Gilberto For Captain!

Well, I hope you have all had an enjoyable holiday. The Goonerholic Boxing Day open house was made all the merrier by the result, if not the performance, at Vicarage Road.

My eighty-four year old father was once again in fine form, espousing the obvious. 'Why don't they tell Henry he is now club captain, and let Gilberto be the team captain on the pitch?'

The Brazilian has been wearing the captain's armband in the absence of the injured Thierry Henry and led his side to victory at Watford on Boxing Day as Robin Van Persie sealed a 2-1 win.

The defensive midfielder is nicknamed the "Invisible Wall" in his homeland but the 30-year-old has also started to score goals, with his headed opener against the Hornets his eighth of the season and third in as many games.

The game also brought the inevitable injury to Adebayor. We don't just do injuries at Arsenal, we do injuries to players who are deputising for the injured! Is this finally the opportunity for Baptista to prove his worth? The big Brazilian looks fitter than when he arrived but has been left waiting for his opportunity as the likes of Adebayor and Flamini have played important roles of late.

Neil Warnock is talking of 'rotating' his squad for Saturdays clash at Bramall Lane. The Sheffield United boss believes his team could find easier pickings in their other new year fixture with Middlesbrough. He should be wary. I remember West Brom doing something similar and still not surviving the drop.

Enough of that for now. I would like to thank those of you who still paid a visit over Christmas, and wish you all a very happy and healthy 2007. Let's hope for a celebration in Athens come May.