Denilson - Carling Cup is like a kickabout

By Richard Clarke

Denilson has vowed to treat the Carling Cup Final like a kick-about on the backstreets of Brazil.

The 19-year-old midfielder, signed from Sao Paulo on transfer deadline in August, has been a revelation in this season’s competition. The West Brom and Everton games served as his apprenticeship, he then went on to put in professional performances against Liverpool and Tottenham in the latter rounds.

It should be no surprise, Denilson is a mature individual. He played for Sao Paulo in the Inter-Continental Cup at the age of 16 and has been the Brazil Under-19s captain for the past year. That experience is helping him take Sunday’s game in his confident stride.

“I am hoping to finish off this wonderful season on a gold standard in the Carling Cup and also the FA Cup and the Champions League,” he said. “Why not?

“I don't feel any pressure at all. I am playing as though it is a kick-about in the street.

“I have already played before 80,000 a few times including against Liverpool when I came on as a substitute in the Inter-Continental Cup.”

Denilson is no relation to the player of the same name who moved from Sao Paulo to Real Betis for a then world record fee of £22 million in 1998. This Denilson is the son of a jobbing Brazilian professional and grew up with Zinedine Zidane as his hero. Like any overseas player he has needed an adaptation period. On the pitch it has been surprisingly short, off the pitch it is still ongoing.

“One thing that is very different here in England is that football is a lot faster than Brazil,” he said. “But I like that. You can get a battering but you have to have the body to withstand that and although I am small I am very fit.

“The biggest issue for me has been to learn English, but I am getting there. I live here on my own, not with a family. But that is OK for me. I can follow English television and listen to American music. I can't cook but I don't drink. I respect what other individual people want to do but it is not for me.

“Gilberto has been very helpful to me while I have been here. He does not tell me what to do but he suggests good things and when we have a day off we go to places of interest like Madame Tussauds.

“I like it there. I have never met Pele but he is there in wax. It is one of the places I will go if we win on Sunday.

Then he corrected himself: “After we win on Sunday.”

Carling Cup Final :Chelsea - Arsenal

By Richard Clarke

The Carling Cup Final on Sunday will be Arsène Wenger’s most prestigious talent show ever.

For many years, the Arsenal manager has used this particular competition as his fame academy; a chance to blood unknown and untested players in a first-team environment.

In the build-up to this game the Frenchman suggested this season’s run to Cardiff was a footballing version of the X-Factor talent show. But can his fledglings really out-perform a Chelsea side with an unrivalled £-factor of their own? Jose Mourinho certainly has no intention of sending out a weakened side after all.

Sunday will see the two managers, the two teams even the two clubs singing from entirely different songsheets. But Wenger has always been happy to whistle his own tune in this tournament.

"You have singers in England going on the X-Factor show for their talents to be discovered,” said Wenger. “If they don't organise it, you don't find them.

"I like it because people are brave enough to come out and say they want to achieve something in their life. They are ready to be committed to do it. They have a target.

"I like people who turn up and are ready to fight for something, like our young players are. And this competition is the X-Factor Academy for us.

“People say never judge a team on a cup run because it depends who you play. But in this competition we have played Everton, Liverpool and Tottenham so it would be a great reward for us to win it.

“Liverpool was a tough test, Everton was a tough test and no-one can ever predict how difficult it will be against Chelsea.

"Their game is based on experience and power, ours will be based on mobility and movement. It will be very important for us to try and stop them in decisive moments in the game by taking over that physical power."

Wenger will keep faith with the side that has taken him to Cardiff. William Gallas, Thierry Henry and Freddie Ljungberg are omitted. Jens Lehmann (suspended) and Robin van Persie (foot) would not have played either as they had not featured in the earlier rounds of the competition.

Emmanuel Eboue (foot) is likely to be out while Justin Hoyte (hamstring) and Gael Clichy (foot) were due for tests on Friday. Armand Traore will step in at left back should his fellow Frenchman not make it.

Along with Denilson, the 17-year-old defender is the discovery of this year’s run. Cesc Fabregas, Van Persie and Clichy — now first-team regulars - are among the previous recipients of this imaginary award. Top-flight starts are the point of this competition for Wenger but that does not mean Sunday’s trophy will be simply handed over to the more experienced side.

“I'm very proud of what these players have achieved this season,” he said. “We have not just won we've won with style which is our philosophy.

"But for me the biggest achievement is always the next one. What you have done in your life is not important. If you think what you have won is not as important as the next one then you are finished.

"I want to achieve what is front of me as well as I can and I really want to win this trophy on Sunday.

"It will be an unusual achievement if we do it.”

And an highly uplifting one too.

Result: PSV 1 - 0 Arsenal

By Richard Clarke in Eindhoven

Arsenal face a nerve-racking night at Emirates Stadium in two weeks time after losing 1-0 at PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday in the Champions League Knockout Round first leg.

The all-important strike came in the 61st minute when a skidding effort from Edison Mendez beat Jens Lehmann and found its way into the corner of the net. Defeat was perhaps harsh on Arsène Wenger’s side who, until that point, had given as good as they got.

However Champions League football is all about making the most of scarce opportunities, something Arsenal amply demonstrated at the sharp end of this competition this year.

In the build-up to this game the Mayor of Eindhoven had promised Arsenal fans ‘the Mardi Gras of the Netherlands’ as the city’s inhabitants celebrated their big annual festival. He certainly delivered.

The question now is whether Arsenal can do likewise in the second leg.

Before kick-off there was only one real issue regarding Wenger’s line-up for his 600th game in charge — who would play at right back after Justin Hoyte (hamstring) joined Emmanuel Eboue (ankle) on the injured list.

The manager had spent the night mulling over playing Johan Djourou or William Gallas. In the end he went for experience. Otherwise the side pretty much picked itself. And, notably, the 4-4-2 formation was back. Last year Wenger had adopted 4-5-1 on the road in Europe. It took them desperately close to winning the whole tournament. In his pre-game press conference the Frenchman suggested the confidence gained from that experience had prompted the change. He felt his side were more likely to impose their game on the opposition.

PSV came into this game with a canny, cagey reputation. Their coach, Ronald Koeman, had been perfectly happy baton down the hatches when his Ajax side needed a point to qualify against Arsenal at the Amsterdam ArenA a few years ago.

No-one really expected them to go for the jugular this evening especially as their leading striker Jefferson Fanfan, as expected, was ruled out before kick-off with a foot injury.

In fairness, PSV did show their fair share of attacking intent in the opening stages. Arouna Kone and Diego Tardelli each provided moderate threats to the Arsenal goal.

The visitors took until the 12th minute to conjure up their first attack — and it very nearly gave them the lead. Rosicky exchanged passes with Henry and darted into the area. His left-foot drive was half-saved by Gomes and trickled towards the unprotected goalline. Carlos Salcido hoofed the ball away from danger before the onrushing Arsenal attackers could force the ball home.

However PSV regained the ascendancy playing neat, tidy yet utterly unpenetrative football. Mendez and Philippe Cocu called Lehmann into action from distance but that was it. Henry’s drive and Rosicky’s curler were equally speculative for the visitors. Each side was giving one another considerable respect.

But all the main flashes of invention were still coming from Arsenal and they had two chances to take the lead before half time. Three minutes from time Henry teed-up Rosicky’s flick for himself and volley goalwards. Unfortunately it was directed straight at Gomes, who batted the ball down and Alex cleared the danger.

With the final kick of the half, the Arsenal captain curled a shot inches beyond the angle of post and bar.

The second half started at the same lukewarm temperature as the first half. However, seven minutes in, PSV nearly grabbed a surprise lead when Salcido’s raking cross drifted over the head of Gael Clichy and was met by Kone on the volley. Fortunately the Ivorian striker ‘shanked’ his effort harmlessly across goal.

It seemed like a momentary lapse by the Arsenal defence and little to worry about.

Not so.

In the 61st minute Kone found Mendez 25 yards out and the Ecuador international sent a low, skidding shot past Lehmann and into the far corner of the net.

It was less than Arsenal deserved at that point in proceedings and they immediately they set about restoring parity. In the 69th minute, Gomes palmed a rasping drive from Fabregas over the bar. The Brazilian keeper then clutched Adebayor’s looping header after Fabregas had flung over a free-kick from the left.

Julio Baptista replaced Hleb as Wenger tried to chase the game. But, of course, that only played into the hands of PSV’s counterattacking style and Arsenal were nearly caught out 14 minutes from time when Kone roared down the right. Mendez met his cross with a sidefoot shot fortunately Gallas was on hand to boot the ball clear.

Henry’s free-kick was gathered at the second attempt by Gomes but that was about as much as Arsenal could muster in the final stages.

They have it all to do in the second leg.

Preview PSV - Arsenal

By Richard Clarke in Eindhoven

Recollections of Real Madrid crept into Arsène Wenger’s thoughts as he looked forward to tonight’s Champions League Knockout Round first leg at PSV Eindhoven.

On Wednesday, it will be exactly a year since Arsenal’s season-altering win at the Bernabeu at the same stage of Europe’s top competition.

Twelve months ago, Wenger’s side had just been knocked out of both domestic cups and were doggedly pursuing Tottenham for fourth place in the Premiership. They overtook their neighbours on the final day of the campaign and a few days later so nearly took home the Champions League trophy from the Stade de France. The manager later identified the first game of the Knockout stage as the catalyst for change.

This year Arsenal return to Continental action after the winter hiatus in much better shape. However, football is a fragile sport. With Chelsea coming up in the Carling Cup Final on Sunday, Wenger was prepared to admit that this was a “make or break” week in the Club’s season. A pair of sound defeats would certainly burst the bubble of optimism floating over Emirates Stadium at the moment.

“It is fair to say that [it is a make-or-break week] yes,” he said. “But remember that we had the same question when we played at Real Madrid and it made our season.

“Since December I feel my team has taken off. The understanding in the squad is good and the spirit is very high.

“Now we are ready for a new challenge - like the last 16 of the Champions League.”

PSV will never match the glamour of the Galacticos but the town itself has at least tried to put on a show this week. It is festival time in this industrial Dutch city and it appears most of the inhabitants have decided to don fancy dress by way of celebration.

However their team are likely to show off rather fewer frills this evening. Ronald Koeman’s side has fashioned a compact, counter-attacking unit and their efficient style has taken them five points clear at the top of the Dutch League.

PSV will be anxiously waiting on news of Jefferson Farfan this evening. The Peruvian striker, who has hit 15 goals in 21 games this season, hurt his foot on Saturday and did not train on Monday.

For his part Wenger named an 18-man squad on the eve of the game. Justin Hoyte’s hamstring injury, coupled with Emmanuel Eboue's lingering ankle problem, means Johan Djourou or William Gallas will fill in at right back. Expect Thierry Henry and Emmanuel Adebayor to be paired up front in a 4-4-2 formation. Wenger adopted a 4-5-1 in Europe last season but the manager is expected to revert to a more attacking system tonight as he goes in search of the crucial component in last season’s Champions League run — a first leg lead.

"We will try to win,” said Wenger. “We have to try to win. Koeman will try to win aswell but in his own way. They are a team built to play counter-attacking football. They are quick so I feel they might sit off a bit and try to catch us on the break.

“In Holland you always get intelligent football with a good technical level. But we have learnt through the years that, at this stage of the competition, it is a game of 180 minutes and every minute is vital

“I know we may be a fraction the favourites. But we have enough experience to know that is only dictated by your environment, how well you prepare mentally and how you focus.”

Wenger ponders right-back options for Eindhoven clash

By Chris Harris

Arsène Wenger will be without his two regular right backs when Arsenal face PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Emmanuel Eboue is still sidelined by a persistent ankle problem and Justin Hoyte has also been ruled out with a hamstring injury. Wenger earmarked two potential replacements before his 18-man squad left for Holland on Monday afternoon.

"We have Eboue out and Hoyte is out with a hamstring problem, but he should be back for [the Carling Cup Final on] Sunday," explained Wenger.

"Gallas has responded well to the weekend game [against Blackburn] and he is in the squad. It will be Johan Djourou or Gallas at right back.

"Theo Walcott and Abou Diaby have been left behind with Sunday in mind."

Alexander Hleb (cold) and Djourou (knee) return to the squad after minor ailments ruled them out of the FA Cup tie against Blackburn. Jens Lehmann, Gilberto and Julio Baptista are also back in contention after being rested at the weekend.

The travelling squad is as follows:

1 Jens LEHMANN (GK)
4 Cesc FABREGAS
5 Kolo TOURE
6 Philippe SENDEROS
7 Tomas ROSICKY
8 Fredrik LJUNGBERG
9 Julio BAPTISTA
10 William GALLAS
13 Alexander HLEB
14 Thierry HENRY
15 DENILSON
16 Mathieu FLAMINI
19 GILBERTO
20 Johan DJOUROU
22 Gael CLICHY
24 Manuel ALMUNIA (GK)
25 Emmanuel ADEBAYOR
30 Jeremie ALIADIERE

Merida - I want to be just like Fabregas

By Adam Clark

Arsenal Under-18s midfielder Fran Merida says he aims to be just like the Club’s current Spanish sensation Cesc Fabregas.

The 16-year-old arrived from Barcelona in the summer just as Fabregas did in September 2003 and Merida hopes he can emulate his compatriot’s rapid rise to fame.

The midfielder has already caught the eye with some instrumental displays for both the Under-18s and the Reserves and puts his form down to studying Fabregas’ every move.

“Cesc for me is like my mirror — he’s the player I want to be,” Merida told Arsenal.com.

“When I go to watch the first team I’m always watching him, the way he plays and the way he passes the ball. I am only 16-years-old and to watch him and learn from him is so important. I’m going to keep working hard and, of course, one day I would love to play alongside him.”

Merida could make his first appearance at Emirates Stadium tonight as the Under-18s take on Cardiff City for a place in the FA Youth Cup Semi-Finals. It’s a big step up from Barnet’s Underhill Stadium where the previous rounds have been played and the prospect of walking out at Arsenal’s new home excites the young Spaniard.

“For us it’s amazing,” said Merida. “It’s the biggest stadium many of us have played in. I didn’t know the FA Youth Cup was so important when I came here but now here I am possibly about to play a game at Emirates Stadium.

“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet but it’s going to be a special day and hopefully there will be a lot of people there to cheer us on. I’d like the whole stadium to be full but I think we all just want to play in front as many people as possible.

“I think we’ve had very difficult games so far but we’ve done very well to overcome the challenges and that’s why we are here.

“I’m happy with how my season is going personally and I’m really enjoying living in England. Now I’d love to go and win this competition."

Gallas - We are going to be the team to beat

By Richard Clarke

During his long injury lay-off William Gallas had the opportunity to assess the potential of his young Arsenal team-mates — and he liked what he saw.

The 29-year-old ended almost three months on the sidelines on Saturday in the 0-0 draw with Blackburn at Emirates Stadium. The Frenchman admitted that his road to recovery has been a bumpy one but he did salute his youthful colleagues for their fine form throughout his absence. Gallas firmly believes the future belongs to Arsenal.

“My team-mates have played very well while I have been away,” he said. “They are very young but they have a lot of qualities and are very mature. You can only say congratulations for what they did.

“We are still in the FA Cup, we are going to play the Final of the Carling Cup and you never know in the Premiership and the Champions League.”

Gallas was then asked if Arsenal will be “the team to beat in the next few years”.

“Definitely,” he replied immediately. “This year we have beaten Manchester United twice, we beat Liverpool and we drew at Chelsea. When we have played against the big teams, we were not afraid and at the end of the game normally we have won.

“The only thing is that we have not been consistent - that has been the problem. But Arsène is a good manager because he thinks about the future. Not maybe this year but next year Arsenal will be a very very big club.”

Turning to his comeback, Gallas revealed his withdrawal after an hour on Saturday was pre-planned. He also talked about the darker days of his time spent on the treatment table.

“I could have played 90 minutes against Blackburn,” said the former Chelsea star. “But it was important for my injury that I only played 60 minutes. It is normal.

“It has not been easy being out so long because I like to be on the pitch. I was not depressed [when I was injured] but I was down. However I spoke to the boss and he told me to be patient. Also all the players and everybody at Arsenal asked me how I was doing every day, that helped me a lot.”

Arsenal.com