Today’s guest post by Varun (@WengerArmy) gives us a possible view of the thoughts in Arsene’s head in a pre-match presser ahead of Everton.
A lightning rod of pain shot through his head. It was as though he had been speared by…well, a spear. Only, this one was invisible- like ‘Arry’s Cloak.
Press conferences, even on the best of days, were about as enjoyable as watching Tony Pulis picking his nose on the touchline. Today however, it’d be like watching Tony Pulis pretending to be a manager.
As he prepared to face the horde of ‘media personalities’- cause they sure weren’t journalists- a suitable opening remark struggled to find him. The bloody flashes from the cameras didn’t help either. In the end, he decided to go with something simple. “I have a selection headache.” Nobody got the pun, though. It was partly true. Although Theo and Jack were back and had performed to a varying level of competence in the last game, Rosicky was suffering with his hamstring. Even before Norwich, he would’ve preferred to have continued with the same lineup that had been so good over the last 4-5 games, but you can’t help it if a player is injured or suspended. It’s all about the balance and understanding among the team. How else did people think the Invincibles were made?
They would have all sorts of questions about Wilshere, he was sure. Jack this, and Jack that. Of course he was a brilliant player- heck, there was a reason he was touted as England’s best prospect- but he wasn’t perfect. He often left his defensive partner without cover when he went forward with his driving runs- The covering that was essential, and something that Diaby was very good at. He also lacked a little bit when it came to his final ball and his decision making in that situation-Both of which were essential as a #10, and something Rosicky was very good at. And yet, Jack was everyone’s favourite.
In the former’s case, he supposed it was to do with their style of play. Jack wore his heart on his sleeve and played that way on the field. Diaby appeared to be calmer, almost as if he were a stream carrying the ball. That was what they saw, and that was what they wrote about. Jack had the ‘spirit and desire’ and Diaby was ‘careless’.
What did they know? They hadn’t seen Abou in tears, profusely apologizing for letting him down. The constant battles with injuries, just so he could play. He overcame all that mental and physical trauma to come back, time and again. The guy just wanted to play football. If these ‘journos’ had had even a fourth of those injuries, they would have been gibbering wrecks by now.
Not one of these media people appreciated football anymore. To them, it was all about the shiny silver trinkets called trophies. Football was such a dynamic game, filled with possibilities. Each step a player took ruled out and created options. It really wasn’t about the goal that was just scored, but how that goal came about- how your players functioned as a unit, each playing his own part in that creation. Everyone misses out on those nuances and notices only the obvious parts.
Giroud labeled a ‘flop’ because he doesn’t score in 8 games. Is a striker good only if he scores goals? No one mentioned his flicks, layoffs and general hold up play which brings others into the game. And he was still in his first season. Like magic, the criticism disappeared when he scored and won a penalty. To them, this was actual football.
A good defender is one who is tall, black, has a face like a mashed potato and makes goal-line clearances. A midfielder is great if he plays incisive passes game after game. He smirked. They were guilty of the very offence they often accused the Arsenal defence of committing- ballwatching. Very few look at the field in totality.
“Now that Theo’s back, what happens to Gervinho?” says a pustule from the Daily Mail. “He’s not very good, is he?”
There they go again. Gervinho, or The Forehead as some people call him. A waste of space, they say. And why? Just because he had missed a few chances and fluffed a few crosses. Wenger sighed. Why didn’t they focus on Torres? Torres missed sitters- there was a phase when he was absolute bollocks. Yet, no one says anything since that Russian forked out 50 million for the transfer. Which must mean Torres could do no wrong.
Hadn’t Hazard himself said that Gervinho was the best player he’d played with? He himself had admitted that Gervinho rushed things somewhat, and that would improve as he calmed down- he was one of those players that flourished in a positive environment. The home fans hadn’t exactly provided that.
Just yesterday, he had chanced upon a blog by that PIMP guy. It was brilliant, he thought. He smiled inwardly at the Eurofighter comparison. Gervinho only appeared erratic-like the Eurofighter that was aerodynamically unstable, hard to control and yet it was this unpredictability that allowed it to maneouver quickly in a dogfight. The very people who had mocked him have suddenly begun to praise him. Again, it is perception- he’s assisted 3 and scored 2 in 3 weeks, so he is suddenly a good player. And when the same player does the same things without scoring or assisting, he becomes ‘average’. Add ONE mistake to that and he becomes a scapegoat.
“Gervinho is a great player and he has confidence. Theo will have to fight to get his place back”
As he waited for the next question, Arsene ruminated on the other players that had been mocked by the ‘faithful’. Ramsey for ‘dwelling on the ball’ too much last season. People conveniently forget that it was his first full season after that ‘footballer’ Shawcross had almost ended his career. Also, he was overplayed and had to cope with the tragic suicide of his mentor. For all that, Aaron had never hidden. He came back stronger, and was now enjoying football, particularly as the deep lying midfielder. He’d performed solidly when asked to play in the defence too. Part of this was down to his being played on the wings- a position which had helped Aaron improve his composure and decision making significantly, Arsene thought. Yet he was still criticized for playing him ‘out of position’ by people who simply didn’t realize that they were witnessing the outcome of that exercise with Aaron’s arguably Man of the Match performance against Norwich.
Denilson- once such a bright prospect and now on the edge of leaving, all due to constant heckling by the fans.
Walcott- Once thought of as a waste. Till this season, when he burst into goal scoring form. He then became ‘indispensable’, signed a new contract and hasn’t shone since. And so many others for whom he took the blame- Fabregas, Nasri, van Persie, Hleb etc. when in reality they had betrayed his faith in them.
It was then that realization hit him. Almost all the people who ‘wanted their Arsenal back’ had no idea what they were talking about. They were like sheep, being egged and pushed on by the media who in turn were encouraged to pursue negative angles due to this culture of ‘instant gratification’ that had pervaded society through the Internet.
These days, a Twitter handle knew more than the Club Staff. Why, the person was qualified to become the Manager! On what justification? 8 trophyless years. He wasn’t about to waste his time defending himself because none would appreciate the difficulties the Club and he had faced together. Other clubs would have crumbled. Other managers would have gotten another job. Hadn’t Barcelona, Madrid, Bayern etc wanted him? Not Arsenal, and not him. He was an honourable man and he loved this Club. They would all see the plan unfold in the years to come.
For now, though, he just wanted a break. For now, he wanted to tell them all- the crowd of journalists and the so called ‘supporters’, nay, SING at them “You don’t know what you’re doing!”
Putting these thoughts aside, Arsene Wenger sat up straighter in his chair. Smiling, he pointed to the next reporter in line.
Positively Arsenal 
Great post…AW is like a chess grandmaster always thinking 3 moves ahead.
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If I was in Arsene’s shoes,they would be told their fortunes
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That is brilliant, what a piece of writing.
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Great writing, but I must protest about the implication of a bias against Arsenal in the press.
After all, the Guardian’s account this morning of the Norwich match only gave 6 of its 8 paragraphs to speculation on the discontent of Podolski. And of course it wouldn’t have been a balanced report without a paragraph on the match officials’ role in turning the game.
So it’s hardly surprising there was no room to mention that we had moved up into third place.
And, to make things fair, their “team of the week”, whilst obviously not including an Arsenal player, did feature one of the Norwich team to show the strength of the opposition we were facing.
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What are they saying about Podolski now?
Adi appears to have pulled another Rabbit from the hat.
Adi does most of the leg work with this blog and he should not be undervalued.
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Thanks George…I don’t do as much as I’d like TBH
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PG
The headline
“Lukas Podolski the luxury item Arsène Wenger struggles to keep happy”
and this extract
” . . . . . . . . . . it is no surprise to learn that he has grown frustrated and asked himself whether he has a future under the manager, Arsène Wenger.”
probably sums up the vein of innuendo which runs through the report under the match score.
Of course we Guardian readers prefer dark hints to outright lies.
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Brilliant Adi,you hit the nail on the head about the journos,most of them see themselves as media personalities now,I’ve very little time for most of them,they remind me of modern referees to be honest,legends in their own (expenses paid) lunchtimes.
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merlot @ 11:36 am and 12:02 pm
Thanks for shining the spotlight on the general malevolence and nastiness of the Guardian’s football reporting of Arsenal Football Club. Lets not forget how this newspaper, under the cover of its middle-of-the-road reputation, did a nasty hatchet job on Wenger during the difficult transitional months of September-November. Untold Arsenal did an excellent series of articles exposing the stable of Guardian writers who campaigned for Wenger to be sacked. This was the very same period when many of our former blogging mates decided that it was time to pull the rug from under Wenger, the repercussions are being felt to this day, one of them being the emergence of Positively Arsenal.
Otherwise from this mischaracterization of the Guardian as being independent, I think Adi did an excellent job.
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Gibson sq gooner-you didn’t come from Manor house did you? (Black cab joke) sorry.
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The guardians Raphael Hongistein hilariously this season described Arsenal as the unimprovables,I thought we improved in the 2nd leg against his beloved Bayern Munich,no?
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i had all of that in my mind but couldn’t write it down ….funny that innit , seriously brilliant piece.
we have been naïve as the media was slagging ARSENAL and ARSENE off even when he was winning all before him.so any chance of some sympathy or understanding when the tough times roll around is quite out of the question.
years ago the football writer could concentrate on the game and that was it. Nowadays the media hack is under so much pressure as there I many bloggers who are leagues above them in the writing stakes and the itk stakes as well ( this is why they fall for the imaginary player scams).
They now have to rely on the eastenders and coronation st football writing because they know nothing of the beautiful game, it is easier liking route one stoke than understanding the intricacies of WENGERBALL.
So until we go to hard on these tortured souls please remember just how scared and inadequate they feel.
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Good writing – the whole press conference thing, being quizzed by a dozen ale soaked degenerates and pimply youth who only are only after a phrase to mangle and misquote into NEWS is not something I could do. Nice as pie to your face, stab you in their byeline an hour later. I’d take a whip to the bastards, I really would. Hats off to Mr W.
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Mel – I have heard that joke many a time; often when I get a cab home with the missus the cabbie mentions that manor house to Gibson Square is the first test in the knowledge!
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The meme about the second Bayern game the meedjah are lapping up is that Bayern were ‘taking it easy’. Which is b*ll*cks when we consider that the last game against PL opposition in Munchen for Munich was a game that they’d have sought to exorcise. Am I a genius? No, I thought not. How hard can it be?
They were missing Schweiny, funny how none of the post match plunditry focused on that. The player the German national manage considers to be his most important player…but to be fair it’s not like they couldn’t call upon a £40M signing to fill his place, or something like that.
–
There are some vague rumours that the Manchester Grunt football desk is heavily influenced by agents. And to be fair considering that the Arsenal have already been linked with every player and their gran before Spring has even broken out here in sunny England, well, it can’t be the only one! My favourite one so far was the rumour about an Anderlacht (excuse spelling) player who has his heart set on moving to Arsenal because they’ve been following him for years (and no one else!). So he and his agent obviously thought the best way to pique Arsene’s interest would be by talking to the funny papers. In April. Er…
Still have time for James Richardson. But that’s about it.
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Top class stuff right here. Thanks Varun!
Its kinda hard to comment when how you feel has been stated so perfectly.
Thanks for mentioning, Denilson. I have always said that he was in line to be a great Arsenal player only to be mocked. Funny how memories are so short. I will never forget when I first saw Denilson, the boy has skill like dirt! He along with Diaby, were two who I sure would see Arsenal back at the top. Unfortunatley, injuries have robbed both of the chance to fulfill there potential. Denilson came back from injury and was not allowed to play himself back into form.
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@merlot & shotta
I really don’t know what it’s with the Guardian and their coverage of us. Just today, another article popped up with this nice line: ” Sunday at Wembley Chelsea rallied towards the close of a 2-1 FA Cup semi-final defeat but City had already out-muscled, out-thought and out-played them to add the country’s third best side to the leading one – Manchester United – as the champions’ scalps in their last two outings. ”
So what exactly makes Chelsea this countries third best side? Because the table says otherwise. Though, of course, it’s all details, but I am just infuriated by the definitiveness of the statement. As if there could be no discussion, as if there isn’t a decent chance that come May, Chelsea will be preparing for another season of Europe League. They weren’t the third best team in the country last season, they currently aren’t, why does the Guardian insist on labelling them such?
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What an original, imaginative post. Really enjoyed that.
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And credit where it’s due but this is probably one of the best posts I’ve read on Arsenal anywhere, ever! Really thankful for that and glad to see that PA continues to attract writers of such quality.
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Gibson sq, I can confirm that all cabbies are boring bastards!
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Yup not much to add really, other than to say a truly fine piece of writing indeed.
Casting pearls before swine, that’s Arsene in front of the assembled hacks.
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People don’t want thought provoking writing.It means that their stereotypical views are called into question.
Sheep like to be led.
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Thats the truth, George. Take Saturdays pen decision, that it can be made a big deal and many lap it up shows how, well, stupid many people really are. Sheeple for real.
No one seems to be mentioning the fact that Gibbs did make any foul that led to Norwich’s only goal. The level of reporting is farcical.
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The simple fact is that we were the better team by a million miles ,and anything other than a win would have been a gross injustice.
Report that you wankers
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did NOT…
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George @ 5:44pm
Well you know you are just a deluded AKB.
The wankers, as you call them, are just realists who want trophies, not merely Champions League football.
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exactly, and Hughton says they deserved something from the game. You have to laugh!
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Yeah, they did deserve something. A far worse beating than what we administered.
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That was an enjoyable, insightful article. Thanks. And thanks for the PIMP reference which I’d missed.
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BTW George I am sure you know I was taking the piss art 5:57 pm. The meme by some idiots that fighting for the Champions League qualification is pointless makes my blood boil. Not the least, because if we fail in this quest the past attacks on AW, Ivan and the BOD will seem like a tea-party. Speaking of the importance of ECL. I read a series of tweets last night by P.I.M.P., a friend of PA, that rang so true, I decided to string them together into a coherent whole (sorry for the abbreviations but they are his):
PL and CL are the measure of a club. We are the 3rd or 4th best club in England. That’s reality. COC won’t change that. EFC and THFC want to take that spot as does LFC. They could give a shit about the cups if they’re honest. If you’re not in the CL as a club, you’re in the minor leagues. Sad but true.
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Thanks all, glad you liked it
I was majorly pissed by Tony Gale’ s .’expert’s commentary the other day, guess it got channelled properly haha
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Really imaginative, interesting piece of writing. I wonder what he really does think? His patience with the assembled rabble is impressive. I know I couldn’t do it!
Poor Fabianski – he has been in impressive form recently and once again injury scuppers him before he gets a chance to really stake his claim. If Szczesny gets back in, I really hope he has sorted his head out and is ready to be as effective as Fab has been. We need to continue this run.
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Shotta, and it is the same across the board. A team would prefer stay in the PL than win some cup. Take Wigan for example, the owner has said he is going to pay for the whole team to go on vacation if they stay in the PL. He said staying up is more important. It is the same with the CL within the PL, that is where it is at.
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Paul N @ 7:36pm
Spot on. What would a FA cup do for Wigan if they end up in the Championship? A bit like a great night at the casino and going bankrupt the next day.
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Not really an either/or though is it lads
As a team facing the drop you don’t make a pact with the Devil that allows for an early exit from all Cup competitions but guarantees you keep your PL place
Wigan have their day at Wembley, even if they drop the fans will have one day to remember fondly – may even win it !
QPR went out in the 4th round to MK Dons at home and are doomed, Norwich who are alsi at risk at home were slain by non League Luton
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here you go Shotta WIGAN CASINO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZsrVrGfB5A
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anicoll, I actually think it is an either/or when you dealing with relegation. I have even read comments from Liverpool supporters, that they don’t take much joy in their most recent cup wins, they want to play in the CL.
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Anicoll @ 8:34 pm
I don’t deny Wigan going to Wembley is a great achievement emotionally but even with the parachute payments falling to the championship with their high wage to revenue ratio could be catastrophic.
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Well if it is an either / or why are two clubs doomed – Reading and Rangers – who were total rubbish in all Cup competitions this season ?
As for parachute payments if you go down having been knocked out of the Cups first round it makes no difference – you’ve had it
You reckon Wigan fans are fretting about CL qualification – ever ?
If I was a fan of Wigan then I’d say great – get on with it – roll the dice – mostly unlikely we will be at the table again
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I am not following your first comment. The point of being in the PL is to stay in the PL, especially for the smaller clubs, cups are just a bonus. If it comes to winning a cup and staying in the PL, they want to stay in the PL.
Wigan fans are fretting about relegation, FA Cup final or not.
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I know Paul – Wigan fans are fretting about relegation
As are Reading and QPR fans – for whom they have little reason to fret – doomed – neither did anything in the FA Cup except fold to lower league opposition
And Norwich Sunlun Villa and Stoke fans are also fretting about the drop – none of those clubs did anything in the FA Cup
Therefore Paul – in my opinion – what a team does or does not do in the FA Cup has no effect whatsoever at all even slightly what happens in the league
If you are due for the drop you are due for the drop
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These deserves to be posted again. A classy display.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg83p_KQwZw&feature=player_embedded#at=313
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So what you are saying is that at least Wigan would have won the FA Cup if they go down? If that is the case no one can argue with that but that is not what they want first and foremost. It will be more bitter than sweet if that happens.
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Great writing Varun!
I’ve got my Arsene back!
One of the many mysteries of the cosmos is how Mr Wenger puts up with those weekly troll fests from those professional hecklers? I think he has finally given up on them and is giving them the laser eye treatment. Come on they even give Rafa more respect than our boss.
Other managers have said this year that the don’t care about the cups, it’s either CL or PL survival that only counts, depending on your clubs relative position in the league. Wenger gets slaughtered for saying the bleeding obvious.
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They were like sheep, being egged and pushed on by the media who in turn were encouraged to pursue negative angles due to this culture of ‘instant gratification’ that had pervaded society through the Internet.
great article..on the spot…..i see and raise ….thats what happens when supposed “fans” aint got a clue what constitutes big in a continental/international/worldwide football sense… if arsenal fans were educated in football they wouldnt have thought that theyd hit the “bayernmilanreal” lotto in 2004 and thinking that that standard will always be the case. especially since the club decided to build a stadium right after that success. a cycle had ended and a new was starting…some of our fans never got it. and still dont.
so… how can i blame the journalist who at the end of the day is a professional troll paid to write shit so as to get reactions from their thick readers/clickhitters. ?..if our fans dont believe in what the club is doing and the manner its doing it then why should the journalist? ….
so id rather blame all these “fans” who created blogs swallowing the anti-arsenal sentiment from media and i would also blame people form the inside who had their own reasons for doing it ( usmanov and his people) so as to get control and accidently putting wenger in the cross fire…accident or not though i did not see anyone come out and put the media fans and doomers at their place…thats what angers me…..and as titi said …”we are not a big club yet”…we are oin our way to becoming one thanks to wenger. he made it all possible.
im reading some shit that went on during the days between 2003 and 2007 about how friar edelman and the rest were desperate for finance they accepted deals that would essentially hinder arsenal’s profitability in comparison to our immediate rivals..yet the manager never complained…our fans dont get it…beggars cant be choosers..and when we were building our home we were practically beggars…to find the land, to find the sponsors, then the kit and replica sponsors, to sell the flats at highbury, relocate and re-imburce those who land and businees had to move from the new stadium site then the naming rights of the stadium….a gigantic financial operation which relied on the brilliance of one man..wenger and the miracles he would deliver on the pitch
hillwood…”the gamble we are taking is that arsene continues to work the miracles that he;s worked for the past seven years or so. The team has got to try and get into the champions league. We budget for THAT”.
whats the saying? from the horse;s mouth ? right there for all of us …but no our fans would rather listen to lineker hansen and some other ridiculous cee you next tuesdays…
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Hunter FFS not again.
You should just do the definitive comment and copy and paste it every day.
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and because some other ridiculous people like to say things from the comfort of their “sanitised” comment sections …yes its nice and romantic to learn what happened in 1912 and 1897 …but sorry …thats all in the past…fsssssssttt PAST….the future is only important..and to have a good fortune in the future we must be careful now/today..the present.
also jerks with photos of players who are now in the heavens or imposters with cannons have nothing to offer if the pinnacle of their ambition and football culture were the late 80;s and the wrecks of the mid nineties….
i read their shit about class and tradition and laugh my arse off..without wenger’s professional work ethic and the overall change he brought to the whole of this league, football here would still be played by thuggs who had mars and snickers bars in their bags with their boots and socks …and a few pints before kick off too…
its so ridicuous its like comparing the organisation and discipline of a formula 1 pilot with a lorry driver for carlsberg……. and they dare talk about class ? please…..
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lol..which one out of all do you mean george?
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and i would like to thank kroenke for his complete apathy too …someone else might have done the unthinkable following the pressure and fans demonstrations…
so thank you stan for not sticking your nose in business you got no clue about and thank you to all the positive arsenal fans hwo had enough and decided to react. have you noticed many doomers lately anywhere you visit..they are embarassed and hidding…and thats where they will stay.
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shottagunna April 15, 2013 at 7:28 pm
there was a post by 7am two years ago where he outlines the two most important trophies in football
1. ECL market pool
2. money from winning your domestic league.
i agree with him 100% ..its not the cups they are after…but the money that accompanies the cups and thge money you get by getting close to them.
the two titles that carry the biggest financial benefits for the club are the champions league and the domestic league with its sponsors money. for arsenal to make expenditures to win the league title was totally unrealistic since they built their stadium. to win the champions league in same circumstances is also a tough ask , therefore whats the best available option left? CL qualification and the 25-30m jackpot per annum. thats it. everything else is just stories for children……
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