Morning all and we’ll start with some worrying team news ahead of tomorrow’s game with Charlton. We know William Gallas has a hamstring tweak and is almost certain to miss the game but Johann Djourou will have a fitness test today to see if he can take part. If not that leaves Kolo Toure the only fit first team defender and the manager is thinking about using Gilberto or Alex Song. He says:
We are short of central defenders at the moment because Philippe Senderos is still out. But Alex Song can fill in. He has played in central defence. Gilberto can play there too so we will just have to see.
Gilberto I could cope with but the thought of Alex Song at centre-half scares the shit out of me. And how must promising young players like reserves captain Matthew Connolly feel, who is listed as part of the first team squad on the Arsenal website, when the manager is considering playing the most mediocre midfied player he has ever signed as a central defender? Fingers crossed Djourou makes it and no doubt we’ll find out later at the manager’s traditional press conference.
In the meantime he has again expressed his concerns about foreign owners of English clubs and although some people might think it’s a bit rich that a Frenchman complains about foreign owners you have to say he has a point. There were the usual stories yesterday about AW having a job for life at Arsenal following his 10 years in charge and even Roy Keane got caught up in the moment.
Alex Hleb says he’ll shoot more but he says if he thinks a team mate is in a better position then he’ll pass it. I think he’s been under instructions to be more decisive and at one point during the Porto game the manager got a bit agitated with him for not having a go. Three minutes into the second half and he scores. He’s also got plenty of power in his shooting and although his first instinct is to create he’s got to be a bit more selfish when he has sight of goal.
From Arsenal News Review the other day:
LETTERS like this convince me that ANR readers are the creme de la creme of world club football. We have smarter readers than many other websites. And that’s encouraging. I like writing for an educated clientele. This reader, Harry Barracuda, is right.
Now, just for the fun of it go here and read the 4th comment. If that’s the creme de la creme I’m quite happy with the bunch of despicable reprobates that come here every day. I love you all you filthy scumbags.
And that’s it. More tomorrow.
