Injuries, Shares & Ade With A Tad Of Hull Thrown In

International week always seems to have a negative impact on Arsenal and this time is no different. Fabianksi was due to start on Saturday but was taken ill and Northern Ireland will be eternally grateful for that as Artur Boruc played, gifting them their winner in a 3 – 2 win. The keeper is apparently well enough to play against San Marino this week though. More worryingly is the news that Robin van Persie may miss this weekend’s clash with Manchester City due to a groin or hamstring injury depending upon which source you believe.

The Dutchman is receiving treatment but has been dropped from the international squad. The news is tempered by the fact that Adebayor came through his match apparently unharmed and with a goal to boot although he might have doubled that tally had he not missed a penalty. Perhaps it is just as well he was not in Rome!

Off the pitch news really dominated yesterday. Hull finally got their ‘Gobgate Dossier’ to the FA yesterday. A weighty tome it must be as well because you will recall that a number of players saw the incident. That may raise a few eyebrows since according to the club, the only contributors to their case were Phil Brown, Brian Horton and Sean Rush, their fitness coach. So why has it taken them so long to get this document to the FA, especially since we are told that it was delayed due to international call-ups. Congratulations to Rush then for he must work with a national team as neither of the other two do.

The sale of shares by Danny Fiszman to Stan Kroenke is being seen as a precursor to a full-blown takeover. It shifts the dynamic of power in the boardroom although publically at least, the presentation is more ‘Meet the new boss, the same as the old boss’. Whether reducing his shareholding to 16.1% will have that effect remains to be seen as thankfully all parties appear to be determined that the club should continue along the route of a self-financing business model. Fiszman himself has denied that he is ‘losing interest’ in Arsenal. Well, he will be gaining a bit of that now he has £42.5m in the bank and he certainly won’t be losing out on any dividend payments either.

Not that the press care for it merely gives the tabloids the chance to dust off their Cold War rhetoric from half a century ago and dress it up as original thought. Whether it has any impact on whatever plans Alisher Usmanov has for his investment remains to be seen. The shares owned by Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith are reportedly out there to be bought. If either Kroenke or Usmanov buys the entire holding, it will be the trigger for a takeover bid, almost certainly hostile in the latter’s case. Ivan Gazidis admits that he has no idea what her intentions are as far as that is concerned so the truth will lie between the two extremes. Suggestions in this morning’s papers that she is unhappy with the share sale to Kroenke are again unsubstantiated so perhaps it is best to wait and see rather than jumping to conclusions.

Elsewhere Emmanuel Adebayor says he happy, RvP is a ‘great player’ and wins today’s prize for stating the bleedin’ obvious when asked what Arsenal have missed this season in his interview on FIFA.com:

Most of our players have been injured. We’ve missed Eduardo for several months, Tomas Rosicky for about a year, Theo Walcott for three or four months, Cesc Fabregas for almost six months and I’ve also been injured for two or three weeks.

The timescales mentioned indicate how old the interview is since he has now been out for months rather than weeks. His return could be timely since Denmark seem intent on knacking Nicklas Bendtner, the nation’s self-interest being put before the players well-being. If Blatter and Platini want any indications why clubs hate international football, there it is for them served on a plate.

’til Tomorrow.

Cesc And Squad Sizes – No Media Scruples There

From the West there is a warning of a wind about to blow

- “Ghosts of Cable Street”, The Men They Couldn’t Hang

And that wind is indeed the media, a veritable frenzy in yesterday’s News of the World regarding the future of one-time youth starlet, Francesc Fabregas. A headline screaming, “Cescape”, a piece shouting that he has “cast a huge doubt over his Arsenal future by refusing to rule out a move to Barcelona or Real Madrid”, designed to scare and horrify, ended up being no more than an assertion that his inclination is to more towards staying at the club than leaving.

Quite rightly, the player has kept his options open, in the same way that all players do. The final sentence of the report completely contradicts the notion behind the piece,

If Arsene Wenger asks me to stay, I am sure I will

Hold on a minute, isn’t that exactly the opposite of what the reporter, Andy Dunn, was trying to say? Baffling stuff. Not quite as bemusing as the piece directly above it though. David Harrison casts himself in the role of Idiot-In-Chief and despite stiff competition amongst the hacks of his employers, succeeds admirably in confirming himself in that position.

In quoting a ‘Gunners insider’, the alarm bells automatically start ringing, especially as the quotes from that source come immediately after those attributed to a ‘source close to the Catalan giants’. Not alarm bells of the scary type, more the sort that warn you that a complete load of old b*llocks is about to assail your sense of sight and insult your intelligence.

Apparently, ‘Barcelona are briefing the Spanish media that Fabregas believes there is a witch hunt against him as part of a campaign to drive him away from Arsenal’. That Barcelona are doing that would come as no surprise. That Fabregas would actually believe that is accompanied by the sound of the left knacker clacking against the right.

The sound becomes more intense and rapid – rather like one of those naff desk adornments from twenty years ago – when the Arsenal source produces a list of character flaws, compounding a tissue of lies. The impressive part of the article is that they actually believe that we will believe such tish. For example,

There were a lot of people at the club who were surprised when he was allowed to go back to Spain for several weeks to do his injury rehabilitation because it’s normally a strict policy that rehab is overseen by our medical staff

So strict is that policy that players such as Henry, Vieira, Diaby, Eduardo, Hleb and Rosicky have all used body-doubles to fly to clinics in just about every corner of the globe – yes, I know it is round and has no corners but I did not invent the cliche – and receive treatment on their behalf. Little wonder that those players did / have not recovered as quickly from injuries in the past / present as we would have liked. Next time a little more faith in medicine and less in the placebo effect.

Thank God, for the relative sanity of The Observer and Sunday Times. The former though fell into the sensationalist trap when discussing squad sizes. A very poor piece led UEFA, PFA and pundits down the proverbial garden path by claiming that the big four in the Premier League had unsustainably high squad sizes, ranging  from 46 at Chelsea to 62 at Liverpool. Were matters so straightforward, things would indeed be concerning, rightly fitting into the observation by David Taylor, UEFA’s General Secretary,

It is open to question as to how many you actually need.

Unfortunately, the journalist, Jamie Jackson – it’s name and shame Monday as you might have guessed – was dragging his paper into the tabloid gutter, following the path trodden by Daily Telegraph hacks last summer. Included in the totals were reserves, not made clear until the caption below the article is read. The reality is that the majority of those headline numbers did contain reserve players, Arsenal’s 59 man squad is actually 29 first teamers, 30 youth and reserves. Not quite so sensationalist. Question marks must be raised on classifications as well. Phil Brown is a certifiable lunatic but do Hull really have a first team squad of 39 players? Do Sunderland really have 47 first teamers? They play in reserve leagues so surely there is a margin for error in the totals?

Imposing the 25-man squad total in line with the Champions League requirements is non-starter for many clubs. There would be a deluge of players whose contracts were terminated if that was the case, causing the PFA to come up in arms. The reality is that even with 29 first team players, Arsene has struggled to fill the bench at times this season through injuries. If squad limits are imposed, there will be competitions that fall by the wayside, notable targets would be the Carling Cup and disconcertingly for UEFA, the Europa League (next season’s nom de plume for the UEFA Cup).

You will notice that no links to the papers web pages appear. If you want to go to their websites and read them, it is not hard to guess the landing page URL. Officials, players and supporters are being led a merry dance by reporters. Some are willing to take their ‘peers’ to task over it. Patrick Barclay has in recent weeks criticised the standards in both his column and on Sky’s Sunday Morning Supplement. Sadly, Barclay is part of a dying breed. Other than himself, Henry Winter and sometimes Martin Samuel, not much is worth reading any more on a regular basis.

‘til Tomorrow.

Comings And Goings Of Arsene’s Reign

A popular theory around Arsenal is that Arsene Wenger rarely makes a mistake when letting a player go, their form either dropping significantly or injuries striking to mar a career. In some cases, it is not hard to suggest that Wenger got shot of players who were simply not good enough for the club, Richard Wright and Francis Jeffers spring immediately to mind in this category.

The theory gets clouded when you choose the benchmarks for judging whether a player has been released at the right time. In general, Wenger has got his timings right defensively. The solid back four of the Graham-era all slipped into retirement at the end of their careers, seemlessly replaced by the Campbell and Toure pairing.

The former’s exit would not have been predicted in the same manner that his predecessors were. Indeed, it was entirely disappointing that he pitched up on the South Coast rather than the Balearics. Perhaps the whole thing was a load of balearics, masking his personal issues behind a desire to play abroad. We will never know the truth unless he decides to write an ‘honest’ autobiography at some point.

Further up the pitch, there can be little argument that Ljungberg, Parlour, Hartson, Wright and Merson all left at the right time. Injuries, age and form in general dictated that they be released at the time they were. Pires was to my mind let go too soon.

Despite his age, he showed during the run to Paris in 2006 that he was adapting his game successfully to the challenges provided by age. Injuries have marred his spell in Spain, as they have Edu’s but were he to have remained at Arsenal, would he have suffered them? An imponderable for which no answers can ever be given.

Where things become clouded are those who left for other reasons. Nicolas Anelka was a bright young thing, his fee funding other signings. Yet is it true to suggest that Wenger let him go at the right time. From a personal point of view, he may argue that he has more ‘cherished’ medals from other pastures; a Champions League winner and runner-up as well as a title in Turkey, along with runners-up in Spain and England compliment the winners medals at Arsenal. Has he lived up to his potential? I would suggest not.

Patrick Vieira might well have given the best years of his career to Arsenal but he has not stopped winning trophies. Every season since, he has won a title (although the Juve win was scrubbed due to the Calciogate scandal) which suggests he must be doing something right. Whilst his performances may not be as highly regarded as before, his medal count is increasing.

Henry may well be equally successful. Certainly this season has seen him performing as consistently for Barcelona as he has in his last seasons at Arsenal. His role is different now, less central to the Barcelona’s team than he was crucial to Arsenal’s.

The Catalans are an interesting destination, for every success that there has been, an equally despairing stay in the Camp Nou. Opposite to Henry and Overmars are Hleb and Petit. The latter was always seen as a makeweight in the deal whilst the former seems unlikely to force his way into a midfield of Iniesta and Xavi. Perhaps the second season will be better for Hleb, if he gets that far.

The key to deciding whether Wenger has let players go at the right time is not on any misery or joy they find in pastures new. The defining aspect of any judgement must be whether Arsenal continued, improved or worsened. Only once can Wenger be perceived to have been caught out. The summers of 2006 – 08 saw a large number of departures by key personnel which have coincided with a spell of injuries in each season that make decisions seem incorrect. It was a crucial time for the club with finances tight due to the construction of the new stadium impacting on the manager’s ability to delve into the transfer market.

The youth policy may have been pressed into action sooner than Wenger may have wanted but they have maintained the club in the top four. That is not enough for some, a short-term view maintaining that we must win now at all costs. Perhaps Wenger would have bought others had he known how things would turn out but hindsight is a wonderful thing. We are never wrong with it.

One departure rankles with me: Mathieu Flamini. Not because of the role he played in the team but more the mythology that has built up around him. One good season does not mean he was a God that some believe. Nor, on the other hand, should his contribution for the season in midfield be dismissed. I wonder though how he feels when warming the seats on the San Siro bench. I have a suspicion that he is a player who will end up moving through the doors of a number of clubs before retiring.

His departure is emphasised by those of Diarra and Gilberto. Had either of those two stayed, then perceptions would be different. Had Diaby been fit this season more frequently, he may have featured more, the midfield more settled than the disruption suffered. If’s, But’s and Maybe’s, the three worst words in the English language after ‘Health and Safety’.

The truth is that Wenger is probably no more successful in this area than any other manager at the game’s summit. Good players want to stay at successful clubs and that is key to longevity of careers. What matters most though is that the club’s long-term future is well

’til Tomorrow.

RvP, Clichy, Ade Is Fab: The Usual Suspects

The international week makes its nervy entrance into the Arsenal world this afternoon and evening with matches taking place, leaving everyone to wonder which player will be the cause for concern over the next seven to ten days. Hopefully none but the scheduling of these fixtures makes a mockery of the claim by Blatter earlier this week that the EPL is purely concerned with money whilst FIFA cares about the game as a whole. If they really cared, internationals would not take place when the club competitions enter the final furlong.

It would not be international week if there were not speculation about any combination of Cesc, RvP or Adebayor. The latter has hogged the headlines. It seems that Milan’s courting is all for nought as Mr20% has decreed that Ade is going nowhere as he is a key player for Arsenal:

Negotiations failed last summer and that was it. He secured a renewal and there is no chance now. [Arsenal coach Arsene] Wenger counts heavily on him and I don’t think he will put him up for sale. As I said, Milan had a possibility last summer, but they plumped for Ronaldinho in the end.

The future for Adebayor is interesting to say the least. When fully fit, Arsene has enough quality to ensure that the Ade’s previously starting place is not quite as assured as it once was with Eduardo and Bendtner there to put pressure on. It is a selection headache especially as the Croat looked sharp before his lay off. Adebayor offers something different to Eduardo but at the end of the day, it will be goalscoring form that decides the line-up. With creativity in midfield seemingly abundant, next season could well see chances return to the levels of last season.

Papa Fabregas has meanwhile told the Spanish media that his progeny is happy at Arsenal:

everyone must understand that we are with Arsenal. At this moment, he is happy and enjoying himself there. The club values him highly

And so they jolly well should. Suffice to say, the tale about Madrid and emphasis on ‘at this moment‘ will lead to a slew of ‘I’ve Fab Enough‘ headlines. All I will say is, been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

One player who has previously been crocked in the colours of his country is Robin van Persie. Had he got his way, he would not have been an Arsenal player for us to worry about. From the looks of things, he was tapped up by Dick Advocaat & Lemonade when he was manager of Rangers, just before he became an aperitif. Not sure why it is a ‘big’ story other than international week was entirely dull and boring until Mrs Terry & Terry-in-Law alledgedly had their collars felt.

van Persie though is opinionated and not reticent, a national characteristic. Having been told on numerous occasions that I could start a fight in an empty room, the amateur level that I have reached was put well and truly in its place by an ex-girlfriend who was Dutch. But I digress, such is my wont this week. van Persie re-emphasised the confidence oozing through the Arsenal squad at the moment:

We are going from strength to strength. And that is what we want. We are still in the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League, and we are in fourth spot now. So I think things are looking quite good now. Definitely (we can hold off Villa). We are three points ahead now. Aston Villa did a really good job, but if you look at the history, in my opinion, we can handle the pressure better than them. We are used to the pressure. Lot’s of things can still happen, but I am quite confident.

Dealing with the pressure is a lesson that should have been learnt from last season. The crucial thing for Arsenal now is to ram home the advantage gained over Villa, especially with trips to Anfield and Old Trafford on the horizon once the players return from the internationals.

Personally, I think the moment that can be seen as defining for Villa was the admission from Agbonhlahor publicly admitted that he was rooting for Roma in the hope that an early exit from the Champions League might dent Arsenal’s confidence. It was a sure sign that the nerves were getting to them and since then, their results have indicated that they are shot to pieces.

Gael Clichy believes Arsenal will meet Barcelona in the final of the Champions League if they reach that far:

The final of the Champions League will be played against a top European team. But I think, and have a feeling, it will be Barcelona. They have so many great players. It will be good for revenge because they beat us last time. However, it is a task to go through by beating Villarreal and Manchester United.

It will indeed be no straightforward run but to assume Barcelona will qualify is to underestimate their task, especially since the Catalans have never beaten Bayern Munich in European competition. Personally, I like the ‘one game at a time‘ mentality, especially when talk of later meetings is pure conjecture.

’til Tomorrow.

Adebayor, An Old Footballing Clichy & JR Strikes Back

With international fervour swiftly passing me by, it is just as well that the Togo team coach is happy to pick Emmanuel Adebayor, for it seems no-one else is. Having approved of his departure to be Cheerleader In Chief, the Arsenal manager is apparently unhappy that Adebayor will play against Cameroon. As it happens, the return to fitness of Walcott and Eduardo almost negate those fears. If Adebayor aggravates his injury and is out for say, a week, we have different options. On the other hand, he could come back a little sharper than he was before.

I suspect Arsene would prefer he did not play and that the boy is fit for Manchester City as a substitute, perhaps starting in the Champions League quarter final first leg as a different option to Bendtner. Much will depend on his fitness, obviously, but more importantly, his touch. Villarreal are a similar team to Arsenal, the major difference appears to be their inability to keep things tight defensively with three clean sheets in their last nineteen games not being a record they will be entirely proud of. If Arsenal are to profit in Spain, a sharp Adebayor is essential if he starts although that assumes Wenger does not go with Eduardo instead.

Not that it matters because he is off to Milan thanks to a £35m bid being prepared that is in no way related to the bid of a similar amount last year that was talked up by Team Adebayor and no-one else. There is something about the Milanese and Arsenal though, they have to sign two of our players or none at all. Luckily they want Gael Clichy as well. Might be a bit of a problem on the cash front though as his Mr20% reckons Arsenal rejected a £23m bid from Manchester City in January which means the Italians would need to find around £70m for the pair. Still when they sell Kakakakakakaka to Real in July, it shouldn’t be a problem. Gael may like to ponder the point made in the Daily Telegraph about players who leave Arsenal. They are all doomed, I tell you.

It was with a warm heart that I read the translation of Samir Nasri‘s interview with L’Equipe. Aah but why, I hear you ask? Well, not just that he quashed the comparisons with Zinedine Zidane, just about the only thing he did not say was “I want to be the first Samir Nasri“, although that may have meant talking in the third person about yourself, a truly scary linguistic event. No, it was the use of the word ‘blather‘ by the translator. A good old-fashioned English word (from 1524, no less) that has disappeared into the ether of time, along with ‘tish‘, ‘tosh‘, ‘piffle‘ and ‘codswallop‘. There is of course, a derivation that is not much different in construct but it is an old Swiss word, ‘blatter‘, which is a harsher way of saying ‘full of sh*t‘.

Nasri though is looking towards a time when he can play more regularly in the centre of midfield, believing that the absence of a strictly defensive midfielder should not be a barrier to him partnering Cesc Fabregas on a more permanent basis:

I am not against playing in a more defensive role. I quite like it – you start from far away and you are face-to-face with the action. Is it exhausting to work from box to box? It depends with who you are playing with. Flamini and Fabregas were complementary with Arsenal last year. The second one should not attack often.

I see no problem with Nasri in the middle but to have him holding back to cover another player is not the most formidable barrier to a swift counter-attack at this moment in time. His choice to compare himself with Cesc and Flamini is not wide of the mark although I would cast him more of a Fabregas than anything else. Flamini had a solid grounding in the defensive role and was comfortable enough with its’ duties to play at left back. That is not a position that I would even vaguely consider Nasri for as it would a waste of his not inconsiderable talents.

John Radford no less, believes that Arsene may have been blattering on when he spoke of the title:

Well, Wenger is confident of his team all the time and while there are points left to be played for we can hope, but just to finish in the top four, after all we have put up with this season, would be brilliant. And who knows? Maybe we can finish higher. It is in our reach and we have to be confident.

Raddy was more optimistic about the Champions League and FA Cup challenges:

We’re still in the FA Cup and Champions League, and the way we are beginning to get our act together, I honestly think we can win one, if not both of them

Nothing like blind optimism, more of it from ex-pros turned pundits would not go amiss. Radford’s description of being in ‘dreamland‘ if old big ears is delivered and I suspect that a fair number of supporters would die happy men and women if it happened, completing the full set of trophies in a lifetime. Aah but what of the World Club Championship, I hear you ask. Well, technically, Arsenal did win that in 1989 or 1988 when they beat Independiente 1 – 0, I think, in Miami. Not the full blown FIFA version but a match billed as that nonetheless so having won the Premier League, First Division, FA Cup, League Cup, Charity Shield, Fairs Cup and Cup Winners Cup, the Champions League is the last trinket to adorn the trophy cabinet. And why list that little lot? No reason other than it is nice to remember a slice of the club’s history.

Anyway, off we trot from that. ’til Tomorrow.

Handy Andy and The Media Blowing A Gael

Ladies and gentlemen, attention please
Come in close so everyone can see
I got a tale to tell ,  A listen don’t cost a dime
And if you believe that we’re gonna get along just fine
- Steve Earle, Snake Oil

Just as dear old Auntie Beeb has stirred middle England into a froth and frenzy by proposing a new national anthem for St George’s Day (it’s a bit like the days of St Patrick, St Andrew and St David, without the celebration because we’re English and not allowed to have a party), so Mr Earle’s tune ought to be the signature for the media.

For the papers are bored, rather like a small child who is stuck indoors because the rain is too much for them to go outside and play Star Wars or Jumpers for Goalposts. And they do still play the latter despite what we are told, around our way at least, since they have a thumping great green to play on, twenty six v twenty five-aside, next goal wins. In media terms that means let’s go get some transfer talk but hey, not until we’ve been in the pub for a fair few hours and those foreign johnnies have had the chance to cook us some gossip for breakfast.

First on the road to new pastures is apparently Gael Clichy (don’t bother clicking on the link, the full quote from Gael is below). He’s off to Milan to meet his pals Matthieu and Philippe once again, although severe doubts must be cast whether those two will be able to continue their Italian Job next season given they have not made much of an impression in this one. There was a fundamental flaw in the hacks desire to stir the feelings as the left back observed:

I don’t know anything. I am very happy at Arsenal. It is true AC Milan are a great club. It is flattering to know you are followed by such a team

The headline screamed about “Clichy’s delight at Milan link“. Which to an extent is true but not in the way that they wanted. Perhaps we could have a bout of truthful headlines, this one replaced by “We’ve got nothing to write about so here’s our bog standard sh*t-stirring on Arsenal“.

Hmmm, who is next. Step forward Amaury Bischoff. No, I’d forgotten about him too. But his Mr 20% hasn’t and that should leave the player feeling very happy, especially when Pascal Granier (for it is he) tells us:

I have links in France, Germany and even in England for my players.

So it’s not so much that you are worried about your player, Monsieur Granier, more that you need us to believe that you are an important agent and Bischoff is not your most high-profile client. He needs to talk to Adebayor’s Mr 20% and get some lessons in bigging up his charges because frankly, it was a weak and feeble attempt.

In fact don’t bother. Go to Dennis Lachter, Andrei Arshavin‘s Mr 20% and take heed of the below which will no doubt re-appear as the longest days approach:

It’s definitely possible he’ll spend the rest of his career at Arsenal…but I can tell you now already several of the biggest clubs in the world already want him in the summer! It’s true that Manchester City and Liverpool tried to get him on deadline day, but that is in the past now. He loves Arsenal it was his first choice.

Now that’s what you call chutzpah! He’s here, he loves it, he never wanted to go to Spurs, Barcelona, Milan, Madrid or Valencia last summer, it was Arsenal all along but he’s off in the summer coming, or perhaps he’ll stay. Brilliant stuff and it should not have been unexpected for those with long memories will recall that Lachter was one of the numerous agents quoted along the way as Alexander Hleb agigtated his way from Arsenal’s starting line-up to the Barcelona bench.

Great stuff. Lachter did issue a proper warning to the rest of the Premier League, one that actually carries some threat:

Andrey will be a real diamond next season. Physically he is only at 60% at the moment. Next season everybody will see and understand the true Arshavin. You’ve seen nothing yet.

Well I look forward to that then since he has made an impressive, dynamic and flair-filled start. Arshavin though, showed he has ‘street smarts‘ about him. Talking of the forearm smash perpetrated by Steven Taylor on Tyneside, a move that Mick McManus would have been proud of:

I thought it was intentional, and I said so to the referee. However, others do not believe it was. In any case, I want to stress that I have not seen anyone deliberately cause injury in the English league. The style of play is hard but not vicious. It is not something that I am used to, but I understand it perfectly – you can’t relax for a second.

As ‘Welcome to England‘ challenges go, it was quite tame, certainly nowhere near as appalling as his namesakes on Eduardo over a year ago. It was intentional, it was vicious, it was not hard, it was cowardly. But at least he understands it; I don’t but there you go. Arshavin was on the touchline, going nowhere relatively speaking and Taylor should have been dismissed. There was nothing to admire in it and it detracted from the contribution that Taylor was making in keeping Arsenal at bay.

I’m off to swallow a bottle of Snake Oil so ’til Tomorrow.

Gobgate Stumbles On, Silvestre and More

Morning troops, hope all is well in your world’s this blustery day in the parallel universe that I inhabit. As you might have guessed, it’s a quiet day in Arsenal-world, as it is for most clubs at the moment although judging by the fuss being made of the man who was formerly one of the worst in the Premier League, Rafa Benitez has his database of 14,000 players from 70 scouts in an extensive network. Well, that’s what his newest, bestest friends in the whole wide world, formerly known as the media, would have you believe, telling us it is revolutionary.

If you had listened hard, you would have heard from North London, a Gallic accent emitting, “Pffff, is that all?”, followed by a nonchalent shrug of his shoulders.

Despite there being an England international this weekend, even the Football Association are bored. That can be the only rational explanation for their decision to grant Hull City a further five days to provide evidence of “Gobgate” actually taking place. Apparently, the victim in all of this is abroad so they cannot respond. It’s funny but I thought people were used to email and this interweb-thingy? Maybe Hull is a bit of a backwater although I find that hard to believe. More likely, the club are probably waiting for Gene Hunt to complete his investigations on their behalf. Yes, I know that Hunt is a fictional character but Phil Brown started the nonsense before I did.

Mikael Silvestre has been talking following his return to action in the Reserves this week. Funny how years ago it was known as ‘The Stiffs‘ and that was when the Football Combination was comeptitive, a mixture of youth and first team squads. Nowadays, despite the absence of the latter, there is more interest in how they are doing, more positive noise from the players about what is going on.

The Frenchman has been talking of his injury and about returning to the first team. It would seem that he will struggle to force any change from Arsene on the basis of form, Gallas and Toure have rediscovered their partnership on the pitch, perhaps the recent pronouncement by the Ivorian that they were not friends off the pitch lifted the pressure as the Frenchman was able to relax and not worry about hurting Toure’s feelings, a cathartic moment for the two.

I digress. Back to Silvestre. At best he is a cover player, more so for Clichy than in the centre although. Whilst Gibbs has played well when required, Silvestre has the experience that might make a difference in upcoming fixtures, all of which carry huge import on the remainder of the season. He may well have accepted his lot:

It was very good to be back. There have been so many big games and the team is doing well so you want to enjoy that as much as you can and be involved. I am glad of our progress and hopefully I can join in now

Maybe he will, maybe he won’t but I suspect that if he is fit, he will make the odd appearance or two, especially if Villarreal are successfully negotiated in the Champions League. The second leg of that fixture is the commencement of a pivotal week for the club as it is followed by the FA Cup Semi Final and a trip to Anfield. Amazingly enough though, not one pundit predicts Arsenal getting anything other than beaten in the Premier League fixture, as if putting a huge number of goals away in three games eradicates the mindnumbing inability of Liverpool to hit a barn door previously. A former work colleague always worried that scoring a lot in a short space of time meant that at some point the goals will dry up. We shall see but as it is a month away yet, I am not going to worry about it.

As that return to Anfield squares the circle of this morning’s post, I bid you all fond farewell. ’til Tomorrow.