***C/L Spoilers 4th/5th April

radikal_dj

radikal_dj

radikal_dj

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Fabregas & Eboue travel to Turin

www.bbc.co.uk

Arsenal's injured duo Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Eboue have travelled with Arsenal's squad for Wednesday's Champions League game with Juventus.
Eboue picked up a groin injury in the 5-0 win over Aston Villa, while midfielder Fabregas has a foot problem.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admitted both were doubts as the Gunners attempt to protect a 2-0 first leg lead, rating the pair as "40-60" against playing.
But both improved enough to join the squad that flew to Turin on Monday.
Fabregas only lasted for 15 minutes against Villa before being replaced by Abou Diaby, who went on to score his first goal for the club, while Ivory Coast international Eboue was substituted after 67 minutes.
Wenger added: "Fabregas' foot has blown up. That's not a good sign. It can be a vein that has exploded or it's coming from a bone - we don't know.
Eboue did his groin because he played like former Brazil great Garrincha on the right side and didn't stop going forward.
Former Arsenal manager George Graham told Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme that the loss of Fabregas and Eboue would make the Gunners' task in Turin that much more difficult.
It is a big blow because Arsenal's squad is not the strongest and they already have Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell out.
Graham added that he had been impressed by the way Arsenal had played in Europe this season.
Over the last seven or eight years, since Arsene has been in charge, Arsenal have been a great team to watch but often they have been beaten by inferior teams in Europe.
Wenger has put Sol Campbell on stand-by for what would be a dramatic re-introduction to first-team action.
The England centre-back, 31, has not featured since 1 February when he suffered a nightmare first half against West Ham - and left Highbury after being substituted at the break.
An ankle injury - and then a bruised toe - hampered his recovery after Campbell had been being given an extended leave of absence by Wenger.

"You can consider all the options and Sol Campbell is one of them" Arsene Wenger

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Records will be nice but for me, it's all about the win......I would love to see us go to Turin and thump them again, no Vieira, no Camoranesi, no Zebina and a massive dent in their confidence - I reckon 2-0 all over again.
 
I really hope we go out there and get an early away goal, because that will kill the tie off almost completely. If we don't, I can see it being a very nervy 0-0 or 1-0 to them, where they're just going to keep coming at us.

Nervous as always, but I desperately hope we make the semis. Not even thinking too seriously about winning it yet. :)
 
Natural to feel nervous, there's a lot of expectation now but we've played better and better every round and The Stadio Delle Alpi is not as tough as The Bernabeu....Plus, we've got postives, with Cesc, Eboue and Campbell all possibilities and they've got negatives, 2-0 down, 3 key players out and their back against the wall. Seriously, Arsenal win, 2-0 no worries ;)
 
Yeah...I know what you mean, but, he'll be on the bench and Wenger will only bring him on if he needs to.
Even if Cole and Campbell were both 100% fit I doubt they would have a first team place without a few nightmare performances from Flamini and Senderos.
 
Gooner14 said:
As good as Flamini has been, both Clichy and Cole would walk in to the team in front of him.
Click to expand...

which is a real shame to him, i hope he can find another place in the team somewhere, he will be one hell of a squad member now!

+44
 
Plus-44 said:
which is a real shame to him, i hope he can find another place in the team somewhere, he will be one hell of a squad member now!

+44
Click to expand...
I'd love to see him get a few more games in midfield now he's found his feet a bit, replacing Gilberto in some of the tougher Prem matches. I reckon he'd be much better at getting physical and dirty if needs be against the likes of Bolton and the rest.
 
Flamini gets caught out of position too often for my liking; despite his reputation, that very rarely happens to Cole anymore.

A moot point anyway as far as this thread is concerned, since neither Cole nor Clichy will be fit for Juventus.

I make Arsenal strong favourites to progress, although I think Cappello is smart enough to keep things fairly tight and try and avoid shipping an away goal. It'll certainly be a nervous last 20mins if Juve go 1-0 up and are pressing for the equaliser.

Also, despite what the 'experts' say, I prefer to play the secondleg away from home. That means you get more time in which to score an away goal and also go into the game knowing how many away goals you need to score.

I think we will see an improvement in Juve's play thanks to the added creativity of Nedved and Del Piero (if fit). But equally, the absence of Vieira leaves a gaping whole in the centre of midfield which might allow Pires more freedom to roam.
 
Sol would have to seriously impress me in training etc and show hes previous hunger if he were to play again this season because imo Toure and Senderos are the future! How good is Toure by the way?He must have the best recovery pace for a CD in the EPL

+44
 
Bad news.

Herbert Flandel has been picked as the ref. The last game he officiated an Arsenal game was against PSV, Vieira and Lauren were shown Red. Lauren deserved it, but it was harsh on Vieira. Particularly when you consider both were for 2 yellows, yet Van Bommel gave away far more fouls in that game, and didn't even get booked.

He also missed Essiens tackle on Hamman
 
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