Campbell, FA Cup, Spain

The portion of my blog on transfers yesterday was ill timed, shortly after posting it the Arsenal website reported that Sol Campbell would be playing in a reserve game for the Gunners against West Ham. It's common knowledge that Sol has been training with us since is disaster move to Notts County, agreeing a 5-year £40,000 a week deal, playing one game then jumping ship. Since then the County manager has departed, twice, and the big money owners who promised Premier League football in a few years time, have put the club back up for sale. Something tells me that big Sol knew something that we didn't. Anyway, he has been unattached for several months now and Arsene Wenger has been able to get a really good look at him up close, and it seems he is set to sign a deal until the rest of the season. Does le boss have a history of signing players over 30? Nope, certainly not 35 year olds. Does he have a history of re-signing players he's previously sold? Never, this will be a first. Interesting. The big man did great things with the club, winning 2 league titles, 3 FA Cups, was part of the Invincibles team, and scored in the Champions League final. His first spell at the club though ended in mysterious and sad circumstances. 2-0 down to the Hammers, Sol walked out of Highbury at half time apparently distraught at his part in conceding the goals and the supposed realisation that he was getting on a bit. He wasn't seen by the club for something like a week until he turned up on holiday in Belgium - very strange indeed. Since then he won the cup with Pompey so has tasted more success than most of the current Arsenal side. I think he'll be a great addition to the squad, low risk, low expense, high experience and high presence. Who knows, 5 games to go in the title race, Gallas picks up a thigh strain and it's up to Sol to come in and do a job. 10th April, White Hart Lane, 5 to go, it's 1-1, and 'The Sol Man' leaps like a salmon to meet a corner and gives us the win. Haha, get in!

FA Cup 3rd round replays started last night and continue tonight. Pompey scraped through against Coventry thanks to a goal in the last seconds of extra time, in form Bham beat in form Forest, and Cardiff v Bristol City will have to go to a Seven Bridge replay - this was the original tie. Tonight Liverpool take on Reading at Anfield after a poor performance when they came down to the Mad Stad a few weeks back. It shouldn't be underestimated what a big game this is for Liverpool. They are in a real shit fight for that Champions League spot, City are looking strong and Villa and Spurs are still knocking about. They still have a shot in the Europa League, but the FA Cup is a winnable trophy that would salvage something for their season, especially with Utd already out. As for Reading, they played great in the first leg and fully deserved the replay, no-one will be fancying them to go up there and do it, but they'll have nothing to lose and will go for it.

Finally, a little rant on those dirty mischief makers at Barca and Madrid, whose public pursuit of a certain Spaniard is getting quite silly now. First of all, we shouldn't be surprised at the way things are done over there, they have big daily sports papers like Marca and big sport radio stations that make it their business to create transfer rumour nonsense, we have the same over here. The difference though is the system of presidents, heads of football and other such positions that are voted on during elections. That's where you get guys like Florentino Perez at Madrid, he says 'vote for me cos I'll bring in Ronaldo, Kaka and Benzema' and there you have it. It has mainly been Barcelona though who have been pursuing Cesc, twats like Joan Laporta and Txixixixixi Bergustin (or something) go on about the Barca DNA that Cesc has and all this fucking nonsense, you've even got Xavi, Iniesta and Puyol joining in now. We know that one day Cesc will go, to Barca or Madrid, but it's down to us and the boss to make sure that day is in 5/8 years and not 1/2. I get a little nervous when he's away with Spain, I don't want him to enjoy playing with Xavi too much and get his head turned, something like that could easily happen this summer. The boss has hand written a letter to both of them to say, 'look, I'm not selling Cesc or anyone at the moment so you might aswell fuck off. If you wanna make a mistake and buy another Hleb from us in a few years, give us a ring and we'll sort summink out, until then, shit off.' A £40million bid for him and signs of unhappiness and the boss might think again. He's done nothing but be committed so far though, our best player, our captain, our leader. We love you boy! Take her easy.