Главный тренер "Арсенала" Арсен Венгер после разочаровывающего поражения свое команды со счётом 0-2 в от португальской "Браги" в матче 5-го раунда группового этапа Лиги Чемпионов удивительным образом в очередной раз отказался возлагать вину за провал на своих собственных игроков, обвинив вместо этого соперника в антифутболе и использовании всевозможных трюков, помешавшим "Канонирам" раскрыть свой истинный потенциал.

"Мы играли против команды, которая отказывалась играть и пыталась поймать нас на контратаках, - сказал французский специалист. - Они использовали любые приёмы и ухищрения, чтобы замедлить ход игры, мы же так и не смогли создать по-настоящему голевых моментов".

"Субботний результат [поражение от "Тоттенхэма"] никак не повлиял на нашу игру, потому что я выпустил семь игроков, которые в том матче не играли. Думаю, мы могли бы забить гол, но в футболе такое происходит, когда другая команда не хочет играть".


"Арсенал" по-прежнему не может победить в Португалии
"Конечно, каждый волен играть так, как хочет, и они победили. Мы могли бы провести 10 таких матчей и выиграть восемь или девять из них, но сегодня мы это не сделали".

Однако наставник "Браги" Домингос Пасиенса не стал отвечать на обвинения Венгера.

"Я не хочу комментировать слова Венгера, потому что он мой коллега. Это его персональное мнение", - сказал Пасиенса.

Арсен Венгер также считает, что венгерский арбитр встречи Виктор Кашшаи обокрал его команду, не назначив очевидный пенальти в концовке встречи за нарушение правил против Карлоса Велы, который вместо этого получил предупреждение за симуляцию.

"Мне трудно понять, как мы не получили пенальти. Пять арбитров - это не решение проблемы. Мы были пропустили гол после того, как было остались вдесятером после грубого нарушения правил на Эбуэ, которое осталось безнаказанным, однако поворотным моментом матча стал пенальти - я не могу понять, как Вела мог получить жёлтую карточку, для меня это полная загадка".

"Арбитр принимал странные решения, и принять это трудно, но сейчас для нас самое главное - это выйти из группы".

Впрочем, наставник "Браги" с мнением Венгера относительно пенальти оказался не согласен: "Я пересмотрел эпизод по телевизору, и должен отметить, что перед этим был офсайд. Если бы арбитр сразу зафиксировал офсайд, этих разговоров сейчас не было бы".

Капитан "Арсенала" Цеск Фабрегас выбыл из строя на 3 недели из-за травмы подколенного сухожилия, полученной в матче Лиги Чемпионов против "Браги".
Напомним, что на пресс-конференции в преддверии этого матча главный тренер "канониров" Арсен Венгер признал, что у полузащитника имеются некоторые проблемы со здоровьем. Тем не менее Фабрегас все же появился в стартовом составе.

Во втором тайме матча в Португалии Цеску потребовалась вынужденная замена. А без своего капитана "Арсенал" оказался повержен - 2:0. Венгер сообщил, что Фабрегас повредил не ту ногу, из-за которой он пропустил уже месяц в нынешнем сезоне.

"Нам еще предстоит провести углубленное обследование Фабрегаса. На лечение может потребоваться 2-3 недели. Мы расстроены, ведь перед матчем я долго колебался, ставить его в состав или нет. Я решил рискнуть, и это обернулось травмой", - цитирует Венгера Sky Sports.

По всей видимости Фабрегас теперь пропустит матчи Премьер-Лиги против "Астон Виллы", "Уигана" и "Фулхэма", а также поединок с "Партизаном" в Лиге Чемпионов. Ожидать возвращение полузащитника на поле может будет к выездной встрече против "Манчестер Юнайтед" 13 декабря.

Well it seems that the readership of JustArsenal is finally coming around to Adam Kemp’s point of view; i.e. Wenger can’t take the Gunners any further.

Judging by this mornings comments (after the post from Ahmed – The Pros and Cons of Wenger) it seems that all and sundry feel that AW has lost the ability to manage the team correctly.

Well Ahmed asked the question, and now Adam Kemp feels that before deciding on an answer there are a few facts that need to be considered. Over to you Adam……

Arsene Wenger – The Facts:

Arsene for all his worth has brought undoubted success to our club between 1998 and 2005. At the time Arsene took over the club Arsenal were the third most successful club in English football based on major honours won. Arsenal were a big club before Wenger and we all seem to forget that this was certainly the case. The foundation’s behind Wenger’s success were already in place with a solid squad of players already at his disposal.

The man moved us into a world class stadium and developed the London Colney training ground, which is a great and wonderful achievement. He has created facilities that brand us as a world class club which we all thank him for still to this very day. Arsene has taken Arsenal to be considered one of the best clubs in the world, increasing the fan base and creating an exciting breed of playing football – when it works? For all his excellence of the early years the later years have been nothing but pain and anguish for Arsenal fans.

He sold his established stars for no or little money in comparison to their market value, to reduce a wage bill or because he only gives one year deals to players over thirty! I think players like Gilberto and Pires had another couple of seasons left in them, to certainly play and bring in the youngsters and guide them as winners. No Wenger’s constant greed for making a quick profit was to be his downfall on the pitch.

Arsene Wenger’s ability to generate sparking financial results is a massive con. Currently the Gunners have £127.6 Million in cash reserves. Going back to sales of Adebayor and Toure helped generate a massive transfer profit which has been a common theme of his market dealings. Is it acceptable to develop a player to a high technical and mental standard and them sell them, in vain of profit and to promote an academy youngster who may be as good, one day! Arsenal Group recorded a turnover of £379.9 Million, where the football turnover only fell by 2.2 Million; Club recorded Pre Tax Profits of 56 Million. The figures do not lie and Arsene does not invest any percentage of the well publicised profit into established players; it is a disgrace and a slap in the face to all us hard working fans who pay our money to watch Arsenal.

The cost of the Emirates stadium is used as an excuse for lack of financial muscle we have when dealing in the transfer market. Simply it is yet another excuse and lie for Arsenal fans to hide behind when we fall short. This debt has not affected us at all as it is managed as loan repayable over twenty-five years. Arsenal from the sale of Highbury Square and other developing projects have slashed the 356 Million debt to well under 200 Million. They still have twenty years on the loan repayment plan of around 190Million, which is about 9.5Million a year; about £182k a week! This is not even the basic wage that Yaya Toure earns at Man City! The debt is the cost of a twenty year contract of a player earning 180k without any bonuses! So anyone who dares state that we are in debt simply needs to learn about accounting – it is a long term repayment plan that is easily affordable to Arsenal and the turnover they produce.

Based on Wenger having financial constraints – No one is buying this anymore about we are in a transition period. For a club of Arsenal’s stature five years, let alone six years, is far too long for the most patient of us all to wait. Wenger has a habit of blaming everyone but himself and the team when things go bad. He is stubborn and does not here the true voice of the fans and is determined to prove the whole world wrong. He is trying to say I can be successful doing it this way, where now everyone I know just laughs at his approach. Arsenal claim to play sexy football and it’s okay that we play good football. Personally I think we do not have the right players of the correct technical and mental level to play our brand of football. It worked with the likes of Pires and Henry in the team. Arsenal played great football in the past and this team lives off the past glory and reputation we have for playing attacking football. Last night’s game was anything but good football and was even more boring that old days of George Graham.

The biggest flaw about Wenger is his ability to win matches and adapt his tactical approach to deliver when required. Arsenal when put under pressure and closed down cannot adapt and play in a slightly different way to win big matches. Football is only a game of scoring and then not conceding when you have a lead. You would have thought we had of learnt this after the heart ache of 2008, throwing the league away then using Eduardo‘s leg break as the excuse then. How many times have you seen Arsenal buckle on the big occasions when the pressure is on to win matches? This season is a culmination of all of Wengers flaws and you have been found out that you are just a bad football manager.

The question that needs to be asked here, is it okay to have faith in someone who has been a legend in the past? Well is it enough to live off your past achievements and dismiss the current failure based on stubbornness and excuses? Discuss…

Aaron Ramsey does not intend to "jump back in" after nine months out through injury.

The Wales midfielder, who turns 20 on Boxing Day, played 45 minutes for the reserves against Wolverhampton Wanderers this week - his first competitive action since suffering an horrific broken leg in a challenge with Stoke City's Ryan Shawcross in the Barclays Premier League match at the Britannia Stadium on 27th February.
While the former Cardiff youngster, who joined Arsenal in a £5m deal during June 2008, has set his sights firmly on a regular place in Arsene Wenger's first-team squad, Ramsey accepts he must be patient.
"I have been waiting for this a long time, and I couldn't wait to get out onto the pitch," Ramsey said.

"Obviously it is great to be back playing my first game and I felt it went quite well

"I was blowing a bit after about 20 minutes, so I have got some work to do in that department, but I feel very good about myself."

BIT BEHIND:
There is an outside chance Ramsey could be included in the squad for next week's Carling Cup quarter-final against Wigan Athletic at Emirates Stadium.

Ramsey, though, will continue to take things one step at a time.

"The only way you can get match fitness is by playing games," he said.

"In training, I felt I was as fit as all the rest, but being out there proved I was a bit behind.

"That is to be expected and the more games I play, the more match fit I am going to get.

"After you have been out for nine months, your muscles are still adapting to the hard training and games, so for some players they can get injuries which set them back for a few weeks, but hopefully I can stay injury free.

"I have another few reserve games planned, with 60 minutes and then a full game - then I can try to fight for my place again.

"I am not going to jump back in, it is going to take a bit of time.

"But as soon as I feel I am match fit, I am going to try to get back into the starting XI."

NEAR FUTURE:
Ramsey maintains there are no psychological barriers to overcome.

"I have seen the specialist and he was happy for me to go back into contact, so I don't have a problem with it," the Wales international said. "I had a few kicks on the leg and it felt good."

Ramsey insisted: "The tackle is out of my head now. I just want to concentrate on trying to get back into the first team and to play competitive games for them.

"Hopefully now I can do that in the near future. I just want to play as much as I can and try to make up for the many months I have been out."