With FIFA relenting, and admitting to the countries that there can be no sanctions should they pick whoever they want, Arsenal are digging in their heels.

Wenger even said on telly last night that he doesn't think 4 Arsenal players will be making the trip. An extremely provocative and, dare I say it, unwise thing to say. It could get Arsenal into big trouble as any slight injury picked up by those players in the next week will be scrutinised very closely for signs of foul play.

It is now being suggested that FIFA are to be looking at revising their rules about the number of international friendlies countries are allowed to call players up for, the Mirror this morning reported that FIFA cut the number to 5 only last night. But the FIFA announcement says that an announcement is due today, clarifying the number of matches which the countries are allowed to call players up for in any one calendar year. The announcement makes it clear that this is the only grounds upon which clubs can refuse to send their (fit) selected players.

I have to say that it'd be somewhat strange if a country like France, with no competitive matches to play because they're World Champions, weren't allowed more friendlies than the rest of us. But that's by the by.

However many friendlies they're allowed, we suspect that both countries will see fit to choose this one. Out of bloody-mindedness if nothing else, although there's also the fact that the game is a big deal to them both, and useful preparation for the Aussie team who do have an important competitve match coming up (a World Cup qualifying play-off against Uruguguay).

Lovely quote from Aussie coach Frank Farina:
"He (Wenger) is looking after his club and I can't blame the man for doing that. Sometimes he will win and sometimes he will lose. I won, it's great, I don't get to win many."

As an Arsenal fan, I don't blame Le Boss for putting Arsenal first. But sometimes one can go too far. Wenger says of the Frogaroo match (© ShiteSports) that "nothing I have heard attempting to justify it has struck me as valid". What, nothing? Isn't this a bit OTT? Thinking the balance of the arguments comes down in his favour, fair enough, but to say there's nothing valid in the opposing case is frankly mind-boggling.

Surely it's time to take off the blinkers and accept defeat graciously. The club seem to be getting more worked up about the result of this dispute than about results on the pitch.

See this rant for more arguments, and a full history of the dispute.