Let’s start with team news ahead of tonight’s clash with Man City. We’ll be more or less unchanged with only Freddie missing from Saturday’s squad. Who he picks to replace him will be interesting. Does he go for the stepover/bootaway king in Julio Baptista? Does he play two strikers with Aliadiohdear or will he bring Abou Diaby into midfield. I suspect the latter. The boss is looking for stability in terms of his team selection so it makes sense to bring in somebody who, finishing aside, had a big impact against Bolton.
A win tonight would give us an eight point lead over Bolton and an Everton side who are building quite the head of steam at the moment. Plus we owe Citeh a beating after losing to them at the start of the season in a game we probably should have won.
Congratulations go to Cesc Fabregas who has been nominated for the PFA Players player of the year and the PFA Young Player of the year award. He’s up against some quality opposition on both fronts. I know some people have questioned his nominations but it’s the other players who vote, they’re the ones who have chosen the finalists, not anyone else, so there’s no favouritism or anything like it. I don’t expect him to win, to be honest, he’s had a much quieter second half of the season that he would have liked but his contribution and importance to this Arsenal team has been acknowledged by his fellow pros.
Gilberto says he can be one of the best midfielders in the world while Arsene Wenger says he’s never seen anyone quite like him. I agree, he’s dreamy. Speaking of Arsene he’ll find out today what punishment he’ll receive for being sent off by Steve Bennett during the Portsmouth game – after which he said he would simply not accept any punishment at all. Can you imagine if the FA try to fine him and he went all ninja and shit and sliced them up? That’d be awesome.
In other news we may have competition for the signing of Frank Ribery from Manchester United, Chelsea and Top Hunks Monthly. Steve Bruce says he’ll do everything he can to hang on to Fabrice Muamba should Birmingham get promoted calling the young Arsenal midfielder a ‘monster’. What kind of monster we don’t know. Perhaps a cross between Frankenstein and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Perhaps a Werewolf who likes Phil Collins. I really think people shouldn’t classify all monsters as the same. It’s racist.
Harry Redknapp has been full of praise for former Arsenal man Lauren. I have to say I think Arsene made a mistake letting him go. Sure, I realise we did a nice thing by letting him go somewhere to get a good contract but the manager’s first responsibility is to Arsenal and we’d have been a better side over the last few months with him in it. Defensively stronger and his experience would have been vital in some games. However, he’s gone, Oh I, Oh I’d better learn how to face it, he’s gone, Oh I, Oh I’d pay the devil to replace him, he’s gone, what went wrong?
And that’s about your lot. Fingers crossed we can continue our record breaking winning run tonight. Until tomorrow, my good old friends.
