Arsene Wenger is hoping to have
Kolo Toure back from the Africa Cup of Nations in time for Monday's
game with Blackburn.
The Ivory Coast international is due to represent his country in
the third/fourth play-off game on Saturday but, with Arsenal
currently short of numbers at the back, Wenger is hoping to
persuade him to then make a quick dash back to England.
With Johan Djourou struggling with a groin injury and Philippe
Senderos aggravating a knee problem while playing for Switzerland
against England in midweek, Wenger admits that he is running out of
options.
"I have not called Kolo yet, but I will try to see if he can
take a flight from Accra to London, as Ivory Coast play on Saturday
afternoon," he said.
"Otherwise it will be Gilberto, or Justin Hoyte at centre-half.
Overall we are very, very short and it is down to the bare
bones."
Senderos will be given as much time as possible though to prove
his fitness in time for the Rovers clash and could yet line up
against Mark Hughes' side.
"Philippe Senderos came off injured in midweek with a medial
knee ligament and is a major doubt," Wenger added.
"He has played with it before and we will see on Monday. I don't
rule him out completely and he is positive about it.
"However, our medical team are a bit less. He wants to test it
out over the weekend."
Another defensive player who looks likely to miss Monday's game
is Abou Diaby, who despite reporting for international duty with
France this week is actually carrying a calf injury.
"Diaby, in fairness, picked his injury up last week at Man
City," Wenger said.
"We sent him on international duty with information explaining
that he was injured and France did not play him."
