The Long Layoff Ends, Bendter Proclaims and Usmanov Raises the Stakes

Aren't you glad today is Monday?   I mean, besides the fact that you're probably back at work and had a weekend with no Arsenal?   A weekend that had you dress up nice and spend a few hours of your time doting on your significant other on Valentine's Day?

Look at it on the bright side, imagine if the game had been on Valentine's Day and you had been forced to snub your partner for the Arsenal?  Right now you'd be sleeping in a very tiny doghouse.

So always look on the bright side of life.  The lack of football meant you had to do something that'll probably buy you enough time to enjoy more football till...I'm guessing Easter?  Yeah, you'll have to visit the S.O.'s family for Easter brunch then.  And with your luck, they're probably all Chelsea fans.

So the game's in a few hours and the question is: who does Arsene start?  Eboue is suspended.  Adebayor is injured.  Arshavin cannot play.  Ramsey's a doubt after playing for Wales.  Diaby's back keeping Rosicky company.   And we got Sunderland at home this Saturday AND Roma on Tuesday in the return of the Champions League -- so Arsene has to juggle multiple competitions and line-ups starting now.

The smart money is on RVP (AKA "the whole f'ing show") being rested and the possible inclusion of Jack Wilshere and Amaury Bischoff into, at least, the subs' bench alongside Eduardo.  That'd mean we'd likely see the old Carling Cup strikeforce of Carlos Vela and Nicklas Bendtner.

Speaking of Bendtner, he came out today and spoke with the Daily Mirror with his usual shyness.

Oh wait...this is Bendtner.  Let's go with the exact opposite of shyness:

''I'm very sorry to see Adebayor injured as we need him fit and to be playing in the league, but it does not really matter to me who is fit and available.  I should start every game, I should be playing every minute of every match and always be in the team.''

Now look, I like confidence in my players, even if it's an abundance of it.  A player's belief in himself is paramount.  But Bendtner has netted 3 goals in 18 appearances for the club.  And on more than one game he has dissappeared or put in second-rate performances.  That doesn't mean I don't think he's talented.  Far from it.  I just think he should be aware that his ego's writting checks his output can't cash just yet.  In fact, I wonder if a healthy Eduardo wouldn't be ahead of him in the strike force pecking order.

One more thing before we go:  News has come out today that Red & White Holdings (the company owned by Alisher Usmanov and chaired by David Dein) has bought 1% more of the company and upped their ownership of the club to 25%.  This further cements him as the main shareholder -- with Danny Fizman in second place at 24.11% -- and inches him closer to the magic 29% line where he would be forced to table a bid for the club outright.

Personally, I wouldn't want that.  We have seen in clubs as far ranging as Chelsea, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Hearts of Midlothian and West Ham, the troubles that arise when a club's finances and future are tied to the financial position of a single owner entity.  Specially in today's economic times, when banks freeze credit, lendors can't lend and construction grinds to a halt, it isn't wise to risk the club's overall health and future by allowing anyone to just take it.

Sadly, that very health that can keep Arsenal afloat and competitive through tough economic times also makes it attractive to guys like Usmanov.  The fact is he needs the club far more than the club needs him.