Coleman knocks Arsenal
First it is Chris Coleman writing off Arsenal’s chances, saying Arsenal are years away from returning to the top of English football.
He said: “It is not a given that they will get back to where they were. It will be very difficult. They can do it because they’ve got a great manager and a great new stadium, but it may take time.”
Fulham have won eight of their last nine home games while Arsenal have lost eight away games this season.
Curent odds are Fulham 7-4 Arsenal 6-5 Draw 9-4.
Arsenal are mid-table ‘oldies’
There’s a mischievous piece in The Guardian working out the average age of each team using every player who has started at least five games this season.
Arsenal are tenth, with an average age of 27.1 – the eldest, Jens Lehmann at 36 , the youngest Cesc Fabregas at 18. Tottenham are the youngest on 24.5, with Wigan the eldest of all Premiership teams on 29.1.
Chelsea, Man U and Liverpool are all on 26, which may say something.
The Guardian says: “Arsene Wenger will be needing a new excuse this weekend, after we blow out of the water the claim that Arsenal are struggling because of their youth…Arsenal are decidedly mid-table (a familiar feeling).”
Then Joe Cole puts his oar in
The England midfielder threw a jibe at Arsenal, comparing his certainty about staying at Chelsea with Thierry Henry’s reluctance to extend his contract in north London. “My situation is different to Henry’s as, playing for Chelsea at the moment, there’s no reason for a player to want to leave. We’ll sit down in the summer and it will be done.”
As Ashley hits back
Graham Shear, Cole’s solicitor, said on the gay allegations: “There is no truth whatever in these allegations. Ashley Cole will not tolerate this kind of cowardly journalism or let it go unchallenged. It is disgraceful that he should be faced with this kind of unpleasant insinuation and innuendo at a time when he is trying to focus on this summer’s World Cup and his own forthcoming wedding.”
Wenger who was unaware of Cole’s legal action but does not think it will affect him as he recovers from an ankle injury which will keep him out for three weeks, said: “He wants to clear his name because there have been wrong rumours. Nobody likes to read these sort of rumours in newspapers about himself. You have to respect the privacy of everyone. I feel he has come out strongly. You cannot fight against stupidity, you can fight for your dignity, and that is what he is trying to do.”
Lehmann stays Pires and may
Robert Pires has hinted he may extend his contract.
Pires said: “Now we have a new generation with a huge potential. If I can act as a guide it will be with pleasure.”
Arsenal usually offer players over 30 only one-year deals, but Wenger said: “You can always have exceptions. He is an important player. He has always been a big part of our team.”
Jens Lehmann, whose contract also ends this summer, has agreed a new one-year deal.
Gourcuff link
Arsenal are linked with Yohann Gourcuff of Rennes in The Guardian.
The paper also adds Yakubu Ayegbini of Middlesbrough and Curtis Davies of West Bromwich Albion but both have come out and denied the stories.