[size=6]Song - I'm confident we will win replay[/size]

By Giuseppe Muro

Alex Song admits the prospect of another FA Cup replay is far from ideal but is positive Arsenal will prove too strong for Leyton Orient at Emirates Stadium.

Jonathan Tehoue’s dramatic late strike means Arsenal host the League One side on March 2 for the right to face Manchester United in the FA Cup Sixth Round. But, with the games coming thick and fast, Song quickly turned his attention to Wednesday’s Premier League game against Stoke.

With United in Champions League action, Arsène Wenger’s side have the chance to close the gap to just one point. An opportunity, Song feels, Arsenal simply cannot afford to spurn.

“It is not good to have another match [the replay] but I am 100 per cent sure we will win the game at Emirates,” said the midfielder.

“We managed the game well apart from the last ten or 15 minutes. But we need to leave this game because we have an important match on Wednesday. The win is very important for the League.

“It is important just to take the next step. If we win this game we are a point behind Manchester United.

“We are working hard because this year is very important. Everybody has waited for this moment.”
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/song-i-m-confident-we-will-win-replay

[size=6]Arsenal agree deal for Barca kid[/size]

According to reports in Spain, Arsenal have once again plucked a talented midfielder from Barcelona's youth set-up after agreeing a deal with 16-year-old Jon Miquel Toral Harper.

It is believed that Toral, who currently represents Barca's cadete A side, has agreed to move to London and that Arsenal will pay Barcelona €350,000 in compensation.

The news echoes Arsenal's signing of Cesc Fabregas from the Spanish club in 2003, while Fran Merida and Ignasi Miquel both had spells at La Masia on their CV before moving to North London.

While the imminent signing of Toral has been interpreted in some quarters as souring relations between the two clubs in the build-up to the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, it is believed that is not necessarily the case.

Toral's mother is English and Barca showed little inclination to try and convince the player to stay once it became clear he wanted to end his four-year spell with the club and move to England.

Toral, who has represented Spain at Under-16 level, is described as a strong and technically-gifted midfielder, and he is represented by Barca coach Pep Guardiola's brother, Pere.

It is reported that Arsenal were also hoping to sign 16-year-old Sergi Samper from Barcelona but he decided to remain with the Spanish champions.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/883831/arsenal-agree-deal-for-barcelona-teenager-jon-toral?campaign=rss&source=soccernet&cc=3436

He looks more confused than distracted.

[size=6]Ramsey to return to Arsenal[/size]

Arsene Wenger has confirmed Aaron Ramsey will return to Arsenal rather than extend his loan spell at Cardiff City.

Ramsey is working his way back to full match fitness after suffering a double leg break in Arsenal's game away to Stoke City 12 months ago.

He has yet to feature for the Gunners since the injury and, following a loan spell at Nottingham Forest, the midfielder has spent the past month at former club Cardiff.

Bluebirds boss Dave Jones had been hoping to extend the Wales international's loan, with Ramsey having scored in Tuesday's win over Leicester City.

However, Wenger says Ramsey will return to Emirates Stadium after Cardiff's game against Hull City on Saturday and could play in the FA Cup fifth round replay against Leyton Orient next week.
Good reports

"He is on loan until Saturday," Wenger told the club's official website. "After that he comes back.

"He could be available for the second game against Leyton Orient on Wednesday.

"I have had good reports from Cardiff and I intend to use him. He could not play last Saturday because he had a little hip problem and we demanded that he rest.

"I think he will play this Saturday again and then we will see if he comes through that game well. After that he is available for Arsenal."
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6773294,00.html

The look on Clichy's face is gold :lol:

[size=6]Report: Arsenal 1-0 Stoke[/size]

By Richard Clarke at Emirates Stadium

Arsenal edged their way to within a point of leaders Manchester United with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Stoke on Wednesday night.

But the victory may have come at a price.

Sebastien Squillaci’s eighth-minute header was enough to secure all three points. However, Cesc Fabregas hobbled off shortly afterwards with what appeared to be a knee injury. In the second half, Theo Walcott was stretchered off with a concerned look on his face having been brought down on the edge of the area.

They could be nothing of course but, with the Carling Cup Final coming up on Sunday, Arsène Wenger can ill-afford key injuries.

It is testament to Arsenal that they shook off these problems to secure a crucial victory on the night.

Stoke were Stoke – organised, robust, committed – but Arsenal matched them in those areas made their class count when it mattered

These sorts of ground-out 1-0s are said to win you titles. Time will tell there.

But this result is further evidence that Arsenal are the real deal this season.

This was the first of five games in 14 days – a spell that includes Sunday’s showpiece and ends with the game at Barcelona. It is a massive time for Arsenal and, as expected, Wenger brought back the bulk of the side that had been rested at Leyton Orient on Sunday.

In all there were seven changes. Only Alex Song, Bacary Sagna, Squillaci and Nicklas Bendtner retained their places. Wojciech Szczesny, Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Walcott, Jack Wilshere and Johan Djourou all came in.

Manchester United were otherwise engaged in the Champions League this evening but will play twice in the Premier League before Wenger’s men run out again in the same competition.

The Frenchman does not like to label any game as ‘must-win’ but this one was about as close as you could get if Arsenal wanted to retain control of their own destiny in the title race.

And the home side began as if they were fully aware of the magnitude of the fixture.

In the opening four and half minutes, Walcott would have three opportunities – one crystal-clear and two half-chances.

The best came first.

With less than 70 seconds on the clock, Wilshere found Fabregas on the edge of the area. Perceptive as ever, he spotted Walcott on the right of the area. The skipper threaded a pass through to leave the Englishman clear but needing to beat Asmir Begovic from an acute angle.

He did so. But his cross-shot bounced back off the inside of the post, back across goal and back into the hands of the keeper. Fist-gnawing stuff.

A couple minutes later, Walcott volleyed over when off-balance. Then he seemed to be beating a couple of Stoke defenders for pace but was caught as he shaped to shoot and sidefooted tamely into the hands of the keeper.

Stoke replied with a couple of Rory Delap throw-ins but, in the eighth minute, Arsenal grabbed the lead they deserved.

Wilshere fired over a corner from the right. It was touched on to Bendtner at the far post. He returned the ball into the midst of the six-yard box for Squillaci to nod home from close-range. It was the Frenchman’s second goal of the season and he celebrated like it meant something.

It was everything Arsenal needed but, five minutes later, they would suffer a crucial blow – they lost their captain.

Fabregas pulled up holding his knee and was soon replaced by Arshavin. The Russian took up the role on the left of midfield with Nasri moving into the middle.

The goal and the injury seemed to affect Arsenal. The home side were in complete control - on the half-hour the statistics said they had enjoyed an incredible 74 per cent possession – however their build-up play lead to nothing concrete.

In the 37th minute, they were nearly caught. In a rare foray forward Jon Walters nodded the ball back to John Carew 25 yards out. The Norwegian fired a thunderous volley toward the far corner but Szczesny threw himself to his right and made the block. It was a wonderful stop given he had been underemployed thus far.

At the break, Stoke needed to do something. Almost like Orient as the weekend, they seemed happy to cede territory and get men behind the ball. It was a risky ploy given the attacking options Arsenal had at their disposal.

Therefore the visitors were understandably more expansive in the second half. In the opening minutes, they nearly drew level from a move that started with a Delap throw-in - but not in the way you might think.

This one was tossed down the line for Jermaine Pennant. His cross was nodded goalwards by Ryan Shawcross at the near post but, fortunately for Arsenal, deflected wide.

Just before the hour, a more traditional Delap fling saw Robert Huth climb highest and nod over. A glorious chance.

The switch in style had put Arsenal back on their heels and it took them time to recover.

But, gradually, recover they did.

Wilshere thumped a long-range shot into the chest of Begovic then Arshavin skipped past the sliding Shawcross on the left-hand byline before cutting the ball back invitingly for Walcott. He tried to finish first-time but miscued.

It would be the last act from the Englishman. With 20 minutes left, he was hauled down by Dean Whitehead on the edge of the area and did not get up. He was stretchered off and Denilson came on.

The game was still tight and even. Shawcross miscued a volley and one end, Bendtner headed over at the other.

As the game entered its final phase, both sides brought on strikers – Marouane Chamakh for Arsenal, Ricardo Fuller for Stoke.

Stoke still pushed forward where possible but their's was a blunt weapon. The closest they came to breaking the deadlock was when Pennant rippled the sidenetting from a free-kick.

The finale was nervy but controlled. The finesse went from Arsenal and the fight took over.

But in the end they had the three points they wanted.
http://www.arsenal.com/match-menu/3366073/first-team/arsenal-v-stoke-city?tab=report

I don't think he'll be fit by the weekend, and even if he was he'd only be on the bench. I think we have enough without him to still get past Birmingham. Just gutted for him, his first final as captain and he's going to miss it.

We'll probably just shift, Arshavin to the left, Bendtner to the right, RVP through the middle and Nasri in Cesc's place.

Edited by sydneycroatia58: 24/2/2011 10:35:49 AM

:lol: Pat Rice

Diaby being injured doesn't help. If he was fit he would have slotted into the middle with Wilshere taking up the Cesc role and could have kept Nasri and Arshavin on the wings.