Five players are currently away from Arsenal on loan with three
of them - Jay
Simpson,
Kieran Gibbs and
Mark Randall - still on British soil. Striker
Simpson has extended his spell at League One
outfit Millwall, while Gibbs and Randall will be at
Championship sides Norwich City and Burnley respectively. On
the continent, promising Mexican striker
Carlos Vela will play his football in Spain with La Liga side
Osasuna, with talented 17-year-old
Fran Merida at Real Sociedad in Spain's second tier.
Keep up-to-date with the fortunes of all our loan stars in our
regular Loan Watch.
Jay Simpson
Hartlepool 0-1 Millwall, April 12
Jay Simpson repaid the faith shown in him by manager Kenny Jackett
as he fired the only goal of Millwall's win at Hartlepool on
Saturday, boosting the Lions chances of League One survival. Jem
Karacan picked out the Arsenal loanee unmarked in the 11th minute
and Simpson completed the task comfortably from six yards out.
Although the hosts offered a greater threat for the remainder of
the game, Millwall held on for the points. With three games to go
the Londoners find themselves five points clear of the drop
zone.
Fran Merida
Celta Vigo 1-1 Real Sociedad, April 12
Fran Merida was handed a rare start as Real Socieded travelled to
Celta Vigo on Saturday. The young Gunner couldn't repeat last
week's match-winning antics but looked impressive until his
withdrawal shortly after the interval. Lequi fired Celta ahead on
17 minutes before Diaz de Cerio grabbed an equaliser before
half-time. The result means Sociedad stay fourth.
Carlos Vela
Espanyol 0-1 Osasuna, April 13
Having missed last week's defeat through suspension, Carlos
Vela returned to the Osasuna starting line-up as they travelled to
Espanyol. The Mexican began the match on the left of a five-man
midfield and struggled to assert much influence on proceedings,
thanks largely to some heavy-handed treatment from the hosts.
Astudillo notched the only goal of the game on the half-hour mark,
virtually assuring Osasuna of another season in Spain's top
flight. Vela was withdrawn 20 minutes from the end.
Kieran Gibbs
Ipswich 2-1 Norwich, April 12
The East Anglia derby ended in defeat for Norwich on Saturday, with
Kieran Gibbs introduced too late to prevent the 2-1 reverse. Ched
Evans fired the Canaries into an unlikely lead on four minutes, but
it lasted for only nine minutes as Alex Pearce diverted a Danny
Haynes cross past his own goalkeeper, much to the despair of the
travelling fans. Haynes then got in on the act himself, scoring
what proved to be the winner five minutes before the break.
Mark Randall
Norwich 2-0 Burnley, April 5
Mark Randall was unable to prevent Burnley's feint promotion
hopes all but ending on Saturday as he sat on the bench for the
home defeat by Sheffield United. Former England strikers James
Beattie and Andy Cole registered for their respective sides in a
the thrilling encounter - the goals book-ending Billy Sharp's
decisive header. The result means that United leapfrog the Clarets
in the Championship table.