Archive for January 24th, 2007

What is it about extreme weather & Carling Cup ties?

189 comments January 24th, 2007

The snow has settled in London this morning, and it’s a romantic setting for a thrashing of Tottenham. The squad players will get another chance to impress tonight in the first lef of the Carling Cup tie, and it’s an ideal situation for them: just as at Anfield, there is little pressure. However, unlike Anfield, we have the comfort of a home leg should everything go disastrously wrong.

The side will be very similiar to the one that played at Anfield, with a couple of first-team players here and there. One player who will start is Armand Traore, who is clearly more than up for it. After I hyped him to the hills yesterday, perhaps he is the exception as regards pressure.

Or perhaps not, as Vieira Mk II Abou Diaby makes his first start in nine months. Arsene merrily joins in the hype:

I had a big doubt in my mind that Diaby would ever come back from that injury. I thought it might end his career. We’ve missed Diaby because he gives us something the other players don’t have. He can give us that kind of Patrick Vieira presence in the physical challenges. He reminds me of Patrick in his running style, behaviour and the strength of his tackles.”

Robin van Persie, as expected, is out for “at least six weeks if not more”. The recovery times I posted here would show that to be an optimistic estimate, though arseblogger rightly points out that David Nugent of Preston was back inside six weeks. Got milk, Robin?

Finally, something hilarious that proves there is such a thing as karma some sad news.

UPDATE: Arsene has named his 16-man squad to face Spurs. Toure, Senderos, Fabregas and Hleb are all included in a strongish looking line-up. Hard to call who will start though Diaby (back even stronger than before) seems certain to start.

2. Abou Diaby
4. Francesc Fabregas
5. Kolo Toure
6. Philippe Senderos
9. Julio Baptista
13. Alexander Hleb
15. Denilson
16. Mathieu Flamini
21. Mart Poom
24. Manuel Almunia
27. Emmanuel Eboue
30. Jeremie Aliadiere
31. Justin Hoyte
32. Theo Walcott
43. Mark Randall
45. Armand Traore


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