Oh! Is it okay to strike then?

Tottenham Hotspur must hate the last two weeks of August.

This is the second time in three years that they have seen a player left out of the squad because 'their head isn't right', just after the start of the season. I mean, what kind of stupidness is that?

You are a healthy young man; living the life you always dreamed of and earning million of pounds. But you can't play for 90 minutes because some other club likes the look of you. Luka Modric is just another example of players' having this mad level of power in the game.

It is disrespectful to your teammates + your manager, the club and the fans. You are still employed by them, the least you can do is your job. While they are still paying you, it takes nothing to have a little respect.

I could, have been talking about Samir Nasri as his transfer saga with Manchester City continues. But the Frenchmen did himself a few favours with the Gooner faithful with a spirited performance against Liverpool. After all the club has done for him, the least he can do is see out his notice. Without Arsenal and Mr Wenger, Nasri would not have built the career he has.

Apparently Nasri's deal is on hold because his agent doesn't feel he is getting a good enough payment. You just couldn't make it up! But it will be interesting to see if he does play against Udinese if he is still at the club come Wednesday.

Berbatov did the same, un-right-head excuse before his move to Manchester United went through. When did it become so commonplace to feign 'mental illness' and refuse to get on the pitch?

The club may have decided to sell you but instead of doing things properly, the player takes the decision out of the clubs hands. It must leave a bitter taste in the mouth of all involved. And what about the new club, they know that player will jump as soon as the next big pay day comes along.

Going on strike, courting other clubs in the press and airing your views in the media. It just seems to be increasing by the week.

Football just feels like it's getting messier and more dirty these days. If it's not players' personal scandals, it's the air of corrupt that resides above FIFA and Uefa. And to be honest, I really don't like it.

6-4-0

So, it's been a good week for English football in the Champions League, for once for all the right reasons.
No prostitutes, no affairs, no violence; unless you count Arsenal's assault on SG Braga.

As an Arsenal fan, you can imagine I was glad to see our captain, Cesc Fabragas getting back to his top form. Scoring two and making two goals. Of course he was voted Man of the Match. For me though, more impressive were Samir Nasri and Jack Wilshere. A lot of the hard work Nasri did on Wednesday seems to have been ignored by the pundits and the press. But for me, he deserves a big round of applause. As a natural winger, he was going against his natural instincts to do some sterling defending for the team. Ad like other forwards I won't mention - ginger guy, plays for ManU - he can actually tackle.

But my happiness moment was how easily lil Jack sees to be fitting into the team. He doesn't appear to have the confidence issues that at times blight Theo Walcott and he can stand up quite admirably to a challenge. Mr Wenger's decision to send him to Bolton on loan looks to have paid dividends.

As for the others...

The less said about the bore-draw in Manchester the better. For all Sir Alex's bravado he can't be happy to see Wayne Rooney looking far from his combative best. Maybe it would have been better to play him at Goodison, I mean it's not as if he's not going to get abuse anywhere else this season. And compared to the abuse Sol Campbell and Frank Lampard get at Tottenham and West Ham respectively, it's not exactly the end of the world is it.

Chelsea have continued their scoring run and it was nice to see young star Daniel Sturridge getting his first start in Europe and first goal. And looking at how Michael Essien has started the season, you have to wonder how many points they could have won the Premier League by if he had been fit last season.

Oh yeah, and Tottenham drew!