A Few Pre-Match Thoughts [Including The C Word]

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Good historic morning to you all. A quick one before I shoot off to Ashperry Groves. Down to Arsenal tube, come out, turn right. Bingo. Couldn’t have been built in a better place could it?

Onto the game, and we’re already a bit stretched – both Rosicky and Reyes are injured [both groins, though you can bet your money that Reyes’ head is not right either]. Ljungberg, unfit, has been drafted in as we’re low on numbers. Bad luck or bad planning? Who knows.

Other than that, I expect the team picks itself, with left-back the only small conundrum. Flamini or Hoyte? Both have played in pre-season, with Justin Hoyte starting the Champions League tie, but I have a sneaking suspicion it might be Hoyte. Naturally, I fully expect to be proved wrong.

Finally, and I need to keep this short as ablutions are required, some light needs shedding on the Cole non-transfer by someone. The Russians’ boss admits it’s hit a bit of a “dead-end” and Wenger for his part is baffled as to why it’s not happened – but one possible reason, mooted on 5 Live’s Rumour Mill again this morning, is that Arsenal are holding out for William Gallas as part of the deal. The Russians are refusing to sell one of their best players to one of their biggest rivals, [and Arsenal will know how that feels, let’s be honest], yet both players are desperate to leave. If this is true it would explain the impasse perfectly.

In which case something has to give. Who will swallow their pride first?

Jim

Arsenal since about 1979. Thick, thin and all that.