Official Gooners Thread - A New Hope

[ONeill]

Portsmouth on Sunday. Pompey put up a good fight v Chelsea. No walk over. Another narrow Arsenal victory will suffice.

The Russian involvement - they actually seem to be Arsenal fans but Dein's involvement seems more puzzling. He seems to have done on on his 'mate' Kroenke. A friend, and insider at the club, told me:

The Russian goes, with Boris. They go in the same box. The other guy - I don't know, but I would assume so.

Don't get me wrong, we don't need their money. But we knew that Dein was going to sell his shares at somepoint. He was it looked like going to join up with or sell to Kroenke. He has instead sold to an Arsenal fan who has stated in the media they are not looking to take over the club. By my books that is far far better than having he unstability of waiting for Dein to make up his mind or selling to Kroenke who would load the club with debt. They have also stated one of their most important aims is to keep Wenger. As Kroenke has said bugger all I certainly believe that most shareholders will see this as a very positive move and it removes a lot of speculation as Kroenke is very unlikely to be able to get enough shares together to do anything more now. Which is very good news for the club.

[Norf Tyrone]

Arsenal sign Lasanna Diarra for £2 million.

Decent wee signing there, although he is not as versatille as Arsene suggests. He probably didn't get the chances at Chelsea as he deserved in his best position which is the 'Maka' role. Jose tried him at RB last year, and he did ok but was turned and beat for pace many times accruing bookings along the way. Personally I'd of like to keep him over Makalele due to the age factor, but at 22 I don't think Diarra wanted to hang around.

Good Luck to him......

[ONeill]

BIG-MATCH FACTS

This is the 141st north London league derby between Tottenham and Arsenal, and their 31st clash in the Premier League.

Tottenham are looking for a 50th victory in the 156th competitive meeting with their near neighbours.

Arsenal have won three of their four Premier League matches this season; Tottenham have lost three of their five.

The Gunners have drawn their last four away league games; including the 2-2 stalemate at White Hart Lane on 21 April, the only occasion Arsenal have scored more than a single goal in eight Premier League outings on the road.

Spurs have not beaten Arsenal this century, nor in 18 League and Cup matches with their fierce rivals, since George Graham's side achieved a 2-1 home Premier League victory on 7 November 1999, when Steffen Iversen and Tim Sherwood were on target, and Arsenal's Martin Keown and Freddie Ljungberg were both sent off. That was Tottenham's only maximum in 23 north London League derbies.

David Pleat, Glenn Hoddle and Jacques Santini never got the better of Arsene Wenger as Tottenham managers. Now Martin Jol will make his ninth attempt to do so (in league and cup).

CLUB FORM

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Club stats
Fixtures

1. Won one of five Premier League matches this season; 4-0, home to Derby on 18 August.

2. Managed only three clean sheets in 33 league matches.

3. Kept fewer clean sheets than any other club in the Premier League last season (six).

4. Four points after the first five outings is on a par with last season.

5. Scored eight league goals and conceded eight so far this season.

6. Lost one of the last eight home Premier League matches; 1-3, against Everton on 18 August.

7. The 4-0 victory over Derby in the last home game was their second clean sheet in 16 league outings at the Lane.

8. Completed 33 games since a Premier League no score draw; the most recent being away to Watford on 28 October.

9. Holding the highest number of different scorers in the Premier League (seven).

10. This match precedes the Uefa Cup first round first leg tie home to Anorthosis Famagusta of Cyprus next Thursday.

ARSENAL
Club stats
Fixtures

1. Won the last three in all competitions; 1-0, home to Manchester City (PL), 3-0 home to Sparta Prague (CL) and 3-1, home to Portsmouth (PL).

2. Unbeaten in 11 Premier League games; won six and drawn five since losing 0-1, home to West Ham on 7 April.

3. One of four clubs still holding an unbeaten Premier League record. The others are Blackburn, Liverpool and Newcastle.

4. Dropped just two points. Only Liverpool have also dropped so few.

5. Holding the joint highest Premier League points-per-game average of 2.5, equal with Liverpool.

6. Awarded and scored more penalties than any other club in the Premier League last season; converted 10 of 12. Already awarded three spot kicks in four outings, and converted two of them.

7. Without an away league victory in six; drawn four and lost two since beating Aston Villa 0-1 on 14 March - their only victory in eight on the road.

8. This match precedes the Champions League Group H tie, home to Sevilla of Spain on Wednesday.

KEY PLAYER NOTES

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Steed MALBRANQUE is Tottenham's top scorer with two Premier League goals.

If he plays:-

Jermaine JENAS will be making his 200th career league appearance (Nottingham Forest, Newcastle and Tottenham).

Jermain DEFOE will be making his 200th career Premier League appearance (West Ham and Tottenham).

ARSENAL

Cesc FABREGAS is the joint top scoring Premier League player with Nicolas ANELKA of Bolton. Both have netted four goals. All four of ANELKA's goals were in the Premier League, whereas only half of FABREGAS' total were league goals.

Arsenal's joint top Premier League scorers are FABREGAS and last season's leading marksman, Robin VAN PERSIE. They have netted two each.

If he plays:-

Gilberto SILVA will be making his 150th Premier League appearance - all for the Gunners.

If on the field from the outset:-

Gael CLICHY will be making his 50th Premier League start in an Arsenal shirt.

Justin HOYTE will be making his 50th career league start.

Suspended:-

Phillipe SENDEROS (one match)

HEAD TO HEAD

Arsenal have won one and drawn six of the last seven Premier League visits to White Hart Lane.

Tottenham have managed victory in only one of the last 11 home league matches against their north London rivals.

Home and away
League (inc PL): Spurs 45 wins, Arsenal 57, Draws 38
Prem: Spurs 5 wins, Arsenal 11, Draws 14

at Spurs only
League (inc PL): Spurs 28 wins, Arsenal 22, Draws 20
Prem: Spurs 4 wins, Arsenal 3, Draws 8

LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME

Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Arsenal
21 April 2007 - Ref: Mike Dean
Spurs scorers: Keane 30, Jenas 90
Arsenal scorers: Toure 64, Adebayor 78

REFEREE

Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)

[Dinny Breen]

Top top top of the League 

[ONeill]

Almost felt sorry for Spurs.

Almost.

Amazing the difference Henry's departure has made. Players who had the talent all along are now showing it, because of the freedom his absence has created. Fabregas oozes class, frightening for a lad of that age. Great to see the Gunners score unArsenal-like goals (Cesc's screamer and Adebayor's have-a-go.

Always great to bate the Spuds.

[Puckoon]

Almost felt sorry for Spurs.

Almost.

Amazing the difference Henry's departure has made. Players who had the talent all along are now showing it, because of the freedom his absence has created. Fabregas oozes class, frightening for a lad of that age. Great to see the Gunners score unArsenal-like goals (Cesc's screamer and Adebayor's have-a-go.

Always great to bate the Spuds.

While not ever talking badly about thierry, I never believed the stories of his controlling nature until the results of his departure have began to showthemselves on the field this season.

[ildanach]

I still feel something is missing from the team. Spurs created chances but did not take them. Maybe when gilberto is back in midfield it will tighten it. We need to get some cover at centre back. I would like to see some more of eduardo too. Championsleague game during the week could be an ideal occassion for him. Lets not forget in january we will be without Toure, Eboue, Adebayor so it is important to have everyone with plenty of game time (apart from senderos,as he is shit!)

[hitzelsperger]

massive win yesterday, i may be biased but fabregas must be the best midfielder in the premiership and in the top 3 in europe, simply world class!!

great to see abebayor getting a couple and the second was a screamer, he works his socks off up front for us and about time he got his rewards...need fab, RVP, rosicky and toure to stay fit, key players to our season being sucessful

up the arse!!

[ONeill]

Another nice performance. Feared Seville as I've seen plenty of them over the last year, but any team that comes out to play pure football against Arsenal usually suffer. Hleb is on serious form. Fabregas unstoppable. Senderos still the week link.

Home to Derby next.

[kinghen]

thought arsenal were awesome last night (in parts) but your right its been proven in recent times that if you try to match arsenal as a technical, passing, footballing side then you usually get punished. its normally the blackburns, boltons etc who give us the trouble! although i think the team this year has shown more glimpses of "fighting" for posession!

cesc=unreal
rvp=more to come
toure=brilliant

[ildanach]

Arsenal Holdings plc has announced their financial results for the year ending May 31, 2007. A brief overview is shown below.
Group turnover and operating profit at record levels:

- Turnover increased by 46% to £200.8 million (2006 - £137.2 million)

- Group operating profits* increased by 274% to £51.2 million (2006 - £13.7 million)
Match day revenues from the Club's first season at Emirates Stadium were £90.6 million, representing £3.1 million per game and being more than double the £44.1 million achieved in the previous year at Highbury.
£260 million of bonds with long-dated maturities and a weighted average fixed interest rate of 5.3% were issued in the year to refinance all of the Group's stadium related debt providing a significant reduction in annual debt service costs for the long term.
The Group's cash balances rose to £73.9 million (2006 - £35.6 million).91% of the units at "The Stadium - Highbury Square" are already pre-sold. The final completion sales value for all units is expected to comfortably exceed £300 million
Arsène Wenger has extended his contract as Arsenal manager through to 2011 and will become the longest serving manager in the Club's history.
Commenting on the results for the year, Peter Hill-Wood, non-executive chairman, said:

"The best way that Arsenal can continue to deliver success is by maintaining a business that pays its own way. This philosophy helped establish our objectives for the Club's move away from Highbury and Emirates Stadium now provides Arsenal with the increased income, profitability, cash generation and firm financial foundations from which we will continue to build trophy winning Arsenal teams for many years to come."

*(before player trading and depreciation)

[ONeill]

The football Arsenal have been playing lately has been absolutely sublime. Sheer bliss and more importantly with an end product. Unfortunately Hleb, Rosicky and Eduardo appear to have picked up knocks, furthering the pressure on Fabregas to perform.

Anyone want to do a Smoking Joe and trade cheques at this early stage? I'm willing to wager £20 that Fabregas will get the Football Writers Player of the Year even though it's only Sept.

I was reading lately that he has been directly involved in Arsenal's last 11 goals - be it a direct assist or scoring. Frightening he's 20.

West Ham tomorrow. Would take a draw. Lost there last year as Wenger lost the rag.....

[Puckoon]

So the gunners march on with a decent victory at upton park. This would be the sweetest league title ever, if it happened.

[hoopsaaa]

It would be a real nice one. But we need a bit of rain and muck. we play the scum and the pool within 7 days we will know better then. Jasus Wenger is a genius he really is.

[hitzelsperger]

relieved after yesterdays game...no doubt freddies goal was on side and ashton should have put header away but thats the luck ya get whenb your the best team in the land 

diaby seems to get better with ever game which is great to see cos he has all the attributes that a young patrick vieira had!

the tackle on hleb was a joke, i thought his ankle was broke...hopefully he'll be back soon cos hes been playing quality stuff this season!

RVP is quality!!