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Monday, October 08, 2007

Arsenal 3 - 2 Sunderland


Arsenal survived a scare before returning to the Premiership summit with a narrow win against Sunderland.

Robin van Persie's stunning free-kick and Philippe Senderos's finish put Arsenal two up inside 14 minutes.

But Ross Wallace pulled one back for Sunderland before half-time and Kenwyne Jones headed an equaliser three minutes after the interval to stun Arsenal.

Van Persie slid home an 80th-minute winner, while Sunderland's Paul McShane saw red for fouling Alexander Hleb.

Interview: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
Interview: Sunderland manager Roy Keane

Arsenal opened in a fashion that suggested it was going to be a harrowing afternoon for Sunderland - but Keane's side showed real reserves of strength.

The Gunners went ahead in the seventh minute when Grant Leadbitter was penalised for a foul on Cesc Fabregas.

Arsenal felt hard done by because Abou Diaby curled in a brilliant finish just seconds after referee Rob Styles blew for the free-kick.

It was only a brief reprieve for Sunderland as Van Persie rifled home an unstoppable free-kick, the ball flying directly over the head of keeper Craig Gordon and in off the crossbar.

Sunderland were in further trouble after 14 minutes when Senderos took advantage of more hesitant defending to stab Emmanuel Adebayor's cross beyond Gordon.

The visitors were fortunate not to fall three behind six minutes later when Diaby swept home Hleb's cross, only for the goal to be ruled out for what appeared to be a very debatable offside flag against Mathieu Flamini.

But Sunderland somehow managed to build on these shaky foundations and pulled a goal back after 25 minutes.

Manuel Almunia raced out of goal to halt Jones, but the rebound fell kindly for Wallace, who finished in composed fashion.

Arsenal continued to dominate before the interval and could have restored their two-goal advantage, Gordon doing well to turn over another powerful Van Persie drive and Senderos heading wastefully wide when unmarked.

Sunderland hung on and were rewarded with an equaliser three minutes after the interval as Jones rose to head Liam Miller's cross past Almunia.

Arsenal were suddenly in danger of failing to win a game they had dominated, and they were frustrated again after 57 minutes when Kolo Toure's brilliant rising drive from 30 yards rebounded to safety off an upright.

Sunderland suddenly saw an unlikely point in sight, but survived another scare 13 minutes from time when Hleb's cross found substitute Theo Walcott at the far post only for the youngster to miss his kick horribly.

Walcott made amends by finally unlocking Sunderland's brave resistance after 80 minutes, sliding in a neat pass for Van Persie to steer a left-foot finish past Gordon.

Sunderland were still refusing to lie down, with substitute Anthony Stokes bringing a fine save from Almunia and Jones shooting across the face of goal with the Arsenal keeper out of position following a fine run by Miller.

The visitors then lost McShane for a wild tackle on Hleb before Walcott hit a post in the dying seconds.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:"After 15 minutes, the game looked to be easy and maybe we convinced ourselves of that as well.

"Part of our mental focus went and when you do that at this level, you pay for it.

"At the end of the day it was a good lesson for us, because again we still found the resources
which showed that there is something in the team which is really strong."

Sunderland boss Roy Keane:"If you get off to a poor start, you think that it could be five or six. But we stayed in the game and got a decent first goal.

"I keep talking about the attitude and character, and also there was some very good play.

"The lads gave it their all, but you need a hell of a lot of luck to get positive results at these grounds. We had a bit, but not enough."

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna (Eboue 68), Toure, Senderos, Clichy, Hleb, Fabregas, Flamini, Diaby (Walcott 57), Adebayor, Van Persie (Silva 85).Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Bendtner.

Goals: Van Persie 7, 80, Senderos 14

Sunderland: Gordon, McShane, Nosworthy, Higginbotham, Collins, Leadbitter, Miller, Wallace (Etuhu 77), Yorke (Harte 90), Chopra (Stokes 77), Jones.Subs Not Used: Ward, O'Donovan.

Booked: Jones, Chopra.

Goals: Wallace 25, Jones 48

Att: 60,098

Ref: Rob Styles (Hampshire).


From : BBC Sports

Monday, October 01, 2007

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/7020611.stm

Arsenal managing director Keith Edelman is "relaxed" about Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov's interest in the club.

Usmanov's investment company Red and White Holdings Limited (RAWHL) owns nearly a quarter of the club's shares.

Edelman told BBC Radio 5live: "They've said previously they are not going to make a bid for the company and they want to be long-term shareholders.

"It's business as usual. As far as the board is concerned we don't believe we are in any danger of being taken over."

Interview: Arsenal chief executive Keith Edelman

RAWHL, which is jointly owned by Usmanov and London-based Farhad Moshiri, upped its stake in Arsenal to 23% on Friday and is now the second-largest shareholder behind director Danny Fiszman, who owns 24.11%.

Edelman and Gunners chairman Peter Hill-Wood enjoyed lengthy discussions with Moshiri earlier in the week in which RAWHL set out their stall.

"We agreed to have an open dialogue between the parties over the next few months," added Edelman.

"And we expect to meet and talk to them consistently and see how that relationship develops.

"What he said to us was that he thought we were a very good long-term investment and that he did not want to take the club over, and thought he was going to make a lot of money from this. That's what he said to us."

Following Arsenal's stunning financial results, Edelman believes Usmanov might be questioning the wisdom of changing the current regime.

"Perhaps he's taking a look down the road at another club in London and seeing that the way we're running our club is good for his investment to produce good returns on the money he's put in the club," he said.

"If you look at Chelsea and look at Arsenal, we are running our club in terms of our revenues and our profits, we're running it from generated cash, without people having to put extra money in every year, and we're running it very profitably.

"If you're investing in a club you want to make a return on your investment.

"A lot of clubs look attractive because they're big world brands, but if you're investing and you want to see a return on your money then you want it to be profitable.

"Arsenal is profitable, Chelsea is not profitable at this juncture."

Edelman added: "It was a very friendly and cordial meeting and clearly we have to see if they do what they say their intentions are.

"So I think it is going to be important over the next few months to see whether they commit and keep doing what they said they were going to do.

"Arsenal fans and shareholders should understand that the board is resolute. We are going to be resolute for a very much longer period of time and I don't believe we are going to be taken over by any party.

"The board have got a lock in so they can't sell any shares until April next year and I think everyone has stated that they intend to continue that after that time."


From : BBC Sports