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Updated: Jan. 26, 2006
Arsenal tempt Henry with 'absolutely fantastic offer'
Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood claims his club have made star striker and captain Thierry Henry 'an absolutely fantastic offer' to stay at the club.
The Gunners are determined to hold on to their record goalscorer in the face of reported interest from Spanish giants Barcelona.
'I'm not going to say what (the contract) is, but it made me shudder. It's a lot of money,' Hill-Wood said.
'It's for five years. Arsene Wenger thinks he's physically capable of playing for another five years.
'We've made him an offer which is probably as good an offer as anybody in this country - maybe other than Chelsea - would make.'
Meanwhile, Hill-Wood believes some of the club's star names are reaching the end of their Champions League shelf-life.
While backing manager Arsene Wenger's recruitment track record at Highbury over the last decade, Hill-Wood insists a changing of the guard is needed to stop Arsenal stagnating at the highest level.
He told the Daily Star: 'What we've got is two or three players who are probably a year from not being good enough in the Champions League. And to replace them immediately is incredibly difficult.
'Robert Pires, Freddie Ljungberg, Sol Campbell....whether they have lost a yard of pace I don't know, but Arsene does know.
'You could certainly spend £30million and not replace them. And Arsene is very good at not doing that. He'd rather buy young talent. He thinks the boys he's just brought in are going to be pretty good.'
arsenal lost to bolton by a solitary goal and has now only CL to play for.
arsenal lost 2 - 3 to west ham.
i seriously doubt arsenal can finish in the top 6 this season.
birmingham 0 - 2 arsenal
birmingham really looks good for the drop.
heskey as usual is a flop.
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Updated: Feb. 7, 2006
Walcott scores on debut for Arsenal reserves
Theo Walcott scored on his debut for Arsenal reserves but finished on the losing side against Portsmouth tonight.
The 16-year-old former Southampton striker, whose transfer to Highbury could eventually cost the Gunners £12million, netted after 73 minutes to make it 2-2 before Marc Wilson snatched a winner for Pompey.
It was Walcott's first appearance for Arsenal, after he was an unused substitute in the weekend win at Birmingham in the Barclays Premiership.
He started tonight's match at Havant & Waterlooville's West Leigh Park and Arsenal went ahead early on through Niklas Bendtner, only to be pinned back by Vincent Pericard's equaliser and Wilson's strike to put Portsmouth ahead.
Walcott's neat left-footed finish squared the match, however two-goal Wilson had the final say.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger missed Walcott's debut, instead appearing at a Nike launch in London.
from bbc sport.
Arsenal given Clichy injury boost
Clichy has not played for Arsenal since November 2005. Arsenal have been boosted by the news that French defender Gael Clichy could be back in full training next week.
The 20-year-old left-back broke a bone in his foot while playing for France Under-21s on 11 November and has not played for the Gunners since.
The news will be welcomed by Arsenal, who have used seven players at left-back after a string of injuries.
"I hope that I can be back in the next week, or maybe two weeks' time," he told Arsenal's official website.
"I am looking forward to playing again and helping the team."
First-choice left-back Ashley Cole has been sidelined with a similar injury to Clichy, while Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has experimented with a string of other players in the role.
In addition to Clichy and Cole, Pascal Cygan, Lauren, Kerrea Gilbert, Philippe Senderos and Seb Larsson have all filled in.
Clichy said he had been impressed with the versatility shown by the squad.
"Larsson was playing amazingly at left-back against Birmingham on Saturday, even though it is not his position," he said.
"That sort of thing makes the coach and the players very happy."
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Updated: Feb. 9, 2006
Arsenal's Campbell out for 'two or three weeks'
Sol Campbell will miss Saturday's Premiership clash against Bolton because of an ankle injury and could be out for 'two or three weeks', Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said on Thursday.
The England international resumed training on Monday after taking some extra time off following his disappointing first-half display against West Ham, when he had been substituted at the break.
An extended leave of absence meant the 31-year-old missed the 2-0 win at Birmingham last weekend, but Wenger hoped the centre-back would be able to bolster his squad after regaining focus.
However, it has now emerged Campbell had been troubled by the problem for some time and, following a scan, will not be match fit for the visit of Sam Allardyce's men this weekend.
'Sol has come back, but he is out now because of a foot problem,' Wenger told Arsenal TV Online.
'He played two or three weeks with it, but the injury became worse against West Ham.
'We had a scan and he will be out for two or three weeks.
'He cannot kick the ball at the moment.
'It is an ankle injury, but not a ligament problem. It is bone bruising.'
With the likes of Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue still on African Nations Cup duty for finalists Ivory Coast, the experience of a fully-focused and fit Campbell would have provided a welcome addition to the Arsenal back line.
Alexandre Song is, however, now available again, and the 18-year-old could cover in the centre of defence.
Youngster Kerrea Gilbert is still not fit following his back problem, and although midfielder Freddie Ljungberg returns to the squad, Robin van Persie will again be rested, still troubled by a broken toe suffered last month.
Lauren is out for the rest of the season following knee surgery, while England full-back Ashley Cole (thigh) and Pascal Cygan (hamstring) are still receiving treatment.
There was, however, at least some welcome news today, that Gael Clichy hopes to soon be back in action following a stress fracture of his foot.
The left-back suffered the injury when on international duty with the France Under-21s against England in the European Championship play-offs during November.
Following an operation, the 20-year-old had to take things slowly, but hopes he will not have to wait much longer before he can rejoin the first team.
'I feel really good,' said Clichy. 'I have been working with the fitness coach since last week.
'I hope that I can be back in the next week or maybe two weeks time.
'I am looking forward to playing again and helping the team.'
The French defender added: 'I feel I could train full contact with the first team now, but we want to be a little bit careful.
'There is no point getting injured again. So I'll take it calm right now and hope that next week could be a good one for me.'
Arsenal will be looking to avenge their FA Cup defeat at Bolton last month, with Wenger likely to include youngster Theo Walcott in the squad again.
The 16-year-old netted his first goal for the club in the reserve match against Portsmouth in midweek, having been an unused substitute at St Andrews.