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Arsenal 2008-2009 Season - Football Slate

EPL Week 5: Arsenal Easily Defeat Bolton Wanderers 3-1

September 22nd 2008 14:06
Two goals in two minutes from the Gunners erased any chance for Bolton to come back. The Trotters were first to score at the 13th minute, but Arsenal's relentless attacks showed that it was just a matter of time before the Wanderers lost their lead. The visitors were twice denied by Jasskelainen posts but never gave up. At the 25th minute, Eboue scored his first ever league goal to equalize the mark. The Ivorian midfielder was in an offside position when he received the ball, but the goal stood. One minute later, Bendtner also scored his first goal of the season by completing a superb cross from Denilson. At 2-1, Bolton was still in it. However, they couldn't run the risk of opening up their game because that's exactly what the Gunners need to be at their best.


Consequently, the second half was a lot more subdued until Walcott's entrance at the 72nd minute. Ten minutes after he entered the field, the teenager made a superb run straight into the heart of the defense. At the edge of the box, he passed the ball to Adebayor inside the right side of the 18-yard box. The striker then unselfishly crossed the ball to Denilson whose first-touch finish hit the top of the net. Down 3-1 with four minutes left to go, Bolton simply had no chance.


(Note: Arsenal's third goal isn't in the video)


Arsenal's line-up: Manuel Almunia; Bacary Sagna, Kolo Toure, William Gallas, Gael Clichy (Johan Djourou, h-t); Emmanuel Eboue (Aaron Ramsey, 84th), Cesc Fabregas, Alexandre Song, Denilson; Nicklas Bendtner (Theo Walcott, 72nd), Emmanuel Adebayor.
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Posted By: Ann 2 - Category: EPL, Arsenal, 2008-2009 Season
   


EPL Week 4: Adebayor Gets Hat Trick As Arsenal Crush Blackburn Rovers 4-0

September 15th 2008 03:04
It's been a tough start but the Gunners are slowly climbing up the standings after disposing of the Blackburn Rovers by the score of 4-0 with two goals in each half. Although the scoreline makes it look like a convincing victory, there were both good things and bad things about Arsenal's performance.

First, the good stuff. Coming off an impressive display during the World Cup qualifyers, Walcott looks a lot more confident with the ball now. He made a superb run and delivered and nice pass to Van Persie on the first goal, and spent the whole afternoon running past defenders who couldn't stop him. I used to complain about Theo always doing the same thing which was running down the wing and crossing. Saturday, he went to the other side of the spectrum by often trying a shot when an extra-pass was the better option. I hope he'll find the perfect balance between the two. Secondly, Adebayor finally found the back of the net, potting three goals Saturday including a penalty-kick won by Eboue of all people. Fabregas was Fabregas, the master of the midfield; nothing much to say about him. Oh, and Wilshere came in late in the game. He didn't really make an impression but I was glad to see him.

Now, the bad part. As good as the Gunners look when they're going forward, their defense is a complete mess. Every time the opposing team attacks, you have the feeling that something will happen or someone will screw up. They haven't met a powerful opposition just yet, but the two clean sheets are hiding a serious lack strength in center defense. In midfield, I'm still not convinced by Denilson. He needs the playing time to get some experience, but his numerous giveaways will prove fatal against a strong midfield such as Chelsea's. Third, Adebayor needs to time his runs more properly. He wasted several of Fabregas' beautiful passes by stepping in an offside position. I've never seen a player get as many offsides as Adebayor got on Saturday. He needs to watch that.

If Blackburn had a stronger attack, they could've gotten one or two strikes past Almunia. As it is, Arsenal will be happy with the win which puts them in the top four for now.

You can check out the highlights HERE

Arsenal's line-up: Manuel Almunia; Bacary Sagna, Kolo Toure, William Gallas, Gael Clichy; Emmanuel Eboue (Aaron Ramsey, 81st), Cesc Fabregas, Denilson, Theo Walcott (Alexandre Song, 63rd); Robin Van Persie (Jack Wilshere, 83rd), Emmanuel Adebayor.
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Posted By: Ann 2 - Category: EPL, Arsenal, 2008-2009 Season
   


Transfer News

September 5th 2008 23:48
Gosh, I meant to write this post so much earlier this week. Returning to university completely screwed up my writing process.

So, there was a lot of movement in the European soccer world on Monday, the deadline for summer transfers. Most of the important transfers took place in the EPL, but Serie A teams were also pretty busy including Inter and Juventus who both picked up a new player.

First, Jose Mourinho's club signed Portuguese midfielder Ricardo Quaresma from FC Porto for a fee ranging between €18.6m and €24m (both figures were given by different sources, so I can't confirm on either one) and promising Portuguese midfielder Pele. Quaresma will add more skills and pace to Inter's flanks which already include newcomer Mancini and aging veteran Luis Figo.

Juventus made a relatively minor signing by going after one of Barcelona's youngsters, Spanish midfielder Falque Silva Yago. This signing is not such a big deal but knowing the talent coming from Barca's youth teams (Fabregas, Xavi, Iniesta just to name a few), Ranieri might have a budding playmaker in his hands.

Up in England, Monday was spent in a frenzy as several teams picked up new players (mostly strikers) to help their cause. Here are the most noticeable transfers.

First up, Arsenal. Wenger stayed true to his word which was to look for another midfielder by signing French-Portuguese midfielder Amaury Bischoff from Werder Bremen. Problem is, Bischoff is another youngster who doesn't have a lot of experience (21 years old, no apperances on Werder Bremen's first team), and is injury-prone. Basically, the Gunners are staying in the same situation as before, and will remain the same until winter transfers. Liverpool also made a minor signing by getting Spanish winger Albert Riera from RCD Espanyol. In the grand scheme of things, the new signing looks small but it is a huge deal for Benitez who had to play Robbie Keane on the left-wing in the last match even though Keane is a more central player.

Dimitar Berbatov
Berbatov's 'dream' comes true
To no one's surprise, Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov signed with Manchester United despite Manchester City's last-minute higher offer. The striker wasn't part of Tottenham's squad since the beginning of the season, so his departure seemed guaranteed anyways. To get him, United payed a fee of €30.75m and sent Fraizier Campbell on loan for the rest of the season. I feel bad for the youngster though. He turned down several offers during the summer, opting for a chance to break out at Old Trafford, and here he is on loan. I hope he'll get some playing time over there. Berbatov's arrival also allowed Ferguson to let go of Louis Saha. For the past two years, the striker has spent more time in the infirmary than on the field. He now gets a fresh start at Everton.

Back to Tottenham for a minute. The deal with Spartak Moscow for Russian striker Roman Pavlyuchenko finally went through as the Spurs payed a €17m fee to get him. Tottenham is looking decidedly younger even though most players have had some experience on the international stage. Now, all they have to do is wait for everyone to gel together.

Robinho
The Brazilian moves to the EPL
The big splash of the day though was Robinho's move from Real Madrid to Manchester City for €42m right under Chelsea's nose. My first reaction upon seeing the news was to laugh out loud at the situation. Here was a club (Real) whose owner spent all the summer trying lure Cristiano Ronaldo in their camp and letting everybody know that as soon as they got the talented winger, Robinho would be on the market. Back at Chelsea, new coach Scolari wants Robinho to strengthen the Blues' offense. Madrid make it clear that the Blues won't have him unless they (Madrid) get Ronaldo. Now, not only were the Spanish champions unable to land C. Ronaldo, Robinho (who was a major player – probably their best - in their success last year) leaves for middle-of-the-table club Manchester City, leaving Chelsea dumbfounded. Can I just say “BURN!!!”?

As a player, I understand Robinho's point of view. Here I am after what was probably my best season, and instead of rewarding me, my club announces to the world that as soon as another player comes, I'll be the one to go. I'm sorry but I'd be asking to leave right away. What I don't understand is why he picked City. Sure, he got a big fat contract thanks to the new owners but Manchester's ' “other” club is still far from competing with the big four except perhaps Liverpool (of course Reds fans could also argue that Arsenal doesn't look good right now either, so whatever). Underneath all of this, people seem to have forgotten that City also got English striker Shaun Wright-Phillips from Chelsea for €12.4m. Sure, he's not an impact player but he has shown great form during pre-season, and will probably get his chance on the starting line-up.

All in all, the biggest losers this week are Real Madrid and Chelsea. Madrid have signed only one player in the off-season and that is Rafael Van der Vaart. They've been turned down by several players and now, Sneijder's absence is having a huge impact on the team's performance. Meanwhile, Chelsea need another right-winger. They're not as desperate as Arsenal who still need a defensive mid, but right now they only have Essien and Joe Cole on that wing.
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EPL Week 3: Arsenal Back On Track As They Defeat Newcastle 3-0

August 31st 2008 04:24
After a less-than-average start to their season, Arsene Wenger's men seem to have found their bearing with two convincing wins this week – the Champions League Qualifyer on Wednesday in which they defeated FC Twente 4-0, and yesterday afternoon's 3-0 win against Newcastle United. Most analysts expected a tight contest between the two teams, especially after the Magpies had held defending champions Manchester United to a draw at Old Trafford on Monday. Instead, everyone was treated to a one-way traffic match in which Newcastle had a measly five shots on goal while Arsenal had three times the same amount with fifteen shots fired at Shay Given's net.

The Gunners' assault started early. At the first minute of play, a clear-cut penalty for Arsenal was waved off by the referee despite the fact that defender Coloccini had scissor-tackled Van Persie's legs inside the box. Arsenal got a corner in exchange and almost opened the scoring when Gallas volleyed the flicked ball high into the stands. Three minutes later, Toure's long-range effort was saved by Given who had a terrific match despite conceding three goals. At the 17th minute, Arsenal finally got their penalty when the linesman signaled a handball inside the ball. The move was involuntary (the defender wasn't even looking at the ball when it happened) but the opportunity to make up for the earlier non-call was too good to pass up. Thus, Dutch striker Van Persie opened the scoring for the home side. The tempo slowed down after the goal as the Gunners seemed to settle into a comfort zone. They had plenty of possession, making Newcastle look completely harmless in the process. Five minutes before half-time, Van Persie scored his second of the match after a great passing sequence between Eboue, Adebayor, and the striker. Moving up the right-wing, Adebayor sent a low cross inside the box to Eboue. The midfielder then backheeled the ball to the middle of the box where Van Persie slid in to slam it one. Given had no chance to stop it, 2-0 Arsenal at half-time. Wenger's men had dominated the first period with their possession time hovering around 65-70%. The only blight in their performance was Denilson's bad passing. But that was only due to inexperience, and the young midfielder would make up for it later in the game


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Posted By: Ann 2 - Category: EPL, Arsenal, 2008-2009 Season
   


CL Qualifying (Third Round): Arsenal Easily Knock Out FC Twente with 4-0 Win (6-0 agg.)

August 28th 2008 17:35
There were two surprises in Arsene Wenger's starting line-up yesterday. First, Fabregas, who has been in the infirmary for the past two weeks, started the game. Secondly, Adebayor was dropped to the bench, leaving his place to Nicklas Bendtner.

It's amazing how one player can influence a team's mentality. With Fabregas back in the line-up, Arsenal players seemed a lot more calm, and could count on the midfielder to find them anywhere on the field. Fabregas also helped defensively, supporting his teammates with tackles here and there and winning back the ball. Since Arsenal dominated the midfield, it should come as no surprise that they were the ones to open the scoring at the 26th minute. In the play, Walcott's cross - sent to no one in particular – was intercepted by a defender. Then, a determined Van Persie tackled the player to win back the ball which made its way to Samir Nasri. The French midfielder got rid of two defenders by feinting the shot, entered the box, and beat the keeper with a low left-foot shot to the far post. Ten minutes later, Van Persie missed a wide open net to the bemusement of everyone watching. With all the time in the world and a goalkeeper out of position, the Dutch striker somehow found a way to strike the ball outside of the left post instead of shooting straight in the middle. The Gunners would waste another opportunity right before half-time when Walcott, alone against the goalkeeper, decided to cross the ball to Bendtner who was arriving late. This tendency to always look for his teammates, although honorable, is major flaw in Walcott's play. It's like this process is hardwired into his brain – run down the wing, cross; run down the wing, cross; that's all he seems to do when playing on the right wing. Although the first half only ended 1-0, Twente had a mountain to climb if they were to have any chance of going through since they were down 3-0 on aggregate


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EPL: Arsenal News (Senderos to Milan & More)

August 27th 2008 06:07
Philippe Senderos
Senderos, a Rossoneri. No, it's not a joke.


When Mikael Silvestre was transferred to the Gunners, I thought that it was only a move to bring more experience to Arsenal's backline who lacked a consistent veteran presence. Now, it seems like this transfer is having a lot more consequences on defenders than previously imagined


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Posted By: Ann 2 - Category: EPL, Arsenal, AC Milan, 2008-2009 Season
   


EPL: Arsenal Defender Armand Traore Gets Loaned To Portsmouth

August 21st 2008 19:55
Armand Traore
With Mikael Silvestre's arrival yesterday, Wenger has decided to shore up his defense by sending French left-back Armand Traore to Portsmouth for the rest of the year. With this move, Silvestre and Clichy will share the left-back role and Traore – who probably wouldn't have seen any action with two veterans in front of him – still gets some experience by playing for another Premier League club.

Now, if only Wenger could solve the defensive midfielder issue...
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Posted By: Ann 2 - Category: EPL, Arsenal, 2008-2009 Season
   


EPL: Manchester United Defender Mikael Silvestre Joins Rival Arsenal

August 21st 2008 13:27
Mikael Silvestre
The versatile defender hopes to see first-team action with the Gunners

In a move that was finalized yesterday, Silvestre signed a two-year deal with the Gunners which will see him play alongside fellow countrymen William Gallas, Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy, and Armand Traore.

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EPL Week 1: Samir Nasri's First Premiership Goal Gives Arsenal 1-0 Win Against West Bromwich Albion

August 17th 2008 01:26
It was supposed to be a walk in the park for Wenger's men. Their opponents were West Bromwich Albion, a club that's been spending its time between the bottom of the Premier League and the Football League; they were promoted to the Premiership for this season after winning the League's Championship.

Arsenal came out rocking from the first second of the game. At the 3rd minute of play, they opened the score when Denilson passed the ball to Nasri for a tap-in in the six-yard box. The goal came off of a nice play started by Nasri on the left wing. The French midfielder passed the ball to Bendtner who sent it to Clichy – the pass could've gone to Nasri but Arsenal's big summer signing let the pass go to Clichy and continued his run – then, Clichy passed it to Denilson who entered the box and crossed to Nasri for the goal. The Gunners had the most possession throughout the game, so Almunia had a pretty quiet afternoon. When his teammates lost the ball, the defense's offside trap usually took care of things (there was one instance in which Djourou had to save the ball right off the goal linebut not much else


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Arsenal Grabs 2-0 Win Against FC Twente Despite Lacklustre Performance

August 15th 2008 05:06
The Gunners must've thought that this away-leg of the Champions League qualifyer would be a piece of cake. After all, FC Twente aren't that big of a club, having won the Eredivisie once in their history (in 1926 no less) and grabbing the UEFA Cup silver medal in 1975. So Arsene Wenger's troops took the game lightly and offered one of their worst performances I've ever seen.

The absence of first-choice midfielders didn't help matters for Wenger. With Fabregas and Nasri injured, Arsenal had to rely on young Aaron Ramsey and Denilson to construct plays while Eboue had to play as a winger. The first half was a complete mess as the Gunners clearly missed Fabregas' vision. Sometimes they would do short passes when a long ball to Adebayor would be ideal, and sometimes they would send the ball to the striker when a pass to one of the wingers was the more viable option. Walcott was completely invisible. In fact, if he wasn't on the starting-eleven list that I copy before every game, I wouldn't have known that he was playing. Meanwhile Twente players were impressing their crowd with nice dribbles and skills here and there. Unfortunately, their shooting abilities weren't as great, and Arsenal were lucky to find themselves still tied 0-0 at half-time


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Youngster Jack Wilshere Joins Arsenal's First Team for 2008-2009 Season

August 5th 2008 19:43
Jack Wilshere
The youngster has been fabulous in pre-season matches


If any of you have been following Arsenal's pre-season with me, you probably noticed how I've been raving about 16-year-old Jack Wilshere. Well, it turns out Arsθne Wenger has been equally impressed with the teenager's play and decided to keep him on the first team for next season


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Posted By: Ann 2 - Category: Arsenal, 2008-2009 Season
   


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