I’m going to start off with the news that Justin Hoyte has agreed to join Middlesbrough. I know this was announced a couple of days ago but I haven’t had the chance to talk about it with match previews and reports to do.

I’m quite sad to hear that Justin has gone. It’s strange because he was only our 2nd or even 3rd choice right-back, but still I didn’t want him to go. It’s all because he was a true Gooner. The sort of guy you want at the club. You know that he’s not playing for the money, not playing for the fame, not even playing for the Manager, he just wanted to play for Arsenal Football Club.

He’s a local boy and has been a Gooner all his life. His dream came true when he was brought through our academy to become an Arsenal player, but he remained a fan. I’ve been told by someone who works for the club that Justin would join in our songs whilst sitting on the bench. Incredible, I’d never heard anything like that before. He is a rare case of a player who genuinely loves the club and would do anything just for the badge on his chest, that’s why it’s such a shame to lose him.

However he’s 24 now, and we’ve got to be honest and say that he’s not going to make it here. With Bacary Sagna at Arsenal he’s never really going to break in the side. Even if Sagna got injured, we have other players in that position. I doubt we put him up for sale though, but ‘Boro were in the market for a full back and put in a bid for our Justin. We didn’t really have a choice, we let him know that we were going to accept the offer and he had to get on with it. I’m sure Justin was a bit upset but I’m sure he knows that he needs this for his career.

I bet if no offer ever came for him he wouldn’t have left, content with the few appearances he got. I mean, if you or me were an Arsenal player, not a very good one but an Arsenal player nonetheless. We’d be on the Arsenal payroll, and kept up to date with everything going on behind the scenes at the club we love. It would be great!

Anyway, he’s gone now and I wish him the best of luck up north, and I mean it. It’s going to be painful for him when he has to play us but hopefully he’ll score an own goal or two. I’m actually pretty sure that if Arsenal had to beat Middlesbrough to win the title and things weren’t going our way, he’d score an own goal. Sure, it’d cost him his job maybe but fuck it he’s worth it. He could even get a special invitation to the open-top bus parade. Thanks for everything Justin, hope you still sing the songs.

Samir Nasri got his Arsenal career off to a flying start on Saturday with a goal in the 4th minute of his debut and a great performance. Samir says it was a dream to score on Saturday and enjoyed his debut game. He also says that Arsene told him it might take 6 months to adapt to the English game, and that he’s on a special physio course to get him used to the Premier League.

However he says he felt good at the weekend, but that was only one game and he’s got a long way to go yet. Yes, it was a good start for him but we need to see how he copes with the better and more physical teams. He looked great on the ball against West Brom but other sides might not allow him so might time and space.

Wenger was pleased with him too saying he reminded him of Pires. He has been likened to Zidane back in France but Le Boss thinks he is more like another French star:

“Samir looks intelligent and capable of having good acceleration. He sees a good vision of the game and that left flank suits him quite well. Maybe there is a bit of Robert Pires in him because he looks to be able to change direction very easily and a little bit the same style of run. He is a bit smaller, but there’s a bit of Pires in there.”

That’s a hell of a name to live up to.

The manager’s also been talking about our absences at the weekend but has said how we can benefit from it. Toure and Fabregas were out recently, two players that would’ve been expected to start least season. However Wenger says their absence from the side has been good for Johann Djourou and Denilson. He says that you can only tell how well people play when they get a chance in a competitive game. Those two have impressed well against Twente and West Brom so the injuries have worked in their favour. Djourou has slotted right into the defence and made some great stops and saving tackles. And with no Fabregas grabbing the headlines, Denilson’s had a chance to shine and he’s done well too.

It doesn’t necessarily mean that those players will retain their places when the other players return, but it is reassuring to know that we have more than capable players in reserve. I think Djourou has proven to Wenger that he doesn’t need to sign a new defender. If he and Senderos can get back to their prime form then there’s going to be a real competition for places. Toure was fit for the West Brom game but only managed to make the bench. Even when he came on, he didn’t replace Djourou at the back, he actually played at right midfield.

I hope all this talk from Wenger isn’t just to divert our attention away from the need for a signing. It is nice to see players do well but we still need someone of top quality. Flamini has yet to be replaced. Wenger said we would sign someone before the 2nd leg against Twente. This international break might be a perfect opportunity for him to look into the market.

That’s it for today, thanks for reading.