I have just woken from one of those strange nights when you spend a bit of a time asleep, a bit of time awake, then the awake time and the sleep time kind of mix together to make a weird thing where you’re probably asleep but you think you’re awake and you’re dreaming like mad.
In my awake/asleep dream I’d managed to get an in-depth interview with Jack Wilshere who insisted on showing me his tattoo which consisted of his initials, including his middle name (Andrew). He explained that the JAW was the new cult to which everyone wanted to belong and when the time came those who followed the JAW would be saved while all others would perish.
He then told me why William Gallas left Arsenal.
‘Why?’, I asked, taking notes.
‘Because I told him I was going to murder him and he complained to Arsene Wenger’.
‘I see’.
‘Yeah, so Arsene told him you have two choices William. You can get murdered by Jack, I won’t stop this, or you can go and play for Sp*rs. So he went to Sp*rs’.
‘That’s some story’.
‘I might still murder him, you know’.
Then I was in a Tesco and Wayne Rooney was there taking ages to decide which crisps to buy so I tried to take a picture of him but his sister stole my shopping trolley which had a mogwai in it and then my alarm, thankfully, went off.
Dreams are funny things. At least we know why Gallas signed for Sp*rs though. Go on the Jack.
Back in the real world and Cesc Fabregas will have a scan today to see how serious his hamstring injury is. Whatever the seriousness it looks as if it’s going to be touch and go for the Chelsea game which is less than two weeks away now.
Given the fact we dropped points this weekend and we simply can’t afford to come away from Stamford Bridge without some kind of result we have to hope it’s not bad. His substitution was described as precuationary on Saturday, although costly might be another word for it, and he didn’t look to be limping too badly so fingers crossed he can be mended before Chelsea.
Also today Arsene will find out if he’s going to be hauled up for his little contretemps with fourth official Martin Atkinson. I saw it for the first time yesterday, Sky were calling it a ‘push’, it was hardly a push although he did certainly ‘lay hands’ on Atkinson. I could be wrong but I suspect the FA will take some delight in this after Wenger’s comments last week and I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some kind of ban issued.
It’d be interesting if they did because Wayne Rooney did something similar in the United/Liverpool game yesterday. I think he was trying to demonstrate to the referee what had been happening in the box but all the same he put hands on the referee. Let’s wait and see what happens there.
This week we’ve got Carling Cup football before the next league game at home to West Brom. The midweek opponents are Sp*rs, of course, who will be looking to add to their DVD collection with another ‘famous’ victory. I think they’ll play pretty much a full strength team. We know what kind of team the manager likes to play in the Carling Cup. Whether or not the opponents will change that we’ll have to wait and see.
It’s one thing to play all the kids when you’re facing a lower division side at the Grove but there’s always pride at stake in a North London derby. It won’t temper things too much if we get a spanking just because we can say ‘Well, it was only the Carling Cup and we played youngsters’. So while I’m happy to see Wojscez©® being tipped for a game in goal, perhaps a sign that he’s being given the chance to move ahead of his fellow Pole in the pecking order, I think he’s got to seriously consider just how many of the kids he throws into this game.
Yes, it’s a good competition to give them experience in, and it’s benefitted many, but being on the wrong end of a bad scoreline is also counter-productive. There are those who say Alex Manninger was never the same after a 5-0 thrashing from Chelsea in the same competition many years ago. It’d be wise, in my opinion, to add a good measure of experience to the team this week, then you never know who you’ll get in the next round which will allow the kids, perhaps, to get a better chance.
More on that game as the week progresses. There’s not a great deal else going on this Monday morning. Let’s keep fingers crossed regarding Cesc and the boss and pick this up again tomorrow.
You have a great day now.
