Match Preview: Arsenal vs. Birmingham

By: Dan | January 11th, 2008

After a poor showing against Tottenham in our 1-1 draw in the Carling Cup, it is back to the Premiership and our best eleven. And it is a relief as well, as our second-string team has had some shaky moments over the past two games. We are playing Birmingham who are at 16th place in the table and we absolutely have to win. These are the games we must put away to ensure a run for the title, particularly with only a two point lead at the top.

Unfortunately, Robin van Persie is out. Not because of a reoccurrence of his knee injury or his metatasaral injury or his thigh strain or any of his other problems, but because he managed to get the flu after only playing a half against Tottenham. Honestly, RVP is so injury prone that it is a nice surprise that he starts, and no longer an expectation. Certainly his proneness to injury is the largest problem for a striker with the ability to be among the world’s greatest.

Thus Eduardo will presumably start, and after his Bergkamp-esque pass for Walcott and his 6 goals in 5 games, I am very confident in him. Senderos should be at the back which I am grateful for, as Djourou has not looked convincing over the past two games. Beyond that, I expect the normal eleven.

The line-up:

Almunia
Sagna Senderos Gallas Clichy
Hleb Flamini Fab Rosicky
Ade Eduardo

Bench:
Lehmann
Hoyte
Diaby
Walcott
Bendtner

Prediction: 2-1 to the Arsenal.

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Lehmann will stay at least until the summer, which I think is fantastic. For all his weaknesses, I think of Mad Jens fondly, and his penalty save against Riquelme in the Champions League semifinal will never be forgotten. Hey, it can’t be bad to have the national goalkeeper for Germany as a backup can it?

In other news, Diarra is officially a bit of a bitch. An uncouth description perhaps, but when a player first complains about his lack of time on the pitch, then refuses to play when given the chance, what can you say? He has talent and the potential to be the next Makelele, and I am sure Wenger is the person to get the best from him. But when a 22 year old with no experience or particular fame is demanding 80,000 pounds a week, something is wrong. Anelka left Arsenal for similar money in 1999 and promptly doomed his career to club hopping. (His latest club is Chel$ea, which bought him for 15 million pounds from Bolton. Anelka has always been a great player, and though his departure was acrimonious, I still would take him back. Oh well…hopefully he can’t do too much for Chelsea.) Diarra needs an attitude check and soon, or else he will end up at Tottenham. And no one wants that. (See bottom of page, where two possible prospects reject Tottenham.)

Get yourself in order Diarra. You are a 22 year old who is behind two players for a starting position at the best team in the Premiership, and both Flamini and Gilberto could leave over the summer. Be a little patient and you could become great at Arsenal.

Compare this attitude to that of Gilberto, the one-time captain who has been displaced by Flamini.

“It has been quite bad for me to look at Arsenal playing so well from the bench - but I try to be very positive every day at the training ground and to fight.

“I go there, do my job and be 100% professional, as I always have been and try to return to the team.

“You have to respect everybody, be professional and wait for your chance to come again.”

Words to live by, Diarra.

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