Friday round-up: Injury news, Director of Football & more
42 comments September 23rd, 2011
It’s another one of those ‘big week for Arsenal’ weeks. For the first time since the defeat to Liverpool, we have two home games in a row, and a chance to generate some crucial momentum before traveling to White Hart Lane for a match that will have a great impact not just upon North London pride, but also on the battle for fourth place.
First up, it’s Bolton. After the trip to Blackburn, it’s another one of our supposed bogey teams. And, just as Blackburn were prior to our visit, they’re a side widely purported to be in a bigger crisis than even ourselves. I’m sure a few pundits will have a good old chuckle about this being a “relegation six-pointer”. The truth is that both teams are in need of the points, but for very different reasons.
Bolton’s ambitions won’t reach higher than mid-table. For Arsenal, beating the Trotters, Olympiakos in midweek, and then Spurs on Sunday would do much to put our disastrously rocky season back on an even keel, and see us push on back towards Champions League qualification.
Early team news is that we’ve lost Yossi Benayoun and Johan Djourou to slight strains picked up in Carling Cup action. Both should be out for around a week. Bacary Sagna has recovered from the knock picked up at Blackburn, whilst Aaron Ramsey has suffered no repercussions from his return and is fit to start. Arsene also expects Thomas Vermaelen and Abou Diaby to be fit for our next game after Spurs – Sunderland, on October 16th. There is no news yet on Jack Wilshere – no assessment can be made until he comes out of the plastic boot in a couple of weeks’ time.
The absence of Benayoun means there’s a chance Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could earn a place on the bench tomorrow. You can read an in-depth Q&A with him on Arsenal.com, in which he talks about his desire to push on and play in the more prestigious competitions:
“If you don’t aspire to achieve these things then you are not going to go anywhere. Whenever I get the call, I will be delighted with it. You have got to push to become part of the squad more regularly and that only comes with hard work and impressing when you get the chance.”
He certainly did that on Tuesday night, and would be well deserving of a place in the matchday squad if Arsene felt there was room. Time will tell. We have a big squad at the moment, so it’s far from guaranteed.
Finally today, Peter Hill-Wood has surprised no-one by insisting that Arsenal will not be bringing in a Director of Football. Given Arsene’s irritated response at his last press conference, we won’t be hiring a new defensive coach either. If we’re to turn it around, it will be with the current set of staff. A set of staff, let’s remember, who’ve brought us fantastic success in the past.
Roll on tomorrow. Another game, another leaf to turn, and another chance to get it right.
