Monday Update: Walcott & Denilson in, Nasri, Ramsey & Merida out 18 January, 2010

No match report from yesterday’s game purely because I didn’t get to see any of it. I was in a car traveling to Geneva airport through France whilst the game was on and was only able to get access to a stream for the last 20 minutes. A stream that kept fucking up mind, and made me miss our second goal. However I have seen the highlights since and it sounded like another grounded out win – once again not a top performance but we came away with the win, which is the spirit it takes to win the Premier League.

It’s a result that sets up the chance to go top on Wednesday, win by two goals and we go above Chelsea, albeit playing a game more than them, but still. It’s an incentive that will surely get the players going, I don’t think we’ve been top since we were there alphabetically at the beginning of the season! It would put us in a great position going into the games against Villa, United, Chelsea and Liverpool – a position worth defending.

If we’re still in or around that top spot after we play Liverpool on 10th February then I’m going to wet my pants with excitement about this season run-in. Get through those games and it really is downhill from there, win all four then well the media will hate it but we’ll be favorites.

Our main problem at the moment though is injuries; we just can’t seem to keep anyone fit. Nasri and Ramsey are now out for three weeks with injuries picked up in training this week which is a blow. Ramsey’s provided excellent cover in midfield and Nasri is important to our first team but we’ll manage if Rosicky can stay injury-free for the next few weeks. It’s a big ask though…

We’re so low on players at the moment that it meant a first team debut for Craig Eastmond yesterday. Wenger described his performance as ‘interesting’ but it was great experience for the lad. I’ve heard he did well in the first half but looked tired in the second losing possession a few times. He’s not used to the pace of the Premier League but looks promising for the future.

Denilson is back though so he will fill in again at defensive midfield. Both he and Walcott are in the squad for Wednesday but I don’t expect the latter to start. Theo’s had such an injury-hit season he’s going to have to be eased in gradually. Wenger also told us that Bendtner should be back for next week’s mid-week trip to Villa Park which is a bonus; hopefully he’s fit enough to start that one.

It’s a timely boost for both Walcott and Bendtner, we’ve been so low on attacking players recently and it’s great to have a couple more options going into those massive games against the top two.

Losing van Persie was a really big blow. A really big, unlucky blow. A really big, unlucky, shitty blow. I think we’d be cruising if he was still available, he was in such good form and for him to be taken away from us by a pointless international friendly is infuriating. Wenger says he’s coming along well though and it aiming for a mid-April return. He could be just the boost we need going into those final few games, lets hope we’re still with a shout of silverware by then.

Finally today Wenger says he’d prefer to loan Wilshere to an English side. This after FC Twente we linked with a move for him but Arsene has responded saying he wants Jack to be playing in the Premier League. I think we will wait right until the end of the window though before letting him go though.

That’s it really for today. I will try preview the Bolton match at some point before Wednesday night, not sure when but I’ll try write something even if it’s the afternoon of the game. Until then.