Arsenal

Just days after Arsenal announced that Robin van Persie will miss three to four weeks due to an ankle injury comes news that Nicklas Bendtner has reinjured his groin and is out until November.

Even with that lengthly layoff, Arsenal still made Bendtner one of their 25-man squad for the first half of the season, showing that the Arsenal medical staff do believe that he will be back in two to three months.

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The transfer window closed with Arsenal making no moves, which means that Almunia is Arsenal’s number one, at least until January. One move that was made today was Armand Traore has joined Juventus on loan for the 2010/2011 season. Juventus will then have an opportunity to buy Traore next summer.

So what did Arsenal do this summer? Heading into this transfer window it was pretty clear that Arsenal needed to get better defensively (defence and goalkepper) and that Robin van Persie needed some help up front.  Read more... (293 words, 1 image, estimated 1:10 mins reading time)

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Well that was quick. Robin van Persie injured his ankle against Blackburn and is expected to miss up to a month of action.

Van Persie reported to Holland’s camp Monday where they diagnosed the injury. The Dutch Football Association said he would be out for “at least a few weeks”. Arsenal estimate that his absence will be for between two and four weeks, depending on how quickly the swelling subsides.  Read more... (153 words, 1 image, estimated 37 secs reading time)

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Missed the game against Blackburn due to a family activity so was left to watch the match highlights. A full game report is here is you missed it

Couple of things that stood out watching the game. One is that Arsenal are so much more dangerous when Robin van Persie is in the lineup. The pass he made to Theo was brilliant. Two is that this is the type of game were Arsenal would have dropped points in previous years. A physical team that contests everything and throws (literally) a lot of high crosses into the box. But unlike Man City, Arsenal did not fold away from home and the fact that the Gunners got all three points is really encouraging.  Read more... (335 words, 1 image, estimated 1:20 mins reading time)

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Arsenal has just announced the schedule for its Champions League group games. The part that jumps out at me is that the Gunners play Chelsea, Man City and Man United all away the weekend after a Champions League game. That is going to impact the selection choices or Wenger.

Match Day 1
Arsenal v SC Braga
Wednesday 15th September 2010
(Sunderland away the following weekend)

Match Day 2
FK Partizan v Arsenal
Tuesday 28th September 2010
(Chelsea away follows this)

Match Day 3
Arsenal v FC Shakhtar Donetsk
Tuesday 19th October 2010
(Man City away follows this)  Read more... (138 words, 1 image, estimated 33 secs reading time)

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Arsenal missed a lot of the big guns in today’s Champions League draw. As the top seed in Group H Arsenal will play Shakhtar Donetsk, Braga and Partizan. Could be some tricky away games for Arsenal but I still expect them to qualify as group winners.

Arsenal’s Opponents:
Shakhtar Donetsk
Stadium: Shakhtyor Stadium (51,504)
Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk qualified directly for the Group Stage and are already seven games into their domestic league season. Former Arsenal striker Eduardo has scored twice in three appearances for Shakhtar.  Read more... (165 words, 1 image, estimated 40 secs reading time)

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As expected Arsenal will be a first seed in Thursday’s Champions League draw in Monaco. That means that they could potentially draw Real Madrid in the draw. A perfect draw, from an opponents and travel standpoint, would be Werder Bremen, Rangers and Auxurre.

Here are the seedings:  Read more... (405 words, 1 image, estimated 1:37 mins reading time)

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With the soon to be completed signing of defender Sebastien Squillaci, Arsene Wenger has addressed all of Arsenal’s off-season needs except one: Goalkeeper. So where are the Gunners on finding a new number one?

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Arsenal are prepared to double their offer to Fulham for Mark Schwarzer. That would put the revised bid at around £4million.

If the Schwarzer deal does not go through Arsenal have been linked with Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg who played for Holland in the World Cup. Stekelenburg is 28 which makes him almost ten years younger than Schwarzer.  Read more... (139 words, 1 image, estimated 33 secs reading time)

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Veteran French defender Sebastien Squillaci is in London and will undergo a medical at Arsenal today as his transfer from Sevilla nears completion.

A statement on the Sevilla website read: “A transfer deal has been agreed, subject to the player passing a medical.” That transfer fee is expected to be around £6.5m for the 30-year-old.

The Spanish club also said Squillaci had asked to be left out of last week’s Champions League play-off against Braga to avoid being cup-tied.  Read more... (149 words, 1 image, estimated 36 secs reading time)

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