A guest post by Kelly Woods @kmwoods02
Aaron Ramsey had his worst game in 12 months against Everton. He tried too hard. He forced things. Yes, he scored a goal, but don’t miss the fact that his performance was poor. And speaking of goals, I’m worried that he’s publicly admitted that he set himself a target of 20 goals this season. Whoa, there, son. Remember, it’s not about you. I know you want to start taking games by the scruff of the neck, but remember to just play your game.
These are all things that have come across my Twitter timeline since Saturday’s game. And I follow positive, considered people, who really do support our players. I know they do. And I respect and value all of them and their opinions – at least I do since I cleaned up who I follow. I cannot imagine what the rest of Twitter is saying, and I really don’t want to try. But if you will, let me articulate how I disagree with almost everything in that first paragraph. And to ask that we consider what it is that we really want from players.
First let me get this out of the way – Aaron was not at his effervescent best against Everton. I support, but I’m not blind. The whole team was out of sorts, and most of what he tried didn’t come off. Also true of other players as well. But let me point out a few things, courtesy of the stats-tastic 7amKickoff and his By the Numbers column for Arseblog:
Out of 69 passes attempted (the most for the team), 12 were misplaced. All but 2 of those misplaced were attacking passes, trying to create a chance. 5 of them were in prime areas, where goal conversion rates are high. One of the aforementioned 2 was just horrible – it went straight to an Everton player and almost gave me a heart attack. Only 4 tackles attempted, 2 of which were successful, and no dribbles. And no chances created. Also, there was that goal.
Ok, so what do stats show? Not the whole story, I’m well aware of that. Aaron’s defensive game was a bit weak and his attacking game was ineffectual on the whole. I think that had a lot to do with not having Arteta next to him, and trying to compete with Jack and Alex for space in the middle. But the question remains – what was he supposed to be doing in this game, and did he do it?
I think we should all come to grips with this fact: Aaron is a flair player. He will always try the Hollywood pass. Some seem to think that he’s changed somehow, that he doesn’t do that anymore. And they see yesterday’s performance as a reversion to a previous flawed way of playing. Nonsense. He has always been this player. By all accounts it’s been so since he was 8 years old. Stories of him demanding the ball from older teammates abound. “Let me do it” has always been his way. His off-pitch personality belies this fact, perhaps, as some don’t expect shy, quiet, introverts to behave this way. But it’s been said of him forever that he “expresses himself on the pitch”.
But, Kelly, I hear you say. Arsene said he told him to simplify his game. To go back to basics. True. But Aaron said this in an interview when asked about that:
“It was a difficult period for me where things weren’t happening the way I would like them to, and he called me in and just told me to simplify my game and get my confidence back that way…I did that for a few games, and then obviously you get more confident as every game goes on, and, yeah, I’m thankful for that.” (emphasis added)
That says to me that simplifying his game was not intended to be a permanent change. At least he didn’t interpret it that way. And Arsene had this to say Saturday:
“He has the engine and he gambles on getting in the box a lot and he has that timing to get where you need to be. He got rewarded like these kind of players do.”
“Gambles.” He gambles. He takes risks. He gets rewarded. He has a “can’t win if you don’t enter” mentality. He has said that he wants to improve his ability to take big games by the scruff of the neck and change them. He has goal targets that he has set for himself. But somehow, all that is now being seen as a potential liability, some sort of indication that he is putting himself above the team. Don’t we want a player that is ambitious? That tries to change games? That wants to score? What do we want, if not that? One of the biggest complaints I hear in games like yesterday is “Somebody DO something! Move, or something!” Yet Aaron tries to do just that, and he has a “poor” game, because it doesn’t come off.
I know I am really preaching to the choir here. This is a supporting group of people, many of whom told me yesterday not to worry, that he just had an off day. But here’s the thing. I’m not worried about him. I’m worried about us. This is exactly what I was afraid would happen. His miraculous exploits last season were a joy to watch. But they won’t continue – at least not like that. He is a marked man now. Teams have found out he is good, he will be given much less room to operate. And he is, by his own admission, still trying to improve his game. I’m confident he will continue scoring us goals. But all this means mistakes will happen. Do we really want to start down the road about how badly he’s played, how he’s struggling for form? Why do we do this? “Uh oh, the old Ramsey is rearing his head. Hope this doesn’t mean last season was a fluke.” It’s like we are always waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the bad thing to happen to us. Optimism reigns, until it doesn’t.
Here’s my fear. Suppose it doesn’t change? Suppose the next game is the same as Everton – he does a few things brilliantly, but at the same time lots of things don’t come off? What will we say then? Because the haters and naysayers will start in – they’ve already started I would imagine. Despair that we thought we had a “world-class” player, but of course we can’t have nice things, so look, he’s being shit again. I’m steeling myself for that, and I’m ready to defend him. I hope you are, too.
Positively Arsenal 
not a mate am a girl hence maybe i cant understand the great need for the overly manly abuses. LOL.
Am suspicious of the scary explanationyou will give- so o lets just agree to disagree on that..
me having no problem with the quality of cesc other than the fact he left us in a time of dire need… I will not now start calling him a bad player but i still insist there is no loss in having ozil for cesc
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Thanks for the entertainment guys: good acclimatisation for another Turkey trot. Looking forward to my second favourite manager at the Ems again – think we are better this time round.
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Bootoome, if you think we assign players god-like status just because they play for us you’re insulting not only our intelligence but our integrity. Calling someone an effing, fracking fucking imbecile is the only worthy response to someone who does that.
Oh and we won an important game yesterday thanks in large part to the unseen little things our bug-eyed, German/Turk does on the pitch. But, no, you and the incoherent one want to nit pick today of all days. Right after a fucking victory.
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Ozil out!
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George 06:55 : The difference is when Gains does it he is prepared to admit he overstepped the mark
what?
come again?
a) luiz + hummels + djourou. hunter / gains =1-0
b) ancelotti and tens . hunter / gains = 1-0
c) suarez rules. hunter / gains = 1-0
d) hammefth . hunter / gains = 1-0
e) brasil vs germany goals analysis . hunter / gains = 1-0
in all those subjects the reasoning and explanation i provided defeated the simplistic biased opinion of that clown
but gains dont like that and gets on the offensive and im not the type to allow some clown like that to get offensive for things i get right. 😉
and which mark have i overstepped exactly ? not even adams and henry would escape …let alone this gutless little pansy we paid 42.5 million for, who considers fighting for the team beneath him…… and i have earned the right to express myself however i want with all the goodwill i have shown all the way to the day i moved countries for the arsenal, thank you very much.
you get that george ? moving countries for the arsenal mate…….so yes! not gains not passenal not fins noone can tell me anything about “positivity” , “tone” or whatever other bollocks. noone.
Bootoomee August 28, 2014 at 6:32 pm
its very depressing and sad when you pinpoint exactly the issue and the rest are “whistling in the wind” pretending they dont see it. fucking spot on. again.
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PG,
“So I take it that makes you my intellectual better?”
That is below the belt and you know it. You are aligned with Gains just as finbury is. I don’t have a problem with either of you and me calling gains my intellectual inferior has nothing to do with you. The fact that you insinuate it does makes me question your objectivity and fairness on the matter.
Based on how gains described me, because he disagrees with me, I think I am much more tempered in my response. But if you think that everything I say to those that you agree with is the same as being said to you then too bad.
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Well, that was quite a match. Watched it late, knew the score, but was still enthralled. I was very impressed with the team. As the boss said in the press conference, the team was man of the match. And goodness, even the ESPN commentators (thats who shows the matches in Australia) were gushing over Alexis Sanchez’s worth ethic. Not to say the whole team didn’t run themselves into the ground for the cause. Because they did.
I can understand the comments above got a bit heavy, but I still appreciate the different viewpoints. I cannot say that I feel entirely comfortable taking a position as I feel that I am not knowledgeable enough. I will say that whatever is going on with Ozil – be it fitness or defensive duties or attitude – I am sure Arsene Wenger knows all this and more. And I am sure that things will turn out well in the end.
This is a squad on the up. Season after season since the rebuild (i.e. Fabregas left, BFG and Arteta joined), the team has improved. I cannot understand why it is even a debate that this one of the best squad’s in Europe. I am supposedly biased to think that with – FAIR REFEREES – that this Arsenal squad is the strongest squad in England. The team seems to be coming to terms with how good they are and how good they can be. The sooner they realise they are the best the sooner they will become unbeatable, unplayable – dare I say it – invincible?
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“I will not now start calling him a bad player but i still insist there is no loss in having ozil for cesc”
heh..sorry about that ( mate) … dear lady we could have had both…but some were extremely against it claiming they dont fit together which i consider absolute horseshit
bootoome ..on gains reply to you saying “Again, if you don’t understand how Ozil plays, when you had an entire summer of watching him at the world cup, then you’re an effing, fracking fucking imbecile.@
if you ask him to tell/explain to you or us all what ozil did in the world cup he wont know to tell you …but he will call you an imbecile….
classy.
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Bootoomee: “PG,
“So I take it that makes you my intellectual better?”
That is below the belt and you know it. You are aligned with Gains just as finbury is”
That escalated quick, didn’t it?
Relax, dude, take the sand out of your crack and chill out.
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Sav: “I will say that whatever is going on with Ozil – be it fitness or defensive duties or attitude – I am sure Arsene Wenger knows all this and more. And I am sure that things will turn out well in the end.”
But why bother with what a human like Arsene thinks when we have two super-people who can read attitudes through their tv screens?
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I’m not aligned with anyone but given the bitter critique of Özil’s “attitude” from Brand No.4’s™ favourite fanboy given what we know of his conduct in his final twelve months, the above thread is absurd!
Do you see Boo? Yes. You do.
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Gainsbourg69,
I don’t want to be a part of your old battles with Hunter. I have read most of your debates. sometimes I agree with him, other times you. I think that Hunter can be very aggressive and I often disagree with his tone. BUT that does not mean that I have a knee-jerk opposition to everything he says. On this particular topic, I totally agree with him.
It makes you look small to attack me the way you did earlier because we see things differently.
Me: Ozil is a good player but he needs to contribute more defensively
You: You must be a fucking idiot if you think that a player who won the world cup is not perfect.
I paraphrase here but I hope you get the point.
I have seen greater players than Ozil get criticised one way or the other about their abilities without the vitriolic response from you today. It shouldn’t be blasphemous to suggest that Arsenal players, whoever they might be, need to improve their game on an Arsenal supporting website. i did not call Ozil names. I never said he is shite. I only said he needs to get down and dirty when the team is against the ropes. I don’t think that my position is unreasonable and I am shocked to see your response to me.
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there a limits to the squad and all that… We doh ave a number of creative players already – who are not that far off cesc no matter how good he presently is… a number a younger than him and improving daily!
Also, you sure cesc left barca bench to come and sit on the arsenal bench? i don’t thinks so… there is usually more to this we can have all the good players with us thingy than meets the eye…
AW cannot at least be accused of not liking cesc i hope.. so trust him, if the team needed him that much, he would have brought him back since the chance was so very clear… we having first choice and all that – he is not that sentimental.
and like flamini, cesc and even hleb had unfinished business from that class of 2007/08 that were undone by Eduardo and then rosicky being out for so long…
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I think maybe there is a little too much infighting.
More of this Gainsbourg69 August 28, 2014 at 6:53 pm – talking about upcoming football. Thanks btw, I did not know anything about the groups for UCL at all.
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Gains,
“But why bother with what a human like Arsene thinks when we have two super-people who can read attitudes through their tv screens?”
Don’t be a hypocrite. You told me earlier on this thread that unlike AW, you would have brought Campbell in for the Ox in yesterday’s match. If Wenger couldn’t even do the substitution right (according to you), how can you be sure that he’ll be able to set Ozil straight?
You can’t have it both ways: either Wenger is infallible or he isn’t. You can’t just latch onto what suits your agenda.
And dude, cut out the gutter language. This is Positively Arsenal, not Untold, I want to believe that we are all friends here. What we agree on is much more than what we disagree on. Can’t we disagree without sacrificing each other’s dignity?
I am still at a loss on how a topic on how an Arsenal players needs to get better become this.
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finsbury,
I get a sense from you that because of Hunter’s past deeds, you don’t want to entertain whatever he has to say. I cannot agree with that. More than anyone here, I think you know me from Untold. I am usually the guy on the other side of this type of debate.
BUT I am not an absolutist although I think Hunter is and so is gainsbourg69. Everybody is striving to get better so stating that a player needs to improve their attitude and get stuck in more at difficult times for the team shouldn’t be sacrilege no matter how great the player might be or how notorious the person making the point might be.
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Boo
Your sense is wrong. Only yesterday or the day before i was happy to converse, You can go and look if you like. The tone of the comments on Ozil above as already explained to you by George were unacceptable.
“Ozil is not,nor should not, be immune from criticism. Its all about tone.This is not hard to understand.”
Others have had enough of the tone, and they’ve been happy to say it out loud. Today, it’s my turn to arrive at that conclusion, which i am entitled to do so.
Please dont use the line that we are not willing to critise, because that is not the case here. And you know that. Don’t go there. Thanks.
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Boom. I’ll say it again, Its not about being beyond criticism,Its about describing our players in terms like this “…let alone this gutless little pansy we paid 42.5 million for, ”
You think thats ok do you? Because I don’t.
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Corr: “Ozil is not,nor should not, be immune from criticism. Its all about tone.”
This is not hard to understand.
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Games following our CL adventures.
1) – Dortmund – Villa (away)
2) – Galatasaray – Chelsea (away)
3) – Anderlecht – Sunderland (away)
4) – Anderlecht – Swansea (away)
5) – Dortmund – West Brom (away)
6) – Galatasaray – Newcastle (home)
Can you spot the pattern.
P.S. If people know so much about football players abilities & fitness (not me) surely you’d be better off training as a coach and proving it.
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Hey PG, can we have a post on how Arsenal’s squald for 2014/2015 is – objectively – the best squad in England. Then we can all debate on it.
My take:
There is Arsenal. Giroud is injured, but sure that only means he will be fresh for the second half of the season and Yaya Sanogo is – to me, in my humble opinion – like the second coming of Drogba except as a very nice, likeable and non-cheating fella. There is the wealth of young attacking talent, with experience and without as much experience (Campbell – really though, World Cup, Champions League, thats a bit of experience). There is a defence that seems to have three very good centrebacks (although one is very young) – is Bellerin the auxillary right back – I hear he is a beast but I have yet to see him in a match. There is that midfield. That midfield which takes my breath away – Rosicky, Ramsey, Wilshere, Arteta, Flamini, Diaby (I will do a blood sacrifice so he stays fit – my blood, papercut, nothing to worry about…) – are we counting Ox as a midfield, and Ozil as well? Sanchez and Theo is back in a few weeks. Cazorla. Wait that was the midfield? Who am I missing?
Well the point I am making is that this is an Arsenal squad with pedigree, poise, pace and the character to stand up when needed – as evidenced last season and this season as well. Experience, guile, character, isn’t this the shit that is supposed to make winners of leagues and cups.
I look at Man City and Chelsea, the only realistic comparisons. I just do not see how they are stronger as a squad – with, wait for it, FAIR REFEREES. I think that is the key point of my argument. Repeat, FAIR REFEREES. We all here about Chelsea’s strength blah blah etc etc. But if they were not allowed to kick the shit of all the teams in the EPL, how good would they be? I have not watched them this season but last season was a shit kicking contest. Man City does a lot less kicking and a lot more playing football, but even with the gentleman Pelligrini – who is a thoroughly likeable guy, although apparently he had to separate from his wife to pursue managing football in Europe, tough guy, I would have cried… – but regardless – are they stronger than Arsenal?
Strongest squad in England? Please feel free to ignore my gibberish, buts its a topic thats been on mind.
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Boo
Anicoll5 will be happy t make a critique!
Trust me, you should have read his commentary during the 5-7 against Reading. Some of the funniest stuff ever written during an Arsenal game. Great stuff.
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Gains
Thanks for the non-Cesc related thread
“I see us beating Dortmund both home and away.”
Blimey
With respect, Sir. I have to disagree. Four points will do for me.
–
“I think Chelsea will have a hard time topping this group”
They’re going to top their group
–
City I agree have a tougher time. Roma could if the fates are with them cause a problem.
But I have to disagree, again, with you on your nomination for NAM (Next Arsenal Manager). My odds have been on Bouldy for years. Don’t know why. But it’s probably a good thing i didn’t actually place any money there!
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I’m not being hypocritical. Put it this way, had Ozil been fit Wenger wouldn’t have taken him out and put on a defender. He would have taken off Oxlade Chamberlain or Sanchez instead and put on a speedy player like Joel Campbell. This is what Wenger usually does when he’s down to ten men. He likes players who can hold the ball instead of having teams come at us over and over again.
As for the rest of your drivel, no one has an agenda here. We like to have a laugh and talk about Arsenal in a non-knee jerk manner. If that’s giving someone god-like status, so be it. The only thing we ask is that if you save your criticism for no0n-celebratory days. I’m more annoyed at you idiots for trashing Ozil the day after the victory than the uninformed nonsense you and Hunter are typing.
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I also agree with ignoring Liverpool’s group
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@ dupsffokcuf August 28, 2014 at 8:11 pm
Is the pattern they want Arsenal to lose?
Fuck it, triumph in adversity. Wenger knows.
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Finsbury: Sorry, bro, but only a bing-bang fucking emmbecile could say that.
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dupps,
It’s not too much of a stretch to emphasise the importance of such things, is it?
I heard as many fans cursing Chamberlain for not trying as much as Ozil. He was just tired! Lance Armstrong would agree it’s important.
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Gains,
eh? You mean Bould? Well, I never said i was clever!
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Sav
I don’t know if it’s the best, but it’s not a bad squad!
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>> “It’s not too much of a stretch to emphasise the importance of such things, is it?”
Certainly not. It is also necessary to mention that players involved in the WC will come back to ‘match’ fitness well after the season has started.
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PG,
I disagree with Hunter on that. And as I have said a few times already, I seldom approve of Hunter’s tone on virtually any topic here. I am against calling Arsenal players names, even those that we all know deep down aren’t great.
i share Hunter’s position on Ozil’s attitude but not the name calling.
Can you also admit that Gainsbourg69’s response to me is uncalled for or should I infer that you approve of it too? It is all well and good to call out Hunter for name-calling and his other indiscretions but I think that it is only fair that other antagonists are called out too.
I prefer that my comments be criticised on their merit and not just be opposed based on the character of the person who share the opinions expressed in them.
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Akpom scored 2 so far in the yoof game against West Brom…. 3-0 after 65 mins
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Exactly dupps.
I could not have found any fault in any of the players playing in New York or the Emirates cup no matter who they were because they were playing only their second game (competitive or not) of the new season. Wouldn’t make any sense to do so…
Though I was impressed with Akpom. Vengerrr…..
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Whoa it’s a hat-trick for Akpom now
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Wanted to take my nephew to this game but he’s still too young. Next year.
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Hat Trick?
Where did I put Arsene’s number…
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Boom
“pedantic george
August 28, 2014 at 6:55 pm Edit
Boom, what on earth make you think I approve of of Gains saying that? The difference is when Gains does it he is prepared to admit he overstepped the mark.”
“Can you also admit that Gainsbourg69’s response to me is uncalled for or should I infer that you approve of it too?”
I thought I had answered that question at 5.55 ?
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PG, it is just opinions. Opinions are not facts! Opinions can lead to some disagreements.
When some bloggers resort to name-calling, that is the time to call a halt?
In my very humble opinion, Özil, made the obvious mistake of not defending the the full-back. But why give one of your key attacking players such a role? If anyone in this team can be excused for not having enough defensive awareness, it is Özil. The Özil position is on the wing, ready for the pass from defence to attack, the final third.
I would never expect any employee, to do a job they are not capable of fulfilling.
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Gainsbourg69,
It’s alright dude. I’ll stay clear of you from now on. I can do what you are doing very well. It is very easy to insult people on the Internet. I am kind of an expert too. Check me out on Untold if you have the time. although my battles are with the sort whose comments PG would always send to the spam bin here. We disagree on everything and most can barely be called Arsenal fans.
I think that here at PA, people are of like minds and that if we disagree we can keep it civil without calling those who have the misfortune of disagreeing with us “fucking imbeciles”.
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That was just a joke
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Fuck, don’t eat my response to Finsbury. I made a really good argument.
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Gains
Please say sorry to Boo. I like Boo. He’s not familiar with your humour!
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“You think thats ok do you? Because I don’t.”
It is also not OK to say things without providing back up.
When you or others and me even would reason why arsenal/wenger could not go for major titles/players during 07-today how did you feel when cunts dismissed you as a “blind follower/wenger disciple” … ?
did it not seem strange/offensive to you that people would hold a position without having anything to prove it ?
why has this mentality changed all of a sudden then ?
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I’ll leave this as a peace offering.
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So it’s the Hunter and Gainborough show again? I might just watch the spuds instead…..
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If anyone in this team can be excused for not having enough defensive awareness, it is Özil.
first of all its not defensive awareness we are asking but simply not to take the piss when 9 others are running their socks off to cover space and protect the result.
and who is ozil exactly to be excused?
i dont remember dennis jogging provocatively….nor pires….
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If you don’t understand what I have tried to create with this site Hunter, you are the only one who hasn’t gotten it.
I’ll give you a clue, I don’t let people in that are not supportive of the club ,because that would mean disagreements and bad feeling.
Any closer to understanding?
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cazorla rosicky etc ..they are all offensive players..rosi is a ten..is he an idiot to tackle in opponent’s half? is it …awareness? …or attitude?
sanchez pressing them in their bloody corner flag…is that awareness? or spirit?
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Don’t blame me, I was in a celebratory mood.
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