Usually I go off on some frantic tirade about how i think the modern times of football are affecting the game and how foreign owners are destroying the British tradition of our sport. However, today there are a lot, and i mean a lot of big stories emerging from the world of football, so rather than conjure 3 or 4 separate walls of text, i am merely going to cover a brief bullet point or two on the subjects at hand.

• Arsenal’s first choice centre back pairing seem to be done and dusted for the season. Thomas Vermaelen has had 6 reoccurrences of his original injury, that have set him back another 12 weeks at least. Bearing in mind the season has only 9 weeks remaining, it also looks like Johan Djourou will miss most, if not all, of Arsenal’s title run in as he has been given a diagnosis of 6 weeks at best.

• Cesc Fabregas, Theo Wallcott and Alex Song will all miss the WBA game.

• The other rather shocking news to come out of the Emirates this week is that Arsene Wenger has re-signed the 41 year old former German number 1, Jens Lehman, as a back up to Manuel Almunia. ‘Mad Jens’ has been drafted into the Arsenal set up as both Lukasz Fabianski and Wojciech Szczesny are injured, and Vito Mannone is currently out on loan at Hull City.

• Luis Nani has been causing major shockwaves recently, in more ways than one. He has released a press statement voicing his fury at Jamie Carragher, after the Liverpool stalwart left a large gash on the shin (I don’t understand shin injuries, where are your shin pads?) of the Portuguese winger. The vicious tone with which Nani released his statement clearly showed that no love has been lost between the two players.

• Then, almost immediately afterwards, Nani addressed the issue of his displeasure with his current contract. After seeing Darren Fletcher, Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney all receive bumped up contracts recently, he is rather disappointed that he has not been offered an increase in wage after the admittedly brilliant season that he is currently enjoying. Whilst he may warrant an increase, he has to realise that it is the manager’s decision, not his. His threats to leave look like a rather pitiful mimic of Rooney’s theatrics.

• Sir Alex Ferguson has been handed a 5 match touchline ban for his comments made towards referee Martin Atkinson after the league defeat against Chelsea. The ban will come into immediate affect and has been met by Ferguson’s usual vehemence. He firmly believes that he was right to contest the decisions that Atkinson made during the game, and will appeal in the name of ‘truth and justice’ against his ban.

• Sir Alex has also admitted that Rio Ferdinand’s season might be over, as the perma-crock constantly hits relapses of old injuries. The current English skipper has only played 15 club games all season, which clearly shows that the injuries are getting the better of him, and at the ripe old age of 32, this maybe the end of the United centre back.

• Owen Coyle, who faces Manchester United this weekend with his in form Bolton side, has backed the Red Devils to win the Premier League title.

• Torres has played down his recent goal draught.

• Sir Alex Ferguson has also played down talk of Manchester United drawing Barcelona in tomorrow’s Champions League Quarter Final and Semi Final draws.

That’s about it. Back to normal next time.