By Ian Grant
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Sean Doran
Bayer Leverkusen
I was just wondering exactly how good Bayer Leverkusen are? They’re in the 2nd group stages of the CL so they must be good but they are not the top team in germany are they?And the english league is stronger than the german one,right?So,by that reckoning, Arsenal should be better than them?
I am just worried about the game because I have no idea of what to expect from Leverkusen except they should be good.
Could you shed any light on the subject on the site before the game, maybe?
Cheers,
Sean.
P.S. Love the site…keep up the good work.Oh and what do you make of all this trezeguet speculation?
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Mike Graham
WILTORD MAKES WAY FOR TREZEGUET
With David Trezeguet rumoured to be on his way to Arsenal for anything between 35m and 50m, the Daily Star reckons that could be the end of Sylvain Wiltord at Highbury. Despite his cracking performance against Gillingham in Saturday’s FA Cup tie, Wiltord is still being tipped as the man to make way for his fellow countryman.
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Darren Bowser
Why will Howey be quaking in his boots?
He plays for Manchester City. Since we are not playing Man City in the FA cup I fail to see your point.
Howey sued to play for Newcastle but he doesn’t now. In fact he played against them in that tie last night.
Chris Guy
Chrisguy55@hotmail.com
defence problems
why is it not posslble for paddy to play in central defence? But nobody can block or retreive a ball like him!
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Thor Stefansson
first 11 to morrow
I was reading your article on the web.
Saw that Lee Dixon was yoyr chosse at rigth back.
I am afraid he will be back in London beacase of injury.
This was at Arsenal Official homepage.
Lee Dixon has also been forced to pull out of the squad as he has suffered a slight reaction to an ankle injury. Lauren has returned from international duty and looks set to start, with young Moritz Volz as his understudy.
So Lauren will prably play.
Cheers from Iceland
Thor Stefansson
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Angus Wheaton
Juventus and Penalties
Dear ANR,
I was very interested in your comments on the Golden Boy Del Piero and his penalty pass-back against Chievo. I gave up on watching Italian football, back in ’97 I think, when Juve played Inter for the title on the last day of the season. Ronaldo went down in the Juve box, a clear foul, the ref waved play on, and then Juventus were awarded a more than dubious penalty themselves. Del Piero scored and the title was on its way to Turin. It was the first time I’d ever got up and turned off the set in disgust, and it still makes me feel ill to know the championship was rigged.
I remember only feeling sicker from a few other occasions watching soccer, the Heysel Disaster, the Hillsborough Tragedy, the Germany – Argentina World Cup Final (I still wish I’d turned that off), Germany v Algeria, and when Schumacher took out Battison (not including Nayim’s lob, the penalty shoot out against Galatasary and last year’s F.A. Cup Final).
Do you think Del Piero had the Inter game in mind when he took that latest pen? After all, guilt has a nasty habit of building up over time.
After all, it seems to me that Juventus usually know that they will get another one…
(and yes, the modern game is making me a cynic…)
Yours sincerely,
Angus Wheaton
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Harry Bech
Ray Parlour / B. Leverkusen game
I was heartened by Arsenal’s display against Bayer Leverkusen last night. Although there were a few nervous moments early on the team grew in confidence and Pires’ goal was textbook Arsenal.
However, I was disappointed by Ray Parlour – he was booked early in the game for a clumsy tackle, but continued to make further rash challenges throughout the game until he eventually got his second yellow. You could argue that after Parlour’s first booking the German players exaggerated the imapct of every subsequent tackle he made, but this is the Champions League and Ray should know better.
In the post match interview Wenger basically admitted that Parlour was rather naive, so why did he not try to substitute him? While watching the game I kept on thinking that Parlour was playing on borrowed time. It may not be Arsene’s policy to pull players off to save them from themselves but with Gilles Grimandi on the bench he had an opportunity to remain in charge of the game.
Once down to 10 men Arsenal made life hard for Leverkusen, but there was too much pressure at the end and an equaliser always looked likely.
Overall it was a good game and a well earned point – hopefully a change in fortunes for our European adventures, but for the first time this season I have seen an Arsenal red card that SHOULD have been avoided. I wonder what Wenger is thinking?
Harry
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Tim
New Stadium
This has clearly got to be the best possible news that the club could have received. It’s been a long time in the planning process, but the door is now firmly open for us to deliver the one thing that we lack – a world class stadium. Don’t get me wrong, I love Highbury, but we were never going to be able to compete with Man U(re), Barca and Juve until we were able to get more than 38000 people in through the door on match day.
I’d be keen to hear your views on your site as to how you think that the new stadium will affect decisions of both Arsene and PV4 in the future.
Keep up the good work
Tim
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Dear Myles
I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU! for all the hard work you put into ANR. I also want to let you know that my friends and I receive so much enjoyment from reading your columns – and are delighted that we are able to get this inside knowledge for free!
Your column is informative and above all reliable. How do you get it right so often? Is it due to these mystery reliable sources you keep mentioning?! If so who are they?! You must have connections in high places!
What is your background? Do you have any background in football? I am interested in how you have come to know so much about the tactics and strategy that Arsene employs – so much so that you nearly always know what team he is going to pick and even what players he is going to buy. (Like the analysis behind the Van Bommel/Vieira situation by the way! – I like to call
it the V/V situation!).
I am also interested in writing/setting up a fanzine column on Arsenal on the Internet – but don’t know where to start. What qualifications does one need? What qualifications have you got? Have you written articles for the national press? If so who and do I need to do something like that in order to emulate your column?
I look forward to hearing from you. As Dylan said “the answers my friend are flowing in the wind, the answers are flowing in the wind”!
Kind regards.
David
PS Nice moment at Christmas – my Dad and I bought each other your book – without knowing it! So we are both doing our bit for the ANR cause. Are you thinking of releasing a second edition with an update to include this season. I look forward to reading that!
PPS After last night’s performance – which was good enough to keep us in contention I predict a 2-0 win on Saturday (Parlour and Henry) and Seaman to save a penalty given away by Stepanovs – what do you say?
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Alex Yeung
Rio
just had a thought when I was reading a news article about leeds’ UEFA cup match tomorrow.
Leeds United has been kicked out of FA cup, Worthington Cup and basically has no hope for winning the premiership, and if they get kicked out in UEFA cup by PSV, they will end up with no trophy again this year. Do you think there stands a chance that Rio Ferdinand will want to leave since he joined Leeds because he believed he could archieve something with the club,and he should be pretty disappointed with it.
Do you think that we will be able to sign Rio Ferdinand next season? imagine what are we gonna archeive with the best English central defenders again just like the partnership of Adams and Keown in the 90s, plus the offensive talent we have in the french connection up from midfield to striker. If veira stay next season, (i am more positive about it after he gave up his three days break before the everton match to get fit for it) another strong central defender will be the only missing Jigsaw for next season.
With such a team, Champion league trophy looks easier than it has never been.
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Dear ANR,
yes the new stadium is good news if we can ever ease the pain of leaving such a fabulous old one. But if we have to sit in it’s shiny white environs and stare at a flaming, 60 foot version of that bloody rotten new crest it will not be good news. Because that new crest says everything about the schizophrenia of modern Arsena. Not evolution but revulsion.
They want to be big boys and we want European glory et al but the fans, if they weren’t already, are truly an afterthought. No club board who could come up with that piece of dross has any feeling for fan’s. Their message is one of corporate guff and a general it’s done, now go away and buy all the new crestladen clobber, oh and we’ll give you 10% off the old stuff.
It speaks volumes and is absolutely depressing. If you ever get a chance to push Le Boss or the players on it I bet their Gallic design sense will reveal as much loathing for it as all the rest of us out there.
The crest is a symbol of a clubs intent and all it says now is PLC, consume and obey. No thanks.’
Think on
Mark Burman
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Joel
Patrick Vieira vs. Mark Van Bommell
Tackling
Vieira is exceptional here. MVB makes some good tackles but he’s got the untidiness that Bergkamp has sometimes when he challenges for the ball. He has the raised boot and millisecond lateness in all his tackles that tend to draw yellow cards. He’s also shorter and doesn’t go to ground often to make important challenges. The benefit here is that he has a shorter recovery time after he’s beaten. Will need to be a lot more decisive for the premiership.
Positioning
MVB is excellent in attacking play positioning. He’s more of a general attacking player than PV. MVB doesn’t make counter attacking runs the way PV does. He prefers the slow build up to pick out a good pass to running players. PV has better positioning in defensive play. PV stick right in there to help defenders snuff out the danger while MVB tends to wait outside the box for the cleared ball to move forward.
Movement
MVB doesn’t chase the ball. This is where the difference between them is glaring. Vieira tends to focus his movement where the ball is. MVB tends to follow the ball only in attacking play. When MVB gets beaten in midfield he doesn’t chase the player who’s just beaten him. He plays off the pace of the game. He finds his own areas around the game to exert his influence. He rarely offers himself as a matter of routine as an option for players looking for somewhere to pass the ball.
Strength & Work Rate
PV is simply the stronger. MVB is, however, stronger than G.V. Bronckhorst and Pires when they first arrived at Highbury. PV has a higher work rate but MVB’s game is not around his general work rate. PV jumps on every goal kick to challenge for the ball in the centre. MVB rarely heads the ball and doesn’t look a high ball player or someone who would cope well with a dirty game on a bad pitch.
Passing
PV is good at short passes and the occasional long pass. PV can make telling passes to front men. Most importantly, PV rarely passes the ball to a player in a tight spot apart from Bergkamp and Pires. PV is quite prepared to wack the ball forward if that’s the most sensible thing to do. MVB has an excellent long pass to find wide players and running strikers. MVB short passing is brilliant too. MVB rarely dribbles; he passes more or less straight away and has great vision. His short passes can be too short and dangerous but because the majority of his game is passing, he makes far more assists and would thrive in a team of quick strikers.
Influence
PV is far more influential in his omnipresence around the park. PV is also more intimidating to the opposition. His sheer presence makes most teams by-pass midfield when they play against Vieira by either not keeping the ball too much (e.g. when Beckham plays he usually brings the ball inside to make telling passes. Against Arsenal, Beckham hardly wanders infield) or using by using the flanks. MVB is not threatening but the effect is that opponents often momentarily ignore him as he creeps in outside the box to score with his famous shots. MVB is very confident on the ball and hardly ever panics. He tends to slow down sometimes to take his time obviously confident in his ability to keep the ball. His terrific shot makes him a constant threat.
Is MVB a good replacement for PV? I think he’ll be fantastic alongside PV.
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Jeff
Romford Ray
Very quickly, why did AW not sub Parlour before he was sent off on Tuesday. He ran around like a headless chicken all night, a sending off was on the cards before his first booking, and the ref even gave him 3 warnings before finally showing the red. Weneger had plenty of time to get him off and what made it worse was the fact that we had a ball playing Brazilian on the bench at a time when we were seriously struggling to keep hold of the ball in midfield. Oh and why does he persist with the waste of space that is Kanu, especially after getting Dennis to drive out there?
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Tim Leffman
That crest
Dear ANR
I am surprised to have seen no particular interest in the new crest on your site. Have you been muzzled or do you just like it? I have e mailed the official site to ask if there would be any forum for debate and got an electric standard reply and then no further response to my next mail. I think it is worthy of debate. I disapprove of the new McDonalds style crest and I have outlined my views to the club but I have found nowhere to ask other fans if I am a lonely dinosaur or one of thousands. I live in Japan so I rely on the net to keep in touch.
The new crest really hurts,
I wish it didn’t seem so helpless
Hope to maybe hear from you or see a response on the site
Cheers
Tim Leffman
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Declan Sealy
PV4 and Van Bommel
You have just spoken about your desire to see Van Bommel in an Arsenal jersey. Do you think that he is the ideal replacement for PV4 or do you think that it is part of Wengers plan to maybe play them both together with Freddie and Pires outside them. Do you think that this would be the midfield that Arsenal need to take their rightful place as the best in England and Europe. Or do you think it would not work and/or never happen. It would be nice to hear your views on this topic.
Keep up the good work
DS
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Olly Woodward
Just a quick email to praise ANR. I read all the reports submited and thouroughly enjoy them. Keep up the good work!
Cheers,
Olly
P.S Why does Wenger insist on playing Grimandi as often as he does? It is obvious that he is a very poor player yet is often either in the team or on the bench. Wenger needs to buy a much better central midfielder, not simply to replace Vieira (who will leave at the end of the season) but to play along side him Parlour has to be praised for filling in at the centre but really he is a wide man and not good enough in the middle. Who have we got as backup? Edu has never played and Inamoto is dead isn’t he?! Stepanovs needs to be put out of his misery and Luzney is more like a donkey than a horse. The point that i am trying to make is that although we have a fairly deep squad, the quality beyond the first team is generally poor. Please buy in the summer Mr Wenger!
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Mark Lankester
Patrick Vieira
I have to ask you what your view is as regards why PV4 played probably his best Premiership home game of the season, at Highbury, today?
Is it that it is a done deal with Real Madrid or is it a realsiation on his part that if he ups his game by even 20% Arsenal have a chance of winning the double again?
Could it be that he realises that Pires is clearly playing out of his skin and could well be Footballer of the Year, as per Arsene Wenger’s comments this week?
Has he realised that if everyone gels at the right time we can be as good as any other team on our day?
I would be interested to receive your views or perhaps an article on the site.
Many thanks
Mark Lankester
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Mike
Graham
Transfer Speck
BOWYER TO MOVE SOUTH
The Sunday Express reckons that not only is Marc van Bommel on his way to Arsenal this summer, but so too is Leeds’ Lee Bowyer. The midfielder has so far refused to sign a new contract with the Elland Road club.
OVERMARS TO RETURN TO ENGLAND
Liverpool have ‘arranged’ a 10m deal with Barcelona to sign former Arsenal winger Marc Overmars, says the News of the World. Overmars has struggled to cement a regular first-team place at the Nou Camp and the paper quotes the Dutchman’s agent saying that Overmars misses English football.
MARK
PASS THIS SOCCER MOVIE FOR WENGER, VIEIRA AND MOST OF ALL HENRY
HI,
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU, MYLES PALMER TO A VERY FUNNY YET ENTERTAINING MOVIE. AND AFTER YOU HAVE SEEN IT, PLEASE RECOMMEN IT TO YOUR FRIENDS AND MOST OF ALL TO THE PROFESSOR WENGER, VIEIRA, AND MOST OF ALL HENRY.
THIS MOVIE IS FROM HONGKONG, A CANTONESE MOVIE WITH ENGLISH SUBSTITLE. YOU CAN RENT VIDEO, VCD, DVD AT ANY CHINATOWN VIDEO STORES ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
THE TITLE IS “SHAOLIN SOCCER”
REMEMBER, REMEMBER TO EMAIL ME IF YOU THINK IT IS GOOD OR
AT LEAST LEAVE SOME COMMENTS TO ME. THANKS PALMER.
MARK
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Oliver Derbyshire
Freddie and the right hand side
Myles,
don’t get me wrong, I love Freddie Ljungberg, and the way he plays the game, but scoring from the right hand side of Arsenal’s midfield is a fairly simple task.
If you look at the goals scored since Robert Pires started playing left midfield you would notice a lot more goals from left back and right midfield, because so many of our good moves involve Pires and his ability to hold the ball up out wide allowing players to get into the box, which is why in Freddie’s absence Wiltord and now Lauren have done so well, scoring from the right. I would say then that it’s not Freddie or even Lauren’s class on the right that brings the goals, but the quite incredible form of our long haired Frenchman on the left, who in this form deserves PFA and football writers awards, and also at least two of the three winners medals still available to him, before the world cup, at which I expect him to shine so brightly as to make the incredible Zizou look merely a “very good” player.
keep up the good work,
Olly
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Mark Lankester
Patrick Vieira
I noted your comments in the report about the Fulham game and Jean Tigana’s influence and you make a very valid point, however what has caused PV4 to continue in this sudden upturn in form? Do you think he now really believes in the team and what can be achieved?
What do you feel is the reason for his dramatic change, with 100% commitment not 60/70%?
I would appreciate your comments
Mark Lankester
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