Just Arsenal News

The Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has already loudly complained about the Netherlands’ cock-up regarding the injury to Robin Van Persie, and now he is blaming France for making Abou Diaby’s injury worse.

“Our players go away, they are injured.” said Wenger. “A player like Abou Diaby goes away and is injured, and you cannot even get him back because they decided to keep him.

“The French Federation decided to keep Diaby for political reasons. They knew he would never play, but they didn’t want to call another player up. The result? He comes back, the next day tries to have a run and gets a setback, and we have to deal with the consequences.” Read the full article here

The furore over Arsenal-legend Thierry Henry’s deliberate handball against Ireland will not be going away any time soon, but FIFA have ruled out any possibility of a replay, despite everyone asking them to bend the rules, including Henry.

The Republic manager Giovanni Trapattoni has derided FIFA for ignoring the calls for “fair play”.

“I would like to know what I have done to Blatter. If he explains it then at least I would be calm. I go to schools and speak of fair play, but perhaps I am a dreamer,” he said. Read the full article here

The Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has spoken out in favour of a replay in the France v Ireland controversy. The Arsenal legend Thierry Henry admitted handling the ball in the build up to the goal that ensured France qualified for the World Cup Finals, but Wenger believes that a replay will be the only way to save Henry’s reputation.

“I think the French Football Federation has to call for a replay. Thierry has done so much for French football that French football has to help him. I think the credibility of France going to the World Cup finals next year is depending on that,” Wenger said. Read the full article here

The Republic of Ireland have appealed to FIFA to declare the extra-time defeat to France on Wednesday as null and void after Thierry Henry was seen to commit a blatant handball in the lead-up to the decisive goal, but it has been rejected out of hand by the World Football governing body.

“As is clearly mentioned in the Laws of the Game, during matches, decisions are taken by the referee and these decisions are final.” they said.

Meanwhile the French Economy Minister, Christine Legarde, has also called for FIFA to change the rules so that the game can be replayed. Read the full article here

The Arsenal and France defender Bacary Sagna is not happy with the way the Republic of Ireland players have been talking about Raymond Domenech and the way he has run the team, and he says the France team will answer them at football rather than in the media.

He said: ‘They’re trying to attack the coach, they’re trying to attack us. But the game will be played on the pitch. We’ll try to give our response on the pitch.’ Read the full article here

The Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is not sure that France are hot favourites to beat Ireland in the World Cup Play-offs this week, and he has great respect for the Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni, whose assistant Liam Brady also works for Wenger at the Emirates.

“It will be very interesting,” said Wenger. “Liam Brady and I… we have very interesting conversations at the moment.

“I am keen to see the mixture of Irish passion and drive going forward, with the shrewd, calculating style of Trapattoni, against the French national team, which is still very young but with a lot of quality.” Read the full article here

The ex-Arsenal legeng Patrick Vieira is not very happy with the France manager Raymond Domenech after he was left out of the French squad for next weeks crucial World Cup Play-offs against the Republic of Ireland. Not very happy at all!

“There is no one on my level in France at the moment,” he moaned.

“I could come off as being arrogant, but I am sure of it.”

Vieira is being similarly ignored by Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan, having made just nine appearances for the club this season, but Vieira still thinks that he should be first choice for the France team. Read the full article here

Arsenal’s French players may feel they have got a good draw in the World Cup Play-Offs, but the Republic of Ireland have proved lately that they are no pushovers.

Last weeks draw against Italy in their final game relegated them to the Play-Offs rather than automatic qualification, but the France team will take note that the Repubic remained unbeaten throughout there Qualifying campaign, something even England couldn’t manage.

France are ranked 25 places above the Republic and were the highest ranking of the play-off teams.

The full draw made today: Read the full article here

The France manager Raymond Domenech has named his 24-man squad to face the Faroe Islands and Austria, and there are four Arsenal players named in his selection.

Gallas, Clichy and Sagna should line up at the back alongside Man Utd’s Patrice Evra, and Diaby is expected to be in midfield, but he won’t be playing with the Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira, who has been left out of the squad yet again.

Domenech said about Vieira: “I talked to him over the phone and we agreed that he must play more, he knows that,” Read the full article here

I know you are all going to find this hard to believe, but it is being reported that Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has got his eye on a young French defender!

The 17 year-old Eliaquim Mangala had only played eleven games for the Standard Liege first-team when they faced Arsenal in the Champions League tie two weeks ago, but he scored the first goal (his first for Liege), and was generally recognised as the best player on the pitch for the Belgian champions. Read the full article here