Tomorrow sees the visit of Birmingham City to the Grove. It’s an absolutely must-win game for us having taken one point from the last nine in the League. The Brummies will bring Alexander Hleb with them. He’s currently on loan at St Andrew’s from FC Barcelona. He isn’t the first player to find that the grass isn’t necessarily greener in the Catalan hillsides. Since leaving us for the Catalan giants most of the football he’s seen hasn’t been at the Camp Nou but on loan to VfB Stuggart, the club from which he joined us, and now at Birmingham City.
The circumstances under which he de-camped from the Grove will mean he won’t get the warmest of receptions from the Gooner Nation I’d imagine. Fair enough. For what it’s worth I always enjoyed watching him play. I thought he was by far the best dribbler in the League, although too frequently his lovely skills lacked definition and purpose.
On the injury front the situation appears to be brightening somewhat with Nicklas Bendtner rapidly approaching fitness and Aaron Ramsey is back in training after his horrific injury in the Potteries against Stoke City last season. Unfortunately Cesc Fàbregas won’t be fit for selection tomorrow. Theo Walcott however is fit again and may play some part this weekend. He needs to good long run unhampered by injury now.
Off the field we’ve all been entertained by the Statler and Waldorf Muppet Show comedy at Anfield. I can’t help tittering to myself. My usual reaction to any woes at Anfield is to laugh and hope that it’s nothing trivial. When I get over that I get a bit more grown-up about things and worry that there but for the grace of God go us. The Premier League and the Football Association really have to get a grip and look at introducing ownership rules which prevent self-interested parasites like Tom Hicks and George Gillett getting their hands on our football clubs in the first place. You really couldn’t make up the recent antics of this pair. I may detest Liverpool on the park but whichever way you look at it they’re one of the great names in world football.
Lastly, an apology to regular readers of this blog for not commenting to those posting this week. It’s been an absolutely mad week at work. I hope to be able to return to commenting to those who take the trouble to post their thoughts next week. I really do appreciate all of you who take the time.
Keep the faith!
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