Arsenal 2 Man City 0

ARSENE WENGER has called a halt to all contract talks at Arsenal as he homes in on his European dream.

That may be bad news for Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott, who have still to agree extensions to deals which expire in less than 15 months.

And it will do nothing to halt speculation concerning the long-term futures of Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor.

But Wenger insists his players must be totally focused on what promises to be a dramatic final eight weeks of the season.

And he will not allow them to be distracted by talk of transfers and mega-money new deals to stay at the Emirates.

Wenger recalls how his team fell away in the title run-in last term as the likes of Alex Hleb and Mathieu Flamini pondered their options.

This time he is determined to keep his men on the straight and narrow in his fierce determination to lift the European Cup.

Wenger, whose side fly to Villarreal today for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, said: “We must get rid of all the talks that are not helping us to win games.

“That means we focus completely on the short-term not the long-term, because we have such important targets in front of us.

“If it’s going to be a successful season, we must play every three days. We cannot sit around talking to the players. When a player comes back from an away game, I don’t want him sitting at a desk the next morning. I want him recovering for the next game.

“I’ve never taken this approach before but I believe contract talks can be distracting and we are at a stage when every game is decisive.”

It is easy to understand Wenger’s demand for tunnel vision as his team have the chance to turn around their disappointing season.

The return of Fabregas, Adebayor and Walcott from injury on Saturday means Wenger is spoiled for choice.

In addition Van Persie and Samir Nasri will both be available to face Villarreal after sitting out this canter and even the absence of Andrey Arshavin, Eduardo and Abou Diaby leaves him with some tricky decisions tomorrow.

It was Fabregas and Adebayor who kept Arsenal on course for another Champions League qualification as City were brushed aside.

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Fabregas teed up both goals and Adebayor finished with the minimum of fuss to extend Arsenal’s unbeaten league run to 17 games.

Wenger said: “Like the rest of the team, Adebayor was not completely convincing at the start of the season but is now back on track.”

The only bad news for Wenger is winger Walcott is struggling with the right knee injury which kept him out for England last week.

He came off as a precaution but insists he will be OK for tomorrow.

City boss Mark Hughes also has his injury worries ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Cup trip to Hamburg.

But, unlike Wenger, he does not have any convincing replacements.

With Stephen Ireland missing and Wayne Bridge and Vincent Kompany both limping off early, City were overwhelmed by Arsenal.

Once again there was an alarming lack of urgency and commitment about some of City’s highly-paid stars away from home.

Hughes said: “Our away performances are patently not good enough. We’re a fantastic team at Eastlands, full of goals and confidence. But when you come to a place like the Emirates you have to stick your chest out and say ‘Come on, what have you got?’

“We didn’t have enough on the pitch to ask the question. We’ve got to be markedly better in Hamburg.”

Quick updates

28th February, 2009.

Alright guys, these are the news for today;

-I got accepted at PTE Berakas, which is awesome. My former classmate, Aqilah got accepted too. My tutor group is B5. Orientation will be held this Monday, 7.30am until 2pm.

-Futsal Tournament at PTEB. Played 5 games, 5 losses, conceded 13 goals, scored 1. Thats an awesome statistic we got there. So what? Its just a small tournament. Nothing to be prouded of.

-Happy 19th Birthday to Adi Shahrul. Hes one of my closest cousins, actually. All i want to say is, good luck in A-level this year and be good. God bless you, mate.

-Finally, Arsenal battled goalless draw against Fulham. Actually, its Arsenal's fourth consecutive nil nil draws. They are now drifted away from the fourth place. Well, better luck next time boys.

Alright, thats all for now. Will be updating more later. If not today, might be tomorrow. Cheers~

Tottenham vs Arsenal Match Report

Ten-man Arsenal took a priceless point away from White Hart Lane on Sunday in a game that hinged on three first-half minutes.

The encounter was lively but level until just past the half-hour. However, first Emmanuel Adebayor was stretchered off on 33 minutes and then Emmanuel Eboue was sent off on 36 after receiving his second yellow card. Those losses would have an immediate and lasting impact on the game.

Tottenham dominated for the remainder of the first half and opening 25 minutes of the second. However, a dogged Arsenal came closest to stealing the points when Alex Song slid a shot wide from close range 20 minutes from time and Nicklas Bendtner saw his shot tipped over at the death. Though Luka Modric might have won the game for the home side with virtually the last kick.

While Tottenham celebrated wildly after gaining an unlikely at Emirates Stadium, it will be the Arsenal fans who take most from this draw.

They stay in touch with fourth place Chelsea and have preserved a pleasing record. Tottenham have not beaten Arsenal in the Premier League since November 1999 – that’s now 19 games.

Wenger sprung a major surprise ahead of the game by naming Eduardo on the bench. It was 350 days since the Croatian had broken his leg so horribly at Birmingham. Even the most hard-hearted Tottenham fan would have been glad to see him back.

Andrey Arshavin also started as a substitute. The Russian had signed for Arsenal on Tuesday then flown back home to obtain his work permit. Bad weather had forced him re-route via Germany. That, and only 10 days of pre-season at Zenit St Petersburg, meant he would be employed only when needed this afternoon.

Elsewhere there were two changes. Song replaced the suspended and injured Abou Diaby while Robin van Persie came in for Bendtner.

His strike partner, Adebayor, was making his 100 Premier League appearance.

Tottenham had made their own major new signing, Robbie Keane, on deadline day. Surprisingly, manager Harry Redknapp had appointed the Irishman as captain immediately after he had put pen to paper.

It only added to a firecracker atmosphere for this Sunday lunchtime kick-off. Of course, the unofficial championship of North London was a stake. But both sides were also in danger of losing long-held status – Arsenal as a Champions League club, Tottenham as a Premier League club.

It is impossible for this game to be unimportant but this one was more important than most.

Tottenham had the early pressure but Arsenal had the first sight of goal. Eboue exchanged passes with Van Persie and the Ivorian drove an exploratory shot across the face of goal. Any kind of touch would have given the visitors the lead.

Aaron Lennon and Wilson Palacios forced Manuel Almunia into action in the moments that followed.

But Arsenal were looking sparky. In the 13th minute, Eboue, their brightest attacking influence, had the ball in the net but referee Mike Dean rightly adjudged the 25-year-old to have pushed Jonathan Woodgate in the build-up.

Roman Pavlyuchenko provided an immediate riposte by sending a snap-shot over the bar. Then Michael Dawson nodded wide from Luka Modric’s left-wing free-kick.

The little Croatian was starting to exert an influence from the flank. His raking ball sent Lennon clear but the former Leeds winger pulled his shot wide of the post.

On the half-hour, Almunia dived full-length to turn away his shot.

The game was starting to open up. Nasri robbed Corluka on the byline but Clichy’s dangerous ball towards Adebayor was cleared. Before all that Cudicini had spilled Toure’s low cross in the middle of the area.

Despite their vastly different League positions, the sides seemed evenly matched this afternoon. They were both looking for openings where possible but their defences were hardly water-tight.

However matters changed for Arsenal dramatically within three minutes just after the half-hour. In the 33rd minute, Adebayor pulled up with an injury, on the face of it a hamstring problem, and was stretchered off. The incident occurred on the far side of the pitch so the striker was carried off around the perimetre of the ground.

Almost immediately, Eboue clashed with Modric. Both players received yellow cards however it was the second for the Arsenal midfielder. He had received his first booking in the 17th minute for dissent.

Eboue and Adebayor went down the tunnel within seconds of one another. Arsenal were wounded and Tottenham went for the kill before half-time. Despite pressure, the closest they came was when Almunia tipped over a drive from Palacios injury time.

At least half-time gave Wenger time to settle his side and formulate a plan. He opted for a 4-3-1-1 with Van Persie playing a withdrawn role behind Bendtner, who had come on for Adebaypr, and drifting in from the left-hand side. It was all Wenger could do but it did little to stymie Tottenham immediately after the interval.

In the opening minutes, Pavlyuchenko profited from Toure’s slip but fired wildly over the bar.

On 56 minutes, Lennon’s lovely ball in from the right was nodded over by Keane with Almunia beaten. Tottenham were ominously in control. Arsenal were on the back foot and just hoping to see out the storm.

Van Persie fired wide from a corner in the 66th minute. It was a decent chance but their was little fanfare from the visitors, their main job was defending at the moment.

That said, three minutes later an unmarked Song miscued a shot inches wide from Van Persie’s corner. It was perhaps the clearest chance of the game so far and, in the circumstances, one that Arsenal could not afford to miss.

Keane volleyed wide from distance but Tottenham had lost their edge. Arsenal were scrapping and clawing their way to a point. The entire team were wearing long sleeves today but metaphorically they were rolled up.

Tottenham steeled themselves for a frantic finale. Like they needed it, Arsenal received another blow, literally, when Clichy clashed heads with Darren Bent and went off with blood streaming from a wound.

A full time approached you sensed the drama was not over. It wasn’t.

Bendtner’s fierce drive was tipped over by Cudicini at the near post and, from the corner, Tottenham broke. Adel Taarabt fed Modric on the right but the Croatian was denied by a sprawling save from Almunia.

As Emirates, this was a draw but honours were hardly even.

1-0 win For United Against West Ham United FC

Ryan Giggs, a left-footed legend winger of United since the era of ERIC CANTONA to era of DAVID BECKHAM and now, era of CRISTIANO RONALDO :) just SAVED United and REGAIN the top spot of the BPL table with his 'SPECTACULAR' play and absolutely wonderful right-footed shot :) Making United won the match with 1-0 scoreline.

AAnd of course congratulation to our best keeper (EDWIN VAN DER SAR) :) 13 straight games clean sheet in a row..DAMN :)

Couldve been much worst

8th February, 2009.

Tottenham Hotspurs 0 - 0 Arsenal FC

Fhew~ luckily we survived as 10-man Arsenal battled out against 11-man Tottenham to gain a deserved point. Eboue's stupidity that got him red-carded almost cost us the game. Such a fool~ but not to worry Arsenal's fans. Arshavin has arrived to save our season. Im sure he'll be replacing Eboue for unconsistent performances by him. Adebayor got injured in this match too. He pulled a hamstring. So, probably he'll be out for 2 or 3 weeks. Thats my prediction.

Hmm. I guess thats all for now. Ill try to post the match report if i have the time. Till then, happy blogging everyone~

Revenge has been made

Wuhuu! Arsenal won the match against Hull City.

Hull City 1 - 3 Arsenal

Scorers;

Hull City: Cousin

Arsenal: Emmanuel Adebayor, Samir Nasri & Nicklas Bendtner

Barclays Premier League results

Friday
26th December, 2008.

Boxing Day Fixtures.

Aston Villa 2 - 2 Arsenal

Liverpool 3 - 0 Bolton Wanderers

Stoke City 0 - 1 Manchester United

Chelsea 2 - 0 West Bromwich Albion

Manchester City 5 - 1 Hull City

Portsmouth 1 - 4 West Ham United

Wigan Athletic 2 - 1 Newcastle United

Sunderland 0 - 0 Blackburn Rovers

Tottenham Hotspurs 0 - 0 Fulham

Middlesbrough 0 - 1 Everton

Barclays Premier League result

Monday.
22nd December, 2008.

Everton 0 - 0 Chelsea

Barclays Premier League results

Sunday
21st December, 2008.

West Bromwich Albion 2 - 1 Manchester City

Newcastle United 2 - 1 Tottenham Hotspurs

Arsenal 1 - 1 Liverpool

Barclays Premier League results

Saturday.
20th December, 2008.

West Ham United 0 - 1 Aston Villa

Blackburn Rovers 3 - 0 Stoke City

Bolton Wanderers 2 - 1 Portsmouth

Hull City 1 - 4 Sunderland

Fulham 3 - 0 Middlesbrough

Premier League team news

SATURDAY

Blackburn v Stoke (3pm)

New Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce has virtually a full-strength squad to choose from.

Only Australian midfielder Vince Grella (hamstring) remains sidelined.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis will decide on the fitness of five of his players before finalising preparations.

Rory Delap (shoulder), Andy Griffin (knee), Salif Diao (calf), Leon Cort (groin) and Dave Kitson (knee), will all take late tests.

Striker Mamady Sidibe, carried off on a stretcher with a knee injury against Fulham last Saturday, is out of Stoke’s Christmas programme.

Blackburn squad: Robinson, Brown, Simpson, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen, Emerton, Warnock, Mokoena, Olsson, Dunn, Tugay, Treacy, Pedersen, Roberts, Derbyshire, Villanueva, Santa Cruz, Fowler, McCarthy, Andrews

Stoke squad: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Sonko, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham, Delap, Amdy Faye, Whelan, Pugh, Fuller, Cresswell, Tonge, Griffin, Diao, Simonsen, Olofinjana, Cort, Pericard, Kitson, Davies, Soares, Dickinson

Bolton v Portsmouth (3pm)

Bolton boss Gary Megson will select from an unchanged squad, with just Joey O’Brien and Tamir Cohen still sidelined with thigh injuries.

Portsmouth will be without Younes Kaboul (ankle) and John Utaka (hip).

Armand Traore is a doubt with a hamstring problem, while Real Madrid-bound Lassana Diarra is unlikely to feature.

Bolton squad: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, A O’Brien, Samuel, Nolan, Riga, McCann, Muamba, Gardner, Taylor, Davies, Elmander, Al Habsi, Shittu, Smolarek, Basham, Fojut

Portsmouth squad: James; Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Belhadj, Little, Davis, Diop, Kranjcar, Crouch, Defoe, A Traore, Kanu, Pamarot, Hughes, Mvuemba, Nugent, Thomas, Hreidarsson, Ashdown.

Fulham v Middlesbrough (3pm)

Fulham striker Bobby Zamora is fit after recovering from the hip injury.

Diomansy Kamara and Andranik remain sidelined.

Middlesbrough midfielder Didier Digard is a major doubt after suffering a groin injury last weekend, while Just Hoyte is out until the new year after under surgery on a knee cartilage.

Defender David Wheater returns from suspension, with Andrew Taylor (knee) and Mido (hamstring) also available once again.

Fulham squad: Schwarzer, Zuberbuhler, Hughes, Baird, Leijer, Kallio, Hangeland, Stoor, Pantsil, Konchesky, Davies, Gera, Gray, Andreasen, Bullard, Dempsey, Murphy, Etuhu, Seol, Zamora, Johnson, Nevland.

Middlesbrough squad: Turnbull, Jones, McMahon, Taylor, Grounds, Pogatetz, Huth, Wheater, Bates, Hines, Williams, Aliadiere, Arca, Walker, Downing, Johnson, Tuncay, Alves, Mido, Emnes

Hull v Sunderland (3pm)

Hull are forced into a change with on-loan defender Paul McShane unable to play against his parent club.

Forward Craig Fagan (broken leg) and centre-back Anthony Gardner (thigh) are both back in contention after lengthy absences but neither are likely to start.

Sunderland will be without full-back George McCartney until the new year after he underwent surgery on both feet this week.

Caretaker boss Ricky Sbragia has no new injury concerns ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Hull.

Goalkeeper Craig Gordon remains on the sidelines, but he is expected to return to the club on Monday to begin rehabilitation on his ankle problem.

Hull squad: Myhill, Mendy, Turner, Zayatte, Ricketts, Marney, Ashbee, Boateng, Barmby, Geovanni, King, Cousin, Garcia, Halmosi, Windass, Doyle, Hughes, Giannakopoulos, Dawson, Gardner, Fagan, Warner

Sunderland squad: Fulop, Colgan, Bardsley, Chimbonda, Ferdinand, Nosworthy,Collins, Malbranque, Whitehead, Richardson, Tainio, Leadbitter, Edwards, Miller, Yorke, Reid, Henderson, Colback, Diouf, Cisse, Jones, Murphy, Healy

West Ham v Aston Villa (5.30pm)

West Ham will still be without midfielder Kieron Dyer for Saturday’s home clash with in-form Aston Villa.

The 29-year-old has been nearing a first-team return having been out since breaking his leg in August 2007, but his comeback has been delayed by illness.

Aston Villa will welcome back their leading players after resting them for the midweek UEFA Cup game in Hamburg.

Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young, Gareth Barry, James Milner and captain Martin Laursen did not even make the trip to Germany with Villa already through to the knockout stages.

John Carew (back) remains injured.

West Ham squad: Friedel, Guzan, L Young, Cuellar, Davies, Laursen, Knight, Shorey, Milner, Petrov, Barry, Sidwell, A Young, Reo-Coker, Gardner, Osbourne, Salifou, Agbonlahor, Delfouneso, Harewood

Aston Villa squad: Green, Stech, Neill, Ilunga, Lopez, Parker, Bellamy, Etherington, Cole, Boa Morte, Upson, Noble, Mullins, Spector, Collins, Faubert, Stokes, Walker, Lastuvka, Davenport, Reid, Bowyer, Sears, Di Michele, Collison, Tomkins, Diego Tristan

SUNDAY

Arsenal v Liverpool (4pm)

Samir Nasri could return against Liverpool having been out since been missing since the 1-0 win over Wigan earlier this month because with an ankle injury.

Theo Walcott (shoulder) and Tomas Rosicky (hamstring tendon) are still out - while Kolo Toure (calf) and striker Nicklas Bendtner (knee) are struggling.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has no new injury problems, with just striker Fernando Torres (hamstring) and Martin Skrtel (kee ligament) out.

Full-back Fabio Aurelio (calf) may return to the squad after missing the last three league matches.

Arsenal squad: Almunia, Sagna, Nasri, Gallas, Djourou, Clichy, Denilson, Fabregas, Song, Diaby, Wilshere, Eboue, Fabianski, Vela, Ramsey, Van Persie, Adebayor, Bendtner

Liverpool squad: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Dossena, Aurelio, Babel, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Lucas, Alonso, Riera, Kuyt, Keane, Ngog, Cavalieri, Insua, El Zhar

Newcastle v Tottenham (3pm)

Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins will undergo a late fitness test after suffering a groin injury last weekend.

Joey Barton (knee), Alan Smith (foot) and Igancio Gonzalez (Achilles) are still out.

Tottenham pair Roman Pavlyuchenko and Vedran Corluka are back in the squad after being cup-tied for European action this week.

Jermaine Jenas (calf), Alan Hutton (foot) and Giovani dos Santos (ankle) are out.

Ledley King (knee), Jonathan Woodgate (back) and Darren Bent (tonsillitis) are struggling and will require late checks, as do Aaron Lennon (groin) and Luka Modric (hamstring).

Newcastle squad: Given, Harper, Beye, Enrique, N’Zogbia, Bassong, Coloccini,Taylor, Cacapa, Edgar, Butt, Guthrie, Duff, Gutierrez, Geremi, Owen, Martins,Viduka, Ameobi, Carroll, LuaLua

Tottenham squad: Gomes, Cesar, Corluka, Dawson, Woodgate, King, Bale, Assou-Ekotto, Modric, Boateng, O’Hara, Zokora, Bentley, Huddlestone, Lennon, Bostock, Parrett, Obika, Pavlyuchenko, Bent, Campbell

West Brom v Man City (1.30pm)

West Brom central defender Leon Barnett and striker Roman Bednar are pushing for recalls.

Midfielder James Morrison, who was forced off by illness at half-time last weekend, should retain his starting role.

Spanish midfielder Borja Valero has also been unwell this week but is expected to figure.

City will monitor Robinho’s fitness after he suffered a recurrence of his ankle injury.

Skipper Richard Dunne could return after a family matter, while Jo (virus) and Daniel Sturridge (Achilles) should be back.

West Brom squad: Carson, Zuiverloon, Hoefkens, Meite, Barnett, Donk, Olsson, Robinson, Cech, Kim, Morrison, Greening, Valero, Koren, Teixeira, Brunt, Bednar, Moore, Beattie, MacDonald, Pele, Kiely

Man City squad: Hart, Zabaleta, Richards, Dunne, Ben Haim, Garrido, Ball, Elano, Ireland, Wright-Phillips, Kompany, Fernandes, Hamann, Vassell, Robinho, Sturridge, Caicedo, Jo, Onuoha, Evans, Schmeichel.

MONDAY

Everton v Chelsea (8pm)

Everton strikers Victor Anichebe and Louis Saha will both undergo late fitness tests.

If neither player is available, boss David Moyes will again call on Tim Cahill - the match-winner at Man City last weekend - to play in attack.

Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari may hold back the return of Ricardo Carvalho as he recovers from a knee injury.

Michael Essien (knee) and Franco Di Santo (hamstring) are out, while Florent Malouda is doubtful with a thigh strain.

Chelsea squad: Cech, Hilario, Cudicini, Belletti, Ferreira, Bosingwa, A Cole, Bridge, Lampard, Deco, Obi, Kalou, Stoch, Drogba, Anelka, Malouda, J Cole, Alex, Terry, Ivanovic

Everton squad: Howard, Neville, Lescott, Yobo, Jagielka, Baines, Hibbert, Arteta, Osman, Cahill, Fellaini, Anichebe, Nash, Castillo, Rodwell, Gosling, Jutkiewicz, Baxter, Pienaar, Saha, Van der Meyde