Song and Arshavin to miss Porto

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by CARL ELDRIDGE You may have noticed that we have a free weekend ahead of us but already the spotlight has turned to next week's Champions League clash with Porto. And this morning's papers tell us that Arsene Wenger has been 'dealt a devastating double injury blow' ahead of the trip to Portugal.

The Mirror reports that Andrey Arshavin has been ruled out for ten days after straining a hamstring against Liverpool and will miss Porto and is a major doubt for the Premier League clash with Sunderland.

The paper adds that Alex Song is also a doubt after damaging knee ligaments but AW is hoping that Song's injury is not as bad as Arshavin's but both would have been definite starters against Porto.

Song was in for treatment yesterday while Arshavin has already had a scan and AW said: "We have lost Alex Song with a medial knee ligament problem. I hope he will be available for next week but it is not for sure. Arshavin looks to be a hamstring problem. We have to assess that too."

In the Sun Arshavin reckons we must find the perfect finish to land our first title since 2004. He declared: "If we want to be champions, we have to win all the 12 games we have left. It's difficult to say if it can be done but it looks realistic. I liked the way we played against Liverpool. The whole team was well co-ordinated."

Meanwhile, Arshavin was left cursing the remote control after missing Abou Diaby's winner against Liverpool. He said: "I didn't see the goal. I was in a room under the stands with the doctors and, while we were looking for the TV remote, Abou Diaby scored."

Next up to have his say is Manuel Almunia who tells the Daily Star that Arsenal deserve all the stick they have been getting. “We accept all the critics,” said the Spaniard. “Arsenal are a big club and we deserve to be criticised because we have been playing for many years without fighting for the title.

“The team are growing up and everybody accepts it because we cannot say anything when we don’t play well. Against United, we were not on our game at any time. At Chelsea, we played well I thought, but as soon as we switched off a bit we lost. There are small points we need to improve. Not technically or tactically, but personally. If we are still in the title race, it is because the other teams didn’t win. We will be back in the race if we win three or four games in a row.”

And the paper adds that vice-captain Almunia, 32, also revealed how he, former skipper William Gallas, 32, and Sol Campbell, 35, took it upon themselves to give their young demoralised team-mates a pep talk before the Liverpool encounter.

He said: “We were talking about our last two games and we said it is impossible for a team who want to be top of the table not to show character on the pitch.

In the dressing room everyone was switched on to the game and personally I am happy with the character of the team. “We talked more with the players individually because they are young. They are mature, but they need to be told things clearly.” Almunia also spoke of the importance of skipper Cesc Fabregas, who is continually being linked with a summer move to Barcelona. “For the supporters, Cesc is a symbol of the club,” he added. “For the people, he is the best."

The Daily Mail runs a headline saying 'It's squeaky bum time, Carlo Ancelotti, as Manchester United and Arsenal join Chelsea in three-horse race...' and the article asks 10 vital questions of the title hopefuls. No.8 asks 'Can Arsenal pass their way to the title without a centre forward?'

Their answer: No, they can't. They can beat anybody on their day and they can go on little spurts. But to win the Premier League you need to triumph in games in which you are second best from time to time and without a world-class centre forward that is going to be very difficult.
Robin van Persie's absence this season has been a huge blow for Arsenal. With him, they would perhaps have six more points. Wenger says that Drogba isn't as good as some people think . . . but he would still get in the Arsenal team.

Similarly, the Telegraph looks at our chances with 'Arsenal's ambitions of landing a first Premier League title since 2004 have been lifted following Chelsea and Manchester United's midweek slip-ups. But have Arsene Wenger's side got what it takes to overhaul their rivals and finish top of the pile?'

Well, on Monday morning we had no chance, apparently, but after the midweek matches...

Written by: Eldo71 Friday, 12 February 2010 07:54

Comments

0 # DrunkenHobo 2010-02-12 10:04

Were kis the picture of Miss Porto? Please put one up

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0 # Mexican Gunner 2010-02-13 02:32

LOL

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-2 # VK 2010-02-12 12:52

How does "Song and Arshavin to miss Porto" reflect what AFC and AW have said on the matter? Even citing the unreliable Mirror, Song is only 'a doubt'.

I can't understand why you are being so malicious. Care to reply?

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0 # TJ14 2010-02-12 13:21

VK, do you know what the word malicious means?

I dont think saying a couple of players are going to miss a match is malicious?? Misinformed possibly, but not malicious.

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+1 # VK 2010-02-12 17:28

Yes I do understand what 'malicious' means; similarly, 'misinformed'.

For malicious, the OED gives several definitions including: Bad quality, harmful action or effect, desire to tease, wrongful intention, and others.

But taking the common usage of 'desire to harm or cause difficulty' the author of this piece easily falls into this bracket.

Carl Eldridge should know by now the characteristic markers of poor journalism, and equally poor blogging.

No reputable blog would ever go near citing the standard fourth estate let alone the downright disingenuous tabloids as a source of any piece on Arsenal. Yet this is exactly what 'Eldo' has done. That's right, he's using as his sources The Mirror, The Sun, Daily Star, and Daily Mail before he gets to the not-much-more-reliable Telegraph.

Mr. Eldridge knows that regarding injuries the only reliable source is Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal website, and only Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal website. Yet he bypasses these sources and goes for the malicious, disingenuousnes s, and corrupt tabloid press instead.

Nobody with any integrity should do this, and yet here we are.

It is not unreasonable to extrapolate that the above piece was written knowing that the cited sources are as described. This is malice by proxy.

However, even if you're not swayed by this argument, look at his title: "Song and Arshavin to miss Porto".

Yet in the body of the piece he explicitly states that Song is only "a doubt".

Either Mr. Eldridge is slapdash (unlikely), incompetent (debatable) or he is quite happy to generate a headline intended to attract a readership while full in the knowledge that the headline is deceptive.

While the headline might have been a mistake, though one can hardly imagine how, Mr. Eldridge cannot in any way be excused for using the sources he does full in the knowledge that they are disreputable.

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0 # harper 2010-02-12 15:57

how in the world is Eldo being "malicious"?????????????????

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0 # LeBoss 2010-02-12 17:38

@VK

For Christs sake get a life!!!

How many times do I have to come on here and defend our writers??? The whole point of Eldo's blogs are they are a daily news round up...

I.E a look at the daily papers and reporting what they say so our readers can come to one place and get an overview of what's being reported about Arsenal each day.

I suggest you don't shoot the messenger!!!

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0 # VK 2010-02-13 04:03

You still don't get it, do you?

"Song and Arshavin to miss Porto" has nothing to do with any messenger. It is a fiction! It is inaccurate. And the author of it should be taken to task. For you to think otherwise is your prerogative. But if you want to have a tad more integrity in the reporting of AFC matters and news may I suggest you're being hypocritical in your attempt to get there.

I, for one, detest the sheer malicious invention AFC receives in the media. For instance, the constancy of rumour regarding Cesc.

'Eldo' has a responsibility that accompanies this blog. The shame of it is that you, like himself, doesn't realize it.

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0 # Dagsy 2010-02-12 21:45

Nobody understands Le Boss, the regulars know that Eldo does the morning round-up, and someone almost always has a go.

However, I think maybe Eldo, should've put the 'Daily Round-up' in the title of the piece.

@VK - Yes, yes, yes. Well thought out and well pointed out, but as stated, it's just a daily round up of events happening from those aforementioned 'disreputable' sources, but at least I don't have to go all around clicking and looking for news myself, as Eldo has so kindly put everything in a simple, one-piece write-up.

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