Arsenal FC @ Emirates All Gunner fans fall in

[soundworks]

Arsenal are awesome against the big 4 teams, but they r inconsistent against lesser team. Hope they will bring in some seasoned big names during jan transfer window to stablised the squad.

[caifan87]

Originally Posted by soundworks

Arsenal are awesome against the big 4 teams, but they r inconsistent against lesser team. Hope they will bring in some seasoned big names during jan transfer window to stablised the squad.

Agreed. Mayb too many youngsters and too few good sr to guide them.

[Naka_Timo]

Nice win against chelsea hope tis be a turning point for them.

[kiko]

Arsenal will maintain their ''philosophy'' and ''heritage'', according to chairman Peter Hill-Wood - despite changes in the boardroom which are set to reignite takeover speculation.The departure of major shareholder Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith from the company board was announced last night, along with Richard Carr, a director for 27 years.

However, Carr will remain on the board of the Barclays Premier League club while new chief executive Ivan Gazidis will join both boards on January 1.

It is, though, what Lady Bracewell-Smith, whose family have a long association with Arsenal, will now do with her significant holding of just under 16% which is sure to be of concern to Gunners fans.Arsenal are the last remaining member of the Premier League 'big four' to be in British ownership, and the board all signed up to a lockdown agreement meaning the first option on any sale of shares must be given to existing board members until 2012, so as to stave off any potential hostile bid from outside.

However, Hill-Wood could offer no guarantees of where Lady Bracewell-Smith's holding may eventually now end up.

American sports tycoon Stan Kroenke, who holds around a 12% stake in the Gunners parent company, accepted the offer to become a non-executive director on the Arsenal board in September as ties with his Kroenke Sports Enterprises group were strengthened, and he could be tempted to invest further.

However, Uzbekistan metals magnate Alisher Usmanov - who bought into Arsenal when he paid former vice-chairman David Dein around £75million for his 14.65% stake - is certainly one likely interested party as his Red & White Holdings company look to increase their holding, which currently stands around 24%. If that were to reach 30%, then under financial legislation, a formal takeover approach would have to be launched.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has always made it clear any speculation surrounding the club's ownership will not affect how he approaches his job.

And Hill-Wood maintained: ''The philosophy of the club remains the same. Our efforts are directed towards stability and making the club successful.

''Changes of personnel will not alter the directors' view of how we should proceed in the future.

''All the directors love the club and are committed to maintaining its heritage.

''Acting in the best interests of the club is fundamental to the decisions we take on behalf of Arsenal.

''The directors feel the club's future is positive both on and off the field.''

Hill-Wood hopes the Bracewell-Smith family will remain shareholders, but indicated current board members - who include director Daniel Fiszman, the largest stakeholder in the club with 24.11% - would be keen to ''retain control'' in their own hands.

''Lady Nina is no longer representing the club and therefore is released from the lockdown,'' the chairman confirmed to the club's official website, The Official Website of Arsenal Football Club | Arsenal.com.

''However it was created to maintain stability in the club and those participants are committed to maintaining the ownership structure as it is.

''I don't know for certain what she wants to do with her shares. I do know that the Bracewell-Smith family have been involved with the club for many, many years and are great supporters.

''I know that Lady Nina is an advocate of the policies we have been following to make the club self-sustaining and free from external injections of money. She has certainly been in favour of what we are doing.

''We hope that she would remain a shareholder, but she has not spoken to me about it lately.

''She is no longer in the lockdown so she is free to do what she wishes to do.''

Hill-Wood added: ''A number of the board have indicated in the past that they are interested in buying more shares so the future stability of the club is secure.

''The board is very keen to retain control of the club to ensure that its values and traditions are upheld and live on for many years to come.''

[kiko]

Arsenal will push through a deal to sign Fluminense striker Wellington in the New Year, Young Guns understands.

The 15-year-old starlet recently completed a 7 day trial with the Gunners, and after playing 45 minutes against Norwich Under 16’s last week, he left a massive impression on the coaching staff.

Steve Gatting’s boys ran out 8-4 winners over their City counterparts, with the on trial Brazilian netting four. Fellow countryman Luis Gustavo Conte was also being assessed, he played the first half at centre back.

Wellington’s finishing prowess was highlighted yesterday on Young Guns with this video, and it seems he continued that form during his stay in England. It will now be up to Steve Rowley and South American scout Sandro Orlandelli to broker the deal for the prospect.

Fluminense’s chairman has already spoken of his desire to keep the Brazil Under 16 international, yet the players parents are keen to secure a contract with the Gunners.

The deal is expected to go through towards the end of next month. It would prove to be a significant coup for Arsenal, who already boast South American youngsters in the form of Denílson and Pedro Botelho.

We would also like to take this opportunity to wish every single reader a very Merry Christmas, and offer our best wishes for 2009.

[kiko]

ARSENE WENGER will start his radical transfer-window surgery with a three-pronged raid on Newcastle.

The Arsenal boss has targeted Toon trio Shay Given, Steven Taylor and Charles N’Zogbia in an attempt to fix the Gunners’ flagging season.

Wenger has been forced into the January sales after seeing his inept troops slide out of the Champions League positions.

And with skipper Cesc Fabregas crocked for virtually the rest of the season, he wants to move quickly and relatively cheaply to strengthen at The Emirates. His scouts have been scouring Europe for a keeper to rival Manuel Almunia but have come back with the news that there is nobody available better than Given for the price.

The Republic of Ireland stopper would set Arsenal back around £8million — which would appeal to the Frenchman’s sense of value with his £60,000-a-week wages unlikely to threaten Arsenal’s pay structure.

[kiko]

Arsène Wenger will move next month to bring Andrei Arshavin to Arsenal and he is cautiously optimistic about his chances of success. The Arsenal manager had already said he was "more likely" to strengthen his squad when the mid-season transfer window opened, after Cesc Fábregas's knee injury which will sideline the central midfielder for four months, but he has addressed the subject of the Zenit St Petersburg playmaker for the first time.

"I don't need to announce a name," Wenger said with a smile when asked by the French television channel Canal Plus about Arshavin, "because when you do that there is 50% less chance of making the signing. But I need a creative midfielder and eventually another midfielder, because we are short."

Wenger has seen a clutch of midfielders depart the club in the past 12 months — Lassana Diarra left for Portsmouth last January before moving on to Real Madrid, and Mathieu Flamini, Alex Hleb and Gilberto Silva went in the summer — and although he signed Samir Nasri and Aaron Ramsey his ambitions have been undermined by the injuries to Fábregas, Theo Walcott and Tomas Rosicky. Walcott is out until the middle of February after shoulder surgery and there are fears that Rosicky will not play again this season because of his long-standing hamstring tendon problem.

"The transfer window opens [on Thursday] and, although we are not close to signing anyone at the moment, if we do buy I think what we need is maybe someone with a bit of experience," Wenger wrote in his programme notes for the visit of Portsmouthtoday's .

"We already have many young players so, if we buy, it will be somebody who is ready to play straight away. A loan deal could also be a possibility.

"Cesc is a long way from playing again, so are Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott, and these are three creative players that we count on at the start of the season. So what we might need is someone who can create a little spark."

[kiko]

William Gallas's goal nine minutes from time enabled Arsenal to reclaim fourth place in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Portsmouth at the Emirates Stadium here Sunday.

Victory saw the Gunners move ahead of Aston Villa, who do not play until Tuesday, on goals scored, although they remain 10 points adrift of leaders Liverpool.

The win also ended a run of three successive drawn games that had also seen captain Cesc Fabregas ruled out until March by injury.

Portsmouth, managed by former Arsenal captain Tony Adams, frustrated Arsenal for long periods but had no answer to Gallas's 81st-minute header.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger made three changes from the side that drew 2-2 at Villa on Boxing Day.

Alex Song missed out through injury but Robin van Persie and Kolo Toure found themselves on the bench as Gael Clichy, Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Adebayor returned, with the latter having served a one-match ban following his sending off in last week's 1-1 draw with leaders Liverpool.

Adams also made changes following his side's 4-1 defeat at home to West Ham. Papa Bouba Diop and David Nugent came in for Glen Little and Jermain Defoe, the former Spurs striker, who were named as substitutes.

Current Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp, who signed Defoe for Portsmouth 11 months ago, chose the occasion to go public on his attempts to re-sign the 26-year-old, claiming the south coast club had already received a "massive offer" he was unwilling to match.

Whether Pompey have now decided to sell the England forward was unclear but this was Nugent's first start of a season in which Adams had not given him even an hour's worth of action before kick-off.

Nugent began on the right of a five-man midfield as Pompey opted to use Peter Crouch as a lone front-man.

The plan worked as Arsenal were able to exert pressure only occasionally in the first 20 minutes through set-pieces that came to nothing.

It was Pompey who at last brought the game to life when Crouch hit a post in the 23rd minute.

Nugent crossed from the right and the striker, having out-jumped Gallas, saw his header bounce back off the post with Gunners keeper Manuel Almunia beaten.

Sylvain Distin prevented Adebayor from giving Arsenal the lead eight minutes later with a superb late intervention

Samir Nasri saw a shot deflected narrowly behind after Richard Hughes had been booked for chopping Abou Diaby down but the half ended with Portsmouth's David James not having had to make a single save of note.

The England goalkeeper almost gifted Arsenal an opener two minutes into the second-half when he flapped Nasri's corner to Mikael Silverstre.

Adebayor tried to pounce but the ball was cleared. Adebayor had only himself to blame for wasting Arsenal's next attack, which saw James punch a Denilson cross straight to the forward on the left of the box.

Again defenders were quick to react but Adebayor could only hit the side-netting with a right-footed effort.

Wenger sacrificed Emmanuel Eboue for an extra attacker in the 66th minute but it was the teenager Carlos Vela who came on, not van Persie.

James made a fine save with a leg to deny Nasri, who fired in a shot from a tight angle, before Arsenal Aaron Ramsey replaced Diany with 15 minutes left.

Nadir Belhadj forced a rare save from Almunia following a Crouch back-heel.

But hopes of an away win were dashed when Diop rashly fouled Vela near the left touchline and France defender Gallas headed home Denilson's free-kick, with James again failing to make any contact after coming off his line.

There was a further blow for the away side when Diop, taken off on a stretcher, was hurt as Denilson challenged.

[kiko]

Andrei Arshavin is on his way to North London, if reports in the English media are anything to go by. Arsenal are reportedly lining up a bid for the player, as Arsene Wenger breaks his habit of thrift and looks to spend rather than save for once.

When questioned regarding the player by a number of reporters today, Wenger has reacted with a smile when asked to give a positive identification of the player the Gunners have lined up.

"I don't need to announce a name," The Guardian reports Wenger grinning to French television channel Canal Plus earlier, "because when you do that there is 50% less chance of making the signing. But I need a creative midfielder and eventually another midfielder, because we are short."

Long-term injuries to skipper Cesc Fabregas and to Tomas Rosicky mean that Arsenal are short on flair in the midfield area, and Arshavin, with his silky skills and almost magical ability to create, is definitely an 'Arsenal type' player.

Wenger also seemed to confirm the move was going ahead in his programme notes ahead of the Gunners' 1-0 victory over Portsmouth at the Emirates Stadium today.

"The transfer window opens [on Thursday] and, although we are not close to signing anyone at the moment, if we do buy I think what we need is maybe someone with a bit of experience," Wenger wrote.

"We already have many young players so, if we buy, it will be somebody who is ready to play straight away. A loan deal could also be a possibility.

"Cesc is a long way from playing again, so are Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott, and these are three creative players that we count on at the start of the season. So what we might need is someone who can create a little spark."

In the world of bluff, counter bluff and rumour that is the transfer market, those words are probably the closest to a positive confirmation fans are likely to get that the Zenit St. Petersburg playmaker is on his way to the Emirates.

[kiko]

Arsenal Insist On Udinese's Inler
Despite vehement denials from Udinese that midfielder Gokhan Inler will be leaving in Janaury, Arsenal persist on trying to obtain the Swiss international...

Udinese kept Gokhan Inler against all odds for this season and are attempting to do so again until June 2009.

The Swiss international has been earmarked by Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger as one of the stars of the future and he is keen to bringing him to the Emirates.

The Zebrette have continually denied that Inler will be leaving in January. However, with Cesc Fabregas out of action for several months the Gunners are looking for an immediate replacement.

Udinese are currently looking at bolstering their midfield with Danish midfielder Niki Zimlimg and former player Giulio Giannichedda. Many feel that this is in anticipation of Inler's departure, according to Datasport.

Arsenal will likely have to come up with a financial offer that is too good to refuse in order for Udinese to release the talented 24-year-old midfield maestro.

[kiko]

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is contemplating setting in motion a £40million transfer chain.

After the 2-2 draw at Aston Villa on Boxing Day, Wenger was left frustrated as his men once again surrendered a lead.

Wenger is convinced the title is still within reach - but he has also acknowledged that he must inject new blood into the club. His three priorities are a striker, a defensive midfielder and a central defender

And while he has been assured that he has cash to spend, he can recoup a significant proportion of his outlay by selling striker Nicklas Bendtner to AC Milan or Bayern Munich for about £10m.

Up front, Wenger will decide between Roque Santa Cruz of Blackburn and Andrei Arshavin of Zenit St Petersburg. He has also had encouraging reports about another Zenit player, central defender Ivica Krizanac. The 29-year-old would cost close to £7m.

In central midfield, Wenger has had glowing recommendations from French scout Gilles Grimandi on France Under-21 international Blaise Matuidi.

[kiko]

Arsenal have reportedly reached an agreement with São Paulo based outfit Mirassol for the permanent signing of young defender Luis Gustavo Conte.

The details of the contract are a little unclear, as Mirassol suggest they can not sell the player at such a young age due to FIFA rules, but a deal to help develop Conte until he is only enough to move to London seems to be on the table.

Luis recently completed a 10 day trial with the Gunners, where he was shown around local colleges and even completed 45 minutes of match action during the 8-4 victory over Norwich Under 16’s.

His fellow countryman Wellington bagged four during that fixture, and Young Guns understands he will be joining Conte in the near future. Before setting off to London, the centre back spoke to the Brazilian media about his excitement at coming to try out at Colney.

The classy Brazilian is the captain of Mirassol’s Under 16’s, and also leads his country at international level. Luis is a very mature youngster - telling the club’s official website that he has a desire to study physiotherapy.

Businessman Carlos Roberto Carvalho has helped negotiate the move, along with Arsenal’s South American scout Sandro Orlandelli.

[kiko]

Arsenal to SEAL deal for £15million Euro 2008 STAR!

The Russian international was close to joining Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, but the Londoners couldn’t agree on a price with Zenit St Petersburg for the playmaker.

However, Arshavin will almost certainly move on in January and Zenit have lowered their asking price to around £15million, and it is being widely reported that the Gunners will meet this asking price.

“Although we are not close to signing anyone at the moment, if we do buy I think we need maybe someone with a bit of experience," Arsene Wenger wrote in his notes for the visit of Portsmouth.

"We already have many young players so, if we buy, it will be somebody who is ready to play straight away. We might need is someone who can create a little spark."

[kiko]

Wenger to launch bid for Arteta

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is preparing to launch a £10 million bid for Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta according Sport.co.uk sources. With Cesc Fabregas out for four months Wenger sees the combative midfielder as the ideal replacement for his captain.

Arteta scored twice for Everton in a 3-0 win at home to Sunderland on Sunday and despite being one of the Toffees most consistent performers David Moyes maybe interested in cashing in on his Spanish ace in order to strengthen his attack.

Moyes has been informed by Chairman Bill Kenwright that he can only sign new talent in January if he sells during the transfer window.

Wenger admitted to Canal Plus journalists that he is keen to sign to midfielders if he can in January, however he would not reveal who his targets were.

Wenger said: "I don't need to announce a name, because when you do that there is 50% less chance of making the signing. But I need a creative midfielder and eventually another midfielder, because we are short."

[kiko]

ARSENE WENGER is weighing up a £10million swoop for Dynamo Kiev star Pape Diakhate.

The Senegal centre-half excelled against Arsenal in the clubs’ Champions League meetings.

But the Gunners could face strong competition from Manchester City, while Portsmouth boss Tony Adams has also been linked with the defender.

Arsenal boss Wenger wants to bolster his backline and is certain to move for Diakhate if either under-fire William Gallas or wantaway Kolo Toure leave during the transfer window.

Diakhate, 24, is a Senegal international but holds a French passport after playing several years with Nancy.

He has been with Dynamo Kiev since last season and is regarded as one of the best centre-halves in the Champions League this season.

Gallas has come under fire for some poor performances and his public outburst against his team-mates last month.

Toure is also understood to be unsettled at the Emirates and City boss Mark Hughes has been tipped to make a £10m swoop for the Ivory Coast star.