Good luck Sol

Tomorrow night, Sol Campbell will be back in the Arsenal starting line up for the first time since a dark night on 1 February. That night at Highbury, Arsenal slipped to a shock 3-2 defeat to the Hammers, with Sol Campbell being substituted at half-time after uncharacteristically looking a liability and being at fault for the two West Ham goals. In fact, the preceding month of January saw Campbell look really ill at ease alongside Senderos to his right and a rotation of makeshift left-backs to his left.

It was clear that we were not watching the same Sol Campbell who had been the reliable bedrock of the England and Arsenal defence for the previous five years. An apparent reason for this was that Sol had been troubled by recurring injuries since the previous February- which of course can have a big impact on form and confidence. Less apparent were the rumours that Sol had been suffering psychological trauma for an undisclosed reason. Wenger denied this, with an ankle injury the stated offical cause for his absence from the side. But comments at the same time made by Robert Pires implied heavily that the squad was aware that Sol Campbell was undergoing mental strain, and that this was a factor in his move to the sidelines.

Arsenal were in a bad way when Sol Campbell last played ten weeks ago. It was a poor time for us to lose such a big and experienced character from the side. But football is not the most important thing in life, and if Sol needed a time-out to regroup because something significant was badly affecting him, than I support that. This would go for any Arsenal player, let alone one who has been such a influential figure in Arsenal's recent success.

I imagine that Sol will psychologically get a big boost being back in the starting line-up, and that his game will go from strength to strength if all Gunners' show solidarity with him. This will be significant because a fit and confident Sol Campbell can really help Arsenal's cause for the last few weeks of this season.

Making a comeback against free-scoring Portsmouth, with the livewire Lua Lua and the Yakubu-like Mwaruwari playing up-front, will be a tough challenge. This is especially so because I would say that a win is a must tomorrow night, and for that to happen everyone needs to be at the top of their game, including the returning Campbell.

I believe he can achieve this because he has a natural big-match determination and commitment, and because he will being playing alongside his favoured CB partner, Kolo Toure. But, of course, the proof will be in the playing. Good luck Sol.