Thanks to everyone for the updates – I really do appreciate every email. In case you missed any…
It seems Vela didn’t play because he was suspended (silly me, didn’t know that).
Van Persie has left the Dutch squad because of a hamstring injury. That could be a bit of a bugger, because those things last several weeks (actually Robin, as an advance notice, they can last for months when you get older).
Ramsey is about to be unleashed by Wales. It seems Wales are seeing Ramsey as the new Giggs – the great giant of Welsh football. If he does follow the Giggsian format at least it will mean he won’t play in any friendlies for the principality.
With Nic Bendtner taken off after half an hour with an injury, that looks like we are going to be a bit short on the forward front against Man City – although because this is Insanity Week it is quite hard to know who is particularly badly hurt. But as it stands we might be without Bendtner, Van Persie, Vela (jet lag). I’ve heard nothing about our Ivorians following the terrible events at their match, but I think if I had been there I would probably be unfit to do anything due to shock, for several months.
Incidentally (and I mean absolutely no disrespect to those who lost their lives, or their families, by moving into the political aspects of the tragedy) FIFA has undertaken a review of African grounds in the last couple of years, and passed them as suitable for big matches. Yet this is the second incident in a ground in a year in a major match in Africa, where people have died (the other was Libya I beileve).
I would feel a little better if FIFA took some of the millions it makes in profit each year, and puts it into the reburishment and development of African grounds, so that the game can be played worldwide in safety.
(c) Tony 2009
Thanks for the update. Any news on Walcott?
AND…Diaby has just been added to the injuries list! Typical.
Marvellous. Diaby has just been added to the international injuries…how many more before the weekend?!
Well, I EXPECT Diaby to be injured every couple of games so that’s no surprise. But RVP’s been amazingly injury-free all season long so I guess he’s due. Guess it’s impossible for us to expect him to last a whole season. And Bendtner, like Ade last season, is one of the few Arsenal players with little to no injury problems so his injury is a major downer when coupled with RVP’s and Diaby’s. The worry is that Eduardo can’t be relied upon consistently because he may have these constant niggling injuries for awhile until his body gets used to playing all the time. And who knows if Ade will finally put his head down and step up, stop holding his hands on his hips and shake his head at his teammates for what he deems inadequate service to him, and start working hard again on the pitch like he used to?