I'm still not over it, and we've still not located the genie, although after the Orient replay he may well have one wispy foot stuck in the spout on his way back in, and the glamorous pin-up Simon Amstell Hair off the hook at last. Fingers crossed.
Big game tomorrow, don't you think? Big? Try massive/huge/gigantic, or a cross of the three - mugantic. Spell check that, Mr MacApple.
Injuries. Where to start? After Theo, what about the wonderful news that Van Persie's out for a minimum of three weeks, which sounds to most like four, but in all reality will be five to six, and probably the rest of the season. Song is also out for tomorrow, and a doubt for the Barcelona game, whilst Cesc is definitely out but with a 'chance to play' in Spain. Bizarrely, Koscielny is back after his 'hamstring injury'/stern words from his Mother.
The walk in the park that was the midweek game against Orient made me wonder, and I'm sure I'm not alone, why the fuck we didn't try just a little harder in the first game. Well, we didn't, and so we played an extra game and breezed it five nil, with Bendtner grabbing a cool hat trick (more on him in a bit) and Almunia in goal *shakes head*. Miquel/Miguel looked solid enough, and Conor Henderson made his first team debut without too much fuss. A good result in a one-sided game that really shouldn't have needed to be played. And it still didn't make me feel much better. A little, yes, but not much.
So - Sunderland. Mugantic. With the mighty red army getting cheated out of the game at The Bridge by a dodgy ref and expecting the same (probably) at Anfield on Sunday, we now find ourselves sitting pretty in second position in a premier League table that looks like this, sort of -
Team Played Points
1. Man Utd 28 60
2. The Arsenal 27 56
3. Shitty bothered........
4. Cunts
Do the maths. Quite simple really, isn't it?
Manchester United are shit. You know it, I know it, even the glamorous bundle of delightfulness that is the life partner of the Tottenham-West Ham hybrid knows it. Shit they may be, but winners they are. So we need to put pressure on them, crank it up a bit, starting tomorrow with a win over Sunderland. The pressure will tell, Rooney will get his matching orders, Ferguson will get in more trouble with the FA, Evra's stupid head will come off, Berbatov will sulk until he's a bleating mass of Bulgarian shit and Giggs will run head long crashing into the Stretford end with his shirt off whirling round his head, starting a chain reaction that slowly raises the Theatre of Custard Creams to the ground and into a red bricked Giggs-hair rubble, matted with Keane shirts, Kung-fu kicks and comb-overs.
Nicklas Bendtner's (see above, playing at golf) time is now. After his midweek mild heroics, it's over to him. I suspect he may start up front instead of Chamakh because a) he's got games under his belt ahead of the knackered Xerxes and b) he's so fucking good it's unreal. His words, not mine. He's an enigma, is Nicklas, probably more to do with his demeanor on the pitch than his actual talent, but we're never sure which Bendtner will show up. We are all aware of his ability and I feel for him being stuck out on the right, but with the injury to Van Persie, he could well be back where he wants to be leading the line. Still, I have faith in him, sometimes it's sorely tested, but it's there, nevertheless. Onwards my young lion.
Ramsey is on the bench tomorrow. Being one of the thousands of Gooners at Stoke that day seeing his leg hanging off, I'm genuinely ecstatic that he's back. His loan spells at Forest and Cardiff will hopefully stand him in good stead, the rough and tumble of The Championship maybe going some way to eradicate any lingering mental doubts he has about the strength in his leg. I hope so, because this boy is special, and I'd love him to play a part tomorrow.
Scrabble (55 points if you must know) will return in goal, with Koscielny (ahem) and Djourou ahead of him. Diaby could start. Diaby should start. Here's another player that's suffered a severe injury, and the knock on effects have blighted him ever since hairdresser Dan Smith smashed his ankle. Back to his powerful marauding best against Newcastle, he then got himself sent off. Supid, yes, but not unexpected considering his injury history, not to mention Barton. With insane stats against Orient - 100% pass completion in the game (thanks to @OptaJoe), not bad against any opposition, and an all round encouraging display, he should slot in next to Saucy Jack in the middle.
Sunderland themselves are in no fit state either. With an impressive four defeats in their last four games, they boast a treatment table with Cattermole, Campbell, Gordon, Zenden, Onuoha and Meyler splattered all over it in a red and white stripey mess, although that little git Wellbeck could be back in the squad. Gyan is a bit of a worry. I like him as a player, and I like his attitude. I don't, however, like his mad, square head.
So come on boys, no more knocks, sprains, concussions, fractures, tears, twinges, whitlows, goitres, seizures or infarctions. Just three points, delivered effortlessly with a three in the goals for and with a nil in the goals against column. Keep the pressure on and let's see what the scousers can do on Sunday. No let up. Come on you Reds.
In other earth shattering Arsenal news, there's an article in the Daily Mail today where Samir Nasri explains the not very interesting seat on the French team bus story and how football isn't like Tennis.
Wow.
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