THE FOOTBALL THREAD Vol 2

Arsène Wenger: 'We had resilience and didn't give in'
Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham H.
Carling Cup S/F Leg 1
Emirates Stadium
Wed, Jan 9, 2008, 7.45pm



on the final score...
"I believe it's a good result for us considering Tottenham created more chances tonight. We had a good start for thirty minutes and after we gave a goal away and just before half time they created two or three really good chances, you know, they didn't take. In the second half I feel we were a bit... we were better defensively but we didn't create many chances but we had resilience and didn't give in, and in the end we came back to one-one, that is a good result for us."

on Tottenham ...
"They are on their way up, yes, they have played well tonight, but you need consistency in your results to know that, I feel quality is first down to consistency. That's why they played well tonight, I don't deny that at all, but we have to repeat the same performances every three days, and every four days, and that is very difficult."

on the return leg ...
"In two weeks it can change completely, I feel we are in a good position, considering the game tonight, to make it. At two-nil it would have certainly have killed the game for us and the chance to qualify maybe, but a one-one - we are in a good position, a good opportunity. "

on a hangover from the FA Cup...
"I feel we were not at our best physically tonight, I feel we had not recovered completely from our Burnley game. Tottenham was sharper than us tonight but we have shown mental resilience and strength and for such a young team that is a positive attitude."

on new injuries...
"Djourou was injured, Senderos is injured, Van Persie got injured. So, we had no injuries before the game started but tonight considering that we lost three players, and we lost three players in the African Nations Cup, we lost suddenly in one night six players... basically in two days - that is very difficult for us."

on Van Persie's problem...
"We have to see tomorrow morning, is it just scar tissue? Sometimes, you know, when you come back after a long time, is it just a question of two days or is it longer, we'll see that tomorrow."

on his central defenders...
"Djourou is a problem we had already at Birmingham so that means for me it came back, a groin problem, you know? Senderos, a little mid-knee ligament he got in the first half, so we'll see. We have to assess all that, I cannot tell you how long they will be out, it can be one, two days, it can be two weeks! It's difficult to assess tonight. Hoyte, Gilberto, Sagna can play in there, we still have solutions."
 
Van Persie struck down with flu but good news on injury
Arsenal v Birmingham City
Barclays Premier League
Emirates Stadium
Sat, Jan 12, 2008, 3pm



By Richard Clarke

Arsène Wenger believes that the recurrence of Robin van Persie’s thigh problem is “minor” however the Dutchman will still miss the weekend game with Birmingham because he has been struck down with flu.

The Arsenal striker was substituted just 45 minutes into his return from injury against Tottenham on Wednesday night. It was feared that Van Persie had aggravated the muscular problem in his thigh that had kept him sidelined since mid-December. In his post-match press conference, Wenger said the 24-year-old would be undergoing tests in the morning. The vibes seem positive however a different problem will prevent him being involved on Saturday at Emirates Stadium.

“There is no real news because he got flu overnight,” Wenger told Arsenal TV Online on Thursday afternoon. “He is in bed and the doctor has gone over to see him. That means he is out for Saturday’s game anyway. But we don’t believe it is a real recurrence of the injury and it might be minor.”

Both of Arsenal’s starting centre backs picked up injuries against Tottenham. One is out for Saturday and the other is doubtful. But, even with Kolo Toure and Alex Song having left for the African Nations Cup, the manager believes he can cope.

“Djourou is out but Senderos has not been completely assessed by the medical staff yet,” said Wenger. “We will know more about him on Friday. The options are those who played last night or Gilberto or Sagna. So we have players. Everyone else is alright
 
Arsène Wenger: "I'm confident that the team will refocus"
Arsenal 1-1 Birmingham City
Barclays Premier League
Emirates Stadium
Sat, Jan 12, 2008, 3pm



By

on the result...
"It was very frustrating because the crowd was very good and we were not good. The support of the crowd was always behind the team and wanted to push us. They defended well and I felt that it looked too easy and we lost concentration on the set-piece. And when you do that you're punished and that's what happened today. After that it was close many times but we didn't create enough overall. We were not sharp enough to do it and because they defended well and it's as simple as that."

on bringing in new faces...
"I don't look for anybody and I feel that last excuse to find when you don't win a game - with a team who has won so many games since the start of the season - is to say 'let's go out and buy'. It's a little bit too easy and it's not a way I want to go."

on O'Connor's goal...
"I don't believe that Senderos was caught in the set-piece, there were two or three other players involved who didn't jump for the ball and that's why we got punished. "

on the title race...
"I feel the situation is so tight up front, every game is important, you know? It's very difficult to say what months will be crucial. The only thing I know, today we lost two points we should not have lost and I'm confident that the team will refocus, because they are really disappointed. We need sharply to refocus because that kind of focus we have shown today is not sufficient. "

on Walcott standing in for Rosicky...
"I wouldn't like to criticise any individual performance today, I feel we had so many good games, he played his third game of the week. He was planned to be rested today but Rosicky got sick last night. So he, I feel, physically suffered a little bit."
 
to be honesty I wwas impressed with man u last ngt but in fairness, I tot Newcastle was really really bad in the 2nd half.
 
i was watching arsenal in action before man utd's demolition of newcastle.to tell you the truth i almost lose lots of hair watching arsenal play.dominated possesion but no finisher.
 
Wenger - I take full responsibility for result
Arsenal 1-1 Birmingham City
Barclays Premier League
Emirates Stadium
Sat, Jan 12, 2008, 3pm



By Matt Fortune

Arsène Wenger has admitted he takes full responsibility for the draw that saw Arsenal lose ground in the title race on Saturday.

Birmingham became only the second team to leave Emirates Stadium with a share of the spoils in the Premier League this season, and the Frenchman revealed he shoulders the blame for what he called ‘the poorest game we have played’.

“I take full responsibility. The crowd were good, we were bad and I include myself in that,” said Wenger. “You can never afford to be poor because that's not your ambition. We tried but we lacked creativity, incisiveness and sharpness. It can happen.

"I feel that it's easy to find a rational explanation for days like this but it's not always the right ones. It's one of the mysteries of football that some players haven't played for 10 days and yet they weren't sharp today.”

The Arsenal manager’s frustration was palpable as he watched on from the touchline. He explained why after the match.

"We were caught in the feeling, during the game, that it would be easy and that's a good lesson for us. The goalkeeper has probably never had so little to do but still we have dropped two points.

“We lost a ball we shouldn't have lost and from the corner we weren't sharp enough. Then, after that, we lacked quality in the final third and that was a collective problem.

"I don't think this will affect the mentality of the players. There are always one or two performances during a season when you are not at your best but the mistake we made today was from a set-piece and that was disappointing.”

The last time Arsenal slipped behind Manchester United in the title race, the Gunners responded by crashing four past Everton. Wenger believes that the team needs a similar riposte against Fulham next weekend.

"We have to pick up as many points as possible, and that's why we are disappointed because we have dropped two big points. That is not the reality because in 22 games this season we have played well in 21 of them. Now we want to come back to what we really are.”

[ Monday, January 14, 2008]
 
Wenger - My special way of assessing a new signing
By Richard Clarke

Arsène Wenger has one virtually fool-proof way of testing the character of any potential new signing — he just watches them play.

The Arsenal manager is well-known for considering a player’s personality off the pitch as well as their quality on it before he decides to make a bid.

And, according to the Frenchman, all the background research in the world cannot make up for a good, long look at a player in action. Wenger believes the way you play your football is the way you live your life. That is why he has never signed a player from viewing videos alone.

“You try to get as many guarantees as you can but when you see a player you can know his character,” remarked the 58-year-old. “There is no better study than to watch somebody play. When he goes on the football pitch he becomes who he really is.

“In normal life you can hide. On the football pitch you show who you really are. That is why you should watch a player well so you can see behind his character because he delivers that with his performance.”

But, speaking at the launch of Arsenal TV, the Frenchman added that modern transfers do not give a manager the luxury of scrutiny.

“It is sometimes a question of time,” said Wenger. “We need to make quick decisions because we are competing with the other clubs. Some you have to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ without the time to get all the guarantees.

“You can go home at midnight and if you don’t make a decision by 5am then the guy has gone somewhere else. He’ll have two planes booked. One goes to, say, Paris St-Germain and one comes to London.”
 
spurs just beat reading so they should be down right now.another chance man utd will take.7-0 this time.
 
Van Persie and Djourou set for extended stay on sidelines

54.gif

4421.gif

comp_703_r.gif


Fulham v Arsenal

Barclays Premier League

Craven Cottage

Sat, Jan 19, 2008, 3pm






By Richard Clarke
Arsenal will be without Robin van Persie and Johan Djourou for a few weeks.

The Dutch striker (thigh) and the Swiss centre back (groin) both picked up their injuries in the Carling Cup Semi-Final first leg against Tottenham on January 9. They missed the draw with Birmingham last Saturday and now it appears their absences will go on. However, on a brighter note, Tomas Rosicky will be back for the trip to Fulham on Saturday. The Czech midfielder fell ill on the eve of the game against Alex McLeish’s side.

“Compared to last week we have Robin van Persie who is out for a few weeks,” Arsène Wenger told Arsenal TV Online. “I believe Tomas Rosicky will be OK to come back.

“But Johan Djourou is out as well. He has had an inflammation of his groin and in the next two weeks he will not be capable to play.”

Arsenal TV Online subscribers will be able to see the full video interview on Friday morning. In it Wenger talks about: the departure of Lassana Diarra, the arrival of Kevin Keegan, the draw with Birmingham, the injury situation, the problems at Fulham and the appointment of Roy Hodgson.
 
Back
Top