Wigan welcome Birmingham to the DW Stadium on Saturday with the battle for English Premier League survival on in earnest. Roberto Martinez’s Wigan side have won just one of their past 11 league games to sit bottom of the table on 27 points. Birmingham’s record is not much better, and although Alex McLeish’s side won the season’s first piece of silverware with a 2-1 win over Arsenal in last month’s…
Alex McLeish savoured the “greatest achievement” of his career in management after the substitute Obafemi Martins scored a dramatic late winner to break Arsenal hearts and secure the Carling Cup for Birmingham City. McLeish enjoyed plenty of success at Rangers but, in the giddy heat of a 2-1 Wembley triumph against all the odds, he permitted himself a lapse into hyperbole. This was Birmingham’s first major trophy since 1963 and…
At the final whistle Arsenal’s players stood, sat or knelt on the lush emerald turf like figures in a tableau of despair. Motionless, traumatised, suddenly drained of the last vestiges of belief and hope and even pride, they looked dismayingly like Bayern Munich after Manchester United had finished with the German side at the Camp Nou in 1999. Jack Wilshere hit the crossbar here and Robin van Persie was the…
Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has warned Barclays Premier League title rivals Manchester City they cannot just buy the spirit of champions. The Gunners will head to Eastlands for Sunday’s televised showdown with confidence restored after victory over Birmingham was followed up by a 5-1 Champions League demolition of Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates Stadium. City are currently just two points behind leaders Chelsea as Roberto Mancini’s unprecedented spending spree appears…
Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager has said that he has been receiving so much criticism from all corners that he has now learned to accept everything that comes his way. Over the last few seasons, Arsenal has been accused of many shortcomings and the latest one that has been sent their way is that Arsenal has a soft belly. Wenger as usual has been trying his best to defend his…