I was charged with doing the post match review as unfortunately ,for us all, our forever chirpy Andy Nic. is hibernating in the Hebrides.
I was minded to give it a swerve, hide under a rock and hope no one noticed. As my old Mum says “if you have nothing good to say-say nothing”. Had I written last night ,I suspect I would have had to ban myself.
Anyway, I’m sure by now you have all seen the match and don’t need me to explain what you saw. I found it painful, depressing and disappointing. Normally I can see a reason or at least come up with a feasible excuse for a poor performance. But not last night, it was a shocking display.
However, football is football and these things happen. Just the other night I tuned into watch Barca v Malaga only to see the mighty Barca churn up a load of old tosh in what was for them a must win game against a struggling opponent. The problem is that for Barca its a surprise, whereas for us its becoming somewhat of a norm.
People are collectively shitting their knickers on twitter, blogs and podcasts. Its a feeding frenzy and no one is safe. Arsene, the board, the players and any fan that has of yet failed to soil their Arsenal underpants, is being torn to shreds by the passionate hoard that claim to only have the best interests of the club at heart.
Each and everyone of us has a simple choice, do we help the team through this awful period, or do we hinder them and add fuel to the fire?
Arsene Wenger was, is and always will be a great coach, We have some great players and a whole lot of very good players, but something has gone badly wrong. If I knew what or why I would happily share my wisdom with you. The question is what can we do about it?
Well the answer is really simple. keep supporting and hope that the people who do know the whats and whys can find a solution. There is no option. When you choose to fully commit to a football club, the pain is part of the deal.
We can accept that all is not well without wanting to burn the whole lot down to the ground. I simply refuse to throw Arsene and the players under a bus because I can’t control my emotions.
A supporter in times of need is a supporter indeed. No retreat, no surrender.
Positively Arsenal 
(Copy/pasted from the previous thread)
Woeful performance last night by the team.
I dislike making everything about the manager. I don’t think the manager is as important as people make out. Teams don’t tend to win anymore. Ever since Mourinho won the Champions League with an Italian side (no one cared which side) it’s become a case of the celebrity manager. Unai Emery beat Barcelona for the second time in his career. Not that PSG and their 5+ years of money had anything to do with it.
It surprises me how many even positive fans come out with the players not playing for the manager bit. How do we know? Surely it’s a little more complicated in that. I still don’t think we have a lack of effort from the players. These are players that are put under pressure unlike players of any other club. Constantly told that they aren’t good enough. Constantly having their achievements ignored or belittled, and constantly having to fight against the referees to achieve a positive result. (In addition Arsenal hold their players to higher personal standards of behaviour.). Maybe something has just gone from their heart. Not consciously, and nothing to do with the manager (except that he is supposed to gee them up and seemingly hasn’t been able to) Maybe last season’s title going to Leicester took the wind out of their sails.
Whatever the case, and regardless of the manager’s future, I think we need a squad rejig. It seems to me that for the first time since I’ve been watching, we’re suffering from what other clubs have gone through many a time. Where players’ reputations are greater than their performances. We always had the opposite, even with much maligned players.
Which reminds me of Denilson. He was an incredibly talented footballer, who eventually gave up and lost his confidence (which is his fault). But it wasn’t until after the fans gave up on him and made him lose that confidence, which no one will remember. And we’ve done that to Ramsey, Ozil, and now even Bellerin and Sanchez. Why should we expect them to fight for us? At a subconscious level at least.
Anyway, I think we need to sell some players who maybe haven’t done anything wrong, but for one reason or another haven’t performed to their potential. Too many above average or good players, not enough dominant players. Midfield especially needs a major upgrade in quality because I think our issues are stemming from there once Cazorla went down. I think only Cazorla and Xhaka, and maybe Coquelin as a limited squad player, currently deserve to have a squad space going forward. (Sorry alabama. I can’t include Ramsey) and I don’t think Cazorla can even be first choice due to age and injury issues.
As regards the manager, I will never want him to go. It’s just how it is. And I don’t see that as right or wrong. It just is. But this season has been a bad one so far and a change of manager can address some of the (possible) causes of that. I don’t think we’ll get top 4 (which is ok.) But maybe, despite a terrible season, Arsenal and Wenger can win a record FA Cup. Which would just perfectly typify the madness that is football (and maybe the world, currently)
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I don’t know if you did (take my advice) PG, but I sugested that you wait till the morning . What a great piece you came up with, as a positiva, you spoke to my feelings about the situation the team is in. Also what we all need to do, which is get behind them because ‘We win and we lose together’
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Great post Shard
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Where’s the fun if you don’t add fuel to the fire? How do you feel important or involved? Who do you take out your frustrations on? I pay my money to have these privileges.
And by the way, honestly, I had a tiring day yesterday and was struggling to stay up to watch the game. And my thought was, I didn’t stay up to watch this s***. So it’s not like I don’t get frustrated. But why would I aim that at the players or manager or the club? And why should they care about me personally? I never got that.
I support Wenger because he’s Arsenal manager, and because he’s a wonderful man too. If that doesn’t cut it with some, that’s on them. Also, maybe if I didn’t believe Arsenal and Wenger were unfairly stopped from winning the title a couple of times in this barren run, I would find it easier to call for his head. But I never picked Arsenal for our trophies. So I guess as people fight to get their Arsenal back, whatever that means, I fight to keep my Arsenal and not lose it to the ‘forces of darkness’.
But it’s been a mad, bad year and at some point, we’re going to have to do something (perhaps major) to improve. Hopefully without throwing out all that makes us The Arsenal.
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The old fart…
Can my body take this change in diet? From Beluga caviar on melba toast to dripping on stale bread in only five days. It’s hard.
It certainly left my poor old turnip bereft of positive thoughts, so surely best to say now’t?
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Hear hear PG.
Support we must.
No option exists but the red & white.
No retreat no surrender.
But no doubt about it, a new dawn beckons…
The arrangement btw Kroenke, the board and AW has officially expired.
It was perfect for the transition to the Emirates when we had to prioritize top 4, sell our best players and salaries had to be sensibly capped.
That transition has been successfully made. We are one of the biggest clubs in the world.
The Alexis & Ozil contract situation has essentially exposed the fact that its time to raise the salary cap.
Yes there is a huge swathe of pirates waiting to pillage through the club’s assets but the club can deal with most of these twats (agents, criminals, and the weak-minded) without throwing away its values.
Yes RvP was a twat BUT his main grouse was about reneged promises which more than likely was about money. Once a player is clear on his market value its only normal that he’ll want to be paid the max especially @ the tail end of his career. Once the Universe conspired to sway AW into deferring to Alexis’ swashbuckling style as our default playing style our wage structure arrangement was doomed. Too many injuries to key players at key moments and at a time where our 2 best players’ contracts were being negotiated is but a convergence of cosmic facilitation that nothing but a yielding would suffice.
Its time to remodel the operations of the club.
The board must make the adjustments.
AW will aid the transition.
Managerial change should be a year away.
It will be painful but its really not that difficult to do.
After all…WE ARE THE ARSENAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Good sum up George, not an easy flag to fly tonight, many thanks to you.
Hans Krankl was interviewed in an Austrian newspaper today and said that 99%of the time its the players fault, as theres little the manager/coach/trainer/mercenary can do.But then anyone whose played in a serious way knows this, but it always helps if a profi says so.
Makes you wonder what all the dancing about on the touchline is really about? The wob wouldnt be happy if Ancelotti turned up.
Cheers George. Stay Positive PA, our club needs us even in the smallest way, said the Chaos Theory.
And its not over till its over…
COYG!
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Oh….and I’d rather we finish 7th than 5th or 6th.
To “begin” with a fresh slate would be nice for a change.
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I surely do wish my comment on the previous post hadn’t gotten lost in the ether. I just haven’t time to type it all in again. Y’all carry on. You’ll have us a completely new team by next season, although I can’t for the life of me figure out how you’re going to manage to replace 11+ players, when I can’t ever remember us getting more than 5 in a summer.
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Who is selling players Kelly? not me.
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Good post, BTW, George. You did well.
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Here you go Kelly. I found it in the Spam bin
“When my anxious daughter used to get worked up over something, I would tell her to imagine the worst that could realistically happen. Not a wild imaginary scenario, but the worst real thing. And then say to yourself “then what happens?” Once you’ve faced that, it’s a little easier to stop focusing on that thing and focus instead on how you’ll deal with it if it happens. I feel like players and fans alike need this advice right now.
I’ll start. We could finish completely out of European places. Arsene could leave, Mesut could leave, Aaron could leave (my personal worst that could happen). Then what happens? Well, August will come, and we would have a new manager, so I might have to get used to watching a new style, which would be a new challenge, as I’m not very tactically astute. New players would be here, and my heart would ache for the old ones, and I’d check in on them with their new teams and I’d be sad. But, I think, I’d watch the new ones, and I’d learn to like them (love may be too strong, it takes a while to get over heartbreak). And I’d hope we win.
The key, I still tell my daughter, is not to give up and accept that whatever you see as the worst will happen. It’s looking at that thing head on so that fear of it doesn’t overwhelm and paralyze you. That’s all I’m trying to do. I’ll still be here next Monday, no matter what our position is in the table. And I’ll pull for us to win.”
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alabamagooner
Our squad next year without sales/additions.
GKs: Cech, Ospina, Martinez, Szczesny (4)
Def: Monreal, Gibbs, Per, Kos, Mustafi, Holding, Chambers, Gabriel, Bellerin, Jenkinson, (Bielik) (10)
Mid: Xhaka, Cazorla, Ramsey, Wishere, Coquelin, Elneny, Ozil, Ox, (Iwobi), Toral, (Niles), (Jeff), (Zelalem) (9)
Att: Giroud, Alexis, Welbeck, Walcott, Perez, Akpom (6)
(Debuchy will leave, and I think Sanogo is out of contract)
That’s 29. You can only have 25. So you maybe reduce one GK. You sell Jenkinson. You don’t include Toral and Akpom. Now you have 25. But you’re adding nothing to the squad. I feel that isn’t sustainable or desirable. I think we need to sell, and to be able to buy really good players, I think we need to sell some good players as well. Not just for the money, but also to make room in the squad for them to play. Of course, contractual issues will also have an impact.
Selling players is going to be a necessity. And my opinion wasn’t a reaction to yesterday’s defeat. Just my opinion on what we will need going forward, and not specifically because our players are bad players.
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George
Think Andy Nic would be proud of you for that.
Shard- good post
Alabama- glad your comment got to us eventually. Found that genuinely touching. Wise advice to your daughter and a welcome reminder of good people out there doing their thing and, of course, that there are more important matters than football.
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Evening George – you have rolled the intolerably heavy rock of disappointment up the slope of perspective better than I could have – and I saw nothing last night.
We are here to support the players, support the manager and coaches, and support the club. That is all.
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Well done George, these post-matchers are never easy the morning after the difficult night before, explaining the inexplicable etc.
Let’s for a moment assume we finish outside top 4. And below Spuds. Without winning the FA Cup.
As others have already pointed out, it’s still only one truly ‘bad’ season out of 21.
My feeling has always been that if we finished outside top 4 then Arsene would choose to leave; I’ve always believed that to be his own personal red (or bottom) line.
Which is a pity because I still believe the greatest risk for the club, given that we are not yet quite at the level of competing with, say Bayern Munich, is for us to ‘do’ a Liverpool. Or a Spurs.
If we are lucky.
Or a Villa or Everton, if we are not.
Without the seemingly limitless credit lines available to Man Utd, or the endless supply of cash coming out of the pipelines of the Oiligarchs, merely attracting, let alone paying for the very best players in the world, becomes next to impossible. Arsene, being Arsene, somehow bridged that gap, as we know, in a wholly unique way. And how they (the media-ocrasy, the plundets et al) despised him for that.
I, for one, will never forget the raging hatred, last night, of Sky’s James Carragher, venomously slandering the reputations of the players with charges of cowardice, repeated over and over, shamefully without challenge from his gutless co-presenters.
The relentless assault on the good name of the club and its servants, season after season, was just that – relentless. Eventually it had to take its toll but could only do so once the poison had seeped deep into the pores of the club’s own supporters.
And now, so it appears, a seemingly critical mass of our own fanbase has indeed been contaminated with the bile manufactured especially for the club.
The juvenile antics of yesterday’s away fans serenading one of our brightest prospects with a rousing chorus of “You’re not fit to wear the shirt” whilst retaining the match ball, will live forever in the memories not just of those who were there that night, but will remain long-burned into the psyche of any future world class prospect who might once upon a time have thought about joining the club.
The ghost of Hector Bellerin will likely cast a long shadow over the reputation of us all.
So it looks as though the fate of the club is sealed either way.
Long term, Kronke doesn’t appear to be the type to sell so any successor to Wenger may only need avoid relegation to be considered sufficiently successful to survive. The era of a club being reliant on maximising stadium revenue is long gone and with it, ‘fan-power’.
One of Wenger’s greatest gifts to the club was hope.
One day we’ll better appreciate just what a marvellous thing it once was to have.
To routinely still be in one, two or sometimes three competitions as late as April of each season when the fans of most clubs generally have all hope extinguished by Xmas, will one day be re-evaluated as an almost wondrous thing.
Something we somehow imagined would last forever.
Because we, we’ll almost certainly tell our children, were Arsenal.
Once upon a time I might have trotted out the old ‘careful what you wish for’ pearl of wisdom.
I fear it is now already too late.
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I had a particularly bad night’s sleep. Even whilst on vacation on the beautiful Isle of Arran surrounded by family and friends.
Why? Because I miss the beautiful football. I despair that the greatest manager we have had will not leave on a high.
I have not watched the game. Probably won’t bother. Just scanned through twitter. Even having severely reduced the number of WOBs I follow I still managed to see a video clip of fans abusing Bellerin. Now I’m fucking furious. This is unforgivable. Bellerin of all players! There is no justification for this. These people are sick brats. Bastards.
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ArsenalAndrew
Definitely a distinct possibility the future will be as dark as that. But there’s a lot of genuine uncertainty to contend with too. If somehow the next man gets anything like normal treatment from refs, that alone will probably be worth ten points.
Plus, when Arsene goes, there is more chance of the other kind of billionaire eventually gaining control of the club. As we know well, that changes everything in an instant.
We don’t know what the response will be from media and refs to a more cynical approach, and that extra cynicism is a guarantee, only the degree is in doubt.
—————————————–
Berating Bellerin like that- you think you have the measure of their lousiness, stupidity, inconsistency and capacity for self-harm, but it seems they are always able to outdo themselves. Nasty, idiotic pieces of shit. Some are young enough to improve as people, many aren’t.
He’s a player Barca and City and no doubt virtually everyone else wants, he signed a six-year deal with us, his attitude has always looked spot on, an incredible young talent, with us since 16..
These people deserve only real and epic failure, to see their stupidity punishingly exposed time and again as their ‘simple’ solutions prove to be erroneous simple-minded nonsense, leaving them scrambling for the next false certainties to hold to.
Unfortunately, the only way that happens is if we too have to experience those hard times. More importantly, much, they wouldn’t learn from it anyway.
Intelligence is required to learn, but fairness of mind, especially holding yourself to the same standards you do others and refusing to ignore anything inconvenient to your beliefs and a good image of yourself, is even more essential to build a true picture of yourself and the world.
Without that the picture is always warped, serious anger will never be far away, and you are ripe for manipulation.
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The spam bin was probably where it belonged, George, but I appreciate your digging it out. (banned smiley)
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My point, Shard, was that just out of midfield, you sold 6, based on your count, and you are a reasonable fan. I’ve heard others (not here) say all the defenders need to go, or all the strikers (bar Alexis whom everyone seems to want to keep) need to go. We’re not getting that kind of player overhaul. I just don’t see that happening. So, if the fans don’t want to end up in the apocalyptic scenario that AA described (wow), we’d all do well not to completely assasinate the confidence and loyalty of the 80% of the this team that’s going to be here next season. But blow it all up now seems to be the only solution. If Hector hated our fan base for the rest of his natural life, I would not blame him one bit. He may stay, but they’ve done irreparable damage. I hope they’re happy (which they are because they got to vent their frustrations at an overpaid snot-nosed kid with a hair style they don’t like.)
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alabama
I’m sorry for causing the confusion. I didn’t mean we sell all of them. But that the players I mentioned I feel should stay. The rest depends on contract situations, interest in the player from other clubs, who we can get in as replacements, and of course, the players’ wishes.
Worst case scenario. No top 4. No FA Cup. Wenger goes. Ozil goes, Alexis goes. Ox, Ramsey, Wilshere, Gibbs all in their final year of contract are sold because they don’t sign at the wages Arsenal offer in their new reality (no guaranteed CL for years to come)
However, even then, and with fringe players sold, Arsenal probably get around 150m in transfer fees, and 700-800 k in wages freed up. We’d also still have a solid spine at GK, and defence (both old heads, and young prospects), and with Giroud, Welbeck and Perez in attack. Solid grounds for a rebuild and potential to add some upgrades.
I’m not really as worried as some about our decline. Wenger’s created a great base for us to grow. Even though I agree with ArsenalAndrew that we are more likely to find ourselves at Liverpool’s level than at Bayern or Barca’s level. Unless we get really lucky with our choice of manager in the near future. Like we did more than 20 years ago and which other clubs in our position have most often tried and failed to do.I can only think of maybe Dortmund with Klopp and Atletico with Simeone. Spurs and Liverpool will hope they too have found them in Pocchetino and Klopp, but time will tell on that one.
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Wigsnatch @RockWigsnatch 6m6 minutes ago
United: This is one of the worst PR blunders ever
Sean Spicer: Hold my Pepsi
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Its definitely a case of a club that is in dire need of changes, but has no experience of making big ones at the top level for quite some time. A change of manager will make a difference, a change of players even more so, those two changes will require a change in structure of the club itself due to the responsibility given to Arsene.
Its worrying how consistent AW has been for the last 20 years, but that means sweet fuck all if the scenario that’s threatening to plan out occurs. We finish out of the Top 4, AW leaves, a multitude of players leave as they are on the last year of the contract. We hit LFC mediocrity. But quite possibly the ‘catalyst of change’ this football club needs.
In regards to the fans last night. No fan ever goes in and wants to sing abuse to the players. Emotions ride high. pack mentality spread and what not. What happened to Bellerin was not on, but that literally could have been any player, the fans didnt care who. This was their only way to get their emotions across to players. The players and manager have come out multiple times this year alone saying ‘they wanted it more, we werent sharp, we will learn from this’ Frustration boils as no lessons have been learnt from a few weeks ago. This is the first time fans have ever sung such a thing at the players, and thats the final straw that confirms the complete breakdown between the fans and the club.
I find it hard to believe that anything other than the majority believe a change in manager is needed. Most of the majority want it in a sensible way, without the hyperbole provided by the AFTV drongos who provide substantial revenue to the channel with their repetitive views. Most fans are reserved, and will be upset to call it a day, but know its a necessary.
its just so sad that this is panning the way out as it is. This would be far more understandable in the 2009-13 era, when MCFC came in and started squeezing out the established top 4 of pre 2009, but there has been a failure in the profile of players recruited since 2013, and they are the ones AW has been trying to rely on to pull us out, with no success.
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Another great piece for some perspective:
http://untold-arsenal.com/archives/60968#comment-914059
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Great job George. I cannot get my head around people who claim to be supporters that would go to a game to abuse and undermine their own team? Contrast with West Ham who have lost 5 games in a row, but at the Emirates last week their fans were still out in force and backing their team – that is support.
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quote george
“No retreat, no surrender.”
well that would be a lot easier to do if the team were to take the lead on it. Sadly that attitude was so lacking in our players last night that the captain for the night, Theo Walcott, said after the game that “from the first minute it was clear Crystal Palace wanted it more”.
as poor as the performance was, there is no excuse for the abuse our away fans aimed at Bellerin, and others, with “your not fit to were the shirt”. These same fans are quick to bemoan when our team do not go to thank them after games, and then when they did last night, its full on abuse. The team bus was on the end of some abuse too as it left the ground after the game. Xhaka and Mustafi got lots of abuse as they walked to the bus.
anyway on the “not fit to wear the shirt”, for me it would be more “don’t deserve to wear the shirt” after a performance like that, and if it were up to me several of the players would be dropped for our next game. Their actions, or should that be inaction, should have consequences, too often it seems like the players get away with poor performances.
Last nights performance for me was the sort that sees a change of manger, I’ve only seen it at Arsenal a few times, near the end of George Graham, before that near the end of Don Howe, before that near the end of Terry Neill, and before that near the end of Bertie Mee. Its normally easier and cheaper to replace the manager than to replace the non preforming players.
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Eduardo, stop beating about the bush – which players would you drop then?
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JS I would disagree that the abuse aimed at Bellerin and a few others could have been to any of our players, yes it could have been aimed at many of our players, but a small few of our players have been deemed by the mob to be above blame, Alexis the main one, again last night he was very poor, misplaced 20 passes, but he is lucky the mob have decided to put him above abuse. Bellerin, Mustafi, Gibbs, Gabriel, Ramsey, Elneny, Xhaka, Ox, Theo, Iwobi and Giroud are not afforded the same luxury.
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Passenal I would drop Bellerin who has been way off form for a while now, Giroud would come back in for Welbeck, I’d bring in Holding for Mustafi who is going through a sticky run of form. I would be very tempted to drop Alexis, far too much of our attacks breakdown when the ball gets to him. Ramsey and ox would be in contention to start.
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Just to check but the Theo quote was from a tweet, is it actually exactly what he said?
On the subject of player blame, I can remember Fabregas stinking the place out at times, likewise Van Persie who would often slow our play down to perform tricks. Always given a free ride. I was at Fulham when Song was treated disgracefully. It’s nothing new from our idiots.
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You’re not fit to wear the shirt. Hope they remember that when said players are ripping it up winning world cups and champions leagues……by that time, we may not have the priveledge of such players in our shirts.
Agree with all who say, support the team and manager no matter what , let’s see what the season brings.
But, after the season, a reality hits we have no control over. Do they take the cowards way, sign Wenger on after the season, is his future really under review…..do the let him sign on, but only under conditions of changes unpalatable to him….or does the man go?
I admire Wenger so much, and want him to stay, but If we finish out of the top four and do not win the cup…..it is actually hard to make a logical case to sign him on for two more years, this is not looking like a good season. The players probably are not lost to him, but they need a dose of confidence. Do they need an organiser to bring back basic skills, and reduce their fear of playing? Do they need another voice?
I honestly do not know. Is the desire for Wenger to stay based on loyalty or admiration, or a belief that he can raise this team once more….again, don’t know the answer.
But at the moment, I trust Wenger a lot more than those running the club. There does seem to be a lack of leadership
Let’s just back the boys, of possible, enjoy what may…or may may not be the last days of our greatest manager. After that, events will take care of themselves,
If Wenger stays, it looks to me like he needs to change. He may not want to make the changes requested
If he goes, the spotlight is on the owner and board from that moment on, let’s hope they get things right
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markyb you are correct, our fan base has a history, a long history of disgraceful treatment of some of our players, Jon Sammels and Eddie Kelly are the first two I remember our fans abusing out of the club, recently Senderous, Bendtner, Eboue and Song, all got hounded, even Arshavin got it, Ramsey and Giroud are major targets for them now.
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Shard: “don’t sign at the new wages on offer”? If Ramsey, Wilshere and Ox won’t sign on those wages, (which I think is an unfair assumption for which there is no evidence) what midfield “upgrades” do you have in mind that will? Those three have signed before for less than they could get somewhere else, indicating that it is likely that money doesn’t drive them. Personally, I think your scenario where Ozil leaves means Ramsey and Ox are more rather than less likely to stay, as I think it is feeling needed and efffective that drives them.
I just fear this encourages magical thinking. Everyone who’s been underperforming will decide to go and we’ll use the money from selling them to buy the perfect midfield. Not likely, IMO. Anyway, I for one, don’t want a clear out. I want these players to be able to achieve what I know they can do.
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Also, good for Xhaka that he is the only midfielder that people don’t think should be publicly flogged. I hope he knows that’s only because he hasn’t been here long enough yet for the mob to turn on him.
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alabama both Xhaka and Mustafi were told as they got on the team bus last night to “fuck off back to Germany”, by a large group of our away fans.
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The worrying thing, think the players are being affected by the managerial situation, they really have not been themselves for a while
Don’t underestimate the effect this insecurity is having on Wenger…the guy is a human being……reports of boardroom splits may not be helping,……if true.
The most the thing is the players on the pitch, Wenger, and the club have to provide the best possible environment for them to perform……not sure that is happening at the moment
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Thanks, Eddy. Good to know the mob is yelling at a Swiss to fuck off back to Germany. Smh.
I was basing my comments on my general perception that Xhaka has been let off the hook recently. Which is normal service for the boo boys: the new guy still has potential to be the savior, so any failings are overlooked. Until he is proven to have feet of clay, and then he’s subjected to the same abuse as everyone else. Only Alexis seems to buck this trend, as far as I can tell.
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Good job George. I don’t envy you. 1 year out of 21. Remember that.
PS: Shard – I will never forget what our supporters did to Denilson. The boy, I recall, was captain of the Brazillian U-19 world cup team and his confidence was destroyed by the same twats now calling for Arsene’s head seven years later. Hope Hector Bellerin has the mental fortitude to ride this out. He is young and a foreigner and the hate can be very oppressive. But the brave bend but never yield.
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Is much being reported about what happened with Dortmund?Im suprised its not bigger news?
So Xhak and Mustafi were told to fuck off back to Germany. Yep good idea that one.Owen Coyle for manager? That was a good one too. Nothing like the mind of the wob mob, except history shows something else, that we theyve been here before and didnt go away?
First time in 39 yrs, I wonder what is the future going to hold, and if these people take over what then? Sorry but its not their club.Not anyones.
I keep saying it, but at some point the wob mob will have to accept what theyre doing.They are too destructive a force at the moment, and few on the planet have the insight to see what can come next, and if they did Im sure they think football is a sack of kack and wouldnt help out.How do they know what they are doing is for the “good/better”?
I just dont think Arsenal (or anything)l should be run by mob rule. I also stand by what I wrote yesterday, and the players are the ones most affected.A sense of will has been broken to a degree, it can be healed but not with these people on their back in the way that they are.Im not talking about blaming, but just watching whats unfolding, the way the mind of certain fans are running away with the moon.
Who wants to be famous these days with the endless abuse, from all angles? No wonder the club stay as closed mouthed as it does?
Dont forget these lads did a 20 game unbeaten run not so long back, everyone thought this might be the year.But the customer is not getting what they want so everyone’s this or that. Top hole thinking that you know. They’re suffering so others should too? Yet they make out theyre loyal to the club? Eh? Really?
Until a small point of thinking is put out side the dimension of thought, how can a new perspective be found?The lads have low confidence, away and at home. They are the main news all the time, which creates too much pressure(too much pressure makes the mind think in strange systems). No amount of money in the world can create a psychologically sound person. If we don’t dominate straight away they can already sense the growing frustration and tension going against them, they arent deaf or without understanding. Nothing like supporting the club eh?
I think its also time for another view, not just AFTV.Way too influential.
Perhaps we should sell the whole team and get the people from AFTV to play each week? Now that would be a laugh, except for the 10,000-0 thrashing each week and soon becoming non-league, nobody turning up and the club folding.Yet I thought they know everything?How will they cope with the 60,000 tweets saying your X+Y and this or that? They couldnt simple as that.They arent brave enough, and are swamped by their egos that tell them its easy. Of course! Thats why they all made it as professional footballers!? And their kids can do better.Yep should could! Smart thinking.
But these people are determined to grind everything into the dirt, at any price.
Not fit to wear the shirt? Not fit to support perhaps? Following and endlessly spouting a torrent of negative insults isnt supporting.
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the AFTV pirate has called for Usmanov to have Stan and Josh Kroenke assassinated
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AST are claiming that the club told them yesterday that no contract on the table for Wenger, and a review of all things at the club in underway and no decision on a new contract for Arsene would be made till the review was complete in the summer.
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I think the guy who gets the worst treatment is by far Mesut. And for a player so sensible of the fans’ thinking it must be truly hard to swallow.
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Arsenal could go in the red
Submitted by WG on Wed, 12/04/2017 – 08:41
It is now looking increasingly unlikely that Arsenal will qualify for the Champions League. This could lead to a drop in income of £30m and mean that Arsenal make a financial loss for the first time since they moved to the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal would stand to earn about £17m from the Europa League instead of £45m from the Champions League. They have made profits of less than £20m in four of the last five years and the loss of Champions League money could tip the balance.
Arsenal are on course to make a profit this season, especially with the money from the new Premier League TV deal. However, especially if they have to spend heavily on new signings, they could end the year in the red. The club already has the highest ticket prices in football.
Arsenal last made a loss in 2002, when they were £20.6m in the red. Property sales from the old Highbury contributed to high profits between 2008 and 2012. In 2016 they were down to £2.9m, their lowest in 14 years.
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I see Max Allegri is the latest favorite of the disgruntled Arsenal fans, but as of yet, other than the idea that he would be on a bigger salary at Arsenal, none of them have explained why he would leave the bigger and more successful Juventus to come to Arsenal with its fans that are doing everything possible to not only drive out the manager, but most of the players and the board, and of course any fan who disagrees with their antics. Is Allegri that short of money that he would put himself in for that kind of support.
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alabama
I said worst case when talking about that scenario.
However, if Ozil and Alexis both leave along with the manager, I think we are more likely to see a greater shakeup in the side than ever before. If your best players leave, you blow up the side and start again. Even Wenger did that after Cesc left (though over two years)
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eduardo
I took the time to watch some 3-4 Juventus games after the Allegri link first came up. I bet the majority that want him have never actually seen Juventus play but rely only on the results. I am no tactical expert, and that’s a small sample size, but I didn’t see a team that was defensively secure or utterly dominant in all phases of the games. More a team that has the best players, and an associated confidence to go with it, along with some charitable ref decisions.
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Shard
I do agree that if you include the manager leaving, then all bets are off.
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Hi Shard,
I. too, watched the Juve v Barca game and was very taken by the entertainment value and the competitive nature of both teams.
Unlike your good self, I thought Juve, and any other team, who could play against a fantastic attacking force such as that fielded by Barca, and not only win, but also keep a clean sheet against them, clearly had both a very creditable defence, and a very good attack of their own to score 3 goals while doing so.
I confess I did not for one second think of Allegri, either as an Arsene replacement, or anything else. There was not a conscious decision to do so, but it would have been a moot point to think he could replace Arsene in any event.
Arsene is not leaving in my opinion. He has been nominated as a scapegoat by some of the BoD, and especially by the owner, and hung out to dry while taking brickbats from all and sundry who wish to vent their fury.
It is possible, maybe probable, that I am singing from a different song sheet from most, if not all, other fans. However, I do not think the current squad is as strong as even Arsene would wish, and he has said recently that there are weaknesses in the team that need to be addressed in the summer.
Why are there weaknesses? I am in no position to know the nitty gritty of what goes on with the transfer process, but if I was asked to hazard a guess, I imagine that Silent Sid has been a little parsimonious with releasing the drawstrings from the transfer kitty purse, and perhaps some players have preferred the draw of Barca, Juve, Real etc to playing for the Arsenal.
Whatever else does, or does not, happen this summer there will be a seismic change in personnel (read into that what you wish) and players like Mesut and Alexis, with only one year left, have it within their power to leave [and Alabama – Alexis was roundly boo-ed and barracked at the end of the Palace game] and many of the squad may be chopped to boost transfer funds, as you say, and to allow youngsters to come thru from the youth teams and returning from loans to get their chance.
The loss of our annual top 4 finish is going to cost the club some £46m from CL monies, and that is going to make Kroenke wince – so changes [not the manager] are inevitable in this bloggers opinion.
Incidentally, good to see you in fine form as usual. lol
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Thanks!
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Real Mad struggling against Munchen.
There’s a surprise!
I wonder how they’d get on & improve on that first half if they lost Ramos for the second half (of both legs)…
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well Henry, last summer Arsenal spent more than they ever have in one window, some £90M, and we are struggling like never before in Wenger’s tenure, I would suggest that Stan might be wondering what the hell is going on and if he should allow a repeat of such spending, let alone even more, or the double amount that is being suggested.
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