Hello, and sorry it's early but welcome to the official Arsenal vs Sunderland match thread. It's the first game of the new Premier League season, and my first Arsenal match thread, so thank you to Batmanu .
Live Article: http://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewLiveArticle/144356
BREAKING NEWS
Song to Join Barca
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19293825
Match Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hzrDeceEKc
Injury News
Arsenal
Doubtful Walcott (thigh)
Injured Koscielny (calf, 25 Aug), Oxlade-Chamberlain (ankle, 25 Aug), Sagna (broken leg, 2 Sep), Frimpong (knee, Oct), Wilshere (foot, Oct)
Sunderland
Doubtful Sessègnon (ankle)
Injured Vaughan (groin, 1 Sep), Bardsley (ankle, Oct), Brown (knee, unknown)
Team News
Arsenal
Arsenal: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Diaby (Ramsey 69), Arteta, Cazorla, Walcott (Arshavin, 76), Gervinho, Podolski (Giroud 63).
Substitutes: Mannone, Djourou, Coquelin, Santos, Ramsey, Arshavin, Giroud
Sunderland
Sunderland: Mignolet, Gardner, Cuellar, O'Shea, Richardson, Larsson (Meyler 79), Colback, Cattermole, McClean, Sessegnon (Saha 63), Campbell (Elmohamady 69)
Subs: Westwood, Wickham, Kilgallon, Meyler, Bramble, <yikes.Saha, Elmohamady.
What they've said
Arsene Wenger
"This decision is not made. No [bid has been made]. I cannot tell you more." "He [Sahin] is one of the players who we follow. I don't know about Liverpool's interest, honestly." "The reality is when the player doesn't want to stay you have two ways [to handle it]: you either force him to stay or you accept the reality and you let him go,"
"I have chosen the second solution. I know it is a massive challenge and a massive gamble I took but we have the quality to deal with the problem we have and, at the end of the day, I can talk and talk and talk but we can only show it on the pitch now.
"We had only one club really interested at the level we thought would be acceptable and that was Manchester United. At the end of the day, that was the only decision we could make.
"It would have been easier [if Van Persie had been sold to a club outside England], for him and for us. But it didn't happen. Time heals all things and, of course, at the moment people are hurt, which I understand.
"But what is important for us is to focus on the season in front of us. Life goes on. The football club is 125 years old and other big players have left this club and we have always gone from season to season in a strong way."
Laurent Koscielny
'I am happy he (Giroud) has joined the club because he played very well at Montpellier,' 'I played with him at Tours and he was a great player then. Now he is even more confident and scores a lot of goals.
'I know his qualities and he will give a lot for us. I know he has the physical quality to play in this league. For a striker it is about confidence and I am sure he is working hard to start well with Arsenal.
'He is tall, like Marouane Chamakh, and is also good with his back to goal. I think he will be happy here.'
Thomas Vermaelen
Thomas Vermaelen"It makes me really happy and proud to be Arsenal captain - it's a real honour,""I won't change the way I am, though. The boss makes you captain because of the way you are, so I won’t change how I am in the dressing room or outside. I want to lead by example, and do as well as I can on the pitch.
"Maybe I am not much of a talker away from the pitch, but I want to lead the team through the way I play.""Every captain is different, everyone has his own personality and does it in his own way,"
" did it really well last year, and of course what he did on the pitch was great as well.
"But away from that he did a lot of team building, making sure the team was a real team, and I want to do things like that as well."
Top Scorers
Arsenal
Nobody
Sunderland
Form Table
Arsenal - 0/0
Sunderland - 0/0
Head to Head
Arsenal wins 54
Sunderland wins 50
Draws 38%
Recent Record
18/2/2012 Sunderland 2-0 Arsenal
11/2/2012 Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal
16/10/2011 Arsenal 2-1 Sunderland
5/3/2011 Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland
Stats
Good Stats
Sunderland have not won at Arsenal in any competition since May 1983
Martin O'Neill has won only one of his 16 meetings with Arsène Wenger as a manager
Bad Stats
Arsenal have had a debutant sent off in the opening game of each of the last two season – Laurent Koscielny in 2010-11 and Gervinho in 2011-12
Arsenal did not win a single penalty at home in the top flight last season
GGGGGGOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLSSSSS
Bookings
Rules
1. Comment✔
2. No fake scorelines✔
3. Be fickle✔
4. Hate the s✔
5. No Scousers✔
6. ✔
7. COYG✔
8. No posting pictures of the in his Man Utd clothes ✔
9. No Mancs ✔
Bookings for users
My Families Spending Power¥Winter is comin... (U5924) - Posting fake scorelines
Links
http://www.str3amtv.pt.am
http://www.vipbox.tv/
http://slipstreamtv2.blogspot.com/
http://www.sportlemon.tv/c-1.html
http://www.tvcatchup.com
http://www.ilemi.me/26082/1/Watch-Arsenal-vs-Sunderland-/
Venue ASHBURTON GROVE - HOME OF FOOTBALL
KO: 3:00 PM
Browse:
✔ FT Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland Match Thread✔
comment by Evil_Gunnersaurus (U11082)
posted on 18/8/12
We just need to shoot on target
comment by Whip/Elneny #WengerOut (U6563)
posted on 18/8/12
I'm just gonna wait till MOTD to watch any of the highlights
posted on 18/8/12
Two Spurs fans announced the confirmation of Songs departure from the arsenal website!
posted on 18/8/12
I'm not even going to watch MOTD,
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted on 18/8/12
No reason to make a Song and dance about it pp
comment by Whip/Elneny #WengerOut (U6563)
posted on 18/8/12
Spurtle aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
comment by Edinspur (U1109)
posted on 18/8/12
It was from the twitter pp
comment by Evil_Gunnersaurus (U11082)
posted on 18/8/12
Song does not billong here
posted on 18/8/12
Funny Spurtle!
comment by Whip/Elneny #WengerOut (U6563)
posted on 18/8/12
Evil_Gunnersaurus aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
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