Good Morning Positive Arsenal fans,
A bit grey and blustery up on the Norfolk coast this morning, the Autumn beckons.
Our two stiff opening games are complete and I am satisfied with the performances. I had no complaints about the City defeat but I am a little disappointed that yesterday, after investing so much in the match, we did not collect the point we deserved.
Of the game itself it was the classic three halfer, or possibly more. The first phase saw Chels tear us smoothly into strips and what opportunities we created we squandered. At 2-0 it looked as through a dreadful afternoon was on the cards. Then phase two and finally we hit the target and broke our PL scoring duck, which caused the home side to wobble and we tore into them. The home crowd were silenced for the only time in the afternoon. Finally a second half where we wee pushed back and pushed back, to CFC’s credit s they were pretty good. We resisted stoutly, but the addition of Hazard gave them just that little extra spark as we were tiring. At 3-2 we had another, final chance of redemption, but Laca could just not pick up the rebound as Kepa spilled Ramsey’s shot – fine margins, fine margins.
Of our good performances I was massively impressed yet again with Matteo. He has earned his starting place and his energy and willingness to be involved in everything is exactly what we need. I thought Nacho had a good game too considering it is ages since he kicked a ball, Torreira too and Cech pulled off a string of important saves. Hector ran and ran and ran. I offer the young Spaniard an encouraging arm around the shoulder.
Of mild controversy during the game on social media, I thought Emry’s substitutions were spot on. To have gone to 10 men would have been terminal, and the baying Stamford Bridge mob were all over Xhaka. I cannot recall Ozil being withdrawn for tactical reasons but we needed more physical presence so Aaron’s arrival was right and referring back to my “fine margins” chance at the end the Welshman could, on another day, have been decisive.
What is gone is gone however and the important work this week will be toward sharpening out goal scoring weapons for the arrival of the ‘Ammers on Saturday. If our opening two games have been fixtures we anticipated might yield few if any points (well I did anyway) Pelligrini’s misfiring rabble must be the Premier League meat we feed on and build our strength.
There is always work to do. Enjoy Sunday.
Positively Arsenal 
Dave, I think the problem with the current post match interviews with managers is that the microphone is pushed in front of them when they are still running on adrenaline, upset in many cases and even the best manager’s are likely to say something stupid. The second problem is, as you say, the questions themselves are inane and as a consequence, the answers and the information provided shallow. I rarely, rarely hear or read anything that I don’t “know” and yet Unai, or Jose, or Pep could tell me things about what went on on the pitch that I did not see or understand.
I ca understand the broadcasters and MSM sports journos perspective that they don’t want to produce output that is too technical or hard work to follow but surely there is some means of improving the quality of information provided to fans above the “over the moon/sick as a parrot” level.
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Why would anyone think about the life of Riley Andy, specifically as you select someone who has had lest you forget (perhaps you have) as powerful a man as Tapie put in the slammer for being a match fixing sociopath?
That’s a strange guess.
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Re: Bks comments on Atletico.
I think that the third best team in Europe of late, occasionally better, just have a very good squad of footballers. That just got stronger this season. Griesman never matched the staggering standard he set against the Arsenal in that first leg during the WC but he was still pretty good! Add Lemar…
Similarly the Arsenal have a slightly stronger squad start of this season then last season though many out there will suspect that a one legged Koscielny was or is more useful then most mortal players.
https://youtu.be/Rw4brI1NNzI
Gabriel played well in this contest against Atletico. He started for the Arsenal last time they beat Pep’s City (that’s not an opinion, but it is the record).
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Anicoll5- I agree. The media loves the emotions of “winners” and “losers”, they seem to have some peculiar obsession with it,wanting to dig around.The ethics of those people…
AW was particularly good at playing the media, although who knows how he felt underneath. Auden said something along the lines that “one becomes truly adult when one realises that telling the truth doesnt do any good”. I m not sure I agree with the statement, but I often thought that AW knew or acted out this phrase. I admired him when we lose 8/2 to ManUre that the first thing he said was ” well they will only get 3 points for their win”.
The funniest ( or saddest ?) thing Ive observed in myself is that I still look at the post match interviews, still hoping and searching for something that will either ease the humiliation of losing or add to the gloating of the victory ( and the points that you make)…
How long before we have the dressing room cam, then the cam at home for players and managers, and finally the cam in the grave to spy on the dead?
Oh well!
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Who was Boro Primorac & why did the old gaffer and the club and protect him after his testimony against a match fixing mafioso gangster for twenty odd years?
Asking on behalf of a forgetful friend.
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Fins. The thing is that Marseille match fixing scandal has generally been airbrushed out of history. I started first watching football in 96. Discovered Arsenal in 97-98 (just in time then) I only heard of this because I read about Wenger’s history and his link with Primorac. What’s hilarious is that some Wob type once laughed at me stating that Wenger refused to break his contract to join Bayern Munich and insisted that he went to Japan as a failure.
Anyway. Point was. We’ve had the Tapie scandal. The Italian calciopoli. The German ref match fixing controversy. The cricket fixing including spot fixing which sent some foreign players to prison. Ex EPL footballer saying on live TV that players routinely spot fixed. But none of this can ever be brought to bear in terms of anything we see now. Didn’t happen. Is irrelevant. Wouldn’t happen here. Where’s your proof?
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Shard
We may now live in a world where a crook like Tapie can be given billions by the French gov. Which only underlines the praise due to arsene and Arsenal for standing by such a man when the rest of the sport would not, but it is a strange spectacle to see people attempt and fail to airbrush this history from the record books. Boro was only at the Arsenal for about 22 years. Surely his mentors did indeed reflect upon the powerful people they were protecting him from (his right to earn a living in his sport), but perhaps its true to speculate that no one cares the lickspittles further down the ladder.
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What I remain on teneterhooks to hear is the reason why Bobby Madeley exited refereeing so abruptly. I assumed with the announcement of his resignation last Wednesday or Thursday we would be in for a Sunday tabloid extravaganza with the former whistler caught with his trousers down in a “cocaine fuelled Nazi orgy shock horror probe” or trapped into some Fat Sam style cash sting.
And as Sunday came and went – nothing!!
It is too damn quiet out there……
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You look how the leagues in which corruption has been exposed in recent years, Germany, Italy and France, and they have all reverted to league competitions in which one club is totally dominant. In Spain, and with the long term overt assistance of the government in Madrid, it has been a duopoly of control ( more or less) for 30 years.
It makes me wonder what the outcome of exposing corruption actually is ?
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Andy, Juventus fans have long claimed that 2006 was an action planned by Inter Milan to stop their rivals. However they don’t deny that Juventus were doing what they were accused of doing. Just that they were doing what everyone did. Just how the system was.
As far as I can infer, Arsenal refused to participate in the system, at least in the Wenger years, which might explain a lot of the ire directed at him personally, and probably explains why Arsenal get shafted so often (even as their status as a big club makes them profitable for the league)
So I agree, the idea of uncovering corruption may be something nefarious too. But the counterpoint is what is the point of not acknowledging corruption? What does that create?
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I enjoy watching the Italian league more than the EPL nowadays. Despite the lower quality, despite lack of crowd noise, and despite the complete dominance of Juventus. Why? Because when I’m watching I’m not always doubting whether it is a game of football or a scripted drama, so called sports entertainment.
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Today’s media is full of Gazidis ‘agonising’ over a move to AC for £3.5 million per year.
I don’t know how a raise of one million is agony, but I’d take it at a heart beat.
I think this will happen now.
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I watch Serie A sometimes too. Don’t think it is lower quality. In fact for lower league position teams, the skill and tactics I would say are better and more entertaining than the EPL.
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Shard
“What is the point of not covering corruption?”
What is the point of complaining about players swearing on mikes (as opposed to at Mike) when using when in every other sport the very same broadcasters have managed to discover this miraculous device known as: Volume Control (with a little bit video delay) such as witnessed with the sledging in the cricket.
Whatever will these clever conspiracists (malicious broadcasters conspiring together to protect the ears of their younger listeners) think of next?
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Rowing and horse racing used to be bigger sports in England then the football.
Then their credibility took a bit of a nosedive
People still head down to Godolphin and such in smaller numbers then they used to but it’s usually to stare at hats, drink champagne or sharpen some needles (not for equestrian acupuncture!).
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Also rumours IG would have an equity stake in Milan, could be lucrative should the hedge fund owners stablise the club, then sell, as some speculate they will do.
A wage rise, and a stake in a sleeping giant- allegedly, or facing a load of crap, Arsenal Fan TV, the media in general, ex player rentagobs, a massive transition without the funding of most rivals, going into the unknown now the club is private,Usmanov out for revenge, think you are right SR he is gone, he has my respect should he stay
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Mandy
He’s obviously been head hunted and considered a success for overseeing the huge changes at Arsenal. I would imagine he himself considers it job done, so yes, best of luck & no hard feelings at all.
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Gazidis is approaching his 54th birthday and has done almost ten years at Arsenal, with his ten years up in January 2019. Even in the most challenging and well paid jobs you get stale ( I am told). He probably has one more ‘big’ job in him before he is too old to move on the Milan offer is getting his full attention.
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I think I’ve said this before here but I’d say it’s a cowardly move if he decides to leave at this stage.
I’m not doubting the benefits of the move for him. Larger salary, stake in the club, potentially positioning himself for the creation of a Super League (Juventus’ president is pushing for it, and Gazidis having set up a non-relegation league in the US would be a good candidate)
But honestly, he’s increasingly promoted himself as the face of the ‘New Arsenal’, culminating in him being present in Emery’s presentation videos, and even at the training ground for the first session, weirdly touching Ramsey’s arm. I mentioned before that this doesn’t sit well with me, and if he leaves it just shows that he was using the club’s re-structure for his own personal PR rather than the club’s benefit, and as such will now have nothing to lose if it goes awry. This also brings in doubt whether the changes and timescales he was pushing was for the best for Arsenal. Even ignoring that, it is cowardly to push through changes and not see them through.
My $0.02.
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Andy, the bizarre and hideous rumour about Madley died down within a couple of days, though not without doing the poor man some damage and with many people probably believing it.
Many were claiming they’d seen a video, then there was a photo being posted. As always, no way of telling what was ‘banter’ or who had some level of belief in what they were saying.
Unfortunately a number of people posted a pic on twitter showing a bald man, supposedly him, doing something to a dog (kid you not). Looked away before my brain could process exactly what it was but looked absolutely disgusting. Hopefully some life bans on twitter for posting such stuff.
His family put out a brief statement saying they felt compelled to address ridiculous social media rumours.
As for any real reason, only things I saw was talk he felt let down by colleagues at pgmol for lack of support during rough spell last year, and that he is going through a marriage breakup.
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It has gone strangely silent Rich. I saw the dog references on Twitter but although everyone was talking about a video and pictures no one had seen them – even I drew the line at that. It is a shame if Madeley just got fed up with the whole thing and was receiving domestic grief. His brother Andy is still on the list so we may yet have a Madeley with a whistle.
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I would not take too hard a line with the man after 10 years Shard. As the line in the Godfather goes “This is business, not personal”.
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josh dasilva has signed for Brentford on a long term contract after leaving AFC in the summer. i think AFC get training compo as he is u24 and we had offered him a new contract
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anicoll
The guy on my timeline who put up the picture is someone who has mentioned in past his serious battle with depression, support for suicide awareness,etc, so how that fits with…revelling in a sick internet pile-on for someone who must be having a hard time, I don’t know.
Does worry me that more people are growing up with that mentality though.
Bloody internet, camera phones, ‘banter’ etc (no wonder Labogoon thought I was in my 50’s)
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Ed
Someone put up details of what’s happened to the 19 members of victorious u19 Euro side DaSilva was a part of.
Only 1 apparently playing for his own club at moment- Ryan Sessegnon.
2 permanent exits this summer, about 10 out on loans, including the six from Chelsea.
Feels like that sums it up a bit. They had six in squad, all still there; us one, and he wouldn’t sign up.
Could be a good choice for him. Brentford don’t take part in any youth league but just play a series of friendlies through year. Can see him quickly getting first team chance. expect he goes straight into first team squad.
I gotta let it go but I really liked him as a player. Early evidence hinting he was important in that winning u23 team last year.
I’ll admit I might have a bias towards youth players with size and strength, esp in midfield, who look equipped to compete if things get rough and can put in a crunching tackle themselves.
Not had much luck so far as Hayden, Mcguane, Sheaf, Bielik, and Da Silva (Kamara a little, though his debut dampened that) have been the ones I’ve had hopes for on that front.
Still two left, though both been moved back with us.
Don’t know what Sheaf injury is but within last 12 months or so he has had a serious back injury- broken bone I think- and his brother fractured his skull with Hull. For the kid’s parents sake lets hope not as serious this one
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Oh yeah, for those who want a real winger for us, Saka must be the most promising since Chris Willock at least.
I’ve got him provisionally in same bracket as Nelson and Smith Rowe potential wise.
One of those who doesn’t so much seem to dribble as just run and the right weight of touch is a near given. Crossing and shooting much the same.
Effortless, automatic or something. Very few players give me that impression and for some reason it’s normally left footers like him.
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Andy, it’s personal to me!
Besides, even business has ethics. The Don wouldn’t deal drugs, and when those ethics went out, sonny boy got his.
Although it might appear that way, but I don’t particularly care whether Gazidis stays or goes. For all we know, we might actually be better off without him. It’s just that I think it’s in bad taste to not see a project through especially after getting what you asked for, and pretending you are the new showrunner. As opposed to just a showman?
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If business is seperate to the personal then,
hiw did Kronke Jnr. end up working for Kronke Snr.? Possibly at AFC if Ivan slinks out in reverse gear? The same as every Godfather’s business?
Isn’t business always personal? Please refer to the above thread on a specific Arsenal first team coach for twenty two years (that’d be plus two decades).
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I advise my clients not to play the property game unless they make it personal. Otherwise they will lose. I can express this as advice and not an opinion as it is based upon research and observing the most successful property owners. Such as Her Madge.
My advice could be poor advice. But in my limited and humble experience people who follow such advice do not usually end up poor for having done so.
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Of course the personalised family run business malarkey can be as confusing as anything else at times.
There are two timber suppliers in the SE of England (I think we can safely class the pgMOB as “anti-SE England” with twenty years of clear simple straightforward data to support this reasonable opinion) owned by two brothers, the companies are both called Brook Bros. with tiny variations in the actual company name (one is ‘Brook Bros London’ I think). All very confusing!
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After ten years even the most dynamic of CEOs run out of bounce. I vaguely remember seeing the average tenure of a FTSE100 was 4–5 years so he is well over that.
Almost certainly, whether Ivan goes to Milan or not we’d be looking for a new CEO. I’d be sorry to see Ivan go as I see he has done a good job in the right way. But what he does is not unique or irreplaceable. The club is in good shape. It could be a silver lining moment.
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President George Weah will decorate Arsène Wenger and Claude LeRoy, the two French coaches who gave his football career an early boost. “Arsène and I will be decorated with the highest distinction of the country on August 24 in Monrovia”, Le Roy told AFP. https://www.bbc.com/afrique/sports-45246782 …
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Really good game between Swansea and Leeds tonight 2-2 – both sides played lots of football, no handbrakes, good goals and very little cheating. Yeah – that is what it’s about.
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anicoll
Good to see Swans striker McBurnie and our ex player Ayling look like pals at end of it after a heck of a battle all night.
Watched Birmingham Swans on weekend and it was pretty dire so not expecting much tonight, and was pleasantly surprised. Two to tango or something. Both battling hard but also wanting to pass well and play.
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Here’s a dilemma.
PAOK well positioned against Benfica after 1-1 away draw. Get through at home and they’ll be in CL groups and so a chance to watch Akpom get some CL action, hopefully.
But if Benfica go out, Pool jump up a seeding to 2nd pot in CL.
Ok, not that much of a dilemma. Sorry Chuba.
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Chuba got a few minutes at end tonight, won a couple headers with prodigious leaps, and that was about it.
Meanwhile Hleb got crucial late goal, at 37, for Bate (about his 5th or 6th spell there), only for another Arsenal old boy (well, he’s 19) Malen to score within minute for a late winner, 1st career goal.
Sure that’ll get a few moans tomorrow. Odds do now favour 1 or 2 of those who’ve left recently doing something big and prompting some real angst, but with a bit of luck there are sell-on clauses; and in Malen’s case, Raiola may have been causing problems.
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so Emery “getting tough” with Ramsey and “dropping” him for the CFC game was actually Emery being cautious as Ramsey was still carrying an injury. Who would have thought that Ramsey, one of Emery’s stated “leaders” was actually rested due to injury concerns, well blow me down.
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Arsenal’s Head of Elite Recovery, Darren Burgess “We’ve got guys who have over 10, 11 million followers on Instagram. They just have to send out an innocent message and probably 100,000 people are going to send back an abusive one if they’ve had a bad game,”
“That creates a stress that has an impact on them physically and certainly mentally. A float tank is ideal, as is yoga, massage, meditation – anything where the technology is off, their body is recuperating and you’re forcing them into a little bit of silence so they can process what they’re doing and take their mind off anything to do with football.
“We’re trying to educate our guys about the benefits of that. I like that concept of forced recovery for sure.
http://dailycannon.com/2018/08/darren-burgess-on-forced-recovery-learning-spanish/
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In a way the lads are brave guys to soak up all that bullying and nastiness. I couldnt, that stuff would stay in my head, even if I was doing meditation/ yoga in a float tank.
Imagine what its like when you go out. Abuse. Go on social media.Abuse. Play at football grounds.Abuse.
Recently I discovered that sadistically motivated people are mostly driven by the idea that they are a victim. Odd to think that people think they are a victim becuase Mesut in firing on all cylinders, or Aubas missed a sitter. ” its all your fault, I had to lose,pay for you, and get shamed by Chelsea fans”.
Now, I feel like a dinosaur! (LOL) as I loved sportsmanship. An old fashioned hat that lies in the corner, with rattles, rosettes, the allegory of love, and plus fours.
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LIAR
That is what I called a contributer on this site not TWO months ago.
I had the temerity to suggest that Mikel Arteta who has abosulutely no mangerial or head coach experience should not be the No.1 at Arsenal.
The insults to my intelligence and a certain amount of race baiting on the Positively Arsenal website.
Why because I was more inclined for Arsenal to at least look at an actual Arsenal legend with some managerial and head coaching experience. Why because Pep said so , Like some fucking 8 year olds.
Asked for some sensible resoned arguments, I got mostly bile. (It’s all there in black and white).
Why was an authentic legend not wanted by the ‘Crazy Baldheads’ ?
Because he complained as a player that he wanted better for the club, Is that not what we all want?
Now after 2 straight losses , I am confident after 4 straight losses Emery will not change his thoughts or ways , he will live or die on his beliefs they way the former boss was.
Gary Neville spoke on Monday about adapting to the players was he biggest mistake he made in his brief tenure in Valencia . A giant in football like GNev2 buckeled and lost belief then lost the players.
I have no evidence how Arteta would react under these circumstanices but I had a very good idea how Emery would react that is because he is experienced. Vieira woud have found it tough ,Arsenal is way too big for Arteta he was not Guardiola or Vieira as a player for any one to honestly think he should have the role.
We need to chase those Crazy Baldheads out of town
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If you want to out up a Link you need to put some text with it – otherwise it is out in the spam bin;
https://player.arsenal.com/video/breakdown-chelsea-5
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WWWB good to hear you know how weak Arteta would have been. That’s some skill you have.
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Regarding the petty plunditry:
Are Adrian Clarke’s breakdown shows getting enter and better?
Adrian also finds the GA column to be a helpful metric/guide.
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Better and better…
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Adrian provides exactly the sort of insight and explanation on what happened and why it happened that we never receive from mainstream broadcasters Fins. Having said that he gave Mkhi the MoM accolade for Saturday – he’s clearly off his head.
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I see the lads at UEFA have decided to bring in VAR in the CL this season for the last eight games. They feel confident they can cope with one game at a time which is the schedule by that stage. It is also suggested the fifth official might be discontinued which, apparently, was the idea pushed by Collina. The 5th official has baffled me.
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Andy perhaps Adrian like me just appreciates a player who can score big goals in big moments? Something Miki will can do even when not playing well.
His comments on the CBS were as I would expect no less from such an honourable gentleman. Constructive shall we say?
As the GF column from recent seasons shows this squad and the one before the rebuild will score the goals. Enough goals, hopefully more. The area of concern remains the same as it was last summer, for both the old manager/gaffer and the new head coach/gaffer.
Andy I’m not sure we’ll ever know the truth but i doubt that the individual who took pride at signing players like Alexis for about half the rate the rivals shell out on such would have been the most keen on spending the same sum on a CB with only one years experience at playing the position at the top level (but sure he’d take a punt on a player like Toure who cost peanuts went on to win titles with more then one club, I think).
Therefore in my subjective opinion if Ivan walks out now then it won’t be to his credit, as his transitional ‘transfer team’ need to improve. It’s not the same as with the physios, they’ve had a huge role and input for several seasons e.g.: the old gaffer explained in press conferences that he was managing Ramsey as per their instructions. Which is an interesting consdieration as yet another gibberish filled article about the last two seasons is published – what kind of “dictator” publicly admits he follows instruictions from a physiotherapist when we live in a world where most patients fail to follow their own physios advice! IMO physios are very patient and professional people.
Obvious not odious hackery from Mat Syed.
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< Mat doesn't pretend to be a 'fan'. We understand he has to hack for a living.
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A little tongue-in-cheek challenge on Adrian Fins.
As for Ivan we shall see what happens. As I said yesterday there are potential advantages and disadvantages for AFC whichever route is taken.
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The new rookie CM is a very promising signing.
Born out of the previous associations and relationship between AFC & Lorient, Grimandi, the old gaffer etc.?
Ivan’s team haven’t had a “hit” to date. Is that fair?
His dissappearing act can’t be helping with certain contract negotiations. I’ve given him praise in the past therefore I feel balanced when i express that I am not impressed by his professionalism in this instance.
Staggered change seemed more logical then a radical overhaul. If the CEO leaves straight after the old gaffer I don’t see how that can be in the best interests of the club when the new coach is a stranger to the club. the league etc.
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