Whatever about our players not picking up injuries during the international break, I can tell you this blog is coming to you through the pain barrier today.
I seem to have sliced open the top of my left index finger and every word typed is sending shockwaves of pure pain right through my body. Ok, well it merely smarts a little bit but where’s the story in that? If I were an Arsenal player I’d be out for three months with this kind of wound.
My long-awaited/feared comeback would make all the papers and Arsenal fans would sigh as the reports came through the next day that I would miss a further two weeks having bruised my ear with after mistiming a header.
And such is the life of an injured player. And one man who has been out for a long time is Eduardo. He’s spent since February last year in the treatment room. Imagine how boring that must be:
“I’m so bored. Oh Hello, Abou! You’re injured too. A little company for me. Great!”
*some time later*
“Oh goodbye, Abou! Best of luck in your comeback”.
*90 minutes later*
“Oh hello, Abou! You’re injured too. A little company for me. Fantastic!”
*some time later*
“Oh goodbye, Abou! Best of luck in your comeback”.
*90 minutes later*
“Oh hello, Abou! You’re injured again. A little company for me. Capital!”
It’s the tedium that drives them mad, you know. Anyway, Eduardo played for Croatia last night and set up a goal for Niko Kranjcar in 2-1 win. He came on after an hour and coming through a game like that will do his confidence the world of good. I fully expect him to available for us from now on. I think he’ll start from the bench at first but there’s no reason why he can’t be pushing for a start in the next few weeks.
There are no reports, as yet, of any injuries coming from elsewhere so I’m keeping my fingers crossed everyone came through unscathed. And if there has been scathing then I shall be very cross indeed. The last thing we need now is for our players to be scathed.
Arsene Wenger has been talking about ‘shared leadership‘ in the Arsenal team. Again you can see where he’s coming from, kind of, but the official website churns out another story which really does him no favours.
Where, amongst the other 10 players against Sp*rs, was the leadership to tell Eboue to calm the fuck down and not get himself sent off? It’s all well and good talking about leadership but one of the problems this season is that we’ve been a bit rudderless on the pitch. It’s hard to say Cesc‘s appointment as captain had addressed that because he was injured so soon afterwards – and while the concept of 11 leaders on the pitch is nice, it doesn’t really work like that.
As in anything else there are leaders and there are followers and when you ask followers to lead then you end up creating folleaders who go around in circles confusing themselves and everyone else. I’m all for everyone taking responsibility but a team needs proper leaders, we don’t need an on-pitch committee.
Some pictures of Andrei Arshavin training? Why not? It’s a slow day.
There are all kinds of reports floating around about Stephen Appiah. The Ghana player has been desperately searching for a club since the summer. He’s been doing the rounds, trials here, there and everywhere and nobody has offered him a deal. Chances of him signing for Arsenal = 0. And that’s an exact number right there.
And there you have it. There really is nothing else going on this morning and it’s likely to be boring for the next couple of days because we don’t play until Monday. Which is rubbish. What are we supposed to do to pass the time? Drink our faces off?
It’s the only answer. You know it. More tomorrow.
