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Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:53:12 +0200 Atishay Agarwal usually sends over his player ratings after every game but his lack of internet connection in India has meant he soldiered on and sent it via his mobile phone instead. Good effort Atishay. So for authenticity (not laziness)…I have left any spelling mistakes/format etc as it was sent.
By Atishay Agarwal Manuel Almunia - 6 - As has been the case so far this season, he wasn't really tested with many shots on target, especially with Bangoura's crazy shooting. I hear some of those balls are still orbiting Earth as we speak. Our new No.1 gave away the direction of his dive too early on the penalty, though. Bacary Sagna - 5.5 - I agree completely with the lad that it wasn't a penalty, but he should know better than to stand behind his man in the penalty area with his hands around him. Otherwise too, he had a mediocre game. Kolo Toure - 6 - He did well for most part of the game, barring a slightly shaky phase in the second half. Helped restrict their forwards to shots from distance. William Gallas - 5 - Okay, i know i might get a pasting for this, considering he scored the equalizer (which would have gone in without his touch), but it was his schoolboy-ish error that led to their attack before the penalty. Even after the goal, his defending was very poor for the next fifteen minutes. Everyone is now going ga-ga over his leadership qualities because he scored in the dying minutes, but being the captain, he needs to cut down on the costly errors he makes every now and then. Gael Clichy - 5.5 - He had a poor outing, and was caught out of position many times. Should have done better to prevent the cross which led to the penalty as well. In short, both our fullbacks are yet to rediscover their form of last season. Theo Walcott - 7.5 - We've often been criticized for not putting up a fight when facing 'roughing-up' tactics, but Theo did more than just fight, he stood up and and set up the equalizer in the dying minutes. Was clearly targeted by their left back just like Reyes was by Neville a few years back, the difference being that Theo's got the stomach for a fight. Denilson - 6 - The young Brazilian is somewhat of a mixed bag at the moment, with one iffy performance following every good one. he was a shadow of the player he was at Ewood Park, and could soon lose his place in order for Song to get a decent run. Cesc Fabregas - 5.5 - Well, he doesn't look himself at the moment. Either he's carrying an injury, or he's too tired. In all, he looks jaded, and not even half as involved in general play, or even goal celebrations, as he used to be. Half an hour into the game, my friend asked, "Where's Cesc?" That says it all. Alex Song - 7 - I wanted to see him play a full match, and I was impressed. I think he has the qualities that are required for a CDM, and he gave a very good account of himself in Kiev. Got stuck into challenges, and kept it simple with his passing and movement. One could immediately see that we were more susceptible defensively once he came off. Want to see him start an EPL game now. Robin Van Persie - 7 - To be fair to the lad, he was placed on the left wing, not the position he usually plays in for us, so it was never going to be a classic Van Persie performance anyway. What impressed me was his commitment to the cause, and that he kept trying right till the end. He needs to get the right shooting boots on though. Emmanuel Adebayor - 6.5 - Again, like Van Persie, tried all he could throughout the game, and could have got on the scoresheet, if Gallas hadn't literally snatched his goal! Anyway, he still misses chances like he did last season. But he gets so many that he's bound to score many. Good effort. Subs Emmanuel Eboue - 6.5 - Was on for just twelve minutes, but gave us a little more pace in attack. Nicklas Bendtner - 5 - He didn't do much to be honest, and needs some more playing time to get his confidence back. Carlos Vela - NA - Cant rate him for just two touches, can I? Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:38:18 +0200 Watch tonights Champions League (including Arsenal v Dinamo Kiev, Manchester United v Villarreal, Juventus v Zenit Petersburg and Real Madrid v FC Bate) live streams from our LIVE VIDEO STREAMS PAGE. By Richard Popple The last time I wrote an article was before the international break when we put in the most abject performance and got beaten by Fulham. This early season defeat seems to have acted as a wake-up call to the squad who have since won three games and scored 11 goals. A pretty impressive response from this young team. With the merry-go-round transfer window firmly behind us, it’s a relief that we can all get on and enjoy the football without worrying about who’s coming and going. All the negative vibes surrounding Wenger’s lack of transfers this summer seem to have been temporarily washed away in light of the recent victories but two more away games the next five days represent a stiff challenge. Tonights’s game in Kiev in my mind is not as important as the trip to Bolton on Saturday. Of course it would be wonderful to keep the winning streak going and I am confident that we will, but I would be happy with a draw. Anything less than a win on Saturday however would leave us trailing Liverpool and Chelsea by a possible four points and we don’t want to slip behind early on. The game in Kiev tonight I believe is an excellent opportunity to let some of the younger fringe players get involved. According to reports Nasri, Eboue and Clichy are all struggling to make the trip. I hope we will get to see Slivestre for the first time. He will provide excellent experience and champions league knowledge. I think Eboue should be replaced by Vela with Walcott moving back over to the right. I think Bendtner will start up-front giving one of Adebayor or Van Persie a breather before Saturday. It would also be good to see Ramsey given an opportunity to play with Fabregas in the centre of midfield. Jack Wilshere made Arsenal history on Saturday at Blackburn and I hope he will get a chance to impress on the European stage. In terms of qualifying out of the group I don’t think Arsenal will have too many problems. It is a tough group but at the Emirates I fully expect three wins and we will do enough on our travels to progress. The league fixtures though should remain the priority. If Arsenal can stay in touch with leaders until Christmas then we will challenge again. Like last year we have been lucky with our early season fixture list and it gives us an opportunity to put a lot of early points on the board. Towards the end of the season we have some very tough games, so it is vital that we continue the good start we have made to the season. Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:33:31 +0200 By Richard Popple
(I have been on holiday for two weeks in the jungle of Mombassa and had no internet access. This article was written on the 26th August 2008 so please take this into account when reading Richard's article) After a very disappointing defeat at Fulham there has been what can only be described as panic amongst many Arsenal fans. Having read some of the fans forum boards and articles on various websites it is clear that there are many who believe this could be Arsene’s last season. After two games the managerial guillotine is already beginning to be sharpened and the unthinkable thing is, is that Wenger is topping the bill at the moment. Sanity however will prevail, and in most fans eyes and the boards he remains the only man to take the club forward. The most alarming factor in Saturday’s defeat was the lack of desire and creativity shown by the team. It has been painfully clear in season’s past that we could be beaten on our travels by tough, physical and aggressive opponents. However, Fulham didn’t play like this at all. They didn’t even play that well themselves. They worked very hard for each other and put the Arsenal midfield under pressure. Our midfield forgot how to pass the ball and if Denilson has a future at the club past the end of this season I would be very surprised. Having exploded onto the scene two years ago he has become an increasing enigma. He is a young man who simply does not play enough football. But he is clearly not good enough to dictate the midfield in Fabregas’s absence. It has been well documented that we have a long injury list at the moment. The bench we had on Saturday was very young indeed, but my worry with Wenger is, does he really trust his young players to be up to the job? During his post-match interview he openly admitted that Kolo Toure is not fit and is not playing with confidence. The defender is still recovering from malaria so why play him? Johann Djourou played against both West Brom and FC Twente. In both games we kept clean sheets, yet Wenger was not prepared to play him against Fulham. Why? Simply he doesn’t believe Djourou is up to the job. This is not the only example of double standards regarding his younger players. Aaron Ramsey is a £5m signing who we were told would be fighting for a first team place. Fighting obviously means sitting on the bench whilst the first 11 struggle to a 1-0 defeat. Why was the teenager not introduced? Denilson and Eboue were awful and even if Ramsey had done nothing, what was there to lose. Again, Wenger betrayed his trust of the young player. Jack Wilshire at just 16 is a very young man indeed, but why would you include him in the first team squad, expose him during the pre-season tournaments (during which he was fantastic) and then leave him on the bench? Anyone would think we have an abundance of defenders judging by the amount we are allowing too leave on loan. I understand that the players need experience and in the case of Armand Traore it is fantastic that he will be playing premiership football with Portsmouth. In the case of Senderos though, his future at the club looks bleak. I’m not sure what the reasoning behind loaning him out is. The move to Milan has the option to go permanent next year and Arsenal are obviously going to try and trigger that clause. If this is the case, why not sell him now and get some money for a replacement. With 6 days to go in the transfer window, I for one am not holding my breath that we will bring anyone else in. I truly hope we do, but what is more important is that Wenger trusts his young players. If he doesn’t, then why would he have put so much impetus on nurturing players over the past 5-6 years? Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:20:10 +0200 Good day all.
We have a new poll for you to vote and give your comments about the Silvestre signing. Please vote on the poll on the right hand side and share what you think in the comments section below. Also if you didn't read my comments on the move and our squad options, you can read them here. Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:56:14 +0200 Watch the the Premiership (including Fulham v Arsenal on Saturday) live streams from our LIVE VIDEO STREAMS PAGE. By Bilal Zaidi .........................................Almunia Walcott...............Cesc......................Alonso..................Nasri
Comments on our squad options are welcome as always in the comments section below. The next few days can either be very exciting for us or very disappointing. Come on Wenger, surprise me. Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:48:25 +0200 By Bilal Zaidi Anyone at the match on Saturday? It was beautiful for me to start off this season with seats in perfect view. I was blessed with 90 minutes of viewing pleasure from the middle tier, third row from the front and central right position of the half way line. Just like my position in the stadium, I couldn’t help but notice that I was in the stand which was also ‘centre right’ in more ways than one with only four or five people (including myself) wearing an Arsenal shirt. Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:22:31 +0200 Watch the live streams from our LIVE VIDEO STREAMS PAGE: Chelsea v Portsmouth Manchester United v Newcastle Aston Villa v Manchester City Follow the link and choose which match you would like to view. Open in internet explorer for live stream through the webpage. Download sopcast if you haven't already. Sun, 17 Aug 2008 11:56:51 +0200 By Atishay Agarwal
It was like watching last season all over again. We took the lead against a lesser side, dominated possession and passed the ball around with ease all day, but failed to kill them off. In fact, we wasted so many dangerous positions and some glorious chances, and on occasions our attackers looked bereft of ideas in the final third. It’s the first game of the season, though, and what was most important was to get all three points. Here are the ratings: Almunia - 6 – He was largely untested, though he made one or two good saves. But he still doesn’t come out quickly enough to collect long balls and help his defenders, and some times rushes off his line all the way till the edge of the penalty area when there’s no need to. He’s a much improved keeper from three years back, but he still needs to improve, I feel. Sagna – 6 – It was a solid if unspectacular performance by Goldilocks yesterday. He was comfortable while defending but didn’t do as much as he is capable of when going forward. Gallas – 7 – There were times when our defence looked shaky, but Willy was more than effective in one-on-one situations. He saved us on a few occasions, notably when he rushed back and cleared off the line in the second half. Djourou – 6 – A bit of a topsy-turvy display by our other Swiss defender, as he was composed most of the times, but lost the plot at times, especially at their ‘almost’ goal. Gallas had more than a word to say to him then. Hopefully, it’ll help. Clichy – 7.5 – Gael was his usual self, and was even quicker than usual. He made a number of interceptions and bombed forward whenever he could. One electrifying run from the edge of our own penalty area in the second half was simply breathtaking. He coped admirably in defence as well, and was untroubled throughout the game. Walcott – 5 – A disappointing start for Theo to the season which many say will be ‘his’. He gave the ball away a number of times, and his first touch still lets him down frequently. Maybe Arsene should try him up front, what say? Eboue – 6.5 – I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw him lined up as a central midfielder, and what left me more baffled was that he looked better in the middle than he did on the right last year! He was quite assured in his play, and distributed the ball well. Having said that, some of his efforts on goal were ridiculous and utterly wasteful. Denilson – 7 – The Brazilian had an impressive game, and dictated a lot of our attacking play. His intelligent run and cut-back set up the goal, and he tried to up the tempo all game with his passing. A definite improvement on last season. Nasri(MoM) – 8 – Could he have asked for a better start to his Arsenal career? Neither could I! We usually see new signings from abroad go missing in their early games and not make an impact in their first 3-4 months in the league, but he got off the blocks straight away. Apart from the cool finish, his passing, mazy runs, and general play was top notch. Hleb who? Bendtner – 5.5 – Nicklas started the game well, and passed the ball around impressively, especially the one to Clichy in the build up to the goal. As the match wore on, however, he faded away, and didn’t do anything of note in the second half. Adebayor – 5 - He was looking dangerous in the first half and troubled the West Brom defence almost all game, but he was guilty of wasting chance after chance for the team. Some of his play was a bit selfish too, and his decision-making in the final third left a lot to be desired. Also, he got more and more predictable throughout the game, which made it slightly easier for them to defend against him. But let’s not criticize him. We know it takes him 3 straightforward chances to score, doesn’t it? SUBS Toure – 5 – Why was he playing on the right wing for Christ’s sake? I thought he would take his place in defence, Djourou would switch to midfield and Eboue to right back. Wenger probably thought of giving him just a run out to regain fitness, but we can’t play our players in just about any position on the field, you know. Van Persie – 5.5 – Robin didn’t influence the game much after coming on, and looked just a little rusty. Extra points for not getting injured. Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:09:53 +0200 By Richard Popple There has been plenty of doom-mongering amongst journalists, pundits and opposition fans about Arsenal during previous pre-seasons. Seemingly every summer predictions are made about Arsenal’s lack of depth and the battle we face to beat Tottenham to fourth place and this year has been no different. Football really has become very swallow and completely in awe of money when coming fourth is the be all and end all. Frankly, the predictions and taunting from other fans is becoming a bind for many Arsenal fans, who like myself face questions about our manager and the clubs aspirations. In the past I have simply shrugged off suggestions that Wenger has lost the plot or that the club do not want to take financial risks. But the writing seems to be on the wall, at least for the next few seasons. Even the most optimistic fan will concede that the possibility of Arsenal overpowering both Chelsea and Manchester United is unlikely at best. Of course this was the concern voiced last season and to some degree Wenger and the team proved people wrong by finishing a comfortable 3rd. But we didn’t win the league and the stats don’t lie. Three seasons without a trophy is a phrase drubbed into every Arsenal heart. Last night’s victory in Holland was professional without being reassuring. I found myself wondering where this current crop of players can lead us this season. We are of course ravaged with injuries at present and even United or Chelsea would struggle with so many players out. But what have the likes of Rosicky, Diaby, Senderos and Eduardo actually achieved for Arsenal. They are all very talented players and of course Eduardo reserves special sympathy, but the point is, what will these players bring to the side when fit? Having players out injured is a nightmare for any club, but using it to mask a lack of squad dept could also be damaging. In terms of transfers Wenger has not done anything to reassure the fan this summer. I still harbour doubts over Adebayor’s behaviour this summer and I simply do not buy the ‘Well he didn’t actually say he wanted to leave’ excuse. The fact that he spent three months trying to negotiate deals for more money suggests that we have a power-driven striker who really let last season’s terrific displays go to his head. I detest greedy footballers but I will not single out Adebayor for unfair treatment. With each passing summer the stories of players holding clubs to ransom seems to get worst and if it continues fans will start to step back from the game. We are lucky as Arsenal fans that our club still maintains its morals and if Adebayor has told Wenger that he truly wants to stay and fight for the team then I will give the Togo striker the benefit of the doubt. Losing players has been another tradition that Arsenal have developed over the last few seasons. This season has been no different although as long as an experienced midfielder is secured we are no worse off than last season. I’m afraid though we don’t seem to be any better off in terms of numbers or defensive security. It does not take a genius to work out that last season’s shortcomings were down to conceding sloppy goals. When Wenger stated at the start of the summer he intended to strengthen the defence every fan breathed a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, the manager has seen something to change his mind. His continued negligence when it comes to our defence I believe will hamper us when challenging for the title. I am not against the manager’s methods. Every club in the world would be delighted if their team played like Arsenal, or if youth players were given a chance to blossom and become stars for the club. His tactical knowledge is superb and his ability to lift players and instil a never-say-die attitude should be applauded. He is the most successful manager in the clubs history and will always have a place in the club’s future. I’m delighted that he has never left Arsenal and he most certainly won’t be pushed, but Arsene knows one thing. If this season ends in disappointment for the club, nothing will change, no drastic action will be taken and more talent will leave, whilst others arrive. There will be no quick fix at Arsenal like at Chelsea or Manchester United. We are in it for the long term and the board and Wenger should be supported and believed in.
Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:09:02 +0200 By Bilal Zaidi Good day all. The news that Justin Hoyte may well be moving to Middlesbrough is a sad sight but one that was inevitable. He is a rare breed of Arsenal player, coming through the ranks of our academy from a young age. Both Justin and younger brother Gavin went to my primary school and the latter at secondary school also, so it is even sadder to see youngsters who are just like me, moving away from the club that I love. In an Arsenal era which has been dominated by foreign superstars including Henry, Vieira, Bergkamp, Overmars, Fabregas etc, it has always been nice to see a local boy standing side by side. To see Justin on the pitch with Henry and Fabregas, the players that are idolized globally…just added some realism to my view on football. Hoyte did very well in the past showing he has potential and as a natural athlete he is typical of a Wenger style player. However, with the recent emergence of Bacary Sagna as a solid starting right back, it is very unlikely he would be able to compete against the French international. It is sad to see, but in reality it is probably the best for all three parties involved. Hoyte will have a chance to play more regularly and that is what he needs at this stage in his career. Middlesbrough will benefit from a good quality, athletic and young English full back for a decent price and Arsenal will receive money that can be re-invested in areas of the squad that are more necessary. I have followed his career since his days in the youth and reserve team as it isn’t every day that a person you have come in contact with lives their dream and plays with the superstars of Arsenal. I am sure he will do very well at Middlesbrough if he chooses to go there and I would just like to wish Justin good luck with the future. My brother also ironically lives in Middlesbrough so any advice on the area would be happily provided! I hope that Justin’s hard work, focus and drive remain in the North East and he fulfils his great potential. Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:59:39 +0200 By Renoogami
Standing as we are, on the starting line of the new season, as at this same stage last season, I don’t know whether to be optimistic or pessimistic. One thing I do know is that if we want to win silverware this season, there’s something that must happen. It’s very simple, and with a bit of luck it will happen. I am referring to something – not that we need, but rather something we must do without. It’s something that all Premier League winners manage to do without. What is this thing we must do without? Long-term bloody injuries, that’s what! Just take a close look at all the Premier League winning teams over the last few years and, whilst one or two have had their share of key players missing for the odd game, none of them experienced long term injuries to more than one player at most. Yet in the last few trophy-less seasons we have suffered ridiculously long injuries to key players, including Henry, Gallas, RVP, Diaby, Rosicky and Sagna. Some say it wouldn’t be a problem with a little more strength in depth, but I disagree. There is always a first choice eleven with any successful side – unless you happen to be Liverpool - and they have aptly demonstrated that rotation doesn’t work and they still can’t buy the title. No – chopping and changing players to fit in others – however good they may be – disrupts the fluidity of any good footballing team. I know it would be nice to sign David Villa, Micah Richards, Robinho, Gareth Barry, Alonso, Shay Given and any one of the dozens of fine players we have been linked with, but in my humble view we have enough players to win us the title - providing most of them can stay fit! Whilst I have been critical of ‘Basil’ Almunia in the past, it cannot be denied that he looked much better throughout last season once he was established. Lets not forget that fantastic save from git-face Keane against the Frillywhites at the Emirates. Fabianski has also showed us that he should be an able deputy. We have the best two full backs in the Premier League and good experienced cover from Toure or Eboue on the right and Gallas on the left, plus good inexperienced cover from Hoyte and Gibbs. At their best there are no finer nor quicker centre backs than Toure and Gallas. And with Djourou, Senderos, Song and possibly even Nordvelt, we do have depth. Forget Flamini – yes he was brilliant for us last season but we already have a direct replacement at the club in Denilson. Unlike most pundits, I don’t regard Denilson as being like Cesc at all – he is much more like Flamini. I watched a rerun of one of last seasons games the other day and I reckon Denilson works just as hard as Flamini and has a more telling pass and is always willing to have a shot. The trouble is we don’t have a back-up defensive midfielder in the squad other than Song (who seems to have been earmarked by Arsene for a central defender role) and this is an area we all know we must be rectified before the end of August. Sadly we cannot rely on Diaby’s fitness. He must be nearly as bad as Rosicky in that he seemingly plays two games and then misses the next four! Until we get a replacement we must presumably rely on (perish the thought) Eboue on the right, and perhaps Traore or even Kieran Gibbs on the left. From what I have seen of him in the pre season games, I rate Ramsey as being more of an attacking midfielder – again similar to Cesc. We also have Nasri and Walcott, with Jack Wilshere and Mark Randall waiting in reserve. Our strike force should be stronger this year with the addition of Carlos Vela who looks real class to me. So up this point I would say that I was fairly optimistic in my forecast of the season ahead. Then I logged on this morning to read the news that we have Cesc, Kolo, Nasri and Swiss Tony joining the usual sick notes (Diaby and Rosicky) and all will be unavailable for the first two or three games of the season. So now I am pessimistic in the knowledge that if we sustain too many or long term injuries to key players, there is no way we will be able to win the league title this season. How many other clubs in the premiership I wonder have 8 (a third!) of their first team squad of 24 outfield Players unfit for the first games of the season. All in all it has not been the most encouraging pre season when you consider we have only kept one clean sheet in the 9 games against quite a lot of poor opposition. Still that one game was against Real Madrid. I feel quite optimistic again now! Come on you Gunners!! Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:54:45 +0200 By Bilal Zaidi The Dutch ace is one of my favourite players of all time so to hear this news was fascinating.He is now 35 years old so for him to play a small role is just a bit of random...pleasant news. Overmars said: “I’m retired for four years now and I train only once a week. But you can Do you remember your favourite Overmars memory? Share yours in the comments section below. More from me shortly. Good day all. Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:57:56 +0200 By Richard Popple Wenger is a huge fan of Song, who has struggled to win over the Arsenal faithful. However a loan spell at Charlton in the 2006/2007 season saw him gain confidence and more importantly, gave him regular playing opportunities. Last season he looked a different player. He reminds me of a young Kolo Toure, sharing the same desire and will to put his body on the line. Against Blackburn last season in the Carling Cup he was immense, throwing himself into tackles, hurling himself forward to join attacks and he defended every ball almost as if his life depended on it. He needs to improve his ball control and distribution to make the midfield slot his own. At the moment he is probably viewed as a back up defensive option, but Wenger is well know for developing players into other positions. I think he could provide Arsenal with an option there, but not this season. Of all the rumours that have been circling, my personal preference would be Xabi Alonso. I don’t think the cost would be too much for Arsenal and he would certainly be cheaper than Gareth Barry, who at a reported 18 million is out of Wenger’s price range. Alonso would be a superb foil for Fabregas and would enjoy linking up with his Spanish colleague. He has premiership experience and would be a calming influence in the middle of the park. More importantly, he seems to have become surplus to requirements at Anfield, with Liverpool looking to raise funds to compete for their own transfer targets. The question however remains; if Liverpool would sell a player like Xabi Alonso to one of their top four rivals? Time will soon tell. Stay tuned. Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:39:03 +0200 By Richard Popple Bacary Sagna’s recent interview hits at every Arsenal fan’s worst fears…the club currently don’t look like challenging for the premiership next season. Sagna also hinted that losing Hleb would not be such a blow as the possible departure of Adebayor. The Togo striker has said some very intriguing things this summer, but as always with the British press, it is hard to gauge how much is the truth. So with Hleb’s transfer to Barcelona imminent (well it wouldn’t be the summer if at least one Arsenal player didn’t move to the Catalan giants), it looks as if AW will be using the funds to generate a deal for reportedly Andrei Arshavin.
Sun, 22 Jun 2008 20:30:29 +0200 Watch the Euro 2008 Tournament from our LIVE VIDEO STREAMS PAGE: Todays game: Spain v Italy Lets hope we get a chance to see Fabregas come off the bench tonight. Follow the link and choose which match you would like to view. Open in internet explorer for live stream through the webpage. Download sopcast if you haven't already. Sat, 21 Jun 2008 22:39:10 +0200 Watch the boxing live from our LIVE VIDEO STREAMS PAGE: Bolton boy Amir Khan has a big fight tonight against Michael Gomez from 22:15 as Holland and Russia go into extra time with the scores level at 1-1.Follow the link and choose which match you would like to view. Open in internet explorer for live stream through the webpage. Download sopcast if you haven't already. Sat, 21 Jun 2008 19:50:56 +0200 Watch the Euro 2008 Tournament from our LIVE VIDEO STREAMS PAGE: Todays game: Holland v Russia. Tomorrow: Spain v Italy. You can also catch Amir Khan v Michael Gomez boxing fight tonight from the same video streams page. Good luck to Amir tonight and Robin Van Persie for Holland, lets hope Van Persie gets a chance to start after scoring in Hollands last match. Follow the link and choose which match you would like to view. Open in internet explorer for live stream through the webpage. Download sopcast if you haven't already. Sat, 21 Jun 2008 03:09:51 +0200 By Bilal Zaidi
This is some crazy stuff. Turkey somehow qualified tonight with a huge victory over Croatia after the tie went into extra time. Turkey conceded at one end and scored at the other and won it after extra time from the resulting penalties. What a fantastic story and a perfect illustration of what hard work and determination can get you. They never gave up, for three games in a row where they looked to be heading out. Who knows what may be in store for them in the semi-finals. Congratulations to Turkey and local boy Colin Kazim Richards who went to school just down the road from me. Crazy stuff. However, the news that has been reported of our thirty goal striker Adebayor to sign for Barcelona for “£22mil - £25mil” is quite amazing. He had a great season for us and I would love for Ade to be staying but it is very difficult to tell who is misleading us all. I know from other peoples comments that many may want to just get rid of him but I would like to see what is actually going on before we start to put down our striker who did very well for us last season. Is this a trick from Barcelona to unsettle the player and the club in order to gain eventually when they buy him or is it simply the truth? It has been going on for a bit of time now and I haven’t written much on it because I don’t like writing about transfer rumours that are thrown around loosely. However, a good few papers have been picking up on the story this morning as the conclusion to this predicament seems to be edging to a final sprint in the coming weeks. Nasri is expected to sign officially very soon since his French club have already confirmed the deal. Also, his compatriot Clichy closed off any sort of speculation regarding his potential future at another club by signing a four year deal to commit his future to Arsenal. Clichy was outstanding this year, being voted the Premiership’s best left back...unfortunately he wasn’t included in Frances European squad but both Nasri and Clichy on the French and Arsenal left wing could now become a great possibility in the near future. Any news relating to the futures of the players mentioned will be updated as soon as we have heard of any news. Don’t miss tonight’s game between Holland and Russia and Amir Khan’s fight as well from our live video streams page. Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:18:23 +0200 Watch the Euro 2008 Tournament from our LIVE VIDEO STREAMS PAGE and get £200 free bets from Bet365
By Richard Popple With reports suggesting that Arsenal will push hard to sign the Russian playmaker, Arsenal fans across the world will be delighted by this potentially exciting news. Samir Nasri is apparently travelling to London today although an official confirmation of his transfer may still be days away even if he passes the medical. Nasri alone would be a great signing, but the prospect of having him and Arshavin is mouth-watering to say the least. Having seen Arshavin play for Zenit St Petersburg a few times and obviously a few times for Russia as well, including a brilliant performance in last night’s win against Sweden, there is no doubt he would be a major coup for Wenger’s boys. He is a very creative player with more of an eye for a goal than the likes of Rosicky and Hleb. The latter looks very likely to leave and really needs to hurry up and make a decision one way or the other. It’s been reported that Arsenal want £20 million for Hleb (which they will not get), but if he does go, Arshavin would be a fantastic replacement. Guus Hiddink has lavished praise on Arshavin recently, saying he has been the best player he has ever coached. Coming from a man with Hiddink’s CV and reputation that is high praise indeed. So when will Arsene strike? Probably the moment Russia make their exit from Euro 2008. Wenger will hope that will happen against the Dutch this weekend, so that Arshavin’s price tag can’t inflate further. He has already made enquires over Arshavin’s availability to Dick Advocatt, Zenit’s coach. Earlier in the summer, Zenit made it clear that Arshavin could leave if the transfer was wrapped up quickly. The player himself has said that Arsenal or Chelsea would be his preferred choice in England. He will not be joining the likes of Newcastle or Spurs, because Champions league football is already assured with Zenit, so a move to either of the London giants looks most likely. The fact that Russia and Zenit play quick passing, technical football, suggests that he would be more suited to Arsenal than Chelsea. Also Chelsea are reportedly looking to add Deco to their Ranks, who plays in a similar position to Arshavin, which adds doubts to him choosing the Bridge. Of course caution must prevail when it comes to transfer rumours, but there is something about the Russian joining Arsenal that makes sense. Let’s hope Wenger is already working on the transfer behind closed doors. I sincerely hope we see Fabregas, Nasri and Ashavin running Arsenal’s midfield next year. Wed, 18 Jun 2008 01:53:36 +0200 By Richard Popple
Robin Van Persie has his chance tonight to further highlight Holland’s chances in Euro 2008. It will be fantastic to see Van Persie start tonight, given his injury problems over the past couple of years. I’m just praying that he won’t get injured again. Marco Van Basten was delighted that he could call on Arjen Robben and Van Persie from the bench to take the game away from France on Friday and now, both men will have the opportunity to stake a claim for a place in the quarter final line up. Van Persie is without doubt a wonderful player, who as an Arsenal fan; I am frustrated that I have never seen the best of. Obviously this has plenty to do with his horrific injury history which is most depressing. He along with Cesc Fabregas are Arsenal’s only representatives in the quarter finals at present (France may not yet qualify), which means I am routing for the Dutch or the Spanish. It would undoubtedly help Arsenal and Wenger if one of his best players tasted glory this summer and would hopefully instil some ‘winning’ confidence into the Gunners dressing room. The lack of players at Arsenal who have actually won honours dwindles every year so a Spanish or Dutch victory might just help Arsenal’s younger players. Having watched both Spain and Holland in this tournament, there is a very distinct possibility that either RVP or Cesc could get their hands on the trophy. Holland have taken two ageing superpowers apart, whilst Spain have shown a deadly side in the shape of their front pair. They also have a terrific midfield which if on form, will counter any doubts over their defence. Van Persie, who will continue contract talks with Arsenal after the championships is clearly desperate to do well for Holland and prove to himself that he can stay fit and strong. Talk of him going to Inter Milan is way off the mark. I doubt if Wenger will ever do business with Mourinho again after some of the Portuguese manager’s comments. Van Persie, like Fabregas is one of the most important players in Arsene Wenger’s squad, who has made it clear that Van Persie will be rewarded once he returns from Switzerland. Wenger however, wants consistency from Van Persie, who like Rosicky will hope for a clean bill of health this coming season. But as for tonight, Van Persie can concentrate on his own game, safe in the knowledge that Holland have already qualified as group winners. They will be favourites tonight, but as shown against Italy and France, Romania are no push over’s. I’m going for a Dutch victory though, 2-1 with Van Persie on target again! Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:49:29 +0200 Watch the Euro 2008 Tournament from our LIVE VIDEO STREAMS PAGE: Todays matches include: Follow the link and choose which match you would like to view. Open in internet explorer for live stream through the webpage. Download sopcast if you haven't already. Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:58:10 +0200 Watch the Euro 2008 Tournament from our LIVE VIDEO STREAMS PAGE and get £200 free bets from Bet365
By Bilal Zaidi The BBC have reported that Ramsey will be joining the Gunners this summer, not the European and English champions Manchester United or Everton. Big surprise? Perhaps for some but Wenger is an architect of success for young players in the modern era of football. Let us break down the honest reasons for young Ramsey to join each club. Manchester United After winning the Champions League and the English Premier League, their selling points are quite obvious. For a young player, the lure of the calibre of potential team mates in Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Co, is a huge pulling point. He will also take into account the probability of winning things is greater at a club like United. However, he may think about the playing time he gets at the club. Also, the fact that Alex Ferguson apparently sent Gary Neville to convince Ramsey to come to the club rather than himself, may be another factor in Ramsey’s decision. In direct contrast, Arsenal flew him and his agent out to Switzerland in a private jet to speak with Arsene Wenger. That small investment of a private jet may be quite worthwhile in the long run. The Arsenal board and Wenger do not play about, they know how to run a club. Everton At Everton he may get more playing time which would be the main selling point from their point of view. It depends on what his priorities are. How willing is he to play for a ‘smaller’ club where he may become an integral part of the first team a lot quicker than at Manchester United or Arsenal? How motivated is he by money? Perhaps the money being offered by each club is identical, we just don’t know, but these are the variables to take into account. Arsenal Now this may seem biased, but in my opinion what Arsenal can offer Ramsey is quite unique in that it almost strikes the golden mean in Aristotelian style between the playing time advantage at Everton and the prestige of a huge club like Manchester United. Arsenal perhaps offer both, with a manager that has a proven track record in nurturing the very best young talent from around the globe. Arsene Wenger is a genius of his own kind; his philosophy and methods of running the club are different to any other manager in the world today. I have written countless pieces on this website describing in detail how Wenger has revolutionised the world of football. His calm, youthful kaizen approach of development makes him unique and for that reason he will attract certain types of people and therefore certain types of players to the club. If Ramsey is that sort of person, then he will feel the chemistry with Wenger and play his heart out for the manager. Also we should take into account the location of Arsenal Football Club. Again no disrespect to either Manchester or Liverpool since they are both beautiful cities with their own special atmosphere etc. However, London is one of the most famous cities in the world for a reason and Arsenal have built a masterpiece of a stadium for Wenger’s troupers to run around in. Ramsey can make some friends his own age and play in a team with them against the ‘adults’ of the other teams in the league. They can finish a Saturday afternoon game of football in front of 60,000 and then go home to Theo Walcott’s house to play Pro Evolution Soccer in HD on the Playstation 3. It seems as if Ramsey has made a good choice taking into account all the other variables. Wenger had a personal talk with him where as Ferguson didn’t. Arsenal sent him on a private jet to Switzerland and United didn’t. Wenger can give the youthful exuberance of Ramsey more of a chance to play than United and feel confident that he will be in safe hands. And let’s not forget that Pro Evolution in HD at Walcott’s house after the match is a great lure for young Ramsey. I am still waiting for my invite. Now for some Cescy action after Holland’s fantastic display yesterday. I hope you are all enjoying the summer where ever you are reading this, please share your comments on Ramsey in the comments section. Blessings all. Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:36:11 +0200 Watch the Euro 2008 Tournament from our LIVE VIDEO STREAMS PAGE. Also get £200 free bets from Bet365.
Good day boys and girls. It's a beautiful summer’s day finally here in London and the last few days have been fantastic for sports fans. Test match cricket, the men’s tennis final with the clash of the titans where Nadal outclassed Federer, the European football and then early in the morning (London time) the NBA Finals between Kobe's LA Lakers and the Boston Celtics. What fantastic viewing as Paul Pierce gave an impressive performance to give Celtics a 2-0 series lead. Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:09:04 +0200 Watch the Euro 2008 Tournament from our LIVE VIDEO STREAMS PAGE: Todays matches include: Follow the link and choose which match you would like to view. Open in internet explorer for live stream through the webpage. Download sopcast if you haven't already. Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:28:14 +0200 By Richard Popple
Like many Arsenal fans at the end of the season, I had a feeling of relief that the disappointing campaign had come to end. Well disappointing in the fact that we failed to win a trophy after such a strong start. I think it’s universally recognised that Arsenal ran out of steam as the games become tougher and the fixtures piled up. The squad we cried, is not big enough, experienced enough or indeed talented enough? Having not chosen to recruit in the January transfer window, there is considerable pressure on Wenger for the first time from some Arsenal fans to reinforce heavily in the summer. I am not going to criticise Wenger’s decision not to strengthen in January but certainly allowing Lassana Diarra to leave seemed like a mistake. I understand that the player wanted first team football, but he would have got those opportunities in the second half of the season. Also he was under contract and Arsenal were under no pressure to sell him. I think Wenger took the easy option there and in my opinion the wrong one. The summer as always has created many fantastical rumours about possible transfer targets. Let’s face it, I would be very surprised if Veloso or Villa were to join Arsenal despite all of the speculation. They unfortunately fall into the category of a ‘big name’ and Wenger is becoming more and more stubborn about buying stars. However when Arsene spoke out two or three weeks ago about the imminent signing/s that would reassure the fans, my belief returned that Arsene really does know. Unfortunately the saga that is Samir Nasri’s possible transfer is still on-going and it looks as if no conclusion will be reached until after Euro 2008. Is Nasri one of the signings meant to reassure fans? If he is and decides not to come, Arsene would look very silly indeed. So where do we go from here? Flamini has left and Hleb looks very likely to follow which means two first team regulars need replacing? Replacing? That alarms the hell out of me. We don’t need to replace players. It was very evident from this year’s failings that the squad needs additions. Well now Wenger needs to replace and add otherwise next year could once again prove to be disappointing. Wenger however, has a great record in the transfer market and has often secured deals from nowhere (Eduardo last summer), but for him to come out publicly and say that the signings will reassure the fans is a tall order. Is this finally the year when Arsenal splash the cash to challenge Chelsea and Manchester United? |
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