Gilberto picked up a groin injury during the victory over Harry Redknapp’s side but, speaking directly after the game, Wenger was unsure about the severity.
On Friday, Arsenal.com will have all the injury news and a full match preview.
Gilberto was subbed off in the 72nd minute against Portsmouth. This means he might not play against Aston Villa on New Years Eve.
More news tomorow – you will hear it here, as it happens.
Arsenal played Charlton at The Valley, and Gilberto played in the game.
Arsenal won the game 1-0 with a goal from Jose Antonio Reyes. One Arsenal fan said this about Gilberto’s performance:
“For this game I actually thought that Gilberto got stuck in a bit more, and the difference it made to our play was obvious.”
This isn’t just good news for Gilberto – it’s excellent news for Arsenal.
Gilberto wasn’t involved in the buildup to any of the goals like he usually is – but he put in a lot of tackles, and passed the ball out of defence very well at times.
Well done, Berty. Keep your rich vein of form running for the Portsmouth game.
Gilberto talks about how vital a win over Doncaster Rovers was:
I have never had a situation like this since I have come to this club, I was really annoyed that I was sent off against Newcastle and that I missed the defeat to Chelsea.
If we had lost this game, that would have been four defeats and that would have been a disaster for this club.
We can use the fact that we won to give us our belief and strength back. We need to build on this and put together a run of victories to get up the table.
Gilberto did an interview with The Times yesterday – he mostly talks about Fabregas. Here is what he has to say:
It’s different when you play with just young players in the Premiership because it’s very hard, you can’t put the responsibility on their shoulders because they have a lot to grow and a lot to improve. It’s not easy for them. I remember when I was their age I was a little bit scared to play in the Premiership, especially in England, where football is so physical.
For Cesc it’s tough because he’s not strong enough, compared to Essien and Makelele, who are both very strong. Plus, experienced players know the way they have to play in the middle of the park and for young players sometimes it’s difficult.
We struggled a bit at the beginning of the season and Patrick’s departure had a big impact on us, I think we worried a bit too much about his departure and when we woke up we had lost some games and it was very difficult for us to win the league.
I think it caused a big impact because no one expected him to leave. We didn’t realise he had definitely gone and then carried on without him. Patrick was a fantastic leader for us and when he left it was difficult for us to accept his decision.
Gilberto has been talking about refereeing recently:
It was difficult to understand. But it was a different referee and a different decision. You never know what they think. I hope for the future that they make a better decision for both parts, not just because I was sent off.
Sometimes they make mistakes. That’s normal because everyone makes mistakes, but you have to try to do your best for the both parts.
I respect the referee but I think the decision [at Newcastle] wasn’t the best that day. It killed us because we really needed that result.
I committed only three fouls during the game and I was really frustrated after that.
Sometimes teams have done too much and have played too physically against us.
Especially Bolton and Newcastle, they played more physical than normally they do against other teams.
I think the referees need to be aware of that. They need to protect not just us but all players when other players come over the ball.
Gilberto captains young Arsenal side
GILBERTO TELLS SOMEONE WHAT TO DO
Gilberto was part of a side who beat Doncaster Rovers in the quarter final of the Carling Cup. He was captain for the match, and the match reports say he had a terrible game, along with everyone else.
GILBERTO SLIDES AROUND LIKE A SLIDING BRAZILIAN MAN
With 119 minutes gone on the clock, extra time was about to end, and Arsenal were 2-1 down to Donny Rovers. He redeemed himself and the whole Arsenal team when he scored a close range goal in the dying seconds of the game, to take the match to penalties.
GILBERTO SCORES TO DRAW THE GAME LEVEL
GILBERTO CELEBRATES HIS GOAL
Gilberto stepped up to take the first penalty out of five, and SCORED!
It was a truly remarkable sight to see Gilberto score twice in one night — and Cygan even scored his penalty.
Well done to Gilberto for captaining the side to a lucky victory. Even if he played badly, he still deserves praise for the way he celebrated scoring his 2-2 equalizer.
For the BBC match report, click here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/4537798.stm
For the Arsenal match report, click here:
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?article=346469
Gilberto now looks certain to start for Arsenal in the Charlton game on Boxing day.
Here is a video clip Gilberto’s last minute goal which made the game 2-2:
http://invisiblewall.net/videos/Gilberto2-2.avi
A video clip of Gilberto’s penalty shootout goal is coming in the next 6 hours!
Gilberto did an exclusive interview with Richard Clarke over at Arsenal.com.
Here is the article in full:
Gilberto has described the period since his red card at Newcastle on Saturday as his worst time since arriving in England in 2002.
Arsenal’s Brazilian midfielder was dismissed in the 57th minute of the game at St James’ Park after picking up his second yellow card. His team went on to lose the game 1-0 after Nolberto Solano’s late winner, their second successive reverse in the Premiership.
Ahead of Saturday’s match, the 29-year-old had played 130 games for Arsenal and been booked just six times — an incredible record for a central midfielder. He was understandably distressed to be dismissed for the first time in English football.
“It was the worst situation for me since I have been here,†he said in an exclusive interview with Arsenal.com. “I have never got sent off before.
“After it happened I was very, very upset because it was frustrating, especially as we needed to get the points. The gap between us and Chelsea is too much at the moment and that makes it very difficult for us.
“I hope the referee can think about what he did there on Saturday because it was not a fair decision.â€
The red card on Tyneside means Gilberto is suspended for Sunday’s vital Premiership clash with the leaders but will be the keenest of observers from the sidelines.
“It is very important for us to win this game,†he said. “We will have to be on our best form since the start of the season. We have to be fresh but at the same time conscious of what we have to do to win the game. We know that.â€
Head high, Bert.
Link to original article: http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?article=345067
The ‘referee’ Dermot Gallagher who sent off Gilberto completely unfairly has been demoted, according to The Sun.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2002390000-2005570549,00.html
This is great for future teams, but won’t help Gilberto, who must miss the Chelsea game through suspension as a result of Dermot’s red card.
Last week, F365 were on Gilberto’s back, but this week they are sympathizing with him:
It’s suddenly fashionable to embrace the notion that Arsenal are a soft touch away from HIghbury but, as with most modern fashions, it’s pretty silly to do so.
Defeat at Newcastle was the Vincibles’ fifth defeat on their travels but a lack of fight wasn’t the cause.
The Gunners, as at Boro and West Brom, failed to convert their chances but remained in control of the match until Dermot Gallagher responded to an innocuous Gilberto Silva tackle with a yellow card. The Guardian claims that he did so to “everybody’s consternation”. Not so; the Toon players, aware that the game had just been altered in their favour, displayed their class by applauding enthusiastically.
The decision was so harsh – or, in non-footballspeak, just plain wrong – that comparisons highlighting its poverty should be unnecessary, although MOTD decided the sight of Alan Shearer hacking at Sol Campbell with impunity would suffice as a demonstration.
When Arsene Wenger later complained at Shearer’s habit of playing the “man rather than ball” he was not speaking of that hack – or any alleged ‘bullying’ tactics – but the Toon captain’s tendency to jump into defenders. He did so repeatedly on Saturday, presumably encouraged by Gallagher’s unwillingness to earn the ire of a pumped-up St James’ Park crowd by pointing out that it was a foul.
If MoTD had any imagination then they would have compared any number of such unpunished offences with the challenge by Thierry Henry at Bolton last weekend which was deemed illegal and caused Van Persie’s ‘goal’ to be disallowed. Had the game been played at Highbury then the challenge would surely have been acceptable – just as Faye would have been sent off for a deliberate handball mid-way through the second half.
In Arsenal’s biggest game of the season so far, the Arsenal vs. Chelsea game, Gilberto will be suspended due to the red card he received in the Newcastle match.
Thank you, Dermot.