Written by Mean Lean on Wednesday, 13 October 2010 13:09

It certainly feels like a case of good and bad news today. Let us start with the bad news. I played football yesterday evening and was kept in the pocket of this kid who was far younger than myself. Twice as fast and very good on the ball. I felt like a pub player being marked by Laurent 'the Cobra' Koscielny.

Today I am walking around with aches all over, I feel old and past it, it has been something that I have been trying to avoid for the last few years. I have given up all hope of being scouted by Steve Rowley and showing him my fake passport that says that I am 16 years old.

Reality is a bitch.

However the good news is that I get to watch me Arsenal again after a very tedious international break. When the break frustrates you that much then you know you are well and truly hooked. There is no getting away now I'm afraid. Arsenal is running through your veins so going back to pre support is just not optional, even if you were mad enough to want to do that in the first place.

Anyway, the international break is over and done with. England managed to get a draw against Montenegro which should give Ferdinand, Cole and Gerrard plenty of encouragement for the next game. I kid, I kid.

I didn't see the game as I was pretending to play football myself and I do not intend to watch any highlights as thankfully (for Arsenal) Jack didn't make it onto the pitch and cannot be included with the other failures on the field. However, you want our players to get games and do well because he will be disappointed not to have featured, perhaps Capello didn't want the pile on the pressure on the 18 year old when they were chasing a goal.

At least it is some more good experience for Wilshere to be sat amongst the senior squad in an important game. The future England team could be quite exciting if the likes of Wilshere, Johnson and Walcott continue with their development but this crop just bore me to absolute tears. Quite frankly I am bored of hearing that Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney etc etc are world class and then being subjected to those types of performances time and time again.

I have strayed back to negatives. If I was organised I would restructure the article and find a space for that last section at the top somewhere... but I'm not organised and at all professional, so I won't.

Abou Diaby was in good form for the French yesterday, according to some Opta stats on twitter, Diaby completed the highest amount of successful passes in a French game for two years. You don't expect that from Diaby, you expect plenty of powerful running and getting into and around the opposition penalty box and not really to keep the ball moving. Hopefully it is something that he has been working on, perhaps the boss has had a word with him after the West Brom shambles because he was not included in the next squad for our trip to Belgrade but then came back with a storming performance against the Chavs.

Apart from the injury to Sagna it looks like we are A-ok, at least so far. Wenger will speak to the media tomorrow, so I assume we will know more then. However it is good news for those who didn't go gallivanting around the world.

Cesc Fabregas is ready to rock and roll while Theo Walcott and Nicklas Bendtner are very close, perhaps even ready for the weekend.

This is the bit where you have to sit down and take a deep breath in. Robin Van Persie is back in training and could be back playing soon and that is just fantastic. Only Bacary, Thomas and Aaron on the treatment table, certainly progress me thinks.

Henri Lansbury has spoken to Arsenal.com about his desire to be a first team Arsenal player. He also spoke about learning from the likes of Samir Nasri in training.

Henri Lansbury was pretty much the first promising kid to make a name for himself at the club. I remember plenty being spoken about him when he was 16 years old. I love his energy and commitment to the cause and showed his worth against the Spuds at White Hart Lane a few weeks ago. However the midfield is our strongest part of the pitch so finding room for Lansbury will be difficult in the short term. He needs to continue working and improving and he may just get his chance.

And finally, a bit of transfer rumours (yep, in October) has been doing the rounds. We are apparently interested in the services of Anderlecht striker Romelu Lukaku. I was hearing something about the player already agreeing a deal with us which was nonsense. Apparently he is closer to a move to Chelsea than anywhere else so don't hold your breath.

Back tomorrow.

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Comments (5)

• 13-Oct-2010 14:32 | | Scooch  - England Zzzzzzzz
  

  Firstly, getting old is a *****! I know that as my 17 year old has been telling me what they've been up to whilst being out and I can't help but think that it was only yesterday that I was doing that! That sucks!!!
  Secondly, something occurred to me yesterday. The reason I like to watch England games is because I like to moan! This is strange as I don't like to moan while watching Arsenal. On a recent trip to Emirates all I heard from a group behind me was CONSTANT moaning and *****ing about the team. This is what I'm like when watching England. Maybe that's because I choose to support Arsenal (and have done for 20 odd years) whereas I'm forced to support England due to where I was born. I don't remember watching a more clueless bunch of England players for a long while. The main problem is (as someone stated on another blog earlier) that they didn't play badly individually. There seems to be no flair or idea. Would that've changed with the introduction of Jack? maybe. And Rooney? I appreciate he's a great player, but when did he last have a great match in an England shirt? The one saving grace when it comes to our national team is that we do have some great talent coming through in the next few years. Can't wait to start moaning at them!!!

• 13-Oct-2010 21:09 | | MeanLean
  

  I cannot help but agree with everything you've said.
  
  I also see Arsenal and England in a completely different way. It is almost like supporting the Mancs and or Chavs for the day. Doesn't feel natural to me. Just my opinion of course.

• 14-Oct-2010 11:03 | | Waterboy
  

  I would love to see Diaby and Fab positioned in more defensive central midfield roles with Nasri dictating play from the central attacking midfield role!
  
  Great news that Walcotts on the mend too! Can't wait to see him back in action!

• 15-Oct-2010 08:29 | | CHGooner  - England and Arsenal
  

  Similar problems in that FUNDAMENTAL weaknesses are left undealt with over a long period. Different weaknesses of course but the same refusal to address the cause of the problems. Both teams have good players but collectively they are weak, both teams cannot vary ther play depending on the opposition and both are mentally frail. Both make me sad and both make me moan. Neither will win anything in the foreseeable.

• 15-Oct-2010 09:13 | | MeanLean
  

  Arsenal are much closer to success than England are. England are still in the stone ages, still a long way behind most of Europe technically.
  
  However I do think that the new generation will hopefully change this. Jack Wilshere being one of those players.
  
  Perhaps Arsenal let themselves down mentally at times, West Brom springs to mind but at least we have a squad that have scope to learn and improve unlike Gerrard, Lampard and the like.
  
  We need to go on a long unbeaten run and pick up points at places like Manchester City.
  
  Hopefully our players all coming back will help that.

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