Dagens Arsenal - 23 Februari 2009
Klubben
Enligt Franska källor så för Arsenal en dialog med Barcelona och ett antal klubbar om eventuella vänskapsmatcher som ska spelas i Frankrike under sommaren. Racing Strasbourgs general direktör Jean-Luc Herzog om förhandlingarna: "We gave our principle agreement, but we are just at first talk stage. There is no written confirmation so far." Matchen som ska organiseras av UNICEF blir då det första mötet mellan Arsenal och Barcelona sedan Champions League finalen 2006.
Arsenal Ladies kommer att möta Everton i semifinalen i FA Womens cup den 22 mars. Skulle Arsenal Ladies vinna över Everton väntar antingen Chelsea eller Sunderland i finalen.
Wenger
Vår Franske manager har den senaste säsongen fått utstå en del kritik för uteblivna resultat från både fans och media. Ivan Gazidis menar dock att Arsenal har Wenger att tacka för mycket om inte allt och att Wenger hellre ser till klubbens utveckling i längden: "He is the one individual who has redefined this club. Around the world Arsenal are seen as the club who play some of the most attractive football you have ever seen. We've short-term pressures but everybody has to have a sense of perspective because if you overreact, that can be more damaging. We are still in contention in three competitions and while the Premier League is certainly going to be a stretch we're in the Champions League and the FA Cup. In Arsene Wenger we have probably the best manager in the world, certainly one of them,"
Arsène Wenger hävdar att det råder något av en obalans i laget denna säsong. I början av säsongen så släppte laget in på tok för mycket mål och nu släpper man inte in så många mål men laget gör heller inte så mångas mål framåt: “I believe in the first part of the season we conceded too many goals and scored high. But in the second half of the season, we don't concede anymore but we don't score. So in the final part of the season the challenge is to find a balance between being solid defensively and yet attacking well.” Wenger talar också om vad han väntar sig inför tisdagens Champions League match mot Roma: "I don't believe Roma will come for a goalless draw. They will play in an Italian way, catch us on the break because they know an away goal will give them a good chance. We will have to have a spot-on defensive performance and score goals against them."
Spelarna
Andrei Arshavin talar om sin debut för Arsenal som bitterljuv. Ryssen är glad att ha gjort debut på Emirates stadium men känner sig besviken på resultatet: "I enjoyed my debut in front of so many spectators, but am disappointed we did not get the result. I think it was not so much of a problem for me on the pitch, but Sunderland played very defensively. All of their players stayed in the box. It was very difficult for us. We tried to play for a goal and had chances, but we were not happy." Arshavin hävdar att han inte heller är riktigt matchtränad ännu men att det inte är långt kvar till matchformen nu: "I am doing everything I can to be fully fit as soon as possible. If I had played in the Russian Premier League, I think I would have been okay, but the English Premier League is a different speed - it is quicker."
Robin Van Persie förhandlar för närvarande med Arsenal om ett nytt kontrakt. Holländaren säger sig vilja stanna i klubben, men enbart om klubben är villiga att matcha anfallarens sportsliga ambitioner: "Financially the last offer made by the club is fine but that isn't everything for me. It's about my ambitions and how they can be fulfilled in the coming years. The club and I want the same and it is our intention we achieve that. Arsenal have promised me they will do everything possible to make that extra step to a level where we win prizes on a regular basis. In the last four years I've had only one prize, the FA Cup, and that's not enough.”
I början av säsongen så läckte Arsenals försvar betänkligt. Innan halva säsongen var spelad så hade Arsenal släppt in ungefär 20 mål. Bacary Sagna avslöjar nu att laget har börjat tänka mer defensivt och att man lägger ner mer arbete på försvaret: "We looked at what was going wrong and the reasons behind why we were conceding a lot of goals. We wanted to continue with the pace we displayed last season, but it was not helping us. So we have changed our style of play and we have not lost more games because of that. Now my first duty is to defend. Some people would like to see me attack a bit more, but I just adapt to each individual match. Above all I am thinking about the team. The most important thing is not to concede goals. Personally I would like to attack more and have more fun, but sometimes the game demands I do the opposite.”
Jay Simpson hoppas att hans låneperiod hos West Bromwich Albion kommer ge honom den erfarenhet och utveckling som kommer krävas av honom för att ta en plats i Arsenal nästa säsong: "I want to help keep Albion up and then go back to Arsenal. I think it is about time the English players came through and I think the Arsenal fans want it as well. There are a lot of talented English youngsters at Arsenal and if you are good enough you are going to play. Hopefully we can make the grade and for me personally it has gone really well at West Brom. I believe I can contribute a lot to keep us up and I am enjoying it."
Denilson tror att den speltid han fått denna säsongen verkligen hjälpt honom att utvecklas som spelare: "Nobody is perfect and I wish I could perform brilliantly every match, but I always do my best to stay on in the team. I have been given the opportunity and I believe I am making the most of it. I know about my potential and I am still working to stay as long as possible in the first team.” Om den senaste tidens matcher hade Denilson följande att säga: "I believe we are way more resilient. Since January we have been quite balanced and we have been winning the games we need."
Skadeläget
Cesc Fabregas sätter som mål att vara tillbaka i spel till hemmamatchen mot Manchester City den fjärde April. Spanjoren säger också att han kommer vara tillbaka i träning inom kort: "The doctors have told me that in the next 10 days or so I can start touching the ball again. The most important thing is working on my legs to build them up, which will take another three weeks or so. Hopefully, in five or six weeks I will be back playing. I have to make sure it is 100 per cent cured before I come back."
Abou Diaby kommer att vara tillbaka till morgondagens match mot Roma då Fransmannen nu återhämtat sig efter sin skada. Däremot så har Mikael Silvestre återigen slagit upp sin skada och kommer inte vara tillgänglig. Vidare beräknas Theo Walcott och Emmanuel Adebayor vara tillbaka nästa vecka. Eduardo da Silva ska som bekant vara borta i 2 veckor
medan Tomas Rosicky har ungefär 3-4 veckor kvar av sin skaderehabilitering.
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Tack för visat intresse!
