By Tony Attwood
May 29 is deadline day for the Euro squads – although we seem to be well into the season of pre-tourney issue of warnings about what might happen if you go. (The latest warning is utterly shameful in my view – in that it overtly admits that the games are being held in a homophobic country – just as the world cup will be in a few years.) Mind you, whatever your orientation or race it is probably safer to stay at home.
But to focus on the football, there will probably be 10 of our players risking life and limb this summer for their countries.
Now, by the time of the event not all 10 will necessarily still be with us, and on the other hand one or two who currently are not Arsenal players might have been transferred by the time they play.
However here is the list thus far…
Lukas Podolski is naturally in the Germany squad along with Per Mertesacker
Niklas Bendtner equally naturally plays for Denmark
Robin van Persie again must be just about the first name in the Netherlands squad
Tomas Rosicky plays for the Czech Republic – I remember just after we signed him he scored a sensational goal for his country.
Audrey Arshavin has been included in Russia’s preliminary 27-man side – I can’t find many people who think he will be with us next season though.
Laurent Koscielny, is in the France squad – the only Arsenal player to be playing for France will feels rather strange and shows just how the world is changing.
Theo Walcott is in the England squad as has
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain which is something of a surprise – a bit like Theo going to the world cup with Sven. (Remember when Rooney came off the pitch really annoyed and thumped down next to Theo on the bench, and Theo looked petrified and inched away from him… Can’t see Alex doing that – more likely he’d tell Rooney to move up).
Wojciech Szczesny is in the Poland side but I don’t know if he is expected to be the prime keeper or whether that position goes to…
Lukasz Fabianski.
So, by the time the teams come out for the opening game, we might have just the following players on our books
- Lukas Podolski
- Per Mertesacker
- Robin van Persie
- Tomas Rosicky
- Laurent Koscielny
- Theo Walcott
- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
- Wojciech Szczesny
- Lukasz Fabianski.
And finally the missing men who might have been there but for events
- Abou Diaby – highly rated in France, but of course without any playing time this season
- Bacary Sagna – broken leg
- Thomas Vermaelen – Belgium did not qualify
- Aaron Ramsey – Wales did not qualify
- Jack Wilshere – as with Diaby
- Kieran Gibbs – not selected
- Francis Coquelin – one year too early I suspect
There is more news minute by minute on the Euro 2012 news site
As Thomas Vermaelen is in Belgium now something turned up in the Belgium media. So I just give this as I can make it up from reports from the media.
Vermaelen back at home with his parents for the moment but training with the Belgium national team that will play a friendly against Montenegro this Friday and then travel to London to meet England at Wembley next weekend.
But Vermaelen will not play the first game because yes…he is injured. You know I don’t like the international games but don’t worry he didn’t get his injury whilst training for Belgium. No in fact he got this injury of him some 4 weeks earlier. But each week Arsenal prepared him to play the next game because Wenger really wanted him to play.
He suffered a tendon injury somewhere and if we think back at his last games and what happened it might shed a light on the way he seemed to play. He surely was not at his best in those games but he was just doing the best he could in the given and injured circumstances.
Oh, he should be ready to play England next week. And then off for a nice holiday and hopefully completely fit for next season in July.
If one was to look for misfortune, both RVP and KOS have had a tough season. SZCZ had a bit on an injury before going, and Rosicky has picked up once since. Then there is Theo, who is a potential for one any time, and Per is on the way back from one?
Pre-seaason should be fun with only AOC and Podolski fit if it really goes pear-shaped!
Internationals, don’t you just love ’em?
Audrey Arshavin – does she play for Arsenal ladies?
🙂
I see Arshavin has had a sex change op!! His/her new name of Audrey suits him/her well.
Audrey absolute classic. i hope it sticks
got me thinking about some of the players that play like tarts nikki bendtner Marriane chamakh carly vela abby diaby deniselson
Love Abby diaby!
No, audrey arshavin is my wife I bought on http://www.russianwomentomarry.com/rosiethedog, if you quote “rosie the dog” you get free chat time
She’s good at housekeeping but tends to get lazy after working for 20 minutes LOL
More…
Petra Mertesacker
Lauren Koscielny
Alexis Oxlade-Chamberlain
Berry Sagna
Jackie Wilshere
Franjelina Coquelin
Fabianski played the full 90 in one of Poland’s warm-up friendlies, according to Arsenal’s official site. Not sure if it’s because they wanted to give Szez a rest, if they wanted to see what Fabianski can do, or if they rate him despite his lack of playing time this season.
Tony Thanks for info and proving you are Gooner with A.Santos Tweeting about “gays”, Benayoun thanking “lovely massages” so Audrey fits there fine. 😉
I don’t mind Arsenal players being injured right now as long as they are fine and fit by July.
But I woul love to see Rosicky as Czech captain playing well and do well in tournament (maybe football team listen me more than their ice hockey team)
Jacobite Gunner, and anyone interested:
I left a research note as my response to your Evidence-Free opinion on Darren Dein’s relationship(s) to RVP. They are on yesterday’s article by Walter entitled “Looking back at last season : dealing early is what we should have done…could we?”
And they are near the very end, dated today, 5/23/2012 at 5:10, 5:15 and most of all 6:19
http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/archives/21339/comment-page-2#comment-163304
I’m trying to get at some information that matters in the present moment. Perhaps you’ll consider joining that effort to get at what’s factual and what’s not? 🙂
@bob,
I’m sorry, I seem to have touched a nerve. Please do not take offence and yes, it is widely known that wenger and gazidis went to RVP’s residents over a two day period last week to discuss his contract whereby his agent(Kees Vos) was in attendance.
Post-meeting, the daily mail has subsequently made up a load of nonsense regarding the meeting to perpetuate their anti-arsenal bias.
@ Tony, what is shameful in your view? and which country is homophobic?
Ha ha ha! @Tony was that deliberate? I suspect so…Audrey…the blonde Russian!