Arsenal’s decade starts at Upton Park
Add comment January 3rd, 2010
Happy New Year to you all. A bright shiny new decade. Let’s make it Arsenal’s.
We start with an FA Cup third round tie away to West Ham. Given our improved league prospects, it’s no surprise to me that Arsene will be selecting a weakened team. Starts are likely to be handed to Tomas Rosicky and Carlos Vela as well as, intriguingly, Philippe Senderos. Playing today will make Senderos cup-tied, and mean that he runs the risk of picking up an injury that would scupper a move. In fact, Arsene went as far as to say only Jack Wilshere stands any chance of leaving the club this January – and even that would only be temporary. Is today the start of Senderos’ second chance? We will see. I’m doubtful.
In midfield Alex Song plays his last game before departing to Angola, and Aaron Ramsey is likely to get another chance whilst Abou Diaby sits at home counting out the signing on fee from his new deal.
West Ham are a side low on confidence who also have plenty to worry about in the league – albeit at the other end of the table. Like any London derby, it’ll be a closely fought, even encounter. The XI we put out will be good enough to win the game, if they want it. I hope they do: the FA Cup is a competition I love enormously, and one that could help this team beat their trophy duck.
The other news has focused around the opening of the transfer window. Arsene has been unusually explicit about his interest in buying a striker, although he has denied the possibility of moving for either Marouane Chamakh or Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. If we are going to sign anyone, you’d have to think it’d be in the early part of the window. Otherwise just as the new boy arrives Nicklas Bendtner will return from injury and we’ll suddenly have a surplus again.
One striker who will be arriving, probably at some stage in 2011, is Brazilian striker Wellington. From everything I hear about this boy he is top, top class. Be excited.
Right. Enough from me.
It’s a new year. Let’s start it with our best foot forward.
