Arsenal new-boy Mikael Silvestre is unlikely to make his debut against Blackburn this Saturday after the Frenchman sustained a “minor setback” on his current thigh problem.

Silvestre, 31, has yet to make his debut for the Gunners’ since joining from Manchester United last month but Arsene Wenger believes he will be fit for next Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Dynamo Kyiv.

“We had a minor setback with him,” said the manager. “But if he is not available for Saturday he will be OK for Wednesday certainly.

Fellow countryman Abou Diaby is still a fair few weeks away from full fitness while Carlos Vela has been completely ruled out after starring for Mexico in midweek.

“At the moment I do not know about everybody because some players finished their game at 4am, for example Carlos Vela in Mexico,” he said.

Samir Nasri is another doubt after the 21-year-old felt a nagging pain after Tuesday’s training session, and coach Raymond Domenech decided to rest him “only as a precautionary measure,” according to team press officer Francois Manardo.

Wenger is still undecided on the midfield maestro though:

“The only injury news that we have is Nasri, who could not play last night for France. We have to assess him later.”

Gooner Talk will have all the build-up to Saturday’s match with a preview coming tomorrow afternoon as well as a match report immediately after the full time whistle blows.

As we told you several days ago, Stephen Appiah will not be moving to the Emirates Stadium, after Gunners boss Arsene Wenger revealed he is “not on the case” of the Ghananian skipper.

Appiah, 27,  was linked with a whole host of Premier League clubs mainly because he is available outside the transfer window having been released by Fenerbahce prior to the end of August.

Wenger confirmed to the British press earlier this afternoon that he has no interest in bringing Appiah to the club.

“No, we are not on the case,” Wenger told a press conference on Thursday.

Since the departure of Mathieu Flamini and Gilberto Silva, Arsenal have yet to have made moves in the transfer market to replace either; apart from signing youngster Amaury Bischoff.

The Accra-born star would of added plenty of experience to Wenger’s thin squad; but the Frenchman has already confirmed that he is to stick with what he’s got - at least until January, that is.