Arsenal Fans Blog

Cesc Fabregas insists William Gallas is the right man to lead Arsenal.

Fabregas has led by example in midfield and admitted Arsenal's collapse last season was sparked by the infamous finale at St Andrews, when Gallas lashed out at an advertising hoarding and was at the other end of the pitch when James McFadden equalised with a penalty.

However, he still feels Gallas' experience will be an important influence.

He told FourFourTwo magazine: "Maybe that (St Andrews) is where all our problems started. We had a month-and-a-half after that game where our heads were not right. William is a great captain, I really respect him, and the longer he is giving us the benefit of his experience, the better."

Fabregas has put himself in the frame to be a future Arsenal skipper at the very least, even if he told to concentrate on playing rather than captaining for the time being.

"I've shown I can take that responsibility and if I was made captain I would give even more - I don't know where I'd get that little extra from but I'd try to find it," he said.

"But I'm only 21. Right now I just want to win something for Arsenal."

Cesc Fabregas is also confident that the current team are on the verge of great things.

Despite losing Gilberto Silva, Mathieu Flamini and Alexander Hleb as fellow midfielders, Fabregas is confident Arsenal are on the verge of success and is not concerned by the only summer arrivals being Samir Nasri and Aaron Ramsey.

"We sign what we need," he told FourFourTwo magazine. "Sometimes teams pay a fortune for a player with experience, who knows how to win, who at key moments can win you a game - and that's important.

"But at Arsenal there's a different policy and we have to respect that.

"The day we win something with these players, with this policy, this atmosphere and style, there will be a big change - almost a revelation.

"I speak to people in the game a lot and they tell me about Ajax who in the 1970s won the European Cup with an extremely young team and changed the face of the game.

"People tell me that we are on course to do that, but we need that stepping stone of winning something, of knowing how to win."



Arsenal have announced the signing of French born Portugal Under-21 midfielder Amaury Bischoff from Werder Bremen.

The 21-year-old arrives at the Emirates Stadium after turning down a new deal with the Bundesliga side.

The Gunners have not disclosed any compensation fee to be paid to Bremen and could be forced to go to a UEFA tribunal to determine how much they owe the German outfit.

Bischoff joined Bremen in 2005 after spending his early years in France with Colmar and Strasbourg.

However he made only one senior appearance for the German team, in a 2007 UEFA Cup tie, and made the decision to move on this summer.

The versatile midfielder will join up with the Gunners squad upon their return from an Austrian training camp.



Samir Nasri made his Arsenal debut as Arsene Wenger's side came from behind to secure a 3-1 win over Stuttgart.

And Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was pleased with Samir Nasri's debut in last night's 3-1 victory at Stuttgart.

He said: "It was a very positive performance for his first game. He has all it takes to be a good player in this team."

All the goals arrived in the second half and came from the in-form trio of Carlos Vela, Nicklas Bendtner and Jack Wilshere after Yildiray Basturk had put Stuttgart ahead.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is also happy with his strike-force - particularly with youngsters Nicklas Bendtner and Carlos Vela impressing in preseason.

"We're not as short of strikers as people thought," said Wenger. "Vela is integrating very well into the team and Bendtner was already a force at the end of last season . . . and he will confirm that this year.

"Overall, we are still maybe one player short. But up front we don't need anybody."

In addition to new signing Nasri pulling on a Gunners shirt for the first time, Emmanuel Adebayor made his first pre-season appearance, while former Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann was in goal for Stuttgart.



Gilberto Silva believes former Arsenal teammates Mathieu Flamini and Alex Hleb may regret leaving Emirates stadium this summer.

The Brazilian has exited Arsenal for Panathinaikos this summer because he was not guaranteed first-team football, but Hleb and Flamini were first choices at Arsenal.

"When you win things, you achieve more than anybody else. You get better contracts, and more money, anyway," Gilberto told The Daily Telegraph.

"I can't blame a player who wants a good contract. But I believe if they stay at the club, they can earn good money and do a lot for the club and themselves.

"So if they win something, it means more and they are more appreciated by supporters.

"I don't know what the reason is for them leaving [Flamini and Hleb] but they could have stayed. If it's for money, I would think they're wrong.

"Most of the players who leave miss the club for lots of reasons. The lifestyle at Arsenal is fantastic. You get so well looked after."



Arsenal are set to make a fortune on Tottenham's swoop for Blackburn Rovers winger David Bentley.

The Mirror says Bentley will finally get his £17m move today - and Arsenal are due a hefty chunk of around £7m as a percentage of the sell-on from his original transfer from the Gunners to Lancashire.



Fulham boss Roy Hodgson is close to clinching a sensational deal for Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez.

The Sun says Craven Cottage boss Hodgson has stolen a march on Arsenal and his negotiators are understood to have agreed a fee of around £15million with the German club.

Bobby Zamora has already joined from West Ham for £6.3m, while ex-Crystal Palace striker Andy Johnson has arrived for £12m from Everton. Now German international Gomez is close to agreeing personal terms.

Gomez's advisers had talks with Gunners representatives on Monday.

The 23-year-old's arrival at the Cottage would confirm Hodgson's intent to make a big impression on the Premier League this season.

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has denied quotes attributed to him over the weekend about an ambition to join Real Madrid.

Cesc also expressed frustration over Arsenal's lack of silverware in the interview, but insisted last night: "I have not spoken to any media so it's frustrating to read quotes that I have supposedly said about my future.

"I have spent the summer relaxing with my family, friends and girlfriend and I return to training with Arsenal tomorrow.

"I think that some people are just trying to make mischief but my intentions are very clear.

"I am happy here at Arsenal, my future is with Arsenal and the priority is to achieve success and win trophies at Arsenal."

And former Arsenal manager Terry Neill says it's too soon to consider Cesc Fabregas for the club captaincy.

Neill said: "At this stage and at his age, I don't think he should be burdened with it. I'm sure he can do it but without it he is given the freedom to just play, rather than be the conduit between the team and manager.

"Arsene might get a bit more out of Gallas by giving him back the captaincy."



Carlos Vela grabbed his first goals in an Arsenal shirt in yesterday's 10-2 thrashing of Burgenland in their pre-season friendly in Ritzing.

Nicklas Bendtner scored four goals and Mexican starlet Vela grabbed a hat-trick in the Gunners romp.

View His goals here.



Emmanuel Adebayor is edging towards signing a bumper new contract at Arsenal.

The Mirror says it now looks certain that Togo striker Adebayor will sign a new four-year deal at £75,000-a-week.





Arsenal captain William Gallas says the club's new signings will soon settle in.

Youngsters Samir Nasri and Aaron Ramsey have been brought and Gallas said: "They are young. They are very shy, but it won't be difficult for them to settle in. The squad is fantastic, the atmosphere is very good, so I think it will be fine for them.

"We have to win something because the trophies are more important at the end of the season. Last season we were near to winning something, I hope this season it will be different. Everybody knows what they have to do, we are ready."



Arsenal captain William Gallas admits he made mistakes last season.

The Frenchman's leadership came under close scrutiny as Arsenal's trophy challenge fell away after Christmas, with ugly episodes such as Gallas lashing out at an advertising hoarding when James McFadden scored a last-gasp equaliser for Birmingham City at St Andrews in February.

He said: "I learned a lot. You want to be the best captain, give good advice to your players, but sometimes you can make mistakes as well, so I think this season I know what I'm going to do and I know I am ready to change my way to speak to the players.



Tomas Rosicky insists Arsenal do not need to go outside the club to strengthen their midfield.

The crocked playmaker has backed Abou Diaby to cover the absence of Mathieu Flamini after his move to AC Milan this summer.

"I don't know if the coach will bring someone in," said Rosicky.

"I think that Diaby will be given a big chance to play often in Flamini's position. He was playing on the left when I was injured, but he is more a centre midfielder, the same type like Patrick Vieira.

"I expect a lot from him as I know from training that it is difficult to play against him. He has long legs and really is very similar to Vieira. In my opinion, he is able to do very well."



But in the other side Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is ready to bid big to land Sporting Lisbon midfielder Miguel Veloso.

Portuguese sources stated last week that Wenger was preparing a concrete move for the versatile midfielder.

And the Daily Star Sunday says Wenger intends to offer £14 million to convince Sporting to part with Veloso.



Tomas Rosicky also says pundits are wrong to write-off Arsenal for the new season.

"It is something similar to the last season, when everybody was writing us off," Rosicky told deniksport.cz. "Now, it will be the same. Some players have left but I trust the coach over this.

"He knows what he is doing. Personally, my ambitions are not smaller and I think this counts for the rest of the team.

"Definitely it was an excellent midfield and it is a pity that we have not remained together as we were attuned on the same tune.

"On the other hand, if the guys wanted to leave, it is only their decision."



Alex Song is grateful to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger for allowing him to join Cameroon's Olympics squad.

"I talked to the boss and told him that my country wanted me to play and he told me that if I want to go I can as long as I come back to Arsenal and show him what I can do," he said.

"Arsenal have a young team and some very good players and when I get back I just need to stay fit and do all I can to get a chance of playing for the first team.

"I want to do well at the Olympics and at Arsenal and I need to perform the best I can.

"My career is very important and I want to play well and show people what I can do."

Though Song admits he would love to help his country to another Olympic gold he is equally keen on Premier League glory with Arsenal this season.

"I want to win something and winning a gold medal at the Olympics would be very important," he added. "But I don't have a preference, ideally I would like to win gold and the Premier League with Arsenal."



Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is eyeing a shock raid for Barcelona striker Thierry Henry.

The Telegraph says Ferguson is pondering a swoop for the ex-Arsenal captain after being frustrated in his bid for Tottenham's Dimitar Berbatov.

Henry, 30, would cost somewhere in the region of £15 million after a less than eye-catching debut season last time around in Catalonia and Ferguson believes Henry could prove to be the perfect foil in attack for Wayne Rooney, allowing the England international to return to his former, more successful, front-running days.

Manchester United are also following Stockport County prospect Kyle Wilkie.

The 17 year-old midfielder is the latest starlet to come through Stockport's Academy of Excellence and has also attracted interest from Arsenal.



Arsenal U18 coach Steve Bould says fans can be excited about the talent that is threatening to make a first team breakthrough this season.

He told arsenal.com: "I was with players like Mark Randall at the Under-12s. The current Under-19s are the players that were in my first squad and it just fantastic to see them where they are. Someone like Jack Wilshere, too, who is around the first-team and doing really well, and Henri Lansbury and Gavin Hoyte have done a fabulous job to be where they are as well.

"Things are moving forward we hope."



Johan Djourou is hoping for a fresh start at Arsenal this season.

He told Arsenal TV: "I had that spell at Birmingham but before I had that I had a season [for Arsenal] where I played 30 games. Now I want to start again fresh and see how it goes.

"Last season was tough for me. The spell at Birmingham was good and I could play a lot. Unfortunately I got an injury that was there for a little while. That was frustrating because I want to come back and play. I feel good now and I am happy about that because I want to get started again."



Arsenal are closing in on a deal for Udinese midfielder Gokhan Inler.

Arsenal have moved ahead of Newcastle in the race for Inler by tabling a £5m bid, says the Daily Mail.

The figure activates the release clause in Inler's contract, and leaves Arsene Wenger as a clear favourite to sign the Switzerland international.