Arsenal News

Arsene Wenger Insists Europa League Is Tougher This Year

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has insisted that the Gunners do not have an easy challenge on their hands to win the Europa League title this term. The north London side are heavily fancied to progress to the quarter-final of the competition after taking a 2-0 lead over AC Milan in the round of 16 first leg, but Wenger is not taking any games for granted, given the added difficulty of the challenge this year.

Speaking prior to the second leg versus Milan, Wenger admitted that the club are keen to win the competition in order to qualify for next season’s Champions League, but the route does not get easier with the likes of Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund still in the mix, he said: “You never compare. You’re right, I want to be in the Champions League and in the Europa League, if you look at the teams that are in there, it is very strong.

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Arsenal embrace change

Arsenal football club have long been one of the game’s more progressive clubs, with Arsene Wenger rightly hailed as one of the key catalysts involved in modernising the English Premier League in line with the rest of Europe.  When he first came in, Tony Adams et al were having daily beer binges straight after training, before eating a kebab, smoking a few cigars, and grabbing a few hours sleep ahead of the next dya’s training, when the whole cycle repeated itself.

Fast forward just a few years and he had turned the team into a bunch of professional athletes – actually caring what went into their bodies, and turning to chicken and pasta, and abstaining from alcohol to maximise results on the pitch!

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Arsenal suffer scare against CSKA

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that his team struggled against CSKA Moscow and was in danger of conceding another goal that would have eliminated them on aggregate. He said that his players were surprised by the intensity of the game and that they struggled at times to cope with the energy and determination shown by the Russian player.

At times CSKA looked like one of the top Spanish teams like Barcelona and Real, with their passing somehow bypassing Arsenal’s midfield with relative ease. Arsene Wenger said that it was a difficult game for his players and that he is proud of how they have managed to come back into the game. He said that the second half was much easier for his players as they successfully raised their game to cope with the intensity of the CSKA Moscow players.

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Arsene Wenger suggests Alexandre Lacazette’s confidence has been dented by Aubameyang’s arrival

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has suggested that Alexandre Lacazette’s confidence may have been hampered following the arrival of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last month. The France international has played as a substitute in his previous two appearances, the latter of which came against Tottenham Hotspur.


The Gunners struggled to find any cutting edge during last weekend’s north London derby versus Spurs, but ultimately there was some regret after Lacazette missed a couple of clear-cut chances at the end. The Gunners were trailing 1-0 heading into the final 10 minutes of the game, and the Frenchman fluffed his line on two occasions including a one-and-one with Hugo Lloris.

Arsenal News

Sanchez Departure Could Provide Arsenal with Better Balance

Make no mistake, Alexis Sanchez is a fantastic footballer. One who has been coveted by the best teams in the world ever since he caught the eye with his performances for Udinese and the Chile national team prompting a move to Barcelona back in 2011. And it could be argued that Arsenal have seen the very best of that talent having signed him as a 25-year-old back in 2014. A haul of 80 goals in 165 appearances for the Gunners certainly backs up this claim.

As a result, his departure to a Premier League rivals may seem a little absurd. However, as the 29-year-old Chilean follows Theo Walcott out of the door at the Emirates, two more players still in the prime of their careers will arrive. Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are not only talented and at the right age but they have also played together before – to great effect.

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Wenger happy with comeback against Liverpool

A thrilling match was in for fans inside the Emirates stadium on Friday night as Arsenal were involved in a 3-3 draw with Liverpool. It could have been a much more difficult result for the gunners had it not been for the excellent comeback from Arsenal just at the start of the second half. After going down to goals from Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah, things looked extremely difficult and worse for Arsenal. Yet, the team came back with the likes of Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, and Granit Xhaka coming up with the equaliser. After the game, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was left disappointed at not being able to take three points from this match even after scoring three goals.

Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger felt that his team had a couple of bad moments in the game and Liverpool were able to capitalise on the situations.

Arsenal News

Vieira: The Pretenders and Contenders to his Throne

July 2005. The month and year that Patrick Vieira left Arsenal to join Juventus. The deal was a reported £13.75m and left many Gunners’ fans in shock. The central lynchpin of the Invincible team had been cast aside with no replacement seemingly on the way.

For many, the Frenchman’s departure is a symbol of everything that followed for Arsenal over the next 12 years. A dominant, all-round midfielder who was a genuine leader. Gone. The Arsenal midfield hasn’t been the same since. Of course, it’s not quite that simple. To suggest Vieira was never replaced is a little misleading. In the last 12 years, Arsenal have had a selection of world-class midfielders, albeit of a different ilk from the towering Frenchman.

There is no doubt that Arsene Wenger has made more than a few questionable decisions during his reign. But blaming him for not replacing Vieira with a like-for-like player somewhat misses the point. The root of Arsenal’s failings in the league and Champions League stem further than a lack of leaders.

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WALCOTT HEARTFELT LETTER TO ARSENAL FAN

Gunners winger passed on his condolences to some loyal Arsenal supporters following the death of their child, whom they had named after the Arsenal star, Theo.

Walcott and the club were widely praised online and in the media when it emerged that Walcott had sent a heartfelt letter to some grieving parents following the death of their son, who was named Theo in recognition of the Arsenal star.

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What now for Wilshere?

Traditionally, the January transfer window is a quiet time in terms of player trading, but all that can change when a major tournament is on the horizon. We’re heading into World Cup year and those who are on the fringes of their national squads are eager to get as much game time as possible in order to increase their chances of making the plane.

One of those players is Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere. Back to fitness after a catalogue of injuries, the midfielder continues to be overlooked by Gareth Southgate as younger, untried men are used in Wilshere’s preferred slot. A move away from the Emirates is a possibility but given Arsenal’s mixed start to the season, Arsene Wenger should really be looking to bring this considerable talent back into the fold.

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