Arsenal vs Bolton – REPORT POSTPONED
1 comment January 7th, 2010
Despite making every effort to publish this morning’s blog report of the Bolton game, the sudden and unpredicted adverse change in weather conditions in the Highbury area has left us no choice but to postpone the blog.
We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused and wish to state that this decision was not made lightly and readers’ safety and browsing arrangements were major factors in our thinking.
The blog will announce the revised date for this match in due course and all bookmarks currently held will be valid for the rearranged fixture’s report.
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If I was an objectionable sort of fellow, I’d crow ‘I warned you’. As it is, I’m just a bit gutted. Yesterday’s game represented a welcome bit of excitement in what is otherwise quite a heavy working week. In the wider scheme of things, it’s not too problematic: without Champions League fixtures in this month there are plenty of midweek slots in which to replay the game. The danger, I suppose, is that we may lose the momentum that going within a point of Chelsea would otherwise have generated.
Still, a week off for the players is no bad thing. And it gives Arsene time to think about any potential transfer targets. The papers today are full of links to Lacina Traore, who weirdly enough I just bought for QPR on my Football Manager 2010 game (a word of warning: he’s not very good). The reason I bought Traore was, principally, novelty: at an absurd 6’8″ tall, it’s quite fun to watch him lumbering about on the game’s primitive 3D engine. Whether or not that’d be true in the actual 3D world at the Emirates Stadium, I’m unsure.
He’s a left-footed striker from the Ivory Coast, and plays for Romanian outfit CFR Cluj. His club say there’s been initial contact, and value him at somewhere between €4-5m. I have to say, I sincerely doubt he’s got the sufficient calibre and experience to come straight in to the first team, so I’d be surprised if Arsene was pursuing this with any kind of short-term seriousness.
Blackpool are looking to take Jay Emmanuel-Thomas back on loan. I’m surprised JET hasn’t had more chances in the cup competitions or from the bench: his power means that he would find the step up to senior level less problematic. I’m a huge fan of this youngster and hope that once he settles in to a regular position (most probably as an attacking central midfielder, like Abou Diaby) he can make the step up. For now, another loan spell wouldn’t do him any harm.
And so, Patrick Vieira is finally coming back to English football. I’m more worried that he might embarrass himself than I am worried about how much he’ll strengthen City. For them, it’s something of a ‘ten years too late’ deal. Who next: Sol Campbell and the fat Ronaldo? That said, it’ll be lovely to have Paddy back at the Emirates one more time. What a contrast the reception he’ll get will be to a certain City striker.
God, looking at their squad full of ex-Arsenal players, City are a bit like the new Portsmouth. Let’s hope the same fate befalls them.
