By Bulldog Drummond
We’ve been reporting of late how the newspapers have stopped doing Arsenal match previews, perhaps in an attempt to suggest that Arsenal are no longer of any interest to the public at large. But now suddenly they have a chance of some scandal there’s megaloads of coverage, with the denigration being heaped in by the shovel load.
Of course each match at the moment gives the chance to talk about the touchline ban, Alexis transfer, and the “fact” that Arsenal are giving “no assurances” Alexis will stay for the rest of the season – but I am not sure there ever has been any assurance given on any player’s position. In terms of using the media as a way of seeing the future I suspect reading the tea leaves is going to be more accurate.
Anyway, the story goes that Man City are going to bid £20m for Alexis now, Arsenal are going to reject it, and Mr Wenger is being “noticeably quiet” on the subject which he has refused to speculate on for the past nine months, which makes the “noticeably” part of the equation a bit silly.
Under the transfer rules, Alexis can now discuss transfers with clubs outside England, without any offer being made, but for clubs within England the discussions have to be made on a club to club basis.
So with that speculation done too death, beyond death, into the grave, and then the afterlife (if there is one – although if it is populated by journalists I think I will decline the offer, if there is an offer in my case) Mr Wenger is now being criticised for putting out a strong team against Chelsea, just days after being criticised for putting out Arsenal II against Forest. There’s even positive comments about Arsenal playing a second XI in the semi-finals of 2004 (something heavily criticised at the time) but how now the whole club is so weak we are forced to put out the first team. As a basis for logical commentary it doesn’t work very well. But then, this is the English media.
Thus the long and the middle and the short is that the press are suggesting that Alexis will play today in a first XI line up, which is pretty much what we’ve been expecting given that the first team had last weekend off. Except there are reports that Mesut Özil is again out with an injury and missed training yesterday.
Apparently Mr W was “rocked” by this news and the growing “casualty list”. We’ve been way down the list in the injury charts all season, but now there is a chance to return to the shock horror panic stories… any minute now Stewart Robson will be appearing on Talk Sprout saying that it is all the fault of Wenger’s training methods and that rather eccentric Dutch coach who was manager Wales for a couple of games will join in.
Here’s the physioroom chart
| Man down | What he got | When’s he back | Today? |
| S Mustafi | Knock | January 10, 2018 | Late Fitness Test |
| G Xhaka | Groin Strain | January 10, 2018 | Late Fitness Test |
| S Kolasinac | Ankle Injury | January 14, 2018 | No |
| L Koscielny | Achilles Injury | January 14, 2018 | Major Doubt |
| N Monreal | Ankle Injury | January 20, 2018 | No |
| O Giroud | Hamstring Injury | January 20, 2018 | No |
| A Ramsey | Hamstring Injury | January 20, 2018 | No |
| S Cazorla | Plantaris Injury | No Return Date | No |
Cor blimey.
Someone’s got the hump today.
Super post. Spot on from the first word to the last.
I don’t know if you’ve ever done a headline post regarding the crop of reptilian so-called critics across the media.
If you haven’t it’s well overdue.
Example for you: Ian Wrong-Wrong-Wrong constantly on Ozil’s back – day after day, month after month.
Ozil has the temerity to ask why the critics (especially ex-Arsenal players) in just a couple of sentences.
Wright has a girly fit. Loves to dish it out, but can’t take. Like most bully boys.
I don’t remember critics and panellists being at all nasty pre-Hansen.
He’s the original, is J.R. Hansen.
You have indeed covered the issue today to a reasonable extent. But you still held back.
You could have named names. Lots of names. Maybe Chris Sutton to start with? A particularly nasty piece of work.
There are so many that I would describe as nothing less than vile, vindictive, vicious.
But not Gary Neville. He’s actually OK by me. A voice of reason, usually.
If the is a next time don’t hold back. Go for the jugular(s).
They do!
You can stand Gary Neville ?
Can’t stand the man personally , I still hold the grudge over Riley’s super show in match 50.
When Neville first became a pundit, I’ve gotta say, he was probably one of the best to have had that position (although, that’s not exactly saying much). Unfortunately, as time went on, he devolved into the usual agenda-driven, hindsight speaking moron like the rest of them.
He gets a pass simply because he’s not Phil.
Jammy – you’re right. He was brilliant for 2 or 3 shows & then began the descent into the pits of bias ed punditry. He may be an angel but I cannot forgive the brutality against Reyes under the cover of cheat Riley.