Arsenal v WBA. The team that won’t be playing

Introduction from Walter.

Ok here I sit with shame all written over me. As Tony had to go away last night he asked me to fill in for him and publish the articles today.  So I just jumped to one of my own articles about getting behind the team. I then had to go out shopping. Just arrive home in time to see the game. Then again other obligations forced me away from the internet. And then coming back while watching MOTD… I suddenly see the article that Tony wrote before the game.

So again an Untold first one: the first ever match previewed published after the game. Don’t say we don’t spoil you.

(This is getting too far I think – missing Tony his article and then having a laugh about it…. I will get fired if I continue like this…. ) Oh well here we go then and remember it is my fault. Shame on me.

Tony Attwood

I made such a dreadful balls-up of the team for the game in Greece I hesitate to say anything at all concerning Arsenal’s team this weekend.

I am fairly confident that Lukas Podolski has a hamstring injury.  Also injured are  Bacary Sagna, Laurent Koscielny and Theo Walcott.

So maybe we can start with Sczcscsycsz in goal.

All ok so far?

At the back Andre Santos is still not ready to play so that gives us Gibbs and Jenkinson as the full backs.

Still with me?

I ask this because this site gets an ever growing number of emails from correspondents who accuse myself and others who write for Untold of being in the pay of Arsenal FC.   But I would have thought my total inability to pick a team and actually include eligible players only would have convinced all readers that I am not part of the officialdom.

Incidentally while meandering onto this topic it is interesting how many emails come in saying, “stop commenting on other teams”.  The reason why one should not comment on other teams is not clear, but usually involves some convoluted logic about the fact that I do it to cover the fact that Arsenal are not doing as well as any of us might have hoped.

Quite how my little pieces could have such an affect (as if the world were waiting for Untold to appear and then takes its lead from us – probably one of the most nonsensical concepts I have ever come across) is beyond me.  This is a site that comments on football from the perspective of a bunch of Arsenal supporters.   And football, amazingly, includes other teams.

We’ve commented on crowd control, homophobia, racism, anti-Semitism, the way the press manipulate stories and run articles that are palpably untrue, on the way the refereeing system works, on the terrible events in the Netherlands where an assistant ref was attacked and died,  on Rangers and their finances, on FFP… we do it all.

And why not?   Why is it that people who disagree with the articles published here want us to stop?  It is beyond me.

(Incidentally most of these emails never make it onto the site – they are blocked not because of their views but because they come with so much abuse that they contravene one of our prime rules – if the main point is to be abusive, we don’t publish.    A lot also don’t come with valid email addresses, and we don’t publish them either – although of course some slip through).

Anyway enough of that.   Central defence has to be Vermaelen and Mertesacker.

So to the midfield.

Wilshere and Arteta have been there whenever possible with Cazorla in front.   We also have Ramsey and now Rosicky available.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Rosicky started and then Ramsey or Cazorla came on as a sub.   Cazorla is brilliant, but he like everyone else seems to be picking up off days.

Up front

Well, instead of a huge choice we have a little choice

Gervinho, Giroud, Oxlade-Chamberlain

Presumably Arshavin, and Chamakh sit on the bench with Arshavin replacing Oxlade-Chamberlain on 70 minutes.  Also on the bench will be Coquelin able to play midfield or defence, Djourou, Mannone and any of the kiddies that Mr Wenger believes in.

So that’s it.  Hopefully cock-up free.  But probably not.