Apparently Kanu has been visiting family for rest and recuperation, having taken Nigeria's penalty shoot-out final loss very hard. African football site SoccerWarriors yesterday quoted Nigerian sports ambassador John Fashanu as pleading with Kanu and Babayaro's clubs to go easy on them, but today's Guardian quotes an Arsenal spokesman as saying that Kanu is visiting family as agreed so unlike the Babayaro situation there is no question of our man being AWOL.

It seems my Nigerian georgraphy was wrong too, Kanu was born in Imo which is in the south (see this excellent map), so his being with his folks doesn't put him so near the riots as Babayaro's does.

We just have to hope that the big fella won't be too down in the dumps to help us thrash Southampton on Saturday. With Bergkamp probably still not fully match fit, and Henry suspended, we could certainly do with him.