Debate rumbles on following Wednesday night's events in Paris with the Irish FA calling for the match to be replayed. Sorry, this is never going to happen. Blatter and Platini have fixed the playoffs, they've seen France play terribly and sneak through, and of course the Henry handball in the mixer to, they may be a couple of pricks but they 'aint stupid. What kind of precedent would this set, that anytime a team gets a bad call the match has to start again from scratch? The fact is that even after that 'goal' there was another 15 mins of football to be played, and even if the goal had been chalked off then there would have been a penalty shoot out. No-one feels more sorry for the Irish than I do but the request to replay the game is madness really. They got a bad call, a shocking call which cost them the POSSIBILITY of getting to the World Cup - Ireland weren't in a winning position remember, the game was very much alive. I watched the Trappatoni press conference yesterday (of about 20mins I think I understood about 18mins, use the translator Gio!!) and even he admitted 'I know it is impossible to play the game again,' he's reacting sensibly and rationally, not emotionally. It's interesting to see a few of the players (Duff, Doyle even Liam Brady) coming out and saying that they didn't blame Henry, they blamed the ref and lino, and it's really the fans and journalists who are targeting the Frenchman. I repeat what I wrote yesterday, this was Henry's fault, the officials can only call what they see and without more officials or video evidence this will continue to be the case. Are you really telling me that if the ref saw that handball he would have let it go? Do me a favour guv'nor. There has also been some sly Arsenal bashing going on in the press due to Henry's past, one twat called David Cross (Mirror) wrote 'next time Arsenal are cheated, no-one can compain, this was a big game.' Sorry mate, hasn't Henry been playing for Barcelona in Spain for the last two and a half years? What exactly has this got to do with the Gunners? Maybe he picked up these hand juggling tricks on the Med, whatever though Cross you can fuck off.
Premier League football returns tomorrow, finally back to some real football! Stand out games look to be the early kick off Liverpool v Man City, Hull v West Ham, Man Utd v Everton and Sunderland v Arsenal.
Liverpool will win this one, surely?! It's been a while for them, before that 2-0 win over Utd it was a 6-1 hammering of Hull all the way back in September. Gerrard is back in the team which is massive but they will still be without Torres and Aquilani isn't ready to start yet (still?). City have some really good players of course but still haven't found the right balance all over the pitch, they're currently in a run of 5 league draws. I think eventually they're going to get that world class manager the team maybe needs to get them into the top 4 - don't get me wrong I like Hughes but when you look at the squad list at Eastlands, the owners will think the logical change will be with the gaffer. Would Hiddink draw 5 games in a row (against Burnley, Birmingham, Fulham, Wigan and Villa)? Don't think so.
Hull got a desperately important win against Stoke last time out and they'll be looking to consolidate that with another result against struggling West Ham. I think Hull are shit and they have a piece of shit manager in Phil Brown and I thoroughly hope they get smashed by the Hammers and go down. Leaving my personal feelings for Brown aside I think this'll go a draw. West Ham have done ok of late despite the defeat to Everton - win against Villa and draws with Sunderland and Arsenal - and I think the quality in their side will keep them up ahead of shit like Hull. Franco could maybe do with making them a little harder to beat and go 4-5-1 away from home (might be enforced now with Cole out) and try and score on the break.
Utd v Everton on paper is a tasty one but right now I'm not sure which versions of these 2 sides will turn up. There's the dogged hard working Utd who keep plugging away and eventually break teams down in an anti-climactic way, and there's the very average Utd who give the ball away, have shit wingers and look mighty dodgy at the back. Same goes for Everton who have looked good when Saha is on form, Bilalyad....Bily looks a real find and the industrious Osman and Pienaar can always find a goal from somewhere. But sometimes that small squad will get battered by Benfica and beaten 3-2 by Bolton, bit of a cliche but the first goal in this game could be all important. Utd win though.
Sunderland are for me the most improved side in the league this season (no-one counts Spurs who have always been decent, they just didn't play decent last season). Steve Bruce is a good coach who has brought some steel and quality to that midfield - Malbranque, Cattermole (crocked), Cana (think the boy is class) and he's got Reid and Richardson playing well. This is a tough tough game for Arsenal and we're going to have to defend really well if we wanna win the thing. I suspect the team will be Almunia - Eboue, Gallas, Vermaelan, Traore - Song, Ramsey, Cesc - Eduardo, Rosicky, Nasri. I think with Sagna and Arshavin's midweek marathons they'll get a rest, not Gallas though he's too important, Ramsey continues to impress for club and country and will deputise for Diaby, and the front line features 2 attacking midfielders to help with the tracking back. Denilson is back in the squad so might come back for Ramsey but I think mid week against Liege would be a nicer one for him. Away win, by 1 goal.
Finally some other Arsenal bits and pieces, Gibbs has only bruised his foot so should be back for Chelsea next weekend, good news. Eduardo has signed new long term deal (as usual with Arsenal it's just 'long term' no date, I understand it to be 2014) which is more great news. The Crozillian really needs to step up now that RvP is out and I fancy him to bag one tomorrow. Take her easy.
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