Good morning from a very cold Dublin where the temperature right now is -3. This is a stupid temperature. I did not choose to live in the tundra, did I? Still, at least it’s not raining.
A few bits and pieces to get on with as Christmas week progresses. We’ll start with Cesc who is hoping to be fit for the Villa game on Sunday. He says of his injury:
It is a big shame because I was feeling good in the Burnley game and these things seem to happen when I am at the top of my game. I think it is three times now that it has happened and it breaks your momentum a bit. You learn to cope with it, though, and rest assured that I will be working as hard as I can over the Christmas period to be back for the game with Aston Villa.
I’m keeping all fingers crossed that he can make the game. Obviously because he’s such a fantastic influence on the way we play but he’s also our leading scorer now, isn’t he? It’s interesting how many goals are coming from central midfield this season. Cesc has 10, Diaby for all his injury problems has 5, Denilson 3, Ramsey 2, the only one yet to get off the mark is Song but as he’s doing the defensive job that’s not really an issue. Still hoping the strikers can learn to score again though.
Samir Nasri will be available for Sunday’s game after referee Steve Bennet reviewed the video footage and decided there was no need for further punishment. I think that’s the right decision. There wasn’t much in it, despite what some hysterical blogs would have you believe, and charging Nasri would mean charging Barmby, possibly Hunt, possibly Song as well as opening up a big debate about how Garcia’s cheating and pretending to be injured had an effect on any such punishment. It was all a big load of handbags and it’s been treated accordingly. For once a ref has shown common sense. Fair play.
Arsene Wenger had a ‘web chat’ thingy with the official site and amidst all the ‘Who is the fastest player?’ and ‘Who has the most divine singing voice?’, he spoke a bit about Robin van Persie. He’s hoping for a ‘surprise’ but isn’t planning on seeing him again this season. He said:
If you are very positive you would say he’ll be back in April. At the moment he cannot do anything, he is just sitting at home waiting until he can work again.
Which is nothing really unexpected, is it? I don’t think any of us have any great expectation of seeing van Persie until next season. I suppose we just have to hope his rehabilitation goes well and properly. I just worry a little bit that with the World Cup this summer he might rush things to ensure he plays in that. Not much we can do about it other than hope he acts responsibly.
Of course his absence opens up the possibility of a replacement arriving in January and while the ideal player is one who can play in all competitions the manager is not averse to signing somebody who might be cup-tied in the Champions League. He says:
We are going for the domestic title and the FA Cup aswell and doing that allows you to rest a player for the Champions League or play another player in the Premier League. Of course I would prefer the player who can play in both competitions and so it would mean the player has the quality to play in the long-term for Arsenal Football Club.
But we have an interested eye on the transfer window and if the right player turns up then we will do it.
I do like the way Arsene says ‘If the right player turns up’ as if he just glances out the transfer window by chance one afternoon and sees the perfect purchase. Anyway, that opens up the door to a player like Dzeko from Wolfsburg who seems to be flavour of the month. There are a lot of stories about Arsene being under pressure from shareholders to make purchases in January. I’m not sure I believe that at all. The pressure to buy comes from a need for success, not from shareholders. It comes from looking at a team who could do with a forward to lead the line and provide the team with the outlet it needs in games.
While I’m sure he’s correct and respectful towards shareholders, I don’t think Arsene Wenger will be swayed by what they want and the stories in the papers strike me as a bit mischevious. Anyway, we’ll see what happens. The window opens in just over a week. Then it’s TRANSFER SPECULATION MANIA FRENZY TIME!!!! Oh yeah!
Owen Coyle talks again about bringing in Jack Wilshere on loan. I suppose the manager just has to weigh up the need for Wilshere to play against the possiblity of us actually needing him. The way we’ve suffered with injuries this season it wouldn’t be at all surprising for us to loan him out then suffer four or five cripplings which would have opened up a spot in the team for him.
And that’s really about that. My sickness still lingers but it’s not as bad as it was. I have to go to town today to do my final bits of Christmas shopping. I shall find the finest quality lumps of coal to dispense as presents this year.
Till tomorrow.
