Arsenal's game away to Braga is a must-win, says Emmanuel Eboué

Emmanuel Eboué believes Arsenal's trip to Braga in three weeks' time has become a must-win fixture following their defeat by Shakhtar Donetsk yesterday evening. Arsène Wenger's team were beaten 2-1 by the Ukrainian champions at the Donbass Arena, a first loss in Group H and one that allowed Donetsk to draw level alongside Arsenal on nine points, with Braga's defeat of Partizan placing the Portuguese side in third, on six points.

"The game against Braga away we have to win," said Eboué, who conceded the free-kick that led to Shakhtar's equaliser. "We are very disappointed about the result but we have to put our heads up and focus now on our league [campaign]."

Lukasz Fabianski, who was again impressive in the Arsenal goal, offered a more positive take. "I think we are in a good, strong position. We are in a good Champions League position and would have been in a better one had we drawn here," he said. "But we have to be focused. We have to win the next two games and then we can be happy."

After losing 6-0 at the Emirates Stadium, Braga would have to inflict a seven-goal defeat on Arsenal to overturn the head-to-head tie-breaker and a draw at the Estádio AXA would virtually guarantee qualification for Wenger's side. Arsenal's immediate concern, though, is the Premier League. Five points behind the leaders, Chelsea, they host Newcastle United on Sunday. "We now prepare for [Newcastle]," Fabianski said. "We are at home again on Sunday and have to take advantage of that."

Jack Wilshere, who created Theo Walcott's first-half goal against Shakhtar and will be back to face Newcastle on Sundaty following a three-match domestic suspension, said he is fashioning his game on Liam Brady. "[He] is my role model," said Wilshere of the former Arsenal midfielder, who is head of the club's academy. "He works with the youth players now and he has always been there in my career. He has helped me a lot and people have said I am a similar player to him."

Wilshere, who signed a new long-term deal reported to be worth £50,000 a week on Monday, also named his Arsenal captain among his sources of inspiration. "At the minute Cesc Fábregas is the best midfielder in the Premier League but in the past there have been players like Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira – all complete midfielders. I was on the books when Patrick was still here and I think the way he tackled and intercepted play is something I would [like to] add to my game.

"Cesc talks to me and tells me what I need to do. He was 16 when he burst on to the scene so you just need to talk to the senior players like him and they help you through."

Wilshere, who also made his senior England debut this season, is keen to improve. "The strongest part of my game at the moment is my passing – which is good as that's the way Arsenal play – and my weakest is probably my right foot, but I'm working on that," he said. "I try to use my right foot but it could be better."

Source: Jamie Jackson, The Guardian on 4 Nov 10

Arsène Wenger: 'complacency' behind Arsenal loss to Shakhtar Donetsk

Arsène Wenger said that Arsenal's 2-1 defeat by Shakhtar Donetsk last night, their first loss in Champions League Group H, had been due to "complacency". The manager offered rare public criticism of his team after he saw Theo Walcott open the scoring. A Craig Eastmond own-goal and a second-half strike from Eduardo Da Silva won the game for the Ukrainian club. A win would have put Arsenal into the last 16.

"We have learned a lesson tonight – that at this level cannot lose focus at any moment and that's why we were punished," Wenger said. "The focus of the team was the problem, more than suffering in the midfield. It was a team problem, a kind of complacency problem more than an individual problem. We had a good start but after that we lost urgency and let Shakhtar back into the game. We lost concentration in the duels and you could see what was coming until half-time.

"We had our chances but we have learned that if we are not focused 100%, we don't win. We were 1-0 up and after a little while we dropped our urgency.

"I don't want to speak about individual performances because I don't think anyone was outstanding. It is a missed opportunity, especially as we were there with a draw. It was good to score the first goal but I believe it was a lack of maturity to make sure we focus 100%. We were not completely sharp and we were punished."

Arsenal are level on nine points with Shakhtar; Braga have six and welcome Wenger's team to Portugal in three weeks' time. "We want to win the next game but that will now be a difficult game," he said. "We are still in a strong position."

Arsenal also lost here 10 years ago. Wenger said: "I hope we do not have to play Shakhtar in Donetsk again after the results we have had in Ukraine."

Of Eduardo, his former striker, he said: "I don't take much pleasure for what Eduardo has achieved tonight but it is good to see him playing and this level and overall he has a very good game."

Arsenal play Newcastle in the Premier League on Sunday.

Source: Jamie Jackson, The Guardian on 4 Nov 10

Eduardo puts the brakes on Arsenal with reminder of what they let go

Arsenal will have to wait to ensure they are still playing Champions League football after Christmas. With Braga beating Partizan to move them within a victory of Arsène Wenger's men and Shakhtar, this was the evening Group H got interesting. It also became concerning for the Frenchman, who witnessed a frantic display from an Arsenal team that, though weakened, he had been keen to talk up beforehand.

Wenger had handed Craig Eastmond a debut Champions League outing knowing that if Braga failed to win and his side drew against a team routed 5-1 in the reverse fixture Arsenal would be virtually guaranteed qualification for the knockout stages.

Eastmond, a 19-year-old holding midfielder, lined up alongside Jack Wilshere in Wenger's now-familiar 4-2-3-1 system, with Nicklas Bendtner making his fifth appearance of a so far injury-stunted season. Left behind from the Arsenal team that scrambled a 1-0 win over West Ham at the weekend had been Cesc Fábregas, Denilson, Alex Song and Andrey Arshavin but Wenger was keen to assert just before kick-off that he still expected victory.

"I have picked the best possible team to win the game tonight. It will be a very competitive game and we are up for it. We want to do well and I'm confident we will," the Frenchman said.

Yet by the close of the first half his side had problems despite opening the scoring from one of their classic counter-attacks. Following a Donetsk corner Wilshere, who appears to improve with every game of his nascent career, unloaded a weighted pass that set Theo Walcott off. Wenger had also said before this match that his jet-heeled winger is nearing the moment when he can step into the main striker's role and emulate Thierry Henry as the club's goal-scoring machine.

Now came proof from Walcott. And it was the position frequently exploited, cutting in from the left. Walcott's first touch left the chasing Olexiy Gai a virtual statue and had the 21-year-old racing towards Andriy Pyatov. The second was a cool pass beyond the goalkeeper for the type of finish Henry patented during his eight years at Arsenal.

Yet from this moment the visitors lost control as Shakhtar created a series of chances before and after their equaliser, which came courtesy of Jadson. The Brazilian hit the post with a header before seconds later forcing Lukasz Fabianski into a sharp save and he also had a shot blocked by Johan Djourou. The noise in the Donbass Arena had been constant and on 28 minutes this rose to a delirious roar.

Emmanuel Eboué, playing at right-back for the rested Bacary Sagna, was again beaten by Jadson for pace. This time he fouled the attacker and was booked. Jadson curved the free-kick in from the left and Eastmond finished beyond Fabianski for an own goal, with Dmytro Chygrynskiy pressuring the young midfielder.

Behind Fabianski's goal Shakhtar's support had stripped to the waist despite the chilling temperature and they would head into half-time warmed by their team's second. Wenger would have felt the opposite and no doubt gave a rollicking to Gaël Clichy, after he allowed himself to be mugged by Srna. The left-back should have been in control near his touchline but had the ball stolen before Srna motored towards goal and played in Eduardo da Silva. After making no mistake with the finish Arsenal's former striker refused any ostentatious celebration, just as he had done at the Emirates last month.

Walcott had the chance to score a second five minutes earlier but the ball was taken from his toes. His team, though, deserved to be trailing. Wenger's frustrations continued in the second half began as his team again were overrun by Shakhtar. Willian was too easily escaping the Arsenal defence to get in behind, and one run-and-pull-back into the area deserved a finish from a colleague. Wilshere, too, might have done better when offered a sight of Pyatov's goal moments before, but the 18-year-old pulled his shot wide.

Wenger had seen enough. He pulled off the unfortunate Eastmond for Carlos Vela, with Samir Nasri dropping in alongside Wilshere and this was now a test of not only the depth of Wenger's resources but the ability of his players to pull a match from the fire in a hostile environment.

Yet while they continued their patient football there were too many loose passes and not enough attention paid when defending – Luiz Adriano nearly claimed the third in a scramble to the ball that Fabianski only just won, and the excellent Srna later drove a free-kick at Fabianski.

Any hope of an Arsenal equaliser appeared to rest with Walcott who, whether skipping down the right to slice open the home rearguard or when unloading a shot, was a menace. "This is a very tough place to come to. Their home record is very good," Walcott said before looking forward to a swift return to form on Sunday. "We have to be confident about bouncing back to face Newcastle."

Source: Jamie Jackson, The Guardian on 3 Nov 10

Lessons...

Lessons. They are apparently what Arsenal learn after every defeat they suffer these days. The thing about lessons though is that, assuming the pupils who receive them are not total imbeciles, they need not be repeated more than once or twice. And occasionally we all get "a lesson we'll never forget" which doesn’t need teaching more than once.

After last night’s Champions League defeat at the hands of Shakhtar Donestsk, Arsene Wenger stated that the lesson to be taken from the match was one about the dangers of complacency and lack of focus. You would have thought that particular class was amply taught during the home defeat to West Brom earlier in the season.

The Gunners started well enough in Donetsk and took the lead courtesy of a sumptuous finish from Theo Walcott after he had been put clean through by a visionary Jack Wilshere pass. The goal, however, was the cue for Arsenal to switch off for pretty much the remainder of the match. They had their moments and created a few chances, but from this point onwards, they always looked second best. On the night, Shakhtar were simply the better team.

Shakhtar’s equaliser was an unfortunate own goal by Craig Eastmond but their winner, scored by Eduardo on the stroke of half-time saw Gael Clichy get caught in possession in an area of the pitch where a safety-first approach needed to be deployed. Having won the ball from Arsenal’s hapless left-back, Darijo Srna crossed the ball for Eduardo to slot home.

Over the past couple of seasons Gael Clichy seems to have developed the unfortunate propensity of seeing his mistakes directly turned into the concession of goals. Just sitting here, and without checking, I can think of three or four incidents that spring immediately to mind. He doesn’t seem to get away with very much at all and it is a fact that is not lost on Arsene Wenger. One cannot help but sense that if Kieran Gibbs were not so injury-prone, he would be getting far more first-team time this season.

As mediocre as last night’s performance was and annoying as the result turned out to be, it is not the end of the world though. With two more games to go, realistically, the Gunners only need another win to ensure qualification to the next phase and with one of those games to be played at Ashburton Grove, it would be a major shock for them not to progress.

If not “a lesson”, the performance at Shakhtar was a timely reminder that this Arsenal team still has some way to go in terms of maintaining the sort of consistency and concentration that will see them win something this year. We all know they can beat anyone on their day but they have to make sure they day comes more often than not.

The team might have been missing some big players through injury but this shouldn’t be used as an excuse. Injuries and key players missing have been a fact of life for Arsenal over the past few years and the whole squad needs to be up to the job because there is never going to be a time when every single player is fit and available for action.

It’s back to Premier League action on Sunday as Newcastle United visit Ashburton Grove and Arsenal will be looking to build on the recent wins over West Ham and Man City. The West Ham match last weekend looked like it was going to be “one of those days” but the Gunners happy knack of scoring late goals came to their rescue. It wasn’t a great performance but the three points were all that counted at the end of the day.

The winner against West Ham was Alex Song’s fourth goal of the season and it highlighted a pleasing trend that is unfolding this season. Certainly more than last year, the goals are being shared far more broadly around the team. Already since August, Alex Song, Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri have hit the net more times than they did in the whole of last season.

With Cesc Fabregas and Andrey Arshavin also contributing at a rate comparable with last year, (accounting for games missed through injury), and Marouane Chamakh making a positive early impact, it does bode well for the coming months that responsibility for scoring is being spread. When players get into the habit of scoring, it tends to be a habit that sticks and that more than just the usual suspects are chipping in can only be a good sign.

Last weekend’s results saw the top three open a glimmer of daylight at the top of the table and it is vital that the Gunners maintain their pace. Beating Newcastle on Sunday seems even more important in the light of upcoming fixtures - a couple of away games followed by Spurs at home.

Source: David Young, ESPN Soccernet on 5 Nov 10

Eduardo haunts Gunners

Eduardo returned to haunt his old club as Shakhtar Donetsk fought back from a goal down to beat Arsenal 2-1 in tonight's Champions League Group H clash at Donbass Arena.

England forward Theo Walcott had slotted in a fine breakaway goal after 10 minutes for the injury-hit Barclays Premier League side, who were without captain Cesc Fabregas.

However, Shakhtar - trashed 5-1 at Emirates Stadium a fortnight ago - responded well and were eventually rewarded when 19-year-old Craig Eastmond, making his European debut, diverted Dmytro Chygrynskiy's header into his own net.

Eduardo - who scored a late consolation goal in north London - slotted home from close range on the stroke of half-time, which proved enough to force his old club to wait for qualification to the knockout stages.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had warned his team not to expect another European romp against a side which boasted an impressive home record, the Miners having kept clean sheets in nine from 10 matches, and lost just two of the last 30 games in all competitions.

As the locals cranked up the atmosphere, Shakhtar made a positive start.

However, it was Arsenal who came close to breaking the deadlock on eight minutes when Samir Nasri strode forward to the edge of the Shakhtar box and sent a low shot against the outside of the post.

At the other end, Chygrynskiy's close-range header from a corner was blocked by Sebastien Squillaci.

The Donbass Arena was then left in stunned silence as Walcott put Arsenal ahead on 10 minutes.

Jack Wilshere - back after serving a three-match domestic ban - laid the ball into the path of the on-rushing England forward, who showed the Shakhtar defence a clean pair of heels before breaking into the area and slotting a cool finish past Andriy Pyatov into the right-hand corner.

The Ukrainians immediately went on the offensive, and there was an amazing let-off for Arsenal on 16 minutes.

Jadson's snapshot smashed into Johan Djourou, with the Brazilian midfielder then eventually turning the loose ball against the post.

From the resulting corner, Lukasz Fabianski made a brilliant reaction save to deny Chygrynskiy.

Swiss referee Massimo Busacca allowed play to go on after Tomas Hubschman flattened Wilshere, before then showing the yellow card first to Emmanuel Eboue for tripping Jadson on the left flank following a swift counter-attack and also then booking the Czech midfielder.

It proved a somewhat controversial decision as from the resulting free-kick, Shakhtar equalised when the unfortunate Eastmond deflected Chygrynskiy's header into his own net on 29 minutes.

Arsenal were now in danger of being over-run, as Shakhtar continued to pour forwards.

Jadson should have done better when played into the penalty area, but his shot was straight at the keeper.

Bendtner fed Walcott on the penalty spot after a surging run from Eastmond, but Yaroslav Rakitskiy made a saving tackle just as the England forward shaped to shot.

On the stroke of half-time, the home side went ahead when Darijo Srna capitalised on Gael Clichy's hesitation on the nearside touchline and slotted the ball across the six-yard box, where Eduardo swept home - the Croatian again opting not to celebrate.

At the start of the second half, Wilshere had a great chance to equalise when he robbed Willian on the edge of the area, only to bend the ball wide before Walcott then scuffed his effort following another scramble inside the Shakhtar box.

The home fans were screaming for a penalty when Jadson took a tumble, but the referee was not interested. Arsenal wasted another opportunity to get level when Sebastien Squillaci headed straight at the keeper from six-yards out after more patient build-up and a fine cross from Nasri.

Walcott's snapshot was caught by Pyatov as the English side continued to press. Fabianski got behind Srna's curling, 20-yard free-kick as the hosts looked to wrap up the victory.

With eight minutes to go, Wenger looked to inject some fresh legs into the Arsenal attack when he sent on youngster Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, replacing Walcott.

However, the hosts were not troubled as they moved level on nine points with Arsenal in the battle for Group H.

Source: ESPN Soccernet on 4 Nov 10

Wenger's reaction to the Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 Arsenal match

On Arsenal’s first defeat in this season’s Champions League…
"Congratulations to Donetsk, they played well and won the game. We had a good start but after we lost our urgency and let Donetsk come into the game too much. We lost concentration in the duels and you could see what was coming towards half time."

On what went wrong for his side…
"I felt we moved out of the game altogether and moved into the game altogether so it was more of a team problem, a kind of complacency problem more than an individual problem. In the second half we came back into the game and gave a lot so you can't fault the team. We were a bit unlucky. We have learnt the lesson that at this level you can't lose focus at any moment and that is why we were punished."

On the inclusion of a young Craig Eastmond…
"You are always concerned about that but it was more a team focus problem than suffering in the centre of midfield. We were suffering too on all the duals at the back."

On his thoughts on Group H after tonight…
"We want to win our next game but we are still in a strong position."

On Robin van Persie’s fitness…
"He has not played with us, not trained and I am quite surprise that he was named [in the Dutch squad]."

On Eduardo’s goal…
"I don't take much pleasure form seeing him score in this particular game but it’s good to see him playing at that level and overall he had a very good game."

On balancing the Champions League with the Premier League…
“At the moment we are not in a position where we can choose - we have to fight. We have a difficult league game on Sunday against Newcastle. We will win what we can and not choose too much."

On whether Shakhtar were lucky…
"Maybe yes. Let’s hope we don't meet them again."

Source: Arsenal.com on 3 Nov 10

3 November 2010: Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 Arsenal, Donbass Arena

Suddenly Group H does not look quite so easy.

Before they travelled to Donestk, Arsenal had amassed 14 goals in three straightforward wins during this season’s Champions League adventure. Another tonight would have all but assured top spot.

However, Eastern Europe is always difficult for Arsène Wenger’s men. They took the lead this evening through Theo Walcott’s early breakaway, but Craig Eastmond nodded a free-kick past his own keeper and, on the stroke of half-time, Gael Clichy was robbed on the right and Eduardo caressed a shot into the far corner.

As at Emirates, the ex-Arsenal striker did not celebrate.

The visitors controlled the game after the break but the closest they would come to an equaliser was when Jack Wilshere hooked a shot wide in the opening minutes.

After five straight wins, defeat is always damaging. But this one can be redeemed. Shakhtar, the closest challengers to Arsenal, are now out of the way. Both teams are tied on nine points with Wenger’s men holding the advantage in the head-to-head.
If they win their last two games they will still finish on top.

Arsenal still have control of Group H but their grip has been loosened by defeat here tonight.

Wenger made a welter of changes to the side that had left it so late against West Ham on Saturday.

Cesc Fabregas (hamstring), Andrey Arshavin (virus), Denilson (groin) and Alex Song (calf) were all back in London. Meanwhile Marouane Chamakh, Laurent Koscielny and Bacary Sagna were left on the bench.

As a result, Arsenal needed a new central midfield trio. Wenger brought in Jack Wilshere from suspension, Tomas Rosicky from Saturday’s substitutes bench and Eastmond from the Carling Cup side.

Nicklas Bendtner was the lone front man. Emmanuel Eboue and Johan Djourou came in at right back and centre back respectively.

Loyalty demands that any Arsenal fan must love Emirates Stadium more than any other football ground. But, in the eyes of this observer at least, the Donbass Arena is a tempting mistress. It is cavernous yet intimate, daunting yet inspiring – an awesome amphitheatre.

But, of course, the home fans made the atmosphere. The noise was intense as the two teams walked out and every early touch by the visitors was whistled.

In the opening seconds, Darijo Srna curled a free-kick into the midriff of Lukasz Fabianski and, just before Walcott scored, Dmytro Chygrynskiy saw a deflected header fly wide.

But while that was going on, Arsenal were settling to their task. They had already gone close when Nasri weaved inside and grazed the base of the post with a shot from 20 yards out.

And, from the corner that Chygrynskiy won, the visitors took the lead.

It was all so incredibly simple. The ball was half-cleared to Walcott, who clipped a pass to Wilshere. He knocked it back into the path of the scampering Arsenal winger, who turned on the turbo from inside his own half and slotted past the keeper.

It was his seventh goal in eight appearances (four starting and four as substitute) this season.

Suddenly Shakhtar were, once again, the side that had shipped five goals at Emirates Stadium a fortnight ago. The goal drained them of confidence and Arsenal had the upper hand.

The home side needed belief from somewhere. And, in the 16th minute, they so nearly got it.

Luiz Adriano cut the ball back from the left-hand byline and Jadson’s goalbound shot hit Djourou at close range. The ball went back out to the left and, when it was returned into the middle, the same striker hit the post with a firm header.

Soon afterwards, Chygrynskiy’s stinging drive forced a fine save from Fabianski.

By now, Shakhtar had built up a head of steam and were starting to pin back the visitors into their own area. Arsenal’s defending had already got desperate by the time they conceded the equaliser on the half-hour.

Eboue brought down the tricky Willian on the left. Jadson swung over the free-kick to the near post and, though Chygrynskiy ran off claiming the goal, replays showed the ball had only brushed the head of the Shakhtar player but got a more significant touch from Eastmond.

The strike proved that Shakhtar are a confidence side. You can see that from the way they fell apart and Emirates and the invention they gained this evening having restored parity.

In the 33rd minute, Eduardo pass nutmegged Clichy and found Jadson in the area. His snap-shot was saved but, all of sudden, it was Arsenal who needed a rejuvenating glimmer of hope.

Six minutes from the break, Eastmond won the ball in the midfield, rode a challenge then spread the ball wide to Bendtner. His first-time touch found Walcott with only the keeper to beat but the England international was robbed by Srna before he could convert.

That was some form of response and, as half-time approached, it seemed that Arsenal would find the sanctity of half time on level terms. But there would be a sting in the tail.

Just before the whistle, Srna thieved the ball from Clichy on the right and fired a low cross to the edge of the six-yard box. Arsenal fans know all too well that is Eduardo’s territory. Almost inevitably, he sidefooted the ball beyond Fabianski and into the far corner.

As at Emirates a fortnight ago, he kept his counsel having hit the net.

Wenger did not make changes at the break and it seemed the game had altered little in the opening minutes of the second period. But then Arsenal fashioned two fine chances.

In the 53rd minute, Bendtner’s intended pass to Wilshere found Willian on the edge of the area. But the Englishman stole the ball back and, with time to pick his spot, scythed a shot wide.

Shortly afterwards, Rosicky’s dummy allowed Walcott to fire towards the far corner but it had insufficient power to beat keeper Andriy Pyatov.

The game was now a curious scene. As the mist came down in Donetsk as the crowd indulged in a joyous Mexican wave, meanwhile Arsenal were taking control.

In the 64th minute, Clichy hoisted a long ball forward and Sebastien Squillaci, who had stayed up after a corner, powered a header straight at Pyatov when he should have scored. Then Walcott tested Pyatov twice – once from distance, once with a curler.

However, while Arsenal were to have more of the chances and territory, Shakthar were ominous on the break. The pace of Jadson, Willian and Adriano had troubled Wenger’s defence all evening. They failed to test Fabianski in the third quarter of the game but it was not for the want of trying.

Having brought on Carlos Vela and Chamakh, Wenger made his third attacking change with nine minutes left. Jay Emmanuel Thomas for Walcott.

The Englishman set up the Mexican’s swivelling snapshot with five minutes left.

Arsenal piled forward until the final whistle but the closest either side came to a goal was when Olexiy Gai forced Fabianski to fingertip the ball around the far post.

A disappointing night for Arsenal.
 
Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 3 Nov 10

Shakhtar Donetsk v Arsenal: Preview

Coach Mircea Lucescu maintains Europe will see the real Shakhtar Donetsk when the Ukrainians look to avenge their 5-1 trashing at Arsenal in tomorrow night's Champions League clash.

The Gunners chalked up a record 14 goals from their opening three Group H games, with Shakhtar going the same way as Braga and Partizan Belgrade as Arsene Wenger's side took control of Group H.

Another positive result for Arsenal, who will be without skipper Cesc Fabregas because of a hamstring problem, and the Barclays Premier League club could secure their place in the last 16 of Europe's elite once again.

However, since the thrashing in north London, Shakhtar have won all three of their domestic matches, without conceding a goal.

Arsenal have yet to record a victory in Ukraine, and with the Minors boasting an impressive record of only two defeats of their last 30 matches in all competitions, Lucescu believes his men can head into tomorrow's return fixture at Donbass Arena with some confidence.

"After analysing all the technical and tactical actions, I can say that the teams had about the same of the ball, 51% to 49%, and the passing also were about the same level,'' the Romanian said.

"We hope to show to our fans and the whole of Europe that now it will be a quite different Shakhtar.

"We have analysed the game that was in London to draw attention to the mistakes.''

Lucescu added: "Not in any way do I think that Arsenal is stronger than Shakhtar. We will try tomorrow to demonstrate that on the field.''

Arsenal never looked back after being gifted an early goal following a terrible fumble by Shakhtar keeper Andrei Pyatov.

However, Lucescu continues to lament a number of decisions by Swedish referee Svein Moen which he felt went in favour of the home side.

Swiss official Massimo Busacca, who took charge of the 2009 Champions League final between Manchester United and Barcelona, will be the man in the middle tomorrow night.

"I hope that tomorrow will be valid and neutral refereeing, which will help football in general. We will try to fulfil their responsibilities on the field,'' said Lucescu.

"The mistakes of the referee in favour of Arsenal were clearly visible.

"The third goal was not a penalty, the players pulled shirts together - and it should have been a red card for a hard [Jack] Wilshere reception against [Tomas] Hubschman.

"After three games, Arsenal has one card, while the rest of the teams have seven or eight. That says something."

"Therefore, we should double or triple our efforts to be at the level of this team or even higher.''

Arsenal boss Wenger, meanwhile, is expecting a stern examination tomorrow night.

"I expect Shakhtar Donetsk to have a reaction of course and a response from that heavy defeat,'' he said.

"They are a better side than what they have shown at the Emirates. For me they are one of the best European sides."

"On the other hand we have a good opportunity to qualify straight away and finish top of the group and you want to take that chance."

"I believe as well we want to confirm that we are stepping up a gear from game to game and that we are capable of being consistent and that is what is at stake for us.''

Wenger added: "I will remind the players Shakhtar is a strong side that we perhaps caught on a good day for us at Emirates.

"They will have been hurt by what happened, and at home, they will be a completely different team.

"If you let them get into a flow, they can cause you many problems. We will make sure we are well aware of that.''

Source: ESPN Soccernet on 2 Nov 10

Match Preview: Shakhtar Donetsk v Arsenal

Just before kick-off on Wednesday night, Arsène Wenger will call for calm in the dressing room at the Donbass Arena and stress one vital point to his players.

Having garnered nine points and 14 goals from their first three Group H games, the Arsenal manager should be supremely confident of his side’s ability in Europe. At his pre-match press conference, he even proclaimed they were capable of winning anywhere on the planet.

No, Wenger does not need to chastise his side in this season’s Champions League. He just wants to warn them. The Frenchman has not been fooled by the 5-1 victory over Shakhtar a fortnight ago.

If Arsenal win in Donetsk and Braga fail to beat Belgrade then Wenger’s men will qualify as Group winners. Even if the Portuguese are victorious tonight, coupled with an Arsenal win in Donetsk, then they have to hammer Wenger’s men by seven clear goals at the end of November in order to overtake them. It is getting mathematical and academic.

In such circumstances, complacency sets in.“Yes there is a danger of that,” said Wenger.

“I will remind the players that Shakhtar are a good side that we caught maybe on a good day. They will try to get revenge at home and we have a good opportunity to qualify to directly from the group. We want to take this chance.

“If we take top spot you can ease off a little bit and of course treat the last two games with a more relaxed attitude. And sometimes that’s good when you need to rest a player before a big League game.

“But this game will demand a proper focus because Shakhtar are a good side with top quality. They have won the Europa League and certainly they have been hurt by what happened to them at Emirates. They will give absolutely everything. Don’t forget they played on Friday so they have all the needed preparation before this game.“I felt the first match was tighter than the score indicated. The pitch is good, so should be a good game because the two teams will attack.

“But as well we know can win anywhere in the world. We have done it before - we can win everywhere.”

Despite the call for focus, Wenger is not exactly treating this game as a cup final. He left behind Cesc Fabregas as a precaution. The captain felt his troublesome hamstring during the win over West Ham on Saturday and is not being risked. Andrey Arshavin (virus), Alex Song (calf) and Denilson (groin) are also absent.

That leaves the manager light in central midfield. Don’t be surprised if Craig Eastmond fills the breach in the holding role. The likes of Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Henri Lansbury have also made the trip. So, while this may be the Champions League, there will be a Carling Cup element to the bench.

The same was true when Arsenal last visited Donetsk a decade ago. The substitutes that night were Paolo Vernazza, Christopher Wreh, Alberto Mendez, Rhys Weston, Graham Barrett and Freddie Ljungberg and a veteran John Lukic. Only the Swede was a full first–teamer at the time.

That game was a dead rubber in a group from which Arsenal had already qualified. This game has more life, yet Wenger argues the class of 2010 hold a significant edge.“We are much stronger now,” said the manager at Tuesday’s press conference.

“Tomorrow we will have a very strong side, not comparable to the game played 10 years ago.

“Certainly we will face a team who will be up for it. Shakhtar are one of the strong sides in Europe, it will be an exciting game, no matter who is not here.”

Mircea Lucescu’s side lead their domestic League by five points and their heavy defeat at Emirates Stadium stands out like a beacon amid a run of 10 straight wins. They have been shut-out just once this season and scored the most popular goal of the night at Emirates Stadium when Eduardo hit the net. As promised, the striker did not celebrate against his former employers.

“Shakhtar dominate their League and they have just beaten Dymano Kiev,” said Wenger. “They are an unbeatable team here, at least locally, but we have a chance to beat them, so let's try to get the best out of our performance.“I feel they will be a completely different side at home. They have good technical quality so that means if you let them get into a flow they can cause you many problems.”

A decade ago, the Shakhtar trip caused a number of logistical issues for the Arsenal party. These days the facilities at the Donbass Arena are among the best on the Continent in preparation for Euro 2012.

But of course the distance has not changed and, for Wenger, that is the reason for his side’s relatively poor record in this part of Europe.“Yes well most of the time we played in Russia and Ukraine,” said Wenger. “And most of the time, when you go there, you play against very good teams.

“Also, if you have already qualified, it’s always very difficult. But when you have to travel far and it’s more demanding anyway.

“The only special preparations this time is a special plane for the players. We went only the day before the game so we need good conditions. Also we want to come back very quickly so we need a lighter travelling strain than usual.

“Overall we want to be a bit swifter and a bit more comfortable.”

That, of course, goes for qualification as well.

Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 3 Nov 10

A comfortable evening at the Arsenal Stadium

I expected more from Shakhtar Donetsk, just as I expected more from Braga. I guess, as Arsenal fans, some of us can be ultra-critical of our team, but the view from outside is sometimes very different. The club certainly has a reputation on the continent, and it seems that many sides come to Arsenal in the Champions League already defeated. Damage limitation seems to be the order of the day from the moment they step out onto the pitch.

As Arsenal have been in the top set of seeds in this competition for a number of seasons now, the opposition in these groups often seems to feature relatively unglamorous teams. I recall being in a group with Inter Milan a few years ago, but since then, my memory is struggling to recall many crunch encounters until the knockout stages. And for this reason, the 60,000 plus attendance given at the stadium last night was certainly nowhere near a reflection on the number of bums on seats. Many choose not to come for any of the group matches. The preference is presumably to have the feet up in front of the fire with the game on the TV after a day at work. Watching the half-time highlights of other matches, I pondered briefly whether Roma’s match v Basel might have been played behind closed doors. It’s difficult to knock the number of people that did turn up to watch Arsenal when you see stadiums as empty as that. On this level, the Champions League, although a commercial success, sure doesn’t capture the imagination of football supporters before the turn of the year. There comes a point where games are just being played for the sake of fulfilling the schedule, with seemingly little at stake. This will surely be the case by the time Arsenal entertain Partizan Belgrade and maybe even the game before when they visit Braga.

In a sense, it is a triumph that so many people do come, but having paid for the ticket (these games being on the season tickets), I guess many think they might as well get their money’s worth. And in fairness, they were rewarded last night with an authoritative Arsenal performance. I guess Diaby was injured as thankfully Wilshere remained Song’s partner with the return of Cesc Fabregas. It will be the last we see of young Jack for a couple of weeks, and he will be missed at Manchester City. It was interesting to see that the moment Cesc went off, he moved forward into the skipper’s position and scored. It looks like the shape of things to come, so it will be intriguing to see what the manager does with the £40 million or so that the club receive for their captain next summer. Other areas might be addressed rather than a direct replacement. Then again, going on past times, the money might not be spent at all!

Good as the spectacle was, I’d be interested to see what kind of crowd the club would have had in attendance if the seats were not on the season tickets. This surely was the case in Rome. I haven’t followed the fortunes of Shakhtar since Eduardo’s move there, but was surprised to see him on the bench. Maybe he is not a regular starter, which – given his price tag – certainly demonstrates the Ukrainians are not hard up. I have a recollection of a 3-2 win against them with Martin Keown scoring the winner in the Highbury days, but this game was nowhere near as closely contested. So much so that by the time Eduardo came on and found the net, Paul Burrell announced the goal in the style of one scored by the home team. That ain’t gonna happen often, but fair play to the PA man for capturing the mood of the moment. It was a corking volley too.

What distinguishes these matches from the bread and butter of the Premier League is that, often, there is no real physical resistance – by way of tackling – from the opposition. So Arsenal are allowed to play their football with sometimes devastating consequences. Of course, when the business end of the competition comes about and better teams come into view, then the script changes and Wenger’s lack of focus on defence pays its price. The refs are less indulgent as well, something which should actually benefit Arsenal throughout the competition, although it never seems to work out that way.

I’ve not much more to say about this match apart from well played Arsenal for doing the job at hand and doing it convincingly. The last word to the Highbury Spy, who sat next to me for this game (such is the plethora of empty seats on such nights). He saw a St George flag which simply read ‘The Arsenal’. He proposes we should re-name the club ‘The Arsenal’. Over to you Mr Gazidis…

Source: Kevin Whitcher, The Online Gooner on 20 Oct 10

Eduardo hails Arsenal fans for 'fantastic' reception

Eduardo says the rousing reception he received from Arsenal fans on Tuesday night made him feel like he still plays for the Premier League club.

The striker left Arsenal to join Shakhtar Donetsk in the summer and returned to Emirates Stadium for a Champions League fixture that Arsenal comfortably won 5-1. However, Eduardo scored the final goal of the night and despite seeing their side concede, Arsenal fans stood to applaud the striker and chant his name.

Memories of his sickening injury against Birmingham City in February 2008 are yet to fade and Eduardo clearly still has the sympathy of the Arsenal support. The Croatia international was certainly grateful for the reception afforded to him.

"It was great to come back here. It was unbelievable - it was like I still play for Arsenal," Eduardo said. "They called my name and it was fantastic."

Asked why he did not celebrate his goal, Eduardo explained: "I had a great time with many of the players and supporters and I had to respect that."

Meanwhile, Lukasz Fabianski says he feels "pretty confident" after assuming the role of Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper with Manuel Almunia sidelined due to injury.

Fabianski has become known for a tendency to commit shocking errors in recent seasons but his five appearances this season have been largely without incident. The Pole is now looking forward to the weekend's tie against Manchester City as he aims to retain the jersey.

"I've had a small run of four matches now and I think I'm pretty confident on the pitch now,'' Fabianski. "I think it's always good for a 'keeper that he plays regularly and hopefully I can continue improving."

"It's a massive game for us [against City] because we want to be in the title race. We want to go there for sure to win the game. We have to win it."

Source: ESPN Soccernet on 20 Oct 10

A Welcome Return

Eduardo the latest in a long line of returning heroes.

It seems to me nowadays that, regular as clockwork, Arsenal face one of their legendary former sons every season in the Champions League. And true to form, this season is no different. Just as Vieira, Henry and Pires have returned to a rapturous reception, so too will Eduardo tomorrow night at the Arsenal Stadium.

Times like these, I really want to put together a commission to study how the draws are made for the Champions League, because this to me is one heck of a coincidence. But having said that, it is a very welcome one. As the doom and gloom factor has set in already this season, annoyingly early after a set of dodgy results and the usual deluge of injuries, tomorrow night we get the chance to celebrate and applaud Eduardo’s past contributions, and say the kind of goodbye that we fans never get to. And that can’t be all bad.

Too much of Eduardo’s three-year Arsenal career will be sadly connected to one dark day in Birmingham, but this should not overshadow all else about him. This was a striker whose red-hot streak of late 2007/early 2008 produced a strike rate that had Eddie mentioned in the same breath as Wrighty for his predatory finishing. This was also a striker whose return to fitness was inspirational, as the first victim of the horror tackles that now demand so many column inches in the media.

Twenty-two goals over three years may not sound that much on paper, but when some are of the kind of quality I got to witness on a drenching FA Cup afternoon against Burnley, you can forgive any notion of profligacy. That Eduardo never really rediscovered his form is undeniable; while he chipped in with the goals in 2009/10, in retrospect it made sense for him to move on with the arrival of Chamakh and the continued development of Vela.

Having said that, Eduardo was a player I didn’t want to see go, and a big part of that stems from the emotional investment that we all made into wishing him back to fitness, in the same way that we do for Ramsey now. Tonight, amid the pageantry of the Champions League, we get to pay homage to a player who came through what no player should have to, and I hope he gets the post-match standing ovation that he deserves.

As long as he doesn’t score a hat-trick.

Source: James Southby, The Online Gooner on 19 Oct 10

Imperious Gunners stroll on Eduardo return

They rose as one, all 60,000 of them, to acclaim the final scorer on a night full of goals. Familiar chants rang out around the stadium and the PA announcer enthusiastically bellowed his name to those in attendance. But the man who scored the goal remained silent as he turned back to the halfway line, with a furrowed brow and a distinct air of reluctance. It may be a surreal scenario, but that was precisely how Eduardo's goal for Shakhtar Donetsk was greeted at Emirates Stadium - a surely unprecedented turn of events, and one that demonstrated just how comfortable an evening this was for the Gunners as they won 5-1.

Thierry Henry and Robert Pires have both benefitted from warm receptions upon their returns with Barcelona and Villarreal in recent seasons, but there was something especially heartfelt about the welcome afforded to Eduardo, who departed in the summer, his Arsenal career brutally interrupted and then shortened by that horrendous leg break.

The issue of Eduardo's injury hung grimly and inescapably over this game, but stripping away such sentiment, the result was an emphatic one for his former side. Arsenal have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League for the past seven seasons and an eighth will surely follow after this disconcertingly easy procession. Arsene Wenger's suggestion in his programme notes that the Ukrainians are "one of the best sides in Europe" was perceptibly false on this evidence.

This stroll against Shakhtar hardly resembled a contest but, then again, the Gunners have been here before - Arsenal have lost only one of 25 Champions League fixtures at Emirates Stadium. Already this season, faced with the Arsenalistas of Braga - a team who drew inspiration from this enclave of North London when choosing their livery - Arsenal have rattled in six goals. Against a Shakhtar side known for their pretty passing, they dominated another team in their own image and plundered five.

Ukraine's premier club side made headlines on their previous visit to London when, prior to a Europa League game against Fulham last season, they were denied access to Harrods. Once again on Tuesday, they were treated like interlopers at another London institution and quickly ushered out of town without so much as a point in their bag. Two years ago they won Europe's second cup competition; on Tuesday, having won their previous seven games, they were nigh on humiliated.

In response to whether the game was in fact too easy for Arsenal, Wenger replied: "When you win 1-0 it's too difficult, when you win 5-1 you think it's too easy. It's difficult to assess why you win 5-1. I think tonight we had an intelligent team attitude and a good tactical level. We made it easy because we had a good team performance. I believe our technical quality slowly got them tired."

Of course such consistency on Arsenal's part - enforced here by goals from Alex Song, Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas, Jack Wilshere and Marouane Chamakh - is admirable in the extreme, particularly when accompanied by such an impressive scoreline. In an era in which some of his managerial brethren are spending hundreds of millions of pounds, Arsene Wenger can rightly be proud of the regularity and style with which Arsenal progress to the latter stages of the competition on a much smaller budget. The problem is that it does not make for an exciting spectacle for the neutral, a scenario mirrored in Group F where Chelsea have nine points from three games, and possibly in Group C where Manchester United will remain top with a victory over Bursaspor on Wednesday. Where is the drama and tension?

Well, Eduardo provided some drama at the conclusion, but any semblance of tension was swept away inside 20 minutes as Arsenal benefitted from a large chunk of good fortune. Goalkeeping errors have been all too frequent a subject of conversation at Emirates Stadium in the past 12 months, but for once it was the home support rejoicing in ineptitude. Shakhtar 'keeper Andriy Pyatov came to meet a harmless, looping Sebastien Squillaci header from a corner and somehow managed to let the ball slip out of his grasp to allow Song to score.

It appeared Arsenal were beginning to exert real control over the contest - a concept that the talented, but over-enthusiastic Jack Wilshere must still become acquainted with. Since his first real exposure to the Arsenal first team in the Emirates Cup of 2008, Wilshere has been skidding round the turf like a clockwork toy with its spring coiled so tight it looks ready to snap.

On Saturday it did just that, when his poor tackle on Zigic earned him a red card and a three-game ban in the Premier League. Here, on European duty, the teenage midfielder clattered into Tomas Hubschmann after 25 minutes and was told in no uncertain terms by the referee that that type of challenge must be his last. Wenger will no doubt express similar sentiments in private, though he defended the midfielder in his post-match press conference, saying: "You want the player to go for the ball, as long as he has the intention; if he is a bit late that can happen. Today he was a fraction late but he went completely for the ball."

But that brief flashpoint was certainly the exception in a first half during which, performing from a deeper position than Cesc Fabregas, the 18-year-old exerted control of the flow and direction of Arsenal's attacks, usurping the captain's usual role to a certain degree as he enjoyed 74 completed passes at a success rate of an eyewatering 96%, compared to Fabregas' figures of 65 and 83%. Indeed, such is Arsenal's embarrassment of riches in the playmaking department, Samir Nasri was once again utilised in a wide position. However, the Frenchman, who continued what has been an excellent start to the season, was the centre of attention with just three minutes remaining of the half when controlling a cross from Song, holding off his marker and lashing a shot past Pyatov to give Arsenal a 2-0 half-time lead.

Lukasz Fabianski - who, like the safety sign at a hazardous factory can now boast a few weeks without serious incident - had to be sharp to deny Luiz Adriano at the start of the second period, but in truth there was no interruption to Arsenal's dominance. That much was confirmed when Adriano hauled down Johan Djourou at a set-piece, allowing Fabregas to score from the penalty spot. It was his fourth goal in three games, Arsenal's seventh penalty in ten Champions League home games, and more than enough for Wenger, who replaced the returning captain with Denilson for the final half hour.

Still the goals flowed. The excellent Wilshere finished coolly following a one-two with Rosicky, while Chamakh added a fifth when beating the offside trap to collect a lofted pass from Nasri. He even had time to gaze over at the assistant to check he had permission to stick the ball home. Eduardo's goal for Shakhtar merely completed a perfect night for Arsenal, as perverse as that may sound. Wenger admitted: "If you wanted someone to score for Shakhtar, it was Eduardo. We are all happy for him." It only drummed home the feeling that this was an all-too easy evening for Arsenal.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Jack Wilshere
Though his tackling remains cause for concern, this was another wonderfully mature performance from the teenager. He gladly accepted the responsibility of exercising authority in possession and his one-two with Rosicky and finish was delightful. Wenger urged the press to prevent the hype machine going into overdrive though, saying: "Give him time, let him play, I know that it isn't easy for you and that isn't your greatest strength."

ARSENAL VERDICT:
Imperious. Though not approaching their very best, the Gunners enjoyed almost total dominance from start to finish and now sit proudly atop the group with maximum points. The return to action of Fabregas and Walcott also offers some hope that the usual injury problems may be subsiding.

SHAKHTAR VERDICT:
Pretty woeful. They missed the authority of Fernandinho in the centre of midfield and failed to retain possession effectively in any area of the pitch. Their priority must be securing second spot and a place in the next round, though whether they have the quality to go any further is doubtful on this evidence.

THE ROONEY QUESTION:
The press never miss the chance to grab Wenger's perspective on the big issues in football and Wayne Rooney's desire to leave Manchester United was no exception. On whether he would consider a move for the United striker, Wenger said: "It's a story I will be happy to read in the newspapers, but I want to keep out of it. We have enough strikers."

Source: Tom Adams, ESPN Soccernet on 19 Oct 10

Arsenal 5-1 Shakhtar Donetsk

Arsenal closed in on a place in the Champions League knockout phase with a crushing victory over Shakhtar Donetsk to move clear at the top of Group H.

Alex Song bundled the hosts ahead after an error by keeper Andriy Pyatov before Samir Nasri drilled home a second.

Shakhtar's Luiz Adriano was denied by Lukasz Fabianski before a fit-again Cesc Fabregas scored from the spot.

Jack Wilshere clipped in and Marouane Chamakh poked a fifth, while ex-Arsenal striker Eduardo lashed a consolation.

Chamakh's goal made him the first player to score in six consecutive Champions League matches, but the last word belonged to Eduardo - returning to the Emirates Stadium first the first time since his £6m move to Shakhtar last summer.

The 27-year-old striker made a huge impression after joining the Gunners from Dinamo Zagreb in 2007, but his progress was stalled by a horrific leg injury suffered against Birmingham in 2008 and he never fully recaptured his early form.

He received a huge ovation on arrival as a 63rd-minute substitute and after converting Jadson's cross with a superb finish, the Croatian was again serenaded by an appreciative home crowd.

The result maintains Arsenal's 100% start to the group and puts them on nine points, three clear of second-placed Shakhtar ahead of their meeting in Donetsk on 3 November.

Braga are third in the table on three points after their 2-0 win over Partizan Belgrade, so Arsenal require only three points from their remaining three games to guarantee a place in the last 16.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger would have been delighted with his side's performance on a rain-soaked night at the Emirates Stadium and the emphatic scoreline should ensure they approach Sunday's trip to Manchester City in high spirits.

Wenger described Shakhtar as a "very, very strong team" and with seven straight wins in all competitions - including a 3-0 victory at Braga last time out in Europe - the Ukrainian champions were not to be underestimated.

But Arsenal have reached the Champions League knockout phase in each of the past 10 seasons - losing only one home European game in four-and-a-half years - so there was no doubt who entered the match as favourites.

Wenger was able to welcome captain Fabregas back into his starting line-up after four weeks out with a hamstring injury and the Spaniard immediately looked to dictate play from his advanced central midfield position, an early cross from the left almost finding the head of lone striker Chamakh.

Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu vowed his team were "here to get a result", insisting they could "create big problems" for the hosts, but the 2009 Uefa Cup winners struggled to even advance over the halfway line during a hugely one-sided opening quarter.

It seemed only a matter of time before Arsenal would capitalise on their dominance and so it proved - albeit in fortuitous circumstances.

A Nasri corner was headed on by Sebastien Squillaci and Pyatov inexplicably let a straightforward catch slip from his grasp, enabling Johan Djourou to prod towards goal and Song to bundle home.

Shakhtar finally settled into some sort of rhythm but all they could muster was a tame Razvan Rat shot and a Henrik Mkhitaryan drive that was deflected over.

The hosts were soon back on the front foot and doubled their lead when Song's cross found its way to Nasri and the Frenchman beat Shakhtar skipper Darijo Srna before rifling past Pyatov.

Lucescu replaced Willian with Douglas Costa at half-time and the movt almost paid dividends when Mkhitaryan put Adriano through on goal. The striker's effort was well saved by the legs of Fabianski.

From then on it was all Arsenal and they made it three through Fabregas's clinical penalty after Adriano hauled down Djourou as he attempted to meet a free-kick.

That was to be the last act for a tiring Fabregas and he was replaced by Denilson on 63 minutes, while Eduardo also entered the fray in place of Adriano.

Arsenal continued to flood forward and Wilshere beat Pyatov with a cute strike after exchanging passes with Rosicky, before Nasri's scooped pass gave Chamakh the chance to enter the record books with a cool finish.

It was the Gunners' 14th goal in three European matches - a new record for the competition - and that was to be the end of their scoring.

However, the was still time for Eduardo to make his mark with a perfectly-timed volley that brought the stadium to its feet.

Source: David Ornstein, BBC Sport on 19 Oct 10

Arsenal's Jack Wilshere and Cesc Fábregas show perfect synchronicity

The 18-year-old was fortunate to escape punishment for another rash tackle but hinted at a dazzling partnership with the captain.

Cesc Fábregas and Jack Wilshere could form a radiant Arsenal midfield duo. But only if Fábregas stays in London and Wilshere can stay on the pitch. At 18, a player needs a little devil in him to survive but he could do without headline writers calling him "Jack the Bad".

Wilshere jabbed his studs into the standing ankle of Shakhtar's Tomas Hubschman and was lucky to escape punishment. On Saturday he was shown a straight red card for flying into Birmingham City's Nikola Zigic. As Hubschman crumpled the stadium inhaled in expectation of another losing brush with the law.

Svein Oddvar Moen, the Norwegian referee, displayed his liberal side, using his arms in a cutting motion to say: cease and desist. Sometimes the young football mind is slow to see the pointlessness of violent challenges in non-threatening parts of the field.

Wilshere, though, sees plenty else. Deployed as a deep midfielder he allows Arsène Wenger to push Fábregas further upfield, closer to Marouane Chamakh. Fábregas was wearing the Arsenal shirt for the first time since 18 September and scored his team's third from the penalty spot before departing on 63 minutes. Already there is synchronicity between the captain and the leader of the club's new wave of English youth.

Another small concern for Wilshere, aside from his tackling, is the preponderance of attacking midfielders in Wenger's squad. Surrounded by artistes, he may find himself in an anchoring role where his creative passing will be inhibited. When Fábregas went off, Wilshere surged forward and helped himself to a goal, Arsenal's fourth, which served as a memo to his manager.

"I still believe he [Wilshere] can play high up the pitch too, but he has good stamina, good strength in the duels," Wenger says. "He's not the quickest, but he has good bursts and he has good vision to play through the lines. He's intelligent in his positioning and reading the game so this position suits him well. Basically he can play anywhere – when he was young he played wide – good players can do that."

Wenger also said: "He is someone who doesn't hide from challenges, and that's very important in the centre of the park." He can serve them up too, as Zigic and Hubschmann have found. Either he will come to understand that there is no need to parade his toughness with pointless lunges or his talent arrives with a temperament flaw that will cost him plenty in suspensions.

Sermon over. The main point is that he and Fábregas could be a dazzling combination. Plus, there seems no sensible reason not to use Wilshere in the England team now.

Paul Hayward, The Guardian on 20 Oct 10

Cesc Fábregas returns to lead Arsenal's rout of Shakhtar Donetsk

Arsenal could not have wished for an easier workout before Sunday's Premier League showdown at Manchester City. This match was over as a contest before the interval. By then Arsenal were 2-0 up, courtesy of goals from Alex Song and Samir Nasri, and in the end it was 5-1 and 14 goals so far in this season's campaign.

It has become a cliché to note that Arsenal over-elaborate once entering enemy territory and against Birmingham City here on Saturday they were again culpable of this. With Cesc Fábregas back to lead the team the theory ran that he would show team-mates the killer route to goal.

So it proved. On 15 minutes the Spain midfielder produced the first Arsenal cross aimed straight for the area and, though his delivery yielded nothing, route one was about to produce the lead. This time Nasri flipped in a hanging cross from the left that Yaroslav Rakitskiy headed away from the lurking Marouane Chamakh for a corner. When this was delivered into the area Sébastien Squillaci headed on and Andriy Pyatov, Shakhtar's goalkeeper, dropped a regulation catch. Johan Djourou poked a toe at the ball and Song forced home.

"Let's not deduce too much, we have shown good quality but it is just the start – let's continue to improve," Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, said. "I'm cautious because as soon as you lose urgency your level drops dramatically. The team has good potential and they have shown that again tonight."

A decade ago these two sides had met in this competition for a group game and two strikes from Martin Keown helped Arsenal to a 3-2 victory. Since that win in September 2000 Arsenal have contested a Champions League final – in Paris against Barcelona in 2006 – but have yet to claim the one trophy that separates Wenger from counterparts who have secured a place in the pantheon of great managers by doing so.

These include Sir Alex Ferguson and José Mourinho, who have each won the European Cup twice. Wenger would settle for the single triumph that would allow a peaceful retirement yet, despite also featuring in the semi-finals in 2008, last season's journey ended a stage earlier, as it had done a decade ago.

Still, as the Frenchman stated before kick-off, his club have become comfortable enough in the Champions League to expect the true test of their abilities to arrive after Christmas. Mircea Lucescu's side arrived at the Emirates having won their first two outings in this season's competition, like Arsenal, but were no match.

Wenger had sent his side back out for the second 45 minutes with a two-goal advantage after a smart move that involved Emmanuel Eboué and Song down the right, before the latter placed a pass into Nasri's path in the area. A slick touch with his knee took the ball on to his left foot and the finish allowed Pyatov no chance.

By the hour and Arsenal's third this had become too easy for Wenger's troops. Tomas Hubschman was booked following a foul on Fábregas and, when the Arsenal captain floated the free-kick into the area, Luiz Adriano wrestled Djourou to the floor and the referee awarded the penalty.

Step forward Fábregas to record a first goal since his previous appearance – against Sunderland in September – before Wenger, with an eye on the City game, replaced him. "I wanted to have 60-70 minutes and at 3-0 it was time to come off," Fábregas said, before adding of the hamstring problem that had kept him out: "I didn't feel anything, it felt great. We thought it was better to start the game because mentally you are more ready and you warm up better. It felt fine."

Jack Wilshere is not available for the trip to Eastlands after his late red card on Saturday. But the 18-year-old again indicated the force he may become by scoring Arsenal's fourth, swapping passes with Tomas Rosicky, before using his left foot to dink a finish beyond Pyatov.

There was more. Chamakh collected his sixth of a supremely successful start to his career in north London by taking Nasri's lob over the Donetsk defence, coolly checking he was not being flagged for offside and finishing.

The home support's mood was relaxed enough for them to greet a consolation goal by their former favourite Eduardo da Silva with warm applause. It was that kind of evening.

All that remained was to ask Wenger the inevitable question regarding whether he might consider a move to take an unsettled Wayne Rooney from Manchester United. "We are not buying anybody," he said. Pressed if this was a 100% denial of a January move, the manager added: "We are not interested."

Source: Jamie Jackson, The Guardian on 19 Oct 10

Fabregas scores on return

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas returned from injury to help the Gunners all but secure their place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a 5-1 romp against Group H rivals Shakhtar Donetsk.

The Ukrainians had brought an impressive record to Emirates Stadium, defending a 100% return so far in Europe, not to mention 15 wins from 17 games at home.

However, Arsenal made them look ordinary, barely getting out of second gear as Alex Song was gifted an early goal following a terrible fumble by Shakhtar keeper Andrei Pyatov - and Arsene Wenger's men never looked back.

In-form winger Samir Nasri smashed home his second goal in three days to make it 2-0 before the break, with Fabregas' spot-kick ending the game as a contest on the hour while Jack Wilshere and Marouane Chamakh completing the rout.

Croatia striker Eduardo, sold during the summer, netted a fine consolation goal on the return to his former club with seven minutes left, which brought a round of applause from the home fans.

Arsenal now head out to Donetsk in a fortnight knowing a point from their remaining three matches, one at home, would probably secure a top-two finish.

The Gunners had already chalked up some nine goals in the Champions League, hitting new boys Braga for six in their opening match.

However, it was not expected to be an easy ride against the Ukrainian champions, who had lost only one of their last 26 matches in all competitions.

Following the anticipated cagey start, Arsenal created an opening when Fabregas - out since mid-September with a hamstring problem - floated the ball just over Chamakh.

Shakhtar, however, were breaking up play well in midfield before defender Razvan Rat sent a 25-yard effort wide.

Arsenal then took the lead on 19 minutes with a scrappy goal, following a terrible error by the Shakhtar goalkeeper. Pyatov was under no pressure when he came to collect a corner, but contrived to drop the ball in the six-yard box.

Emmanuel Eboue reacted quickly to stab the loose ball goalwards, which Song flicked on, before Olexander Kucher's clearance ricocheted back off the Cameroon midfielder and over the line.

Nasri almost made it 2-0 moments later with a long-range effort which flew straight at Pyatov and this time the Shakhtar keeper just about held on.

Wilshere - serving a three-match domestic suspension after his much-talked about red card against Birmingham - was late with a challenge on Tomas Hubschman which left the Shakhtar midfielder in a heap. However, Norwegian referee Svein Oddvar Moen deemed a stern lecture the only action needed.

Shakhtar had a couple of long-range efforts which failed to hit the target.

It proved costly as Arsenal doubled their lead on 42 minutes.

Eboue and Song worked the ball down the right, before the midfielder sent a cross into the penalty area, which deflected through to Nasri on the far side.

The in-form French winger sidestepped Darijo Srna before smashing the ball past Pyatov.

Shakhtar could have reduced the deficit at the start of the second half when Song lost possession and Henrik Mkhitaryan fed Luis Adriano, who sprinted into the box, but Lukasz Fabianski made a smart save.

Arsenal were then gifted a third goal from the penalty spot on the hour after Adriano had wrestled Johan Djourou to the ground.

Fabregas stepped up to smash the ball into the top-left corner - and lifted up his shirt to reveal a Catalan birthday message for his mum. With the job done, the Spanish World Cup winner was given a rest as Brazil youngster Denilson came on.

There was then a standing ovation from the home fans as Eduardo - who had battled back from an horrific broken leg and dislocated ankle at Birmingham in February 2008 - was introduced for Adriano.

It was exhibition stuff from Arsenal now, as Chamakh and Tomas Rosicky exchanged passes to release Wilshere into the area, and he chipped in number four on 66 minutes.

Morocco striker Chamakh then sprang the offside trap, played on by the full-back, to slot home his sixth goal of the campaign.

With 20 minutes left, Arsenal sent on Andrey Arshavin and Theo Walcott - making his first appearance since injuring ankle ligaments when paying for England during September.

But perhaps fittingly it was Eduardo who had the final say, volleying home a well-taken effort in the closing stages, which he did not celebrate while receiving applause from the home fans.

Source: ESPN Soccernet on 20 Oct 10

Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 5-1 Shakhtar Donetsk match

on an easy win...
I believe we made it easy because we had a good team performance. The goals came naturally through the game through great technical quality and overall I believe as well that our technical quality slowly got them tired and, especially in the second half, the goals came with one-twos or possession. I felt they had given a lot in the first half to chase and be focused to defend well, and we took advantage of that in the second half.

on the Wilshere-Fabregas partnership...
Yes, I am convinced it works well together. Cesc just came back tonight but Jack has a good maturity level, you never think he's 18 years of age when he plays. They combine very well. The midfield worked very well tonight.

on whether it was too easy...
When you win 1-0 it's too difficult, when you win 5-1 people think it's too easy. It's difficult to assess always why did you win 5-1 but I think tonight we had an intelligent team attitude and a very good technical level. What happens in the Champions League is that teams who play in the Champions League are used to dominating their [domestic] championship and they play. You do not only play against teams who defend. When you are then superior you always have a chance to score goals.

on preparing for Man City on Sunday...
Manchester City is a different type of game and what was important for us tonight was to win and then prepare. We won our last two games now and it is important we go to Manchester City with a good level of confidence and with some certainties in the way we want to behave. The result is important, the number of goals for me is not important.

on Djourou and Squillaci...
Johan is doing very well at the moment and Squillaci is a leader. He is a quiet one but he speaks a lot when you observe the game, he speaks to the midfielders, to Johan a lot, to the full backs. He has a quiet, reassuring presence at the back.

on Wilshere's mentality...
He didn't hide from challenges tonight. Sometimes when you get such a storm you want to go the other way and what was important tonight was that he just played football. He just went for the game like a real player. He has a good technical level but also does not hide from the challenges. That is a tremendous strength that you do not want to lose at that level.

on whether he is ready to start for England...
Without wanting to make headlines, it is difficult to say. If you ask me the reverse question - is he not ready to play for England - then it would be difficult to say no.

on his mistimed challenge against Shakhtar...
You want the player to go for the ball. As long as he goes for the ball with intention... if he is a bit late then that can happen. He was a fraction late today but he went completely for the ball.

on Wilshere's best position...
He is not completely holding, he is in between. He is a box to box player more than a holding midfielder. And in fairness he can play as well behind the striker, he can penetrate, he has a good burst. Give him time, let him play and I know that is not easy for you, and it's not your greatest strength.

on Eduardo's reception...
If you wanted someone to score a goal for Shakhtar Donetsk it was Eduardo because everybody has many good feelings for him. Everybody knows what a player he was when he arrived and what he went through, and his attitude has always been great. We are all happy for him.

on Wayne Rooney...
It is a story I am happy to read in the newspapers but I would like to keep out of it. That means we are not buying anybody, we have enough strikers. Tonight we had Bendtner, Walcott on the bench, Arshavin on the bench and Van Persie injured. What do we do with all the players? We are not interested in buying. We are not on the market. It is the 18th of October, the transfer market opens on the 1st of January.

Source: Arsenal.com on 19 Oct 10

19 October 2010: Arsenal 5-1 Shakhtar Donetsk, The Emirates

Arsenal took an almighty stride towards qualification to the Champions League Knockout Stages with a fabulous 5-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday night.

Alex Song, Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas, Jack Wilshere and Marouane Chamakh got the goals in a game that had been billed as Group H decider but turned out to be a cruise.

Shakhtar, who arrived on a run of seven straight wins, had endeavour early in each half but defensive frailties always undermined their ambition.

An omnipotent Arsenal plundered goals as and when they needed them. It was a pleasing night all-round.

Even Shakthar’s late consolation drew hearty applause. Eduardo half-volleyed home from close range and, as he had promised, did not celebrate the strike.

You could not have blamed him if he had, Shakhtar can take little else from this evening.

Arsenal have gathered nine points and 14 goals in their first three group games. They could secure top spot in Donetsk on November 3.

At this rate it is only a matter of time.

The main news pre-match was the return of Fabregas. The Arsenal captain had not been seen since injuring his hamstring in the act of scoring at Sunderland just over a month ago.

Wenger had spent last night mulling over the return of the Spanish midfielder. In the end, he decided against leaving him on the bench. However his inclusion left Abou Diaby among the substitutes.

Tomas Rosicky replaced Emmanuel Eboue numerically but actually played on the right. Samir Nasri took the Russian’s regular role on the left wing.

Before tonight, these two teams had taken six points out of six in Group H. And the first 15 minutes suggested both sides were facing higher standard opposition.

Shakhtar were as neat and tidy as their reputation had suggested. As a result, Arsenal lacked their usual incisiveness.

In fact they needed a bald-faced mistake to take the lead.

In the 18th minute, Nasri’s flashing cross was touched past the far post by the Shakhtar defence.

Chamakh nodded on the corner and, under little pressure, keeper Andriy Pyatov dropped a regulation catch. Johan Djourou stabbed the ball from under him and Song flicked the ball over the line.

Arsenal’s 1-0 lead had been not so much stolen as smuggled.
In the 25th minute, they nearly registered a much more authentic strike. Rosicky sand-wedged a ball to Chamakh, whose nod down was leathered goalwards by Nasri. This time Pyatov made the save.

Rosicky had a half-shout for a penalty soon afterwards. Had that been given and converted, Shakhtar might have been sunk. The Ukrainians seemed to lose their nerve after conceding the goal. Mentally they were there for the taking but Arsenal did not take charge.

Four minutes before the break Henrik Mkhitaryan’s deflected shot looped over the bar. It caused Lukasz Fabianski a worrying moment as did the subsequent corner. But given that is noteworthy, in reality, Donetsk were offering little.

And, a minute or so later, they were 2-0 down. Song exchanged passes with Emmanuel Eboue on the right and sent a deflected cross into the middle. Nasri cushioned the ball past Darijo Srna to create space for himself and then blasted home. It was his sixth goal of the season in only his ninth game.

Shakhtar made one change at the break but it was Douglas Costa and not the one for which the Arsenal fans were calling – Eduardo.

In the opening seconds, Mkhitaryan’s penetrative throughball released Luiz Adriano but Fabianski stood his ground to make a fine save.

There seemed to be more purpose about the visitors in the second half. And were just about to add to their firepower with Eduardo when Arsenal got their third.

Nasri curled over a free-kick from the right and Adriano tussled Djourou to the floor. Fabregas’ penalty was unstoppable – high and into the top corner. He then revealed a T-shirt wishing his mother a Happy Birthday.

The goal was the captain’s last meaningful touch. He was brought off for Denilson.

As the Brazilian waited to come on he shared a brief hug with Eduardo. The Croatian replaced Adriano seconds later and was greeted with rapturous applause.

It lightened the mood of the home supporters but did nothing for the lethal ambition of the team they were supporting. In the 66th minute, Wilshere raced onto Chamakh’s touch, exchanged passes with Rosicky and lifted his shot over the advancing Pyatov.

Shakhtar were now shell-shocked. They had been punished punitively this evening and it was not over yet.

In the 69th minute, Nasri scooped a pass over the visiting defence to the unmarked Chamakh. The Moroccan was so clear he could not believe he was onside but replays proved that was the case.

He gathered his senses – and the ball – before slotting home his sixth goal of the season.

Arsenal were now in party mood. Substitute Theo Walcott, seeing his first action since August 28, tried to arrow one in the top corner.

Eight minutes from time, Shakthar grabbed a goal.

Jadson hooked a high ball into the area from the right wing and Eduardo beat Fabianski from close range. It was a quality finish, the type that had first attracted Wenger's attention back in 2006.

He kept his word and did not celebrate the goal. The Arsenal fans repaid respect with respect.

The strike also threw up a notable question – was the first player to score at Emirates with three different clubs?

Costa tried a curler at the end. But the game had long since been lost.

Eduardo took time out to applaud the fans at the final whistle. Again, they responded in kind.

His smile suggested he was happy to be ‘home’ even though his new side had been swept aside on the night.

Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 19 October 2010

Arsenal v Shakhtar Donetsk: Preview

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has not yet decided whether to gamble on captain Cesc Fabregas for tomorrow's Champions League Group H clash against Shakhtar Donetsk at Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners skipper has not featured since September 18 after suffering a hamstring problem when scoring at Sunderland as the ball was kicked against his leg before ballooning over the keeper.

Without their talismanic midfielder, Arsenal lost successive Barclays Premier League matches before the international break, although they returned to winning ways against Birmingham at the weekend.

In Europe, however, Wenger's men maintained their 100% start following a hard-earned 3-1 victory at Partizan Belgrade.

With Shakhtar - who signed Croatia forward Eduardo from Arsenal in the summer - also having picked up six points, tomorrow night's encounter could all but guarantee one side safe passage into the knockout stage.

Wenger, though, will give plenty of thought as to whether he should throw Fabregas straight back into the action.

"Cesc has prepared well. He had a little setback, but got over the hurdle and is ready to play at full fitness, but whether I start him or not, I do not know yet,'' Wenger said.

"It will be whether I take a gamble or not, because he has been out for a long time.

"But physically he is ready and fit - and wanting to play.''

Wenger continued: "You know his influence on our team, he is our leader, our passer, he has a good level of assists and a good goalscoring record.

"Ideally you want him in the team.''

Shakhtar are yet to concede a goal in Europe and domestically have recorded 15 wins out of 17 games.

Wenger is certainly not taking the Ukrainians' challenge lightly.

"In this group until now you had 12 points at stake - six went to Shakhtar, six went to Arsenal. That means what is at stake is the qualifying and also the top of the group, which is why it is a very important game.

"It is a key game because it gives us an opportunity to basically think we have qualified.''

England youngster Jack Wilshere is available despite his red card against Birmingham on Saturday

Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott are also included in the squad as Arsenal's injuries, offensively at least, begin to ease.

Eduardo is unlikely to celebrate should he score on his emotional return to Arsenal.

The 27-year-old Croatian forward headed to Ukraine in a £6million deal after finding himself down the Arsenal order following the free transfer signing of Marouane Chamakh.

Wenger found it emotional to see the Brazil-born striker leave, after he fought back to full fitness following an horrific broken leg and dislocated ankle at Birmingham in February 2008.

Eduardo maintains the time was right for him to move on, but still holds a special affection for the Gunners.

"It was great times here with Arsenal, but now I am on the other side and play for Shakhtar,'' said Eduardo, signed by Wenger from Dinamo Zagreb in July 2007 for a reported £7.5million.

"I will give them 100%, am ready to play and will give my all best tomorrow.''

However, Eduardo added: "I don't think I will celebrate.

"I respect the club.

"I had some great moments here and have respect for the supporters and Mr Wenger, for the club.

"I came from Croatia and learned a lot at Arsenal. Now I have more experience than before.

"When you play for Dinamo Zagreb and someone like Mr Wenger finds you, takes you to play in the Premier League, that is big respect. He believed in me.

"But now the most important thing is that now I am on the other side I will give all my best tomorrow.

"If I score, it will be good for Shakhtar.

"Hopefully we can finish with a positive result.''

Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu refused to confirm whether Eduardo would start.

However, the Romanian admitted: "It is bound to be emotional.

"He will be on the field - when, we will see.''

Source: ESPN Soccernet on 18 Oct 10