Football Update: Premier League News: Arsenal, Aston Villa, And Birmingham City
Arsenal
Arsenal midfielder, Abou Diaby was unable to train with the French national side, signifying towards the inability to recover from an ankle issue suffered while playing against Chelsea over the weekend. Diaby is all set to sit out France’s Euro 2012 qualifier
with Romania this weekend. The midfielder was part of the Arsenal side which was outplayed by Chelsea as the title holders defeated the Gunner 2-0. Diaby’s ankle injury was a result of a tough challenge made by Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien. The player
confessed that his injury came off from the tackle made by the Ghanian midfielder, which resulting in the Diaby twisting the ankle. However, the midfielder considered it a part of the game and therefore had to spend time with the medical staff rather than
training with the French national side. The Arsenal man has decided not to take any risks and will not be featuring in the match against Romania.
Aston Villa
Aston Villa defender, Luke Young believes that his refusal to join Liverpool this summer was a good decision. It was well known that the full back was in demand by manager Roy Hodgson but rejected the transfer and has thus featured in every premier league
fixture with Aston Villa. "I just felt that I perhaps had more of a chance, if I could get my head down and keep going, of getting in the first team at Aston Villa than I did of getting in at Liverpool. At 31, I didn't really want to go anywhere and,
on matchday, feel I was there as a back-up. I pretty much knew that with Glen Johnson the England No 1 right-back at Anfield, I'd be watching in the Premier League and maybe playing in Europe. I had the feeling the offer was as kind of a back-up for left-back
and right-back," claimed the 31 year old right back. Aston Villa suffered their first defeat of the season under new manager Gerard Houiller, when a Tottenham side, inspired by Rafael Van Der Vaart, came back from behind to earn all three points at White
Hart Lane
Birmingham City
Former Barcelona forward, Alexander Hleb has full belief in his new team mates to come back from the recent loss at the St Andrews. The forward is on a season long loan from Spanish Champions Barcelona but hasn’t played in a single win with Birmingham City
in the premier league. However, the player still remains confident that it would only be a matter of time before the Blues go back to their winning ways and get out of the slump in form. The 29 year old stated that he has failed to understand what is still
lacking since his arrival but its football and that creates the most difficult of situations. Hleb urged his team to stay positive and is not surprised by how things are going. Hleb pointed out that even though Birmingham was different from the sides he has
played with (Barcelona and Arsenal) yet he praised the side’s fighting spirit. The forwards asked more effort from the players and expected in win in the next game. He hailed the side’s training and work rate but stated that the only thing lacking is the inability
to bring the training on the pitch. He was pretty sure that a win for the Royal Blues was just on the horizon. Birmingham would be travelling to Arsenal next, with both sides looking to prove a point following their respective defeats against Everton and
Chelsea.
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