Arsenal Thread

[Liam]

Easily?

I had a mate fracture and dislocate his elbow at the same time.

[Summers]

Because dislocate means it comes out of place, whereas fracture means the bone has been, well, fractured.

It's easy to do both.. lol.

[TheArsenal]

Arsenal are considering taking legal action against Sunderland's Dan Smith following his challenge on Gunners midfielder Abou Diaby.

The 19-year-old Frenchman was left with a fractured and dislocated ankle in the wake of the challenge, which rules him out of the Champions League final.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and several of Diaby's team-mates were left fuming following the incident on Monday.

And Wenger said on Wednesday legal proceedings were now being considered.

Shortly after the incident, the Gunners boss said: "It is frustrating and unacceptable because the player had no intention of going for the ball in my opinion."

And now Wenger has suggested that Smith should be banned for the same length of time Diaby is on the sidelines injured.

"I felt, having watched the game, that there were bad intentions there and I will take legal advice to take this game further.

"The player should be banned as long as Abou Diaby does not play. When you see that he gets a yellow card it is just horrendous."

[Guest Heresy]

Legal action? It's football for fucksake.

[Lord Nibbler]

I was interested by Thierry Henry's comments on Wayne Rooney:

"[...]it is not the end of the world for England if Rooney does not make it. They have enough other good players in the team to do really well.

"Remember the Champions League last year. Michael Owen, one of the most successful strikers in Liverpool's history, left the club to sign for Real Madrid.

"So who would have thought Liverpool would win the Champions League? But they did it without him, even though he is a great player.

"This shows you how unpredictable football is."

Edited May 4, 2006 by Hipster Doofus

[TheArsenal]

Vieira left and we got to the Champions League final.......but I don't think we'll be contenders for ANYTHING next year if Henry goes.

Although I want him to stay, part of me is slowly coming to terms with the fact that it looks like he could be on the way out. PLEASE STAY THIERRY!!!!!

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Apparantly every team employs tactics to kick Arsenal off the field in order to win!

We let two Arsenal players kick EACHOTHER and got a draw

[TheArsenal]

Arsene Wenger would not object to UEFA making "an exception" to allow Tottenham into the Champions League if Arsenal win the competition but miss out on a top-four Premiership finish.

Victory over Manchester City at Eastlands on Thursday night would see Wenger's men move within one point of their north London rivals heading into the final weekend of the domestic league season.

Should Spurs hold onto fourth spot, Arsenal would then need to beat Barcelona in the final in Paris on May 17 to secure a place in the elite European club tournament next season.

Last year Liverpool were given special dispensation by UEFA to defend their crown despite finishing fifth, effectively allowing England an extra slot in the Champions League.

However, the regulations have since been tightened, with UEFA chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson insisting there can be "no alternative" for Spurs should the situation occur again.

If Arsenal win the Champions League but do not finish in the Premiership's top four, they will be entered again at the expense of Spurs, who will drop to the UEFA Cup.

Officials at the White Hart Lane club are said to be considering legal redress should these circumstances unfold against them.

Arsenal manager Wenger, however, would rather see Europe's governing body allow both clubs in.

He said: "I feel the rules are clear from the beginning of the season. We have not made the rules, we respect the rules.

"If they [uEFA] can make an exception for Tottenham, why not? But the rules have been clear like that - and at the moment, we can still finish fourth."

Should Arsenal pick up maximum points at Eastlands, then they would be left needing to beat Wigan in their last match at Highbury on Sunday and hope Spurs slip up on their away trip with West Ham.

With the Hammers set for a FA Cup final date with Liverpool on May 13, there have been suggestions Alan Pardew would field something of a weakened side.

Indeed, it appears a member of the east London club's catering staff will give the pre-match team talk as part of a bet made with manager Pardew.

Wenger, however, expects the Hammers to put on a determined display in their last home game.

He said: "I always feel if you want to win the final, your interest is to play well in the game before.

"You can never guarantee to win, but your interest is to play well - and I have played a few finals.

"It is always better you are focused in the game before.

"I do not see any reason why West Ham should not play - it is in their interest to play."

England full-back Ashley Cole is scheduled to start against City having shown no ill effects from his substitute appearance on Monday.

French midfielder Abou Diaby, however, is expected to be out for up to nine months after he suffered a fractured ankle following a dangerous lunge from Sunderland defender Dan Smith at the Stadium of Light.

[Liam]

Arsenal better win tonight, I have money on them *shakes fist*

[TheArsenal]

Arsenal better win tonight, I have money on them *shakes fist*

[Liam]

As a double?

Same as me then...£10 stake.

[TheArsenal]

As a double?

Same as me then...£10 stake.

[Summers]

Arsenal better not sue for that tackle. Look what happened in Dream Team.

[Liam]

Damn, I did mine in Ladbrokes and will only get £30 back.

Admittedly, the money was a tip from a customer anyway, so none of it is mine technically.

[TheArsenal]

Damn, I did mine in Ladbrokes and will only get £30 back.

Admittedly, the money was a tip from a customer anyway, so none of it is mine technically.

[TMM]

Rock legend to pay tribute to Highbury

Arsenal Football Club today announced that music icon, Roger Daltrey, who has penned a specially written track in tribute to Highbury, will perform it together with a Who ‘classic’, at the Club’s closing ceremony on Sunday 8th May following Arsenal’s last ever game at its famous Art Deco home against Wigan Athletic.

Arsenal Stadium, which has been the Gunners’ home for 93 years, will close its doors on Sunday with a spectacular programme of events planned. Daltrey who is a huge Arsenal fan wrote the track as a personal tribute to his favourite footballing home and will share the song with 38,000 Gunners fans who will have just seen the team play its final match at the north London stadium.

Roger Daltrey said: “I’m honoured to be part of Highbury’s closing ceremony and this is why I’m performing a song inspired by the stadium and my personal memories of the place. I’m really looking forward to playing the set, but it’s tinged with sadness as I play out the Gunners’ home.”

Managing Director, Keith Edelman enthused: “We are thrilled that Roger is not only performing at Highbury as part of our closing ceremony but that he has composed a special song, it is a fantastic way to send of this famous old stadium.”

The Club is urging supporters to take a close look at the lyrics below and get their singing voices into gear!

Highbury Highs - written by Roger Daltrey

I've seen children grow

On this field of green

On this field of dreams

The years have passed away

I've stood side by side With London's Pride

We laughed and we cried

We lived another day

To those Highbury Highs under North London skies

Yes we will remember those Highbury Highs

Those Highbury Days and those Highbury ways

Yes we will remember those Highbury Days

From Rocky,Ray and Raddy

To Dennis,Chippy,Paddy

The Rock of Tony Adams

The Joy of Charlie George

Chapman, Graham, Wenger

Yes we will remember

Henry,Bastin,Wright

And those record breaking scores

All those Highbury Highs under North London skies

Yes we will remember those Highbury Highs

Those Highbury Days and those Highbury ways

Yes we will remember those Highbury Days

May those Highbury Highs be with you all your days

May your Highbury Highs last forever

There’s one thing that's certain when they drop the final curtain

Something you can bet your shirt on The Arsenal's here to stay

All those Highbury Highs under North London skies

Yes we will remember those Highbury Highs

Those Highbury Days and those Highbury ways

We will always remember those Highbury..HIGHBURY..Highbury

Highbury..HIGHBURY

Highbury Highs say your final goodbyes

We will always remember those Highbury Highs

Say your final goodbyes to those Highbury Days

WE will always remember those Highbury Days

WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THOSE HIGHBURY DAYS

RPT CHORUS

Arsenal.com

Wow...Roger! That's gonna be awesome. Are they going to be showing the "aftershow party" on Sky Sports after the game?

[Guest muddatrucker]

It was a good result yesterday, was a tough game and for the majority of the first half we played pretty badly, nice to see Ljungberg and Reyes score, its weird as we saw when we first got him and at the start of last season, Reyes can score and is really good at placed shots when hes got time or runs onto someone elses ball, I'd like to see more of that.

Was kinda good to see Cole back, although I still expect him to be madridin it very soon.

[TheArsenal]

COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEE OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's the send off Highbury deserved, and a guarantee of Champions League football next year. How fitting Henry got a hattrick in the final game Highbury will see.

Edited May 7, 2006 by TheArsenal

[ONO]

COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEE OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's the send off Highbury deserved, and a guarantee of Champions League football next year. How fitting Henry got a hattrick in the final game Highbury will see.

[TMM]

COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEE OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's the send off Highbury deserved, and a guarantee of Champions League football next year. How fitting Henry got a hattrick in the final game Highbury will see.

Actually, it's no guarantee at all. You's have to get through the qualifying round.

Unlike Everton, we're actually good, and have good players. The teams in a lot of the qualifying rounds of the Champions League are (generally speaking) a complete joke.

Anyway, when (note my confidence there) we win the Champions League, we won't have to qualify, we automatically go straight into the group stage.