Van Persie vs Spurs?
The 26-year-old Dutchman scored eight goals in 11 games before rupturing ankle ligaments during the Netherlands' friendly against Italy last November. In Van Persie's absence, Arsenal have scored only 1.77 goals per league game, as opposed to 3.26 before his injury.
Arsenal are three points behind leaders Chelsea with five games left. And with the Blues hosting Bolton at Stamford Bridge on tonight Arsene Wenger's men could be six points adrift by the time they kick off against Spurs at White Hart Lane. Chelsea also benefit from a far superior goal difference, so anything other that a victory would deal the Gunners' title aspirations a potentially fatal blow. Three points would keep Arsenal in realistic contention and see them leapfrog Manchester United into second place. That may encourage Wenger to name Van Persie in his injury-ravaged squad, who play their first match since being knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona last Tuesday. The Dutchman, who scored twice in Arsenal's 3-0 win against Spurs early this season, has missed 31 games in all competitions but his rehabilitation went according to plan and Wenger was impressed by the physical condition he was in on returning from the Netherlands.
Ranieri says Mexes 'best French centre-back'
AS Roma coach Claudio Ranieri on Saturday said that centre-back Philippe Mexes was "the best French central defender", despite not being a regular starter for the title-chasing capital side. Mexes has been a first-team regular at Roma for the last four seasons but has been forced to spend time on the bench this term due to Ranieri's preference for Brazilian Juan and Argentina's Nicolas Burdisso. Brazil international Juan, however, will miss Sunday's league match with Atalanta due to injury, opening the door for former Auxerre man Mexes. "Mexes is a first-choice player in every way," Ranieri said. "Unfortunately, he's missed some matches due to injury and not because of my decisions. Since then, the team has been set up in a certain way (without Mexes) and he knows that. "He can still go to the World Cup. For me he's the best French central defender. But, at the moment, Juan and Burdisso are just above him." Mexes, 27, has 13 French caps, the last of which came in the 1-0 friendly win over Turkey in Lyon in June 2009. His chances of making France's World Cup squad appear slim, however, due to coach Raymond Domenech's reluctance to select him for any of France's recent matches.
Togo`s Best striker retires from intonational football.
LONDON (AFP) - Manchester City and Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor retired from international football on Monday, saying he was "still haunted" by the attack on his country's team bus at the African Nations Cup. Adebayor looked on in horror as bullets riddled the bus in an attack that killed an assistant coach and the squad's spokesman and led Togo to pull out of the tournament in January. The former Arsenal star later admitted he feared his life was about to end during the assault in the northern Angolan province of Cabinda and he has been unable to shake off the mental scars of the incident. "Following the tragic events during January's African Cup of Nations, in which two of my fellow countrymen were killed by terrorists in Angola, I have made the very difficult decision to retire from international football," Adebayor told his club's website. "I have weighed up my feelings in the weeks and months since the attack, and I am still haunted by the events which I witnessed on that horrible afternoon on the Togo team bus. "We were just footballers going to play a football match and represent our country, yet we were attacked by people who wanted to kill us all. It is a moment I will never forget and one I never want to experience again." The 26-year-old scored 16 goals in 38 appearances for Togo and helped his team reach the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He insisted he will always have a special bond with the team-mates who were on the bus in Cabinda."The people who were on that coach together will forever be joined by a special bond - we are all brothers," he said. "I will always have the team and the people of Togo close to my heart and wish them every success in the challenges that they will face in the future. "For nine years I have played for the Togo team and, despite the events in Angola, I have some very good memories of my international career. "I feel very proud to have been trusted with the position of captain of the Togolese football team. Leading your country in international competition is the ultimate honour for any player." With his international career now over, Adebayor will turn his focus to helping City become one of English football's superpowers. Adebayor has scored seven times for City since returning to action after the tragedy and struck twice in Sunday's 5-1 win over Birmingham as Roberto Mancini's side consolidated fourth place in the Premier League. The club, backed by their Abu Dhabi-based billionaire owners, has already spent millions in an attempt to secure qualification for the Champions League and Mancini's men are within touching distance of reaching that goal. Whatever Adebayor achieves at City, he admits he will always retain fond memories of his time with Togo and he hopes the team can make their country proud in the future. "Togo have some very talented players, and I dearly hope the players who remain will be able to put their memories of Angola behind them and go onto be a success for the nation," he added. "I have enormous belief in each and every one of them, players, coaches, staff and their families."
