I coulda been a lawyer, coulda been a king
I coulda been a doctor, or any damn thing
Instead I been the bearer of bad news
‘n’ I’m wearing out my welcome with the blues

- Sid Griffin, Wearing Out My Welcome With The Blues

Which is more or less how Arsene must be feeling this morning having told the world the extent of the damage to his captain’s knee following the legitimate challenge with Xabi Alonso in Sunday’s clash with Liverpool. The obvious reaction is one of despondency and I am sure it is not the Christmas present that Wenger would have wanted but probably the one he was expecting.

It puts him in a hole of a massive kind. With Rosicky, the most natural replacement in the squad, being out indefinitely, his options from within are sorely limited. I do not think that there was little doubt that he would have entered the transfer market in January, I believe he has no alternative but to do so now. Wenger hinted heavily that he would be dipping into the corporate pockets looking for some loose change:

Yes [I am more likely to buy], but we also have internal solutions so we are not desperate because of that. Now we have a big game in front of us and before January anyway I believe it is more important to focus on our games. At the moment no one is going out and no one is coming in. That gives you a perfect answer! And I don’t feel any need to speak about that [the Arshavin speculation] because at the moment that is not a realistic solution

It is not a commitment to signing someone, more an acknowledgement that the predicament probably requires that solution. It also heavily hints that the media and Fantasy Managers are barking up the wrong forest with Arshavin as being the ‘big’ signing. The £20m fee quoted by Zenit as being totally acceptable is also totally unrealistic. Little wonder that they say they would be happy

The squad in midfield is now threadbare. Youngsters such as Randall, Wilshere, Merida are fine for the odd game or gaining minutes here and there but none has the experience to become the fulcrum of the first XI. Nor for that matter can we rely on Nasri dropping into the centre as a ‘fix’ for the remainder of the season. Aside from still adjusting to English football, what happens if there is an injury? Denilson could take on the role but who covers for him if the worst-case scenario happens. Quite simply, the numbers are not there any more. A look at the list of absentees sums it up: Fabregas, Walcott, Rosicky. Three creative players. Three full internationals. There can be no reliance on untested players to compensate for them en masse.

Away from Cesc, Arsene has been incadescent in his criticism of Graham Poll’s comments that John Terry’s position as England captain influences referees. Little doubt that Poll was talking out of his Arsenal to a large degree but it shows more about his weakness as an official when he was in the game that he thought about such things. Don’t forget that this is a man who became a national embarrassment when issuing three yellow cards at Germany 2006, bringing into doubt the grasp he has of reality. That said, it is naive to believe that referees are not influenced by reputations.  Wenger said:

For me it was embarrassing when you listen to that. They ask whether it was a sending-off or not. He says you have to consider that you are sending off the captain of the national team. What has that got to do with the rulebook…When you listen to that it is embarrassing for the referees. I do not think (they are talking reputations into account) but when I hear statements like that, it makes you change your mind

No doubt the parking pass for his disciplinary hearingis already winging its way to The Emirates. It also feeds the paranoia which permeates the club about officiating standards surrounding Arsenal matches. No, I do not believe that we suffer more harshly because of the players’ nationalities and to propose such arguments is preposterously xenophobic. Where Arsenal suffer most greatly is that the tackles which others ‘get away with’ are often viewed as being retaliatory when Arsenal players commit the same offences.

Anyway, not the brightest of Christmas Eve’s so enjoy the day. ’til Tomorrow.