These people aren’t superfans, relativity shows us that they are a cog in the workings like anyone else. The idea of the superfan means (in their minds false identity) that they know the club the best, they love it more than anyone else, their opinion on the workings of the club is the most accurate and valid as to its direction and embodiment of values. They think they are the only ones who can dictate its policy and Politik, they think they are the Arsenal, and because they go to more games and spend money on replica kits that they could never wear any other way, means they are “the one”. Well sorry pseudo Leos, the Matrix was wrong about that too. Everyone is/be The Arsenal. To think you are the ‘one’ is a psychotic state and misunderstanding life, and how the whole interplay in sport (and life) works .
These people in one sense are the biggest parasites: Arsenal can survive without them, but they cant survive without Arsenal. They think they are the first, or the real thing but others came before them, travelling up and down and over seas and back again. Others stood on the North bank when there was no cover and at the clock end, when it really was the clock end, and stood in the west stand and stood in the side embankments ( always a top view of the game I thought). Others were at the Manor Ground, others at the Sportsman ground at Plumstead common, others at the Invicta Ground, and the terraces still exist in peoples back yards of that stadium as a testament, years before any idea of Invincibility (which is an odd one as they were eventually) and the social media enabling of the pseudo superfan.
And then the ghosts of the old boys who booted the ball around in the yards down at the Arsenal itself. Seemingly gone, but its not so.
All is just an experiment of what can be, all is just and opinion, that doesn’t ever cover the whole phenomena of what anything can be, how can it? How can it ever incorporate ever nuance or element of what makes the whole. Arsenal is now a global brand of entertainment, that cant be ignored, but screaming out loud, demanding from the club something back ( what kind of attitude is it that thinks a football fan its a customer???) because they think they hold some kind of authority is misplaced in its understanding of the game, and the relationship between club and supporter. Yes its more than that, but only because we attach our emotions and lives into it but there is no clause that says we get dividends.Surely we have to take emotional responsibility for this?
Some supporters don’t want to shout and scream and have a melt down because we’ve lost, although we’ve all been there, but to do it professionally stinks of more insincerity.What next, awards? Best fan? Best meltdown? Most money spent? Best transfer elaboration?
I like to think that social media started off as some kind of nice idea that could bring people together (how quaint and naive of me), now its a politikal tool for manipulation, perhaps its the same with the pseudo superfan? Seems that way to me. Those who have the way do not have the way?
What frightens me though is the power these people can wield to manipulate other people, vulnerable people- and as we have seen, and see daily, its easy to bullshit and lie and get away with it. Its bad enough with the established media outlets doing it.
The greater the sensation, the more pretending to be in the know, the more clicks. More clicks the more money and pseudo authority, and on it goes (fins concise statement sums it up the best for me, see his other posts).What right do any of these people have to Diktate? None. Fascism (authoritarianism) stinks and is really tedious and insane. Yes, they have the right of democracy and being in a liberal society to express themselves, I agree, but what about the ethics that enable democracy and liberty to survive? These are being exploited and ab-used everyday. They would deny this, but they don’t seem aware of their actions and the outcomes or what they are even doing. Theres a real lack of responsibility, all lost in “me me me me me”. And I want. Well you cant always get what you want.
So this leads us back to the ethical questions of the superfan selling their own merchandise. Is this valid or not? What if its directly undermining the players or club? Of course it can seem cool (sick) or on the spot but all things have a consequence, even if that seems uncool or old fashioned. Plus what if certain blogs & vlogs have adopted a tabloid and WR Hearst ideal: ” when in doubt ,make it up”? Seems then they are more use to the opposition fans/teams than us? What kind of supporter undermines the club? I don’t think anyone’s holy, but deliberately leading people up the garden path is something else, what place does it have in football?
And don’t forget this, for one to be on the idea of top, this needs others to be on the idea of bottom, otherwise all this doesn’t ever hang together. That’s why sportsman(person)ship is so important.
But all that comes spouting forth from the pseudo superfan are just opinions, not absolute statements. Opinions caught up in flux, lost in tomorrows winds, but we are always dealing with a legacy of some sort…what will be the legacy that has to be cleared up from the pseudo superfan?
Mills
For gf60.
Positively Arsenal 
Anyway at least the atmosphere will change again on Sunday. Alas for the superfan the cat shall mew and the dog have its day, its the way of things, but doesnt make it any easier. But at least there are other voices.
Its been a long summer, and Im sure most of us want to see the back of it and will be glad to get on with the week in week out of the Arsenal, when theres actually something concrete to deal with…
However cheers to everyone here at PA and over at Shottas gaff for keeping things going over the summer,hopefully the EL final ghost hangover will be gone by the time we get to the international football (break-why is it a break?). Stop. Start. Stop. Start.
Soon be coming out of the tunnel at Newcastle, like.
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Thanks Mills. Much to ponder here and you set it out well. Reality fandom.
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great article, only thing not covered is their promotion of fake outrage at all things Arsenal, and of course the odd behavior of their fans, that sees any dissenting voice ganged up on, to the point that they will try and get them banned off the net.
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If David Luiz does become an Arsenal player then please can Hunter be readmitted to this forum?
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reports that our U23 left back Dominic Thompson, who was part of the first team squad during preseason is joining Brentford for a nominal fee, which in turn will see their left back Rico Henry join Celtic which would in turn see their left back Kieran Tierney join Arsenal
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Eddie Nketiah was at Bristol City today for a medical, but it now seems he has traveled to Leeds for a medical for them.
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Thanks Mills.
Some of our idiots fans who have succumb to the influence of the “super fan” are so far gone that for me there’s really no point trying to engage with them anymore. All I do now is push back against their false narratives.
Someone I know who stays in Durban SA, if I remember well its where gf60 always stayed, once shared a story of how her dad drove over the border to Swaziland just to watch the World Cup in the late 70’s because it didn’t showed on our broadcasters due to sanctions, yet so many of these fools who are younger than some have been supporters are thinking of them as less.
I’m sick of their shit and really wish one day the club will get too and start getting rid of them. Starting with that big chump with the belt.
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23 hours left in the incoming transfer window
David Ornstein@bbcsport_david
·
1h
David Luiz is among options Arsenal working on for centre-back – delicate but not for 1st time (see 31/01/18) #AFC keen. Kieran Tierney remains a target, Eddie Nketiah still deciding but likely Leeds, Alex Iwobi will happen IF Everton make suitable offer #EFC #LUFC #CFC #CelticFC
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Danny Welbeck has joined Watford
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Another very good blog, Thanks Mills for the blog, enjoyed great ones recently from Fins, Chard and the others! To me, this superfan idea feeds this era that we are in, the age of the moron! Attention deficit, believe anything people unable Clearly in politics it is here and in sports also, seemingly especially with our team. I don’t follow media coverage of other teams but Arsenal coverage has been over the top for quite a number of years, was it the frenchness of the team that started the negativity?
Anyways, now the values that Arsene and the management team once held dearly are melting faster than you can say Raul…Arsenal once upon a time refused to deal with shady agents, this is clearly no longer the case. The appointment of Edu while stoking thoughts of the “invincibles” is destroyed in my mind with the fact that he is represented by Kia Joorabian and now suddenly we are interested in 2 of his clients neither of which seem to fill a need, Coutinho, midfielder in decline and sideshow Bob, David Luiz, right position he stands in but not my idea of who we need to stabilize our shaky defence….
We’ll see where this gets us, with our coach looking like a coked out traffic policeman and his assistant on the sidelines I will hope for the best….
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Am completely with Mills on this. These who think of themselves as superfans are frequently behind the big social media accounts who are making money and notoriety from spreading negativity about Arsenal Football Club. They have never managed or coached as much as a corner league team but they are dishing out advice on transfers and team formation to a Premier League manager. Yes, we the normal fan often do the same thing but with a strong disclaimer that this simply a personal opinion. But ultimately who is to blame is not the superfan but we the plebs who have inflated their ego by subscribing and supporting to their blogs and podcasts paying them money to tell us bullshit. We are the super chumps.
The only way we are going to limit the role of these parasites is by convincing more and more fans they are being lied to and misinformed. But it is hard, very hard because foottball fans have been conditioned to believe in negativity, the more negative, the better.
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Thanks guys for the support and kind words and expanding the piece with your own tthoghts.
Eddie right, theres much more that could be explored, perhaps one of you can pick up the baton on this later in the season, and cover the ground I didnt, as I get the feeling they wont be off just yet.
Cheers again.
COYG!
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lots of reports this evening that Arsenal will sign Kieran Tierney from Celtic for £25M and David Luiz from Chelsea for £20M (which for me is an over the top fee for a 32 year old)
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It does seem a lot Ed. But how do you feel about him (maybe) coming?
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I think Luiz is a cheat, can’t stand his play acting, diving etc, he is a good passer of the ball, reads the game well, always felt he was more of a midfielder than a CB, but I would say he is a better CB than Sokratis, but then I think Sokratis is not a great player. I believe Wenger tried to sign him a couple of times. Was it Emery who sold him back to Chelsea.
Luiz at 32 and Sokratis at 31, with Monreal at 33 could see us field a very “experienced” 3 at the back, not sure about how fleet of foot it would be.
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could David Luiz be our modern day John Hollins singing
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Could be Ed. I met Hollins as a really young kid at an end of season presentation for the team I played in at the time. I was a cheeky twat (some things dont change)and asked him for the whole teams autographs ( well what was a kid Gunner -as it was in those days-to do?) instead of shaking his hand and buggering off. He said see me afterwards so I had a second natter with him.
It was weird as I saw him the season before for the first time in my first live game at Highbury back in the 79-80 season and this was just before the summer of that year (80) and it seemed odd to see one of your heroes standing there, I recall he wasnt that tall.
Seemed to work his ass off and was a cool headed guy from what I remember. Played well in the CWC final and a cool penalty too. I have a frozen moment in my mind where he is taking a thrown in close to where I was aiming for the clock end.
Soz tmi, but its weird how these things are printed in the mind. When you look it is mostly single images that we recall and sometimes then make them into films in our minds, sort of animate them, but they are single shots.
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George if they sign Luiz you should invite Hunter to do an article!
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Neil Lennon on Tierney’s likely departure to Arsenal: “These things naturally tend to take their course. I’ve not had any confirmation of it. If that is the case, he goes with everyone’s best wishes. He’s a great player & he’s been brilliant for the club.” [@scotsunsport]
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its now being reported that Arsenal have bid £5M for David Luiz, that is more reasonable fee that the £20M mentioned earlier
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well I said on here that in my view that the Kieran Tierney deal was fully agreed a few weeks ago but did not get completed cos with him injured there was no hurry and it meant Arsenal would have at least one major deal to announce on transfer deadline day, to placate fans, and it seems that this is how it is now panning out
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I agree with everything Ed said about David Luis but read the game well, the man does not read, he just play as the game comes. With him and socratis in our team, you can be sure of red card and penalty against us every other game
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No reason not to replace Kos with D.Luiz for 5m… Also still want Rugani on the reported 2-year loan with the purchase option. Add Tierney, loan out Mavropanos and our defense solidifies with extra options @ DM, RB & LB.
CBs:
Sokratis-Mustafi-Chambers.
Luiz-Rugani-Holding.
What a coup!
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Amam are you sure we’re in for Luis? Chelsea can’t buy, why will they sell? They have already lost Cahill. Certainly they won’t and if they don’t, then we would have dodged a bullet. We must and should replace kos but not with Luis. Just buying a defender does not mean we are replacing another. Just as I also feel that we haven’t replaced mertesakher and Ramsey. Cebalos doesn’t give us the goals of Ramsey and we don’t even have the option to buy. Apart from Robert holding, our other central defenders are reactive ones. Aggressive in tackles, use more of strength than brain. We need another mertesakher type.
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confirmed now that Dominic Thompson has joined Brentford
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David Ornstein
@bbcsport_david
·
2h
Arsenal have reached an agreement with Chelsea to sign centre-back David Luiz for £8m. 32yo Brazil international will sign a 2yr contract. Deal for Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney 5yrs, fee £25m. Medicals today ahead of putting pen to paper before 5pm deadline
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reports suggest that Mustafi is leaving for a Lique 1 team, probably Monaco
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layksite,
I agree we do have a few too many “aggressive-reactive” CBs. But if we add Rugani to Rob Holding & Chambers and we get more cerebral . Luiz for Kos is not too bad a move considering David Luiz is more durable, better on the ball, moonlights rather we’ll as a DM, and is a higher goal threat than Kos. 8m for 2years of DL is great business and I would even keep Mustafi giving us a super aggressive defense that spreads the red cards and allows the offensive players concentrate more on scoring. It unshackled Mesut & Mkhi too!
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CORR:
Layksite, I agree we do have a few too many “aggressive-reactive” CBs. But if we add Rugani to Rob Holding & Chambers we become more cerebral . Luiz for Kos is not too bad a move considering David Luiz is more durable, better on the ball, moonlights rather well as a DM, and is a higher goal threat than Kos. 8m for 2years of DL is great business and I would even keep Mustafi giving us a super aggressive defense that spreads the red cards and allows the offensive players concentrate more on scoring. It unshackles Mesut & Mkhi as well.
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Looks like Tierney & Luis are happening. I pray the Mustafi to Monaco deal falls through and I absolutely do not want Iwobi to go to Everton.
Any word on Rugani??
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BBC reporting that spurs move for Juve’s Dybala has fallen through
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If Elneny stays, Mustafi stays and we add Rugani, does Mavropanos go out on loan to keep the NHG count at 17 ?
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Aman the Rugani rumor in France is that he will join on a two year loan with an option to buy if Mustafi leaves
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aman on the NHG 17, the signings of Tierney and Luiz would mean we are at the 17 now, so if another NHG comes in then one has to leave, Elneny, Mustafi and Mavropanos the most likely
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rumor that neither Iwobi nor Kolasinac are at training at London Colney today, we know Everton are in for Iwobi, maybe the signing of Tierney would see Kolasinac leave
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seems Eddie Nketiah is joining leeds utd on a season long loan, does this leave us a bit light up front, we have PEA and Lacca, but after that its youth all the way, Tyreece John-Jules, maybe Martinelli or Nelson would play there if needed.
I would suggest with Eddie leaving it might mean we intend to play only one striker out of PEA and Lacca with the other in the subs.
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Seems a bit odd (re Eddie)?
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well Mills I suppose he needs to be a first choice starter and it seems Leeds have offered this, getting a few CC and EL games for us and the odd minute here and there in the BPL would not progress him as much as 40 – 50 games for Leeds
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its still being rumored that Zaha to Arsenal is possible, with Iwobi to Everton, not sure I see us buying Zaha even if we sell Iwobi
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Will be interesting to see how Eddie gets on up at Leeds Ed.They were pretty sore about not being promoted last year. As you say hes never really had a piece of long term action.
Got to admit though I wondered if we might be getting someone else in to replace him, now that Welbecks gone… ( probably not)?
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going to go off the net till after the window closes, hope when I log on again that we have tied up the Tierney and Luiz deals, and maybe brought in an out of the blue signing too, but I’d happily settle for just the two defenders in.
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Deadline Day signing by #AFC of David Luiz and others is analyzed by @ShardGooner. Please Read, RT Leave a Comment if possible.
https://uncensoredarsenal.com/index.php/significance-of-david-luiz-et-al-on-d-day/
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I’ll just sit here, wait and wash how David Luis instantly turn to calamity Luis once he starts wearing arsenal jersey. The only reason why anyone still regards this guy as a good defender is because he plays for Chelsea. Just wait as fa, PL and pundits begin to review his reckless tackles hitherto overlooked in his previous clubs and give retroactive sanctions. We just can’t afford the burden of two players who are one tackle away from expulsion or suspension.
Aman who says Luis is a better defender than kos? about goal threat, I’ll have to wait and see.
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As a Nigerian and a fan of iwobi, I’ll want him to leave for Everton because he will be more loved and appreciated there. But as arsenal fan, I want him to stay. He is the closest thing to mesut on the club and such skill set don’t come everyday. But what do I know?
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Layksite,
I never said Luiz was better than Kos.
I said he was more durable, more of a goal threat, better on the ball, and can play DM. I love Kos who gave his best years to the Arse but he himself knew it was time to move on. His refusal with the pre-season tour was probably not to jeopardize moving back to France by picking up a knock. After spending so much time in rehab no one was going to dictate his future for him and his family, so he acted out. Well played LK6. A legend regardless of what some might think.
Calamity or not David Luiz is a gunner. Supporting him starts now!
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Ffs, looks like Iwobi off to Everton, really hope they don’t live to regret that!
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Well, this is absolutely the new regime’s squad now. And I do reserve the right to annoy other Arsenal fans if Iwobi comes good at Everton.
As for us, the outcome may well turn out to the be the same this season, but at least the road will be different. Very excited to see Dani Ceballos in action, and hope people go easy on Pepe when they see he’s a bit rawer than they thought.
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Totally shocked by the sale of Alex Iwobi. WTFFFF!!!!
A great transfer window just got a lot less joyful. Guess 40m was too much to say no to even though the boy could be worth double that in year’s time. Guess it’s only a matter of time before Mustafi, Özil & Mkhi are moved out.
All the best to the new Arse of UE & Raoul. Egotistic pr****s!
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Everton gradually becoming my second club in the epl. Iwobi and Walcott in their rank and have bought well this time round unlike last season when they were just obsessed with making statement in the transfer market.
Kean is an interesting talent with his performance last season. Andre Gomez and delph are proven class, not forgetting sidibe. They will surely be in top six battle with us at the end of the season. I wouldn’t mind swapping their manager as well.
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Who takes over the #10 position from 30- year olds Özil & Mkhi in the next year and a half ? These twats just handed Everton 14 years of careful gooner investment ! Arsenal’s traditional loyalty and class just got pissed on by its new guardians.
F*** off, I’m livid!!!!!
Need to go chill for a bit.
My apologies, positivistas…😣😖🙁
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