Not much to feel great about as an AFC supporter, that is if you allow an Arsenal win or loss to dictate your emotions and well being. But what if you don’t? Very quickly we could be either 6th or 2nd, and what does that say about this years league? Perhaps during this time its important to not be swayed by the artificial authorities, that are in truth, just a relative viewpoint. Whats irritating is that the media pose as if they know everything that is about to unfold, yet most of their writings are speculative, aside of their agendas.
What if? What if the ref had noticed that Alonso’s arm smacked Hectors face before he headed the ball? Chelsea down to ten men, its a different game? What if Cech hadn’t have passed the ball to an ex Arsenal player, to added poison in to an already festering wound, what then? What if Mo,Xhaka or Ramsey were available, and of course Santi? Are Chelsea really that good and Arsenal not? Its way more complicated than that. The sad thing is as Arsenal fans fight among themselves and the media ravage the team and manager, City, Man Ure and the Spuds all are happy as the heat is off them? Of course the whole of history is made of ‘what if?
I think places like Positively Arsenal are really important at the moment, not just because of the flag raised to the winds of positivity, as in some respects it impossible to have the positive without the negative, the two rise together,even if in subtle forms. But what is really important is that PA makes a stand against destructive negativity that doesn’t really explain or have an understanding of whats going on. It leaves the door open to discussion, and we don’t have discussions much, generally these days. Everywhere we have spittle inflected absolutist rants, shallow soundbites that seem to get ingrained in peoples general thinking. The loud shouting is reflected in contemporary singers who think that hitting every note in the spectrum makes a great song. What do you think Ella? What do you think Billie? What do you think Frank?
Yesterday I saw a classic moment of AFTV: a disappointed fan shouted- “every year we collapse in Feb/March”…as we can see, insubstantial evidence and pure cliché working its way into the minds of those with loud frothy opinions and somehow it becomes a fact. Well its not so, I don’t even need to drag up the counter evidence because if you really do follow AFC you know it already.
In many ways much of the world is caught up in hysteria and a lack of clear thinking at the moment, this isn’t so easy, as we aren’t even taught the most basic facts about the nature of reality at school, but shifts importance onto which psycho manipulated other people to die for an idea, and no frozen concept will ever capture what that idea really is.
Arsenal have to face some tough challenges next, Hull (no? the players have to get up for that one when they could well be feeling really low, and a loss to Hull its going to make things much worse, and its at home?), then Bayern away, again only a win or draw will appease the baying mob, then the horrible trip to Sutton, with the rest of the world wanting Hereford all over again, and the Arsenal to be utterly humiliated. I cant recall a tougher challenge for Wenger and Co. as this unfolding And, suddenly before us we see the need for a direction in belief and hope. I ask you the question what sort of support do the club need at the moment?
I think there’s much to discuss with AFC, as discussion leads us away from any kind of authoritarian debating-and in my opinion, I think that PA is the place for these discussions, a place where football can be talked about, and if places like this fold up then what next?
So thank you George and to the rest of you that there’s somewhere to go, at least for a while longer.
All the best to you all,
Mills
COYG!
Positively Arsenal 
Well said Mills – The essence of PA is that people enjoy supporting Arsenal football club. From looking at the self indulgent self important inarticulate morons who relish humiliating themselves in the mainstream and social media, and their utter misery, I feel were are on the right track.
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I have inserted a picture at the top – if you don’t feel it is in tune with the piece I am happy to remove it. Irt seemed about right to me though.
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Seems about right to me too Andy
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Good piece…Completely agreed… We’re trying to do likewise over on Bergkampesque.com but these are tough times. (And not just for Arsenal…)
Keep Rockin’…
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Nice one Millsey.
“In many ways much of the world is caught up in hysteria and a lack of clear thinking at the moment,”
And much of us are seeing all too clearly just why hysteria is an entirely appropriate response. But not where football is concerned.
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Fine by me!
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A good take on a supporter (?), who speaks and responds through their fundament.
There is no future, in wasting time, in their presence!
In brief, I admire those who follow football clubs, like Sutton FC.
We have a team to support, COTG
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Hear hear! I think that a silent majority of fans is still leaning towards a more nuanced view on clubmatters, unfortunately, the media in general is scared to death for nuance. They think it doesn’t sell. It would be nice if more supporters would take notice from the vibe here at positively Arsenal, if it weren’t for you guys, I too would be a very silent fan, shocked in disbelief about low quality, biased punditry. I can maintain belief in my fellow (m)fan. Thanks to you!
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Excellent stuff.
A tough week but have a look at this to cheer you up.
30 secs in, picture quality awful but still very enjoyable.
Ole Shearer didn’t want it enough. Unlike that time he cost England from beating Argentina at the world cup
Upset Al
Ha, ha, Halsey again. On top comic form today with his description of why the Alonso goal was good and then, just down the page he came out with this about another incident
‘We have this problem at the moment where referees recognition of careless and reckless is poor’
I like this bit as well ‘Alonso is already in the air and he’s got his eyes on the ball, firmly on the ball’
I watched it quite a few times and I don’t recall any footage whatsoever which cleared up where Alonso’s eyes were throughout. I’m pretty sure nearly all the footage would give no idea of that. So Halsey is just…making it up. Why he’d feel the need I haven’t a clue.
World cup Al
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3.50 when Al tries to point us to glory
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Excellent Millsey rounded off by a great first comment from Andy as well.
H.G. Wells predicted fake news would take over the world and when social media became a place ordinary people could question the big organisations and mainstream media about their untruths a certain man who had been peddling lies all his life picked up the saying “fake news” and ran with it.
The problem now is seeing the wood for the trees in all aspects of life and unfortunately even the beautiful game has been affected. A piece on Untold highlighted the ex-footballers total lack of knowledge of the rules of the game and this in turn turns men I once respected highly as footballers fade as just puppets of the system, prostitutes of the production of media football, it is a great shame.
The other assumption that if enough people think something it must be right is a thought heralded by so many that I wonder for the logic of mankind. Have we found so many ways to elude evolution that the human race is becoming thicker and even those regarded on our screen as good verbal communicaters are actually quite stupid when it comes to solo thinking. Yes I do include most ex-Arsenal players in that.
The Away support has always baffled me, very often people who invest an amazing amount of time and money in following the club, so much so you need your great grandads credits to get tickets for a lot of games, and will defend the club to the hilt if other supporters are attacking it yet are quite prepared to listen to any old tripe the media who they know are affiliated to clubs will tell them.
I know everyone has an opinion but when your going on TV wouldn’t check out your facts before making yourselves look a knob.
If you hate commercial, buy the league or park the bus football wouldn’t you be desperate to see Arsene succeed?
Unfortunately the PL has seen the likes of car crash TV come to the fore, the media like nothing better than Jeremy Kyle or big brother type dross to parade around slagging of the family they say they love but in the real world they have just been duped.
COYG.
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Thanks Millsy. Well done. Using the privilege of my weekly blog I have tried to convey to those who gather at PA that the current ranting and raving by the mainstream bloggers and podcasters is totally predictable and should not disturb us unduly. I drew on the 150 year experience of the stock market to emphasize the role of fear and despair in how human’s react to perfectly normal events. Liverpool lose 3 games in a row, blah. Arsenal lose 2 games, disaster. Before a ball was kicked in this season, based on the data I predicted Arsenal would come 3rd. At one point I was optimistic that we would exceed what the numbers foretold but once Santi was injured, the data was clear; AFC’s ppg would fall. So said, so done.
But we are still a 3rd place team despite the nonsense by the big bloggers, the podcasters and the msm.
As Bob Marley sang: “Rise up you fallen fighter, rise up and take a stand.”
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well lets discuss the future of Arsenal, by future I mean next season, lets say Wenger goes, we replace him with anyone from Max Allegri(we can all stay being AKB’s, oh what a conundrum for the WOB,), to little old Eddie Howe(not a fucking chance in the world, unless its designed so his successor is not following the great man).
I’m told constantly that wouldn’t it be great just to break the cycle, even if it means taking one or two steps backwards so that we can then start taking forward steps again. Sounds reasonable, in fact sounds very reasonable, but often the great soundbites are that and only that, a soundbite, no substance, after all where is the extra £350M a week for the NHS, they are now looking to sell it off to American investors, good luck with that. Back to the taking a step or two back before stepping forward again. What could possibly go wrong.
Well lets think about that, what could go wrong. A couple of years ago one of the most noisy Arsenal blogs, LeGrove, claimed that Aston Villa were years ahead of AFC in their development, they were on the road to coming back after taking a step back, after the big Martin O’Neill gamble, the spending money they did not have, almost making the break through. The had brought all sorts of experts to run the club, or as LeGrove would call it, revolutionize the club, in fact they had even stolen one of Arsenal’s most highly thought of execs Tom Fox. Well it seems that state forces have repelled the Aston Villa revolution to such a degree that they are in the Championship, look like they will be in for at least another year. Crowds are dwindling, sponsorship has dried up, and only the BPL parachute payments give them an advantage over other clubs whose fans wanted to take a step back before charging forward.
Don’t get me wrong, Arsenal are no Aston Villa, despite what LeGrove would like you to believe, I do not see relegation on our horizon, just as I’ve never seen it in my lifetime, although we did in the mid 70’s come too damn close to it. We had taken our step back at that time, and yes we did take several, maybe even many steps forward, but 4 cup finals yielding one victory, our best players leaving for more money and more glory, big name signings were a buzz, but all too often they looked better in their wrapping paper than they did when we put them out on the pitch.
Of course eventually we got in the right manager at the right time, a couple of league titles, a few cups, and we at times it looked like we had taken that step forward, never to step back, but we got further and further from the league titles, and the cups were not enough, a bung seen the end of the manager, and I’m still not sure if our next manager was a step forward or a step back, I side on forward, as he gave us Dennis Bergkamp. Then we truly made a step forward, 3 more league titles(one unbeaten), a few cups, a big bright new shiny stadium, and there we were again, having taken a step back, our best players leaving for more money and more glory. Then we got a few nice new shiny big name signings, a couple of cups and an improving league position, but its not enough.
so what happens if our next manager is a step or two back, if we lose the £50M CL money, if we end up playing Thursday nights, or if we end up having midweeks off. Our two biggest named stars will have just 12 months left on their contracts this summer, will they force their way out if we don’t make CL and Wenger is gone. If they do, how big a name manager, and how big a budget will we need to buy the players to not only replace them, but also the other players needed to take that mythical step forward, if we can’t or are unwilling to spend while in top 4, will we spend even enough to get us back to where we currently are.
Lets face it, we are nowhere in relation to the revenue streams Man Utd have, we don’t have their name either(yes ours is not bad, but they are the most successful English club by some distance in the last 25 years), and look at the problems they have had since their mega manager retired.
We also do not have owners who are willing to put in their own cash like Man City and Chelsea do.
Could the removal of Wenger finally give spurs the belief that would see them finish above us, you know once they do manage to finish above us, it might not be so easy to reverse it.
Liverpool have shown the transfer band that non regular top 4 clubs, with a big history(bigger than ours) work in, and have also shown that this bracket sees a cycle of taking a step or two back followed by stepping forward to where they had been, a spot that had their fans demanding a new manager, new signings, so they could take a step back before stepping forward again.
Liverpool were the be all and end all of English football for most of the 70’s and 80’s and early 90’s, league titles, european cups, fa cups, league cups, doubles all over the place, but are now looking at their 27th year without a league title.
But we are Arsenal, so it will be different for us, we, once Wenger is gone, will prosper like never before, leagues, champion leagues, fa cups, league cups, world club cups, will all be there for the taking. How do I know this, cos I’ve ambition, I won’t settle for any thing less, and I deserve it cos I chose to support Arsenal from when I was 3 years old, so I deserve it, oh and cos Arsenal match day tickets are the most expensive in the world. Or maybe we will become Aston Villa, doubt that very much, but we could very well become Tottenham Hotspurs, now that would be different.
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Ed that should be an article on its own.Brilliant post. Thanks for all the kind comments-you cant see it but Ive clicked like on all of them.Ianspace your post should also have been another article…(worth expanding?)
I dedicate this to Fins who didnt deserve what he got the other evening, and to PG’s door policy.
You are the PA. Long may it last.
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I will give Eddie’s post some airtime tomorrow if I get the chance.
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Thanks Mills just what we need at this difficult time.
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afcstuff @afcstuff 44m44 minutes ago
Héctor Bellerín is a big doubt for Arsenal’s match with Hull at the weekend after suffering a concussion vs. Chelsea. Bellerín hasn’t returned to training since the incident as he & the club await results on an MRI scan carried out after the #cfc game. [Football London]
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Paddy @VieiraPaddy 18m18 minutes ago
At his best Wenger gave us The Invincibles. At his worst Wenger gave us Champions league football every year. Give him some respect.
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Hear hear Mills!
I might be out on a limb. But i refuse to accept the 3-1 score line at the bridge as a fair reflection of what really happened.
2 of Chelsea’s goals were bullshit, the foul on Bellerin and Cech forgetting who he currently plays for, so in my views it was a 1-1 game. Which is entirely backed up by the match stats.
Hazard’s excellent goal was countered by Arsenal’s constant efforts , which Goroud deservedly scored from, in fact Arsenal worked hard for goals.
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DC you are taking a leaf out of Jose’s book there
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Fair play DC – you don’t regard the 3-1 as a fair or accurate result – however.
My instinct is disputing the result, blaming the referee and the linos, and that sort of thing may be comforting but ultimately is sterile.
Embrace the full experience- the good, the bad, and the 80% that is in the middle.
Leave the fence sitting wankers to whine about the details, their details.
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I don’t know which description of me upsets me the most, fence sitter,whiner or wanker. Sadly all 3 seem apt.
Bugger.
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Can only agree with the article, and comments in general, nice work Ed.
One anti Wenger blog believes the media leaked offer for two more years is a smokescreen for the fact Wenger is off….?No idea how true that is, hope not, but if so could explain players being unsettled.
But say it is true.
It is highly unlikely losing Wenger will see any improvement for some time, the next manager could even prove a bit of a sacrifice while the club slowly find a proper candidate….as others have found. I just don’t see an obvious candidate, the players are not set up to play the Simeone way even if he was available, Max Allegri seems happy enough at a club that is doing well….ok maybe not happy with the press, but what Italian manager is. If the WOB want Howe, would suggest he has multitudes of wengers perceived weaknesses, without the great mans strengths. Tuchel….employed, so is Jogi Love.who will presumably stay with Germany until after 2108..guess we could have Klopp if he is sacked. Koeman cheats against us, no thanks. The Leipzig manager,,, a leap in the dark, but so was Wenger. Blanc….blank cheque…Ancelotti….in a Kroenke owned self sufficient team….right. But, fortunately, I hear Alan Curbishley is available. So are WOB darlings GG, Coyle , perhaps even Moyes or Martinez can be tempted, three of those WOB darlings have at one stage or another been mentioned in lead articles on WOB sites. Perhaps critics like Danny Murphy may like a go.
The sensible option, keep Wenger for two more years starters assuming he wants that, and put a succession plan in place
And as the article says, back the team when all else are losing their heads, and trying to ensure Utd, Spurs and Liverpool take that place in the top four traditionally reserved for us.
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Mills: this is bloody brilliant and just the job. Thanks so much. Such posts do furnish our room.
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Where’s your Dunkirk spirt gone, you limies?
Fight ’em on the beaches.
Fuck off the BBC, the sun, the mail, talk sport, Sky, the bitter pundits, the lot.
I’m not giving up on our beloved Arsenal, not by half.
Don’t panic, and don’t give them your name, Pike.
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Just been watching Adrian Clarkes breakdown of the Chelsea game.
To me at least, AC seemed interested, and slightly surprised, and maybe even a bit scathing that none of the other Arsenal players protested about the foul on Bellerin that led to the first goal. Can think of defenders past who would have made something of a fuss.
Perhaps part of what Wenger called the nativity in the performance….or are they told to leave it , or just browbeaten by the PGMOL?
Think they could do with some of the streetwise instincts of the likes of Thierry, Dennis Tony and co in managing refs, though it must be said , those guys …apart from Thierrys return didn’t have to play under Riley as head of the PGMOL.
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Mustafi does protest but stops in order to run over to help Cech with his unconscious teammate.
If someone was busy continuing to protest whilst their teammate had suffered a head injury like that then I’d be concerned!
There were plenty of protests back in the day but none of it helped Reyes!
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Or maybe the protests were more or less the same…
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Eh?
Mills, I didn’t get anything the other evening.
I guess not everyone reads untold otherwise the bitter little man would’ve been binned previously. Better late then never.
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…it was just my perception of things Fins-I didnt like what was written to you on Sunday evening.But it was the reason I wrote the piece all bleary- eyed on Monday morning.I haven’t read Untold since last October or so, as it was just winding me up all the time and life is too short (imo) to be dealing with all that.
Thanks again to everyone. COYG!
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Mills that particularly weird Arsenal blog troll is always full of such fragment sentiment when it pops out the sewer, doesn’t matter who it addresses, you’re better off then me for not knowing!
In this instance & as you identify I don’t think this one is/was an AFC supporter.
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Eddie is now the headline act.
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