A mixed bag today; Eduardo had the best day of the Arsenal players in that he scored the only goal in Croatia’s win over Israel although Jens Lehmann’s clean sheet in Germany’s draw against the Republic of Ireland (why are they never called Eire anymore as they were in 70’s and 80’s?) was the goalkeeping equivalent.

The Sunday’s are full of rehashed stories, proving that it is not just bloggers who struggle to come up with something during this fortnight. Indeed, the News of the World ‘rumour’ page has thirteen stories of which no less than six are about the club or their old boys; Lauren is apparently wanted by Real Mallorca or Real Betis, the former is an old club, the latter near where he was raised as a child so both have tugs on the heart strings. Whichever he choses, my best wishes for someone who was a sturdy servant for Arsenal. Long time rumoured target Nicolas Anelka is apparently on the move although those who want him back at The Emirates should quell their aching hearts as it is Manchester City of his old clubs who want him although if The Screws is to believed there will be a vacancy at Arsenal with Steve Bruce wanting Bendtner to return on loan after Christmas.

Miguel Veloso’s Mr 20% has been talking up his client in much the same way that Cesc’s has, telling all and sundry that there are some big clubs after the lad and one of them nearly matched the release clause in his contract with an offer, which is a bit like saying I nearly won the lottery when I entered it other than none of the winning numbers matched the ones on my ticket.

Gilberto to Valencia is apparently the in story at Canary Wharf as it has appeared so often in recent weeks, the price of £7m is consistently quoted. Apparently, the player wants a long term contract agreed and Arsene does not. With eighteen months left on his current deal, it is unsurprising if that is the case given Arsene’s prediliction to only extend contracts of the over-thirties by twelve months at a time. I would be surprised if he were allowed to leave in January but not if he left next summer. We shall see. The last Arsenal tag in that rag is that we are keeping tabs on Yohan Mollo a French U-19 international. Apparently, we are going head to head with Tottenham and Internazionale.

Another ‘buried deep’ in the paper story, this time on Page 23. Apparently, Theo Walcott wants kids and how they would be breastfed as he thinks it best. So far so good, nothing wrong with that yet it turns into a damning indictment of the education system in the UK, Theo said, “That’s what I’ll be doing with my kids”…

Thierry Henry is interviewed by Patrick Barclay and is suitably complimentary about Arsene,

Arsene understood. He always understands. He was not just my boss, but my confidant — I can’t say a friend, because we didn’t talk every day or go out for dinner together — and we still keep in touch. I hope we always will. He is a great human being. Amazing — there is no other word to describe him, especially with the game being as it is and the constant pressure to get a result, because he keeps faith in you and what he has always believed about the way the game should be played. He proved himself right so many times. Like when he said the team could go through a season unbeaten. When they lost, everybody laughed — but the next season they did it. Arsene sees things before everybody else

He also talks about the different pressures on him in Catalunya which if anyone contemplating signing for that club reads, they would do well to bear in mind,

You need to be seen, you need to be touched. Because here you are representing not just a club but a country — Catalunya. With another club you might arrive at the back of the airport and take a private passage to the private plane. Here they give you a ticket and say, ‘See you at Gate 29′. And you just walk through everyone. It’s like being in a herd of cows. Trust me, you wouldn’t want to be Ronaldinho. From the moment we get to the airport to when we get to the plane, he’s out of sight, buried under people

No quiet life as is achieved in London, relatively speaking. And if you miss Le Captain, there is a selection of YouTube stuff at the end.

The final tat-tastic piece links Hatem Ben Arfa with a move to the club for about £10m. Amazing what an international goal against the Faroe Islands does for the reputation of a Frenchman in the minds of some journalists. Oh and there’s load of tosh being spouted in the press about what’s going to happen at the AGM, about Dein and revenge, Pete and Sam’s love-in will continue with the latter signing up to the lockdown agreement. All of which comes from regurgitated quotes and is probably not going to happen.

’til Tomorrow.