Both Lauren (Cameroun) and Kanu (Nigeria) will be away for up to month for the tournament which starts on January 19th. The countries want their players for training camps 2 weeks in advance (as they have the right to do, under FIFA rules) but Arsene Wenger is arguing that this is excessive.

He points out that many Africa-based players are in their close-seasons at the moment and need the training camps, whereas the best way to have Lauren and Kanu in tip-top match-fit condition would be to let them stay and play against Liverpool on the 13th. Apparently some of the France-based players have been allowed to stay there till the 13th.

Wenger says that he'll be talking to the 2 national associations on Monday.

While the club-vs-country issue is a well-trodden path in Kanu's case, it hasn't really come up with Lauren before. He's been a Camerounn regular sinc he's been with us, of course, but last time they had a tournament (the Olympics) he was far from being a fixture in the Arsenal team. This time, with Luzhny the only cover until Dixon returns from injury, he's far more of a fixture than the Nigerian.

Wenger is not particularly optimistic about Cameroun being more amenable than Nigeria.

Some reports are suggesting that Kanu and Lauren will be wanting to play in the tournament in Mali (and to appear keen to play in it) in order to ensure their World Cup places. But in all honesty who can imagine that their places would be put in jeopardy by missing the first half of a training camp in order to do some top-class playing and training with Aresnal?

But both players will be wanting to play in the tournament (and appear to be keen to play in it) because they like playing for their countries.

What could work in Arsenal's favour is that with Dixon and Jeffers returning from injury, both Lauren and Kanu could come back to find themselves well down the Highbury pecking order.