Showing posts with label Players. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Players. Show all posts

PLAYER OF THE SEASON

 


It's time to announce the Arsenal.com Player of the Season - as voted for by the fans.

And the winner is... Jack Wilshere.

The 19-year-old enjoyed a meteoric rise in 2010/11, starting the campaign on the fringes of the Arsenal side and ending it as a regular for club and country. 

Jack received 41.4 per cent of the votes in our poll. Here, Arsenal.com reporter Chris Harris gives his verdict on the young midfielder.

“The thing that is different about Jack is that he is very consistent. You hardly ever see him have a bad game. We have got lots of players in the Reserves that are very good players, in my opinion even as good as Jack on their day. But they don’t have that day as often and that is where the difference is."

Of all the tributes paid to Jack Wilshere in recent months, perhaps the most telling was that one from Emmanuel Frimpong.

The midfielder is nine days younger than Wilshere, has grown up alongside him at Arsenal, won the Youth Cup with him two years ago and has designs on a first-team place of his own in the not-too-distant future.

But like all of the talent bubbling under at London Colney, Frimpong needs to produce the goods week-in week-out to emulate his friend. Because it's consistency, as much as quality, that has transformed Wilshere from a promising youngster into a mainstay for club and country.

Samir Nasri was Arsenal's stand-out performer before Christmas. Robin van Persie was a class above in the New Year. But Wilshere was exceptional from August to May, a midfield metronome for all seasons.

It's hard to believe how far Wilshere has come in such a short period. This time last year he was, in Arsène Wenger's words, "completing his footballing education" with a loan spell at Bolton. The Reebok was perhaps an unlikely finishing school but it hardened Wilshere and gave him valuable time in the centre of the pitch after starting his Arsenal career on the flank.

Even so, if there had been a betting market for Arsenal's Player of the Season in 2010/11 you could probably have named your price if you were backing Wilshere. He was still only 18, for heaven's sake, and Wenger had a battery of midfield talent at his disposal.

That all changed in pre-season. Wilshere was practically an ever-present and his stock climbed again when Fabio Capello handed him his international debut against Hungary in August - partly due to the teenager's promise, partly a reaction to England's World Cup woes and the demand for a 'new generation' to be given its head.

Wilshere did well in his brief Wembley cameo and his next opportunity was just around the corner: a starting place on the opening weekend of the Premier League season at Liverpool. 

Perhaps he would not have featured that day had Cesc Fabregas or Alex Song been fully fit, but Wilshere did not look out of place and gave Steven Gerrard and company a run for their money during the hour he spent on the Anfield pitch.

You might have expected the youngster to take a back seat after that. But Wenger picked him again. And again. And again. And as the weeks and months unfolded, it became increasingly obvious - Wilshere was a bonafide Premier League player and deserved his place in the team.

His position helped his development. Wilshere emerged through the ranks as an advanced, goalscoring midfielder, but for the first team he was deployed in a deeper role alongside Alex Song. It gave Wilshere a chance to see the play in front of him, allowing him to pick his passes and choose his forward runs carefully.

That partly explains why the goals that littered his climb through the youth ranks have dried up. Wilshere did score against Shakhtar Donetsk and Aston Villa but he may need a positional tweak as well as the experience that brings calmness in the penalty area to get back among the goals.

It's hard to pick holes in any other area of Wilshere's game. He is a tenacious tackler, a wonderful passer - remember his assist for Nicklas Bendtner against Ipswich? - and can drift past opponents with a drop of the shoulder. What's more, he's got bottle and lots of it. When the chips are down Wilshere lifts his team - whether he's in the Nou Camp or the local park.

The 19-year-old admitted that he had exceeded his own expectations in 2010/11 and no wonder. He made 49 appearances for Arsenal - more than any team-mate - and was honoured by his peers in April when the PFA made him their Young Player of the Year.

Arsenal's fans have followed suit and you cannot blame them. They love to see a genuine local talent come good and Wilshere's attitude has also won him support. He shows his emotions, he clearly loves the Club and he connects with the supporters more than most players - Wilshere has more than half a million followers on Twitter.

Our Player of the Season was clearly tiring as the Premier League finish line homed into view but his omission from the England Under-21 squad this summer should afford him a long, deserved rest.

That's just as well - Wilshere has been billed as the future of England but, more importantly, he's the future of Arsenal too.

Jens Lehmann hints at extended stay with Arsenal

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Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has hinted that he could yet stay on for another season at the club.

The 41-year-old came out of retirement after he was drafted into the team in March as an injury crisis left only Manuel Almunia available for Arsene Wenger with Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski sidelined.

Lehmann ended up playing one match in his second spell at the club but has hinted that it might not be the last time he appears.

"It was not really a comeback, but more of a last resort - actually more of a hobby," he told German newspaper Bild.

"I took three weeks to get really fit - and then I had to play against Blackpool.

"I thought: 'you can do it still. It is not forgotten'.

"From my performance I would be able to continue playing. My team-mates are always asking me if I'll still be here next season."

Even if the veteran does decide to hang up his gloves for a second time, he could still remain in England as he aims to continue his coaching career.

"I can very well imagine a job in football. First, I'll probably end my trainer course," he added.

"When you have such personalities as Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, this [England] is the ideal solution."



Szczesny - We've beaten the best at Emirates

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Wojciech Szczesny believes Arsenal have proved their pedigree with the results attained against “the big boys” at Emirates Stadium this season.

Sunday’s victory completed a hat-trick of wins over both probable Champions League finalists, Manchester United and Barcelona, while Chelsea were put to the sword on a frenzied night in December.

Arsène Wenger’s side were heavily critisised earlier in the season for their record against direct title rivals but Szczesny feels the aforementioned trio of fixtures proves Arsenal can mix it with the best.

“When the big boys come to Emirates Stadium we can show that we are a good side,” he said. “I think we have shown in the big games at home that we can produce terrific performances.

“It was a great result, a terrific performance and was exactly what we needed after last week’s disappointment. We played with the handbrake off because there was less pressure on us and the fans were fantastic.

“Realistically, our title chances were over but we wanted to play for our pride and show that we are good enough to challenge Manchester United. We were the better side and deserved to win.”

In all probability, Aaron Ramsey’s second-half strike will not claw Arsenal back into the title race and Szczesny says inconsistency has proved to be the difference over the course of the season.

“[Manchester United] have been more consistent. They didn’t drop any silly points like we did in the last couple of weeks, which made a difference. I think they have been the most consistent side and that’s why they are top of the table.”

Szczesny - Wenger flak is 'ridiculous'

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Wojciech Szczesny has described recent criticism of Arsène Wenger as “ridiculous”.

The Arsenal manager has been underfire in the past month or so after his side dropped out of the title race. However the team restored some pride with a 1-0 win over Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Afterwards, his keeper leapt to Wenger's defence.

“It’s ridiculous really,” he said. “If you ask any of the players they will stand by the manager. He built this team from nothing and I believe he is the best manager in the world.

“We are a young team, we still believe we have a lot of years ahead of us and a lot of trophies to win. Let’s be patient and show that we are good enough.

“We all take individual responsibilities for our mistakes. Everyone has played their part in this season’s disappointment and I think we have to take it as a team. You can’t blame the boss because he stood by the team the whole season and supported us.

“Next season, we need to prove that we can step up. I believe we are good enough to step up and win the league. Let’s show everyone that we are capable of doing it.”

Andrey Arshavin denies any rift with manager Arsene Wenger

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Andrey Arshavin has denied rumours of a rift between himself and Arsene Wenger after speculation about his future at the club.

Arshavin has struggled to find his best form this season for Arsenal and was left out of the starting-line up against Tottenham in midweek, leading to speculation that he could be set to leave The Emirates this summer.
Despite admitting he has not been at the top of his game this season Arshavin has denied rumours of any rift with Arsene Wenger.

“It is not true. We have absolutely fine relations,” Arshavin said, according to the Daily Mirror.
Arsenal look destined for a sixth successive season without a trophy and Wenger is reportedly set for a summer clear-out which has cast doubts over the long-term future of Arshavin, who cost £15 million from Zenit St. Petersburg in 2009.

Arshavin has been criticised for his form this season, though he has provided 11 assists in Premier League matches, second to Cesc Fabregas with 13, and has also chipped in with 10 goals in all competitions.

Szczesny hoping Wenger doesn’t need to buy

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Wojciech Szczesny hopes he has done enough to convince Arsène Wenger that the Arsenal manager doesn’t need to buy a goalkeeper in the summer.

Wenger has already hinted that he may not require a new acquisition following Szczesny’s remarkable, and somewhat unexpected, rise to prominence this season.

The confident Pole turned 21 on Monday and, after starting the campaign as the third-choice keeper at the Club, admits he is relishing his opportunity to impress on the big stage.

“I'm doing my best,” he said. “Whatever decision the manager makes at the start of next season is completely down to him, but I will do my best to cement my position in goal.

“I will always look at this as my ‘breakthrough’ season and I want to cement my place in the team for a long time.

“Whatever happens this year, next year will be very important for me personally and for Arsenal as well.”

Szczesny returned from the finger injury he sustained in Barcelona to make his first appearance in over a month against Liverpool on Sunday. A smart save from Luis Suarez in the second half coupled with a relatively unflustered afternoon saw him fit seamlessly back into the Arsenal side.

“I still felt a little uncomfortable,” he said. “I wear a special protection but it didn't cause me any trouble against Liverpool.

“I had my finger strapped for four weeks and I couldn't do anything with it. I just prayed for it to be fine after four weeks.”

Abou Diaby & Robin van Persie involved in dressing room row during Arsenal's victory over Blackpool

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Abou Diaby and Robin van Persie were reportedly involved in a dressing room row during Arsenal's victory over Blackpool.

The Gunners had taken a two-goal lead at the end of the first half, when Diaby - who had scored the opener - was booked for kicking the ball away after the whistle had been blown.

And The Mirror reports that Van Persie was angry with his team-mate, and the pair had to be pulled apart by other players during half-time.

Earlier in the season, the Londoners were cruising with a 4-0 lead at half-time against Newcastle United, but Diaby's red card proved to change the match as the opposition managed to pull off a shock to draw 4-4.

Against Blackpool, however, Arsene Wenger's men conceded a goal a little after the break, but managed to win the game 3-1.

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny reveals he is still training despite injured hand

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Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has revealed the injury he sustained against Barcelona in the Champions League has not stopped him putting in the hours on the training pitch.

The Polish 'keeper has been sidelined for two weeks and faces a minimum of two more weeks in a splint after rupturing tendons in his left hand.

Manager Arsene Wenger last week stated that he expected the 20-year-old to miss six weeks of action.

The injury prevents him from taking part in a normal goalkeeping routine, but Szczesny is using the time to work on other areas of his game that will improve him in the long-term.

"I work in the gym everyday, working on my lower body and my distribution as well which will be very good for me," he told the club's website. "I'm not getting bored, I can still do a lot of stuff.

"There's nothing you can do when it happens - you have to move on, work hard on your fitness and make sure you come back stronger than ever.

"There's not a lot of joint damage, the tendon is ruptured. So basically I have to keep my finger in a splint for four weeks and let the tendon heal. From then it will be a couple of weeks before I can be back in the squad.

"It's very hard, especially at a time when it was going well for me. We have got some big games coming up."

Ramsey - Our character earned us a point

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Aaron Ramsey says Arsenal's never-say-die attitude spared them a first Premier League defeat of the year on Saturday.

West Bromwich Albion capitalised on uncertain defending to take a two-goal lead at the Hawthorns but Andrey Arshavin and Robin van Persie struck within seven minutes of each other to set up a grandstand finish.

Arsenal could not find a winner and find themselves five points adrift of Manchester United going into the international break. That was a source of frustration to Ramsey after the match but he admits it could have been worse.

"Obviously we didn’t get the result we wanted but I thought we showed character to get a point of out it," said the Welshman. "It could have been a lot worse, absolutely, but we never give up. At least we got something out of the game.

"We have a game in hand and we play Man United at home so we are definitely not out of it [the title race]. Definitely not. There is a lot to play for and hopefully we can do that and become champions at the end."

Saturday represented Ramsey's first start in an Arsenal shirt since he suffered a double leg fracture at Stoke in February 2010. The 20-year-old almost marked the milestone with a first-half equaliser but was denied at point-blank range by Albion keeper Scott Carson.

"I think I should have scored," reflected Ramsey. "But it was awkward. The ball was around my hip and I had to take a touch, the right-back was getting close to me so I had to get a shot away pretty quickly.

"But it was great to have that opportunity to start again for Arsenal and I thought I did alright. Obviously, it is a difficult atmosphere and the fans get right behind their players - they showed that with their first half performance. But they got tired in the end and we took advantage of that."

Szczesny – We’ll win the League to shut up the moaners!




The young Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is refusing to listen to the moaners who are saying that the Gunners are not good enough to win a trophy, and, although the Pole will be watching from the sidelines for most of the run-in, he believes his Arsenal team-mates can shut everyone up simply by winning the Premiership title.

Arsenal were tamely knocked out of the FA Cup by Man Utd at Old Trafford yesterday, and many pundits believe that Alex Ferguson’s side are the most likely to go on and do the Double after that result, but Szczesny refuses to agree.

Szczesny said : “I don’t care what people say. The only way we can respond is by going out on the pitch and showing people what we are made of.

“We are confident we are a very good team and we believe we can win the league this season – that is the only way to shut them up really.

“Yes, we’re heartened by United losing their last two league games. We’re going to try to take advantage of it.

“They’ve dropped points and we’re going to do our best to win all of our games coming up – then we’ve still got to play them at the Emirates.”

Wilshere - We must show our spirit now

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Jack Wilshere has called for Arsenal to dig deep and show their spirit to ensure they don't finish the season empty-handed.

The 19-year-old was arguably his team's stand-out performer at the Nou Camp on Tuesday night as the Gunners went down 3-1 to Barcelona, losing 4-3 on aggregate.

Their Champions League exit comes just nine days after they lost the Carling Cup Final but two trophies are still within Arsenal's grasp - they are just three points behind Premier League leaders Manchester United and travel to Old Trafford this Saturday for an FA Cup Quarter-Final against their title rivals.


Wilshere was as disappointed as anybody as he left the Nou Camp but he won't let his head drop.

"We have got to pick ourselves up," said the 19-year-old. "We have still got the championship, we are just three points behind and with a game in hand. We go to Manchester United in the FA Cup on Saturday and we have to pick ourselves up to get the win there.

"We never give up, that is the spirit of Arsenal. We are still in two competitions and need to get a trophy this year, that will be the aim."

The Champions League was always an outside bet once Arsène Wenger's side were paired with Barcelona in the last 16. However Wilshere was left ruing two key moments in the second half of the second leg - Robin van Persie's second yellow card for perceived time-wasting and Nicklas Bendtner's late chance to snatch a decisive away goal.

"Robin was furious, and even I could not hear the whistle," said Wilshere. "We all know it was a bad decision, but we have to deal with it and move on. It was the wrong decision but that is part and parcel of football.

"I thought we dealt with it quite well, but if there is any team you don't want to go down to ten men against, it is Barcelona. We got a goal back, which was the aim, and we were pushing them, then Robin went off so we had to defend and maybe we just ran out of legs in the end.

"It was a big moment for us, and we were a bit unlucky. [As for the late chance] Nicklas has been brilliant for us and maybe if he had taken a better touch, he would have put it in, but it was not meant to be."

Wilshere will take home some regrets from the Nou Camp but his reputation has been enhanced by two outstanding displays against Barcelona. The 19-year-old held his own against the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta and admits he relished every minute of their battles.

"To be playing against people like Xavi and Iniesta is brilliant," he said. "It was a great experience.

"At my age, I am still learning and there are no better players to learn from. Barcelona will probably win the Champions League now because they are the best team in Europe."

Sagna - We have to bring back a trophy

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Bacary Sagna will not even consider the possibility that Arsenal may end the season empty-handed.

On Wednesday night, Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona. Ten days earlier they had lost to Birmingham in the last minute of Carling Cup Final.

They were bitter blows to a season that had promised so much but Arsène Wenger’s side are still very much in the hunt for the Premier League and FA Cup. Saturday’s Sixth Round tie at Manchester United is now seen as key to the campaign but, for Sagna, the season is half-full not half-empty.

“We have to be strong now because we want to be successful,” said the Frenchman. “We have to fight for the team, for the fans and everyone.

“I am not thinking about [the possibility of winning nothing]. I am confident and looking forward to winning something. We have to bring something back because we have the quality to do it and we need to do it.

“We are ready to fight because we are even more frustrated after what happened against Barcelona and we want to give more. Everyone is disappointed but we want to bounce back. We are playing again on Saturday and it will be another big game. We just want to go there and play our football.”

The statistics say that Barcelona dominated Tuesday’s tie against Arsenal. But the most important number – the aggregate scoreline – see-sawed throughout the night and the visitors might still have stolen the tie if Nicklas Bendtner had converted an injury-time opportunity.

But, like most Arsenal observers, Sagna thought the dismissal of Robin van Persie made the difference.

“We defended well as a team,” said the full back. “At 11 v 11 it was already difficult but after [the red card] it was impossible.

“There is not a big gap between us. They played at home so they had the ball most of the time but we needed to defend as a team like Inter Milan did last year. Conceding the goal just before half-time was bad for us – we had to come back – we did but that was not enough.

“Still we can learn a lot from them, they kept passing the ball well. We have to think about the way they played and it must be an inspiration for us.”

Arsenal ‘need’ to win silverware this season following Champions League loss to Barcelona - Jack Wilshere

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Jack Wilshere has admitted Arsenal "need" to win silverware this season as fears grow their trophy drought could be extended to a seventh year.

The Gunners were eliminated from the Champions League by Barcelona on Tuesday night only nine days after losing the League Cup final to Birmingham in the last minute.

But they trail Manchester United in the Premier League by only three points with a game in hand and travel to Old Trafford on Saturday for an FA Cup quarter-final clash.

“We are still in two competitions and need to get a trophy this year, that will be the aim,” said Wilshere. “We have still got the championship, we are just three points behind and with a game in hand.

“We go to Manchester United in the FA Cup on Saturday and we have to pick ourselves up to get the win there. We never give up, that is the spirit of Arsenal.”

Wilshere explained that the Arsenal players were staggered by the decision to penalise Robin van Persie for the offence of kicking the ball away only a second after the referee halted play, which resulted in a second booking and a red card for the Dutchman.

“Robin was furious, and even I could not hear the whistle,” said Wilshere. “We all know it was a bad decision, but we have to deal with it and move on. That is part and parcel of football.

“I thought we dealt with it quite well, but if there is any team you don't want to go down to 10 men against, it is Barcelona.

“We got a goal back, which was the aim and we were pushing them, then Robin went off, we had to defend and maybe we just ran out of legs in the end. It was a big moment for us, and we were a bit unlucky.

“Nicklas [Bendtner] had been brilliant for us and maybe if he had taken a better touch [in the final minutes], he would have put it in, but it was not meant to be.”

Following his magnificent performance in Arsenal’s 2-1 first leg victory over the three-times European Cup winners, Wilshere was once again one of his club’s most influential players in a one-sided return leg.

Nevertheless, the teenager recognises the importance the last three weeks have been in developing his own game.

“To be playing against people like Xavi and Iniesta is brilliant,” Wilshere said. “It was a great experience. At my age, I am still learning and there are no better players to learn from.

“They will probably win it now because they are the best team in Europe.”

Bacary Sagna: Arsenal are now playing without fear

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Bacary Sagna insists Arsenal no longer play with fear or the burden of expectation and maintains the club are now ready to win their first trophy in six years.

Arsenal last tasted success in 2005 after winning the FA Cup but since then, Arsene Wenger’s side have failed to add build on that.

Despite the expectancy, Sagna feels Arsenal are ready to triumph over Birmingham City after having learned from their previous mistakes.

"We were scared, but we are not any more," Sagna told the club’s official website.

"We have been close to winning something but we got scared, we stopped playing and were waiting for the result to happen.

"During the past we have been a bit unlucky as well with injuries and had problems to deal with that.

"But we have learned from our mistakes and all the problems we had, now we are ready to win everything.

"We have not won anything for six years so it will be massive for the players, the fans and the club as well.

Despite their sustained Premier League title challenge every season, Sagna has admitted the lack of a tangible reward has been difficult to accept as an Arsenal player.

"Every year we have been really disappointed and it is hard to start the season knowing you could have won something in the past,” said the 28-year-old.

"But we have grown up as a team, we are wiser and now in the final. It has taken time, but we are on a good way to being successful.

"This is not the good way, you have to look forwards and to act. I hope Sunday will be a good way to show people we can win and go on to even more, to show we are very hungry."

Sagna has admitted he is now targeting trophies but has expressed his caution ahead of the tie against Alex McLeish’s side.

"This progression has come naturally because as a professional you always want to win something and be successful.

"Also, at the end of your career you want to be able to look back on your achievements. At the moment, there is not that much."

"Unfortunately, we have been so close to winning something but we didn't.

"Now we have the opportunity to win on Sunday, but it will not be easy because Birmingham want it as much as we do.

"Wembley is one of the most amazing stadiums in Europe and now we have the opportunity to show what we can do, that we can win trophies."

Samir Nasri: I don't intend to leave Arsenal without winning anything

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Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri insists that he intends to win something before he makes a move to further his career away from the club.

The 23-year-old has put in strong performances this campaign, and has been linked with a move to Barcelona. And it appears that he intends to first fulfil his dream of winning the title with the Gunners before considering his options.

"All I can say is that I am enjoying my time at Arsenal and in London, and I feel there’s still a lot for me to contribute," Nasri told Sport magazine.

"One of the reasons I came to Arsenal was to win titles, and I’m not expecting to leave this club without one."

With only 16 months left on his current contract with the club, the former Marseille man admitted that talks concerning a new deal are set to take place during the summer.

"We promised each other to speak about this subject after the season ends," he said. "For now all my focus is on winning the league title and also getting as far as possible in the Champions League."

Djourou - I'm not scared of Lionel Messi

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Johan Djourou is not scared of Lionel Messi.

The Swiss defender issued a rally cry ahead of arguably the biggest test of his career when Barcelona visit Emirates Stadium for the first leg of an eagerly-awaited Champions League tie on Wednesday night.

Messi is by common consent the world's finest footballer: he has 35 goals in 28 games this season and, in case you'd forgotten, he scored four times to dump Arsenal out of Europe last April. But Djourou won't be driven to distraction by the Argentine.

"Barcelona are a great team but it is not just about Messi," he said. 

"He has great, great service from players like Xavi and [Andres] Iniesta so we have to be focused as a group. We have to get behind the back and be together. It is how we can block the space for him to run into.

"You do not get scared [of facing Messi]. If I was scared, I wouldn't be playing tomorrow. You have to be excited not scared. It is true Messi is good one versus one but, as cover, we can be hard to beat.

"We know they are a great team going forward and we will have to defend well and be focused for 90 minutes. But do not forget we have great players as well. It will be interesting."

Djourou played no part in Arsenal's 6-3 aggregate defeat to the Catalan giants in last year's Quarter-Finals - indeed he spent virtually the entire campaign sidelined by a knee injury.

Arsène Wenger made a point of not overloading Djourou with games in the first half of this season but, since the turn of the year, the 24-year-old has been a virtual ever-present at the back. The Swiss international believes he has proved his worth.

"Everything has gone well," he said. "I was injured and it has taken time to come back. I have worked hard and have the confidence of the manager. I am working hard and am showing everyone what I can do. I am happy everyone is doing well.

"I don't think there were doubts [when I came back]. You have doubts when you are out and you don't know how long you will be out for. I had no doubt I would come back to my best.

"For me, it [playing regularly] was a good point to prove that my knee was fine and that my injury was in the past. It was a difficult time for me."

Denilson - We must all take responsibility

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Denilson has called for every Arsenal player "to take responsibility" as they chase silverware on four fronts this season.

The midfielder has been in the news this week after telling Brazilian TV that Cesc Fabregas was "not a leader". Speaking to the Official Arsenal Programme, Denilson clarified his comments in that interview and urged his team-mates to work together in the months to come.

"I want to tell everyone that I never said that Cesc Fabregas is a bad captain," said Denilson. "I never spoke about him [like that] because I like him and respect him, as I do all of the players.

"Sometimes the papers change a conversation and you never know whether it’s true. I am honest though, and when I came to the training ground on Wednesday, before going to Leeds on the train, I spoke to Cesc about it. He understood and was fine.

"I basically said that we have 25 players who should all take responsibility - I never talked about Cesc as captain. Unfortunately the papers like to change things. More important than that is to be together as a club. I respect Cesc, all the players and the staff too because we are all working for the same thing.

“This is a very young team, but we have quality, and we are in a very good position. Look at Chelsea – they have many experienced players but they are below us in the table. Cesc is the captain, and I respect him, but I think every single player needs to take responsibility on the pitch too.

“Me personally, I need to continue to work to improve as well. If we want to win this is what we have to do."

Cesc Fabregas warns Arsenal not to take 'dangerous' Ipswich lightly in semi-final tie



Captain Cesc Fabregas has warned his side cannot afford to underestimate 'dangerous' Championship strugglers Ipswich in Wednesday's Carling Cup semi-final first leg at Portman Road.

Even though Arsene Wenger will again rotate his squad, the Gunners are odds-on favourites to easily dispose of the Tractor Boys - who appointed Paul Jewell as successor to Roy Keane - and reach Wembley next month as they look to secure a first piece of silverware in six seasons.

However, Fabregas, who came off the bench on Saturday to net a last-minute penalty against Leeds which kept Arsenal in the FA Cup, is in no doubt the Suffolk club will be 'motivated' to cause a major upset.

'Although Ipswich are a Championship team, that can make them even more dangerous,' the Spain international said.

'Their motivation will be very high - these will be the biggest two games of their year.


'They will be desperate to beat us, they will want to show their strengths, and their motivation will be as high as possible.

'If we want to get through we will have to match that motivation, if not raise it further.'

Arsenal remains the club where I want to play - Nicklas Bendtner



Danish international striker Nicklas Bendtner  has moved to dismiss speculation that he is unhappy at Arsenal and has pledged his immediate future to the Emirates Stadium outfit.

Bendtner, 22, has been linked with a series of clubs - including Ajax, Bayern Munich, Lazio and AC Milan - after the arrival of Marouane Chamakh and return of Robin van Persie from injury saw the Dane’s first team appearances for the Gunners limited.

In comments made to the club’s official matchday programme, the Gunners' front-man sought to clarify previous statements he had made with regards to his frustration at a lack of opportunities at Emirates Stadium.

“I think a few things may have been interpreted not exactly in the way I said them, but it’s true that I was disappointed because anyone who isn’t playing wants to be in the team," he said.

“I’m no different, but I think maybe it got talked up a little too much, because I also said that Arsenal is the club I’ve been at for a long time and remains the club where I want to play.

“I believe I’m good enough to play, and there have never been any talks about leaving or anything like that, it’s just naturally frustrating if you are not in the side and that’s the same for any player.”

With Arsene Wenger restoring Bendtner to the side in the 1-1 FA Cup draw against Leeds United on Saturday, the striker is expected to retain his place in the side for Arsenal’s Carling Cup semi-final first leg against Championship outfit Ipswich Town on Wednesday.

Robin van Persie and Samir Nasri post-Birmingham interviews


Arsenal striker Robin van Persie believes the Gunners were impressive on Saturday after they eased past Birmingham City as their away form keeps improving.

Speaking to ESPN, the Dutchman explained the players knew the home side would be very physical and how they were prepared for the “battle”. Asked about the handball incident in the first half, the 27-year said with a smile how he doesn’t remember it as he added how there was contact when he went down and won the set-piece from which the Gunners took the lead.

Van Persie concluded by saying how he is now looking forward to Wednesday’s game at home against Manchester City with, a big game against a big side with the Gunners desperately needing the win to reduce the gap from Roberto Mancini’s men.

Also interviewed by ESPN was French midfielder Samir Nasri who said that he is delighted with his current form after enjoying a normal pre-season with no injures and of course, no World Cup worries.

After the game, the two Arsenal stars said :
[Today's result is] very impressive in my opinion. Birmingham is a great side, they work unbelievably hard and they’ve got points from big games.

We knew that before the game, that’s why we had to be at this level, and I think everyone worked quite hard for each other and we got some good goals.

I can’t remember [the handball incident], sorry [and] no [I wasn’t surprised the free-kick was awarded], not really, because there was contact before the moment, and I went down. In my opinion it’s a clear free-kick.

[Manchester City] is a big game. Man City has a great side and we have a great side as well so it’s game on.
I think this season I had a normal pre-season [without injury]. My partners [team-mates] make me in a good position, and then I can score and I have a lot of confidence so I try and take my chance and I’m confident at the moment and it’s good for the team.