Arsenal News 24/7Writer: Rocky7 
Date:Thursday January 11 2007
Time: 9:05AM
UK time is: 08:36:00
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Wenger Can Make The Beast Roar
Julio Baptista reckons Arsene Wenger is just the man to turn him back into 'The Beast'.
Baptista netted four times at Anfield (has anyone else ever done that?) in only his fourth start for the club last Tuesday in an accomplished display that had us all drooling.
His apparent ability to drive himself forward and arrive in the box in a timely fashion is something that has been missing from the Gunners game for quite some time.
Julio also claims that former club (but current employers) Real Madrid didn't know how to get the best from the Beast.
'Arsene Wenger has put so much confidence in me that I have been telling friends for weeks that Arsenal is the club which will make me The Beast again,' he said. 'Compared to Arsenal it was as if Madrid did not know what to do with me.'
'I have got this ability to arrive in the box at the right time, I have got a nose for goals and I am powerful,' he said. 'Madrid used me where they had a slot but, at Arsenal, it is like rediscovering the form I had at Sevilla. All I have needed is for a coach to play me in my best position and someone to show faith in me.'
Suprisingly, some Arsenal fans had chosen to write off Baptista's chances of becoming a permanent fixture at Arsenal even though the big Brazilian has only made four starts for the Gunners scoring five goals, a much better strike rate than Thierry Henry or Dennis Bergkamp when they first arrived.
Bappers to start against Blackburn anyone?
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Your Comments
This is where the problem lies though Paul. We have a situation now where we have 4 great strikers looking for 2 positions (sometimes 1). This is why I think Le Boss was trying to find another position for him in the team because he knows he is a top player. Adebayor has been superb this season and offers something different from the rest and RVP is getting more and more clinical. It is always difficult to leave out Henry. I'd love to see Bap play behind 2 forwards at home against lesser opposition and see his surges into the box but he won't put up with that for long.
hatespur
Some people have been very quick to right off Baptista before he even got started. From day one it was clear the sort of player he is and what he could become, given the opportunity. He has now had that opportunity and what a contrast to the Sheffield game when we were all crap. Stay with him boss and he'll do nicely.
A quick mention on the other so called 'failures' who showed their stuff. Alliadiere has shown why he has been at the club for so long and my man of the match against the scousers. Song, not my favourite player but I think he did very well.
I hope we don't lose anymore experienced players, just yet, namely Freddy and Ralph. The latter, when he is at the top of his game, in my opinion, is better than both Eboue and Hoyte.
Looking good.
Emkay
I think he'll have to start against the northerners. Having him playing off an in-form Henry would be incredible. But then you have the "problem" of an in-form Adebayor being put on the bench! I'm praying that Wenger is gonna sign his new contract asap. £3m a year is nothing compared to what he's done for and the money he's made us. I'm hoping that tuesday's result is gonna go some way to convincing him that he still has work left to do at the club.
scooch
Fortunately for us, we are a massive club who plays many many games each year. It is entirely possible for each striker to make 30 starts a season!
Rocky7
Look at the problems our beloved Neighbours have accomodating 4 strinkers, and 2 of theirs are pony.
hatespur
Baptista is not an out & out striker. If you watch the Liverpool game closely you will see he spent most of his time coming back into midfield & then he would make the lung bursting runs that our other players just wont do & thats partly what caught liverpool out as they didnt expect it. I think playing baptista behind henry could be a brilliant combination because henry will drag defenders wide & leave spaces for Julio to exploit. The thing that has struck me so far is that Wenger seems very reluctant to play baptista & cesc in the same side (the other night apart) he tends to play one of them & then subs that one when the other one comes on. Its going to prove an interesting dilema for Arsene to solve.
Ashburton Gooner
Bappers? Nice one.
G4L
hatespur.... so which 2 are pony then?
Jacky B
Sorry Jacky I need to be clearer. Mido is pony. And two of the other 3 can't play together. Haven't seen much of Berbatov as I don't watch mid-table relegation scraps, easy premiership v's lower league cup games or second rate European matches. Did he play at The Emirates?? I was there but I can't remember seeing him. I do recollect a couple of fat blokes playing but if my memory is correct one of them was a goalkeeper.
hatespur
good points there. im also waiting to see just where the beast will play in the team. 4-3-3 anyone :) ?
but at the same time, looking at our fixtures for jan alone, i can see him getting a few more starts. im hoping arsene plays ali and beast against the spurs. they deserve it !!
prits
hatespur - lets not be silly. Berbatov, Defoe and Keane are all great players. and what on earth is a mid-table relegation scrap? Plonker.
Jacky B
Jacky, your posts are normally pretty smart but Defoe, Berbatov and Keane GREAT players... you're having a laugh. Defoe decent but not great, berbatov is completely unproven - although has looked pretty good at times, especially in Europe - and Keane, although probably the most naturally talented, has never produced the results over the course of a season that he should. I'd have any of our strikers over any of yours everyday of the week mate!
kenny lunt
Well good for you Kenny. but i was responding to a post which said 2 of our strikers are pony. Now, i admit that none of them are exactly Henry, but if any of them were in your squad, they'd be his partner. Keane DID produce consistently throughout last season, and him and Berbatov have pretty much got a 1 in 2 ratio at international level. If Jol would stick with 2 of them I think they'd get an awful lot of goals, and more. Is your name rhyming slang?
Jacky B
Apologies, Forgot bout Van Persie, who finally seems to be producing - However, I think you'll agree, I have backed up my original point quite well.
Jacky B
Keane and Berb might have got a good ratio at international level, what's their stats at club level? (not a sarcy question by the way, I don't know!!) I agree their not pony but coming on to a gooner site and calling them great is asking for trouble!! and no nione of them would get into our team and partner Henry. Just look at how well Van and Ade are doing, then there's the beast and I'd rather have ali on the bench than defoe cos he'll cause less trouble playing that role. Oh and kenny lunt is a crewe player... just love the name for obvious reasons!!
kenny lunt
Berbatov - 21 starts (4 sub) 10 gls. Defoe 122 games (Dunno how many sub - but a lot i would think) 48 gls. Keane 148 (again not sure how many sub) 65 gls. So not too bad i reckon. For this season Defoe and Berbatov are pretty much 1/2. And you say Berbatov is unproven, yet if that is so, then the same can be said of Adebayor and Baptista. Is your fave singer james Blunt? lol
Jacky B
Fair thing to say about ade and the beast, your maths on the defoe and berb thing is a little rose tinted, with sub appreance's defoe is more likely 1in3 at best and berb is 1in2.5 really, still both decent though. Does make me wonder why you are still so poor though!! lol! oh and my favourite astronomer is Carry Hunt (gd Im so bored at work that I'm googling things like that... I need some motivation!)
kenny lunt
tell me bout it - Why else would i be looking for banter on a goon site? Those numbers are INCLUSIVE of sub appearences, so even with that taken in to account he is better than 1 in 3. With regard to Berbatov, he has settled in quite nicely. I can only see him getting better. Who you got at the weekend?
Jacky B
Blackburn away at the weekend, another 6-2 would be nice... can't see it happening again though... pretty tough game for us really, just the sort of one we seem to slip up on. who are you lot going to get embarassed by?
kenny lunt
Tough away game i should imagine. But you will win. Newcastle at home for us. We owe em after losing 3-1 at their gaff over xmas. Think we'll be ok.
Jacky B
i saw this article too and i think its great news ! i was away this week at a fair in germany, i met some brazilians and they belive madrid was a bad move for him because at seville he was scoring for fun, lets hope wenger will let him do this here !
PUREGOLD
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