Premier League - Anelka: Arsenal will recover

Eurosport - Tue, 30 Sep 15:06:00 2008

Eurosport-Yahoo! blogger Nicolas Anelka expresses his surprise at Arsenal's defeat to Hull City, but thinks they will bounce back stronger and that there is no need to panic.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Chelsea - Anelka - 0

"At the weekend, Chelsea faced a team who play in what you could call a typical English style.

Stoke kept a lot of men behind the ball and tried to counter-attack whenever they could.

Every time that they had the opportunity, they would get the ball wide and try and put crosses in for their big guys, which is when they are at their most dangerous. And when those centres are blocked, they have a chance to get the long throws that they are becoming famous for.

But Chelsea won the match by controlling it from start to finish, from end to end.

We played like we usually do, by defending as a team, attacking as a team and by having that extra quality, both as individuals and collectively.

I think that extra quality makes the difference, even in tough clashes like these.

Another side with that extra quality also played against a typically English team. But Arsenal lost at home to Hull City. Now that was a big, big surprise!

What I mean is that Arsenal's defeat was surprising - not the fact that Hull won. Hull winning is completely believable, because from the beginning of this season they have had some pretty impressive results and performances.

But it is unusual because, only the week before, Arsenal went to one of those difficult places in the North, where people say they struggle. But they still won against a very physical Bolton side.

The thing is, Hull played really well, scored a great goal and, to be fair, Arsenal missed a lot of opportunities to kill the game off.

Maybe Arsenal still have that slightly shaky side to them when they play physical, aggressive sides like Hull. But they are a young team, a team that is learning very quickly.

So I am sure that next time they have a similar type of game, they will have learned from their mistakes and worked out how to win it.

Arsenal will bounce back from this."

Nicolas Anelka / Eurosport

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  1. Just wait and C lah Big Anelka...this sunday M'reno will kick or @#$% like what happen to Eduardo last season

    From saimon, on Sat 25 Oct 3:41AM

  2. i dont understand why people are so jeoulus about anelka.. he just makes very clever comments about football..

    From uveys, on Tue 7 Oct 11:25AM

  3. I like this Anelka guy. It shows that all the gallivanting from club to club/ country to country has paid off in pundit terms. He sounds really knowledgable on this football stuff. Good for him.
    Ifez. (Gunner for life)

    From Chukwuemeka, on Thu 2 Oct 5:05PM

  4. I don't get. I try to understand Anelka. What is trying to say about Arsenal - bounce back? The Team played their heart out but it was just one of those things. Anelka talk too much. He appears on every paper. I like this man but he should not be talking like A.Cole (his team mate). They need to play foolball (soccer as known in USA here) and talking.

    From 'Tunde, on Thu 2 Oct 4:06PM

  5. I don't get. I try to understand Anelka. What is trying to say about Arsenal - bounce back? The Team played their heart out but it was just one of those things. Anelka talk too much. He appears on every paper. I like this man but he should not be talking like A.Cole (his team mate). They need to play foolball (soccer as known in USA here) and talking.

    From 'Tunde, on Thu 2 Oct 4:05PM

  6. hello i will like to herd to anelka's case.i did not no,why he live bolton fc.just because he want to play in champions league,and now is him is not happy wit the team.i believe he did not no wat his doing,but to me i did not see wat some one like him is still looking for,he as all in football and as win all and play all wat football is all about,he just live dat team just like dat which is not good,i believe wit time duof will still come back again,tell anelka to go back and bring bolton back to dat top so we lover's of the team can forgive him.

    From sola, on Tue 30 Sep 10:05PM

  7. i think all man u and chelsea fans are secretly dreading what arsenal will build up to tis only natural to mouth it now but when their getting licked six nil hush da beak

    From deanpoyner, on Tue 30 Sep 9:51PM

  8. anelka, the biggest football journeryman of them all. his words count for nothing and he is an irrelevance. who cares what he has to say...?

    From bray beatle, on Tue 30 Sep 3:11PM

  9. Who cares what Anelka thinks....

    From Keith R, on Tue 30 Sep 2:59PM

  10. ah ha it will b atleast a year before arsenal will even win the league cup never mind anything else.once again arsene wenger opted not to bring in any big names and he will pay for his mistakes.

    From sirkeithbrennan, on Tue 30 Sep 2:58PM

  11. Anelka STOP TALKING , START SCORING

    From ABU_M_24, on Tue 30 Sep 2:40PM

  12. Áya-Mngër t, players change shirts at the end of the game for two reasons. (1) so that they can pass their blood, sweat and tears onto their enemy and (2) so that they can have something to flog on eBay.

    From Sussex BY The Sea, on Tue 30 Sep 2:39PM

  13. Hull have done well since their promotion, better than people expected. Arsenal thought it would be an easy match and got caught out. Hopefully it won't happen to Chelsea but to win we need to score at least one goal, so over to you Anelka.

    From Susan, on Tue 30 Sep 2:38PM

  14. I'm not at all interested in anything M. Anelka has to say, the turncoat. No doubt he was handsomely rewarded for each word he uttered. ker-ching$$$$$. Defeats such as the two encountered by Fulham and Hull, serve as a timely reminder that unless we press home our advantage and kill off the opposition, our complacency will lead to our downfall. Thankfully, these defeats occurred at the beginning of the season and we have time to learn from our mistakes. A great pity though, because I had dreamed of gaining maximum points from our first 11 matches.

    From Sussex BY The Sea, on Tue 30 Sep 2:35PM

  15. thanks very much Áya-Mngër t, some people dont reason before they make a comment, it does matter whom you support, but when truth is being spoken suport it, you dont win by being rude in your comment

    From benani_be, on Tue 30 Sep 2:21PM

  16. man u is just d best, nothing 4 arsenal. fah fah fah fow.....l

    From maziuzo, on Tue 30 Sep 1:54PM

  17. Arsenal, will do nothing. says maziuzo.i'm a man u fan.

    From maziuzo, on Tue 30 Sep 1:52PM

  18. i am an artist so to be creative in attack is not enough except end products is goods.i am also a football coach and a top gooal scorer,so i know the pressure mixed with understanding to score and a bit of luck needed to beat a good keeper.
    it is a mind thing a block ,ice block melting.or concrete block WENGER must ask his players which are you individually.
    i want to help wenger ,get in touch am a very lucky person, i know yours score fore top matches before hand,but can't tell you for lack of contact number to reach you,both loses to liverpool and chelsea semi/quater final i could have give you a team talk to break block,melt blocks,and remove blocks.
    good luck for today if you get 3-1 win call me. artist.

    From pr.4asan, on Tue 30 Sep 1:45PM

  19. Actuallty, arsenal (Arsene) players did not actually play only against Hull City but against a host lots of football (soccer experts) who were advising Phil Brown (Hull Coach) over the ear piece he puts when he was as the sides. A lot of people are out to frustrate Arsene Wenger and Arsenal we all know this. Nevertheless I think Arsene Wenger and Arsenal should also be having earpieces on so that some experts sitting somewhere else and watching the game can give useful advice as they they did to Phil Brown and as they have been doing to some other coaches with headpieces or ear pieces at times. Whatever the case, Arsenal 4 live/love

    From JUDE ADEBOSOYE OGUNADE, on Tue 30 Sep 1:35PM

  20. Gunners my a**e.
    chelsea for the title and you know it.

    From robbo, on Tue 30 Sep 1:34PM
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