Arsenal Thread

[FLiam]

Almunia still isn't a great keeper.

Yeh he is a great shot stopper, but that is about it.

His save at the end though was fucking brilliant.

[AJ]

I had to go out just before the penalties. There were a good few times in that second half where I thought Sheff Utd could have been easily 1-0 up but when extra time rolled around it was all Arsenal. Gotta give it up to Utd though who took Arsenal to the limit (even if it wasn't their strongest side, a good achievement). I'm still sure it'll only be either Arsenal or ManU who'll win the cup.

[FLiam]

Spanish footbal officialy sucks.

Aragone's gets fined £2,000 for being racist and has the nerve to moan.

On the other hand, Wenger got fined £15,000 for saying van Nistelrooy is a cheat.

Fucking stupid.

[Malenko]

Spanish footbal officialy sucks.

Aragone's gets fined £2,000 for being racist and has the nerve to moan.

On the other hand, Wenger got fined £15,000 for saying van Nistelrooy is a cheat.

Fucking stupid.

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[FLiam]

I meant Spanish FA, not football in general.

[Malenko]

I meant Spanish FA, not football in general.

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[FLiam]

Fines over there are stupid, Deportivo got fined £430 for racist chanting for fuck sake.

Even Leeds could afford that.

Hell, even one regular person could afford that. Let alone a huge football club.

[TMM]

Fines over there are stupid, Deportivo got fined £430 for racist chanting for fuck sake.

Even Leeds could afford that.

Hell, even one regular person could afford that. Let alone a huge football club.

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*Holds hand up* I can't afford that...

Yeah, and it really sends out a bad message about racism that if you do some chanting, you'll get (essentially to most clubs) a slap on the wrist.

[G-O-D]

IMO, fines don't work in football anymore, unless it's a REALLY hefty one, which the various FAs seem reluctant to implement.

The FAs should use other forms of punishment, like match bans or something. Prutton's 10 match ban for pushing a referee is what I would call an effective punishment nowadays.

[supergrass]

I think that's exactly the way the FA should go (and hopefully some other FAs in other countries will take notice). The whole point of disciplining somebody is to take away something they have to punish their actions. Fining somebody what they'd probably make twice over in a week doesn't work.

You have to take away what the person being punished will truly miss. If it's a player, take games away. If a club is acused of racism make them play behind closed doors perhaps? That's not necessarily the best idea but there have to be better ways of stamping out racism than pathetic little fines.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

Fines would be much better if they were dished out as '2 weeks wages, etc' regardless of how much that player makes, that way its not just a case of 'Oh shit, I'll have to wait till next week to buy that ferrari'.

[Malenko]

I think that's exactly the way the FA should go (and hopefully some other FAs in other countries will take notice). The whole point of disciplining somebody is to take away something they have to punish their actions. Fining somebody what they'd probably make twice over in a week doesn't work.

You have to take away what the person being punished will truly miss. If it's a player, take games away. If a club is acused of racism make them play behind closed doors perhaps? That's not necessarily the best idea but there have to be better ways of stamping out racism than pathetic little fines.

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[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

A premiership referee was suspended the other day for gambling....on horses, I'm not sure if part of their contract says they can't gamble on any sporting events, but that to me seems alittle stupid.

[Malenko]

Fines would be much better if they were dished out as '2 weeks wages, etc' regardless of how much that player makes, that way its not just a case of 'Oh shit, I'll have to wait till next week to buy that ferrari'.

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[G-O-D]

Lehmann: Ball to blame

Arsenal's Jens Lehmann has risked the wrath of club kit sponsors Nike by criticising the sports company's ball.

Lehmann believes that Nike's official Premiership ball is partly to blame for the high profile errors that have marred his time with The Gunners.

"My focus is just the same as it was three or four years ago but what has definitely changed in this time is the ball," Lehmann told The Sun.

"There is no point developing these balls any more. It's ridiculous.

"It might make good TV but maybe we have to fight against this because the only guy on the field who looks stupid is the goalkeeper.

"The new Nike ball is so quick that even when you think it is there to grab it can be difficult to catch.

"Sometimes it's just not possible to catch safely because the ball is on you soon and bounces so much you miss the right moment.

"Nearly every ball now swerves but it is only this Nike ball that quickens up in flight as well."

[supergrass]

Granted it doesn't make a goalkeeper's job any easier, but somebody should point out Peter Cech is playing under the exact same conditions.

Sorry Jens, even as a Gooner I wouldn't hesitate to tell you you've just simply been poor for most of this season.

[FLiam]

1-0 at half time.

Quincy starting

Cygan injured

[supergrass]

I think possibly the only up side to us having Bergkamp/Reyes/van Persie all suspended is that Quincy could get a run going. I was at the League Cup game at home to Everton and he ran their full side ragged. He played well when he came on at Sheffield United and with some experience could become a great player.

2-0 now in the game against Portsmouth. Henry again.

[Guest UmpireAJS]

Good game. Lehmann's is having his first CLEAN SHEET since October. Wao! The Defense still sucks I think, but Henry proved once again, that he is the man. Awesome performance.

And,heheh ManU getting stuck against Palace (who we ambushed 5-0) is good for us,bringing us two points to them. ManU had many many chances esp. in the last 30 minutes or so,but even with around 4 strikers they wasted them

[FLiam]

Thierry Henry faces three weeks on the sidelines, while Arsenal team-mate Edu could be out for a month with a knee injury.

Gunners striker Henry suffered a calf strain during his side's 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich on Wednesday night.

The French ace was immediately ruled out of Saturday's FA Cup tie at Bolton Wanderers but the news is even bleaker for Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.

Henry could now be missing for three weeks which is a blow to Arsenal's hopes of overhauling Manchester United for second spot in The Premiership.

"We have lost Thierry Henry for two or three weeks with a calf strain," Wenger told the club's official website.

In addition to Henry's absence, Wenger will also be without the services of Brazilian midfielder Edu for the next few weeks.

Edu missed the win over Bayern due to a knee complaint and Wenger revealed that the South American requires surgery on the problem.

"It is his cartilage and he needs surgery," added Wenger.

"I don't know when he will decide to have it done but he is out for three to four weeks now."

Meanwhile, Edu's compatriot Gilberto Silva will have a couple of games in the reserves before he is thrust back into the starting line-up.

Gilberto was surprisingly on the bench against Bayern but would only have been used as an emergency centre half as he nears a full recovery from a long-term back injury.

source: planetfootball.com

At least it happened when we are out of two of the most important competitions.

This has to be the first time Henry has been out for this long isn't it?

Also, Gilberto is on the comeback trail anyway, which is good news.