Having sat here for a while, scratching only occasionally, I can now declare this Interlull officially a pain in the arse. I’ve had quite enough now and I demand it stops at once.
You would think with all the highly intelligent readers Arseblog has, and I’m including all three of them in this, that someone would have invented some kind of device to either provide entertainment during Interlulls or which would destroy countries therefore putting an end to international football once and for all.
Anyway, maybe that’s something they can work on for the next one. In the meantime there’s some scant Arsenal news starting with Arsene Wenger being impressed with William Gallas. He’s probably in the best form since he joined the club and his partnership with Thomas Vermaelen shows a good deal of promise. Arsene says:
William Gallas has had a fine start to the season, which is down to both his attitude and the quality of the player. He behaves 100% as a professional and is highly focused in training.
Which, I suppose, is the very least you should expect from any player. On the partnership with the Belgian, he says:
It has gelled more quickly than I expected. This is for two reasons; first of all, Vermaelen adapted faster, and secondly William fits more comfortably on the right side of a central defence than on the left.
There are still defensive issues to sort out, no question about it, but you don’t get the feeling any longer that we’re ready to crumble right down the middle like we’ve seen in seasons past.
Arsene also said he wouldn’t be the one to name his own successor at the club when the time comes, saying it’s beyond his remit. Which is absolutely right. Plus there’d surely be the temptation to have a bit of fun with that. At your goodbye press conference you might say “And it is with great pleasure that I name the next Arsenal manager – that’s right, it’s MOR sax crooner Kenny G! Kenny, get out here you big lug!!!”
And out Kenny would come, parping on his horn as shocked onlookers tried to make some kind of sense out of what they were seeing. And when he announced his backroom staff of Baltimora, the lead singer from Mr Mister and the drummer from Glass Tiger the confusion would be palpable. And that is why Arsene won’t be naming the next Arsenal manager.
Frank McLintock says Alex Song can be the next Peter Storey so if you’re looking for dodgy coins or porno videos the Cameroonian is the man to see. Oh, he means football. That makes more sense, to be fair. It is somewhat funny to see Frank’s positive articles appear on the official site when he’s been rather critical elsewhere in recent weeks though.
The Sun says Arsene Wenger has a plan for Fran. And the plan is a five year deal and not, disappointingly, anything to do with a flan. Don’t get me wrong, a five year deal for a talented young player is a great thing but there’s a massive gap in the market for a rhyming flan brand. Fran’s Flans! I can see world domination from here. Maybe it’s something he can address when he finishes with football. Provided I don’t change my name to Fran and get there ahead of him. It strikes me the young Spaniard has got some tough decisions to make in the weeks and months ahead.
The Mirror reports Cesc will return to Arsenal today which, I suppose, means that things are somewhat better in terms of his family problem and that’s good news. I have to say it was not at all surprising but still somewhat disappointing that some Arsenal blogs chose to publish information and pictures that they really shouldn’t have with regard to this story. Sadly there’s a tabloid culture to some of these blogs and they’re little more than bottom feeders scratching around for cheap hits, ignoring the rights of players and their families to a bit of privacy, especially at a difficult time.
I could go on but I won’t. I just hope they realise that not everything is fit for public consumption and if they don’t realise that I hope they get run over by a bus. Twice.
Right, just three more Interlull days to get through before we can get ourselves back on track.
And finally, don’t forget the gala showing of The Gooner Review takes place this evening. You can get tickets on the door. See here for more info.
Till tomorrow.
