By Myles Palmer
Injuries will keep Tony Adams and Sol Campbell out of the Schalke game and the Panathniakos game next week.
That bad news should be balanced against the absence of Ebbe Sand, Schalke’s main goalscorer, and their captain and best defender Tomas Waldoch.
Waldoch’s absence at Wembley allowed Les Ferdinand to run riot against Poland a few years ago.
Looks like Grimandi will come into defence and stay there for the Bolton game at Highbury, when Keown will be suspended.
Arsenal will still win because Schalke are shattered. They lost 2-0 at hime to Panathinaikos last week and the Ruhr derby took a lot out of them psychologically and physically.
They beat Dortmund 1-0 in a very tough game while Arsenal were having a somewhat easier time against Fulham.
Some interesting action on the box last night.
Salas, a brave genius, has finally found a team that deserves him, Juventus.
But Juve were so lucky to beat Celtic with the help of the worst penalty decision of 2001 : the Bhoys were cheated by Amoruso’s late dive.
Del Piero is the new Zidane and Trezeguet gets two goals a game. I was wrong about Roma beating Real Mdrid, but I still think Juve will beat Real Madrid, if they play.
Beckham’s late,late winner gave Manchester United a win over Lille, a canny defensive outfit.
Wes Brown looked quick and may play for England against Greece, since the game is at Old Trafford.
How about this for a back four that has never played together : Lauren, Keown, Grimandi, Van Bronckhorst.
Looks iffy, I know. But I still think Arsenal will win.
18th September 2001.