By Myles Palmer
ARSENAL did not need another reason to win the title, but they have one now : PA has just reported that Robert Pires is out for the rest of the season AND the World Cup.
Tragic for Pires.
What a time to get a cruciate ligament injury. He only started one game in France 98, against Denmark, and Korea-Japan was going to be his World Cup.
But Arsenal are NOT a one-man team.
Even though Pires has been the best footballer in the Premiership this season, by far.
If Arsenal were still in the Champions League this would have been a bigger blow
I fancy the midfield will be Edu-Vieira-Parlour-Ljungberg against Sunderland.
Pennant may come in to add wing sparkle from the bench.
The transfer deadline is Thursday but Arsene won’t buy anybody this week.
He never does. And anyway there isn’t a player in the world who could so what Pires has done for the last eight months.
Chelsea were the better side at Liverpool but let their concentration slip once in the 90th minute and Heskey crossed for Smicer to volley the winner.
Liverpool have easy league games but they will be tested and stretched by four more Champions League games.
They will beat Leverkusen.
Then they will play Deportivo or Man United.I fancy them to beat Man United but lose to Deportivo.
Personally, I reckon Deportivo will beat Man United again.
Interesting prospects coming up but a sad, sad day for Arsenal’s players and fans.
Robert Pires, master creator, wing shuffler, playmaker, inspiration – and goalscorer.
He scored 13 goals for Arsenal this season.
I’m not superstitious and I hope he isn’t.But it was unlucky 13 on Saturday.
The players will be desperate to win the title for him. To win the double for him. Nobody deserves it more.
I think Vieira will reach down into himself and start playing like a colossus again after this sickening setback.
This squad has a lot of bottle and we will see that now, more than ever.
25th March 2002.