Right then, a quick round-up of the stories this morning before I head into town to watch the match.
It’s a veritable Wengerthon as the manager had his usual press conference yesterday. To save time and to save me actually thinking of ways to present his material (AW said, the manager revealed, according to the boss etc etc), here they are in handy bullet points:
- He says he doesn’t want to manage a national team because international football is now considered the scabby, flea ridden orphan that nobody wants
- Mysterious William Gallas is back in the squad for the game today although he may not start. Thierry will play too and against PSV but not in the Carling Cup final, which I’ll comment on later. Cesc might miss today’s game as well.
- Emmanuel Adebayor has improved as a finisher. It’s his begininning that needs work these days.
- After two missed penalties in midweek the boss says practicing doesn’t really help.
So that was the Wenger stuff. As I mentioned Thierry Henry won’t play in the Carling Cup final and that is absolutely fair. The manager said:
If everybody is available, he will not play. He accepts my decision. Thierry knows from the start that he is not involved in this competition.
It doesn’t stop the Daily Mail calling it a ‘bitter blow’ to Henry. What a load of horse cock. It would have been a bitter blow to Baptista or Aliadiere or any of the others but how can it be a bitter blow to a man who hasn’t been involved at all? Terrible shit-stirring. Sadly they’re also the only place that has this nice piece about Denilson which shows just how far he’s come since his arrival at the club and by how far he has exceeded expectations.
Demento backs Arsene Wenger’s policy with regard to ‘foreign players’ and instead blames the English academy system for not producing good English players. A rare moment of clarity there.
And that’s about that. Thanks for all your emails yesterday about the Arsecast – the interview with the Chairman went down a storm. Hurrah! Finally, if any Dubliners fancy watching the game this morning we’re going to be in Sinnott’s at the side of the Stephen’s Green centre from about 12.15. You’ll know us by the fact that one of us will be completely bald. He is known as ‘bald’.
Come on you reds! More tomorrow.
