Arsenal

Arsenal star accepts World Cup squad role

2006-06-05T12:39:00.000-07:00

Sol Campbell knows he faces a hard task dislodging John Terry and Rio Ferdinand from the starting roles in England’s defence.

The 31-year-old is heading to his third World Cup, but it will be his first as a back-up after being one of the first names on the team-sheet in 1998 and 2002.He said: “I’m going to be a squad player at the World Cup, I realise that.“I’m going to be on the bench, but I’m part of the squad and part of that role is to support the 11 players who are in the starting line-up.“I think everyone is aware this is one of the best defensive lines we have had for a long time.”

Spanish international set for Arsenal move?

2006-05-30T14:08:00.000-07:00

Arsenal Football Club are lining up a move for Marcos Senna.

The 29-year-old Brazilian born midfielder is currently preparing for the World Cup Finals, where he will represent Spain after securing citizenship earlier this year.Senna has played a key role in the emergence as a La Liga force of Villarreal over the past couple of seasons, and Arsene Wenger believes he could make an impact in The Premiership. However, the Gunners could well face competition for the defensive midfielder, with reports suggesting Real Madrid are also keen to snap him up for next season.

Arsenal defender in Turkish talks

2006-05-22T10:18:00.000-07:00

Arsenal Football Club defender Sol Campbell is reportedly in talks with Fenerbahce.
Speculation broke out on Sunday that the Turkish club are willing to fork out a whopping £8million on the 31-year-old England international, who has endured a difficult season.The former Tottenham Hotspur man suffered from injury and a loss of form and confidence, although he came back strong towards the end of the term and his goal almost won the UEFA Champions League.It is believed that Campbell’s agent Sky Andrew is in Turkey holding talks with Fener, and although the Gunners may be reluctant to do business, a fresh challenge could well appeal to the player.

Eto’o happy to welcome Arsenal skipper

2006-05-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

Samuel Eto’o believes he and Arsenal Football Club star Thierry Henry could form a dream partnership for Barcelona next season.

The Catalans remain eager to sign the French international this summer, as the player continues to stall on making his mind up over where his future lies with just twelve months remaining on his Highbury deal.It has been suggested that Henry’s possible arrival at the Camp Nou would spell the end for their current striker Eto’o, yet the Cameroon international would love to line-up alongside the Gunner. "Some journalists wanted to create tension between 'Titi' and me. I am laughing,” said Eto’o to France Football, as he prepares to face Henry and Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League final."I have 'Titi' on the phone all the time. If he comes to Barca, thinking he will put Samuel Eto'o on the bench, I say 'no'. We will play together. We will be team-mates. I do not enter any controversy. I would like the coach to sign 'Titi'. He is my friend."

Arsenal skipper enjoys 'perfect send-off'

2006-05-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

Thierry Henry was a satisfied man after scoring a hat-trick in the last ever Highbury fixture on Sunday

The French maestro's three goals helped Arsenal to a 4-2 win over Wigan, which secured 4th place in the Premiership and a shot at the Champions League next season, regardless of the outcome of next week's final against Barcelona."That was the perfect send-off," said Henry."We are fourth in the league and the table does not lie after 38 games, so we deserve to be in this position. "We've missed so many players this season and we did it the hard way. When I kissed the ground after my third, I was saying goodbye to this stadium."

England Premiere League

2006-05-04T11:25:00.000-07:00

This Sunday one of the most prestigious Leagues in the world comes to an end, which is the English Premier League. It’s been a fierce competition all season long, especially between Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United fighting for the first three places. Even though Chelsea is already the champion with one fixture left, the fight for second place is fierce between Manchester and Liverpool for a chance to get into next year edition of the champions league.

A team that should’ve figure among the first places and didn’t was the Arsenal with an impressive campaign in the Champions League they couldn’t do the same in the Premier League 25 points behind first place Chelsea unless they win the Champion League Final they will not enter next years edition due to their current position in the Premier League.

The situation with Arsenal in the Premier League has left the fans and the team very disappointed because everybody had great expectations. Although they couldn’t play as well as everybody expected in the Premier League, they still have the comfort of being in the final of the Champions League.

Let’s talk about the new Champion Chelsea; they didn’t have a good campaign in the Champions League like their counterpart Arsenal. Still they managed to get the title in England without any major dispute towards the end of the season. They have a great team that maybe doesn’t have so many stars like other teams, but they managed to get the formula needed to have a balanced team both in offense and defense. This has allowed them to be at the top of the table most of the season.

After the defeat against Blackburn Rovers, three days after winning the Championship, Chelsea coach Mourinho admitted, he wouldn’t have been quite so philosophical over the outcome had the lost points been of greater consequence. “I am laughing now because I am champion, but if today I was not champion, I think it would be the end of my career in England because I would be suspended forever!” he said, painting a picture of how he would have reacted.

If you like sports betting don’t miss the chance to bet on this weekend’s final game for it will be the last match day of the season and will be a long time before we have English soccer again.

FC Barcelona-Arsenal

2006-05-04T10:49:00.000-07:00

Barcelona

This is it; the time has come to meet the two best football teams in Europe and probably in the world in the UEFA Champions League Final in France.

Barcelona has left on the way great teams, in the first phase they knock out Chelsea, then Benfica in the quarterfinals and Milan in the Semi-Finals. As you read the teams that this teams has knock out you might think Barcelona will be the winner in this final. Lead by Brazilian star Ronaldinho, Barcelona is also the favorite to win their local league, which is one of the best leagues in the planet. “La Liga Primera” in Spain still with a few games left in the season, most of the experts in soccer are proclaiming Barcelona as the future champion.

"Playing in the final is like a dream come true," Van Bronckhorst said, "especially against my former club, that makes it even more amazing." Van Bronckhorst left Highbury for the Camp Nou, initially on loan, in 2003 after a mixed two-season spell in England.
Squad

Arsenal

On the other side the Arsenal has also left great teams on the way, they knock out Real Madrid, Italian Champions Juventus and Villareal. Although according to all major sports books the slight favorite is the Spanish team. The Gunners still have a great chance to win this game; lead by the top scorer of the Champions League the Frenchman Thierry Henry will have his biggest game with the Gunners in Paris against Barcelona.

The Gunners are very motivated towards this final, it will be the first time the Arsenal goes to the Champions League final and they won’t leave any room for Barcelona; their stars to make their football because it will mean a lot for the team and the fans to achieve this title.

Arsenal FC striker and captain Thierry Henry has been voted Footballer of the Year for the third time in four years by the Football Writers' Association. “As I always say, in football it's all about the team and without my team-mates I would not have won this award," Henry said. "I'm especially proud that I'm the first person to win the Footballer of the Year trophy three times. It's always pleasing to be the first to achieve something.

If you like soccer and also like to bet on sports this final will be the perfect opportunity to wager and on a very exciting to the game.

Arsenal prepared for Henry departure

2006-05-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

Peter Hill-Wood insists Arsenal Football Club will ‘manage’ if Thierry Henry decides to leave this summer.
The French international remains undecided on whether or not to extend his stay in North London, with a decision set to be announced before the World Cup Finals.Although the Gunners admit it will be a blow to lose their skipper, chairman Hill-Wood said: "I think he's irreplaceable, but we're fine, we'll manage. We've managed before, but it will be a big blow."Henry announced earlier this season that he wants to stay at Arsenal yet a contract offer remains unsigned, and Hill-Wood admits he has no idea what the striker intends to do. "We haven't got a clue want he wants to do," Hill-Wood told Sky Sports. "He's slightly moody, too. Some days he's up, some days he's down."He has a wonderful life in London and gets very well paid. We hope he decides to stay with us, but I haven't got any more idea than you have."

Arsenal boss admits England interest

2006-05-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

Arsenal Football Club boss Arsene Wenger admits he would be interested in managing England in the future.
The Frenchman is regarded as one of the finest coaches in Europe, yet he has barely been linked with the post which Sven Goran Eriksson will vacate as soon as the World Cup Finals are over.However, Wenger has perhaps saved the Football Association a job by revealing that although he would be interested in managing England in the future, now is not the right time. "It is a big honour to be talked about as though I am capable of doing the England job, but I am not a candidate," said Wenger. "I feel completely focused on what I want to achieve with Arsenal. "In the future you never know. If tomorrow I am free and England was to offer me the job of course I would take it - but at the moment I do not feel the need to go from club football to national team football. "I always try to honour my contracts and my contract runs out in 2008 and of course part of it was to stay through the opening the new stadium and keep the team going. "After 2008, what I will do? I do not know."

Arsenal boss admits England interest

2006-05-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

Arsenal Football Club boss Arsene Wenger admits he would be interested in managing England in the future.

The Frenchman is regarded as one of the finest coaches in Europe, yet he has barely been linked with the post which Sven Goran Eriksson will vacate as soon as the World Cup Finals are over.However, Wenger has perhaps saved the Football Association a job by revealing that although he would be interested in managing England in the future, now is not the right time. "It is a big honour to be talked about as though I am capable of doing the England job, but I am not a candidate," said Wenger. "I feel completely focused on what I want to achieve with Arsenal odds. "In the future you never know. If tomorrow I am free and England was to offer me the job of course I would take it - but at the moment I do not feel the need to go from club football to national team football. "I always try to honour my contracts and my contract runs out in 2008 and of course part of it was to stay through the opening the new stadium and keep the team going. "After 2008, what I will do? I do not know."

2006 UEFA CUP Tournament

2006-04-26T15:37:00.000-07:00

The UEFA Cup is handed over to the Dutch city of Eindhoven, and in preparation for hosting this season's final, golden memories of 1978 will come flooding back.
It was on 9 May 1978 that local side PSV Eindhoven established themselves as a major force in European football as they beat SC Bastia 3-0 at the Philips stadium - the venue for this season's final - to win the UEFA Cup, following a goalless draw in the first leg in Corsica two weeks earlier.
By that time, PSV had already broken the cast-iron grip that the big clubs from the west of the Netherlands - Feyenoord and AFC Ajax - held on the Dutch title by winning the Eredivisie in 1974/75 and 1975/76, but in taking the UEFA Cup, they announced their presence to the whole continent.
With the final being contested over two legs in those days, PSV had not enjoyed an easy time in the opening fixture against Bastia. Heavy rainfall turned the first leg into a boring show. But the second leg, however, was much more one-sided, and with the elements no longer blocking their route to goal, PSV shone with Willy van de Kerkhof, Gerrie Deijkers and Willy van der Kuylen finding the target as they secured a famous victory in front of 27,000 fans.
With Feyenoord and Ajax both having won major European competitions in the early 1970s, PSV were the third Dutch club to triumph in UEFA competition, and added to their trophy cabinet by winning the European Champion Clubs' Cup in 1987/88 before reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2004/05.
The memories of that first success back in 1978 will be celebrated as 2004/05 UEFA Cup, against all the Sportsbooks odds. Winners of last year’s cup PFC CSKA Moskva hand the trophy to Eindhoven, with goal scorers Van de Kerkhof and Van der Kuylen in attendance. Sadly Deijkers died of heart failure at the age of 56 back in October 2003.
Deijkers' story was an odd one. He had played as a defender in previous seasons but coach Kees Rijvers - who will also be at the handover - decided to hand him a chance to become a striker as PSV were having attacking problems in 1977/78. He went on to score 18 league goals and six in the UEFA Cup that season.
While Deijkers will be missed at the ceremony at the Evoluon building in Eindhoven, plenty of other PSV stars of 1978 will be there to make up the numbers. Among them will be Willy's twin brother René van de Kerkhof, Jan Poortvliet, Adri van Kraay and Kees Krijgh all eager to get their hands on the trophy again.

Arsenal winger reveals Italian interest

2006-04-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

Robert Pires could leave Arsenal Football Club for Italy this summer.

Out of contract in the summer and unable to reach an agreement with the Gunners, the French winger has revealed he has received interest from a couple of Serie A sides."Roma and Fiorentina contacted me," Pires told Sky Italia. "But for the moment I think only of winning the Champions League with Arsenal." Pires would ideally like to stay with the North London club, yet he is unwilling to accept anything less than a two-year deal whilst the UEFA Champions League finalists have offered just twelve months.

Arsenal lose Senderos for Villarreal decider

2006-04-24T14:11:00.000-07:00

Arsenal's Swiss defender Philippe Senderos has been ruled out of Tuesday's Champions League semi-final at Villarreal with a knee injury.
Senderos, a regular in central defence this season alongside Kolo Toure, picked up the injury in Saturday's 1-1 derby draw with Tottenham Hotspur and has not travelled to Spain for the second leg, Arsenal said on Monday.
His absence means an almost certain return for Sol Campbell, who has been plagued by injury all season and needs matches to bolster his World Cup chances with England.
French left back Gael Clichy returns to the squad, having been sidelined since last November with a foot injury.
Arsenal odds lead the tie 1-0 after last week's victory at Highbury.