Turn, Turn, Turn

"It's tough because I was an Arsenal supporter but you have to make decisions in football, and this is a new chapter in my career.... It's an opportunity to get regular football after not playing as many games as I wanted to at Arsenal. It's a chance to go out and show I can play and hopefully play every week and keep up my consistency."

- Justin Hoyte, just another gooner now.

There's a certain poignancy to it all, isn't there? On one hand, Samir Nasri scores the winning goal and makes a very impressive debut. On the other hand, Justin Hoyte leaves the Arsenal after 14 years at the club and not many appearances.

It's a pity Hoyte has to go, but he owes it to himself to pursue a genuine career in football. He's too talented to be a reserves player. He's at the age when he needs regular football, and he wasn't going to get that at Arsenal. It's a good move for him.

I watched the last thirty minutes of the WBA game last night. I quite like Sammy Nasri. He moves with a languid, unhurried grace. I liked how he runs, stops, waits and caresses the ball to another player. I like how he waddles around when he doesn' t have the ball. I like him a lot better than Alex Hleb, who as we all know, wasn't French in the slightest.

About the only thing I dislike about Nasri is that he looks like a schoolgirl in those knee-high white socks. What's worse, he looks like an ugly schoolgirl. Whereas Arjen Robben can pull off girlie, stockinged legs with a certain panache, Nasri looks like something that crawled out of Dr Frankenstein's lab. Oh well, at least we've found a replacement for the Fugster.

We don't have a bad team, when everyone's fit. It's only when half the team's convalescing in a hospital wing that we're a bit short. Djourou and Gallas (?) looked a bit shaky. Long balls up the middle scare me somewhat. Eboue's funny in the middle of the park, but not "ha ha" funny. Walcott's a nice boy, and he's got a nice turn of pace, but I'd like to see Nasri and Vela on the flanks for the next game.

I logged onto the Middlesborough FC website to check out the reaction to Justin Hoyte's arrival. That intro page is just wrong; they look like convicts on a prison break. But it's a good club with a good manager, and I'm sure Justin will do well there. There's an Aussie at the club in Brad Jones, so at least there's one paragon of awesomeness upon which Justin can feast his eyes.

And well done to Boro last night - beating Tottenham would've made Justin feel right at home.

Anyway, I think The Byrds put it best:

To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time for every purpose, under heaven.

Good luck, Justin Hoyte.