City skipper Toure slams Arsenal’s Gallas: You’re no leader!

• zocoss

  2 Apr 10, 12:05

  Cesc Fabregas is a doubt for the World Cup after Arsenal confirm captain broke leg against Barca
  

   

   

   

  

  

  Floored: Arsenal players show their concern as injured Fabregas goes down

   

   

   

  Cesc Fabregas faces a race against time to be fit for Spain’s World Cup campaign after being ruled out for the rest of the Premier League season with a cracked right fibula.

  Arsenal confirmed on Thursday that Fabregas will be out for ‘at least six weeks’ after being caught with a clumsy challenge by Carles Puyol which resulted in a penalty and a red card for the Barcelona skipper.

  Fabregas picked himself up to convert the spot-kick which earned Arsenal a 2-2 draw but then collapsed in obvious pain clutching his right leg below the knee.

  The news on Fabregas is a devastating blow to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has now lost his skipper for the Barclays Premier League title run-in after gambling on his fitness in the Champions League.

  Wenger rated Fabregas’s chance of facing his former club at only 40 per cent on the eve of the Champions League quarter-final and left the final decision on whether to play him until the pre-match warm-up.

  Fabregas was a doubt for the Barca game after being caught in the same area of his right leg by a challenge from Birmingham’s Craig Gardner in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw last weekend.

  He went on to complete the game at St Andrew’s despite clearly being left in pain by the injury. A scan on Monday resulted in a diagnosis by Arsenal’s medical staff that Fabregas had suffered severe bruising.

  But Wenger will doubtless now be keen to learn whether Fabregas’s leg-break could actually have been caused by Gardner’s challenge and aggravated by the coming together with Puyol after an X-ray confirmed the extent of the damage yesterday.

  
   

  

  No mistake: Fabregas held his nerve to bullet home his penalty

   

   

  Fabregas admitted after Wednesday’s thrilling encounter with Barcelona that he knew he ‘was not 100 per cent’, adding: ‘I knew in my mind there was something there.But until the penalty I was feeling quite good. It was a gamble worth taking.’

  However, that gamble means he is now sweating over whether he will be fit to take part in Spain’s bid to add the World Cup to their European Championship crown.

  Vicente del Bosque’s team play their final friendly against Poland on June 8 before taking on Switzerland in Durban in their opening group game on June 16.

  
   

  

  On the mend: Van Persie

   

   

  Wenger’s primary concern will be what effect Fabregas’s injury, along with those suffered by Andrey Arshavin and William Gallas, has on the remainder of Arsenal’s campaign.

  Arshavin has been ruled out for three weeks after picking up a calf strain that forced him off against Barcelona after 27 minutes. His mother Tatyana claimed yesterday that her son would miss the rest of the season.

  Gallas suffered a recurrence of his own calf problem which had sidelined him for seven weeks prior to Wednesday night’s game and, like Arshavin, will be out for a further three weeks.

  Wenger is also sweating on the fitness of Gael Clichy and Denilson for tomorrow’s visit of Wolves.

  ‘We are like an army who have come back from a big battle,’ he said. ‘We have some bruises but we need to recover and then go to the next battle. Who will be available for the next one? I have to wait.’

• zocoss

  2 Apr 10, 12:07

  ARSENAL DUO OUT FOR THREE WEEKS

   

  

   

   

   

  Arsenal have confirmed William Gallas and Andrey Arshavin will be out for at least three weeks with calf injuries suffered against Barcelona.

   

  Gallas returned from a calf problem to start Wednesday's Champions League tie with Barca, but was forced off with a recurrence of the injury.

   

  Arshavin was withdrawn during the first half of the 2-2 draw and now joins Cesc Fabregas on the sidelines, with the Arsenal captain out for six weeks with a cracked fibula.

  Gael Clichy and Denilson are also injury concerns ahead of Saturday's Premier League game at home to Wolves and Arsene Wenger is awaiting some positive news on the fitness front. 

  "At the moment, we are like an army who have come back from a big battle," the Gunners manager told Arsenal TV Online.

  "We have some bruises, but we need to recover and then go to the next battle. Who will be available for the next one? I have to wait 24 hours more.

  "William had a recurrence of his calf strain. That is at least three weeks. The next one is Arshavin - calf strain, three weeks.

  "Gael Clichy is struggling with a back problem. He might need a breather as well. I don't know yet, we will assess that tomorrow. Denilson has a groin problem, we will assess that too.

  "Clichy and Denilson are 'possibles' to play at the weekend.

  "We have Silvestre and Campbell available. Then of course there is Rosicky and Eduardo. Vela is coming back too."

   

   

   

   

• Poignant

  2 Apr 10, 12:09

  Cesc tells Arsenal teammates: You can win without me!

  

  
  

  Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas insists they can beat Barcelona at the Nou Camp next week without him.

  Cesc is out for the season with a broken leg suffered in the Champions League quarterfinal first-leg draw this week.

  He told the London Evening Standard: “The team can definitely do it without me. Barcelona have lost big players like Puyol and Pique, so I don't think it is the same without them because they move the ball well and are so confident. We will see, it will be tough but we can make it.

  “It was a great comeback — we were dead at 2-0. You could never imagine we would come back in the first half because we never saw the ball at all.

  “It was very tough but even more in the second half because they scored two great goals. After that, we showed great spirit to come back and not everyone can do it against a team like them. It says a lot about us because I think this is the best team I have faced in my life.

  “Theo made such a difference. He got behind them and created a lot of problems. I think he was our best player.”

• zocoss

  2 Apr 10, 12:19

  United and Arsenal have suffer playing in the CL... United lost Rooney while Arsenal lose Fabregas... They both had very good chance for the title but now it looks like Chelsea has gain from being knock out in the last round...

• Poignant

  2 Apr 10, 12:20

  then? next season dont want play in cl?

• zocoss

  2 Apr 10, 12:53

  No, just saying luck plays a part too when one manage to win the title... These 2 clubs were looking to be in a better position than Chelsea for the title then suddenly this happen... They only manage to get one stage further than Chelsea (as at this moment) but they both lose their most important players...

• I LOVE LIVERPOOL SO MUCH

  2 Apr 10, 12:59

  zocock....MAN UTD WILL WIN THE LEAGUE

• T.Ryousuke

  2 Apr 10, 16:00

  Originally posted by zocoss:

   

  Lots of $$$ income to get into every round. Its still worth it.

  Without key player is better, rest of the team will work harder,

  and less predictable they r.

• omgukilledkenny

  2 Apr 10, 16:14

  Barca won't have Puyol and Pique too...so why not.

• Rooney9

  2 Apr 10, 21:09

  on retrospect, its a bad idea to play arshavin, fabregas and gallas. all went off injured and fabregas is out for the season. will he or wont he make it to spain world cup squad? hard to say on this one.

• Poignant

  2 Apr 10, 23:12

  i think it's a good idea. gaining experience together is one thing. esp when barce is playing away from home, the more you need your best players to be out there.

• ChingAlvin

  2 Apr 10, 23:15

  I think in fact this time, although away from home, Arsenal would have a better chance compared to the first leg..

  What barca usually do is outscore their opponents, without puyol and pique, and if wenger does play like how they do in the second half, they have a real chance. they cant keep up with Arsenal wings if arsenal plays correctly.. at the same time, arsenal's defence is leaky as well.

   

  double edge..

• zocoss

  2 Apr 10, 23:37

   

  GUNNERS SUFFER GALLAS BLOW

  
  
  

  William Gallas looks set to miss the rest of the season after the Arsenal defender suffered a recurrence of his calf problem, manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed.

  It is another blow for the Gunners, who lost captain Cesc Fabregas to a broken leg during the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Barcelona on Wednesday night.

  Gallas, who is out of contract at the end of the current campaign, had been somewhat rushed back from missing eight games with a calf problem.

  However, after being unable to finish the Barcelona game, Wenger confirmed the French centre-back was unlikely to recover in time to play again this season.

  Wenger said: "Gallas is longer than three weeks, I would say five weeks.

  "It was a gamble which did not pay off and was a mistake, yes.

  "He could be back maybe quicker, but I just give myself five weeks because three weeks is a minimum and we will have to be a bit more cautious with him.

  "So when we go to the Champions League final, he still has a chance to play."

  The Arsenal manager, however, expects Russian midfielder Andrey Arshavin to be available again by the visit of Manchester City on April 24.

  Defender Gael Clichy (back) and midfielder Denilson (groin) have both been passed fit for Saturday's home game against Wolves.

   

   

  Arshavin fears grow

  

  Andrei Arshavin was replaced by Emmanuel Eboue

  Russian forward Andrei Arshavin fears that a groin injury sustained against Barcelona will prevent him from representing Arsenal for the remainder of the season.

   

   

• Poignant

  2 Apr 10, 23:41

  this injuries could be a turning point for wenger's young side.

  a very good experience for the team to go through together as one.

• TTFU

  2 Apr 10, 23:44

  I see the youth academy booming with babies. MOAR YOUTH TALENT !!!

• omgukilledkenny

  2 Apr 10, 23:48

  Originally posted by Poignant:

  this injuries could be a turning point for wenger's young side.

  a very good experience for the team to go through together as one.

  i think they seen enough of their team mates breaking their legs liao lei.

• Poignant

  2 Apr 10, 23:50

  Originally posted by omgukilledkenny:

  i think they seen enough of their team mates breaking their legs liao lei.

  LOL

  but this kind of things part and parcel of being in the game luh, cannot complain..

  as a footballer, when you're on the field, your legs are always in risk

• Sbao sheng89

  3 Apr 10, 13:41

  Next is Torres lor..

• zocoss

  3 Apr 10, 14:19

  Arsene Wenger under fire: France boss Raymond Domenech brands Arsenal chief 'irresponsible' for playing injured William Gallas

   

  

  World Cup doubt: France are fuming that Arsenal captain William Gallas was risked against Barcelona in midweek

   

   

  France coach Raymond Domenech has launched an astonishing attack on Arsene Wenger, branding the Arsenal manager's decision to play William Gallas against Barcelona as 'irresponsible' and 'outrageous'.

  Domenech went on the offensive while addressing a board meeting of the French FA.

  Domenech, who was at the Emirates on Wednesday night, raged: 'I'm livid and p***** off. It is outrageous and irresponsible to have played him so early after injury. He better be fit for the World Cup.'

  Domenech has told players they must be fit to train on May 18 or they will not go to South Africa. And after Wenger admitted it will be at least five weeks before Gallas recovers from a calf injury, his chances of going are in severe jeopardy.

  Wenger, despite repeating that playing Gallas after a seven-week lay-off was a gamble that backfired, insisted he was well within his rights to field the defender against Barca. 'We have to first take care of the interests of Arsenal,' said Wenger.

  'I don't think it will cost him his World Cup. He's paid by the club, not the French team.

  'He declared himself fit. I have the reports from the rehabilitation centre in France where he worked for 10 days and he had four days' training with the team. Maybe we should have taken some more time, but he was jumping, running up and down the stairs in France - he had very hard sessions.

  'Gallas is 32 and if you ask a player of that experience, "Do you feel ready to play, have you worked hard enough, do you feel ready?" then when they say "Yes" you have to believe them.'

  Wenger's management of Arsenal's injuries was already under the spotlight after opting to risk Cesc Fabregas in the Champions League.

   

   

   

  At war: France boss Raymond Domenceh is unhappy with 'irresponsible' Wenger

   

   

  Fabregas's season was ended with a cracked right fibula after a tackle from Barcelona's Carles Puyol, in the same spot where Birmingham's Craig Gardner had inflicted severe bone bruising in the previous game.

  Wenger revealed he held an inquiry into his medical team's treatment of Fabregas and conceded that a combination of the tackles by Gardner and Puyol could have led to a break.

  But, as in the case of Gallas, Wenger insisted all the indications were that he was fit to play against Barca.

  'We got two independent bodies and doctors who looked at the X-ray,' said Wenger. 'If they had felt it needed a deeper investigation they would have told us. He got injured where he got the kick in the first game. It was bruised and inflamed and maybe it gave way.

  'He's not a softy, that's for sure. He's a tough boy and he's always very demanding with himself.'

• Saltiga

  3 Apr 10, 15:30

  fuck him..

  i bet he would have played Gallas in their match too is his chances is 50 -50..

• Rooney9

  3 Apr 10, 15:33

  shoot him back saying, who paid his wages? u eh? if not shuddup.

• Poignant

  3 Apr 10, 17:24

  Man City skipper Toure slams Arsenal’s Gallas: You’re no leader

  

  
  

  Manchester City captain Kolo Toure has taken fresh aim at former Arsenal teammate William Gallas.

  Toure, 29, had a bust-up with Gallas last season.

  France centre-half Gallas was stripped of the Gunners captaincy last term after publishing an explosive autobiography revealing dressing-room rifts.

  Toure told The Sun: "He thinks more about himself. A leader is someone who thinks of the whole team."

• Rooney9

  3 Apr 10, 17:28

  the feud continues

• Merczrox

  3 Apr 10, 20:17

  Originally posted by omgukilledkenny:

  i think they seen enough of their team mates breaking their legs liao lei.

  I very well agree wit tis.Really sad man.. :(