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TGL:CBKoE
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Last Prem Game of 06/07: Arsenal Vs Portsmouth
| Quote: |  Fratton Park
Sunday, 13 May
Kick-off: 1500 BST
Coverage on the BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live & highlights on Match of the Day
This will be a featured match on Sunday's Score - 1430 BST on BBCi and bbc.co.uk/score
Portsmouth defender Lauren has been ruled out against his former club with a foot injury.
He joins Sol Campbell and Dejan Stefanovic on the sidelines, while Matt Taylor and Richard Hughes are doubtful but Pedro Mendes is back in the squad.
Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor is a doubt with a groin problem.
Freddie Ljungberg returns from injured, but Tomas Rosicky is out, Gilberto and Jens Lehmann will be rested so Manuel Almunia will be in goal.
Pompey boss Harry Redknapp says he will need to strengthen if Pompey win a Uefa Cup place:
"We can't take on Europe with what we've got.
"We're going to need 10 extra players because if you're successful in the Uefa Cup you're going to play 10 extra games.
"Ask Newcastle and Tottenham how difficult it was to handle this season, ad they have a lot of players and a lot of quality."
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger: "I have to stand up first to say I am responsible for the fact that we did not fight for the championship.
"The only thing I can say is that I was more committed and work harder than ever this year - but still I have to stand up for what I call a failure."
Asked if this season ranked as his worst, he said: "If you analyse the season globally I would say yes."
Portsmouth (from): James, Johnson, Primus, Pamarot, Traore, O'Neil, Davis, Hughes, Pedro Mendes, Kranjcar, Taylor, Benjani, Kanu, Lualua, Todorov, O'Brien, Mvuemba, Ashdown (gk).
Arsenal (from): Almunia, Eboue, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Hleb, Fabregas, Denilson, Diaby, Baptista, Ljungberg, Adebayor, Poom, Senderos, Djourou, Hoyte, Randall.
BIG-MATCH FACTS
PORTSMOUTH still harbour hopes of a first ever European campaign by gaining a last minute Uefa Cup spot, as they prepare to entertain Arsenal, who could pip Liverpool to third place.
Harry Redknapp's side lie two places and two points outside the top seven, and are vying for a fourth successive home League win. They've already bagged eight more points than ever before in a Premier League season, and are assured of their highest finish in the English Leagues since notching third place in 1954-55.
Pompey are yet to beat Arsenal in the Premiership, and have not enjoyed a League victory over them since the odd goal in nine top flight triumph at Fratton Park on 29 March 1958.
ARSENAL must either better Liverpool's result (home to Charlton), or match a conclusive Reds' result by a two-goal superior margin, if they are to leapfrog the Merseysiders and finish in third spot. Their fourth place last season was the lowest finish in Arsene Wenger's reign. Indeed the Gunners have managed top two placings in eight of the Frenchman's 10 previous seasons.
The north Londoners were involved in the highest scoring match of this Premiership season (6-2, home to Blackburn on 23 December), and are one of four clubs (including Portsmouth) to have notched the biggest away win of this top flight campaign (0-4 at Reading 22 October). They will be taking their place in pre-qualifying for next season's Champions League - but that's their only achievement from a second successive trophy-less campaign.
The Gunners rallied from two goals down in the reverse fixture in December to draw 2-2. It was the second time in as many matches these teams had finished all square. The north Londoners are unbeaten in 11 League meetings over 49 years (six wins, five draws).
REFEREE
Graham Poll (Tring, Hertfordshire)
Premiership referees' table
Graham Poll's 2006-07 Premiership card count
SEQUENCES/RECENT FORM
PORTSMOUTH
Club stats
Fixtures
9th 53 points
Highest achievable finish: 7th (£6,762,000)
Lowest possible finish: 10th £5,313,000)
1. Avoided defeat in six of the last eight games - all Premiership.
2. Kept only three clean sheets in 22 League and Cup matches.
3. Harry Redknapp is the second oldest manager in the Premiership, and in Arsene Wenger, they are facing the second most longest serving. Sir Alex Ferguson is at the head of both lists.
4. The previous highest points total in a Premiership season was 45 in 2003-04, when they finished a club best 13th.
5. Beaten only by Bolton, Charlton and Chelsea in home League games this term.
ARSENAL
Club stats
Fixtures
4th 67 points
Highest achievable finish: 3rd (8,694,000)
Lowest possible finish: 4th (8,211,000)
1. Unbeaten in six Premiership matches. Won three and drawn three since losing 0-1, home to West Ham on 7 April.
2. Scored 63 goals in the top division, at an average of one every 53 minutes. Only Manchester United (83) have scored more.
3. Won five top tier games from losing positions. Only Manchester United have won that many.
4. The Premiership's most dangerous club when behind. Gained 22 points from losing positions - the best recovery rate in the highest League. Won home to Blackburn, Manchester United, Wigan and Bolton, and away to Charlton. Drawn, home to Aston Villa, Middlesbrough, Everton, Newcastle and Portsmouth, and away to Middlesbrough and Tottenham, having trailed in all 12 fixtures.
5. Scored more goals in the last quarter-hour of Premiership matches than any other club - 21.
6. One of two clubs not to have lost a top flight match from a winning position. Manchester City is the other.
7. One of two clubs to hold an unbeaten record from Premiership matches in which the opening goal was scored - won 14 and drawn two of 16. Manchester City have won 11 and drawn one of the 12 matches in which they've taken the lead.
8. Won seven and lost seven away League games.
9. Awarded and converted more penalties than any other club in Premiership matches this season - 10 of their 11 spot kicks were made to count.
KEY PLAYER NOTES/POTENTIAL MILESTONES
PORTSMOUTH
Squad profiles
Nwankwo KANU is Portsmouth's leading scorer with 12 goals - 10 of which are Premiership goals.
KANU is a hat trick shy of 50 career League goals in England.
KANU is one of three players in the Portsmouth squad who could be facing their former club.
The Nigeria international made 198 appearances (119 in the Premiership) and scored 44 goals (30 League) in four and a half seasons with the north Londoners from February 1999.
Sol CAMPBELL made 197 appearances (135 in the Premiership) and scored 11 goals (eight League) in five seasons with the Gunners until his free transfer to Fratton Park in August 2006.
Bisan-Etame Mayer LAUREN made 241 appearances (159 in the Premiership) and scored nine goals (six League) in six and a half seasons with the Gunners until moving to Fratton Park in January 2007.
If he keeps goal as usual, David JAMES will be making his 131st consecutive Premiership appearance (Manchester City and Portsmouth).
JAMES is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Portsmouth's Premiership matches this season.
Lomano Tresor LUALUA needs a brace to total 50 goals in English club football (Colchester, Newcastle and Portsmouth).
If involved, Benjamin MWARUWARI will be making his 50th appearance in a Portsmouth shirt.
ARSENAL
Squad profiles
Robin VAN PERSIE is Arsenal's top scorer with 13 goals, 11 in the Premiership.
Cesc FABREGAS is the only remaining player to have participated in at least a part of every one of Arsenal's Premiership matches this season.
LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Portsmouth 1-1 Arsenal
12 April 2006 - Ref: Uriah Rennie
Portsmouth scorer: LuaLua 66
Arsenal scorer: Henry 36
THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE
Arsenal 2-2 Portsmouth
16 December 2006 - Ref: Steve Bennett
Arsenal scorers: Adebayor 58, Silva 60
Portsmouth scorers: Pamarot 45, Taylor 47
HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS
Home and away
League: Portsmouth 14, Arsenal 24 wins, Draws 21
Prem: Portsmouth 0, Arsenal 3 wins, Draws 4
at Portsmouth only
League: Portsmouth 8, Arsenal 9 wins, Draws 12
Prem: Portsmouth 0, Arsenal 1 wins, Draws 2
The "League" figures in these Head to Head totals include all Premiership matches  |
on paper, a easy win 4 arsenal, but i'll say 2-2! |
| Fri May 11, 2007 7:42 pm |
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doggiedog
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Joined: 25 May 2006
Posts: 1312
7814 ODpoints
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yeah arsenal would be favourites but pompey hasn't being peforming too bad this season so i have to say 1-1 |
| Sat May 12, 2007 7:07 pm |
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TGL:CBKoE
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Joined: 12 Aug 2005
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| Quote: | Portsmouth and Arsenal played out a tame end-of-season affair.
The one truly outstanding moment of the match was David James' save from Julio Baptista's 41st-minute penalty.
The hosts had to win to keep alive slim hopes of a Uefa spot but a Kanu shot, which was palmed over by Mart Poom was the closest they came to scoring.
Arsenal might have managed to score had Baptista not wasted a free header, while Nico Kranjcar had a goal ruled out for offside in the second half.
But with lethargic legs on the pitch, and minds reflecting on what might have been this season, most of the play was laboured and uninspired.
That should not have been the case for Pompey, who would have qualified for Europe with victory as Bolton and Reading both failed to win.
Instead, they only have themselves to blame for failing after producing a display which had none of the urgency one might have expected.
It might have been a different match, had the opening exchanges been maintained for the duration of the afternoon.
Sean Davis had the first shot of the match, and went close with a curling effort before Djimi Traore hooked the ball off the line at the other end when Gael Clichy's cross took a deflection.
As Arsenal threatened to move up a gear, Baptista beat two defenders and fired in a shot, which James beat away after diving low at his near post.
The Brazilian's form in front of goal has often been less than top quality, and his misdirected header when totally unmarked will not have boosted his chances of remaining at Arsenal after this season.
By contrast, ex-Gunner Kanu unleashed an excellent left-footed effort shortly after which Poom did well to palm over.
James, though, soon outperformed Poom when he produced a wonderful save to deny Baptista from the penalty spot after Linvoy Primus had tripped Emmanuel Eboue.
After the interval, the pace picked up a little but neither side could create real panic the other's defence.
Even when through on goal, the quality of the finishing let the build-up play down.
For Arsenal, Alexander Hleb hit the side netting, and Baptista shot tamely at James before wasting another free header.
And when Pompey did get the ball in the net, referee Graham Poll - in his last Premiership match - controversially ruled the goal out after consulting with his assistant.
Kranjcar, who had got the final touch after Lomana LuaLua's initial shot was saved, looked mystified.
But it was one of those days when action was at a premium and a goal would have come as a surprise.
And that is little comfort to Pompey's fans who fretted until the final whistle, knowing that just one goal for their side may have seen them in Europe.
Instead, Bolton claimed the final Uefa Cup spot after a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa to keep Pompey and Reading, who drew 3-3 with Blackburn, at bay.
Portsmouth assistant boss Joe Jordan:
"The assistant referee made a controversial decision to disallow the goal. For me it was valid.
"But it's difficult to look at one moment and say that was has cost us a place in the Uefa Cup."
Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Primus, Pamarot, Traore, O'Neil (Mvuemba 76), Davis (Pedro Mendes 64), Hughes, Kranjcar, Kanu, Mwaruwari (LuaLua 46).
Subs Not Used: Ashdown, O'Brien.
Arsenal: Poom, Hoyte, Djourou, Senderos, Clichy, Eboue, Fabregas, Toure, Hleb, Diaby, Julio Baptista.
Subs Not Used: Mannone, Connolly, O'Cearuill, Randall, Gibbs.
Att: 20,188
Ref: G Poll (Hertfordshire).
Potsmouth and Arsenal found each other hard to break down |
so, that means that Arsenal will have to use the CL quals to get in the CL proper, 4th place to the gunners! |
| Sun May 13, 2007 5:15 pm |
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