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Fabregas has faith in Arsenal

Midfielder Cesc Fabregas still believes Arsenal could snatch the Barclays Premier League title. The Gunners beat Derby County 6-2 on Monday night which left them to within four points of Chelsea and Manchester United with two matches remaining.

“Nothing is impossible,” said Fabregas. “We have to win the last two games and then we’ll see. We are not the favourites, but you never know.”

Derby were well in contention in the first period but Arsenal ran away with it after half-time, with substitute Emmanuel Adebayor grabbing a hat-trick.

“They started very strong and put us under a lot of pressure,” said Fabregas. “After we made it 3-1 we relaxed a bit but they made it 3-2 and we knew we had to push. But fortunately we responded straight away and Theo (Walcott) scored a great goal.”

The midfielder also paid tribute to Adebayor, adding: “He makes a difference every time he plays, he’s a striker who can do everything. We should feel fortunate to have him.”

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Deco on a rescue mission for the Catalans

Deco’s Interview with Julio Gomes Filho:

Now our chance of winning the Primera División is gone, our one and only priority is to reach the Champions League final. The good game we had against Manchester United last week showed everyone we are capable of beating them and booking our ticket to Moscow. We played a very complete game. The only thing missing was obviously a goal on the score sheet. Even so, a goalless draw is not a bad result because another draw in Manchester will put us in the final or at least take us to penalties.

Lots of people criticized Manchester United for playing defensively at Camp Nou, but if you look at their line-up, it was more attacking than in many of their other games. I guess they weren’t actually able to attack us, because we pressed them very well and controlled possession. Their only option was to counterattack, which they tried with Cristiano Ronaldo, but our defence was very alert and marked him well. It was surprising that he missed the penalty, but these things happen in football. It doesn’t overshadow the magnificent season he’s had.

I think I played a good game. It was an enormous relief to play after a long absence and not feel anything wrong. The injury is healed and I am ready for Tuesday’s match. Frank Rijkaard has shown his confidence in me many times before. If he decides to include me in the Old Trafford lineup I will do my best to get to my third Champions League final.

The second leg will be a completely different game because they will try to win the ball and put pressure on us. They need to score, so they will go for it. We need to hang tight during the first 15 minutes and avoid giving it away easily. We must be 100 per cent focused, especially at the start, when their supporters will lift them a lot.

I don’t think the weekend’s league results will have the slightest influence in the semi-final. It is true Manchester United lost an important high-stakes game against Chelsea, but we lost to Deportivo La Coruña as well. Most of United’s starters were benched because of the Barcelona game, so they will be fresh and fit. When a semi-final like this comes around, everybody forgets what has been and focuses only on the match.

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Treasons in Brazilian Football

Every football fan loves Brazil for the way they play football, the fact that their fans all seem to be samba-dancing ladies in bikini tops and for all the incredibly talented superstars who have come from that country over the years. However, while the national team lives up to all of those positive stereotypes more often than not, the fact is that the state of domestic football in Brazil is very rarely so romantic or pleasant.

Kidnapping, corrupt referees, mass brawls, rampaging fans and clubs who sack their managers on a weekly basis; all of these are more commonly found in Brazilian domestic football than samba superstars delighting hordes of attractive beach babes with their silky skills. It may not be pretty, but it’s certainly always interesting, and Sunday’s Paulista championship semi-final second leg clash between Sao Paulo and Palmeiras was another memorable match for all the wrong reasons.

It was played at Parque Antartica, the home ground of Palmeiras, who were trailing 2-1 from the first leg, and they took the lead in the 23rd minute through Leo Lima. The trouble started at half-time, when the visitors returned to their changing-room and quicked exited it, complaining that it had been filled by an unknown gas that was making their players come close to vomiting. They had to hold their team-talk on the pitch instead. “It was impossible to breath, it was extremly irritating for the nostrils and eyes,” team doctor Jose Sanchez told reporters.

Nevertheless, they were able to continue and the match went on, with Jorge Valdivia tapping in Palmeiras’ second goal with six minutes to go after a swift breakaway attack. However, his flamboyant and rather cocky celebrations rubbed the opposition players up the wrong way, and they started to aggressively remonstrate with him. And then the lights went out. There was a scuffle on the pitch during the 15 minute blackout, with the home side’s Martinez sent off after the restart. Andres Dias had already been dismissed in the 80th minute for the visitors.

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Wenger dismiss Villa talks

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has dismissed reports linking him with a summer transfer window move for David Villa. The Valencia striker recently revealed that he admires the way Arsenal play, but Wenger says there is no truth to talk that he has already decided to swoop for the player.

“It is a nice compliment,” he said. “But, for the moment, there is nothing. Who are we going to sign? It has not been decided yet. I have a list where there is a number one, a number two, a number three and a number four for each position we want to strengthen. We have money, just not as much as the papers say because that is not true.”

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Wenger believes in the Gunners

Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger admitted that the title race is over for the Gunner, but he promises they’re attacking style of football will bring them silverware in the future. Arsenal FC are set to be without any trophies for 3 consecutive seasons and Wenger’s comments remain crystal clear.

“We will continue to play the way we do but better, the trophies will come,” he said. “The main target is to keep the team together. They are absolutely amazing.”

Striker Emmanuel Adebayor is behind his Manager as he says that the Gunners will come out fighting next season. Adebayor, who has now scored 20 goals for Arsenal, said “Arsene is a great man and a great manager. He has achieved a lot of things with this club. For sure he is going to be here. He has a vision to bring a lot of good players to this club like Alex Hleb, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue, Cesc Fabregas and William Gallas. They are his players. So, for sure, we will win something, no doubt about that.”

Arsenal are now nine points behind leaders Manchester United and three points behind Chelsea, having played a game more than Chelsea, and with just four fixtures remaining. A disappointed Wenger hinted that certain decisions which went against Arsenal at Old Trafford highlighted a recent trend, but was keen to stress the pride he felt in a team which were controversially knocked out of the Champions League by Liverpool in midweek.

Overall, I am very proud of my team’s performance,” he said. “We had to be exceptionally strong after the Liverpool game - and we were. I feel the difference between success and failure is very little. We do not feel there is much between ourselves, United and Chelsea when it comes to technical ability and quality. So it is difficult to accept we will not win the title. I want to win trophies and it is sad we cannot win a trophy this season. On the other hand, I feel we have done a lot for the Premier League this season by the way we have promoted it.”

Arsenal needed to win at Old Trafford to start clawing back the Premier League leader’s six-point advantage but a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty cancelled out Adebayor’s opener before Owen Hargreaves grabbed the winner to effectively end Arsenal’s hopes. Hargreaves’ free-kick came after Gilberto had been punished for a challenge on Patrice Evra while Ronaldo’s penalty was awarded following a handball by William Gallas.

“Those two decisions made it difficult for us but overall we have to take it,” Wenger said. “With the penalty you can give it or not give it. As for the free-kick I do not think Gilberto touched Evra.”

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