Well, can't say we didn't half expect it, but yup - Eduardo's out for 2 weeks with some hamstring thing. Bloody pathetic luck we're having. Yeah, he's been out for 9 months, so this was almost expected. I suppose we should just be thankful he did not pick it up on international duty, and at least we got a good 60 minutes and 2 goals out of him. (Gotta keep your expectations low, man!)
On the practical side of things, his being out for 2 weeks basically means he'll miss our games against Sunderland, Roma, Fulham, West Brom and Burnley. Well, he theoretically should be back for Burnley, but I'm adding in a week in case he pulls his other hamstring putting on his slippers. All in all, not too bad. Those games are there for the taking, all at home (save West Brom), and if we can't win them without Eduardo, then we're good for shit anyway.
On the positive side of things, surprise surprise - Le Boss says that Arshavin'll be involved on Saturday. He can't figure out whether to actually start him, but I say, just stick him in. What could go wrong? What's the worst? Pulled hamstring? What's new right? Can't wait actually. Y'know, if not for all our injuries, just think what our REAL starting XI could be right now:
Almunia, Sagna, Silvestre (yes, I'd give it to him), Gallas, Clichy, Nasri, Walcott, Fabregas, Arshavin, RVP, Eduardo.
That's scarily good man. But CHF10, S$10, €10, £10, whatever - I'll bet we never ever see a real full strength starting 11 for the rest of the season. On the bench, we'd have to choose from Toure, Djourou, Ade, Nick Bent and Denilson. Good enough, I say.
Speaking of full strength starting 11's, I had the misfortune of watching Man U cruise past Fulham the other night. I was kinda depressed by the end of the game. Why can't we have a Scholes, a Giggs, someone who's like the old dude, but still reeeallly good, and can show up every now and then. Maybe we should've kept Vieira around. Even Gilberto. Those two were mistakes. Henry wanted to leave, so that can't count as a mistake. The Flamster too was probably half a mistake, so it evens out.
Back to the real world though - where Julio Baptista's mouthing off on our "young team":
"It isn't a defect, but when you're playing at this level, the last 16 of the Champions League, a lack of international experience can give your opponents the advantage."
Now, I really don't understand the point of his comments. Yes, what he says is blatantly the truth, but so is saying that: if you're crap, you give your opponents the advantage; if you can't score goals, you give your opponents the advantage; if you're a shit striker, you give your opponents the advantage; if you're old and useless, you give your opponents the advantage etc etc etc. So it's a useless statement too.
Let's just play the game, get on with it, and see what the score is after 90 minutes. Apart from 4 goals v Liverpool in the ultra important Carling Cup, what else have you done, Mr Oh-So-Experienced?
Finally, back to the world of fiction, and there's the usual things going on about Ade leaving for Barca at the end of the season. The twist in this story is that we're planning on Huntelaar as replacement. As I've said all along...whatEVER. Just do it. But you really can't tell with the boss sometimes. If Man City offered £100 million for Eboue, I'm not sure he'd take it. So who knows about Ade.
So, can't wait for Saturday. Fingers crossed there's no injury news from Arshavin's visit to the supermarket.
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