Right then, I’m assuming the quietude and peaceosity is due to the team being 100% focussed on beating Hull like a disobedient man servant tomorrow.
There is much revenge required after the defeat at home last season and, of course, Phil Brown’s antics after the FA Cup game. Brown, or Son of Dein®©, accused our captain of all kinds of mischief on live TV right after the game. An FA investigation found Cesc had no case to answer, Brown and Horton looked like twats, and Hull limped over the finish line in the league. Some may have thought this a bad thing. Certainly when they saw the mingebearded Brown serenading the Hull fans on the final day of the season they won’t have been alone but I am glad they survived.
Only because I want us to batter them tomorrow and for Phil Brown and his men to leave London tomorrow going ‘Ouch. What happened? My bottom is sore. I think I’m going to cry. Oh, the manager is singing us a song to help sooth us. I’m definitely going to cry. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!’
Cesc didn’t play in the FA Cup game last season due to injury and he misses tomorrow’s encounter too, having damaged his hammy. Early reports say it’s not as bad as it might be, which is good news, and he could be back for the game against Aston Villa on Sunday week. Denilson is the only player back from injury which means there’s still no sign of Rosicky, Clichy, Traore or Bendtner. Andrei Arshavin has a broken foot and is paralysed from the waist down but will still play.
We should get more team news today when Arsene has his press conference. No doubt he’ll be pressed regarding his comments about fixture congestion and Wolves team selection but frankly I couldn’t care less about either of those things. To me it’s like walking down the road and seeing a building on fire and hearing a man screaming for help and you see the man is in real trouble and he’s most likely going to burn to death in the building but because the man is Phil Collins you keep walking. Or perhaps you stop and watch him die but that’s about as far as your interest goes. Everyone knows the fixtures, get on with them, play the games, win the games and it’s not an issue in the slightest. As for what Wolves do? Who gives a fuck?
The Mail has a very interesting piece about Arsenal’s youth academy and Steve Bould, as well as another piece about youngster Cedric Evina. Worth a read. It must be fantastic for young players to get such an education in the game. When you think of the facilities and advantages they enjoy compared to young players of days gone by it’s chalk and cheese. There are some who might say they’re a little too cosseted, a bit of hard work wouldn’t do them any harm, but when you think about how many young players come through the club and how few actually make it to the first team, only the ones who work hard are going to make it.
Burnley have made a cheeky attempt to take Jack Wilshere on loan. Apparently Owen Coyle put it to Wenger in the pre-match build-up and hoped Burnley’s style of football would be an advantage for them. At the moment it’s hard to look at letting anyone go, given how many injuries we’ve got, but maybe a few months away playing regular football is just what he needs. And if that’s the case then there are many worse options than Burnley.
The draw for the knockout stages of the Champions League takes place this morning. It’s Inter, I just know it. Will update post-draw.
Update: It’s Porto. Can’t complain about that.
Now then, onto this week’s Arsecast, which is the last Arsecast for a couple of weeks. Next Friday being Christmas Day and all that. And much as I love you I shall be spending that day eating and drinking and the previous day drinking and eating. So unless I get the urge when vaguely plastered there’s not going to be a ‘cast next week.
On this week’s feature length show however I’m joined by Amy Lawrence to talk about the Burnley and Liverpool games, the Almunia situation, our strikers and more. As well as that there’s Talkshite Radio featuring Phil Brown, Andrei Arshavin talks about his injuries and Arsene Wenger Hawkins’ Christmas message. Plus your chance to win a Savile-Rogue scarf – and a quick reminder, if you’re in the UK, orders made before Dec 20th will still be delivered the right side of Christmas so if you’re stuck for a present for somebody you can’t go wrong with one of these most awesome scarves.
You can subscribe to the Arsecast on iTunes by clicking here. Or if you want to subscribe directly to the feed URL you can do so too. To download this week’s arsecast directly – click here (27mb MP3) or you can listen directly below without leaving this very page.
Righto, that’ll have to do for now. Till tomorrow, Arsebandits.
