Mirror Football

Sky Sports | Football

Arsenal News

Football Results

Barclays Premier League News

Arsenal News-Wire

Arseblog - "It"s fuckin" excellent"...an Arsenal blog.

Thierry Henry - Arsenal's Legend

Arsenal FC Blog

Arsenal Times News

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Good news on Wilshere at last!


Arsenal have finally revealed some good news regarding Jack Wilshere’s ankle injury this week that is likely to please Gooners up and down the country.

No, he hasn’t miraculously recovered and will still have minor surgery on the problem this summer but, because of this, the midfielder will be unavailable for England friendly duty when the national side meet up for two irrelevant matches!

Granted, many Arsenal fans over at Betting.betfair would love to see Wilshere in an England shirt commanding the midfield as he so often does, but for the good of the player it is best he sits out of these meaningless friendlies.

The 21-year-old has carried this fresh ankle knock for a while now and what he needs more than any player on this Arsenal team is a long rest this summer. It is less than a year since he returned from a career-threatening injury brought upon by too much football outside his club obligations and what he doesn’t need is another scare this summer.

Had Wilshere been selected for Roy Hodgson’s squad for friendlies with Republic of Ireland and Brazil, we would have all watched the games in nervous apprehension our midfield star was about to break down on the field.

No, keeping Wilshere away from England duty – even if it is to have surgery – is a real boost for both the player and Arsenal heading into the new campaign.

Boss Arsene Wenger admitted before the Wigan match on Tuesday Wilshere has been playing with painkillers for the past few weeks to aid their battle for Champions League qualification  and Arsenal cannot afford to have him in this state of fitness come August.

The Gunners are facing a difficult summer ahead where Wenger’s transfer moves will be closely scrutinised and one thing he doesn’t need is the problem of finding a replacement midfielder early on in the season and therefore we should be delighted Wilshere isn’t in the England set-up.


Monday, April 29, 2013

Wenger Hails Giroud Impact

Arsene Wenger has insisted Oliver Giroud is capable of spearheading Arsenal’s end-of-season push to secure a place in next season’s Champions League.

With the season nearing its close, Arsenal find themselves in that all important fourth spot but still fighting off the threat of Tottenham and Everton with five games remaining.

Despite scoring 17-goals for Arsenal since his arrival from Montpellier last summer, Giroud has often come in for criticism from some areas of the supporters and from fans betting Premier League.

A disappointing showing in the 0-0 draw to Everton did nothing to convince those doubters, but Giroud’s manager has been quick to insist the striker has an important part to play in Arsenal’s end-of-season run.

"He is very extrovert, but as well he has a basic positive nature. He wants to do well, he is desperate to do well, but he is not the one who hides afterwards," Wenger said.

"He stands up for what he has done and I feel he deals quite well with that. He wants to play every single game, he has a good basic stamina and he can absorb the games. I think you will see more from him next season, and there's a lot more to come from him," Wenger said.

Giroud was always going to find it hard to fill the boots of Robin van Persie following his arrival in the Premier League, but that’s not to say the Frenchman hasn’t shown enough signs to suggest he can become a real success in England.

Next season will be the real test to see just how big an impact Giroud can have for Arsenal, and the striker will be desperate that will also include playing the Champions League – although Manchester United stand in their way.