Never mind the buglers, where’s the FA Cup/4th place or better?
The fans are split, that’s a given.
But they are not split between AKB’s and WOB’s. Oh no, there are another set that sit between the two extremes. Just like in politics, the battle is won or lost in the middle ground. The vast majority of fans are floating voters. Within this middle ground there will be – and is – a full spectrum of ever changing feelings.
I would guess that up until Xmas the vast majority were happy and very much behind the manager.
Now? Who knows?
But it will be a whole lot less. And the amount they have shifted their positions will also differ greatly. Some will have had enough, while others may just have some nagging doubts.
Here is the crux.
They are all Arsenal fans.
They all want what is best for them. (Oh sorry – I meant “what is best for the club”). They all want us to win every game, they all want to win stuff, and they all want to be happy.
There is however, a basic divide.
Have the last 9 years been a success (as I believe) or have they been a failure? Therefore, has the manager overachieved or underachieved ?
David Dein recently said that the stadium move would have been impossible without the success Arsene had brought. Ray Parlour said that some of the loans to build the stadium were conditional on Arsene signing a 5 year deal. Arsene has told us he agreed to stay knowing that the league title was very unlikely. Ivan has admitted that there were indeed financial restraints that they had previously denied .
So taking those things into consideration, what was in Arsene’s job description? What did the board actually ask of him?
What was best for the club?
Arsene himself had said that his priority was qualifying for the Champions League with the financial rewards that follow it. He did that every year, and given his resources, that was an over-achievement. This isn’t my opinion, it’s a fact backed up by impartial data. The AST had an analysis done (I suspect they were disappointed with the results) which proved beyond doubt that this was the case.
People will point out that it’s not his job to make the club money, his job is to win trophies, but the reality is that his job is to achieve what his employers ask him to achieve. That may be very different to what a fan would want him to do.
If we finish in the top 4 and win the FA cup, I expect the undecided will once again shuffle towards us.
If we don’t?
Well we know all too well what will happen.
Positively Arsenal 
Did you fall out with Frank?
Well if he can forgive me my trespasses , you should be fine.
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The man loves the game and enjoys working with his talented group of players and want to succeed with them and for the club. Can you see that in bourinho or moyes? If they had the love for the game it’s long gone. For them it’s all about career and personal recognition now. That’s my opinion.
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An ethical dimension – whether it is better to be led by an honest, intelligent man, a character who has carried a mighty burden up a steep slope for many years
Or to dispose of such a leader because to follow the stony path is difficult
I prefer virtue
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There’s no reason for us to make up excuses for the man to bow out with dignity. Either you believe he’s still the right man or you don’t.
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Apropos
I have to disagree…. he is tired and worn out. SAF carried on till he was in his 70’s. And nowhere in my comment did I say that it’s the “money that drives him”
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Wasn’t directed against you per se north bank. Just making the point he has no reason to stay at the post if he didn’t enjoy the challenge. He has said many times before signing any contract extension it’s up to whether he still felt hungry or not. As for looking tired or wore out, maybe a year or two ago I would agree. But for very long this season he looked just like the kid again. And again, ppl seems to judge the man by other standards. If looking tired or worn out was a reason bourinho, moyes and pellegrini should be put to bed before next season starts.
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I think people misunderstand the over 30 policy. Players do slow down, take longer to recover etc etc as they get older and this is based on evidence. The so called over 30 policy was implemented at the time when we were making the move to the Emirates. The club could not afford to have ‘older’ players on long contracts. Not only were they on top whack based on their experience and years of service, they were also a risk in terms of their declining physique. If they suddenly started to decline dramatically, we could be stuck paying their wages with no resale value. The young players, were cheaper to employ and could be a source of revenue if sold. Football is a business at the end of the day and the players are the main commodity. It is obvious to see that as we could afford it, the policy started to have more and more exceptions. Any player who was willing to take the one year at a time deal like Rosicky, or who is physically fit enough, we can now afford to retain. It seems clear to me that the over 30 policy was a sensible and pragmatic approach to take given the particular circumstances at the time and that was all it was. I really don’t get why some people are so exercised about it.
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And what you mean he IS tired and worn out. you might think he looks so but don’t try to make it sound like a fact. It’s an opinion.
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“he is tired and worn out”
How can you know that with such certainty? Has he told you this? The most you can say is that in your opinion he looks … I agree with Apropos. Projecting what you want to believe does not make it so. If this is the kind of ‘debate’ you are bringing with you, don’t bother. I can read this kind of ‘insight’ in a hundred other places but I had hoped this place would remain free from it.
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The one year over 30 policy started long before the move Pass – I recall Bergy’s agent kicking off in 2004 about his clients outrage at being offered just a one year deal.
Well he put up with it – much to his credit
No idea whose policy it is – always seemed a poor rule to me – especially when there are plenty of other options for players of 31-32-33
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Its hardly unusual to look tired as you get older. As I pass the mirror the reflection looks asleep
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My first observation was that he, “looks tired and worn out” at 7.40pm
I then continued and said …. he is tired and worn out. I can’t say for certain, and he defo has not told me he is tired. Of course it’s an opinion, based on observation. Earlier in the season he was looking happier and healthier because we were top of the league and doing well.
Passenal… if you don’t want debate and observation… why are you doing the same?
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Reblogged this on TurkishGOON and commented:
Good read….
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Passenal
If Wenger has an opinion that he doesn’t need to bring in more players…. and then Santi has an opinion that the team need a striker, is that not opinion and you will sway one way or the other with your own opinion.
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Although you don’t host the bad intention sometimes you carry it. Because that’s exactly how it usually starts, from everybody whispering he “looks like” to stating “he is”.
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For fuck sake Apropos… you’re talking about chinese whispers now! Perhaps we should all be covered with cotton wool…. including Wenger!
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Good stuff George and some really good comments.
As for AW looking tired etc. I think it’s just that the pressure gets heavier at this end of the season. Especially after a few awkward results.
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Sometimes I think women have more sense than Arsenal supporters. You sleep with a woman and in the morning you wake up and you are a bit lovey dovey with her, then she turns to you and says, ” Look, we got drunk together in a bar and then we fucked, don’t read anything else into it”
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No I’m not talking about Chinese whispers and you are at it again. Why do you feel compelled to use that false situation as an example, that Wenger feels he doesn’t need to bring in new players. Especially when we already know for fact he tried to bring another striker before season start. Cotton wool? he’s already oiled and feathered. But no, I happen to think the man has his faults. Like any person.
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OK Apropos
I give in 🙂
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George
When you look in the mirror, despite how old you look, your reflection will always look you in the eye.
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LSD?
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Not if like me NB you are sly – eyes like an iguana
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Weed?
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Notoverthehill@6.06. I’m trying to think of a suitable reply to that risible nonsense. Erm, let’s see, hmmm. Ah yes, how about this: Blow it out your arse.
Happy Easter to one and all from a “floating voter” (ffs).
UTA.
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anicoll5
Like Ozil?
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Northbank1969: Where all those younger and arguably better looking managers than Wenger such as Hughton AVB, Sherwood, DiCanio, Steve Clark, Ian Holloway who started out this year? Obviously looking younger and fresher has nothing to do with your short or long term prospects in the EPL.
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Mesut more the classic chameleon NB – eyes moving independent of each other – binocular chaos
The iguana has a third eye
Most handy
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Yeah… I have a third eye as well
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Some would say you talk out of it.
Only joking
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Who argued that other managers were better looking than Wenger. I think he’s a handsome chap….. my mum met him and thought he was a handsome gentleman!
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And I often do Dumkopf…… no different to anyone else,
only joking
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It was nice to pop into your blog George and say hello. I’m sure the ‘quality’ of some your posters doesn’t reflect upon you. But to be honest, one evening on here was enough. Shame really, because I enjoyed reading your summary. Shame Frank wasn’t here LOL 🙂
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Try 100% next. You might get a more positive response from the women.
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I don’t mind the middle ground ppl. But when someone says he’s 80% for but all he gives you is the other 20%, then it’s 100% bs.
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Northbank1969 April 18, 2014 at 7:11 pm
hi there
the main complaint of fans is success and titles. yet looking into arsenal;s history success has been moderate. nothing even close to the real big teams of europe. what i dont understand is the delusion that arsenal was the dogs bollocks before wenger. never was. and still isnt. but a hell of a lot closer than ever before in the clubs history.
it is the fans and media who judge it all on success thats why i hit back reminding them that “chill out, this was never a real madrid”. however if you want to get into the grey areas of the matter it will lead to uncomfortable viewing cause many of the “faults” of wenger’s arsenal to me have more to do with the country’s culture ( or subculture) on the game of football and how its perceived. to that i will add the ‘football opium of the people” and how football fans use it as an escape or as an area to vent frustrations. if 1% of the protests and fights on football were made against governments it would change the world. as for questioning, thats fine. but it depends who is doing it and the motivation behind it. is it to imporve arsenal or to drive out one of the greatest managers in the game for the sake of savages having their wish?
in a place where its ok to do what they did to eduardo and question a professional who approaches his subject like a science, that place is the last one id take seriously on football matters. it is no coincidence that outside of england arsenal is respected far more than they have ever been here. are they all wrong and the ones here correct? could it not be the other way round?
wenger was building arsenal around fabregas. he lost him. and it was back to square one. yet in three years his team shows ability to win it again. even if the financial restraints have been slightly removed to allow a bit more spending it cant happen in one summer as fans hoped and expected or as journalists would have us believe. building takes time.
and if people want to question maybe they should question who opened the gates to criminals to come “invest” in the premier league and “rob” clubs like arsenal who worked their arses off to get to the level they are today.
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and this will be controversial …wenger can be said to be bigger than arsenal and a proof of that is that he gave the club foundations and assets and a technical know how on football matters that they didnt have before nor had any clue of how to get them till he opened their eyes. yes knicking games/trophies in dying seconds might sound appealing to the people’s psyche here but a sustainable stay at the very top of the game takes a lot more than that. in germany they have a machine-like approach, in spain a high tempo intelligence passing etc, in italy tactics and patience and artistry, here they want a gerrard and an adams and a terry and a neville to run, kick shoot and pump his fist and scream “yeah”….
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your onto something there hunter…
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Shame Northbank left unimpressed!
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I think nicking games in the dying seconds is better than not nicking them in the final seconds Hunter
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Excellent summation of the fanbase make-up by a or b at 4.39 pm yesterday – would make a great main post.
As an aside one wonders what impact the decline (assuming there is one) in parents taking their kids to games is actually having; is it leading to some of the youngsters to hit adulthood unburdened with the perspective of age.
Is the collective memory of the barren years now so impaired that this, combined with an unrestrained – and unrestraining – social media fuelled by the modern-day distortions of the traditional media, having a disproportionate effect on the abilities of many supporters to, er, support?
There have always been critical followers – and of all ages, too. But will this ‘style of support’ become the absolute norm the further into this Age of Misinformation we go?
Or has it already?
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52
&
39
number of games played by ARSENAL & pool to this point this year. Respectively
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FINSBURY will love this.
Ten ARSENAL players have missed 25% or more of the season each through injury. DIABY tops that list being out 100% to this point. THEO 75%. YAYA 69%. ALEX 58%. POLDI 47%. AARON 47%. TV 39%. JACK 39%. RYO 31%. OZI 25%. MIKEL 22%. NACHO 22% . TOMASH 22%. JETHRO 19%. KOSHER 17% . SANTI 14%. BAC 14%. NIKY B 11%. FLAMSTER 8%. OG 8%. FABIANSKI 6%. SACKER 6%. WOJO 3%.
AND WE STILL 4TH!!!!!.
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Thanks ‘Kam!
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Brilliant comment from a_or_b.
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I see Northbank has finally made the humble switch from “Pat Rice Out” to ” Wenger Out”.
Only joking. I hope.
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Sure thing.
Did you hear our friends at bunga bunga barka with their fearless leader(x) got caught sending two million dollars to the savings account of a ten year old child.
Whose father happened to be on the committee that gave the world cup to the Qatari’s. This s••• gets more unbelievable by the minute.
Bunga Bunga.
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Maybe Northbank wouldn’t have left “unimpressed” had a seemingly innocuous comment about AW looking tired not led to a PA version of the Spanish inquisition..
Just a thought.
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Nope.
But it sure does put the sacking of GG by the Arsenal board (bungs up to five figures only, maybe not more then 10G) into perspective.
Consequently who could be surprised that Arsenal have never signed a S.American player with third party ownership: Advertisers looking for clicks on transfer/football sites, sure, they have habits to feed. Yet the Expert Groaners – they Groan? Strange behaviour. For experts on The Arsenal.
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Don’t you know Harry? There’s never any disagreement here.
What can I say? I was left unimpressed by people shrieking for the head of pat rice like idiots.
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