I could really do without more stories about Jamie Vardy and Arsenal now, y’know? The latest one we have to endure is that he wasn’t convinced That Arsenal’s possession-based football would suit him. I kinda get that, to be honest, but I am surprised that he doesn’t feel confident enough in his own ability to adapt his game dependent on how the team set up. Oh well, let’s move on from that, hopefully with Arsenal and specifically Arsène, doing something about the striking situation. 

But as always with Arsène, it won’t be any of the fans choices, I’m afraid. So we should all start deleting hopes of Aubameyang (however impossibly faint), Higuain, Morata or Lukauku, the latter of which I’m not convinced about 100% myself any more. Nope, we need to start paying attention to the lesser-known rumours, because that’s bound to be where Arsène goes. The other chap is this guy who sounds like a weight-loss shake, Slimani, who has bagged a hatful of goals in the Portuguese league for Sporting Lisbon. That’s probably the sort of deal that Arsène would go for, But at 28 years old he would probably represent a bit more of a gamble than Vardy, because he hasn’t played in the Premier League. What happens if it takes him a season and a half to adjust to the league? At his age and at a club like Arsenal, you can’t really afford to do that, so I wonder if those rumours are spurious at best.

Who Arsène might go for is anybodies guess, but I just hope the noise and chatted starts to pick up soon. With the group stages of the Euro’s meaning that there’s space in between games, it means I’m not able to fill my time with internationals, which again I repeat from my comments the other day – I never thought I’d say that on this blog!!

At least this weekend is full of games. I’m looking forward to all of the games, actually, because we have another look at Xhaka at 2pm for the Swiss, there’s the home nations Wales and Northern Ireland at 5pm, then hopefully the Croatians make Ronaldo cry at 8. Wouldn’t that be nice, eh? A Pepe red card would also be hilarious too. I have no praticular affinity for Croatia, but those two are people with home I cannot align any kind of support, so I’d love to see Modric do something that sends them both home come 10pm tonight. 

The only other Arsenal news knocking around is that Alex Iwobi is set to be included in the Olympic squad for Nigeria. This is a tough one for him, if he’s selected in the final list of players for Rio, because on the one hand he’ll want to try to build on his great finish to last season, but at the same time he’s only just broken through to the Nigerian national team, so why would you want to risk the wrath of your nation by telling them you can’t go? 

The worry is also that other players might step in and play well enough to ensure Iwobi doesn’t get his place back. I know Debuchy was an older player, so had less time on his hands, but as well all know Arsène doesn’t look at age. He looks at competition. If by some miracle, for example, Walcott stays and has a stormer of a start (I know! I know! But I’m dealing with hypotheticals here, and no, I don’t believe it either – devils advocate situation), then Iwobi could find his path to the first team blocked. Still, it’s a nice situation for him to be in, as opposed to a season on loan or time in the under-21s.

Right, not a lot else going on, and I’ve got to go for a long run before a 60th birthday party which will inevitably involve beer, football, and more beer.

Laters.