It seems that UEFA have seen sense and overturned the two match ban for Eduardo. This, of course, will now lead, I'm sure, to more debate on the whole issue of diving or maybe it will just all go away. Fundamentally the whole problem is how on earth you determine "intent to deceive" which are the words used by UEFA. The ban has been overturned because UEFA couldn't prove this categorically as there was some contact and the argument then returns to whether it's okay to "make more of it" as the English media seem to refer to Rooney, Gerrard and Owen whenever they fall over.

In a way UEFA, to no one's surprise, have made the right decision in a completely cack handed manner. The issue of diving has not been addressed and a scapegoat that should never have been used has been reprieved, rightly so, but has left UEFA with the headache of how to address this in the future. 

As for my hols, they were great apart from watching the second half of Saturday's game in an empty bar with crap beer. I would not recommend The Financier near Gare Montparnasse for any football fans, there are a lot better in the centre of Paris but that's where I was!

Oh and I forgot to say - Adebayor is a right f##....... oh you know the rest!!!

No, I'm not talking about your childhood experiences of watching Doctor Who but rather your behaviour when watching penalty shoot outs. A few years ago at Highbury I started to turn away from watching penalties, oddly believing that I would help the goal scoring chances. It meant that at the FA Cup final in 2005 I didn't see a single Arsenal penalty (I remain indifferent to watching opposition pens) and so missed Vieira's last kick for the gunners.

So as soon as it went to penalties last night there was no option but to hide behind Bruno the Bear (a present from my wife, an Arsenal bear!) as we took our kicks. My resolution was not deterred by Eduardo missing the first kick and my determined efforts saw us progress (well I might have helped in some infinitesimally small way!).

What next for us? A game against Big Fat Sam's new team is probably the last thing we need but somehow we've got to be "up for it" and avoid another 0-0 by playing football and beating them.

It seems that by the end of next week we will have little to complain about in terms of injuries and player availability. Let's hope that coincides with a place in the quarter finals of both the FA Cup and Champions League. The potential return of both Walcott and Eduardo at the weekend (though I guess unlikely to both play, if either, for much of the game) is great news. It will, of course, take away our only excuses for our current league position and we mustn't forget that we were losing to Hull and Fulham earlier in the season with virtually a full strength squad. There will also be some downsides as Kolo is likely to miss the game (back for Roma?) and we've yet to hear the realistic date for Cesc but let's stay optimistic.

Anyway must dash as off to the Schwarzwald this weekend and will have no idea of any results probably until late on Sunday so fingers crossed for a decent performance.

Well it's another weekend away from the blog coming up as I'm going down to Nice to catch the Carnival there (I know it's a tough life but someone has to....) and so it's a real shame (though no surprise) that I have to mention poor old Eduardo. I think we all know that recovering from serious injury can often have an impact on other parts of the body for various reasons. It's just a shame that after such a great comeback that this has to happen now, c'est la vie!

Mind you Sunderland and Fulham shouldn't (though this season it's too uncertain to call) pose a problem for the strikers that are fit though Arshavin's fitness (match wise) is still not 100%. However, Eduardo would have been a great player for the Roma game. Though maybe Walcott will do a Bellamy and go on strike for more money - nope can't see that can you but we could still f##k it up as we have doen in the past with extending contracts.

One good thing is that I'm back in the UK for the two games next week so less blogging and more watching will be good for me.

I got back this afternoon in time to catch the second half of the Cardiff tie and though we had enough possession and a few chances it seemed that the Welsh side probably deserved the opportunity for a replay. Those words, "lots of possession" and "few chances" or "missed chances", have pretty much become synonymous with Arsenal as a football team in recent months (maybe even years) and makes you long for someone like Eduardo to make a successful return. He might just figure in Wenger's plans for the replay but I wouldn't be too sure.

So with a week to go in the transfer window it's obviously time for the rumour mill to crank up and all sorts of crap to appear. Today we're linked with Micah Richards as he's now apparently crap and the most wealthy club in the world need a little bit of petty cash. If true (all disclaimers apply to these sort of stories) it might be a good deal but I'm not sure Wenger is the right coach to get the best out of a once good prospect of a defender. He seems only to work his magic on attacking players that he takes a gamble on.

Oh well I'll settle down and watch the Mersey Derby knowing it'll sound much better with German commentators rather than some ex-Scousers making comments about friendliest derby in the world etc...

Here in Basel we're getting even more snow. That's good for my New Year skiing and not so good for my flight back to the UK for the Liverpool game and Christmas festivities. I was fairly sure that it wouldn't be a problem with the wonderful Swiss transport system but Zurich had so much snow today that their buses stopped running! That just doesn't happen out here. Anyway I'll assume it's all okay for the weekend trip back!

It seems that the madness of football is never ending - first we see Ramos go to Madrid, now he's buying Diarra and Alladyce is back in a job. As for us well there isn't much to talk about though Eduardo's return seems to have been tempered by him coming off with a "strain" - let's just hope he doesn't suffer Van Persie syndrome whereby every return from injury is a long drawn out delicate balance against sustaining another one. Some things never change and Ferdinand's comments about us remind me why I've never liked the goofy looking one - made any more of those really crap TV shows eh Rio?

It's going to continue this roller coaster of a season as we approach the crucial Christmas period, none of us have any real idea which team will turn up tomorrow or for the next game or the next. We'll certainly have a little more optimism with a new captain, a good couple of wins and the return of the odd player or two. But we won't be certain and that anxiety could spread to the players if we start badly tomorrow. The crowd at the new stadium can become quite quiet and negative relatively quickly (and it's not just at Arsenal - Liverpool were booed off on Monday despite being top and having had their best season start in the Premier League).

This is the time for patience with the team, patience with the new captain and a little bit of hope, fingers crossed (or thumb holding if you're Polish!) and just support the team. 

Some odd bits of news today, apparently Ronaldo nearly signed for us. I had heard that Wenger had been looking at him but I don't know what purpose it serves to makes such comments now. Another United player, Giggs, is saying that Ramsey is Wales' future - so will Wenger adopt Fergie-like policies and make sure he's injured for every friendly.

Finally, some good news about Eduardo who looks to be on the final stages of recovery, though there may be a while before he plays in the first team but think how that Carling Cup game might have been different with him on the pitch.