Loan News / Toure / Plymouth Preview 2 January, 2009

A lot to fit into one day but that’s my fault for being hungover yesterday and unable to lift my fingers to type. So I’ll just get on with it…

The reserve camp have been busy signing contracts on sorting out half-season loans. I told you already about Jay Simpson’s new deal and possible loan to West Brom, we’ll that’s been sorted now and he will join the Premiership side for the rest of the season. That’ll be a good move for him assuming he gets in the side. Lets hope he can do us a favour and score some goals against our rivals.

Gavin Hoyte has joined Watford on loan. On Boxing Day I went to watch Watford play Bristol City and their defense was shocking and in need of immediate signings. So I think Hoyte will get some football there and some great experience as The Hornets fight to stay above the relegation zone.

Nacer Barazite has extended his loan with Derby until the end of the season. He’s doing well for them; he’s made 19 appearances and has made the most assists in the side. Derby themselves are not doing so great; they’re down the bottom end of the Championship with Watford and have just sacked Paul Jewell.

And finally, Havard Nordtveit officially returns from his loan with Salamanca. He’s been back in England for a while after a bad time in the Spanish second division. You might remember a few months ago him storming out of the club, driving straight to the airport, dumping his car and catching the first flight back to England. Well now he’s officially an Arsenal player again after an unhappy loan spell.

We’ve turned down a transfer request from Kolo Toure and Peter Hill-Wood has said he expects him to honor his contract. It’s quite upsetting news because Kolo Toure is one of the few players at the club that you feel is an Arsenal-man. He’s one of my favorite players and a very popular bloke amongst Arsenal fans. It would be such a shame to lose another one of the Invincibles but he has lost a lot of his game in the past few years. He’s seen himself fall further behind in the pecking order behind Johan Djourou, that and a fall out with William Gallas has forced him to hand in the transfer request. I hope he doesn’t go, not just because I really like him but the squad is thin enough as it is, especially at centre back. More on this story as it develops.

Tomorrow we take on Plymouth Argyle and it’s a brand new FA Cup campaign. He have to go for this – it is probably our best chance for silverware this season. Last year Wenger didn’t take the competition seriously playing a weakened squad in the competition. I hope we go with the first team tomorrow though; Plymouth will be well up for this game and are going to make it really difficult for us.

I’ll be quite annoyed to see a second string side put out but I think the temptation will be too much for Wenger. I’m expecting to see Bendtner, Vela, Ramsey, Fabianski, maybe Wilshere and the likes. I don’t think he will weaken the side too much though, we just can’t afford to. Being knocked out tomorrow would be even more damage on our already low moral.

This is the team I’m expecting:

Fabianski
Sagna – Silvestre – Djourou – Clichy
Eboue – Ramsey – Denilson – Diaby
Bendtner – Vela

Maybe not Sagna and Clichy but I think we need them in there to give the side a slightly more first team feel. I don’t know, the team could be anything. I haven’t heard anything from Wenger suggesting who he might field but we will later in his press conference.

Right I better wrap this up, bit of a long post. I’ll talk to you in a couple of days. Thanks for reading.