Can we talk about something else now? Is it over?

Not quite. The Guardian said yesterday that Adebayor had asked for time to think about his imminent move to Moneybags City. Apparently he's concerned about how his move will look in his home continent. A continent where Arsenal Football Club is hugely popular and Manchester City, apparently, isn't. Of course, that may yet change and it could even be that Adebayor is at the forefront of that change, but for now, it seems that one of the "biggest strikers in the world" is leery of swapping a Champions League club for a huge swag bag of cash. And who can blame him? Likewise, blogs on the BBC and Times websites are not blaming Arsenal fans for the almost celebratory air surrounding this imminent departure. It's the only sane reaction in an increasingly insane world.

Last night I was amused to read, in one of the free papers that have become a feature of London life, that Arsène Wenger's move for, potential Ade replacement, Marouane Chamakh had snagged due to Bordeaux's desire to take Mikael Silvestre the other way. I'm sorry, what? If that is true, then maybe you do have to conclude that Arsène's grey matter is beginning to fail him. We have Gallas, Toure, Vermaelen, Djourou, Senderos and Song already at the club. But the gaffer is apparently unwilling to let Silvestre, last seen still strolling back towards our goal in half hearted pursuit of Didier Drogba- actually, I say pursuit, that implies that he was trying to chase Drogba, he looked more like he having a gentle jog on the beach- leave. That makes even less sense than turning down offers for Emmanuel Eboue.

The same paper concluded that we would now train our sights on the Dutchman, Klaas Jan Huntelaar. Now I know this guy's got a biggish reputation, but that's about all I know. Well, apart from the fact that he was the first player to score at the Grove and that he only signed for Real Madrid in January. It seems that he is one of the first victims of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Galacticos as Stuttgart prepare to pay "extraordinary" money for him. From what I have read and heard about him, though, he does sound more like the kind of player we need than yet another second striker type. You know, an actual real life, honest to goodness centre forward. If, in fact we do need another forward.

Looking at Football365's transfer blog, former Arsenal youngun Jerome Thomas, latterly of Portsmouth is now training with Mr Orange's Hull City. Back where it all began for him, Arsenal have invited a 15 year old Serbian wonderkid (he'd have to be pretty wondrous at 15, wouldn't he?) by the name of Veljko Batrovic. A future of having his name heinously mispronounced by Glenn Hoddle at regular intervals beckons. Or not. Incidentally, can anyone explain to me why Hoddle used to struggle with Thierry Henry's name as much as he did? It's not as if Hoddle has the excuse of not being exposed to the French language before, is it? Not that you would need much of a grasp of it, I would have thought.

Oh, if you're wondering about today's title- think Fever Pitch... 

On various Arsenal related websites and forums, a consensus appears to be forming, the current Wenger boys being compared to the squad that George Graham had in his last years at Highbury. The accusation being that, like Graham before him and Emperor Nero before anyone else, the boss is fiddling whilst (north) London is burning. Personally, I think that's a bit of an over reaction, but if it's true, then does that mean Arshavin is Arsène Wenger's version of Glenn Helder? I was at Helder's debut at home to Nottingham Forest and, whatever he did- or didn't do- for the club following that game, it was an excellent debut. A breath of fresh air as Gooners reeled from the news of "Gadaffi"'s sacking. I still have that night's programe, complete with GG's programme notes.

Is this the beginning of a call to sack the gaffer? No. It's the beginning of an observation that even with things being as bad as they are, we've been in worse positions. Namely in 1995. Okay, the defence was top quality, and we had Wrighty and we had the reborn Merson person, but we didn't have much else. The squad today is missing a raft of top quality players that would have walked into the 95 "vintage", albeit perhaps not if George was managing them! By way of an example, Chris Kiwomya scored the winning goal against Forest...

Anyway that was then and this is now. Today it was reported that a work permit had been secured in advance of the proposed/anticipated/unneccessary (delete according to your point of view) transfer of Andrei Arshavin. But the gaffer has come out relatively quickly to damp down the fires of expectation. There was also talk of Manchester City coming back in with a £12m bid for Kolo, who was relegated to the bench on Wednesday night- which I suppose you could take as further confirmation of the Ivorian's decline in standing. However, and if you haven't heard this before you might be in for a shock, so I hope you're sitting down... Mikael Silvestre is injured and won't be available for another two or three weeks. At least. I bet you're reeling from that eh? And gutted too, I should think. That seems to be the only update in the way of team news for tomorrow, the boss has said he will make changes- though not too many. I hope whatever he does, it restores some pace, mobility and intelligence to the side, who AM I talking about?

I mentioned the Merse earlier and here is a man who normally reserves anything nice he has to say about us for his column in the official magazine, but he points out here that all is not lost for us yet. He also picks up on a belief I have had for a while and half articulated here, that both Chelsea and Liverpool are vulnerable at the moment. One or both is certain to drop points this weekend and so if we can win at home to Hammers, and whatever their form we should win, we will close the gap down again. On the Merse, it was funny to see him talking about Liverpool's game against Wigan whilst they were 1-0 up and saying how defensive they were. That for me is the reason why Liverpool will not only fail to win the title, but are the most vulnerable to us.

I know this is old news, but I just wanted to congratulate Eduardo on his return to the Croatia national squad, I think we're all looking forward to seeing him in the red and white (or yellow and blue) as soon as possible.

There's so little going on today that I contemplated actually going out and getting some (very) fresh air. But then I thought, no I am a blogger and so I must blog.

Mikael Silvestre has been talking about our kids... experience.. learn from mistakes etc. I think that sums it up quite well. I have some words for Mikael though, along the lines of "We're conceding goals every time you're on the pitch!" I think he's done alright for us, to be fair. But he hasn't proved to be the answer to anyone's prayers, least of all Arsène's I imagine.

Meanwhile, with Senderos and Flamini already there, Italian UEFA Cup entrants Milan seem to be trying to recreate a third wing of Arsenal Football Club- the second one being in the capital of Cataluña of course. Speaking of Cataluña, it's the little catalan captain they're after. With two of Cesc's best mates already at the club (albeit on one of them on loan) they probably fancy their chances. But I think the captain would not be the captain if he wasn't planning on being around at least a couple of years longer. Not that the armband stopped Thierry, I know... Anyway, whilst Barcelona makes most sense as a probable destination for Cesc, how funny would it be if when he does go (as he surely will one day) he rejects the allure of his boyhood club, and the expectant arms of Alex Hleb, and heads to Milan instead?

No, you're right, it wouldn't be funny at all, what was I thinking?

Er, what else is there... oh yeah, this should make you laugh. Or perhaps not, perhaps it's just an indication what a weird month November was. Robin van Persie is Arsenal.com's player of the month. Yes the same Robin van Persie that got a straight red card at Stoke in our first game of the month, therefore missed three domestic games including the 2-1 win at home to Manyoo, didn't score in either of the Champions League matches he played in and in fact didn't score any goals until he got two goals at Stamford Bridge on the very last day of the month! It's understandable, I suppose, being the best result we've had against Chelsea for some time, since 2004 in fact, but player of the month? Really?  

I leave you with the news that our old friend, Roy Keane, seems to have fallen on his sword at Sunderland. He was in charge for 100 matches and that time seems to have turned the snarling menace into an introspective philosopher. I almost feel sorry for him.

Almost.

PS Don't you just hate gloating Manyoo fans that can't understand the difference between having Carlos Tevez and Nicklas Bendtner up front?

Listen... can you hear it?

Has anybody noticed how quiet the Chelsea players have been this week? It hadn't even ocurred to me until I wrote that sentence, but whilst Joe Cole took time out last week from watching his bird on "I'm a Celebrity..." to rubbish Arsenal's pretty football, they have been conspicuous in their silence since Sunday, enjoy the silence indeed.

If only their fans had been as silent on Sunday. I didn't mention it yesterday, but the abuse directed at Arsène Wenger was loud and clear and unacceptable. Yet, as with the dangerous tackling of Terry and Ivanovic, it has scarcely been mentioned in the media. I don't know what's worse; that in the 21st century, people can go to a football match and think it's alright to shout things like that, or that it's so ingrained in the national football psyche that the media don't think it worthy of comment. Sad days.

Not to dwell on it though, we are, if not back in the race- and amazingly SurAlex thinks we are- we've given ourselves a chance of being in it in the New Year. We simply must, must, must beat Wigan on Saturday. If our kids can do it so comfortably, there really is no excuse for the Chelsea slayers not to. Win this game and it's the beginning of a run, the first push of momentum, rather than the DLWLLW cycle that we've been on.

Before that, the Carling Cup quarter final beckons for the little whippersnappers who, yet again, have given Arsenal fans much to smile about this season. Johan Djourou has seen his stock rise to such an extent that he is excused from duty tonight, albeit he has a slight knock apparently, whilst Alex Song is also omitted. Conversely, the returns to the fold of RvP and Ade mean that Nick Bendtner is back in the Carling Cup fold. The full squad is here. The boss has spoken about how his Carling Cup boys are all capable of playing in the first team, and tonight should be a good test of that. It's much easier to play your game in front of a supportive crowd on our bowling green of a pitch, than away from home on an unfamiliar and, not wishing to cast aspersions... however, inferior pitch in front of a bunch of- as some Arsenal fans who made the trip north last season will testify- neanderthals. I'm really looking forward to see how Aaron Ramsey, Carlos Vela and Jack Wilshere in particular cope with this hostile territory.

In the absence of the guys that have been the Carling Cup bedrock this season, Mikael Silvestre will probably captain the team... hang on, did I really just write that sentence? Ugh, perish the thought. Anyway Silvestre at the back with Gavin Hoyte pushed into the centre? Paul Rodgers coming in? I don't know, but the rest of the team, I think, will pick itself. 

Enjoy the game.

Dearie me.

Things don't get any better for the much maligned captain of our club, do they? Following six months where the captain could do no wrong at the beginning of last season, this year -beginning with a petulant display at Manchester United in the FA Cup- has turned into something of an annus horabilis for William Gallas. To cap it all, he's been caught with a crafty ciggie in his mouth. Ok, so it wasn't lit. But still- a dirty cigarette in his mouth, what was he thinking? It defies belief that the captain of a football club, and not just any football club, but a football club called Arsenal, managed by the man who revolutionised the thinking around football in this country, could be caught with a coffin nail in his mouth.

So, Arsène says everyone does it in France. I've wondered about that often, Wenger's a smart guy he must know the effects of smoking on health, yet he seems to have smoker's teeth to me. How do you define a smoker's teeth? Well, they look stained and distinctly non white. Pretty basic maybe, but I'd say that covers it. Anyway, everyone in France, Arsène, really? It's difficult to imagine the once superfit Patrick Vieira puffing away on a Galouise, or Thierry Henry for that matter. Or Robert Pires. Actually, in Pires' case, I can imagine it all too easily, but that's not the point now, is it? Gallas needs all the good PR he can get right now, and this is not good PR. Not by a long stretch of the imagination.

Speaking of Robert Pires, just about the only ex Arsenal player doing any cheerleading for us, right now... ok I may be exaggerating slightly.. he says that Emmanuel Adebayor is in love with Arsenal and he thinks Ade will be here winning titles for a long time yet. I think it's easy to love a place where you get paid 80 grand a week for standing offside for 90 minutes. I think that anyone could grow to love a place like that.

Seriously though, this week would be a good week for Ade to go on a goal crazy rampage, especially with Ade's personal bunnies just starting to hop into view. Before the visit of the Premier League's bottom club though, West Ham tomorrow. We've already talked about how tough a game this could be for us, a fully committed Adebayor would go a long way to making life easier for us at Upton Park tomorrow. It seems that both Kolo and fag ash Bill could return, which had Silvestre and Song been a little bit better over the last week, might have given the boss a selection problem or two. As it is, I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see both of them reinstalled tomorrow afternoon. Though, I wouldn't mind seeing how Kolo and Silvestre get on. Yes, shoot me now.... A 4 point gap between ourselves and Manchester United can be opened up tomorrow as they drew today with Everton. We will also close the gap to a point or two on either Chelsea or Liverpool, or both with a win tomorrow. But we're not in a title race, nope. Not according to Football Focus this morning anyway.

 I was gonna end it there, but following yesterday's post/diatribe/whatever you want to call it, it struck me that the shortest way to sum the state of affairs at Arsenal regarding support is this; Arsène wants us all to behave like fans should do once in the ground, the club have pretty much ensured that that can't happen by treating us all like customers. And customers paying through the nose expect a quality product with no questions asked. Over to you, Arsène!

In around 4 hours, Arsenal will take to the field after what the Arseblogger aptly describes as a two week "interlull". We will begin the game against Everton without club captain William Gallas, without Bacary Sagna and without Nicklas Bendtner. All of whom are also unavailable for the midweek Champions League match. Gallas is also apparently out for two weeks, which must make him a big doubt for the Spurs game on the 29th, but I guess that's getting ahead of ourselves.

Coming back to the present, the logical move, with the personnel available at the back, would be to shift Emmanuel Eboué into the position from which Arsène Wenger once told a friend "Eboué can't defend" and play Djourou at the back in Gallas' position with Theo starting on the right. Except that Johan is currently recovering from a concussion and, having started each of his last four matches, Theo is tired. Like a dog maybe. So us lucky souls with ticket, or at least matchday activated membership cards, will be able to see Silvester the Cat make his debut for us and, probably Denilson shifting to the right, with Alex Song coming into the centre. I guess it's too much to hope that born again Abou Diaby would be fit to start the game, can't be risking his frail gazelle like limbs now, can we?

Perhaps Carlos Vela may see some minutes today, it must be quite tempting to throw him in. Given the nature of his appearances this season, I know I'd be tempted. But then again, with the paucity of attacking options available, perhaps it's not a bad idea to leave something on the bench. Anyway, my cousin James is now in the shower and I think we're going for some lunch before the game, so I must take my leave soon.

Before I do go, though, wasn't it great to see Cesc qualifying his reported "blast? I know this is "old" news, so I'm not going to dwell long here. Especially as I never believed it was a blast in the first place, but well done, young man, for removing any doubt. It's good to see at least one of our players knows how to make the right noises at the right times, but then this is Cesc we're talking about, isn't it?

Enjoy the game y'all.