Arsenal v Valencia: Managers love to talk about taking one game at a time, but the idea is more of a fantasy than a realistic policy. Arsene Wenger has to consider both Arsenal's Champions League match with Valencia this evening and the programme that lies ahead now that Patrick Vieira, his captain, has a thigh injury. The midfielder collected it at training yesterday, writes Kevin McCarra.
"If we play him we risk losing him for longer," Wenger said of the decision.
If Vieira's muscle strain is aggravated he would be unavailable for the trip to Tottenham on Sunday. As if local honour were not enough, the manager has to protect Arsenal's pole position in the Premiership, which is less secure after losing to Manchester United on Saturday and other recent defeats.
His hope of avoiding an agonising decision will lie in seeing his medical staff confounded once again. Before the 3-1 victory at Roma with which Arsenal began Group B of the Champions League second phase, Wenger was advised that David Seaman had a 90 per cent chance of playing while the figure for Oleg Luzhny was a mere 20 per cent. In the event Luzhny made it and Seaman did not.
The goalkeeper is sure to return tonight. If Vieira really is ruled out, Wenger will reflect on the wisdom of fielding Ray Parlour, but he has not had a first-team game since recovering from his hamstring problems and the manager may prefer to use Edu.
This is a time for reflection, since the 2-0 defeat to United was Arsenal's fourth in eight Premiership games.
"We are top of the league in England and top of our group in the Champions League," said Wenger. "If the spirit is bad, you cannot do that."
For him the failure at Old Trafford reflected a lapse in concentration when possession was surrendered cheaply. That may have been in keeping with a match where a lack of sharpness produced few shots at goal by either team, but he must find a way of restoring alertness.
Each conclusion he reaches will have serious ramifications against Valencia, whose pair of wins over Liverpool in the opening phase of the Champions League showed that they are strong contenders to win a tournament in which they were finalists in 2000 and 2001. In the latter year they knocked out Arsenal in the last eight.
Arsenal have a stiff challenge tonight.
That prospect seemed to invigorate a humorous Wenger. When asked about Valencia's galling superiority to Liverpool, he said: "We'll make it right. Don't worry."
Meanwhile, the FA are to investigate the clash between Martin Keown and Ruud van Nistelrooy during last Saturday's match. A copy of the match video has been requested by the FA, who will study Keown's apparent push in the Dutchman's face in an off-the-ball incident.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
ARSENAL (4-4-2): Seaman; Luzhny, Keown, Campbell, Cole; Ljungberg, Edu (or Vieira), Silva, Pires; Bergkamp, Henry.
VALENCIA (4-4-1-1): Palop; Curro Torres, Ayala, Pellegrino, Carboni; Rufete, Albelda, Baraja, Vicente; Aimar; Carew.
Referee: K Milton Nielsen (Denmark)
Guardian Service
