Tag Archives: defender

Defender eyes Gunners Euro prize

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Johan Djourou thinks Arsenal are strong enough to win the Champions League this season and feels the Gunners (10/1 in Outright Winners market) are in ‘good shape’.

Arsene Wenger’s men highlighted their European credentials with a 5-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates on Tuesday.

The Gunners made light work of the 2009 UEFA Cup winners, with Marouane Chamakh (12/1 Champions League Top Scorer 2010/11), Jack Wilshere, Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Alex Song on the scoresheet.

The result leaves Arsenal top of Group H, with three wins out of three and a three-point advantage over second-placed Shakhtar (1/5 to qualify from Group H).

Europe’s top club prize has eluded Wenger to date, with the nearest he has come to lifting the trophy coming back in 2006, when Arsenal lost to Barcelona in the final.

But Djourou, who was handed a start on Tuesday in the absence of Laurent Koscielny and Thomas Vermaelen, feels their time may have come.

The Swiss international said: “I think the result shows that Arsenal is ready to go as far as possible in the Champions League.

“It’s early but it shows people that we can do well in the competition. We are more or less qualified even though there are still three games left.”

Arsenal (1/8 to win Group H) can move a step closer to qualification for the knockout stages with victory in the Ukraine on November 3.

But the Gunners turn their attentions to important domestic matters this weekend, when they face Manchester City at Eastlands (Man City 13/10, Draw 11/5, Arsenal 2/1 – Match Betting) on Sunday.

Having already lost to West Brom and Chelsea, Lukasz Fabianski has targeted the clash with Roberto Mancini’s men as a must-win game.

The goalkeeper added: “It’s a massive game for us because we want to be in the title race. We want to go there for sure to win the game. We have to win it.”

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Reds boosted by defender deal

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Manchester United’s hopes of winning the Premier League (5/2 to win title) have been boosted by the news Nemanja Vidic has penned a new deal but Rio Ferdinand could be missing for another six weeks.

Central defence is a key area as Manchester United look to win the title back from Chelsea, but at one stage it looked as though neither of the influential duo would be in the first team for the opening-day clash at home to Newcastle (United 1/5 to win).

Ferdinand will be missing as he battles to recover from the knee injury that he picked up at the World Cup with England but at least Vidic will be on board after penning a new deal.

The Serbian had been strongly linked with a move away from the club with Real Madrid known to be keen but thankfully from a United point of view, Vidic has had a word with the wife and all now appears to be well.

Rumours suggested that Vidic would seek a move as his wife was not settled living in England but they have now been dispelled as the player has penned an extension which means he will be at Old Trafford for the next four years, much to the delight of Sir Alex Ferguson.

“Over the last year or so there has been speculation about Nemanja time and time again, sometimes by the press, sometimes fuelled by other sources,” Fergie revealed.

“But we never had a strong feeling he really wanted to leave. There is always concern if they do well they want better contracts. At the end of the day we have managed to achieve the task of getting him to agree a four-year contract.

“We are delighted, he is fantastic centre-half, a great competitor with a marvellous attitude to winning games. It strengthens our hand.”

With Vidic in place for the long-term barring any injuries, Ferguson is now hoping to get Ferdinand back as soon as possibile but it looks like being another six weeks.

Ferguson does have other options in the form of Jonny Evans, Wes Brown and Chris Smalling and the Reds boss will have to turn to one of those three while Ferdinand battles back.

Fergie has been linked with central defenders all summer but now that Vidic has pledged his future to the club it seems as though that search is on hold even if doubts persist over the fitness of Ferdinand.

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