Arsenal

Wenger unsure over Lehmann future
Arsene Wenger insists he is not sure if goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has played his last game for Arsenal in the 2-0 FA Cup third-round victory at Burnley. Lehmann, 38, played only his fifth match of the season for the Gunners at Turf Moor and has been linked with a return home to Borussia Dortmund. "He had a faultless performance and was highly focused. He showed again what a great professional he is," Wenger said. "We'd like him to stay but I've said many times, the ball is in his court." Lehmann is tempted by the prospect of regular first-team football to boost his hopes of winning a place in Germany's Euro 2008 squad. Wenger added: "If he decides to go I don't want to close the door for him because of the European Championship." And Germany goalkeeping coach Andreas Kopke said on Sunday: "From a sporting point of view, it would be desirable to have him playing regularly again. "In Dortmund, he would have plenty of opportunities in the second half of the season." Lehmann and his team-mates, meanwhile, were given a tough time by Burnley before sealing their passage into the fourth round of the Cup. Kyle Lafferty, who was later sent off for raising his studs in a sliding challenge on Gilberto, struck the bar early on before goals from Eduardo and Nicklas Bendtner saw off the Championship side. "They gave us a real game, and I was impressed by them," Wenger admitted. "They missed an early header where they should have scored and it was difficult because Burnley played very well. "But we were focused and steady and after they had the sending-off we controlled the game." Clarets boss Owen Coyle was full of praise for his men, who have struggled in the league of late. "We created opportunities that probably should have resulted in goals, particularly Kyle's effort early on," he said. "Moments like that are pivotal. "We were always in the game, we committed players forward as we said we would and gave them a stern test. "Against Arsenal 11 v 11 is difficult at the best of times so to go down to 10 was a mountain to climb but it was a valiant effort, we still had opportunities with 10 men. "The score flattered Arsenal and on another day we could have achieved a positive result."

Arsenal talks for Gills teenager
Arsenal have started negotiations to sign highly-rated 15-year-old Gillingham striker Luke Freeman. They are among a number of Premier League clubs chasing Freeman, who became the youngest ever player to appear in the FA Cup in November. West Ham and Newcastle have expressed an interest but Gills boss Mark Stimson said talks with Arsenal have begun. "The chairman's trying to negotiate a deal. We now realise we're going to lose him," he told SSB. Last month Stimson said that if Freeman, who has made three first team appearances, were his son he would advise him to sign for Arsenal. He also confirmed that Gillingham have made an increased bid for Forest Green striker Stuart Fleetwood, the leading scorer in the Blue Square Premier.

Lehmann 'agrees move to Dortmund'
Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann has agreed terms with Borussia Dortmund, according to the Bundesliga club. However, the deal is unlikely to be wrapped up for several days as the 38-year-old German international has personal issues to resolve. Dortmund spokesman Joseph Schneck said they had agreed terms but added it was "too early to confirm that he'll come". However, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger dismissed the reports and denied that a deal had been done. Schneck added: "We're still waiting for him to iron out a few things, like personal matters - then we hope he'll join us." On Wednesday evening, German newspaper Bild reported on their website that a deal had been done. They quoted Dortmund sports director Michael Zorc as saying: "Between us and Lehmann everything has been settled. We are in constant contact. We have even come to terms financially." However, Schneck insisted the newspaper had jumped the gun. "Jens Lehmann will not be here in the next one or two days," he said. Lehmann left the Westphalian club to join the Gunners in 2003 having won the Bundesliga with Dortmund in 2002. He lost his first-team place at the Emirates Stadium to Manuel Almunia earlier this season and is keen to play top-flight football to cement his place in the Germany squad for Euro 2008. Borussia made Lehmann their top target after keeper Roman Weidenfeller was ruled out for three months because of a shoulder injury.

Jens Lehmann has admitted that he has contemplated retiring from football at the end of the season. The German international has made just five appearances for the Arsenal first-team this season after a string of errors at the beginning of the campaign saw him lose his place to Manuel Almunia. The temperamental keeper looks set to be on the bench once again for the club's Carling Cup semi-final second leg against Spurs on Wednesday night and feels that he has been treated unfairly of late as the performances of his Spanish replacement have not warranted an extended run in the side. He also admitted that if the situation fails to improve over the next few months then he will consider calling time on his 18-year career. "If the same criteria were applied to Almunia as they are to me, I would have been back in the team a long time ago," he said. "But I am optimistic, and I go into every training session feeling I will soon be back playing. "It is highly unlikely I would join another club in England. "It troubles me greatly I'm not getting games, but that is the only thing I disagree about with Arsene Wenger. "There is a 50 per cent chance I could retire soon. It depends what offers I receive." If Lehmann sticks to his word then there appears a good chance that he may hang up his gloves come the summer, as on top of ruling out a move to another side in this country, he has also stated his reluctance to leave his young family alone in London. This would seemingly rule out a transfer abroad and would explain the reasons behind his decision to reject the opportunity to return to his former club Borussia Dortmund earlier this month. "Crime levels are really high in London," he said. "I would not feel comfortable about leaving my wife and children alone there. "I would have made more money had I joined Dortmund for five months, but it would have been less favourable for my family. "I didn't want to make the children change schools for such a short period, and they didn't want to move. "My wife and I did not want to disrupt their happiness simply because their dad made a couple of mistakes at the start of the season and now has to sit on the subs' bench."

Abou Diaby has agreed a new long-term contract with Arsenal to keep the French midfielder at Emirates Stadium until 2012. The 21-year-old made his 55th appearance for the Gunners on Tuesday as they returned to the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 home win over Newcastle. Diaby - who joined Arsenal from Auxerre in 2006 - has previously spoken of his desire to remain with the Gunners, despite suggestions that he could move elsewhere. And Diaby, who has tallied 21 appearances for the Gunners this season, has now been rewarded with a extended deal. Speaking after Arsenal's victory against Newcastle manager Arsene Wenger told the club's official website: "Abou has signed a new deal until 2012." Meanwhile, fellow midfielder Mathieu Flamini has also pledged his commitment to Arsenal. Flamini, who moved to Arsenal in 2004 from Marseille, has been one of Arsenal's unsung heroes in a successful season which also sees the Gunners preparing to face Milan in the first knock-out round of the UEFA Champions League. The Frenchman's current deal expires at the end of the campaign and he could agree a pre-contract agreement with another club during the January transfer window, but he insists he will not be leaving North London. "My priority is to stay here," Flamini added. "I'm very happy here. I'm happy to play in the team and everything is good. My representatives are talking with the club and I hope everything will be good. I want to play game after game. The rest, we will see later." Flamini has also admitted the comfort he feels with his team-mates, Cesc Fabregas, Tomas Rosicky and Alexander Hleb, in Arsenal's midfield. "We are very close on and off the pitch," Flamini continued. "We chill with each other off the pitch. That is important. But when we have to speak on the pitch we are doing it and finding a solution. "I cover Cesc, Alex and Tomas in the midfield. I'm trying be the insurance policy and be a little bit bossy. That's my role. But I'm also trying to help the players up front and help Cesc as well because he is going forward. "Sometimes he's tired and I try to help. Sometimes it's him and sometimes it's me. But I think we are a very good complement for each other."

Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal may have to exceed 90 points in order to claim the Premier League title. The Gunners currently top the table on 60 points, two above second-placed Manchester United. Arsenal have reached 90 points once in their history - in the 2003/2004 season where they went the entire league campaign unbeaten. Chelsea have surpassed that landmark twice before, with totals of 91 and 95 in 2005/2006 and 2004/2005 respectively. United have also exceeded 90 points, with totals of 91 and 92 in 1999/2000 and 1993/1994 respectively. This season's charge for the title looks set to be the fiercest in years and Wenger believes the victors will have to better 90 points. "We have 60 now and that is phenomenal. I don't know how much will be needed but it looks it will be around the 90s," he told the club's official website.

arsenal
Arsenal are the best!!!!!! :clap:

I hope they win the league :clap:

Wenger backs Arsenal self-belief
Arsene Wenger feels Arsenal have a new resilience that could help them go five points clear at the top of the table with a win against Blackburn on Monday. After Manchester United lost and Chelsea drew on Sunday, Arsenal can take a step towards the title and Wenger has praised his side's attitude. He said: "The team as a whole had a personality and a mental toughness from the beginning of the season. "We were confronted with major problems and showed resilience every time." A major reason for Arsenal's resurgence this season has been the improved ability to counter teams who adopt a physical approach to the game. It has not been lost on Blackburn manager Mark Hughes, who takes his team to the Emirates well aware of the size of the task ahead of him. "Arsenal are a side that have a physical edge to their game now and I think they are reaping the benefits of that," said Hughes. "They can compete on any level. And they are certainly not worse for it - I would say they are better for it." It has not always been the case, and last season Cesc Fabregas mocked Hughes after being frustrated by what he felt were spoiling tactics as Rovers held Arsenal 0-0 in the FA Cup. Now though it seems Arsenal have learned to cope better with that approach and Wenger says Fabregas, in particular, has matured. "Cesc is committed and you always like your players to have a winning attitude," said Wenger. "Sometimes it can go a little bit over the top but Cesc has behaved remarkably well this season - I cannot remember one incident. "There was maybe a stage, for about six months, where he went a bit the wrong way, but he corrected that very well, without any special management from me. "He apologised and from then on there have been no problems with him. He is so intelligent that he realised that is not the way he wanted to go." However, Wenger realises that the current Arsenal side must win something if they are to be considered a great team. "My target is to get the best out of this team," said Wenger. "We have to get the best out of them until the end of the season, and then we can let people judge how good we are or not."

Cesc Fabregas has revealed that he is in talks with Arsenal about extending his stay at Emirates Stadium. The 20-year-old put pen-to-paper on an eight-year contract extension with The Gunners in 2006. But reported interest from Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid has failed to die down, with the duo regularly expressing their interest in signing the midfielder. Furthermore, reports emanating from Spain earlier this week suggesting that Barca chiefs have targeted Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger as the man to take charge at Camp Nou has led to talk of Fabregas heading to Spain with his current manager. However, Fabregas has once again moved to deny rumours of a transfer back to his homeland, while revealing that talks are underway over a new deal. "I have contract in force until 2014, I have six years remaining and I am talking with my club, who are interested in renegotiating it," Fabregas told Cadena Ser. "I want to succeed at Arsenal and that the club wants me is fundamental for me. "I am proud , I am from Barcelona and I have played there. "But now I only think of winning as many titles as possible here ." Fabregas has tallied 30 appearances for The Gunners so far this season, scoring an impressive 12 goals from midfield.

Arsenal are optimistic defender Kolo Toure will be ready to return to action in two weeks' time. It was feared the centre-back would be out for up to four weeks after collecting an injury after only seven minutes of the Gunners' UEFA Champions League last 16 first leg clash with Milan at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday. Toure was forced off after picking up the injury after blocking a shot from Milan star Alexandre Pato. However, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is now hopeful that Toure could return to action in two weeks' time, which means the Ivory Coast international could be fit for the second leg against Milan at the San Siro on 4th March. "The news is maybe a bit better," Wenger told Arsenal's official website. "For me on Wednesday night it looked like he would be out for two to four weeks. The way he was walking perhaps four. But today the medical staff said to me it would be closer to two than four." However, Toure is definitely out for Arsenal's Premier League trip to Birmingham at the weekend.

Arsenal score 54% rise in profit
Arsenal have seen their half-year profits rise 54%, boosted by the latest Premier League TV rights deal and the success of the new Emirates Stadium. The club, which tops the Premier League, made a pre-tax profit of £20m in the six months to the end of November, up from £12.6m in 2006. It was also a profitable period for player transfers, including the June departure of Thierry Henry for £16.1m. Arsenal's broadcasting income was up £6.5m at £24.3m. Summer tournament Match day income had risen more than £3m to £41.4m. The club's revenues were boosted by last summer's Emirates Cup tournament, which featured Arsenal, Inter Milan, Paris Saint Germain and Valencia. However, Arsenal's overall turnover dropped to £97m from £100.8m a year earlier, due to a near 70% decline in revenues from property deals. "We have had a very satisfactory start to the financial year," said Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood. Earlier this month an investment firm co-owned by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov revealed it had increased its stake in Arsenal to 24%. But Arsenal's managing director Keith Edelman said he was confident that an agreement between major shareholders would prevent a takeover. "We were always advised by them that they would build their stake to 25% but we have a lockdown, which makes us bullet-proof."

it was good that they beat ac millan

Wenger confident on Flamini deal
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insists contract negotiations with midfielder Mathieu Flamini are "on course" and expects him to sign a deal in April. The 24-year-old France star is a free agent at the end of the season and has been linked with Inter Milan. He is technically free to discuss terms with other clubs but Wenger expects him to commit himself to the Gunners. Wenger told Arsenal TV Online: "We are on course. Negotiations are going well and we hope to sort that out in April." Flamini came through the Marseille youth ranks but signed his first professional deal with Arsenal in 2004 and has developed into one of Wenger's most reliable performers. Wenger admitted a year ago that he may have to let Flamini leave to get regular football, but he has gone on to become a fixture alongside Cesc Fabregas in Arsenal's midfield.

Sagna ruled out for three weeks
Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna has been ruled out for at least three weeks with an ankle injury. The 25-year-old France international scored the Gunners' only goal in the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea before limping off in the 72nd minute. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said: "The first news that we have is that he could be out for quite a while. "I have seen it again. He wanted to kick the ball out and he twisted his ankle. That made it a bad injury." Sagna is now likely to miss Arsenal's triple header with Liverpool in the Premier League and Champions League at the beginning of April. He could also miss the Gunners' crucial trip to Manchester United on 13 April. The right-back has featured on a regular basis for Arsenal this season after signing from French side Auxerre in the summer.

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