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

Comment 3 - 22 of 42

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  1. bounce back ????? where have they been to bounce back­ to ??? no where !!!

    errr!... how about bouncing back­ to the top of the league where they were before the­ hull game

    From doggs, on Tue 30 Sep 12:26PM

  2. ARSENAL WILL BOUNCE BACK TRUST ME!!!

    Just watch the­ sintilating football, watch NASRI is BACK!!

    Just watch­ wen our midfield is made up of NASRI, FABREGAS, ROSIKY­ and DIABY.

    EDUARDO and ADE up front.

    Just wotch!!!!

    From ishaque, on Tue 30 Sep 12:13PM

  3. bounce back ????? where have they been to bounce back­ to ??? no where !!!

    From handyandyisalways, on Tue 30 Sep 11:52AM

  4. Come on, be fair guys! Why should u find a fault where­ there's known? Do u have something personal with­ Anelka? It doesn't even matter anyway, coz u will­ never meet anywhere in the World.

    From joe, on Tue 30 Sep 11:41AM

  5. bounce back ????? where have they been to bounce back­ to ??? no where !!!

    From handyandyisalways, on Tue 30 Sep 11:37AM

  6. when a professional player like anelka makes reasonable­ comments as pros do, idiots on this site will usually,­ with the timid club sentiments, attack. Why do you­ think players change shirts when a game is over even­ with a humiliating loss? Wnhy do you think­ "managers" shakes hands? It's the spirit­ of the game and I think it's time that people on­ this forum begin to learn that fans like you all are,­ need to respect others' views and comments.­ It's a fair, sincere and most honourable comment by­ Anelka. It doesn't matter if he played for Arsenal,­ Man city, Bolton or anyother EPL team before, he's­ just a good man.

    From aya-mnger, on Tue 30 Sep 11:31AM

  7. to( view my home) ,anelka care for arsenal cos he play­ for them when he was young,so he can`t say anything­ about the team who help him lot before made a bad­ decison to going in real madrid

    From Mawuko, on Tue 30 Sep 11:20AM

  8. Go you Gunners Go. Your the best.

    From Suzi, on Tue 30 Sep 11:14AM

  9. I think Anelka has always had a soft spot for Arsenal,­ Deep down the guy must wish he had stayed there when he­ was younger and he would have had a much more­ sucsessful carear. Hope that answers your question­ "VIEW MY HOME" GOONERS #1

    From GARY, on Tue 30 Sep 10:53AM

  10. arsenalllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll bring it on

    From GARY, on Tue 30 Sep 10:20AM

  11. GUNNERS FOR THE LEAGUE XD

    From glen c, on Tue 30 Sep 10:13AM

  12. GUNNERS WORK UP FOR THE BIG FIGHT

    From Chirimba, on Tue 30 Sep 10:09AM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    And what would it matter to Nicolas Anelka anyway if­ Arsenal recover or not? Why does he not just shut his­ French trap shut and keep it shut? That is the problem­ with English Soccer, there are too many Anelkas in it.

    From sappercommando25, on Tue 30 Sep 10:08AM

  14. Arsenal bounce back ??? My team Luton Town have more­ chance. How I laughed in the bookies when my in running­ 14/1 bet on Hull came in..Never beaten at Emirates ­ our survey said ....!!!

    From dave, on Tue 30 Sep 10:05AM

  15. we dont need more players.
    what we need is someone to­ shoot!
    how many times ADE tried to play someone else­ in. he should shoot not pass to someone else. thats­ where Rosicky is very important cause he can shoot from­ range and trouble the keeper. Fabby is not shooting­ enough and same with RVP.

    ADE now is more like a set­ up player then striker cause he just passes the ball to­ someone else, team play but sometimes you gotta shoot­ if you dont shoot you dont score

    From shizzelez, on Tue 30 Sep 10:04AM

  16. Adedoyin, to say they won't bounce back is the­ dumbest thing anybody can say. Even tottenham or­ newcastle WILL bounce back(now, that's the height),­ but the big question is WHEN??Thanks Anelka, but i­ don't think arsenal really need your comments­ or"encouragement" to bounce back­ anyway". The defeat was shocking but credit must­ be given to the Hull side. They were so tactically­ disciplined and organised.For a team like asrenal, they­ will bounce back pretty soon, i only hope it will be­ "soon enough".but for­ newcastle,tottenham..............

    From Akinwale, on Tue 30 Sep 10:00AM

  17. THEY need to strengthen the midfield. Defence is fine,­ attack is good, but They need a replacement for Hleb­ and Flamini. Nasri will get better, but in January they­ should try to get another midfielder.

    From Fahd, on Tue 30 Sep 9:56AM

  18. why does anelka care if arsenal win or lose can someone­ give me a logical reason.

    From James, on Tue 30 Sep 9:52AM

  19. @#$%

    From James, on Tue 30 Sep 9:50AM

  20. GUNNER'S WILL BOUNCE BACK BY A HUGE QUANTUM LEAP-GO­ GUNNER'S AND MORE GOALS!!!!!!!

    From Fube, on Tue 30 Sep 9:47AM
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