Nasri’s Knacked, Columbia Crack & More

In the aftermath of the Adebayor transfer, Arsene asked that supporters ‘trust’ in the players that are in the squad. Perhaps he should have been a tad less so himself given the self-inflicted injury to Samir Nasri. Not that the French international knacked himself, simply that any non-muscular injury sustained is inflicted by the squad. It matters not who caused Nasri’s absence, just that it was avoidable. I suspect Arsene will be instructing that the sessions become non-contact for the remainder of the Austrian training camp.

There is almost a curse on these pre-season ventures into central Europe. Diaby and Adebayor have both suffered whilst the team is on their annual jolly in the past two years. There have been other minor knocks but none with as serious the implications. Clamouring for Wenger to rush to sign a replacement is misplaced. There is no rhyme or reason for him to do so given that there are replacements from within the squad. Arshavin, Walcott, van Persie, Vela and Wilshere are the most ‘natural’ replacements on the left from those who are match fit.And that is before you get to Barazite and Co.  Traore may be spared a loan spell as cover whilst Gibbs could feasibly fill in if resources become stretched.

One key element to this is Tomas Rosicky. Having made himself quite at home in his sixty-odd games for the club in that role but caution must surely take priority here. The season is still five weeks away, half or one-third of the time that Nasri is expected to be missing. Factor in the September international break and the Frenchman’s actual absence could be as little as six weeks of playing time, twelve games in all competitions. It is not the death knell to next season that the media, well the sensationalist element of it – although that be construed as meaning all of them – would have you believe.

The pre-season continued with SC Columbia being given a one-goal headstart and then turned over by 7-1 at the final whistle. An element of Jumpers for Goalposts if you will with Bendtner, Ramsey and van Persie grabbing a brace apiece and Gallas finishing it all off. Arsene will have been more relieved to have got through without any further damage to the squad.

Elsewhere, Klaas Jan Huntelaar has apparently broken off negotiations with Stuttgart over the proposed transfer but would probably be really, really upset if anyone suggested that it was purely a case of him waiting to see if Arsenal or anyone else for that matter, put in a coutner offer, something that seems highly unlikely with a £20m price tag. Meanwhile Marouane Chamakh is like a country experiencing recession, downgrading his boomtime expectations to Sunderland.

’til Tomorrow.