The Guners fans are planning a special tribute to Aaron Ramsey at Saturday’s Premier League game against Burnley.
Teenage midfielder Ramsey is facing eight months on the sidelines after suffering a horrific leg break in a tackle from Ryan Shawcross during last weekend’s win over Stoke.
A special 18ftx15ft ‘One Aaron Ramsey’ banner has been made which the supporters will drop from the top tier at the Emirates Stadium.
Dozens of Gooners have contributed to the cost and the fans are hoping to arrange for the young Welshman to sign the banner.
Meanwhile former Gunners midfielder Ray Parlour is convinced Ramsey will battle back to fulfil his huge potential.
‘I am sure he will be fine,’ the ex-England international told Arsenal’s website. ‘Robert Pires did his cruciate while I was at Arsenal and came back.
‘Aaron has a strong body and a strong character for a 19-year-old. He’ll have to work hard on his fitness of course but I am sure he’ll be OK.’
Parlour, who made 466appearances for the noth Londoners, added: ‘I rate him really highly. He is an excellent player who can be big for Arsenal in the future.
‘He has gone up a standard this season. I have been really impressed by him this season.’
Ramsey, the 19-year-old Wales midfielder was taken to hospital after a tackle by Shawcross, who was later called up to the England squad to play Egypt next week, in Arsenal’s 3-1 victory .
Arsenal are awaiting news on the condition of their player, who was transported to London for possible emergency surgery.
Manager Arsene Wenger was enraged by the tackle, which he described as “horrendous”, but in a statement issued by Shawcross, the player is adamant there was no intent.
The statement read: “There was absolutely no malice in the challenge.
“I would never, ever go out to hurt a fellow professional.
“I am deeply upset that Aaron has suffered such a bad injury and my thoughts are with him.
“I would like to send him my best wishes too for a speedy recovery.”
Stoke team-mates Danny Pugh and Rory Delap said Shawcross had not meant to hurt Ramsey.
“There was no malicious intent from Ryan, he’s not that kind of player,” midfielder Pugh told BBC radio. “He’s a good lad and and he’s been unlucky that that’s happened.” Read more…
Tale of the game
Sunderland are unbeaten against Arsenal in the last three meetings, home and away, but in their last 10 League visits they have lost eight, drawn two and conceded 24 goals. In the Premier League, they have drawn their last three games and have failed to win in 12, their last victory coming at home to Arsenal in November when Darren Bent scored the winner.
Arsenal are six points off leaders Chelsea after beating Liverpool in what was their first win in four but manager Arsene Wenger will be concerned that his side has managed just two goals in four outings.
Sunderland are without Lee Cattermole and David Meyler, both suspended, while Kieron Richardson, Andy Reid, John Mensah, Fraizer Campbell, Anton Ferdinand and Jordan Henderson are out while Steed Malbranque undergoes a test on a chest injury.
On Wednesday they went to Porto in the Champions League and with an under-strength side were beaten 2-1, with stand-in goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianksi the culprit. Manuel Almunia, William Gallas, Alex Song, Eduardo and Andrei Arshavin were all absent but should all be available.
Who’s saying what?
Steve Bruce:
“The way football is now it is my turn at the minute [to be under pressure], we haven’t won in 12 games and it is there for everybody to see,” he said. In those 12 we have drawn six so we’ve been close, we’ve conceded four times in the last five minutes and that has cost us. Read more…
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was unhappy with referee Martin Hansson after what was deemed a Sol Campbell backpass led to Porto’s 2-1 Champions League win.
Keeper Lukasz Fabianski was penalised for picking up the pass and Falcao scored from a quickly taken free-kick.
Campbell had cancelled out an own goal by Fabianski in the last-16 first leg.
“The backpass was accidental, it has to be intentional to be a free-kick,” said Wenger. “When the referee gives it he has to allow us a chance to defend it.”
It was a night of mixed emotions for the injury-hit Gunners in Portugal.
Fabianski allowed Silvestre Varela’s cross slip into the net after only 10 minutes, but Campbell soon hit back with a header to equalise and score his first Arsenal goal since the 2006 Champions League final. Read more…
Arsène Wenger’s side can overturn the deficit in the return but bad memories will linger of Lukasz Fabianski’s error-riddled goalkeeping and Porto’s cynical targeting of Cesc Fabregas, who was shamefully given no protection by a poor referee.
Once again, a major game was undermined by Martin Hansson, the official who failed to notice the Hand of Gaul against the Irish.
The Swede took action against Porto’s serial fouling of Fabregas only with six minutes left when he finally deigned to caution Fernando.
How Hansson failed to spot Ruben Micael’s disgraceful clattering of Fabregas just before half-time defied belief. It almost sparked a riot.
High-profile games like this deserve better referees. And better keepers. Fabianski was desperately at fault for Porto’s first, fumbling in Varela’s cross. When Sol Campbell rolled back the years with a majestic header, Arsenal believed they could come away with a draw or more. Their Polish keeper then messed up again, picking up Campbell’s back-pass, leading to Falcao’s winner and sending the home crowd howling with laughter Read more…
Robin van Persie spurned the chance to leave Arsenal because of his fondness for the north London club.
Four teams - believed to be Chelsea, Manchester City, Juventus and Inter Milan - expressed interest in the Netherlands international, but he revealed: ‘It’s not as easy to leave Arsenal as you maybe think.’
The Gunners are without a trophy since winning the 2005 FA Cup - to date Van Persie’s only major trophy with the club and a statistic which contributed to the departures of players including Mathieu Flamini. But Van Persie, who signed from Feyenoord in 2004, said in the News of the World: ‘It is good that four teams were really interested in me but I had to turn them down. ‘Even if you want to leave, as a player, I don’t think it is easy because when you move to Arsenal you are led there by your heart.’ Van Persie has been out since November with an ankle injury incurred while playing for Holland and he believes his fitness record has hindered his development into a great of the game. Read more…
Maybe Cesc touched the ball with his hand but you could argue that there shouldn’t have been a free-kick. Here is some post match interview with Arsene Wenger
on a vital win…
Yes, it was a very difficult game because we played against an organised Liverpool team. It was a very tight game as well but in the end we turned it in our favour because we were resilient.
We have shown good togetherness, good discipline as well, and then we got that little goal which makes a massive result for us tonight. Nobody realises what it is to play Man United, Chelsea and Liverpool on the trot. Physically and mentally it is very demanding, especially with two massive disappointments. It shows the team is solid, mentally strong and determined.
on the nature of the game… I think it was a highly tactical game against a Liverpool team that didn’t give us any space to play. We found it difficult to get our passing going because they were always in our way. Read more…
Benitez told his post-match press conference: “When you lose you have to be disappointed. It is always a difficult game against Arsenal and normally they have plenty of possession.
The Reds went down to Abou Diaby’s 71st minute header but the Spaniard felt they should have been awarded a stoppage-time spot-kick after Steven Gerrard’s free-kick was blocked by the arm of Cesc Fabregas.
“But I thought we did well. We defended well and had some chances. We had two or three situations when we were pushing and should have scored, especially at the end.
“Also we are really disappointed with the handball. It was very, very clear. The player was on the line. It was handball, so it has to be a penalty.” Read more…
Liverpool travel to the Emirates tonight on the back of seven unbeaten Premier League games, while the Gunners’ title bid is in tatters after one point from nine.
It has left skipper Gerrard convinced third place is up for grabs if his Anfield side keep up the form which has meant not conceding a league goal in four games.
Steven Gerrard reckons Arsenal’s ‘wounded animals’ are about to get another savaging - now his re-born Reds have rediscovered their taste for a scrap.
He said: “Arsenal will be a bit of a wounded animal. We’ve got to do what Chelsea and Manchester United did, give them little space and hit them on the counter.
“It’s a massive game for us and the target is to get a result where we can push on and try and get third place.
“Our target is a top-four finish but if Arsenal give us any sniff of catching them then we want to grab it.
“Having the Champions League experience and finishing in the top four for the past few years will hold us in good stead. We’re treating every game like a cup final.” Read more…
