Rockin' Robin Spot on to sink Roma.

Van Persie: Penalty Winner

Arsenal took a deserved 1-0 lead in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie with Roma courtesy of Robin van Persie's penalty.

The Dutchman picked himself up after being fouled by Philippe Mexes and hammered his 37th-minute spot-kick into the bottom right corner to stretch Arsenal's unbeaten home record in the Champions League to 23 matches.

Early on Samir Nasri broke the offside trap and dashed into the right side of the penalty area.
He pulled the ball back for Nicklas Bendtner, on the penalty spot, but it was just a yard behind him and the Dane's first touch was heavy, allowing the defenders to recover and block.

Arsenal continued to press forward and Gael Clichy picked out Nasri with a deep cross from the left - but his glancing header flew wide when he really should have hit the target.

There was a warning for Arsenal when impressive full-back Marco Motta let fly from 25 yards with an angled drive, which was heading towards the top right corner before Manuel Almunia tipped it over.

Roma defender Simone Loria then somehow managed to stab the ball over when he was picked out in the six-yard box by a quick free-kick.

But Arsenal were awarded a penalty when van Persie got into the left side of the area, and was tripped by Mexes.

The Dutchman stepped up to take the spot-kick himself - and coolly dispatched his 15th goal of the season into the bottom corner.

The home side should have doubled their lead just five minutes after the restart but Bendtner shot over from close range before Nasri just failed to connect with a low cross as Arsenal pressed forward.

The Gunners passed up another gilt-edged chance after a mistake allowed Emmanuel Eboue through on goal, but after delaying his shot he somehow fired wide and moments later John Arne Riise shot agonisingly off target at the other end.

SETULUS PENGHARGAAN

Assalamualaikum dan Hello to my beloved family and friends. Sorry for the " BATAH NDA POSTING UP MY BLOG ".i've been busy ever since i got married,masa tak mengizinkan ler.....anywayz a warmful thank you to all my family members for helping me with my wedding ceremony....it has been great, great memories and akan ku kenang hingga ke hujung nyawa ku...LOVE YOU ALL!!!..& thank you so much for the support...

P.S. Terima kasih kepada saudara-mara, kawan-kawan yang jauh mahupun yang dekat kerana sudi meluangkan masa untuk hadir ke majlis perkahwinan saya pada 11 Januari 2009 yang lalu..terima kasih again...

ONE KICK!!! ;)...hehehehehe

Ikhlas daripada:-

HAJI MOHAMMAD NOORIZMAN BIN HAJI OTHMAN & Isteri

ADINA NOOR FARIZA BINTI ROSLI

"I moved because i like the Arsenal Style" - Arshavin

Andrei Arshavin says the prospect of playing under Arsene Wenger was one of many reasons why he had his heart set on a move to Arsenal.

The Russian playmaker finally completed his move to Emirates Stadium on Tuesday after the Gunners agreed a package believed to be around £17million with his club Zenit St Petersburg.

Arshavin had been linked with a move to Barcelona after he shot to fame following his outstanding performances during Euro 2008, but the Russian said he was happy to join the Gunners, thanks partly due to Wenger.

Arshavin told Arsenal TV: "I moved because I like the Arsenal style, Wenger as a coach and I like some of their players."

The club are thought to have been locked in negotiations with Zenit over the switch since the transfer window re-opened.

"I followed each game and from the moment when I met Arsene Wenger," he added. "He told me every time I talked to him, 'I want you to come to Arsenal'. He had confidence in me."
The transfer was the most protracted of the window and the club could not announce the transfer until 24 hours after the deadline.

Arshavin, who has played 41 times for his country, therefore admitted he was glad to put the controversy around his transfer behind him.

"It was a very hard few days for me but now it doesn't matter because I'm a Gunner, it's great," he said.

Having played for Zenit in this year's Champions League, Arshavin will not be able to play for the Gunners in the competition.

Wenger hopes the Russian will kickstart the club's campaign for qualification to the Champions League next term, however.

"We are delighted to have signed Andrei Arshavin, he is a player I have admired for a long time," the Frenchman said. "He is a versatile player with great experience, who will add real quality to our squad.

"Andrei is an exciting impact player with a huge amount of ability and has been an influential force with both Zenit St Petersburg and the Russian national team in recent seasons."

Arshavin, who will wear the number 23 shirt, is unlikely to make his debut in Sunday's north-London derby because the Russian domestic season finished in November.

He believes it will take him up to two weeks to return to full fitness but insisted he will have no problems adapting to the English game.

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis, meanwhile, said the Arsenal board had always backed Wenger's pursuit of the star, who was a member of Zenit's 2008 UEFA Cup-winning side.

"Andrei was identified by Arsene as a quality creative player that would add something special to this youthful but talented squad," Gazidis said.

"The board has always backed the manager with his transfer targets and we are delighted to welcome Andrei to the club where he will help us to challenge for honours this season."

Arsenal seal Arshavin deal

Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Russian ace Andrei Arshavin from Zenit St Petersburg for an undisclosed fee believed to be £16.9million.

The Gunners agreed a deal for the forward with Zenit just minutes before Monday's 5pm transfer deadline and had to wait until Tuesday for the move to be ratified by the Premier League.

That has now been forthcoming and the 27-year-old has joined for a package which is believed to be nearly £17million in total.

Arshavin has signed what the north Londoners call a "long-term" contract.
Arsenal were forced to delay naming Arshavin as their player until Tuesday afternoon as it was one of a number of transfers awaiting approval by the Premier League board because of administrative delays caused by the severe snow which crippled London's transport networks on Monday.

The Gunners have not won a major competition since they triumphed over Manchester United in the FA Cup final in 2005, one year after they went unbeaten to claim the Premier League title.

But the 27-year-old new boy is adamant that he has joined one of the best clubs in the world and is sure he can help add silverware to the Gunners trophy cabinet.

"I am so happy to be joining Arsenal. They are one of the leading football clubs in the world, with a group of fantastic young players and a great manager," he said.

"I am looking forward to making the Arsenal supporters happy and helping this great club win trophies.

"I'm happy to be an Arsenal player, it was my dream."
Zenit's official website ran a statement which read: "Zenit, Arsenal and Andrei Arshavin have concluded talks in London.

"An FC Zenit source has informed Fontanka that the talks were successful, and Andrei Arshavin is moving to Arsenal. The signed documents have already been sent to the English Football Association [Premier League].

"A source close to the discussions has told Fontanka that the terms of the deal are financially suitable to Zenit.

"The St Petersburg club will receive £16.5million - £15m for the transfer of the player and £1.5m compensation for breaking a long-term contract.

"In addition there is a further 500,000 Euros [£450,000] in bonuses which Arshavin has not yet received which will not be paid and instead make up part of the transfer sum.

"The overall sum of the transfer is around US Dollars 24m [£16.9m]."
Should those figures be correct, the deal would represent a transfer record for the Gunners.
Arshavin, who is reported to have been prepared to take a pay cut to join Arsenal, jetted into London on Monday for a medical to complete the deal, and is understood to have now returned to Russia to complete some personal arrangements before starting work at his new club.
Wenger has long been an admirer of the 41-cap Russia international, who shot to prominence at Euro 2008.

While Arshavin could make his debut in Sunday's north London derby at Tottenham, given the Russian domestic season finished in November, the player is more likely to be allowed some time to build up full match fitness.

Arsenal currently lie five points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa after successive Premier League draws against Everton and West Ham.

Gunners awaits Arshavin approval.

The Gunners are understood to have submitted the necessary paperwork to the Premier League before Monday's 5pm deadline and are confident of securing the services of the Russia playmaker.
But the transfer could not be processed on Monday evening, leaving the north Londoners with an anxious wait to find out if their protracted pursuit of the 27-year-old will be ratified.

Amazingly for a deal which has been under discussion for the duration of the January transfer window, the proposed move went to the wire.

If Arshavin does become a Gunner, it is likely to cost manager Arsene Wenger around £15million - a club record.

It is understood that Arshavin would wear the number 13 shirt vacated by Alexander Hleb when he joined Barcelona last year.

The transfer looked likely to proceed in a relatively straightforward fashion when the Zenit St Petersburg midfielder was pictured in Hertfordshire on Monday morning, having flown into the country on Sunday.

However, sources close to the deal then revealed that Arshavin was on his way back to a London airport and the transfer was on the brink of collapse.

But negotiations continued behind the scenes with the asking price, personal terms and a possible payment from Arshavin to Zenit all mooted as potential sticking points.

Wenger has been a vocal critic of the winter transfer window but is nevertheless keen to add to his increasingly injury-hit squad.

Arshavin was identified early on as the club's number one target as Wenger looked to compensate for the losses of long-term injury absentees Cesc Fabregas, Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott.
But the pursuit has proved a troubled one, with contradictory early statements from Arsenal and Zenit providing a hint of the difficulties to come.

Zenit, though, look to be readying themselves for life without their star attraction and have on Monday finalised the capture of Hungarian midfielder Szabolcs Huszti.

Wenger was adamant at the weekend that his flagging squad did not need an "instant saviour" but Arshavin, who starred for his country in last year's European Championships, is seen as a potentially galvanising influence for a side who are enduring one of their most disappointing seasons under Wenger.

They currently lie five points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa after successive league draws against Everton and West Ham.

Arsenal also drew 0-0 in the FA Cup fourth round against Cardiff on January 25 - a tie that was due to be replayed on Tuesday night at the Emirates Stadium.

But the severe snow which has hit the capital has led to a postponement of that fixture, which will now go ahead on Monday February 16.

There was some good news for Gunners followers on Monday, though, with Wenger revealing that England winger Walcott could be just a month away from a comeback.

Walcott has been missing since dislocating his shoulder on international duty in November but is progressing well and could be available by the beginning of March.

"Walcott is the closest because he has four weeks before he sees a specialist again and he should get the green light," Wenger said.

The news on fellow midfielders Fabregas and Rosicky, is less encouraging, with both facing a further two months on the sidelines.

Skipper Fabregas is battling back from knee ligament damage, while Czech international Rosicky has been out for a year with a tendon problem.

"Rosicky is eight weeks. Fabregas, I believe, will be six to eight weeks before playing," Wenger told the club's official website.

Spaniard Fabregas had suggested at the weekend that he was ahead of schedule with his recovery, but Wenger remains circumspect.

He said: "I can understand his optimism and we hope, but with a medial knee ligament you have to respect the time."