Marouane Chamakh

Marouane Chamakh
Marouane Chamakh

woensdag 29 december 2010

Beautiful pic of Cesc

Cesc at the 2010 Military Awards at the Imperial War Museum in London

maandag 27 december 2010

Arsenal vs Chelsea 3-1

Arsenal-Chelsea 3-1
1-0 Alex Song
2-0 Cesc Fabregas
3-0 Theo Walcott

















Arsenal overcame a Premier League hoodoo to run out 3-1 winners against Chelsea in a thrilling game at the Emirates.

The Blues have been in such freefall recently, the Gunners sensed they could defy previous encounters and claim all three points. From the opening exchanges, Arsenal's intent could not have been clearer.

On six minutes, a beautifully flighted ball over the top from Alex Song went straight onto Robin Van Persie’s foot, but the Dutchman’s control let him down and the ball went behind for a goal kick. While it was not the most aesthetic of football moments, it set the rhythm for the half.

Soon after, Chelsea ensured the game was not a one-sided affair. Laurent Koscielny lost possession in the middle of the pitch and Frank Lampard ran purposefully at the Arsenal defence. The home team sat back as the ball found its way to Didier Drogba, but the big Ivorian fired his effort wide.

Both sides were playing assuredly and the possession was even, but Chelsea very nearly took the lead unexpectedly. A superb ball in from Salomon Kalou was met by Drogba, who had got ahead of his marker, Johan Djourou. The Swiss international recovered enough to distract Drogba, and his header looped off the defender for a corner.

Arsenal were shading the encounter as the half moved into its final third, and Samir Nasri, was next to test the goal. The Frenchman arrowed a powerfully-hit free-kick from around 25 yards and Petr Cech somehow managed to make the stinging shot look comfortable.

The Gunners were looking increasingly confident, and although famed for intricate close-control and one-touch passing, they were finding Chelsea’s square back four an attractive proposition. Another pass over the top caught John Terry flat-footed and Walcott was quickly on to the loose ball. The young winger, who was looking keen and lively, couldn’t keep the ball under control and Cech smothered.

Chelsea’s fragile confidence had not been shattered thus far, but as Arsenal looked more threatening, so the Blues became more tentative. After a few half chances from Walcott and Van Persie, Ashley Cole betrayed Chelsea’s current frame of mind. Heckled all evening by home fans, the left back lunged in on Walcott and conceded the foul. In a moment of needless petulance, the England international kicked the ball away earning himself a booking. The Emirates sang with approval.

As the half entered its last five minutes, the Gunners’ efforts grew more urgent. On 41 minutes the game’s first moment of genius arrived. Samir Nasri, who had been quiet for most of the evening tried a chip from 20 yards, when boxed in by defenders. Although the situation seemed harmless, his effort was sublime and Cech, backpedalling, had to emulate his brilliance to tip the ball over the bar.

Moments later, Arsenal took the lead. Beautiful one-touch play confused the Chelsea defenders who failed to make a challenge and Alex Song, who had started the move, found some space to fire an excellent left-foot shot into the back of the net.

Arsene Wenger’s men might not have wanted to hear the whistle blow a minute later, but the enforced break did little to break their concentration as they took a 2-0 lead six minutes into the second period.

Chelsea’s fragile confidence was exposed horribly as four defenders failed to clear a ball intended for Van Persie, even though the striker had slipped. The ball broke to Walcott who steamed in on goal. The winger did not lose his head, and as Cech advanced he squared the ball to Cesc Fabregas who passed the ball into the empty net.

Carlo Ancelotti’s team were rocking like a heavyweight after a haymaker, and Arsenal took advantage of their opponents’ brittle belief. Two minutes after their second goal, Florent Malouda relinquished possession feebly in the centre circle. As Fabregas advanced, he found himself in a two-on-two situation as Walcott made a good run to his right.

Fabregas drew in the Chelsea defenders and bisected them with a perfectly weighted through-ball for Walcott to run on to. In an almost identical position to where he created the second goal, he again looked completely zen-like as he ran at Cech. As the Czech keeper advanced Walcott took his chance and hit a fantastic shot across the Chelsea stopper, which flew into the goal.

It was beginning to look like a case of damage limitation for the Blues, but within five minutes they had pulled one back. A free-kick from Drogba caused mayhem for Arsenal’s defence, and Branislav Ivanovic stole in and headed powerfully over Lukasz Fabianski as the keeper looked to clear.

Chelsea had suddenly found a motivation; a motivation born from panicked desperation. A Drogba shot was deflected wide and the midfield was starting to show the composure that characterised their dominance last season.

For their part, Arsenal did not go into their shell and hang onto their two-goal cushion. The game stretched and both sides began to pile the bodies forward when in possession. They could have made it 4-1 as Chelsea started to camp in their half. A quick break out by Walcott had Chelsea completely exposed. His cross-field ball deceived Gael Kakuta who slipped allowing Nasri in. The Frenchman angled in towards Cech but his shot was not powerful enough to beat the keeper and Chelsea breathed again.

Both teams’ efforts were turning the game into a thriller, and Ancelotti’s men were straining to get back into the game. As the minutes started to slide away though, their play grew more and more ragged, and despite of a last-gasp effort by Drogba – who saw his fierce shot blocked – Arsenal always looked comfortable and thoroughly deserved the win as Mark Clattenburg blew for full-time.

Marouane Chamakh knackered?

ARSENE WENGER admits Marouane Chamakh's form has suffered due to exhaustion.

Chamakh made a strong start to his debut season in England but his influence has waned recently.
The 27-year-old free transfer from Bordeaux has failed to hit the target for Arsenal in his last three matches.
Now boss Wenger must decide whether to rest him against Chelsea tonight - with Robin van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner both available.
Wenger said: "Marouane has given a lot. He has played a lot on his own up front. He is a bit tired and is used to having a winter break in France at this stage of the season. He has played nearly every game this season.
"He feels that he had a little dip physically but he's working very hard in training to come back."
Arsenal have lost their last five matches against Chelsea - but Wenger said: "We have the quality."

zondag 26 december 2010

Van Persie naar Inter, Suarez naar Arsenal en meer gossip

  • Leonardo van Intern Milan is geinteresseerd in Robin van Persie. Hij heeft hier zo'n 25 miljoen pond voor over. De Arsenalspits heeft al meerdere keren Chamakh voor zich moeten dulden.
  • Geruchten over Suarez van Ajax naar Arsenal: Ajax zou hem willen ruilen voor Bendtner en nog wat geld erbij willen hebben. Ook zou Vertonghen naar Arsenal komen, als Denilson dan met Bendtner mee komt.
  • Onlangs is bekend geworden dat Barcelona maar liefs 85 miljoen pond voor Fabregas over zou hebben. Ook zou het kunnen dat Fabregas gaat en Mascherano komt.
  • Arsene Wenger zou bezig zijn om Ciaran Clark van Aston Villa naar Arsenal te halen voor 8 miljoen pond. Hij heeft ook David Beckham vriendelijk de deur gewezen.
  • En een waarheidje: Naast Cesc Fabregas @cesc4official, Marouane Chamakh @chamakhofficial en Jack Wilshire @jack_wilshere twittert Samir Nasri nu ook.@Nanas08
  • En net bekend geworden: Robin van Persie; @Persie_Official





donderdag 23 december 2010

Marouane Chamakh: I can be Arsenal's Didier Drogba

Marouane Chamakh wants to become a club icon like Wayne Rooney and Didier Drogba.
The Morocco striker has already scored ten goals for Arsenal since joining in the summer, including the club's quickest in Premier League history at Wolves.
But after only half a season in English football, the French-born forward insists he will get better.
And the 26-year-old has set his sights on becoming as important for the Gunners as Rooney at Manchester United and Drogba at Chelsea.
"I know I have the ability and through hard work I can improve my game," said Chamakh.
"I think I haven't reached their level yet but I will get there one day. This will happen if I keep focused and if I carry on working hard.
"I don't feel inferior to them but they've worked really hard to get where they are."

Chamakh joined on a Bosman transfer in the summer after eight years at Bordeaux, where he helped win the title in 2009.
But he admitted he initially found it hard to follow in the footsteps of Francophile strikers like Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka and Emmanuel Adebayor in North London.
"At the start, I put myself under a bit of pressure because of that," he said. "Knowing that I had only played at only one club, I thought I would need a season to adapt. But I am ahead of schedule. I didn't think I would play so much but with suspensions and injuries, I have been able to take advantage. It has helped me progress. I love our style of play. You get to touch the ball a lot. We have the same philosophy as with Laurent Blanc (former Bordeaux, now France, coach). What I like is that we never change tactics because who we are playing. We play our own game. I am sure that in time, I am going to score a lot of goals."
Acclimatising to English life has been helped by finding a house near the Arsenal training ground, hiring two Moroccan chefs - and his friendship with Samir Nasri.
"We have got on really well together since the start of pre-season," Chamakh explained. "He has been like a brother to me. He took care of me, really helped me, took me out and invited me to his house to watch World Cup matches."
On the field, the forward admitted the club's Spanish captain had been a revelation.
"I love to play with Fabregas," Chamakh continued. "He is a fantastic kid.
I didn't really know him before I arrived here. In the few matches we have played together, I have found a player with fantastic talent, great vision and a very rare quality of passing. Yohann Gourcuff (at Bordeaux) was superb, but when I see that I play with Nasri, Fabregas, Diaby or the little Wilshere, an adorable kid, I can say that I am very lucky."
And after signing a four-year deal in the summer, Chamakh now wants to see out his contract.
"I am in the club of my life. I don't count on staying in football forever. I will go till the end of my contract. That leaves me with four good years. I played at my favourite club in France and I played now with the club I have loved since I was little. For some, it is Real Madrid or Barcelona. Me, it has always been Arsenal. You have to see that I leave the pitch worn out after every match. I am very proud to be a Gunner."


Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Marouane-Chamakh-wants-to-become-Arsenal-s-Didier-Drogba-article656131.html#ixzz18x638M5S

zondag 19 december 2010

100 miljoen voor Fabregas en Miyachi to join Arsenal

Arsenal heeft bevestigd dat zij in januari de aanvaller Ryo Miyaichi verwelkomen. Ryo, 18 jaar, heeft afgelopen zomer al een proefperiode gehad en is blijkbaar goed bevallen. Daarna is het wonderkind op bezoek geweest bij Ajax maar doordat hij een gebroken been opliep werd de stage vroegtijdig afgebroken. Het Japanse toptalent speelt momenteel in een Japans Soccer Tournament. Daarna komt hij naar Londen.



100 miljoen voor Cesc en Torres

Barcelona wil 100 miljoen euro bieden voor Cesc fabregas en Ferando Torres van Liverpool. De spanjaarden kunnen dit bod doen omdat ze een financiële boost hebben gekregen van de shirtsponsor.
Fabregas wordt al een paar seizoen gekoppeld aan Barcelona. Afgelopen zomer zou hij al overstappen maar bleef bij Arsenal na een gesprek met trainer Arsene Wenger.
Nu zal de Gunner het aanbod aannemen als Barcelona over de brug komt.
Source: http://www.goal.com/