News and gossip from Arsenal FC in the past 24 hours.
Arsenal conceded their first goal of the campaign after a goalkeeping error from Wojciech Szczesny but other than that small blip it was a flawless performance as The Gunners ran out 6-1 victors in a rampant display against Southampton at The Emirates. Lukas Podolski, Santi Cazorla, Gervinho and Kieran Gibbs terrorised Nathaniel Clyne down the left hand side, a product of which was the two own goals scored by The Saints, firstly by Jos Hooiveld and then Clyne himself.
Wedged in between those two goals was a sumptuous free kick by Podolski that had Kelvin Davis scrambling to no avail. The fourth goal came via Gervinho who added a second in the 71st minute before Theo Walcott, against his former club, side-footed home to complete the rout with just two minutes left of regulation time.
Jack Wilshere will return to Arsenal training this week it has been revealed. The 20-year-old midfielder has struggled with ankle, foot and knee injuries and has not played since August 2011 but seems like putting the injury problems behind him once and for all. Arsene Wenger however maintains that he will be cautious with when to bring the England international in order to avoid a recurrence of the problems that have plagued his relatively young career so far.
Arsene Wenger will once again be without Polish number one keeper Wojciech Szczesny when they face Montpellier in the Champions League. After missing the opening three games of the campaign with a rib injury the tongue-twisting stopper injured his ankle during the 6-1 victory over Southampton on Saturday. With Lukas Fabianski also on the injury list Vito Mannone will deputise and James Shea will make the bench; as current 4th choice keeper Damian Martinez is not included in the Champions league squad list. Vito Mannone’s last appearance in the Champions League ended in calamity during a haphazard display against Olympiakos last December. Abou Diaby is however expected to be fit.
Meanwhile Arsenal have received backing for the game against the French champions from an unlikely source, Montpellier’s star player Younes Belhanda. Speaking after they were outplayed by newly promoted Ligue 1 side Stade de Reims he stated that a similar performance would see Arsenal ‘score eight goals’ during their fixture. Montpellier have struggled this season to defend their title winning just one of their first four games after losing star player Olivier Giroud, to Arsenal, this summer.
What are your thoughts on everything and anything happening at Arsenal FC on the 17th September 2012?
images: © Yvelines, © Ronnie Macdonald
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