Arsenal News 24/7Writer: Rocky7 
Date:Monday March 17 2008
Time: 10:27AM
UK time is: 17:22:51
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Gallas Calls For Focus
Arsenal captain, William Gallas has called for his team to concentrate on every game from now until the end of the season.
Arsenal's domestic campaign is in danger of capitulation after 4 straight draws in the league, and Gallas also calls for his team mates to forget about everyone else and focus only on their own plight.
'I'll tell you why there was a difference between the win in Milan and our next game. It was in the head,' Gallas said in The Sun.
'It is human nature that after a huge game in Europe it is difficult to find the same level of motivation for the following game. In fact what we needed was an even higher level than we had in Milan. We all have to understand that.'
'And we have to understand it quickly because time is running out for us this season. 'We need to understand what it takes to become champions if we want that trophy.'
'If you look at the table now, I'm not saying we're in trouble but we have lost our lead. So from now on we just have to think about ourselves, not look at the table any more. And we have to win every game. '
'We need to have a high level of motivation from now until the end of the season. We have to give 200 per cent.'
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Your Comments
Would be nice.
AFC85Lew
Hard to think now there was some doubt about making Gallas captain. He is far and away the best we have had for some time.
Amos.
By far and away? Explain...
AFC85Lew
It's an opinion based on the leadership qualities he has shown. This comes in a number of forms, his performance on the pitch where he has led the defence well and taken the initiative to drive the team forward when we have needed to get something from the game as perhaps demonstrated, though not exclusively, in the home game against ManU. I have always liked the way that he has always been the first and at times the only player to acknowledge the fans right from the time he joined us even if the result didn't go our way. He seems vocal, opinionated and passionate but diplomatic enough to have the respect of others in the team. Contrast that with the captains that we have had since Adams; Vieira, Henry and (part time) Gilberto and I think that it is a reasonable opinion to hold. If you have another opinion then feel free to express it.
Amos.
Didn't disagree with it mate, i think he's definitely the best since Adams, if we can win something with him at the helm then i'll agree with the by far and away bit!
AFC85Lew
If we don't win anything then I wouldn't attach too much blame to Gallas. So far he has done his job very well.
Amos.
If the whole team have the same mentality as Gallas then I have no doubt they can win the PL. And yes, he is the best captain we've had for quite some time.
Cheese.
Did anyone else think that Clichy was un recongnisable against middlesbrough. I was watching him and all game i said to the guy next to me how something was wrong. He was not taking players on, he was not sprinting to join the attack, he wasnt confident with the ball and gave it away alot. Do you think A) He is burnt out because he has played lots of games. 2) since Birmingham he has lost confidence because of his mistake and Gallas reaction. 3) Just an off day
paul_ownz
WE'RE GONNNA WIN THE LEAGUE... NOT JUST COS MY £100 QUID AT THE START OF THE YEAR AT 10/1 ON SKYBET... (YES I DID BELIEVE WE COULD DO IT. I BELIEVED SELLING THIERRY WOULD UPLIFT US & I TRUSTED ARSENE). WE'VE COME TOO F*CKIN FAR!!! COME THE ARSENAL!!!! ... IF U ALL THINK UNITED ARE GONNA STAY TOP TIL THE END OF THE SEASON YOU'E GOT ANOTHER THING COMING! EVERYTIME THEY HAVE GONE TOP THIS YEAR, THEY'VE GIVEN IT UP EASIER THAN AN ESSEX GIRL AFTER A FEW DRINKS (NOT INTENDING TO OFFEND.. BUT U GET MY POINT) THEY HAVEN'T STAYED TOP FOR 8 GAMES RUNNING AT ANY TIME THIS YEAR, SO I DONT THINK THEY'LL DO IT NOW. WE'LL KEEP ON FIGHTING!!
notaspur
shame the rest of your team dont know what it takes to win the prem....this is your best chance of winning the title and your blowing it
MrDax
I wouldn't say this is our best chance of winning the league at all. The average age of our side is around 24 (under when we have injuries). If we don't win it this year, a lot of young players who will have learnt a lot of lessons. This is just the start.
Little Dutch
I also feel that this is just the beginning because the squad is so young. With youth on our side, the squad can only improve in the coming years.
Cheese.
i think if you concentrate hard enough you can achive 3rd this year
5-1
Great comment. If you concentrate a little bit you might win more games than you lose, or finish in the top half of the table.
paul_ownz
How has this been the 'best' chance when we've had such a young squad, so many injuries, 4 players out for 2 months because of Africa/injuries/suspension around that ACN period, so many ref decisions against us, press slagging us off nonstop except for a brief period when they couldn't write anything negative about us at the start of the season because we looked a real surprise package, tough draws in the CL and the boardroom/ownership stuff at the start of the season with Russian and DD lurking around? I agree with LD and Cheese - we had expect this to be a period of strengthening and preparation for a really strong challenge next year and we've over-achieved on that. So yeah hopefully it's just the dawn of a new era.
Lou the Gunneress
5-1, it's not even Easter and already 3rd is a mathematical impossibility for the Spuds. No matter how hard you concentrate. Oh no, don't tell me, every pre match meal this season has somehow been tainted due to suspicious catering staff……..
Little Dutch
Er, not that I meant to use those factors as excuses for how we're letting the title fade away now, if it is - but we'll only know at the end of the season what this period means.
Lou the Gunneress
These comments of Gallas came in for some undue criticism on arseblog today. Gallas is saying the right things, not afraid to be critical of the team in public (thats something Wenger never does). It looks like he will motivate the team (based on his record so far)
prits
To be honest I don't even find Gallas' comments 'critical' or 'questioning' as the press say. You're right, he's just telling the truth. What Arseblogger said about his unmodest use of 'my players' in his quotes has something to do with his imperfect English to be honest. I find him and Gilberto less fluent/eloquent than say Kolo, Clichy and Cesc (of course they started learning at younger ages) - although they've been speaking English for roughly the same period of time, about 5-6 years. Hard to say it's his 'bossy' attitude judging from those words when it's a foreign language he hasn't really mastered perfectly. And Arseblogger said he had too much booze when celebrating St. Patrick's Day himself lol. I've never questioned his ability and leadership. It's a question of how the team (himself included) respond to the rallying cry now.
Lou the Gunneress
And so cut me (and some of the fellow Gooners here) some slack too when I sound like I'm full of bs - English is my second language and I'm far from perfectly native lol
Lou the Gunneress
We all need to wait until next sunday which could determine our season in the league. If united beat Bolton & Liverpool and Chelsea beat us & Spurs then i will probably believe its all over for us. We would be 6 behind United and 3 behind Chelsea. But i dont see why both us and spurs cant take points of a Chelsea who are not playing amazingly. And it wouldnt be impossible for an inform Liverpool to draw at Old Trafford. We shall see
paul_ownz
arseblogger is a funny guy, but he has clear agendas. He was very vocal in his denouncement of Gallas' appointment as captain,and now he's been proved wrong he uses any chance he can get to slag him off. A few months agohe was saying Gallas reallyneeds togee the boys upetc, now he'sdoing that arseblogger slates him for being captain talkalot. Well yes, that's what captains do. He is the same with Eboue, I knowthe guy can be an idiot, but seriously, he couldscore a hat trick next Sunday and arseblogger would probably criticise his celebration. Interesting how his old favourite whipping boy Song rarely gets mentioned on that site nowadays.......
Little Dutch
the only concentration i would like would be from the referee and linesmen,then maybe just maybe,they might get a F U CK I N G crucial decision correctly going in our favour. conspiracy... what conspiracy??
fran merida
but LD ive seen arseblogger giving Gallas his due credit on many occasions. and then whenever a team is in trouble, it's the captain who will get the bulk of the slak from everyone..
luckys_10
It is Arsene I feel sorry for. Watching us being cheated all the time by stupid calls by the referee's and not being able to do anything about it. I believe that most non-arsenal supporting English people generally dislike us ( because of the strong foreign contingent that we have.
phreddy
gallas' comments makes perfect sense. our boys just need to focus and we will walk away with the prem lge trophy. c'mon lads.
supersof
luckys - LD has a valid point. I've felt the same way about arseblog's views on some players (Eboue, Gallas, Song). He HAD to praise Gallas earlier, coz Gallas had proved him wrong with some strong leadership. Now that arseblog gets an opportunity, he begins questioning his method of leadership. Maybe its not an agenda, and its just bias, but unfortunately, a lot of gooners are influenced by his views. For instance, Eboue had a decent / good game against Boro, yet he gets slated for that game by a lot of gooners.
prits
I think when you have dislike for a player it only takes one thing for them to do in a match to get on everyones ti*s, like how easily he went down in the box. He will never get a penalty now because of his reputation.
paul_ownz
Any good captain would have said that, he needs to motivate the boys and really have them give "200 per cent". I wondered if Henry ever said such a thing... I know Vieira and Adams did...
stukazufuss
I don't think I can call that 'criticising' the team. I don't find anything wrong with Gallas' comments, because in the end he wants to say something that will help the players, and not make them feel worse. And I don't recall Gallas saying 'my players' on this occasion. I think all the drinks were just getting to arseblogger's head. :)
Cheese.
Gallas, tell the arsenal fans something which they do not know.
ivanskg
Poor Billy, how we laugh every time he breaks down and cry...LOL
Blue is the colour
BITC, A post without the words - the wheels are coming off, or you're crumbling ? Becoming creative are we?
prits
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