Morning all,

Just when we all thought the Walcott situation was drawing to aΒ closeΒ and Wenger/Gazidis might actually be free to sort a couple of transfer moves out, Diaby only goes and plays for the reserves and doesn’t suffer a setback!

We all know what that means don’t we, but that isn’t the way to take our squad into and beyond the next few moths, let alone the next fewΒ seasons.Β For sure its good news as Manchester City come to visit at the weekend but Diaby won’t save our season, or any future ones!

Frimpong played yesterday too, although instead of playing in his usual role, he was shoved out onto the left and the little tough tackler was somehow sent off towards the end for a second bookable offence. I didn’t see the game but a full write up is here if you want to read it.

Jenkinson, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Coquelin also featured – as did Santos and Mannone. The ItalianΒ didn’t manage to keep a clean sheet as West Brom held the reserves to a 1-1 scoreline.

Talking of goalkeepers, what is Mannone still doing at Arsenal?Β Wojciech SzczesnyΒ has been talking about his life at the club:

Ever since I signed for this club, I’ve become an Arsenal fan,Β It feels like it’s more than me just playing and doing my best on a Saturday afternoon. I feel like I have a much bigger part to play at this club. It means that little bit more to me.

I think there’s a lot of players in this team that are genuine Gooners.Β You’veΒ got people like Carl Jenkinson, there’s Jack Wilshere, Emmanuel Frimpong – a lot of young players who really feel it’s the biggest honour they could have, to play for this club.

I think that’s very important for the future.

I think I improve with every single game, I get the experience that is needed for a young keeper, so it’s important for me to play as many games as possible.Β 

I don’t think about playing for any other club. I see my future at Arsenal Football Club. I committed to coming here at the age of 16, not to then leave at the age of 24. That’s not how it works for me. I think coming over to England at the age of 16 was the most important decision of my life and probably the best one, to date.

Szczesny ‘thinks’ a lot doesn’t he. πŸ˜‰

Can’t believe he is just twelve games away from reaching his 100th for our club. A long way to go to matchΒ David Seaman’s Club record of 564 appearances in goal but he’s still only 22 years old so there’s plenty of time ahead for him.

He mentioned Carl Jenkison, another player who surely has a fantastic future ahead of him with us. A player born and bred with red and white running through his veins. Many think he should be playing at right back now with Sagna off his game but reports in The Sun this morning suggest that he could be about to go out on loan for a while.

Crystal Palace are reported to want him there but Jenks wants to stay in the Premier League…

Who could blame him.

That’s it for today, have a good one…..