Tuesday quickie

Right, just a quick one today, partly cos there's not much going on, and partly cos I'm busy.

I'll lead off with the UEFA team of the year (as voted by yours truly and other visitors to the UEFA website back in October, I don't know why it takes so long to collate the data) which features two Gooners in Cesc and Thierry.

It's pretty much the team I picked (although I had mad mad Jens in goal and Arsene as the gaffer) and considering it was voted for back in October I don't think you can argue with any of them that much. Some of my Man Yoo chums were whining that spaghetti head should be in there at right mid, and Gerrard should replace Cesc at centre mid, but Ronaldo, as expanded upon yesterday, did bugger all at the World Cup, and was relatively ordinary last season.

Arsenal reserves lost 3-0 to the Spuds last night, and young Henri Lansbury (he's English, despite the francophile spelling of his first name) got himself sent off. Lots of the players who would have played are in contention for tomorrow night's game, so it's not that surprising that a very young side was shown up.

The Daily Mail has run a story involving Cesc talking about clear the air talks following the one nil loss at Sheffield that has propelled us to a five game winning streak in the new year, scoring 17 goals in the process. It's good to see that a young player such as Fabregas is unwilling to give up on the title chase until it is statistically impossible. I also like where he talks about having an obligation to win something every season. What a great attitude the lad has, especially compared to other players of his age I could name.

Less than a week before the FA Cup tie with Bolton, Nicolas Anelka has come out to say that he'd like to return to Arsenal one day. I'm sure Walrus Face is thrilled about that. Here's hoping he bags an OG as well.

In closing it strikes me now that I haven't made mention of Lauren's move to Pompey, which is fast becoming an Arsenal defenders retirement home. I'll just reiterate what I said whilst the speculation was going on, to say that Wenger must've thought he would be the same after injuries kept him out for a year, that he has high hopes that Eboue will stop being a little twat and that Hoyte will become a better player, and that he didn't want to stand in the way of the nearly-thirty Lauren getting a two-year contract at a Premiership club. He was a great servant to the club, and did so well in taking over directly from an Arsenal legend (but rubbish pundit) in Lee Dixon. He was also the hardest bastard in our team, and when he and Vieira had a barney on the team bus, everyone's money was on the Cameroonian amatuer boxing champion.


Goodbye Ralph, and thanks for everything. Especially when you picked Cristiano Ronaldo up by the throat. That was ace.