After coming from behind to beat regular pre-season opponents Barnet 2-1 on Saturday, Arsene Wenger takes his young side to play their second summer friendly against Hungarian First Division side Szombathelyi Haladas tomorrow afternoon.
The ‘Hali’, who were founded in 1919, will provide a good test for Arsenal, who have been boosted by the return of the Euro 2008 internationals and other senior players.
Indeed, Haladas president Péter Bíró has claimed that a strong Arsenal side will take to the field tomorrow, meaning fans will undoubtedly flock to the 18,000 capacity Haladas VSE Stadium.
Coach Aurél Csertoi, in a press conference today, joked:
“I know we aren’t the favourites but we are looking forward to it. It is good for Hungarian football and will be useful for the players to experience
what it is like to face world-class players. We know that the entire world will be watching us and we would like to hold our ground, naturally.”
Team News – Szombathelyi Haladas
The unknown Hungarians, who count Burnley keeper Gabor Kiraly as one of their more famous ex-players, will be without midfielders Norbert Toth and Adam Simon while forward Peter Andorka is also a doubt.
Predicted Starting XI
Ròzsa
Schimmer – Guzmics – Kuttor -Tòth
Vörös – Balázs – Kaj
Márton – Krisztián – Simon
Team News – Arsenal
With most of the players who featured in Euro 2008 now returning, bar Cesc Fabregas, fans are speculating as to the strength of the Gunners’ line-up for the game. It is rumoured that both new signing Samir Nasri and Carlos Vela, who unfortunately took a knock in training before the Barnet game, may well feature alongside other returnees, including Kolo Toure and Robin van Persie.
After impressing against Barnet, £5m signing Aaron Ramsey is also expected to play some part against the Hungarian part-timers. Barcelona and AC Milan target Emmanuel Adebayor will take part, after training with the rest of the first-teamers for the first time earlier today.
Predicted Starting XI
Fabianski
Sagna – Nordtveit – Djourou – Clichy
Eboue – Denilson – Randall – Traore
Walcott – Bendtner
Match Prediction: Szombathelyi Haladas 0-4 Arsenal
Leave your predictions and views welcome in the comments section below.
Tags: arsenal, Clichy, Eboue, nasri, Szombathelyi Haladas, toure
July 21, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Im surprised Arsenal havent announced who the squad is yet, guess we’ll just have to wait and see
July 21, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Nasri….
i like it
July 21, 2008 at 7:45 pm
I would be surprised if the players that have had only 1 days training make the squad, let alone the starting line-up.
July 21, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Anyone know if its true that Eduardo was also back today?
July 21, 2008 at 7:47 pm
It seems strange that the likes of Nasri, Ade, Toure have all travelled with the squad, obviously they will come off the bench.
July 21, 2008 at 7:50 pm
wicked article
July 21, 2008 at 7:59 pm
which players traveled for pre-season training? can some one tell me please…or can u do an article on that please..love your blog
July 21, 2008 at 8:02 pm
These are the senior players that reportedly returned today:
2. Abou Diaby
5. Kolo Toure
6. Philippe Senderos
8. Samir Nasri
11. Robin Van Persie
17. Alexandre Song
20. Johan Djourou
25. Emmanuel Adebayor
27. Emmanuel Eboue
Fabregas & Gallas will return for the Stuttgart game, while Eduardo is due back in late September.
July 21, 2008 at 8:02 pm
And cheers, Seguijja.
July 21, 2008 at 8:08 pm
why would gallas get extra leave?
July 21, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Looking forward 2 seeing Vela and Nasri make there debuts i also hope Lansbury gets a chance to play in his prefered DM position as i really rate the lad.
Hopefully the starting lineup will be:
Fabianski
Sagna – Nordtveit – Djourou – Clichy
Ramsey – Randall – Lansbury – Vela
Walcott – Bendtner
July 21, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Vela will make his debut in the Emirates Cup against Juventus, but I agree JohnV, that would certainly be the ideal line-up.
July 21, 2008 at 8:11 pm
y did eboue come back, why why why why why why why why why why !
July 21, 2008 at 8:13 pm
A- lets just hope now that we have ramsey, vela, walcott and nasri who can play on the wing that eboue can be reserved unless he is needed maybe a right back
July 21, 2008 at 8:14 pm
It’s too hard to predict a starting XI. I hope we get to see Nasri and Vela.
Cannot wait until this game.
So Eduardo is due back September? I though i read somewhere he was going back on to training in early August?
July 21, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Eboue & Senderous can f**k right off! Why do we still have these Donkeys on the pay cheque. Sell these loose cannons and use the money from their sales to buy a defender & Defensive Mid
July 21, 2008 at 8:26 pm
are you sure with song? i thought that he trains with his country for olympic games…
July 21, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Song will travel to the olympics after pre-season as far as I know mate.
July 21, 2008 at 8:44 pm
if you want any news about football watch sky sports news
July 21, 2008 at 9:26 pm
this will be no problem. playing part-timers is no good but ill take it as i like seeing us thrash the arse off someone.
July 21, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Was Simpson in the squad with Bazerite and Wiltshire??
July 21, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Its Rosicky returning in September and not Eduardo!Eduardo should be there but only doing re-hab.
July 21, 2008 at 10:52 pm
on sky sports news i saw fabianski and wilshere on the coach
July 21, 2008 at 10:52 pm
and adebayor of course
July 21, 2008 at 11:26 pm
16 mike- Who could we possibly buy with the money for 2 donkeys pal?
they couldnt but one good player between them..
Sell song with them then we might be able to get half a decent player pal…
July 22, 2008 at 6:27 am
if wilshere, randall, simpson nordveit en barazite are ot included i will shade tears. and yeah i think gavin is better than justin hoyte.and i think ade should jus be given a little pay rise and he will stay coz 35,000pnds is too litle 4 him.am dieing to see nasri en vela.
July 22, 2008 at 7:16 am
not only Ade to get more,just the senior player should get more than 50000pnds.how is that information about wenger buying more player come into existaing,who knows the time table all friendly match,can u post them.
July 22, 2008 at 7:49 am
Am I the only one who struggles to understand the vast amount of criticism Phillipe Senderos receives? Opinions on him seem to range from ‘A good, honest lad, but not Arsenal material’ to the less subtle ‘He’s crap!’. However, when you look at the figures, you begin to realise that he is anything but.
It was just two years ago that many were heralding him as the natural successor to Tony Adams. After playing a pivotal role in our Champions League run, in which we went a record 10 games without conceding a goal, he was superb at the World Cup, acting as a stalwart in the Swiss defence that went the entire tournament without conceding a goal – ultimately going out on penalties. After this, Senderos received the prestigious No.6 shirt, previously worn by the great Tony Adams.
Where did it all go wrong? Well unfortunately, he picked up a serious shoulder injury, which meant no-time in pre-season to recover and adapt to new surroundings (the Emirates). He came back mid-way through the season into a new system, operating in a new higher line after the arrival of Gallas and the emergence of the athletic Djourou. With little time to settle and the pressure on, his confidence was knocked, which in turn worsened his performances and got him caught in a viscious cycle. In the space of a season, he had gone from hero to zero and had gained the dreaded, seemingly unshakeable ‘accident waiting to happen’ tag.
Having been burdened with this tag, it appears good performances earns him very little in the way of respect, yet any mistakes exacerbate the situation greatly, with the anti-Senderos bandwagon coming back to life. This season is a prime example: After another ‘terrible season’(basically a poor game against Liverpool), everyone wants rid. They ignore the fact that he had been excellent prior to that. In fact, at the start of the season, we went 5 consecutive games without conceding with him in the side; the last time this was matched was 3 years ago, and guess who played every game in that side – you guessed it, Senderos. You have to go back 6 years to a time when this was equalled (and surpassed) without Senderos.
There is a reason Wenger persists with him; not out of sympathy, but out of realisation of his talents. How can a defender with such an impressive record be as bad as people claim? He has excellent positioning and anticipation, strong tackling and shows power in the air. With a lack of balance, pace and a poor standing leap, he is suspect at man-marking; hence his struggles against Drogba and more recently Hyppia. However, he has so much to offer.
I can’t help but feel he is simply a scapegoat used to brush fundamental flaws under the carpet. People seem to have decided he is at fault before a game is started. The Anti-Senderos contingent, I would like to ask when was the last time you put your feelings aside and gave him a fair shot; when was the last time you actually praised him? It’s confirmation bias in my opinion.
July 22, 2008 at 8:53 am
Well said Seagy44……and about bloody time someone had a go at the ‘lets find a scapegoat’ lynch mob. Going back a few years (which I can) I remember similar calls for centre backs to be dumped asap which included….Tony Donkey Adams, Frank the Dwarf, McLintock, and Sleepy Pete Simpson….all turned into great AFC players & legends. Now Im not saying big Phil we be a legend but I will forecast that IF AW sticks with him and sell Gallas, the combination of Phil & Kolo or Phil & Djourou would be much stiffer and less prone to gaffs…..why? bcause Gallas upsets all around him with his clangers. Just take your memories back to the big games last year and the year before and remember…the owns goals, the penalties when there was no danger, the lack od concentration and the tantrums that upeset the whole team which gave away about 9 easy points in the next 4 weeks. Those points would have made us deserved champs. So get rid of Gallas and sign a really great stopper with pace and the title is ours.
July 22, 2008 at 8:57 am
I’d happily have Senderos and Toure/Gallas in the starting back four, epsecially with either Toure, Djourou or Song in front of them.
July 22, 2008 at 11:39 am
there is one player im realy looking farward to see, for todays game i personaly think hes the next big thing comeing from the youth team
his name is barazite the boys quality hes got quick feet and great skill and he can finish he also looks like a well intellegent striker .REMEMBER THE NAME
July 22, 2008 at 11:41 am
What a relief Seagy44, about time so called Arsenal fans stop having a go at a guy who gives everything!!! Brilliant post.
July 22, 2008 at 11:43 am
James, Barazite may actually be going on loan to Spain this summer……..we’ll wait and see………..AW may think otherwise as it seems we are short on the strike force at the moment.
July 22, 2008 at 11:45 am
can any gooner know the list that traveld
July 22, 2008 at 11:46 am
thanks tunde, I just can stand the constant senderos critiscism
btw : http://theworldsmostbeautifulgame.wordpress.com
July 22, 2008 at 11:47 am
TUNDE what do u think of barazite
July 22, 2008 at 11:50 am
i personally think he is quality, strength quick feet composure and not big headed, top goalscorer for the reserves, no media hype. PERFECT
July 22, 2008 at 11:50 am
I think he is class and will be a great asset to the team, I would love AW to keep him and play him in the CC this season. I happen to live in Cheshunt so underhill Barnet stadium is close by and i follow the reserves games so I have seen him play so many times. The boy is very very good, he’ll turn out IMO as a great supporting striker.
July 22, 2008 at 12:07 pm
TUNDE do u think his got what it takes to be one of eroupes top youth talents in football. im know football expert but when i see a player for the first time and i think there going to be a big player in the near future 90 percent of the times im right and that is what i see in this boy or TUNDE do u think im overating him
July 22, 2008 at 1:25 pm
hes a bit slow
July 22, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Training Fotos up on the Arsenal website looks like Coquelin, Wilshere and Ramsey are all there.
Link: http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=494222&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=Arsenal+in+Austria+-+exclusive+pictures+from+training+camp
July 22, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Is it just me or is this pre season for us arsenal fans really annoying. I have high hopes for the gunners next season, what with us having such a young team that is constantly getting better week in week out under the wing of wenger but with hleb and flamini gone and adebeyor seemingly unsettled, i feel an unwelcoming disturbance in the force. Ramsey isn’t going to be good enough next season, he’s only 17, so we’ve only really made one signing this season. In my opinion we need another creative player on the wing. I’m just worried that Nasri might not perform cause its his first season (although i do like what i’ve seen of him so far), rosicky is injury prone as is van persie, walcott is still young and is really a striker, and please stop playing eboue and diaby on the wing, diaby seems like he might be able to fit the defensive midfield position, although i would like to see song in there. In my opinion i’ll be a very very happy man if we sign the russian number 10 Arshvin. I think we would be a real force next season with him. We need more experienced quality.
Alumnia
Clichy – Toure – Gallas – Sagna
Rosicky – Song – Fabregas – Arshvin
Adebayor – Van persie
subs – Nasri – Diaby – Sendoros – Eduardo – Walcott – Denillson