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Tag: Arsenal

  • EPL: Arsenal cannot rely on Aubameyang’s goals – Chambers

    EPL: Arsenal cannot rely on Aubameyang’s goals – Chambers

    Calum Chambers says Arsenal cannot rely on his team-mate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to win games for the Gunners in the Premier League, with the forward registering over half of their top-flight goals so far this term.

    The 30-year-old has scored seven times in seven games in all competitions this season including a late free-kick which completed a thrilling comeback to earn a 3-2 win over Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, leaving Unai Emery’s side fourth in the table after six league matches played.

    Asked if there was an acceptance that Arsenal cannot keep relying on the Gabon international, Chambers replied: “Of course.

    “We know as a team and we know as a defensive unit that we have to be solid. That we have to shut the door and be stronger.

    “But when you have players like that obviously it does help as well. We’re working every day in training and working on what we need to do and we’ll just keep going.

    “Aubameyang’s very key. He’s a quality striker and a lot of the players on this team are quality, so to have him at the top of the team, scoring the goals is brilliant for us.”

  • EPL: Blame me for Arsenal draw – Sokratis

    EPL: Blame me for Arsenal draw – Sokratis

    Arsenal defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos says he is solely responsible for allowing Watford to come from two goals down to earn a draw on Sunday.

    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s first-half double seemed to have Arsenal on course for victory, only for the Hornets to welcome Quique Sanchez Flores back into the Vicarage Road dugout by staging a comeback as the visitors’ defence crumbled.

    The game ended 2-2 as Papastathopoulos gifted possession to Gerard Deulofeu with Unai Emery’s side looking to play out from the back – Tom Cleverley punishing the Greece international by converting as a result.

    Things went from bad to worse when David Luiz tripped Roberto Pereyra inside the box and the substitute converted the penalty to level the scores.

    Head coach Emery refused to criticise his players, while captain Granit Xhaka claimed they had been “scared” in the second half.

    But Sokratis, signed from Borussia Dortmund last summer, said: “I think that I cost the game for the team. It was my mistake for something simple that I don’t have to do.

    “I think this was the problem why we lose the three points. This is all about our responsibility and we have to do better. It was my mistake and today without my mistake, we would take the three points.

    “I don’t want to speak about others. Today it was my mistake and this cost the game. Nothing else. The other guys tried their best. I don’t have to do this mistake.”

    Watford had 31 shots on goal during the game as they dominated after the interval, with Sokratis admitting Arsenal were not up to scratch in the second 45 minutes.

    “Of course. I apologised because today I cost the game for the team and I have to work harder,” he added.

    “I know up to this moment I didn’t have a mistake, I didn’t do nothing. Everything was near to perfect. We didn’t have the same pace in the second half as in the first half.

    “But if we didn’t do these mistakes, I don’t think we draw. Of course they had other chances to score more, but if we didn’t do these mistakes then nothing happens.”

     

  • EPL: Arsenal too scared of Watford, says Xhaka

    EPL: Arsenal too scared of Watford, says Xhaka

    Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka says the Gunners “were too scared” as they let slip a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Watford.

    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice in the first half for the visitors but the Hornets hit back after the break through Tom Cleverley and a late Roberto Pereyra penalty.

    Watford finished with 31 shots on goal, 23 of those coming in the second half.

    “No-one wanted the ball. In the end we are happy to take a point,” Xhaka said.

    “We didn’t show our game in the second half, we were too scared.”

    Xhaka added: “Every team in the Premier League is strong enough to score but you have to keep calm, to show good character, to be mentally strong. We weren’t today.”

  • EPL: Watford come from behind to draw Arsenal

    EPL: Watford come from behind to draw Arsenal

    Watford fought back from two goals down at half-time to draw at home to Arsenal in Quique Sanchez Flores’ first match since being reappointed Hornets manager.

    They levelled the scores when Roberto Pereyra rolled in a late penalty after Tom Cleverley had reduced the deficit when Gunners defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos gave away possession inside his own area, to take only their second point of the season.

    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had put the visitors in front when he collected Sead Kolasinac’s pass on the turn before firing past Ben Foster.

    Arsenal doubled their lead as Aubemeyang finished a sweeping team move but the hosts improved after the break as the Gunners unravelled in front of the vociferous home support.

    The Hornets had their chances to complete a stunning comeback with a decisive third, but the otherwise impressive Gerard Deulofeu dragged his effort narrowly wide.

    The result sees Arsenal move into seventh, while the Hornets remain rooted to the foot of the table.

    BBC

  • Why I left Arsenal for Roma – Mkhitaryan

    Why I left Arsenal for Roma – Mkhitaryan

    AS Roma attacking midfielder, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, has explained why he left Arsenal for the Serie A side.

    The Armenian completed a deadline day move to Roma, despite having played for Arsenal against Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby 24 hours before earlier this month.

    Mkhitaryan stated that one of the reasons he left Unai Emery’s side was because he stopped enjoying football at Arsenal.

    “Now I am in Rome and I focus on the Serie A. This is not a step backwards as a great football is played here. I wanted to change air and for me, it is an opportunity to be seized,” Mkhitaryan was quoted by Calciomercato.

    “I have to enjoy playing football, no matter the place. In England, I no longer felt this pleasure.

    “The messages after the two national matches made me happy, but now I have to concentrate on Rome. I will never give up and I will fight to the end. I’m not afraid of pressure, I’m used to having already played with great teams.

    “I know that the slightest mistake is criticized while good performance is exalted. If you agree to play soccer you must be ready to face criticism. Series A is a great opportunity, I accepted immediately with enthusiasm. We didn’t even talk about money.”

  • Super Sunday: Arsenal come from two down to draw Tottenham

    Super Sunday: Arsenal come from two down to draw Tottenham

    Arsenal came from two goals down to salvage a point as a pulsating north London derby with Tottenham ended 2-2 at the Emirates on Super Sunday.

    Spurs raced into a two-goal lead inside 40 minutes thanks Christian Eriksen’s early tap-in and Harry Kane’s clinical penalty, after Granit Xhaka mindless lunge on Heung-min Son in the area.

  • Arsenal close in on £72m deal for Pepe

    Arsenal are hopeful of confirming the £72m club record signing of Ivory Coast winger Nicolas Pepe from Lille later this week.

    The 24-year-old has arrived in London and will have a medical on Tuesday before signing a five-year contract.
    The Gunners are also in talks with a number of clubs over the possible departure of 27-year-old defender Shkodran Mustafi.
    The German, who is under contract until 2021, wants to stay and prove himself.
    Arsenal are keen to find an agreement for a loan or permanent transfer for Mustafi.
    Another centre-back possibly heading out of the Emirates is 33-year-old Frenchman Laurent Koscielny, with talks continuing to resolve his future.
    Last season’s captain is training with the under-23s and facing disciplinary proceedings after refusing to travel on Arsenal’s pre-season tour to the United States.
    Koscielny has a year left on his contract and wants to be released on a free transfer, but Gunners boss Unai Emery saw the defender as part of his plans for the coming season and will only let him leave for a suitable fee.
    Koscielny does not anticipate playing for Arsenal again and negotiations with interested parties are ongoing.
    Arsenal technical director Edu met with the Stade Rennes president Olivier Letang and Koscielny’s representative Stephane Courbis in London on Monday.
    The club is looking to bolster in central defence before the transfer deadline on 8 August and also retain interest in Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney.
    BBC

  • Dead body found in Arsenal midfielder, Elneny’s house

    A dead body has been found in the house of Arsenal star, Mohamed Elneny in Egypt, according to Gazetta.
    Egyptian police are now investigating the matter after the corpse was discovered by the player’s father.
    The newspaper reports that Elneny’s dad immediately notified the authorities after he discovered the ‘lifeless body inside his son’s home.’
    The house, close to the city of Mahalla Al-Kubra, is currently under construction.
    Police are yet to formally identify the deceased and it is not known whether it was a criminal act or an accident.
    The Egyptian midfielder was missing from Arsenal’s squad to face Lyon on Sunday afternoon, as the Gunners slipped to a 2-1 defeat in the Emirates Cup.

  • Transfer: Nigerian forward set to leave Arsenal

    Nigeria winger Xavier Amaechi is set to leave Arsenal this summer.
    The player is heavily linked with a summer move to German club Hamburg.
    German newspaper, Bild reports that Arsenal have accepted a 2.5 million euros bid for the player.
    Arsenal was left out of the first team’s tour squad to the United States and did not feature for the U23s in their friendly vs Barnet this week.
    Amaechi capable of playing on either wing, penned his first professional contract with Arsenal in January 2018.
    He could be the latest youngster of Nigerian descent to move to a German club after RB Leipzig’s capture of Ademola Lookman.
    Amaechi joined Arsenal from Fulham Academy in August 2013.

  • Video: Ozil, Kolasinac escape attempted robbery

    Arsenal duo Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac are both unharmed after escaping an attempted robbery in London on Thursday.
    Social media footage of the attack shows the pair in an altercation with suspects on motorbikes wielding knives.
    Arsenal have confirmed both passenger Kolasinac and driver Ozil were involved in the incident and are both unharmed.
    The club are treating it as a “private matter” and say it does not affect the players’ pre-season training.
    Met Police were called to Platts Lane in north London, where they spoke to both players who had travelled to a nearby restaurant following the incident.
    The police say no arrests have been made, as their enquiries continue.
    Met Police said in a statement: “Police were called to Platts Lane, NW3, shortly before 17.00hrs on Thursday, 25 July to reports of an attempted robbery.
    “It was reported that suspects on motorbikes had attempted to rob a man who was driving a car.
    Watch video: