Just Arsenal News

There have been a number of reports over the last few days suggesting that Arsenal have agreed terms with Gonzalo Higuain over his potential transfer to the Emirates from Real Madrid. It was also thought that the transfer fee had been settled at around £20 million. Whether this is is true or not, we don’t know, but even if it is true, that does not mean the transfer will definitely happen. .......Read the full article here

For once a game has produced the result that gives Arsenal the advantage in the race for the Top Four, and may even give us the chance of nicking Third Place back from Chelsea as well.

Chelsea totally dominated Bale FC in the first half and Oscar’s opening goal seemed inevitable, but the Blues missed an amazing amount of chances to put the game beyond Spurs reach. When Adebayor pulled an equalizer out of nowhere it looked like it could be Tottenham’s lucky night. .......Read the full article here

There are always bones of contention when the PFA announces it’s shortlist for the Player of the Season award and this year is no different. Not one Arsenal player made the list, despite statistics showing that the Gunners have had some high performances this season. The one Arsenal player that should feel the most disappointed not to have made the list is the little Spanish magician Santi Cazorla.

Chelsea have two midfielders in the six man list, Juan Mata and Eden Hazard, while the Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick also appears on it. The only one of these three that can be compared to Cazorla this season is Juan Mata. Cazorla has scored more Premier League goals than any of them, with 12 so far. .......Read the full article here

The battle for a top four finish in the Premier League looks like it will carry on the the last day of the season. Arsenal travel to Newcastle on that day, which is never an easy place to get a result, but hopefully the Magpies will be safe from relegation by then because the Gunners may need all three points.

Tottenham came back from a goal down against a very lacklustre Man City. It was a game that we were hoping they would drop points in, but they are now just two points behind us with a game in hand. That means that if they win away at Wigan next Saturday, the spuds will go one point above us. And they have Gareth Bale and Jermain Defoe back from injury. Having said that, Wigan is far from a given, especially at this time of the season when they are fighting for their survival. .......Read the full article here

There is little doubt that Arsenal should have won the game against Everton at the Emirates last night, but it seems to me that a lot of fans are taking it too hard. Yes, it was a great chance for the Gunners to fire themselves into a commanding position in the Premier League, but we are still in with a very good chance.

Everton were allowed to be extremely physical by the referee Neil Swarbrick, but Arsenal stood up to it well. It was the sort of game we used to lose a few years ago, so I am not overly disappointed with a point. If Everton had nicked a win, the situation would be much worse, but we have got a tough game out of the way and can focus on the next five matches with optimism. .......Read the full article here

A Scary Banana!

I have just read the news about the Arsenal fan Tom Flint, who has just been fined £250 for throwing a banana at the extremely good-looking Tottenham winger Gareth Bale. He has also been banned from ever going to the Emirates (or any football match) for the next three years. He was described in the Mail as having no other interests except football and I think we all know people like that, especially on this website!

The District Judge, Rebecca Crane (who I don’t believe has ever been to a Premiership match), was not very happy with Flint, and told him off like he was an itinerant schoolboy. She said: “You have let yourself down. .......Read the full article here

Arsene Wenger was delighted with the Arsenal victory against West Brom and abandoned his usual reserve to declare that his team would keep up their recent form and finish in the Premier League top four. There is no doubt that Wenger will also be pleased, but maybe not surprised, that Spurs have continued to wobble with a last gasp equalizer rescuing a point against Everton, although he is trying to keep the Arsenal players focused on their own results.

“Everybody looks at each others results,” admitted Wenger. “But I believe sometimes that can get the focus away from your own performance. We always tell the players that we don’t focus on anybody else, just on us and perform well. .......Read the full article here

The news that Jack Wilshere is taking longer than expected to recover from his ankle injury will have Arsenal fans feeling an icy sensation of dread, as the last time we heard that sort of thing, it was 17 months on the sidelines for the Gunners star.

According to Metro, medical staff at Arsenal are concerned that the 21-year old midfielder is not responding to treatment as they would expect. His return from injury has been postponed again, apparently, so he will not be available for the Norwich game and may not be ready until late April, if that!! .......Read the full article here

Gareth Bale has stunned his team mates and officials at Spurs by telling them he wants to join Arsenal in the summer. Apparently the Welshman is sick of the climate of fear in the Tottenham dressing room, which is once again building to epic proportions as the Gunners threaten to ruin their Champions League dream yet again.

Rolf Palio, a spokesman for the player said, “Gareth has always wanted to play for Arsenal. He often wears a Gunners training top under his normal clothes when he goes out. Also, the croaky voice and dodgy hairstyle of Andre Villas-Boas is really getting on his nerves. .......Read the full article here

After the news broke yesterday that Theo Walcott had picked up an injury in training and would miss at least one match for Arsenal, most Gooners will have been dreading the international games last night, but the rest of the Gunners on duty emerged unscathed and it may actually have done some of them the world of good.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has not played as much as he would have liked for Arsenal this season, with just 11 starts in the Premier League, so he will have been glad to get a start for England. The 19-year old had an excellent game, scoring a goal after already hitting the crossbar and providing an assist for Defoe. The powerful midfielder was a constant threat and will have gained great confidence from his display. .......Read the full article here

The versatile Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey once again inspired Wales to an excellent win over Scotland last night, but his performance was marred by a second yellow at the end of the game which was the result of a schoolboy error from the 23 year-old Gunner.

Ramsey said after the game: “It was very disappointing – it’s something I need to learn from.

“I should have looked up at the clock and let the goalkeeper take the free-kick. I had to (foul McArthur) in the end.

“It’s disappointing to do what I’ve done after a great performance.

“I said sorry for letting the boys down. I’m missing the next game so I apologised.” .......Read the full article here

Defensive Frailties by PW

As you have invited thoughts from Gooners these are mine.

Sunday’s result was our local derby and means far more to them than us so I tend to dismiss it as another defeat and much less serious than defeats to Norwich (who were on the crest of a slump when we played them), Bradford and Blackburn which were morale sapping.

But once again the same problem was evident in this defeat as others- rank bad defending. To allow Bale and then Lennon to run free with no Arsenal player within 10 yards poses serious questions. .......Read the full article here