurt his hamstring against Spurs so Kolo Toure returned after missing the last three games.

It was a bitterly cold afternoon in the Potteries and, if you believe the British newspapers, Arsenal’s title chances were in danger of turning a similar temperature in the wake of Tottenham’s comeback in midweek.

However the opening stages suggested Wenger’s men had recovered well. They bossed the early minutes and penned Stoke back into their own half.

But they were to be undone by Stoke’s opening chance. The effectiveness of Delap’s throw-ins have become well-known in Premier League circles this season yet Arsenal were caught out in the 11th minute by the first one they had to handle.

The Irishman flung a flat, fast ball into the area and Fuller battled to get beyond Toure and nudge home a header at the far post.

It was real sucker-punch and it drew the confidence out of Arsenal for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile Stoke were ebullient. They had a willing workhorse up front in Fuller and Delap’s subsequent throw-ins always caused consternation.

However the closest they really came was in the 19th minute when Almunia’s weak punch fell to Delap and Clichy nodded his looping header off the line.

By the midway point of the half, Arsenal had regained much of their poise. Adebayor fired a low shot at Sorensen and Bendtner had a half-chance but failed to control the ball with his chest.

However Stoke now had the luxury of sitting back in defence of their lead. They were breaking when possible then trying to win free-kicks and throw-ins around the area.

Meanwhile, Arsenal were restricted to long shots. The nearest they came to troubling Sorensen was Adebayor’s shot from the left just before the whistle but it flew a few feet over the bar.

Wenger’s side were re-energised after the break. They tore at Stoke in the opening minutes but again failed to force a save from Sorensen.

On the hour Wenger made a change. He brought on Walcott, pulled Song in to centre half and moved Toure to right back.

It nearly brought an immediate dividend when the Ivorian met a Fabregas corner on the edge of the six-yard area. Unfortunately his volley flew a few feet over bar.

After that Wenger brought on Van Persie and switched to 4-3-3. However a Delap throw-in nearly brought a goal against the run of play. This time the ball was only half-cleared and Salif Diao’s low shot was fingertipped away by Almunia.

The Arsenal manager was forced into another change with 19 minutes left. Adebayor had needed lengthy treatment earlier in the half following a challenge from Ryan Shawcross. When he got another knock he had to go off and Carlos Vela came on.

Worse was to come. Stoke won a throw on the left, Delap did his thing and Olofinjana bundled the ball in the far post. It was a scrappy goal but it did not matter to the home fans.

And there was still worse to come after that. Sorensen delayed collecting a chest back from Andy Griffin and Van Persie challenged him strongly. Referee Styles saw enough show the Dutchman a straight red card.

Walcott was also stretchered off in the dying seconds, leaving them with just nine men on the pitch.

Incredibly they then scored. Clichy chose an odd time to register his first goal as a professional footballer. His low, long-range drive crept into the corner to give Arsenal a little hope.

But the whistle blew soon afterwards.

'At the end of the day Stoke deserved to win'


On his side’s performance…
“It was a game where we had a lot of possession. The team we played defended very well and were well organised. We were not sharp enough to create the chances and conceded two goals on two throw-ins. They fought for every ball and they waited for their set-pieces. In the end Stoke won because we didn’t create enough chances to score."

On preparing for Delap's throw-ins…
“We had a plan to deal with the throw-ins; we had worked on it. I am not sure the first one was touched by anybody. They fly into the box and it is difficult with 20 people in there. That sort of thing is not our greatest strength. We were punished and I believe we were unlucky as well."

On a traditional English match…
“People who love the traditional English game must be happy because they got what they like today. It was a traditional game with a lot of fight and commitment. At the end of the day Stoke deserved to win the game.”

On a tough schedule…
“I believe we tried very hard and I think Stoke are sharp at the moment and we looked jaded physically. At the moment we play a lot games and we suffer a little a bit because of that. It isn’t confidence but we gave a lot on Wednesday. We play again in midweek and that is why, in the repetition of games, if you don’t score first you suffer."

On Van Persie's dismissal…
“I think that the red card was very, very harsh. If you get [Andy] Griffin without a yellow card today and Robin with a red, then I have to review my rulebook. He shouldn’t have done it but I don’t think it was a red card.”

On an array of injuries…
“We have very bad injuries to Adebayor and Walcott, and there is Sagna. One or two have knocks as well. It is the kind of game we played today and when you are a little bit short on sharpness, you are less agile and get out of tackles less quickly.”

Bendtner - I'm determined to take my chance


Nicklas Bendtner is ready to step up to the plate while Arsenal's two top scorers are sidelined.

Emmanuel Adebayor suffered an ankle injury during the 2-1 defeat at Stoke City on Saturday and Robin van Persie will miss three domestic games after being sent off in the same game.

Arsène Wenger's striking resources will be stretched as a result but Bendtner is confident he can add to his tally of four goals in six starts - beginning with Wednesday night's Champions League game against Fenerbahce.



"We have them [Adebayor and Van Persie] out so I will be trying to do my best to help us win if I’m playing," said Bendtner. "Whether I am out or not I will try to play the best football I can to get into the team.

"I wouldn’t say it is frustrating [not being first choice]. As I say I do what I can do and then it is up to the manager to pick the team.

"I have played a few games and I have done alright. I can only keep doing what I’ve been doing and then it is up to the boss to pick who he wants."

Gallas, Walcott, Adebayor out for Fenerbahce



Arsenal have lost two more first-team stars for the Champions League tie against Fenerbahce on Wednesday.

Theo Walcott (shoulder) and Emmanuel Adebayor (ankle) picked up knocks during the defeat at Stoke on Saturday. They joined William Gallas on the injury list after the captain damaged a hamstring against Tottenham.

At least Bacary Sagna has recovered after hobbling off at the Britannia Stadium but Emmanuel Eboue (knee) is still missing along with long-term absentees Eduardo (ankle) and Tomas Rosicky (hamstring).

The only one of those likely to return for Manchester United on Saturday is Walcott, though Gallas has a chance too.

"[Walcott, Adebayor and Gallas] are all injured,” said Wenger at Tuesday’s press conference. “It is not more serious than that. Gallas and Walcott are short-term but Adebayor is a bit longer, Eboue as well.”

When asked who might return for the crucial weekend clash with Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, Wenger replied: “Gallas and especially Walcott.”

Wenger - We need courage to play our football



Arsène Wenger has reacted angrily to suggestions that his side had “lacked bravery” at Stoke on Saturday.

The Arsenal manager was speaking ahead of the Champions League tie with Fenerbahce on Wednesday but in reaction to the defeat at the Britannia Stadium over the weekend.

Wenger admitted the visitors were poor and were well-beaten by Tony Pulis’ rough, tough side. However the Frenchman believes the subsequent media criticism has been over the top, especially as Arsenal ended up with a couple of nasty injuries.

“When you lose a game you have to listen to many things,” he said. “Some of them are right and many of them are wrong.

“It is down to me to analyse what could be right or wrong in there. I trust what I see and what I feel. It is more important for us to be calm, focused, let people talk and show what we can do on the pitch.

“I read that my team were not brave. I can say that they are brave and, for me, you need to have more courage to play football when you know that someone is tackling you from behind without any intention to play the ball.

“The one who is tackling is not the brave one. For me the brave one is the player who is trying to play football.

"We were not protected on Saturday but, having said that, I congratulate Stoke. They had a great performance but if the result of that is that my players are cowards then I don't accept that.

"For example [it seems that] Walcott is not brave and the brave one is the guy who tackles Walcott from behind. That is just not true.

“This is something I want to establish. For me the brave one is not the one who tries to tackle the man from behind. In fact that is the cowardly one.”