Yesterday’s horror show at Anfield has brought out all the usual media clichés, memes and tropes about Arsenal Football Club. No fight, no leadership, no spirit, no heart, etc.
As readers are familiar, conventional ideas based on feelings and opinions have no appeal to me. There is need to identify the real objective reasons for this sub-standard performance and support real solutions rather than engage in hyperbole and vitriol. That is if we truly care for the club, rather than our own egos.
Arsene Wenger in the post game presser expressed his dissatisfaction with the performance:
“I think from the first to the last minute we were not at the level requested for such a game and not physically, not technically, not mentally were we at the level and we were punished and that’s basically it. You can of course analyse the chances we gave away, but I just think overall that the performance was not at the requested level.”
But he was careful not to offer his opinion as to why it was substandard:
“That’s a question that is very difficult to answer straight away after the game and there are some reasons, but I don’t think I have too much to come out on that now.”
We as fans are entitled to our own opinion. Many have been quick to suggest there was lack of commitment by want-away players prior to the close of the transfer window. Those of us who witnessed a very lackadaisical performance by Samir Nasri in his final game for the club prior to his Manchester City transfer have good reason to believe it is déjà vu all over again.
Outplayed in midfield
While there may be truth about lack of commitment by some team members, I am more concerned about how easily we were outplayed in midfield. Possession statistics are very misleading having Liverpool and Arsenal at 49% and 51% respectively. While Arsenal apparently had superiority, most telling was AFC’s inability to turn possession into goal-scoring opportunities. The data makes horrible reading. Liverpool had 18 shots on goal with 8 on target. In comparison Arsenal had 10 shots on goal, nearly 50% less, but zero on target. Watching the game it was obvious Arsenal’s midfielders were easily pressured and did not have the ability to retain possession or make forward passes into dangerous areas where the forwards could make good shots thus forcing the clearly skittish Kaius to make saves.
Whoscored.com summarized Liverpool’s strengths as the following:
- Created a high number of chances relative to their possession
- Stole the ball often from the opposition
- Were effective at creating goalscoring opportunities from the flanks
- Were effective at creating goalscoring opportunities from counter attacks
- Were strong at finishing
In contrast they concluded Arsenal had “no strengths.” (Brutal.)
Compare this to the similar fixture last year, Sunday, August 14th, at the Emirates when Arsenal lost 3:4 and the same analytics indicated Arsenal’s strengths as:
- Were effective at creating goalscoring opportunities through individual skill
- Were strong at finishing
Those with vibrant memories will recall Arsenal was playing poorly that day. The club was down 1:3 at the 61st minute mark when a certain little Spanish magician entered the fray and from his deep-lying midfield position helped retrieve some honor from a bleak position. It even worsened to 1:4 but Santi helped to stem the tide and bring it to a respectable 3:4 final score.
With Santi starting every game from then onward to October, when he finally succumbed to his current long term injury, Arsenal was an unbeatable force. I have kept banging the point since then. Arsenal’s midfield has a big giant hole, and needs a deep-lying playmaker to make the system work. This is a technically based team that needs technically accomplished players, especially in midfield, to play according to its DNA.
Arsenal’s midfielders are collectively inferior to main rivals
Based on EPL data, the brutal fact is, collectively Arsenal’s current crop of midfielders are arguably of inferior standard when compared to its main EPL rivals. I used data from Whoscored to compare like with like. For midfielders returning to their current teams I compared their 2016-17 data for Goals, Assists and overall Average Rating. By the way Whoscored classifies players like Alexis and Walcott as midfielders when in my opinion they are primarily wide forwards. In these cases and for similar players from other clubs they are excluded from the analysis. Similarly players classified as defenders but who played primarily as defensive midfielders, e.g. Emre Can, I include them in the analysis.
| Club | Goals | Assists | Avg Rating |
| Liverpool | 43 | 30 | 7.27 |
| Manchester City | 24 | 35 | 7.22 |
| Chelsea | 26 | 26 | 7.10 |
| Manchester United | 18 | 16 | 7.09 |
| Tottenham | 34 | 27 | 7.00 |
| Arsenal | 16 | 25 | 6.92 |
The data makes somber reading for all gooners. Among the top-6, of the returning midfielders from 2016-17 Arsenal is dead last in goals-scored and second from last in assists. Top of the list is Liverpool and hopefully the data should shut up the screaming imbeciles who think they are chopped liver.
What most concerns me is that although Wenger has bought quality players in Lacazette and Kolosinac to improve the forward-line and defense repectively, unlike his main rivals he has been unable to sign a top-top midfielder. Liverpool has brought Salah as an AM and he was rated 7.48 in the Scudetto, United has bought Matic who had a 7.01 overall rating at Chelsea last year, City has bought Silva who had a 7.29 rating in Ligue Une and Chelsea bought Bakayoko who brings a 7.27 overall rating from Monaco.
I am not arguing that any of these new players will suddenly become world class at their new clubs but they are clearly making an effort to strengthen with at least 7/10 players. Apart from Ozil, all other midfielders at Arsenal were less than 7/10 last year. This I would suggest is the root of Arsenal’s current midfield woes.
In my last blog I argued Arsenal will challenge based on the consistency of the club and its manager over the past 21 years and the evident efforts to strengthen the squad this season. The emotional outpouring of wailing and gnashing of teeth after the Liverpool defeat strengthens my contrarian conviction. There was a similar outpouring last year and the margin of defeat was far less. The data leads me to the conclusion that the manager knows where the weakness lie and will use the last days of the transfer window to try find a fix.
PS: I must take a temporary leave of absence from blogging to take care of some pressing issues. Hoping to return after the international break.
Positively Arsenal 
In the middle of all the fuss and nonsense has anyone any info on why Aaron Ramsey was taken off at half-time on Sunday?
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Isaw it Shotto I assumed you meanr pass % rather than possession.
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FH, it might not be about ramsey but coq. you can see straight away that no one way capable of man marking in the middle and he needed coq to do that. who to remove might be difficult to choose but eventually ramsey was the difficult option. i would take off xhaka because apart from sanchez at the time, only ramsey was a goal threat. the good thing is ramsey isnt injured.
what do you guys think of the rumour city has included raheem starling in the bid for sanchez? 50m + starling isnt a bad deal for a player who will certainly leave for free in the next nine months.
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GeoffArsenal saying that a meeting has been held, players told that anyone not 100% committed to playing for Arsenal will be sold, with replacements being lined up.
Not sure what this means in reality at this stage, but if Geoff is accurate on this, cannot fault the sentiment, that performance was not acceptable
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FH the news on Ramsey is that he was taken off due to a kick on his calf, he is a slight doubt for Wales 2 games
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Latest media Arsenal rumors
Van Dijk to Arsenal with Walcott going to Southampton in part exchange
Alexis to Man City with Sterling to Arsenal in part exchange
Liverpool trying to hijack Ox move to CFC
Mustafi has the choice of Juventus or Inter Milan
Alexis has left the Chile training camp to “sort out personal business”
you know what I’d be happy enough to see all that happen if it means we have a sqaud of player who actually want to play for Arsenal
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well Mandy I agree with the sentiment, but if true it should have been done months ago, leaving it to 3 days from end of window, 3 games in, to say “if you don’t want to play for AFC you can go”, is frankly way too late. Unless of course we know we can get in quality replacements.
But as I’ve said before, us selling the likes of Ox, Alexis etc etc and just replacing them with similar is not improving us, its standing still quality wise, the cynic in me fears that we might very well see Alexis, Ox, Mustafi go and see us bring in say Van Dijk, Draxler and latest rumor Sterling, and its 3 big new signings, but its 3 big out goings too, So it would look like a lot more has been done than actually would have been done.
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lots of reports that Cech tore into the squad after the game on Sunday, told them in no uncertain terms that they were a disgrace, and had let Arsenal down big time.
some reports suggest Wenger cancelled a day off for the squad(non international call ups) and his coaching staff, and an analysis of what went wrong on Sunday was undertaken. Now some reports carrying on from there suggest that it was decided to open the way for any player who wants out, to leave Arsenal.
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on the rumored Man City bid for Alexis, Arsenals official response is “no official bid received for Alexis”, a slight change from the usual response of “no bid received”, to me anyway it suggest Man City have made an enquiry for him, just not bid.
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Can only agree Eduardo, this should have been sorted a while back, but we do seem to like to do things last minute!
If Cech did that, good on him, but the manager coaching staff should have been let loose on the team as well.
But, I dont think that strange lineup really helped matters, though no excuse for what at least looked a lack of professionalism in some cases.
Just cannot wait until this is over, and can just get on with the season
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so an AFC team in a 4-2-3-1 formation after the window closes
cech
bellerin koscielny van dijk kolasinac
xhaka ramsey
sterling ozil draxler
lacazette
can you see it, can you, can you, …..nah me neither
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mandy – strange line up – bar kos for per, it was our cup final winning line up, was it not.
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“GeoffArsenal saying that a meeting has been held, players told that anyone not 100% committed to playing for Arsenal will be sold, with replacements being lined up”
Ask Geoff exactly how you go about selling a player who has a contract with the club, negotiated and signed freely by both sides, binding and legally enforceable, if they decide they don’t want to be “sold” ?
Sounds like wishful thinking caused by too much late transfer window sun to me.
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well anicol its clear its meant if a player wants to leave Arsenal he will be allowed to leave – of course only if suitable offer (to both club and player) is made.
I would suggest that if any such statement was made to the players by the club it only actually applies to a very small number, ox seems to be one, alexis another, ozil possibly, Mustafi is said to be seeking out too. We wait to see if anyone else in the squd on Sunday wants out, only one I think might want out, due to lack of game time is Walcott, he really has not had much of a look in since we went to 3 at the back. but I’m sure if we go back to 4, he will see more game time.
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sky now running a story that Arsenal have told Man City that we want Aguero in any deal for Alexis, you couldn’t make it up
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Unless the meeting happened in the dressing room immediately following the game, most of the players would not have been there as those on international duty have already gone. And as far as any French players in the national squad are concerned, Deschamps has already made it known that he will not allow them to leave the camp to sort out any transfer.
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I’m just waiting for the pundits and uber bloggers to say we should demand vincent kompany form city, that he is just what we need
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“sky now running a story that Arsenal have told Man City that we want Aguero in any deal for Alexis, you couldn’t make it up”
Except you could and I think a lot of people’s imaginations are running riot feeding the ‘club in crisis’ meme from the outside.
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passenal dechamps has said he will allow the players to do any medical at the French training camp, he relented when a couple of players in transfer talks suggested the could pull out of the squad if not allowed to complete their moves.
But it is madness that so many years the transfer window closing happens at same time as an International break.
Remember when we signed a couple of players with no medical done as they were away on international duty, one was Benayoun on loan from CFC
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so sky run the story that AFC ask for Aguero in any City move for Alexis
only a matter of minutes later sky run a new story saying AFC say Alexis is not for sale, and Man City say Aguero is not for sale.
these sky sources are not what they used to be.
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FH pretty sure Aaron picked up a knock in the first half. Of course the baying hoard assumed he was yanked for Coq, but when has Arsene EVER done that at HT unless injury/possible injury involved? As you all know, I watch him pretty closely…he didn’t look like he was moving freely to me.
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reports that watford have pulled out of deal to sign Gibbs as personal terms could not be agreed. WBA said to be back in for him again.
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yes alabama, he got a kick on his calf, Wales FA have admitted that AFC informed them of a slight injury and want Wales to check it out.
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this could be the transfer window we finally sign Julian Draxler, and of course we will finally complete the signing of Sébastien Frey, and lets not miss the chance to finally sign Salomon Kalou
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Over the Summer Team Walcott has kept so low and quiet a profile a nuclear submarine would be jealous.
Say what you like about Theo but he is a very bright chap, knows how many beans make 5.
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Keeping the faith, being fair and remaining hopeful with this generation means little on the short term. On the long run, almost all who have forsaken AW return with tails between their legs. Decency is a timeless quality that no beating heart can deny has value.
All year AW consistently kept faith with Alexis but Alexis never reciprocated. Sunday @ Anfield was the final straw. It was the final test of loyalty and Alexis and Ox (& Ramsey) failed miserably. They stabbed AW in the back in full view of the world. Their actions spoke volumes about the type of characters they are after all is said and done.
The precedents set during the Stadium loan-payback years by RvP, Cesc, Song, Hleb, Nasri, Adebayor, Diarra, et al gave their agents/sharks more than enough ammo to turn their heads.
All that being said Arsenal FC cannot at this time wallow in this sh*t anymore. I hope Geoff’s report about a clear out is true. I say its about time.
Q: who would you prefer we get from Etihad Shitty in deal for Sanchez, Sterling or Leroy Sane?
I’m leaning more towards Sane. Left footer playing on the LW, fast, young, strong, dribbler, GERMAN, and Mesut’s pal.
Have your say positivists.
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positivistas
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Leroy Sane completely fits our needs at LW. Kills the Lemar bs, crosses all day for Giroud & Danny, mazy dribbler, 2-footed and disentangles us from this Chilean nightmare.
OR cash in fully and buy Draxler (LW/RW) and/or Mahrez (RW) ?
Our CB needs are equally important. Ben Gibson’s the 1st option after van Dijk.
A 2nd CB should be a DM primarily. This is where William Carvalho or Steven N’zonzi become go-to options. Jean-Michel Seri’s more a DM/CM but not a bad choice either since his “responsibility-index” is way higher than Rambo, Xhaka or LeCoq’s.
Time is not on our side, the vultures are smirking and high-fiving. The board has it all to do in 58 hrs. But its all doable.
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Didn’t I warn fearmongering runs its highest during the transfer window?
What about the declaration by the fearmongers in the media, on twitter, blogs and podcasts that it is “different this time”? Armageddon for the Arsenal. LMAO.
Let me remind you the fearmongering was at similar galactic levels at the time of both the Fraudegras/Nasri and RVP transfers. It is repetitive and cyclical.
Thank heavens the majority owner and the Board are not lunatics and will not hand the club over to the vulture agents, 3rd party owners and their confederates who simply want to loot the Arsenal.
I maintain Arsenal will challenge, not win but certainly finish in the top-3 because we have One Arsene Wenger.
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” maintain Arsenal will challenge, not win but certainly finish in the top-3 because we have One Arsene Wenger.”
Shotta, I have no doubts we can WIN the EPL if the right players are imported, the auxiliary players are exported because we have one Arsene Wenger.
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IN: Gibson, Sane, Mahrez, Seri
IN (OTHER) : N’zonzi/Carvalho, Goretzka/Draxler
OUT: Alexis, Ox, Mustafi,
AUX OUT: Gibbs, Lucas, Debuchy, Campbell, Akpom
LOAN OUT: Reine-Adelaide
Get these done by any means necessary and we are all set to WIN!
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Despite all the fearmongering, the counterfactual “if-only” arguments, Wenger and the club will take it to the wire again, sticking it to the agents and 3rd party owners who want to rip off the club in this hyper inflated market. No wonder they hate One Arsene Wenger.
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sh**, with Seri, Elneny, LeCoq, 5CBs, Kolasinac & Maitland-Niles + a clear COMMITMENT TO DEFENDING, we might not really need that tall stereotypical DM. Leicester proved that when they won the damn ting!
1 Cech – Ospina – Macey
2 Bellerin – M.Niles
3 Monreal – Kolasinac
4 Mertesacker – Holding – Chambers
5 Koscielny – Gibson
6 Seri – Coquelin – Elneny
8 Xhaka – Ramsey – Cazorla
10 Özi – Wilshere
7 Mahrez – Walcott – Nelson
11 Sane – Iwobi
9 Giroud – Lacazette – Welbeck
2 spaces open for Gibbs and Campbell if we can’t move them OR for the aforementioned Nzonzi/Carvalho +/- Goretzka/Draxler.
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I can sort of see the logic in leaving it late in the day with a couple of those mentioned. Oxlade is a really interesting case in point. In a perfect world at AFC he would not have been first choice, but he was an incredibly useful utility player who could sometimes even change games from the bench. But you have to pay a lot of money for a 24 year old of his ability to be prepared to be a squad player rather than a guaranteed starter. I think it was worth the gamble of seeing if he was prepared to stay for one more year and maybe sign a new deal. That he so publicly showed that is not what he wanted was useful for all concerned: we gave him every chance to stay – and he might even have put in a magnificent performance even if his mind was made up to leave – but he chose to move on. I shan’t miss him, however well he might go on to do.
With regard to Alexis, similarly it had to be worth backing his ability and to hope that one more year of him would pay dividends. Again, I think he has showed that his desire to move on was greater than honouring his contract. And if he does leave I would be hugely surprised if we miss him very much at all as I have felt for sometime that his undoubted ability wasn’t sufficiently match-winning enough to be worth the turbulence he seemed (to my eyes) to bring.
All, I am sure, will be well.
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Has there been a headline for a Sterling deal in the past when the deal is exemplary and completed in British pounds : Sterling, sterling Sterling deal ?
If not there should have been. If there has then this time the deal should be finalised up in Scotland… in Stirling.
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Where is Fins at a time like this? Both of us, as well as George, have been through this so often and learnt from our experiences. 2011 Wenger took it down to the wire with Arteta. Haggled about the xfer fee and his wages but turned out brilliantly. Yes, it is not ideal. Sometimes you buy lemons like Andre Santos and Park but they cost peanuts. We literally stole Park from another club at the 11th hour. Still LMAO at that one.
As for The Ox and Aidy Ward, God bless them. Let’s hope he doesn’t become another Gareth Bale. It could easily be another Shaun Wright-Phillip. £220k per week for a utility player. You’ve got to be joking.
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I think I’ll put my “end of an era” blog on hold.
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I think I like that PG. Bring the updated version back in 2 years.
Again they say we want 29 yr old Johnny Evans as part exchange for Gibbs.
I say Pep’s overpriced him. Leicester’s £21m was snubbed. Pulls’ seeking £30m.
At that price why not just go for Mamadou Sakho? He’s 2 yrs younger, strong, french, and a true CB.
(+/- Gibson) Sakho or Evans…what say ye?
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and if we get both Gibson & Sakho in, we can loan out either Chambers or Holding to Middlesbrough for the season.
Kos – Mertesacker – Sakho – Gibson – Chambers/Holding
should be a strong enough CB line for the season.
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SKY have now outdone themselves they are claiming
Arsenal have offered Alexis and cash to man city for Raheem Sterling
its only a few hours since they said it was city who offered us Sterling and £20M for Alexis, it can only mean they know a lot of their subscribers have the attention span of a goldfish
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anicol you will like this one
Walcott has been in talks all day with Southampton, Arsenal have offered him in part exchange for VVD
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Anicol, you said yesterday it had gone a bit NUTS, well today has upped the ante massively, and lord knows what tomorrow will be like…
Must admit I smiled at your Walcott mention. Indeed.
Little doubt the Saints story with him is pure invention, designed to rile.
I feel quite confident I can stick to not believing or reacting to anything strongly until official, and waiting till done and dusted before surveying the scene. It’s only a two day wait and the talk is so wild with so much of it surely bullshit that it feels an easy enough task.
As long as I ignore my dismal success rate in sticking to good sense in these matters, I’m confident .
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ha ha ha, now its Fabian Delph we want from city for Alexis
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Rich if the Walcott rumor is false it is designed so that when we don’t sign VVD and we keep Walcott, the ASB will hate on Theo, saying he is the reason we did not sign VVD, that greedy Theo would not go to Southampton etc etc etc
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just looked at a few man city blogs and they are not happy at all at the idea of Sterling for Alexis,
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ha ha ha, it gets better from sky – now they have decided that Man City are asking for money and Alexis for Sterling.
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Ed
Yep, with Theo. Pretty sure that’s case. Bit of malice behind that fiction.
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I am willing to admit that just because I don’t see the logic in recent & current developments, that doesn’t mean there is no logic to them.
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Think I’ll just take a break from it all until we stop willy nilly bashing all players and deciding they’ve stabbed Wenger in the back because they had a bad game. Arsene will know which players want to stay and fight and which ones want to go, and he’ll make decisions accordingly. I’ll be back on Friday.
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although I understand there are defenitely benifits from leaving things late I am one for doing the best you can to get everyone playing friendlies together at the start of the season. chamberlin shouldn’t of played and the same for sanchez, we have a good squad and the team should have been stable for the first three games up to the international break. While I know its a gamble players trying to get away should be treated as injured until they are staying or on their way. Nasri was slated when he went but he played well for the time up until he got his move chamberlin simply didn’t try.
This season was a year when we had more players available in pre-season and yet we have changed all over the place. I said after the stoke game we beat ourselves and I believe basically the same against liverpool.
Maybe its because we havent thawed out of the no money attitude but there have mistakes made this season. I always support current players and the club and dont have much affiliation for players who leave of their own valition and i’m digusted by a player who the club has developed and protected and stood by when times were not treating him well, he name will always be tainted for me.
I know we will get it together and play some great football and go on some great runs this season but I am frustrated and annoyed at the moment.
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