It’s a relatively quiet Saturday morning and with the new season just 7 days away I suspect that might be the last one for a little bit.
Obviously the main story is the Champions League draw which sees us travel all the way to Arctic Circle to play Celtic in Glasgow. It’s not the easiest draw by any means although I’m glad to see us avoid Fiorentina and Atletico Madrid.
I know there are people who don’t rate the Scottish league and for the most part they’d be right. I know it was pre-season but the reigning champions, Rangers, weren’t up to much during the Emirates Cup. I suspect, however, that Celtic are a little bit better than that.
Also the ability of the hoopinators, as I like to call them, to pull off a top result at home in Europe should not be ignored. In the last few seasons they have, in the Champions League group stages, beaten Man United, beaten AC Milan, beaten Villarreal and drawn with United as well, so they’re more than capable of causing us problems, especially in their place.
So while I think we can be reasonably confident I don’t think it’s going to be the walkover I’ve heard some fans talking about. There’ll be more to say about the fixtures in the next little while, probably starting with a chat to The Lord of the Wing on next week’s Arsecast.
In the meantime Liam Brady, a former Celtic manager, talks about the game and the incredible atmosphere at Celtic Park which is something many of our players won’t have experienced.
Manuel Almunia says Kolo Toure might have been ‘bored’ at Arsenal. The Spanish stopper (32), says:
Maybe he was a bit bored, a bit tired of being with the same people every day, in the same atmosphere. He needed a change and you could see it in his face he was not really, really happy in his last period at Arsenal.
I have put that through my Man City translatinator and it has thrown up the following:
Maybe he was bored of not being paid what he’s being paid now at Man City. A bit tired of seeing the same people every day while not being paid what he’s being paid now at Man City, in the same atmosphere which saw him earning less than Man City promised to pay him when they tapped him up last season.
He needed a change, of bank account, and you could see in his face that he was not really, really happy in his last period at Arsenal because he was thinking about all the cool stuff he could buy if he was earning the money Man City promised to pay him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a jet-pack now.
There are some quotes in the Almunia interview about Cesc as well but these have already been taken and twisted, especially in the Spanish press this morning, so the mischief makers ain’t getting nuttin’ outta me.
Young defendinator Harvard Nordveidt has joined FC Nurnberg on loan for the season. Good luck to him out there and fair play to the official site for finding the most attractive picture of the young Norwegian they possibly could.
Beyond that not much happening. The team is in Spain right now, enjoying the heat and the warm and sun and the heat and the not-rain and the high temperatures and the blue sky and the heat but probably not the cheap beer and mojitos but then those are the little sacrifices a professional footballer must make.
The game against Valencia is web only tonight, kick off 8.30pm. It could be fun. More on that and whatever else in tomorrow’s blog.
Have a good day.
