The curse of leaving the Arsenal

News came through yesterday that Robert Pires has torn his cruciate in his left knee. It's a bloody horrible injury, will see him miss the majority of his first season with Villareal and I'm sure we'd all wish le Bob a speedy recovery.

This is just the latest in a long line of Arsenal players who have left the club for one reason or another and gone on to major disappointment or middling mediocrity. Edu left for Valencia and promptly missed a season through injury. Vieira left (read "was sold off") to Juventus and promptly had his scudetto medal taken away. Petit left for Barcelona and spent his life at centre half/on the bench. Overmars also left for Barcelona and spent the rest of his days on the treatment table. Nicolas "le incredible sulk" Anelka left for Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City, Fenerbahce and, we are now led to believe, Fat Sam's Bolton. We all hope for similar travails for little Ashley.

The only one who really pulled it off was Gio van Bronckhorst, winning the Champions League with Barca last season. Cunt.

Anyway, onto other things. The latest in Cashleygate developments is that Chelsea are now offering William Gallas as a straight swap. Pull the other one, it's got bells on. Best left back in the world, 25 years old, two years on his contract versus a good centre half we don't really need, 29 years old, in the last year of his contract. They really are proper fuckwits. I've already said that, unlike some others, I'd welcome Gallas in, but anything more than £7m would be silly. I wish Chelsea would stop pissing around and just make us a decent offer. There's some more Reyes nonsense that I can't even be bothered going into, as Arsene has already said that he's staying for the season.

There's nothing else really happening, although the latest team news for tomorrow night is hinting that Rosicky might be fit to play after missing out on Saturday. Which would be nice considering everyone else seems to be injured or patently unfit.

The bindippers have their second leg tonight. I'd be a bit worried if I was from the red half of Scouseland.