OMGosh, it's finally here!!!

This is the day I've been waiting for all summer. Yes, I know it may only be a friendly, but it's a chance to see our beloved, almighty, incredible Arsenal play for the first time this season. I was at a birthday gathering last night, and I was banned by my mates from talking about The Arsenal. If I mentioned them 5 times, I was allowed to be punched in the face. It's safe to say I lost that pretty bad. Towards the end of the night, I was going up to anyone who would listen (whether I knew them or not) and babbling on, in a rather excited giggle, about the game tomorrow. The dot com have announced a 21 man squad for this game, and my predictions for the starting XI are listed below:

Almunia

Djourou Gallas Silvestre Vermaelen

Arshavin Randall Rosicky Wilshere

Barazite Simpson

I'll start with the goalkeepers. The two keepers are listed in the squad are Almunia and Mannone. Almunia will almost certainly start with Mannone coming on at half time. Pretty standard stuff for a pre-season friendly at Underhill. Onto the defence, and there's not really a proper right back in the first team listed by Wenger. Djourou has played there before, although if I'm frank, I think he's dreadful there. He'll try his best, because he's a decent hardworking player, but really Djourou should only be centre back, or at a push defensive mid. On the other side, I really hope Silvestre plays left back instead of Vermaelen. Perhaps Silvestre would be best suited out on the side, where he can cause less harm, plus he did play most of his games for ManUre there. However, a lot has been made of Vermaelen's ability to also play at left back as well as his favoured position of centre back. So my hunch is Silvestre will be centre back. (Let's hope I'm wrong). Onto the midfield. It's great to see Rosicky back. Cesc said he couldn't wait to see him play again, and I think it's the same for all Arsenal players, and supporters. He was such a talented, gifted player, who offered Arsenal a lot of variety in their play. It would be fantastic if he still had that ability. Wilshere and Randall are the most established midfielders other than Rosicky and Arshavin, so it is likely they'll start. And I plumped for Barazite and Homer Jay upfront. Barazite is slightly more comfortable inbetween the midfield and forwards, so expect a lot of switching of position between him and Arshavin. In fact it wouldn't surprise me to see Barazite start on the right. Barazite also has a good goalscoring record against Barnet, and Simpson netted their too last season.

At half time, there will be SOOOO many changes. However, the younger lads will still cope well, and I'm going for a match prediction of 2-0 to the Arsenal.

Onto other things, and Adebayor is still an Arsenal player. I'm so bored of Adebayor stories, so I'm just going to say that I think he'll realise today or tomorrow that no other clubs want him, and he'll decide that Man Citeh are his best (only) option. Now, it's gone beyond the point of no return as far as stories of him leaving are concerned, and should he stay, it'll certainly have an affect on the Feng Shui in the dressing room.

Bordeaux want Silvestre plus cash for Chamakh. They must be crazy. Mind you, it wouldn't surprise me if their manager had a penchant for over the hill defenders, having been one himself. We have adequate cover for centre back, especially now as it is looking increasingly like Senderos is staying. Hence, it shouldn't be a problem, for Silvestre to leave. That's the understatement of the year. I'll try again. It'll be detrimental to the team should Silvestre stay. That's better. Chamakh himself has said that playing for Arsenal would be a dream, however talks with the club are not in as advanced a stage as talks with Sunderland and Blackburn. Let's see how that one turns out.

No news on any defensive midfielders. Weep.

That's all for today, I had a look at Barnet's ticket prices, and they were rather more than I expected/could afford. I will of course be watching Arsenal TV online, however those of you who aren't going or do not have ATVO, someone will almost certainly be streaming the game online.

Enjoy the match gooners, and I'll see you here afterwards.