Arsenal F C (Pride Of London)

[jonmoody61]

Team news for today sees Cesc and Campbell out. Cesc has had a recurrence of his foot injury which makes him a big doubt for the Champions League semi-final against Villarreal (who lost 1-0 to Barcelona last night) while Campbell has had surgery on his broken nose but the manager expects him to be out for 'a week at most'. Some whispers that Kolo Toure will be rested today which means we'll probably have a double Swiss central defence as Djourou moves across from right back and Eboue comes back in. Adebayor should continue up top with Henry as he's cup tied for Europe and we'll be hoping he can put his horror night on the south coast behind him and knock in a goal. Or eight. With Cesc out it'll be Diaby in midfield with Gilberto and if you think that his injury had happened before Christmas we'd have had to play Song then it's such a good job we spent money in January. Reyes is likely to play as he's suspended for Europe and he's another one who needs a good performance.

This is the first of three vital home games in a week. Nothing less than three points today will do then we can start looking ahead to Villarreal and then onwards to Sp*rs at home next Saturday. We all know the situation in terms of points and possibilities.

With Cesc and Thierry Henry both nominated for Player of the Year awards Arsene Wenger may be slightly biased when he reveals his picks. "My list is very short. It is Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas, by miles. You cannot see anybody coming close to them."

The Sun suggests we're trying to add some height to our forward line as we're linked again with 6'10 striker Nikola Zigic. As AW dismissed Peter Crouch as a 'basketball player' it might be a hint that he doesn't want that kind of player in his team but you'd have to think we'd score a few more headers if he was playing. Naturally that's assuming we learn to hit a corner beyond the near post.

Former Gunner Kevin Campbell, due to return today with West Brom, says young players today have it easy - "We had to clean Highbury from top to bottom. Shovelling snow off the terraces, putting down the salt so the game could be played and the supporters could get in the North Bank, cleaning the changing rooms, the coach, the manager's car, and the tiles in the laundry room. You name it, I have done it at Highbury. That was a good grounding. Now they don't do the duties that we had to do. It is too easy for them now."

He's probably right, I remember when Highbury was nothing but fields and my Dad would make me get up at 3 o'clock in the morning, 2 hours before I went to bed, give us a great lump of freezing cold posion and we'd have to go work 32 hours a day down't mill. And so on.... a little joke for our Northern English amongst us!

[jonmoody61]

Well, three points were the order of the day yesterday and we got them but not without making life difficult for ourselves and on the back of a performance which clearly showed the players had one eye on Wednesday night.

The first half was pretty dull stuff, a seriously off-colour Thierry had the best chance but he skewed the ball wide after racing clear of the defence and with only the keeper to beat and it was jsut before half-time that we took the lead. Some neat passing in and around the area saw Alexander Hleb make just enough space for himself to crack in an excellent left foot shot. The second half had to be better you thought.


Not so, it was even worse than the first. Thierry came off after about 15 minutes to rest him before Villarreal and Adebayor came on. Nothing much happened. Then Pires came on for Hleb and to a massive roar Dennis Bergkamp came on for Robin van Persie.

Within 30 seconds West Brom were level when an unusually sloppy Emmnuel Eboue made a horrendous mistake on the edge of the box and gifted the ball to Nigel Quashie who finished smartly. "Oh b*llocks", you thought.

Not to worry though, the script was written for Dennis. First he set up Robert Pires who eventually stabbed the ball into the net to put us back in front, then Eboue went some way to make amends by charging his way upfield and giving the ball to Bergkamp on the edge of the box. You just knew what he was going to do. The kind of curling shot that has been his trademark at Arsenal down the years and on 'Bergkamp Day' at Highbury it was fitting that his goal made the game and the points safe.

Afterwards the boss admitted that there was a lack of focus with the Champions League semi-final upcoming. He said "We had all a bit one eye on the game on Wednesday already. That is why I am very pleased we have got the three points and did the job in a professional way. I feel we deserved to win the game today."

In terms of chances we probably did but at 1-1 West Brom looked to have a decent penalty shout when the impressive Curtis Davies (strongly linked with a summer to us and based on his display yesterday somebody worth keeping an eye on) went down when Eboue seemed to hang out a leg. It's all academic now though and the three points were absolutely vital with Sp*rs winning at Everton.

However, we are going to have to perform a lot better against Villarreal on Wednesday but I'll talk more about them and that game during the week. For now though a quick round-up of the Sunday papers.

New boy Adebayor talks to the News of the World about how important Champions League success will be in keeping Thierry Henry, The People says we're after Sp*rs midfielder Michael Carrick as he delays talks on a new deal at Wh*te Ha*t La*e and the same paper says Barcelona will blow their entire £30m transfer budget to try and bring Thierry Henry to the Nou Camp. It's getting close to the summer, the speculation grows, transfer rumours become more ridiculous.

Ok, that's it for today. Have a very happy Easter!

[SE13]

To be honest, a terrible performance against West Bromwich Albion, but a vital three points all the same. Fitting to see Dennis Bergkamp with a cracker for the third goal, on Dennis Bergkamp day at Highbury. Quite a lot of supporters turned out in Orange or Netherlands (Holland) shirts.

Most Arsenal fans will already be aware that the first game at our new home will be the testimonial for Dennis Bergkamp against Ajax of Amsterdam. From what I can gather, only fourty thousand will be allowed in, as part of the measures taken to ensure a full safety certificate, and attendances will be steadily allowed to rise up to the maximum sixty thousand through the early stages of next season.
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[West_ham_hammer]

All I ask now is you get fourth place over Tottscum

[jonmoody61]

It's a bank holiday Monday everywhere. Hope you had a good easter and you're full with chocolate eggs. A quick look at what's going on with Arsenal today...

Thierry Henry has hailed Dennis Bergkamp as his perfect partner - "Dennis will sometimes do things out of nowhere, and for me that is why he is the best I have played with."

Meanwhile Dennis himself is looking for a big finish to the season after his fine 20 minutes on Saturday, saying "It is nice to have come on and really been involved in the game, helping with the second goal and scoring the third. Hopefully I can have a few more good moments like that and finish in a good way."

Would there be a more fitting way for him to go out than to curl home a shot like the one against West Brom in the last minute in Paris? Not that I'm tempting fate or anything but neither is Dennis despite the fact he's already booked the Eurostar.

The race for 4th place is still well and truly on and Sp*rs take on Manchester United today. We need United to take points from them and I'm not going down the road of them doing us a favour or them deliberately not trying as hard because it's just nonsense. Both teams need the points for different reasons and I'm keeping fingers crossed United can get at least a point because then it makes Saturday's North London derby one of the most important in recent years. It's always a massive game and even though we won the league at their place a couple of seasons ago there's nearly more at stake this time around as both teams are desperate for the points. Fingers crossed!

After today we'll know a bit more about how the weekend ahead will shape up and we can concentrate fully on Villarreal on Wednesday. We should have some injury news about Cesc as well, so tune in for that.

And that's it with Arsenal news so far today...

[SE13]

This will be a rare occasion, when I shall be cheering Manchester United on, as they entertain Tattenham Hotspuds this afternoon. Should the Manchester outfit bag all three points, the fourth spot will be back in our own destiny again. Bearing in mind that Tattenham Hotspuds have to come to Highbury next weekend, this time next week we could well have nearly overhauled them, and still have a game in hand.

Apparently, Jon, Cesc is doubtful for the Villareal clash, and also may not play against Tattenham Hotspuds either. That snippet is based on what I have read on the official club website.

So, here I sit, begging for the Villareal clash to happen.... The verge of history beckons, and we are a mere onehundred and eighty minutes away from the final of The European Cup... Bring it on!!
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[The Skoko]

Since ive been off this site due to stupid PC i would just like to point out the fact your **** and it was the most easy 3 points we have had all season.

Done you a favour also.

[simmouk]

You Gooner's on course for the 4th spot then? Did you have you Man U shirt on today SE13?!
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[jonmoody61]

A great result at White Hart Lane yesterday really gives us something to play for this Saturday but for now we'll leave that aside as we have to concentrate on our game against Villarreal tomorrow.

Thierry Henry, like everyone else, is not underestimating the Spaniards and he thinks we've got to go at them 'Premiership style'. He says "We need to do it like we do it in the Premier League - that is one thing which did surprise Juve. They are not used to a team having a go at them all the time, going behind their defence, or putting a high pace into the game."

There's no question the game in Spain, despite being more technical, is much more sedate so quick passing and lots of running could certainly cause them problems. I would imagine we'll go again with the 4-5-1 formation which will allow Gilberto to sit in front of the back four and close down Riquelme who is the man who pulls the strings for them. He's not all they've got though. Forlan can score goals, Tacchindardi is vastly experienced, Sorín is a fine player despite being a massive idiot and striker José Mari is no slouch but keep an eye on him. He is very light on his feet and by that I mean he's a diver. Our centre-halves should be warned. He'll go down quicker than Paris Hilton. They look likely to be without their two first choice centre-halves but I wouldn't read too much into that as we have all seen what a 'makeshift' defence can do this season. They have two very solid full backs, Marcos Senna in midfield who was born Brazilian but will go to the World Cup with Spain and is reminiscient of Vieira in the way he plays and overall they are a team not to be underestimated. I've seen them take Barcelona apart at their ground so it's vital we keep it tight and go into the game with the same focus and energy that we did against Madrid and Juventus.

From our point of view with Reyes suspended you have to think Pires will play left unless the boss chooses van Persie to play there. Freddie Ljungberg is likely to be back we'll see him alongside Hleb, Gilberto and Cesc who made no mention of his injury in the Spanish press yesterday and spoke as if it was a certainty that he'd play. I like Diaby even though he's very raw but there's no question Cesc in the middle can do far more for us than the young Frenchman. Fingers crossed he's ready for tomorrow night.

I suppose we'll get more info on the likely teams as the day goes by and the press conferences take place. In a quick round-up Villarreal defender Gonzalo Rodriguez, who misses the game, says Thierry Henry is playing like a Barbarian at the moment. I'm sure he means JPR Williams. The Guardian has a piece on the rise of Emmanuel Eboue.

Dennis Bergkamp - "Take nothing away from the performances so far but I think Villarreal will be a bigger test than either Real Madrid or Juventus."

A big night in Barcelona town later as well as Barcelona take on AC Milan. The hype in the papers here is just unreal and the stuff they spout about destiny and this being time for Barça's 'consecration' would make you a little bit sick. Should be a good game though!

[jonmoody61]

So tonight's the night. The final ever European game at Highbury and Arsenal's first ever Champions League/European Cup semi-final. A fitting game for the grand old stadium to bow out of Europe. The good news is that Cesc is fit and will start tonight's game. His sore foot has recovered sufficiently for him to take his place in what is likely to be a five man midfield.

Arsene Wenger has spoken about it being the final European game at Highbury. He said "I feel part of my soul is in the stadium because many of the biggest moments of my sports career have been there. It will something special because his stadium has a special soul and to lose it one day will be sad. But I think it will help tomorrow because it is a special occasion for us and we want to be proud of that."

The captain as well had words for the ground he has scored so many goals on and one tomorrow night would bring up his 50 in Europe. He said "I've got so many memories, it's difficult not to talk about it. You see my record, my goalscoring record, I scored a lot of goals at Highbury and there is something special about it. I have scored some great goals there, some great memories and it's just something special when you play there."

The main talking point of the press conference though was when Henry was asked if he felt he owed the Arsenal fans a decision about his future. This did not go down well and prompted a frustrated response from the captain. He said "Who do I owe, and for what? Don't you see my commitment on the pitch? I think you can see it. I'm a human being like you are and need time to take my decision, that's all. I don't think about the word owe. I owe something to my Dad, yes, who put me on this planet. We are here talking about the semi-final and we are here to talk about a great opportunity for the club. I think sometimes it's a bit of a shame that people single me out and try to speak about other stuff."

And I have to say I agree with him. As much as we might not like it he has said consistently that he will make his decision when he's ready and in recent weeks has confirmed he will do so before the World Cup starts so we have a definite timeline on it. The journalist yesterday was mischief making. It's the eve of our very first Champions League final and the focus should be on the team not on the captain about whose situation we know enough already and no amount of prompting from some witless hack is going to change that. I understand his frustration and he later released a further statement to ensure his words weren't misinterpreted.

He wanted to talk about the team and about the game tomorrow. The journalist wanted to cause some **** and fair play to him, he provoked a response which is exactly what he was looking for. It's all just b*llocks but I don't think it will do anything other than ensure that Henry is 100% up for tonight's game. Anyway, what we should be talking about is the game and that's what we'll do. I'm sure you're all clever enough to see the journalist's question and Henry's reponse in the right context.

So what do we need to do tonight? As the boss has said there are no plans to man-mark Riquelme but I would imagine that Gilberto won't be too far away from him all night, denying him the space he needs to make the passes that have been so dangerous. On the right hand side Eboue and Hleb will have their hands full with Sorin who never stops running and although they've nullified Robinho, Zidane and Nedved this is going to be a big test. On the right we need discipline from Robert Pires if he plays as Reyes has provided good cover for Flamini and up front we have Henry being fed by Cesc and probably Hleb. If we make chances tonight we need to take them.

Of course we need to be defensively strong as well and the manager has been full of praise for the back four saying they can become as good as the legendary back four we had for so long. He singled out Kolo Toure for his contribution and for stepping up and becoming the leader in absence of anyone more senior. He is a massive presence in the squad, greatly respected by all his team-mates and alongside Senderos has been the rock on which our defence has been built. He has looked tired in recent games but he has such drive and passion I don't think we'll see any of that tonight. Hopefully the 4 of them, plus Jens, can remain as tight as a camel's arse in a sandstorm.

Overall we just need to play our football, forget that this time we might be considered the favourites and go at it with all the concentration and committment that we did in previous rounds. If we do that then we've got a great chance. As I said yesterday don't read too much into the players that they're missing, they still have enough quality to hurt us if we give them the chance.

Ok, fingers crossed the last ever European night at Highbury is one to remember. I'm off to get the beers in. In fact I might have one for breakfast. Come on you reds!

[The Artist Known As GTM]

Early finish for me today and heading off to our favourite haunt with a few gooners and a few Spurs in tow too haha...

Hopefully they will keep Riquelme (sp) quiet tonight but I think if they play the way they have could win 1/2-0....

It's lining itself up to be Arsenals year but the only concern is that teams who play the best towards the later stages more often then not don't win it..

And any of them teams left in is capable of beating each other on their night so it's always cautious...

But I think Arsenal should win, hopefully it will give Highbury the send off it deserves, will be strange to see the Arse in a new stadium after so many years..

I remember being there when the North Bank was having the work done on it... And the infamous "Bond" scheme around 90-91...

Is always sad to see a team leave a stadium - let's hope the arrival at the new one is marked by a celebration of the new European Champions....
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[SE13]

Ah yes, The Bond Scheme!! This was the year my season ticket parted company with myself, partly because if I could not see the game from The North Bank, then I did not want to see it, and partly due to having moved North, and the sheer cost of attending games was over and above my financial reach.

Yesterday, Tattenham Hotspuds visited Highbury Stadium for the last time, and the last North London derby was played out. For the most part we were poor, and went behind to a hotly debatable goal. Phillipe Senderos picked up an injury, and the team formation was changed, resulting in a different force. Arsenal looked better, and went on to absolutely dominate the remainder of the game. Thierry Henry was introduced, and produced another wonder strike. The game finished at a goal apiece, and Tattenham Hotspuds finished the game with only ten men, after Edgar Davids was dismissed for a second yellow card offence.

Fourth position is still out of our reach, so why not go on to win The Champions League, and put all this talk to bed, once and for all....
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[The Artist Known As GTM]

What was the Bond scheme details again SE? Was it 1000 pounds for a season ticket for life or something like that?

Thought a lot of the reaction yesterday on the goal was very tasty. Wenger sometimes doesn't endear himself by being slightly hypocritical in his views - I mean calling them outright liars?

He has never seen anything at any of Arsenal's football games EVER!!! Selective eyesight...

I think he's more concerned with winning the CL outright anyway - roll on Tuesday!
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[Magpie]

Well, I can only assume that there are a few Gooners too hung over to post anything today after their victory last night to take them to the European Cup final!

I have to say that the referee last night was absolutely appalling. He was so biased that Arsenal were playing against twelve men! When he awarded that last minute penalty for absolutely NAFF ALL, it was judgement on him that Lehmann saved it.

Well done the Gunners.
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[The Artist Known As GTM]

Justice was done I feel - great save and hopefully that will haunt Riquelme and he has a stinker in Germany!

Arsenals name on the cup? You never know....
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