Arsenal News 24/7Writer: Rocky7 
Date:Monday January 2 2012
Time: 5:18PM
UK time is: 21:28:45
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Teams News: Fulham vs Arsenal
As Arsenal undertake their first football match of 2012, it`s a trip to Fulham`s Craven Cottage that stands between us, and three points.
With only 1 defeat in our last 13 league matches we`re still on a bit of a roll despite a disappointing result against Wolves the day after Boxing day, however injuries are starting to take their toll along the back line.
Thomas Vermaelen is the latest victim as Francis Coquelin comes in to make up the numbers at the back accompanying Bacary Sagna, Carl Jenkinson, Andre Santos and Kieran Gibbs in the physio room.
Andre Arshavin`s beautiful assists for the winner against QPR wasn`t enough to keep him in the side as he Russian makes way for Gervinho.
Fulham
• 12 Stockdale
• 02 Kelly
• 03 JA Riise
• 05 Hangeland
• 14 Senderos
• 04 Sidwell
• 13 Murphy
• 23 Dempsey
• 11 Ruiz
• 25 Zamora
• 30 Dembele
Substitutes
• 38 Etheridge
• 06 Baird
• 18 Hughes
• 15 Gecov
• 16 Duff
• 21 Frei
• 09 Sa
Arsenal
• 13 Szczesny
• 04 Mertesacker
• 06 Koscielny
• 20 Djourou
• 08 Arteta
• 14 Walcott
• 16 Ramsey
• 17 Song
• 39 Coquelin
• 10 Van Persie
• 27 Gervinho
Substitutes
• 01 Almunia
• 18 Squillaci
• 49 Miquel
• 07 Rosicky
• 23 Arshavin
• 30 Benayoun
• 29 Chamakh
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Your Comments
Pretty even game.. Very tense.
Sajit
Need to be more clinical in the final third, as ever.
Gooner_Vin
You have to ask. Does Walcott know who he's trying to pass to half the time he tries a cross? Frustrating player.
Wyn Mills
Need more fight in midfield. Were not competing for the loose ball anymore.
As for the sending off, what a joke. Lee Probert has been Fulham's 12th man.
Wyn Mills
The ref killed us.
Thing
dont blame the ref! we didn't show up 2nd half at all!
e dubbz
I could see this result coming a mile off. Too much reliance on RvP. The rest of the forward players not producing enough quality where it counts. Song has also really gone of the boil. He was becoming a leader, but seems to have regressed in the last few games. That is why I don't think we'll finish top 4 this season. Awful.
Gooner_Vin
We played ***** second half but I think we could of scraped it. The ref put the nails in the coffin.
Thing
Nobody to blame but our players and our manager.
gunnerkid107
We love Mrtin Jol, We love Martin Jol hhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaa
spu 4 life
We love Martin Jol, We love Martin Jol hhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaa
Read more: http://www.arsenal.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=527132#ixzz1iKZjANVL
spu 4 life
what the hell has wenger done to arteta the guy passes sideways constantly you might aswell have bought jenas plus hes quicker.
jljyid
thank you mr jol again
123spurs
Yeah you love him so much he was sacked by the snake Levy in the most sneaky way possible, last man in the stadium to know, classy. Yet another appalling display from our headless chicken wingers. No lessons actually learnt from Wolves display shocker! Who da thunk it?
nikolaijns
lOSERS
We love Martin Jol, We love Martin Jol hhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaa
Read more: http://www.spurs.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=7511006#ixzz1iKbXTqRO
spu 4 life
maybe your board dont have the balls to sack wenger
123spurs
That's right we love Martin Jol, and we don't condone how MJ was sacked. Anyway, i still fancy Arsenal for a top four finish, would love Chelsea to be out of it. Your season rides on VP's fitness and form obviously.
asherthesmasher
the fans always loved him niko. your team seems to want to pass it all the way into the net so when it does go out wide your wingers dont have a clue that to me seems like a coaching issue rather than the individual players. im trying to be nice even though for obvious reasons it would be sooo easy to gloat
jljyid
We just didn't take our chances, we should have been 2 nil at half time!
Well, That Football :-(
hackneyval
I come in peace, how can you say that wasn't a red, it clearly was. What is Wenger moaning about?
RAF Yid
123spurs, why sack Wenger? Can you imagine where they would be with there players without Wenger?.
asherthesmasher
Maybe we don't have the balls to sack Wenger, maybe the board don't want to 123. One thing you can guarantee is that if he were to go it wouldn't happen through some cowardly classless chinese whispers on a matchday so that Arsene was the last bloke to find out! '71/2004
nikolaijns
totally agree asher they would be alot worse off with out wenger. but purely based on the fans of chelsea and le arse on the vital network i would much rather le arse take the cl spot over chelski. at least i can come over here haver some banter and talk football
jljyid
Pat Rice: "Er Arsene I've just been told you're sucked? pass it on?"
nikolaijns
come on now niko play nice
jljyid
so why has VA died a death they use to be some many on here but not any more
123spurs
I am playing nice. You shouldn't even be able to watch Jols' muttleyesque features without feeling the terrible terrible shame of how your club horrifically disrespected one of footballs' decent blokes. After all he had done for you too.
nikolaijns
Nothing worse than conceding a very late winner to put a downer on your day. Believe me I know! With Djourou now being suspended and Vermaelen injured, do you think Wenger will now attempt to sign Wayne Bridge?
fifthcolumnblue
Wenger has no opinion! lolololol thats a first
yid101
i dont know 123 perhaps they cant handle us guys giving them stick but its a little sad as i have had good conversations with LD and jaelle + one or 2 others and the main thing they dont delete your posts over here if it doesnt fit the arsenal way of thinking as they do over at chelski. i posted a simple "get in wolves" when they equalised today and it got deleted lol
jljyid
Wayne Sleep > Wayne Bridge tbf fcb.
nikolaijns
i didnt sack him niko and your right it was disgusting but it would seem it was the correct choice look at where we are now
jljyid
My opinion on the lovely John Terry didn't seem to pass the acceptable criteria either jlj?
nikolaijns
Ramsey had a great first half then seemed to go AWOL in the second. I could take this if i thought we'd been outclassed. But frankly we surrendered this match.
Wyn Mills
A lot of Chelsea fans have the IQ of less than 30, that is the problem. That is what to expect from a bunch of plastics. The other problem of course is that the real Chelsea fans have been deluded by the money. So it's just hopeless trying to get a decent conversation about football out of them.
asherthesmasher
Riise flattens Walcott and doesn't even get a word from Probert. Djourou challenges for a 50-50 with Zamora and its an instant yellow card? Do us a favour! This went on virtually the entire match. the ref couldn'nt wait to blow his whistle when we had an advantage. Dont normally like having a go at refs but Probert was shocking.
Wyn Mills
it happens all the time niko its a disgrace really its like living in north korea
jljyid
Can't disagree with that assesment of our erstwhile Left-back Nikolaijns, was just kind of hoping you might be desparate enough!
fifthcolumnblue
Possibly 2, but definitely 1 penalty award completely ignored. Probert had to be completely blind not to see it. I hope we never have that muppet officiating one of our games for a long while.
Wyn Mills
Possibly 2, but definitely 1 penalty award completely ignored. Probert had to be completely blind not to see it. I hope we never have that muppet officiating one of our games for a long while.
Wyn Mills
This whole season has been one of the worst for refereeing mistakes that I can ever remember Wyn Mills - there have been some terrible decisions across the board, and most teams have been on the receiving end of them. I'm sure we all had a bit of a laugh at Spurs when they gpot robbed by the ref against Stoke, and I'm sure a lot of our rivals laughed at Sunderland's late offside goal yesterday - but the point remains, the officiating is getting worse than ever and something needs to be done about it.
fifthcolumnblue
Can't agree more with you, fcb & Wyn, re. the performance of the refs this season. Can't remember it being so bad and significant decisions at that. Take the Sunderland goal vs City yesterday; the asst ref was way behind play and didn't stand a chance to make a good decision. Today, (as with against Wolves) there were a few shocking decisions, not the least of which was the 2nd yellow against Djourou. The way I know it, once a player is ahead of another, any foul call can only be against the player behind; Djourou was in front of Zamora and if anything, was the one being fouled. Two players coming together and showing strength and the ref contrives a foul out of that? Many times the call went against RvP and you wonder what happened to the unwritten rule that gives the advantage to the attacking player.
Naijagunner
true fcb, it is happening way to much an its costly for the clubs involved, you can even look at our europa league game, they had a injured player on the ground on the pitch on goaline defoe scored and offside was given so what was the extra ref on sideline for
123spurs
It was a physically demanding game and playing 48 hours after, Away from home, can't have been much help not to speak of going 1 man down. This showed in the way our lads dropped physically in the 2nd half. My concern is how these teams suddenly develop such resilience when playing against Arsenal but roll over when United comes calling (0-5, Fulham vs United). Another point to note is how United get to play their game on Wednesday after playing last on Saturday, like we did. It will seem they have been given too much time to be fresh for their next game when compared with say City, who played on Sunday and have to play on Tuesday. These things do matter, you see...
Naijagunner
Gooner_vin, I worry too about Song's apparent regression, considering how influential he is in the team's play these days. It spells worse days ahead, really. I feel he could use a little rest and perhaps, he would be back. We do have some very crucial games this month and must consider using the squad players more, when we can.
Naijagunner
The draw we got at Swansea is looking even better today. We've had two away games over xmas and taken 4 points, you've taken 4 from 9 and two of those were at home. The gap between us has come down a tad but we're about to start on a run of home games that could see us stretch that gap out a bit again. That kid you had in at left back today, Coquelin, he's gonna be a good player. We will finish above you this season, i have no doubt in that, we're a much better squad than you are and if honest, you'd admit it. We have more match winners than you and we're willing to shoot from further out than 8 yards.
Himwhatwhats
Naijagunner - the thing is, he did have a rest following a one-match suspension. We need a truly outstanding attacking player to help RvP.
Gooner_Vin
Agree we laugh at others when the decisions go against them so I suppose we just have to take it with good grace. Its just galling when its so blatent and obvious. That's not to absolve our lot from blame. We dropped alarmingly in the second half. But we really should have been out of sight at the end of the first half. If Walcott reckons he deserves 85k on that showing he's living in cloud cuckoo land.
Wyn Mills
naijagunner totally agree about time between games but would say that all teams probably suffer at some time during the season.Dump sky go back to 3 o'clock on a saturday then those of us that go see it live the rest watch match of the day or read about it in the sunday papers, i long for those days lol
mabbuttalegend
read post back sounds like a drunken rant what i meant was if we all played at 3 on sat the problem would be solved
mabbuttalegend
Good lad Martin, once a Spurs man always a Spurs man. We'll take the points and the trophies. You lot can build statues and wallow in the past.
Tony Rocky Horror
you deluded waffling fart tony, trophies lol ahaahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahaha
aaaaahhhh jaysus that's a good one, one frigging milk cup in decades, yet here he is giving it the giant peaches.
aaaahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha what a mentalist you are - i'm guessing even your hairdo has a lunatic fringe.
nikolaijns
your demented polish keepers comments are looking even more ridiculous 2day!!! finish above us??hahahah your not even playing in the champs league next year!....when are merson, adams and wrighty having their medicals?? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
lillywhites101
Despite the ref howlers, the defending still needs to be better. This team was poor on more than 2 occassions last night, while defending crosses and high balls into the box. Sczcesny's should have punched that ball far out, if not, then the defence should have been more alert to the 2nd ball back into the box. Same for the 2nd goal conceded. To be fair, Fulham deserved a draw at least (perhaps, not the win) as their 2nd half performance was really good.
prits
agree with prits. fulham controlled the 2nd half and deserved something. i think the team gave their all but their level dropped due to fatigue. we should have the game wrapped up by half time anyway. disappointing
Joe_@**
Yep. True, we need to improve on killing off teams when we are in control. Defending and keeping could have been better for both of their goals. Full probably did deserve something for their 2nd half performance but if we had held on for 0-1, most would hail our ability to grind out the win, as it happens with champion sides. We do need some breaks too. Well, we just have to see how things unfold, right.
Naijagunner
truth is blame all you like but fulham were just to good for you in the seond half get over it move on
truth sayer ffc
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