A guest post from Muppet @MuppetGooner
The story of this season so far has been that all events have conspired to support the negative narrative supported by a number of über bloggers and media commentators. You will know it well. The unbalanced team, the groundhog day scenario of competing for a top 4 place just to appear in the champions league, with no chance of actually winning it or proceeding beyond the quarter finals. The insistence on attacking football. The lack of fist pumping leaders in the side. The suicidal decisions to bolster the attack and neglect the defence, letting two experienced defenders go. The weekly evidence, showing a clueless manager, incapable of making tactical substitutions, unsure of his best team, out of his depth.
The (negative) narrative is that the common denominator of all of these events is Wenger. The same lack of organisation and generosity in defence manifested itself in the same way, say, 5 or 6 years ago, and therefore he is to blame, and the reason for all our troubles. The negativity is exacerbated, as well by time, by the weight of expectation, heightened from last year’s FA Cup, and having more money from commercial deals. And magnified by Twitter and the press. A few über bloggers are also to blame, passing off some events as evidence of Wenger’s or the club’s incompetence, without being challenged. A bunch of idiots on Twitter letting off steam is not as worrying as the über bloggers and media commentators, as they carry some influence, and get followed by the herds.
On to a different narrative later, a positive narrative. But for the moment a simple example to illustrate the point that seemingly intelligent people, supposed experts, can spout utter BS, fuelled by a narrative, and get away with it. It was during the world cup, and Özil was playing against the U.S. The commentator said something like, “and Özil has been a passenger in this game”. The moment that he said that, Özil, far advanced up the pitch, received a ball on the right hand side. He was surrounded by 3 players. The ball, travelling at some pace, was tricky, but his 1st touch was magnificent, simply sublime. He could have been easily dispossessed. Instead, in the blink of an eye, he managed to lay the ball off to his left, in field. Surely, no English player would have been capable of those 2 seconds of exemplary technique, ensuring on-going possession of the ball?
More recent examples of an absurd narrative have been that Sanchez is carrying the team. Have we yet witnessed a tweet that credits Wenger for the signing of Sanchez? The reason for pointing this out is that in the face of accusations about positive dogmatism, it should also be said that negative dogmatism is just as bad, and unfortunately it seems to be preached by those who believe they are somewhere in the middle of the two. A well known blogger, pontificated that “we predicted all the problems as a result of not signing an extra central defender to replace Vermaelen”. Well, we know the defence is not perfect, but at this stage of the season, we have conceded 11 goals, 1 fewer than Chelsea and City, who have “world class” managers and “world class” players including Kompany and Terry, the 2 best central defenders in the entire galactic universe. If Chelsea, with their pragmatic genius manager, have conceded only 1 fewer than us, then doesn’t that surely mean that extreme negativity as well as hyperbole is at play here?
In a recent interview, another well known über blogger discussed the state of the defence with a journalist, and they discussed the problems of Monreal as a centre back, at length, and the paucity of options. The assertion was then made that these problems were those that had never been addressed and will never be addressed. But this is where the positive narrative comes in. Perhaps not even positive, as the events over the last 2 to 3 years has shown that we are making progress, however slow it is deemed by some. We killed the idea that we had an ideological block by smashing our transfer record and signing Özil. Then came Sanchez. By any stretch of the imagination, both of these signings were from Harrods. Man U and City may have paid more for a few players recently, but haven’t they been screwed? The signings of Welbeck and Chambers have also been excellent. But the problem has been the perceived inactivity in the signing of a centre back and a defensive midfielder – the mythical DM. This is the fuel on the flames of the negative narrative. Wenger’s achilles heel. Unforgiveable, for some. But would one be deluded if they believed that we have made several attempts to sign players in these positions – not from Lidl or Aldi, but again, from Harrods?
This season, on the evidence so far, has shown us that problems are not fixed overnight, and world class players do not grow on trees. Man U are in transition for a 2nd season, and despite spending more in 2 seasons than probably the entire net spend in Wenger’s reign, are in mid table. They couldn’t find the defenders they were looking for, and are paying a heavy price for not replacing Ferdinand, Vidic and Evra. Liverpool, despite spending colossal amounts of money in the summer to replace Suarez, are a shadow of the swashbuckling side they were last year. For me this points to 2 things, a successful team needs excellent players to succeed and these obviously take time and money to sign and acquire, and also they need time as a team to gel. So hence we are told, now, that these clubs are in “transition”. Fair enough (well actually, utter tosh), but, if this is true for them – and one has to snort somewhat, then it certainly applies to us, as we have not yet had the time to fully capitalise on the transfer market, as it’s only in the last 2 years where our financial muscle has significantly strengthened. And if you believe, as we do on here, in Wenger’s acumen in the market, then, imagine the effect of what Wenger will achieve when our net spend matches that of Liverpool and Manchester United. It will be very interesting indeed. One has looked forward to it ever since the realisation that austerity restricted us after the stadium move. To let Wenger go, or even demand his departure at this point in time, for me, is a sign that you didn’t understand the stadium move. You never understood what is was about, which was to put ourselves in a position to compete with the bigger clubs in Europe, by having the financial power to acquire players in the top tier.
If we are not quite there yet, and if you believe that all it takes are for these remaining jigsaw pieces, a top tier centre back and defensive midfielder, then it’s going to take time, because, known players in the top tier are jealously guarded by their clubs. My assertion, if I may, is that Wenger won’t buy if the quality doesn’t fit, and he has little option but to wait or to nurture younger players to maturity – Ox/Ramsey/Chambers etc. We know that this is frustrating to many, but what is the alternative? The detractor argument is that anybody is better that nothing or that there are copious amounts of players out there that will fit the bill. Really? I would wager that the amount of players that Wenger is looking at is probably under 5, worldwide. And that none of them are currently available. We know of whispers about Khedira. Certainly, Gustavo, the Brazilian. One of the Bender brothers has been linked for 2 years. For whatever reason so far, and please don’t tell us it’s because it’s not on Wenger’s priority list, the deals have not come off. We must believe they will come off, and we have to be patient.
Positively Arsenal 
The stadium move and the fact that we still owe £200+ millions is something only the most dim witted should ignored. Sadly the majority appear to be just that.
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What sets contributions to this site apart is that they are both sensible and well written. Thank you Muppet.
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I can cope with the “experts”. It’s no problem to avoid seeing, hearing or reading them.
I can cope with the Sports section of the Guardian. If we draw, it goes straight into the bin. On the (infrequent) occasions when we lose, it provides good material for satire.
What I can’t cope with is the commentators. The constant cliché driven mixture of dripping denigration and outright hostility is insufferable. And if you mute the sound, you lose the atmosphere.
Surely there is a good commercial proposition for some broadcaster in offering a commentary-free option.
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Yes, absolutely spot on and very well written. This is real life not fantasy football. You can’t just go down to the football superstore and pick up a CB and DM. When average defenders like David Luiz are going for £50m, you shouldn’t really be surprised that we could not find the quality we’re looking for at a price we could afford.
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Good article Muppet. Thanks for a bit of sense.
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Well said mate, spot on.
AKB
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Good stuff, Muppet.
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Muppet it’s the level of confirmation bias by some of these uber Experts that is staggering.
e.g.: various podcastateers slagging off Özil’s performance after the Chelsea game, none of them picking up that he had an injury hindering him after the opening period of that game of football. Then they’ll complain about the defence, ignoring arsenal’s uber efficient form from last season where Özil pulled the strings as the team spent a fair chunk of the season top of the league. Doesn’t matter if the narrative contradicts itself from one week to the next, as long as they can just keep on groaning!
This week plundits in the media have been saying that Liverpool and both Tottenham needed time to rebuild after losing their two Key players. Yet were Arsenal given the same consideration when losing two such figures from a camp, two key players from the 2010 WC final? Forget the plundits, but by their own Expert bloggers and oh so gallant and brave podcastateers? You all remember the glee with which they attacked and attack the club.
Worse then any of that, the player who did more then any to stabilise the club and the dressing room in that period, who led his team to victory in a cup final in a game where his team were two down and denied three or four stonewall pelanties, that player is ridiculously undervalued by these same very experts! I couldn’t make it up? Could I? After Tuesday is there still anyone out there who doesn’t understand what Arteta has brought to the table these past few years? Even thought they denied it at the time that it was happening, amidst their tears and groans? That the stabilisation he helped the club to achieve, to allow the club to bring in the likes of Özil and Sanchez makes him arguably one of if not the most important signing of the Wenger era?
Certainly I found it very interesting, very interesting indeed, that on one particular podcast two signed up shrieking Groaners had John Gregory a former PL manager tell them that Areta was the player he most valued in the squad (would’ve been referring to last years squad). Gregory also said that AFC as a club represent the best in English Football (at the top of the game I guess, we all like the likes of Crewe etc…). On both counts his hosts had no response. Nothing to say. No comment! The sound of that silence, well, it told me a lot! That their level of confirmation bias is so high that, well, there’s nothing left that I can add.
Areta may be in his final season at the top top level. Hard to tell because after that uncalled stomp from Ba he’s struggled with the aftershock niggels on his way back*. But overall the way he has been unheralded over the last two/three years very much reminds me a little of the Expert fans opinion of Gilberto Silva back into the day, another undervalued player. Different era, they don’t play the same way, in case anyone can’t understand what I am trying to say all they have to do is go back and watch that cup final. Wilshere doesn’t need to watch Alonso. He can, but there’s no need!
*Why the uber bloggers don’t notice or comment upon the frequency of the uncalled fouls which are so bad that they take out their captains like the Gardner flying kick on the F Word, or the stomp on Arteta, I don’t know…but as with all the other stuff above there is a mounting pile of evidence that indicates that, well, that the football on the pitch doesn’t matter if you are a Groaner. Only the groaning.
–
Well, I told you all my favourite defender of all time Koscielny would probably be out till the new year, if we’re lucky! You heard it here first. Fair to say the timing of Hayden’s injury is ridiculously unlucky for him. I was genuinely genuinely impressed by his game against the equally impressive Southampton who are an interesting case worthy of their own post – in short they lost no players of such high importance, presence or quality as the clubs above, and they also kept a settled midfield which appears to be v.important (The Arteta-Ramsey combo which has hardly played this season!).
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The Chavs were gifted two points thanks to Anthony Taylor ignoring a clear handball by Gary Cahill. They’re no longer rolling over teams like they did at the beginning of the season and they’re conceding quite regularly. However, this doesn’t seem to discourage pundits from talking as if Mourinho is a genius.
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Well the pundits are certainly not sugesting Brendan has much going for him Gains.
Not sure what Rodgers had in mind today but it did not work against a Chels team who looked a bit ragged for long periods.
As so often the case, and including our game at the Bridge, it is very difficult to put meaningful pressure on Courtois and make or create serious scoring chances.
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Great piece Muppet, the old adage says its easy to criticize and well most fans are easy. You don’t need credability to be followed by the herds, take Paul merson a great player but since has always been a figure of fun yet fans still listen to what he says. Even he looked back at himself and had to backtrack on his comments.
I had heard that Hummels was in the bag until Dortmund withdrew very late on leaving us high and dry with no time to work on an alternative.
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Penalty for the Cahill handball would’ve been harsh, IMHO. Hand close to the body, no intent. But we’ve seen those given, sure.
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The Cahill handball about 50/50 – no doubt Taylor would have been damned for awarding it if he had pointed to the spot
Far too many penalties given for handball – no wonder every halfwit in the ground appeals any time the ball hits an opponent in the box.
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Muppet doesn’t speak too often but when he does he makes a lot of sense. Too much sense it seems for our uber bloggers and tweeters with their narrative of imminent doom and lack of progress. Reminds me very much of a Woody Allen quote; “All people know the same truth. Our lives consist of how we chose to distort it.” How else do you explain the relentless negativity of the majority of our bloggers and tweeters who, to a man, start off with a backhanded compliment of Wenger hailing him for being a genius in his first 5 years but now hurrying his exit from the club because success hasn’t come easy since the stadium move. As recent as yesterday, one commenter on a certain blog had the gall to proclaim that Southampton was an example of how easy it is to rebuild. Mind you, this is a club which fell to League-One just over 5 years ago and since their return to the Prem have been focused on survival. After 10 games they are the dog’s bollocks. If it was so easy how come Liverpool, with arguably a greater historical pedigree than Arsenal, have not won the league in over 20 years.
Unfortunately “What people believe prevails over the truth” says the Greek philosopher Sophocles. We can’t let these distortions go unchallenged lest they become immutable belief. Thanks Muppet..
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Thanks, Muppet. Always a pleasure. We are the mighty Arsenal which means we play by a different set of rules. Press will use any means necessary to ridicule our manager
Remember when it was the lack of English players? Funny how that one disappeared with the rise of the Oily clubs innit?
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Very sensible and well written piece!! Thanks Muppet!
“……..that the football on the pitch doesn’t matter if you’re a groaner” absolutely on the money Fins! During the first half of our game with Burnley, there was an individual on a blog saying that we were shit!! Had me scratching my head and wondering if I was watching the same game as him!
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There are hits to be had by being negative, the bloggers know it and that is why they do it.
I seen a Gooner say that only way we can keep Alexis beyond this season is to get in a new manager. When pointed out that is was Wenger who signed him the silence is deafening. I see Gooners tell us Ozil and Alexis were awful signings. Every player we have is shite, our manager is shite, our tactics are shite, but none of them can explain how with all of this we still win the FAC and finish top 4.
We also have the notion that AFC lacks ambition spouted out by the negative crew over and over. Tottnum are more ambitious cos they keep changing their manager, they keep overspending on rubbish players. No response when pointed out that their ambition is to be where we are.
I am also being continuously told that its only those who do not want the manager sacked that are bitter, and attack anyone who has a different view.
We have Gooners who come out with things like Wenger is dragging our club through the gutter, a trained chimp would be better than him, AW is senile, a busted flush, is a stone age manager, – you get the drift, and for me all this comes from the ubber bloggers and the constant negative approach of the media.
A friend of mine who is a Man Utd fan asked me recently what had Arsenal done to turn ITV and SKY so much against them. He said that when either ITV(CL Games) SKY(CL and FAPL Games) cover an Arsenal game he has noticed the negative agenda against Arsenal. That clear fouls and penalties or freekicks not given are glossed over, offside goals like v Anderlecht ignored, the venom commentators and pundits have towards AFC is clear to him. He said he had to turn off the tottnum and everton europa league game coverage on ITV4 on Thursday cos he could not stand their little digs at Arsenal, he says it sickens him that every opportunity is taken to have a go at Arsenal. He as a Utd fan would have no love for Arsenal, but he believes in fair play and being even handed, and he says its clearly not shown towards Arsenal. now if a utd fan can see it, why is it that so many Gooners refuse to even acknowledge it, even when pointed out by other Gooners. Again I say a lot of the blame is with the ubber bloggers negative stance.
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Points eloquently stated as per usual… Muppet.. well done!
When you stuff like people knowing we were capable of losing a 3 goal lead and ignoring the blatant off side for the goal that kick started that… well go figure! That is not to excuse them but these things surely add up.
This tam will settle down as long term injuries return…. Kos is sorely missed but Monreal is doing quite well for his first season at CB. Sanchez and welbeck and gradually clicking with their team mates… Swansea watch out
I certainly exp
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Muppet, it is thanks to you that I now know that a Gino, is an Italian lime soda!
I picked that tip up, from an article that Steww wrote, 2 years ago – Rant in E minor.
PG, the day before wrote on that site, By George! Against all odds.
It is revealing that a considerable number believe that they are “football managers”? When in fact, as the late Zim Paul wrote, that they are “football consumers”.
To coin a phrase, a measure of how, chasing the “the steady clink of the pennies cascading into the purse”, has eroded someone’s credibility!
Thank you, Muppet for being positive!
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Thanks Muppet,don’t see enough of you on here mate,fantastic write up.
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Absolutely, top, top post Muppet……warmed the cockles of my heart……
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Wow, what an important post from Eduardo…..
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Wow eduardo, I can’t believe it takes a man u fan to see the wood for the trees. Unfortunately the pundits, media etc are playing to the peanut gallery. The noisy negativistas are not yet in the majority, but like all empty vessels they make the most noise. The scum of the media are giving Arsenal consumers what they think they want to hear, thus reinforcing their negative mindsets. You have to feel sorry for these people who are so badly bullied that they choose to side with the bully rather than stand up for the thing they claim to love.
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wenger has hit back at arsenal’s critics, especially Paul Merson, calling them bitter, I like this line from the Mirror article
I managed Paul Merson … I tried. I’m not interested in him.”
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsene-wenger-slams-joke-paul-4595101?
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Howdy, y’all. Sorry I’ve not been around much lately, but honestly, the negativity of which Muppet speaks has just taken it out of me. Even some mostly positive people have just become mopey lately. It was just taking the fun out of everything, and making me feel really down. But, I have to remember not to let it get to me. And I need to remember to spend more time here. Always a refuge from the nonsense being thrown around.
Here’s to a solid showing tomorrow against the Swans. UTA!
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Lol, thanks for sharing that link Eduardo! I don’t even click on media articles anymore. They are, as your Man U friend noted, so damned biased and nasty where Arsenal are concerned. But, my avoidance stance means I sometimes miss some gems like this one!
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as Wenger says in the article
“It’s much more about bitterness than any real objective facts.
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“It’s not exactly the same. I don’t tell them, ‘You’re absolute idiots’. I ask them ‘What should you have done there?’”
This. This is just genius. How is it that he gets absolutely no credit for this kind of management style. Who wouldn’t want to work for a man who teaches like this, I ask you?
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“When you see their first goal, that is when you see people just want to slaughter us.
“Nobody spoke about the fact that the goal was offside. Not one person.”
This says it all. It’s also interesting in the poll at the end of the article that Merson is currently ahead as being correct about Arsenal’s defending in that game against Arsene. One man who has briefly managed 1 lower league team to nowheresville against a man with all Arsene’s achievements. Those who can do, those who can’t … get jobs as TV pundits and talk the talk after proving that they couldn’t manage a piss up in a brewery, despite years of practice at sampling the product!
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what must be noted in all the articles reporting Wenger’s quotes on the critics, is the actual slant being put on it that Wenger aimed all his answers at Paul Merson, when in fact nearly all his answers are aimed at all the critics in pundit land and the media in general. Nice to know that the journos, even when reporting on Wenger’s views on critics can’t play it straight, they have to twist it to keep their agenda going. Crazy stuff, but I’m certain that the ubber bloggers will side with Merson and the journos.
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Oh Mr Merson
4 games in charge of Walsall
Clueless
A nasty sad little piece of work – a little like Robson whose entire earning capacity depends on his former and earl link with Arsenal
It may be he thought you were a degenerate Paul – unable to reform
Who knows
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“Comments from alcoholic drug abusers are not really gonna upset me and who is Paul Merson to jugde players” Glen Johnson – 2011
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how is cahill’s hand ball not intentional? just look at the distance from where the ball was kicked to where he was and looked at how he desirately bent down to block the ball with his hand. the fact that your hand is close to your body is only considered if you are standing upright and do not have the time to take your hand away. but in this case, cahill bent so low as to make sure any part of his body ( not minding if it is his hand ) touches the ball. his body has left its natural position, hence its a penalty. more so tht the ball was goal bound.
the fact that hand is not close to the body or in the natural position sometimes doesnt mean a foul if the distance between the player and where the ball was kicked is so close that the player has no time to take the hand away and the hand is obviously not blocking a goal bound shot.
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What an outstanding article this is Muppet. Absolutely on the money and so well written and intelligently argued. And the comments too: brilliant and illuminating. Reading everything late last night was a really uplifting experience.
George’s Positively Arsenal: the Wunderblog.
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it is worth noting that apart from being quite a whimsical character merson and his family are from chelski stock. So not only ignorent about the finer points of football but with a bias as well not a good match.
The poll now stands at Arsene 62% to mersons 38% so although some credability has been restored there are still 38% of people voting who are clueless.
On cahills diving save it only goes to further cement my belief that as more money entered football more money changed hands to effect results. The penaly calls alone this year are very dodgy.
Todays game will hopefully see us defending better as a team. when were strong defensively its because the whole team has worked hard, our goals conceeded this year has definetly not been all back five related.
Id like to see Aaron and Jack playing the double pivot today with the Ox moving centrally when one of the pair pushes forward.
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on a positive note this is how fans should be and it really warms your heart.
http://chzb.gr/1Epi8Xc
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a-or_b @ 9:47am: That is a wonderful video. It may have been staged (the cynic inside is always alive) but you cn’t miss the pure enthusiasm of the youngster. Oh for the naivete of youth!
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A classic example of the biography of a typical writer on an avowedly Arsenal blog pontificating on the fortunes of a major professional football team that he apparently ‘supports’:
” I’m Alex and I’m 16 years old. I hope to become a sports journalist and reporter. I recently started writing about Arsenal and I love Arsenal with avid passion. I love to watching them play from club level to north bank. The Emirates is my home.”
His conclusion after a a 750 word piece:
“But I think Swansea will cause them problems and Arsène Wenger’s ineptitude to bring in a defensive midfielder and centre-half will cost Arsenal, again. Swansea 1-1 Arsenal.”
I am not going to post a link to direct traffic to their site but how many of us would pay serious attention to the opinions of a 16 year old pontificating on a billion dollar enterprise?
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This is a must read blog, muppet.
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No more Squids or Silvestres.
We are considering the Hummels or Schar quality level on the top shelf. (Let’s not go into a pedantic debate about their relative technical merits, shall we?).
Chambers has been brought in for long term development at CB, but with Debuchy out he is playing RB because it’s too big a risk to play two 19 year olds in ‘must win’ games.
And fuck the CDM position.
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“…no wonder every halfwit in the ground appeals any time the ball hits an opponent in the box”
*coughs*
Guilty m’lud, guilty as charged.
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Got to this a bit late. Excellent article. Measured and balanced.
The thing about this article that illustrates those with fairytale views of Arsenal – and perhaps reality in general – is that what Muppet has said will not be taken as reasonable, fair and balanced by those with the agenda within their hearts – for various reasons, be it spite or money – to hate Arsene Wenger.
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Should be a great game of football today, looking forward to the game.
Haven’t been able to watch Swansea much this season. Not sure if missing Shelvey is a plus or a minus for them, doesn’t matter as long as the Arsenal midfield get their groove on.
Come on Arsenal!
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I also hear Wenger called the criticism by some (was he just referring to Merson or others, I don’t know) as a farce. And with amusement I saw certain tabloids masquerading as serious news media dissecting his comments to fit their agenda. Such silly people. But as usual, the sheep follow.
Hehe, Arsenal playing in 2.5 hours. Oh 3am kick-offs are harsh. I can only manage it as I don’t have anything on tommorrow.
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@ merlot November 8, 2014 at 10:42 am
I think I found a Turkish (sounds Turkish) stream. I have been watching the taped matches on there and its great, all the sound with none of the condescending, snarky commentary. I am just testing the live version tonight. Will advise.
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Brilliant post. The negativity these days on twitter and other forums hv gotten so bad, it turns a lot of us off from logging on as frequent as we used to. The naïvety of some of the moaners to hang onto every negative opinion out there, speaks volumes about how they are incapable of thinking for themselves. Yet they think Wenger has “lost it” so much, they’ll be capable of making better decisions than him. When I highlight some of Merson’s dimwitted earlier opinions to some moaners, they told me they never said Merson is smart, yet continue to tell me how credible his recent opinions are. I doubt these idiots are capable of tying their own shoelaces. I also doubt they watch games anymore, they just check in what the score is, then harp on their pretext moans about if we signed a CB or DM the scored should’ve been that. Some idiot said yesterday if you not a ST holder, you hv no right having an opinion.
Thx for this safe haven where it’s still perfectly ok to just support the team one game at a time.
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It’s actually very impressive how far and how quickly the goalposts have once again been moved. If we were to rewind time to summer of last year I believe the three most common wishes from the relentlessly whingi… sorry, ‘concerned fans with valid criticisms’ would be:
– “I just want us to sign top class players”
– “I’d like to see us challenge more strongly for the title”
– “I want us to win something. Anything!”
Fourteen months later and we’ve signed Real Madrid’s no.10 Mesut Ozil for £40m+, become FA Cup champions, topped the table longer than anyone else last season and signed Barcelona no.9 Alexis Sanchez for circa £30m. Every wish has been granted, I would say. So have the complaints abated? What a stupid question. Not when the club hasn’t emptied its bank account and failed miserably at buying the most vitally important player of any squad – its fourth choice centre back. Don’t be fooled by trophies or world class signings, things are worse than ever.
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remember shelvey is gooner reject.
I think we need to just forget positions today. A good team performance is far more important COYG!
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idiots tell me that Wenger lost the plot as long ago as 8 years, he is clueless, especially tactically, training wise and motivation wise, we have awful squad, awful team, no leaders, no brains, no fight and are clueless in regards transfers, we lose to every good team, and any team we beat are nothing better than a pub team, but none of these idiots can explain to me how we manage to finish top 4 every year, and won the FA Cup last season
it is laughable to see those who share the very views Wenger is calling out, coming out with comments like Wenger is clueless, arrogant and gone made. They really need to look at themselves in the mirror.
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Top post from a top, top Gooner – cheers to Muppet.
Like a good number of others, I’m beyond bored with the relentless attacks on our remarkable club and find the mute button on Twitter one of the finest inventions of the social media age. I don’t bother using Facebook for Arsenal stuff and see little point in visiting too many other blog sites. The majority of online news sites are predictably inaccurate and have made themselves easy to avoid because of it. Bitter Chav supporters like Merson just don’t come into my viewing equation.
Sure, I’m disappointed when we lose but the currently fashionable practise of going into meltdown following a draw will never be for me. I accept AFC will have good and bad days. I know the club is moving forward and feel it is little coincidence that as the rate at which we take these big forward strides increases, so too does the panicky negativity surrounding any set back. There are some fans who have forgotten how to be remotely positive and the tragedy for them is the one essential pre-requisite to being a supporter is the ability, at least some of the time, to support your club with that positive outlook.
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