Song, Song, Blue ain’t we glad we got one? ……………………..

Well I am glad we have Song and glad he is available for the visit of The Blues, well, we all know them as The Chavs, but it made the title look ok What do you mean, it didn’t????

Over the last few games while Alex Song (now tied down until 2015) was just one yellow card from a one match ban, I just dreaded that he would get booked against Sunderland and miss this weekend’s fixture.

The man has discipline, many ‘bigger’ players who play for other clubs would not have been able to do what he has done. Maybe the tackles he makes just inside our own half are done on purpose and thats why he gets booked!

Maybe he reads the game better than some think, maybe he sees the opposition are gaining an advantage and so he just acts all clumsy and gives away a free kick. That’s how it looks sometimes

Regardless, it usually results in any attack being over, threat gone and we are off again. But when the time came to be careful, he was just that.

Personally, I just think he is under rated, not by me I hasten to add

Alex Song is just 22 years old, there are kids where I live older than him, but still they behave like 10 year olds… Alex, I am glad you are settled in your life and settled at Arsenal, one day real soon everyone else will see that too.

Ok, he is no Michael Essien yet but after Cesc and Vermaelen, he would always be the next name on my team sheet

Cilla Black has arrived at Stamford Bridge with a new version of Surprise Surprise, yep Fat Frank has suddenly reappeared, fit for the game against us on Sunday! No surprise really, I don’t doubt for one minute all their top players will have suddenly recovered just in time.. I don’t care, let’s beat them with their full squad, that way they have no excuses come 6pm Sunday!

Kerrea Gilbert has been put up for sale according to the Daily Mirror, hope the lad gets himself a good side to play for and gets to actually play regular football, he is only 22 years old and has a bright future ahead of him.

Our reserves took a beating last night at home, well they lost 2-1 to Aston Villa and can you believe Fran Merida got sent off. Maybe he did that on purpose just to remind Arson he is about and wants his contract sorted out. Now he has a game or two out, he will have plenty of time!

Good old Theo Walcott has opened his choppers again, this time though is posistive, he says he is over his injury, his knee feels great and he is sharp. He’s also making it known he wants to play in the central role up top rather than on the wing.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him start there against Chelsea either. That for me is the best place for him; stop him running down the blind alleys on the right! At least through the middle he has only got to run, look up, shoot, GOAL

With all our injuries, the last thing we need is another player who needs surgery. Well, one more will be going under the knife, Armand Traore. Before you start panicking, it won’t be until the end of the season and the surgery is to remove his tattoo’s!!

Good, no offence to any of you out there who have them, but I hate them, they look ugly and I just wish Cesc Fabregas would follow Traore to the treatment room. Oh, and David Beckham, I love him, but I am sure he is to blame for the ‘Tattoo Trend’!

Not a lot else going on, the Chavs won, The Mancs lost and Rafa could get the boot if Everton beat Liverpool at the weekend – now there’s a thought to make you smile!

A Standard Performance.. and the Sales of Aerial Boosters to Increase on Merseyside..

There seems to be two types of match report to do these days. We played well but we lacked concentration and we let in a late equalizer or we simply just played well.
Last nights game was an example of just what a fine line it is between the two.
We started really brightly full of training ground flicks culminating in an unbelievable passage of play on fifteen minutes when the Standard goal was comparable to an Iraqi stronghold with a Cobra gunship peppering it with shots on the first day of the Gulf war. Thanks AA (your forgiven)..

But as the half wore on Liege managed a shot that cannoned of Almunia’s bar.. Then we went into sadism mode.. Gallas nutting Arshavin meant we went down to nine men at one stage.
Then when Gallas came back  on he looked as if he had a session with Paul McKenna and looked well out of it, “When I click my fingers give a penalty away” luckily the ref wasn’t a Lilly Livered Pansy and you had to get a death certificate to get a penalty.

Somehow in all the melee Nasri broke through and put us one up. It won’t be this easy against the Chavs.

Just before half time Denilson must have remembered what country it states on his birth certificate (I know two certificates) and tried a Jairzinho type shot that swerved back and forth and totally lost the keeper.. 2-0 to the Arsenal..

The second half was similar except we created a few chances and they just crept the wrong side of the woodwork.
The highlight was when after getting his shirt half removed and falling to a tackle from behind Captain Cesc went to have a quiet word with Carcela-Gonzalez.  Cesc didn’t turn into Ole Gunnar Solskjar and stayed on his feet. The opposing player got sent off. But Cesc got booked, why??

Anyway 2-0 was the result.. but the funniest thing of the night was, the cash strapped Bindippers crash out of the Champions League.. The press’s darlings.. But we didn’t have Torres.. we didn’t have Alonso… haha good.. Their wasn’t much to watch on a Thursday night, now we can watch you lot get beaten.

Almunia.. 6.5 Strange night for him, sort of just watched any decent shots fly by and hit the woodwork.

Eboue.. 6.5.. I suppose he did okay, never had much defending to do, the diving and sprawling on the deck is getting boring and embarrassing now.

Gallas.. 7.5 Was leading by example, didn’t look well when he came back on after the head injury. Hope he is okay for Sunday.. I like a man who wants revenge.

Vermaelen .. 7.. Done as good as he needed to, he worries me slightly when we was two on two and he didn’t mark the spare man.

Gibbs.. 7.5 .. Nice one Gibbsy.. you are going to make the left back position yours soon.
But as I am writing I have read that he has fractured his foot and will have a operation today (Wednesday)..  2 months out ffs.

Song.. .. 9.. WOW!

Denilson. 7.. Looked okay for his first game back.. Super goal, dare I say a bit like that ex Man U cheating scum bag.. more of please.

Fabregas.. 7 .. Yeah not bad, bit wayward on some of his passes but that could be the new guys coming in, perhaps they need to read Cesc better.

Nasri..7.5 . He did okay, I would like to see him step up a gear soon,  hopefully he has settled into the way of life in England. Good finish for his goal, very cool.

Arshavin.. 7.. A pretty good performance, but a lot of his tricks were not going his way. Had a great chance whistle past the post.

Vela.. 6..very similar to Eduardo, lacks that physical presence that we need to lead the line.. Went missing a bit during periods of the game that Nikki B  doesn’t seem to do.

Silvestre.. 7.. There is hope, isn’t there??

Walcott.. 6.. Failed to shine, he should be running the show.

Rosicky.. Came on a bit late to judge him..

I don’t feel that great after a night when we qualify for the knockout stages  top of our CL group, Sunday will be the decider for me. if we win then I will be ecstatic or ..  well we will win..

Have a good day Roadsters..

Arson – What took you so long?? Oh, and Dear Barça….

There it is – What took us so long?

Ok, not us, but what has taken Arson so bloomin long to get thinking the way we have all been for yonks now?

‘My players cannot think about World Cup’

Arsène Wenger has insisted that for his players this season is about achieving success with Arsenal, not earning a place at the World Cup.

During a press conference at Arsenal’s Training Ground on Monday, one journalist suggested that the current campaign is a crucial one for Theo Walcott because, at its conclusion, England manager Fabio Capello will choose his squad for South Africa.

The reporter did not reach the end of his question.

“I must stop you there,” interrupted Wenger. “The big season is with Arsenal, not at the World Cup.

“We do not pay players to go to the World Cup – we pay the players to do well for Arsenal.

“The first pride of a man is to do well for the guy who pays you in life, not to go to the World Cup.”

Hoo-bloody-rah, at last, get the balloons blown up and hang the bunting out!

Club comes first, club pays players wages, club makes you successful, club teaches you how to grow with the game.

Maybe the injury to van Persie has been the final knock to the nail in our managers wooden head that will from now on STOP players going off on international duties when they are not fully fit, and even more important, stop them playing in meaningless friendlies for their country!

Well done Arson, I am with you all the way!

And yes, I did copy and paste the interview from afc.com, and I ain’t bovvered

And here is another copy and paste….

It begins :-

Dear Barcelona

Fabregas – I am happier than ever here

Cesc Fabregas says he is happier than ever at Arsenal.

Despite consistent rebuttals from the player himself, the Spaniard is still linked with a return to Barcelona and his name has even been dragged into the upcoming Presidential elections at the Nou Camp.

But, speaking ahead of Tuesday’s game with Standard Liege, the midfielder gave all that little credence and once again painted a rosy picture at Emirates Stadium.

“It does not affect me at all because it’s been going for years,” he said. “To be honest I just don’t think about it, I don’t want to and I don’t think I should because I’m at a great club and in a great team.

“I’m very happy where I am and there is very long season in front of us. The last thing I want to do is get disconnected from what I have to do which is to play football for my team and for the Club that pays me. I’m really looking forward to a great season with Arsenal.”

The skipper was then asked if he would like to stay for the rest of his career.

“Why not?” he replied. “I have never thought about it. I’m only 22. You never know what your career will bring but why not? I’m in my seventh season now and I’m really happy, better than ever.”

Fabregas also believes that his desire to win trophies can be satisfied too. Barca’s relative success compared to Arsenal is sometimes cited as a reason for moving.

“We can achieve that here,” said Fabregas in response to the question. “I have played some Finals, fought for Premier League titles.

“It’s true that at the end of the season we have sometimes had some feeling that we haven’t done it but I’m really happy with the way this club focuses on winning things and I’m sure we are more than capable of doing it this season.”

Get the hint Barca – well do you ??

On to tonight, we need just one point to secure a place in the knock out stages and we at our home against a team who threw away a 2-0 lead to let us win 3-2, so in theory; if we approach with the right attitude we will win.

Mind you I thought that before the Sunderland game!!

Anyway, tonight is very different to Saturday, we are at home and we are not up against a manager like Steve Bruce – say what you want about him but his is doing his club proud, making ‘his home’ his teams fortress, just like Arson has done with us so credit to him!

I say we should rest the French boys, rest Arshavin and bring in those who think they are good enough! That’s their words, not my view!!

How many times do we read an interview from one of those on the fringes of the team, how many times do they choose to tell the whole world they should be in our first team?

Well, tonight I think they should have their moment… Get a good mix and match and by 10pm we will be in the next round – then bring on the Carling Cup Kids for the final match

I would go with this team if I was picking it:-

Fabianski/Almunia
Eboue Senderos Vermaelen Gibbs
Ramsey Song Rosicky
Walcott Eduardo Vela

Come on you Gooners, lets score ten !!!!!

Moving On………………..

I am not going to mention our blip at the weekend, what’s the point? Let’s do what the team should do and move on – I hope they all take it as a kick in the doo daa’s and use it to our advantage.

We have another game tomorrow night, win that one and I am sure we will not only qualify, but also secure top spot in our group.

Only when we have done that can we start thinking about our biggest game of the season so far. The Chavs come to The Emirates, and we don’t to give them anything.

Little bit of sad news in the press this morning, this relates to Cheryl Cole. Apparently her husband is a bit of a k**b and a split is on the cards. I don’t dislike Cheryl Cole, she seemed really sincere on Children in Need and she is always good for a laugh on X Factor. Shame for the girl!

Old King Kolo, now referred to as Toure the T****r has followed in the footsteps of his over paid team mate. Having realised that life is not so good up north and has decided to speak out about his previous employer.
He has suggested that our own Little Willy used to tell tales on him behind his back, encouraging Arson to leave him out of the team!!

Why is it that some players can’t just accept they are past it and that’s why they don’t get in the first team?
Move on Toure, go and cheque your bank balance and stop looking back!!

Back to our team and poor old Robin’s doctor has allegedly done a bunk, so I don’t know where that leaves him with his treatment and recovery; it’s all about tax evasion and dodgy credentials according to the papers.

Hopefully we will know more later!

Arson has started talking about contracts with William Gallas, Tomas Rosicky and Carlos Vela..

Gallas and Rosicky will both be out of contract at the end of the season and Arson wants Vela to sign a long-term deal with the Gunners.

He told The People: “I am optimistic to find a solution for both of them. We’ve had no offers for Carlos, and we are extending his contract at the moment.”

What are you doing talking to The People Arson; you should have had those boys in for a good talking to after the weekend!

Gallas wants a two year contract and the suggestion is that the typical over 30 rule will apply and he will only be offered a one year extension.

Why? Gallas is playing the best he possibly ever has done for us why can’t we just break the rules and give him the two years? Add another top class CH to the squad then we have three great defenders. Oh, and we still have Djourou to come back!

I just have a sneaky feeling that a club in France will come calling and he will be off!

That’s about it folks apart from another player from Barca expressing his desire to play alongside Cesc. Well Mr Messi, have a word with Arson….

I am sure he could fit you into the Arsenal team, somewhere!!!

Well: We can’t blame Diaby this time..

After 2 weeks wait our team failed us, what went wrong?  I don’t really know, a slight attitude problem I would guess. We need more desire to win.  We need to believe..

If we still need to find a scapegoat  we cannot for a change point the finger at our favourite villains Diaby, Eboue or Bendtner.
If we were the darling buds of  the media we could blame it on our massive injury list.. But only Liverpool have top players out.. Instead we are just bottlers in their eyes.

I think the finger of blame should go to, well at least to some extent to Mr Wenger OBE, it wasn’t fair on Eduardo to be leading a line with Nasri and Rosicky as his strike partners. Now I love all three of these players but to expect them to lead the line was asking too much.
All three are still trying to recover their pre injury form.

Also with Dudu he is not a traditional no 9 type striker and to have him up top on his own is never his natural position, as I said when he was starting to comeback from his leg break, don’t expect too much from him, he wasn’t a world beater before the injury, but we made him up to be the greatest player on earth because we all wanted him to make a full recovery, but perhaps he became better than he really was in our eyes. Or could the media reaction to his definate penalty against Celtic affected him? He was shaping up okay until then..  I would have liked to have seen AA start even if he was a bit tired, just to take some of the scoring burden away from Dudu’s shoulders.

The other disappointment for me was Aaron Ramsey, we all saw the highlights of him playing for Wales against Scotland last week, he ran the game, but we never see him do the same for Arsenal, wouldn’t it be easier to fit into Arsenal’s sleek system rather than the longer ball way of Wales?  Is it that the Premiership is of a far higher level than the international scene or is he overwhelmed by playing next to such quality players?.. Who knows..

One thing is for sure we cannot keep losing games like this.. This is a squad of players that come around every four or five years and we have to make the most of it before they start an exodus one by one, leaving us to rebuild again like we had to when Hleb and Flamini left a few years ago.

But in fairness we were in such control in the first 30 minutes we should have put a chance or two away, the best one going to Eduardo but the ball was too far underneath him and he could not get a clean strike on the bit. But as usual we allowed the opposition to gain confidence and Sunderland were a half decent side in the second half.
Have we heard that before?

Almunia.. 6.. Never had much to do in reality, perhaps he could have come for the corner that lead to the goal, but I doubt if he would have got to it as it was curling away.

Sagna.. 7.. Was our main attacking threat from the flanks, I just wish he would cut inside now and again and do a give and go, his crossing is too predictable.

Gallas 7.5 Our best defender yesterday and he also has the winning mentality, it’s a pity some of our attackers don’t have the same desire.

Vermaelen 6.. A pretty average performance from him for a change, at fault for the goal. He lost a header to Darren Bent then failed to recover when the ball came back in the box.

Traore. 6.5 .. Without knowing it I think he may of put in a transfer request yesterday (Saturday) he isn’t as good as either Clichy or Gibbs so he is probably third in the pecking order unless either of the other two go. He wasn’t terrible (better than Silvestre) but he made some terrible cross field passes in front of our penalty area.

Song.. 7.5.. Played pretty well, The ref didn’t like his style of defending unless the boot was on the other foot and a Sunderland player did the same thing.  Done well not to be booked..

Fabregas.. 7.. Tried to play the captains role but frustratingly started to settle for long-range shots at goal…

Nasri.. 6.5 Tidy, but never really got into the game. He should have been fresh as a daisy after a rest, and with a few matches behind him, looked a little lethargic.

Rosicky.. 6.5.. Same as Nasri.. Never really got into the game as well as he can.

Ramsey. 6.. Forgot he was playing in some parts of the game, it was obvious he was going to be the one coming off first.

Eduardo.. 6. As I said earlier, I don’t think the role suits him leading the line as the sole striker.

Subs..

Arshavin 6.5.. Never really looked too interested after he got dumped on his arse a couple of times, surely it isn’t too cold for him..

Walcott.. 6.5.. Looked lively, but just went through the motions, did a very good ball across the six yard box that no one latched on to.

Vela. 6.. Didn’t really look any different from Eduardo, left footed and a bit lightweight. Sky never managed to show a replay of the penalty shout mmmm.

So all in all a bit of a piss off, I just  hope normal service will be resumed next week.

To Win It, You Have Got To Want It.

How disappointing was that? Made all the worse by the frenzy of expectation that we whipped ourselves into. I’m more stunned than angry, maybe anger will come later but right now I am walking around in a daze.

I reckon no matter what combination of player you hoped to see yesterday, you were catered for: if you were one of those that wanted Nasri in place of Diaby, you got it; if you wanted to see Ramsey given more game time than Denilson, you got it; if you thought that the combination of Fabregas, Arshavin, Nasri, Rosicky would be unstoppable, you got it, if you thought Vela and Walcott would make the difference, you got it; if you thought Song was too important to rest, you got it and if you thought that Silvestre shouldn’t be anywhere near the first team, you got that as well. Which doesn’t leave a lot to moan about  making things even more confusing.

There were, of course, moments in the first half when the quality of Wengerball was so high that you, like me, must have thought that it is only a matter of time before this clicks and it starts raining goals – but as we know all too well that was not to be.

The biggest disappointments for me were Rosicky and Nasri; Ramsey should also be in this category but he is young enough to be excused. Rosicky flounced about; there were flicks, mostly with his hair, but no tricks. Nasri was so ineffectual that I found myself wishing Diaby were out there, need I say more. Players of their quality should have added something magical but they played with the a level of intensity and commitment that we would expect of them in an exhibition game.

The inclusion of Vela and Walcott gave us width and hope but who was going to finish?

The back line showed their usual commitment, nothing wrong with the attitude. I don’t blame Almunia for the goal. We learnt that Gibbs is a better choice than Traore and that Sagna’s crossing is embarrassing, but then again we already knew that. Why he was trying to send over high crosses to the shortest attack in Europe can only lead us to the conclusion that he is definitely a strawberry short of a punnet.

Cesc showed the urgency that we have come to expect of him but he missed RVP more that anyone. Our captain just hasn’t had enough time to work out how to play with Eduardo, this will happen, I mean, if Modric can find a way to play with him to the tune of seventy goals for their former club and country then I am sure Fabregas will be able to. But do we have enough time? Our title hopes have been severely wounded by Sunderland and I fear that if we lose against Chelsea that it wound be mortal.

Time to pick ourselves up, that combination of talent can’t be kept down for too long can it? I expect them to learn from this cruel lesson and come out with a determination that was sadly lacking yesterday and crucify Standard Liege, putting us in the right frame of mind for next Sunday – I hope.

What do points mean? …………………

Prizes, thats what points mean, and today we are going for the Brucie Bonus

I am still smiling from a comment London made yesterday. The wise man had found out that our game against Sunderland was being shown live on Italia television and that all we have to do is find a good Italian bar, sit down with a few beers and watch the game.

Here I am sat in a tiny village; lucky to have a local public house and a post office, and all I now want to do is find a little Italian bar with a television! It just isn’t going to happen, sadly!

You have a good time London, hopefully watching us score a few

What a day yesterday! The Henry debate goes on… and on and on, Arson suggests a replay, as does Thierry – then one of the biggest bullies in the game tells ROI to get over it and me, I’m just bored with it so that’s the last time it finds its way into a post – well one that I write anyway!

What saddens me though is all the lack of football news because of what has been going on.

Wojciech Szczensy’s loan to Brentford is the only bit of news I can find about us, oh and Fat Frank is having the same kind of treatment that Robin is having in attempt to speed up his recovery. I am not sure there is a horse big enough out there!

On to our little game today

Do we think Arshavin will be rested? – I personally can’t understand why he would be, especially as during the last few games for us he has had a gentle work out so he shouldn’t be too tired! I know he played midweek but he is a fit footballer and should be able to manage another stroll around today. Rest him on Tuesday please, not today. Sunderland will fear him and that’s half the battle won.

Same goes for Cesc, Gallas and Sagna, rest them on Tuesday if needed, not today..

But Wenger pointedly said that the mental and physical fatigue of international fixtures had taken a toll on the French contingent and Andrey Arshavin, so my hopes will be dashed when the team is announced

Theo is in the squad, I hope he is a sub and comes on for twenty minutes, against what should be a tiring defence by then

Same goes for Denilson and Vela, if they are in the squad, start the game with them on the bench – Tuesday at home would be a better game for some of these players to start, not today in what could be a tricky trip up t’north and where three points are so so important.

Sunderlands last few results – won one, lost two and drawn three. They beat The Dippers, drew against The Mancs and got beat by the Spuds!!! Work that lot out …

Like us though, Sunderland are having a tough time with injuries. Their keeper Gordon is out and Fulop takes his place, and they are missing Cattermole, Turner, Jones and Anderson.

For them, that must be like our injury list so all is equal!

Last season we drew 1-1, but last season we couldn’t find that small gap between two posts. This season is a different story and we are creating more clear-cut chances and taking them. I honestly can’t see any other result than an away win, but football is a funny old game

Arson says:-
“The game against Chelsea has more significance if we win at Sunderland’.

Of course it will, but if you make too many changes today Arson, we won’t get all three points, the winning run will have been broken and with it will go a little bit of our players confidence.

We have a big week ahead and after the next three games we COULD be top of the English Premiership, top of the group in the Champions League and sitting pretty as we head into December.

Just start with the strongest eleven we have fit and we will win!

I am sticking with

Almunia
Sagna TV Gallas Silvestre
Cesc Song Rosicky
Nasri Eduardo Arshavin

But I don’t for one minute think that I will be right!

Have a great day

A question to leave you with about the ACON – Who would you trust more, Ramsey or Denilson?

‘Phew’ says Arson – It could have been worse…….

That’s an expression I really dislike!

Being the sufferer of bad bones as I am, in the days when I lived with my Mother and would be in dreadful pain and discomfort, she would often say, well think youself lucky, look at so and so up in the village, she’s in a wheelchair with her Arthritis!!

I replied, ‘Mum, she is 86 years old, I am still very young’. ‘Well’ she would reply, ‘I could be worse’!! Arrrrggg!!

Arson is so right though, had Gibbs and van Persie’s injuries been a lot more severe than we would all be pretty down. Thankfully though the Boss says Kieran should be back midweek for the Champions League game and Robin should be back in time for his Christmas Pudding!

Arson, it could have been a whole lot better too if you could learn to tell our players that international friendlies are not worth the trouble! Just stop them going and this kind of thing won’t happen!

What’s going on in this crazy world of football, Big Sol has said we are the best, he is currently staying fit by training with us, and says this:-

“I am training at Arsenal and keeping fit, which is the main thing and that, is fantastic,” he continued.
“I needed to train somewhere, Arsene [Wenger] has done me a great favor and you can’t do any better than Arsenal.”

Even old Brucie Boy has said he owes our boss big time following the loan deals of Bendtner, Muamba and Larsson – Brucie reckons we have a genius for a manager and a great crop of young players. The future is bright for us he says…

Good man, we have known that for ages Brucie, but it’s good to hear ex pro’s like you come out and say such a thing, especially when those idiots on Sky and the BBC keep saying we are too young, lack experience blah, blah, blah!!

You are right, we have a very bright future ahead of us at Arsenal and Liam Brady confirms that too. He has told afc.com that Kieran Gibbs and Jack Wilshere are just the beginning of a large bunch of youth ready to burst on to the scene.

Bit of injury news – Fabianski, Vela, Denilson and Traore are now off the injured list, Diaby and Walcott are close to a return. I suspect we will see of four above on the bench for Sunderland with Walcott and Diaby taking their seats in the week. Gibbs will be back before The Chav game too, which is good news.

On to Sunderland, I have gone from thinking that Sagna should move to LB with Eboue playing RB to thinking JonJon is right, we shouldn’t have a right footed player playing on the left so now I think Arson has a big decision to make.

Mind you Flamini did ok if my memory serves me right!

Silvestre is a left footed defender, and for the Mancs he often played in the LB position. Surely this is the kind of game where he can be used to cover for Gibbs who is covering for Clichy.
If he doesn’t play there on Saturday, why the heck are we keeping him? Why the heck are we wasting money paying his wages if he is only going to be a bit of experience to add to the Carling Cup team? No, if he doesn’t play then let’s ship him out and use the money to secure Merida’s future!

Not a lot of other gossip in the papers this morning, the back pages are still focusing on Thierry Henry and how is has the new ‘Hand of God’! Even ex Gooners Winterburn and Dixon have joined in and branded him a cheat!

Have a great day folks – tomorrow is match day.

Finally something to smile about……………………

Two bits of good news were announced yesterday, one is that Kieran Gibbs has not suffered any break to his ankle he just has some bad bruising and won’t be out for long. I don’t expect we will see him at the weekend, but back in time for The Chavs I hope. Silvestre ‘should’ be able to cope against Sunderland on Saturday but The Chavs are a bit of a different story.

The second bit of news is that Eduardo has signed a new long term contract. Let’s hope this means that any injury concerns or mental issues we were all concerned about, are no longer. There is a nice picture of Ivan and Eduardo ‘doing the business’ on afc.com if anyone is interested.

Just how silly must all of those reporters who wrote rather large articles about Eduardo at the weekend feel? They had him leaving us in January for £10M and of all places they reported him to be going was Liverpool! I didn’t really believe it at the time, I doubt anyone really did. Madrid, maybe, but Liverpool…. Nah!!

So two bits of good news indeed, followed by no further injury reports from last nights games, Sagna had a good game and Gallas scored the goal that knocked out the Irish.

And what a goal is was too – what a muck up by the officials in such a big game!! Two offside before Henry ‘controlled’ the ball and then the biggest bit of cheating I have seen since Madonna’s hand.

Thierry Henry should be ashamed of himself this morning. Waking up and coming to terms with the fact that the whole world, apart from the French thinks you’re a cheat. For once, I am glad the great man no longer plays for us! I don’t think I could stand watching Sky Sports report all day on the incident.

He wouldn’t be reported as a French player, a French cheat, no, he would be a cheat who plays for Arsenal.
Anyway, he is a Barça player, and this morning I am very glad about that! Don’t think that admitting it was handball will get you a reprieve though Thierry!!

Sad news for Russia, they won’t be travelling to South Africa next summer, unless it’s to go on holiday, they are out. Selfish of me maybe, but I don’t care. Arshavin will get a rest and we will get the benefit.

That is one of the reason’s, not the main reason of course, that I hope ROI would win last night… I had hoped that Clichy, Sagna, Diaby and Gallas all had a good rest during the summer break. Mind you, I am not sure Gallas will be with us next season.

Cesc came through a whole game unscathed, that’s more good news. He managed to score one in Spain’s 5-1 win and pick up a yellow card on the way, not that I am fussed about that!

Eboue played too last night and he grabbed himself a goal too – watch out Eduardo you have some stiff competition now

So, no new injuries to report and that is the most important thing for Arsenal.

That’s it for a while now, no silly international games, meaningless friendlies or any other ‘country get together’ no, its Premier League, Champions League and Domestic Cup competition right through into the new year now – Hoorah!!

First up is Sunderland away on Saturday, 3pm kick off – a tough game for us I think, but one we will win – just!

I know we have a few injury concerns, but so do Sunderland. No Gordon, Jones or Cattermole. Apart from Bendtner, van Persie and Gibbs, until Arson updates us on those who have trained this week we can’t be sure of who will play or not.

I just hope he plays the strongest eleven available and brings home the three points. Forget The Chavs until it’s time to play them. This game is a must win, we are on a winning run and we don’t want that to change. Don’t rest Song, Gallas or Sagna – play them all and get the points, put the pressure on the teams around us and let them be the ones to crack, not us!

Have a great day all, two days left to wait

Just for peaches, oh and me!

‘Jump’ – I would be thinking how high! …………..

Well, I would be if I were one of those players having to play tonight and some nutter came sliding in towards me with a hard tackle in mind! We cannot afford any more injuries and the loss of any of the players mentioned below would be just awful. It doesn’t even bare thinking about!

Even Sir Bobby Pires is concerned for us, but still believes we have enough strength and depth to get through this tough time.

These are tonight’s fixtures:-

Wednesday, 18 November 2009
FIFA World Cup European Qualifying

France v Rep of Ireland
Slovenia v Russia

International Match – Well, poxy friendly matches

Austria v Spain
Germany v Ivory Coast

My calculation is that’s Gallas, Sagna, Nasri, Arshavin, Eboue and Fabregas all possibly, even probably involved in a match tonight. Eboue and Cesc are playing in worthless friendly matches!

I just hope both Cesc and Eboue don’t even play tonight. Yes, even Eboue. I think Arson will play him at RB and move Sagna to LB if Gibbs injury is a bad as we fear. Some of the news this morning reports that Gibbs injury is suspected to be a broken metatarsal!

Here is the current injury list from afc.com – I guess though we can add Gibbs to that list!

Robin Van Persie
Nicklas Bendtner
Carlos Vela
Theo Walcott
Denilson
Armand Traore
Gael Clichy
Lukasz Fabianski
Jack Wilshere
Johan Djourou
Abou Diaby

I make that twelve players now out injured, and that’s before any match kicks off tonight. I am just glad Belgium and The Czech Republic aren’t playing as well! In fact I don’t think either have qualified either so Vermaelen and Rosicky will both have a good rest next summer!

Some of those injured are supposed to be back in training this week, but I can’t see Arson saying anything other than ‘they are a little bit short’ for the Sunderland game. I guess we will know more in his pre-match interview at the end of the week.

Talking of Arson, he has confirmed that Denilson will be player to fill the void left by Song during the ACON. On afc.com he said despite Nasri being perfectly able to play in that role, it would be Denilson as Nasri is ‘more attracted to the offensive side of the game’.

There was me hoping he would say something like ‘When Song leaves us in January, I have a deal in place that will mean a new player will be joining Arsenal on the first day of the new transfer season, he will fill that role’

It’s good to dream

Personally I would be very happy in we nipped in a bought Mahamadou Diarra from Real Madrid, he is supposedly one of six players to be sold off in January. Only problem with him though is he will also be at the ACON.

Mind you how good are Mali? – He could be ready to play in the third week of January

For those who missed it, check out BBCi for Silent Stan – get to know all about Stan Kroenke!
Someone on the show said ‘If he invests it’s for a winner, if he buys in it, he invests in it’
But its football you guys, football – Not bloomin Soccer….!!

That’s all folks – just think, tomorrow the international break is over, our players will be on their way back ‘home’ to London. Then we will know which players are in and which are out for the trip up north.

Fingers and toes crossed for tonight!!