[size=6]'Being a relative unknown helped me adapt'[/size]

By Chris Harris

Sebastien Squillaci believes his relative anonymity has made it easier for him to settle in English football.

The French defender was an established international and a consistent performer with Sevilla in La Liga before he arrived at Arsenal in late August but he remained an unknown quantity to many Arsenal fans.

Nearly three months on, Squillaci has already captained the Gunners and only three players - Alex Song, Gael Clichy and Marouane Chamakh - have started more games for the Club this season.

The 30-year-old put in another solid shift in Arsenal's 2-1 win at Everton on Sunday and he believes that his low-key introduction to the Premier League - and the large French contingent at Emirates Stadium - have helped him acclimatise.

"Yes, I think it helped [that I was a relative unknown]," Squillaci told Arsenal TV Online in an exclusive ‘Spotlight' interview.

"I knew a lot of the players and there are a lot of Frenchmen here, which always makes it easier to adapt. There are players here who I have played with for France and also against in the French league and that makes coming here not so hard.

"It's always better coming to a club where you know the players, it helps you if there are any problems and also helps on and off the pitch too.

"Adapting-wise, I knew that it [English football] would be physical with some good sides, playing good football. The strikers are big and strong and it is a great contrast with Spain where the strikers are faster and not so strong. But it's not going too badly. I'm stepping up to the challenge and it's getting easier."

The common consensus last summer was that Thomas Vermaelen would emerge as Arsenal's senior defender but the Belgian's ongoing Achilles trouble has allowed Squillaci, fellow new boy Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou to stake their claims.

Squillaci has helped steady the ship in defence but he wants to see Vermaelen return as soon as possible.

"Thomas Vermaelen got injured and still is injured and that's a shame for us because we need players like him and that brings confidence to the team," he said. "But there is competition at any big club and you also need all your players as there are injuries, lots of games every three days and so you need a good group of players to make up for this and to be able to cope.

"I hope that everyone gets fit, Thomas and everyone else so that we all get our chance and we'll be able to catch up in the league."
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/-being-a-relative-unknown-helped-me-adapt-

But JET is really a midfield thats why i didnt include him in that list, and also it also says he is a mid on the arsenal website

The thing is he is probably at the bottom of the pecking order when it comes to upfront. We don't need him. You say it's good we have quality backups well Carlos Vela isn't one of them.

Edited by sydneycroatia58: 15/11/2010 02:33:42 PM

[size=6]Sagna - Away form is missing ingredient[/size]

By Richard Clarke

Bacary Sagna believes Arsenal's new-found away strength could be the missing ingredient in their title bid.

The full back scored the first goal in his side's hard-fought 2-1 win at Everton on Sunday. It was their second victory on the road inside four days and, coupled with Chelsea's defeat against Sunderland, helped Arsène Wenger's side go within two points of the Premier League leaders.

Arsenal have now taken 14 points away and 12 at home in six matches at either venue. In fact the only Premier League defeat on their travels came at Chelsea on October 3 and even then Wenger's men performed well. Sagna knows a travel sick side cannot win the title.

"We know if we want to be successful and competitive, we want to take maximum points away," he said.

"That's what we have missed over the past few years but we know we can win games now, even against big opponents. So we just need to play game after game and give the maximum."

Sagna's strike was a collector's item. It doubled his Arsenal tally in his 147th game for the Club.

"I feel great about it because I haven't scored for a long time and overall it helped the team to win the game," he said.

"Apart from this goal, I think we played well and deserved to win. It was a very difficult game. It is not easy here but if we want to win something, we have to win these kind of games.

"The title race is very tight - we are very close to the top of the league and not far from the opponents. But we need to think about our team and not about the others, play our game and we will see the points total at the end."
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/sagna-away-form-is-missing-ingredient

Some good news out of the England camp. Cashley is out of the squad wmost likely means that Gibbs will get his first England start.

spurs at home this weekend, should be good... :twisted:

[-x [-x [-x The way RVP is with injuries im glad we have a decent amount of quality backups plus hes one of my fav players, :lol:

I'd also like Vela to well and truly fuck off..

[size=6]Loanees Report: Mannone stars on Hull debut[/size]

Welcome to this weekends Loanees Watch – Young Guns’ analysis, reports and updates on the progress of the young starlets currently plying their trade away from the Emirates Stadium. You can read all the latest reports below.

Vito Mannone played the full 90 minutes on his Hull City debut in a 2-0 win over Preston on Friday night. City came into the game in the bottom three but 12 saves from Mannone, including two stunning stops, helped them survive a barrage from Preston and win 2-0.

Kyle Bartley played the full 90 minutes at centre back for Sheffield United as they beat Millwall 1-0. Bartley was arguably The Blades’ Man of the Match, making several key blocks and tackles and earning a rare clean sheet.

Sanchez Watt missed Leeds United 3-1 win over Bristol City due to injury.

Benik Afobe completed his third 90 minutes in a week for Huddersfield Town as they lost 1-0 to Cedric Evina’s Oldham Athletic. Afobe failed to add to his brace and assist in midweek but did come close with a flicked header late on.

Cedric Evina played 85 minutes at left back for Oldham Athletic as they beat Benik Afobe’s Huddersfield United 1-0.

Luke Freeman came off the bench to play the final 15 minutes for Yeovil Town against Dagenham and Redbridge. Freeman came on with the scores level at 1-1 but two late goals, including one from former Gunner Abu Ogogo saw The Daggers snatch the win.

Thomas Cruise was an unused substitute for Carlisle United as they beat Southampton 3-2 at Brunton Park.

Gavin Hoyte wrapped up another 90 minutes at right back for Lincoln City as they beat Morecambe 2-1.

Mark Randall missed Rotherham’s 0-0 draw with York City due to a broken cheek bone.

Francis Coquelin was restored to the bench following the return of Arnold Mvuemba after the death of his son. However, Coquelin did play the final 21 minutes as a substitute against PSG. Francis was booked seconds after coming on for a poor challenge on Ceara. It finished 1-1.

Armand Traore played the final 43 minutes for Juventus on his debut against Roma. Traore replaced Fabio Grosso at left back two minutes after half time.

Nacer Barazite, who scored in the Dutch Cup in midweek, was an unused substitute for Vitesse Arnhem as they thrashed VVV 5-1.

Pedro Botelho played the full 90 minutes on the left of a five man midfield as Recreativo Huelva beat FC Cartagena 3-0. Botelho showed early promise by cutting inside and smashing an effort inches over. Yet Recreativo stepped up their play in the second half and cruised to victory.

Samuel Galindo was an unused substitute for Ponferradina as they beat UD Salamanca 3-2.
http://younggunsblog.co.uk/2010/11/loanees-mannone-stars-on-hull-debut/

[size=6]Report: Everton 1-2 Arsenal[/size]

By Richard Clarke

Arsenal returned to second place in the Premier League with a hard-fought but richly-deserved 2-1 win at Everton on Sunday.

Bacary Sagna thumped the visitors in front nine minutes before half-time – his second strike in 147 games for the Club – and Cesc Fabregas cracked home another just after the restart.

The home team put pressure on Arsène Wenger’s side for the remainder of the game but, as they had at Wolves in midweek, Arsenal rolled up their sleeves. The defence was largely stoic and, when it wasn’t, Lukasz Fabianski bailed them out with a string of late saves.

In the dying seconds, Tim Cahill did force the ball home from close range to set up four frantic minutes of injury time. But the comeback was never really on.

Arsenal were full value for their win this afternoon and it means that now more than half of their points have come away from Emirates Stadium

If Wenger’s men are going to win the title this season, it seems they are happy to win it on the road.

The manager made one change from the side that had toughed out a 2-0 win at Wolves on Wednesday. Samir Nasri returned to replace Tomas Rosicky. The Frenchman started on the right hand side to allow Andrey Arshavin to stay on the left.

Having lost so lamely against Newcastle at Emirates Stadium last Sunday, this game would determine the ‘feel’ of the week. Six points and a return to second place would be a reasonable response in the circumstances.

But, with Everton unbeaten in their last seven games, this was likely to be a similar kind of gritty scrap to Wednesday night.

And so it proved.

The opening minutes were muted. The hosts had the edge but created nothing.

The first chance fell to Arsenal in the tenth minute. The visiting defence backed off the advancing Nasri until the Frenchman was 12 yards from goal and eventually, Sylvain Distin threw himself in to block.

Everton immediately flew down the other end and created, what turned out to be, their best chance of the half. Seamus Coleman advanced on the right and picked out the unmarked Cahill at the far post. The Australian is known for his excellence in the air but this time he got everything wrong. The midfielder tried to guide the ball back inside the near post. In fact he put it over the bar. A huge miss.

Midway through the half, Arshavin weaved inside and thumped over. Then Marouane Chamakh’s backflick set Jack Wilshere traversing the area. Just as the youngster got his shot away, Phil Jagielka flew in to deflect his effort wide.

It was evidence that Arsenal had finally found their feet. This was no advert for the quality of Premier League football but the visitors were now the better side.

Arshavin and Alex Song thumped wide of the woodwork and, just past the half-hour, a flowing move saw Fabregas cut the ball back towards Chamakh at the near post. The Moroccan’s dummy was wasteful.

These were not great opportunities but they were more than Everton were creating. Nine minutes before the half-time whistle Arsenal finally put it all together.

Nasri’s shot was turned aside by Tim Howard and the ball eventually fell to Sagna, who beat the keeper with a powerful shot from the narrowest of angles.

The crowd tried to roar an Everton response but the home side lacked guile in the final third.

Arsenal had not been at their best but they were worth their lead.

Both sides made changes at the start of the second half. Denilson replaced Wilshere, who had needed treatment in the first period. Jack Rodwell came on for Johnny Heitinga.

Within two minutes of the kick-off, the visitors doubled their advantage. Denilson lead a breakaway and fed Chamakh just inside the area. In heavy traffic, the striker slipped the ball to Fabregas whose snapshot found the far corner. It was the Spaniard’s fifth goal of the season.

Everton might have replied immediately when Squillaci brought down Louis Saha and Leighton Baines floated his free-kick into the midriff of Fabianski.

After the early set-back, the home side were now chasing a foothold in the game. It meant Arsenal were both under pressure and threatening a third on the break. Just before the hour, the visitors had two clear-cut chances to score a killer third.

First, Nasri breezed past Jagielka to go one-on-one with Howard. The Everton keeper stood up well to repel his shot.

Seconds later, Fabregas fired an inviting ball across the face of goal to the unmarked Chamakh at the far post. Somehow the sliding striker contrived to slice the ball over the bar from three yards.

A contender for miss of the season.

With 21 minutes remaining, Everton manager David Moyes brought off two midfielders – Phil Neville and Mikael Arteta – for two strikers – Yakubu and Jermaine Beckford. His tactics were now crystal clear.

But the expected pressure on the Arsenal goal did not really materialise. The home side’s next chance came nine minutes from time when Beckford hooked a snapshot towards the far post. Fabianski made an excellent save.

A couple of minutes later, the Pole made another stunning stop from Steven Pienaar’s drive.

As full time approached Everton turned the screw. Three minutes from the end the ball fell to Saha’s feet just outside the area. Again Fabianski was equal to the effort.

The home side did find the net in the final minute of normal time. Saha nodded the ball down at the far post for Cahill to poke home from close range.

It sparked Everton into real urgency at last but, barring a few optimistic crosses, Arsenal were comfortable.

The visiting fans were in good voice at the final whistle – and rightly so. This was a massive win for Wenger’s men. One that sends them in to the international break in the ascendancy.

And, of course, they entertain Tottenham next Saturday.
http://www.arsenal.com/match-menu/3293527/first-team/everton-v-arsenal?tab=report