Arsenal News: Jens Lehmann Fights for Spot, Kolo Toure Plans Return

Greetings, gooners.  I'm back at work—not too much going on here and even less to report Arsenal-wise.  In any case, let's spring to it just like Ade leaps for those headers!

It's Mad Jens who kicks things off today, saying that he could still reclaim his place in the starting 11:

"Why should I give up?  There is still a chance of becoming No. 1 again.  At this stage of the season the pressure is increasing and I know that experience will be very important later on."

And he's spot on!  After saying all the wrong things—remember this one about Almunia not being Superman—he is putting his head down and is willing to work to reacquire his starting place. 

That's just what we'd like to see from Lehmann—some healthy competition would keep Manuel Almunia on his toes.  While Lehmann's mistakes at the start of the season left us a little stunned, I'm sure no one would oppose a return of the vitriolic German starter.  Go on, Sohn!

Arsene Wenger—lord and master of Arsenal Football Club—had something to say with regard to Adebayor's post goal habit.  Wenger apparently has a problem with the way Big Adebayor celebrates his goals, referring to his "sliding on the knees technique," saying that "Patrick Vieira celebrated a goal in the same way but it backfired and he was injured for five weeks in 1997."

Now, we wouldn't want to see that happen would we?  Certainly not.

Kolo Toure, still out on his journey with the Ivory Coast at the ACN, is worried about the number of games he might have to play—five in 18 days—just prior to his rejoining Arsenal.

"It is a concern that if we get to the final or the third-place match I will go back to London after being involved in five games in about 18 days," Toure told the News of the World.  "I have done this before, but these are tough and physical games in a knockout competition.  Later rounds may have extra-time and it will be very hot.  That is not ideal considering the schedule we have ahead of us at Arsenal."

It is a concern indeed.  No one else in the club can deliver quite what Toure can.  We need him in shape in order to continue our fight to the finish in all three competitions.  Still, it is heartening to know that even so far from home, Toure has one eye on the goings on at Arsenal.

Gunnerblog has a nice write up on exactly what man of the moment Adebayor is, and what he is not.  There are also a couple of good pieces discussing what Arsene is doing, where the squad is heading, how the press has portrayed our team all wrong, and whether or not we could continue our good form till the end of the season here and here.

Laters!