november 29th
Ahead of tonight’s Carling Cup game against Reading at Highbury Cesc Fabregas, who is given the night off, has been talking about making Spain’s squad for the World Cup next summer. There’s plenty of competition out there but big tournaments tend to spring surprises and there’s no question of him being out of his depth. Whether Luis Aragones agrees or not is another question but Cesc says “Everyone thinks about the World Cup, even me. You never know. I didn’t expect to play so many games for Arsenal last season, so why not? Aragones has said I am still young, and that is his opinion, but I am playing for Arsenal and I am making assists for Thierry Henry.”
And how many of Spain’s established central midfielders can say that? Exactly.
As mentioned Cesc won’t be playing tonight with Flamini and Larsson most likely to get the nod. Senior players included are Senderos, van Persie, Reyes and Cygan. The full squad can be found here.
One to watch on the Reading team is former Arsenal man Steve Sidwell. He left the club to get first team football even though he was offered a contract by Arsene Wenger. He went to Reading, didn’t bitch about he never got a chance and has always spoken well of the education he got at the club. The story goes that as he was leaving Arsene Wenger told him he might buy him back one day and, with no disrespect to Reading, he’s certainly got the quality to play at a higher level. Whether that’s at Arsenal or not remains to be seen but he’ll be relishing the chance to play at Highbury tonight.
He says “I loved Arsenal and still do. I was there for 11 years, from nine to 20. I was part of the side that won back-to-back Youth Cups. I scored in the Highbury legs of both finals. I have great friends there. But I never played for the first team. That’s my one regret. So to play there now, in their last season at Highbury, is a dream come true.”
What a nice change it makes to have someone with that kind of attitude instead of the likes of David Bentley who gets a few first team games at Blackburn and mouths off about this that and the other. He’s really setting the world on fire up hthere, isn’t he?
In a brief round-up of other news Freddie Ljungberg has had his wisdom teeth out to cure a knee injury (I’m going to have my arse hair removed to cure my shin splints), David Beckham wants Thierry Henry to join Real Madrid (makes a chance from Barcelona)
while The Sun reports we’re after Hatem Trabelsi again which is a curious move when we seem to be well covered at the back and it’s midfield where we’re crying out for a new recruit or two.
And that’s it. If you’re going tonight enjoy the game. I’m assuming it’s not on the telly….?
