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 
At least with the le groan punks you know what you’re getting. Prince Machiavelli it is .
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Stage 5 worries me Shotts
I get slung out
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anicoll5 @ 6:43pm
Stage 5 – I will be on slab in a mortuary somewhere. Won’t mean shit to me, Andrew.
No thanks for the reminder (LOL).
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Hunter – The owner (Kroenke and the board) have given signs they intend to spend. They had better. A Defensive Midfielder (Lars Bender) and a young pacy wide attacker for me. I anticipate only a few A-rated players will be on the transfer market they will be in great demand by the big spenders
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Good evening all. This is my first post here and for various reasons, not least my age, I am a newbie to the blogging world. I have supported Arsenal for nearly fifty years, although my first recollection was the 1971 FA cup Final. My first blog experience started in September, when a friend introduced me to a blog that opened my eyes to the type of ‘fan’ that has been created by the media. I was shocked to find myself on the end of some pretty abusive comments for supporting the manager and the clubs incredible achievement in moving from Highbury to the Emirates.
I hope I am welcome and look forward to discussing all things Arsenal with fellow supporters of this great club.
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My word Chelsea are losing….Mannone brilliant save…
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I expect the Oilers will get a transfer ban ala Barca
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PSG too so they may not have first refusal with the top strikers….
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It’s going the Scousers way…..
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Twists and turns indeed….what a fucking shame we’re out of it…..
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The tricky thing with transfer threads is it makes you review season before you want to.
I believe there’d have been a few more performances like the one from Theo against Tottenham. Harry joined the wake here after the injury like the rest of us, he knew. Title: with Podolski and Chambo returning from serious lay offs, it was gone. Pick up a twenty goal scoring fifteen assist making level player in the January window? Unlikely. Only vague candidate worth even considering that my puny mind could think of was snorted up by a petro club. Salah to Gazprom, but no way is he on Wally’s level yet, so, not a replacement then. Rumours that a loan for Klose (like for like for OG) was blocked, but as I’m not fan of Klose I’m happy to see Sanogo given a chance there.
Saleh off for Schurrle as Gazprom trail Sunderland 1-2 with minutes to go. Interesting.
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Fuck me….
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I have been watching Jose tonight
He looks tired
I would go so far as to say even worn out
Sorry I could not help myself
Have I ever mentioned how interesting and unpredictable football is ?
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Ha, Ha, Ha. Poor old Mourinho. Losing undefeated record to the bottom place in the League. The look on their fans face is priceless.
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Shotta, Your post was spot on.
Thanks my old ally, when I needed guidance, there you were.
WE WILL STICK
What say you all?
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anicoll5 at 7:26 pm – Post of the Day:
“I have been watching Jose tonight
He looks tired
I would go so far as to say even worn out.”
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hahahahhaha sunderland….. mike dean is the worst ref EVAH …… and a clueless mou is always a sight to behold…puahaah …
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Norwich to do the business tomorrow ?
I suspect the Scousers have just seen the game tomorrow get more difficult
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shottagunna
yep they sure have or at least a lot more than previously …i was reading some stat ( dont know how truthful) that arsenal net transfer spend in the last decade has been 0…but its not only on players they should spend…but also in schemes behind the scenes who wont allow deans and dowds and busukas to fuck with arsenal…..
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George,
Thinking back to that pre-bid Suarez debate here last Summer whilst the rest of the Arsenal interwebby was in a transfer meltdown humiliating themselves with misplaced envy for the palpable charlatan Levy (did the builder only now tell them they can’t stay on site at WHL whilst they build? Oh dear. Whoops.)…please stick!
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PG
I’ll STICK.. around
Poor old tired looking pissed off maureenwhore. How you like them apples. (0(
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Football. Hull AFC ‘The Tigers’. Away.
Will be a tough game tomorrow.
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Well I appreciate the Sky pundits assessed Jose’s ” I have only four points” interview as yet another masterstroke in the mind games employed by the bristly Portugese
To me he just looked as though he was having a panic attack
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All of a sudden I fancy us finishing better than fourth.
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pedantic george at 7:29 pm
You are welcome me old mucker. You/we didn’t create the divide and without people like us the inmates would have free reign of the asylum. Look at the madness at other clubs who change mangers and philosophy like confetti. Most of these clubs seek a young, better looking boss are wrestling in a relegation scrap or aiming at Europa League at best.
This blog may not become the most popular; it certainly won’t win awards since they are all beauty contests. But it will remain very relevant and grow in importance because it is unique; unlike most other blogs it supports the manager and the squad through thick and thin. Just like you on twitter, they may hate our guts but they can’t ignore our opinions. Stick.
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ahhhh why cant wenger give post match interviews like that…….
congratulations …. congratulations…ref came here with a mission..ahahhhhhhhhhhahaaaaa
what was the mantra in that other place….get your tactics/transfers right and refs mistake wont count….ohhh that has come back to bite …
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Well debate is good so all parties should express themselves and their opinions. LOL
I see that all the last 7 to 8 teams changed their managers at some stage in the season for whatever good it did them…Would be nice to see Cardiff in particular relegated… wasn’t sure of all that happened there but i don’t think i generally like how the manager was treated
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I am glad that this site will stay as it is, but although I am a culprit too, I hope it remains more about the football and less about the schisms in the fan base. Having said that I guarantee that some Arsenal fans will still turn Chelsea losing (goodness – they would give their arm for Giroud over there) and Maureen’s petulance into an opportunity to slag off AW.
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F— Mourinho. The ref didn’t cause him to lose. He lost because he loaned out his best striker and he got rid of his most creative player. It all started to crumble after Sam Allardyce gave him a footballing lesson at Upton park. Hahahahahaha
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ts ts ts gains you have an unhealthy obsession with voyeurism and mourinho…show some class..dean robbed them and is giving the title to liverpool..if it were us we would be fuming.
the man won everything with porto …world cup, the intergallactic, the supra-league….everything !!!! he is totally misunderstood…the italians and spanish are mugs for not appreciating what this wonderful person brings to the game. he is a treasure
or ignore everything ive just written/said and laugh at cunt mourinho and his little fucking horse ….. 🙂
faria played todays formation/tactics and players in fm last night and won 3-0 ….no wonder the poor fella was mad today…how could this happen.? ..the computer said otherwise… muahaaaaaaaaaaa
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“faria played todays formation/tactics and players in fm last night and won 3-0 ….no wonder the poor fella was mad today…how could this happen.? ..the computer said otherwise… muahaaaaaaaaaaa”
hahaha
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Well I’m truly ashamed. You guys put me in my place. Here I was feeling this stupid urge to explain myself, what for? Embarrassing really. Anyway, if I walk into a local bar in a new neighborhood, trying to befriend the local clientele and end up offending not one but several of them. Maybe the first question I ask, publicly, shouldn’t be; fuck is wrong with you people? Maybe it would be better to retreat and later ask myself; was it in something I said?
Not going to diminish myself by getting over myself but just getting over it and into football.
Haha bourinho
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Apropos, you were right. No question, Well played.
I like Northbank from my time on ACLF. I like him a lot. That is irrelevant though in terms of being right or wrong.
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George, I lurve you, but fuck off for thinking we’re becoming nothing more than cheerleaders. If we’re cheerleaders what does that make all the Arsenal fans who drool over Mourinho or Klopp, or Pep or whatever manager is in fashion at the moment? Fuck that noise. I pull for Wenger because he’s the manager of my club, plain and simple. If I don’t freak out and throw my toys out of the pram whenever we draw, it doesn’t mean I think he’s infallible. Our best players got injured at inoportune moments, but the same shit is happening to City and Chelsea just now. How much do you want to bet the Wenger out brigade will not be as vocal when the oilers miss out on trophies this season?
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What the fuck is going on tonight?
Quite a discussion about rather sensitive souls. All too subtle for me.
I think you should all go to bed. We have a big game to look forward to tomorrow.
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Gains I said “We are in danger of becoming no more than cheer-leaders.”
Fortunately its not a clear and present danger.
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Hunter, do you think the wannabe physios in our ranks are going to talk shit about Mourinho driving Hazard into the ground? Trick question.
Georgie, want to see cheerleaders, go see how our Groaners talk about Mourinho whenever he wins in a boring way.
Think about your cheerleaders comment when we are celebrating St. Totteringham’s next week-end. Most of the dicks who call us AKBs were eating their hearts out when the Spuds were wasting Gareth Bale’s transfer fee on shit like Soldado and Capoue.
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You know me, George. I’m the type of cunt who is not going to let you live that comment down. I still love you, though, Kung Fu Panda.
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Shotta (8.01 pm)
“But it [PA] will remain very relevant and grow in importance because it is unique; unlike most other blogs it supports the manager and the squad through thick and thin.”
When we applied to NewsNow to be accepted onto their feeds, this was pretty much the argument we used to win our ‘bid’; NewsNow had long ago already stopped accepting new blogs as they were (and remain) massively over-subscribed on the Arsenal feed.
With that in mind, it makes sense to stick with what we have; it’s the appropriate thing to do.
That said, a big part of me thinks between us we are more than capable of repelling arguments that don’t appeal to us – and in a way that doesn’t bring ourselves or the blog into disrepute or compromise. Like George, I too like Northbank and of course Harry and personally think we should argue whatever our case might be with them rather than simply choose to not have them around by chasing them off with naked aggression, hostility and something in danger of heading towards over-reaction.
Arsene looking tired? So what, he’s halfway through his 60’s (almost), he’s entitled to – but he’ll still slice you in two with his razor-sharp intellect given reason and an opportunity.
Worn out? Implying, maybe, competition from younger managers? Like Mo and Pelly – both of whom presently hitting the rocks the moment they incur an injury? I think not.
No I didn’t agree with Northbank’s remarks, not one bit. But we of all people have nothing to fear from the testing of our conviction from time to time. Our responses serve only to further inform, reinforce and illuminate our well grounded beliefs.
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Gainsbourg69 April 20, 2014 at 12:15 am
physios? ah you must mean pedorov lagrovic the famous scientist who studied under alisher’s scholarship. awaiting the medical report…..as for the little horse…the horse whisperer said months ago it needs milk….maybe they put it out on the tracks to soon muihihihihihi in fear of not losing much ground…i dont know….i only wish the result at the bridge didnt frustrtae jj ocuntcha and the warrior of blight too much …. mmmm it is sad to watch your heroes being utterly hopeless at home against the team at the bottom in the thick end of the title run… …
george-el ….you worried we are becoming fascist pricks unable to accept our fellow fans opinions? …i ve thought likewise sometimes but then i always arrive at the same conclusion…my opinion reflects reality ….. ( devil laugh)
i have watched man of steel and it is ridiculous…but a lot better than cristopher reeve saving cats and waving at people while flying …
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What the fuck was Hunter’s last comment about?
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No idea Georgaki (and I doubt H13 knows, either!) but I couldn’t help but smile at the irony of yesterday’s Northbank discussions and the title of the main post …
Thank Gawd there’s a game or three on today.
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I don’t know PG, the whole thing transcended into something much bigger than I wanted to take part of. But I do think that seemingly innocent remarks like he looks tired and worn out shouldn’t pass without confrontations. It’s the latest stick and in many ways the most dangerous one. And I suspect it might be something that will resurface elsewhere quite frequently in the future. Mirror set the standard by posting a picture of Wenger tripping on the floor after a lose. As for your friend northbank, well maybe a little deconstruction and self observation is needed. For someone claiming himself to be pro-Wenger he says many things that works to the opposite. Do I think he is a vile calculating mischieving person? No, but his pattern works to the benefit of that effect. And damned if we all quietly take it all in, here of all places. But maybe it doesn’t really matter anymore, maybe there’s only one remedy to it all now, winning that bloody cup. But first we have the fourth place to fight for.
And it’s good of course setting a direction for PA. And I think while Wenger become our battling point, PA still have a big role to play post Wenger.
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Apropos – no-one’s suggesting anyone should “quietly take it all in”.
Quite the opposite, in fact.
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Our support for the club in no way should be tied to Arsene.
Our admiration of Arsene should in no way be tied to the club.
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“At the least Hunter deserves some credit for not crying all season long over Suarez,”
Only every time we had a bad result, crying like a baby over spilt milk.
As for Konoplyanka, a little online research indicates he was close to signing for Liverpool in January so if they still want him that’s where he’ll be going if anywhere, especially if they win the league.
There’s another reason not to covet your neighbours ox – you’ll only be disappointed when you don’t get it!
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That’s the trouble with transfer porn – too much coveting your neighbours’ ass !
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Good morning and welcome to the sunshine bus Proud Kev – not sure how I missed your posting last night
Like Mike Dean my attention was distracted
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Andrew, I only saw it and approved it this morning.
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