Premier League: West Ham v Arsenal - Preview

There were many reasons why Arsenal failed to mount a significant title bid last season. But surely the most significant factor was the amount of points left behind at places like Upton Park.
A struggling West Ham took all three against Arsène Wenger’s men in a fractious affair on November 5, 2006. A struggling Fulham, Manchester City and Sheffield United did exactly the same thing over the course of the campaign.
It was Arsenal’s Achilles’ heel. Leaving all the other factors aside, that 12 points alone would have put them on the coat-tails of second-place Manchester United in the final reckoning and given them much more say in the destination of the Premiership title.
Arsenal return to the East End of London on Saturday as English football’s free-flowing force. They are top of the table right now and at the top of their game. But although Arsenal have put may wrongs right this season — winning not drawing early on at Emirates, keeping their discipline at places like Blackburn and Sparta — this game represents a different kind of challenge.
“Yes, it is another test for us,” said Wenger at his pre-match press conference. “And don’t forget we have not played many games away yet. We played at Blackburn, we played at Tottenham but this game is another test.
“We can show that we are stronger than last year if we can make a result at West Ham and do it in a more convincing way. For me, we were not convincing at all last year at West Ham.
"I am not surprised we are up there this year. I expected us to do well and fight for the championship. But the games so far were tight and everything went for us. We have won many in the last 10 minutes so we have to keep our feet on the ground and continue to focus on what we do well. And we know we have to fight on Saturday because a huge commitment will be needed at West Ham.”
There was mixed news from the training ground at Friday’s press conference. Alex Hleb came through tests on his knee but Eduardo dropped out with a groin problem. The manager had already ruled out Jens Lehmann (elbow), Alex Song (calf), William Gallas (groin) and Tomas Rosicky (hamstring).
West Ham’s victory over Arsenal last season was pretty much a blip in a difficult early campaign. They rallied under new boss Alan Curbishley and hauled themselves clear of the dropzone in the final few games. The absence of Dean Ashton with a broken ankle was said to be one of the main reasons.
The fit-again 23-year-old has been well-known to Wenger for some time. The Frenchman made concerted attempts to sign the burly frontman early in his career.
"When he was at Crewe, they played against us in the Youth Cup and he was outstanding,” said the Arsenal manager. “I tried to get him here after that but they had an agreement with Liverpool.
"He is an intelligent player and uses his body well and is good in the air. We were looking at the time for someone who could give us something a bit different and help us play slightly more direct if needed. We felt he could develop into that sort of player. After, he went to Norwich and that was a surprise because suddenly he would not join us. My understanding was that there was a gentleman's agreement that Crewe would not sell him to any other Premier League club than Liverpool.
“Yes in my opinion he is good enough for England now. Certainly he will be involved now because you have Owen and Heskey out. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see Steve McClaren in the stand on Saturday.”

Silence of The Rams: Arsenal 5-0 Derby

10′ [1 - 0] A. Diaby View25′ [2 - 0] E.S. Adebayor View50′ [3 - 0] E.S. Adebayor (pen.) View70′ [4 - 0] C. Fabregas View79′ [5 - 0] E.S. Adebayor View

Last year this match might’ve had a chance of ending up in a 1-1 draw but this year we’ve shown we can put away teams that deserve putting away. A 5-0 manslaughter of Derby County where the class of Fabregas was front and center and Abou Diaby showed why he’s on his way to replace Vieira and Adebayor, well Adebayor deserve a new sentence. He can score goals, nobody’s doubted that, it’s just the goals that he misses really stick with you. After today’s hatrick where he scored from the penalty spot, on a breakaway and made something out of a completely harmless Denilson pass, even the staunchest of Adebayor critics must concede that he looked very close to replacing Thierry Henry. Then again, this is Derby County. But that takes little away from Adebayor’s dazzling performance where it wasn’t just that he scored goals, his dribbling was pristine and his control perfect.

The lineup wasn’t our strongest with RVP, Gallas, Hleb, Rosicky and Eboue all resting or injured:

Adebayor Eduardo
Diaby Flamini Fabregas Walcott
Clichy Senderos Toure Sagna
Almunia
You saw all that is good and bad about Walcott today, his pace is unstoppable and the defender is always at his mercy when he’s streaming down the right side but once he’s in the box either his shot is either lacking quality or the final pass lets the original run down. In his two chances to score today, he was first overpowered by a defender after outpacing two others and then his shot was blocked. He does create half-chances when he’s in the game, by the end of this year he should create real ones.

Watching Fabregas operate in the midfield is like watching John Stockton play the point guard. Now everybody who reads this blog will completely miss that reference but for those who get it they know it speaks of high praise for Arsenal’s general. When he laced in the fourth goal - another blistering long-range strike - I was just thinking, “Man, is this guy in the zone”. His sense of when to pick off Eduardo and Adebayor and when to lay it off on the right for Sagna or Walcott never seems to be wrong. Billy Davies, the Derby County boss alluded to him being the best midfielder in Europe, he might not be wrong.

Looking at Eduardo’s play you get the sense that he’s still finding his place on the team. The glimpses of skill that he displays are right now being offset by him getting tangled in the box and not finding the space he needs (and was used to in Zagreb) but he’s already looking more comfortable than he did earlier in the season and as things progress, so will he. Like Walcott, he has no problem beating the defender on the wing, it’s just when you get past that he’s still figuring out what his options are. Perfectly natural. Time will fix that.
Liverpool was frustrated into a scoreless draw by Birmingham and Chelsea/Man Utd play today at Old Trafford. On a completely different note, I thought it was somewhat classless of Benitez to not even say a word or two about Mourinho. I’m pretty sure I hate Benitez more than I ever did Mourinho.

Arsenal v Derby - The Preview

Sorry the blog hasn't been updated recently. We were planning to move to wordpress but i have decided that it would be better to stay at Blogger. So here we are!!!

Alexander Hleb has joined Arsenal's growing injury list, which also includes Tomas Rosicky, William Gallas, Jens Lehmann and Emmanuel Eboue.

Hleb has a knee injury, but on a more positive note the Gunners can call on Philippe Senderos after a hip problem.

Derby are set to be unchanged from the team that notched their first win of the campaign against Newcastle.

Kenny Miler's hamstring held up to the test, and while Darren Moore and Giles Barnes are fit, the match is too soon.

Arsenal will look to strengthen their position at the top of the table as they face a Derby side fresh from their first win of the season.
Though they were always going to challenge for a UEFA Champions League spot, The Gunners could be considered one of the Premier League's surprise packages for the way they have flourished since Thierry Henry's departure in the summer.
They are unbeaten in all competitions this season and appear to be going from strength to strength after following up their victory over Tottenham with an impressive 3-0 win against Sevilla in midweek.

The Mighty Arsenal's verdict:

We reckon this will be a comfortbale win for Arsenal but we need to watch out for Derby who could take advantage of a tired Arsenal side.

Prediction: Arsenal 3-1 Derby

Arsenal go top of the League!

Cesc: The Wonder Boy gets a Wonder Goal!

I can sing it now... We are top of the league, say we are top of the league! Man, that felt good!

Although Monkey boy, Bale scored a free kick - against a wall which looked as if Titus Bramble organised it - after 16 minutes. Arsenal kept plugging away, the highlight being Diaby hitting the bar from a tight angle but on another day, he would of scored. It stayed goalless until the 65th minute when Adebayor took advantage of Paul Robinsons' 11th...(or is it 12th?) blunder of the season by flicking on a free header into the empty net.

The game went on and it really seemed that the Gunners were going to win it and in the 81st minute, Rosicky laid it off to Fabregas, to hit a screamer from 25 yards into the top left hand corner of the net. Although, England's number 2 (Could still drop if things don't change) got a touch on it, he could only help it on into the goal. It was one of those goals where once he hit it, you knew it was in!

For the last 10 minutes of the game, it was all Arsenal - well, apart from the desperate HOOFS into the box which Almunia and his rock-like defence had all day. There was however a chance for Spurs to get back into the game when Darren 'The Gooner' Bent was put through with a one-on-one with Almunia. Judging by his effort, which has to be featured on Soccer AM this weekend as a 'Taxi!', proved that he is Gooner. I mean, my great grandma could of scored that - And she's dead... Yes, it was that bad!

Then things got EVEN better when Denilson played the ball up to Adebayor to flick it up for himself and volley it past Robinson and make it 3 - 1 to the Arsenal. I hate to say it but it was like 'The Dog'ba's goal at Everton last season - Unstoppable!

Then Denilson had the chance to make it 4 but maybe a lack in confidence, made him put it strait at the keeper. Seconds later, referee Mark Clattenburg - who had a good game - blew his whistle and confirmed that Arsenal went top of the league, but more importantly, beat the Scum - with a far from First Team squad!

Next Games: Sevilla - Champions League Group Stage (Wednesday 18th September)

Derby - Premiership (This Saturday: 22nd September)

The Scum vs Arsenal - Preview

I can't believe it I mean have you seen Spuds' predictions,some of them have us getting beaten 3-0, bloody hell every season, EVERY F****** year its the same thing, don't they ever f****** learn? Every bloody year its the same thing about how 'this year it will be Tottenham's year', 'this year we'll beat Arsenal'. I expect that the Spuds will get soundly beaten, no way they can beat our full 11. Last year had it not been for the woodwork THREE times the tossers would have been smashed in their backyard.

Come on Arsenal, F**k Tottenham.

Arsenal in Europe

Dudu got 2

6 of the Arsenal squad played last night in the EURO 2008 Qualifying matches. Jens Lehmann, Lassana Diarra, Alex Hleb, Tomas Rosicky, Eduardo & Robin Van Persie all played for their countries. Rosicky continued his goalscoring spree by getting 1 during his 3- 0 win over the mighty San Marino. Meanwhile, Eduardo Da Silva scored both of the goals as Croatia beat Estonia 2 - 0. Both of them being rather spectacular.

So I can say an Englishman played for us, I have to mention the Under 21's beat Montenegro 2- 0. Although young Theo did not score, he did start and play the majority of the game - before being replaced by former Gunner, Fabrice Muamba after 63 minutes.

Surprisingly, not one Gunner picked up an injury so we should have a full squad for when we play the much anticipated North London Derby this coming Saturday lunchtime against Spurs.

Wenger signs new deal

Yes! Finally the news the Gooners have been looking for. I am elated, now all the distraction is finished and this will help the focus of the team in a big way. We NEEDED Wenger with us, after Henry we couldn't afford to lose him. Thank You Arsene. In you we trust.

Why Arsenal Should be Happy to Stay Out of the Limelight

While the Gunners are currently second in the table, level on points with leaders Liverpool albeit with an inferior goal difference, nearly no one apart from their fans have even mentioned their names with regards to who will be competing for the title come May 2008. Liverpool will finally do it is the cry, or that Manchester United and Chelsea will both recover from their shaky starts to reclaim their places at the top. The young Arsenal side is written off as being too youthful, too experienced- how can they do it when the average age of their first team is so low?


Although many Arsenal fans may be irritated with this, the reality is they should be happy- the Arsenal team always thrives as the underdog. This was best shown in the run to the Champions League final during the 2005/06 season- the Gunners outclassed and outplayed all opponents that neutrals and football pundits alike thought would destroy them; first relying on a magnificent Thierry Henry goal and some brilliant defending to beat Spanish giants Real Madrid, then running rings around an ageing Juventus side. In fact, in the first knockout round that Arsenal were expected to comfortably dispatch their opponents they had problems- while they won the first leg by a single goal against Villareal, the second leg was a tense, nervous affair that could have gone either way. However, luck stayed with the Gunners as Riquelme missed his penalty, and although they were thwarted in the final by a star studded Barcelona side, they were arguably the better team for large spells of the game- despite having a man less for all but the first eighteen minutes.


So, why exactly should the Arsenal side be happy to stay out of the limelight? Well, being in the limelight means all eyes are on you, and although that is great when you are winning games, it provides unwanted pressure when you are not doing as well. Expectations will rise, as they are for Liverpool- a team that has not won the title for the last seventeen years is expected to lead the title race, just because of their large win over a side bound for relegation. All I ask for is this, fellow Gooners; don’t have any expectations of the title at this moment in time, just hope for an improvement on last season. With ten points in four games (we had half the amount at this stage last season) we have certainly started off better, and for that all those that sport red and white around the world can rejoice.

Jason Pereira
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I am a new contributer for this site- this piece and more can be found on my blog site, A View of the Arse.

Mourinho predicts ''open title race''

Being a tad being unrealistic Maureen. All right it can be said the other teams outside the Top 4 have some quality players but they lack sufficient depth and consistency but then again we all know Maureen and Chelski anyway, this is just his way of taking attention away from the sh*t performances of the Chelsea team and making excuses.

Another thing riling and pi*sing me off is the way Arsenal are STILL being written off. All the pundits seem to be glossing and drooling over Liverpoo while forgetting we have the same points as them and had it not been due to a Lehmann blunder we would have been on top. We took 11/18 points off the other 3 rivals last year compared to Chelsea's 7, Man Ure's 8 and Liverpoo's 6 so with a bit more consistency SURELY we can win the title.

Come on Arsenal.

p.s. I am also writing the same stuff on my other blog (Shakeel) just so if I am accused of leaching.

http://themightyarsenal.feedbeat.net/

I Had To Leave Chelsea - Diarra

New Arsenal signing Lassana Diarra says he joined the Gunners because he could not force his way past the big names in Chelsea’s midfield.

Frenchman Lassana Diarra, 22, completed a £5 million move to Arsenal from Chelsea just 10 minutes before the transfer window closed on Friday.

And he admitted: “I needed to play and get more time on the pitch and I don’t think it would be possible at Chelsea. That’s the main reason why I left.

“At Chelsea, we had Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard, Claude Makelele and Michael Essien in midfield.
“I know it will be tough to make it at Arsenal as well.
"I have no guarantee from Arsene Wenger I will play all the time but I am sure that it will be OK.
“I know I will play big matches in the league and even in the Champions League.”

Diarra would have been out of contract at Stamford Bridge next summer. He had already turned down possible moves to Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth, Newcastle United and AS Monaco.

He added: “I knew for some time Mr Wenger was interested in me.
"He watched me with Chelsea and the France national team. They were my first choice and my first priority.
“I also spoke to William Gallas, a former Chelsea player who left in the same way last season.”

Southampton to land Gibbs on Loan

Southampton are plotting to land Arsenal youngster Kieran Gibbs on loan in order to fast-track the winger's development.

The 16-year-old wide player has already earned rave reviews at reserve team level b, triggering interest from several clubs.

But Southampton boss George Burley, who blooded both Tom Huddlestone and Giles Barnes at Derby, is confident of landing the teenager until January.

The loan market becomes active again in a week's time and Gibbs has become Southampton's number one target.

Arsenal 3-1 Portsmouth

Emmanuel Adebayor, Cesc Fabregas and Tomas Rosicky all scored as Arsenal trumphed 3-1 over Portsmouth.

The Gunners started brightly and were ahead after eight minutes when Emmanuel Adebayor netted his first of the season from the penalty spot after David James had floored the fleet-footed Robin van Persie.

And they doubled their lead on 35 minutes when Pompey made hard work of clearing a corner and Cesc Fabregas reacted fastest to turn a loose ball in the six-yard box past James.

Philippe Senderos was shown a straight red card four minutes into the second half for a clumsy challenge on Kanu.

But Arsenal extended their lead when Fabregas rolled a quickly-taken free-kick into Tomas Rosicky's path and he drilled in a low shot.

Kanu netted a fortunate consolation soon after but The Mighty Arsenal looked comfotable with even 10 men on the pitch.

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Higlights:

http://www.arsenalist.com/

Next up.....Tottenham at Shi*e Hart Lane! That will be a gooden

Diarra signs for the Gunners - we told you so...

Well, as AW said he would not go out and buy anyone Diarra's move was a bit of a suprise to most Gooners. The versatile French international is only 22 and his move from the Blues to the Reds will surely mean the end for our other versatile French Midfielder Mathieu Flamini. I have seen Diarra play before for his old team Le Havre and he was a very good player.

Chelsea spotted his talent and here is now at the best club for him. I would love to see Diarra play further up the pitch in a midfield spot. He has great offensive passing and is good on the ball. If people had watched his performances for France you would be much more convinced of his talent and potential further forward if you hadn't seen it from his play at Chelsea.

A lot of matches for Chelsea he came on as a substitute and played for 15-20 minutes. He was very impressive when came on and added more bite and urgency to Chelsea's play.

So overall i believe Diarra's signing could prove to be a bargain for Arsenal.

This guy is Arsenal's new Mini Gilberto.

We will soon see anyway...