UNTOLD ARSENAL » 2008 » October » 06

International weeks, blah blah.  Boring, except two big things are happening.

First something stirs in the Reserves, because at last our defensive midfielder – the one everyone was screaming for through the summer – is playing.

Oh yes (as John Major used to say).   Amaury Bischoff is playing in the Reserves against Stoke tonight.

That might not seem much, but the few comments around from people who have seen him, suggest that he is something else and something else again, and he is in the position where the world and his godson have said we need a new man in.  OK he didn’t cost £20m, and he’s not 28 years old, but his reputation is that before his injury, he really was good.

And please take a look at the rest of that midfield.  Jack Wilshere, Mark Randall and Francis Coquelin.   That could well be our central midfield all the way to the Diddly Widdly Cup Final.  Coquelin comes from the world that gave us Clichy – he arrived unknown from a French second division side (Laval) and just turned up in the game at Barnet pre-season.

His whole style of running is – well – odd (that is not a criticism – to me Pires was always 50% of Henry’s genius, and his style of running was odd too).  But unplanned he went to the pre-season training camp in Austria, and played against Szombathelyi.

The Arsenal website tellingly says, “With his rugged and aggressive manner, coupled with a fine passing range, Francis is sure to have his eye on a holding midfield berth in the future.”

We’ve also got Silvestre playing in the centre of the defence – quite a team.

So that’s tonight’s excitement.  If you spent the summer screaming for midfielders come along to Barnet tonight and support them, now there are two new ones on show.   Give me a wave.  I’m the guy wearing red and white.

As for the rest, there is only worry, worry and worry again as Robin VP plays for Holland a year or so after being crippled in a similar game.   Theo’s playing too, along with most of the French contingent.   All we can hope for is that they come out walking.

There is an alternative of course – we don’t actually have to have any of these international games.  I mean, I’m going to be in Cardiff this weekend, and before I realised the full impact of the internationals I was thinking I might take in a “game” (I use the word in its vaguest sense) at Cardiff City, or perhaps drive west to Swansea, having never been to their ground since they left the Vetch.   But both are off because of “internationals”.  So I am left with Wales v Lichtenstein at 5.30pm.   Probably be a 0-0 draw, even with Ramsey doing his stuff.

What a life.