Don’t know about you, but we hate international weeks. No club football and the fear of players coming back injured.
Mind, it was a change to be able to admire a Harry Kane goal on Tuesday (unless you’re a Scotland supporter, I guess).
And an international break does give us at AISA towers a chance to book an event without fearing our guests will be otherwise engaged. Although with as so many ex-players becoming pundits these days, even that’s not a foregone conclusion. But we are really hopeful of a great night in the October break with Roy Massey and Adrian Clarke – and at the time of writing, we are crossing our fingers for a special addition to that line up. So get registering!! (Contact us on [email protected])
Back to the internationals; for me the big worry was Bukayo Saka. It appears he has been carrying an achillies issue all season – and last. You get the feeling he’d play with a broken leg if asked, so to be ‘rested’ (if that’s the word) for the Scotland game was something of a relief. He’d been fouled relentlessly by Ukraine, and it felt good he was having a mid-week off. But no, on he came as a sub and lo, he was fouled almost every time he had the ball. At least Kieren Tierney did the decent thing and not target Bukayo’s legs and ankles, although he did his best to haul him back almost ripping apart the Number 17 shirt in the process! But such is Saka’s importance to Arsenal’s attack, it’s hard to envisage how Mikel can rest him, even though it’s unlikely Everton will be willing to spare him the usual clattering. Might Leandro Trossard – who scored for his country – get a run, or Reiss Nelson? There are other options, too, but it’s always tough for players to slot in and make an immediate difference – and no match in the Premier League is one to experiment with selections. The best outcome is for Bukayo to be fit!
It was good to read that Kai Havertz had a good game for Germany. May he come back brimming with confidence and show us what Arteta went out of his way to purchase. And hopefully the Brazil trio come back fit. We know one player who should be raring to go – Eddie Nketiah. Called up by England but not summoned from the bench. As good as the Kane goal was, why select someone for the squad who’s not played for England and then not give him a run? Oh, to be able to tap into the understanding of managers whose job it is.
Finally, have you seen the squad list has been submitted to the Premier league? Twenty-five players, including Cedric and Elneny (I always forget he’s still around, and hope he getting back to fitness.) The list of U21s who are eligible stretches for two scrolls of my iPhone! It includes Charlie Patino and Brooke Norton-Cuffy who are out on loan. Is it in the back of anyone’s mind that they might be back in January? And I look forward to seeing James and William Sweet away at White Hart Lane (William isn’t even on the Arsenal web page’s Academy listing) and if they are related, perhaps they could make the first family double since the Hoytes!
Next stop, Goodison . . .
RS