Sometimes I wonder why I bother with this site. What porpose does it have? I have written dozens of articles and said nothing new, original or educational. The regulars in the comments section , on the whole, know more about football and Arsenal than I do. I cant write like any of the other authors that contribute, so why bother?
Then my friends I read some comments and think “that’s why”. These people are why ! These people are what makes it worth the effort.
From ianspace2014
“My point is I would rather achieve 4th place with OUR team than win the league with an eleven of other peoples players. There is nothing wrong with the Mesuts and Alexis of this world but each player coming in must feel like an ARSENAL player dedicated to us and combining with our youth players.”
Then I read Kelly (alabamagooner) , she had this to say.
“Finally. Someone is able to express things that Hunter{Ed. Hunter is a regular poster} makes me too mad to articulate. So, I’m going to give it another go, to try to explain to Hunter and to everyone else.
I don’t care if we never win another PL title. There. I said it. If I cared about that, I’d support Chelsea. I have no historical connection to either club, so who cares, right? Just pick Chelsea instead, right? Here’s why I don’t do that: Arsenal mean something to me. The club, and its way of doing things, MEAN something. And that something isn’t to be the biggest bullies in the league, to destroy everyone on sight in some sort of macho rutting contest. What means something to me is to see a group of men work hard to achieve something. To weather the ups and downs together. To clearly care about each other and about their leader. A leader, (I’ll remind Hunter, who to his immense credit may be AW’s biggest fan) who sets this tone as the way he wants his football team to operate. Do I want to Arsenal to win the league? Of course I do! But I want it for them. Not for me. And that’s where I differ from many.
Yes, of course Hunter you are right. There are certainly better players out there than we have. There are better players in every single position. I can’t possibly argue that point with you. But I don’t love them. Of course the pundits say Arsenal need x,y, z players. They don’t care whether we get them or not. They aren’t attached to the team. They aren’t rooting for the team we have to pull together and achieve the very best that they can. I am. That’s the emotion of sport. That’s why I care about it. I hurt for them when they lose, and rejoice for them when they win. It’s not about me. That’s why I never get angry when we lose. Only sad.
We’ll buy players in the summer. We’ll lose players in the summer. I will mourn those who leave, and embrace those who come. But you will never, ever hear me say we should ditch a player we have for a better, flashier model. That’s not the way I see things. If you do…well, ok, that’s your way. You’re a better competitor than me. It’s a good thing I don’t run the club. But I wonder if you enjoy it like I do. If one little passing move that comes off in the midst of a game where nothing is going right can make you cheer and clap your hands. If seeing players and manager smile in training after a horribly disappointing weekend makes you feel everything is ok again. Or if you just want to string them all up until they perform to your exacting standards.
There. I’ve bared my soul…and it’s 3:00 in the morning in England, so no one is even going to read it. A shout into the void.”
And that dear reader is why this site exists. Not as a vehicle for my ego. But for a place that lovers of Arsenal can come and express that love , free from the barracking of entitled fans that demand Arsenal provide them with bragging rights and buy them success and silverware.
We all have hopes and dreams for Arsenal, but when they become expectations and demands that is when we cross the line between real fans and entitled customers.
When we scream for new players, a different manager or demand different tactics, again we are leaving behind the fan aspect and turning into customers playing Football Manager.
Those that shout the loudest , know the least. Its the same in most walks of life. I find the fans that think they have the answers don’t even understand the questions.
Its very obvious that the people who thought we played badly against Swansea and Sunderland don’t understand football or sport at all. But, boy oh boy, can they SHOUT
Positively Arsenal 
You’ve set up your life to be close to Arsenal. You have season tickets. Admirable. But you do that for you. What do you do to support the team? I’m curious to know. I’m sure there is something.
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well fins…its when you or someone elevates say ozil to a status he has not yet reached and basically call us ‘fools’ for not recognising his greatness..
let him prove his greatness first for arsenal and then treat him like a god…is that too difficult?
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Sav
Ozil has as big an ego as any other superstar in world football (he is indeed one of those).
The contention that he is not egotistical is preposterous. Risible.
There’s plenty of evidence.
And it’s also important to acknowledge that anyone who would choose to go to war with the F Word over Arteta should not be let anywhere near the battlefield! One of those individuals is a man, the other is a boy who answers to others.
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Was Matthew Le Tissier great? He won fuck all. but does that mean he was not a great player? What would he have to have done to be great? Win the PL with The Saints?
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Don’t patronize me by calling me “dear”. And now you call me “sensitive”. Again, I hear the sneer in your voice. And yes, it’s insulting to call a professional sportsman “soft”. You’d be insulted if someone called you that, would you not? Because in your macho sense of the world, being “soft” is the worst thing you can be. You probably think that about me, too.
Saying our players are not fighters is the most arrogant thing I can imagine anyone saying. You would fold in an instant if faced with the pressure they endure, and your circular arguments wouldn’t rescue you from it. You still haven’t answered my question. Who would you keep?
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Well the amount of points Utd get/got (apart from last season under Moyes of course) and all the points Chelsea pay for from the officials – that is forever omitted from the record. Its BS I say. Hazard would not be nearly as effective if his little brush-and-fall-over routine was not tolerated and rewarded. Let alone the rest of them. Let alone all the anti-Arsenal stuff as per Untold and our own eyes.
But football is always like that. I don’t like it but the fair, honest Arsene has won far less than he deserved since others in France and England cheat.
The only way Arsenal will win is if they rise above the cheating in terms of sporting excellence. Arsene is building a masterpiece. I just want to see it completed.
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Lively stuff.
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One a captain who lost his dressing room, the other…
The choice of that absurd “war” metaphor, hunter couldn’t have picked a worse example for those two individuals, that is where the thread should end. You can’t top that!
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Unlike Pires or Viera, very much unlike the F Word, Ozil has proven that he can help lead a team to victory an a trophy upon a tilted pitch.
That’s not an opinion, it’s an easy to make observation. Everyone saw Probert and Riley at work – yes of course the opponents were different but given the poverty of the argument above I’m not sure anyone should bother to care,.
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Fins, I agree about Fabregas. He is quite an odious individual. Top player, shit person. I suspect his karma is not good.
Ozil of course is a top sportsman in his field and to succeed he must have a powerful ego, perhaps manifested differently due to his introvert nature. The way I understood it was that Ozil does not act in an extrovert manner. To be fair, there are other players in the team who can do that.
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But it would silly to praise Ozil for leading the squad to victory and baubles.
Because as everyone also knows, it was Arteta and the BFG who did that!
In the f word’s last season he gave up managing the officials, and tarted to argue with them in every game. He gave up. The opposite of Arteta.
Again, that’s not my opinion. It is what happened.
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To be fair, there are other players in the team who can do that.
Exactly! Ten others.
It’s not the goose stepping Golden Dawn, it’s the Arsenal.
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Feeling a bit feisty today, George. And it’s Saturday morning with no football, so I’m bored.
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” Ozil does not act in an extrovert manner”. True, Sav. It’s when that gets described as “soft”, implying it’s somehow a character flaw, that I get really hot.
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“…basically call us ‘fools’ for not recognising his greatness..”
Us? I think they were just talking about you, Hunter. (Banned smiley)
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Well Alabama, I can see Hunter’s point as well. He wants players to step up at the critical moment. I suppose we won’t know who steps up until they do. Last year, Santi stepped up big time. That first goal.
But he has his way of looking at football and you have your own. Don’t let it cause you consternation that the views differ. Can I be diplomatic and say that everyone is right? hehe
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Sav if Hunter is expecting the owners and boardroom wallah’s at AFC to conduct themselves like the Mob that rule Italy and run Juve he’ll be in for a bit of disappointment.
No dodgy pens in consecutive rounds have ever eased AFCs path to a CL final. Fortunately Juve have a good reputation and a spotless reputation so there’s no need for me to use AW’s coded expression of “special circumstances” when referring to Juve or the sprightly & youthful Chiellini. IBSF IV.
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< spotless record…
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I understand, Sav. And I’m not really that bothered by it. It’s just that every time Hunter and I tangle, I’m the nice one, and I apologize and back off. A bit soft, you might say. Not today. Today I think I’ll Ozil it. I’ll step up and not be bullied, and be the big game player. Hunter should be proud of me.
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hi, guys. I really don’t make much of an effort to comment on blogs, but just really curious about this guy named “hunter”.
Does he/she has any other names linked to hunter which I missed, or is he/she an illusionary character?
And I don’t care much for trophies, most important factor addicting me to arsenal is playing attacking football which we do 🙂
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I’m not sure. I think he is a cyber illusion.
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What is that yellow blob?
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That’s 2 today. Christ, can people not articulate these days?
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Haha, sorry, ArsenalAddict. Hunter’s user name is cannon13. I apologize, that is a bit insular of us. Kelly is my given name, so some will refer to me by that name as well.
Pssst…George bans smiley faces here. He hates them. And he runs the show. (banned smiley)
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I would suggest that a look at certain players’ legs after a game, would reveal who has “courage”?
According to Tom Whittaker, Alex James’s legs were the colour of mahogany! Bruises, were invisible. Page 70, Hunter me lad.
Alabama, Hunter is trying to nag PG into a banning order??
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Fins @ 6:08pm
“It’s not the goose stepping Golden Dawn, it’s the Arsenal.”
– That metaphor was a little harsh tbf.
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Trying to suppress a smile at some of the polemics. Once upon a time I would jump in with gusto but I am busy cooking up something for George.
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Come on, Shotta. Jump in. I was wondering where you were this afternoon. Finding something else besides football to do?
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At no point in the First Amendent is there any mention of ‘smileys’ NOTH
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There is no constitution Andrew, Its rule by divine right here.
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Darn. Has Hunter left to find something better to do? I should probably do the same, but I was feeling so tough and up for the fight. I’m disappointed.
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As I empty the trash bucket I often reflect what a wise choice that is
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There is probably a bingo night at the Westboro Baptists he has a ticket for
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Kelly: I have been pressing “likes” like crazy. I think that speaks for itself.
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It’s not that I think this sort of discussion shouldn’t take place. I just get miffed at anyone who fails to acknowledge the real reasons why Arsenal haven’t been more successful. As far as I’m concerned, it’s nothing to do with the personnel, whether Wenger, Gazidas, Law, Dein, etc, or the players.
In my mind I can still see Denilson, Walcott, Koscielny, Mert, Reyes, etc, being kicked all over the pitch – mostly without sanction. Viera was stepped on regularly, and sure, he gave a bit back, but it was what he retaliated with that was punished, whilst plundits only talked of how many red cards Wenger had amassed.
When was the last year an Arsenal player didn’t have his leg broken by a thug, and what did the whores have to say about any of it? ****all. You know it.
So it doesn’t matter how big or tall or strong any oncoming people are, they’ll get kicked because “Thems” don’t want Arsenal to succeed.
Look at every fking press conference. Absolutely relentless they come with questions about transfers despite Arsène politely telling them he won’t talk about transfers as the window isn’t open. So they switch to how Arsenal are useless cos they don’t win anything. Do you think that if Pogba/ Sniderling/Khadira, whoever comes – they’ll not get kicked and derided?
When Theo came, the thugs learned he had a problem with his shoulders, so what did they do? They fking battered him. Trip up the little **** when he’s at full speed. Walcott comes back time after time, better, stronger, wiser. But the moaners say whatever they say,which is always crap.
Most talk about Abou being crocked by Dan Smith, and he was, but he came back and was leading the team. The thugs, too many to mention – though, Bowyer, Cattemole, Barton, Essien, Obi Mikel’s assaults are still fresh in my mind. By highlighting the injury from Sunderland, the meedja repeatedly fail to put any context into any talk of Arsenal player’s crocked-nests. Instead, it’s all about having the wrong players, and by the way, why don’t you buy someone else’s shit player? Why don’t you spend the money? Why don’t you join in the corruption,you bastards. We’ll see to it you don’t succeed.
And yet there are Arsenal fans who suck it all up, then continue with “we should get this and we should get that”. I feel insulted that anybody talks about our players being “soft”. WTF has that got to do with a players abilities? No players are soft. They’ve had to battle with all kinds of stuff whilst learning to be footballers, including training ground injuries inc. strains, etc.
I feel enormous pride when I see Özil praying on the pitch before kick off. It’s the precursor to the man playing a hard, honest game. And I’m not overly religious.
I love the softly spoken Ramsey, who tackles the interviews with intelligence the likes of the “hard men” simply cannot.
If Giroud played for ManU or Fulham Bridge do you think someone smashing his tibia in two would be largely unreported? Would Costa get sent off for reacting angrily for being pushed into a goaly – so when getting up and moving towards the offender, barely touches his head – then the offender falls down? No, no, no. That wouldn’t happen. Look at Matic. Lashes out on a player, gets sent off, then they appeal and get a reduction of the ban!
I admit, other teams thugs can be as ‘ard as they like. Bowyer and Barton have been thugs on and off the pitch. They stayed in the game for as long as they were wanted by their clubs, and in the case of the latter – appears to be lauded as some kind of sage, whether in social media or by getting gigs on MOTD! WTF?
What Arsenal presently have is a TEAM! A team with good human beings who are excellent, honest footballers. (And by “honest” I don’t mean ‘journeymen’).
My observations are that the otherly players will get shipped out, or ship themselves out.
I’ve talked previously about the kickings Özil and Sanchez get,but it applies to all of our players, from 1-11 (so to speak). It’s the fact these kicking aren’t acknowledged that allows people to conclude that Aresnal are weak, or soft.
So, those who believe it’s merely a matter of getting certain personnel into the club, in order to bag more trowfies – you’re just ****ing WRONG!
(And I’m right).
Special thanks to Fins and Kelly for being articulate in standing up for The Arsenal, but also to so many others on here.
Have a lovely evening.
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Oh dear, that was long. Sorry.
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No, Rantetta, that was beautiful. Fabulous stuff.
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I accept all opinions whether I agree or not, but when a supposed Arsenal supporter calls one of our players a “gay boy” I don’t forget or forgive.
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the quality of the post always mitigates against the length… the better the quality the linger you actually want it to be….
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I do not agree with much of it Ranty, it is not however long, it is comprehensive.
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Ranty: that was brilliant. We forget all that at our peril.
Under the current set of circumstances we could sign Messi and he would soon be labelled a flat track bully by those who sit back and smirk at the unlevelling of the field by the Riley gang.
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Amen, Passenal. Amen. And I’m tired of ignoring it. Ignoring implies I condone it. Until George tells me to shut up, I’m done ignoring it.
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It will be a cold day in hell when I tell you to shut up Kelly.
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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6irMZ961v8w&feature=youtu.be
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It’s Abou Diaby, above.
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I do appreciate that, George. But I’m a guest in your house…if you want me to leave it, just say the word.
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I will never say that word Kelly. Never.
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I like Ranty for standing up for his club. But I must caution against believing that all our failings are due to the refs and officialdom. For example in 2008 when Eduardo was broken in two to derail our title bid, in the next 5 games the youths who then comprised the majority of the team and Gallas, the veteran captain, were not mature enough to cope with the setback and having led the league by five points never won another game to finish 3rd. That is why the signing of relative veterans like Arteta, Santi and Mertesacker have made us a much tougher outfit the last three years. Fact is, unlike continental Europe, the refs in England allow more physical play to go unpunished. Perfect example is the buffeting that Giroud takes from central defenders game-in, game-out. Wasn’t it vs United or Sunderland we saw a defender literally take his shirt off in a set piece and the ref had full view and did nothing? An Arsenal player has to be mentally prepared to win despite opponents being more physical than they would be in Europe. Period. Giroud has adopted, despite the doubters, and is vitally important to our team as a result. Obviously Arsene is not going to bully the referees and officialdom to get an unfair advantage in the manner of Ferguson and now Mourinho. That is how he rolls. If you haven’t already done so, get used to it.
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I could accept the roughhousing if we could do the same. But we are forced to turn the other cheek .
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Yes it may seem we get called for trying to emulate the dark arts, George. But you have heard lower level teams in particular complain that we get the rub of the green on almost all the big decisions. Perception, no?
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