I wrote the blog title this morning before I wrote the first word of the blog. I rarely do this. To help you pass the time during this Interlull, we’ve given you a peek behind the curtain.
The ‘process’ is always to write first and then think of the title. The only exception to this are blogs where I write the scoreline first thing in the morning after the game. But still, I wait for the writing to finish before completing it. For example, italicized parts are usually shown late unless they are noticeable for what they should be.
Arsenal 7-6 Liverpool: Havertz strikes late to take all three points
or
Chelsea 0-5 Arsenal: Jesus finally found his shooting boots
I felt very shattered today. I don’t know if the above is a bit or a fragment. It’s really hard to tell them apart. As the old saying goes, ‘one man’s work is another man’s work,’ I’ll leave the decision up to you. I don’t need to introduce anything else to this topsy-turvy world to make you irritated.
I saw on Instagram that Arsenal posted footage of Martin Odegaard at training using a Gravitron2000 to support some of his weight as he runs on a treadmill. Obviously this is a positive development, but it remains to be seen how close he will be to a return. The fact that he’s using that machine suggests that a great deal of caution is still being applied, but it’s worth considering that we don’t know exactly when that scene was filmed. It could have been yesterday, or it could have been last week. More progress may have been made since then.
Considering how much Mikel Arteta likes to keep it inside when it comes to fitness, we have to assume things are going really well with Odegaard’s recovery. Nothing is posted if there is a risk, so seeing him back to full health is a small boost to everyone. I don’t yet know when his return will be, but I wonder if the Liverpool game could be a target. We will find out in due course.
There are a few other injury issues to consider during this break. I’ve seen reports that Kai Havertz’s knee problem isn’t that serious. I’m continuing to pay attention to that. Let’s hope these few weeks give Ben White and Jurrien Timber time to recover from the shock of their selection. Until late. There was also a bit of a bounce-back with Takehiro Tomiyasu coming on late against Southampton.
This may sound harsh, but there were times when I almost forgot about him, so I hope he maintains some stamina. The line between being unlucky with injuries and being injury prone is often a good thing, but unfortunately for him I think he overlooked the wrong aspect. This is truly a shame. I think he is a fantastic player. His versatility across the backline provides incredible depth in all positions. But of course, that’s only depth when he’s fit.
What is clear is that whenever Arteta talks about himself as a player, he does so in glowing terms, and that tells you a lot. With a busy schedule requiring a lot of football, his presence will be very useful to the squad. Therefore, he has great stamina and availability. Because if he does, it could be good for us.
If you’re a certain generation of Arsenal fan who loves Liam Brady and loves music, there’s something to take note of. One of our Patreon members is a volunteer at Near FM, a non-profit radio station in Dublin. This Friday between 9.30pm and 11.30pm he will be playing music selected by Liam based on his time in London in the 1970s and his duties with the Ireland national team, which will also feature memories of him.
You can listen live at https://nearfm.ie/ and it will be played from Saturday in case you can’t watch live. One is for bookmarks.
you’re right. That’s all I have for you this morning. Have a happy Wednesday, everyone.
