Internationals Week, Day 6, When Will It End

We all know when it'll end of course, but still, man, when will it end?  The craziest thing last night at work, I had to deal with a party of 20 of the drunkest computer nerds you've ever seen.  They were celebrating something they did at work and there people from all over, Germany, California, France, Israel and Ireland, including some lady in her late 30's doing her best to take me back to her hotel.  Nothing like drunken middle aged ladies rubbing your wrists and looking you in the eye intensely while they tell you, "We have a connection, you know that" to make you feel super uncomfortable. 

Anyway, one of the guys from Ireland said that he's a huge Arsenal fan.  At this point he was about 9 bottles of cabernet and 6 bottles of champagne in and was talking rather close.  He was a dead nice guy and it just goes to show how far and wide our excellent brand of football goes.  If computer nerds from Ireland living in San Francisco watch Arsenal then...well I don't what then, but it gave me something to feel good about at 1AM as I cleaned up glasses and wiped down tables.

So little news today that the press are making up news stories about transfers already.  We've got the Vieira speculation again, something about how we're the only club for him if he wants to make it to the world cup and that Wenger can get the best out of him should we sign him in January.  It's hard to disagree it has to be said, his influence on the boys in the team could go a long way to seeing us win those games we don't likely to and to get good consistent runs during the run in.  It could also help Song, Denilson and Diaby perfect their professions and he'd provide some half decent cover while Song's away at the ACN.  I've said before that I'd rather not see him come back but I don't think it's bad idea anymore.

Then there's some stuff about how we're going to duke it out with Inter for Gokan Inler in the summer.  And there's some other stuff about how we've been warned to keep our mitts off of Blaise Matuidi by St. Etienne, like we're some unkempt, stubbly, nameless tobacco chewing cowboy and their Clint Eastwood in a pancho.  At this rate, by next August we're going to have 36 holding mids at the club. 

Don Vito has been in the press too.  He says,


I am really happy with my five games...I have shown I can play...I have learned and hope people can see I have improved too. I did my job and now it is up to the boss.


Pretty standard for someone in his situation and you can't really argue.  He's been there when we've needed him.  He's come up with a few fantastic saves and hasn't really been at fault for anything.  You can argue that he should have been on his line a bit better or come for the ball on Blackburn's first goal or that he maybe shouldn't have been beaten at his near post against Standard Liege but neither goal counted against us in the end and he more than made up for them with his performance against Fulham.  With Fabianski and Almunia back Wenger has a real head ache.  You have to imagine though that Almunia will be back in the sticks come league play. 

Not much else to say, I'll wish all the Arsenal boys well in their qualifiers today, I'd really like to see as many of them as possible in the World Cup.  Playing in the World Cup can really turn a players career, it can give them that confidence and that extra bit of gusto that can push a player from class to world class.  I'm thinking about Nik Bendtner, Eduardo and Song. 

Right then, here's a video,

Until tomorrow,

Highbury86