A match report from Tim, @foreverheady
Saw the game (as live) very late in the day due to a disjointed and complicated Saturday, and would put it down as one of the odder matches I’ve seen. Almost total control in the first half never really looked like leading anywhere and a curious sense of detachment from just about everyone. At half time I really couldn’t tell whether we would win 2-0 or lose 1-0 as both scenarios seemed equally likely. In the end it was neither, but what a strange second half: more Arsenal pressure, more frustration and then a wonder goal showing what a magnificent signing Welbeck was – talk about a farsighted solution to a short term problem, Dat guy Welbz showing Dat guy Arsene still has few if any peers when it comes to deadline day transfer deals.
But then the legs ran out (and why wouldn’t they after International action, Man U and Dortmund in the very recent past) so the last 15 minutes which should have been comfortable ended up with us struggling to get hold of the ball and ticking the clock down with ease. But handsome is as handsome does and a decent and important 3 points that might not have been that pretty at the time but which will no doubt be worth their weight in disappointed banners come season’s end.
Martinez again looked solid and he has a size about him that could well turn into a commanding presence, and it was good to see Kos back in action. Poor old Nacho, limping off after a knock that was hard to spot, and even poorer Gibbs whose brief rest turned into no rest at all and perhaps another worrying injury to boot. The Flamster was OK and did his marshalling job sensibly, while Aaron again showed signs of a steady return to form that I suspect won’t come totally to fruition until he plays alongside Ozil once more – at times he and Alexis couldn’t get out of each other’s way, which didn’t really help: both will benefit from the return of the space-maker. And so it was left to Santi to provide his class and recent doubters wrong with a twinkle-toed display of impish magic that was an utter delight all day long. His new shirt seems to be fitting a little less snugly now than it did back in the early Autumn and you sense that he has decided that it is up to him to take responsibility for the team’s success.
The early start yesterday didn’t help after Wednesday night’s exertions, but at least provides more recuperation than Southampton will get as they have City to negotiate this afternoon ( let’s hope for a hard-fought draw there) before travelling up to us in midweek. So a day of rest for our players today, and although the matches now come thick and fast at least they do so for everyone and I just have an inkling that yesterday was the day when the luck began to turn in our favour.
And now Andrew has some comment on the halfwits with a banner @arsenalandrew
I can hardly bring myself to dignify the cause of the banner wankers by commenting on it.
Suffice to say, whilst they clearly relish the Arsenal spotlight, now that the wider footballing world is laughing at our residual embarrassment, maybe they’ll curb their ill-judged activities. Unlikely though as they must derive great encouragement from their association with all that is most hideous within the Goonersphere with the likes of Piers, Payton and Pedro as ugly bedfellows and the worst of the so-called Arsenal old-skool braying along in noticeably thuggishly aggressive fashion.
When a cause has to fall back on the underlying suggestion of threat, violence and intimidation, as evidenced on the more colourful Twitter exchanges, then you know it’s a flakey one.
But as I say, they do appear to be making inroads with their protests as not only are the majority of Arsenal fans pointing at them now, but so too the rest of the football world, whilst collectively enjoying a good old laugh.
Whilst on the one hand I slightly fear being tarnished by association, on the other, my confidence in the club enables me to thoroughly enjoy the ill-judged entertainment they bring as their preposterous behaviour gains ever greater exposure and they inevitably start to soak up the reputationally-ruinous ridicule.
They see themselves as robustly challenging the club but are much more widely recognised as the spoilt brats that they are; punch-drunk on self-entitlement, blind to their club’s successes and its undeniable progress and clearly oblivious to its massive long-term future potential.
Has anyone ever previously seen fans protest in the wake of CL qualification and a decent away win in the league? Most clubs and their fans would give their proverbial right arm to be playing in Europe next year.
Apart from having little in the way of convincing argument, some Goners, at least, have no sense of timing.
To display such a banner in front of a winning side as they walk towards you to thank you for your support is as rude and as paradoxical a situation as one can possibly imagine. And when some subsequently complain of the ‘outing’ of the banner-wanker’s identity well, you’ve gotta laugh, haven’t you.
Of COURSE you should be allowed embarrass yourself, in public, in complete anonymity.
Well done, lads, nice one.
Positively Arsenal 
There’s no other way to put it than what u rightly called it. That was a total show of shame, embarrassment and disgrace. The guys who just did what was needed to win a game came over to say thank you to the fans and all some stupid dimwits could do was put a stupid banner to denigrate the manager who sent them on to the pitch.
I shake my head for those stupid fans and hope they hang their heads in shame soon enough.
No one is saying Arsene is without fault but his good days far outshines the bad ones.
I kept telling people who isn’t pleased with whatever the great man is doing to please step aside till he or the board decides it’s time for him to go.
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Embarrassing,fans of other clubs are laughing their bollocks off at us.
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Morning PA
Here’s something I wrote on my blog a few weeks ago:
“It’s something I don’t want to see, I don’t want to see Arsène Wenger under that sort of cloud. He has been a great servant to the club and I want to see him go out with pride and dignity. If things get bad on the internet then it won’t be too long before it spills over into the Emirates, something I’m sure most fans don’t want to see, who don’t want to witness the club dragged through the mud and mocked by rival fans and the media. We need to see the boys pull their socks up, claim a couple of good wins and then go on a run of good results. It’s the only thing which will calm the current negativity surrounding the fan base. If we don’t improve our performances then there will be dark days ahead for our club and our manager.”
The banner yesterday, shame on those who thought it appropriate to show to our players after a very good win. They go over to the fans to show their support and they get kicked in the teeth. On the televised game I saw, Welbz was looking at the banner, what must he be thinking? I’m sure the players are aware of the current split between our fans, well actually, some of them you can’t call fans, but still, it can’t be good to see that banner. If I condoned violence, I’d say lets give those idiots a good fucking kicking.
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Thanks Tim and Andrew.
I too noticed the legs going on most of our players by the time the last 15minutes were up. Well done to them for grinding out a hard fought 1-0er up North, especially after the efforts put in this week.
I am absolutely flabbergasted by what I have to assume is the coked-up arrogance of the bannerwankers, who have not been happy that their little side show outside the ground hasn’t got the attention they wanted – so they aim for a live game, just at the end when the players go to the away support – who were more muted than normal – and knowing that the cameras would be focused on them.
Trying to hide behind the anonymity of the average fans, and having the fucking reckless audacity to even think they speak for more than a bitter little minority is breathtaking. Geoff has named and shamed a few of them.
If they think they are entitled to free speech then they can fuck off down to Speakers Corner and join the rest of the barking lunatics. You never know, maybe the Arsenal board do turn out to have giant lizard heads after all.
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Two for the price of none. You are spoiling us George.
NB
” If things get bad on the internet then it won’t be too long before it spills over into the Emirates,”
This has been happening for years, fans trolled to death or choosing to believe the Kool Aid within the Murdoch funny papers. Frank has said it all.
I once sat in front of an idiot only a few years ago slagging off Walcott in a game where he scored a hat trick (against Southampton in the league cup I think), this was before the first 5pur2s game when Walcott silenced his Groaners when the internet was full of some AAAA slagging the player off and praising the links of Aaron Lennon instead, I’m not making this up. Rest assured I explained to the fellows girlfriend that he was embarrassing himself and had to kindly ask him to stop abusing an arsenal player (who in that game went on to play quite well…)
The reason PA came into being was because we witnessed the WOBs in all their glory upon t’internet trying to troll all other arsenal fans after the last 5pur2s game, and it wasn’t a good look then.
Over on Untold Bootoomee wrote the following, and it’s bang on;
“The long running “Wenger out” campaign has now become a cliche for which other fans mock us (as a fickle bunch) when we are doing well. Especially on the Internet where there are no bigger set of cry baby football fans than Arsenal’s.”
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Southampton playing their settled midfield three of Davis, Schenidy and Wanyama.
Can’t underestimate the importance of a settled midfield. The core of a team. It’s everything. Unless you are an AAAA Football Expert who doesn’t understand what Arteta (or Carrick or Alonso or Schweiny etc.) does on the football pitch. The AAAA are against modern football and it’s true, the game seems to have passed them by.
First time I noticed the AAAA talking out of their arsenholes was when they expected a CM base of Song and Denilson to play like twenty five year olds as nineteen year olds in the games most demanding positions. Hunter has said the same thing and it is true, their posture was and is absolutely ludicrous. Those two did very well for teenagers in the PL. Second time I noticed was when Arsenal played with a CM base of Diaby and Song (rotating with Denilson for about two seasons) whilst they groaned about Manure like Melo or I don’t know, Scotty Parker.
People who think that Arteta’s legs have gone this year (he’s not getting any faster it’s true!) should look back at the successful partnerships in CM between first Song-Arteta, then Ramsey-Arteta, tick off the obvious similarities, rub those football brain cells together and then be hopefully able to appreciate why Arteta was not sent to the glue factory over the summer. As for the flame, he’s had some great games this season as well as some moments of pain, all a part of the game I guess. Southampton will be a big test for him, alongside Diaby the Arsenal CM was decent in the opening fourty five minutes in that game. Just need to stop Wednesdays opponent from scoring ridiculously brilliant swerving long range strikes and giving away silly pelanties and it’ll be all gravy.
Southampton team today is that same as it was back in the autumn and this information is enough to inform the arsenal fan of how well Hayden and Bellerin did in that game, and what top top prospects they are. I’d like to see more of them! Vengarrrrghhhh….Grrrrrrrr….sort it out!
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alongside Diaby the Arsenal CM was decent in the opening fourty five minutes in that league cup game
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Fair play to those two oirish lads. They could barely stand up, they were having trouble talking, but they still made more sense and were more articulate then the Groaner before them:
“But but but for some reason the board (obviously) didn’t tell me they were broke for a bit (but that new lucrative Puma deal which helped snag Sanchez is nice!)…can you pass that dummy back here, thanks”
In his own words. Incredible.
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You talk too much Fins… I would put a banned smiley there but they are banned. You know what I mean!!
Perhaps you’ve just got back from the pub?
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Was using writing the comments as an excuse to take a breather from playing a hide and seek/football combo with the two nephews, and to try and watch the game in the background. My fitness appears to be in the Redzone!
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Yup.
Chambers or Hayden > The older more experienced Mendes mule Mangala (£32M)
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I know what you mean about the game yesterday FH – a no time during the whole game were we going at it flat out I thought – apparently no concern about getting a second goal after we took the lead – good, solid concentrated effort and the deserved result
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Reagarding the banner wankers, what they crave is attention
And I am not minded to gift them what they most want
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Assuming we are looking for a replacement for Flamini could I recommend James McCarthy , always liked the player
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I had a convo with one of the banner wanker team on Twitter yesterday. I tried to reason with him (I know, I know, it’s a fault of mine) to make him understand how damaging it would have been to the team they came there to support. Incredibly, he insisted that they DID support the team fully for 90 minutes, and that’s why they waited to unfurl the banner until after the game – because the team didn’t need support then.
I shake my head at that logic. The team, all of them, love Arsene Wenger. That’s clear. Imagine you’ve worked so hard, for your teammates, and your beloved manager, and the fans. You walk over to thank the fans, and they wave in your face a banner that says they want shot of the manager you love like a father. And you think, ‘that’s my fault. If I played better, they wouldn’t be doing this. I’ve let them down, and I’ve let him down.’
That’s just brilliant for player confidence right there. But never mind. The team don’t need support after the game. Screw them, there’s an ‘opinion’ to be expressed here. It just makes me sick.
Anyway, I’m also angry that I’ve allowed any of this to distract me from enjoying the win yesterday. I’m proud of the team. They gutted out that win. Those last 10 minutes felt like a ‘not today’ refusal to be beaten.
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I would have been happy enough for Wenger to have left us last summer after winning the FA Cup, and there are many things that he gets wrong, but anyone displaying a Wenger out banner is an idiot who lack basic manners. Wenger is our best ever manager, show him the respect he deserves.
I see many saying the want Wenger out just so its a change, they even say they don’t mind if we do worse under a new man, especially as it will be easier to sack a new manager than it is Wenger. Its so odd that Tottnum, Everton, Liverpool and others have been trying for years to be in Arsenal’s position, but these bannerwankers seem to want us to be in Tottnum’s place.
The self entitlement among the Arsenal fan base is staggering..
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I think there is a big over estimating of Martinez’s performance yesterday, as far as I can recall he had one save to make, and only a couple of easy enough crosses to deal with, yet I see some suggesting that Szczesny should be dropped for him. The odd thing is that some of those suggesting this are the same people who when it was revealed Martinez was set to play v Dortmund were going on about how useless he is and putting up video of the Reading 5-7 Arsenal game.
Szczesny has become a scapegoat for many Gooners, and Ramsey is almost back to the level of scapegoating of a couple of years ago(seen call yesterday for him to be sold, others saying he is finished, or a fraud etc etc, why is it that Gooners feel the need to have scapegoats, why is it that some seem to have more hate for our own players than for traitors like cesc, rvp, nasri, ade etc
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The bottom line from yesterday’s performance was the better team won. Not only did we create more and had more shots at goal, but more importantly, we defended well, restricting shots at Martinez to a bare minimum. How often do we play better and lose or more accurately we fail defensively. Despite heavy legs in the last 15 minutes, we earned those 3 points.
As for the banner-wankers, what a disgrace. As Andrew observed they simply made complete fool of themselves and by extension fools of club, particularly the away-fans among whom they cowardly hid themselves. Their opportunism is so transparent. Rather than support the club to build some momentum, they go on the road to embarrass the manager win, lose or draw. How can anyone apologize for this behavior? One apologist is Robbie of ArsenalFanTV, who offers the mealy mouth justification that they have a right to criticize Wenger and the board while arguing with fans who emphasize the progress made by the club under Wenger. Meanwhile he is trying to monetize the clicks on his YouTube channel by selling advertising. Clearly by encouraging this nonsense he wins commercially. @SheWore is another example of this perfidious example of fans who want success at any cost so they can profit commercially. This 5th column in the Arsenal support is what emboldens a minority of malcontents to act in a manner contrary to common sense.
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They’ve had that banner for about 3 years, for the life of me I can’t understand why they did not display it at the cup final, or bring it along to the parade the next day, well that is if they really believe in their ramblings.
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Bring it to the parade, Eduardo? On 2nd thoughts I hope they would.
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I want Klopp, he is the man, an up to date modern manager, just look at him standing on the sideline dictating the performance of his team, yeah Klopp is the man for me, I want him at Arsenal
What’s that you say
Dortmund bottom in the Bundesliga after 13 games, only got 11 points (22 off top spot), 8 defeats, a -7 goal difference, conceded 21 goals, only scored 14.
but, but, but, but I wanted Klopp
I want Martinez, he is the man, and up to date modern manager, just look at him standing on the sideline dictating the performacne of his team, yeah Martinex is the man for me, I want him at Arsenal.
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So who do you want ?
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having thought about it, I think I want the bannerwankers as manager, they seem to have all the answers, or so they claim
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Let’s face it if Dortmund fans know their football and want to ensure they avoid relegation from the Bundesliga there is only one manager who fits the bill.
Step forward Mr Antonio Pullis
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I have seen Gooners say Pullis should be the next Arsenal manager, and they were serious.
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I believe Pulis is as good a manager as Jose. Every bit as good.
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“It’s Steve Bould who trains the defence and works on set pieces.” ~ Martin Keown.
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Neil Banfield coaches midfield and AW the forwards, notionally, with Bouldie coaching the defenders. It must be a rough approximation but we know this because they said so in an interview shortly after the former two were promoted some years ago.
The Bould stuff is a simple example of the AAAA. They’ve written Banfield completely out of their equation because it doesn’t suit the technical requirements of a simplistic binary construct used to troll other fans of the club.
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PG, really???
Shawcross, should play for Wales??? Poor Aaron.
The League table never lies.
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Looking at the Agents’ Fees for the past 3 seasons, the Arsenal have not been extravagant???
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how could they be Notoverthehill, we have not bought a single player, spend some fucking money, you spend we spend, etc etc etc, Sanogo and Flamini and Kallstrom don’t count, Where is my banner.
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Top comments everyone and what a blessing in times of trouble this site is. Except these are far from being times of trouble. Far from. The irony is that Arsene and the board have already thought far more diligently about the future than any of the Beedubs could ever imagine. Klopp may be great but it is not quite his time yet, so patience please to all those thirsting for change and enjoy the final hurrah from the greatest manager I have ever seen. It will be special.
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They don’t embarrass me in the slightest. Every club has its loonies.
Nice post PG – have a vague sense of déjà vu though.
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Saw a pic of a placard on Twitter that said something like “I’m so angry I made this placard”
Was thinking of doing that myself but then, as I normally do, I thought “sod that! I’m going for a beer instead”
I might try and get myself on that Arsenal fan TV after the game on Wednesday …. If I remember on route to pub, that is.
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Just seen this headline from Fresh Arsenal
Arsenal Determined To Sign On-Form English Superstar In January
come on guys have guess which English Superstar the article links us to, I will give you a clue, its not Rooney, its not even Sterling, they are stars, but are they superstars
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AW to @TeleFootball: “I started to manage in 1983. If I am completely useless tactically, I am a genius who can hide it very well.”
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I see Dortmund lost 2-0 again today – away to Eintracht Frankfurt.
They’ve been given a Friday game next week – gives them more time to recover before getting stuffed by Anderlecht.
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Bannerwankers? Fuckwits more like!
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We have Stoke away 2 days before Galatasaray.
The Premier League sens’ us it’s love.
On the positive side (this is the blog for it!),
at least the fixture list has been relatively kind to us over the holidays.
2 tasty London derbies, sandwiched between a trip to Liverpool and a trip to the south coast.
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Eduardo
Let me guess, it’s the ever perennially linked Gareth Barry?
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Fresh Arsenal was bitching that we had loaned out Coquelain.
That’s what he knows about football.
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PG 6:45pm
That is why we love you.
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Fair play to the two paddies,
We have plenty more supporters like them.
I would have said the same thing, except I would have been probably more drunk and inarticulate.
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This is not the first time they have tried to display the banner in those three years they’ve had it. On previous occasions gooners nearby have prevented its display even punching the lad who made it on one occasion. I thought they might have lost their bottle but unfortunately yesterday marked a watershed as they were able to display the banner with impunity. They did seem to be mob handed so they could cope with any trouble maybe they managed to get a few extra tickets for specially chosen people I don’t know. I understand there have been fights at the emirates and I am now worried we are entering a civil war a destructive end whatever happens as most groups have fans on both sides of the argument within their circle.
As in any political disagreements these extremists will get the media attention especially as trouble not stability that makes good copy.
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d_c @ 10:40am – Pissed or not, those Irish boys showed the total embarrassment that Robbie and ArsenalFanTV have become. Maybe you would have punched Robbie in his gut, tempting as it is.
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Shotta
that would be about as high as I could reach.
I’ve seen him in real life outside the ground.
he’s a big monster, in both ways.
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Arsene’s not going anywhere. So “time to say goodbye” must mean that they’re intending to leave.
Any offers to persuade them to stay?
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I’m your Huckleberry’
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Further evidence that Dortmund will have been prioritising the CL games given their hopeless form in the league, topping the group would’ve been a bigger priority then their game yesterday. Which makes Arsenal’s performance over the past half week all the more impressive, first the quality against Dortmund then the determination when the legs had gone against West Brum.
It was the variation in the passing, the tempo and speed with short or long passing against Dortmund that impressed me, alongside everything else. Lots of confident variation. Direct or controlled passing. Not forgetting the tackling, the finish, the good start etc. they had it all on the night.
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The support for the attack on AFC by the extreme right wing media, the people attacking the club who call themselves AFC fans , we can observe that they chose to make this latest attack following Usmanov’s latest press release. After the most impressive two games on the pitch this season (bearing in mind it was a PL Away game after a two high intensity games, including a midweek game when the last opponent would’ve been resting).
This follows on from the want to be celebrity podcastateers after the Chelsea game slagging off Özil because that is what shepeards like Ashton had been able to brainwash these brave hearts into saying, words that bore no relation to events on the pitch because the player picked could be seen to pick up an injury in that game. Words on podcasts longer the the match itself that bore absolutely no relation to events on the pitch. That is, unfortunately, not my opinion.
With reason and observation the rational mind can only conclude that this groaning has sweet FA to do with what is going on upon the football pitch. Undeniable. Propaganda is powerful,of that there is no doubt. And the capacity of humans to act like frightened heards has long been well documented and exploited.
This attack on AFC follows previous patterns recorded here and elsewhere and the increase not decrease in the shrill nonsensical bleating led by the hacks was entirely predictable after the FA Cup Victory. I suppose some were disappointed by that result, not least the PGMO, based upon the evidence of the “performance” from their representative on the day. It is, what it is. To quote the sports hack that all football hacks appear to have as their role model, Mr. Alan Partdrige:
“The proof is in the pudding and the pudding in this case is a football. Boof. Eat my goal.”
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