Arsenal

[mushi]

WOOHOO Good to know we got the support of most of Spain as well.  I will definately have my strip on that night.
I will actually cry if Arsenal lose I think.

[mushi]

Arsenal v Wigan 
 
Highbury
Sunday, 7 May
Kick-off: 1500 BST
BBC Radio Five Live

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has no fresh injury concerns ahead of the final game at Highbury.

Ashley Cole is expected to start, Dennis Bergkamp comes back into the squad but Emmanuel Adebayor (sinus infection) is a concern.

Wigan are without Arjan de Zeeuw, John Filan and Ryan Taylor while Gary Teale serves a one-match suspension.

Jewell has the services of Josip Skoko again, the midfielder having completed a recent loan spell at Stoke.

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Arsenal (from): Lehmann, Djourou, Eboue, Campbell, Toure, Cole, Pires, Fabregas, Ljungberg, Van Persie, Henry, Song, Larsson, Reyes, Gilberto, Ljungberg, Bendtner, Bergkamp, Adebayor, Almunia.

Wigan (from): Pollitt, Chimbonda, Jackson, Henchoz, Johansson, Skoko, Camara, McCulloch, Kavanagh, Wright, Francis, Scharner, Connolly, Ziegler, Skoko, Baines, Thompson, Roberts.

Hmmm I wonder who Wenger will chose for this game.  Probably put out a decent team since Wigan are a strong team.

Lehmann
Eboue  -  Toure  -   >:(Campbell   -  Cole
Ljungberg  -  Fabregas  -  Gilberto  -  Reyes
Bergkamp  -  Henry
 

[Lucky*7*]

Booooooooo at Campbell and Cole

[mushi]

Yeah I know, I bloody hate that smarmy pair, think just because they are English they can just automatically get their place in the team.  Fair enough Senderos is injured.  But Cole  Clichy played 2 matches and was doing great, why does he need 'rested'

[Lucky*7*]

Henry collects Premiership award 



Arsenal's Thierry Henry has added to his growing list of accolades by being named Premiership Player of the Season.
The France international, 28, is the leading Premiership goalscorer with 24 strikes and has also picked up this season's football writers' award.

He surpassed Cliff Bastin's club goal-scoring record in October before going on to become the first Arsenal player to score 200 goals for the club.

He also took over the Arsenal captaincy following Patrick Vieira's departure.

Matt Appleby, from the Barclays Awards Panel, said: "Henry has graced Arsenal's last season at Highbury in magnificent style.


"He combines moments of brilliance and entertainment with match-winning goals.

"No wonder he was described by one opposition manager as 'unplayable'."

His 24 goals have come in 30 Premiership appearances in 2005/2006, including 17 goals at Highbury.

Frank Lampard won last year's prize after guiding Chelsea to the Premiership title.

 

[mushi]

Good job this new thing tells you when someone else replies, I was just about to post the exact same story.

As I was saying, Henry deserves every award that he gets, he is an abslutely fantastic player, there are no better than Henry in the Premiership.

[mushi]

Bergkamp will get one last opportunity at Highbury
 
By Richard Clarke

Sunday?s game is not only the farewell to Highbury, it is also the last competitive game of football for Dennis Bergkamp on English soil.

The Dutch striker retires at the end of this season and, after being left out at Manchester City on Thursday, there may have been a few fears that Bergkamp, 37 on Wednesday, would not have the opportunity for one last Premiership game.

At his press conference ahead of the all-important match with Wigan, Arsène Wenger allayed those concerns.

?He will be involved in the squad ? 100 per cent,? said the manager.

?It will be very emotional because he is part of that history at Highbury. Nobody will ever forget him.

?As much as Thierry Henry is a top target striker, Dennis Bergkamp, as a provider, was unique.?

I really hope that Bergkamp starts, plays 90 minutes and scores - what a way to end your career. Still sad that he is retiring though.

[Lucky*7*]

Theres no-one better than him in europe either. Maybe as good as him but i dont rate anyone above him

[mushi]

I have that argument with my dad all the time, I think Henry is the best in the world but my dad doesnt agree.  Bloody closet Barca fan thats what he is, he is supporting them on the 17th and he likes Ronaldinho.

[Lucky*7*]

I Have a friend who because Ronaldinho is FIFA number 1 right now he rates him as that simply becuase of it. I try to argue there are players just as good as Ronaldinho playing alonside lesser players. Ive said hundreds of times Dinho has often under performed or driffted in and out of games but he has people around him that hide it. Or he does one bit of skill and people forget about the previous 80 minutes of nothing. No doubt hes a fantastic player but its unfair for people to rate him way above anyone else when hes playing in possible the best team in the world right now.

[mushi]

I aint saying that Ronaldinho is a bad player but when ever I have watched Barca I have been a bit disappointed by what I have seen, sometimes you didnt see him, he does a couple of tricks, made silly attempts on goal.  Then I watch Henry, who obviously has a bad game as well, he is only human, but he is always running, helping the team defend, he has been a fantastic captain, I was worried at first because he wasnt taking to the role very well.  Just a little bit sad that he is probably leaving to go to Barca in the summer. I cant see him being happy there though.

[Lucky*7*]

Dinho is pumped up to be the worlds nuber one. This untouchable being that can do anything with a ball. But he isnt. Hes a very good footballers. Thats it.

If he wasnt Brazilian and he played for Celta Vigo or Villareal  someone like that im convinced he wouldnt be rated number 1.

Henry can do the silky skills and the stuff you love to watch but he is also a very effective player. I know who id prefer in my team.

[mushi]

Arsenal at Highbury - a complete record

Sunday will see the curtain come down on one of the finest theatres ever to have staged the beautiful game, after Arsenal play their last-ever competitive fixture at Highbury.

Ninety-three years after the Gunners first took to the Highbury turf to play Leicester Fosse, they face Wigan Athletic to bring an end to an unforgettable and defining era for the Club.

Arsenal have played over 2000 games at the famous old ground and the Gunners will hope to end their tenure just as they began way back in 1913 - with a win. It would be a fitting final act for a Club that have consistently been London's best show in town.

Here is the complete record for Arsenal at Highbury.

Arsenal's overall statistics at Highbury
Competition Played Won Drawn Lost Goals For Goals Against Win %
League 1688 980 412 296 3368 1690 58%
FA Cup 142 92 32 18 305 123 65%
League Cup 98 69 14 15 195 74 70%
Europe 76 50 17 9 153 60 66%
Charity Shield 5 4 0 1 13 6 80%
Total 2009 1195 475 339 4034 1953 59%

[mushi]

Dinho is pumped up to be the worlds nuber one. This untouchable being that can do anything with a ball. But he isnt. Hes a very good footballers. Thats it.

If he wasnt Brazilian and he played for Celta Vigo or Villareal  someone like that im convinced he wouldnt be rated number 1.

Henry can do the silky skills and the stuff you love to watch but he is also a very effective player. I know who id prefer in my team.

I dont think that he is world number one, yes he is a good player, but not the best, there are people on the same level as him.
They are two different type of strikers, but I just think that Henry is the better of the pair.  He doesnt overuse his skills or show off the minute his team win.  I would prefer Henry to be in my team, but thats just my opinion.

[Lucky*7*]

I share the same views. Every player is different so its hard to judge one player against another but Henry is certainly on the same level as Dinho, if not better. Theres atleast 3 other players who i rae as the same level as Dinho