WENGER HOPES FUNDS AVAILABLE IN JANUARY

Gunners manager, Arsene Wenger has admitted that he would like to bring in reinforcements in the January transfer window to bolster his Arsenal side's faltering title challenge but does not know the club will make the necessary cash available.

 

Wenger knows his side must improve in the second half of the season but is hamstrung by long-term injuries which rule out Cesc Fabregas, Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott. One player Arsenal have been linked with is Zenit St Petersburg playmaker Andrei Arshavin. However, Wenger refused to confirm he is chasing the Russia forward.

 

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL

ARSENAL 1 - PORTSMOUTH 0

Former captain William Gallas came to Arsenal's rescue with a late header in a 1-0 win against Portsmouth which keeps the Gunners in the Premier League title chase. The breakthrough came in the 82nd minute when David James flapped at Denilson's free-kick and Gallas rose to head the ball into the Pompey net.

 

The victory was barely deserved but it prompted a wave of Arsenal attacks as they at last took control of a game they had struggled to grasp for great swathes against a Portsmouth team which is going through its own crisis of confidence under another former Gunners captain, Tony Adams.

 

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL

ASTON VILLA 2 - ARSENAL 2

Zat Knight rifled home an injury-time equaliser to rescue a well-deserved 2-2 draw against Arsenal. and provide a significant boost for Aston Villa's fight for Champions League qualification. Martin O'Neill's side had battered the Londoners throughout the first half but somehow found themselves two goals down only to mount a superb fightback.

 

Goals either side of half-time by Denilson and Abou Diaby for Arsenal were not a fair reflection of the game and, after Gareth Barry's penalty pulled a goal back, Knight smashed home a stoppage-time leveller to maintain Villa's three-point lead over the Gunners.

 

Villa captain Martin Laursen was missing and Gareth Barry was made skipper for Villa. Arsene Wenger was without captain Cesc Fabregas through injury and striker Emmanuel Adebayor due to suspension.

 

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL 

ASTON VILLA CANNOT WIN TITLE - WENGER

Arsene Wenger realised it is a big game, but turned down the idea of Aston Villa winning the Premier League. The Gunners manager however accepted that Villa is a serious threat for the top four positions challenge.

 

Without Fabregas and suspended striker Emmanuel Adebayor, Arsenal will travel to Villa Park looking for revenge after Gabriel Agbonlahor helped inflict a shock result when the two teams met last month.

 

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL

FABREGAS OUT FOUR MONTHS

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas is set to be sidelined until April with a knee injury. The Spaniard had to be substituted at half-time in Arsenal's 1-1 draw against Liverpool on Sunday following a challenge with Xabi Alonso.

 

The full extent of the damage has now been revealed, with Arsene Wenger confirming that he has a partial rupture of the medial knee ligament. Fabregas had only recently returned to fitness following a problem with the same knee and he will now miss most of the rest of the season. He will have to sit out a crucial period of the Premier League as well as Arsenal's UEFA Champions League tie against Roma.

 

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL 

ARSENAL 1 - LIVERPOOL 1

Striker Robbie Keane dealt a fresh blow to Arsenal's fading title hopes as he secured a point for Barclays Premier League leaders Liverpool in a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal had striker Emmanuel Adebayor sent off in the second half, which hampered their hopes of finding a winner after Keane's goal had cancelled out Robin van Persie's strike.

 

Arsene Wenger's men went into the match eight points off the pace, and perhaps more significantly they were - and remain - out of the top four following Aston Villa's win at West Ham. Despite taking the lead through a fine strike from Van Persie after 24 minutes, it proved a false dawn as the Reds levelled before the break when Keane latched onto a long ball up-field and lashed in a thunderous shot.

 

Arsenal were forced to play the final 30 minutes with only 10 men after referee Howard Webb showed Adebayor his second yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Alvaro Arbeloa.

 

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL   LIVERPOOL 

VIEIRA: WENGER NEED WARRIORS

Patrick Vieira believes Arsenal must address their lack of midfield bite if they are to challenge for honours. The former Gunners captain, now at Inter Milan, admits to being impressed by the club's free-flowing style when in possession, but feels they are often found wanting when put on the back foot.

 

With the days when he helped the club claim silverware on a regular basis long gone, the Frenchman concedes that the modern Arsenal are suffering the consequences of not possessing enough steel in vital areas. Vieira does not feel that Arsene Wenger needs to completely overhaul his squad in order to bring about the desired results, but admits that experienced heads are needed if the North London club are to fulfil their potential.

 

 

MID'BORO 1 - ARSENAL 1

Former Gunner Jeremie Aliadiere spoilt another Arsenal's chance to take home 3 points from Riverside Stadium. The ex-Arsenal forward scored the equaliser with a fine glancing header in the 29th minute.

 

Emmanuel Adebayor had earlier opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a header from captain Cesc Fabregas corner. Though, Arsenal displayed a very promising starts with efforts from Abou Diaby were denied by Ross Turnbull. Wenger sent in Nicklas Bendtner in the 82nd minutes but was not enough for the Gunners to bag the precious 3 points.

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL 

FC PORTO 2 - ARSENAL 0

Arsenal slumped to a 2-0 defeat at Porto and finished second in the group before challenging in the last 16 of the Champions League. With confirmed qualification to the next stage, manager Arsene Wenger was confident enough to take a calculated gamble with his team selection against the Portuguese outfit, who had never lost here to an English side.

 

Bruno Alves opened the scoring with a header past Almunia. The visitors were soon further behind in the 54th minute. Fernando steals the ball from midfield and feed Lisandro for a smashing shot to the top right corner.

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL  

ROSICKY OUT UNTIL MARCH

Arsenal have ruled midfielder Tomas Rosicky out of action until March
''at the earliest'' after the Czech star underwent surgery on the
problem in Germany a month ago.The Czech Republic international has
been out with a damaged hamstring tendon since January and has made a
slower than expected recovery, after originally being told his injury
would be cured in "days, not weeks".

Rosicky missed the European Championships for his country, with the
nature of the problem requiring multiple operations. He is due to
report back to Arsenal later this month but manager Arsene Wenger
admits it will be some time before the 27-year-old will be ready to
play again.

ARSENAL 1 - WIGAN 0

Arsenal recorded back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time since October as Emmanuel Adebayor's first-half strike against Wigan Athletic proved decisive at Emirates Stadium.

 

The Togo international hit the woodwork prior to the interval and Denilson then also hit the post as Arsenal aimed to seal the win. Wigan enjoyed the better of the first period but were dealt a setback as Adebayor netted on 16 minutes to set the Gunners on course to build on last weekend's win at Chelsea.

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL 

WENGER CONFIDENT OF EDUARDO RETURN

Gunners boss, Arsene Wenger believes it will not be long before Eduardo's return to action for Arsenal. The Brazilian-born Croatia striker suffered an horrific broken leg following a hard challenge from Martin Taylor at Birmingham in February.

 

However, the 25-year-old is now closing in on a return to competitive action with the Gunners. Wenger also confirmed that Eduardo has started to join full training and just waiting for the right game.

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL  

RONALDO ALMOST A GUNNERS

Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo was poised to join Arsenal before he accepted an offer to sign for Manchester United in 2003. The winger, recently crowned European Footballer of the Year, has admitted his admiration for Gunners' boss Arsene Wenger and revealed how close he came to becoming part of the squad at the Emirates.

 

However, United's offer of £12.24 million was three times that of Arsenal's, and Sporting Lisbon had no choice but to accept.  Ronaldo said that he met Arsene on three occasions and one of those times was with his mum who wanted to hear what the Gunners' boss was proposing. Since then, Wenger remains someone that he admired and believes that the french manager is a really intelligent football guy.

BOLA BOYZ   ARSENAL   MAN UTD  

BURNLEY 2 - ARSENAL 0

Burnley march into the semi-finals of a major competition for the
first time in the 25 years with a marvellous performance in a 2-0 win
over Arsenal at Turf Moor. Kevin McDonald ensure the Coca-Cola
Championship team booked their place in the last four of the Carling
Cup after showing the young Gunners how to finish.

The Lancashire club also had to thank goalkeeper Brian Jensen, who
made a string of fine saves to keep his side in front. Arsenal almost
took the lead when Fran Merida released Nicklas Bendtner. However
Jensen stayed alert and diverted the striker's effort to safety.

McDonald scored either side of half-time in the match that was locally
billed as `Capital Punishment III'. Chelsea and Fulham were also put
to the sword in previous rounds

VAN PERSIE DENY GALLAS ROW

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has refuted claims that he is the
disruptive influence in the Gunners dressing room identified by
William Gallas in tirade which cost the Frenchman the captain's
armband.

Manager Arsene Wenger was left with little choice but to replace
Gallas after last month's outburst in which the defender branded his
team-mates ''not brave enough'' and accused an unnamed 25-year-old of
undermining the squad with his behaviour. However, 25-year-old Van
Persie, who scored both goals in Arsenal's impressive 2-1 win over
Chelsea at the weekend, is confident he is not the target of Gallas'
criticism.

CHELSEA 1 - ARSENAL 2

A dramatic second-half Robin van Persie brace saw Arsenal come from
behind to secure a vital 2-1 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The
Gunners imploded to gift the Blues the lead on 31 minutes when keeper
Manuel Almunia collected a corner but threw the ball to Jose Bosingwa,
who put in a great cross from the right which the unlucky Johan
Djourou steered into his own goal.

But Van Persie equalised on 59 minutes when smashing a right-footed
effort into the top corner from the edge of the box, although replays
showed he was offside. He then added a second three minutes later to
stun Stamford Bridge when latching onto a fine header down by Emmanuel
Adebayor and hitting a great left-footed effort on the turn into the
bottom right-hand corner past the despairing dive of Petr Cech.