Morning all and happy Tuesday to you.
Let’s begin with news of Tomas Rosicky who looks unlikely to be fit for the start of the season. Speaking to some kind of Czech media outlet, he said:
It will be yet a long time before I return, but at the start of the new season – some time in August – I will hopefully start with training.
In one way I feel sorry for him. No player wants to be injured and Rosicky, when fit, offers the team something. He’s quick, energetic, committed and he can score the icing on the cake goal like no other. However, his fitness is now a real issue. At the time of his signing people thought £6m was good value for a player of his quality and experience, now £6m seems like rather too much for a player who has spent so long out of the squad.
The constant niggles and injuries that have prevented him getting a proper run in the team are damaging to us. We need our best players, our so-called first teamers, to be fit more often than he is. When he does come back, and I hope that he does, he’s got to prove he can stay injury free or we really have to consider his position. The same goes with Robin van Persie, I think. There’s no questioning the Dutchman’s quality, in my opinion, but as someone considered a starter when fit he’s got to prove he can get through a season more or less injury free.
With Nasri likely to come in at least we have a genuine option for the left hand side of midfield and who knows if a bit of competition might do something to keep Tomas fit.
This morning’s Sport newspaper in Spain says that Barcelona are negotiating with Emmanuel Adebayor and that Arsenal know of his, and Hleb’s, desire to leave London for the Catalan club. Arsene Wenger has, as a matter of principle (don’t you know), rejected the idea of both players leaving but it’s just a matter of time before both of them become players for the greatest club on earth. They will leave behind the measly presence of London and come to live in the greatest city on earth and play for the greatest club on earth in the best stadium on earth with the best weather on earth and the best food on earth and the most poetic, wonderful, creative, special, interesting, hilarious and, of course, sexy people on earth. How could they resist?
Naturally it’s all a load of speculative horse bollocks, the likes of which the Spanish press are, indeed, the best on earth at cooking up.
Nicolas Anelka was named at No29 in the Arsenal greatest ever players list on Arsenal.com. Frank McLintock was No30. I think we can safely assume this is the most stupid list of all time. I’m still waiting for Cuntley Cunt to appear and when he does we can write it off good and proper.
Eurowatch – Johann Djourou is unhappy with the Swiss coach for not giving him a chance in Euro 2008, particularly in the dead rubber against Portugal the other night. He’s looking forward to the new coach coming in and I’m looking forward to see what kind of impact, if any, he can make at Arsenal next season.
Arsenal interest in tonight’s games comes via Robin van Persie as Romania play Holland. A win for Romania would see both France and Italy go out, no matter what either of them does. I can’t see the Dutch going out to lose, momentum is important in tournaments as short as this one, but will they be as committed as they were in their first games knowing that qualification is already secured? Especially when they know a Romanian win would see two very strong teams go out, even if they are both in poor form that makes like a bit easier.
We shall see what happens. It promises to be an interesting evening’s football. William Gallas will probably play for France.
Don’t forget you can follow the games in the OleOle match centre which features live commentary, live blogging, chat and more. Click the links above to go the respective centres.
Cesc talks about his form and life on the Spanish bench. Aragones is likely to make changes ahead of their game against Greece so we could see him start that game.
Right, that’s about that. Have a good day, more tomorrow.
