Arsenal Thread

[TMM]

So an injured player is forced to play and gets a further injury... Good way to piss someone off there it has to be said.

"Forced?" It says forced where? This is Thierry Henry remember, he's been injured since the World Cup and he pretty much refuses to rest, so no, he wasn't "forced". He was cleared to play, but everyone knew it could get worst. It's not a career-threatening injury, and Henry knew the risks but wanted to play. That was the most important game of our season, and guite frankly as far as I'm concerned, third or fourth is ours with or without Henry. Now it just means he is forced to rest and heal himself.

[lanky316]

Everyone knew he wasn't match fit. The fact is he came straight on and without being tackled that was it, he was awaste of space due to the injury. Everyone knew it would happen and if you beleive he was fit to play then you must be the only one. The fact is for whatever reason Wenger panicked and didn't trust the other players to get a job done and was desperate to use him.

[TMM]

Everyone knew he wasn't match fit. The fact is he came straight on and without being tackled that was it, he was awaste of space due to the injury. Everyone knew it would happen and if you beleive he was fit to play then you must be the only one. The fact is for whatever reason Wenger panicked and didn't trust the other players to get a job done and was desperate to use him.

Nobody said he was fit to play, but he was cleared to. There's a difference, it was obvious he could not last 90 minutes. And didn't trust the other players? Wouldn't that mean he would've played Henry in the Carling Cup final? Or maybe have started him Wednesday? He has faith in our other players, they just happen to firing blanks right now.

[lanky316]

Maybe he's only just been deemed able to walk? Everyone knew it would happen. It was akin to if JOl decided to pick Ledley King to start against Braga last night. He's not fit, but our defence are leaky, so I'll bring him on if things start to look a bit nervous for us. Exactly what Wenger did with Henry. You can't believe that a barely fit Henry unable to stand would have been better then a tired but healthy Baptista? Or do you not trust them either?

[TMM]

Maybe he's only just been deemed able to walk? Everyone knew it would happen. It was akin to if JOl decided to pick Ledley King to start against Braga last night. He's not fit, but our defence are leaky, so I'll bring him on if things start to look a bit nervous for us. Exactly what Wenger did with Henry. You can't believe that a barely fit Henry unable to stand would have been better then a tired but healthy Baptista? Or do you not trust them either?

I think Baptista is shit personally. He's managed to score a bunch of goals, but he's had a tonne of help. Not to mention everytime he tries to beat a player he runs right into them and loses the ball.

Henry is akin to how Beckham was in the 2002 World Cup; cleared to play but clearly not fit. Yeah I saw the injury coming, but that's got a lot to do with him being unfit for first team football as well as carrying a nagging injury.

[Guest :shifty:]

I never really thought Aliadiere was good, imo. Hot one game, shit the next two.

Anyway, why didn't Clichy play against Villa? He's not injured(according to Arsenal.com). If they really didn't want to/couldn't play him, wouldn't playing Traore be better than playing Hoyte, seeing how out of place Hoyte was at left-back when he was there for the first few games of the season?

[TMM]

I never really thought Aliadiere was good, imo. Hot one game, shit the next two.

Anyway, why didn't Clichy play against Villa? He's not injured(according to Arsenal.com). If they really didn't want to/couldn't play him, wouldn't playing Traore be better than playing Hoyte, seeing how out of place Hoyte was at left-back when he was there for the first few games of the season?

Traore played in the FA Youth Cup game at the Emirates last night.

[TheArsenal]

I never really thought Aliadiere was good, imo. Hot one game, shit the next two.

Anyway, why didn't Clichy play against Villa? He's not injured(according to Arsenal.com). If they really didn't want to/couldn't play him, wouldn't playing Traore be better than playing Hoyte, seeing how out of place Hoyte was at left-back when he was there for the first few games of the season?

[TheArsenal]

This sums up today's game for me....

(Taken fromt he BBC website....)

It was a quite extraordinary match in which Arsenal launched attack after attack only to find West Ham's goal leading a charmed life.

The Gunners hit the woodwork twice and had a total of 30 efforts on goal without finding the net.

For Gunners fans, it was all too reminiscent of the frustrating home stalemates against CSKA Moscow in the Champions League and Blackburn in the FA Cup.

West Ham were little more than spectators as the Gunners attacked at will.

But the Gunners were guilty of over-elaboration when Adebayor overhit a pass to Ljungberg instead of taking on the shot himself - and they paid dearly.

Arsenal's claims of offside against Zamora fell on deaf ears and manager Arsene Wenger made his feelings known to referee Graham Poll at half-time.

Arsenal looked understandably stunned when the final whistle confirmed their first ever defeat in their new stadium, while West Ham revelled in their third straight win.

[IAceI]

From what I remember seeing it was very close, he may have been offside if I can remember properly. Seen them given, seem them not. Either way it was extremely well taken, which is more than can be said for Arsenal. If it was thirty chances and you didn't score, then that's pretty disgraceful for a team that just got knocked out of the Champions League (albeit to perhaps the worst team in it), but still, Arsenal need their Henry back to bag them goals. Adebayor is great, but he can't seem to find the net at the minute, I'd have expected him to do that here.

Either way I'm pretty much certain Arsenal will retain their Champions League spot and finish the season in 4th, but they need to get their act together really because it seems like they're on their holidays already. I like Arsenal, they play great football and have great players, but if they can't get passed West Ham's defence with 30 attempts, somethings very wrong.

[G-O-D]

Arsenal's biggest problem now is the absence of both Van Persie and Henry. Cesc can only carry you so far.

Still though, I think you guys will nick 4th.

[TheArsenal]

Arsenal's biggest problem now is the absence of both Van Persie and Henry. Cesc can only carry you so far.

Still though, I think you guys will nick 4th.

[TheArsenal]

David Dein leaves Arsenal Football Club

Arsenal today announces that vice-chairman, David Dein has left Arsenal Football Club and ceases to be a director of the Club with immediate effect.

Arsenal Chairman Peter Hill-Wood said: “On behalf of the Board I would like to express our gratitude to David Dein for the many years of loyal service he has given to the Club. We sincerely regret that irreconcilable differences between Mr. Dein and the rest of the board have necessitated a parting of the ways.”

In light of recent speculation with regards to the ownership of the Club, the remaining Board members, who together own 45.45% of the issued share capital of the Company, would like to reassure the supporters, shareholders and employees of Arsenal Football Club that they remain long-term holders of their interests in the Club. To this effect, they have entered into an agreement not to dispose of their shares for at least one year and have confirmed that they intend to retain their interests on the expiration of this period.

[Sir Alan LCSugar]

This is very interesting, I wonder where Arsenal will go from here. I know Hill-Wood has said he will stay, but if the money is right, anybody think he could go?

[TheArsenal]

So anyone fancy "Baptista to score first and Arsenal to beat Chelsea 10-0"??

Odds of 2000-1 at Paddypower......

[TheArsenal]

Ladies get Freedom of the Borough

Islington Council is proposing to honour Arsenal Ladies football team for their outstanding achievement - winning all four major trophies in women's football - with Freedom of the Borough.

And the council is delighted that in Islington this historic honour will include a contemporary privilege - the team won't have to pay for cappuccino in an Upper Street cafe.

Cllr Terry Stacy explained: "Freedom of the City of London may entitle you to drive your sheep over London Bridge, but Islington's a tad more contemporary in its approach. As Islington is famous for its café culture, we're delighted that a local café has decided to offer them free cappuccino as part of their Freedom privileges.

Vic Akers, Arsenal Ladies manager said: “We are all delighted to hear of the council awarding us the Freedom of the Borough as a team. As always there has been a very positive response from the borough to the girls winning honours in the football season and it’s a reflection of the collective efforts of staff and players and 20 years of hard work to enable us to get where we are now. We all hope we can keep going forward with continued development of the game in this country and are truly very grateful to the borough for this enormous honour.”

Islington's outgoing Mayor, Councillor Jyoti Vaja, announced that the council plans to offer Arsenal Ladies the Freedom of the Borough, at an Annual Council meeting (15 May).

The Freedom of the Borough is awarded at a specially-convened meeting of the council. It is an historic honour that people commonly associate with archaic privileges. Freedom of the Borough entails being honoured at a special ceremony and awarded a certificate. A plaque bearing all the names of those given Freedom of the Borough in gilt lettering, is on display inside the council chamber.

Upper Street based café Euphorium Bakery pledged the free cappuccino as a privilege for the Arsenal women footballers after learning the council was proposing to honour them with Freedom of the Borough.

Euphorium Director Daniel Bear said: "Euphorium is at the heart of Islington café society. It's an iconic brand. We're made up to be part of Islington's Freedom of the Borough. Though, actually, I'm a Spurs supporter myself," he added.

[therockbox]

Aren't Arsenal the only professional full-time Women's team?

[TheArsenal]

Aren't Arsenal the only professional full-time Women's team?

Edited May 17, 2007 by TheArsenal

[TheArsenal]

Arsenal have decided against turning forward Julio Baptista's loan deal from Real Madrid into a permanent transfer.

The 25-year-old Brazilian scored 10 goals in 35 appearances but found the net only three times in 24 Premiership appearances in his season at Arsenal.

"Arsenal have told me they are not able to buy me and so all I can do is return to Real Madrid," Baptista told Spanish newspaper Marca.

Baptista joined Arsenal, with Jose Antonio Reyes moving the other way.

The Spanish season has not yet finished and no decision has been made on Reyes' future.

Baptista, who scored four goals in Arsenal's 6-3 Carling Cup win against Liverpool at Anfield in January, added: "I have enjoyed my season with Arsenal and in England.

"I adapted well. I didn't play much at first but finished much better. The first year is very difficult.

"The English league is very strong and very competitive with great teams. Manchester United and Chelsea are very strong and it is difficult to compete against their great squads."

Baptista joined Real from Sevilla for an initial fee of £13.8m in July 2005.

[IAceI]

Arsenal Ladies aren't professional are they? I'm sure they're still semi-professional, isn't that Swiss team they beat in the UEFA Cup the only professional side in Europe or something?

Not that it bothers me, since the final with Charlton was fucking diabolical and yeah, I'll never enjoy a ladies football match if that's the kind of standard - just saying ¬_¬

Edited May 24, 2007 by IAceI