Some early good news ahead of the weekend’s FA Cup game against United. Both Kolo and Eboue are in contention while Tomas Rosicky seems to have recovered from his latest attack of Aliadieritis and could start as well.
I have to say my approach to Saturday’s game is just to see what happens. If we lose I don’t think I’m going to get too stressed about it to be honest. Personally I could live without the FA Cup on the run in to the title. I do love the cup and if we keep going in it, as we have done in the past, without any damage to our title bid then that’d great. If we lose then it just means we can focus more on winning the league title which, I think, is the prize we all want this season.
I know it’s United, I know games against them are ones you never want to lose, and I’m quite sure on Saturday I’ll be shouting and roaring and wishing Demento dead when watching it, but at this early stage it’s easier to be a more objective about the whole thing.
Philippe Senderos talks about how an improvement in our set-piece play this season has made a difference. Not just from an attacking point of view but defensively we’re much more solid than last season. Maybe that’s because we’re better organised, maybe it’s because we haven’t had a goalkeeper who winds up the opposition and distracts his defence (although wait for United to try and get Jens wound up on Saturday), maybe it’s better coaching. Whatever it is, it’s good.
Emmanuel Adebayor says motivational calls and texts from Thierry Henry have helped him this season. The Togonator says:
Thierry to me is like a big brother. e calls me and we have a lot of chats. He believes in my strength and my quality so I just want to thank him a lot because he helped me out a lot. A lot of times he sends me messages saying that I may have scored 15 or 16 but I know you can score more if you concentrate in every game.
Think about it, if one or two texts from Thierry is having such an impact what if we all sent him a text telling him we believe he can score six goals a game between now and the end the season? It couldn’t fail. Anyone got his number? In the meantime check out another one of his fantastic post-match interviews, with subtitles.
If he carries on like this, Adebayor could conceivably be regarded, in the future, as the best all-round centre-forward England has seen.
There really is nothing like the English press to overblow something, is there? I thought Smith would be a little more reserved than that. It wasn’t long ago people were saying Adebayor wasn’t good enough for Arsenal, now he’s potentially the best forward English football has ever seen. Fuck’s sake. I’m enjoying the big man’s season, it’s brilliant to see him develop in front of our eyes but stories like this don’t do anybody any good. Least of all Alan Smith who should really know better. When you raise expectations the way he has then you can only be disappointed. Arsenal fans should just enjoy the fact that we’ve got ourselves a hell of a player who is at an age where he can get even better. We’ll leave the hyperbole to the punidts.
Demento reckons the title will go down to the wire. Fucking hell, what a expert on the game he is. There are three top teams in contention and he comes out with a remark like that. I wish I could know as much about football as he did. The Mirror tries to make out like he’s beginning the mind games but this isn’t it. Wait for it though.
The Guardian reports that Stan Kroenke will be attending the AC Milan game next week. Alisher Usmanov, or at least a ‘party representing’ him will also be there. Apparently this will be awkward. I don’t see how. Kroenke might be a speculator but at least he doesn’t go around bullying websites who express legitimate concerns about his involvement in the club. Plus he’s not a big fat cunt.
Finally for today I have to say thanks to Colm Bambury who is part of the Arsenal Supporters Club in Dingle, Co Kerry. He was talking to a friend of mine last week and sent me up a fine piece of Arsenal Dingle shirt. Cheers to you, Colm, and to all the Arsenal fans down there. Good to know some Kerrymen appreciate real football.
Right, I now have to take my car to the garage where repairs will cost me a million and twenty-seven euros. Hurrah!
