Moscow Weather Forecast – It’s all relative

The Coach
By Boris Mellor
October 16 2006

The weather forecast for Moscow on Tuesday is mainly sunny with a high of 3 °C and a low of -2°C. Arsene predicts the pitch conditions will be lousy.

I remember riders on the big wheel in Luna Park Melbourne suffering from exposure in temperature just above 70 F. That would be a warm day in England, but when they had first embarked on the wheel it was 106F. The wheel broke down, a storm brought the temperature down by over 30 degrees and eventually, when rescued, they were all carted off to hospital.

A cheering tale, and perhaps too dramatic for our teams reality, but its all relative; Saturday at the Emirates was about 68 F and it will be about 28 F in Moscow. That’s a difference of 40F. The lesson? Keep off the big wheel lads. It’s all relative.

A few years ago when they played Spartak Moscow the Gunners took an early lead, but proceeded to be chilled to the bone, and slip over at every opportunity. They lost 4-1. No doubt this time they will have their long johns on, and the right boots for a frozen pitch. One of our worst ever European results. To be fair even Hitler and Napoleon fecked up in Moscow in winter.

A few years later the Gunners were far more careful and got a 0-0 draw at Lokomotiv Moscow. Wenger is wary about this one; the one area we haven’t cracked is Russia, and the Ukraine. Maybe it is the weather, or maybe it’s the skilled Brazilians they attract. Perhaps that’s why he has packed Denilson, to fight fire with fire. Contrary to rumours Hleb is in the squad, but Flamini stayed at home to help the reserves.

My feeling is that he wasn’t too successful in doing that as the midfield conceded some ground to Chelsea, and were beaten 2-1. Though to be fair the reserves were depleted by the squad for Moscow, which includes top reserve scorer Aliadiere.

A draw will be a good result in Moscow, a win absolutely brilliant. Hopefully the experience the team now has, and the use of 4-5-1 will deliver. Don’t forget to enter your prediction on the league. The squad for Moscow follows:
Jens Lehmann
Manuel Almunia
William Gallas
Gael Clichy
Kolo Toure
Justin Hoyte
Johan Djourou
Gilberto
Denilson
Alexander Hleb
Cesc Fabregas
Alexandre Song
Theo Walcott
Tomas Rosicky
Thierry Henry
Robin van Persie
Emmanuel Adebayor
Jeremie Aliadiere