Interlull updates and a wandering mind

Good morning and happy Friday to you all. The internationals have started up, and here’s all the Arsenal involvement I can find thus far.

Ghana 0-1 Angola: Thomas Partey played the full 90 as Ghana were beaten by an injury time goal in an AFCON qualifier.

Scotland 2-3 Poland: I saw Jakub Kiwior was taken off at half-time in this game, and I worried we might have suffered another injury. However, a quick search for his name on social media and the translate tool suggests he was taken off because he didn’t play well. I don’t know exactly what the Polish words for ‘disaster’ and ‘total crap’ are, but that’s what was being said.

Serbia 0-0 Spain: David Raya played the full 90 in this one.

Later today, William Saliba could line up against Italy, and he could face his new teammate Riccardo Calafiori. Skipper Martin Odegaard will be in Kazakhstan with Norway, while Gabriel might be in action for Brazil the far side of midnight when they take on Ecuador.

Let us say an Interlull prayer that all play well and suffer no aches or strains, no twists or sprains, and that they feel invigorated and full of an unshakable desire to win a North London derby.

There’s not much else going on, but I saw a story about former young Gunner Gedion Zelalem has been released from his contract by Den Bosch, and he’s now a free agent at the age of 27. He made 4 appearances for Arsenal, including one in the Champions League. That was on December 9th, 2014, when he came on as a half-time sub for Mathieu Flamini in the 4-1 win away to Galatasaray.

It’s kinda mad to think that was almost 10 year ago. We had Emi Martinez, a very young Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Alex Iwobi on the bench, and a young man named Stefan O’Connor made his one and only appearance for the club when he replaced Mathieu Debuchy with about 15 minutes to go. It was also the night when Aaron Ramsey scored what remains one of the most aesthetically pleasing goals you will ever see.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRHeXQyCPiI

Love those reactions too.

Anyway, good luck to Gedion Zelalem in his search for a new club. Sometimes I find myself randomly wondering what Arturo Lupoli is up to these days. I know I have all the information in the world at my fingertips, but I choose not to seek him out. He could be doing anything, and the idea that his existence has such possibility means I don’t want to shatter that by discovering he’s now a coach for a team plying their trade in Serie C, or he’s got an import/export company that delivers the finest olive oil to restaurants all over Italy.

The potential for something magical is there if I just don’t look. So I don’t look.

I think I’ll leave it there for today. There is a brand new Arsecast for you below if you need something to listen to this Interlull Friday. Enjoy, and have a great day.