Features and letters
Brian Glanville was a little Gooner
Postscript to 2 April
News update: Alex Manninger has broken an arm and is reportedly out for the rest of the season. Most papers say that Tony Adams will be fit for the Southampton match.
The Southampton team are taking sea cures in Ireland. Chairman Rupert Lowe said the France World Cup winning side take this treatment, so it must be good.
One such cure, baleonatherapy, where you laze around in seaweed baths has an incredible sophorific effect. Let's hope it carries on tomorrow.
David Dein is reportedly vying for the position of vice chairman of a 12 member board set to run the FA.
Arsenal are still on for five trophies after the Womens' Team beat Everton 3-1 in the AXA League Cup.
Soccer shares dipped last week after a distinct lack of activity on the field. However Arsenal's remained unchanged at £2200, despite stories about purchasing a plot of land at Kings Cross.
Meanwhile residents of areas such as Crouch End and Kentish Town started getting twitchy with stories that the aforesaid plot was (mis-reportedly) two and half miles from Kings Cross.
There was a bit of political row as to why David Beckham was allowed to carry on playing after he received an injury barely seconds after the second half had started on Saturday. Ray Parlour was on the touch line for 25 minutes. It could have a bearing on the semi clash next week.
Stan Mortensen's hat-trick at Highbury, when England played Sweden was remembered this week.
Nicolas Anelka is definitely France's main man. French boss Roger Lemerre said he'd try pairing David Trezeguet or Sylvain Wiltord with the Arsenal striker for the next game. Emmanuel Petit took a knock and Patrick Vieira is on standby.
Nicolas Anelka said "I've still a lot to learn in England and leaving now doesn't seem reasonable to me. I'll be wearing Arsenal's shirt again next season. If I went to Juventus at 20, what appetite would I have left."
Emmanuel Petit told a French newspaper:"I'm fed up with English life, the lack of sun, the setting in general."
Emmanuel Petit is becoming a bit of an expert on how Ukraine (and thereby Kiev) play. "They're a very solid team at the back. They work a bit like a funnel. They draw their adversary in and then hit back with very quick counter-attacks."
Andy Gray said this week that some of the refereeing decisions which resulted Emmanuel Petit being sent off have been poor. However he did suggest cutting off that pony tail would make him less conspicuous and less likely to be booked.
According to the Independent, Steve Morrow is back at Arsenal. Most probably a misprint.
David Platt said the lack of a goal was the reason he left Arsenal. Not a 'back of the net type goal', but a general career direction. He said being second choice after Petit and Vieira meant no pressure to perform, and " anywhere else would have been a step down after Arsenal."
The S. Times points out that of the 167 foreign players registered in the Premiership, at the beginning of the season, 21 were from Norway, and ten from France - half supplied by Arsenal.
BA said this week they were laying on flights for the England u-20 youth team playing in Nigeria, following concerns over the safety of internal flights. Arsenal's Vernazza, Cole and Taylor are with the England party.
Ex-Arsenal players were on the move this week, with Kevin Campbell , who made his Arsenal debut 11 years ago, moving to Everton.
After Sunderland's recent 41,000+ gate, the Wearside club moved ahead of Arsenal as the "third best supported club in England", based on average home attendances.
Bournemouth's victory over Colchester had a distinctly Arsenal feel to it. Firstly new £50,000 signing (ex-Arsenal) Willie Huck laid on the first goal. And then ex- Arsenal Italian-Scot, Richard Hughes scored a scorcher, following being released from international duties.
Everton player David Weir said this week:"Of course Manchester United are the benchmark for every club in England but I would keep an eye on Arsenal. We've played them both in recent weeks and believe me there is not a lot between them."
Sheffield Wednesday have reportedly captured the Mallorca striker Dani, for £5m. Press reports say that Arsenal bid £5m earlier in the season. However it is not reported that personal terms have been accepted or agreed, only the fee between clubs.
Arsenal will play the Thai national side on 19 or 25 May, as part of an Asian summer tour, Reuters said.
Arsenal entered the top twenty Reuters rankings this week with 74.70 points.
Arsene Wenger backed a biennial World Cup, this week, saying eventually the European Championship and African Nations Cup would disappear.
Ray Parlour told Dennis Bergkamp after knocking in the goal against Coventry:" I'll teach you that in training." Wenger confirmed:"He has improved technically, most of all in goalscoring,."
David Seaman is helping Umbro to create the ultimate goalkeeping glove. Seaman's hands have been scanned in using data points on an advanced CAD system. Seaman is also helping Hay & Robertson with their Admiral brand of clothing.
Arsenal will wear yellow against Manchester United on 11 April, after losing the toss for choice of red shirts.
George Graham announced he was starting a collection of Tottenham memorabilia.
A couple of charity events involving Arsenal to report - a five a side competition at Arsenal's JVC Centre - to enter teams (0171) 639 1466. And the Computer Weekly five- a -side challenge - to enter teams (http://www.segroup.co.uk).
Arsenal are at 2-1 with three and 9-4 with two leading bookmakers to retain the title.
Arsenal are reported to be interested in 17 year old Plymouth Argyle playmaker Darren Bastow, according to a local paper in Devon.
According to one paper Kaba Diawara is set to be sold to Marseilles for £4m at the end of the season, with the Marseilles striker Titi Kamara going to Liverpool. Arsenal were also linked with Neil Lennon.
Remi Garde resumed training this week, in a bid to be fit for the FA semi.
Electricity company EdF were likened to Arsenal this week: "EdF, [it was said], is a subsidised monolith that welcomes competition in much the same way as the Arsenal back four."
Dennis Bergkamp is third and Marc Overmars 11th in the Premiership "goal assists" league.
Pat Jennings' son, also a goalie, with Chesham United, has been called up by Northern Ireland u-21 squad.
Al Green points out that one of the reasons for the demise of Aston Villa is to compare the defensive records with that of Arsenal 37 - 13. Also John Gregory praised Arsenal in September, saying how few players they had used in the Double run. But now he says his squad needs more players.
Postscript to 26 March
Arsenal's opponents continue to have whole first team sections missing. Coventry lacked a forward line, now Southampton are missing their first choice midfield in the form of Le Tissier, Kachloul and Marsden for the Arsenal visit because of suspension.
Uefa has yet to decide what will happen if a team that has already qualified for the Champions' League wins the FA Cup, a feat that both Arsenal and Man U could achieve.
Arsene Wenger said of Kanu:"It took a lot of talk and a lot of patience to get him away from Inter Milan. Maybe I should have reacted quicker at the start of the season to bring new people in, but it is important to get players at the right price. What Kanu does is always intelligent and creative. I think it was worth the wait."
Arsenal were linked with Sergei Rebrov for £10m in the D.Mirror. However isn't he too obvious. Wenger told the same paper:"If you are patient, you can find players like Kanu at the really big clubs because theye have so many others there. They buy them just so others can't have them."
Arsenal will meet Doncaster Belles in the semi-finals of the FA Women's Cup.
Sports columnist Sue Mott asks why should fans be deprived of Emmanuel Petit by a cumbersome retrospective disciplinary system. She says a sin bin for 15 minutes - would be a far better for everyone concerned. Here, here. Meanwhile Michael Parkinson disagrees saying Arsenal stroke and diddums him as if he was Shirley Temple and not a grown man. Meanwhile Arsene Wenger says he has no doubts Emmanuel will be here next year.
One D.Telegraph journalist thought the highlight of the Coventry match was Martin Keown " built like public park iron gates" selling a dummy, an unsual an incident as "a concert pianist rolling a cigarette in the middle of a cadenza."
Following his shortish haircut, at least Ray Parlour won't be able to damage his England chances with the comment:"short back and sides please."
Terry Butcher doesn't think Manchester United will win the European Cup after "the way they [Kiev] slaughtered Arsenal at Wembley."
Ex-Arsenal target Norwich winger Keith O'Neill, once rated at £5m, has joined Middlesbrough for £700,000. Meanwhile Chris Kiwomya is making good headway at QPR.
Scott Marshall has moved to Celtic on loan, with a view to a permanent move. The ex-Arsenal centre back has been unlucky at Southampton. He only had two first team starts, and both times he was credited with own goals. Manager Josef Venglos knew of him from his Arsenal days.
Arsenal are unbeaten in 18 games, have won 10 and drawn three of their last 13 Premiership matches, with 10 clean sheets.
Arsenal are allowing Martin Keown to support Don Hutchison in the Everton player's FA appeal following his sending off, although lack of video evidence may be a problem.
According to one paper Arsenal will capture Emile Heskey for £8m in the summer(?). Meanwhile the price tag [£3-5m] put on the head of 17 year old Peterborogh winger, Matthew Etherington, continues to be a stumbling block.
One paper quips on the reported break-up of Tony Adams and Caprice:"She probably misunderstood when he said he would be playing away again this weekend."
Expectations of transfers in loom large in the summer, if Arsenal qualify for the Champions League. Under the new format it will take 17 games to reach the final - 12 from the beginning of the seaon to January.
Dennis Bergkamp is really flying. Nearly two, the bay colt is showing lots of promise over the Lambourne gallops, under the tutelage of ex-Southampton winger Mick Channon.
Gilles Veissiere, the referee for the Inter-United clash has been praised for letting the game flow, before late in the second half yellow carding "tackles". A letter points out that only Gary Willard has achieved this so far in an Arsenal match this season.
Gordon Strachan said on Saturday:"I used to get angry about decisions like that [the non-penalty], but now I leave it to other people to make fools of themselves."
Emmanuel Petit reports that he's had letters from Tottenham fans begging him to stay.
Director of the English Patient, and Portsmouth fan Anthony Minghella reminisces about the 1947 match which ended Portsmouth 0 Arsenal 3. Things are now so bad at the club [Portsmouth] the players jock straps aren't being replaced after each match.
Ex-Arsenal player Colin Addison said there's little difference to managing Real Madrid and Scarborough:"The systems, the tactics, the attitude, the application... they're all the same whether you're at Atletico or Scarborough." The only difference, 48,000 spectators.
Denis Loze who has worked for Arsenal as a physiotherapist, is going to Armenia to help the mentally handicapped children.
The father, of new 16 year old Arsenal German signing Moritz Voltz, Dr Peter Volz, a chemistry professor, is backing his son's decision. "There is nothing immoral about Arsenal's proposition. Schalke's offer to Moritz was also much higher than you might expect." Volz, who is joining Arsenal in the summer will be the first youth player in German history not to sign for a Bundesliga club.
Fifa incidentally is to set up a working party to look into the transfer of children in February and changes to the rules are expected to be recommended when the report comes out in July. However, it is likely that these will relate only to children under 16.
The FA is to hold an inquiry into the FA Youth Cup tie between Arsenal and Crystal Palace which saw five players sent off, four in a brawl in extra-time. Guillaume Norbert and James Harper were ordered off along with three Palace palyers in the 1-0 win to, guess who.
Nelson Vivas is set to be up against Marc Overmars in the forthcoming friendly Argentina v Netherlands friendly.
Ex-boxer and ex Brent Walker's George Walker is taking bets on Arsenal and the Premiership in his chain of betting shops in Russia.
Arsenal 19.9 Chelsea 21.7 - the interest rates on the respective club's credit cards - according to Marketing Week. The magazine reports there are 6000 "Arsenal credit card" holders and 1000 members of the Gold Scheme.
Nicholas Anelka, Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit are set to be re-aquainted with most of the Kiev team again when France meet Ukraine in the qualifiers. Anyone worried about Manu's fitness, shouldn't be as he's also likely to play against Armenia.
Meanwhile Arsenal are shorn of representatives in the u-21 match against Poland. Matthew Upson and Stephen Hughes are injured.
An Arsenal X1 lost 4-3 to a bunch of Sevenoaks teachers in a charity match at Sevenoaks - the first time the X1 has lost in three years. The game brought in more than £2000.
Arsene Wenger said this week that it is better to sign a promising 15 year old than spending £10m on an established star. He added:" We are only at the beginning of this new way of sifting and promoting talent."
Paolo Vernazza, sets off today (Friday) for the u-20s World Youth Championships in Nigeria. He faces US, Cameroon and Japan in England's group. Paolo could have opted to play for Italy, but chose England.
Team Injuries
25/03
Manninger - broken arm (reportedly out for the season)
Hughes - arm
SUSPENSIONS
Petit - 3 matches (Blackburn, Southampton and Man U [Cup])
Dennis Bergkamp's record
Goals - 9
Goal assists - 13
Shots on target - 31
% shots on target 57
Corners won 16
Points - 1286
Arsenal's record prior to Newcastle (supplied by OPTA)
Goals 43
Average/game 1.31
Shots 330
% on target 47
% goals to shots 10
Short passes 9072
Long passes 1232
Pass completion 79%
Crosses 422
Cross completion 21%
Goals conceded 12
Goals conceded/game .46
% of tackles won 66%
Blocks/interceptions 1688
Fouls 313
Yellows 47
Reds 5
Foul Play Table
Sheff Wed - 478
Leicester - 518
Aston Villa - 526
Wimbledon - 530
Man U - 584
Newcastle - 587
Arsenal - 598 (5 Red,47 Yellow,313 Fouls)
Riches League (Deloitte Touche) 1996/97 season
Manchester United £87.9m
Newcastle United £41.1m
Liverpool £39.2m
Rangers £31.7m
Tottenham Hotspur £27.9m
Arsenal £27.2m
Arsenal are third in the Premiership attendance League on 38,095
Goal Ratio League
Arsenal are 14th - 23 games and 24 goals
Goals/game 1.04
Minutes/goal 86 mins
Arsenal are second in the HOME POINTS league
Arsenal are fifth in the AWAY POINTS league
Arsenal are fourth in the S.Mirror's average attendance in 34 years league (!) - 31,149.
Arsenal have not lost at home for 24 games
Arsene Wenger is the 8th longest serving manager in the Premiership.
Arsenal are currenly third in the Mail 's Entertainment League
Anelka's Premiership record
Minutes 2018
Goals 12
Shots on target 38
Off target 37
Assists - 4
Passes - 592
OPTA Leagues
David Seaman 9th- 55
Lee Dixon -7th - 658
Nicolas Anelka - 10th -655
Dennis Bergkamp -9th -666
Most fouled
The NoW says Ray Parlour is the fifth most fouled player in the Premiership (on fouls for). He's been fouled 43 times prior to Preston. Ginola is top at 52.
Statistics - history (Premiership games up to Villa, from Carling OPTA)
Matches -16
Goals -15
Average goals/game -0.94
Shots - 218
% on target - 48
%goals/shots 7
goals against - 7
Average goals against/game -0.44
Tackles - 552
Tackles won - 70%
Fouls - 181
Yellows - 28
Red - 3
Arsenal are currently 10th in the MoS European League:
Played 27
Won 11
Drawn 11
Lost 5
For 31
Against 20
Points 54.3
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Postscript to week ending 19 March
ANR understands that Arsene Wenger had words of comfort and persuasion on the coach home from Liverpool for Emmanuel Petit and he's not being fined:"I'm not worried about him. Yes he is frustrated but, after a few days, I'm sure he'll be alright. I know that he has threatened to quit in the past, but this is different."
We know Emmanuel likes expensive clothes as his shop in Sloane Street testifies, but by all accounts expensive hairdressers as well: An insider told a paper of an alleged Italian bid:" Arsene reckons £6m wouldn't even be enough to give Manu a haircut, never mind buy his pony tail."
Emmanuel Petit lent his support to The Daily Mirror's Sports Equipment for Schools campaign when he turned up at Abbey School St Albans.
Maybe his trip to South of France is no mean thing. The injury he's been struggling with - inside the joint of the ankle was the same that fininshed the career of Marco van Basten the great Dutch forward.
Petit who met Kanu for the first time half an hour before the Derby match, was warned by a steward, not to throw things. Emmanuel, looking on, became vexed and threw a sugar lump when Anelka got booked.
Did you know that Hutchison caught Keown in the Adams apple? The Everton player is launching an appeal to get the red card overturned.
The Times likened the injustice of Lennox Lewis fiasco to Newcastle's over-the-byline-cross that brought the equaliser against Arsenal in the 1932 FA Cup semi-final.
One paper questioned why black belt referee, Uriah Rennie has to do a high profile warm up campaign and then sign autographs, before kick off.
Horseman Richard Dunwoody said this week that because Ireland doesn't have teams like Arsenal, horses become national heroes.
Arsenal will move to within a point of Manchester United, if they beat Coventry tomorrow. Coventry are missing John Aloisi and Noel Whelan with suspensions.
The Football Supporters Association called for government regulation of ticket prices this week, saying that prices for water were protected, so why not football tickets.
Woolwich councillor Bob Lewis was diplomatic on stories about Arsenal allegedly moving to the Millenium Dome. He says they should ground share with Charlton Athletic, instead.
The stock of David Dein was reported rising fast within higher football circles this week. Dein is on the new Premiership management committee along with Rick Parry, Doug Ellis (Aston Villa), Ken Bates (Chelsea) and Bryan Richardson (Coventry City).
Barry Fry said none of the bids for the £2m rated Matthew Etherington, the England u-18 and Peterborough winger, have been enough.
Wembley Stadium, which Arsenal were after last year, was valued at £21m less than it was sold for, according to an Estate Agents survey. Daniel Estates says the 52,000m2 area could hold 75 terraced houses worth £83m. But as we all know the 2006 World Cup can't be played in 75 houses.
Rumour has it that Tony Adams is testing out his verses on fellow players. Meanwhile, Michael Schmidt, who recently took over the OUP Poetry list, says he'd be fascinated to see one of his manuscripts.
Frank Leboeuf has voted for Emmanuel Petit as his nomination for PFA Player of the Year. He's also picked Nicolas Anelka as Young Player of the Year.
Sympathies go to Arsenal fan Martin Offiah, whose father was shot in a car-jacking incident in Nigeria.
The Nike 'Run London' ad featuring Arsenal has been honoured in the British Television Advertising Awards.
David Seaman features in a new Sky One programme in June coaching a struggling pub football team through the qualifying rounds of their local cup. This week, Seaman was seen with Elizabeth Taylor and Julia Roberts - for a lookalike competition at Madame Tussards.
Colin Short, chairman of United Biscuits said of his new French chief executive, Leslie Van de Walle:"he is a very tough manager who has delivered on everything we have asked of him. He is our version of Arsene Wenger."
One Spurs fan was reported to have said (Times) "I would rather go out in the semi-final than face the ignominy of losing to the Gooners in the big one at Wembley."
John Lukic is available on a free at the end of the season.
Football is a matter of life and death. An inquest heard that Newcastle supporter Anne Shannon tied two bootlaces together and hanged herself from a door in a Salvation Army Hostel, after her team lost 2-0 in the Cup Final.
Another inquest heard that the coach carrying the Arsenal football team was reversing too fast before it crushed a Coventry City steward to death.
Tony Adams was praised by David Beckham this week. Beckham said that it was Adams who had words of comfort after he was sent off in the World Cup. Adams said although it is the end of the World Cup, it is not the end of the world.
If you thought Arsenal bought 'em young, Daventry Town have just signed (via a crayon scrawled on a form) a two year old, Jordan Brown. Son of the leading club scorer, he can apparently hit the back of the net from 20 yards.
COMMENT
On Arsenal discipline, if you look at the table on the right, it is quite clear that the club are being unfairly picked on in the media about their discipline.
Arsenal have the Seventh best disciplinary record in the league.
If someone was to do a column inch count on Arsenal's bad discipline this season, they would no doubt come top.
And referees read newspapers.
Thanks