Derby 0 Arsenal 0
in a sentence
Few chances - perhaps Parlour should have done better when one-on-one -but brave performance from patched-up Gunners' side. (16:50 pm)
Derby situation
Flu has added to injury worries.
Garde and Lungjberg have reportedly succumbed.
Hughes is reported fit in some papers, not in others. Upson and Grondin are on standby.
Petit, Vieira, Adams, Bergkamp, and Winterburn are all out.
Eranio is in for Derby, but Stimac and Baiano are out. (Sat 12:00)
Berkovic signs
Not Eyal, but Nir, yes Nir.
He's16, and signed a two year deal to play in the youth team, until he goes to the Army, says the Evening Standard.
He used to play for Maccabi Haifa, but was on Anderlecht's books.
His brother Eyal, of West Ham, sorted out the deal.
Steed Malanbranque - no go
The Evening Standard revealed, on Friday the "link" to the £2m rated 18 year old Olimpique Lyon midfielder.
However the Monday press says the youngster doesn't want to move anywhere this season, and hasn't done any deals with Arsenal.
Arsene Wenger said, Tuesday, the youngster isn't ready to move from France, and denies trying for him.
Caballero off
Scored and got sent off in Arsenal's 2-0 win against QPR Reserves for elbowing Chris Plummer. Could face a three match ban and a fine.
Has scored four in five reserve games now.
Ljungberg had flu
Fred Ljungberg played against Boro with flu, says Arsene Wenger.
That is why he took him off.
Lee Hughes
Glasgow Rangers are reported to be after WBA's young striker, Lee Hughes.
Petit strike call
Manu Petit has called for players to withdraw their labour if the number of matches they are asked to play gets too much.
Arsene Wenger responded by saying, there may be a problem paying players wages, as gate receipts generate a large part of their salaries.
And he added that if you ask players whether they'd prefer to play matches or practice, they always choose the former.
(Thanks to Bernard Azulay - for asking the question)
Kanu on ice
Speculation about Kanu coming to Arsenal is wrong, says AW.
But it might be right later.
Team Injuries
Week-end 30/11
Bergkamp -3 weeks
Vieira - 3 weeks
Petit- 4-6 weeks
Winterburn -10-20 days
Adams - January/February
Statistics - (Premiership games up to Boro, from Carling OPTA)
Matches -14
Goals -14
Shots 189
% on target 49
%goals/shots 7
Short pass 4902
long pass 724
crosses 224
%complete 21
goals against 6
tackles 476
%tackles won 70
blocks etc 962
Fouls - 161
Yellows -25
Red cards - 3
Player - most shots: Anelka 55
Player most on target: Anelka 26
Player with most off target: 29
Nigel Winterburn -1088 (3rd best defender)
Tony Adams 1067 (4th best defender)
Emmanuel Petit 1225 (best midfielder)
Ray Parlour 1002 (3rd attacking midfielder)
Nicolas Anelka 1009 (3rd best forward)
Quote:" It would be difficult to replace Dennis Bergkamp in any team." Jim Smith - Daily Mail.
Yesterday the speculation. Today the denials. It's the stuff of tabloids.
Perhaps self created stories.
Nontheless, Wenger is quoted as saying he'll sign his Arsenal contract; he'll stay for another four years; Arsenal will win the Championship again.
He has taken a long time to sign at previous clubs - and with English soccer as it is "his word is more important than a signature."
He says it is unfortunate having to play so many youth/reserve players at once, and that the Arsenal spirit is needed.
He also says that Arsenal are in a better position (league) than this time last season.
The Sun says Arsenal could be interested in Chris Sutton.
Meanwhile the Mail points out that if Arsenal want French u-21 defender Mickael Silvestre then they have to deal with Inter Milan. FIFA ruled that Inter have to pay Rennes £1.1m.
Meanwhile Martin Thorpe (Guardian) points out that Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet of Mill Hill synagogue, finds out whether Arsenal won or lost by the volume of his neighbour's door closing. His neighbour is Luis Boa Morte.
An at a glance view of today's press - Fri 4 Dec
Tabloid talk: 'Wenger doubt'
Tangled web of speculation today involving Wenger, Kanu, Inter Milan, Rennes and Real Madrid, FIFA and Bosman.
Only the tabloids pick up on Wenger's unsigned contract and Real Madrid's alleged interest.
The Mail has the scariest quote from Real's Juan Onieva, who said:" the impression we were given was that Wenger had dedided not to continue with Arsenal after this season."
And although they approached him indirectly before Hiddink, Onieva said of the current speculation:" I can categorically say that Real Madrid have not been in contact at all with Arsene Wenger - and have no need of him at the moment."
The Mail says the delay over signing the Arsenal contract is more to do with the length of it (time) rather than media 'take-over' interest.
The Mail says the Kanu deal has 'collapsed' over a wrangle between Kanu and Inter over an "unpaid" loyalty bonus. It says a £4.7m fee had been agreed along with personal terms.
The D.Telegraph says that the deal is believed "to have fallen through". But the Guardian says that two Arsenal reps went to Italy on Wednesday for talks on a £4.5m move.."but despite previously stating his willingness to join the London club, Kanu asked for more time to consider."
The D.Mail speculates he [Kanu] could end up at Chelsea on loan for the season - with international team-mate Babayaro.
The Mail also speculates that Wenger has switched his attention to Mickael Silvestre, Inter's u-21 French defender, who is at the centre of a contract wrangle with Rennes, who claim, the player belongs to them.
Liverpool's Houllier is also reportedly interested, but Inter say that they don't want to let him go. FIFA are ruling on it, apparently.
Inter, of course had a hand in the speculation over Real and Wenger, after beating the Spanish team 3-1, jeopardising Real's progress in the Champions League, and adding to the pressure on Hiddink. Real are currently seventh in the Spanish League.
In other news: Arsenal have booked their summer training camp in Monaco, implying Wenger is staying (Mail).
Emmanuel Petit has been in France for physio treatment in Laval. He could make the Xmas games, and says eight hours a day on the treatment table has done him some good.
THANKS TO: Gary Jacob
Press - at a glance - 3 December
Arsenal Retro - hit by a p[r]oxy punishment
All papers focus on the one match ban for Lee Dixon for his alleged part in the incident against Lens.
And it doesn't stop there. The UEFA Disciplinary Committee meet in January and will decide whether Ray Parlour (2 games?) and Dixon (1 game?) are to be served additional Euro-punishment.
It means that Arsenal could field only three or four first teamers for the Panathinaikos tie.
Para[p]oxically, Lens are worried by this, because if they draw against Kiev and the Greeks win, then the latter go through.
IF VIDEO EVIDENCE IS USED RETROSPECTIVELY FOR MATCH INCIDENTS RELATED TO FOULS, THEN WHY NOT FOR GOALS WHICH ARE OFFSIDE?
The Daily Star re-iterates what was said by Wenger in most papers yesterday - but adds the interesting quote in relation to the lack of transfers in:"We brought in a lot of energy and young players and don't want to lose that."
The D.Mirror takes another swipe at Arsene Wenger, comparing Man U's second team with English youth - Clegg, Green, Wallwork and Curtis, with Arsenal's foreigners. Unjustified.
And finally, although not directly Arsenal related, today a new phrase, PPH, enters football/media vocabulary.
Pay-per-Hear is debuting on Leeds United's Internet site - for a £5/month subscription. There are 280 users already, says the D.Express
THANKS TO: Gary Jacob
Press at a glance - 2 December
Sun - Arsene Wenger is to decide whether to send Tony Adams to the Nice club to help him rest.
It transpires he doesn't need surgery, but a month's rest.
In another story Lee Dixon hopes that UEFA exonerate him in any untoward behavoir in getting Verailles sent off. Decision today.
The D.Mirror quotes AW that the "caviar and sausages" quote has been taken out of context. [True, I was there, he didn't say mash, at all, and it was meant as a joke.]
AW says he meant that it is difficult to maintain high standards, and that Arsenal will get back to them soon.
He says the problem has been injuries, fatigue from the World Cup and lack of creativity from midfield.
He adds that it isn't the solution to go out and buy - and that Arsenal have to buy the right player - within the current wage structure.
He says if buying was the answer there'd be 20 champions, adding that many clubs chase the same players.
He asks the fans to stick by him and his staff.
The D.Star says Dennis Bergkamp thinks the squad needs strengthening, saying Manchester United have got stronger and it will take time to catch up.
It also runs a story on Alan Ball's reaction to the Petit strike claim. The little man said he used to play around 55 games/season, and tells Petit to get on with it and stop moaning.
Meanwhile the D.Mail says Ronald de Boer was tantalisingly close to signing for Arsenal in the summer. He says all it needed was his signature. But Ajax didn't turn up to the talks.
He adds that his ' move' to Barcelona is far from certain, owing to Van Gaal's position after Barcelona failed to qualify for the Champions League.
He adds that he deputises for Dennis Bergkamp, and the point is made he could deputise for Emmanuel Petit as well.
THANKS TO: Gary Jacob
Irony. Arsenal spent all the Boro match trying to prove they didn't need a specialist striker, like Brian Deane, who was in the right place at the right time to knock in the first goal in six minutes.
Anelka got the equaliser on 90 minutes.
After the match Arsene Wenger paid tribute to the character of the team who never gave up chasing an equaliser. And in a Cantonesque turn of phrase said that people had been used to caviar, but maybe now they have to get used to sausages. (He didn't say mash)
The press since Thursday have focused on what they consider the lack of quality in Arsenal's squad.
The press casts the blame equally on the management and the board for the tight purse strings.
Andy Gray , alone, in NoW says there's nothing much wrong with Arsenal, that a good striker couldn't solve, pointing out they have back-up in all other departments, and the defence is rock solid.
Roy Collins says although Vieira and Petit were gems and great value, he questions the quality of AW's imports - Wreh, Boa Morte, Garde, Grimandi, and Mendez.
The S.Times points out the 'danger of the doldrums' like post 1971 - when Jon Sammels (he of the powerful shot) was sold to Leicester, and Mee had to wait until Christmas to get the money to land Alan Ball. It says the lack of investment and failure to consolidate after the double contributed to the lean spell for around fifteen years.
The S.Times talks at length to George Graham, and reveals that GG had to placate Tony Adams who was wanting new players. The tight purse-strings and the fact GG was successful were both important factors in limiting the players coming in.
The Express of Sunday focuses on the Dublin and Ferguson transfers, and points out that Arsenal may fall behind domestically, as Blackburn and Leeds were willing to pay more than Arsenal for Dublin.
There's a lot of focus of Wenger's personality - the press want to see signs of a crack. But the Frenchman, has deflected the bouncers quite brilliantly.
Yes, AW is addicted to football, but he can turn-off at any moment. Yes, he makes mistakes. No, it doesn't help him to do his job better if he gets angry - he analyses what went wrong and tries to put it right on the training pitch.
One of the broadsheets suggested that Tony Adams is a vital ingredient of the Wenger approach - translating his ideas across with fire and authority. And consequently suggests that the medical trip about his back this week carries more significance.
Joe Lovejoy focuses on a long term problem in the Sunday Times. He says that Old Trafford is being expanded to 65,000 - a difference in gate receipts of £400,000/match or £8m/season. With merchandising calculations the difference is £10m/season.
He adds that the three Wembley ties banked receipts of £3.5m for Arsenal.
One element to come out of all of this is the 'egalitarian' wage structure at Arsenal. Hill-Wood and Dein have both been quoted as saying no one over £35,000/week, or a £10m signing on fee.
One paper points out that DB10 and TA have contract clauses which raise their salaries if a player comes in above them.
Compared with the capitalist blue of the South West London neighbours, Arsenal were certainly wearing the right colour shirts yesterday - particularly considering socialist Lord Hollick may be on board in the near future. Up the reds.
THANKS TO: Gary Jacob, Paul Marks and Myles Palmer