Right then, despite Fabio Capello saying Theo Walcott would be out less than a fortnight there are reports this morning saying he could be out for up to six weeks.

Football 365 quotes the Times because nobody can else can be arsed signing up to get past the paywall. Even if I did I couldn't link to it. It's a bit of a shame for the chaps that write for the paper now, having little or no online presence, but there you go.

Apparently Theo had a scan and there's damage to the ankle ligaments which isn't at all surprising when you see how far over he went on it. Typically you don't get stretchered off unless you've done something quite bad, most of the time it'd be a case of hobbling around, trying to run it off and then realising you probably should rest it and not do like a 5-a-side game and say 'I'll go in nets for a bit'.

If it is true, and I would stress that it has yet to be confirmed, it would be a big blow for him and for us. Like Robin van Persie Theo is very susceptible to injury which prevents him from developing the sort of confidence and rhythm that a run of games brings. Injury free Theo, as we've seen since the start of this season, is a very different animal from just been out with injury Theo. 

I expect we'll get some official confirmation today. Arsene Wenger must really, really hate Interlulls. Nearly as much as the rest of us. I suppose we just have to wait and see and react then but it's really hard not to be thoroughly disheartened, both at the injury and at just how many of our players suffer them and how often.

Talk of a curse is silly, superstitious nonsense. The bottom line might just be that we have too many players whose injury records are preventing them, and perhaps the team, from reaching their potential.

Meanwhile, Denilson, a man who has barely kicked a ball in anger since last March, is back in contention for the game against Bolton. He says we've got to play them like we're playing Chelsea:

When you play Bolton you can't think that it is an easy game. You have to think it is a good game, a brilliant game and you have to win, the same as if you play Chelsea or Manchester United. You have to focus for every game.

I know what he's saying but given our previous against Chelsea and United in recent seasons maybe we'd be better off playing them like we're actually playing Bolton, against whom we have a good record. The key point is the focus which has to be right.

I'm hoping the fact the players got back a little sooner than usual means we can work hard on ensuring there's no post Interlull hangover. We need to pick up where we left off against Blackburn and that means coping with a team who will play a physical game. Owen Coyle is lauded for the way he tries to get his teams to play football but he hasn't changed Bolton that much.

I watched them against Birmingham the other week and when push came to shove, a 10 man, 2-0 down Bolton, resorted to type. Whoever partners Vermaelen at the centre of the defence is going to have a real battle on their hands with Elbows Davies, a tricky customer at the worst of times. It might be Squillaci - who you can see in a masterclass of pointing here - but more likely Koscielny will get the nod. You can be sure Davies will attach himself to the new boy and avoid Vermaelen if at all possible. If there is a weakness at centre-half it's that we're not especially tall and for all the talk of playing football you can be sure Bolton will try and exploit that. 

So, there's not much else to report this morning. We'll wait for the official diagnosis on Theo's injury and hope The Times have got it wrong. 

Back tomorrow with more guff and, of course, an Arsecast.

Until then, stay fit.

So the Interlull is over but a familiar new friend has reared its ugly head - The Injurelull. Yesterday it was revealed that Robin van Persie would be out until mid-October following the ankle knock he picked up against Blackburn. 

What can you say other than there's nothing in the least bit surprising about it? The only thing you rely on with regards to Robin is that he's going to get injured at some point. Relying on him to stay fit and play regularly seems like a fool's errand. 

If he does make it back for mid-October he'll have missed Bolton, Braga, Sunderland, West Brom, Partizan Belgrade and Chelsea (I've left out the CC game against Sp*rs as he was never going to play in that anyway). He might make it back for Birmingham when we return from the next Interlull. It's a lot of games for the main striker at the club to miss, especially as we've got Bendtner out injured too. Any kind of injury to Chamakh and we're looking at using Arshavin as centre-forward again.

I love Robin, I have to say. I love his talent, ability, attitude, I love the fact that he clearly loves the Arsenal, but there has to come a point where you question his place in the squad. He's either the most brittle man alive or the unluckiest man alive. Either way it's not great for him or for Arsenal. I know we've added depth to the striking positions with Chamakh but reading injury news about RVP is so frustrating because it happens so often. 

What do you do if you're Arsene Wenger though? You know you've got a supremely talented footballer but one you can't really rely on for the duration of a season. Do you take a risk and keep him, hoping he stays fit, or do you take a risk and sell him knowing it's possible he might stay fit and do great things elsewhere? Tough one. In the meantime let's hope he recovers quickly and be thankful that we're not fans of horse racing - Robin would have been shot in the head and smooshed into dog food by now.

And to top off that great news we're probably going to be without Theo Walcott on Saturday, at least. His fantastic start to the season was derailed when he was caught by the most innocuous challenge during England's game last night. He went over on his ankle and was stretchered off. Apparently the damage isn't too bad, Fabio Capello said after it'd be less than two weeks, but again I'm going to wait and see what the official verdict from the club is.

The timing of the injury is a huge frustration, Theo's start to the season has been outstanding and the last thing you want are set-backs like this. As far as I can tell at this early stage there aren't any problems with anyone else. I'm hoping that remains the case, that nobody trips over their luggage and tweaks an achilles or something, and we'll get a fuller picture of who is available for the weekend over the next couple of days.

There's some good news in that Samir Nasri appears to be in contention for the weekend after his knee surgery. There's the silver lining, I suppose.

In other news, there were some first team faces involved with the reserves last night. Sebastien Squillaci played his first game in an Arsenal shirt and he was joined by Johan Djourou, Denilson and Lukasz Fabianski in a 4-3 win over Blackburn. Obviously it provides then with some much needed match practice and by the sounds it there were a few cobwebs which needed blowing away. All four are likely to be part of the weekend's squad for the Bolton game.

Wellington, the Brazilian superwondermegakid, has gone back to Brazil but says:

The experience in London was perfect. I can now dream of playing in the Premier League and I don't think it will be hard for me to adapt. Mr Wenger has spoken with me and has helped me with my work and training. I am really looking forward to this challenge.

He goes back to Brazil until January at which point he turns 18 and can join is full time. I think it's probably a bit much to expect him to make an impact this season, to be honest, but then if an orphan hobo can get a game at United you just never know these days, do you?

I did see the Vermaelen comments yesterday but I've made a new rule on this blog that at no point will I ever quote anyone who talks about the DNA of Cesc Fabregas. I think we ought to just accept the fact that upon his death Cesc will donate his body to science, they can go through his genetic code, discover cures for all known diseases (except Fat-Mouth which that Silvio Dante looking little fucker has a rotten case of), and be done with the whole thing.

Finally for today, here's a haiku:

Interlull is gone.

Fuck off scabby Interlull.

You shit faced cunt hound.

Mañana.

Hello there,

plenty of Arsenal players in international action today. The official site has a list of what those players did and didn't do at the weekend, you have to think the majority of them will be at it again tonight. I could go and check but frankly it's just not interesting enough.

Like the rest of you I'm just hoping that the lads come through without injury so we've got as full a squad as possible for the weekend. That said, there are quite a few who have been at the club for the duration of the Interlull. Almunia, Denilson, Koscielny, Squillaci, Djourou and Traore's ghost have been playing 6-a-side against Wenger, Rice, Colbert, Primorac, Lewin and O'Driscoll. 

The break will have allowed our newest player, Squillaci to settle in a bit. Speaking to ATVO Laurent Koscienly said of him:

He is a very good player. I never played against him in France but he has a very good reputation. Having Sebastian here will help us because he's won things - he'll be a very big plus for us.

He also talks about his partnership with Thomas Vermaelen, saying:

It's very easy to play alongside him. There are always things we can improve on but that will come in time.

This stat from Koscielny in the French league last season is interesting. He didn't lose one tackle for the whole year. Which is quite amazing, really. He says it's something he works hard on in training because it makes it easier when you go on the pitch.

Out of curiosity I looked at his performances against Liverpool and Blackburn via the Guardian Chalkboards - he's won every tackle on the deck. He's been beaten a couple of times in the air but on the ground he's at 100% (5 tackles v Blackburn, 1 v Liverpool). I know it's early in the season but it augurs well. It's how quickly he learns that will determine his success, I think. 

You look at the Blackburn goal and that's the sort of challenge where, if you're not going to get the ball, you have to shoulder the player halfway into the crowd. It might well be a yellow card but physical strength, again something we hear him talk about trying to improve, coupled with the knowledge of when you have to take one for the team is vital in those situations.

It'll be interesting to see how the manager deals with his centre-halves this season. As I mentioned previously I think he was forced to overplay Gallas and Vermaelen last time around and the impact that had on the end of our season was considerable. There was far too much Sylvester for our own good. Squillaci is definitely going to put pressure on Koscielny and I think we'll see the older Frenchie in the more difficult games, at least to begin with. 

Then you have to factor in Johan Djourou. It's a big if, I know, but if he stays fit then there's going to be real competition for the places at the heart of our defence. A pecking order will certainly emerge but quite what that is is anybody's guess at the moment.

The Frenchosity of our defenders is a bit interesting too - as the Man from East Lower points out perhaps Almunia might need to learn a bit to help him out.

"Le keepers ball!"

"Allez out of l'area!"

"Oooops! J'ai droppé le balon!"

Some bonus linkage: 

Arsenal's Invincibles were like crack.

And finally for today, Yargh!

So that's it, light yer candles, pray to your gods, witchdoctors, shaman and divine beings that we all arrive back safe, sound and ready to kick some arse this weekend. And we can get this Interlull behind us.

Till tomorrow.