Invisiblewall.net: Gilberto Silva News

Arsene Wenger says:

“I don’t know about Gilberto yet. We will have to wait until Saturday. He is starting to run again. He has a little chance to make it but he was not out for a long time. So that is a positive. Both of them probably have a small chance. Thierry and Senderos are definitely out.”

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EDIT: A small update, apparently Gilberto still has a change to play against Birmingham:

Gilberto Silva was, meanwhile, due to undergo a fitness test on his ankle injury today, with Wenger keen to add his experience to central midfield.

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Wenger says:

“Gilberto’s scan came back quite positive and he has an outside chance of playing on Sunday or at least after the break. We thought at first that he would be out for four to six weeks. It is good news because you always want to field as much experience as possible.”

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Brazilian midfielder Gilberto Silva is doubtful for Arsenal’s Champions League trip to Ajax after injuring his ankle against West Ham on Saturday.

Striker Thierry Henry has already been ruled out because of a groin injury, Robin van Persie is suspended and Dennis Bergkamp is highly doubtful.

Gilberto left Upton Park on crutches and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said: “It doesn’t look good.

“With all the injuries at the moment we just can’t afford to lose Gilberto.”

Wenger has already assessed forward Bergkamp’s chances of beating a back and groin problem at only 2% and the Gunners have shortages in midfield and up front.

Arsenal’s attack could be led by young Spaniard Jose Antonio Reyes, partnered by Quincy Owusu-Abeyie.

Arsenal confident Henry will re-sign

The injury may also leave Arsenal short on experience in midfield – where teenager Francesc Fabregas and 21-year-old Mathieu Flamini may be asked to fill the gaps.

The positive news for Wenger is that Robert Pires, who missed the goalless draw at West Ham, has a good chance of playing in Amsterdam.

This is terrible news for Arsenal, and even worse news for Gilberto himself. There is no news on how long he might be out for – but at the moment, it looks like he’ll miss the Ajax game on Tuesday, then be fit after that.

I wish him a speedy recovery — he doesn’t deserve another long-term injury.

“I am happy with my situation at Arsenal because I really didn’t want to leave this team,” said Gilberto. “Something very important would have to happen to make me leave Arsenal, it would have to be a proposal much more important than the one I have and I don’t know if that exists.

“The World Cup will be played in less than a year so it’s important to be sure at your team so you work being calm and can dedicate yourself to play in the best way for the team because that will make the coach have me in mind again.”

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Gilberto won’t travel to Switzerland:

Arsenal’s squad for Tuesday night’s Champions League game against FC Thun has been announced.

Jens Lehmann, Dennis Bergkamp, Gilberto – all of whom played at Wigan on Saturday – will not travel to Switzerland for the Group B fixture. Ashley Cole, Gael Clichy and Alexander Hleb are injured.

Arsène Wenger has included a number of youngsters in the squad, including midfielder Alexandre Song and prolific Reserve team strike duo Arturo Lupoli and Nicklas Bendtner.

The full squad is as follows:

7. Robert PIRES
8. Freddie LJUNGBERG
9. Jose Antonio REYES
11. Robin VAN PERSIE
12. LAUREN
14. Thierry HENRY
15. Francesc FABREGAS
16. Mathieu FLAMINI
17. Alexandre SONG
18. Pascal CYGAN
20. Philippe SENDEROS
21. Mart POOM (GK)
23. Sol CAMPBELL
24. Manuel ALMUNIA (GK)
27. Emmanuel EBOUE
33. Nicklas BENDTNER
36. Johan DJOUROU
41. Arturo LUPOLI

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Gilberto signs long-term contract extension

Arsenal is delighted to announce that Gilberto has signed a long term extension to his contract with the Club until 2009.

The Brazilian midfielder joined Arsenal from Atletico Mineiro in July 2002, shortly after playing in every minute of his country’s triumphant World Cup campaign.

Gilberto (28) has been a vital part of team in his three full seasons with Arsenal. In his time with the Club he has made 120 appearances, winning the Premiership in 2003/04 and the FA Cup in 2003 and 2005.

Everyone at Arsenal is looking forward to enjoying Gilberto’s continued contribution in the forthcoming seasons.

Exciting news! Gilberto will be 34 when the contract runs out! Let’s celebrate!

Talking of his new deal, Gilberto says:

“I like the club, and I don’t need to leave now”

“The main reason I signed the extension is that I am very happy at Arsenal. The Club is going through some important times at the moment and I want to be a part of that.

“I believe the Club has the desire, as do I, to win trophies and I want to be here when we do. Most importantly though, like I said, I am happy at the Club and don’t want to leave.

“The Champions League is an important competition for me. We have to work hard to have a chance to win the trophy but we are capable of it.

“We compete against great players in great clubs but it is possible. However, the other trophies are important as well. The FA Cup and Premiership mean a lot to me and I want to win more. You must always want to win things, to have the desire, and this is something I have.

“London is a nice place. I have settled very well and I love my life here. My family is here with me and they enjoy it as well which is important.

“We are happy together in England and there are many great opportunities for my family and myself here. We have adapted well in this country and there is no reason for me to leave.

Excellent.

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LONDON (AP) – With the World Cup only nine months away, Brazil midfielder Gilberto Silva has a warning for his teammates: now is not the time to lose your place in the squad.

Defending champion Brazil has probably its strongest, deepest roster ever ahead of its attempt for a sixth title.

With a maximum 23 players going to Germany, however, the Arsenal midfielder says a lot of stars are going to miss out.

“It’s not easy for the coach. The people say they want to put all of the stars together. But you can’t do that,” Gilberto told The Associated Press in an interview. “I think (the coach) would love to do that kind of thing but he can’t. He only has 11 players to pick on the starting lineup.

“It’s not easy to join the team now. You have to fight to get your place back in the squad.”

With a place in next year’s finals now guaranteed, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has the option of experimenting with his lineup next month when Brazil faces Bolivia and Venezuela – the lowest-placed teams in the South American standings – next month in its final qualifying games.

“There’s only 22, 23 players (at the World Cup) and, outside of the squad, there are a lot of good players who can try and get in,” Gilberto said.

“But that’s not easy because of who’s in the squad at the moment and who want to keep their place and want to go to the World Cup and want to defend the title.”

Parreira also won’t be able to field all his big stars in the starting lineup and, with Inter Milan’s Adriano and Real Madrid’s Robinho chasing starting spots, even the likes of three-time FIFA player of the year Ronaldo may be on the bench.

Brazil also has attacking midfielders Kaka of AC Milan and FC Barcelona’s Ronaldinho, who on Monday was voted player of the year by his fellow pros – adding the title to his FIFA player of the year award.

With so much attacking talent, Gilberto says that Parreira has to be careful that his defense isn’t exposed.

“These days the fans in Brazil realize you have to defend well. Now the whole team knows that, when they don’t have the ball, they have to drop off and support each other,” said Gilberto, who played as a second-half substitute in this month’s 5-0 victory over Chile that clinched a World Cup spot.

“When you have the ball, it’s great to attack,” Gilberto said. “But, when we don’t, we have to defend well and cover the positions and do our job.”

Gilberto: Catching Chelsea will be hard

Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva admits the club have a mountain to climb if they are to overhaul Chelsea at the top of the Premiership table.

The Brazilian believes The Gunners are in a transitional period after selling Patrick Vieira in the summer and the recent defeat at Stamford Bridge, along with a surprise reverse at Middlesbrough, has allowed the champions to streak clear at the summit.

Chelsea are currently nine points ahead of their London rivals, although Arsenal do have a game in hand.

“It’s a big difference,” Gilberto revealed on Sky Sports News. “A big gap between the teams.

“We need to climb the mountain, step-by-step, and see what’s going to happen.

“If you allow them to get points and we lose a lot of points, we will make it very difficult at the end.

“I think we [will] produce a good result in the future but now we are in the process of change. We changed some things, some players left the squad and it made everything hard in the beginning.”

Gilberto admits he misses Vieira following the former Highbury captain’s switch to Juventus in Serie A.

“When it happened, it caused a big impact in all of the players,” he conceded.

“But now we realise he’s definitely gone and we need to play without him.

“Wherever he goes, we will follow his team and support him – wherever he goes. But we need to realise now we need to play without him and do our best for the club.”

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Gilberto: I begged Robinho to join Arsenal
tribalfootball.com – September 18, 2005

Arsenal midfielder Giblerto Silva has revealed he begged Robinho to move to Highbury before he agreed a deal with Real Madrid.

Gilberto told the News of the World: “I was in touch with Robinho many times before he signed for Real Madrid. For days we were talking about what Arsenal and England are like. Every time, I told him to come over.

“At Arsenal he would have been a god. He said he was interested in coming to England. It amazes me he has not.

“It means that only a small margin came between him coming here and Real.

“Being without Thierry isn’t nice for us, but Robinho could now easily be playing for Arsenal.”

The Brazilian added: “I told Robinho he would find respect at Highbury, instead of the drama that now awaits him in Spain. He may find that disturbing whereas he wouldn’t have had those problems with Arsenal.”

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Could this mean Gilberto is getting lonely without Edu?
Should Arsenal buy some Brasilians just to keep Gilberto happy? I think so. Maybe Ronaldinho, he’d do good.

Gilberto hails Arsenals spirit

Gilberto believes Wednesday’s last-gasp victory against FC Thun was a testament to Arsenal’s collective spirit.

The Gunners were reduced to 10 men after Robin van Persie’s harsh dismissal and a freakish equaliser looked likely to frustrate the hosts after Gilberto’s powerful header had put them in front.

Dennis Bergkamp’s stoppage-time strike ensured a happy ending and, for Gilberto, the victory was a perfect tonic after last weekend’s defeat at Middlesbrough.

“A late goal like that is very important,” he said. “It was difficult to score because they defended well and made it difficult for us, but we didn’t give up at any time during the game.

“When Robin was sent off the team kept going. When they equalised we kept playing and played well until we scored the second goal.

“It was an improvement and it shows that when we play as a group we can do something different.”

Gilberto is fast becoming a fan favourite – and his recent display of spirit and will-to-win is definitely helping Arsenal win things.

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