Last night I read again a blog written by @AFC_ChrisGooner “Arsenal putting pieces in place for future success” http://bit.ly/1QpmfXr .I have read it several times now and it a fabulous piece , well written and researched. Having read it I then tweeted
People didn’t see a plan not because there wasn’t one, but because they were unable to comprehend its enormity. Silly people.”
I expected the usual replies. you know the ones .“We were lied to . we could have done more, we should have done X, we should have bought Y, mistakes were made blah blah blah” . But to my surprise very few like that were forthcoming. So either people now accept they were wrong and the improvements are now so obvious that they can’t deny them or perhaps people are just happy and are prepared to forgive the perceived acts of negligence by the club?
I suppose the problem for many is that their ambitions are tied to the club. They are basically asking someone else to be ambitious on their behalf. The Arsenal board, and by extension Arsene Wenger are responsible for their personal ambition. An odd state of affairs and somewhat unique to football fans who in real life think that tweeting while sitting on the toilet is ambitious.
Still, I digress.Back to last night. I then got a reply that I believe is the single best tweet I have ever seen.
@Blackburngeorge “spend some fucking money!” ringing around the stadium the club spent £400m+ on. You couldn’t make it up.”
Brilliant. I rest my case.
Positively Arsenal 
Arsenal Andrew,
Adrian Durham is an outstanding broadcaster. He seldom misses a trick, speaks fluently and with real knowledge on a range of sports. He is thoroughly professional, and knows exactly what he is doing and how to generate response and reaction. He has a fine understanding of the demographic he is reaching, and the reason why I sometimes find it interesting to listen to him is to be reminded of just how low the lowest denominator is. I respect him utterly as a media professional – he is very good at what he does. But then so was Jimmy Saville.
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a minor shock jock. Who works for people who have an extremist and discredited economic theory that they wish to propagate that appears to run contrary to the solvent, sane and legal practices witnessed at AFC.
Or as I almost wrote I reply to NOTH:
Who needs Moneyball when you can have Wongaball? Forget the footballs, up to your eyeballs in peonage? For the rest of your children’s days?
Because let’s be fair it’s not just Durham who led with the smears on ozil etc. the entire pool of hack dwarves from the 24/7 football media were incapable of laughing their arsenal’s off at Levy and now Liverpool’s fleecing of their own clubs.
The AAA were going ape shit after the spuds signed Paulinho. It’s so embaressing.
Hooting and jumping and pointing north (towards the M25) whilst scratching their armpits. That was as close as the loons got to copying Newcastle’s genius hari kari maneuver when they sacked Robson. That worked out well from for the Toon: From scraping into the CL on a relatively tight budget with one of the modern greats who loved the club and wanted to take them higher, to oblivion.
Levy’s retirement splurge, the Anthony Taylor Show, that was their highlight, not the signings of Özil or Sanchez.
Propaganda. Works through the mechanism of repetition and I sat there listening to people tell me Paulinho’s signing was a statement of intent thingy. After he’d just been demolished in a thirty second cameo in Brazil by one oxlade chamberlain (some aaa still groan about his signing, it’s unreal!),and they only said that because it’s been what they were told to say. I told them then that the AFC teenagers were better players then the Tottenham mules, and they are/were.
Lamela, Soldado, Paulinho,they cost more then Özil and Sanchez between them. It is simply incredible. You’ll struggle to find much critique of these players in the funny papers over the seasons whilst they have been failing. And all are now on their way out. I can’t even be arsed to think about Liverpool,though they might even eclipse the spuds in the eyes of the world’s hungry agents. Which takes some doing given the above list!
If Durham’s words are given more airtime then say Alan Sugar (they are!) then unfortunately with repetition then some will be deceived. if the former owner of once hated rival, famous for their buisness acumen and practice,when such people sing the praises of your manger perhaps he might be doing something right? But if no one ever hears or reads those comments in spite of a contestant on the Apprentice tv show saying straight to the former Tottenham owners face in front of the audience that he loves to follow the arsenal as they do things the right way and the former owner of Tottenham agreeing with him, that was just a one off and not a meme repeated to death in order to indoctrinate people.
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Foreverheady – agree with most of what you say!
I’m not sure how expert he is across a range of sports; I’m not, so I’m hardly in a position to judge. But anybody who reduces a colourful world to a simple black & white equation is generally not to be trusted. As most instinctively know, very few things in life are that simple.
On the other hand “spending some bloody money” will cure many ills, for a time at least.
And, as Leo would be amongst the first to spot, this oh-so simple requirement to spend some money, has been Adrian’s deeply ironic mantra – never more evident on those match-days when he’s been broadcasting live from within Arsenal’s self-financed £400 million stadium.
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“Vengargggh is a Scrooge!”
I guess it takes a master in PR to compose such a campaign.
Heh.
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Fins – the media persecution of Arsenal players shames them all when placed into the context of their airbrushing of the failings of other club’s great white hopes, the routine squandering of eye-watering sums on one-match wonders and the processional merry-go-round of managers sent in to reinvent their reputations, their hopes and their largely ludicrous and unsupportable ambitions.
It’s a shaming only matched by certain quarters of our club’s own fans who, in Adrian Durham’s black and white world, simply can not see the woods for the trees.
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Newcastle after Robson:
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/lee-ryder-what-newcastle-united-7539510
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Robson told Setanta Sports: “I took the club over when it was bottom of the
league and in the last three years I was there it was third, fourth and fifth.
We were in the top five for the last three years.
“I lost my job rather abruptly, I couldn’t believe it. I was stunned, I
couldn’t believe it.
“I didn’t lose two consecutive matches and I lost my job, it was crazy.
Without being egotistical, the club has suffered ever since.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-501905/It-went-wrong-Newcastle-sacked-says-Sir-Bobby.html#ixzz3eX8p2rAa
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Of course like all the greats, like everyone, Robbo also made the odd error.
Looking back at the stats he did not play Dixon, Adams, Bould, Winterburn, Davis, Rocastle, and others in his England team as much as I’d have liked him to! Anyone know why some of these players didn’t okay as much as they could? Davis’ row with GG wouldn’t have helped his prospects under Taylor which is when my football consciousness was born (scars caused by Carlton Palmer and Geoff Thomas). Rocastle had some injuries I think, but were these Arsenal legends amongst other talents also under-used by England?
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Good spot Ranty – if Thibaut is the new Barry Daines is Peter the new Pat?
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Apart from our huge apprieciation of what Arsene has done for us the trust and support the board has shown in him also needs to be commended. I believe when the future Patrick Barklays write books about the move from Highbury to Ashburton and the effect of the PL,sky, rich owners and the property and banking crashes had upon a vision and how it was still delivered the true respect will be shown. Maybe we will never know the exact cause of the injuries that blighted the initial years after the move or for that matter the amount of extreme decisions from the men in black but the fact we kept pace with the mega rich, while watching previous big clubs like liverpool, everton, villa newcastle and the spuds struggle and others such as wolves, leeds and both sheffield clubs dissapear from the upper echelons, will always be a remarkable achievement.
Now ranked ninth in europe is again an amazing stat when considering we are regarded as european failures.
When we win again the headlines will again read lucky ARSENAL but I for one won’t care.
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I can’t thank you all enough for your comments this morning.
Thank you.
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AorB
In reality AFC are in the top 8 , as Schalke 04 wont be in the UCL this season.
Still ranked higher than Man Utd. though!
And just look at lowly Liverpool in 42nd (!) place, even the spuds are ranked higher.
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All the experts say that Arsenal need to spend more and buy the title.
It would make their jobs easier than actually having to watch unpredictable football.
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DC, I now want a massive victory not just because of being a mad ARSENAL fan but as vindication of doing things right and to prove the media and their sheep wrong.
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Podolski on verge of joining Galatasary
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It is very obvious that for too many self-styled “talent spotters”, the squad size and make-up is not relevant! Or the projected “talent” , has no fancy for the London life. OR, worst still, has bad table and/or social mores.
Santos, was a bad driver, so is Vidal! Speed kills.
According to the EPL squad details for the season 2014/2015, the Arsenal listed only 15 who did not comply with the Home Grown Player rule.
The Arsenal are allowed 17 non HGP.
Petr Cech, can be added as a non HGP.
ALL four goalkeepers can be kept, at this moment in time.
My impression is, that David Ospina has not settled in to the London way of life? That is, autumn and winter.
Isaac Hayden, was in the Under-21 group of players, Is that why, so many ignored the lad?
.
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notoverthehill remember that Bellerin could not be counted as a member of our squad last season, and for many neither could Coquelin, and despite what these two achieved last season some of the AAA are still writing off some of our young players who are on the fringes of the first team squad, even guys like Sanogo and Toral, let alone the younger lads like Zelalem, Gnabry etc etc.
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we are not after Gabriel, Bielik and Cech, oh Wenger you old fibber – is isco next.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150109/extra-wenger-on-latest-transfer-rumours
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“Arsenal target bottles penalty shoot out.”
You heard it here first.
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Ever since their first world cup final Sweden have had some great sides. With this U21 win and other good youngsters in the main squad like Olssen it looks like once again their future is bright.
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http://news.sky.com/story/1511032/premier-league-set-to-reject-new-homegrown-quota
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its good that some of these players say so themselves that they almost signed for arsenal cos when AW says it, it usually sounds like he is just throwing names around – to some people anyway, cos usually, i believe him.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/petr-cech-signed-arsenal-18-5979570?
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So the day has finally come and Abou has reached the end of his contract and been ‘released’ by the club. I cannot remember any player or any club working harder for longer to bring a player back to fitness. Human physiology seems to have defeated the best of efforts and intentions.
I have no idea whether AD is anywhere near fit enough to allow him to approach other clubs that might take a risk on him, with a short contract of pay per game. I hope so though and I would be delighted to see him kicking a ball about somewhere in whatever shirt he wears.
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I ardently hope Abou Diaby finds a place to play football again before he retires.
If he doesn’t I will personally pay for his plane fare and a baseball at to hunt down his career-assassin who is now residing in Australia.
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Well some of his physios would have been advising him to retire for a while, some from a non-sports background might have said so since the initial injury.
Perhaps a few years ago an option like playing in Spain would’ve been one for him to consider but now I don’t know. We saw other players in the squad his age, when they were younger, improve their techniques and their game just by copying Abou, the obvious one being Song. Perhaps he has a future as a coach?
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Watch the video of the best of Diaby in the link.
I’m crying my eyes out.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150701/diaby-among-five-players-leaving-arsenal
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AD is a sad loss for Arsenal and football in general. I don’t expect his departure will be greeted by the level of respect he deserves. I hope he finds fulfilment in life post football.
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then maybe arsenal should offer him a job… just feel he has something to offer the club
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The impression I have is that at the moment Abou still hopes to get back to some sort of active football playing although that is based on nothing more than the rare comments that come out. Looking at the highlights he had some very good days on the pitch and who would not want one more chance at that if at all possible ?
He has an agent who no doubt over the years has no doubt earned a fat wedge out of Abou’s career. hopefully he will be on his bike working to get his client a start somewhere.
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I just went to Abou’s FB page. There’s no mention of him leaving. There must be some way of showing appreciation? (Guess I’ll have to pitch a tent at the car park entrance, and take along an extra chalkboard with messages for Abou and Arsène).
I also hope he stays at Arsenal in some capacity. Diaby’s the only name I considered putting on the back of a shirt.
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Oh,,seems I went to the wrong page:
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How can we start a campaign to get Abou Diaby a proper Testimonial?
Scarfs, banners, noisy twitter?
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Talking of players who have left our club congrats to Kris Ollsen who picked up a U21 euro winners medal last night
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Thanks DC for the video. It is a crystal clear evidence that this was supremely talented footballer, not misty eyed romanticism that pro Diaby fans are often accused of by the mercenary fans who felt Diaby should have long ago been put down like an injured horse. The Neanderthal element in English football destroyed Diaby, i.e. the managers, pundits and referees who endorsed kicking our players because the foreigners at Arsenal don’t like it up em. Eduardo was destroyed, thankfully Aaron recovered from that double leg beak. Diaby is an emblem of our refusal to not yield without a fight. Hopefully he will find a future in football inside or outside Arsenal.
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Ah that late goal from Rozza’s right wing cross in Benitiez’s last visit with Liverpool. Majestic goal all round.
Diaby put in some memorable performances against the Scousers.
Rafa’s squad was on the wane and they had no choice I guess but to come for the draw that evening though I am critical of such an approach. It was still a fascinating contest.
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Abou has a foundation:
https://www.facebook.com/abouvdiaby
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Andrey Arshavin has been released by Zenit today too.
What a terrible, terrible day.
George must be ballin’ his eyes out.
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Yes, congrats to Olsson, even though he didn’t have even one second on the pitch.
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DC – Careful! The Meerkat has a long memory.
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Let the shit stirring begin (or continue):
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/arsene-wenger-lied-to-wojciech-szczesny-over-arsenals-10m-petr-cech-deal-says-jan-tomaszewski-10356746.html
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I wished that he could recover from his injuries and play a part in the team’s progression. But if he leaves then surely he should still play football, perhaps in a less damaging league. I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that a fit Diaby is still very much an asset to the squad, if not the 1st team on a weekly basis. I don’t think I will think he is really gone until the start of next season. There are not many big men that can move like that.
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http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/33343148?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
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so AFC announce the list of those players leaving Arsenal due to contracts being up, but Arteta is not included, looks like he is signing a new deal, unlike the AAA I’m happy about that,
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some reports in France suggest that Diaby might be off to the MLS, with FC Dallas interested in signing him
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with leicester sacking their manager it seems Arsène Wenger has now managed more matches with Arsenal (1066) than rest of the Premier League bosses combined (998)
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here is all the transfer gossip you need to hear today:
“Manchester United have been secretly trying to sell 31-year-old striker Robin van Persie since January, according to his former team-mate Pierre van Hooijdonk. (Daily Mirror)”
“Should Van Persie leave Old Trafford, Besiktas are hoping to tempt the Netherlands striker to Turkey. (Newscorp)
IBSF
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Also:
I am sure I am not the only one impressed by the smooth Gazprom PR experts efforts to address Cech ignoring the hack dwarves favourite Specialist in signing players from their mutual special agent pals, hence the screed across the web of “Jose approves Cech sale” only a few weeks after everyone saw his resignation to he matter and his bluster too.
No matter how many reams of gibberish they write football fans everywhere and Gazprom fans in particular will have noted the omission from cech’s goodbye message.
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We’ve all seen performances/errors from Cech over the last three seasons where we’ve thought:
“Blimey. I bet he’s glad the self-declared discredited sado-masochistic AAA Experts are not on his case the lucky bugger”
Just spending some idle moments digesting some food and whilst pondering I checked the strange game when the Tinies hit five past Jose’s great team that the media had crowned as Invincibles by November: Courtois was in goal.
Declared unbeaten champions in November. A manager who they worship. The hack dwarves really do like Gazprom.
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We’ve all seen performances/errors from Cech over the last three seasons where we’ve thought:
“Blimey. I bet he’s glad the self-declared discredited sado-masochistic AAA Experts are not on his case the lucky bugger”
Just spending some idle moments digesting some food and whilst pondering I checked that strange game when the Tinies hit five past Jose’s great team that the Media had crowned as Invincibles by November: Courtois was in goal.
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Fins, I think what you say about the media message that seems to be propagading that Mourinho ‘approves’ highlights something very interesting.
I do not think this has anything to do with Abramovich. Why would it? He overruled his club manager, he does not need to further manage the situation. The man is a billionaire with many other concerns after all. I think this shows that Mourinho has sympathisers/agents/provacoteurs that aid him directly – his own ‘network’ if you will. As you highlight, he has powerful sports agent friends who seem to be controlling more and more of the lucrative transfer markets, so perhaps these are also his source of media power. If anything, this situation has made me reevaluate how I look at Chelsea and their owner.
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