By Myles Palmer
Richard Wright is playing at last!
Seaman, who was 37 on the 19th September, has a shoulder injury.
Parlour and Bergkamp are also injured.
Morale is low after Athens and today is a big test for Arsene.
Can he send out his team in the right frame of mind to beat Derby, who are struggling at the bottom of the table?
I’m sure he can because I’m sure that Richard Wright is a lot better than Seaman.
He will make saves!
What a difference that will make!
To see Arsenal with a keeper who can make saves!
We don’t know why Arsene persisted with Seaman for so long. Probably because the senior players wanted him in the side, rather than Manninger.
Manninger’s confidence was wrecked when he was dropped, even though he was playing well.He was good, then he was bad. Why? Confidence.
Wenger obviously thought Manninger was NOT the long-term solution. And Adams and Keown felt safer with the keeper they had played with for ten years.
But should the manager have been stronger? Should he have told the senior players to support the young keeper?
It’s an awkward question which may never be answered.It is history now. All we know is that Manninger has gone to Fiorentina and Wright has come from Ipswich.
This is Richard Wright’s big chance, his moment.Pride Park is his chance to keep a clean sheet.
Wright played for Ipswich at Derby, funnily enough, on the very last day of last season. Malcolm Christie scored after 31 minutes and Ipswich drew 1-1 with a Carbonari own-goal.
I never thought Seaman would be dropped. I always thought that he would be injured, Wright would come in, play well, and keep his place.
Today might be Upson’s chance as well.Let’s hope he has a another good game and does not get injured.
He has waited for YEARS to show what he can do, and the fans have waited a long time to see what he can do.
Upson has height, speed, two good feet – he has all the equipment to be a top centreback.
Will Arsene start Jeffers? I think he should but I don’t think he will.
We shall soon see!
Saturday noon,29th September 2001