By Myles Palmer
I think Patrick will be a giant tonight in a narrow victory over Lyon.
He was very good against Chelsea after being, I’m told, excellent in Lyon.
Wenger has hinted that Parlour might play wide, rather than centrally, and that suggests to me that the manager was very pleased with Lauren’s energy, creativity and scoring potential on Sunday.
The Cameroon star is a powerful, effective craftsman who can score goals.
He beefs up the engine room and will be needed there until Edu comes into the team next month. We hope.
Lauren’s immediate development is more interesting to me than a lot of moaning by rotated strikers.
It’s impossible to have a great football team without a balanced, athletic midfield. If you get that right, you have a chance. Not getting it right earlier this season has been a problem.
I can see powerhouse Patrick being the main man tonight.
A 2-1 win will put everyone in the mood for Old Trafford.
And United looked pretty stale last night in their 1-1 draw with Valencia. A tedious game where the Spanish-Argentinian nearly-men just fumbled and stuttered when they got anywhere near the penalty area.
Arsenal can give United a better game!
21st February 2001.