Mark Lawrenson the bitter and today's team

I couldn't help but notice a few snide digs that have been made by the 'expert pundit' Mark Lawrenson on the BBC in the last week or so. I have no problem with an opinion or two, but he has made certain comments which show that he has a rather large chip on his shoulder, I believe Mark Lawrenson has given the game away, he is about as objective as a fundamentalist.

Firstly he made a completely unnecessary comment after Manchester United had gained a slightly fortunate win away to Stoke City. He stated that Manchester United don't whinge after they have played away to Stoke, a clear dig at Arsene Wenger after what happened to Aaron Ramsey last season under the studs of Ryan Shawcross's reckless lunge. There was simply no need for this comment from Lawrenson, it was also completely meaningless given that Manu had just won and game and been fortunate not to have Gary Neville sent off for a reckless lunge. Arsene Wenger had every right to 'whinge' as Lawrenson so kindly put it, if one of your player's has his leg snapped by a poor tackle, a manager has a very justifiable right to point out that this is unacceptable. Maybe Mark Lawrenson thought that what Shawcross did was acceptable, I don't know, he should come out and say what he actually thinks rather than making these kind of petty digs, it really was a cowardly comment.

Then today on Football Focus Lawrenson made another inappropriate comment about tackling. The Old Firm game last weekend was littered with poorly timed reckless tackles and Lawrenson effectively condoned these tackles by writing it off as a cracking game with just a bit of 'tackling' in it. I have no problem with him enjoying a feisty game but he went too far in condoning all the bad tackles in this game by lumping them all together as one acceptable entity. There is just something a bit unpleasant about Mark Lawrenson and I'm not just talking about his tash, he clearly enjoys a kind of football that belongs back in the Dark ages, he continues to try to condone violence with these niggling veiled comments. Anyway moving on, here's today's team:

Fabianski, Sagna, Koscielny, Squillaci, Clichy, Song, Fabregas, Denilson Arshavin, Nasri, Chamakh Subs: Rosicky, Vela, Walcott, Djourou, Eboue, Bendtner, Szczesny

It's slightly disappointing not to see Theo start but one can understand Arsene being a tad cautious. I am also slightly frustrated that Carlos Vela gets a place on the bench ahead of JET, I know who I would fear more coming on as a substitute. Come on you Gunners!