Arsenal F C (Pride Of London)

[krt]

No, I wouldn't like that... how many times has the Champions League winner been a team who finished out of first place. The only reason I can think of for their being less teams from each league progressing is to give clubs from underrepresented leagues a fairer go, this is also the grounds for consideration of a maximum of 3 clubs qualifying per league by UEFA which may be put in place in a year or two (not sure about details). This may be a good idea but cutting it to just the league title champions is going overboard. 3 EPL clubs in the last 8 (and likely to be 2 or perhaps 3 in the semi finals!) of this year's Champions League should be a clear indication that the runners up should not be denied qualification.

[SE13]

I would be rather upset if the format were to change, given that it has been in place for so long. However, when it was Champions only, English teams used to dominate.....

For Arsenal, the third place slot relevance is only really for the cash payout at the end of the season, which would go some way to replacing that lost from such an early exit from The Champions League, but also to serve as a reminder to CSKA Fulham and Manchester United that we are still there, and even through an injury ridden season, playing far from regular first teamers, we are still there, and are stilll challenging.

The Premier League (Like the way I swiftly changed the subject) have announced that several games will be changed in the coming weeks to allow live coverage on SkySports. I must dig the details out, and post them at a later day. But one of relevance is the final fixture of the season against CSKA Fulham, where we could finish their chances of regaining The Crown.....
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[StephenG]

Arsenal and CSKA Fulham have both been fined £100,000, for their parts in the scuffle near the end of the Carling Cup Final, last month.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/h.....500213.stm

It was more of a "Handbags at ten paces" scenario, rather than the "brawl" that a lot of people made it out to be. But then again, any sort of scuffle between two sets of Footballers usually ends up in a "brawl" rather than a bit of pushing and shoving and a smattering of shirt grabbing that normally results.

On another subject, did any of the Arsenal fans know that there had been rumours of an American company buying a stake in the Football club? Well, the rumours aren't true, apparently.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/h.....496951.stm

This is becoming more popular with English Premier league clubs. I didn't know that Arsenal and Major League Soccer side Colorado Rapids had shaken hands on a deal to promote Arsenal across America. I'm not surprised by this, and it worked for both Manchester United and Chelsea.

[SE13]

Unlike a lot of the major "elite" teams in English football, Arsenal are not a Public Limited Company (PLC) and as such the shares are not floated on the stockmarket, making any potential takeover quite a deal more difficult than with the like of Manchester United and Liverpool, who were officially taken over today by an American consortium.

That said, should the owners be offered enough money, then they would sell their share of the ownership without a doubt, but The Club would still belong to Arsenal, albeit with a larger imput of financial handshakes. (Does that really make sense? I read it twice, and know what I mean, but it does not seem to translate too well).

Arsenal are linked with a few Clubs over in Europe for grooming players, and loaning purposes, whereby we can borrow their players, or send ours over there for experience, but I know nothing of an American link. Not that it would do any harm to either Arsenal, The MLS nor the player concerned, in my opinion.
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[West_ham_hammer]

Who were the last team to beat Arsenal at Highbury and the first team to beat them at the Emirates

















Have you guessed who it is yet?

Ok I'll tell you


West Ham.

I'll give my thoughts on the game later. At the moment I am celebrating

[SE13]

How we came out of that game with absolutely nothing is completely beyond me. I doubt if there has ever been such a one-sided game in the history of football, where the team on top came out with nothing.

But yet again, Arsenal did not put their chances away. Robert Green pulled off twentyfour saves, not to mention the chances put wide, or striking the crossbar. The onslaught was relentless, yet still Arsenal failed to find the back of the net.

Even rarer was to hear the Arsenal supporters booing at the end of the match. Yes, we slipped to our third defeat in a row, but surely this time it was not for want of trying.

Next up is Newcastle United, and a week of shooting practise on the training ground at London Colney.

Just as a footnote to the West Ham United match, my misery was compounded when an incident at Kings Cross Tube led to the evacuation of the station, meaning all the West Ham United supporters were forced up top to join us. Hilarious.... NOT!!
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[Graeme]

Good win for Arsenal today, Bolton can be a very tough opposition and have proved a torn in Arsenals side many many times over the last few years. When Anelka scored (why does that always happen? ) in the first 15 minutes, I thought Arsenal were going to bottle it again but fair play to them, they came back and earned a very valuable win against a rival for Champions League places.

[SE13]

Well, a potential six pointer in the terms of Champions League next season, and succesfully the hurdle was overcome, despite going a goal behind.

Ivan Campo getting sent off did help the cause, but history dictates that he really doesn't like Arsenal. That is at least his second red against us, along with umpteen yellows.

But once again, it was chance after chance after chance, and save for Tomas Rosicky and Cesc Fabregas remembering where the back of the net is, we could have been facing seeing European football on Channel Five next season.

Next up is that multi-rearranged fixture against Manchester City. Hopefully we will have built up that bit of confidence to go on and cement at least fourth place, and push Liverpool for third.
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[pjthefarmer]

Was just wondering what Arsenal supporters views on Emannual Adebayour were? Personally I feel he's not up to the standard needed at Arsenal. He wastes so many chances and I feel with a more potent goalscorer (other than Henry) they could be in a much better situation.
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[SE13]

He has his moments. That goal against Manchester United summed him up really. Every now and again he chips in with a vital goal, but for the most part, it's gilt-edged chance after gilt-edged chance wasted. I look back to the game against West Ham United. Twenty six saves made by Robert Green in goal for The Hammers that day, along with countless other chances that went begging. We should have won that game by a cricket score, and still came away with nothing. Sadly, this has been all too often the story of Arsenals season.
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[Graeme]

I don't think he is Arsene Wengers long term solution but i think he isnt bad as a player to bring in when your real targets are out of sight. Im sure ideally Wenger wouldnt have signed him but you got to use what you got and Adebayour will turn you in a pretty good shift on a regular basis

[SE13]

With the current striker crisis at Arsenal, I wonder how long it will be untiul Arsene Wenger opens his eyes, and realises that Freddie Ljungberg is a more than capable deputy up front. Adabayour has not been as consistant as we need, and Julio "The Beast" Baptista really has not shone either, save for the game against Liverpool at Anfield in The Carling Cup.

We have major problems, with Thierry Henry, Robin Van Persie and Theo Walcott all out injured, meaning as such, no first choice strikers. The second string seemed more than capable in The Carling Cup, but suddenly now the pressure is on, they are failing and faltering.

I just wonder what Arsene Wenger is looking at in the summer transfer window. It is not as though we lack power up front, more that injuries at the wrong time seem to have cost us greatly. Again, I refer to the game against West Ham United, given a Thierry Hnery and Robin Van Persie up front, what on earth would the score have been? I feel certain it should have been a cricket score in the first place, but with accomplished strikers taking care of business, who knows how that one would have panned out.....
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[Graeme]

What kind of money is being suggestion as Arsenals summer budget?

They could do with another 20-25m striker but funds might not allow this. David Villa would probably fit in well at Arsenal but there are a number of clubs including Liverpool suggested to be in for him

[pjthefarmer]

Agreed, Villa wouldn't suit Arsenal. Much more suited to Liverpool. I feel the same with Eto'o. Someone like Klose or Zigic would be perfect in my opinion.
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[SE13]

There is no figure set in concrete for summer signings, although Arsene Wenger does usually make a couple of lesser known name signings for small amounts of money outlayed. Generally if there is to be a big purchase, the money must be made available by the sale of players. Now as it stands, there are quite a few players out on loan just now, and the chances are that they will not return to Arsenal, so money will be made available by the knock-on sale of these players.

But at the moment, Arsene Wenger seems quite keen to ensure that the youth team blossoms, and add to the youngsters with cheap aquisitions from abroad.

One thing I believe he really should be looking at is a goalkeeper. For me, Jens Lehmann blows hot and cold, and virtually every team in The Premiership have worked him out. A change would do us good.

Defensively we are quite strong, but there is no back-up to speak of. Perhaps a dip into the transfer market in this department might not go amiss. Again, up front we lack the back-up, as is currently being highlighted. With Thierry Henry and Robin Van Persie out injured, there seems to be no-one capable of putting the ball into the back of the net. Freddie Ljungberg could be used as an emergency striker, but arsene Wenger seems keen to stick with Emmanuel Adebayor and Julio Baptista.

Time will tell, but I am not too optimistic about any major names being lured to Ashburton Grove over the summer.
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