Today’s post is by Niall Prosser
A cast iron case for history – or continuity?
I’ve made a decision.
I’ve decided where I stand on the Wenger Question.
As you’re aware, Arsenal fans are currently split between whether Wenger stays or goes. There appears to be a shifting in the sands every time Arsenal win or lose. There are also those on either side who are certain about their position and the merits of their views.
I’ve never been certain.
I will be honest and let you know that I have been questioning Wenger – and questioning Arsenal at the moment.
I read the blogs that suggest Wenger can’t motivate players, how he can’t make decisions about signings, doesn’t have tactical awareness and his training methods are leading to the injuries we are having. The biggest reason though to question Arsenal and therefore Wenger this year is the success of Liverpool. They have for some supposedly weakened the arguments about why Arsenal haven’t won the Premier League recently.
There are three main reasons why I have decided that I want Wenger to stay and why I think he is the best person to take us forward:
1) I’m worried – I’m worried about others next year. I’m worried about the strength of our rivals – let’s briefly analyse each of them:
Liverpool are likely to win the league. Suarez seems happy and appears likely to stay. Their chairman has suggested they are going to spend big to boost the size of the squad to mitigate some of the affects of the Champions League. But they have played a game once a week this year. They haven’t had injuries to their key players either. Despite a Suarez-less start to the season, pretty much everything has gone right for them this so far this year and certainly since Xmas.
Chelsea will have Jose for a second year, appear to be about to sign a world class striker (Cavani or Costa). They seem to living by FFP so may sell but I believe they will be stronger next year.
Man City appear to have lined up some big moves which will strengthen them defensively. They have more stability and alongside a mooted stadium expansion, appear to be building an empire.
Then there is United. New manager. £200m (supposedly). They’re like a wounded animal at the moment. They have shown they’re willing to pay big wages as well. They need a new defence, new centre mid and more but they have the resources and history to get.
I think next year there will be 5 or 6 teams who can think they can win the title let alone get into the top four.
Arsenal therefore need to improve as well. We all know we need a great striker (and there don’t appear to be many around or available), a defensive midfielder, possibly a new right back, another pacey winger and possibly another centre back. That is a big shopping list. We don’t need another manager with different ideas or who needs time to understand the players.
We need a manager who understands Arsenal, who has a history of investing our money wisely and of finding great players. We’re shopping in a different market now and some say he needs to be more decisive, but he built this team and can make it stronger again.
2) History – the biggest problem with every argument made against Wenger is based on history; let’s quickly review some of them:
Firstly, he can’t motivate players – yet everyone who played for him (and still to this day) says great things about him. He has motivated a team to go 49 games unbeaten. He has won leagues, cups and awards. This is not the track record of someone who can’t motivate people.
His methods are said to lead to injuries – yet again, those who make these arguments also ignore the history lessons. When Arsenal did go the season unbeaten they did it with a core of players who played most of the games. They did it using Wenger’s training methods. So they clearly work. New methods and ideas are good but there is not always progress.
He is being out-thought by younger managers. I’m a believer in trying to get your opposition to change to counter your style rather then the other way around. There does though need to be an ability to switch it if it isn’t going well. Wenger has done this in the past but sometimes the players must do this as well. The City, Chelsea and Liverpool games have shown the team need some more leaders but they also showed that we were missing key players.
I do think Wenger has to learn from this year but I think history has shown he can.
Equally Wenger gets a lot of stick for not winning anything for 9 years. I believe that when the decision was made to build the stadium it meant we weakened significantly for a period but it would lead to us becoming a mega-club for the next 50 – 60 years. It was a necessary sacrifice. Compare teams with a similar sized stadium to Highbury and look how they’re struggling with the competition – especially with the oil clubs.
During this period of weakness Wenger was at his strongest. He was loyal to us at a time he knew we were less likely to win – when we were weak – and he stuck with us. At the moment the club is in a position of strength but he personally appears a little weaker. We should show him the same loyalty he has shown us.
Now is the time to return that loyalty.
3) Alternatives – United are admirably displaying the difficulties of replacing someone who has come to define a club. They are highlighting the problems associated with flushing out alternatives – not to mention the evident lack of those alternatives. At the time of writing it appears that their two main options are Giggs or the Dutch national coach. Everyone else has dropped out of the running (assuming they were ever actually in it) and are staying put.
Equally United didn’t plan the transition post Ferguson or prepare for life after the man. When change finally came out of the blue last summer, it meant that United missed out on players such as Thiago whilst ending up with Fellani. They changed their whole back room staff and exec team. It was all too quick and destabilising.
Meanwhile, back at AFC, the appointment of Jonker as youth team coach could be seen as the club giving the man an opportunity to learn and understand the club and who may then become the Director of Football when Wenger finally steps down, possibly in two or three years. Remember we have a CEO who was wanted by lots of businesses and clubs. Already with tangible success, he continues to develop the commercial side; he is delivering.
I think he may now start preparing Arsenal for life without Wenger – but he needs time.
So I think and agree Arsenal need to improve. Central to this is Wenger continuing to learn and enhancing the team to meet the challenges of others.
He has the knowledge and experience to do this.
He continues to be the right man for arsenal.
Niall can be found on Twitter @tuwituwo
Positively Arsenal 
Split they maybe, but it’s hardly 50/50. I don’t have much interest in the ramblings of the impatient glory hunters Wenger brought us.
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Nice summary……I’ve heard most of the arguments against Wenger. They are all based on supposition. People recycle the same old bollocks about a lack of silverware these last nine years without proffering an explanation that accounts for the real challenges of staying afloat in the EPL. I respond to evidence, facts. So, Wenger IN and all those who disagree with me you can kiss my chuddies…..
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What are you doing up so early on a Sunday morning Harry? I’m ironing shirts….
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Good, balanced analysis.
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Nice writeup. Very comprehensively thought out. I agree with your final conclusion if not some of the logic that leads you to this conclusion. Big games today. I see a tie game possibly with pool vs chavs. Shitty will must probably come away with all three points. All.we can do is win the rest of our games. Second place is still within reach if some results go our way.
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I wish I’d had the skill to write that! Totally agree. Thanks Niall.
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Here is the rub. If you consider all of the facts(and I mean facts, not hearsay or down right lies) for me,the only conclusion that you can draw is that Arsene is the best bet for us.
Of course I have never had a moments doubt, I believe he is not only the best manager in the world currently, but the best manager I have seen anywhere in my life time.(And I’m no spring chicken)
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PASSANEL
your in the news. Well your twitt after the Everton game.
Tom thorgoods story on hereinthecity. Hitc.
Well done famous lady….
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Interesting post and very well organised. I would agree with you that Wenger should continue – everyone that wants Arsenal to succeed wants Mr Wenger to continue.
I have also noticed the media trend talking about Liverpool’s success as a means to denigrate Arsenal. Its just one more stick, one more lie. They talk injuries but they do not mention continuous unpunished assaults on Arsenal players throughout the season – the referees have one rule for Arsenal on the pitch, another for everyone else. And that is not counting the favouritism enjoyed by Liverpool, Chelsea and City at times this season. Penalties, off side goals, correct goals by the opposition not given, allowance for rough tactics that should be penalised if referees were following the rules or being consistent.
You are right that Arsenal need more leaders on the pitch. To combat the grossly tipped scales, Arsenal needs to have a team that is unstoppable. And I for one think that is the plan. And I really would enjoy it if that plans comes together.
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Thank you Niall, well written, balanced, thoughtful. A rare contribution in discussions on the extension of Arsene’ s tenure at the club.
From a personal perspective I would add to your list the moral dimension. That it would be iniquitous to call for or support the exclusion from the club of an honest, decent man who has given and continues to give his all. The treatment of managers like Kleenex may suit other fans and may be the modus operandi at other clubs.
Well it won’t do here.
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Getting away from the blinkered views of some fans, it is interesting to learn what ‘outsiders’ think of M. Wenger.
And there is the answer – PSG decided he is worth a world record salary of anything from £15m to £20m per year.
In addition, all the major clubs like Barca, Madrid, etc would give Georgaki’s chuddies for him — as well as a huge salary. Case closed.
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HenryB, were is that quote coming from ?
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Great post, and agree with your conclusion. Any free thinking individual should question everything, including those we think highly of at times. I think a lot of wenger for all the standard reasons I understand what he is up against and not all of it falls within the Queensbury rules. but the last couple of seasons have shown there are areas for improvement, notably away tactics against the big boys. I would also look at injuries, not with the aim of blame but with the aim of improvement. I don’t have the stats, but looks to me like the youngsters that have not experienced the first team…and our rather unique refereeing have similar issues, that to me at least suggests something needs at least looking at….as do the recovery times….Rambo out three months with a thigh strain?
Think there may also be a case that in his love for the club….and his work ethic, wenger may have taken on too much, though there are signs of more delegation.
But, as mentioned, we need stability. After next season, rights money for entry to the ucl doubles…..sixty million. Wenger is a master at getting us into the top four…to the scorn of some.
At the moment, there is no succession plan, but in the next two years, there will be, it will surely be more seamless than appointing a new manager this summer.
Liverpool mentioned as a stick to beat wenger with, but I have never seen a team given such a fair wind, not even Utd. they could be a one off. Maybe the season we are given the thirteen penalties and counting ….pool have received, we will win the title. Anyone else notice the media cover up on the continued antics of Suarez? The media howls of derision when Webb did not give them a penalty in our recent cup game? Jose is right, Liverpool are playing well but sometimes looks like something else going on with them this season. Let’s wait and see.
I will be more than delighted if wenger does renew, but would also like to see better prep for some games, a decisive effective summer…….and all the other qualities wenger has shown over the years. A trophy should it happen will do everyone the world of good, including the manager. Even wenger can improve on some things, and I am sure he will.
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A great piece, most anti Arsene arguments are based on assumptions like the famous ” he’s lost it” an amazing argument if ever I heard one.
I was at the AISA event with Sol Campbell and he was saying he still believes the ARSENAL medical team is still one of if not the best around so there’s another anti argument out the window.
I still believe the style of refereeing in the PL has alot to do with our injuries, the amount of talked that come in just after the ball has gone is massive and would not be tolerated abroad. As assumptions go assuming we would have won the league in 2008 and this year if biology would have been in our favour is not far fetched at all.
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My previous comment probably is a statement of where I stand on the ‘Wenger Case’.
Wenger has been consistently brilliant in the way he has successfully revolutionised and revitalised the club during a difficult time in the club’s history with the massive move from its historic home to the Emirates, at the same time as the crazy money brigade were launched on the English league.
It would be ironic, and peculiarly cruel, if Arsene was forced to leave having negotiated the club through such difficult times, and just before Arsenal find themselves in a far stronger financial situation, perhaps not on a par with the oligarch crowd, but with enough monetary muscle to match them in buying the best players, even on a smaller scale.
At the end of the next two seasons, if he wanted to continue, we will, in my opinion, he will have restored us to trophy winning ways, based on a more level financial playing field.
If he hasn’t, that would be the time to review the decision, but to go off half-cocked now would be ridiculously naive.
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Very very good post
and a succinct and excellent first comment by Harry Barracuda.
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So it wasn’t a quote the HenryB? So why the “…..” ?
I’m disappointed now !.
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Arse or brain, agree…..what does he’s lost it even mean? There is so much shite written out there. I saw one blog yesterday where the blogger openly stated that even when he writes praiseing…say the likes of athletico, he is doing it in a way to have a dig at arsenal! Think some of them need to get out a bit more, mind you, the blogger in question who writes a blog with our ex timed club in its title did recently let slip he spent much of his younger years at the lane, though not as a supporter…..
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Terrific article by any standards but for a first time contribution, this is especially well thought out and delivered. Unsurprisingly I agree with your points and your logic. I’d go further to suggest those campaigning for “venga out now” are in fact advocating real damage be pepetrated on the club. Why anyone would want to do such I thing is open to debate although I accept some don’t have the wherewithall to appreciate how dangerously foolhardy their primitive ‘ideas’ actually are.
***
Interesting responses to Nial’s article (and it’s not even half past ten!) but Mandy’s points about Liverpool’s exploding penalty totals is worth a highlight especially when the paucity of games played by LFC this season are taken into account.
There really should be two extra columns added to the league tables – penalties awarded for and against. Home and away, dammit – four columns, let’s lose our heads completely on this.
Big team bias would be the first thing that would be filtered before our eyes (assuming it exists). But teams prone to ‘winning’ above average numbers of penalty awards would also be revealed to the world and might assist our tactically challenged referees in their handling of such teams ….
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PG,
I read on a number of blogsites, that AW has had an offer from Monaco to join them for £12.5m, after tax, which equates to £20m p.a. before tax. (I mentioned PSG by mistake above as they were also quoted but without a salary mentioned).
I do not remember which particular blogsite except for the Mail Online on the 26th April, and while buying my Sunday paper, the shopkeeper looked up yesterdays and it was also in the Mail, yesterday. (Did not bother to go through the rest) 🙂
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“printed” in the Mail, yesterday.
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Firmly believe Big team bias exists Andrew Andrew, though some might even claim relative to some teams, we can also be the recipients. These days, the bias seems to point north west….though would not write Chelsea off in the near future! They certainly have the infrastructure and Machiavellian intent to lean on whatever powers that be. But still cannot work out if the bias is media driven, or via some other source. Thought Scudamores recent interview linking the success of Utd with profitability of the EPL brand was especially interesting. Maybe Liverpool are the next biggest thing to Utd in terms of a world wide brand….and do not attract the disdain many have for the oilers? Whatever the reason, some of the decisions that have gone their way, and the media reporting have been suspicious to say the least. They are a team that clearly play for penalties, and succeed with the most dubious of calls game after game, without any questioning from the media ….or the games administrators. Must be a real lift as a player knowing you can run into the area, dive, kick a ball against a defenders hand knowing at best, you will get a pen, at worst, the offence will be ignored by the officials and not played out over and over again in the media…a la Eduardo. Of course this could all change for Liverpool today…..couldn’t it?
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I think most of us here understood how Arsenal FC like to try and do things, have done things over their history. And so therefore given the situation a few years ago we all knew that it would be AW who would be making the decision upon his health, and his desire to carry on. We’ve seen peoplke take offence at being asked to use their common sense, or to act with some diginity: yet I think someone who times training sessions for their players to the second will know the state of their own consitution better then people speculating on the internet, don’t you all agree?
Strange to see talk of Cesc returning *shudders*, no thanks! It was the breaking up of the team/squad built around him and the rebuild over the difficult last period that surely deserves some respect from all the football Experts out there? There’s a great football quote, I saw it again yesterday, about players being more important then the ‘tika-tactics’. Frank has said the same thing too. And there’s some wisdom in there.
So, as these players brought in to replace that previous squad either settle (into a new league) or are maturing like Ramsey, Walcott or the precocious Chamberlain (bearing in mind his injury this season) only a bitter soul would want to deny the manager who has guided the club through the past three seasons and moulded the new team the opportunity to work further with these players, now that the club/squad have regained some momentum.
“are in fact advocating real damage be pepetrated on the club.”
An example of this demented behaviour? Whilst players like Ramsey have been emerging is the Groaners continous efforts to convince all other Arsenal fans that their manager canot coach youth (Henry, Thuram Trezeguet at Monaco…etc…thirty years of evidence, who needs that?).
Newcastle’s self-defeating treatment of Bobby Robson is what the campaign of the vocal Groaners have aspired to (not even close to 50/50 in spite of years of guidence by PR genius’!). I don’t think Newcastle have done as well in the league (in the CL?) since their appalling treatment of the great man. It’s what they deserved for such a showing.
Newcastle, Pardew and the “cockney mafia” up next!
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Henry b, remember its in the mails agenda that they print all foreigners pay 100% of what it actually is!
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Very interesting blog by Niall, more-so because, unlike PA regulars, he started from the position of doubting whether Wenger should be allowed to continue. The moralistic argument is compelling but what is supposedly controversial is whether Wenger has the capacity to again to win the League after nearly 10 years, i.e. 1st 500 vs 2nd 500. End of an Eraists and Le-Grovers share one interesting position; Wenger is only content with coming 4th and qualifying for the lucrative champions league riches. By this logic Wenger should do a Brenda Rogers drop out of Europe and concentrate only on the domestic league. Relegation may be even an option since we could more easily win the Championships. I wonder which of the two ambitions fans would prefer.
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Shotta,
Both options are bollix frankly.
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Everybody’s quiet as Chelsea blunt Liverpool and go one up as Gerrard slips.
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COME ON CRYSTAL PALACE!!!!!!
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We didn’t win the league this season because we lost two of our best players during the holiday period and we lost two more important players right before the final stretch. A few reinforcements and this team is as good as anyone. Personally, I would like to have Campbell back and whatever pacy striker Wenger can get during the summer. And let’s not forget Abou Diaby. I’m very optimistic about our chances next season.
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I think Liverpool will still win the league. If they get just four points, they win it on goal difference. The games they have coming up don’t look difficult at all.
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Gainsbourg69,
I don’t think so. Mathematically, it is now Man City’s to lose.
Who knows, they could slip up but at this very moment, they have the edge because of their much better goals difference. Liverpool could win if they could beat their next 2 opponents with very high scores but based on history, so could Man City.
I personally want Liverpool to win it but it is in City’s hands now.
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Interesting game from Anfield – Liverpool very keyed up and it showed, Chels’ bus manoeuvre worked a treat, again. Amazing what having a set of gorilla sized midfielders does for you. Mikel, Matic, Willian all bloody awkward. Schurrle ran his arse off
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I am just happy that the undeserved pre-mature, coronation of Pool as that plucky low spending, long sufferering club was cut dead in its tracks. The dialectic of life the fall of Pool gives rise to the genius of Jose. I can live with that because it won’t last for long.
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I think considering Liverpool had everything running for them this season and there are still two oil clubs able to beat them is a perfect example of how money will win 99% of the time and the mountain we have had to climb over the last nine years.
This season has run perfectly for the scoucers and terribly for us and yet the difference has not been that great. In the end we have fought well in three competitions even though hampered by more injuries than any top level club in Europe, to the logically minded we have again had success, those who believe we have failed well maybe they should play chess with joey Essex
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a_or_b at 5:00 pm
There is this gooner on twitter on my TL who is all up Mou’s ass for his tactical genius. My reply was it is the power of money to buy talent which he is able to maximize defensively. So he throws Porto in my face. I wonder when Jose will return to Portugal to manage.
;
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shottagunna,
That Porto CL win is one life’s true unfortunate incidents. Suckers would use it to the end of time.
A good response might be that the CL is only a little ahead of the FA or League cups, being that every now and then an undeserving team flukes a win. The ‘genius’ called Mourhino couldn’t reach the final at his peak with Chelsea and neither could another CL multiple winner: Ancelotti. But Roberto di Matteo was able to win it with arguably the worst Chelsea team in 10 years.
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Do you think that was oil he slipped in AoB ?
I see YAYa is now thundering through Pulice like an enraged Bull
Mooooooooooo
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No mercy for the Merseysiders this weekend. And the aspersions come tumbling down for the toffees and pool. This thing might go right to the wire with three, maybe four horses.
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At Porto maureenwhore inherited a ready made team much like when he took over from Claude R . At chelski. The previous manager did all the hard work and this lucky sob reaped all the benefits. I’ll give him.that. If not anything he is a the luckiest ba••••• I have seen in football managment. Arry comes a second and his dog third.
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Bootoomee and GK – What did Nopoleon say; give me a lucky general, eh.
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It is also true that winning cup competitions depends a lot on luck and fortune amongst other factors.
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SHOTTA
Lets put the last nail in Alan coffin tomorrow and make a run to second place while no one is looking. (0(
like a or b said earlier, no one has climbed a higher mountain than us ,
the ARSENAL.
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There have been a few unexpected results this weekend
Well not tomorrow Mr Pardew not tomorrow
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I have a firned like that, Shotta. Whenever he talks to me about Mourinho’s greatness, I point to his years at Real Madrid and he quiets down.
No it isn’t, Bootoomee. They can end up with the same amount of points, but Liverpool beats tCity on goal difference.
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Gains City are well ahead on GD
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Thanks for a top post, Niall, and great comments as ever everyone. I really don’t like this Monday evening business when its my own team – all the positive and optimistic feelings I had yesterday afternoon have gently ebbed away and I know feel genuinely worried about Newcastle. Somebody tell me it will be alright, please.
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It will be all right.
Please..
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The BBC are cancelling MOTD for the rest of the season, it is being replaced by 24 hours non stop transmission of somber patriotic music.
3 days of national mourning has been proposed.
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If my research is correct Liverpool have Palace and Newcastle to play.
Manchester City have Newcastle and Everton to play?
Arsenal have Newcastle, West Brom and Norwich.
Liverpool have had no European football to bother them. League Cup knocked out by Manure. FA Cup – early knocked out by Arsenal.
Liverpool since the New Year have had no real need to rotate. Rodgers used a core of about 14 players, The most demanding stamina trying positions are in mid-field.
So, Coutinho, Allen, Sterling, Lucas and Sakho! Were the players being rotated.
In the same period, Arsenal have been involved in the Champions League, FA Cup and plus the EPL.
In share buying lingo, we are ” bulls”, without being bullheaded! We are in the pro side in the Pros and Cons columns. YOU ALL know, what those in the wrong column, are called?
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HAHAHA
ex pool cabal that motd. You gotta love their loyalty….
NOT..
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