The Denilson smokescreen

On my return to work today, my friend Rachid sent me a link to a Youtube clip featuring several scousers telling Messrs Hicks and Gillette to "jog on". As I type, battle is being joined in the High Court for control of the once mighty totem of English football. It's enough to make you weep- if you are of the Liverpool persuasion. However, if like me you couldn't care less about them, then it makes for a whole bucket of hilarity. Seriously, it's a cautionary tale along the lines of flying too close to the sun. Or, someone being blinded by $ signs and selling out when they really shouldn't. In other words, as Arsenal fans, it's one to be aware of.

Hence, I suppose, the Arsenal Fan Share scheme. If you haven't checked out the website, then I suggest you do so, now! www.arsenalfanshare.com

According to As.com, Barcelona are tracking yet another Arsenal first team player. Brace yourselves for this one, because it transpires that the object of Andoni Zubizaretta's affections is none other than Denilson! I know Denilson isn't to everyone's tastes, but I quite like him. I do wonder, though, if there isn't a bit of a smokescreen going on here. I mean they were all out for Cesc two months ago and now they come back- for Denilson? Hmmm. If the interest in Denilson is serious, then it should probably be encouraged. After all, all things being equal it's difficult to see where he fits in when everyone's fit. Yes, on that day when the Devil is strolling around down below with a hot water bottle strapped to his stomach and Arsenal have all of their central midfielders available, I just don't see a place for the Brazilian. Would you start him instead of Wilshere,Cesc, or Ramsey? No, of course you wouldn't. I don't see him starting ahead of Alex Song either. And then you have Samir Nasri wanting to join the ranks of the centrally deployed, it's getting crowded.

It would be wrong of me to pretend, however, that we ever seem to have all of these guys available and Denilson is a more than capable back up. I think he suffers a bit from the perception that he is a jack of all trades and... you know the rest of it. There is also the not insignificant point that we don't know whether this interest in Denilson is genuine. So perhaps a paragraph and a half on the possibility of him leaving is enough, for the time being.

Let's deal in some concrete news now. We know that Bac Sagna will be the latest player called into the treatment room when he returns from international duty. He reckons that his thigh injury will keep him out of action for three weeks and won't be rushing to get back. Presumably because he is fully confident that he will be able to displace Emmanuel Eboue on his return. It'll be interesting to see how Eboue does in a run of games in the position I believe he should always be played in. That isn't to say that he should be playing there all the time, only to say that when he does play, it should only be at right back and not as one of our attacking players because in that instance, he's a waste of space. Not to sound too harsh or anything. Hopefully, a run of games will see Eboue regain the form that he showed nearly five years ago as part of that Champions League defence.

So, we lose Sagna, but Cesc Fabregas should be ready to rock and roll when the Brummies come to town on Saturday, which gives... well, you don't need me to tell you about the qualities that the captain brings to the starting eleven. Let's just say that I'm very glad that he's back. It looks as though the injury situation will clear up week by week, with everyone on the Physioroom.com injury list due back by the end of the month. Except, of course, Emmanuel Frimpong. Hopefully, we don't lose anyone else in the meantime.

Yeah, the Devil's getting his balaclava on as I type..

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