There’s a bit of Arsenal news knocking about. First up an article in the Telegraph in which our old chum Mr. Usmanov has seemingly back-tracked about wanting a dividend

Good morrow Gooners. Are you as bored as me of this international break? Thought so.

There’s a bit of Arsenal news knocking about. First up an article in the Telegraph in which our old chum Mr. Usmanov has seemingly back-tracked about wanting a dividend and saying that he agrees with the current Board’s decision to re-invest any profits back into the Club. Hmmm. And then he goes on to say that he is simply a “long-term investor” and will support Board’s resolutions at the AGM tomorrow. If that’s the truth, then why does he desperately want to reach the 25% mark, which is enough of a stake to allow him to block certain resolutions? Something doesn’t quite add up there. And nonetheless, unless you were a die-hard Gooner with cash on the hip, you wouldn’t pay two grand over the odds per share unless you wanted some kind of return on you investment, be it dividends or eventual ownership. When he initially got Dein’s shares, he paid roughly £8,200 per share, and then he bought another lot for upwards of £10,000 just a few weeks ago. Bear in mind that when Kroenke bought his initial 10% from Granada in April, each share was only worth about £7,000. So as far as I’m concerned, his latest statement that Red & White are whiter than white is a load of codswallop. Still, it should all make the AGM pretty interesting tomorrow…

On the field, Armand Traore has said that he doesn’t want to go on loan and that he’d rather develop at the Club instead of getting a seasons exposure to first-team football. In all honesty it’d be pretty stupid of us to let him go because he is one of only two natural left-backs at the club. People (myself included) have been complaining about losing Djourou for 6 months, and he is a 4th choice centre-half, so losing our 2nd choice left-back would be churlish. That said, with Gael being so awesome I can see a future for Armand down the left wing, especially given his excellent crossing ability (see his cross for Bendtner’s goal against Newcastle for proof). We truly have been blessed with some fantastic left-backs over the last 20 years: Sansom, Winterburn, Silvinho, Gael and now potentially Armand.

Another of our bright young things was in action last night. Theo played the full 90 for the Under-21’s in their 3-0 away win over their Irish counterparts, but wasn’t at his sparkling best. Whenever I’ve seen him for the U-21’s, he’s played left-wing and Milner right-wing to good effect. But yesterday Stuart Pearce switched them round and Theo struggled. Being more of a crosser, Milner is probably better suited to the right, and being more of a striker, Theo is better suited to the left as he can cut inside and finish, so I don’t know what Pearce’s reasoning behind it was. That said, the Irish boys committed some horrendous fouls in the second half so I guess it was a good thing that Theo was not too involved as he could have been on the receiving end. On a side note, where was Justin? Is he injured?

Tonight (or for England, this afternoon) is the turn of the big boys. Robin will be back for Holland, sounds like Rosicky will miss out for the Czech against Germany, for whom I think Mad Jens is also missing through suspension. The French boys will be in action too, look for Sagna and maybe Gallas to start with Diarra and Diaby on the bench. Our old boy Thierry is in line to break the French goalscoring record, and I take a certain amount of pride knowing that at least 30 of his 41 goals were scored whilst he was a Gunner. Maybe the Flam will get his international debut too? Spain are involved in friendly action so hopefully Cesc will get a rest, but knowing Aragones I doubt it.

As you may have gathered, I’m no England nut. But I always watch them play regardless, so I’m not the happiest of bunnies that I’m gonna be stuck at work while the game is going on. I won’t even make it back in time for the highlights, bah. How I wish I was still at uni, watching it in the Students’ Union bar with a beverage in hand…

Before I get back to work, don’t you just hate that sodding F.C. B*stard-loner blog that keeps popping up on our NewsNow? Everything Henry said last year was on it, and now everything Cesc says is on it. And they say they don’t want to buy him, yeah right.

Enjoy the rest of your day, and remember that the astroturf isn’t always greener on the other side!

Squid Boy