Gunning for Glory: My Arsenal Story

April 30
Thoughts From the Manager

Defiantly our best month of the year, going undefeated in 8 straight games, picking up 4 victories in the process.

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English Premier League

I am not going to go into much detail for the Premier League, as we only have 2 games to finish the season. I will do a final Premier League update later, as well as a season review.

Champions League

I’ve said it all season, we play our best in the Champions League. The team didn’t disappoint again, as we have made the Champions League Finals! We did enough in Shakhtar to advance to the Semi Finals, and a brilliant performance at home against Chelsea means we will take on Real Madrid in the Finals, who smashed FC Porto in the other tie. I am really looking forward to the Final, and how special would it be to get Arsenal their first trophy in years, and for it to be the European Cup!

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Champions League Quarter Final Results


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Champions League Semi Final Results

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Preview

Just three more games to play this season. We will travel to West Brom, and will host Manchester United on the Premier League finale day, in a game which might be meaningless in the standings, but it’s always nice to try and beat United.

We will conclude the season with a trip to Munich, Germany and the Allianz-Arena for the Champions League Final on May 19th​.

One more update of the final 2 Premier League game, then a couple posts about the Champions League Final.

Please let me know what you want to see, so far I have a preview, interview, the game writeup and a little post game interview in the plans, I will hold off playing the final for a little while to get some feedback.
 
This is amazing pal! no need to ask for advice, it's superb! Presentation top notch! good luck in the CL Final!:D
 
May 6
English Premier League: Matchday 37

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WEST BROM 2 – 3 ARSENAL

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Three first half goals were enough for Arsenal to secure 5th​ spot in the English Premier League.

With little to play for in the match, a few reserve players got starts, including Felipe Anderson’s first start in the Premier League.

It was a flying for Arsenal when Johan Djourou scored from Andrey Arshavin’s corner just 3 minutes into the match.

An own goal from Danny Simpson on 18 minutes gave the Gunners a two goal lead, as the right back knocked the ball past Ben Foster after the keeper spilled a harmless Arshavin free kick.

It was double trouble for Arsenal just 5 minutes later, as Gabriel Tamas won the ball at the center circle off Marouane Chamakh, and the Moroccan striker stayed down. West Brom continued play, and 20 seconds later the ball was in the back of the Arsenal goal. Mark Bresciano’s cross was deflected towards the goal by Per Mertesacker, Szczesny was able to keep the ball out, but Chris Brunt followed up for the goal. Chamakh was forced off with the injury, Park Chu Young was his replacement.

The Korean sub scored in first half injury time, Felipe Anderson creating the assist to restore the 2 goal advantage.

Shane Long got West Brom to within a goal with a nice finish in the 55th​ minute, but the away side hung on for the victory.

The win sees Arsenal clinch 5th​ position in the Premier League, and results elsewhere meant that the Gunners will miss out on the top 4. Marouane Chamakh’s injury to his ankle will see the striker miss the Champions League final (out 3 weeks), meaning Arsenal will be without the teams two best strikers.

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May 13
English Premier League: Matchday 38

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ARSENAL 3 – 1 MANCHESTER UNITED

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Arsenal finish the season with a fantastic result against rivals Manchester United, in a game which saw all 4 goals scored in the first half.

Even with nothing to play for, a regular starting 11 minus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny who was rested for Lukasz Fabianksi. Arsenal were also without Robin van Persie and Marouane Chamakh, so Theo Walcott got the nod up front, and will likely do the same in the upcoming Champions League Final. Manchester United were ravaged by injuries in the center of the park, so Phil Jones was deployed in the center of midfield.

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Thomas Vermaelen scored Arsenal's first goal of the match with a lovely forward run


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The Gunners supporters witnessed a bit of magic from Thomas Vermaelen when he put his side up inside of 5 minutes. A long throw in was headed away by Nemanja Vidic, and Thomas Vermaelen picked the ball up inside of United’s end. The defender went on a dazzling run past two players, and finished with a skinning of Rio Ferdinand and the defender calmly put the ball in the back of the net.

Arsenal got another goal through Theo Walcott after 12 minutes. The striker moved the ball to Bacary Sagna on the right, and continued his run toward goal, when Sagna made a lovely cross to the near post where Walcott flicked the ball past Anders Lindegaard.

A third goal for Arsenal just after the half hour mark when Theo Walcott made a pass into space for Andrey Arshavin. The Russian had moved more central, and dashed past Rio Ferdinand and scored just inside the far post with a placed shot.

United got a goal back before half time when a Patrice Evra cross deflected off Alex Song inside the six yard box, and fell to Wayne Rooney who thundered the ball into the net.

The Red Devils pressed for goals in the second half, but saves from Fabianski kept Arsenal ahead and secure the 3 points.

A great conclusion for Arsenal in the Premier League with a win over Manchester United, the Champions League Final to look forward to now for the Gunners.

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Writing up a really big preview, interview and lineups for the Final, might have one part of it up tonight, really think you guys are gonna like this!
 
May 18
UEFA Champions League: Final

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Champions League Final Preview: Arsenal – Real Madrid
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Arsenal will go into the final with the aim of securing the clubs first ever UEFA Champions League Trophy. Real Madrid will be looking to secure their 10th​ European Cup/UEFA Champions League Trophy and their first since the 2001/02 season.

In what should be an exciting affair tomorrow night in Munich, the Champions League Final promises to deliver an exciting game of expansive and beautiful football. Both teams have worked hard to get to this point in the season, with Arsenal having to make their way through a qualification stage to have the chance to play for the trophy.

Club History

Arsenal:
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Real Madrid:
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Probable Lineups

Arsenal (4-5-1):
Szczesny
Sagna Vermaelen Koscielny van der Wiel
Gervinho Arteta Song Wilshire Arshavin
Walcott
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Arsenal will be missing the services of defender Johan Djourou, as well as striker Marouane Chamakh. Incredibly, Robin van Persie has made a speedy recovery, and though manager Andrew has mentioned that the captain will not start the game, but that there is the possibility that he could make the bench. Reports from Arsenal.com state the striker is around 60% fit as of yesterday afternoon, so it may well come down to an hour before the game as to whether or not the striker is fit enough to be called upon.

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1):
Casillas
Arbeloa Carvalho Pepe Marcelo
Diarra Khedira
Ronaldo Ozil Di Maria
Higuain
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Jose Mourinho has a series of serious injury worries and players who will miss out due to suspension. Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso both picked up yellow cards in the second leg of their Semi Final against FC Porto, and will miss out. Fabio Coentrao is still nursing a dislocated shoulder and will be out another 3 – 4 weeks, and Kaka picked up a dead leg 2 days ago in training, and it is looking more than likely that he will not pass his fitness test for the game. Fortunately, Madrid boasts one of the deepest squads in football, so the likes of Alvaro Arbeloa and Lassana Diarra appear to be the likely candidates to fill in the gaps.

Road to the Finals

Arsenal:
The Gunners were forced to qualify for the Group Stages after finishing in 4th​ position last season in the English Premier League. A nervy tie against Dynamo Kyiv saw the Gunners progress to the Group Stage Draw. As a team in Pot 1, they were drawn with a fairly straightforward group, where they clinched top spot in Group D with a game to spare. Arsenal struggled to overcome Bayer Leverkusen in the Round of 16, but they were able to progress. An impressive 5-0 victory at home to Shakhtar killed the tie from the start, and they met up with London rivals Chelsea in the Semi Finals. Arsenal grabbed two away goals at Stamford Bridge, and followed that up with a 2-0 dismantling of the Blues to book a birth in the Finals.

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Best Placed Qualification Round
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Group D Table
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Knockout Round Results
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Real Madrid:
A similar situation for Real Madrid saw them drawn into Group C with Olympique Lyonnais, Panathinaikos and Trabzonspor. Four wins from four saw Madrid top the group, and an away draw in Greece clinched first place on Matchday 5. A straightforward victory over Marseille meant a date with EPL leaders Manchester City. After a 2-0 home victory, a Cristiano Ronaldo goal in Manchester saw Madrid squeak through on away goals. A 2-0 victory in Portugal in the second leg of the Semi Finals saw Los Blancos win 5-1 on aggregate.


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Group C Table
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Knockout Round Results

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Player to Watch

Arsenal:

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Mikel Arteta
Appearances: 10
Goals: 1
Assists: 7
Yellow/Red Cards: 0/0​

The Spanish midfielder leads the UEFA Champions League in assists with 7. Arsenal will surely need his creativity to breakdown Madrid’s two defensive midfielders from play, as well as from set pieces, where his delivery is one of the best in the Premier League. The Gunners will also likely to be on the defensive for the greater portion of the game, and Arteta has shown his defensive ability by not collecting a booking in the tournament.

Real Madrid:
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Cristiano Ronaldo
Appearances: 9
Goals: 10
Assists: 1
Yellow/Red Cards: 2/0

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Cristiano Ronaldo goes into the Final leading the Champions League Golden Boot race with 10 goals to his name. With nearest rivals Robin van Persie (9 goals), who is looking like he will not play a major role tomorrow night, and Marouane Chamakh (8 goals) who will not be fit, the skilled forward is looking like he has the stat all to himself. Ronaldo has been in fine form in the Champions League, and there is no doubt Arsenal’s Alex Song will be forced to help his wingbacks in marking the World Player of the Year for 2011, on whichever wing he turns up on.

Prediction

Both teams have suffered heartbreaking defeats in their respective leagues, with Arsenal just missing out on a Champions League birth, and Madrid throwing away La Liga on the final matchday with a draw to finish runners up to Barcelona again, as well as losing the Copa del Rey final.

Each team will be looking to finish the season with a trophy, and even with Madrid missing some first team players, Arsenal’s injuries are far greater in the likes of Robin van Persie and Marouane Chamakh. Goals might be hard to come by for the Gunners, and the London club have struggled playing away from the Emirates. Real Madrid look favourites to win their 10th​ European trophy tomorrow night:


ARSENAL 0 – 2 REAL MADRID
Apologies this took so long, been out this weekend and didn't have much of a chance to finish this up.

The prematch interviews to come tonight or tomorrow!
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May 18
UEFA Champions League: Final

Pre-Match Interview

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Arsenal manager Andrew, along with defenders Laurent Koscielny and Bacary Sagna take questions from the media
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Champions League Personel: Welcome ladies and gentlemen, I know we are all excited about the upcoming game tomorrow between Arsenal and Real Madrid. This afternoon, we will have both clubs in for interviews, and up first we will have English Premier League side Arsenal FC. Joining us from the squad will be French defenders Bacary Sagna and Laurent Koscielny, as well as their manager Andrew. Please pass the microphone along when you have asked your question. Thank you.

(Sagna, Koscielny and Andrew walk into the room, take a seat)

Andrew: Good afternoon everyone, let’s get this started.

Journalist: First off Andrew, congratulations of reaching the final. Do you think your team has overachieved, or are you not surprised with how well they have done?

Andrew: Well, the Champions League is the most difficult club competition to win, and to reach the finals ahead of the likes of Barcelona, both Manchester clubs and both AC and Inter Milan, it’s a real accomplishment. We have beat some tough teams on the way to the finals, so of course I think we deserve to be here.

Journalist: It’s a question on everyone’s mind, is Robin going to be fit for tomorrow night?

Andrew: Well, for competitions sake, I’m not going to defiantly rule him out. Robin has been training well this week, and has recovered faster than expected from his injury. We will reassess his status tomorrow morning, I think he will though have a part to play tomorrow.

Sagna: I have seen him in training this week, and if I know Robin, he will play tomorrow.

Journalist: This game is very important for Arsenal, as you have failed to qualify for the Champions League in England. In order to qualify now, you must win the Champions League as the winner gets an automatic berth next year.

Andrew: Absolutely. We know what is at stake here, the game is of the highest importance. Our goal was to qualify for the Champions League, we have failed to make the top 4 domestically, but we still have a chance if we win tomorrow.

Journalist: To both Mr. Sagna and Mr. Koscielny, Madrid are very dangerous in attack, lead by Cristiano Ronaldo. Have you guys prepared any differently for him, or just another day at the office?

Koscielny: We know his skill, he leads the competition in goals. He has teammates who get him the ball, and he does what he wants with it. We are ready for him tomorrow night, we haven’t trained any differently, but we have to always be aware of where he is on the field.

Sagna: I’ve played against Ronaldo when he was at Manchester United, and he is dangerous whenever he has the ball. We will be watching him carefully, as well as the others in attack.

Journalist: Your thoughts on Jose Mourinho?

Andrew: What can you say about Jose, he wins wherever he goes. It took him just two years to win the Champions League with Inter, and now at Madrid, he will be looking for another win in the Champions League. He is a very smart manager, in the wars of words as well as tactically.

Journalist: How special would it be to bring home the Champions League trophy to the Arsenal fans, who have suffered for so long without winning a trophy since 2005.

Andrew: Of course, we will be playing this game for ourselves, as well as the fans. Arsenal are a major club in Europe, and we need to win trophies.

Journalist: Laurent, you will be without your two main strikers, you have been scoring quite a bit in the league, any chance you or Thomas Vermaelen play up front?

(Andrew and Laurent laugh)

Koscielny: I think my services might be better suited playing at the back, come out to training and take a look at my first touch, I’m no Robin van Persie.

Andrew: Maybe this is the tactical plan that will throw Jose and his team off, don’t count Kos out for playing as our target man!

Journalist: Any clues to how you will be instructing the boys to play?

Andrew: We have to score eventually, so why not play to win the game right from the get go? Our team is built to have the ball, and to score goals, so we won’t be changing much for tomorrow’s game.

Champions League Personel: Alright, that’s all we have time for, let’s get these guys out of here so they can prepare for the game. Up next we will have some members from Real Madrid available for questions.

(Andrew, Sagna and Koscielny stand up and walk out)

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Let the mind games begin, as Jose Mourinho gives the opponents coach something to ponder with a little wink
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As I walked towards the exit, none other than my counterpart, Jose Mourinho is about to take the podium. He gives me a little wink and a wry smile as I walk by, he’s used to this sort of stuff, I on the other hand am completely inexperienced. I walk past and smirk; I am prepared for the game, and am really excited about our biggest match of the season on the grandest scale of club football.
Had some fun with this interview, just offers a little insight to the game.

Might do one more update with the official lineups, or maybe just go straight into the game, I've been DYING to play it for some time now!
 
May 19

UEFA Champions League: Final

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Official Lineups Released (1 Hour Before Kickoff)

No surprises from Arsenal's starting 11, but some shock selections from Jose Mourinho. Sami Khedira will be partnered in midfield by Nuri Sahin, a player who has yet to see any action in the Champions League this entire season. Raul Albiol will also partner Ricardo Carvalho in the center of defence, as Pepe will start the match from the bench. Just under an hour until kickoff, we will be bringing you live coverage of the game when it gets going.

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Wojciech Szczesny

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....Bacary Sagna.....Thomas Vermaelen..Laurent Koscielny..Gregory van der Wiel
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Jack Wilshere............Alex Song.........Mikel Arteta

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Andrey Arshavin........Theo Walcott............Gervinho




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Gonzalo Higuain

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Angel Di Maria...........Mezut Ozil..........Cristiano Ronaldo

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Nuri Sahin............Sami Khedira

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....Marcelo.............Ricardo Carvalho.........Raul Albiol...........Alvaro Arbeloa

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Iker Casillas
Just got finished playing the game, going to go back and watch again to get the writeup done, should be up soon!
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Last edited:
Just to point out mate, and I don't mean to be pedantic, cause the graphics are top class, you got Carvalho and Albiol the wrong way round.
Top story though mate, really enjoying it
 
Jamo456 said:
Just to point out mate, and I don't mean to be pedantic, cause the graphics are top class, you got Carvalho and Albiol the wrong way round.
Top story though mate, really enjoying it
Click to expand...

Thanks for pointing that out, went back and fixed it up, and appreciate the follow!
 
May 19
Champions League: Final

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ARSENAL 2 – 0 REAL MADRID: Arsenal upset Los Blancos in Thrilling Final, Clinching Their First Ever Champions League Trophy

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Laurent Koscielny and Andrey Arshavin scored to crown Arsenal champions of European club football.

Arsenal were moving the ball around quickly against Madrid’s pressing style, the English club began targeting the wings with success thanks to Madrid’s narrow midfield.

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Arsenal captain Robin van Persie passed his fitness test and started from the bench,
but was unable to come on when Theo Walcott was injured due to a lack of match fitness
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Theo Walcott was caught by Sami Khedira just 13 minutes into the match after the striker had made a pass. The referee kept his cards in his pocket, but Walcott was unable to continue, and manager Andrew was forced into making an early substitution. Many thought Robin van Persie would be forced into the game, but with his fitness in doubt, the manager played it safe and Gervinho moved into the striker role while Yossi Benayoun came on to play on the left.

The first chance of the night fell to Arsenal after 20 minutes. With Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere doing well to control the midfield, Wilshiere played a ball towards Gervinho, but it was just out of his reach and Iker Casillas was quick to come out and collect the loose ball.

After that chance, Madrid began to see much more of the ball, having no problems passing and keeping the ball at the back. Mainly due to this tactical decision, Cristiano Ronaldo was not getting many touches of the ball in the opening 20 minutes.

Madrid fashioned three chances in the next 5 minutes. Ronaldo pulled three Arsenal players towards him, while Ozil made space for himself and collected the pass from Ronaldo on the right side. The playmaker spotted Gonzalo Higuain alongside Laurent Koscielny, and the striker got a step on the defender on the right. Higuain took a shot hard shot from an angle towards the far post, but Wojciech Szczesny was able to palm clear. Higuain got another chance when Ozil played him with his back to goal, then moved past Thomas Vermaelen. The shot was fired high, but Szczesny was again their to punch the ball over for a corner.

Arsenal were seeing little of the ball now, and were attempting to hit on the counter attack, but with little success.

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Cristiano Ronaldo looks on in disgust after Laurent Koscielny gave Arsenal the lead.
The Portugese star was seeing little of the ball and was roughed up throughout the game
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With 10 minutes remaining in the half, Arsenal had a strong 5 minutes holding the ball in Madrid’s end, and Gregory van der Wiel got a hard shot off from the left which resulted in a corner kick to the right of Casillas’ net. Mikel Arteta swung the ball in towards the far post, and Laurent Koscielny rose above Alvaro Arbeloa, and the Frenchman’s powerful header was in the back of the net before the keeper had a chance to react.

Arsenal took a 1-0 lead into halftime, even with Madrid creating the majority of the chances in the final 20 minutes, but Szczesny was looking focused in the net for the Gunners.

Both teams had chances in the opening portion of the second half, Nuri Shain was unable to hit the net from 12 yards out, and Di Maria’s quick counter attack resulted in nothing when his cross was out of the reach of Higuain. Andrey Arshavin got the better of Marcelo down the right, but his pass across the face of goal was not met by Gervinho and was quickly cleared by Ricardo Carvalho.

On the hour mark, Arsenal’s best chance of the night came off another corner kick, as Madrid were struggling to defend them all night. Vermaelen met Arteta’s corner with a strong header towards the near post and had Casillas beaten. Fortunately for the Spanish side, Gonzalo Higuain was on the line to clear the ball away with his head.

Ronaldo and Di Maria were beginning to track back less and less, and it was putting the Madrid wing backs in bad situations, as Marcelo was forced to bring down Arshavin in a dangerous area and pick up a booking. The resulting free kick was was saved by Casillas off of Arteta’s right boot.

With just over 10 minutes to go, a surprise move by Mourinho saw Estaban Granero introduced to the game, while Karim Benzema remained on the bench.

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Andrey Arshavin pounces on Ricardo Carvalho's horrendous error to put the Gunners up 2-0
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Minutes after the substitution, Arsenal doubled their lead thanks to a pathetic back pass from Ricardo Carvalho. A through ball which was intended for Yossi Benayoun, but a bit too long for the winger, was collected by Carvalho and the defender appeared to have the situation under control. Inexplicably, the defender decided to pass the ball across his won penalty area towards Casillas. The ball was curling away from the keeper and was out of his reach to clear, and Andrey Arshavin was the beneficiary with an easy one timer into the back of the net.

With stoppage time on the horizon, it was a wonderful sight for Arsenal fans as Robin van Persie’s number came up on the fourth officials board. The striker came on and received the captains armband from Thomas Vermaelen, and looked all set to celebrate an almost certain Arsenal victory in a fantastic gesture from manager Andrew.

Madrid’s final chance came through Granero, but he was wasteful with his cross, and it proved to be the final activity of the game. With the 3 minutes of stoppage time complete, and the Arsenal team standing on the sidelines, referee Florian Meyer blew for full time to crown Arsenal the winners of the Champions League!

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Left: Robin van Persie celebrates winning his first ever Champions League trophy
Right: Arsenal teammates Diaby, van Persie, Arteta, Benayoun, Mertesacker and Vermaelen celebrate their incredible victory

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Arsenal lift the clubs first ever Champions League Trophy, ending their trophy drought of nearly 7 years!

GET IN!!! WE WON THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ENDING ARSENAL'S TROPHYLESS STREAK! WHAT A WAY TO CAP THE CLUB'S 125 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

Was really surprised with the result, but we have played well in Europe all year, and this is what the players and fans deserve!
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Dude will you be covering your second season? This is a great story. Just starting my 4th season as arsenal. Have som great prospects in my squad. My 2nd season was like your first. Shocking Domestically but dominated Europe. Be great if u were to carry this on!?!?
 
Sorry bout the lack of updates, just got sidetracked with some other stuff, will try to get some more updates done, but I don't think I will be able to do them with as much detail and as often.
 
Have a looke at James Rodriguez from FCP. Snapped him up for 6.5 million and he is quality. 4 star player
 
May 19

Champions League: Final – Player Ratings

ARSENAL 2 – 0 REAL MADRID

With the game complete, and Arsenal crowned champions, Goal.com takes a look at the individual performances from those who took part in the game.

Arsenal:

Wojciech Szczesny: 7.5
The Arsenal keeper only faced 2 shots on target all night, but the two saves he had to make were fantastic, forcing hard shots away from danger. Dealt well with crosses and corner kicks, and his distribution was stellar all night.

Bacary Sagna: 6.5
A solid first half display saw the wing back get forward and kept Di Maria quiet. His second half display was disappointing, and he struggled to keep the Argentine winger under control and was beaten a handful of times.

Thomas Vermaelen: 7.5
Dealt with Madrid’s attack well all night. Made numerous important interceptions, and his ball moving skills from the back were impressive. Nearly scored a goal from a corner kick.

Laurent Koscielny: 8.0
Unlikely scorer of the game winning goal, taking his goal tally to 5 in the competition. Was beaten only twice by Gonzalo Higuain, but made up for it the rest of the game with perfect positioning in the backline.

Gregory van der Wiel: 7.0
Diployed at left back ahead of Cheik M’Bengue and Andre Santos, and the defender made the most of his opportunity. Kept Madrid’s most dangerous man quiet all night, allowing Ronaldo little time and space when he did have the ball.

Alex Song: 7.0
Went about his job with little fuss, destroying opposition attacks with ease. Helped out van der Wiel in marking Ronaldo, but more notably did a wonderful job in marking Mezut Ozil out of the game.

Jack Wilshire: 6.5
A quiet display from the youngster. Saw a ton of the ball, but his final passes were lacking, as he failed to play through Gervinho on a number of occasions. Taken off with 5 minutes to play for a more defensive option.

Mikel Arteta: 7.0
Strong display from the Spaniard, working well in attack as well as in his defensive duties. Provided the assist for Laurent Koscielny’s game winning goal, another class set piece delivery.

Andrey Arshavin: 7.5
Worked hard all night on the right side with Sagna. Was most effective when cutting inside when Gervinho dropped deep. Scored a tap in and the security goal for Arsenal with less than 10 minutes to play. Was even caught tracking back on a number of occasions to help out in defense.

Gervinho: 7.0
Started the game on the left, forced into the middle after the injury. Played a strong game, dropping deep to help build the counter attacks where he looked most dangerous. Came close to scoring, but was unable to get his name on the score sheet.

Theo Walcott: N/A
Only played 15 minutes before having to be taken off after a Sami Khedira tackle.

Substitutes:

Yossi Benayoun: 6.0
Came on early in the first half on the left. Did little going forward to help in attack, but did well to help defend Ronaldo and tracking Arbeloa.

Aaron Ramsey: N/A
On with 5 minutes to go, help secure the clean sheet.

Robin van Persie: N/A
Played the final 3 minutes of stoppage time after recovering from his injury. The captain looked delighted to take the field, and even more delighted to lift the Champions Leaggue trophy.


Real Madrid:

Iker Casillas: 6.5
Did little wrong all night, and was only forced into making a few saves. Could do little with either goal, but was saved by his forward on the post from a corner. Did well with his passing, as Madrid played the ball around at the back a number of times.

Alvaro Arbeloa: 6.0
Forced into the lineup as Sergio Ramos was unavailable. Offered little going forward, and struggled with the pace of Gervinho.

Ricardo Carvalho: 5.0
A howler of a night for the veteran defender. One of Mourinho favourites, he will be disappointed with his performance on the night. Struggled with his positioning, and made a horrendous error with a poor pass across his own area which resulted in his side falling behind by two with little time to recover.

Raul Albiol: 6.0
A surprise start ahead of Pepe, went about his work with little fuss. Picked up a knock with 20 minutes to play, and was forced to come off with 10 minutes remaining.

Marcelo: 6.0
Another strong performance going forward, but looked a mess when forced to defend. Allowed Arshavin far too much room on many occasions, and his crossing was off all night.

Nuri Sahin: 6.0
Another shock starter, as Jose Mourinho preferred the midfielder to Lass Diara for a little more creativity from deep. Reamained central, but gave Wilshere space in midfield and was forced to close him down with little success, forcing the player to pick up a booking.

Sami Khedira: 6.5
The usual hard working display from the destroyer, forcing Theo Walcott off for a late challenge which probably should have seen him pick up a booking. Kept the engine going all night, but began to pick up silly fouls as the game wore on and deservedly saw yellow.

Cristiano Ronaldo: 6.5
Antoehr big game, another disappointing performance from one of the best. Kept quiet by van der Wiel, and was always closed down quickly, and struggled to deal with the pace of Arsenal. A few flicks and tricks as always, but his frustration boiled over after going down 2-0 with shots from ridiculous areas.

Mesut Ozil: 5.5
Pathetic display from the German playmaker. Went long stretches without being a part of his team’s attacks, as he was unable to keep away from Alex Song’s marking.

Angel Di Maria: 5.5
Invisable for the majority of the game. having limited success against Sagna. Stayed tight to the line and rarely made his way infield. Yanked with 10 minutes to play dur to his ineffectiveness and his legs had gone.

Gonzalo Higuain: 6.5
Madrid’s most dangerous attacker all night. Worked hard to beat Arsenal’s offside trap, and got in on goal on a few occasions, testing Szczesny twice. Failed to take his other oppurtunities, as the ball just wasn;t falling right for the striker.

Substitutes:

Pepe: 5.5
Played the final 10 minutes for the injured Albiol, and could do nothing to defend his partners error. Had little to do as Madrid were pushing forward in the final moments.

Estaban Granero: 5.5
The surpsise choice to replace Di Maria with Benzema on the bench. Made some successful passes, but never looked like a threat to get his side back in the game.

Raphael Varane: N/A
Came on late for Marcelo to add an ariel threat in the box, keeping Benzema on the bench for the game even with Madrid down 2 goals.
Well this is a bit late.... apologies for this but just haven't had the time, will hopefully post a few more updates in the coming days.

If you are still following after the weeks off, thanks!
 
question where did you get your national logo's from? brilliant story and well done wining the champions league
 
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