Last Man Standing

The FA have acted and decreed, as we all expected, that Adebayor’s appeal would be rejected and he would face a further charge which will doubtless result in a six match absence. We can’t argue he reacted badly to his dismissal, but six games for mistaken identity. I have to accept Paul Merson’s assertion on Sky at the weekend that the appeals committee consists of a couple of ninety year olds with cataracts who see no wrongdoing by the officials.

Between suspensions and injuries it will be a case of whoever makes the bus to Blackburn will play in tonights FA Cup replay at Blackburn. I’ve just been listening to Mark Hughes passing comment about how Arsenal react to defeat. Pretty rich that, given his moaning last week about being the victim of time-wasting and negative tactics as Rovers crashed out of the UEFA Cup. How do you think you got the replay tonight pal?

Almunia should continue as ‘cup-tie keeper’ tonight, but the four ahead of him will be without the suspended Toure, and possibly Djourou and Clichy. That at least leaves Hoyte, Gallas, Senderos, and young Traore.

The midfield is definitely stripped of the injured Diaby and Rosicky, plus Fabregas who in the words of Wenger “will be rested as well”. Flamini and Walcott are also doubts, leaving a possible four of Hleb, Gilberto, Denilson, and Ljungberg.

Up front Henry and Van Persie are injured, and Adebayor suspended. That means another opportunity for Aliadiere and Baptista to reproduce the double-act that shattered Liverpool in the Carling Cup quarter-final. The Beast is in need of another big performance if he wants to avoid a return ticket to Madrid.

That would leave a ‘bench’ of mad Jens and, er, well, just mad Jens really. The crazy German could yet be key to our hopes of reaching the quarter-final!

It obviously won’t be quite that bad, but a week away from the massive Champions League clash with PSV there is a sense that Lady Luck is not bestowing her favours in equal measure.

If we can avoid further injuries and red cards I still fancy that side will be strong enough to get the result we all crave, but that could yet turn out to be a big ‘If’. Have a word with them Arsene!