Just Arsenal News

Arsenal vs Reading preview, match line up and score prediction by KJ

It’s been a long two weeks since the Arsenal last played and it was probably the worst time to get the international break. Arsenal were back to winning ways with back to back wins against Bayern Munich and Swansea. Tottenham were faltering, losing three games on the bounce bringing them to only 4 points above Arsenal with an extra game already played. .......Read the full article here

Robert Pires spent six seasons at Arsenal, from 2000-2006 and, like a lot of former Gunners, keeps the club close to his heart and follows what is happening. When he was at the club, we were enjoying a great period of success, winning two Premier League titles and three FA cups, as well as making it to the final of the Champions League, which was his last game for the Gunners before moving to Villareal.

Arsenal have not won a trophy since Pires moved on, and the 39-year old, who is currently a free agent, believes that one of the problems is the lack of British players in the team. According to Pires, Arsene Wenger should be looking to add some homegrown talent when he spends money on players this summer. .......Read the full article here

When Arsenal host Premier League strugglers Reading at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, it appears that Arsene Wenger will have more selection problems than we thought. The Gunners have five players unlikely to be available for the game, which might actually make the manager’s job easier for him.

“We have a little problem with Diaby but I cannot tell you more,” said Wenger. “But he is out for the weekend. Gibbs is sick and in bed. I don’t know if he’ll be involved or not. At the moment we don’t know. We haven’t seen him in the last three days.” .......Read the full article here

Who should Arsenal get, Angel Rangel or Sebastian Corchia? by KJ

The rumours of a new right back are becoming more frequent as the summer transfer window draws closer. Arsenal have, according to the media, been extensively scouting the top leagues in Europe to find a replacement to the inevitable departure of long term Arsenal right back, Bacary Sagna (who looks likely to join PSG). The two most prominent rumours are of Swansea’s Angel Rangel and Sochaux’s Sebastian Corchia. .......Read the full article here

Selection headaches for Wenger! by AH

Throughout the season, questions are always raised about what our best team is. It constantly changes because of a player’s form, attitude and possible injuries. However, at the moment, Arsene Wenger has the problem of several players not having a place nailed down in the team.

Firstly, no player should feel that their starting place is certain and that they don’t need to work for it, because Wenger will drop you from the team. In previous seasons this wasn’t the case and Wenger continued to choose players based on their ‘supposed ability’ rather than their current form and performances. However this year we’ve seen differently and we currently see two of arguably our most important players, Wojiech Szczseny and club captain Thomas Vermaelen, on the substitute’s bench after a string of poor performances. .......Read the full article here

I would not have been too surprised if Arsene Wenger wanted to name the same Arsenal team that started the morale boosting game against Bayern Munich on Wednesday,. but unfortunately Kieran Gibbs looks like he will not be able to play, so Monreal will come in with Jenkinson on the other side.

Wenger said, “I think he(Gibbs) will be out on Saturday. He had a little reaction on his thigh. He is not injured but we have to be cautious with it.”

Bacary Sagna and Lukas Podolski are still injured, as is Jack Wilshere, so the line up could be almost the same. Vermaelen and Szczesny are available, but it would seem churlish to drop Koscielny and Fabianski after they did so well in Munich. .......Read the full article here

Carl Jenkinson really came of age for Arsenal last night. He put in a massive shift on the right flank in place of the injured Bacary Sagna, and pushed Laurent Koscielny hard for the Man of the Match in my opinion. He is a Gooner, and you could see how proud he was of the team at the end of the match, even though the 2-0 win was not quite enough to stay in the Champions League. .......Read the full article here

It was important that Arsenal put in a much better performance than they had in the first leg against Bayern Munich, and they certainly did that. Unfortunately it was just not enough to keep the gunners in Europe, but it will be good morale boost for the players.

Arsenal were in dreamland after three minutes when a slick move between Cazorla, Ramsey and Walcott was finished by Giroud. The home crowd were stunned and the German team were rocked. You cannot fault the effort of the players, but Arsenal could not quite find the slick passing and final ball to really take advantage. .......Read the full article here

Bayern Munich vs Arsenal preview, match line up and score line prediction. by KJ

The sad truth is that this tie is all but lost. Our inability to defend in the first leg has created a monumental task for our players in Germany. We have to go to the Allianz and beat arguably the best side in Europe 3 – 0 at least to qualify for the next round. That’s an extremely difficult task for the likes of Barcelona and Madrid, let alone Arsenal.

Fortunately for us, our extremely slim chances are helped by the fact that Bayern have a catalogue of players out for the game tomorrow which contains Ribery, Boateng, Badstuber and Schweinsteiger. Robben is also a doubt for a starting place. .......Read the full article here

Arsene Wenger has given an update on the availability of the Arsenal players for the crunch second leg tie against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena tomorrow. There is good news and bad. As expected, Bacary Sagna has not recovered in time from hi9s knee problem, so young Carl Jenkinson will start in his firth European game of the season.

We know that Jenkinson will give his all for the Gunners, although he is a bit lacking in top class experience. At least he will not have to face the dangerous Frenchman Franck Ribery who is also out of contention through injury. .......Read the full article here

Arsene Wenger was the butt of lots of sniping comments from football journalists and rival fans when he said that he viewed getting Arsenal into the Champions League every season as like winning a trophy. I can understand why in a way, especially since the Gunners have not lifted a real piece of silverware since 2005, but the Champion’s League IS a massive prize and one that every team and player wants to be in.

Maybe us Gooners have become a bit blasé about it after Wenger has achieved it so many years in a row, but when you look at teams like the Spuds, Everton, Liverpool and those around Europe you can see just how important it is for players and fans alike, not to mention the financial rewards. .......Read the full article here

It is getting nearer the time when Arsenal need to make a firm decision about the right back situation. It seems that Bacary Sagna is not happy with the new contract on offer at the Emirates, and so the club must consider whether to sell him this summer or lose him the following year on a free transfer. With Carl Jenkinson showing good promise but still needing more experience, Arsenal are looking at the England international Micah Richards from Manchester City. .......Read the full article here