Thursday Thoughts

Is that the worst title for a post ever? Alliteration aside (Oops... I did it again), there's just no excuse for it. So let's forgo the usual long preamble (sorry, Neal) and just get into it, shall we?

Van Persie and Koscielny out of Stoke game

Van Persie and Koscielny out of Stoke game | News Archive | News | Arsenal.com

Robin van Persie and Laurent Koscielny will miss the crucial Premier League game with Stoke on Wednesday night.

The Dutch striker has a hamstring problem while the French defender is suffering from a back complaint. However both injuries are short-term and the pair may recover in time for the Carling Cup Final on Sunday.

Abou Diaby (calf) is injured but he is still suspended anyway.

Sad face for fantasy managers with Arsenal players in their line-ups... and this week that's a lot of us. I have Szczesny and van Persie so I'm light up front and vulnerable at the back. The only consolation, perhaps, is that I have Carew. So hopefully if Stoke do score it's through him.

And speaking of Stoke,

Matthew Etherington looks set to miss the Barclays Premier League clash with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium due to a fresh injury concern.

Etherington shook off a hamstring strain to play in Saturday's 3-0 FA Cup fifth-round win over Brighton, only to be taken off with a back injury understood to be linked to a defect in his jawline

.Can someone explain that one to me?