3-0 lead should see us through

We go into tonight's Champions League third round qualifier three nil up, and if we don't get through it will be nothing short of catastrophic. Team news is still not particularly forthcoming, but I believe we'll look a little like this.

Arsene needs to rest players, worring this early on in the season I know, but we're not used to two competitive European fixtures this early on, added to the nonsense of recent international friendlies.

Henry looked patently unfit on Saturday (after Paul O'Grady made him play a full 90 minutes for France last week) so he'll sit out with RvP coming in alonside Adebayor. Reyes and Rosicky are both still injured so we should see Young Theo Walcott (YTW) make his Champions League debut. Ljungberg looked unfit against Villa, but Hleb needs a break, having played the full 90 minutes in both our games so far this season, plus another for Belarus, so it's a toss up over who will start, but I think it will be Freddie. Cesc, lest we forget, is still a fragile little thing in terms of years and should be rested wherever possible, and quite frankly we shouldn't need him for tonight, so the Flim Flam man should start alongside Gilberto, who's tough as old boots.

Unfortunately we're currently so threadbare at the back that nobody can be rested, other than Aluminium coming in for Mad Jens. Wenger's made it clear that Mr Tweedy will not be playing unless he doesn't leave before the end of the transfer window, so it's an unchanged back four.

I'm confident about tonight, but rather pissed off at the red membership debacle that has taken place at the club this year which has prevented me from buying a ticket for tonight's game. I renewed my membership, as I do every year, in July. I still haven't received my swanky new membership card, and many, many others haven't either. It means that tonight will not be a sell out, and tickets won't be put on general sale at the stadium either. Bit pissed off to be honest. Many people may see us as being home and dry, and treat this as a nothing game, but it's not, added to the fact that I haven't been able to get along to a game at the Emirates yet. Hopefully it'll sort itself out soon. Apparently (so my dad, who was on the phone to the ticket office the other day, tells me) they've had a far greater demand on new red membership this season than ever before, and have had to suspend the entire process, including renewals. Bah.

In other news Arsene has officially confirmed that he has made a bid for William Gallas, which could well find itself folded into the Cole nonsense (Arsene has said he can't wait to be shot of him. Me too Arsene). Not really sure where that would leave Senderos and Djourou. Gallas would have to be told he would be first choice for him to come here, as he will have to take a sizeable pay cut, and at 29 he's going to be knocking around for a while, and thus holding up the youngsters' development. Still, there are plenty of games in a season. It'll be interesting to see how this develops.

Arsene's also raised a few concerns over the fixture list (every manager does this every season).

Come on you Gooners.