Good morning, I’m sitting here trying to battle through my hangover and get today’s blog started. And not only do I have a hangover, I have a cold. Bah, stupid life.
It’s Sunderland today the early team news we had yesterday is as relevant today. Or there’s no new team news. Something like that. I wouldn’t expect too many changes to the side that played against Porto, to be honest, but a change like Song coming in for Nasri or Walcott wouldn’t be a surprise.
Arsene says that the response to the Hull game will continue today and the lads are going to have to be fully focussed against a team managed by a man who demands nothing less from his players. He was like that as a player too. It was interesting, and nice, to read Keane talking about Arsenal with such respect. We had brilliant battles with him and his United team down the years and in a way you miss games like those.
Of course every big game has its excitement and gets you worked up but when the Arsenal – United rivalry was at its peak it was something a bit special. For a player never afraid to get stuck in his philosophy for the Sunderland team isn’t a Bolton style physical one. He says:
We can’t expect to kick Arsenal off the park. I don’t think that’s the type of team I want to build at Sunderland. We have to play good football against them.
There’s more from Keane in this article here in the Irish Examiner. His comments about the generation of young players we have coming through are interesting too.
The boss returns the compliments about Keane to a certain extent and goes on to talk about some of the former Arsenal players who might make it in management. He talks a bit about Steve Bould and I think he might well be one to watch. I always loved Bould as a player, technically I thought he was a better footballer than Tony Adams, and when the inevitable happens and Arsene decides it’s time to retire then it would be great to have someone who learned from him to take over and an Arsenal man too. Anyway, that’s all a long way in the future, I would think.
Samir Nasri talks about facing his old mate Dribbly Sissy and how much he’s enjoying playing on the left for Arsenal, saying:
This position suits me perfectly, I am a playmaker on the left wing. And I have Gael [Clichy] behind me who attacks a lot and helps me massively, he also allows me play in the middle.
A tough away game is something he hasn’t faced yet due to this stop-start start so this will be a bit of a test for him. I think he’s going to be really important for us because he gives us such great movement and an extra dimension in attack. Hopefully he can stay fit and really bed into the team from here on in.
Not much else to tell you really and my head is pounding. Here’s to a good performance later on, it’s on Setanta Ireland (I think) if you want to catch the game, and to three points. Fingers crossed.
More tomorrow.
