Olivier Giroud backs Arsenal to mount a title challenge next season

Giroud has echoed Gunners boss Arsene Wenger in his assertion that the squad is making up ground on Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United after almost a decade of finishing outside the top two places in the Premier League.
Arsenal matched champions-elect Chelsea in Sunday’s 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium, although Wenger has still to defeat a Jose Mourinho team in 12 attempts.

Arsenal's Theo Walcott says competition for places is behind the club's strong recent form

The third-placed Gunners have been in great form in the Premier League since January, although their charge stalled on Sunday when they were held 0-0 at home to leaders Chelsea.
That result left them 10 points behind and all-but ended any lingering hopes they had of reeling in the Blues but Walcott believes the strength in depth in the squad means a title challenge next season will be on the cards.

Wenger: Fabregas deserves respect

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has called on the club's fans to show Cesc Fabregas "the respect he deserves" when the former Gunners captain returns to the Emirates Stadium in a Chelsea shirt on Sunday.
Fabregas, 27, has been integral to the Blues' Barclays Premier League title challenge this season after joining from Barcelona in the summer.

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Arsenal had reluctantly sold the Spain midfielder back to his boyhood club for £30million in June 2011 and were understood to have first option should the player come back onto the market.
A potential deal never materialised though as Fabregas - who played more than 300 games for Arsenal after breaking into the first team as a 16-year-old - joined up with Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge instead.

A fumble from Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici in extra time handed Arsenal a 2-1 victory and a place in the FA Cup final. Sky Bet

The Royals keeper, who had made some fine saves earlier in the match, allowed Alexis Sanchez's low shot to squirm between his legs and over the line on 115 minutes, which was enough to see the Gunners return to Wembley on May 30 to try to defend the trophy.
Sanchez had swept the Gunners into the lead on 39 minutes.
However, Reading were level when Garath McCleary's volley was deflected past goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who could only palm the ball back over the line.
Arsenal twice hit the woodwork through a header from defender Gabriel and a close-range shot by Aaron Ramsey, but could not find a winner in normal time.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger named a strong XI and made the expected positive start, with Danny Welbeck the main outlet as he latched onto a through ball into the Reading penalty area from full-back Kieran Gibbs, which goalkeeper Federici came out to block.
The Royals number one had to be alert again with a smart save on eight minutes when Per Mertesacker met a corner from Mesut Ozil at the near post.
Reading - who had lost all off their past 12 meetings with Arsenal over the past 80 years - looked to counter themselves and had plenty of pace through Scotland forward Jamie Mackie.
Midfielder Jordan Obita tested Szczesny, back in goal for the cup tie on his 25th birthday, with a low effort from 25 yards.
Sanchez darted clear and stabbed the ball past the advancing Federici, before being clipped by the goalkeeper's trailing leg well outside the penalty area. However, referee Martin Atkinson signalled only for a goal-kick.
Reading - who had conceded just two goals in their five FA Cup ties this season, but were without a victory in six league games - sat deep as Arsenal failed to break them down.
The Championship side, though, were finally carved open on 39 minutes by a goal of the highest craftsmanship.
Mesut Ozil looked up, some 30 yards out, before floating a perfectly weighted pass to Sanchez in the penalty area.
The diminutive Chile forward turned back inside Garath McCleary before slotting past Federici.
With the pressure eased for the second half, Arsenal started brightly, as a backward header from Mertesacker dropped just wide.
Reading looked in need of something extraordinary to revive hopes of making a first FA Cup final in the club's history.

Cesc Fabregas: Former Arsenal man returns on brink of Chelsea title win

Arsenal is in my heart and always will be. It's a club that is always going to be there and will always open its doors to me.” 
Those were the words of Cesc Fabregas in October 2013, but eight months later he found the door firmly shut by Arsene Wenger. There was to be no fairy-tale return.

Arsenal v Chelsea: Why Wenger can end Mourinho hoodoo

Since the start of his first spell as Chelsea boss in 2004, Mourinho has played 39 league games against his main rivals in England - the Gunners, Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City - and lost only three of them.

Mourinho's results against the Gunners have been particularly impressive. In 12 meetings in all competitions over the past decade, Wenger has never beaten him.

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Chelsea complete signing of Fabregas

 

There was the possibility of a romantic return to Arsenal, where Fabregas had spent eight years and captained the side before joining the La Liga giants in 2011. However, the midfielder admitted the Gunners had turned down their option of first refusal.
Jose Mourinho later stated his interest in bringing in the Spanish international, who has been allowed to leave by new Barca boss Luis Enrique, and now the deal has been confirmed by the Blues.
Fabregas, who is currently away with Spain for the World Cup, told Chelsea's official website: "Firstly I would like to thank everyone at FC Barcelona where I enjoyed three wonderful years.
"It was my childhood club and I will always be proud and honoured that I had a chance to play for such a great team.
"I do feel that I have unfinished business in the Premier League and now is the right time for me to return. Yes, everyone knows that Arsenal had the first option to sign me.
"They decided not to take this option and therefore it wasn't meant to be. I wish them well in the future. I considered all the other offers very carefully and I firmly believe that Chelsea is the best choice.
"They match my footballing ambitions with their hunger and desire to win trophies. They have an amazing squad of players and an incredible manager. I am fully committed to this team and I can't wait to start playing.
"It was extremely important to me that this transfer was completed before the World Cup so that my mind will only be focused on hopefully helping my country try to retain the trophy."

Read more at http://talksport.com/football/chelsea-complete-signing-fabregas-14061295925#diHJQ4lZwybwZppV.99

Ozil is unique' - Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho hails Arsenal star 'Ozil is unique' - Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho hails Arsenal star

Mesut Özil shakes his head as he recalls last year’s World Cup semi-final. “We were playing Brazil, in Brazil, and they were having a good tournament like us. We were expecting a really tough game. How could we be 3-0, 4-0 up?”
It rapidly got even better for Germany. “Going into half-time with a 5-0 lead did our confidence the world of good,” says Özil, as masterful with a herculean understatement as he is with a deft assist. “During half-time, we just looked at each other in shock. But the manager brought us to our senses. He told us not to underestimate Brazil. This is football, anything can happen. Nobody expected Sweden to come back against us but they did [from 4-0 down to draw 4-4 in a 2014 World Cup qualifier], so we knew we could not take our foot off the gas in the second half.”
So much for the rumour that Germany made a half-time pact to go easy on a shattered Brazil in the second half of their 7-1 win. The final, says Özil, meant even more: “Germany had a habit of just getting to semi-finals, so I was so focused on winning that game. We did not come all this way to lose. I was ready to do whatever was required for the team to win.”

Arsenal v Chelsea: Tickets for match selling for up to £950

The game between the two London clubs on 26 April is officially sold out but tickets are being sold on exchange websites.
It could be a potential title decider between the current top two teams in the league.
Tickets at the Emirates for category A matches such as the Chelsea game cost up to £97 on the official website.
Arsenal's match-day tickets are the most expensive in the Premier League.
One website is selling a ticket in the Chelsea section for £950, with the most expensive ticket in the Arsenal section going for £712.50, an almost 700% increase on the normal price.
Arsenal are second in the league, seven points behind leaders Chelsea, who have a game in hand.

Post-match reaction to Arsenal's 1-0 victory over Burnley.

Arsene Wenger challenged Arsenal to extend their winning run until the end of the season after a gutsy 1-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor.
Aaron Ramsey's 12th-minute goal gave the Gunners their eighth straight Barclays Premier League victory which leaves them four points behind leaders Chelsea, although Jose Mourinho's men have two games in hand.
Wenger said: "Nothing has changed - we need a perfect run and we need a non-perfect run from them but we can't master that, we can only master our own position.
"We want to keep winning because we have to look behind us as well at Manchester United and Manchester City.
"We are consistent and we have a good attitude in the team so it is a challenge for the team and we have to focus and win the next game."
Wenger was particularly pleased with the way his side coped with Burnley's physical threat and paid a rich tribute to the performance of Sean Dyche's men, who came close to salvaging a point through late chances for George Boyd and Danny Ings.
The Frenchman added: "I was surprised by the quality of Burnley and it will be a shame if they go down because they have done fantastically well.
"They are organised, they press well and they show great solidarity. They are very fit and I understand now why they took points from the big teams.
"You have to fight and be combative until the end and we couldn't score the second goal but the defence played very well today and got us the three points."

Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Southampton run-ins

The sign of champions is to be able to snatch a victory when you are not at the top of your game, by any means necessary, and Cesc Fabregas' late winner at QPR in their Super Sunday clash certainly added further proof that they would be worthy Premier League winners.
Many believe the title race to be all but over with Jose Mourinho's Blues holding a seven-point lead with a game in hand at this late juncture in the season, but it certainly won't be the mere procession many expect.
Manchester United and Arsenal are up next, who have won their last six and eight league matches respectively, followed by Chelsea's game in hand - away at Leicester who will be fighting for their lives, with Liverpool, who they have beaten just twice in their last five meetings at Stamford Bridge, to play before May 24.
"We need three victories and two draws so our situation is good. Championships are pure mathematics," Mourinho said after Sunday's win. He's right you know.

Keown: Gunners can kick on

The former Gunners defender reckons Arsene Wenger's side have progressed since winning the FA Cup last season.
They are second in the Barclays Premier League, seven points behind leaders Chelsea with six games left.
And while Keown believes Jose Mourinho's side have wrapped up the title this time they will be threatened by Arsenal next season.
"Chelsea will win it now but if you ask them next season they won't fear anyone but they will be aware of Arsenal," he said.
"They will want to challenge next season and they will want to start well next year.
"They need to strengthen in one or two positions but I'm not talking about wholesale changes which some others may have to make if they want to compete."
The Gunners finished fourth last season and won their first trophy for nine years after beating Hull 3-2 in the FA Cup final.
They face Reading in the semi-final at Wembley on Saturday aiming to defend the trophy against either Aston Villa or Liverpool in the final.
They are on their best run - winning eight straight league games - since the Invincible season of 2003-04 when Keown played 15 times.
And the 48-year-old said the Gunners are a more complete side than they have been for a while.
"It has to represent progress if you're finishing two positions higher and still in the FA Cup," said the ex-England international, who made 451 appearances for the club and won the Premier League three times.
"They look more convincing as a team than they did last year. The players look together.
"The squad is better equipped now, Gabriel is putting (Per) Mertesacker under huge pressure and (Francis) Coquelin is in midfield instead of (Mikel) Arteta and (Mathieu) Flamini who are maybe coming to the end of their careers.
"They have a whole array of players who can play off the front and (Olivier) Giroud and (Danny) Welbeck are vying for the centre forward position. The competition for places creates intensity."
Keown is involved in the McDonald's Accredited Club Kit scheme and over 70,000 kits will be handed to clubs in the UK this year.
He added: "You see the look on their faces and they are very proud of their kit and we want as many clubs to benefit as possible."

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger plays down Premier League title chances

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says beating leaders Chelsea in his side's next Premier League game might not be enough to put his team back in the title race.

The Gunners' 1-0 win over Burnley on Saturday means they are just four points behind Jose Mourinho's side, who come to Emirates Stadium on 26 April.
But Wenger said: "I don't think our game against Chelsea will decide the title - they have two games in hand.
"We still need a perfect run and a non-perfect run from them."

Gunning for it - Arsenal's Premier League run-in
Chelsea (H) 26 April	Manchester Utd (A) 17 May
Hull (A) 4 May	Sunderland (H) 20 May
Swansea (H) 11 May	West Brom (H) 24 May

Chelsea play QPR on Sunday and Manchester United next weekend before taking on the Gunners.
In the meantime Arsenal head to Wembley for their FA Cup semi-final against Reading looking to keep up their impressive form.
They have now won eight league games in a row and Wenger added: "We just have to keep going. We cannot master Chelsea's results, only our own.
"We want to keep winning of course because we have to look behind us as well."
Victory at Turf Moor moved Arsenal four points clear in the fight for second place, with the two teams immediately below them - Manchester United and Manchester City - facing each other on Sunday.
With six league games to go, the Gunners look almost certain of securing a top-four finish and Champions League qualification for an 18th consecutive season.

Chelsea will allow Petr Cech to choose his next club, says Matt Law

Chelsea could be willing to let Petr Cech join rivals Arsenal this summer, Matt Law told the Sunday Supplement.

The Daily Telegraph journalist believes that after 11 years at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea would allow the goalkeeper to move wherever he chooses at the end of the season.
Cech has fallen behind Thibaut Courtois in the pecking order at Chelsea this season but, at 32, he remains one of the Premier League’s top 'keepers and has made it clear he will seek a transfer in the summer rather than spend another year as an understudy.
When asked if Arsenal are interested in the Chelsea star, Law responded: “Yes, they definitely want him. They’ve had a look at him and enquired about him last summer when they saw Thibaut Courtois was coming back.

"With the service Cech has given Chelsea over 11 years I do get the feeling that they will let him have his pick."

Matt Law, Daily Telegraph

“If they could get Petr Cech that could be a really big signing. The move would certainly suit him because he can stay in London and it gives him another shot at titles. It’s whether they can convince Chelsea to allow him to do that.
“With the service Cech has given Chelsea over 11 years I do get the feeling that they will let him have his pick.”
David Ospina has ousted Wojciech Szczesny as Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper recently and turned in a number of impressive displays. However, Law sees Cech as a class above the Colombian.
“It would be a really big signing because I don’t think they’ve got a top-quality goalkeeper which sides that generally win the title normally have,” he said.
“Ospina has been better than I thought he would be but I don’t think he’s a top-quality 'keeper for a whole season.
“The mentality of someone like Cech, who has won everything at club level, in the dressing room would be huge for Arsenal.”

Wenger urges focus for run-in

The Gunners head to Turf Moor in search of what would be an eighth straight league victory, following on from last weekend's 4-1 triumph over Liverpool.
Despite their superb run, which has seen confidence grow after some 15 wins in the last 17 through all competitions, the title remains Chelsea's to lose, as the leaders currently hold a seven-point advantage and also a match in hand.
While some Gunners fans may have allowed themselves a little bit of fantasy football results over the run-in, which will see Chelsea come to the Emirates Stadium on April 26 and also play both Manchester United and Liverpool, Wenger remains very much focused on the job in hand.
"I have enough experience to know that I have to live with reality and reality is points and the next game," he said.
"The dreams are for everybody - we all have dreams at night, but when I wake up in the morning I have to come here and make sure we give everything to win the next game."
Wenger continued: "Chelsea have a difficult schedule, we have a difficult schedule, but what we can only do is master our own schedule.
"What we want is to go as high as we can until the end of the season, give our best and we are also in the semi-final of the FA Cup.
"So we are at an important moment of the Premier League season and it is a period where you show your quality by focusing on the next game and maintain the quality.
"Of course we want to continue to progress and improve - we can learn from victory as well and everything was not perfect in our last game."
Arsenal's injury problems look to have finally eased, with midfielders Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby all having stepped up their rehabilitation from injury, along with full-back Mathieu Debuchy.
England international Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, though, continues to be hampered by an inflamed groin, while centre-half Laurent Koscielny will face a fitness test on his thigh problem ahead of Saturday's match.
Burnley continue to scrap at the other end of the table, currently second bottom, but only two points from safety.

Watch Wilshere and Diaby play tonight – for free!

Arsenal’s two longest serving crocks for the injury room are set to feature again tonight for the Gunners Under 21 side, and you can watch it live for free on Arsenal.com
In an interesting preview to Arsenal’s FA Cup semi-fnal at Wembley on Saturday, we will be taking on the Reading U21 side at the Emirates, and Jack Wilshere has been named as captain for the night. The rules only allow three over 21 players in the team, and joining Wilshere will be Abou Diaby, who managed 70 minutes in last weeks reserve match, and Serge Gnabry, who has also been out injured most of this season.
Also featured will be our new promising defensive midfielder Krystian Bielik, and the two exciting prospects Daniel Crowley and Alex Iwobi,who have getting rave reviews at the Academy.
The match kicks off at 7 pm UK time, and you can watch it by clicking on this link and signing up as a ember if you haven’t already done so…..
Alternatively you could go down to the Emirates and get in for just £4 for adults.

Thierry Henry: Arsenal will worry Premier League leaders Chelsea if they beat them

Thierry Henry insists Arsenal will put doubt into Jose Mourinho's side if they beat Chelsea in their next Premier League match, after reducing the gap at the top to just four points.

Arsenal's 1-0 win at Burnley was their eighth straight league success, though Chelsea have two games in hand over their London rivals, starting with QPR at Loftus Road on Super Sunday.
But Henry, who admits Arsenal must win every game from now until the end of the season to have a chance of claiming a first title since 2004, refused to rule out a comeback, and says the Gunners' star men are having to perform roles they may not like for the good of the team.