Wenger - Eduardo unluckiest player I've met

Wenger - Eduardo unluckiest player I've met


By Richard Clarke

Arsène Wenger says he has never known anyone as unlucky with injuries as Eduardo.
The Arsenal manager admits his Croatian striker is ruled out for the season after collecting a groin problem in bizarre fashion when Rio Ferdinand fell on him during Wednesday's Champions League tie at Old Trafford. Of course, the 25-year-old only came back to the side in January having spent almost a year on sidelines following that horrific leg break at Birmingham the season before.

He returned dramatically with two goals in his comeback game against Cardiff. However towards the end of that match, he collected a groin injury. The problem has dogged him since, restricting him to one start and two further appearances off the bench.

"He is really distraught," said Wenger at his press conference on Friday. "We have had a few players who have been down [through injuries] but this time I think it has affected him a lot.
"The season is over for him, he'll be out for three weeks. It's the first of May today, it is hard to come back to football competitiveness three weeks afterwards. Maybe if Croatia plays in June he has a chance."

Wenger was asked if he had ever known a player as unlucky with injuries.
"No," he replied. "It looks like since he's come back just every single thing that can happen has happened to him. "We watched the incident on Tuesday carefully again on the slow motion and he has absolutely no chance to escape. He is on the ground and Rio Ferdinand falls on him with the knee on his groin and you see the groin going.

"He turns his body completely but he has no chance to escape. It's just a bad coincidence. "Before his groin injury was compensation, but this time it was purely accidental."

Wenger - Stats say Man Utd better in one area

Wenger - Stats say Man Utd better in one area

By Richard Clarke

The difference between Arsenal and Manchester United on Wednesday was simply sharpness around the penalty area, according to Arsène Wenger.

The Champions League Semi-Final first leg at Old Trafford was widely perceived to be a lop-sided affair in everything but the scoreline. Sir Alex Ferguson's side had a number of chances but only converted one through John O'Shea in the early stages. It leaves the tie wide open ahead of the second leg at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, but Wenger knows his side have to improve - and he has been putting a little research into where.

"I watched the game twice again when I got home," said the studious Frenchman. "We analysed it very well.

"If you analyse it in a neutral way, as neutral I can be anyway, then the night before Chelsea made 165 passes and Barcelona 480 but, in the game, we played it was much more level.
"There was very little difference in the passing. But in the final third, they were really sharp. In fairness to them, they created chances much more than we did.

"They were more convincing in the final third but even in the penalty area the statistics are very level. But when they went for it they were sharper.

"We hope that in the second leg that sharpness that sometimes the home game gives you will be on our side.

"Manchester United have got the advantage but they missed the chance to score a second goal and we are confident that we can make them regret that."

'We were composed and had a great attitude'

'We were composed and had a great attitude'

On the performance…“We dominated completely in the first half and were creating plenty of chances through out movement and technical quality. We were sharp, composed, mobile and had a great attitude. In the second half they changed their game plan and we struggled for about 10 minutes. They had a chance for 2-1 and maybe that was the turning point. When we scored the third the game was over."

On the wholesale changes to the side …“The injury worries are still [Robin] Van Persie and [Mikael] Silvestre. I just wanted to give a breather to some of the players.”

On an even lower average age of his side... “I never have doubts about these young players. I see them everyday and you can see there is a good communication, a good connection and we showed some good combination play; we work a lot on that. These players have talent.”

On team news for Tuesday…“I haven't decided on my team for Tuesday yet, but some from today could play. I don't know yet.”

On the penalty…“I haven't spoken to [Andrey] Arshavin him yet. Some people are saying he said no, but for me it looked like a penalty. There was one before on Carlos Vela that was 100 per cent. Portsmouth are not happy but for me it looked like it.”

On handing Arshavin the captaincy …“It was such a young side and I have said many times I like a rotational leadership. He was the most experienced player. Since he arrived he has had a fantastic attitude with everybody and I wanted to reward him for that."

On Nicklas Bendtner's contribution…“I always believed in him and I think he is developing very well. He showed that today."

MU menggunakan sistem takut!!

MU akan berdepan Arsenal dalam Champion League separuh akhir dan dijangka mengekalkan sistem bertahan seperti perlawanan sebelumnya. MU yang meletakkan hampir semua pemain dalam kotak penalti dan mengharapkan counter attack ketika menentang Arsenal tempohari berjaya mengekang Arsenal dari terus membuat asakan ke tiang gol.

MU bakal berdepan jentera serangan Arsenal yang pastinya dahagakan gol. MU dijangka akan mengalami kekalahan yang cukup menyesakkan pada malam rabu nanti.