Cesc Flabegas is at the wrong club!
ARSENE WENGER was left raging after Darren Bent's last-gasp equaliser earned Sunderland a point. England striker Bent struck in the 95th minute amid a goalmouth scramble as the Black Cats launched one final attack to deny 10-man Arsenal.
And Wenger was less than impressed, with the Frenchman clashing with match officials to complain about the amount of stoppage time played. The fourth official had earlier indicated four minutes would be added on but Bent's goal arrived five minutes into added time to cancel out a fortuitous opener from Cesc Fabregas. Wenger said: "The goal was outside the four minutes. I know the referee can give more than four - it's a minimum of four minutes.
"But in the four minutes nothing happened to justify the extension of the time, but I cannot do anything about that." Until that point, it looked as though Fabregas' freak goal would be enough to hand the visitors a hard-fought win. The Spaniard's 13th-minute block sent Anton Ferdinand's attempted clearance sailing over the head of stranded goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and into the net. But the Gunners had only themselves to blame after having midfielder Alex Song sent off for a second bookable offence 10 minutes after the break, while substitute Tomas Rosicky skied a 74th-minute penalty wastefully over the bar. Sunderland have fared well against the Premier League's big boys in recent times, and claimed the scalp of big-spending Manchester City in their last home game.
But manager Steve Bruce knew that if they were to get the better of the Gunners as they did last season, they would have to be at their best and probably enjoy some good fortune. He could have no quibbles with their first-half display as they more than made a fight of it against a side who had scored six without reply against Braga in the Champions League in midweek. But what luck came their way was of the sickeningly bad variety. The game was 13 minutes old when Fabregas closed down central defender Ferdinand as he prepared to clear.
But even he could not believe his eyes when the ball cannoned back off him and looped in a perfect arc over astonished Mignolet. Bruce's men might have been back on level terms within two minutes when Nedum Onuoha met Jordan Henderson's corner unopposed, but powered his header high over Manuel Almunia's crossbar. Mignolet had to produce solid saves to deny first Song and then Andrey Arshavin as the Gunners looked to kill the game off, and his team-mates stepped up a gear in the search for an equaliser. With Henderson and Steed Malbranque pressing in the middle of the field, the visitors were unable to settle into their renowned passing game on a sustained basis. Summer singing Cristian Riveros could have levelled the game eight minutes before the break when he met Ahmed Elmohamady's cross with a diving header only to snd his effort off target. Danny Welbeck smashed a first-time shot just wide within seconds of the restart, but it was Arsenal who looked the more threatening as the second half unfolded. Arshavin clipped a 47th-minute Marouane Chamakh cross over the bar and then squandered a gilt-edged chance after Song had picked him out.
And Chamakh could not beat Mignolet one on one after being set up by Samir Nasri's fine 52nd-minute pass. But Sunderland got a break three minutes later when Song, who had been cautioned for a foul on Henderson before the break, picked up a second booking for a challenge on Malbranque and was given his marching orders. The home side perhaps should have made their numerical advantage count within three minutes when Henderson squared for Bent inside the penalty area, but he shot uncharacteristically high and wide. Bruce sent on record signing Asamoah Gyan for Riveros with 26 minutes remaining, but it was the Gunners who went close when Rosicky shot just wide six minutes later at the end of a flowing move.
The Czech should have wrapped up the victory with 16 minutes to play when Elmohamady tripped Nasri inside the box and Mr Dowd pointed to the spot. But he blazed his spot kick high over the bar to keep Sunderland's hopes alive. Gyan glanced an 81st-minute header straight at Almunia, who had to get down well to claim Henderson's last-minute half-volley. But salvation arrived deep into added time when Gael Clichy's clearance dropped perfectly for Bent to smash it home from close range.
ARSENE WENGER insists it is high time for his Arsenal squad to win silverware because the excuse of being inexperienced has worn thin.
The Gunners boss steered his side to their last trophy success five years ago when they beat Manchester United on penalties to lift the FA Cup. But Wenger puts this barren statistic down to a number of things, including the financial clout of their domestic rivals.
His belief of promoting youngsters into his first team plans has been admirable, although it has also seen them fade in recent title races. However, with more games now under their belts, Wenger feels his current crop of players must deliver a trophy this season. He said: "My players don't have the excuse of inexperience any more. "They are eager for titles. I believe they are capable, but they have to show it. "People are always saying that we haven't won anything for five years. "This is true, but we have always remained at the highest level, even during difficult periods in the club's life. "Arsenal built a new stadium and we have to pay for that, while also building a new team which had reached the end of a cycle.
"What would you say to Manchester City if they did not win any trophies this season after investing £200million? "To me, the main reason why we have not won anything in five years is the fact we play in the best league in the world against clubs that have unlimited funds. "Of course I want to win trophies. Our hopes for the season are always the same we are fighting for the Premier League title and want to win the Champions League. "The plan is to continue our improvement with the strength of our team and their youth." Wenger also maintains he will continue to work in the game as long as his health allows. The 61-year-old recently penned a new deal to keep him at the Emirates Stadium until 2014.
And he added: "I will coach for as long as I am healthy enough. I could finish coaching young players, but not necessarily at professional level. "I am planning to remain with Arsenal until the end of my new contract, but at my age I am forced to consider the short term. "If I am still here it will not be because of a lack of offers from clubs overseas, but because I really appreciate what I have been given here. I am fortunate to work with complete freedom." But Wenger admitted a return home to his native France would perhaps be appealing one day for the right project. He said: "In France, there is the club who are close to my heart Strasbourg."
IT was a case of wham bam thank you Sam as Arsenal destroyed their bitter rivals in extra-time.
Frenchman Samir Nasri was the coolest man in White Hart Lane after the scores had finished 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes. Wham - he banged in a penalty high to the left two minutes into the extra period to give Arsenal the lead. Bam - he smacked in another to the right four minutes later to make the game safe before Andrey Arshavin rubbed Spurs' noses in it with a fourth.
That sparked a mass exodus from the ground and by the time the final whistle went there were more Gunners supporters in the stadium than home fans. And how they milked the moment. It was Arsenal's biggest win at the Lane in 32 years and revenge for their 5-1 hammering in the same competition two years ago. Nasri's double was all the more impressive in that he was struggling with a hamstring injury and manager Arsene Wenger had considered hauling him off at the end of normal time. Wenger watched from the directors box because of a one-match touchline ban after calling it on with the fourth official at Sunderland on Saturday.
But he managed to relay messages to the bench and was drooling from on high at the performance of young Jack Wilshere, particularly in the first half when the 18-year-old ran the show. Wenger sprang something of a surprise by fielding a stronger side than expected. There were starts for experienced men like Tomas Rosicky and Nasri and, though Wilshere is only a teenager, he might have expected to be rested having been involved so much in the Premier League campaign. Perhaps Wenger finally realises that he needs some silverware on the table after five barren years By contrast, Spurs boss Harry Redknapp gave debuts to 21-year-old Brazilian Sandro and teenage centre-back Steven Caulker.
Young Caulker, 19, did not even have a number until Monday and his name was not on the squad list in the programme. Wilshere was the architect of Arsenal's opener on 15 minutes, feeding Kieran Gibbs, who then found Rosicky. Wilshere did not just stand back and admire developments but continued going forward, collected from Rosicky and whipped in a low cross for the grateful Henri Lansbury, who slid in to convert from close range. It was Lansbury's first goal for the Gunners on his first start. Arsenal were robbed of a second when Wilshere picked out the rampaging Gibbs in the area and, as he skipped round debutant keeper Stipe Pletikosa, the linesman's flag went up for offside. Replays showed the full-back was onside and it was a big let-off for the home team.
Wenye wivu wajinyonge!
Mtalia sana,in football you have to play until the final whistle
Subiri nianze mie kumeza vipande vya chupa,loh!!..mnajidaii wenyewe Ars!!:becky:
Subiri nianze mie kumeza vipande vya chupa,loh!!..mnajidaii wenyewe Ars!!:becky:
Arsenal insist they can still compete with the big spenders after posting record pre-tax profits of £56million. The figures for the year to May 31 show pre-tax group profits rose by £10.5m compared to the previous year. Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis said: 'The group has made good progress in the last year and I am excited by the opportunities we have in front of us.' Something to smile about: Arsenal are expected to reveal another rise in profits The results also showed Arsenal's group turnover increased to £379.9m, from £313.3million in 2009, boosted by the income generated from property sales.
The debt related to the Highbury Square development - which once totalled £130million - has now been repaid in full with Arsenal now enjoying the benefits of income from apartment sales. Profits are slightly down on the football side of the business due to Arsenal having five fewer home games last season and increased wage costs. Gazidis said the wage increases had allowed Arsenal to remain competitive on the field. He said: 'We continue to see upward pressure on player wages. A part of that is because we've invested fairly aggressively in our young player pool, and we have secured their long-term future with the club. 'This has been a very successful period of investment but it costs money. A part of it is also driven by the external environment in which we operate where player costs continue to go up.' Arsenal will continue to pursue their policy of developing players rather than buying big stars, Gazidis said.
Gleaming new home: Arsenal moved
to the Emirates Stadium in 2006
He added: 'Most of [the profit] goes back into the playing side, whether into player contracts or transfer fees. Now that doesn't mean we can compete at the level of the Manchester Citys of this world in the transfer market, because those types of fees and those types of salaries are not sustainable for any football business. 'But it still means, I believe, that we can compete with them on the pitch.
'We do have a policy of building and not buying, and that's a difficult path to tread sometimes, but as a result of that policy we're seeing a tremendous number of good young players progressing and developing into the finished article and I think our performance against Spurs on Tuesday night illustrated this.' A year ago, Arsenal announced pre-tax profits had risen 24 per cent to £45.5m and this year's revenue increase has been helped by a £4million rise in Premier League television income to £51.7million and a similar increase in Champions League income to £27.3m. It is the paying off of the Highbury Square loans that has delighted the Arsenal hierarchy most however. They were initially forced to extend the bank repayment deadline of April this year to December after the property slump first hit.
Since then the development has prospered and the debt has now been repaid in full. Manchester United reported pre-tax profits of £48.2million in January while league champions Chelsea announced a £44.4million loss in December.
The main man:
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas is confident he will be fit for his side's crunch clash with Chelsea. Midfielder Fabregas limped out of the draw at Sunderland with a hamstring problem and will miss Saturday's visit of West Brom and Tuesday's trip to Partizan Belgrade. The Gunners feared the Spain star was facing around three weeks on the sidelines but Fabregas is determined to take on the Premier League leaders on October 3. He said: 'The injury is not as bad as we first thought. There is no muscle rupture and I will be back perfect in about 10 to 11 days.
'I am working with an osteopath in Paris and just working day to day. I think I will make the Chelsea game.' World Cup winner Fabregas has been in superb form of late following a summer of speculation over his future. Barcelona still believe it is only a matter of time before Fabregas goes home to the club he left for north London as a 16-year-old in 2003. But despite his bond with the Catalan giants, Fabregas refused to rule out their bitter rivals Real Madrid if he does go back to Spain. He said: 'I have never said that I did not want to play for Real Madrid. For me they are a big club and I always consider other objectives.'
MANUEL ALMUNIA'S latest howler helped West Brom wreck Arsenal's unbeaten record.
The Spanish keeper saved a Chris Blunt penalty but fumbled in Gonzalez Jara's effort as the Baggies hit three fine goals after the break. Peter Odemwingie tapped the Baggies in front on 50 minutes before Jara and ex-Gunner Jerome Thomas struck. Arsenal's only inspiration, Samir Nasri, then tucked home twice as the Gunners rampaged forward late on - but in vain.
West Brom boss Roberto di Matteo said: "It was a wonderful victory. "We wanted to press them all over the pitch and we got some good goals too. "This hopefully gives us belief and confidence that we can be competitive in the Premier League." Emmanuel Eboue spun to fire the first decent chance just wide on 13 minutes. Then seconds later his Emirates teammate Andrey Arshavin managed to hit the post twice from an Eboue cross. The Gunners, by now, were pouring forward, Marouane Chamakh heading close and went Nasri whistling a 25-yard drive inches off-target.
But Odemwingie began to show glimpses of his dangerous pace at the other end. And on 27 minutes it was the burly striker whose angled drive was pushed onto the post by Almunia. The Baggies' confidence soared as Arsenal seemed to lose imagination. But they wasted the one glorious chance of the first half, Almunia tripping the onrushing Odemwingie but saving the resulting under-hit spot-kick from Brunt. West Brom keeper Scott Carson then tipped Bacary Sagna's six-yard header over.
Thomas punished Arsenal for their second-gear display, jinking to the byline for a 50th minute pull-back slide home by Odemwingie. And just two minutes later Almunia undid his vital work before the interval with one of the worst goalkeeping errors of the season so far. Jara danced round the Arsenal defence but his long-range shot somehow squirmed in past Almunia. And Thomas caught his old club on the break, firing into the roof of the net from seven yards. Nasri fired a left-footer off the bar before his superb footwork enabled him to drill home with the same foot. And he pounced again as the match entered five minutes of stoppage time.
Arsene Wenger made no attempt to disguise the shortcomings of his Arsenal side following their 3-2 home defeat against West Brom. Peter Odemwingie, Gonzalo Jara and Jerome Thomas put Albion 3-0 up before Samir Nasri gave the Gunners a glimmer of hope after scoring a late double. "It was a poor performance, defensively and offensively," said Wenger. "Not one player performed to their level. We had an off day and were not good enough to win the game."
It was an unusually candid critique by Wenger, who refused to gloss over failings that he felt were the result of wayward concentration and sloppy play. Arsenal currently sit second in the Premier League table but had they won they would have moved to within a point of leaders Chelsea who the Gunners face at Stamford Bridge next Sunday. "We were not capable of the right level of concentration," added Wenger. "The concentration that gives you the sharpness was not there today. "We were poor everywhere - at the back, up front and in the middle of the park. Anything was difficult for us today, to pass the ball, to win it back. "Overall we got what we deserved, that is zero points. We didn't deserve more."
Wenger refused, however, to single out Manuel Almunia for criticism, despite a poor performance from the Arsenal goalkeeper that is sure to come under scrutiny. Almunia conceded a first-half penalty for bringing down Odemwingie and, although he saved Brunt's resulting spot-kick, he was later beaten at his near post by Jara. The Spaniard's miserable afternoon took a further downward turn when he inexplicably came off his line to meet Brunt, who fed Thomas for West Brom's third. "You can have question marks over many players today if you look at the performance, especially defensively," insisted Wenger. "Many players made massive mistakes defensively. I do not want to talk about any one performance, we were collectively poor. You could single out many players. "Overall, it was a poor team performance and we have to analyse why and respond well. It's unexplainable how flat the whole thing looked for the whole game, it's a mystery for me. "Something in our performance today was not right. It was unusual to see a team as flat was we were."
Wenger's disappointment afforded a pointed contrast with the quiet satisfaction of his West Brom counterpart, Roberto Di Matteo. "I would say we deserved it, the way we played, the way we created chances, scored goals and played very well," said Di Matteo, whose side moved up to fifth following their win. "We pressed them very high, we pressed them all over the pitch. We managed not to let them play their usual way and, when we had the ball, we passed it very well and created chances ourselves. "I don't want us just to be pretty, I want results at the end of the day." As the Italian pointed out, West Brom have come a long way since their 6-0 mauling at Chelsea on the opening day of the Premier League season. "We got a hammering at Chelsea and it wasn't a pretty week after that, but we've learned," added the Italian. "We've cut out those mistakes and that gives us a chance to stay in a game and win things. "We go into games believing we can win. It was the way we won, we were not lucky. We played some tremendous football and defended well too."