Just a quick one today, because I’m really behind, after feeling the full cost of “private” dental procedures. Frankly, I’m surprised that so many Americans can afford a full mouthful of sizzling white teeth. I’m remortgaging my house and one of my children can’t go to college now because I replaced a tooth I had removed when I was 20.
You know what doesn’t feel like pulling teeth or selling your children’s future? Arsenal tonight. Our final home match of the Champions League is against Kairat, the lowest placed team in the Super League stage of the competition.
What is a Kairat, you ask? It is a club from Almaty, Kazakhstan. This match shouldn’t be a problem for Arteta tonight unless he goes crazy and picks a first-team selection as punishment for the missed point at the weekend.
For me there is quite a lot of interest in the team he drives with. We have to be explosive against Leeds; there is no reason to play against first team players in this game unless they need fitness minutes. So my suspicion is that we will find out at least next weekend who will not start.
What happens in that role is of course the most important thing in my life. One would hope that Kai could be rolled out for a few minutes. His recovery has truly amazed me. It’s so upsetting that we’re already about two months two weeks away from a return. Can’t he get a little 60 tonight? PLEASE.
We might see Calafiori and Mosquera as centre-backs, and Benny Blanco and Myles as full-backs.
Arteta should put Norgaard in midfield with Merino. I suspect it will be Eze in the hole. The wingers should be Max Dowman on the right and Martinelli on the left.
Then let’s take it easy with the first team substitutes and have a bloody good time.
You know my biggest complaint with Arteta has always been one thing: how he handles player fitness. Remember, I also told you that there is constant friction at clubs between the medical staff and the coaching staff over the return of players. There’s an art and science to getting players to return, but when the artist can lose their studio and brushes when it comes to decisions… things can get pretty strained.
Have you ever wondered why Mikel is such a macho man when it comes to injuries? Well, I have the source… this was Pep G due to injuries.
“We have incredible doctors, incredible physios, [working] 24 hours [a day]. I believe Johan Cruijff – my mentor, my idol, my everything. When he said to me: ‘If a player doesn’t do that [want to] are injured, they will not be injured’.
There are situations [where they are] bad luck, but if you’re incredible [in shape] and you don’t want to get hurt, you won’t get hurt. Unfortunately we have a lot of them, that is the problem we have now.”
Well, look at that… ‘man up’ ideology is hereditary and it started with Johan Cruyff!
I absolutely believe there is an element of injury in the head. If you break a wrist while taking a photo on a shoot in Albuquerque, they say to put pressure on it as the wrist heals, and warn you that it will hurt. If your ACL ruptures, your body won’t want you to make hard turns when you get back, and you’ll have to fight pain ghosts. Mind over matter is a story as old as humanity, but an MRI scan will tell you when your hamstring is hanging on your leg.
If you spend too long on the subject, you can cause irreversible damage and interrupt a career. There are plenty of stories about legendary players, like Ian Wright, who can no longer kick because their joints seize up. A career is short, but life is long; Hobbling around for the rest of your life because you got injections is something many athletes don’t want to do.
But as with everything, there is a balance. When you get into fitness in football, it will always be a drunken dance.
The balance on fitness tonight? Don’t take any risks. Let’s make it a fun evening. Sign up for On The Whistle so you can get a taste of the goodness of the members below! xx
#KAIRAT #PLAY #CHILDREN