Can Jens jump start Arsenal?

They say a week is a long time in football. And that's probably true; a week ago, for example, we were taking a 2-1 lead to Camp Nou and were looking forward to an FA Cup 6th round match at Old Trafford. A week on and all we have left to look forward to is the drudgery of the league season following defeats at both those grounds. Hang on, drudgery? We've got a Premier League title to win! Although I think it's fair to say that all but the most optimistic of Arsenal fans have written our title chances off, we do at least have the luxury of being able to concentrate, one game at a time, on what remains of our league season.

I'm not going to to go into how easy our run in should, or shouldn't be. We saw last season that this Arsenal team is quite capable of anything. In fairness, they've demonstrated that in spades this time around too. Nor, three days after the event, am I particularly interested in harping on about another cup exit at Old Trafford. I think we played well enough, but arriving in the pub just in time to see Fabio score (I was with my family whilst they scattered my step grandmother's ashes before any of you start), I had a sinking feeling. When the second goal went in, I knew that if I wasn't meeting my friends down the road an hour later, I might as well be going home. The best summation of that match was that we passed the football nicely, created all the chances and United scored all the goals. It was ever thus.

It reminds me of a quote from a Depeche Mode interview, "sometimes you do need new jokes". I'm not neccesarily talking about a change in manager- though I know that those who want a change at the top are growing in number, but just a change in the way we approach certain games. We tried a different way in Barcelona but we will never know how that might have turned our had van Persie not been removed from action. I just know that the thought of us strutting out stuff at the Grove at the beginning of May, whilst United watch all this- concentrated and amused- before shooting us quickly and accurately through our eyeballs, turns my stomach. It also reminds me of that famous scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark. I'd like to see Arsenal sit back in their own half and keep the ball there, maybe try and draw United out before launching Theo Walcott like a missile through their defence. We have to try something else, because United will otherwise do what they always do, 9 men behind the ball and on the edge of their box, counter and score.

Had I written this article a couple of days ago, I would still have been despairing at the loss of Johan Djourou for the season- thereby completing our latest spinal collapse. Well, no, losing van Persie would truly complete that. Like last season all over again, in fact. However, today we received the most awesome news that we could have had without being told that Djourou's injury didn't really happen. Having subjected the defender to "rigourous" tests, the Swiss FA report that Djourou has a chance of featuring in their March 26th fixture against whoever they're playing. It doesn't really matter who they're playing, does it? The important bit is that one of our most impressive peformers is at risk of missing a couple of weeks rather than the rest of the season. How God giveth!

EDIT: And then Arsenal taketh away with a statement that they expect him to have surgery on his shoulder, which would indeed result in him missing the rest of the season. Sigh.

The other positive after the weekend, aside from another great performance from Jack Wilshere, was Aaron Ramsey's first game for the club since last February. He will surely be chomping at the bit and anyone that might mean less Denilson and Diaby has got to be a good thing. Those two really do need to take a look at Wilshere and ask themselves why, if not at his technical level, why they can't at least put the same amount of effort into their games.

Finally for today, the news that a 41 year old is on the brink of returning to the club would normally be met with widespread derision. However, as this particular 41 year old is Mad Jens Lehmann, there appears to be only a mild amount of kicking off. Personally speaking, as with Sol Campbell, I think it's great that a player who left the club under something of a cloud will return to us, if only for six weeks. It is, of course, unlikely that he will feature much and- as noted elsewhere, it is to be hoped he doesn't, as that would mean that the luckiest Spaniard to have ever played professional football is doing his job well. But it strikes me that perhaps, as well as not being a great footballer, Emmanuel Eboue hasn't been doing a great job in keeping the dressing room a happy place. Having Jens back, a guy who always brings a smile to my face when I see him on the television, can only be a good thing. Let's face it, if Jens can't instill a bit of life into this dressing room, or inspire Almunia to greater heights, then I don't really know who can.

Welcome back Jens, I've missed you.

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