Champions League Draw: Arsenal Draw Liverpool

Arsenal failed to avoid Premier League opposition by drawing last year's finalists Liverpool in the Champions League Quarterfinal Draw. The mouthwatering all-English tie is the most competitive of the quarterfinals.

The draw means that Arsenal face a tough three weeks, their next six fixtures looking particularly daunting. In addition to facing Liverpool three times in one week, Arsenal will face off against Chelsea and Manchester United in the next three weeks. The Gunners next six games look like this: at Chelsea, at Bolton, Liverpool, Liverpool, at Liverpool, at Manchester United.

Even with the returns of Kolo Toure and Robin van Persie, Arsenal will have a tough time keeping their squad fit during such an important series of games, and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger may even resort to rotating some of his key players.

Nonetheless, Wenger believes that his team have what it takes to knock Liverpool out of the Champions League, citing the fact that they have already knocked out holders AC Milan.

"Let's give our best," said the manager, "We showed against Milan that when we are at our best we can beat anyone. We just knocked Milan out, who were the holders. That was a big hurdle.

"Now we have the finalists on our route - so why can't we do it again?"

Arsenal fans will be happy to have avoided Premier League title rivals Manchester United and Chelsea, but disappointed not to have drawn foreign opposition. The Gunners are likely to face Chelsea in the next round, as the Blues drew Fenerbahce in the same half of the draw as Arsenal. If Manchester United can beat Roma and the winners of Barcelona and Schalke 04, Arsenal may play English teams for the remaining rounds of the competition.

The full quarterfinal draw:
AS Roma vs. Manchester United
Schalke 04 vs. Barcelona
Arsenal vs. Liverpool
Fenerbahce vs. Chelsea

Semifinals:
Roma/Manchester United vs. Schalke/Barcelona
Arsenal/Liverpool vs. Fenerbahce/Chelsea

Arsenal vs. Aston Villa: Match Preview

Aston Villa travel to the Emirates this Saturday in order to face league leaders Arsenal in an important clash for both teams. Arsenal will be searching for a full three points to stay clear of Manchester United at the top of the table, while Villa will be looking to break into Europe by taking at least a point from the Gunners.

The Villans, who currently sit in sixth place in the Premier League, have defeated Reading and Newcastle United since losing at Fulham, and have performed admirably against the big four so far this season. A win at home against Chelsea and two draws at Liverpool and Chelsea are marred only by defeats to Manchester United and Arsenal. Mark Hughes will be hoping that his team can amend their record against the Gunners, and will feel especially confident because of the Arsenal injury list.

Arsene Wenger will be unable to choose six of his players, although Abou Diaby is expected to return to the Arsenal squad in time for the match. Kolo Toure, Eduardo, Robin van Persie, Alex Song, Tomas Rosicky, and Johan Djourou will all miss the match with injury while Emmanuel Eboue will sit out due to suspension.

Villa, on the other hand, are almost completely fit, with Olof Mellberg the only injury doubt for the game.

Arsenal will likely line up with Manuel Almunia in goal behind a back four of Bacary Sagna, Philippe Senderos, William Gallas, and Gael Clichy. The Arsenal defenders are usually quite dependable, but will face a tough test against the guile of Gareth Barry, the pace of Gabby Agbonlahor, the pinpoint crosses of Ashley young, and the height of John Carew. It would be a huge boost for the Gunners if they could keep Villa quiet on set pieces.

In the middle of the park Alex Hleb, Cesc Fabregas, and either Theo Walcott or Abou Diaby should be able to dominate the midfield with their passing skills while Mathieu Flamini disrupts the visitor's play.

Emmanuel Adebayor will start up front without Eduardo for the first time in a few matches, as the Croatian suffered from a horrible tackle against Birmingham last weekend. Theo Walcott is in contention for a spot alongside the lanky Togolese striker after his impressive showing against Birmingham, although Nicklas Bendtner also has a decent chance of starting. Villa have allowed a fair number of goals considered to those around them in the table, and Arsenal, the top goalscoring team in the league, will be looking to exploit this defensive weakness.

Despite a poor showing against Birmingham last weekend, Arsenal are clear favorites to win this match and should be able to do so even without some of their key players. I predict a 3-1 home win.

Does Arsenal Have What It Takes To Win The Title?

Arsenal went to the top of the Premier League last weekend after defeating Manchester City and watching Manchester United slip up at Tottenham.

The win took Arsene Wenger's team to 60 points in 25 games, two points ahead of last season's champions United and six ahead of title-challengers Chelsea. With 13 league games left, anything could happen. Does the Arsenal squad have the necessary depth, belief, and skill to sustain its title charge for until May? Let's take a closer look:

Depth: Arsenal's squad is not the biggest, but the quality of the club's second-tier players is more than enough to make up for an apparent lack of numbers. Wenger has often been criticised for his seeming reluctance to splash cash during transfer windows. This January was no different as Wenger failed to bring in a single player despite losing Lassana Diarra to Portsmouth and Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue, and Alex Song to the Africa Cup of Nations. The Arsenal manager claimed that he did not want to burden his squad with too many players when his African stars returned from international duty.

Despite the outcry of Arsenal fans who wanted to welcome a center-back to replace Toure, Arsenal have won three of their four Premier League games since Toure, Eboue, and Song departed. With only one more league game to play before the African trio returns, it seems as though Philippe Senderos, Justin Hoyte, Armand Traore, and Johan Djourou provide enough cover for our defence in case of injury.

The Gunners also have one of the deepest midfield line-ups in the league. The recent form of Mathieu Flamini has been enough to keep Brazil captain Gilberto Silva from starting many matches, and Neves Denilson, Eboue, and the improving Abou Diaby are all ready to cover for Alex Hleb, Cesc Fabregas, and Tomas Rosicky.

Up front, Emmanuel Adebayor has proved his worth at the right time. The departure of Thierry Henry and a long-term injury to Robin van Persie could have been a major crisis, but Adebayor's brilliance has lifted the squad. With Eduardo beginning to settle in and Nicklas Bendtner showing his potential, van Persie's absence is barely noticeable and Theo Walcott's mediocrity can be forgotten.

Although Arsenal's official website lists only 25 numbered first team players, the Arsenal squad has a strength in depth enough to make up for any number of potentially dangerous injuries.

Belief: Arsenal's youngsters have the mental strength necessary to win the title. Skipper William Gallas, along with a large number of his players, have often stated their desire to win the title this season, and often show their aspirations on the pitch. They always seem capable of pulling the game round even on the rare occasions when they concede early on. In fact, 20 of Arsenal's 52 league goals have come in the final 15 minutes of a match.

One of the most exciting games of the season was a 3-2 Carling Cup victory over Blackburn Rovers, in which some of the Gunners' younger players showed their mental and physical endurance. Early goals from Abou Diaby and Eduardo saw Arsenal 2-0 up within half an hour of the start, but a goal from Roque Santa Cruz grabbed one back for Blackburn before half time. Santa Cruz bagged his second around the hour mark to force Arsenal into extra time. However, despite the mental fatigue of having surrendered a two goal lead and the physical fatigue of an added 30 minutes of play time, Arsenal went on to win the game when Eduardo scored his second.

Just as the squad never gives up on a game, not a single one of Wenger's boys will give up on the title challenge. Arsenal are the comeback kings, and having regained the lead last weekend, they are sure to show their amazing belief required to challenge for the title.

Skill: Although they are young, Arsenal's players are some of the most skilful in the league. Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy have both proved to be rock-solid in defending. Their offensive capabilities are what makes them the best full-back pair in England. While neither has scored a goal for the club, the Frenchmen have confounded defenders and assisted their strikers in scoring goals, while shielding the Arsenal goal.

Flamini's box-to-box action has finally earned him the respect of Arsenal fans. The 23-year-old's pinpoint tackles have often prevented opposition goals and Flamini has even added a few goals of his own to the mix. Fabregas and Hleb are two of the most accurate passers on the planet. Hleb's skill with the ball at his feet and Fabregas' newly-discovered penchant for scoring goals makes the pair invaluable to Arsenal's cause.

Emmanuel Adebayor has improved dramatically since last season. No longer a wasteful finisher, the Togolese striker's incredible leap has added a number of headed goals. His silky control is incredible for such a tall footballer and his powerful shot has seen him contribute 18 league goals this season.

Arsenal's starting XI is one of the most skilful groups of footballers in the world, and with the depth and belief to back up their footballing prowess, they should be taken as contenders, if not favourites, to win the 2008 Premier League title.

Arsenal Close In On Freeman Transfer

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has stated that the North London giants are close to signing 15 year-old Gillingham starlet Luke Freeman. The English striker is the youngest player ever to have featured in the FA Cup after coming on against Barnet in the first round of the competition at the tender age of 15 years and 233 days.

Wenger, who has been criticized for relying too heavily on foreign players, emphasized that most of his current youth crop are English, and that he would continue to spend on young English talent.

"Yes, we will be pushing [the Freeman deal] through," said the Arsenal boss.

"I met the boy and I like him. He has personality and he looks alert. He's a striker and to play in a first team at 15 years of age is something special.

"We were quite well on the case and we are very positive that we will find an agreement with the club without going to compensation. We will pay them a transfer."

Wenger, who is renowned for his talent-spotting ability, is well aware of the risk taken in signing such young players.

"The more you go down [in ages] the greater the margin of error," he said. "Sometimes you see a player at 13 and you think 'absolutely amazing' then two years later he has disappeared.

"But our target is to produce good players and I believe we are on the right road with the way we want to work throughout the Club.

"I know how much the English national team means here to people. To contribute to that would be a big pride as well. At the moment it is not my first responsibility.

"But I have been accused of only buying foreign players and I would like to contribute to the quality of English football."

"I want to buy English," he added.

FA Cup Draw: Arsenal To Play Newcastle

Arsenal avoided an FA Cup meeting with one of the big four, but will still face a Premier League side in the form of 11th placed Newcastle United, if the Magpies manage to beat Stoke City in their third round replay.

The Gunners have already faced Newcastle twice this season, drawing in the league and winning in the Carling Cup. If the Magpies defeat Stoke City on the 16th, it means that they will have to travel to the Emirates twice in one week, as the FA Cup fourth round is meant to be played on the 26th, and Arsenal are to face Newcastle in the Premier League on the 29th.

The draw is fairly favorable for Arsenal as they won't have to face any of the big four, although Newcastle are one of the better sides still in the competition.

The FA Cup draw:
Arsenal v Stoke City/Newcastle
Coventry v Walsall/Millwall
Oldham v Huddersfield Town
Swindon/Barnet v Fulham/Bristol Rovers
Wigan v Chelsea
Luton/Liverpool v Swansea/Havant & Waterlooville
Southend v Barnsley
Southampton v Norwich/Bury
Man Utd v Tottenham/Reading
Portsmouth v Plymouth
Derby/Sheff Wed v Preston
Watford v Wolves
Peterborough v Charlton/West Brom
Sheff Utd v West Ham/Man City
Mansfield v Middlesbrough
Tranmere/Hereford v Cardiff

Burnley vs. Arsenal: Match Review

A young Arsenal side reached the fourth round of the FA Cup after defeating a resilient Burnley 2-0 at the Turf Moor in front of a crowd of 16,000.

Eduardo continued his great run of form by scoring the Gunners' first after 9 minutes and supplying the pass for Nicklas Bendtner's first and Arsenal's second in the 75th.

The Croat and the Dane were two bright spots in an off-color Arsenal squad that would not have found such a favorable result against a Premier League team with the same display.

Lineups:
Burnley: Gabor Kiraly; Graham Alexander, Steven Caldwell, John Harley, Stanislav Varga; Wade Elliot, Chris McCann, James O'Connor, Robbie Blake; Andy Gray, Kyle Lafferty

Arsenal: Jens Lehmann; Bacary Sagna, Kolo Toure, Philippe Senderos, Armand Traore; Neves Denilson, Gilberto Silva, Abou Diaby, Emmanuel Eboue; Eduardo, Nicklas Bendtner

Arsenal put some pressure on Burnley for the first few minutes, but it was the Clarets who had the first chance of the game, nearly stunning the London giants through Kyle Lafferty after 5 minutes. Andy Gray had made a surging run down the right flank, and crossed the ball into the penalty area where it was met by Lafferty who hit Lehmann's crossbar with the German already looking beaten.

The chance lifted the crowd at the Turf Moor and for a few moments it looked as though Burnley could truly be giant-killers. Unfortunately for the home fans, though, it was the Gunners who took the lead only four minutes later.

Kolo Toure chipped a long ball up the field to Eduardo, who finished coolly to make it 6 goals in the last 4 games. The Croatian is finally beginning to look like he could challenge for a spot even when Robin van Persie returns.

Burnley did not falter under the pressure, and continued to attack Arsenal. Gray had a shot blocked by Bacary Sagna and Robbie Blake fired just over, but it was Arsenal who would come closest to scoring again in the first half. Gilberto, who has yet to score a goal for the club this season, rose to meet a corner, but saw his header cleared off the line by a well positioned Graham Alexander.

The Clarets had their own chance before 45 minutes were up though, when the inexperienced Armand Traore had trouble clearing the ball out of the penalty area. The ball was stolen and Jens Lehmann was completely out of position, but Chris McCann granted the Gunners a needed lifeline by shooting well over the bar.

Arsenal's final chance of the half saw Nicklas Bendtner attempt a bicycle kick after a cross from Denilson. Unfortunately for the tall Dane, his shot fell straight to the Burnley keeper, and the half ended with a lackluster Arsenal one goal up.

The Gunners came out strongly after the restart, with a clever one-two setting Eduardo free. The Croatian uncharacteristically misplaced his finish, firing just left of the post.

Burnley were still hoping to earn a replay, but lost their chance when Lafferty was somewhat contentiously sent off in the 60th minute. The Burnley forward's tackle had not looked malicious, and although his studs were up, the red card was very harsh. Referee Alan Wiley had no question though, brandishing the red without any hesitation at all.

Arsenal had the upper hand now, and should have scored soon after. Emmanuel Eboue couldn't decide whether to cross or shoot and his ball into the box came nowhere near to doing anything.

The goal came soon enough though, when Eduardo turned supplier with a perfect pass to Bendtner. The 19 year-old rounded Gabor Kiraly easily and slotted home to announce his return from suspension after two yellow cards at Everton. The goal ended Burnley's hopes of FA Cup glory.

The scoreline was flattering for Arsenal and tough on Burnley, but the Gunners were still happy to be in to the next round. However, they will have to play better to defeat stronger opposition in the future.

Jens Lehmann Free To Leave Arsenal

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has stated that Jens Lehmann is free to leave the Gunners during the transfer window, but maintains that the veteran stopper has not yet decided on his future.

Rumors had it that Borussia Dortmund, the player's former club, were set to announce Lehmann's signing yesterday, but the day passed with little transfer movement of note, and Lehmann still at Arsenal.

"When I extended the contract for Jens, I opened the door that if he does not play [for us] and has a chance to play in the European Championships, then I would not stop him from leaving in January," said Wenger. "If he does not play, that means somebody else can get in front of him.

"I have heard that Dortmund made a press conference and they did not announce Jens but they are hopeful. The door is not closed for Jens, but at the moment we have not reached any agreement. I do not even believe he has made his mind up.

"He still thinks he should play, and I respect that. On one side you cannot want a player to give 100 per cent every day to be the best and then accept he is not the best. They do not work together.

"But what I respect the most is he is a player who comes in and does his job 100 per cent and does not talk too much. That is what he does at the moment."

Personally, I'm not too sure about that last part. Lehmann lost his first-choice place in large part due to the fact that he could not stop criticizing Manuel Almunia, and even at times Wenger himself.

I am keen to see the club cash in on the German. He performed well for Arsenal in past seasons, and I commend him for that, but his recent dip of form, in conjunction with his volatile personality makes me hope that he leaves sooner rather than later.

Tomas Rosicky rubbishes Inter Milan rumors

Arsenal star Tomas Rosicky has denied any possibility of a January switch to Inter Milan.

The Czech Repulic captain, who scored yesterday as his country qualified for the 2008 European Championships, has been linked with Inter Milan since the Summer, when the Italian champions proposed a loan switch for Adriano.

Inter also reportedly tried to sign Rosicky in 2005 and 2006, before Arsenal pried him away from former club Borussia Dortmund.

However, Inter don't look to be getting any luckier this time around, with Pavel Paska, the player's agent, rubbishing the link.

"I am ruling out this option," his agent told Sport.

"Inter wanted Tomas two years ago, something happened also a year ago.

"But to say now, this winter he could move there? No, that is absolutely untrue."

Gunners Trial Congo Striker Mputu

Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger is set to offer Congo striker Tresor Mputu a 10 day trial with the North London giants.

The 21 year-old forward currently plays for TP Mazembe in the Congo, but with interest from teams across Europe, it seems like he will be leaving Africa soon.

Salomon Idi Kalonda, director of Mputu's current club, has gone public on the trial.

"We've received an invitation from Arsenal for Mputu," he told News of the World.

"Talks began a long time ago but we didn't want to say anything before an agreement was reached.

"We ruled out a number of clubs before choosing Arsenal."

The fact that Mputu chose to trial at Arsenal comes as a great success for the club, especially considering the promise that the youngster shows.

Former Cameroon coach Claude le Roy, a man famous for his 'discovery' of Samuel Eto'o, has stated that Tresor Mputu is better than the Cameroonian Barcelona legend.

The reported price of £500,000 could become the crown jewel in Arsene Wenger's already impressive crown if Mputu were to become as great as Eto'o.

Arsene Wenger's January Transfer Window Targets

Arsene Wenger has revealed that he does not yet have any particular transfer targets, although he would like to strengthen one of his squad's positions.

However, the Arsenal manager refused to say which position he would splash cash in.

"It is not impossible," he said in response to a question asking if he would spend in January. "I don’t think I will get anybody in but if I get one opportunity in one area then I will not neglect it."

The fact that Wenger will not spend a large part of his allegedly huge transfer window allotment will come as a disappointment to some Arsenal fans, but Arsenal's position at the top of the Premier League would imply they don't need to spend too much.

One piece of evidence that particularly defends Arsene Wenger's decision not to spend big in January is Arsenal's current success.

Despite signing only five players and losing talismanic striker Thierry Henry last summary (read a summary of all the ins and outs of the transfer window here) Arsenal's youngsters have helped the club to an undefeated run of twenty games, including 16 wins and only 4 draws, this season.

Arsene Wenger always seems to have some tricks up his sleeve in the transfer window though, so we'll see what happens come January.

Arsene Wenger: Quota Will Kill Premier League

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is firmly opposed to Sepp Blatter's proposed player quota. The FIFA President's plan would limit each team to only five foreign players, decimating the Arsenal squad.

Wenger, who's team is often criticized for its lack of English players believes that the quota would destroy the EPL's reputation as the best footballing Premier League in the world.

"It would kill the Premier League at the moment for being the best league in the world, certainly," said Wenger. "Why? Because you can see a massive reduction in the quality. If you have the choice between 200 million players or 50 million players, it is less good. It is as simple as that.

"It will protect the bad players, or those who are not good enough. Also, if the best English players play with the best world-class players, then they will be even better and develop quicker." The Arsenal boss also feels that it is not his job to look out for nationality, but rather to search for the best players he can find. Even at a British football club, that could mean anyone from anywhere in the world.

Wenger told Arsenal.com: “I would not be very happy [if it happened] because I feel sport is linked with quality. Our purpose is to push the level of the game as high as we can to give people entertainment. If one day you say 'sorry, you cannot play. I know you are better but you are not from the right place', then I would not be happy."

There's another reason Wenger would be unhappy: Arsenal's last starting XI was made up entirely of foreign players. If FIFA were to implement their plan, Theo Walcott (our only British player) would stay alongside 5 foreign players, leaving Arsene Wenger to find an entirely new football team.