Wenger wants Arsenal to seize golden opportunity

January 20, 2010

Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal have a golden opportunity to underline their title credentials as they bid to go top of the Premier League with a two-goal victory over Bolton on Wednesday.

Wenger’s side defeated Bolton 2-0 at the Reebok Stadium on Sunday and a repeat of that result in north London would be enough to send the Gunners above Chelsea and Manchester United into first place.

After being widely written off as also-rans in November when Chelsea’s 3-0 win at the Emirates Stadium left Arsenal 11 points behind the leaders, there has been a significant change in fortunes for Wenger’s men.

While Chelsea and United have squandered points in matches they were expected to win, Arsenal have been able to put together an impressive run and Wenger knows it is essential not to waste the chance to grab that coveted first place.

“It is important psychologically, not mathematically so much,” Wenger said. “We have a good opportunity to do it so we have to focus.

“When the season started, we were not all convinced in our squad maybe that we could be where we are now. Now that we are there, we want to have a go.”

Even if Arsenal do go top of the table, Chelsea will have a game in hand on their London rivals, so there is no chance of Wenger getting carried away.

But the French coach is convinced his young team are capable of lasting the distance in the title race as long as captain Cesc Fabregas remains fit and in form.

Fabregas has been arguably the Premier League’s best midfielder this season and produced a majestic display against Bolton capped by his 10th league goal of the season and a major role in Arsenal’s second goal.

Games against title rivals Chelsea and United are looming on the horizon for Arsenal, so Wenger is well aware of the importance of keeping Fabregas on his game.

“He looks like a real general in midfield now and, of course, that helps as we go into a period of important games,” Wenger said.

“It was a test of character (at the Reebok Stadium) and they have shown plenty, which is very good news for us.

“Over the years our strength has increased and we showed we have matured, we know when to go for the fights and we know when to put the ball down.

“Without a doubt there is still more to come because we are a young team. We have a very tough run of games coming up but let’s be focused on the next one and keep it simple.”

With French winger Samir Nasri and young midfielders Aaron Ramsey and Fran Merida – who scored Arsenal’s second against Bolton – ruled out through injury, Wenger is relieved to welcome back Theo Walcott and Denilson.

England forward Walcott has struggled to shake off a host of different injuries this season, but his return will add a much-needed injection of energy to an attack already missing Robin van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner.

“They are available for Wednesday. It is a big boost to have them back of course because they were out for a while and it gives us some fresh players as well,” Wenger said.

Bolton’s new boss Owen Coyle would love to have players of Walcott’s calibre to bolster his squad as he tries to drag them away from the relegation zone.

Coyle has had just 10 days to work with his players since arriving from Burnley as the replacement for Gary Megson, but he has already impressed the likes of captain Kevin Davies.

“I have seen a big change in some of the players, from the lads who have been starting to those on the fringes and those training with the reserves,” Davies said.

“I have been really impressed with the way the players have responded to him and I think that is a credit to him.

“Speaking to players individually they have been impressed with his man-management skills.”

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: Aaron Ramsey, Bolton, captain Kevin Davies, cesc fabregas, CHELSEA, emirates, Emirates Stadium, England, fortunes, french coach, gary megson, goal games, goal victory, golden opportunity, gunners, horizon, league goal, london, Manchester, manchester united, midfield, Nicklas Bendtner, north London, Owen Coyle, premier league, reebok stadium, rivals, robin van persie, Samir Nasri, Theo, title credentials, United, Wenger

Donovan blasts Galaxy teammate Beckham

July 4, 2009

LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Landon Donovan has issued the Los Angeles Galaxy an ultimatum — compel English superstar David Beckham to clean up his act or risk alienating Donovan, the club’s all-time top active scorer.

“Let’s say he does stay here for three more years,” Donovan said in passages from a upcoming book on Sports Illustrated’s website. “I’m not going to spend the next three years of my life doing it this way. This is (expletive) miserable. I don’t want to have soccer be this way.”

US national team captain Donovan blasted Beckham in the book, “The Beckham Experiment”, questioning the former England captain’s work ethic, leadership and teammate skills on the Major League Soccer squad.

“Maybe he’s not a leader. Maybe he’s not a captain,” author Grant Wahl quotes Donovan as saying in the book, scheduled to be released later this month.

“But at a minimum you should bust your ass every day. That hasn’t happened.”

Donovan feels he and Beckham can still mend their fractured relationship but not unless the team takes a tough stance against Beckham.

“I’ve got to confront it somehow,” Donovan said. “If that is the way he is going to be, fine, then hold him accountable. Bench him. Just say ‘We are not going to play you, we don’t think you are committed.”

Donovan, who led the Americans to a surprise runner-up finish on the weekend at the 2009 Confederation Cup, is one of the most decorated players in Galaxy history.

He leads all active Galaxy players in career goals (58), assists (44), shots (226) and game-winning goals (14). He holds club records for multi-goal games (14) and penalty-kick goals (17).

Donovan believes that Beckham, as the highest-paid player in the league, has a responsibility to his team and especially to his Galaxy teammates to set an example through hard work.

“If someone is paying you more than anybody in the league, more than double anybody in the league, the least we expect is that you show up to every game, whether you are suspended or not.

“Show up, train hard, show up and play hard.

“As time has gone on, that has not proven to be the case in many ways, on or of the field.”

Beckham is currently on loan from Los Angeles to AC Milan. The 34-year-old Beckham was originally supposed to return for the entire 2009 season but got his stay in Europe extended to halfway through the MLS season.

Beckham is scheduled to return to the Galaxy for a game in New York against the Red Bulls on July 16, two days after the release of the book.

“I can’t think of another guy where I would say he wasn’t a good teammate,” Donovan said. “He didn’t give everything through all of this. He didn’t still care. But with (Beckham) I would say no, he wasn’t committed.”

Donovan said Beckham’s attitude changed after the team got rid of former coach Ruud Gullit.

“He (Beckham) just flipped a switch and said, ‘Uh-huh, I am not doing it anymore.’

“It coincides with Ruud being let go.”

Donovan said Beckham was sincere about helping the sport grow in North America when he arrived but became discouraged easily.

“He cared. He wanted to do well. He wanted the team and the league to do well,” Donovan was quoted as saying in the book.

“My sense is David is clearly frustrated that he is unhappy and honestly, that he thinks it is a joke. I don’t see dedication or commitment to this team and that is troubling.”

Beckham has left only a modest footprint on the North American soccer landscape in two ineffective seasons so far with the Galaxy.

The Galaxy have failed to make the playoffs since his arrival in 2007.

Even when he has suited up for Los Angeles, Beckham has had little impact. He played just five games of an injury-filled first season and had five goals and 10 assists last season.

American fan interest in Beckham has faded since his splashy introduction in 2007 when more than 66,000 showed up for his first game at Giants Stadium in San Francisco.

Television ratings in 2008 were 22 percent higher for Beckham games than they were for games he didn’t play. But that figure was down from 67 percent during his first year in the league.

Some criticized Beckham and his handlers for misleading the American sports fan. When he arrived, the Galaxy and Beckham’s handlers hyped up a 250 million dollar “agreement”.

But it was a pie-in-sky figure, which Beckham’s handlers slipped past many of Los Angeles’ tail-wagging media which many didn’t check to see if it was true before rushing it into print.

Beckham was also stripped this season of his captaincy as the armband has been handed back to Donovan.

“It is difficult to know how to approach him with things, to be critical of him,” Donovan said. “because he doesn’t take it well.”

Tags: assists, captain Donovan, career goals, confederation cup, David, David Beckham, England, england captain, Europe, expletive, giants stadium, goal games, Grant Wahl, landon donovan, Los Angeles, los angeles galaxy, Major League Soccer, Milan, MLS, New York, North America, North American, passages, penalty kick, San Francisco, soccer squad, sports illustrated, team captain, teammate, teammates, U.S., work ethic, years of my life

Donovan issues ultimatum to Galaxy over Beckham

July 3, 2009

LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Landon Donovan has issued the Los Angeles Galaxy an ultimatum – have English superstar David Beckham clean up his act or risk the departure of Donovan, the club’s all-time top active scorer.

“Let’s say he does stay here for three more years. I’m not going to spend the next three years of my life doing it this way. This is (expletive) miserable,” Donovan said in passages from a forthcoming book put on Sports Illustrated’s website.

US national team captain Donovan blasted Beckham in the book, entitled “The Beckham Experiment”, questioning the former England captain’s work ethic, leadership and ability to be a good teammate on the Major League Soccer squad.

“Maybe he’s not a leader. Maybe he’s not a captain,” author Grant Wahl quotes Donovan as saying in the book, scheduled to be released later this month.

“But at a minimum you should bust your ass every day. That hasn’t happened.”

Donovan, who led the Americans to a runner-up finish on the weekend at the 2009 Confederation Cup, is one of the most decorated players in Galaxy history.

He leads all active Galaxy players in career goals (58), assists (44), shots (226) and game-winning goals (14). He holds club records for multi-goal games (14) and penalty-kick goals (17).

Donovan believes that Beckham, as the highest-paid player in the US league, has a responsibility to his team and especially to his Galaxy teammates to set an example through hard work.

“If someone is paying you more than anybody in the league, more than double anybody in the league, the least we expect is that you show up to every game, whether you are suspended or not.

“Show up, train hard, show up and play hard.

“As time has gone on, that has not proven to be the case in many ways, on or of the field.”

Beckham is scheduled to return to the Galaxy on July 16, two days after the release of the book.

Donovan said Beckham’s attitude changed after the team got rid of former coach Ruud Gullit.

Gullit left the team a little over a month after Beckham played his first game in Los Angeles.

“He (Beckham) just flipped a switch and said, ‘Uh-huh, I am not doing it anymore.’

“It coincides with Ruud being let go.”

Donovan said Beckham was sincere when he arrived in North America but became discouraged easily.

“He cared. He wanted to do well. He wanted the team and the league to do well,” Donovan was quoted as saying.

“My sense is David is clearly frustrated that he is unhappy and honestly, that he thinks it is a joke. I don’t see dedication or commitment to this team and that is troubling.”