DeJaVu
So, I guess as there’s a match tonight I should do a match preview. What can be said that hasn’t already been said a thousand times?
Bolton are a pack of Neanderthal hatchetmen. I think I only said that 768 times. Or at least variations of it.
This isn’t going to be a super blog today, there isn’t really that much to say. The injury news is as we were yesterday, everybody else is out so Cesc, Vermaelen, Gallas, Arshavin and
Eduardo are going to play Bolton by themselves. Shouldn’t make much difference.
Seriously though, we can’t, actually take Bolton for granted tonight in the way that we can the playing style they’ll bring with them. You can be sure that Matthew Taylor, bully-extraordinaire
will not miss another three guilt-edged chances should we hand them to him so we need to get tighter at the back.
Up front, we should be expecting a bit more protection from whatever muppet the FA have deemed ‘fit’ enough to take charge, and while I think we would be more likely to get a penalty at home,
still doesn’t mean he’ll give it. And you know we’ll ask the question. Our players quick feet around and in the box will always ask the question, and it is one that both defenders and officials
usually fail to answer correctly.
If you haven’t already, read how Arsenality thinks Bolton have been preparing for the game.
I reckon he isn’t far off.
Arsenal.com were making a big deal about Fabianski’s under the spotlight interview, not quite in the same way they did prior to the arrival of Sol Campbell, but that’s what it put me in mind
of. Do you think @optajoe dropped Wenger a tweet about Almunia? I have a funny feeling he did.
I tweeted the man myself, asked him to provide the total number of matches missed by players at Arsenal, Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spuds, City, & Villa this season. He hasn’t replied yet,
so I did some research and these are the results:
Matches missed in total by players through injury:
Villa 24
Spuds 28
Chelsea 32
Man City 40
Liverpool 56
Man United 62
Arsenal 1,746
I totally made all those up. But you believed them for a minute didn’t you? Thus my case is proven.
Move on.
As much as I would like (and my gut is telling me) to see Fabianski start, I’ll assume he won’t just for the sake of being right, here’s how I see us lining up:
Almunia (shudder)
Sagna Gallas Vermaelen Traore
Diaby
Cesc Denilson
Rosicky Eduardo Arshavin
I can’t see Theo starting considering he’s played approximately 37 seconds this season. I had considered Clichy might start, but his minutes at the weekend were the first in an eternity and
will no doubt need ‘eased’ back.
If you feel so inclined, you should find me at least, maybe a few others in the swanky new LadyArse Chat Room which you can access via the LadyArse.com website or the button over there on the
right somewhere. Or you can click on the one I’ve just decided to include at the end of this blog. That would probably make the most sense.
Not like me I know.
I wasn’t going to mention the Carling Cup semi final last night, mainly because the first half had to be one of the worst halves of football I’ve seen in a long time. And I’m counting Stoke v
Liverpool at the weekend in that. I do, however, need to mention it for the little bit of footballing history which took place. When Carlos Tevez scored his first, his talking hand at the Man U
fans was kinda predictable, but when he scored his second, fuck me, that was brilliant. I know we all hate City, but you tell me when you will EVER see another player score against Man United
and shrug of his teammates to celebrate in front of Alex Ferguson like that? If you haven’t seen it, YouTube it. Immediately. It was absolutely brilliant. It made the first half only a painful
memory.
Could Tevez get a hattrick? What would he do then? Would he dare go right to his face? But it wasn’t to be as he was substituted with 10 minutes to go and blew the bet I had on him to get a
hat-trick. Off course, all we wanted then was Ferguson’s post match-interview. A penalty against him that wasn’t a penalty, and the Tevez celebration, but because it was shown by the BBC we
didn’t get it. It shouldn’t be allowed. He should be FORCED to speak to whoever broadcasts the match. And it’s the fucking least he can do, even if only for all the Man U fans who can’t afford
Sky and very rarely get to see their team live in a domestic competition.
I can’t really think of anything else to say, I suppose that’s the problem with playing the same opposition twice in three days. We’ve done the build up, we know what to expect.
If we can get the same result we’ll be sitting top of the table. Still think it was a good idea to replace us with Man City in your top four prediction Sky? Might have been a teeny bit off with
that don’t ya think?
Til tomorrow, when I’ll hopefully be talking to you about the view from the top of the pile. To make up for today’s short blog, have a read at this, it’s not by me, but it’s fantastic all the same. I
also suggest following the links down the rabbit-hole (and I read it after I decided to use that photo, I guess a lot of Gooners are just feeling the same way – almost self-righteous).
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If your so inclined, there’s some new Arsenal Tshirts available on pre-order, more info on which can
be found here
And you can find loads more Arsenal 6×4 prints here
