Official Gooners Thread - A New Hope

[ONeill]

So, Spurs have to score because of Arsenal's away goals, or they're out.

[brokencrossbar1]

Correct

[ONeill]

Hamstring will keep Hleb out for 'a good four weeks'

By Richard Clarke

The injury Alex Hleb picked up at Tottenham on Wednesday night will keep him out for "a good four weeks".

The Belarus midfielder came on as a 56th-minute substitute with Arsenal trailing 2-0 and helped Arsène Wenger's side complete a stirring comeback. However he hurt his hamstring late on and was replaced himself with four minutes to go.

Jeremie Aliadiere (back) and Emmanuel Eboue (ankle) also picked up knocks at White Hart Lane. They may miss Sunday's FA Cup tie with Bolton but should be available for the return game with Tottenham next Wednesday.

However the prognosis for Robin van Persie is not so clear-cut. When the Dutchman broke a metatarsal in his right foot in Sunday, Wenger suggested the striker might be out for six weeks. He now admits that might be optimistic and suggested he could be out for as many as 10 weeks. However, when he spoke to Arsenal TV Online on Thursday, the immediate concern was Hleb.

"I think he will be out longer than I thought last night," said Wenger on Thursday afternoon. "It will be a good four weeks.

"That is the disappointing side of last night. It puts our performance into perspective. You don't want to lose players in January because, if you lose them for a long time, then their season can be over.

"We also lost Jeremie but that is a question of days. I think he will be able to play on Wednesday. Also Eboue has done his ankle again. That is only minor too and I hope he'll be fit for Sunday but if not Wednesday."

The manager could not be so optimistic about Van Persie.

"Ideally you would say six to eight weeks but as well it could be 10," he remarked. "That means April and you are close to the end of the season and you'll need to get back to your best level. I hope it will be six weeks but that is really optimistic."

Disappointing that Hleb and Van Persie will miss this crucial part of the season with the CL about the recommence. I suppose Baptista will see a bit more of the first-team action and hopefully Freddie will fill the gap left by Hleb.

[ONeill]

A nervy game. 0-0, 10 mins into the 2nd. Could go any way.

[ONeill]

1-0. Adebayor. 10 mins left.

[ONeill]

1-1 Mido. Extra time looms.

[ONeill]

Extra time. On a knife edge. Spurs need to score.

[Farrandeelin]

Who's on top? Don't have sky either!

[Carmen Stateside]

Aresnal 2 Spurs 1

[ONeill]

A fairly run of the mill victory today, maintaining the home record against Spurs since 1993 (When they rested Wright and Adams after beating Spurs in the FA semi).

The question is - does Arsene continue with the likes of Almunia, Hoyte, Traore, Walcott, Denilson, Diaby and Aliadiere - or play the big guns?

[ONeill]

Goals:

http://goonergoals.blogspot.com/

[Dinny Breen]

The question is - does Arsene continue with the likes of Almunia, Hoyte, Traore, Walcott, Denilson, Diaby and Aliadiere - or play the big guns?

I think he has to stick with the young guns, they got the Arse to the final and deserve their chance...

Team I'd play

Almunia, Hoyte, Gallas, Toure, Traore, Walcott, Denilson, Fabregas, Diaby, Aliadiere and Adebayor. With Henry, Silva, Rosicky, Mad German and Senderos on the bench.

As an aside the Goons never looked like losing last night and Defoe and Keane just does not work as a partneship.

[ONeill]

Some interesting Arsenal/Liverpool footage of yore

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzhlAQgv7kE

[ONeill]

Midd 1 Arse 1

Didn't see this game. Any board member report?

End of any wild title ambitions.

[el_cuervo_fc]

Arsenal & MLS club agree link up 

Colorado Rapids are owned by American billionaire Stan Kroenke
Arsenal have announced a new business partnership with Major League Soccer club Colorado Rapids.
The deal is designed to build Arsenal's brand in the United States, while also helping to develop the MLS club.

"This is a very important step for Arsenal as this becomes our first venture into the US marketplace," said managing director Keith Edelman.

Colorado Rapids are owned by American billionaire Stan Kroenke's company Kroenke Sports Enterprises.

  Unless I'm completely naive it's not a takeover

Arsene Wenger

Arsenal already have a similar tie-up with Belgian side Beveren as well as an academy in the Ivory Coast.

The arrangement between the two clubs includes the development of a Centre of Excellence in Colorado, the transfer of coaching ideas and the launch of the Arsenal Cup, a club tournament open to teams from all over the US.

The deal comes just days after Liverpool's takeover by American tycoons George Gillet and Tom Hicks, and represents an increasing trend of American businessmen linking up with English clubs.

Manchester United and Aston Villa are also owned by American business tycoons, but Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said the deal was completely different to those takeovers.

"Unless I'm completely naive it's not a takeover," said Wenger.

"I've never heard about a possible takeover and I don't think that is at all behind our partnership."

"We develop a few partnerships sometimes with football schools and sometimes with clubs.

"We're trying to extend our brand and we're are also trying to extend our technical cooperation because the Americans might produce some players at some stage and that's why we're doing it.

"We're always trying to develop young players."

The Rapids will come to London to use Arsenal's facilities for six days while they continue training ahead of the MLS season which starts in April.