Arsenal F C (Pride Of London)

[younggooner07]

[SE13]

Five points clear at the top now. Although out of the FA Cup at the hands of Manchester United, our Champions League aspirations are still very much alive after a 0-0 home draw with holders AC Milan.

So, after a couple of weeks break, it's back to Premiership action this weekend:

Barclays Premiership

Birmingham City Vs ARSENAL

[img:505002be77]http://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.johnston570/Birmingham_Crest_New.jpg[/img:505002be77][img:505002be77]http://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.johnston570/Arsenal_Crest_New.jpg[/img:505002be77]

Saturday 23rd February 2008

12:45pm

Live on SkySports 1

St. Andrews

[img:505002be77]http://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.johnston570/Birmingham_City.jpg[/img:505002be77]
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It feels so empty without a signature, so here is some mindless gabble to occupy the space

[SE13]

Well, Arsenal have dumped AC Milan, Champions Of Europe out of The Champions League, and in some style too. After a goalless draw at Ashburton Grove, which possibly better suited Arsenal anyway, to go out there, and become the first team from England to beat them on their own patch is one thing, but to utterly outclass them for the mostpart of the second leg, and a deal of the majority of the first leg is another. However, Arsenal have achieved both, and march on. The draw on Friday, March the fourteenth pairs all the English teams on an even keel, so expect some sort of fix where they all draw each other! However, to be the best, you have to beat the best. Only thing is, we play English teams week in and week out, so I would prefer to avoid them in the next round at least, and see what transpires after that. Perhaps looking too far ahead, but I would love to extract revenge against Barcelona in The Final in Moscow, especially with Thierry Henry on the opposition, just to remind him that the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Next up, and I really hope that there will be no European hangover is Wigan Athletic. Manchester United will be in action in another competition, namely The FA Cup, so the three points up for grabs simply have to be taken, still leaving The Premiership in our own hands.

Barclays Premiership

Wigan Athletic Vs ARSENAL

[img:b4331ee63d]http://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.johnston570/Wigan_Crest_New.jpg[/img:b4331ee63d][img:b4331ee63d]http://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.johnston570/Arsenal_Crest_New.jpg[/img:b4331ee63d]

Sunday 9th March 2008

4pm

Live on Skysports 1

The JJB Stadium

[img:b4331ee63d]http://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.johnston570/JJB.jpg[/img:b4331ee63d]
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It feels so empty without a signature, so here is some mindless gabble to occupy the space

[pjthefarmer]

Great result for my team Manchester United today!!!

A 0-0 draw for Arsenal at Wigan gets us back in the lead of the Premiership, providing we win our game in hand of course lol.

I see the manager, Arsene Wenger once again made an excuse for the team's performance today - this time the state of the Wigan pitch. Yes it was poor but in football you come up against obstacles every game, but the thing to do is adapt your game style to suit the obstacle your team in faced with. Arsenal can only play one way in my opinion, fancy la-dee-da football. They can't avoid quick passing on the floor and today it showed. The pitch wasn't suitable for that kind of play and Arsenal had no other options. The cracks are beginning to show....
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[img:2b23f8c1d9]http://i15.tinypic.com/6fq09pl.jpg[/img:2b23f8c1d9]

[SE13]

Arsenal pull two points clear at the top of The Premiership after a dour goalless draw away at The JJB. Billed as the return of Robin Van Persie, and a guaranteed three points, Arsenal made heavy weather of the game on what can only be described as a rugby pitch, simply because that is exactly what it is.

Manchester United have now a game in hand to claw back the lead at the top, and in fairness, Arsenal have only themselves to blame. Squandered chances, misplaces passes and out of sorts finishing cost The Gunners dearly.

Arsene Wenger fielded a strong side, reverting back to the 4-4-2 with Adebayor and Bendtner up front. Indeed, Arsenal exploded off the blocks with Adebayor being denied by Chris Kirkland with barely a minute on the clock. Further moves, including some great link up play between Bendtner and Adebayor all came to nothing. Bendtner saw a thirty yarder deflected wide with Clichy also trying his luck from long range to no avail.

The Gunners had the better of the first half, without a goal to their credit. As the game wore on, Wigan began to take the initiative, and created quite a number of chances of their own, although Almunia was rarely troubled.

The long awaited return of Robin Van Persie was greeted to huge applause, 25 minutes into the second half. Arsene Wenger had stated that Van Persie would be a touch rusty, and so it proved to be. A couple of neat touches, a couple of decent threaded passes, but certainly not the golden boot in front of goal. The first effort, a free kick that troubled the supporters in the top of the stand, and another effort from open play after a clever move saw a shot high, wide and handsome.

Two points dropped at a crucial stage in the season, with some very tough games ahead, most notably Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea. Wenger must rally the troops, and instill some new belief, because on the strength of today, we could well be watching a side, once cruising to glory, having to settle for second, or worse still, third place.
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It feels so empty without a signature, so here is some mindless gabble to occupy the space

[Fordy]

Today Flamini has signed for Ac Milan. I think this is a massive blow for arsenal football club because he has been such a key player for Arsenal this season.

Also with wengers policy in the transfer market i don't have much faith that he will be replaced by any one of any quality if replaced at all.

It is more likely that a player like denilson will be asked to fill the role left by Flamini or maybe even Gilberto could stay one more season.

I don't think you can blame flamini for leaving he has been messed around by Arsenal until this season and people say he has just left for the money. But people are forgetting that AC Milan are a huge club with a real chance at winning the champions league every year so i think football reasons will have played just has bigger part has the money.

[SE13]

Something I wrote earlier;

Italian giants, AC Milan have reported to have signed Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini in a four year deal. The Milan website are running the story, claiming that Flamini has successfully passed a medical, and put pen to paper.

The statement on their website stated: “Milan would like to confirm that we have signed a contract that will tie the French player Mathieu Flamini to the Rossoneri from 1st July 2008 till 30th June 2012.”

Flamini was then quoted as saying to reporters that he was “very happy” with proceedings.

Arsenal have been battling to keep the youngster for some time now, and were rumoured to have offered a deal worth around £55,000 per week in an effort to keep him at Ashburton Grove. It would seem that Milan have offered a rather better deal, and Flamini looks set to depart London for Milan in July.

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Yes, the idea of having a multi-billionaire chucking money at Arsenal left, right and centre might be appealing, but don't we slate CSKA Fulham for doing just that? In fact we constantly remind them that with no Russian, they would still have no silverware to add to their growing lack of history.

Ok, so the current set-up isn't going to appeal, but had Arsenal have won The Premiership and/or The Champions League this season, I'd say players would be looking at us with different opinions, and cash in the pocket would be less of an issue.

Still, whichever way you slice it, Flamini has gone for the money, why else would he step back from first team football to a place on the bench with a fatter wallet? I said it earlier, but it isn't rocket science.
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It feels so empty without a signature, so here is some mindless gabble to occupy the space