Interviewed by Arsenal Player, Spanish 28 years old
left backwing Nacho Monreal talked about his squad
dualism with Kieran Gibbs: "I think that there is a
very good rivalry there. I think we are two very good
players, we give 100 per cent for the team in the
training sessions and in the games.
In truth it is a tough moment for me because the
manager is choosing Kieran over me, but to be
honest he is playing very well. All of the games that
he's played in he has done well, the team is on a
good run, and I don't see things changing in the
short-term. There is nothing I can do but to keep
training, do the best I can so that when I do get the
nod from the manager, I can take advantage of my
chance and show him that he can count on me.
It is tough, every player wants to play, their
maximum goal is to play the games, and right now I
can only watch - I should say suffer - from the bench.
But I will wait for my chance, keep on working, and
show the manager that I am not giving up. The
moment that Kieran steps off the gas, I will be there
to take advantage of the opportunity, and carry on in
that way.
However, the higher the level and the more
competition for places, the better it is. Logically, to
have two quality players for every position, the
player in the better form will get to play, and that
means that you cannot relax. You cannot give up
because if you do, you will not play, and that is very
beneficial for the team obviously".
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Saturday, October 19, 2013
Saturday review: Ozil brace keeps Arsenal top
Premier League.Premier League
Jack Wilshere scored his first Barclays Premier
League goal on home soil as Arsenal earned a
4-1 win over Norwich City to move two points
clear of Liverpool at the top of the table.
Wilshere and Mesut Ozil put Arsenal in control
before Jonny Howson pulled one back for the hosts.
However, Arsene Wenger's men were not to be
denied as an Aaron Ramsey strike and a second
from Ozil sealed victory.
Adam Lallana scored a late equaliser to earn
Southampton a 1-1 draw at Manchester United.
Robin van Persie struck in the 26th minute to end
Southampton's run of not conceding in their past five
matches in all competitions, but Lallana got the last
touch on Dejan Lovren's effort from James Ward-
Prowse's 89th-minute corner to extend his side's
unbeaten League run to five matches.
Samuel Eto'o scored his first League goal as
Chelsea came from behind to defeat Cardiff City
4-1 at Stamford Bridge. The 32-year-old striker – who
joined Chelsea on a free transfer from Anji
Makhachkala in August – had failed to score in his
four previous league appearances but picked an ideal
time to break his duck.
Earlier Jordon Mutch made the most of poor
defending from David Luiz to put Cardiff in front after
10 minutes before Eden Hazard levelled in bizarre
circumstances. Eto'o put Chelsea in front in the 66th
minute and his strike eased the tension, with Oscar
and Hazard putting gloss on the win – that lifted
them to second place in the table – with late goals to
the delight of manager Jose Mourinho, who was sent
to the stands for dissent.
Everton secured a third straight home win as they
overcame a dogged Hull City 2-1 at Goodison Park.
Kevin Mirallas gave the hosts the lead in the with a
low shot that beat an unsighted Allan McGregor, but
Yannick Sagbo hit back to equalise before half-time.
However, Steven Pienaar scored the winner less
than a minute after being introduced as a second-
half substitute to send Roberto Martinez's side into
the top six.
Three goals in seven minutes contributed to a
nightmare start as Sunderland manager for Gus
Poyet who witnessed his sde succumb to a 4-0 defeat
at Swansea City. The visitors had turned in a
disciplined defensive display in the opening 45
minutes, but a Phil Bardsley own goal was swiftly
followed by a superb Jonathan de Guzman finish
and a Wilfried Bony spot-kick after the break.
Steven Fletcher's own goal, from Chico Flores's
header, sealed Swansea's first win over Sunderland
since 1982 and a first at home since March, leaving
Poyet's men rooted to the bottom of the division.
West Bromwich Albion earned a hard-fought 0-0
draw against Stoke City to set a new club-record
unbeaten streak in the Barclays Premier League. The
West Midlands side had the lion's share of the
chances at the Britannia Stadium but after being
unable to break the deadlock, picked up a point that
extends their undefeated run to five top-flight
matches. The home side will also be happy with a
result that ends a run of three straight league losses
that had left them languishing towards the bottom of
the table.
In the early match, Steven Gerrard's 100th
Barclays Premier League goal and a Daniel
Sturridge header secured Liverpool a 2-2 draw
against Newcastle United. Brendan Rodgers' side
had to twice come from behind to earn a point at St
James' Park on a day that saw Gerrard become the
24th player to reach the milestone of a century of
goals in the Premier League.
Strikes from Yohan Cabaye and Paul Dummett
had put Alan Pardew's side ahead, only for Gerrard
and Sturridge to equalise. Cabaye opened the scoring
midway through the first half with a dipping strike
from long range, but Gerrard brought Liverpool level
from the spot after Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa had been
dismissed for fouling Luis Suarez. Newcastle went
back in front with Dummett's first goal for the club
just before the hour, but Sturridge then equalised
with 18 minutes remaining after excellent work from
Suarez.
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Mertesacker hoping Arsenal internationals will lead to silverware
Per Mertesacker turned 29 a couple of weeks ago,
and the Arsenal defender is understandably
impatient to add more silverware to his personal
trophy cabinet. Playing for one of the best and
biggest clubs in the world, as well as one the most
successful nations in football, the German
international has every reason to expect some.
So far, Mertesacker has only got two winners medals,
and they were German cup wins with Werder
Bremen. He wants more, and both Arsenal and
Germany are in great form at the minute. There are
similarities, both in the way the teams play, and the
fact that no less than three players play for both,
with Podolski and Ozil having joined their lanky
compatriot. The centre back has been speaking to
the Guardian about his situation for club and country,
and both teams, in his opinion, have got to be
tougher mentally to achieve the success that has
eluded them recently, and Arsenal at least are
starting to show that.
He said, "Our game hasn't changed. It's more that he
(Ozil) fits into it. His progress is quite well at the
moment and I think he will show more and more
during the season. You can expect a lot from him.
"We have a few blocs. We have a French bloc, a
Spanish bloc, a British bloc and a German bloc, so we
are international influenced and that is what Arsenal
is all about. It's now about sticking together as good
as possible and as much as possible. Arsenal wants
to play international football and, when every player
fits into that game, we can be successful.
"It's hard to say what's different, but I think one
point is that we didn't lose any player from last
season. It was always a bit hard when we lost van
Persie and Alex Song last season, and the year before
we lost Nasri and Fabregas. We kept the squad (this
year) and there is more quality to come. We have a
few injured players who we hope are coming back
soon."
Mertesacker is feeling good about things at the
minute, but he has come close before, including the
Euro final and a World Cup semi-final. So with the
end of his career approaching, he is in no mood to
slacken off or lose focus, and he is a good character
to have spurring on the other players in the dressing
room. I certainly wouldn't argue with him.
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and the Arsenal defender is understandably
impatient to add more silverware to his personal
trophy cabinet. Playing for one of the best and
biggest clubs in the world, as well as one the most
successful nations in football, the German
international has every reason to expect some.
So far, Mertesacker has only got two winners medals,
and they were German cup wins with Werder
Bremen. He wants more, and both Arsenal and
Germany are in great form at the minute. There are
similarities, both in the way the teams play, and the
fact that no less than three players play for both,
with Podolski and Ozil having joined their lanky
compatriot. The centre back has been speaking to
the Guardian about his situation for club and country,
and both teams, in his opinion, have got to be
tougher mentally to achieve the success that has
eluded them recently, and Arsenal at least are
starting to show that.
He said, "Our game hasn't changed. It's more that he
(Ozil) fits into it. His progress is quite well at the
moment and I think he will show more and more
during the season. You can expect a lot from him.
"We have a few blocs. We have a French bloc, a
Spanish bloc, a British bloc and a German bloc, so we
are international influenced and that is what Arsenal
is all about. It's now about sticking together as good
as possible and as much as possible. Arsenal wants
to play international football and, when every player
fits into that game, we can be successful.
"It's hard to say what's different, but I think one
point is that we didn't lose any player from last
season. It was always a bit hard when we lost van
Persie and Alex Song last season, and the year before
we lost Nasri and Fabregas. We kept the squad (this
year) and there is more quality to come. We have a
few injured players who we hope are coming back
soon."
Mertesacker is feeling good about things at the
minute, but he has come close before, including the
Euro final and a World Cup semi-final. So with the
end of his career approaching, he is in no mood to
slacken off or lose focus, and he is a good character
to have spurring on the other players in the dressing
room. I certainly wouldn't argue with him.
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Ramsey: I think there is more to come
Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has claimed that
there is still more to come from him, despite the
outstanding start to the new season.
The 22 year old who has been in impressive form this
season, netting 10 goals in just 15 appearances for
club and country already this campaign, with eight
coming for the Gunners.
The Welsh international was recently named the
Barclays Premier League Player of the Month for
September, and believes there is room for even more
improvement in his game.
According to Independent, he said:
I think there is more to come, I'm still only 22, I
still need to do better and learn a few more things
but the boss (Arsene Wenger) is telling me about
that, things like positioning defensively.
So there's definitely more to come and I'm looking
forward to that. When you haven't got the ball,
while we're defending – sometimes I am not
always where I need to be.
I need to be playing well, be involved in the game
and taking these games by the scruff of the neck
and keep doing the things I've been doing.
Wales boss Chris Coleman praised Ramsey in the
wake of the Belgium game, claiming he could play in
any international side in the world on current form,
but the 22-year-old is keen to keep his feet on the
ground. He added:
It's nice to be recognised with comments like
that.
But I try not to take too much interest and let it
affect me. I just try to focus on my own game and
what I need to do to improve. I just try to keep on
enjoying my football.
At the back end of last season I noticed a change
in myself.
I got my confidence back, started playing some
good stuff again and that's carried on this year.
The confidence is flowing throughout the team at
Arsenal at the moment. We are top of the league,
playing some good stuff and I think all the players
are feeling good at the moment.
All of us just want to get out there and play as
much football as we possibly can at the moment.
Ramsey has been the driving force in the Arsenal
midfield this season. He has been remarkable and his
impact on the team has been immense. His goal
scoring record has also been superb this season and
he is so far the top scorer for the Gunners. His
performances have been so good that they have
sometimes over shadowed the club's record signing
Mesut Ozil which is an achievement in itself.
With Arteta and Cazorla back from injury there will
be plenty of competition for places at Arsenal,
however I don't think Wenger can even think of
dropping Ramsey with the way he is playing at the
moment. I feel he will continue to improve as the
season progresses and see no reason why he will
stop doing what he has been doing so far. His form is
already proving to be a game changer for both the
club and country and hopefully he will continue to do
so.
Do you think there is more to come from Ramsey?
Share your thoughts in comments below.
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there is still more to come from him, despite the
outstanding start to the new season.
The 22 year old who has been in impressive form this
season, netting 10 goals in just 15 appearances for
club and country already this campaign, with eight
coming for the Gunners.
The Welsh international was recently named the
Barclays Premier League Player of the Month for
September, and believes there is room for even more
improvement in his game.
According to Independent, he said:
I think there is more to come, I'm still only 22, I
still need to do better and learn a few more things
but the boss (Arsene Wenger) is telling me about
that, things like positioning defensively.
So there's definitely more to come and I'm looking
forward to that. When you haven't got the ball,
while we're defending – sometimes I am not
always where I need to be.
I need to be playing well, be involved in the game
and taking these games by the scruff of the neck
and keep doing the things I've been doing.
Wales boss Chris Coleman praised Ramsey in the
wake of the Belgium game, claiming he could play in
any international side in the world on current form,
but the 22-year-old is keen to keep his feet on the
ground. He added:
It's nice to be recognised with comments like
that.
But I try not to take too much interest and let it
affect me. I just try to focus on my own game and
what I need to do to improve. I just try to keep on
enjoying my football.
At the back end of last season I noticed a change
in myself.
I got my confidence back, started playing some
good stuff again and that's carried on this year.
The confidence is flowing throughout the team at
Arsenal at the moment. We are top of the league,
playing some good stuff and I think all the players
are feeling good at the moment.
All of us just want to get out there and play as
much football as we possibly can at the moment.
Ramsey has been the driving force in the Arsenal
midfield this season. He has been remarkable and his
impact on the team has been immense. His goal
scoring record has also been superb this season and
he is so far the top scorer for the Gunners. His
performances have been so good that they have
sometimes over shadowed the club's record signing
Mesut Ozil which is an achievement in itself.
With Arteta and Cazorla back from injury there will
be plenty of competition for places at Arsenal,
however I don't think Wenger can even think of
dropping Ramsey with the way he is playing at the
moment. I feel he will continue to improve as the
season progresses and see no reason why he will
stop doing what he has been doing so far. His form is
already proving to be a game changer for both the
club and country and hopefully he will continue to do
so.
Do you think there is more to come from Ramsey?
Share your thoughts in comments below.
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Spanish press push Arsenal target towards exit signs
Arsenal target Sami Khedira looks all the more likely
to leave Real Madrid in January after the Spanish
press hit back at his comments.
The German star is becoming more and more
unsettled at the Bernabeu and even hit out at the
Spanish press last week.
But they have reacted angrily and hit back at his
claims.
Accoring to Marca: "Khedira mistreats the football, he
cannot even play a simple pass. He has courgettes
for feet."
AS claimed that "Khedira is a donkey and takes his
job too seriously. He does not realise he is playing
more games than he deserves."
A Spanish radio station asked the question: "Do your
eyes not hurt when Khedira is on the ball?"
Madrid are reportedly ready to let the midfielder
leave the club in January and a move to the Emirates
is a real possibility
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to leave Real Madrid in January after the Spanish
press hit back at his comments.
The German star is becoming more and more
unsettled at the Bernabeu and even hit out at the
Spanish press last week.
But they have reacted angrily and hit back at his
claims.
Accoring to Marca: "Khedira mistreats the football, he
cannot even play a simple pass. He has courgettes
for feet."
AS claimed that "Khedira is a donkey and takes his
job too seriously. He does not realise he is playing
more games than he deserves."
A Spanish radio station asked the question: "Do your
eyes not hurt when Khedira is on the ball?"
Madrid are reportedly ready to let the midfielder
leave the club in January and a move to the Emirates
is a real possibility
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Wenger - Tough to change centre-backs
Arsène Wenger says it's hard to change his
current centre-back pairing of Laurent
Koscielny and Per Mertesacker.
Captain Thomas Vermaelen has sat on the bench
for every Premier League game since his return from
injury, although he did lead Arsenal to a dramatic
Capital One Cup win at West Bromwich Albion.
Wenger remains a huge fan of the 27-year-old
defender, describing his attitude as "fantastic".
I named him [Thomas] captain because he
is a player you rate and a player with good
behaviour as well
Arsène Wenger
"Vermaelen is my captain so I rate him but it's
difficult to change the current pair," said Wenger.
"Unfortunately when you have 20 good players, nine
good players don't play.
"That is the job of the players, to compete. We are in
a job where you have to be ready when you are
needed."
The Arsenal manager stands by his decision to make
Vermaelen captain when Robin van Persie departed
in the summer of 2012.
"The big players want to be with big players; the
disadvantage of being with big players is that you
are not that sure you play," said Wenger.
"I named him [Thomas] captain because he is a
player you rate and a player with good behaviour as
well. He is a top guy with a fantastic attitude."
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current centre-back pairing of Laurent
Koscielny and Per Mertesacker.
Captain Thomas Vermaelen has sat on the bench
for every Premier League game since his return from
injury, although he did lead Arsenal to a dramatic
Capital One Cup win at West Bromwich Albion.
Wenger remains a huge fan of the 27-year-old
defender, describing his attitude as "fantastic".
I named him [Thomas] captain because he
is a player you rate and a player with good
behaviour as well
Arsène Wenger
"Vermaelen is my captain so I rate him but it's
difficult to change the current pair," said Wenger.
"Unfortunately when you have 20 good players, nine
good players don't play.
"That is the job of the players, to compete. We are in
a job where you have to be ready when you are
needed."
The Arsenal manager stands by his decision to make
Vermaelen captain when Robin van Persie departed
in the summer of 2012.
"The big players want to be with big players; the
disadvantage of being with big players is that you
are not that sure you play," said Wenger.
"I named him [Thomas] captain because he is a
player you rate and a player with good behaviour as
well. He is a top guy with a fantastic attitude."
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Arsenal Keeping Tabs On Velje Starlet Mads Dohr Thychosen
Thychosen is set for more trials at Arsenal.
The 16 year old tested at London Colney last season
and has been invited for more trials.
The youngster became the youngest player to play
for Velje last season.
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Now comes the crunch time for Arsenal’s season…
Well the international break or bore me later is now
over and we can focus on Arsenal, with a Norwich
side coming to the Emirates. I was pretty
disappointed with our display against WBA. Even
though they beat Man Utd away, if you want to be a
champion you still need to beat West Brom. We
looked tired in that game and we lacked options from
the bench.
Hopefully this week we will have Godzilla (Giroud,
Cazorla and Ozil) available and see how it works out!
We lack options out wide and if we fail to break
through the middle we are pretty much stuck.
Rosicky should also be available. I really don't like
Wilshere on the left. Although he scored and created
a chance for Giroud his play as a left winger is tragic
both forward and backwards. Same goes for Ramsey.
It may work out once but come on…
Anyway in our next 5 games we play Norwich,
Dortmund, Palace, Chelsea and Liverpool with only
Palace being an away game. This will be a good
estimation where we truly are. Wenger made some
strong words about how we will fight for the title and
how we will be feeling in May. It's time for some
strong performances of the pitch.
We have to beat Dortmund at home. They are
nowhere near the beast they were last year. A win
against them puts us with one foot out of the group
and if you want to compete for major trophies you
need to beat the contenders sooner or later. Liverpool
made a good start but they are still the same old
Liverpool with the same old problems. They managed
a few lucky wins and have a good duo of Sturridge
and Suarez, as well as the reliable but aging Gerrard,
and without Coutinho that's pretty much it. Chelsea
have a huge squad. Whatever they put in the Carling
cup against us will be probably good enough to beat
anyone on their day.
We still have to beat them. It's Mourinho and he
would love to take a swipe at Arsenal about pretty
much anything. We have to beat them. We play at
home and beating your rivals hurts their morale. Four
wins and a draw is the least I expect from us if we
want to be real contenders. The other top teams have
had huge shake ups and we simply have to take
advantage. There are some rumors about Casillas
going on. I'd take him. A world class keeper and
another striker in January and we could really
challenge this year! For now it's all about beating
Norwich.
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over and we can focus on Arsenal, with a Norwich
side coming to the Emirates. I was pretty
disappointed with our display against WBA. Even
though they beat Man Utd away, if you want to be a
champion you still need to beat West Brom. We
looked tired in that game and we lacked options from
the bench.
Hopefully this week we will have Godzilla (Giroud,
Cazorla and Ozil) available and see how it works out!
We lack options out wide and if we fail to break
through the middle we are pretty much stuck.
Rosicky should also be available. I really don't like
Wilshere on the left. Although he scored and created
a chance for Giroud his play as a left winger is tragic
both forward and backwards. Same goes for Ramsey.
It may work out once but come on…
Anyway in our next 5 games we play Norwich,
Dortmund, Palace, Chelsea and Liverpool with only
Palace being an away game. This will be a good
estimation where we truly are. Wenger made some
strong words about how we will fight for the title and
how we will be feeling in May. It's time for some
strong performances of the pitch.
We have to beat Dortmund at home. They are
nowhere near the beast they were last year. A win
against them puts us with one foot out of the group
and if you want to compete for major trophies you
need to beat the contenders sooner or later. Liverpool
made a good start but they are still the same old
Liverpool with the same old problems. They managed
a few lucky wins and have a good duo of Sturridge
and Suarez, as well as the reliable but aging Gerrard,
and without Coutinho that's pretty much it. Chelsea
have a huge squad. Whatever they put in the Carling
cup against us will be probably good enough to beat
anyone on their day.
We still have to beat them. It's Mourinho and he
would love to take a swipe at Arsenal about pretty
much anything. We have to beat them. We play at
home and beating your rivals hurts their morale. Four
wins and a draw is the least I expect from us if we
want to be real contenders. The other top teams have
had huge shake ups and we simply have to take
advantage. There are some rumors about Casillas
going on. I'd take him. A world class keeper and
another striker in January and we could really
challenge this year! For now it's all about beating
Norwich.
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Bergkamp fancies Arsenal's chances
Dennis Bergkamp believes Arsenal's title prospects
look "really good" and has likened the current side to
some of the great teams he played in.
The former Highbury hero spent 11 years at the club
and left shortly before the move to the Emirates
Stadium.
He won three Premier League titles and the FA Cup
on four occasions, but Arsenal have not landed a
trophy since his days pulling the strings in north
London.
Dutchman Bergkamp has been coaching at his first
club, Ajax, for several years but is playing close
attention to Arsenal this season, with Arsene
Wenger's team top of the table after seven rounds of
games.
"I see a lot of freshness in the team," Bergkamp said.
"I see a lot of things similar to my time at Arsenal.
"I see a lot of movement in the team, a lot of
commitment.
"They know what they want to do and they know how
they want to go forward."
Asked if they could win the Premier League,
Bergkamp said: "From this start, it looks really good.
"It's enjoyable to watch but it's effective as well."
Bergkamp reiterated a view he has stated previously:
that he has no plans to enter management.
"I don't see myself as a head coach. I don't see
myself as a manager," he told Sky Sports News.
"I see myself as part of a coaching staff, how I was
part of a team.
"I think I can drop back and let others take the lead
and just let me be part of that coaching staff and I'll
be happy."
He has made no secret of wishing for a return to
Arsenal, but it could be several years away.
"I'm settled in Holland," Bergkamp said. "I'm settled
at Ajax at the moment.
"We've started something that's by far not finished
yet so I'm looking forward to staying here for at least
a few years, but I have to admit in the future I would
love to work in England again and preferably at
Arsenal of course."
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look "really good" and has likened the current side to
some of the great teams he played in.
The former Highbury hero spent 11 years at the club
and left shortly before the move to the Emirates
Stadium.
He won three Premier League titles and the FA Cup
on four occasions, but Arsenal have not landed a
trophy since his days pulling the strings in north
London.
Dutchman Bergkamp has been coaching at his first
club, Ajax, for several years but is playing close
attention to Arsenal this season, with Arsene
Wenger's team top of the table after seven rounds of
games.
"I see a lot of freshness in the team," Bergkamp said.
"I see a lot of things similar to my time at Arsenal.
"I see a lot of movement in the team, a lot of
commitment.
"They know what they want to do and they know how
they want to go forward."
Asked if they could win the Premier League,
Bergkamp said: "From this start, it looks really good.
"It's enjoyable to watch but it's effective as well."
Bergkamp reiterated a view he has stated previously:
that he has no plans to enter management.
"I don't see myself as a head coach. I don't see
myself as a manager," he told Sky Sports News.
"I see myself as part of a coaching staff, how I was
part of a team.
"I think I can drop back and let others take the lead
and just let me be part of that coaching staff and I'll
be happy."
He has made no secret of wishing for a return to
Arsenal, but it could be several years away.
"I'm settled in Holland," Bergkamp said. "I'm settled
at Ajax at the moment.
"We've started something that's by far not finished
yet so I'm looking forward to staying here for at least
a few years, but I have to admit in the future I would
love to work in England again and preferably at
Arsenal of course."
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Wenger's faith in Szczesny paying off
Szczesny would prove to be Arsenal's number one -
even if it didn't always look that way.
Szczesny produced an impressive display at
Wembley on Tuesday night when he stood in for the
injured Artur Boruc, despite being beaten twice as
England secured a 2-0 victory which clinched their
place at the 2014 World Cup.
The 23-year-old has never been short on confidence,
but went through a difficult spell last season which
saw him dropped for the Champions League tie at
Bayern Munich and benched in favour of compatriot
Lukasz Fabianski before eventually being recalled
over the run-in.
It was a move which incurred the wrath of Szczesny's
father Maciej, himself a former Poland international
goalkeeper, who claimed his son was being made a
'scapegoat' for the team's shortcomings - and
subsequently resulted in a public apology from the
Arsenal player to Wenger and the club.
Wenger, though, maintains he never lost sight of
Szczesny's long-term position, having seen the
goalkeeper progress after joining the club's academy
from hometown side Legia Warsaw in 2006 and a
loan spell at Brentford.
"I was always convinced that Szczesny was make it,"
the Arsenal manager said.
"I didn't see the game on Tuesday because I watched
the French game. I just saw (updates on my phone)
every two minutes that Szczesny had made another
save, so he was very good.
"People forget that at 23, it is like being 18 for an
outfield player. At 23, Szczesny had played two
Premier League seasons, one where we finished third
and last year where we made 73 points and finished
fourth. You would think he can only go up."
Szczesny's appearance at Wembley was only his
second for Poland since being sent off in the opening
match of Euro 2012, when he then lost his place to
Przemyslaw Tyton.
Wenger, though, feels the way the goalkeeper has
recovered his form for both club and country is
confirmation of his character, which was tested soon
after his arrival at Arsenal following five months out
after fracturing both his forearms when lifting
weights.
"I think he questioned himself, especially after the
European Championships in Poland where it was a
massive disappointment for him and I think it
affected his belief. He matured through
disappointments like we all do," Wenger added.
"I believe every big player has to go through that in
his career, and what may decide his career is how he
comes out of that.
"For me, he came out of it in the way I wanted, it took
him a while, but he came back stronger.
"I took him out of the team last year and when he
came back in the team since he has been
consistent."
Wenger has no problems with Szczesny's "extrovert"
personality, so long as that is translated through to
strong performances between the posts.
"He was a bit kamikaze when he played at youth
level, but he also made impressive saves," the
French coach said.
"When you are young, you always think that life is
easier than it really is. You discover by maturing that
this level demands a daily attitude which is top level.
"Szczesny is an extrovert, who likes to be funny and
all that. He is as well a happy boy, which is good.
"Sometimes these types of people will get the
reputation of not being serious, but I think he is
extremely serious in the way he approaches his job."
Wenger continued: "Self belief is always very
important because self belief is linked to self esteem
and in our job your self esteem has to be very
resistant because football has strong emotions.
"For goalkeeper it is even more important because
when you make a mistake you have the whole
country on your back, so you have to be very strong
on that front."
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Vermaelen must fight for Arsenal place
on the field, but stresses there can be no selection
guarantees for any player.
The Belgian international has made only two
appearances for the Gunners this season following
his return to full fitness after a back problem, with
Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny striking up a
good understanding at the heart of the defence.
Vermaelen, who joined Arsenal in July 2009 from
Ajax and succeeded Robin van Persie as skipper last
season, remains relaxed about the situation, but
accepts it is far from "ideal" not to be playing regular
football ahead of the 2014 World Cup.
While Wenger can see the contradiction in a captain
being kept sidelined, the Arsenal boss maintains the
collective good must continue to outweigh any
individual needs.
"It is not down to logic, but it is part of the decision
you play the best pair and I must say the pair worked
until now, so it is difficult to change," Wenger said.
"I named him captain but usually you name as
captain a player you rate and a player with good
behaviour as well.
"Vermaelen is a top guy with fantastic attitude.
"I don't worry for him because he is a very strong
guy.
"At the moment he doesn't play, although that can
change quickly.
"Sometimes players who don't play in September or
October, by March they are the main players. The
important thing in our job is never to give up. You
have to stay and fight."
Wenger, though, stressed: "We are in a job where
you have to be ready when you are needed, that is
the job of the players to continue to compete and you
have to accept the competition.
"The big players want to be with big players, but the
disadvantage of being with big players is that you
are not that sure to play.
"Unfortunately when you have 20 good players, nine
good players don't play.
"You cannot have everything."
When all of his squad are match fit, Wenger certainly
will have something of a selection dilemma - with the
likes of England forward Theo Walcott, France
Under-21 international Yaya Sanogo, German forward
Lukas Podolski and England midfielder Alex Oxlade-
Chamberlain all hopeful of featuring again over the
next two months.
The recovery of Abou Diaby, however, remains slow,
with the combative Frenchman needing further
minor surgery to aid rehabilitation following knee
ligament damage which has again hampered his
progress this season.
"He had a little key hole surgery again on the knee
because his knee blew up every time he did
something, so it is now six months after the
cruciate," Wenger said.
"He could not even jog yet. With new surgery it is a
setback for him, so competitive football cannot be
played before March."
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Wenger: Arsenal will NOT buy BIG players every time.
Arsene Wenger tried to explain his transfer policy at
yesterday's AGM, a policy which has come in for
some serious criticism in recent years. Whereas the
Frenchman used to be seen as a genius for
unearthing and developing some fantastic players,
such as Henry, Vieira, Fabregas and many more, in
recent years his transfers have been derided.
Failures like Squillaci, Gervinho, Park have inly added
to the fans' frustration at losing top class players,
often to direct rivals. So by smashing the club's
transfer record to bring in Mesut Ozil from Real
Madrid, and the brilliant way the German has slotted
effortlessly into the Arsenal team, Wenger has
redeemed his reputation to a certain extent. That
does not mean that he has changed his policy,
however, as reported by Arsenal.com,
Wenger said, "I think that the core of our strengths
and our club has to be what we produce internally,
with the players who come out from our education.
"We have a specific style of play that demands a
special education inside the Club, and of course we
complete that with good scouting. Good scouting is
sometimes to develop players through our coaching
skills into world class players who are not necessarily
known when they arrive here.
"They compete as well with recognised players like
Ozil, but you don't need special scouting to identify
Ozil, because everybody knows him.
"I don't think that (big money signings) can be the
rule for anybody, because first of all the number of
these players is limited.
"Secondly, the competition worldwide has become
much bigger than 10 years ago and today on the
world market you have 15 clubs who have the
potential to sign these players."
At least Arsenal have now become one of those clubs,
and Wenger is not saying he won't be signing any
more big players, but they will be the exception
rather than the norm. This philosophy is very similar
to that of Barcelona, who only signed one player this
summer, Neymar. Arsenal are different in the way we
sign young players like Serge Gnabry, Sanogo and
Eisfeld and then try to develop them further in the
Arsenal way. It seems to be working at the minute.
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yesterday's AGM, a policy which has come in for
some serious criticism in recent years. Whereas the
Frenchman used to be seen as a genius for
unearthing and developing some fantastic players,
such as Henry, Vieira, Fabregas and many more, in
recent years his transfers have been derided.
Failures like Squillaci, Gervinho, Park have inly added
to the fans' frustration at losing top class players,
often to direct rivals. So by smashing the club's
transfer record to bring in Mesut Ozil from Real
Madrid, and the brilliant way the German has slotted
effortlessly into the Arsenal team, Wenger has
redeemed his reputation to a certain extent. That
does not mean that he has changed his policy,
however, as reported by Arsenal.com,
Wenger said, "I think that the core of our strengths
and our club has to be what we produce internally,
with the players who come out from our education.
"We have a specific style of play that demands a
special education inside the Club, and of course we
complete that with good scouting. Good scouting is
sometimes to develop players through our coaching
skills into world class players who are not necessarily
known when they arrive here.
"They compete as well with recognised players like
Ozil, but you don't need special scouting to identify
Ozil, because everybody knows him.
"I don't think that (big money signings) can be the
rule for anybody, because first of all the number of
these players is limited.
"Secondly, the competition worldwide has become
much bigger than 10 years ago and today on the
world market you have 15 clubs who have the
potential to sign these players."
At least Arsenal have now become one of those clubs,
and Wenger is not saying he won't be signing any
more big players, but they will be the exception
rather than the norm. This philosophy is very similar
to that of Barcelona, who only signed one player this
summer, Neymar. Arsenal are different in the way we
sign young players like Serge Gnabry, Sanogo and
Eisfeld and then try to develop them further in the
Arsenal way. It seems to be working at the minute.
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'I hope Arsenal's Mesut Ozil is crooked,' says Norwich defender Martin Olsson
won't have to face Mesut Ozil again today at
the Emirates.He's already suffered one hammering this week at
the hands of the £42.4m Arsenal midfielder and
doesn't fancy another.
Ozil, who faces a late fitness test on a knee injury,
was the star of the show as Germany cruised to an
emphatic 5-3 World Cup qualifying win in Sweden on
Tuesday night.
And shell-shocked Swedish left-back Olsson
admitted: "He is sheer class, a top operator.
"He scored one and set up another against us and
you could see his quality throughout the match.
"There are not a lot of players like him around. So it
will be very good for us if he doesn't play!"
But Olsson has happy memories of the Emirates and
has told his team-mates exactly how they can win
there.
He knows what he is talking about too because he
has already been there and done just that."There are not a lot of players like him
around. So it will be very good for us if he
doesn't play!"
Martin Olsson
Olsson was in the Blackburn side that pulled off a
shock 1-0 FA Cup win at Arsenal in February.
He explained: "It will be tough but you have to be
patient and take your chance when it comes.
"We sat back and defended against Arsenal because
you know they will always create chances.
"But you have to stay calm and then hopefully catch
them on the counter attack, just like we did."
The £2m summer signing is confident, though, that
the Canaries can also stun the Gunners."We have got the players to do well there," added
Olsson, 25.
"We just have to go there and play our own game.
We have to give 100 per cent and not worry too
much about Arsenal. It's football, anything can
happen.
"Everybody is full of confidence and we believe that
we can go there and cause an upset.
"We've got nothing to lose because everyone expects
Arsenal to win. But maybe we can change their
minds.
"I definitely think we have got enough match winners
and hopefully we can go there and show just that."
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Arsenal target admits deal is on
Arsenal have been put on alert after goalkeeper Iker
Casillas admitted for the first time he could leave
Real Madrid
"Players go through moments when if you are
not playing a part you think about making
some sort of decision," he is reported as
saying by local media in Madrid.
Casillas has remained integral to the
international set-up with Spain manager
Vicente del Bosque continuing to select the
32-year-old, most recently in the victory over
Georgia. However, with the World Cup
approaching and Barcelona's Victor Valdes
breathing down his neck, that could change
without regular football.
"Of course I want to stay here, winning more
titles with Real Madrid," he added.
"I have been here since I was a small boy but
the day will come when maybe a decision will
have to be made.
"I have decided I want to be part of this squad
for a long time but if the situation doesn't
change in three months and you ask me the
same question perhaps I will answer that I am
planning to leave." (Independent)
The man is real quality and Arsenal would do well to
nail down his signature
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Casillas admitted for the first time he could leave
Real Madrid
"Players go through moments when if you are
not playing a part you think about making
some sort of decision," he is reported as
saying by local media in Madrid.
Casillas has remained integral to the
international set-up with Spain manager
Vicente del Bosque continuing to select the
32-year-old, most recently in the victory over
Georgia. However, with the World Cup
approaching and Barcelona's Victor Valdes
breathing down his neck, that could change
without regular football.
"Of course I want to stay here, winning more
titles with Real Madrid," he added.
"I have been here since I was a small boy but
the day will come when maybe a decision will
have to be made.
"I have decided I want to be part of this squad
for a long time but if the situation doesn't
change in three months and you ask me the
same question perhaps I will answer that I am
planning to leave." (Independent)
The man is real quality and Arsenal would do well to
nail down his signature
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Ozil and Cazorla To Make Arsenal Return Against Norwich City
reported that Mesut Ozil fit to feature for the Gunners
at home to Norwich City.
The former Real Madrid star was doubtful for the
match against Norwich after picking up a knock
during his international outing with Germany.
However it appears that the 25 year old has been
deemed fit for this weekend's Premier League clash
along side Bacary Sagna and Santi Cazorla who all
return make their return from injuries.
England international winger Theo Walcott however
is still out.
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