The visit of FC Twente to The Emirates is probably the best thing that Arsene could have wished for following on from the lacklustre performance at Craven Cottage on Saturday. There is nothing like another match to clear the cobwebs of a bad defeat. This evening ought to be a rubber-stamping exercise but nothing can be taken for granted. Even so, the criticism that has followed since Saturday’s defeat will be nothing compared to that which follows dropping a two-goal advantage.

Cesc returns to the squad this evening although it would be bordering on folly to use him from the start; better a substitute getting twenty (or should that be Twente?) minutes as preparation for the visit of Newcastle United this weekend. Other than that, it is hard to see what scope Arsene has to make changes. Silvestre will not apparently be available until the 13th September visit to Blackburn; perhaps Djourou and / or Song could come into defence and midfield respectively but it is almost tempting to suggest that the side remain unchanged so that the players can almost ‘right their wrong’.

Gallas and Toure certainly need some playing time together. In any partnership, it takes time to rebuild the understanding and this evening would be beneficial to do that. To drop either would certainly be an ‘un-Wengerlike’ solution. He is noted for his consistency with players, even if they have had a howler or committed a costly error. Gallas is getting criticism again but Tony Adams has backed him, albeit cautiously,

If he thought William was the best captain for the club then he is the man to call it. I am not really there. A lot of people throw stones but I am not prepared to do that, because I don’t know the situation. He thinks he is the best captain for the club and I am not going to argue with his record

It is a well-trodden path to ‘get at’ Gallas and no two leaders are the same. Adams was a rarity in football in that, by all accounts, he was identified as an Arsenal captain at a very early age. Comaprisons between the two are not worth making as they are very different people, very different captains. An interesting comment from him concerned Ashley Cole,

I know they had the situation, if you speak to Arsene, Ashley wanted to go and whatever, but I would have got them in my office and handcuffed them! Even though they weren’t performing. It was just for the transition, all the kids come in and all the kids are there together. Everyone retired together, all the people who knew the club inside out and knew how to be winners, knew what to do

The question is whether he would have kept Cole. Would you keep an openly disruptive player who for all of his experience, might do more damage to the dressing-room? Adams did finish off with compliments about the squad,

All the kids, they are tremendously talented, probably technically better than he has ever had. It is the most technical squad he has ever had but they need to learn to become winners. There is no-one really who has made the transition. The turnover has been really quick. They say the turnover of squads is five years on average, he has turned it in about two I think

Arsene has ‘accepted’ the criticism that came following the Fulham performance,

No matter how good you are in life, players are human beings and have been away for the whole of last week. But I know my squad is good, my team is good, our spirit is good. We are intelligent enough to know we did not play well , but we know as well we have the needed quality to respond. Your desire is to play well and win. No matter how much experience you have, if you don’t play well you have more chances to lose than to win

They also have a quick chance to prove it. Even so, one win from the advantageous position from which they start tonight’s match will not cease the comments as for the most part, they have agreed with the points made by Arsene in the past ten days, even if he is now altering his position. The midfielder he spoke of seems unlikely to be Gorkan Inler, who is apparently remaining with Udinese. It is unlikely to be Barry or Alonso on the basis of buying with no resale value. Those media targets mean the hacks have run out of steam so perhaps he can get on with the purchase he wants in relative peace and quiet, which is the way he likes it.

Anyway, here’s to progress this evening to the Group phase, the ultimate target after all.

’til Tomorrow.