Author: Staff Writer

If you are looking to buy official Arsenal merchandise to make the perfect Christmas gifts this year for your friends and family, then you should head over to UKSoccershop – the leading UK online supplier of football shirts.

Since 2004, UKSoccershop.com has been the number one source for authentic Arsenal football shirts, training wear and official merchandise.

You can buy the latest Arsenal home shirts, away kit and 3^rd strips, complete with official shirt printing for all your favourite Gunners stars including Cesc Fabregas, Theo Walcott, Andrei Arshavin and Robin van Persie. You can also get your own name and number printed in the official Premiership style as well as official sleeve patches for the Premier League and UEFA Champions League.

UKSoccershop offer fast, reliable shipping on all Arsenal shirts and have all products in stock ready for immediate delivery.

You can also find a lot of harder to find Arsenal items such as official tracksuits, polo shirts, training jerseys and warmup jackets.

UKSoccershop also provide a large number of kids items, including mini kits, official jerseys and training wear.

Click here to visit UKSoccershop.com and find your perfect Christmas gifts.

Article By – J.Sanderson

Smallrivers is a hugely popular web-based platform from Switzerland which helps blogs, bloggers and readers share interesting content with their counterparts who have similar interests and enjoy the same fields. Smallrivers is simply a catalyst which connects distant communities who have shared interests.

In todays over saturated world of blogs it can be difficult to always find the biggest and best sources of information and opinion. One of the only ways to connect blogs in the past has been using blogrolls, and linking. Yet in todays Web 2.0 age, Smallrivers believes the very way we look at blogs should be reinvented.

How good would it be if bloggers knew of their rivals or friends who share fellow interests. How interesting a place would it be if you could see other sites with related content, explore different views and ideas and all this without leaving yourprefered blog? well this innovative idea is to become a reality with a little thing called a ‘Portable Content Network’.

So how would it work? well very simply. You pick your topic but you may not know where to begin to discover news or views on it. Bloggers may not even know where to advertise so you will never find what you’re looking for. Smallrivers brings all this chaos to an end.

Bloggers grab a ‘sticker’ from the Smallrivers website and paste it on their own. From their readers and other websites can take that ‘sticker’ and use it for themselves. The passage the sticker takes is mapped and by magic everybody and everything can be interconnected. Clicking the ‘stricker’ will open a sidebar showing everywhere else this same sticker can be found, what content can be found on these pages and what discussions are taking place on these blogs and websites. It is no ordinary sticker!

Smallrivers PRO is set to follow-on in the future with a paid subscription allowing users to access bigger and better details and tools. So whats next? well fellow bloggers and readers are needed to help hone the service by spreading the word, showing the service and helping start the web revolution. Remember, this is a platform for everybody.

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Article By – J.Sanderson

Young Guns’ September Player of the Month Craig Eastmond has been rewarded for a fantastic month which included a run out in the Carling Cup by being named in Arsène Wenger’s travelling 18 for the trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers tomorrow.

The combative defensive midfielder is very much a surprise inclusion as the Gunners continue their title push with a 5.30pm kick off at Molineux Stadium. Eastmond has never been included in a Premier League squad and therefore the 18-year-old life-long Arsenal fan would be making his PL debut if he was brought on.

Interestingly Craig has been prefered to Francis Coquelin and Emmanuel Frimpong, both of whom were tipped to play for the first team by Under 18’s coach Steve Bould. Eastmond’s inclusion surely suggestions that he is in contention to fill the void left by Alexandre Song when the African Cup of Nations claims him during January.

Article By – J.Sanderson

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway has told his on loan Arsenal starlet Jay Emmanuel-Thomas that he must first realise how talented he is and then put his skills to use before becoming a ‘terrific’ footballer. That said Holloway has no doubt that ‘JET’ has everything in his locker to reach the very top.

Emmanuel-Thomas signs off after three months with the Seasiders during the international break with his final game coming this weekend at home to Scunthorpe United. Blackpool have been in fine form with Jay netting twice in an impressive spell at Bloomfield Road.

Many have speculated where is best to deploy the leggy youngster with Holloway proving equally dumbfounded in his attempts to settle the Forest Gate-born maestro into a settled position. Yet the often excentric coach has already identified what his loan rangers best qualities are, but he speculated to whether Jay knew how good he actually is.

“I certainly know what he’s good at.”

“When he realises what he has got and how best to show it off – I think he’ll be a terrific footballer. He’s still learning because he’s only 18 but a large amount of his game is very good.”

With a solid base to build on, the Under 18 double winning captain is already looking a more complete player. Some delicious foot work and then a classy finish against Doncaster was just an example of his explosive talent. Holloway has already earmarked the 18-year-old as ‘one to watch’ for the future.

“He’s a wonderful talent to watch and I’m sure if he chooses to use it to its maximum he could have a fantastic career.”

A solid performance on his swan song against Scunthorpe United would be a perfect way to cap off an experience building three months. Whether a further loan spell develops its not know, but Jay is ineligible for the Carling Cup.

Article By – J.Sanderson

Zak Ansah couldn’t provide a Bonfire night firework as England edged out Northern Ireland on match day two of the SkySports Victory Shield. That said, they did claim another three points thanks to second half strikes from Blair Turgott and Matthias Fanimo at Chester City’s Diva Stadium.

Ansah improved on his substitute appearance last time out by partnering West Ham’s Matthias Fanimo up front against an Ireland side which boasted young Gunner Joe Jones at centre back. The banter had ebbed and flowed during the week and the battle between the pair would be fierce.

Northern Ireland settled quicker to task than England. After forcing a handful of early set pieces they had numerous chances to break the deadlock with Jones heading wide one of the better ones. A George free-kick caused havoc but back came the Three Lions with the leggy Blair Turgott doing well to keep the ball in before playing a lovely ball into the box which Ansah was just short of reaching.

The hosts failed to provide service for Fanimo and Ansah as the half came to a close and subsequently the attacking prowess of Kenny Swains side suffered. Half time brought mass changes with Nicky Barmby’s son Jack coming on in midfield.

Ireland were solid in the second period and could have taken the lead themselves if it wasn’t for England’s 14-year-old stopper making two superb saves. But as England pressured the visitors some more, they finally buckled. Turgott played a lovely one-two with Fanimo before clipping the ball over the advancing ‘keeper. A stylish finish from the West Ham man.

Northern Ireland continued to scrap for everything but Swains side were holding strong. Ansah was pulled off with 10 minutes left after having a poor game. The in form frontman badly lacked the service he needs to be able to do anything. His strike partner Fanimo was having a better evening however and he wrapped up the win late on from 12 yards.

England are now in full control of their own destiny and it seems like a formality that they will retain the Victory Shield. Ansah’s club mates Luke Chambers (Wales) and the aforementioned Jones (Northern Ireland) will be out to stop him.

Article By – J.Sanderson

In a week when American entrepreneur Stan Kroenke tightened his grip on Arsenal by accumulating 427 more shares – edging him ever closer to the golden figure of 29.99% – the clubs ethics and future are in question as a new era is almost upon us. But his imminent takeover is a defensive, not offensive move.

Kroenke is yet to show his hand in terms of his plans, but the work he is already doing for the club in his board member role is an example of where he wants to take the club. The 62-year-old sports mogul has already pumped his vast knowledge of marketing, promotion and technology into Arsenal, bringing the stone age board right to the fore of the latest ways to bring extra revenue. The partnership with Kroenke’s Colorado Rapids is a business deal which highlights this.

So far ‘Silent Stan’ has impressed everybody with his commitment. He, like Arsène Wenger and the members of the current board, are very quiet, efficient and intelligent. He has strong work ethics having amassed a fortune of $3.5 billion in the often tough world of real estate. His 50% stake in Arsenal Broadband prior to buying shares suggests he has held an ambition to be involved in the club for a long time.

Fundamentally the club will not change under Kroenke’s leadership. He believes in the way things are going. The only changes you will notice is away from football in terms of marketing and new promotions and innovations. Stan has transformed the American city of Denver. Under Kroenke Sports Enterprises, Denver is now regarded as the number one sports capital of the US. All his teams have been bathed in success and trophies since he has taken over and most fans of his teams will not argue with the statement than he has brought the fans closer to their teams. A man with a real passion for sports and supporters, his innovation includes developing sports TV networks, restoring and re-building stadiums and theatres and bringing some huge sporting events to the city of Denver.

Once described as the man who ‘has brought more entertainment to the people than anybody else in the West’ he knows how to run sports clubs and investments and get the fans more involved. A real winning leader, Kroenke’s new era for Arsenal in an exciting one for all those who follow the club. Words like ‘hostile’ are being used to describe the takeover, but in Stan Kroenke Arsenal have a man who will continue to preserve the core foundations of the club while bringing us to the very fore in todays competitive sports industry.

Article By – J.Sanderson

As Arsenal mull over whether to hand American Under 17 international Luis Gil a contract, the highly sought after pass-master is interesting several Major League Soccer clubs as he looks to sort out a club after previously having his development handled by the US residency programme.

Gil is currently away with the American national team at the Under 17 World Cup in Nigeria where a defeat against Italy ended their hopes of progression past the final 16. But some star performances have caught the eye and subsequently murmurs have started to emerge that European outfits are keen to capitalise on the youngsters fame in a growing commercial market for American prospects. Arsenal have had Luis on trial previously and Liam Brady is believed to have been suitably impressed, yet a contract offer is yet to arrive.

“There are a couple of words going out there saying that I had signed with Arsenal but in reality I just went there for about a week and a half on trial.”

“It was a good experience, the staff was good, the environment was beautiful. But as of now I’ve just done a trial, so far.”

The Mexican football Federation are said to be keen on recruiting Gil, who would qualify through his father, but he has allayed any fears that he might want to swap the white of USA for the green of Mexico, who boast striker Carlos Vela in attack.

“I got comfortable being here, I got most of my experience in the US, and I’m looking forward to playing for this team.”

Luis has told friends, family and the media his sole aim is to turn professional as quickly as possible, and with European clubs dragging their heels, the MLS is an option he’s open to.

“It’d be a great opportunity [to play in Europe] but if the chance doesn’t come I’ve got to take what’s given to me.”

“I’ve been talking to a couple of people about the MLS, so hopefully that would be a great place to start my career.”

More news is expected when Luis returns to California in the next few days. Various scouts have been tracking his progress throughout the World Cup and competition for his signature is expected to be fierce.

Article By – J.Sanderson

Combative midfielder Craig Eastmond has collected the Lamb Awards sponsored Young Guns Player Of The Month crown for October 2009, after the tenacious prospect shone through in a quiet month for Arsenal’s Reserves and Youth players.

Craig’s month began on the 5th as Chelsea’s Reserves came to Underhill looking to end Arsenal’s unbeaten run. Operating in the holding midfield role alongside Francis Coquelin, he switched his role from stopping attacks to starting them before finishing a tidy move to put the hosts 1-0 up. Neil Banfield’s boys went on to win 2-0.

After a short break, Eastmond was next in action on the 20th, against Wolves Reserves. In a midfield boasting Samir Nasri, the 18-year-old turned in an effective and tidy performance in a scrappy 2-2 draw. Arsène Wenger was watching the game and while Nasri claimed an assist and looked lively, Craig’s solid 90 minutes would catch his eye.

Eight days later the biggest game of his career would arrive. Arsenal played in the glamour tie of the Carling Cup, a home clash with Liverpool. A packed Emirates was expected, a youthful lineup for both sides was expected, Eastmond starting was not.

He turned in a marvelous 75 minutes before the pace and dwindling adrenaline saw Craig pulled off. But prior to that he worked tirelessly. He chased, hassled, harried and was generally a nuisance that Liverpool couldn’t shake off. Although clearly lacking technique and the usual Arsenal-flair, his performance was refreshingly simple yet devastatingly efficient.

Maybe in another month where the Under 18’s would have had more games, Craig would have missed out on this award, yet he is the prime example of how working hard and doing the basics for the Reserves pays dividends.

Article By – J.Sanderson

Neil Banfield’s Reserves suffered their first defeat of the 2009/2010 Reserves League South campaign last night with a 2-0 defeat against Portsmouth.

Goals in either half from Tom Kilbey and Eugen Bopp secured the win for the visitors at Barnet’s Underhill stadium. You can view a Match Report Here. Scroll down for Player Ratings an analysis.

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