By Myles Palmer
Arsenal might be the most awesome attacking team in the world right now, maybe better than Real Madrid.
So why am I a wee bit apprehensive about Sunday at Stamford Bridge?
On Wednesday night I heard that Vieira was limping heavily after the West Brom game.
On Friday we read that he was doubtful for Sunday. A calf injury he got playing for France in Tunisia, which he carried into the West Brom match.
Last season Chelsea scored one more goal than Arsenal at home, and conceded one fewer.
But one of my Golden Rules is:This season is NOT last season.
The formidable Hasselbaink-Gudjohnsen partnership has not clicked into gear yet.
Ken Bates apparently wanted to sell Jimmy to Barcelona, and Jimmy wanted to go.
Any points to note?
Only that Lampard did well against Vieira in the FA Cup Final.
And Zenden might turn Lauren inside out and bang one past Seaman.
To me the game feels a bit like a bananaskin, but I haven’t thought about it in any detail because I’ve decided not to write so many previews of games.
And not to make so many audacious predictions.
I remember own-goals like : England cannot beat
Argentina-you can quote me on that.
And last week:West Ham will be Aliadiere’s big moment.
It wasn’t. He didnt play at West Ham and he wasn’t on the bench.Pennant was.
Aliadiere’s big moment came against West Brom, when he came on for his Premiership debut and made it 5-2.
Arsene is rotating Pennant and Aliadiere, giving each a game from the bench. It may be Pennant’s turn again at Chelsea.
What about the Champions League draw?
Well, Group A is tougher than people think.
BORUSSIA DORTMUND are a big club who play to 54,000 fans, not 28,000 like Leverkusen.
AUXERRE know all about Arsene Wenger.
They know all about Vieira and Henry. Some of their players will have played against Wiltord in French league games.
Auxerre will be totally up for it and have nothing to lose.
Guus Hiddink won the European Cup in his first spell as PSV EINDHOVEN coach.
They beat Benfica 6-5 on penalties in Stuttgart in 1988.
Mark van Bommel missed the World Cup, so he will love a crack at Gilberto and Vieira.
I’m sure van Bommel can’t wait. He will really look forward to playing against Arsenal, and so will the rest of the PSV team.
PSV will respect Arsenal, but won’t fear them as much as many Gooners imagine.
Van Bommel is a big, tough, confident athlete. If you ever needed Vieira and Gilberto in tandem, this is the game.
Last night I watched Real Madrid beat Feyonoord 3-1 in the Super Cup.
Left-footed midfielder Cambiasso was good but he annoyed me because I didn’t know him.
I was having a silent tantrum while watching the game, having missed the first 15 minutes of the broadcast from Monaco.
I was thinking : Who is this guy?
Is he Spanish? Where has he come from? If he is good enough to be signed by Real Madrid, and play the first 87 minutes here,I should know him! Am I losing my grip?
It was silly, getting bent out of shape by such a small thing,but I have silly moments, like anybody else.
So I emailed Rob Hughes and the answer came back with Rob’s Zola feature for tomorrow’s Sunday Times, a masterpiece of concise, informative sportswriting.
Make sure you read Rob on Zola before the game.
Cambiasso?
Esteban Cambiasso, born August 1980 in Buenos Aires, a Real Madrid starlet in youth squad, loaned to Espanol,then loaned three years to Argentine clubs River Plate and Independiente-begged to “come home” and they agreed!
Thanks, Rob!
31 August 2002.