Главный тренер "Арсенала" Арсен Венгер подтвердил, что голкипер Лукаш Фабиански и полузащитник Абу Диаби залечили свои травмы, а также рассказал о сроках возвращения в строй бельгийского защитника Томаса Вермалена.

"Диаби и Фабиански были с нами еще перед матчем против "Сток Сити". У них появилась еще одна неделя, чтобы подготовиться к матчу и поработать над физической формой. Конечно это им поможет".

"Так что сейчас нам не хватает лишь Вермалена, Альмунии и Кирана Гиббса. Скорого их возвращения ждать не стоит - не раньше Рождества - и тогда все наши игроки будут здоровы".

"Я бы сказал, что Вермален окончательно будет готов сыграть в конце января. Его физическая форма недостаточна, и над ней предстоит поработать. Этот процесс займет 3-4 недели. Он уже начал занятия и смотрится неплохо", - сказал Венгер в интервью официальному веб-сайту клуба.

Ending their long trophy drought by lifting the Carling Cup in February would be a massive boost in confidence for Arsenal according to Jack Wilshere.

Speaking to the Official Arsenal Magazine, the 18-year old believes the players will be incredibly motivated if they manage to win their first trophy in five years, so much that anything will be possible with the midfielder adding how more and more trophies will then be on their way.

The youngster also said how the English Premier League race is wide open this season as on the day every team in the league is capable of causing a major upset.

Wilshere concluded by saying how the busy Christmas schedule will provide a good indication of where the Gunners are, starting this Monday when they face reigning champions Chelsea, on Monday, at the Emirates.

On the Carling Cup, Wilshere said:

Quote:

I really think it’d be massive for the confidence. If you win that [the Carling Cup] in February then spirits are so high for the rest of the season, you can probably go on and do anything. I believe it’d start opening up – more and more would come. Everything looks open this season – we know anyone can beat anyone so we just need to win our games, see where we are later in the winter and then push on. Standards in the Premier League have improved – you see sides like Sunderland looking to become top teams now, attracting big players and developing good youngsters. There are so many teams around the edges now that are looking to push on, so consistency will be the key.

22-летний хавбек "Арсенала" Денилсон, интерес к которому проявляет "Барселона", не собирается покидать Лондон.

"Я не хочу никуда уходить. Мне нравится играть за "Арсенал", - написал молодой футболист в своем блоге в Twitter.

Отметим, что Денилсон выступает за команду Арсена Венгера с лета 2006 года.

Главный тренер "Арсенала" Арсен Венгер считает, что Россия преодолеет все трудности, связанные с проведением ЧМ-2018, и сумеет качественно провести турнир.

"Русские - очень гордая нация, и они захотят доказать всему миру, что способны на многое, - отметил французский специалист. - У России есть то, что нужно для проведения ЧМ: деньги, большой финансовый потенциал. Кроме того, преимущество русских в том, что они никогда раньше не принимали первенство планеты. Россия - футбольная страна, качество игры там в последнее время быстро растет. Конечно, есть определенные неудобства, связанные с транспортом. Надеюсь, с ними удастся справиться".

Нападающий Никлас Бендтнер пообещал остаться в "Арсенале" "минимум до конца сезона", чтобы продолжать сражаться за место в стартовом составе.
Согласно слухам, в услугах 22-летнего игрока сборной Дании были заинтересованы такие клубы, как мюнхенская "Бавария", римский "Лацио", а также "Астон Вилла" с "Эвертоном". Все они хотели приобрести либо арендовать Бендтнера в январе.

Подобные слухи стали следствием недавнего заявления футболиста. Никлас признался, что расстроен отсутствием регулярной игровой практики, и если ситуация не изменится, ему придется задуматься о смене клуба. Однако "Арсенал" категорически отказался расставаться с датчанином зимой, и тот был вынужден смириться.

"Я хочу вернуться на пик формы и хочу вернуться в команду. Я хочу дождаться своих шансов и, использовав их, место в основе будет мое. В конце сезона мы посмотрим, чего я достиг, и чего достигла команда".

"Надеюсь, мы что-нибудь выиграем в нынешнем сезоне. У нас отличные шансы в Кубке Лиге, и я надеюсь, это даст нам преимущество. Скоро нас ждет Кубок Англии и Лига Чемпионов. Я настроен весьма оптимистично", - цитирует Бендтнера Daily Mirror.

Добавим, что о своем желании остаться в "Арсенале" заявил и полузащитник Денилсон, которого сватали в "Вольфсбург" и "Барселону". Бразилец через свой блог в Twitter сообщил болельщикам, что не хочет никуда уходить.

Reports in Spain say former Arsenal striker Julio Baptista could be closing in on a new year return to England with Spurs.

Despite a less than successful spell at Arch rivals Arsenal, where after a long and protracted chase he finally signed, only to flop with just three goals in 24 appearances, he has now claimed there is interest in him again from England.

Tottenham are reportedly the club in question although there is nothing official and it may well be wishful thinking on the players part.

Baptista, currently at Roma, told Spanish Radio station Canal SurI, "There is an offer from Brazil and one from England but I have no contacts with Manchester.

"Right now we are looking at things - I need to go out and play. When I sit down with my agent we decide the perfect choice."

Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh believes he can establish himself as one of the best in the Premier League.

The Morocco international has impressed in his debut season in England, netting 10 goals in all competitions for the Gunners.

Chamakh is happy with his start at Arsenal and has set his sights on emulating the success of rivals Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney in the Premier League.

"I don't feel inferior to them but they've worked really hard to get where they are," Chamakh is quoted as saying in The Mirror.

"I know I have the ability and through hard work I can improve my game. I think I haven't reached their level yet but I will get there one day. This will happen if I keep focused and if I carry on working hard."
Proud

Chamakh joined Arsenal on a free transfer from Bordeaux in the summer and he insists he is loving life in North London.

"I am in the club of my life," added Chamakh. "I don't count on staying in football forever. I will go till the end of my contract. That leaves me with four good years.

"I played at my favourite club in France and I played now with the club I have loved since I was little.

"For some, it is Real Madrid or Barcelona. Me, it has always been Arsenal.

"You have to see that I leave the pitch worn out after every match. I am very proud to be a Gunner."

Dear Father Christmas,

We think we have been good boys all season long and now we want to ask you if you could bring our friends and ourselves some nice Christmas presents.

Of course we know you have already done so much for us this year.  For example, when you arranged it so that nine of the eleven players for England in a single match all had managed to get Super Injunctions or Injunctions to stop us talking about their naughty little activities off the football pitch.  Oh how we laughed.

Next year we look forward to seeing an entire England team and management all with injunctions to stop us talking about them.  That will, we believe, be a major achievement.  No one will talk about England.  Yes!

In the league we know that Ryan Shawcross applied for an injunction, and the court refused, on the grounds that basically he was  that sort of player.  Thank you Santa, that was great.

And we also want to say thank you for Ian Holloway who really made us smile and laugh and laugh and smile.  He’s running a team with no money, and a tiny stadium in which the chairman went bankrupt and didn’t resign his position, (he was still fit and proper), and then resigned for no reason, then wasn’t bankrupt, and where another director (the chair’s father) is a convicted rapist, but is also a fit and proper person.  And still he refuses to play rotational fouling and rotational time wasting.  He makes his team play football.  Good on yer mate, and an extra Xmas pie from the man with the big white beard for Mr H. please.

Better still you have given us a lot of laughs as we read the chit-chat of the Anti-Arsenal Arsenal (who are currently saying that they want 25 new shining players).  They claimed all the season ticket holders had left and this season the stadium would be empty.  Oh how we laughed.

We also know that last year the AAA wrote pleading letters to you saying that new players all have to be world class. No younger players any more. They wrote to you asking for big names and big price tags, old and experienced because they claimed our old toy players are all bad, no good, just rubbish and that Cesc would leave in 2010.

But you, wonderful Father Christmas, brought us a brand new Nasri to replace the prototype Nasri, and he’s as good as it gets.  And you gave us Baby Jack, who gets better every game.  And to round it all Baby jack came second in the kiddie of the year competition for the whole universe – although that’s not good enough for the AAA.  They want a big name to shut up that big prick from United and that fat twat who supports Chelsea and eats McDonald’s (if you’ll excuse my patois Father C).

And oh how we laughed when you gave us Chamakh and the AAA told us Chamakh was no good because he came on a free, because good players cost £££££££, but you brought him to us, and he’s wonderful.  Thank you.

But now we have to confess something Father C.  Last weekend we sneaked up to your igloo at the North Pole – just past where the map ends – and we plugged a kettle into your wind farm turbine, and used the steam to open some of the letters you have been sent this year.  And now we know what the AAA are asking for, for 2011.

They want a Schwarzer in goal to start with because they can see that so many people are still so angry about us not getting him in the summer he must be world class. And there’s one letter saying why don’t you bring us Given also? After all sitting on the bench at Manchester City must be a sign of being world class.  (Sorry Santa, we burned that one in the little fire we lit to keep us warm).

Another letter – a rather sad and sorry one we think – said could you also give us Ferdinand and Vidic? They must be much better than what we have now and it would give us a lot of bragging rights. An could you also add Mertesacker. And while you are at it just give us also Puyol.  And just give us Melo in midfield. He is supposed to be world class and who will cost a fortune but that shouldn’t be a problem for you. And Melo and we want him now. We will change them all just for one Melo toy.

Oh the screaming cries of the little ones as they beg you, Father Christmas!  How do you stand it?

(And also give us Van Bommel and Dejongh because we want to see some good kicking – sorry that was in a letter that got stuck to the one about Melo, and it got eaten by a polar bear that Billy the Dog had a fight with).

And there were more and more letters from them – but as we looked (and I know we shouldn’t but Billy insisted), we found something odd.  Because although they were all signed by a different person, they were all in the same handwriting.  600 letters a day, all written by the same demented child!  Oh Father Christmas!  What will you do?

“Could you also bring us Messi and Ronaldo,” he wrote in one letter.  Oh and Torres he said in another. Oh no wait just give us Villa in a third. Oh no he is too small, chimed the sad little boy in a third. And give us Abramovic. Yeah that one will do nicely. Oh, on second thought: just give them all!  And please give us another Father Christmas since you don’t seem to be up to it any more.  We know that you can print your own money as much as you want so just get your dwarfs out there and let them start printing more money so you can buy us the toys we want.”

And here’s one we really liked (but it got eaten by our husky that Billy was training for the Manchester to London uphill ski championship) so I can’t show you the original.  “And if you think we are naughty boys, well we are not completely bad. And we even will prove it to you. We are thinking of giving  our old toys to that boy down the road. The one that cried his eyes out when we won at the Lane in the Carling cup. We think he would be happy with our old toys. He would have been happy in the past, that is for sure.  And we want you to punish some people for being silly too.  We’d like you to punish every player who is not that kind of player, and make them sit on a bench in the park until the player that they maimed comes back to play again.”

What a funny little boy he is!

But anyway Mr Claus, back to us, and what we (Walter and Tony) want.  Here’s a very special request.  We want you to cook in oil all of Fifa for being corrupt, and all of the FA for being so stupid that they didn’t realise Fifa was corrupt and so put in a bid which they (sorry, Father Christmas, I can hardly write this I am laughing so much)… which they really thought they would win!!!!!  But really Father Christmas, on that one we have to say thank you for making us laugh and laugh until we were taken away by the stewards.  Oh the nativity!  Oh the stupidity!  To think that England could put in a bid that would win!  (Actually we think the whole thing was made up by the little boy who writes all the AAA letters, and that the FA didn’t put in a bid at all.  After all, no one could be that stupid.  Could they?)

Oh and while we are at it, can you give something very funny and painful to Mr Sepp “There is no systematic corruption in Fifa” Blatter.  Some sort of nasty irritating skin disease perhaps?  Or a cactus that looks like a bowl of petunias which sits in his toilet and spikes him when he goes to the loo, but he never knows what it is so he has to go to the doctor who sends him to a hospital where he is put down.  Something like that.

Now what else?  Oh yes – thank you for your punishment of Barca.  When they got the “Unpaid Team of the Year” away in June we were so pleased for them.

And thank you for Graham Taylor, who actually seems to be a rather loveable old rogue these days and says one or two interesting things occasionally.  He’s ok, but this year, could you please somehow get rid of Robbie Savage?  OK, let him play for Derby, but on radio?  Although maybe you put him there just to torment the other prat they have on 606.  You will have your little game!

And thank you to for Frank Lampard.  “Nobody can stand here and tell me Germany were a lot better than us.”  Oh you couldn’t make it up – you really are pulling the strings aren’t you?  Like Shearer saying that no one knows much about Hatem Ben Arfa.  Well yes, these funny foreigners who play in strange alien places like France, and win the Kent Junior Challenge Cup (or the French League).  Difficult to keep track of.  Thanks Santa.  That was a good one.  Shame the old prat (Shearer that is) didn’t get the sack, but you can’t have it all.

Thank you also Father X for John Terry and his family of thieves and drug dealers, and for Wayne Rooney’s wallet and its relationship with the England fans and the Man IOU fans.  They show us just what football is like in far-flung corners of the galaxy – and yes we need to be reminded.

With all our good wishes, and hopes for the new year

Nani has written off Arsenal and Manchester City's chances of winning the Premier League this season.

The Manchester United forward believes the only threat to the title going to Old Trafford this season will come from Chelsea.

Nani had said this earlier this month the north Londoners were a credible threat but he changed his mind following United's 1-0 defeat of the Gunners.

"I no longer see anybody winning the Premier League this season outside of Manchester United or Chelsea," he told the Daily Express.

Arsène Wenger has offered a sarcastic response to Nani's claims that Arsenal are not contenders for the Premier League title.

Nani, the Manchester United winger, has said he cannot see anybody winning the league this season "outside of Manchester United or Chelsea".

But Wenger, the Arsenal manager, said mockingly today: "Everybody has a different opinion in this league and nobody is perfect. We live in a society where everybody knows everything and it is a shame to say, 'I don't know'.

"I personally don't know who will win the league and I have managed 1,600 games. If Nani knows he must be 1,600 times more intelligent than I am."

Meanwhile, Wenger admitted to being "surprised and disappointed" at the decision to overlook David Dein for the post of Football Association chairman.

Dein, a former Arsenal vice-chairman, was widely regarded as a front-runner for the position but the nominations committee headed by the Bolton chairman, Phil Gartside, instead opted for David Bernstein.

Wenger, who was lured to Arsenal by Dein in 1996 and worked alongside him until 2007 when Dein stepped down, believes his former colleague would have been the ideal choice to take the FA forward.

"I was completely surprised and disappointed [by the FA's decision]," said Wenger. "He would have offered a competent knowledge of football and international football. It is a disappointment."