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It doesn't look like the minor injuries that kept Sol Campbell and Robin van Persie
out of the Arsenal side for the cup games of the last week have gone away in
time for them to make the trip to Middlesbrough tomorrow, although Sol will
face a fitness test and has been given a 40% chance of playing (but see update below).
Arsenal are also still in dodgy left-back land, but the good news is
that Ashley Cole expects to return very soon, possibly for the
reserves next week (but see update below).
And with Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue out in Africa, the defence will
be looking a tad different. It's possible that this could tempt Wenger to risk
Sol earlier than he normally would, so as to enable Pascal Cygan and Lauren
to play as left and right back respectively. But another option would be to
use one or both of Gilbert and Djourou.
Apart from van Persie, our squad is looking strong in midfield and attack.
A few of the players rested in midweek are bound to return, such as
Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires, and of course Thierry Henry.
For Boro, Gooners' favourite Ray Parlour is not expected to play, despite making
a return from injury in the reserves this week. The same goes for Stewart Downing.
Neither player has featured since early in the season. It's not impossible than one or both will
have to be named as a sub though because Boro have a good few players
missing (and good players too, some of them).
Skipper Gareth Southgate will also miss the game with an ankle injury, and
his long-time partner Ugo Ehiogu has moved to the Baggies. That leaves,
probably, Chris Riggott and Matthew Bates in central defence (and
they may use the giant Wheater as a third centre back too). Teenager Andrew Taylor has been
recalled from a loan spell at Bradford City, and could be given his Premiership debut
at left-back because Austrian Emanuel Pogatetz is suspended after receiving his
5th booking of the season..
And they've got more problems. George Boateng and Frank Quedrue are out with
ankle and knee injuries, and the impressive-looking curiously-named Fabio Rochemback
misses the game with a calf strain.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has been told he can leave Boro for free in the transfer window,
which probably puts him right down the pecking order of strikers. Yakubu and
Viduka is the most likely strike pairing, supported by the ever-dangerous Mendieta.
Rupe adds...
Great news on Ashley Cole: le Boss has said that Ash will be in the squad for tomorrow because we're short at the back (but he
also cofirmed that Sol is definitely out). | 
