february 5th
We had the normal glut of Friday stories as Arsenal’s regular pre-match press conference took place. Arsene Wenger had lots to say. He’s concerned that Ashely Cole’s meeting with Chelsea will affect the morale of the squad, saying “I must say at the moment our worry is to get Ashley concentrated on the next game and not on this story. I just feel this whole story didn’t help us.”
No doubt the morale he’s talking about comes from his colleagues’ unhappiness at their team-mate going to meet the enemy before a big game against a bigger enemy. The boss says the whole thing will be discussed at board level and they’ll take it from there although he is confident of Ashley signing a new contract – as is Double-D who says Ashley is commited to Arsenal whether he likes it or not. Cole himself has pledged him immediate, if not his long term, future to the club, saying “I’m under contract here for another two years so I just want to get back to playing football and trying to win the league.”
The boss also unhappy with UEFA’s new ruling about ‘homegrown’ players saying “It’s a very bad rule; a rule without thought and with negative effects, especially on the market of young players. It is an artificial rule. The perverse effects of this rule are not in the spirit of the top level of competition and the education [process]. It is just a narrow look at how we can protect the national teams in completely the wrong way.”
I have to say I agree wholeheartedly with him. Back in the squad today are Edu, who is now being considered after a long time absent despite being fit, and Philippe Senderos who passed a fitness test yesterday and could well line up alongside Pascal Cygan in the centre of defence.
Manuel Almunia talks to the Independent while goalkeeping target Timo Hildebrand will not be available on a free transfer this summer as reports in Germany say he’s signed a new deal with Stuttgart. Whoever wants him is going to have to pay for him now. Manchester United show that good discipline runs right to the very core of the club as Villa’s new signing Eric DumbandDumba reveals “I still have some very good friends at Manchester United and they will be on the phone telling me to ‘kick him or kick him’.
And that’s about the size of it. Late kick-off today because the game is on PPV. Let’s hope the lads can get back to winning ways.
