By Ian Grant
PLAYERS
Wenger said: “Freddie is a symbol of the team in the way he never gives up. Just when you think he’s tired he finds extra resources from somewhere.”
Tord Grip said: “Looking at the whole season, Fredrik and Robert Pires have been Arsenal’s best players.”
Martin Keown knows a good showing in Arsenal’s title run-in and the FA Cup final on May 4 could place him in Eriksson’s squad to be named three days later.
The Evening Standard says: “Keown confirmed his suitability for World Cup duty. He’s probably the best defensive centre-back in the Premiership at the moment and Eriksson would be foolish to leave him behind.”
Freddie Ljungberg has scored only twice in 31 international appearances.
Oleg Luzhny’s agent Sandor Varga will meet Arsene Wenger and is hopeful of negotiating a new contract for the Ukranian, whose deal runs out at the end of the season. “It looks like they want to keep him. Arsene is very happy with him.”
Robert Pires, was unveiled as the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year. He won the award by five votes from Ruud van Nistelrooy, with David Beckham finishing third. “Obviously, it is a great honour for me to win this award,” Pires said. “I know how important it is in English football.”
Wenger said of Pires award: “Robert has been absolutely outstanding for Arsenal. This is an extremely prestigious award and the consistent high quality of his performances make it richly deserved.”
“He doesn’t take corners either, so what he has achieved has been from open play. He does his work before pushing the ball to other players, and then as good as says “Put that in for me”.
Wenger said: “We’re absolutely delighted. He’s not just a fantastic footballer, he’s also one of the main reasons that our dressing-room is so good. There is a fantastic spirit here and Robert is at the heart of it.”
Terry Neill said: “My admiration for Pires just grows and grows. I had a quick chat with him at half-time on Sunday and although my French and his English aren’t great, I was amazed at how philosophical he was about his injury. An average man would be devastated with his club going for the double and a World Cup coming up, but he has accepted his lot with dignity.”
Japan coach Philippe Troussier named Junichi Inamoto among his 25-man squad for the upcoming Kirin Cup games against Honduras and Slovakia on Monday.
At time of writing Tony Adams has nine League appearances under his belt this season he needs another one to qualify for a championship medal should Arsenal come through.
Wenger said: “The injury to Sylvain is much worse than the French federation told us. He has done his hamstring so that means 21 days. The season is 23 days, so maybe he will be back to play Manchester United (May 8), but I don’t know. It is a frustration because he is an important player in the team.”
He added: “In April you shouldn’t play international friendlies because the big clubs are fighting for big trophies.I was surprised to see Vieira, Henry, Zidane, Thuram and others play 90 minutes in midweek.”
TEAM
“We have to show team spirit and everybody has to fight for it because it’s not going to be so easy from here,” said Freddie Ljungberg.
The Gunners are 1-4 with Hills to take the title, with Liverpool 5-1 and United 6-1.
At time of writing, although Arsenal have more bookings per game than any other Premiership team at 1.97, Bolton and Boro have 7 reds to Arsenal’s 6 and Derby and Leicester have 69 bookings to Arsenal’s 67.
They are also behind Leicester and Leeds in the fouls league with 561 to 586 and 594 respectively.
TRANSFER RUMOURS
According to the Mirror, Arsenal and Manchester United are in the hunt for one of the world’s top goalkeepers, Fenerbache and Turkey No.1 Rustu Recber. Such is the Turk’s reputation that he is also on the wanted list of Barcelona and Real Madrid. However he seems to have ruled himself out by saying: “I would only go to the one of the world’s great clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona or Manchester United.”
Liverpool and Middlesbrough have joined Arsenal in the battle to tempt Owen Hargreaves away from Bayern Munich according to www.footballtransfers.net
According to www.thebeautifulgame.co.uk, Newcastle are the latest club to express an interest in the 23 year-old Roma and international defender Jonathan Zebina, along with Liverpool, Arsenal and Leeds.
According to the Express, Arsenal put in a £1million bid when Crewe’s Dean Ashton was still an Academy player and wasn’t anywhere near the first team. But favourites to grab the £3m-rated teenager are Everton.
The Mirror says Lee Dixon could be offered a one-year deal by West Brom.
PSV’s midfielder Mark van-Bommel, heavily linked with Arsenal, is wanted by Real Madrid. The Dutch star said: “Real are world class and I would love to play for them.”
FINANCE/SPONSORSHIP
Mobile operator mmO2, formerly known as BT Cellnet, has signed a four-year shirt sponsorship deal starting next August. The deal is thought to be worth as much as £10m, and terms will be reviewed at the end of the first two years. mmO2 will pay a per-season fee to Arsenal, plus a split of income from jointly branded interactive multimedia goods.
TV
At time of writing, Sky have not decided yet whether they will screen the Manchester United-Arsenal showdown at Old Trafford on 8 May. If they do, it will be on a subscription channel and not pay per view, whose quota of 40 matches ends with Everton v Blackburn on Sunday week.
So far, Sky have chosen their subscription matches up until 29 April when they will broadcast Bolton v Arsenal. That game will be their sixty-third of the season, leaving three more to be shown before the last day of the season on 11 May.
MISCELLANEOUS
Bobby Robson said: “The three clubs above us in the Premiership – Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United – are major clubs in Europe in terms of stature. Their success in the game is classical.”
Surprisingly, after his unfortunate own goal against Arsenal, Gianluca Festa received a rousing reception from the Boro fans against Blackburn on Saturday.
Mikael Silvestre said: “With our fixture list, I’d give us a one per cent chance of being champions.”
John Gregory said: “Manchester United will win the title. They are the best team and they have still got Arsenal to play. I have always said that so I’ll stick by that.”