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Arsenal boss thanks fans for 'Only one Arsene Wenger' chant

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has thanked the fans for their support during the 4-1 home win against Newcastle United on Saturday night.

The fans showed their love towards the boss as they sang “There’s only one Arsene Wenger” during the latter stages of the game against Magpies. Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla scored two goals to propel Arsenal to a win, which moved the Gunners to just 2 points behind a top four place.

The French manager said that he was grateful for the chant, but reiterated his belief that it is only the minority of fans who have maligned him in the past few weeks.

Speaking to Arsenal’s official website, he said:

I’m grateful for that and I enjoy it but the most important thing is the way we play football and I think [what] is most important is that our fans go home happy because we have played well and won.
My job is to win football games and make people happy. What happened last week, I said on television, I [have] worked for 18 years in this country and I’m grateful for that.
I’ve been accepted 99.9 per cent with a big respect. I can take the 0.01 per cent and live with it. My job is to make people happy – if they are not happy, I have to live with it.

It has been a tough few months for Wenger who has been facing some constant criticism from fans and critics alike. The Gunners have seen their worst start in 30 years and the fingers are obviously pointed to the manager. We are already 13 points behind the leaders and we aren’t even half way through the season, but is it right to blame the manager alone?

Many feel that the lack of transfer activity to be the reason behind this poor start, but a look at the signings Wenger made in the summer show that we didn’t do such a bad job. Sanchez has been nothing short of a smash hit for the club and Danny Welbeck has been good, while Chambers looks like a future star. However he failed to add adequately at the back which has somewhat added to the bad start.

We started the season with a strong squad which, but it all started to fade away as injuries started to arrive and the Gunners showed their lack of depth leading to some very poor results.

However the players are now slowly returning and we are showing some sort of improvement, so now it’s up to Wenger to bridge these holes in January. He will always be loved at Arsenal, but things have to change and that should start from January.

Will Wenger spend in January?

Arsenal 4-1 Newcastle United: Review and Player Ratings

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Arsenal bounced back from their disappointing loss against Stoke City last weekend to beat Newcastle United 4-1 at the Emirates on Saturday evening.

Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla scored two goals each to seal a comfortable victory. This was the Gunners second 4-1 win this week after their impressive performance against Galatasaray in the Champions League resulted in the same scoreline.

The North London club started the game strongly and were rewarded with an early goal as Giroud finished a smooth move with a solid header. They almost got the second goal immediately as Welbeck got around a defender in the box and finished with a superb chip, only to be denied by the referee who penalised the Englishman for a foul although the replays suggested otherwise.

We were not able to add a second goal despite dominating the majority of the possession in the first half. Newcastle threatened at the start of the second half, but a superb double save Szczesny prevented them from doing so. But from then on it was all Arsenal as Cazorla scored in the 54th minute with a chip after getting past the back line with some neat passing.

Giroud then scored with the outside of his boot from a Bellerin cross in the 58th minute and although the Magpies got one back but it was too late by then. Cazorla added another from a penalty late on to make it 4-1 and the Spaniard was easily the best player of the game for the Gunners.

The defence was solid and the win puts us in touching distance of a top four place. If we can continue this form then we can definitely finish in the Champions League qualification places.

PLAYER RATINGS:

Szczesny | 7 : He made a terrific double save to keep the Gunners in the lead in the first half and wasn’t to be blamed for the goal.

Bellerin | 7.5 : He was excellent going forward and was more of a winger than a defender. Assisted Giroud for the 3rd goal but needs to be more alert in defence.

Debuchy | 7 : He was solid at the back and had a superb game considering that he was playing out of position.

Mertesacker | 7 : Was unlucky not to score but was solid at the back as he rarely put a foot wrong.

Gibbs | 7.5 : Didn’t have much to do in defence, but was great going forward and played a vital part in the last goal.

Flamini | 7 : He did what he was supposed to do and even had a shot at goal which flew over the net.

Oxlade-Chamberlain | 7.5 : He was confident on the ball and gave plenty of problems to the Magpie’s defence. He is maturing with each passing game and isn’t complicating things like he used to do in the past.

Cazorla | 9.0 : (Man of the Match) He was the fulcrum of the Gunners attack and was involved in everything we did in attack. Was exquisite with the first goal and then coolly converted the penalty.

Welbeck | 7 : He worked very hard and was wrongly denied a goal by the referee. Missed a good chance in the second half but ended the game on a high by earning a penalty.

Sanchez | 8 : He never gives and keeps on working until the final seconds of the game. His work rate was exemplary and assisted 2 more goals.

Giroud | 8.5 : His physical presence was key to Arsenal and the Frenchman was brilliant with his finishing. He did what a typical striker needs to do, which is scoring when the opportunity presents itself.

Substitutions

Podolski | 6 : Didn’t have much to do, but had a shot which was just wide of the goal.

Coquelin | N/A : Good to see him back in Arsenal colours.

Maitland-Niles | N/A : Great week for the youngster.

What are your ratings guys?

[Twitter]Fans react to Arsenal's win against Newcastle

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admin
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Arsenal bounced back from their disappointing loss against Stoke City last weekend to beat Newcastle United 4-1 at the Emirates on Saturday evening.

The North London club started the game strongly and were rewarded with an early goal as Giroud finished a smooth move with a solid header. We were not able to add a second goal despite dominating the majority of the possession in the first half.

Newcastle threatened at the start of the second half, but a superb double save Szczesny prevented them from doing so. But from then on it was all Arsenal as Cazorla and Giroud scored 2 quick goals around the hour mark.

The Magpies got one back but it was too late by then and Cazorla added another from a penalty late on to make it 4-1. The Spaniard was easily the best player of the game for the Gunners.

Here are some of the tweets from the game.

https://twitter.com/jimmy_con/status/543941242867159040

https://twitter.com/ilovetodance78/status/543898705385246721

https://twitter.com/JakeRB123/status/543887431213539328

What do you say Gooners?

Wenger at his best again as he makes contradictory claims on transfer plans

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Arsenal manger Arsene Wenger has confirmed that he will be active in January transfer window, but only if the existing players don’t recover from their injuries.

The Gunners were expected to bring in some quality players in January, as they are currently struggling in the League and are already 13 points behind League leaders Chelsea.

The French manager admitted that he might bring in new players in the Winter transfer window, but alerted the fans that he might not buy if all players stay healthy.

Speaking to Arsenal’s official website, he said:

There will be very little activity [in general], because all the big clubs want to keep their players, and it will be as usual quiet in the first three weeks and a bit frenetic in the last three or four days.
If everybody is fit and available, we don’t need to go on the transfer market. But we have to consider that there could be a question mark with Koscielny’s fitness and we have to go out on the transfer market.

There is no doubt that Arsenal need some quality acquisitions if they are to have any chance of finishing in the top four, let alone winning the league. The defence needs some strengthening as it is impossible for us to go the full season with only two recognised center backs. Wenger actually made a mistake by not doing that in the summer and is now being forced to play Debuchy at center back.

It’s never too late to rectify your mistakes, so hopefully we can sign a good center back who can challenge and bring out the best in Koscielny and Meresacker. We also need a defensive midfielder as I don’t think the ageing legs of Arteta and Flamini are able to cope with the quality of opposition in the Premier League. We definitely need a dominant figure in front of the defence if we are to solve the defensive crisis the team is currently facing.

The above comments are a bit confusing because even after reading the two paragraph’s, I don’t understand what Wenger want’s to say. However going by the past experiences the boss doesn’t really like to spend in January, but the scenario is different now and spending is a must to save the Gunners season.

Let’s wait and see what our Le Prof does. Will Wenger spend in January?

Arsenal vs Newcastle: Preview, Team News and Predicted Line-up

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Arsenal will look to get their Premier League season back on tract when they face Newcastle United at the Emirates on Saturday evening.

The Gunners suffered another disappointing defeat in the League with their 3-2 loss to Stoke City last weekend, but the team responded well as they produced a great performance against Galatasaray in the midweek.

The North London club are currently in 6th place and are already 13 points behind leaders League leaders Chelsea, which is our worst start to a campaign since 1987 and the most realistic we can now hope for from this season would be a top four finish.

Newcastle are in fantastic form after ending Chelsea’s unbeaten Premiere league run last week, thus becoming the second favorite team for some Arsenal fans.

The Magpies have won just two of their last 28 meetings against the Gunners in all competitions (W2, D8, L18). They are coming on the back of a superb win against Chelsea so it won’t be an easy game and if Arsenal play the same way they did against Galatasaray then a win definitely looks on the cards.
 
TEAM NEWS

We have some fresh injury concerns this week, as Aaron Ramsey is likely to be out for about 4 weeks after picking up a hamstring injury in the midweek Champions League game.

Flamini has recovered from the knock he suffered in the midweek and will start the game in front of the defence. However, wiith Ramsey and Arteta out, Cazorla is likely to start alongside Chamberlain in the middle of the park.

Calum Chambers is unavailable after picking up a red card against Stoke while Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal are still nursing their respective injuries. With so many first team defenders unavailable Wenger might be forced to start Mathieu Debuchy at center back along side Per Mertesacker.

Finally here is some good News. Recognise the player in the background? He is back in training.

PREDICTED LINE-UP

http://www.footyformation.com/team/view/slug/jUt
Can Arsenal get their League season back on track?

Report: Ramsey ruled out for 4 weeks, can Arsenal cope?

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Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has reportedly been ruled out for four weeks due to a hamstring injury, according to reports in the Guardian.

The Welsh international was very impressive in the Champions League group game against Galatasaray and even scored 2 goals, but was taken off at half time due to an injury.

The report states that the 23 year old will be ruled out for four weeks with the latest hamstring problem he suffered during the Champions League game in Turkey. The midfielder was forced off at half-time after complaining of tightness in a hamstring and despite initial diagnosis suggesting that he would be fit for Newcastle, the result of a scan has brought bad news.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger in his pre-match press conference did not confirm the extent of the injury, but suggested that the midfielder will not play against Newcastle on Saturday. He said:

He is out.
We got the scan last night, I don’t know enough to give the extent of his injury.

The comments don’t make much sense as the result of the scan should definitely be enough to determine the extent of injury, but it seems Wenger isn’t interested in letting the news out. If we go by the report then the midfielder will miss the games against Liverpool, QPR, West Ham and may be Southampton too.

The Gunners have already lost Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere to injuries and Ramsey joining them will be a big setback to Wenger. The Welshman was brilliant for most part of the last season and even scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final, which ended Arsenal’s long standing trophy drought.

However he hasn’t been able to replicate that form this season due to some persistent injuries, but appeared to have regained his form with his display in the Champions League in the midweek only to find himself on the sidelines again. Even when not at his best, he remains a key component of the Gunners midfield and is pivotal to the attack.

It’s definitely a big blow to loose him and with Wilshere also not available, Wenger will have to slot in either Rosicky or Cazorla into that position. Cazorla hasn’t been consistent enough this campaign, while Rosicky has hardly played so whoever replaces him will have to put in a credible job.

Will Arsenal struggle in the absence of Ramsey?

Wenger confirms Campbell will stay but no word on Podolski

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Costa Rican striker Joel Campbell will stay with the club beyond the January transfer window.

The 22 year old played the full 90 minutes in the Champions League game against Galatasaray, but has not started a single Premier League game this season and his future at the club has come under intense speculation due to his lack of game time.

The French manager failed to comment on whether Lukas Podolski will remain at the North London club, but did confirm that Campbell is not going anywhere any time soon.

Speaking to Arsenal's official website, he said:

Campbell will stay with us.
(When asked about Podolski he said)It is a competition for places that is difficult. I had Welbeck, Sanchez and Giroud at home and you can only play a certain number of strikers. He came back later from the World Cup but he is now coming back to a very strong level.

The youngster hasn't been featuring regularly for the Gunners due to the surplus of talent they posses in the attacking department and with Wenger preferring to play Sanogo ahead of the Costa Rican in some of the matches lead to some suggestions that he doesn't have any future at the Emirates. However the statement suggests that Wenger has long term plans for Campbell and doesn't feel a loan move would be beneficial to either the player or the club.

He was very impressive during the World Cup and impressed many with his big game performances. However Wenger doesn't seem to rate him that highly as yet and he just might be right as the youngster showed with his performance against Galatasaray that he is still very raw. He is definitely a bright prospect for the future, but he is just not there yet.

Coming to the Podolski situation, the French boss hasn't confirmed anything yet but reports suggest that he might leave in the January transfer window. He is a frustrated figure at the Emirates and hasn't been afforded many opportunities to prove his worth, however as he proved against Galatasaray that he still has it in him to make an impact at the highest level.

The age has been catching up with him and there have been occasions where his impact faded as the games went on, but when his left foot alone is enough to twin you some games, it's always better to have someone of his stature on your team. Hopefully Wenger will realise this and give him the chances he deserves.

Should Wenger give Podolski more chances?

Galatasaray 1-4 Arsenal: Review and Player Ratings

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Arsenal’s trip to the Turk Telekom Arena was an important game for the Gunners after their depressing defeat at Stoke over the weekend.

Wenger in his pre-match conference stated that there wasn’t much at stake, but the boss needed a response from his players and the fans needed a reaction from their team. The French manager’s tenure has come under intense pressure over the past few days and the defeat at Stoke escalated major question marks.

The North London club produced the perfect response to silence their critics with a 4-1 Champions League win over Galatasaray in Istanbul. It only took two minutes for it to become clear, when Ramsey first picked the ball up in midfield to put a smart pass through to Lukas Podolski, who finished emphatically with his left foot.

It has been a difficult season for Ramsey, but he found his form again on Tuesday night as he scored two. The Welshman made it 2-0 on 11 minutes with a neat finish after a quick break from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. When Joel Campbell’s corner was half-cleared to Ramsey, he unleashed an unstoppable half-volley that flew past Bolat and into the top right-hand corner.

With Gedion Zelalem and Ainsley Maitland-Niles coming on, Arsenal were naturally less solid in the second half and even had some occasional pieces of defending to do. Wesley Sneijder beat Szczesny with a free kick into the top corner, but Arsenal had the last laugh as Podolski found the bottom corner with virtually the last kick of the game.

Put the banners away. The Arsenal crisis is over for another week.

PLAYER RATINGS

Szczesny | 7.0 : It was good to have him back. He made a couple of good saves, but had no chance of saving that Sneijder free kick.

Debuchy | 7.0 : He was very good in the opening 45 minutes but tired towards the end, which is expected considering that he has just returned from injury.

Mertesacker | 7.5 : Made a great block to prevent a possible goal and it was a much improved display from the big German, who had a forgettbale game against Stoke.

Chambers | 7.0 : Didn’t have much to do and as his partner it was a much better display.

Bellerin | 7.0 : Was somewhat comfortable and burst forward to help the attack when needed.

Flamini | 6 : Did what he needed to and was substituted at half time as a precautionary measure.

Ramsey | 9 : He was just superb and it seems he is getting back to his best. He needs to build on this performance in the coming games.

Chamberlain | 8 : Made some scintillating runs to trouble the opposition defence and created the second goal for Ramsey.

Campbell | 6 : It seemed he was trying too hard to impress and held on to the ball for too long.

Sanogo | 6 :  He tried very hard but it was just not happening for the youngster.

Podolski | 8.5 : He was outstanding in front of goal and proved his worth to the manager. He definitely deserves more chances than he is getting now.

Substitutes

Zelalem | 6.5 : Played well in midfield after coming on and was very good with his passing.

Maitland-Niles | 7 : Came on for Flamini at the half-time and was very good for a player making his debut.

O’Connor | 5 : Was a bit nervous which is expected for a youngster making his first appearance.

Who was your Man of the Match?

[Twitter] Fans react to Podolski and Ramsey's super performances

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Arsenal produced a scintillating display against Galatasaray on Tuesday night to cruise to 4-1 win in the final Champions League game.

Aaron Ramsey and Lukas Podolski scored two goals each to help the Gunners to a win, although the London club still finished 2nd in the group after Dortmund drew 1-1 with Andrelecht but it was a valiant effort from the boys.

Podolski opened the scoring with a scintillating left foot shot in the 3rd minute, before Ramsey doubled the lead with a cool finish in the 11th minute. The Welsh international then scored a belter of a goal to find the top corner from 30 yards out in the 28th minute to give the Emirates club a 3-0 lead going into the half time.

The Turkish giants pulled one back in the 88th minute as Wesley Sneijder converted a free kick from the edge of the penalty area. However that was not the end of the goal fest as Lukas scored in the last minute of extra time to make it 4-1 in favour of Arsenal.

It was great to see Podolski back in Arsenal colours and he showed with his performance that he still has the zest in him to be a regular starter for the Gunners. Ramsey too had a wonderful game and showed glimpses of his form last season. It was job well done but still we finished second in the group and will face one of the bigger teams in the round of 16 and hopefully we also can raise our game for those challenges.

https://twitter.com/fkhanage/status/542405869934092289

https://twitter.com/Jagsy10/status/542410097138212865

https://twitter.com/jimcullen65/status/542418904744611840

https://twitter.com/Goonerz1886/status/542451424676683777

Were you impressed with Podolski’s performance?

Campbell and Podolski to start as Wenger names starting line-up

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Arsenal will make a trip to Turkey in the hope of topping the group when they take on Galatasaray in the final Champions League group game on Tuesday night.

The Gunners have already qualified for the round of 16 and only have a minute chance of winning the group, with the possibility of Dortmund loosing to Anderlecht being very low.

TEAM NEWS: 

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has taken the unusual step of announcing the starting line-up for the Galatasaray game at his pre-match press conference, almost 24 hours before the game. However he had some good news in store for the fans, here is the team news for the game.

Debuchy is back in full training and will start in Istanbul on Tuesday night. The Frenchman has been sidelined since September after damaging his ankle against Manchester City and will provide a big boost for Wenger, who is struggling to put up a solid back-line due to injuries.

His return will mean that youngster Hector Bellerin will move to the left, with Mertesacker and Chambers continuing at the center of the defensive line. Koscielny is suffering from an Achilles tendon injury and hasn’t traveled with the team for the game.

Szczesny will start in goal replacing youngster Emiliano who performed well for three games, but struggled against Stoke City by making some judgmental errors. Arteta is still out injured, so Flamini will start in front of the defence and will be accompanied by Ramsey and Chamberlain.

However the major shock comes in the form of attack as Wenger has rested all him main men. Sanogo will start up front and will be assisted by Podolski and Campbell from the wings. It will be great opportunity for Campbell and Podolski to prove their worth to the Boss and it will interesting to see how they combine at front.

The Gunners bench will be one of the youngest in the Champions League with Chuba Akpom, Gedion Zelalem, Alex Iwobi, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Glen Kamara and Stefan O’Connor in contention to make an impact from the bench.

CONFIRMED LINE-UP

http://www.footyformation.com/team/view/slug/jP6

Can Arsenal finish the Champions League group stage on a high?

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