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Martins wants to do Gunners again.


Skirge

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He did it once lets hope he can do it again.

 

I'm gunning for you again

Nov 17 2006

By Alan Oliver, The Evening Chronicle

Obafemi Martins

 

Oba Martins will return to the Newcastle United side unfazed about the prospect of trying to become the first team to beat Arsenal at their new stadium.

 

For United's £10m man has set his sights on a repeat of the last time he tackled Arsenal in North London, when he scored in a 3-0 Inter Milan victory.

 

That was three years ago in a Champions League game at Highbury - and, while the proceedings will have moved 400 yards to the magnificent Emirates Stadium tomorrow, Martins is still upbeat.

 

He has missed the last four games after limping off at half-time in the Carling Cup victory over Portsmouth at St James' Park with a hamstring injury, and he is relishing tomorrow's test.

 

Before flying to London, Martins said: "I have played at Arsenal before during my time with Inter Milan. We went there and won 3-0 in the Champions League, but when they came to the San Siro they beat us 5-1!

 

"I scored in that game at Arsenal, and I would love another goal for Newcastle tomorrow afternoon."

 

Martins has inadvertently found himself in the news this week after his fellow countryman and Nigerian FA official Waidi Akanni went on the record and said that he had made a big mistake coming to Newcastle United.

 

The best way Martins can answer this is to improve on a Premiership record which shows only one goal - in London against West Ham on September 23.

 

And he insists: "I am OK now. I have trained hard this week on my own, and towards the end of the week I joined my team-mates.

 

"It has been tough being out. It is not nice when you look out on the training field and see your team-mates and you are stuck inside having treatment.

 

"But I am ready now, and while I know Arsenal are a tough team and very hard to beat, I think we have to be confident and we know things will get better soon."

 

Meanwhile, Glenn Roeder will not announce his side, including his decision on who will be in goal, until tomorrow's team meeting at United's North London hotel.

 

There is talk that Roeder has to make a difficult decision between Shay Given and Steve Harper, but for me it is actually an easy choice.

 

I am Harper's No 1 fan and believe that if he was playing regular Premiership football he should be in the England squad.

 

But Given is United's No 1 keeper and he should be back in goal at the Emirates tomorrow.

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we'll get torn appart - martins or no martins

 

but i hope he is fit, he is maybe our only chance of keeping them on their toes and sit back a bit more

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Harper should be in the England squad now?

 

Well ages ago!! imo

 

Bar Robinson and arguably Kirkland who is injured alot he's the best english keeper, just unfortunate that Given's had such an incredible injury free run here.

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Before flying to London, Martins said: "I have played at Arsenal before during my time with Inter Milan. We went there and won 3-0 in the Champions League, but when they came to the San Siro they beat us 5-1!

 

IMO, those sets of results show the difference a manager makes. The first game was under Cuper, a good manager, the second game was under a caretaker manager, think it was Cuper's assistant who took over for a while.

 

Martins was class in the first game, dogshit in the second.

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