Arsenal vs Shakhtar; the return of the good guy

Morning guys

Wow, Alex McLeish can talk alot of shit, can't he? Does he think spouting out a heap of nonsense will win him friends such as Big Sam and Baseball Cap? You know, it probably will!

Eboue and Wilshere got a stern telling off from Wenger, and rightly so. They were bad tackles. What happened when Shawcross and Taylor committed such tackles? Protected to the hilt by their managers. It's sickening.

Last word on that tackle, Wilshere is only 18. I expect him to get a few yellow cards this season, just because this is his first season in the big time, playing regularly for a big club. This is his learning curve. But at least he's not letting himself get kicked about by other players. We all know we have a special special player on our hands here.

So, onto tonight's game. I can't wait. Cesc is back in the squad, but instead of starting, I hope we bring him on around the hour mark. Although it is important Cesc does play, we can't rush him back. We need him more for the Man City game. Likewise with Theo, but as he was on the bench for the Birmingham game, I wouldn't be shocked to see him start.

I expect Gibbs, Wilshere, Walcott, Arshavin and Chamakh to all start. Those players all give us a nice balance. This is a tricky game tonight, as this team are full of creative talent. But those sort of teams suit us perfectly. How will we beat them? Outplay them of course.

When the draw was made, I felt pleased we drew this team. Partly due to the transfer of Eduardo. It gives us a chance to say goodbye to a really good guy.

The support this fella has received from Arsenal fans has been breathtaking. We're all in agreement that his before his injury, he looked to be another world-class buy from Arsene. Even when he returned, his volley against Burnley in the FA Cup was a moment of outrageous quality. It was the long term which would affect Eddy most, struggling to overcome the trauma of Martin Taylor.

So, Eduardo, when we're 4 nil up, you have my permission to score. I hope you get a standing ovation, it's the least you deserve. You were the coolest finisher Arsenal have seen in years.

Tonight I will be watching the game, beer in hand, waiting to be entertained by a magnificent match of football. Bring it on!!

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the rest of your day.