Arsene and Jose had an interesting chat on Saturday in their CL pundit work or BEIN sport, where they, mostly Arsene, talked about a team’s identity, it was about Liverpool and Spurs, but it touched on the wider issue. Both went for a Liverpool win, cos Liverpool has a team identity, “you know what you will get from Liverpool”, both tactically and formation wise was the consensus from both of them. Liverpool have their preferred formation and tactics, yes there are slight tweeks in games, but by and large Klopp sends them out with little tactical or formation change. While spurs change both.
Arsene and Jose implied that teams that change tactics and formations constantly only confuse the players, and also play with a small mindedness, they are signally their fear of the opponent, instead of trying to impose their game plan on them, be that game plan attacking or defensive and playing on the break. Both Jose and Arsene said a team should have a vision of how it wants to play, its formation and its tactics, without this it has no identity, and players are confused.
Many saw this conversation as Wenger having a pop at Emery for his constant changing of formation and tactics, and so have dismissed it as just sour grapes, but Jose was in full agreement. I would say that what these guys said was very similar to what Martin Keown said earlier in the season when talking about Arsenal’s defensive problems, namely when you keep changing from a 4 to a 3 to a 5, at the back, the defenders can’t get settled in a formation, too much alterations from game to game, or even half to half or every 20 minutes, only confuses your team, not the opposition. The old saying of the less a player has to think about the easier his job is.
I thought early season Emery was a man of his convictions, he was set on playing out from the back no matter what, but despite the 22 game unbeaten run, he jumped ship, of course he had to change it so often at half time that he had to do something, but how can you go from a thing being a main tactic to it barely being used at all. We went from playing it out from the back to cut back FC.
Positively Arsenal 
Ok, I’m a thief.
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i’m not sure if Emery jumped ship, but something did happen after spurs win, we were really shaken in manchester and it continued for the rest of the season
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Having an identity is what being a team, rather than a bunch of individual players, is about. Once you’ve set that identity, then you can make tweaks and adjustments to it. But in case there’s trouble, during the course of a match or a season, then the players have something they can automatically fall back on.
It’s not about Wenger vs Emery, but although Wenger’s Arsenal were known for their ‘jazz’ improvisational football, if there was trouble during the season such as losing 2 matches in a row, we would revert to the basic defensive structure that Wengerball was built on.
Why has Emery abandoned the plan? I suspect because that was never really the plan. Even while we were making a show of the CBs spreading out and having the keeper play it to them, our attacking impetus came from Bellerin. We were always cutback FC, with a little bells and whistles. When Bellerin went down injured, Emery had no idea what to do anymore. That was his main attacking threat.
I think the reason he attacks from the flanks is that it’s a defensive measure. Lose the ball in midfield transition and you’re in trouble. Lose it out wide and at least you can use the sideline to stop/slow down attacks. His own words are that his aim is to reduce, but not lose, the attack, so as to improve the defense.
Emery’s vision of this team’s identity is of a team shutting up shop and relying on sheer volume of crosses, or an individual talent up front to score out of nothing. But it runs hard and shows commitment. Like a Neil Warnock might expect. We’re confused by it because so are the players. The overhaul will change that. We’ll be completely Unai Emery’s team then. We’ll have an identity. Just not sure that’s the one we want.
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Trouble is where will Cutback fc lead us? Feeds the parasites for sure, but long term?Perhaps dropping further down the league unless we can pull off an Ajax, but at the moment theres nobody with that kind of vision or ability to manifest it at the club?No Wenger Ferg or Klopp type. Plus the endless bs of certain elements in our fan -base demand this or set up straw man logic, also inserting memes into peoples minds ( like Mustafi will be gone this summer–saying fucking who? Aftv? Yer Spud- loving Nan? ) which sows endless disharmony, Im mean this poop has been going on for years now, three FAC’s didnt even feed their hunger.
Ö costs too much according to them ( jealous? Or is it the same scenario with the DFB playing out?) Auba is allowed to have that money though(until he loses his way?), but Ramsey isnt? Letting Rambo go seems nuts really, and Juve agree. Thanks Arsenal. The Ox reckons once a Gooner always a Gooner although that seemed more like PR to me(you?) but Rambo was truly Arsenal, so theres something even more wrong?
Lets face it we are 5th 6th hovver bovvers with 8th place sharks nipping at our ankles.
So if we go lower in the league, all the fan-base will get even more frustrated and then the owner will sell it, but to who? Someone who thinks human rights arent important?
How do we get players to come in, want to stay and want to play and be hungry for that? Is that still possible without the big cash? Even with just-under the big cash it doesnt seem to be working too well? But City again only nipped the league by a point. They were great but only by a sliver. Again.
If the fish stinks in the head first but what kind of fishy are we? So many heads of this an that and whose going to take the blame in our hydra-headed-club? Özil of course!
So what if most of the team bugger off and Emery gets “his players” (another bullshit meme put about by the WoB) and then what? If he doesnt make CL, then the next manager is stuck with whoever the team will be ie start all over again. So does that mean another two years after that? If you cant get the best out of a player like Ö and R then what kind of manager/coach are you?
However, maybe Emery knows what hes doing and doesnt want Wengers side -who to say he cant do it and pull off a massive run of success with his own vision? Old Father Time will show us. Kid of hope he does just so we ca get back to a better place as Arsenal FC. Not much fun wandering around in No mans land?
I dunno. Good one though Ed.
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Must be hard to know what a club’s identity is when no one has been in charge of building the team for nearly twelve months.
Raul must be rubbing grubby mitts together in glee. Doesn’t matter who they sign as long as they’re signed up to his mates! Suarez? Lovely jubbly.
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If you don’t want to spend two years of a relatively short career managing a team built to play football in manner that you don’t have the courage to understand why would you…
..,Ching Ching!!!!
Mind you. It would be cheaper to buy out Pellegrini’s contract at West Ham then Ozil’s at the Arsenal. And there it is:
Sabotage.
Who let Raul & then Emery in the front door?
What happened to the BSM & the “shambles”™ meme? they seem to love The Kronke’s! Haha. Lol. Er….
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Emery got the job saying he knew exactly how these players would fit into his system, the transfer market would only supplement the team, and the youth would be given chances.
Nowhere was this rebuild planned, nor was it necessary. Or do you really think Arsenal were going to throw away all the money and time they’d invested in Ozil and Ramsey for a coach like Emery?
For Pep, I could maybe understand it. For Emery, who we’ve caught on the downward swing of his good but not illustrious career. No chance.
Raul fed him the answers, pointed to his EL record, glossed over his failures at PSG (and Spartak Moscow) and indeed his league positions at Sevilla (who also won the EL twice in a row a few years prior to Emery)
Why? Cos he wanted this scapegoat/stooge at Arsenal so he could oversee the destruction of the squad, and the values of the club.
Look at the amazing job done on PR. The simple fact of them causing so much confusion over the clear betrayal of Ramsey and our values with that contract withdrawal. People blame Ramsey for it. EMERY(!) blames Ramsey for it. And Wenger for a lack of ‘competitive edge’. It’s all coordinated. Emery wouldn’t survive at Arsenal on his own coaching merits. He’s..I’m sorry to say… a fraud. Something he had the temerity of indicating Wenger had become. Using the lines of the WOB attack on that great man to further himself.
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Makes you wonder when the big Weng gave his fare- ye- well speech and spoke of continuing with the clubs traditions that he knew there was something rotten growing and the values would be flung out with the latest scapegoat cum transfer reject?
Sometimes I wonder if Emery thinks that by forcing players to do something they will function as he wants? Seems that if you force nature it will do things you want, sometimes it seems like its a success, but its exhausting and you have to be incessant and vigilant, until you stop forcing it and it springs back in your face. Ö should be marking anyone, they should have been marking him. Thats his nature.A leader? No, not really. Playmaker and goalscorer. Ya.
Sometimes I also wonder if tactics are overrated like gesticulating on the touchline? If UE is atactical leader in his field then the final was an example of failing in that area. But if you follow the other teams systems then you cant play your game, just theirs only a team that knows its going to get mashed does that? Would you say that we wer doing that in the run in? It looked like we were too concerned about the oppositions play. Even at Burnley.
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yes Shard, the main thing that has changed at Arsenal since Wenger left is the PR, not only how the club is delivering it, but how the bloggers and big twitter accounts are happy clapping along to it, when just over a year ago they would have been in meltdown at the very same sort of PR being put out by the club.
Take the way they have received the Freddie and Bould role swap story. Its greeted as brilliant news, the angle being taken is that with out financial restraints we will have to bring through the youths to make up the shortfall, and to replace some of the bigger named experienced starts that are leaving. And that Freddie as U23 manager is the man to identify those young players who are ready to step up to first team duty.
Now all that seems reasonable till you actually look a bit deeper, look at the PR from just a year ago when Emery joined. Where we not all glad to be told that Emery not only knew everything there was to know about our senior players, but we were told that his presentation at the his job interview included an indepth analysis of our youth players. So what has happened in the last 12 months that has left Emery not knowing these players, having worked with them for a year. Is this guy a fraud or what.
Secondly why are the bloggers and twitteratti so happy to go along with the about turn of former PR, although AFC could not match city and co financially, we had lots of money, we could pay Ozil top dollar wages, we offered Alexis the same, agreed big contract with Ramsey, but now not only can’t we still pay Ozil, we had to withdraw Ramsey’s offer, we could not afford to keep Welbeck, and this despite Cech and Lichtsteiener both going off the pay roll too. There seems no player is beyond being cut from the roster, to cut wages, that the bloggers will not go along with, not only no player, but no amount of players. All to be replaced by youth. Good God could you imagine if this was happened under Wenger, all these years after coming out of project youth.
We might not have hired a world class manager to replace Wenger, but we certainly hired world class PR men, fair dues to them, they have played the bloggers wonderfully.
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ed
Except they aren’t Arsenal’s PR men. They are their own. Happily throwing everyone else at Arsenal under the bus only to further their own careers. We didn’t hire them. We let the wolves in the sheep pen. The bloggers can all baa along, and we can shout all we like. The club is in the hands of the people Wenger held off for so long.
But even though Emery is just a stooge and soon to be scapegoat, it is simply true that he’s a terrible coach. Nowhere near capable of being at a big club. Sevilla was his peak. This is his last job at a big club. He’s probably going to get fired in the middle of next season.
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27 mins in AW still says “we” when speaking of the Gunners. Nice.
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Hostile (Corporare) Takeover of the previous business model?
Following the journeys of Bunga Bunga Benfica and Sporting Cattle Market Lisbon over the last two decades could be enlightening.
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I wouldn’t say:
“they have played the bloggers wonderfully.”
IMO
they have paid the bloggers/Sports Communications consultants wonderfully well.
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All together now, on the count of three, whilst holding hands:
“This is not a Shambles(™2018)
I really like Raul(™2019)!!!!”
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Interesting what AW has to say about Ramsey around 10.mins 25 secs or so…
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And a bit later the big Ö. And the stadium…
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Fins, they haven’t fooled this particular set of bloggers.
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The Job is too big for Bruce, I hope someone has the sense to see that like Dein did with the other Bruce
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George not only were you not fooled you were the only one who tried to raise a discussion on the consequences of this lurch towards the *coughs*, the, “Benfica Model” when the conversation was relevant.
Stack ’em high, sell cheap!
(Please refer to what happened with England’s current no.8 when fit under Southgate, Oxlade-Chamberlain.)
Could be a while before we get to see midfielders, footballers of the likes of Ozil, Ramsey, and Cazorla play football for the Arsenal again.
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fins
Your comment just made me think about the politics of players being selected for the national team.
Players will want to be selected. If they can’t, they might look to move to a situation where they can (eg Giroud at Arsenal) I see much scope for agents, managers, club presidents, even national presidents if it came down to it, to get involved there. Also of course, clubs would not want their top players selected for the mid-season games. Again, scope for an ‘entrepreneur’ there.
So much of this industry lies behind the football. I guarantee it doesn’t function the way we’re told. (Virtually no industry does)
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Thanks for the article Ed.. Forgot to say that yesterday. And thanks Mills for the video links.
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Who represents Denis Suarez? A valid question because that transfer cost Arsenal 4m in payments. Suarez got a new contract at Barcelona, and Barcelona got to protect the asset value of a player instead of losing him for free. (Not something normal clubs like doing even with lesser talents)
We know who represents Ozil. Bit odd to like an agent, but I like Dr Ergut. He and Ozil are not afraid to call a spade a spade. Rather rare in the football world. Just like Arsenal values. Which, unfortunately, are rare at Arsenal these days.
We’ll see where we go from here, but I started supporting this club mostly for its values. I’m not sure my personal bond can remain as strong if we’re going the way we are. I’ll keep shouting about wanting my Arsenal back though – until I get tired of that too. I only say that to share my loss, not overstate my importance as a ‘fan’.
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Manchester City have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against their referral at Uefa on FFP violation charges,
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Mesut gets married today. People asked him what he wants, he said he has everything already, but for people to support his cause, (Big Shoe)helping kids who need operations( he’s pledged to help a 1000). Who have the Öob helped? Themselves.
All the best Mesut.
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Like most people here l am not at all happy seeing the club I so proudly support for its values to just within a season lost everything that sets it apart from all others. For the first time ever, I’m in agreement with mourinho. This club under emery has no identity. Of the 38 games in the epl last season, I’m not sure we dominated possession more than 10. Yet everyone expect ozil to do as well as he used to do. The most annoying part is that team is better than the 2017/18. I can only imagine what Wenger would have done with a player like torreira. Leno and maybe socratis. Top 4 would have been in the bag long before the season ended.
Is there any plan or strategy to get us back doing what we have done for most part of the last 2 decades? I doubt it.
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next seasons 3 kits
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Official Arsenal released list. • Cohen Bramall. • Petr Cech. • Charlie Gilmour. • Stephan Lichtsteiner. • Julio Pleguezuelo. • Aaron Ramsey. • Danny Welbeck.
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Daley-Campbell and Spencer-Adams leave Arsenal
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Young defenders Vontae Daley-Campbell and Bayli Spencer-Adams have left Arsenal following the expiry of their scholarship contracts.
Talented right-back Daley-Campbell has been linked with several German clubs.
The Hale End product was part of the Arsenal U18 side that won the southern section title last season and featured for the U23s during the previous campaign.
Strong physically, Daley-Campbell, who has been capped by England at youth level, provides a significant threat going forwards and has also improved defensively.
Losing Daley-Campbell is a major disappointment for Arsenal but the player can’t be begrudged for seeking better opportunities elsewhere.
Spencer-Adams, meanwhile, impressed for the U18s in the first half of the season before injury halted his progress.
It is perhaps a little harsh that he has been released, but Arsenal can call upon the likes of Mark McGuinness and Harry Clarke, who will be part of the U23 squad next season.
Goalkeeper James Hillson has also left following the expiry of his loan spell but, given that he has been released by Reading, there is still a possibility that he could sign for the Gunners on a permanent basis.
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Shard, I actually have thought that England selection or non selection or not getting selected at the level they should could easily sway a lad to sign for another club they identify with lads getting a chance at. Just another way to possibly destablise players. Often wondered how players are picked ahead of some of ours.
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The new kits look smart. Old Yellas back again! Perhaps we can win the FAC again now?
I wonder if Raul Montana and Unai Emery went to Ö wedding? Wonder if the big Weng went?
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Surprised DC is being let go, he looked good
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Wayne Rooney’s salary is most likely still being paid by Utd or was for a time after he left the club from the contract that Moyes gave him.
Several years ago. After Slurgus had benched the player for not training. About par with Ozil’s current contract.
The contrast with the Sports Communication agencies and their PR consultants (Big Blaggers) coverage of these contracts is instructive.
And objectively left upon the record for everyone to observe.
Nevermind “Shambles” (™2018 meme) what everyone is witnessing is Sabotage at The Arsenal.
Quantitively, adding in Ozil’s story, what’s happening at the club ATM is several degrees more damaging then when Brady left and there’s no point in snorting the opium trying to pretend otherwise.
In light of which: The silence of the donkeys is remarkable!
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ian its not that daley-campbell is being let go, he refused to sign a new contract, the club had been trying for 18 months to get him to sign a new deal, its been reported for a year now that a few other clubs had let him know of their interest in him.
He was not used in the U23’s this season due to him not singing the contract.
By the way reports in Germany say that Hamburg have bid for our U23 right back Osei-Tutu and that the lad wants to go.
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On this day in 2011: Arsenal completed the signing of Carl Jenkinson from Charlton
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This Gunnrblog prick has either been paid to attack Ozil the best footballer left at the Srsenal or he knows fuck all about football.
The pre-emotive statement from Ozil’s agent a few weeks ago supplies you all with the answer.
There it is. A parasite. Even more disgusting then Robbie and AFTV.
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In contrast to the above the topic of Ed’s comment for this post came from arguably the best of football commentary from last season. Alongside Adrian Clarke!
Worth watching it in full. Reassuringly brilliant. Thanks for the heads up. The real Mourinho the one who coached Ozil as opposed to the actor.
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Cazorla captained Spain during their victory over the Faroe Islands. I like the stadium (ignoring the pitch). Great to see one of the most inspiring & popular footballer of recent times gifted the opportunity to enter the closing phase of his career on a positive note and not have it ended by that horror story.
Makes the title that went missing alongside the midfield generalissimo a little easier to digest knowing that the Saint has got his smile back.
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Fred!
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Putting the attack on Mesut Ozil by the PR consultants pretending to be lovers of the Arsenal (an undead vampire can’t love as it isn’t a living being with a soul) into the correct and quantative context:
A former Arsenal skipper was jailed whilst still an arsenal player. Not for an offence as bad or even evil as some of those for which other footballers in the U.K. have been imprisoned but yes certainly a criminal offence.
These are the same people telling their listeners that Ozil and Ramsey couldn’t play in the same team whilst their listerners had just witnessed these two players playing together bringing home three fa cups in four years.
For further context the last time the mighty Tottenham won the fa cup was in 1991. RIP Justin Edinburgh: a genuine tottenham legend.
Not only have they shown in their own words , laughably so, that they know fuck all about the football:
These parasites and worms have been more damaging to the club then AFTV by several degrees.
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That blogger’s stance on basically everything stems from snobbery. Some of these sports marketers have done a good job maintaining their man of the people image. I bet they all love Ian Wright.
Apart from the take on Ozil and his wedding guest list, my other favourite take is how VAR is ruining the game.
Another thing I fear might be under attack at our club is actually the youth. Next year we might give Reiss Nelson, Joe Willock and ESR a bit of a chance and people will say that everything’s going well. But last season was the time to play these kids. Osei-Tutu instead of Bellerin once Licht and Jenko are not trusted. Willock after Ramsey goes down. ESR instead of bringing in Suarez. Nketiah and Saka more game time. Especially if the plan became to go for the EL instead of finish the job in the PL.
Pretty soon they’ll see they aren’t trusted with responsibility, and will seek new pastures. Especially in Germany after the success of Jadon Sancho, and Serge Gnabry. If we really don’t want to send money like Liverpool, we better use our academy. But that’s a longer term concern. Not something a transfer obsessed DoF, and similarly inclined media (and hence fans) will care about right now.
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Matt Le Tissier
Verified account @mattletiss7
5h5 hours ago
Does tickle me that VAR correctly rules out a goal and all the dinosaurs shout “its ruining the game” forgetting that poor officiating has been ruining the game for years 🤷🏼♂️
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Xhaka: “I am not aware [of #AFC exit talks]. I have another four years on my contract, I only signed last year. I’m happy there, my family too. That’s the most important thing.”
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Jack Wilshere on having to deal with his son having seizures: ‘Few people knew. That’s why I speak so highly of Arsène Wenger – he was brilliant. He said to me, “listen, you deal with your son, you take however long it takes”
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Gurjit
@GurjitAFC
According to Romanian journalist Decebal Rădulescu, #Arsenal have made an offer to sign 20-year-old Romanian attacking midfielder Ianis Hagi, the son of Romanian legend Gheorghe Hagi, from Viitorul Constanța.
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Unusual situation for Hagi the younger. Came through a youth academy named after his dad, who is also founder, owner and manager of club he plays for, and captains.
I’m guessing he has been on pens and taking all free kicks since his early days in first team. Highlights suggest he is capable of some fine shots but also that he prob has licence to shoot any time he pleases from anywhere.
Scouts would have work cut out trying to figure how that works in a different environment!
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Unusual situation for Hagi the younger. Came through a youth academy named after his dad, who is also founder, owner and manager of club he plays for, and captains.
I’m guessing he has been on pens and taking all free kicks since his early days in first team. Highlights suggest he is capable of some fine shots but also that he prob has licence to shoot any time he pleases from anywhere.
Scouts would have work cut out trying to figure how that works in a different environment!
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