Arsenal News 24/7Writer: Rocky7 
Date:Monday February 26 2007
Time: 1:21AM
UK time is: 07:56:20
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Nothing But Pride!
Forget Drogba's offside goal, forget the pain of Drogba's bullet header, forget the ugly scenes that saw three dismissed, forget the bottles that rained down on Cesc Fabregas as he prepared to take a corner. Forget everything.
Even after an arse-numbing 5 and a half hour journey, I still feel incredibly upbeat.
The performance of each and every Arsenal player was nothing short of heroic. An Arsenal midfield with an average age of 19 completely bossed the middle of park that they shared with Ballack, Lampard, Essien and Makelele.
The silky & stylish passing produced by Wenger's young guns was a sight to behold, and the fact these young un's put this performance in against the current premiership champions makes it all the more remarkable.
Anyone still believing that Arsenal are a team in decline needs to give their head a serious shake.
The dissection of all the major talking points will take place on the morrow, but for now this tiered and emotional Gooner will head for his bed feeling nothing but pride in what the Arsenal team have achieved.
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Your Comments
Couldnt have put it better myself! Like when Obi Wan kenobi is struck down by Darth Vader, it only makes Obi Wan stronger and more powerful, today you watched future premiership champions in red and white. Nice pic, ive stuck a few in the pictures section for anyone who wants a butchers.
iceman10
And apparently it was celery they were throwing at Cesc? They seemed to think it was OK on talk sport/909 because it was celery forgetting it only takes one idiot to throw a coin instead of celery and Cesc could lose an eye. Its not what you throw its having the stupid mentality to throw something in the 1st place that matters.
iceman10
Yep well done lads, you gave everything today as we knew you would, Diaby was IMMENSE, Traore, Denilson, Theo (what a way to open that account boy!) all showed fantastic composure and skill, the chavs only answer to our liquid poetry was the standard long ball hoofing, the difference being the manhorses' clinical finishing. but I'd settle for that over being KOd by a trademark Lumpard deflection, there were three old spuds in the pub watching the game and when one of them turned to me and said "you're gonna take this" I knew we were fackin doomed. C'est la vie, now lets turn Blackburn over.
nikolaijns
Cant complain about the result AW said what his team was going to be and stuck with it, as you said the champions of the future.
col8
I liked the pre-game interview article by the Chelsea and Arsenal editors, it would be nice to see a post game one. Congrats also to Cjelsea. The young guns were the actual winners on the day, what with so much skill. Diaby was particularly outstanding whats the status of his injury?
phreddy
Yeah thats true the first 65 minutes was some great football by our young stars then they seemed to drop off which is only natural and their concentration will get better as they play more games. Especially Diaby and Walcott who were always posing a threat.
AB_Arsenal
the carling cup is all about education, and its imminent that Arsenal will be back next season for all 4 trophies. our youth team took chelsea to the cleaners. can chelsea afford to play without Drogba lampard robben terry and essien today?
49ers
Ditto, Rocky, ditto. Great pic btw. :)
ducksworth
I'm really happy for Walcott.. he showed his class today.. he is a fantastic talent and it was there for all to see! 2 years time and this team will dominate everything there is to dominate!
It was always going to be a win win situation for us today.. and so we did win! But, just one question.. what does Senderos do on the training ground to impress Wenger?? Is he really that good or am I just being negative?
arsenalrulz4ever
ahaha. How's that in your coffee on the train home from Cardiff. We might always be a mid-table team but you'll never be up in the league of Man USA and Chel$ki. COYS
WhiteHartSpur
arsenalrulz4ever Senderos was not *****e, for once every mistake he made he corrected before it hurt us in true Toure like fashion and against the player he has struggled eith most in the past, Drogba. the first goal was Traore and Almunia's fault if not the linesmans and the last goal was unstoppable like our winner vs Man USA. The whole team was great except the 3 substitutes, and WHS go die in a corner quietly you jealous sad ****!
Ozi Gooner
Ashame we couldn't ask you how your coffee was when you went home from the Grove on the Victoria line, WhiteHartSpur. You were probably drinking something a little stronger than that. Yeah, kids can be mean to sometimes. On a positive note, good to hear about JT and knowing that the future is looking fantastic!
tikabooson
I thought Senderos was good! Remember the community shield two or so seasons ago when Drogba killed him? Now he looked comfortable, and Drogba tried to hassle Traore instead (who looked better than 17)
afri-gooner
And also: They may have won, and it's trophies that count, but we know that our kids outplayed the champions for 80% of the game! Until the last few minutes, they were in control. Chelsea may have won, but the Arsenal aren't losers.
afri-gooner
senderos was best player at PSV and best proper defender at arsenal. great prospect
kidK
Senderos would be a complete CB if only he has more speed and stronger in physical challenge. He can't do much with his speed but he has to increase his upper body strength. He lost a lot of duel with Drogba last night as he always did in the past. The team suffered the consequence as usual. I am not blaming him as he has been outstanding for us in many occasions. I just hope that the team would play someone else when we play Chelski next time, specifically if Drogba is in the lineup so that Senderos' lack of speed and physical strenght would not be exploited.
Joe_@**
I feel sorry for Almunia, 2 finals three goals through his legs, most keepers wouldnt have that happen to them 3 times in a season. Maybe he should train with Ice Hockey goalies and work on what they call covering the 5-hole.
Ozi Gooner
Joe and Arsenalrulz i just cant see what game you were watching. Senderos was easily our best defender last night, you have to remember he was doing alot of covering for Traore even when he hadnt gone forward whereas Toure had Hoyte on his side who is a much more compotent and experienced defender than our french LB, no insult to Traore but.
Ozi Gooner
Btw, I thought Vieira was in our No. 2 shirt last night. I swear that's no other youngster I have seen plays more like Vieira than Diaby; the way he breaks up opponent's attack, regain possession and his surging run forward. Even the way he runs reminiscent Vieira's.
Joe_@**
judging by your pic rocky, you must of been sat very close to me indeed ! the kids were amazing, it took chelsea 84 mins to beat our kids and we lived with them, hell the first 20 mins we were all over them, denilson and diaby were superb, what talents we have and if wenger was given 50 million tomorrow to go and buy players, you would have to say he would geta new keeper only, cos i can't see i needing any players in any other position, and let us not forget, that was chelsea strongest, most expensive team yesterday, and out cheap kids showed the chavs how football is played, just a shame not won. on a side note, talk sport was flooded last night as i drove out of cardiff with callers calling the chavs stupid for throwing "CELERY" at Cesc, not bottles rocky. doesn't what it is, shouldn't of been thrown.
PUREGOLD
proud of eboue and fabregas? ... both seem to have taken on the bad loser trait from Wenger. Also.. I recall some of you on here saying Berbatov was *****? Apologies for the wind up, but i get very few opporunities.
Jacky B
Wind away Jacky B you've earned your stripes, and welcome back to the tables top half
nikolaijns
I'm just so immensely proud of my team. I'll keep it short and sweet, and post summat on the forum as well. But for such a large period of the game, they looke dmasterful. Full credit to chelski for coming back, but even more credit to Arsene and the boys. We are all so very, very proud of you. »»Arsene Knows««
Wingston75
cheers..... Lord knows i am grateful for this pleasure he has afforded me. Looking for a strong finish now. You guys are rightfully proud. Now start winning things ;-)
Jacky B
sorry, that last phrase was Mourinho's - not mine (that would just be stupid)
Jacky B
I tell you, next season will clearly be a 3 horse race, which I think will be great for the Premiership! I just don't know how Arsene will keep everyone happy, sound familiar?
Westl
If thers the same amount of fixtures that should'nt be a problem Westl - congrats btw (gritting teeth! ;) )
nikolaijns
Echo the sentiments of the article (btw Rocky, you were directly above me). Not only at the final, but throughout the tournament. The midfield were incredible, as was everybody. Wenger deserves immense credit for sticking to his principles, despite Alan Green on Five Live saying Wenger had cheated the fans (he also said Webb had a good game, what a *****). The scenes at the end were regrettable, but I was also disgusted at Chelsea, who all had their backs turned when Arsenal received their medals. Lampard has now been utterly shat on by Cesc (about six times now), Denilson and Diaby, all under 21. People really wonder why England are rubbish? That said, Chelsea's experience told as they were more clinical, these kids will learn a hell of a lot and the faith Wenger has shown in them in a big game will be repaid to this football club ten fold in the coming years.
Little Dutch
If you close Lampard down he is really not that good of a player, that is why he was so ***** at the world cup. He has a shot and short passing game to work space for his shots, that is about it. I dont see why in a league where players put more pressure on midfielders in posession than any other league in the world why teams continue to give the fat **** so much space at the top of the box. Cesc is already a better player with numerous more dimensions to his game, when his shooting improves nobody but Chelsea fans will remember who Lampard is.
Ozi Gooner
my thgoughts exactly on Fat Frank. He is the most overrated and overpaid player in England and perhaps Europe. That being said, did anyone notice the captain of the German national team yesterday? Or allegedly one the best holding midfielders in the world (Makelele)? Even Essien's contribution to the game was an attempted murder on Baptista. Again credit to Wenger for sticking to this great group of players. Will the first 11 give us such spirit and desire to win this season? I hope so.
G4L
does anyone have a clue about Diaby's injury?Until that moment he was THE BEST player on the pitch for me.
G4L
yeah diaby,denilson,walcott was the best players,i ve an opinion i dunno if somebody agrees with me but i say stick with the young guns in the psv game if not all of the denilson & diaby (if fit) gotta play
princeoflove909
Agree G4L, we certainly seem to lack something when he left the field
TR7
Diaby has had one more injury. i hope he doesent become too injury prone after the horrific injury he suffered last season, because tge lad is pure class and has a very bright future at our club..
luckys_10
Not mentioning the punch up then,? Fair enough... hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
weststandvoice
well down lads,you did us proud,throughout the whole tournament,i thought baptista,was abit one dimensional,he had a good shot though,the game changed after jt injury,the momentum was lost,and after diaby went off,it was a different story.i think senderos is a good defender,but sometimes you have opposition players who have the making of you,and drogba is that person,maybe djourou would have been a better option,the difference was their striker and goalie,who was very commanding and really kept them in the game, petr cech really is the best around,if only we bought him when we had the chance....but the future is ours
fran merida
I'm torn between Diaby and Denilson as man of the match, but one thing is for sure, we have four awesome central midfielders, as with our centre halves, I would be happy with any two of them taking on any team in the world. I said prior to Diaby's injury that I still wasn't entirely convinced by him, but I certainly am now, he just IS Vieira isn't he? Weststandvoice, not mentioning the semi final then? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Little Dutch
Normally I hate comparing footballers its like comparing an ex girlfriend to your new one but Diaby and Vieira is frightening. Just like with the new missus I almost screamed out the wrong name in ecstasy when Diaby nearly Scored! Viiieeiiirrrrr.....oops!
iceman10
Sendaros played as well as could be expected. In case you haven't noticed, Drogba is a handful for ANY centerback right now. Even a fully fit Gallas would have trouble dealing with Drogs in his present form. 27 goals in all competitions before March? That's just ridiculous. I'm proud as hell of the young Guns though, I figured we would lose but I just wanted this team to show up and compete, they not only did that they flat out took it to Chelsea for large chunks of the game. Walcott was incredible, and the goal he scored justifies my belief that having him play on the left side might make him more effective long term, though he was also strong on the right as well. Diaby was my player of the game though, and I think his loss was the turning point for us...we really struggled to create chances from the back of our midfield after he left.
Shinobi
Oh yeah, forgot to mention that I'm glad JT is okay...the replay (which thankfully they only showed once) just looked sickening. Never wanna see that happen to any player on any team, no matter how intense the rivalry is.
Shinobi
LD you don't have to talk to WSV, he's the network's token sperm chewer!!! Just ignore him!
Rocky7
I did the same thing iceman, dead set yelled Vieria and it was about 3.45am here in Oz, my neighbours probably woke up thinking they were being robbed by a frenchman. Did anyone read Dan Smith's comments about being happhy to see Diaby was ok and looking forward to watching him play in the final? it made me lose some of my hatred towards the **** all though it came back a bit when he went off with another *****in ankle injury.
Ozi Gooner
Id love to no the price wenger spent on the players he played compared to chelsea's squad if anyone fancies working it out ????
Achilles
Fabregas would be our future captain no doubt. He can even take the armband right away if i were Wenger. The way he stood up for his mates reminded me of what Vieira used to do. I was sure Vieira would have had a go at Lampard too if he was on the pitch last night. It's the fire in the belly that differenciate Vieira and well... Roy Keane from other team's captain.
Joe_@**
ozi gooner - fair play.. but I don't understand why Wenger plays him when his particular weakness is playing against Drogba.. I mean wasn't Djourou fit? He could have gone in with him.. cuz I'm pretty sure that Senderos did have a psychological problem dealing with Drogba.. yes he is good.. I'm not saying he's rubbish.. but he was somewhat at fault for the second goal..
arsenalrulz4ever
I agree with everyone that Djourou looks the better prospect longterm but i think we kid ourselves a bit with how good he has been so far. At the start of the season when he had to play we were leaking goals as badly as we are now. Also Adams made just as many mistakes when he was 21 although he was an alcoholic so had an exxcuse.
Ozi Gooner
diaby is the future no doubt about it!!! got it all, flair, power, speed, tackling, heading!!!
RVP11
yep, diaby wa simmense on sunday. that midfield is already frightening, in a year or two it will be an unholy/holy alliance of midfield mastery. »»Arsene Knows««
Wingston75
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