Arsenal have confirmed that Arsene Wenger will be able to call on Johan Djourou, Laurent Koscielny and Sebastien Squillaci when the Gunners take on Sunderland at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon. The trio have all returned to full training having recovered from hamstring, ankle and calf problems respectively.
The news comes as a welcome relief in the build-up to a busy month with Alex Song likely to return to midfield after deputising in the centre of defence alongside Per Mertesacker for the last two matches.
Thomas Vermaelen is still two weeks from competing for a first team berth, while Jack Wilshere, Bacary Sagna and Abou Diaby represent the long-term absentees.
It remains to be seen whether Arsenal’s international brigade return unscathed from their latest round of globe-trotting.
Squillaci…??? What the deuce???
NOOOOOOOOOOoooooo!!!!!!!
What about this anti wenger protest on Sunday? You heard anything arseblog?
I really hope this supposed protest doesn’t go ahead. I for one hate them. I feel that they cause and will cause unrest and uneasiness around the team. That’s the last thing a team shorn of confidence needs at the mo.
Instead of getting behind the team, these people will do the opposite and send the wrong message out to the team.
Agree, here in America the Red Bulls (Henry’s current team) were doing great then after we traded our youngsters (who really meant nothing to the team) to other teams for old farts the fans started to protest and the Red Bulls did not win a single game for three fucking months.
Trust me though these protesting fans are just deep down future Manchester City fans
yeah let’s see how that goes. my £5 is on it not happening once they realise how popular they’ll be at the grove when they start slagging the man who brought us beautiful to watch football, two doubles, an unbeaten season, FA Cups, etc etc.
Having done that, perhaps they’ll then stroll on to piss on Herbert Chapman’s grave?
I though Diaby and Vermaelen were to be fit for Stoke City . I am really looking forward to Diaby return too . Ramsey and Arteta are busy making perfect sideways passes instead of going forward .At least Diaby dribbles FORWARD!!!
It’s true, Diaby does dribble forward. Usually can beat two or three players on his way to a blind alley near the corner flag as well.
Surely, prefer that to conceding possession in our own half though?
When he’s not crocked, I rate Diaby.
On current form, if he’s playing like he was a couple years back, I’d have him and Arteta in the middle.
As long as it means we don’t concede any more goals, I’ll take it!
Meh. Think this is case of the longer a player is out, the better he becomes in our imagination, especially when the team is performing poorly. Remember when Bendtner was world class a few years ago when he was out injured for three months and we were drawing every game 0-0?
It’s a shame about Diaby. I’m convinced his career is all but finished. Three games in a row is too difficult for him, let alone a portion of a season.
Djourou and squillaci it’s like having the chuckle brothers back!
Welcome back Kos.
Djourou & Squillaci can jump of a cliff.
I cannot believe that it has come to this being headline news on Arsenal.com !
Admittedly it’s nice to have some cover, but I cannot recollect when it last was news worth posting on the wp that someone was back from injury.
Must be the ‘lull
We had SONG as CB ,it’s VEEERY important news to know.
Cant wait to have Vermaelen back!
Gud news 4 all arsenal fans
What a lucky manager he is to be able to call upon that ‘dynamic trio’ God help us!!
LANS!
Like 3 LANS!
I luv LANS!
It’s the next best thing to ANS!
None of these three were absent long enough to be LANS. When Vermaelen returns, he will truly be “like an new signing.”
How many times has Verminator returned as a LANS already .. its Like a new signing AGAIN 😀
OH MY FUCKING GOD!!!!! DJ AND SQUIGGY ARE BACK!!!!
BEST… DAY… EVER!!!!! 😀 😀 😀
just so you all no that was sarcastic
Thanks
I may have been indulging in a little bit of sarcasm myself there, but I will leave you to decide.
Why don’t you try taking the piss out of some other team’s players instead of ours?
I have always thought of Arsenal as a large family. What kind of family pick on their own brothers ?
I know you don’t see the sort of player loyalty that we always hear of from the past (a fallacy in most cases), but while they’re with Arsenal they are ARSENAL. Just like we are.
Just so you all know that that was not sarcastic.
Will Lille consider it “derisory” if we offered Squiggy in a straight-swap for Hazard? Lol!
Yes it will be derisory for Arsenal , They should offer Hazard ,10M and a box chocolate for Squillaci
😐
I’m glad koscielny is back. A lot of people talk bad about him , and he may not be world class yet, but he always seems to be giving 100% to the cause. Can’t really say that about most of the squad nowadays. As far as squid and dj………….. No comment.
Does anyone actually know what’s wrong with diaby? I always hear he’s a long term absentee, but what’s the injury?
Rumor has it that he got injured while getting injured
I think it’s his ankle. He had an operation in the summer to try to fix it. We’ll see…
He triped up over his wad of cash and done his ankle
Was he wearing his sours shirt when the cash tripped him? If so, I blame that prick mike dean!
*spurs
Yeah. So glad we offered him that new deal last year… WHY???? WHY????
Great! New additions to the Keystone defense!
Good news
How reassuring.
Funny
I would have Santos/Mert/Kos as 3 cast iron starters from what’s available to us across the back. I don’t see an obvious replacement for Sagna though.
Give Schillaci an experienced partner in defence and you’ll see a whole new player.
I believe Squillaci was brought in to be that experienced partner, what with his French caps and European level experience with Sevilla and all that garbage
I like Kos he will get better. I liked Squillaci before he came to us. Maybe he should go to Spain, Italy, or back to France. Djourou can just leave he is always so confused at the back.
Djourou just lacks common sense and confidence and he always seems to fall down! He’s not a bad player, there were times last season where he was our saviour/messiah and we all panicked when he didnt play!
How times have changed but he has all the attributes to be a class player!
Like i keep reminding our fans we need to stop blaming individual players, its a collective effort, win or lose!
well said
I heartily agree with you Alpha t. All this slagging of players just encourages a few foolish Arsenal followers to boo our own players when they make a mistake. This does nobody any good, least of all us Gooners. How many times does a young player need to be booed by his own fans before he starts to think of moving on? And before anybody answers that with a sarcastic suggestion that we try it on any particular player, how do you think the rest of our players feel when they hear it. Do they begin to fear making a… Read more »
—Do they begin to fear making a mistake and so start playing with the handbrake—
Another “handbrake” merchant……
[…] that is for the future-Bystander to ponder. Present-Bystander likes to bask in good news, as three of our centre-backs return from injury. Weeeeeeee.Koscielny, Djourou, and Squilaci! The return of 3 centre backs means that Song is able […]
Greetings fellow London Town gun squad, from across the pond!
Cannot wait for Larry Koszcielny to slot back into our defence and help with the plays. I for one shall be donning my jersey with pride when he steps out onto the field of play to take down those annoying Hotspurs douches!
hill. ‘airy. us.
It doesn’t count as a LANS when it’s Like A New Sylvestre! Squillaci = facepalm. However, welcome back Djourielny.
Maybe he just like cones.
maybe he REALLY likes cones, eh!?
It’s a very sad day and i am trembling at the return of this trio of clowns to the defence of Arsenal FC! Goal-keeper Schzzsney must have developed goose-pimples as the the returning clowns relish the resumption of their race for the golden boot – of banging-in own goals at Arsenal.