TheNewsGuru

Tag: Arsenal

  • Managerless Arsenal on worst winless run since 1977

    Managerless Arsenal’s season plummeted to a new low as they were beaten by Brighton in interim manager Freddie Ljungberg’s first home match in charge.

    Alexandre Lacazette marked his 100th Gunners appearance by heading his side level after Adam Webster had given the visitors a first-half lead.

    With the score 1-1, there was frustration for Ljungberg and Arsenal when David Luiz thought he had made it 2-1 with a volley but it was correctly ruled out following a VAR check for offside.

    Neal Maupay headed Brighton’s winner from Aaron Mooy’s cross to leave Arsenal on their worst winless run since 1977 – and 10 points off a Champions League spot.

    Arsenal, who are 10th in the table, have now failed to win any of their last nine games in all competitions and fans who stayed for the final whistle booed their team off the pitch after a tepid performance.

    Twelve years after his last appearance for Arsenal as a player, Ljungberg was given a chance to show fans inside a far-from-full Emirates he is capable of managing the club where he won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups.

    It started well, with the Swede given a decent reception by the crowd, before rapidly going downhill as Brighton, who had lost their previous four away games, took control.

    BBC

  • Emery a great leader, Ljungberg hails fallen Arsenal boss

    Emery a great leader, Ljungberg hails fallen Arsenal boss

    Freddie Ljungberg refused to criticise his inheritance from Unai Emery at Arsenal – hailing the departed head coach as a “great leader”.

    Ljungberg took charge of his first game as interim Gunners boss at the weekend, where they twice came from behind in an eventful 2-2 draw at Norwich City.

    It meant Arsenal remained without a Premier League win away from home since the first weekend of the season, while their previous top-flight triumph of any description came on October 6 against Bournemouth.

    Brighton and Hove Albion will be the next team that look to prolong that slump when they visit Emirates Stadium on Thursday, but Ljungberg defended Emery, who led Arsenal to the final of the Europa League last season before promoting the former Sweden international to his first-team coaching setup.

    “I’ve done two training sessions now and I don’t want to talk about the coaches before,” Ljungberg told a pre-match news conference.

    “I think Unai did a great job and was a great leader, and a fantastic coach. That’s not for me to judge. I look forward.

    “The main thing for me was that when we were at Norwich, we hadn’t won an away game since the first game of the season.

    “I felt that the players could react and, in my opinion, we played well offensively. It was good. But now we go forward.”

    Indeed, Ljungberg felt Arsenal’s problems at Carrow Road came in transition, with an under-fire defence frequently exposed as a result.

    “The general feeling is probably the same as I had after the match: we started extremely well, played very well offensively but had a problem transition-wise, so they got shots on target and chances just from the transition of an eight-yard sprint, which we need to stop,” he explained.

    “So that’s something we will focus on. Other things is my feeling that we got in behind their midfield and behind their backline a lot.

    “But if we play a transition game like we did, we won’t win any games, so that’s something that I can coach and try to improve.”

  • EPL: Arsenal believe in Ljungberg following Emery’s sack

    EPL: Arsenal believe in Ljungberg following Emery’s sack

    Joe Willock says Arsenal’s players “believe in” interim head coach Freddie Ljungberg after he drew his first game in charge at Norwich on Sunday.

    Ljungberg has taken the reins on a temporary basis following the sacking of Unai Emery as Arsenal continue to search for a new permanent manager.

    Max Allegri and Brendan Rodgers are on the shortlist for the vacant job, but director Josh Kroenke admitted Arsenal are in no rush to appoint a successor, meaning Ljungberg may stay in charge for the immediate future.

    That would be no issue for Arsenal’s players, after Willock revealed that Ljungberg had the full backing of the squad.

    “To be honest, we know collectively that we need to improve, whoever the manager,” Willock said.

    “Freddie is a brilliant manager. We believe in him and we’re working hard to try and improve.”

    The 20-year-old midfielder also described Emery as a “very good manager” and says Ljungberg told him to “play with happiness” before Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Carrow Road.

    “He said the most important thing was to play with happiness, to get the pride in the badge back and to work to win,” Willock said.

    “Every day in training we’re trying to get that competitiveness back. I feel like [our luck] is going to turn in one game, and we can push on from there. It’s coming, hopefully.

    “Friday is in the past now. Emery was a very good man, a very good manager.”

  • Liverpool defeat Arsenal on penalties after 10-goal thriller

    Liverpool defeat Arsenal on penalties after 10-goal thriller

    Liverpool’s dramatic penalty shootout victory over Arsenal sealed their place in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup after 10 goals were scored in a thrilling contest at Anfield.

    Celebrations broke out in front of the Kop after Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, 20, saved Dani Ceballos’ penalty to seal a 5-4 shootout win.

    Divock Origi’s 94th-minute scissor kick sent the game to penalties after Liverpool had twice come from behind to draw level.

    Arsenal’s Joe Willock thought he had given his side a memorable victory with a sensational long-range strike in the second half but there was more to come on an unforgettable night at Anfield.

    The celebrations were wild from Liverpool’s players at full-time as teenager Curtis Jones coolly thumped the final penalty in off the post to make it five from five in front of the Kop.

    Arsenal were minutes away from victory after Joe Willock’s stunning long-range effort had put them 5-4 up, before Origi pulled off what seemed the inevitable in stoppage time.

    Liverpool led just once during the match and that was after five minutes when Shkodran Mustafi slid in and diverted the ball into his own net.

    Midfielder Mesut Ozil, given just his third start of the season, then set-up Bukayo Saka, whose shot was rebounded in by Lucas Torreira to make it 1-1.

    Teenager Gabriel Martinelli continued his impressive goalscoring form, pouncing on a loose ball at the near post before slotting in from Saka’s pass to make it 3-1 to Arsenal.

    But Liverpool cut their lead to one goal on the stroke of half-time through James Milner’s penalty after Harvey Elliott – who became the youngest Liverpool player to start at Anfield (16 years, 209 days) – went down in the box under minimal contact from Martinelli.

    It took just nine minutes for the goals to start flowing again in the second half, when Milner uncharacteristically gave the ball away in his own area and Ozil teed up Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

    Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain fired in an excellent long-range effort for Liverpool and Origi’s smart turn and powerful finish made it 4-4 – all this before Willock and Origi’s late goals left the teams level at 5-5.

    BBC

  • EPL: Jose Mourinho eye Arsenal job

    EPL: Jose Mourinho eye Arsenal job

    Former Manchester United boss, Jose Mourinho would be interested in Arsenal managerial job if the position becomes vacant, according to reports.

    The pressure is mounting on Emery amid the controversial Granit Xhaka saga, while Arsenal have not won a league game by more than a one-goal margin all season.

    With the Portuguese still out of work following his dismissal by the Red Devils last December, The Sun report that he wants to return to English football, where he would hope to guide a third different club from the same league to a trophy – something no Premier League boss has ever achieved.

    Reports in earlier in the month suggested that Mourinho would consider taking over at Tottenham Hotspur if Mauricio Pochettino left his post.

    Mourinho is described as an ideal candidate should a job open up at the Emirates Stadium, due to his “organisation” and “leadership”.

     

  • EPL: Xhaka needs to apologize – Unai Emery

    EPL: Xhaka needs to apologize – Unai Emery

    Arsenal manager Unai Emery says Granit Xhaka should apologise after he was involved in an angry confrontation with home fans during Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace.

    The Gunners captain was booed while he walked off the pitch at Emirates Stadium, prompting him to cup his ear.

    Emery said: “Yes [he should apologise]. We make mistakes, we need to apologise and we suggested for him to do that.

    “Really, he knows he was wrong and he feels inside very deep.”

    It is not the first time Xhaka has been booed by his own fans this season, with Emery publicly defending the Switzerland midfielder after a game against Aston Villa last month.

    That uneasy relationship with the Gunners fans did not stop Emery appointing Xhaka as club captain in September after the summer departure of Laurent Koscielny.

    However, Emery has refused to confirm whether Xhaka will remain captain after Sunday’s incident.

    “At the moment I am not speaking and I don’t want to think about that,” the Spaniard added.

    “It is not easy for him and for the team. We spoke yesterday, and Sunday night also, and this morning.

    “He trained normally with the group but he is devastated and sad about the situation.”

  • Crystal Palace fight back to draw at Emirates

    Crystal Palace fight back to draw at Emirates

    Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka was involved in an angry confrontation with his own supporters as Crystal Palace came from two goals down to earn a point in an ill-tempered atmosphere at Emirates Stadium.

    The Gunners were two up inside nine minutes as Sokratis Papastathopoulos and David Luiz took advantage of poor defending at corners – but it was all downhill from there for Arsenal and manager Unai Emery.

    Palace pulled one back before half-time when Luka Milivojevic scored from the spot following a VAR intervention after referee Martin Atkinson initially shown Wilfried Zaha a yellow card for diving in a tangle with Calum Chambers.

    And Palace were level seven minutes after the break when Jordan Ayew headed in James McArthur’s cross at the far post.

    The game turned toxic just after the hour when Xhaka was substituted to roars of delight from Arsenal’s fans, the newly-appointed captain reacting angrily to jeers at his slow departure by waving and cupping his ear sarcastically to the home support, exchanging words before taking off his shirt and disappearing down the tunnel.

    Arsenal’s frustration was summed up when a late strike by Sokratis was ruled out for a foul by Chambers on Gary Cahill.

    BBC

  • David Luiz speaks on quitting Arsenal

    David Luiz speaks on quitting Arsenal

    Arsenal defender, David Luiz, has said he is not looking to leave the Emirates soon, amid speculation he could return to his native Brazil.

    The 32-year-old is only a matter of months into a two-year contract with the Gunners, after arriving from Chelsea in the summer.

    Luiz said he will give his all to Arsenal until at least 2021.

    Luiz told ESPN Brasil: “I, today, have no such plan. I don’t have that as a goal. But we never know, football goes very fast.

    “What makes me happy is to see the quality of Brazilian football. You see Jorge Jesus with Flamengo, and the great players like Felipe, Rafinha, Gerson, Gagibol, who’s back shining as he did at first at Santos.

    “So without a doubt, I’m happy for our football. I am glad about the ever-growing quality.

    “I’m sincere to say that today I don’t have this idea. I have a two-year contract with Arsenal. I have ambitions and goals here with Arsenal, so I came here. But we never know in the future.”

  • Europa: Pepe scores last minute free-kick in Arsenal win

    Europa: Pepe scores last minute free-kick in Arsenal win

    Substitute Nicolas Pepe rescued Arsenal with two sublime free-kicks in the last 10 minutes of their Europa League group game against Vitoria Guimaraes at Emirates Stadium.

    Arsenal were losing 2-1 when Pepe came on in the 75th minute and he scored five minutes later with a curling effort from 25 yards.

    He repeated the feat in stoppage time as Arsenal avoided their second straight defeat and retained their place at the top of Group F.

    Former Tottenham youngster Marcus Edwards had earlier cut inside and fired into the bottom corner to give Vitoria a shock lead, before Arsenal’s Brazilian teenager Gabriel Martinelli nodded in his fifth goal in just his third start to make it 1-1.

    Bruno Duarte restored the visitors’ lead on 36 minutes, pouncing on a rebound to send Arsenal into the half-time break a goal behind.

    The Gunners, who were poor for large patches of the game, burst into life in the final 10 minutes as Martinelli was denied from close range before Rob Holding’s header was well held by the goalkeeper.

    Arsenal manager Unai Emery made 10 changes from the side that lost to Sheffield United in the Premier League on Monday but was forced to bring on Matteo Guendouzi and Dani Ceballos at half-time, before Pepe made the difference.

     

  • EPL: Arsenal’s Aubameyang named Player of the Month

    EPL: Arsenal’s Aubameyang named Player of the Month

    Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been named the Premier League’s Player of the Month for September after scoring five goals in four matches.

    The Gabonese topped an eight-man shortlist after a vote by the public, as well as by the 20 club captains and a panel of football experts.

    Aubameyang’s goals during September were worth five points to Arsenal – he scored twice in their 2-2 draw at Watford, the equalisers in draws with Tottenham and Manchester United and the late winner with a free-kick against Aston Villa.

    The 30-year-old – who was the joint Golden Boot winner last season – now has seven goals for the campaign, which puts him behind only Tammy Abraham and Sergio Aguero in the scorers’ charts.

    It is the second time Aubameyang has been named the Premier League’s Player of the Month – the first came almost exactly a year ago, in October 2018.