THE FOOTBALL THREAD Vol 2

[fgl]

Paul Merson celebrates his goal at Plough Lane in 1988

http://www.arsenal.com/match-menu/3149186/first-team/everton-v-arsenal Everton 1-6 Arsenal
Barclays Premier League
Saturday, August 15, 2009, 17:30



Saturday's win is best ever

Arsenal's spectacular 6-1 victory over Everton is the Club's best ever start to a season.
The win went one better than their previous best, a 5-1 triumph over Wimbledon in 1988, the first day of their title-winning campaign.
See all of Arsenal's best opening-day performances below.

 

[fgl]

THE TEAM THAT BEAT ALL ODDS TO WIN 0-2 AT ANFIELD TO SNATCH THE TITLE FROM POOL

 

[fgl]

Wenger - We can deal with Celtic atmosphere



Arsène Wenger is confident that Arsenal can handle the "special" atmosphere that awaits them at Parkhead on Tuesday night.
The Frenchman and his squad fly to Glasgow on Monday afternoon for the first leg of their vital Champions League tie with Celtic. Arsenal are the bookmakers' favourites to win over two legs and take their place in the group stage for a 12th consecutive season, but the Scottish giants proved their own European credentials with an impressive victory at Dinamo Moscow in the previous qualifying round.
Arsenal can expect a hot reception when they kick off in front of a sell-out 58,000 crowd tomorrow. Rangers' noisy travelling support at the Emirates Cup gave Wenger a taste of what to expect and he knows his players must cope with fired-up fans as well as fired-up opponents. But the manager has seen his team prevail at the Bernabeu, the San Siro and the Stadio Olimpico in recent seasons and he believes those experiences will hold Arsenal in good stead.
"You expect a massive support at Celtic," admitted Wenger.
"Scotland is always a very special atmosphere, a special noise in the stands. But we have played everywhere in Europe and we can deal with that. It will be down to us and how well we play.
"We don’t go into this game with fear. We go with respect for Celtic, but we know it is a very important game for us and we want to come home with a positive result.

"I always prepare my team first with determination and not with fear. We have played everywhere and have good experience in the Champions League. But every game is different and we know what we will face on Tuesday night – a very determined Celtic team with quality."

 

[wyldeboon]

celtic will bite arse tonite!!!

 

[fgl]

celtic will bite arse tonite!!!

CELTIC CAN BLOW OUR BAGPIPES :mrgreen:

 

[Dime]

I think its gonna be a comfortable one for Arsenal.I dont think Celtic have much in them since Nakamura left.

 

[extremers]

CELTIC CAN BLOW OUR BAGPIPES :mrgreen:

i love bag pipes! Arsenal for the win!

 

[fgl]

0

Celtic


2

Arsenal

• Gallas 43,
• Caldwell 71 (og)

Arsenal

• Manuel Almunia
• Bacary Sagna
• Thomas Vermaelen
• William Gallas
• Gael Clichy
• Denilson
• Alex Song
• Cesc Fabregas
• Andrey Arshavin
  (69)
• Robin Van Persie
• Nicklas Bendtner
• Substitutes
• Vito Mannone
• Abou Diaby
  (69)
• Aaron Ramsey
• Mikael Silvestre
• Emmanuel Eboue
• Kieran Gibbs
• Jack Wilshere

Arsenal are on the cusp of the Champions League group stage after a hard-fought win at Parkhead on Tuesday night.

Arsène Wenger’s side controlled much of this high-octane first leg but they needed a slice of luck in either half to secure victory.

William Gallas deflected Cesc Fabregas’ shot past Artur Boruc to break the deadlock two minutes before the break and Gary Caldwell turned Gael Clichy’s cross past his own keeper to double the advantage with 20 minutes left.

There is work to be done – Dinamo Moscow won here in the previous round and were still eliminated – but Arsenal are now firm favourites to book their place in the group stage for a 12th consecutive year.

Wenger waited anxiously for news on the fitness of Fabregas, Denilson and Bacary Sagna on the morning of the match. All three picked up knocks at Everton; all three were passed fit to play. That allowed the Arsenal boss to name an unchanged line-up with Abou Diaby, back from a groin injury, among the substitutes.

Gloomy weather engulfed Glasgow ahead of the match but that was never going to dampen the spirits of the Parkhead crowd. Much was made of the “special noise” Celtic fans produce and they lived up to their billing here.

A wall of sound greeted the two teams as they emerged from the tunnel and the home fans cheered in expectation as well as hope. After all Celtic had only lost once in eight European ties against English opposition at this ground. Manchester United were vanquished three years ago; would Arsenal go the same way?

Predictably, Celtic snapped into tackles from the off but Arsenal matched them for graft with Denilson and Alex Song doing plenty of dirty work.

The home side’s plan was clear: get the ball wide to Shaun Maloney and Scott Brown and test the visitors with crosses into the area. That’s exactly what happened in the opening minutes as Maloney’s fizzing delivery flashed across the six-yard box.

It was a warning for Arsenal and they heeded it, closing down the Celtic wingers and keeping those crosses down to a minimum. With that avenue more or less closed off, Wenger’s side pushed forward to create opportunities of their own.

They were hard to come by. Massimo Donati’s hesitancy forced keeper Boruc to hurry one clearance with Fabregas lurking and Andrey Arshavin put the ball in the net from an offside position. The Russian cut inside to try his luck later in the half but a block took the sting out of his shot.

Indeed, Celtic were giving as good as they got. Only a wonderful last-ditch challenge denied Brown as he prepared to full the trigger at the end of a pacy counter-attack. And the same man forced a low save from Manuel Almunia with a low shot from 12 yards.

The two defences held sway and it took a big slice of luck to prise the teams apart. Fortunately, fortune favoured the Gunners.

Van Persie tapped a free-kick to Fabregas 30 yards from goal, the captain fired in a low shot and the ball deflected off Gallas and into the corner. Boruc seemed to have Fabregas’ effort covered but he was left completely wrong-footed by the ball’s change of direction.

That would have made Arsenal’s half-time refreshment taste all the sweeter and they emerged for the second half seemingly determined to take the game away from Celtic.

Van Persie slid a shot just past Boruc’s left-hand post after Arshavin had charged through the centre and picked out the Dutchman. Denilson curled a fine effort just wide seconds later and Van Persie was back in the thick of it soon afterwards, scuffing a shot off target.

Bendtner tried his luck too but, once again, Arsenal needed a stroke of luck to break down their opponents.

It came 20 minutes from time when Clichy sped down the left and arrowed a cross towards the six-yard box. Van Persie and Bendtner were lurking but they weren’t needed as Caldwell turned the ball past Boruc.

It was tough on the hosts but Arsenal were worth their lead. The goals had been fortuitous but they controlled possession and territory after the break.

“We’re all going on a European tour!” was the chant from the away end. They are probably right – but there is still work to be done back at the Emirates.

 

[fgl]

celtic will bite arse tonite!!!

ahhahahaahahhaahahahhaaaaa.....

I hope YOU didnt get bit at S'pore pools

 

[extremers]

smoking their bagpipes!

and classic gallas goal. nice! anyhow went in, ball gets deflected from his back and scored. luckily it didn't go wide.

and oh, the champions league's letters and numbers for this year's arsenal kit is super ugly sia!

 

[fgl]

gunners
rulz!​

 

[extremers]

bro fgl, this saturday you catching the match at the club? Cos i might go leh because i don't think i'll be catching the Man U vs Arsenal match there.

 

[fgl]

bro fgl, this saturday you catching the match at the club? Cos i might go leh because i don't think i'll be catching the Man U vs Arsenal match there.

BRO - i GOT GIG ..BUT I CAN MEET U THERE FOR 2ND HALF?

 

[nak]

edit: ok post-work making me damn blur..
hope an all out fight breaks out again for arsenal vs man utd.. crazy fist fights and everything. if i had to put my money i'd say rooney will punch everyone and then say it was all in self defense hehehe

 

[dudelove]

if i had to put my money i'd say rooney will punch everyone and then say it was all in self defense hehehe

only gerrard will do that.

 

[nak]

haha subtle swipe at the scouse

 

[Dime]

only gerrard will do that.

He might make a special appearance from a trap door behind the goalpost.The plan was to attack Gallas from behind and say that its just self-defence.

 

[extremers]

He might make a special appearance from a trap door behind the goalpost.The plan was to attack Gallas from behind and say that its just self-defence.

Gerrard comes out from the trap door to pounce on Gallas, but Rooney intervene for no apparent reason and start a massive epic fist fight against Gerrard for the title, "Who's the better off with their fists than feet." hehe

bro fgl, i'll let you know by friday in regards to saturday's match.

 

[fgl]

bro extremmers - cool .... I wud be in a tux if I were to meet U on Sat ngt ... hahah but I will standby AFC jersey in my guitar case

sooooooo ............. man u lost huh? against Burnley ......????WTH was that all about??

Not say I say what but I do hope manu wins this weekend -coz if they lose again or draw - then they wud be super fired up for AFC's visit to OT next weekend

Poolboys all must be wanking happy that they bully kecik stoke .... :twisted:

 

[fgl]

He might make a special appearance from a trap door behind the goalpost.The plan was to attack Gallas from behind and say that its just self-defence.

backdoor attack by gerard on gallas huh? sound .....wrong leh ..... ...

unless U know something about the two of them that I dont know ... :mrgreen: