ARSENAL CHAMPIONS

thanks reggie I will do some more trying and hope to succeed before midnight

'Fatboy' should have gave A.W a shove...

how typical Chelsea hooligan advocating violence on my Arsenal Thread

you are

Cherry wrote:how typical Chelsea hooligan advocating violence on my Arsenal Thread

you are

:cute: ...i'm going to watch tv..now..*goes off in hump*

:jog:

oh I didnt mean it :Hug1:

come back in a few hours and maybe I would have done my pics! Isnt that something to look forward to together with my write ups! and maybe a surprise! :Hug1:

Champions League: Wednesday 26th August 2009

Arsenal 3-1 Celtic Match Review Arsenal.com By Richard Clarke

For the 12th consecutive season, Arsenal will compete in the Group Stages of the Champions league. Arsene Wenger’s side secured their berth with a comfortable 3-1 win over Celtic in the Play Off Round second leg at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night. Arsenal already had the cushion of a 2-0 lead going into the game and extended their advantage midway through the half when keeper Artur Boruc was controversially adjudged to have fouled Eduardo in the area. The striker picked himself up to score from the spot.

The decision dominated the game but Arsenal made sure of their progression when Emmanual Eboue fired low into the area after 53 minutes. Andre Arshavin added a third 16 minutes from time. Massimo Donall volleyed a goal for Celtic with the last kick of the game but, frankly, it meant little. In the end this game was a stroll, Wenger’s men had gained a grip on the tie in the first half at Celtic Park last week and never really let go. Tougher tests surely await in Thursday’s draw however, for now, Arsenal’s European advance is assured.

In the build up Wenger had said this game dwarfed Saturday’s trip to Manchester United in terms of importance. At kick off only two things belied that assertion – the presence of Robin van Persie and Arshavin on the bench. However the Arsenal manager could argue his rotation this evening was more about freshening up his side for the anticipated physical threat of Celtic.

The other omissions for Saturdays 4-1 win over Portsmouth were Cesc Fabregas (hamstring) and Kieran Gibbs. The replacements were Nicklas Bendtner, Bacary Safgne, Vael Clichy and Alex Song. In addition, Eboue moved forward from fullback to the right side of the 4-3-3.

Although Arsenal had that handy lead, Wenger was preaching vigilance before the game. As well as the visitors had played at Celtic Park, there had been fortune in both of their goals and, on the evidence of that game. Tony Mowbray’s side were very capable of providing a difficult evening. However, in the end, it never came to that. In the first half Arsenal dominated once again, And once again, scored with a stroke of good fortune.

As early as the eighth minute, Clichy clipped the ball inside to Eboue who, in turn, found Bendtner. The Dane produced a stern stab at the near post but Boric batted the ball away. It fell to Eduardo who slid his shot inches beyond the far upright. Just before the quarter hour Denilson scuttled in to the area, played a one two with Eboue and sent a shot into the sidenetting. Midway through the half Abou Diaby found Eboue, who swung a shot just wide.

Arsenal were a constant threat, Celtic had not really created any clear chances but they had enjoyed enough possession to cause the odd palpitation in the home defence. William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen were both called upon to take timely interventions from centre back. However the two teams knew that the first goal would be crucial tonight and in the end it went to Arsenal. Denilson and Eduardo through on the left of the area and the Croation striker tumbled as Boruc challenged him. The Polish keeper was furious when referee Manuel Gonzalez pointed to the spot, However the 26 year old retained his composure and converted coolly from 12 yards.

Five minutes later, the former Dinamo Zagreb striker nearly scored another when he poked a volley just wide. In the 40th minute, Celtic thought they had grabbed a toe hold when Scott McDonald turned home a right wing cross from Marc Antoine Fortune at the far post. However by the time the ball hit the net, the assistant referee had flagged for offside. On the half time whistle Eduardo produced a swerving shot that the stretching Boruc only just managed to turn aside. From the resulting corner Bendtner nodded wide when he might have scored .

Surprisingly Celtic’s only change at the break was to swap a defender for a defender, Mowbray’s men needed three goals after all. Aiden McGreedy flashed a curling effort just wide in the opening minute but by way of reply Eduardo meandered through only to slice his short horribly from the edge of the area. In the 53rd minute Arsenal finally ended all resistance. Bendtner’s clever back heal from the left flank put Diaby into space in the area.

The Frenchman found Eboue who darted inside Daniel Fox and fired low into the net. Job done. Celtic tried to create some pressure but by now they were a spent force. (In contrast their supporters displayed admirable energy). Wenger started to make changes. On the hour Ramsey replaced Diaby. Then minutes later, he withdrew the two scorers for Jack Wilshire and Arshavin. And within three minutes of the substitution the Russian had hit the net himself. Denilson stole the ball in midfield then Arshavin exchanged passes with Ramsey before sending a sniveling shot past Boruc and into the corner of the net. The game drifted to its denouement. Arsenal had what they wanted and Celtic could not take it from them. There was a slight sting in the tail when Doneti volleyed home with an improvable cross shot with the last kick of the game. But Wenger’s side were safely through.
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Arsenal are certainly going to be a force to reckon with in the Champions League - Celtic are seen as a very good team and Arsenal thrashed them in both matches, so it is looking good for the Gunners to lift that Cup!.

hiccup on Saturday..A gliche in the gooners recent form..hmm..wasn't it ust like this last season..iirc?

Don't worry Cherri..you can always support the 'real champions' elect 9/10..the mighty BLUES

hey havent you been banned from this thread tripzy? :cheat:

I will take pity however on one and only Chelsea supporter, you can come on here only if you behave yourself! otherwise it will be a red card and sending off once again. - ha ha

Mail Online 29th August 2009

Manchester United 2 Arsenal 1: Abou Diaby howler gifts United victory while angry Arsene Wenger is sent to the stands.
By Rob Draper Mail on Sunday Chief Football Writer.

To Manchester United the points but to Arsenal the plaudits.
Arsene Wenger ended the evening a defeated man standing, arms outstretched in incredulity, as the home crowd hurled ugly abuse :Smack: after he had been sent off in the sixth minute of injury time. It was an unjustified humiliation as his team’s swashbuckling start to the season was undone by his old enemy. Yet Sir Alex Ferguson will know this match suggests there is a renewed challenge to his supremacy.

But for two moments of quite insane defending, Premier League champions iArsenal looked to be utterly capable of controlling the reigning n their back yard. To their sublime passing they had added a muscular core and only in the dying stages and after morale sapping reverses did they falter. In the final minutes. Arsenal might have conceded more as Nani and Dimitar Berbatov missed simple chances but that would have been mightily harsh. For they will feel this was a game they would have won were it not for crass errors. The culprits were Manuel Almunia whose ill judged race from goal invited United’s equalizer, and Abou Diaby, who ruined what might have been a magnificent performance with a dreadful own goal.

Of course those deficiencies under pressure may indicate Arsenal’s inability to sustain the pace when the title race becomes a grinding midwinter slog. Yet yesterday they were denied a clear penalty, :Silly me: hit the woodwork and created ample opportunities to put the game beyond United before an inexplicable meltdown.

Even in that sixth minute of extra time they had Robin van Persie’s strike disallowed for offside – correctly – which saw Wenger boot a water bottle in frustration. :crazy:

For that he was banished to the stands though, having climbed the stairs behind the dug out there appeared nowhere for him to go. As he stood in front of the directors box, he held out his arms as a demeaning debate ensued as to whether he had done enough to satisfy referee Mike Dean, it seemed a cruel end to an evening which had promised so much for Wenger.

‘Frankly I don’t know what to say’ said Wenger, ‘There were 30 seconds left. And I didn’t even know where to go! I kicked the bottle from disappointment, not because I thought it was not offside. In fact, I thought it was a rather good kick. But it is difficult to swallow that we are going home without a point. What is most difficult to take, no matter how long you are in the game, is that we were the better team and lost. We produced a performance which was good enough to win the game but then conceded two goals that were beyond belief.’ :shock:

you forgot to include this chez...

marky I expected that from Stim but not from you :cheat:
Still it goes to show that Manure can only beat the Gunners with a helping hand, they dont have the skill to do it themselves, and anyway we were denied a CLEAR penalty! :Silly me:

took it well tho' didn't he?

Thanks for pointing me in this direction Cherry. I'll do my best.

Thanks Chrissie, Stimulator will be quaking in his boots - he seems to be the only Chelsea supporter around here - not surprising really :risas:

Not suprising at all!

Eduardo suspended for two UEFA matches for his alledged dive!

So lets hope this ruling now applies to all the Manure players who dive on a regular basis and that thug Gerrard from the Pool!. Or is this just lets pick on Arsenal in order to try and impede their journey to win every Cup going this season

Cherry wrote:Eduardo suspended for two UEFA matches for his alledged dive!

Good.

I think Wenger admitted he'd dived to protect his leg.

BBC/Wenger wrote:He also suggested the experience of breaking his leg against Birmingham in February 2008 may have led Eduardo to take evasive action in anticipation of colliding with Boruc.

Eduardo has been quite successful - he's evaded his team's next two European games as well. Note he never signalled to the ref that he'd dived and that he was quite happy for the penalty to be taken, so altering the momentum of the game.

BBC/Wenger wrote:The Frenchman claimed any action against the player would set a dangerous precedent with tens of similar incidents every week in European football.

I doubt that. After all, most games are played under the auspices of the national football associations.

yes he did dive I was just trying to wind up you know who. All diving should be stopped and as they have made an example of him they have to apply this now to all other players who do the same, also the FA need to take action as well in order to stamp this out.

Cherry wrote:yes he did dive I was just trying to wind up you know who. All diving should be stopped and as they have made an example of him they have to apply this now to all other players who do the same, also the FA need to take action as well in order to stamp this out.

Do you really think he did? Possibly but I think it was subconciously cos of his previous injury?

Ok I'm just been kind but there are so many players who dive IMO

I think the injury could well have been in the back of his mind so trying to avoid hurting his leg but at the end of the day I guess it was a dive but yes so many players do it and get away with it why suddenly picking on an Arsenal player, very suspicious if you ask me, I will be looking carefully now to see if other players are going to get suspended.

forgot to say Eduardo could of course appeal against the decision to ban him for two matches.

cherry, hope you like :Hiya:



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