So Sol reckons it's sorted apart from a few technicalities, he's an Arsenal player again.

Leaving aside the coming off at half time against West Ham irony, what makes us think he is a good option as back up, better than Senderos for instance? For his faults, I still like Senderos, he has put in some outstanding performances for us, for those with short memories. But he will probably always be remembered for being consistently very much second best to Drogba. Seem to remember our current centre backs didn't exactly cover themselves in glory on that point either, and let's face it, you get a very big number if you add up all those who have also come up short against Drogba.

So is Sol likely to be any different? Well he's a big guy, and if he's managed to get back to fitness, he's hard to get around. I can't begin to believe that Arsène would contemplate him if he wasn't up to the mark. Le Prof may be well short of profligate when spending money, but he wants to win something this year and having a geriatric in the back line, albeit sparingly, will hardly help in that regard. You have to think that Arsène has concluded he can do a job for us when asked.

Of course for the conspiracy types amongst you, there could be a couple of other issues to do with our current centre forward problem. Who's the only Arsenal player to score a goal for Arsenal in the Champions League final? I'm just saying... Of course if we don't spend anything on a centre back, then obviously we can spend more on a centre forward. David Villa anyone?

And with a snap of the fingers we are back in the land of reality. I really hope Arsène hasn't decided to wait to see whether Bendtner will be fit any time soon as he seems to have entered the two to three week twilight zone all our players have to traverse before they eventually become fit again. However it appears we have/are signing another attacking midfielder Samuel Galindo. I'm willing to be proved wrong, but don't we have an awful lot of them already?

And speaking of players who must never ever, ever get injured again, Cesc is back for the Bolton game. "Fabregas (is back)," Arsène announced on the mothership "And we are very happy to have him back." Now I know our manager is known for his understatement, but "we are very happy to have him back" must go down as one of the all time down plays in the history of the universe. Not sure Bolton see it the same way, but maybe we could use Sol in a sort of 'bouncing' capacity if those 'committed' players at Bolton get a little too commited with our captain and haven't taken on board some of their new managers values. Like playing football.

Elsewhere the Spuds still look to be attempting to take over Pompey's mantle as Arsenal's old-folks home. Having lost out with Vieira to Al Citeh, they are rumoured to be after the Flamster. Obviously whatever Arsène does, 'Arry must copy. So another midfielder it is then. Should Flamini get to play in the Prem again, I can only hope that we were right and his one season in the light was a prelude to a big money move rather than a career at the very top. Should he sign for the Spuds, I think the answer would be pretty clear, don't you?