With nothing happening in the present, I had a quick trawl through the Arseblog archives and the common theme of weeks like this is funny to see. Internationals mean news is short on the ground, and while it’s something you grow used to, it’s frustrating when all you want to do is get on with the season.
Tonight some of our players will be involved in World Cup play-offs. France are in the Ukraine with Laurent Koscielny, Bacary Sagna and Olivier Giroud set to play a part. Those are three rather vital cogs in this Arsenal machine, so fingers crossed they come through the games well. I can’t imagine two rugged, competitive games are going to see them return to us in tip-top condition, but hopefully not all bashed up in bits.
Jack Wilshere will play for England against Chile, Ozil could face Italy, while Santi Cazorla travels to Equatorial Guinea with Spain who then have a sponsored 3 day non-stop flight around the world, experiencing weightlessness on 5 occasions, before they touch down and play South Africa – brought to you by Don Simon Sangria and Perro Wow, the superior dog shampoo.
Anyway, as there’s nothing new, and after our glimpse into the future yesterday, how about a look back into the not too distant past to see what happened on this very day.
Nov 15th 2010:
There was no Nicklas Bendnter on the bench yesterday. The boss says he has a little groin problem and doesn’t want him to go play for Denmark this week. You do have to wonder if he paid the price for his comments in which he threatened to leave, perhaps put in his place by the boss a bit.
It’s been a rocky road with Bendtner ever since. At the moment he’s in the squad and the sad fact is because of injuries etc we need him, but this is doomed relationship. I suspect when it ends Nick is gonna buy himself a permanent marker and write nasty things about us on toilet walls.
Nov 15th 2008:
Ahead of a weekend Premier League fixture, Arsene Wenger talks about an impressive midweek Carling Cup display from a certain Aaron Ramsey:
I believe he has something special. He has the work-rate, he has the spirit and he has good vision. He has all the physical and tactical ingredients to become a great midfielder. He still needs to develop his technique but he has what is needed to become a top-level player.
At the time I noted, ‘he does seem to have an eye for the crafty little pass in and around the box’, before tipping him to become semi-regular in the side by the end of the season. That season he made 26 appearances in total, not too shabby, and I guess it really is an illustration of how patience is needed in football.
His career got completely sidetracked by the injury, but we’re reaping the rewards now. It also makes me feel good to see him do well because he was dismissed as not good enough by the Dutch Skunk when he fed info to his journalist friend for this piece. Which isn’t to say he wasn’t struggling with form at the time, but thankfully Arsene Wenger sees the bigger picture most of the time.
Nov 15th 2008:
Denilson is called up to the Brazil squad as a replacement for Gilberto who pulls out for ‘personal reasons’.
No, seriously.
Nov 15th 2004:
‘… pointless international friendlies this week’.
Gah.
Nov 15th 2002:
‘Jermaine Pennant could be on his way back to Watford in another loan deal. He’s not getting much in the way of chances at THOF, so he might as well. Right, now all we have to worry about is how many we’re going to score tomorrow.’
And I include this because the ‘tomorrow’ was a game against Sp*rs which we won 3-0 and included that goal when Thierry ran the length of the pitch to score before running the length of the pitch again to kneel like Zeus in front of their fans. It also include this lovely picture of a distressed Teddy Sheringham, and what else could brighten your Friday morning more?
An unhappy Sheringham is one of the greatest things there ever could be. And it pleases me that more often than not he was unhappy after he played us.
As you’ll have gathered the quietness means this is an Arsecast free week but it also means that next week is a bumper edition in terms of Savile Rogue prizes so make sure you tune in for that. The Arsenal Gent will be here later on with his weekly round-up, more from me tomorrow.
Until then.
