Just Arsenal News

The Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is in South Africa commentating for French TV, and he believes that all the top teams, but especially England are hampered by their fera of losing.

“England came here with an expectation from everybody to win the World Cup.” Wenger said. “It’s not easy to deal with that. They want so much to do well that they think they cannot fail.”

“The biggest teams who have the highest level of expectation cannot express that talent yet.

“One reason is caution, fear of failure, response to huge demands. These teams will just glide through though, most of them, then you will see them really play. .......Read the full article here

The Arsenal and Mexico striker Carlos Vela was disappointed that his team couldn’t get the better of Suth Africa in the opening game of the World Cup, and says that Mexico now need to make up for that by taking all three points from France in their next match.

”Since before the first game, we thought we could win all three matches. Unfortunately we couldn’t win the first, and now we cannot make any excuses,” said Vela.

”We need to get the win, whether we were playing France or any other side.” .......Read the full article here

The Arsenal defender William Gallas saved France’s blushes when he scored the equaliser against Tunisia this weekend, but suddenly he is in danger of missing the World Cup after limping out of a training session yesterday.

The French Football daily L’Equipe reported: “William Gallas left training on Monday morning. After several minutes of running, Les Bleus defender stopped and frequently touched his right calf. This is not the one which had been injured a few weeks ago and had questioned his participation in the World Cup. Gallas did not stay on the field with his teammates and he quickly returned to the hotel with a physiotherapist.” .......Read the full article here

The Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is not happy that the France international coach, Raymond Domenech, is trying to influence who he picks for the Gunners. Wenger admits that it was a gamble to play William Gallas against Barceona last week, but that is, and should be, the decision of the club, and not his international manager!

“They make a story of it in France.” Wenger said. “It is now a situation where a club is not even any more in a situation when it can decide when it plays its players. They (Arsenal) have the right to pay the players, but not when to play them? That is what I don’t understand, for example. .......Read the full article here

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