Sunday 1 January 2012

RVP "The place where we live, just outside the city, is fantastic. We have everything we want, my children have become more English than Dutch! Mertesacker “I’ve been on the phone to Podolski, He’s a great player who scores a lot of goals!” Ramsey “my injury is behind me now!” Wilshere back soon! Diaby injured long term! £10m Podolski bid! Bridge loan possible! Frimpong loan to Wolves!



  • Victory over QPR sees Arsenal finish the year in fourth place.
Van Persie's goal today propelled Arsenal to fourth in the Premier League, usurping Chelsea and Liverpool in the standings.

"Many people dropped points," Wenger said.

"For us it was a little bit of repetition of the Wolves game because we did not manage to score more than one goal.

"Then, of course, it is down to not making a mistake at the back and we had to be patient to take out chances.

"I feel when there are so many game, you cannot alter the pace of the game.

"You have to take your time, be patient and focus on not making mistakes.

"We did that quite well and Robin van Persie again scored us the goal that got us the points against a good QPR side.

"They had a good midfield, they played well. They always looked capable of creating something.

"Overall they were one of the [better] teams we have seen."
  • Robin van Persie has dropped a big hint he wants to stay with Arsenal.
The Holland striker, who has two young children with his wife Bouchra, has revealed that his ideal future would be to remain in London.

He said: We love the life in London and I enjoy watching my kids grow up here. They grow up like the English kids with good manners and values of England.

"The place where we live, just outside the city, is fantastic. We have everything we want.

"The English people are so incredibly polite where I live. People are nice here. That makes life a real pleasure.

"My children have become more English than Dutch. They have taken up the culture and values of England.

"It makes me melt at times when I see how well my children are doing here. When Shaqueel has half-term with school, he does not want to go back to the Netherlands any more."
  • Arsenal captain Robin van Persie would love to see Tony Adams return to the club as a coach.
He admits he would love to see him back at the Emirates in a coaching capacity.

Van Persie said: “It is a massive honour that there are people in England who think I am doing a good job as captain and, for that reason, have made some comparisons with Tony.

“I consider Tony Adams as the best captain Arsenal have ever had. He played for Arsenal his entire career and is an absolute legend here. I have met him a number of times, but most of what I know about him is through the real Arsenal people, such as our kit men Paul and Vic Akers and our physio Colin Lewin.

“They have told me so many stories about his leadership – and they know. They were there in the dressing room at the time.

“Tony also had this amazing quality to win matches by his strong mentality.

“He would carry the team and be an inspiration to every player."
  • Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker hopes he can be joined at the Emirates by FC Cologne striker Lukas Podolski.
Mertesacker has been in touch with fellow German Podolski, urging him to join the club in January.

Mertesacker said: "Of course I’ve been on the phone to him. He is a great player. He scores a lot of goals. His left foot is unbelievable."
  • Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey is delighted with his progress this season.
He plans to become even more influential in the New Year.

"I’m happy with what I’ve achieved so far, and especially with the way things are going for me personally this season, but hopefully there’s a lot more to come," Ramsey said.

"What happened with my injury is behind me now, and I’m just really glad to be back playing for Arsenal regularly. Before my injury I was just starting to do that, so it’s just nice to be out there every week again.

"I still have plenty of things to learn, but with any luck I’ll be able to bring more to the team in 2012.

"Against Aston Villa I looked a bit fatigued and was disappointed with how I performed, but then I’ve played a lot of games this season and sometimes it catches up with you. I think it was the right decision [to rest me for the Wolves game], because I did feel a bit tired, so hopefully a rest has done me good."
  • Arsenal superkid Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain says he has no problem handling the hype around him.
Oxlade-Chamberlain is aware of the speculation but he intends to take it in his stride and keep working hard.

“I just don't read too much into it at all,” he said. “I know in myself what I want to achieve and it's nice that people do talk you up and give you hype but at the moment I'm not where I want to be.

“Until I get there I'm not going to pat myself on the back and I will just keep working until I get there.

“My personality is that I just take things in my stride, take things as they come and go along with it. I don't think into things too much, I just let them happen and take shape.

“As long as I stay focused on my goals and my aims I just let the rest take care of itself. I don't think you can be too fazed in certain situations because you just put yourself under added pressure and that's not going to help you in a positive way.”
  • Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says he'll have no problem finding a place for Thierry Henry.
With Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho heading off to the Africa Cup of Nations in January, theArsenal manager hopes the Club's all-time record goalscorer can deputise anywhere across the front line.

"Thierry came into the side on the left and when he moved to Barcelona he played on the left because they had [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic in the middle," Wenger said.

"He played on the left, he showed he can still do it and can play in any of the three positions up front in the system we play. He can also play behind the striker as well."
  • Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has hit out at claims his re-signing of Sol Campbell was a flop.
Wenger is taking back Thierry Henry today on-loan from New York Red Bulls.

He said: “Sol was fantastic when he came back. Sol is like Thierry. Once they are committed, you know you can rely on them.

“I remember when we went to Tottenham, Sol was absolutely amazing for a guy who, three weeks before, you wondered if this guy can still play in the Premier League.

“He had such a capacity to fight and it’s important to bring that out. They have that pride. When players play they will want to be good.”
  • Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger feels Jack Wilshere could be back this month.
Wilshere was hoping to be back in action by February, but he could defy all the odds and play his first game by the end of January.

Wenger said: "The most important thing for Jack Wilshere is that he gets fit again. The positive news for us and England is that he is progressing very quickly.

"I would keep February. Jack pushes every day of course to be quicker than the medical expectations. He might win the battle."
  • Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has no idea when Abou Diaby will be fit to play again.
Diaby has been jinxed by injuries throughout his Arsenal career and Wenger admits that he has now given up setting return dates.

Wenger said: "I don't want to give any predictions on when he comes back because every time he tries to come back he has another little setback.

"It's never a massive one but always little problems, muscular problems, and at the moment I'm afraid I cannot give you any date on when he comes back."
  • Arsenal are ready with a £10 million offer for FC Cologne striker Lukas Podolski.
Arsenal are ready to bid £10million for Germany star Podolski.

The 26-year-old Polish-born striker has 18 months left on his contract at Cologne and is in the form of his life, having scored 14 goals in 16 Bundesliga games this season. He is expected to be a key man for Germany at Euro 2012.

The club are also set to receive around £25m from the sale of property near the Emirates Stadium, meaning Wenger can bid big this month.
  • Manchester City fullback Wayne Bridge is in Arsenal's sights.
Arsene Wenger will consider this week whether to make a move for Bridge as on loan cover after Arsenal's Thomas Vermaelen limped off with a calf strain in Saturday's 1-0 win over QPR.

Arsenal now have Kieran Gibbs and Andre Santos out as well as Vermaelen.
  • Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has confirmed Emmanuel Frimpong is joining Wolves on-loan.
Frimpong has joined Wolves on loan until the end of the season.

"He is somebody who needs practice because he needs the rhythm of the games," he said. "Mick McCarthy says he has a good chance to play and that is why.

"I have as well Coquelin who can play in this position so I had a decision to make.

"One of the two had to go on loan and Frimpong had a good opportunity at Wolves."

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