These are happy days for many Arsenal fans. Excellent to beat a Spurs side who are on the one hand unable to score from open play right now and on the other bulging with exciting new talent thanks to the money they extorted from Real Madrid. Excellent to win back the Emirates crowd with a gutsy performance and of course excellent to have secured champions league football. Again. And since Monday night it seems happiness rains down from heaven’s limpid pools to refresh the parts other celestial downpours cannot reach. Even Arsene’s fiercest critics are forced to raise one eyebrow and sip their drinks in a thoughtful manner following his coup at the fag end of the worst and most hateful transfer window in living memory.
Everybody’s happy nowadays.
Except a few wet blankets of course. Those who wish our team to fail and transfers not to arrive in the belief that the board will be backed into a corner and jettison the hottest property in football management anywhere in the world today. Actually it isn’t only the masochistic self harming hate mob who find themselves conflicted right now. I am a bit of a conflicted wet blanket myself. Maybe bemused is more the word. Cards on the table upfront: I have been an admirer of bey Özil since the world cup of a few years back. Having given up on international football as a tedious waste of time where our players get injured for a cause in which I no longer believed and despising nationalism in all it’s petty small minded nastiness, I found myself able to watch the young and talented German national team in a whole new light. I confess I liked what I saw. I admired especially the close control and audacious inventive speed of thought and movement of the boy from Gelsenkirchen. I remember one breathtaking piece of skill caused me to turn to a friend and say “I haven’t seen that kind of thing since Bergkamp played for Arsenal” and I allowed myself a brief frisson of pleasure as I imagined the likes of Özil, Podolski and the elegant Mertesacker gracing the red and white. Then I shook my head clear of the thought knowing that such talent was these days merely cherries picked from the football tree by a few über rich sides to amuse their sugar daddies. I dared not dream that our great club, mired as it was in economic recession and paying for the daunting optimism of the Emirates Stadium, could ever hope to afford them and their genius.
Well. Here we are.
So why am I conflicted? Perhaps conflicted is too strong a word. I am of course delighted when our squad is enriched by great players be they purchased at either huge or minimal expense or when they have grown up at the club, nurtured from boyhood to blossom on the stage before us. Concerned is perhaps a better word. My delight and excitement are tempered with concern. Concern mainly at the way in which many people are reacting to the news. When they happily share links to news stories, the essential thrust of which is that at long, long last Arsene has spent some money can they not see that these hacks are using our record signing as an opportunity to continue perpetuating a myth, to simply beat our manager with the same stick they’ve used for years? When people say that now things will start to happen, now the dark days are behind us, they are simply hammering another false brick into the wall of denial that the haters and the media have been building around the very real achievements of the last decade. Above all I have an instinctive fear of too much hype, too many raised expectations and the idiotic adherence to the belief that the transfer fairy sprinkles her magic dust and the whole world is suddenly made of champagne and chocolate for ever and ever.
What will these people say or do if (Dennis forbid) the young man gets injured? Presumably they have failed to notice the stories of Van Persie, Rosicky and Diaby. Enormous talents who lost their best years on the treatment table. Hey – I hope he won’t and I know we should never assume he will. It’s like my three legged dog. When she lost her front leg I was too scared to walk her. My wife told me I had to. Dogs need to walk, they like to walk, it’s bad for them not to. But what if she hurts the remaining front leg? She’ll never walk again. Happily wise counsel prevailed and I do walk her and she runs and has a full life and of course my wife was right you cannot live in fear of bad shit happening or you might just as well give up on the whole boiling and hide under the covers. So I’m not doing the three legged dog thing where our new boy is concerned, not at all. He must play and face down the injury Goddess just like every other player. My point is that some people’s over reaction to his signing makes him sound like Jesus, Moses, Allah and Bill Hicks all rolled into one. They now seem to follow the original one man team and I fear for their sanity if anything happens to him. Football is a group endeavour and it is the whole squad will win us things and not one man.
You all know by now how I hate the ridiculous media circus that is the transfer window. I hate it because it causes a spate of crystal ball gazing and soothsaying and I can’t bear all that psychic fortune telling bullshit. If we sign player X then we will win trophy Y. That is the mathematics we are faced with and it sucks. The tedious, mundane truth is very few transfers tell us of their worth until an age after the ink dries on the contract and the journalists’ crisp and crinkly Kleenex has long since been flushed away. We can sign one of the world’s most significant players as we did with Andre Arshavin, he can look like the missing piece of the jigsaw for a while and then inexplicably fade away to a quiet, sad, ignominious exit from the club. Or we can sign an unknown centre back from the lower divisions of French football and he can, in a few seasons, effloresce into one of the best defenders on the planet. Or we can take a very good, solid player like Mikel Arteta from Everton and turn him into a maestro, the country’s leading midfielder by any measure. The future is unknown and I loathe people who claim to be able to see it.
Here’s why. Oh and by the way here’s also why I am emphatically not being a killjoy about this wonderful player coming to play for us. The greatest excitement, the most pleasure you can hope to derive as a football fan when a player is signed or breaks through from the youth or reserve teams is this. It’s the journey we travel with them as their careers unfold. It’s seeing hints of what might be and then being wholly surprised when something else happens. It’s wondering if they’ll ever be good enough only to be confounded by them suddenly playing to their potential because they are teamed up with the perfect on field partner. Or it’s agonising with them after a bad injury and willing them to prove their detractors wrong then being moved to tears as they burst through mental and physical barriers to realise their true potential. I don’t want to be told how this player or that signing will affect my club any more than I want you to tell me what will happen in the last episode of Breaking Bad or who is going to die in the Christmas Eastenders. I want to enjoy it as it actually happens. Also I want our new boys to come to the club and be given time to adapt to their new surroundings, their new team mates, and not to suffer the boo boys when the media inevitably tell them that the wunderkind is a flop. Which they will. They will build him up based purely on his price tag and then try to demolish him. Don’t believe me? They did it with the greatest of them all. They told us Bergkamp was a failure after a few games so don’t believe they won’t do it with our new number 11.
So I say rub your hands together with anticipation at the prospect of a truly skilled and proven talent adding yet more mouthwatering ability to our already great squad. Look forward to his début, his first assist, the first piece of trickery to bring a simultaneous gasp from 60,000 throats but for God’s sake give the boy time and enjoy the journey with him, don’t be in too much of a rush to get to the end. Hopefully we will have many years together to admire the scenery and maybe, just maybe he can become one of the greats. I for one am more than happy to wait and see.
Positively Arsenal 
Steww, my hat off to you for an excellent write-up!
As for “Comical Ali” of the Arsenal blogogossippers, who on earth wastes time on his fellow pueriles? Remind you of, Peter Wood aka pedro aks le-grove, anyone!
I assume, that Bendtner and perhaps Park, may have now changed their attitudes? Contracts are finite.
From the past, it would seem that the Arsenal Transfer kitty must be nearly empty. The Arsenal ,at the moment, is trading at a current (LOSS). Skint!!!
Bendtner has the ability to chivvy the ManU CBs into early retirement, Bendtner has the ability to chivvy the Chelsea CBs into premature retirement! Why Bendtner has not turned Ryan Shawcross into a gibbering parody of a CB, baffles me.
Has Bendtner, changed tack at long last?
Welcome to the Alpha Arsenal Supporters, Bootoomee!
As for the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust, check out the archives at the AISA site for the names of the Steering Committee, that formed AST! There is only a miniscule, puny membership of about 1060. The Black Scarf Movement has over 4 times that number.
The current Executive Committee are a travesty on the good intentions of the AST Steering Committee. Any issues with the Arsenal Board of Directors, would be dealt with privately. NOT publicly, as with the current misfits!
AISA claim a membership of over 8,000.
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“When people say that now things will start to happen, now the dark days are behind us, they are simply hammering another false brick into the wall of denial that the haters and the media have been building around the very real achievements of the last decade. Above all I have an instinctive fear of too much hype, too many raised expectations and the idiotic adherence to the belief that the transfer fairy sprinkles her magic dust and the whole world is suddenly made of champagne and chocolate for ever and ever.”
This is the other side of the coin that disturbs me amongst the euphoria, but you have put it in a nutshell. Hopefully the goodwill towards him will carry him through any initial settling in period and not backfire into premature scapegoating. I was also worried that it might lead to the scapegoating of the player that is perceived as keeping him out of the starting XI if Arsene does not play him for 90 mins in every game from day one!
LG – I saw that interview too and have no worries about MO – it’s more about the unreal level of expectation being heaped on his head by the glory seeking doomers who can turn at the first hint of adversity. Those with eyes to see realise that he is icing on an already delicious cake. Arsenal will not be a one man team.
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Bravo to all! One of the best posts and pages of comments I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. (Nice photo, too, steww!)
Kudos, also to George, B7 and P.I.M.P. on the latest podcast instalment. Very good. Mmm, now with extra stereo!
I have enjoyed the YouTube highlights of MO (some of his passes seem to defy the laws of physics), but I share the concern that the world will be expecting brilliance from day one. My personal rule of thumb for players from abroad is that it usually takes them around six months to adapt. I remember in particular how useless Eduardo seemed when he first started, and he turned out rather well, but he didn’t have to shoulder such a huge burden of expectation.
I trust in Arsène and I trust in the young lad Osil that it will all work out in the end.
Keep up the good work!
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Great piece STEWW
I just have one question. To those people who like to ride on both side of the fence, having their cake and eating it too. In short the two faced amongst us:
Does it cost twice as much to up keep those faces in shaving cream ,razors, after shave and/0r makeup?? Does it now?
At least in your own hearts you can be honest with your positions taken through the years. How many times does AW have to prove you wrong till your crooked penny to drop. ?
How many times?? year after year after year.
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What fence, Kam?
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LG
As you very well know there are those that change direction at any small wind that blows. The honest folks have come out saying they jumped the gun and shouldn’t have been as critical of AW and the organization and the team as they were after that stupid and unnatural game that was the villa game.
My hat is off to them. At least they are honest with themselves.
There are those that are now claiming to be happy at Ozzi ‘s signing and claim it was due to their pressure. This is laughable. AW does things his way and won’t be deterred in doing the best for the club as he always has. THIS WHOLE SUMMER WAS PART OF A PLAN. We have been trying to say have faith In this loyal man and have patiance. He has done well for us and he will see us get to our goals one STEP AT A TIME.
And to answer your question from earlier. No , this is not a one off. No that the hands of the organization are a little bit freeer financially he will keep an eye on the market even more diligently and players in the 30 to 40 million will be coming in as much as the younger ones full of potential.
As i said earlier this is a beginning of GOLDEN NEW ERA , not an to one.
Lets others harp on about wholesale change at the club from owner to the tea lady. In my opinion we are still one of the top organizations in the football world and are being run in a fantastic way going back to the FIZMAN years.
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Kam, I agree that the idea that fan pressure is to be credited for AW pulling the trigger on Ozil is rather far-fetched. And like you, my feeling is that it isn’t a one off either. I take encouragement from what Ozil and his father have suggested about Medut’s conversation with AW, that they bought into the vision, plan and ambition outlined by AW for the club and Ozil’s place in it. To me this is a harbinger of a judicious but very determined and serious tilt toward the top.
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Exactly
Last year with the THEO saga we stopped the bleeding of our future talent to other teams. Before that keeping our rightful place with European elite for years while building the stadium. This year with acquiring great talent in ozzi and we are on the road. Who knows what the next windows will offer up but you can be sure of one thing. AW and his team are watching and will not hesitate to pull the trigger if the right player at right price becomes available.
Unfortunately the people who have an agenda to give the Uzbek a seat in the boardroom rely on the impatience of some to think all this could have been done years ago. Not at all possible but they ask for the impossible.
It will get done but in steps not in one giant leap. The club will carry on being self-sustaining and spend the money we earn . Even with two benefactors who can inject funds in when we ask, we will still do it the right ethical way. The ARSENAL WAY..
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@ goonerkam
Good points, very true that this new era started with Theo’s contract extension.
The conviction that this position – ie our new spending power – could have been reached before, or was needlessly delayed is down to the word of one person – Swiss rambler. But it’s a popular notion and is therefore taken at face value.
I’d just point out that neither of our major shareholders are or have any intention of being benefactors, though.
****
Very satisfying to think that we bought Ozil with our own money, raised by our own efforts and not the result of a windfall. There has been a long-term plan, and although not all parts of the plan have gone as hoped or expected, and with hindsight some different decisions might have been made, overall it has worked and is working well.
Ivan and the suits don’t get enough credit for the transformation of Arsenal as a business in the last four years. We could not have delivered the resources now available to AW without the new departments and personnel IG brought in. And on a side note, I was also delighted to read of how IG, AW and Dick Law worked as a team to make the Ozil deal happen. (PG – going back to your podcast, another bizarre meme which has gained currency is that AW needs a director of football.)
Liverpool and Spurs tried/are trying to take a shortcut to our position. It didn’t work for Liverpool and it won’t work for Spurs. Even if the Spuds make it into the CL spots this year, the money generated will not be sufficient to fund the leap forward they are trying to make. And one season, the odd season in the CL does not make a club a top club. They might have been better off using the funds from the sale of Bale as a “deposit” on a loan for a new stadium, or to refurbish or extend their current one. (We used the Anelka funds to build a new training ground.) Or they could have thrown money at two really exceptional players, rather than six or seven very good ones. But I expect Levy has a plan of which I know naught. And perhaps taxpayers’ money will be handed to them.
Anyway. We signed Mesut Ozil. Yippeeeeeeeeeeee. Overall.
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goonerkam September 6, 2013 at 1:59 am
oh yes totally laughable to suggest that the moaners brought ozil…they should be reminded that when the club needed its fans to support they were busy being supreme court judges castigating the team, manager and club theyre supposed to cherrish. them trying and using kind words about it wont do anything to raise their profile as “freedom to debate” tossers…. they were essentially calling wenger useless and that he cant motivate his squad when his squad was getting decimated by neanderthals on the pitch and cunt referees….blaming Wenger’s managerial ethos for mistakes of miscommunication between defender and goalkeeper….blaming Wenger cause players couldnt finnish the job on the pitch. Suggesting that Wenger should be checked and judged on his performance….(????) …. LoL….such twats are a disgrace to the cannon.
and call me crazy….why would an arsenal fans blog opt for some supposed “objectivity” –essentially negativity– or want to create debates which usually hold a for and against side..?…are they admitting they are against arsenal and want to be heard out? LoL…. i guess they got too much idle time and want to fill it up with…BOLLOX…while pretending they are smart and concerned and with foresight….
im waiting for the wenger new 5 year deal…..lets see who has the last laugh then…
calling anicolls posts negative? pmsl…with that lot in there posting about the “death” of arsene every day and they dare call anicoll negative ?
didnt realise you are a moaner when you get sarcastic at people insulting your family…..and our lord father creator ..Arsene…
🙂
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and just like wenger had the french muskateers …part of france most gifted generation…likewise now he does it with germanys outstanding generation
and considering the respect the germans have for wenger….more might come
arsene knows? does he? …hahahahha
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Hatred is a very bad emotion to imbibe. The moment anyone reaches that horrible place about another human, it becomes impossible for them to be rational about their nemesis. Many Arsenal ‘fans’ have led themselves to this point about Arsene Wenger. It has now become a “us against them” scenario.
My problem is with the myopia and irrationality of their hatred. None of these people have as much at stake as Arsene Wenger in Arsenal’s success. NONE! As I like to say, I don’t have any of Arsenal’s achievements on my CV but Arsene Wenger, the management and the players do. If Arsenal succeeds on the field of play, I get some euphoric sensation but they carry that victory with them all their lives.
What is counter-intuitive about the ‘spend-spend-spend’ mantra and which shows the shallowness of the ‘buy-buy-buy’ brigade’s thinking is the fact that Arsene Wenger would benefit immensely from their prescribed solution to the club’s problems and he’d have very little to pay for the repercussions if the club gets bankrupt in the process. He’d move on to another job while brandishing the silverwares he won on the way to spending us into bankruptcy. Why can’t these Internet philosophers see this? Why are they victimising the most selfless manager in the world today?
We get regularly told how much Arsenal have to spend, you know, like the money just fell off the sky! We could easily spend £42.5 million of our own money on Ozil because of Arsene Wenger and inspite of their silly prescription. If he has bought every player brandished on the Internet and splash the cash recklessly, when a player like Ozil became available, we would not have been able to pay.
Most importantly, every Arsenal fan who had doubted AW when he said that he was willing to spend big on a player that is worth it should write him a letter of apology. Ozil is a good deal for £42.5 million and the club paid it! At this point, especially as the charade called the Transfer Window has finally closed, can we all now support the team without covetous whinging and stupid know-it-all-ism? Can the wrongoholics please quietly eat their humble pies and allow the team to get on with their job.
I don’t think anyone should support the team if they feel like it is not being run as they want but for fuck sake get the hell out of the way and let others cheer the them without having to deal with your boos.
Ah, it feels good to post my first rant on Positively Arsenal 🙂
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@Hunter
I hope that the new Wenger deal is done sooner rather than later. We are now entering the period where we can compete on all fronts, not having Wenger in place to reap what he has sown would be a disgrace. And, on a more personal note, I am really curious how the AST would react to a new Wenger deal announced before the end of the season. Maybe another “statement”?
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Hunter & Evil,
Who the fuck are the AST and why is the Arsenal board giving them any credibility? All they’ve always done with the face time they get is bloviate and issue empty threats against the club. They own about 0.000001% of Arsenal and if ALL their member attend matches at the Emirates, they constitute about 1.6% of the home support.
I say fuck them but that’s just me.
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Bootoomee September 6, 2013 at 10:38 am
excellent…imagine that the same people crucifying players and management a few years ago for konscielny ramsey and schezney are now quoted as saying “i cant fault the players, we are behind the players” …hillarious…well duh… who gave belief and improved those players?
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Bootoomee September 6, 2013 at 11:00 am
Hunter & Evil,
Who the fuck are the AST
some bitches usmanov found in mayfair….. 🙂
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i mean just how can you take people seriously when they are claiming that modern Arsenal is a vision created by H Norris in 1913…. ??
these are new levels in absurdity…maybe we should call a doctor…the slap from arsene and club has made them dizzy i think….revisionism overload…..
modern arsenal a vision by norris in 1913 ? so utterly ridiculous and beyond laughing anymore…only pity….
straws…ropes…..straightjackets
🙂
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The deathly international hush falls over domestic football. And it is raining, real wet Autumn rain. Anxious AFC fans tuning in to Germany Austria tonight in droves I suspect. The best we can hope for across out many international performers is an injury free return.
Themes for the next few weeks ?
1. Ozil bedding in. Steady rather than spectacular I think. To start on the bench at SoL maybe.
2. Bit of progress in resolving Bacary’s long running contract negotiations – come on Arsene and Ivan, give the boy a little – he has been a Trojan these past weeks.
3. TV fit again and first run out against the Baggies ?
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Still floating my way through the interlull.
Nothing to do with expectations. I’m just appreciating the look on the face of the Tottnum chairman when he heard that his special partner was selling their second best player to The Arsenal (after he had just sold them his own best player). It’s a beautiful look.
“They’re fucking amateurs!”
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FunGunner, goonercam
If there was a “turning point” (and I’m not entirely convinced there was), it was probably a little before Theo re-signed. What stands out for me is the day last December when the club orchestrated the announcement of simultaneous contract extensions for Jack, Aaron, Kieran, Jenks and the Ox.
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nice point merlot…i dont expect wenger or arsenal to get any credit for developing and norturing englands next generation first team…..do you ? … 🙂
rewind late 90s early 00s…wenger destroying english football ….you hear anyone today giving him credit at all or anyone accusing today other epl managers for going 95% with foreign players? … they sure had a lot to say then….another humble pie served by the Boss…ive lost count.
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“Ramsey is a young player and year ago, he was highly under scrutiny,” Wenger told reporters after his side’s 3-1 win at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
“People had major doubts, but I think he deserves huge credit for having moved forward the way he did. We deserve some as well because we continued to develop him and believe in him and all the players we have here. We have good quality at this club, do not forget that.
“During the transfer period, people are so much focused on who is coming in that they forget how good our players are.
“Somebody told me there was an interesting article somewhere in a newspaper. Apparently it said: ‘We don’t bring players in, but at the other hand, the English players don’t get the chance to play in the Premier League.’
“If you look at our team today, you had [Carl] Jenkinson who gets a chance, you get Walcott who has started with us, you have Ramsey, you have [Jack] Wilshere, you have [Kieran] Gibbs – all [British] players who get a chance with us. You should give us some credit for that sometimes.”
yep they sure will arsene ..in fact they are all lining in queue to do just that…. 🙂 ..
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and i cant stop laughing with mou texting his players as if in highschool….very professional…. “bravo samuel, you played well” …”well played john”…”frank you are the best”….. “michael, i love you son”…. “fernando you can do it i believe in you”
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http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/ramsey-is-arsenal-player-of-the-month
Aaron won by taking more than 3/4ths of the vote. (Olivier second, Rosicky third) And he bloody deserves it! Being some who has supported Ramsey all throughout his injury and even when he was still recovering and therefore not at his best, I am genuinely proud of him. At this point in time, given the choice of any midfielder in the world who plays in the same position, I wouldn’t want to switch Ramsey out. Not for a Schweinsteiger, not for a Xabi Alonso, no one.
But I am sure the development that Aaron has gone through which has made him one of the best midfielders in the league, it’s all down to “fan pressure” or “constructive abuse” and surely has got nothing to do with the faith shown by Wenger, who tried to find space for Ramsey in his team even if there was none to help him develop further and become a more complete player.
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Yep Anicoll, folks expecting instant Ozil-fireworks on day one may be surprised to see him on the bench, or perhaps not even if he has a niggle. I would have thought 3 or so weeks in his case (quite quick), you don’t need to upset the existing equilibrium. He needs to train with the team, extensively with the midfield, move and get a few things in order, find his feet. Might be faster, Nacho almost flew straight into the first match.
Excellent points Fun. You can’t fast-track into Arsenal’s position in months, although I do think AVB is fine young manager. I expect Spurs to do well this season and play a superior brand of football, not reliant on his Baleness. Poor Bale, I feel sorry for the lad. Too many expectations, too soon. He’s had what, 2 seasons as a “star” able to create such memorable goals, and really only one at the top of his game, before which he was “talented”, and is now the most expensive player ever. I can see tears before bed-time.
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Evil September 6, 2013 at 3:01 pm
last paragraph…..
as a member of the worldwide acknowledged AST let me thank on the behalf of all the fans and bloggers for the strength of character shown in developing the young welshman. special thanks goes to all twitter users who constantly reminded Aaron of his qualities !!!! impossible is nothing !!! yeeha!
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Good comment on Ramsey, Evil. Like you I’ve always believed in Ramsey’s ability and potential. But above all, I’ve always lauded his character. He’s faced a terrible injury, the long road back, doubts and jeers from the impatient, being played as the furthest forward midfielder in attack when Cesc and Nasri left or on the wing or as RB in games without ever losing his determination, hiding from the ball or shirking from responsibility. He’s always shown immense courage, full commitment and maximum effort despite suffering periods of lower confidence during the ups and downs. His attitude has been superb. I’m so gratified to see his game coming together consistently the way he looked in flashes before his injury. It is wonderful.
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“Més que un club”
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/sep/06/eric-abidal-barcelona-liver-transplant
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Oh man, are the moan brigade really saying Wenger bought Özil because they put pressure on him? Wow, they’re further along than I thought. Arsene merely took advantage of non-football people making football related decisions. He’s done this same thing in reverse many, many times. This is why Nasri, Cesc, Song and Adebayor are expensive bench warmers and the stadium debt is that much lower now.
As far as heightened expectations are concerned, this Arsenal side was always going to do better this season than the last one, regardless whether we bought Özil or not. This team has been in an upward trajectory since February and they seem to have started this season heading in the same direction. Those of us who have stood firm with the team are under no allusions about who is who and what is what. Mesut coming to Arsenal is the cherry on top of an already very good sundae.
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@ anicoll5
“Themes for the next few weeks ?
1. Ozil bedding in. Steady rather than spectacular I think. To start on the bench at SoL maybe.
2. Bit of progress in resolving Bacary’s long running contract negotiations – come on Arsene and Ivan, give the boy a little – he has been a Trojan these past weeks.
3. TV fit again and first run out against the Baggies ?”
A heartfelt hear, hear, from me on all counts.
@ merlot September 6, 2013 at 2:06 pm
You’re right, it’s not a turning point. What I should have said is that it was the first evidence of the loosening of the financial straitjacket. Speaking strictly in football terms, Walcott might not have been worth what he is reportedly being paid (I do stress reportedly), but for other reasons, AW ended up giving him a contract closer to his own valuation of himself. A few years ago, that option would not have been open to us and we would probably have lost Walcott to another side. Keeping star players, as we know, is as important, if not more so, than recruiting new stars. We can afford to do both now. (I don’t count tying down the other four of the Brits to new contracts in the same category because they were unproven – with the exception of Jack, and he was coming off a long period of injury.)
@ ZP
Cheers, and I agree with you about AVB. Sp*ds getting him was bad news. He is rather arrogant and arguably unjustifiably so, but very talented.
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That Abidal story should make Cesc take a good look at his football situation.
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This Mesut Özil. Is he any good?
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Czech Republic just started against Armenia. Aaron is on in 45m.
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If horse face doesn’t have to play, I don’t want Aaron playing either.
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I agree
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The tension is fucking unbearable. I feel I have to watch over every one of our players today.
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Darting from one game to another
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Still, Estonia might do us a favour
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Mkrtchyan just scored for Armenia…poor bloke seems to be a few vowels short
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Fucking Mkrtchyan just kicked Tomas
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“Just kicked Thomas”
The monkey magic is beginning to fade and I am starting my descent from the clouds.
That Armenian chap plays for Dortmund, I think. I was most upset when the Thomad announced that he was going to play on for the national team.
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Wales now.
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Come on, Aaron. Stay safe ,son.
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Sounds like the Armenian’s tackle on TR was for the sake of Dortmund in the CL group…
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And Rosicky scored. Way to go, Tomas!
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Brilliant penalty won, taken and scored by Aaron. Macedonians kicking chunks out of him now though. Stay safe, son
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Fantastic, Tommy. What a player!
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I see Tomas and Aaron both scored – fantastic. Our boys are full of confidence.
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They both lost but both were excellent and most importantly in one piece..or two pieces..one each.
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Good to hear, Frankie. Santi and Nacho are not starting. Let’s hope Mesut and Per stay safe.
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