When Arsène Wenger surveys both the Aston Villa dugout and team-sheet at lunchtime on Saturday, he could be forgiven for doing a double-take.
Wenger had never expected his good friend and compatriot Gérard Houllier to return to front-line management after leaving Lyon in 2007, while no Arsenal fan is ever likely to get used to the sight of Robert Pires in an opposition shirt.
