Invisiblewall.net: Gilberto Silva News

Re-posted from Arsenal-Mania.com

Gilberto: United not better than Arsenal

Midfielder Gilberto Silva is adamant that champions Manchester United are not better than Arsenal, who finished four points behind them in the league.

The Gunners had led the league for most of the season and fell away at the end, allowing United and Chelsea to slip through and contest the league title on the final day of the season.

But the Brazilian World Cup winner is adamant that his side deserved to be league champions.

He said: “Overall you cannot say that Manchester United were the best team. What made the difference were the last results and they finished in a better position.

“We know our quality and what we are capable of. We are stronger than them and next year we need to do much better than what we did this season.

“We will enjoy our holidays and think about what we have done and come back next year even stronger.

“We were very close in the league but things happened to us which were very difficult and that is why we lost first position in the league.”

From Reuters UK

Brazil squad for U.S. tour and World Cup qualifiers

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Brazil named their squad on Thursday for friendly internationals against Canada and Venezuela in the United States and World Cup qualifiers away to Paraguay and at home to Argentina.

Brazil place Canada in Seattle on May 31, Venezuela in Boston on June 6, Paraguay in Asuncion on June 15 and Argentina in Belo Horizonte on June 18.

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Doni (AS Roma), Diego Alves (Almeria).

Defenders: Daniel Alves (Sevilla), Maicon (Inter Milan), Gilberto (Hertha Berlin), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Kleber (Santos), Lucio (Bayern Munich), Alex Costa (Chelsea), Juan (AS Roma), Luisao (Benfica).

Midfielders: Elano (Manchester City), Gilberto Silva (Arsenal), Mineiro (Hertha Berlin), Josue (VfL Wolfsburg), Anderson (Manchester United), Diego (Werder Bremen), Kaka (AC Milan).

Forwards: Adriano (Sao Paulo), Alexandre Pato (AC Milan), Julio Baptista (Real Madrid), Luis Fabiano (Sevilla), Rafael Sobis (Real Betis), Robinho (Real Madrid).

Following the 1-0 win against Southampton, in which Gilberto set up Arsenal’s winner, Gilberto has flown straight home to Brazil. He’s staying in Belo Horizonte with his wife.

He’ll be on the phone to Arsene Wenger some point soon to talk about his contract – and then we’ll see what happens!

Have a good summer, Bert.

Originally posted on Goal.com:

Gilberto Ready To Renew Vows With Arsenal

The 31-year-old had been effectively displaced by Flamini this season, but with the Frenchman having jumped ship to Milan, Gilberto is no longer considered suprlus to demands.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger recently declared that the Brazilian midfielder still has an important role to play at the club and he will be delighted to hear that Gilberto is still committed to the cause.

“Maybe in the next few days we will sit down and see what will happen with my future,” said Gilberto.

“Arsene has my number and I have his number, and I can come back and solve the situation, but I have still got one more year on my contract.

“I have always expressed the desire to stay here to the end of my career. If that happens, it would be fantastic,” he added.

“I have been here six seasons now and it has all been amazing.

“I would be very happy to stay here and then discuss another contract to the end of my career.”

After the story earlier this week saying that “Wenger wants to keep Gilberto”, this is the perfect counter-story; “Gilberto wants to stay at Arsenal”.

Here’s the story from Setanta Sports:

Gilberto keen on Gunners stay

Arsenal’s veteran midfielder Gilberto wants to stay with the North London club beyond the end of the current season.

The 31-year-old’s future at Emirates Stadium has been somewhat uncertain after his bit-part inclusion this campaign, but Mathieu Flamini’s imminent departure for Milan appears to have opened the door for the Brazilian.

Now the international says he would like to remain at the club after he was linked with a move away earlier in the season, but admits his long-term prospects rest in the hands of Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.

“I want to stay at the club,” Gilberto said in The Daily Star. “I enjoy being at Arsenal – the people, the atmosphere, the football, everything about it here.

“I don’t know if the club have received any offers and the situation could change if the club gets one.

“Then we will speak about it and sort out what is best for both of us.

“I plan to go on holiday back to Brazil to think things over and see what happens.

“But at the moment I plan to return to the club after my holiday because I do not know what the club are thinking.

“I cannot say whether I will be here or not next season.

“Managers make plans, but then things happen at the end of the season that they didn’t expect to happen.”

Gilberto wants to stay, and Wenger wants him to stay. I’d put two and two together to say that he’ll be with Arsenal next season – but in football, two and two don’t always make four.

We shall see.

I will be up front about this and admit that this story is ripped straight from the great Arsenal-Mania.com. Here’s the article J. Chong posted:

Manager Arsène Wenger has admitted that he would like Brazilian World Cup winner Gilberto Silva to stay on at the Emirates.

The Frenchman paid tribute to both Gilberto and Jens Lehmann, who he says are worthy winners and special players.

Wenger said: “It’s not necessarily goodbye to Gilberto. I want him to stay but I have to sit down with him and see what he wants to do and go from there.

“Gilberto is like Jens Lehmann. You can rely on them, they’re fantastic professionals.

“Gilberto is a really fantastic guy.

“We won trophies with Gilberto and Jens because they’re special human beings. You don’t win with average people.”

Flamini has left Arsenal FC. He has joined AC Milan.

While this isn’t technically Gilberto-related news, it is still quite obviously news which could affect where Gilberto plays next season.

The fact that fellow midfielder, Flamini, has left Arsenal, could mean that Wenger is keener to hang on to Gilberto. But will Gilberto be keen to hang on at Arsenal? That is the key question, and it will be up to Wenger to persuade GIlberto to stay if that’s what he wants.

Gilberto has many money-hungry agents sniffing around his general vicinity at the moment, and they will all try to engineer a deal which takes Gilberto away from Arsenal.

Who knows where Gilberto will play next season. Arsenal? England? Italy? I have no idea.