Baggies / Kolo / the Godfather / some poor Spanish chica

Looking ahead to tonight's game against the Baggies at the Hawthorns, it looks like Arsene is going to put out a more experienced side than he usually does for such games, with hints that the starting line up could look a little like this (forgive the star on Denilson, stupid BBC website doesn't have him in the squad so I had to add him as a fantasy player).

Looking at it it's a very strong team, compared with the almost exclusively youth sides we've tended to put out in the past. I think this is mostly because there are a fair few players that are coming back from injury and need a competitive game (ie not a reserve game) with not too much riding on it. It's also probably because so much of our squad is now made up of such good young players. If you take Almunia out of that team there's not a player over 23.

Arsene has said that he quite fancies winning the three-eared jug this year, as it's the only domestic trophy he hasn't won. Whilst West Brom are on a good run of form at the moment I expect this side to turn them over, with Clement, Phillips and Gaardsoe all missing for the Baggies. I'm going to stick my neck out and say 2-0 Gunners.

In other news Kolo wants to stay forever, which is nice. I've said it before but Kolo is one of the most underated players in the Premiership, a fact which is only just beginning to be recognised by Messrs Hansen and Gray, and therefore all the non-thinking parrot-talking football "fans" out there. My dad was telling me about an argument he was having with my uncle (a Man Yoo) fan) about how Toure only looked good because he's African, he's got a good engine, and apparently runs around like a headless chicken. Seriously. I'd have him over Rio "you've been merked" Ferdinand any day of the week. Good goal on Sunday by the way. Shite celebration.

Vito Mannone is back from his loan spell at Barnsley with a knee injury. I'm desperately hoping that Vito proves he's the business and eventually becomes our first choice number one because I quite fancy having a goalkeeper who I can call "the Godfather".

Another of our on loan youngsters, the very highly-rated (and justifiably so) Kerrea Gilbert, is facing a three-match ban following his red card at the weekend. It's the first time he's had a real discipline problem and he was definitely antagonised, so let's hope we don't see more of this in the future. I've got high hopes for the boy, and in my opinion he looks a better prospect than Eboue or Hoyte.

Wenger won't be buying in January apparently. We've all heard that before, but maybe he means it this time. I think we're covered everywhere with youth and experience except for left back, and we've got five players who can conceivably cover there, even if we don't have a dedicated and experienced left back.

And finally, something a little lighter. Have a look at this video.



It's the bit when he gets up, looks down at her with a certain level of disdain, and then walks off that marks him out as a grade A bastard.