Walcott wants more central role

Arsenal winger Theo Walcott believes his future lies as a striker.


Walcott has been deployed mainly as a wide man for Arsenal, but remains optimistic that the manager will switch him to a more central role.


Walcott told the Telegraph: “Playing central might not happen just yet. It depends on the manager. I have put it out there. We will see if it ever happens.


"I will play anywhere to be in this team but people do forget that I am a striker. Hopefully one day I will show what I can do up front.”


The England international has been described as one dimensional by some corners, who have questioned his decision making in the final third.


The former Saints youngster is also due to hold talks over a new deal with the Gunners, but reports suggest the club have refused to meet his high wage demands citing speculation that he may move in the summer. 


PSG and Juventus have both been linked with a move for Walcott and may consider a move in the summer if both parties fail to agree a new deal.

Gunners set to miss out on Madrid starlet

Arsenal are likely to be disappointed in their pursuit of Real Madrid starlet Alvaro Morata, after Sevilla reportedly emerged as frontrunners for his signature.


The 19-year-old continues to impress for Real Madrid B and has netted 22 goals in 45 appearances for Los Blancos' second-string outfit.


According to talkSPORT, Arsenal are keen on Morata, although the Gunners are just one of several clubs to have posted scouts to track the youngster over the past 12 months.


However, Sevilla are now the favourites to complete a deal for his signature, with the young Spaniard wanting to remain in his country of birth, should he leave the Santiago Bernabeu.


Real, though, are reluctant to sell Morata and - talkSPORT reports - will insist on entering a buyback clause into his contract, should he move to the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán.


Morata has made only two appearances for Jose Mourinho's senior Real Madrid squad - both of which came over a year ago.

Van Persie in danger of three-match ban for elbow incident

The Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie continued his amazing goalscoring run going with two penalties in the 3-2 win over Aston Villa, but it could come at a price as the Dutchman could be facing a three-match ban after he was accused of elbowing Carlos Cuellar during the game.


The Sun reports this morning that the Villa boss Alex McLeish has asked the FA to investigate the incident, and if found guilty Van Persie could face a spell on the sidelines. They also printed a still-shot from the game which clearly shows there is solid contact to Cuellar’s jaw.


McLeish was quoted as saying: “I thought it was an elbow in the face, it was clear. But the referee didn’t seem to see anything in that.


“If it was an elbow in the face, I would like it looked at by the FA.


“I thought he hit him. He lifted the elbow up towards his face. The big man is not a guy to lie down. He would get up pretty quickly.


“Look at my nose, it’s the result of elbows throughout my career — it’s dangerous. “I don’t like to point the finger at players but it’s happened to me enough times.” 


With yesterdays double, Van Persie has already scored 25 goals for the Gunners this season, and if he has to miss three games Arsenal fans will be very worried about who can step up to win some games in his absence.

Wenger on Miyaichi and Diaby futures

Arsene Wenger has given some insight into the immediate futures of Abou Diaby and Ryo Miyaichi. 


Speaking at his post-game press conference today, the manager was asked about Diaby, who hasn’t played since coming on as a 69th minute sub in the 1-1 draw against Fulham in late November. The French midfielder has only played 25 minutes of first team football this season and has been battling to save his career having suffered ongoing ankle problems. 


“He is coming back on Tuesday,” said Wenger. “He has been in a rehab centre and has worked very hard. We feel that when he comes back he will need three more weeks of training, so the earliest he will play will be the end of February.


”Whether or not Diaby can remain fit remains to be seen. It’d be the most optimistic of Gooner who’d put any money on it, but with Jack Wilshere now set for a further spell out having another option in midfield would be no bad thing for the final part of the season. 


Meanwhile, Ryo Miyaichi is set to go out on loan to aid his development, and with the transfer window closing on Tuesday night, a decision is imminent with the player set to stay in England. 


“I will have a chat with him tomorrow and I have a little plan,” he said. “Oxlade-Chamberlain plays on the flanks now too, so if I can find an opportunity for him to play somewhere I will decide whether to do that tomorrow. 


“It will have to be in England because he will lose the homegrown [status] if he leaves the country.


” The Japanese youngster has made two Carling Cup appearances so far this season but has yet to feature in the Premier League. A move on loan to a Premier League or Championship club would be designed to give him the playing time he needs to push for a first team place at Arsenal next season

Arsenal lining up shocking loan move for Carlos Tevez

Arsenal are the latest side being linked with a move for Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez. The Argentinian has been told his future lies outside of the Etihad stadium, and Arsenal could now come in with a loan move for the 27-year-old. 


Arsene Wenger is looking to add a new striker to his side this month, and after stating he won’t be splashing the cash, a loan move could be on the cards. Tevez has been linked with a whole host of sides this month, most recently Liverpool, however it is Arsenal who are now favourites to sign the striker. Arsenal’s main man this season has been Robin Van Persie, and many fans have said the Dutchman needs some support upfront, in order to take the pressure off his shoulders. 


This man could be Tevez, and the thought of the two upfront is quite extraordinary. Arsenal are regularly linked with new players, however in order to be successful, the Gunners need to go out and make the transfer happen. If they fail to do this, they will find themselves playing in the Europa League season which is a competition they really shouldn’t be playing in. 


Tevez will demand high wages, however I am confident Arsenal can pay them. The Gunners only really need to bring Tevez in on loan until the Summer, before they can look elsewhere for a striker who they can bring in on a permanent deal.

Chelsea rival Arsenal for United starlet

Chelsea are preparing a move for Manchester United contract rebel Paul Pogba The Mirror says Chelsea are prepared to rival both Arsenal and Manchester City who are set to battle it out for the French prospect. The 19-year old is highly rated at Old Trafford has been long been tipped as one of the stars of the future. Despite his age the playmaker was left disappointed after being snubbed in the clubs recent midfielder injury crisis and has so far refused to extend his stay with the Premiership champions. Pogba is now in the final six months of his contract, allowing him to speak with other clubs about a possible move in the summer, however Chelsea are thought to be lining up a £3million in order to sign the youngster this month.

'I was very impressed with the team's spirit'

on the match overall...
It was a good test to show that we had the mental qualities to come back. On the other hand it was important that we didn't panic [at half time]. To concede a goal just on half time for 2-0 was a difficult blow, but we responded very well against Manchester United here [last week] and we did it again today. Overall it was a classic FA Cup tie, 2-0 down and we came back. We had to fight to score three goals and we did it well. I felt it was harsh to be 2-0 down at half time, but Aston Villa are a good counter-attacking team and unfortunately we couldn't score in the first half. In the second half it was all us.


on Arsenal's spirit in the second half… 
I was very impressed because I felt that when you come out of a bad period like we are, and you are 2-0 down, you can feel sorry for yourself or you can show you have the mental qualities to play for this club. I was very proud that the team came out and showed they are not ready to lie down.


On what was said at half time… 
We always keep what is said in the dressing room [to ourselves]. The players were all very positive at half time and we showed that in the second half. It was important to put massive pressure on them in their half and not let them come out [with the ball]. We closed them down very hard in their own half.


on what the comeback might mean… 
I hope [it means] that we can bounce back in the Premier League as well. I hope it convinces the team we have the required qualities and we can transfer that to the Premier League.


on Jack Wilshere's fitness… 
I spoke to Jack today. We have no real news yet. The first news we have had is better than expected. He is not in a boot, but I don't know more. His morale looks quite good and I hope it will only be a short setback.There will be more tests this week.


on the players having something to prove…
Last year was a learning process. We went for four trophies and in February we were still in all four. When we had to play the Carling Cup final we were a bit nervous because we hadn't delivered, but they have learnt from that. Hopefully we can show it this year.


on Abou Diaby's comeback… 
He is coming back on Tuesday. He has been in a rehab centre and has worked very hard. We feel that when he comes back he will need three more weeks of training, so the earliest he will play will be the end of February.


on Ryo's future… 
I will have a chat with him tomorrow and I have a little plan. Oxlade-Chamberlain plays on the flanks now too, so if I can find an opportunity for him to play somewhere I will decide whether to do that tomorrow. It will have to be in England because he will lose the homegrown [status] if he leaves the country.


on winning two penalties… 
I must say that was one of the positives today!


on Lukasz Fabianski… 
He lacks a bit of match practice. Overall he did well. On the second goal he parried [Bent's shot] well, and it was unlucky because the ball came back to Bent, who is a great finisher.


on whether the players' belief has waned… 
When you don't win, the belief goes and we lost three games in the Premier League. The belief is not stable no matter what your history is. It depends on the recent history of the team.


on whether he will sign anyone… 
Certainly not. But you never know!

Draxler reveals Inter, Arsenal interest

Schalke young gun Julian Draxler reveals he is aware that Serie A giants Inter Milan are keen on securing his services. The 18-year-old broke into the Schalke first-team last season, and has since established himself as one of German football's hottest prospects. This has led to Draxler being linked with many of the continent's top sides, although the player reveals he is aware of concrete interest from Inter. "My agent informed me that Inter have shown interest," Draxler told Sport Bild. "It's a great feeling and new for me. "I am tremendously honoured by such a thing." However, Draxler was also delighted to be linked with Barclays Premier League outfit Arsenal. "I've read that Arsenal have interest in me. That made me very happy." Nonetheless, the youngster insists he is fully committed to Schalke at the moment, and is not ruling out staying at the club for the entire duration of his current contract. "I've only been a professional for a year and would like to establish myself. "My heart is here at Schalke, and I do not think for one second about a change, because I see my future at Schalke. "I didn't sign until 2016 for nothing." Draxler made his debut for Schalke last year, becoming the fourth-youngest player to appear in the Bundesliga in the process.

Theo Walcott lines up talks with Arsene Wenger 'within weeks' to discuss long-term Arsenal future

Theo Walcott will hold imminent talks with Arsene Wenger before deciding whether to commit himself to Arsenal beyond his current contract, Goal.com has learned. The England winger’s current deal runs until June 2013 and his representatives have had two informal meetings with the club to discuss the structure of a new agreement. Goal.com understands that Walcott will personally sit down and talk to his manager within weeks to get an idea of where he fits into Wenger’s plans. Arsenal sources insist discussions are ongoing and there is no strict timetable to come to an agreement with Walcott but the club’s bargaining position is weakened the longer the player’s long-term future remains unresolved. Arsenal will want to avoid a repeat of the situation they experienced last summer, when Samir Nasri entered the final 12 months of his existing contract before leaving for Manchester City. Senior club officials, including Wenger and contract negotiator Richard Law, are likely to demonstrate a greater urgency in offering Walcott new terms when the transfer window closes. With the club’s Champions League status under greater threat than at any time in Walcott’s six years in north London, both parties are aware that there are variables in what Arsenal can offer and his prospects of career advancement. And while it is thought Walcott would prefer to remain in the south-east of England, where he is very settled, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that the 22-year-old could follow Joe Cole to the Continent, where he will not be subjected to the same level of physical attention from defenders. Coincidentally, some of Walcott’s signature performances have come against European opposition and Juventus head a queue of admirers from Italy and Spain. Walcott has had a chequered career at Emirates Stadium, partly due to a succession of injuries, but he has shown glimpses of the player that persuaded Wenger to rank him as one of the most exciting teenagers he had ever seen when he bought him from Southampton in January 2006. Walcott is not the only key Arsenal first-teamer who is out of contract next year. Robin van Persie has 18 months left on his deal and has told the club that he will wait until the end of the season before holding any talks.

Arsenal To Make Shock Summer Move For £12M Winger

Arsenal could make a shock £12m move for Manchester City winger Adam Johnson in the summer. Arsene Wenger may be given funds to spend during the summer window, and some of the cash could be spent on the Englishman. Johnson has found game time very difficult at City since joining in 2010, and could make a move out of the club . Arsene Wenger has made it clear he will not be investing in any new players this month which suggests he could splash the cash between July and August. Johnson has been linked with moves to several other clubs, however the potential game time he could receive at Arsenal seems quite tempting. £12m seems a fair bit of cash to pay for someone with not much experience, however I believe he has what it takes to play at the very top level one day. Although it seems highly unlikely, a January move could still be on the cards. Johnson will want to make Fabio Capello’s Euro 2012 squad later this year, and the only way he can do that is by impressing the Italian on the pitch. City are not playing him, therefore the opportunities he will have to impress the England boss are very limited. At Arsenal however, he would get time on the pitch, and if the Gunners came in with a loan offer in the next few days, Johnson would find it very hard to turn down. Andrei Arshavin is looking closer and closer to levying the club this month, and if the Russian does leave, Johnson could come in as a replacement.

Sagna returns to first team training

Arsenal have been handed a boost with the news that Bacary Sagna has returned to full training. The French international used his Twitter account to to say, “Hello my friends..hope you’re all good and healthy…very exciting day for me as back to full training with the team for the 1st time…☺☺” Leaving aside his affinity for smilies you can barely see, it’s good news for the Gunners. We’ve been without Sagna since some dirty Sp*rs twat pushed him off the White Hart Lane pitch back in October, and with further injuries to all our other full backs, and their families, and anyone who has any of the letters F U L B A C or K in their name, it’s been something of a struggle. A return to training shouldn’t be mixed up with a return to first team action, however. It means the intensity of his sessions will return to normal but typically it takes a couple of weeks for a player to get back to the sort of fitness that readies him for matches. You do wonder though if the current situation might force the manager’s hand a little bit. Johan Djourou suffered a torrid time at right back against Man United and while youngster Nico Yennaris did well when replacing him, he is just 18 years of age. Still, the outlook is better and fingers crossed we see Sagna back sooner rather than later.

Arsenal leading race for £4m defender

Arsenal are reportedly leading the race to sign Southampton teenager Luke Shaw, who is also wanted by Manchester United and Chelsea. The 16-year-old full-back has yet to make a first-team appearance for Saints, although he was an unused substitute in the FA Cup victory over Coventry earlier this month. He is, however, seemingly attracting admiring glances from a number of clubs in the Barclays Premier League, with Arsenal, Chelsea and United all credited with interest. But, according to talkSPORT, the Gunners are the strongest contenders to sign Shaw, with chief scout Steve Rowley twice having been to watch the youngster in action. Arsenal also retain a good relationship with Southampton, having signed both Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from the south coast club. Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Arsenal last summer for £12 million, and demonstrated his true potential during the weekend defeat to Manchester United. The 18-year-old winger provided the assist for Robin van Persie in the 2-1 loss, and Arsene Wenger's decision to substitute the teenager has led many Gunners fans to question the Frenchman's judgement.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain tells former Saint: I was fully fit against Man United

The Gunners starlet was taken off in the 73rd minute of the 2-1 defeat against United, just moments after he played in Robin van Persie for Arsenal's equaliser. The decision was greeted by a chorus of boos from the 60,000 Emirates crowd, who were equally disgruntled with Wenger for opting to bring on the out-of-form Andrey Arshavin in his place. The Gunners boss reacted angrily to press questioning of his decision after the game, saying Oxlade-Chamberlain was physically tired having been ill in midweek. 

'Oxlade-Chamberlain had started to fatigue,' said Wenger. 'He had stretched his calf and he was sick in the week. 'I've been a manager for 30 years and have made 50,000 substitutions. I do not have to justify every decision I make.' Skipper Van Persie also added in a statement on Facebook: 'Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had a calf injury. We did not know that but the boss did and brought Andrey Arshavin on.' However, claims around Oxlade-Chamberlain's substitution have now been clouded by former Southampton captain Lundekvam, who was commentating on the game for Norwegian television station TV2. The 38-year-old was asked to call the youngster to get an explanation of the incident, and later revealed the details of the conversation. Lundekvam claims the England under-21 told him he was fully fit, and feeling good, saying: 'He said, first and foremost, that he was super happy with his first match from the start, while he was pleased to have played well. 'I also got confirmation from Alex that he was neither tired or injured.' Early suggestion is that Oxlade-Chamberlain is feeling no after-effects of the United game, and should be available for the FA Cup clash against Aston Villa on Sunday.

Henry and Arteta Expected Back For Villa Cup Tie

Thierry Henry and Mikel Arteta are both expected to be fit for Arsenal’s FA Cup tie against Aston Villa on Sunday. Henry failed a late fitness test on Sunday on his injured calf, which is why he missed Sunday’s loss to Manchester United. Arteta has missed the last two games due to a calf injury also, but has reportedly told Wenger to count him in for the fourth-round tie at the Emirates Stadium this weekend. Defenders Bacary Sagna and Kieran Gibbs, who have both been sidelined with injuries, are also set to return to training this week, but midfielder Jack Wilshere is not expected to be back for another month.

Szczesny: Arsenal Akan Finish di Empat Besar

Wojciech Szczesny yakin Arsenal akan kembali bangkit dari keterpurukan, dan akan finish di empat besar musim ini. Penjaga gawang ini percaya timnya akan mengakhiri Premier League di posisi tersebut meskipun mereka baru saja kalah laga tandang melawan Fulham dan Swansea.


Arsenal mengawali musim ini dengan catatan buruk. Kemudian mereka bangkit pada bulan Oktober dan November, tetapi baru-baru ini mereka kembali mengalami kekalahan pada dua laga tandangnya.


"Saya percaya Arsenal akan mengakhiri musim di posisi empat besar, kami tidak pantas keluar dari empat besar. Kami harus berjuang untuk meraih trofi setiap tahun. Saya yakin hasil itu akan datang, setidaknya kami akan finish di empat besar karena skuad kami memiliki kualitas untuk itu," jelas Szczesny.


"Kami tidak dapat mengambil banyak hal positif dari pertandingan itu karena kami kalah dan kecewa karenanya. Menurut saya, mereka (Swansea) sangat fantastis, (tapi) saya sangat kecewa."


Arsenal mengalami kekalahan 2-3 melawan Swansea di Liberty Stadium pada Minggu (15/01/2012) waktu setempat. Namun, Szczesny percaya ada hal positif yang dapat diambil dari pertandingan tersebut.

Gelandang Swansea Lebih 'Hebat' daripada Xavi

Gelandang Swansea Lebih 'Hebat' daripada Xavi


Swansea - Siapa pengumpan terbaik di Eropa saat ini? Anda salah kalau berpikir dia adalah Xavi Hernandez. Predikat pengumpan terakurat di Benua Biru pada musim ini justru jadi milik gelandang Swansea City, Leon Britton.


Kejeniusan Xavi bersama Barcelona memang tak terbantahkan. Dia jadi metronom lini tengah Azulgrana dan umpan-umpan akuratnya sangat memanjakan para penyerang.


Bukti paling sahih akan kehebatan gelandang internasional Spanyol ini adalah keberhasilannya masuk sebagai nominator pemain terbaik dunia dalam tiga tahun terakhir.


Okelah, Xavi memang hebat. Tapi, dari catatan statistik, Xavi bukanlah yang terhebat. Britton masih lebih unggul dalam hal akurasi umpan yang dilepaskannya.


Dilansir Telegraph, Britton melepaskan total 1127 umpan pada musim ini dan 93,3 persen di antaranya tepat sasaran. Jumlah ini menempatkan pemain berusia 29 tahun ini sebagai pengumpan paling akurat di liga-liga top Eropa.


Xavi sendiri cuma menempati peringkat kedua. Dia punya level akurasi 93 persen dari 1830 umpan yang dilepaskannya.


Pemain Swansea lainnya, Joe Allen, ada di peringkat keenam. Allen punya akurasi umpan 90,3 persen dari 1075 operannya.


Kalau ditelisik lebih jauh, statistik itu sebenarnya tak terlalu mengejutkan. Pasalnya, Swansea memang termasuk salah satu klub terbaik di Eropa dalam hal akurasi umpan-umpan pemainnya.


The Swans saat ini menempati peringkat keenam daftar klub dengan umpan paling akurat di Eropa dengan akurasi 85,2 persen. Mereka cuma kalah dari Barca (89,2 persen), Bayern Munich (87 persen), Manchester City (86,2 persen), Real Madrid (85,5 persen), dan Chelsea (85,5 persen). Pasukan Brendan Rodgers masih lebih baik dibandingkan AC Milan, AS Roma, Tottenham Hotspur, dan Arsenal.


Dalam laga kontra Arsenal, Minggu (15/1/2012), keakuratan umpan pemain-pemain Swansea jadi salah satu kunci kemenangan mereka. Britton dkk. tercatat melepaskan 532 umpan yang tepat sasaran, sementara The Gunners cuma 428 umpan.

Sejarah

Arus gelar Arsenal praktis terhenti sejak musim 2004/05. Di kancah liga, Arsenal malah belum lagi berhasil merebut gelar juara sejak kali terakhir melakukannya lima musim lalu. Mungkin ini menjadi bukti kalau kebijakan penggunaan pemain muda yang dikedepankan Arsene Wenger belakangan ini belum membuahkan hasil. Tapi, harus dilihat pula faktor finansial yang menyulitkan Arsenal dalam proses transfer pemain, terutama musim panas ini.


Arsenal didirikan pada 1886 dan dalam satu dasawarsa terakhir Arsenal berkembang pesat menjadi klub yang kekuatannya diperhitungkan. Semua dimulai ketika Wenger bertugas di Highbury. Wenger berhasil mengubah wajah tradisional klub menjadi klub modern yang mampu meraih banyak gelar. Tiga gelar Liga Primer dan empat trofi Piala FA mampu dipersembahkan Wenger selama 13 tahun kiprahnya.


Pada 2006, modernisasi Arsenal kian mewujud ketika klub pindah stadion dari markas lama Highbury ke stadion Emirates di kawasan Ashburton Grove. Arsenal juga menjadi salah satu klub terkaya di Inggris dengan nilai pasar melebihi €277 juta. Tim sepakbola wanita Arsenal juga dikenal sebagai klub paling sukses di Inggris Raya.

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