Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists Cesc Fabregas will be at the Emirates Stadium next season.

Fabregas has been the subject of speculation in the Spanish media about a move to Real Madrid, but Wenger is confident the 20-year-old will be at the heart of the Gunners' midfield for the next Barclays Premiership campaign.

Wenger told Spanish newspaper Marca: "Cesc is going to spend the next year with Arsenal."
Fabregas trained with Barcelona before joining Arsenal four years ago and seeing his development accelerate.

The Spain international has been the focal point of Wenger's midfield this season, leading to inevitable speculation regarding a return to his native country.

While Wenger is confident Fabregas will not move to Spain, Julio Baptista is set to return to the Bernabeu following his season with Arsenal.

The future of Jose Antonio Reyes, who was loaned to Madrid in the other direction, appears more uncertain as he has consistently repeated his wish to remain in Spain.

Wenger's options in attack will be complicated further next season as Emmanuel Adebayor is expected to play for Togo in the African Nations.

It could give Theo Walcott a chance to shine. The 18-year-old is determined to impress after scoring his first goal for Arsenal in the Carling Cup final defeat to Chelsea.

He said: "It was a big disappointment not to win the Carling Cup but it shows what the young players can do and hopefully we can do it again.

"And I'm sure if we work hard we will be right up there in the title race too."

From : Football365

Arsenal Henry Football Milan Champions League Liverpool goals

Baptista to leave

Arsenal have decided against turning forward Julio Baptista's loan deal from Real Madrid into a permanent transfer.
The 25-year-old Brazilian scored 10 goals in 35 appearances but found the net only three times in 24 Premiership appearances in his season at Arsenal.

"Arsenal have told me they are not able to buy me and so all I can do is return to Real Madrid," Baptista told Spanish newspaper Marca.

Baptista joined Arsenal, with Jose Antonio Reyes moving the other way.

606: DEBATE
Baptista should have been given another season to see how he got on

SC

The Spanish season has not yet finished and no decision has been made on Reyes' future.

Baptista, who scored four goals in Arsenal's 6-3 Carling Cup win against Liverpool at Anfield in January, added: "I have enjoyed my season with Arsenal and in England.

"I adapted well. I didn't play much at first but finished much better. The first year is very difficult.

"The English league is very strong and very competitive with great teams. Manchester United and Chelsea are very strong and it is difficult to compete against their great squads."

Baptista joined Real from Sevilla for an initial fee of £13.8m in July 2005.

Portsmouth 0-0 Arsenal

Portsmouth failed to qualify for the Uefa Cup after being held by Arsenal - and having Nico Kranjcar's second-half goal ruled out for offside.

As Bolton and Reading both drew, a win for the hosts would have seen them make it into Europe but it was not to be.

Arsenal could have taken the lead on 41 minutes but David James superbly saved Julio Baptista's well-struck penalty.

Baptista also missed a host of other chances, while Pompey will reflect on a controversial and costly decision.


Interview: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
Interview: Portsmouth assistant coach Joe Jordan

However, with lethargic legs on the pitch, and minds reflecting on what might have been this season, most of the play was laboured and uninspired.

606: DEBATE
This game pretty much summed up Arsenal's miserable season

DB

That should not have been the case for Pompey, who still had a slim chance to finish above Bolton and Reading to take the final Uefa Cup spot.

Instead, they only have themselves to blame for failing after producing a display which had none of the urgency one might have expected.

It might have been a different match, had the opening exchanges been maintained for the duration of the afternoon.

Sean Davis had the first shot of the match, and went close with a curling effort before Djimi Traore hooked the ball off the line at the other end when Gael Clichy's cross took a deflection.

As Arsenal threatened to move up a gear, Baptista beat two defenders and fired in a shot, which James beat away after diving low at his near post.

The Brazilian's form in front of goal has often been less than top quality, and his misdirected header when totally unmarked will not have boosted his chances of remaining at Arsenal after this season.

By contrast, ex-Gunner Kanu unleashed an excellent left-footed effort shortly after which Poom did well to palm over.

James, though, soon outperformed Poom when he produced a wonderful save to deny Baptista from the penalty spot after Linvoy Primus had tripped Emmanuel Eboue.

After the interval, the pace picked up a little but neither side could create real panic the other's defence.

Even when through on goal, the quality of the finishing let the build-up play down.

For Arsenal, Alexander Hleb hit the side netting, and Baptista shot tamely at James before wasting another free header.

And when Pompey did get the ball in the net, referee Graham Poll - in his last Premiership match - controversially ruled the goal out after consulting with his assistant.

Kranjcar, who had got the final touch after Lomana LuaLua's initial shot was saved, looked mystified.

But it was one of those days when action was at a premium and a goal would have come as a surprise.

And that is little comfort to Pompey's fans who fretted until the final whistle, knowing that just one goal for their side may have seen them in Europe.

Instead, Bolton claimed the final Uefa Cup spot after a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa to keep Pompey and Reading, who drew 3-3 with Blackburn, at bay.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Portsmouth assistant boss Joe Jordan:
"The assistant referee made a controversial decision to disallow the goal. For me it was valid.
"But it's difficult to look at one moment and say that was has cost us a place in the Uefa Cup."


Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger:
"It was difficult to tell what happened with the offside goal. I haven't seen the replay but we should have finished the game off before that.
"It is the story of our season. We looked sharp for much of the game but lacked something in the final third."

"David James saved the penalty well but we had many other chances."



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Primus, Pamarot, Traore, O'Neil (Mvuemba 76), Davis (Pedro Mendes 64), Hughes, Kranjcar, Kanu, Mwaruwari (LuaLua 46).
Subs Not Used: Ashdown, O'Brien.

Arsenal: Poom, Hoyte, Djourou, Senderos, Clichy, Eboue, Fabregas, Toure, Hleb, Diaby, Julio Baptista.
Subs Not Used: Mannone, Connolly, O'Cearuill, Randall, Gibbs.

Att: 20,188

Ref: G Poll (Hertfordshire).

Arsenal 'close in on new keeper'

Arsenal are on the verge of signing of Poland keeper Lukasz Fabianski from Legia Warsaw, according to reports.
Fabianski is believed to have had a medical at the club and his arrival is expected to be completed once contract negotiations have been finalised.

The understudy to Celtic's Artur Boruc in the Poland national team will join Jens Lehmann and Manuel Almunia in Arsenal's keeper ranks.

The Gunners have also been linked with Hearts keeper Craig Gordon.

Lehmann recently signed a one-year contract extension and Almunia is pushing the 37-year-old German for a first-team place.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said: "I see Jens as a top-glass goalkeeper and Almunia as a top-class goalkeeper, so it will be a battle at some stage because Almunia has improved tremendously.

"Manuel is going up and Jens thinks he is still going up!

"Jens is trying every day to make life difficult for those who compete with him.

"That is very good because it makes those who are competing with him improve as well.

"He is a 100% professional. He gives something to the team as well in the dressing-room if it is needed."

Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea

Chelsea's draw with Arsenal handed Manchester United the Premiership title for the first time since 2003.

Champions for the previous two years, Chelsea found themselves a man and a goal down after Khalid Boularouz was sent off for fouling Julio Baptista.

Gilberto Silva put away the penalty as keeper Petr Cech went the wrong way.

Chelsea mounted a spirited rearguard action after the break and with 20 minutes left Michael Essien pulled them level with a courageous diving header.

Chelsea did not relinquish their title easily - their second-half performance was nothing short of remarkable - but they badly missed Didier Drogba, who was ruled out of the game with an ankle injury.

Salomon Kalou stood in for Drogba, but the former Feyenoord striker struggled to hold the ball and allow Chelsea's midfielders to come into the game.

This was the first time these two sides had met since Chelsea's Carling Cup final win, a match that had ended with a mass brawl.

Sunday's game also proved something of a scrap, though more in the sense of some protracted periods of disjointed play than of the players squaring up to one another.

With the game disrupted by a spate of free-kicks it took nearly near 35 minutes before a goalkeeper had to make a save, Cech comfortably holding an effort from Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor.

Two minutes before the break Boularouz's dismissal left Chelsea in all sorts of problems.

It was the first time Boularouz had played for Chelsea since 17 March and his lack of match practice was evident as he allowed Baptista to nip ahead of him.

Boularouz compounded his error by scything down the Brazilian from behind, in the process earning himself a red card.

Petr Cech had had no success in saving any of Liverpool's penalties in the Champions League semi-final shootout and the Czech goalkepper proved similarly incapable of stopping Gilberto's spotkick.

In the second half Arsenal failed to capitalise on their numerical supremacy and after William Gallas missed good chance, Essien's flying header revived Chelsea's hopes of securing a miraculous win.

Shaun Wright-Phillips had flitted in and out of the game up to this point, but he dramatically
flitted in a when he sent over a cross to the near post that was flicked past Jens Lehmann by Essien.

Soon afterwards the former Lyon midfielder volleyed over the bar following a corner, while Frank Lampard forced a good save from Lehmann.

In stoppage time Kalou's shot was somehow tipped over the bar by Lehmann, while Emmanuel Eboue thrashed an effort against the crossbar.

Arsenal: Lehmann, Eboue, Gallas, Toure, Clichy, Diaby (Hoyte 79), Fabregas, Silva, Denilson (Hleb 59), Adebayor, Julio Baptista.Subs Not Used: Almunia, Senderos, Djourou.

Booked: Adebayor.

Goals: Silva 43 pen.

Chelsea: Cech, Ferreira, Boulahrouz, Terry, Bridge, Mikel (Diarra 74), Essien, Lampard, Wright-Phillips (Sinclair 80), Joe Cole, Kalou.Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Makelele, Sahar.

Sent Off: Boulahrouz (43).

Booked: Mikel, Essien.

Goals: Essien 70.
Att: 60,102.
Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire).

ARSENAL
CHELSEA

SEE ALSO

Arsenal v Chelsea photos 06 May 07 Football
Arsenal Player Rater 13 Dec 06 Live Text
Live - Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea 06 May 07 Premiership

From : BBC Sports

Arsenal v Chelsea

Emirates Stadium
Sunday, 6 May
Kick-off: 1600

Arsenal's Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky is rated only 50/50 because of a hamstring problem.
Freddie Ljungberg (hamstring) is out, along with Thierry Henry (groin and stomach), Robin van Persie (broken foot) and Theo Walcott (shoulder).

Chelsea have fitness doubts over Ricardo Carvalho (knee) and Andriy Shevchenko (groin).
Michael Ballack is out after ankle ligament surgery, while teenage rookie Scott Sinclair is named in the squad.

Interview: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger

Arsenal (from): Lehmann, Eboue, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Hleb, Fabregas, Gilberto, Diaby, Baptista, Adebayor, Almunia, Denilson, Senderos, Djourou, Hoyte, Aliadiere, Rosicky.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Hilario, Geremi, Ferreira, Diarra, Terry, Essien, A Cole, Bridge, Lampard, Makelele, Mikel, Wright-Phillips, Drogba, Kalou, Shevchenko, J Cole, Morais, Robben.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:"I feel you have to respect the desire of the player - and it was Ashley Cole's desire to leave Arsenal.

"But he achieved a lot for the club, you must respect that. I want them (the fans) to remember what he did for the club.

"He was not happy here anymore so he decided to move. That does not take away what he achieved for the club."

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho:"We have four matches to play, four matches where we can win two (more) trophies.

"We can win one, or we can win none, but we have four matches to play and I think it is very, very important to show the nature of the players and their mentality.

"Our team is full of winners and you don't become a loser just because you lost an important game or are not as successful as you were in previous seasons.

"Winners are always winners and the mentality is inside. The future is more important than the past, as it is when we win, but when we lose, we have even more reason to say it strongly. And we look forward to the future.

BIG-MATCH FACTS

ARSENAL against Chelsea is the match that could decide the destiny of the Premiership title. If Manchester United beat City in Saturday's Manchester derby at Eastlands, and Chelsea fail to win at the Emirates, Sir Alex Ferguson's side will be crowned champions. Jose Mourinho's side must at least match United's result in their 60th game of the season, to keep the title issue alive.
The Gunners finished outside the top three for the first time in 10 seasons under Arsene Wenger, when they ended in fourth place last year. They are in danger of repeating that this time around despite losing only once at the Emirates Stadium. They've already guaranteed their place in Champions League pre-qualifying next season - their only achievement from a second successive trophy-less campaign.

Arsene Wenger's side have not beaten Chelsea on home soil since a 2-1 triumph on 18 October 2003, when Edu and Thierry Henry were on target.

CHELSEA must lift themselves for this London derby, having seen their hopes of a third successive Premiership title virtually wiped out last weekend, and dreams of a first Champions League final evaporated by Liverpool midweek. They still have a mouth watering FA Cup final against Manchester United to come, and a League meeting with the Red Devils before that - at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. They will not want the Premiership trophy they have held for the last two seasons to have already been handed over before the midweek clash.

Despite their disappointments, the Blues are still unbeaten in 11 League games and have lost just one of the last 24. They've won eight, drawn two and lost one of their 11 Premiership London derbies this season, gaining 26 points, whereas Arsenal's record in capital clashes is won six, drawn two and lost three (20 points).

The Blues pay an initial visit to the Emirates Stadium, having won for the first time in 16 League trips to Arsenal in last season's corresponding fixture. Arjen Robben and Joe Cole scored in the 0-2 success. Now Mourinho's men are looking to extend their unbeaten Premiership run over the Gunners to six matches.

REFEREE

Alan Wiley (Burntwood, Staffordshire)
Premiership referees' table
Alan Wiley's 2006-07 Premiership card count

SEQUENCES/RECENT FORM

ARSENAL

Club stats
Fixtures

Going into the weekend: 4th 66 points(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premiership fixtures)
1. Unbeaten in five Premiership matches. Won three and drawn two since losing 0-1, home to West Ham on 7 April.
2. Scored 62 goals in the top division, at an average of one every 52 minutes. Only Manchester United (82) have scored more.
3. Won five top tier games from losing positions. Only Manchester United have won that many.
4. The Premiership's most dangerous club when behind. Gained 22 points from losing positions - the best recovery rate in the highest League. Won home to Blackburn, Manchester United, Wigan and Bolton, and away to Charlton. Drawn, home to Aston Villa, Middlesbrough, Everton, Newcastle and Portsmouth, and away to Middlesbrough and Tottenham, having trailed in all 12 fixtures.
5. Scored more goals in the last quarter-hour of Premiership matches than any other club - 21.
6. One of two clubs not to have lost a top flight match from a winning position. Manchester City is the other.
7. One of two clubs to hold an unbeaten record from Premiership matches in which the opening goal was scored - won 14 and drawn one of 15. Manchester City have won 11 and drawn one of the 12 matches in which they've taken the lead.
8. Won the last three at home against Bolton, Manchester City and Fulham.
9. Won as many home games, as Chelsea have managed on the road - 12.
10. The season ends at Portsmouth on Sunday, 13 May.

CHELSEA

Club stats
Fixtures

Going into the weekend: 2nd 80 points(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premiership fixtures)
1. Won nine and drawn two of the last 11 Premiership matches, since losing 2-0, away to Liverpool on 20 January.
2. Won 24 times in the top division so far this season - only Manchester United have gained more victories (27).
3. Lost fewer matches than any other club in the top table (three).
4. Kept clean sheets in nine of the last 11 League games, and in 11 of the last 14.
5. Opened the scoring in more Premiership matches than any other club (27), and failed to score in three. Only Manchester United can beat the latter of those two statistics, failing to find the net in only two matches.
6. Kept 21 clean sheets in the Premiership (won 19, drawn two), and conceded the opening goal in only six top flight games - better than any other club on both counts.
7. Not beaten in six away League games - won five and drawn one on the road since January's defeat at Anfield.
8. Will play 63 matches this season.
9. To meet Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in the Premiership next Wednesday, and Everton on the same ground and in the same competition on the following Sunday, before the FA Cup final against the Red Devils at the new Wembley on Saturday, 19 May.

KEY PLAYER NOTES/POTENTIAL MILESTONES

ARSENAL

Squad profiles

Robin VAN PERSIE is Arsenal's top scorer with 13 goals, 11 in the Premiership.

Cesc FABREGAS is the only remaining player to have participated in at least a part of every one of Arsenal's Premiership matches this season.

If he participates, William GALLAS will be facing his former club. The France international defender made 225 appearances (159 in the Premiership) and scored 14 goals (12 Premiership) in five seasons at Stamford Bridge until his move to Arsenal last August.

CHELSEA

Squad profiles

Didier DROGBA is the highest scoring Premiership player this season with 31 goals, 19 of which are League goals. The Ivory Coast International leads Manchester United's Cristiano RONALDO by three at the top of the table for the Barclays Golden Boot award.

ASHLEY COLE began his professional career with Arsenal, making 228 appearances (156 in the Premiership) and scoring nine goals (eight League) between August 1997 and his £5m move to Stamford Bridge in August 2006.

LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME

Arsenal 0-2 Chelsea
18 December 2005 - Ref: Rob Styles
Chelsea scorers: Robben 39, Joe Cole 73

THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal
10 December 2006 - Ref: Alan Wiley
Chelsea scorer: Essien 84
Arsenal scorer: Flamini 78

HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS

Home and awayLeague: Arsenal 57 wins, Chelsea 39, Draws 43Prem: Arsenal 14 wins, Chelsea 5, Draws 10
at Arsenal onlyLeague: Arsenal 34 wins, Chelsea 17, Draws 18Prem: Arsenal 9 wins, Chelsea 1, Draws 4

The "League" figures in these Head to Head totals include all Premiership matches.

From : BBC Sports