Goalkeeping problems. What problems??!!

What problems? Really. Look, Shay Given's gone and done his shoulder in, trying to save one of Abou Diaby's thunder bolts (which I admit I missed when I probably fell asleep).

Before that, Manciti had stupidly gone and sent Joe Hart off on loan before that. So they should have two more goalkeepers on the books. One's supposedly injured, so they've got that Faroe Islander dude to stand in (who looked better than our pole [small "p" intended] on Sunday). What's the big deal, one might ask. There are other clubs out there with bigger problems. Like us.

Anyway. So Manciti have now gone and asked for permission to make like an emergency buy. I say screw it man. If they're allowed to do this, then I think I see a short-term solution to our goalkeeping "issues". I shan't call them "problems", since Wenger seems to think that there are no such problems.

First, extend Almunia's "wrist injury". Then, someone (I think Vermaelen would be a good, strong candidate) push Fabianski in front of the team coach. That'll leave Mannone, who should be a good enough back-up for someone else we'll then ask for permission to sign. Wouldn't mind John Lukic or David Seaman on some kind of Sol Campbell deal. Shit. Wouldn't mind Pat Jennings over Fabianski.

In the first place, why is it that only, like, PHYSICAL injury situations allow for such emergency measures? What if our goalkeeper suddenly develops some unforeseen mental, psychological, emotional impediment? Why's that not allowed for huh? It's not like he sucks (he may, but that's beside the point), but he actually has a separate and real problem (just like a broken shoulder) preventing him from goalkeeping properly.

Let's be serious. A goalkeeper who (a) pushes a ball into his own net, (b) picks up an obvious back-pass, and (c) drops a ball onto an opposing players head, in the space of 2 games does have an obvious mental, psychological and emotional problem.

But we've got two games left. Maybe Wenger will keep his generous spirit and confidence in Fabianski till we see those through. But hey, who says players can't take things into their own hands and push one of their team-mates in front of the bus? If someone could contrive to break Nasri's leg in training, the least they could do is maybe just step on Fabianski's hand sometime.

While we ponder the possibilities, let's consider what took place on Sunday. Yet another 7 goal feast at Stamford Bridge. Shit. I have to admit it. Looks like they really will deserve the damn title. For all the plaudits we've had for our goal-scoring exploits (and I blame both the tabloids and arsenal.com for jinxing us with prematurely nonsensical extrapolations early in the season), just when it has mattered most, we've shot blanks. And Chelski have been right at it. Fair play to them. Sigh. We used to be the ones who had all the fun with 7-0 victories. Now, when we play really really really well, we get like 3-1, 6-2 scorelines.

Finally, on this Monday - ahead of a week or more of nothing - going back to the Manciti game, I suppose they did rightly (and in the perfect Italian way) go into the game with just one point in mind. With fixtures with both Villa and Spurs coming up, this was perhaps the best way for them to approach the game. Knowing how difficult we would find it to make the tippy-tappy work, I'd have done it too, if I were Mancini. Oh well. Nobody ever said there weren't better tacticians out there than Arsene Wenger.

Ha!