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Tommy Vermaelen and the Mogadishu issue

By 2010/03/23 11 Comments

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by CARL ELDRIDGE It’s Arsenal mania in the tabloids this morning but before we delve into the papers’ offerings a quick word for the small band of Gunners fans who have travelled over to England from Somalia for the Birmingham game. The Mogadishu Arsenal Supporters Club face ambush every time they watch the boys in their country’s capital and two supporters have been killed by Islamist militants who attack the cinemas in which they watch the matches.

I have promised them that Brum is a reasonable city and apart from the odd Zulu Warrior our passage should be safe. It’s a far cry from their homeland, the most dangerous place on the planet. Omar Kadeer tells me: “Independent travel is suicidal. When being escorted, it is best to be in an armored car. Infantry are highly likely to get engaged in street battles, and an armored vehicle can provide far better protection against most threats. A bullet proof vest is a must-have in Mogadishu.”
Bit like T******* away then.

Referee Martin Atkinson, the plum who sent off TV5 against West Ham, won’t need to go as fas as armed protection when he returns to the Emirates but no doubt he’ll get some verbal volleys if not the gunshot variety. And the Mirror informs us that we have appealed against the red card shown to Vermaelen. The club confirmed their challenge to the decision last night and the appeal will be heard today.

The paper adds that Vermaelen was ordered off shortly before half-time for bringing down Guillermo Franco inside the penalty area. We were leading 1-0 and went on to win 2-0, with West Ham’s Alessandro Diamanti missing the penalty which followed Vermaelen’s dismissal.

The Times says the ban would prevent him from playing in the league match away to Birmingham on Saturday, but we are expected to base their appeal on two grounds. Namely, that West Ham striker did not have control of the ball and Vermaelen was not denying a goalscoring opportunity as their players headed towards goal.

And the Sun tells us that an FA statement confirmed: “The FA has received a claim for wrongful dismissal from Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen. Vermaelen was shown a red card for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity during Arsenal’s match against West Ham United on Saturday 20 March. A regulatory commission will hear the claim on Tuesday 23 March.”

RVP isn’t too far away from returning to action for the rip-roaring Reds and he tells the Daily Mail: ‘I am medically fit, but physically I have to gain,’ he said. ‘Only then can I train with the full group. I’m not there yet but I’ve left a difficult period behind. For a few weeks I’ve been training with the ball and it looks good.

‘I still hope I can take part in the final phase of the League and hopefully the Champions League. This has been my goal from the beginning. My first goal is to play for Arsenal. When I said that a few months ago, I looked crazy. But as it stands now, that will happen. Only then can I think about the World Cup.’

Ahead of our Champions League clash with Barcelona and Thierry Henry has had his say and it seems he isn’t too keen on crossing swords with us. He told the Telegraph: “Whenever there is a draw for the Champions League I am in pain. I’m not saying I won’t try to fight or whatever because that’s the way the game is. But I don’t want to play against Arsenal.

“It will be weird for me to step on the pitch, even if it’s at the Emirates and not Highbury, with another shirt on.” When asked if he would celebrate a goal against his former team, he added: “Forget about it. No. I do not want to play against Arsenal, simple as that.”

Last word as ever to Henry Norris, who writes in the Bugle: “Begs the question why did you ever leave us then Tel?”

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Eldo71

Arsenal fan for 40 years. Schoolboys, North Bank, Clock End then East Upper. Then Emirates. AFC dream team: Wilson, Dixon, Sansom, Adams, Pates, Brady, Williams, Pires, Bergkamp, Henry, Wright. Subs: Seaman, Eldridge, Wilshere, RVP, Ball. Manager: Arsene Chapman.

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  • Hamy

    LOL Good one from Norris…I said it before and ill say it again..Messi is dangerous and we need Song and our defense to be in full alert….Birmingham wont be easy…but we have to get those 3 points if we want to stay pressuring Manure and atleast get a grip on that second place…

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  • HeGunner

    Yes. It will be a very difficult game at Birmingham, you can be rest assured about that. I am always worried about our defence, coz I dont trust them not to make silly mistakes and with Varmaelen all but out we wont close shop. If the Sol man plays I think he will make the difference coz of experience. But the rest except Clichy and sometimes Sagna, it is a dicey game.

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  • GoonerMatt

    TH14 left Arsenal for the best of the club as a whole. What I mean here is that his time at the club was up, Wenger cashed in on him, he could see that having TH14 around was causing other players not to grow into their roles fast enough. As we have seen with Adebayor, although I don’t particularly like him, he became a better player took on more responsibility after TH14 left. This can also be said of RVP and Fabregas.

    TH14 was a great servant to our club, and I will love and respect the man for ever. He will always be my hero!

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  • aj

    Thierry left Arsenal to win a Champions’ League medal, which he duly did last year. I have no problem with that, because, as he concluded, the Arsenal youth experiment would take longer than he had to reach fruition.

    “TH14 was a great servant to our club, and I will love and respect the man for ever. He will always be my hero!” I say Amen to that!

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  • harper

    Agree with Matt and AJ re Henry. Personally, I loved hearing those comments from Thierry. How many players hold such affection for their former club? Most players look forward to the prospect of playing against former clubs, even if they left on good terms.

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  • Z3RB1AN

    Welcome back Henry. It will be interesting to see what style of play he will have against us.

    Much respect to those guys from Somalia also.

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  • bronzy

    i think TH14 should play so he can see the difference between the Arsenal He knew and the Arsenal now. he will forever be missed no matter what but i think he will make it through if only we beleive. we did it against Ac Millan when everybody gave us no chance but we did it and we will do it again. Gunnners for life.

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  • db10

    billy gallas’ doctor is apparently confindent that gallas might be able to play in the first leg of the barcelona game at the emirates. hopefully he can be fit. it would be a major boost despite how well sol is playing.

    And tommy’s appeal was turned down but he will only serve a one match ban thank god

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  • Berg10

    If Bill is likely to play against Barca then we could risk Sol against the blue scum alongside Song.

    Hope Wolves beat W Ham tonight cos of Franco’s shot soldier impersonation denying us the services of TV5 and therefore reducing our chances of a win, if he played for Arsenal there’d be talk of a ban for unprofessional conduct no doubt.

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  • db10

    3-1 to wolves and rob green is supposed to be the england keeper… would expect better from him. Almunia would have saved at least 2 of those

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  • Berg10

    [quote name=db10]3-1 to wolves and rob green is supposed to be the england keeper… would expect better from him. Almunia would have saved at least 2 of those[/quote]
    The 3 Wolves goals were just inside the post though DB :lol:

    Never the less, that was karma but I feel sorry for Zola, he’s a tidy sort of guy.

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