Twitter, blogs, podcasts and “click bait” presenters have changed the face of football support. The more extreme your opinions are, the more aggressive your delivery is, the more successful you will be if your goal is to profit from your supposed support of a football team. Being heard is more important than being informed to many of the new-age fans.
AFTV is both the most unpopular example of this and also the most successful. It doesn’t mater how repulsive the “stars” are, how ridiculous their opinions are, how much damage they do to the club, it’s reputation and standing, as long as enough people subscribe to and follow them, it’s job done. We saw Hector Bellerin point out that it was wrong, for so called fans, to profit from negativity, and what happened? They faked a recording of him slagging off the club, attacked him remorselessly and attempted to turn the fans against him. Their ploy was exposed, but did it matter? No it did not, more people listened , followed and subscribed. Again, job done.
You might think we would have learned, but no, hell no! We then saw the most moronic of them set up their own Youtube channels , some even broadcasting live from the front seat of their cars, they then get a huge following and make even more profit.
As if that isn’t bad enough, but we regularly see TalkSport radio, the biggest sports radio station in the world, going to these most uninformed and objectionable profiteers, for their opinion on matters they are hugely unqualified to give, it’s a joke.
Think about every “famous” blogger, podcaster and Youtuber ,then think of why they became well known. Almost every one of them are negative extremists. Are they known for their understanding of Arsenal, it’s business model, the players or the tactics? No, they are known for their attacks on almost all things Arsenal. Some are just outright rude and aggressive while others hide behind humour and snide analysis, but all have one common thread, they prey on negative feelings.
The question is, are these people driven by popular opinion, or do they drive popular opinion towards a place where they become the stars of the prevailing opinion? Let us not forget that popular opinion had us improving if we could just get rid of Arsene Wenger, it had Emery doing a great job and Raul was “the Don” ! Make no mistake, these people are looking for ways to attract attention and make a profit, the profit might be in direct £ or a surge in their own profile, but looking they are.
Recently, while having a discussion abut Mesut Ozil, I used names like Arteta, Wenger, Pep and Jose, to back up my opinion, the rebuttal expert witness they drew upon to counter me was “Clive from Arsenal Vision” , the justification for using this colossus of football knowledge was that because people paid to listen to him, he must have a valid opinion. This is where we are.
Currently , most people are behind Arteta, but make no mistake, as soon as some of these “fans” see a profit in turning against him, they will. The problem is that those of us that are still on board will give them the oxygen they desire by highlighting their negativity on social media. We have seen the backlash against AFTV and they have recognised the problem by pretending to be positive. But it won’t last because all the profit is in negativity.
Positively Arsenal 
Tried to like but WordPress likes my likes even less than it does my longer posts.
Anyway, one like.
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If you’re missing football fix and have BT, St Ettiene on at 2, so chance to see Saliba if he’s fit.
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posted this on the last thread before seeing this new one up so here goes again
Announcement Imminent : Arsenal Defender Olowu Impresses In First Game For Loan Club Cork City
Published: February 09, 2020
Announcement Imminent : Arsenal Defender Olowu Impresses In First Game For Loan Club Cork City
A day after his arrival in the Republic of Ireland, Nigerian-born defender Joseph Olowu made his unofficial debut as Cork City registered a 2-0 win against Longford Town in a pre-season friendly at Bishopstown Training Ground on Saturday afternoon.
The Arsenal starlet gave a good account of himself in the friendly, helping goalkeeper Liam Bossin to keep a clean sheet.
Listed as a trialist, allnigeriasoccer.com can confirm with certainty that the Nigerian youngster was the only Cork City starter not identified on the team sheet vs Longford Town.
It is understood that Cork City have not yet made an official announcement on his signing due to an administrative issue.
Ahead of his unveiling, the 20-year-old center back has already signed a loan contract, posed for official photographs for his new club and allocated a provisional squad number of 23.
Joseph Olowu was spotted by an Arsenal scout whilst undergoing trial with Charlton Athletic at the age of thirteen.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel
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You may well have quoted Wenger, Arteta, Pep and Jose but I think you will find that the average fan has had enough of experts these days. Or something. In many ways I am as guilty when it comes to Talksport, which I do listen to quite a lot when I’m driving. Although I either turn it off or disregard when they talk about Arsenal, I do listen fairly uncritically when its about other teams. And I am the same if its the Sky pundits, who do influence the way I see other sides and players. The big issue for me is that the level of football journalism in the UK is set so low. Maybe all journalism.
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Just seen some of the comments from fins and Eduardo on a previous post giving their views on Arteta and suggesting how well he is doing. I agree. To my eyes he has made a huge difference already, and I feel confident that the results will improve.
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Fair comment. These idiots have done their best to turn Arsenal into a laughing stock. They go to the away games to give them some ‘credibility’ then shout moan and slag off whoever they can to get views and subs. Every gooner I know thinks they’re scum.
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Watched 90 of Saliba today. He could be special. (You’d hope so for 30 mill for 18 year old, loaned out for a year)
Today, and in other bits I’ve seen, seems to have excellent judgement and timing of when to make tackle or put foot in, normally while staying on his feet. Concentration looks very good.
Not sure on speed. He’s not slow, but he’s not super quick. Aside from Per, though, I’ve not really watched an Arsenal defender over 6 “2” for years, so maybe just not used to movements of bigger centre backs.
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From what I have seen reported, and been told, AFTV are getting some serious grief from other fans. Good. As long as it stops short of violence and intimidation, and racism Robbie, they deserve all the grief they are getting, using and at times, creating negativity to enhance their own stupid profiles and earn cash. Some of them are complete attention seekers.
But it seems many, hopefully a critical mass are sick of them at the moment
However, think the club are in a difficult situation. There is the impression the board and especially owner need a rocket up their collective arses to do anything drastic.
Some of the aggressive fans believe Wenger was kept on for too long, not an opinion held on here of course, but those people, and probably most of the rest of us believe Emery was kept on for too long.
The aggressive fans seem to genuinely believe their actions, boycotts, hiring banners etc forced the board to act and get rid of both Wenger and Emery. Emery said in a recent interview the fans had him thrown out. That does not help.
The perception, the fans can do the job of the board and get rid of an under performing manager. Maybe they can. Perhaps they should try the same with underperforming execs , can think of one good place to start.
Yes, the club has a problem.
Let’s just hope Arteta can do a good job, at least in the context of the hand he is dealt, and unite the fans , especially those in the stadium.
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What a blog! Bravo George. To repeat a quote from my blog earlier today, which coincidentally is about the same issue, “stupidity is incurable.”
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Seems Emery is chirping away from the sidelines these days. That’s his choice, free speech and all.
But Perhaps he would be advised to keep quiet and not incriminate himself further?
If recent reports are to be believed, he is partly blaming the loss of all those captains last summer for the accelerating decline. Wasn’t he responsible for at least a couple….Ramsey for starters, maybe Nacho? And maybe more of them going….and if he wasn’t directly responsible, he seemed very passive to orders from above
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That makes at least three interviews in which he has claimed no responsibility, not even something as bland as “I wasn’t able to get my ideas across.”
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Very true 900ft, I find his remarks quite incredible really, again assuming they are accurately reported.
He was there for , what, 18 months, yet refuses to take responsibility for anything that went wrong, ultimately drastically wrong.
I don’t doubt he faced hurdles, seems he was parachuted in last minute during the interview process at the behest of our head of football, and an agent, perhaps some of the players knew this and resented it, the resentment magnified when he started chucking key players under a bus, including a popular skipper, and seemingly exonerating himself from it all.
Another thing that really surprises me, seems the club did not put in a gagging order as part of his payoff, one can debate the rights and wrongs of such things, but seems a bit amateurish of the club, unless it suits some for Emery to effectively throw himself under a bus, with the execs taking far too long to remove him.
Doubt if the elite clubs will be contacting Emery anytime soon. A shame for him, he was doing ok until his last couple of clubs, suspect he is one of those who knows what he likes and likes what he knows, and Arsenal didn’t fit that bill
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Unless of course Emery is just trying to protect his rep , with a few players recently less than complimentary about him , his communication abilities and his methods
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I guess it’s transparency, of a sort. Apparently Utd and Liverpool met with candidates to replace Scudamore. Bonkers.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-7988919/Premier-League-rivals-furious-Liverpool-Man-United-allowed-vet-league-CEO-candidates.html
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Quite incredible Rich, taking at face value, just adds to the perception of many that the North West giants have enhanced clout amongst the governing bodies, as well as the refs, unless they are one of the same of course
surprised Leicester not consulted as well!
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“But it won’t last because all the profit is in negativity.”
Well put George and I think this is wider problem than football that is affecting the whole of society.
Facebook, Twitter, Youtube etc have algorithms that present content that they think that you will react to. Reaction to negative, controversial, sensationalist content is quicker than positive, constructive non-controversial content. These algorithms are stirring the pot constantly and the result is the reactions we see of people consuming this content.
If you are not fully informed around an issue (Arsenal) and there is sensationalist reporting on the issue (Arsenal Truth, AFTV, Online Gonner, Le-grove etc) then the discussions made based on the sensationalist reporting will not be rational(Arsenal only had 40 million to spend in summer according to……., Get rid of Wenger and all will be better, Sell Ozil and the team will improve, spend 200mill and we become Barca…Man City, Chelsea, Man utd spending short of nearly 3 billion during Wenger’s reign had no influence…etc)
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To be fair Unai is still not clear about anything he is saying in his interviews, you just have to interpret best you can. I think of many managers whose English didn’t improve a little in their time here but he seemed to get worse. Maybe it was a barrier so he couldn’t be properly questioned.
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Sorry that should read I can’t think of many managers
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Mandy
Saw just now that Neil Ashton has left the Sun/Sky Sports to become Woodward’s PR man at Utd. Always felt Newscorp/Sky likely to be prominent in that dirty Premier League/Pgmol/ Utd mix.
Equivalent of some BBC political head getting a job with Conservatives I suppose.
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That’s a true marriage made in heaven Rich
I expect no expense or shame spared from many in the governing bodies, media and PGMOL to ensure Utd can very soon compete with Liverpool , something those running the game may have wanted for some time.
Of course the othermoneyed North Westerners , moneyed West Londoners, and moneyed and plucky midlanders will be given the odd scrap to make it look like a level playing field. As might a tyrant owned North East club one day. But suspect the next few years are all about Utd vs Liverpool
As for Arsenal, to compete with this, not especially moneyed, Certainly not establishment favoured, they will have to be incredibly good, peak Wenger levels of good, perhaps even better than that now, that’s possibly once in a lifetime good.
Suspect Stan , or his advisers are very well aware of this and have been since 2008 at least, and perhaps runs the club accordingly
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Jon Moss truly is a disgrace to his federation.
https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/18228176.he-disgrace—dan-gosling-says-referee-jonathan-moss-showed-afc-bournemouth-zero-respect-bramall-lane/?ref=twtrec
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Anyone watch that Sheff Utd Bournemouth game then? Moss misbehaving? Was thinking this week if Sheff Utd are within touching distance of 4th going into final stretch I’d expect refs to give them a bit of help, Leicester fairytale style. Maybe that’s already begun.
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Bit of a long read but great article, on how the greed and self-interest from mega-rich clubs are destroying the football eco-system.
How modern football became broken beyond repair | https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/champions-league-superclubs-liverpool-man-utd-barcelona-real-madrid-a9330431.html
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Saw at least 2 of our u18’s off injured last night, last of which resulted in us playing with ten men soon after half time. No idea on this occasion if from kicks but seem to have incredible amount of players go off injured in games at that level.
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The PIGMOB wannabes all try and prove they’re up to promotion to the great leader.
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Watched Derby u19 in youth champ league other day and was interesting in many ways.
They thumped us 5-2 in final to qualify for it and were horrible bunch at u23 level last year. Strong physically, very aggressive, some decent players, plenty of dirt.
Instantly noticeable they wanted to leave stuff on opponents all the time, while opponents, Dort, reminded me of us in that if can’t win it or ball gone, no contact made.
Ref was good in thwarting them early on, penalising when he should, and their behaviour changed fairly quickly. They adapted and cut down on barging, grabbing, kicking when ball not there or released.
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Still thundered into any winnable challenges though, and was successful on day in giving them edge. They had a kid, Sibley, who I think was guy who put in nasty deliberate elbow to head of one of ours last year, who had complete understanding of situations where you can get ball and clatter heavily into opponent. Think Barton on Diaby. Did that about 5 times in game
He combined that with every element of dirt you can think of, including hooking players arm in box and dragging him down to try win a pen, getting in someone’s face then falling over after lightest of touches, haranguing ref at every opportunity.
Add that with fact he actually has good ability think he’s a near shoe-in for top flight in future and could be clattering our players for many years.
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Wonder where he’ll end up? Chelsea maybe
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Anyway, all that to say game gave serious insight into the challenge we face and the stark difference between how we bring players up vs almost all rest of England. On this day, even a ref willing to give the sort of fouls pgmol typically let go against us wasn’t enough and Derby judged it well to save a lot of heavy and a few wild fouls for last twenty or so, with lead to protect and yellows not mattering much.
Also brought sharply into focus that though rules are there to allow bookings for dangerous challenges when ball won first before heavy contact, our refs will rarely enforce them and almost never where we are concerned. We raise players unlikely to commit those challenges anyway, while other clubs seem to excel at producing them to extent it looks like youngsters have been working on them for many years by time they are 17/18.
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markyb
Who knows. Reckon almost any Brit manager would be purring at his skill for smashing people though. Hypocrisy of it is the killer though in that while he does that he’s also absolutely type to try win cheap free kick given half a chance. The two normally go together.
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Eurgh, I know only sensible thing to do is hope for best and ignore rumours, but talk of Saka’s contract situation gets to me nonetheless.
Refuse to believe we could be daft enough not to work hard on it all along (otherwise, decision-makers are truly fools), and there’s greater likelihood we’ve done just that and suggestion otherwise is mischief or, worse, Saka’s agent/s lying.
Anyway, just bloody hope he signs on. Chelsea were taken to wire, and cleaners, on Hudson-Odoi and everything suggests it’s getting harder and harder to tie best young players down, regardless of opportunities given.
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Cork City FC
@CorkCityFC
· 2h
BREAKING NEWS!
👀
We are delighted to confirm the signing of Joseph Olowu, on loan from @Arsenal!
Full story: https://corkcityfc.ie/home/2020/02/13/joseph-olowu-signs-on-loan-from-arsenal/
#CCFC84 #ACityRising
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https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/man-city-ban-champions-league-fine-uefa-financial-fair-play-rules-a9336866.html
City banned from the ECL for 2 seasons!
However, will have to wait and see what their lawyers say about that
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Can’t see the city thing sticking which is a shame because it would obviously put us slot nearer.
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Mikel Arteta is back in England – and back in front of the media.
Our head coach discussed our recent training camp in Dubai, as well as updates on Pablo Mari, Cedric, Bukayo Saka and more at his press conference ahead of the Newcastle game.
Read on for a full transcript:
on what we were working on in Dubai…
It was like a mini pre-season for us in Dubai, we had time to work on a lot of our principles: how we want to set up against different formations, the relevant things we need to work on [both] on and off the ball and apart from that it was great to be together and spend some time together, get to know each other, not just the players but the staff and the backroom staff as well. It was a very productive trip.
on maintaining the players’ morale…
We take it game by game. The input, the work ethic and the commitment they have been having through training and games has been really good. They know how crucial it is going to be in the next three to four weeks and until the end of the season. They are very aware of that and have a really good mindset towards that, they are highly motivated.
on Pablo Mari’s fitness…
Pablo has not competed since the end of December I think, he had a little issue, but he has been training with us the last week or so, in and out a little bit, but he has been looking good. I think this game will come a little bit too early for him but I expect him to start joining the squad in the next week or so.
on Cedric…
He is very disappointed because when you join a new club you want to make an impression straight away. He had an issue in his knee, it is not completely healed yet and he hasn’t been training with us so I expect him to be back in the next couple of weeks but I can’t give you a date.
on Kieran Tierney…
He is doing very good progress but we need to wait for the bone and the attachment to the tendon to heal before he can make any contact. He has been training, his work ethic is incredible, I have been really impressed with him so hopefully we can get him back soon but we need to be a little bit patient with him.
on whether we achieved he wanted during the winter break…
I wanted to give them a few days rest because they went through a lot of things in the last few months. After that, we reflected on what we did together in the last five or six weeks since I joined, the things we improved and are very positive and we have to maintain, and also the things we need to improve and develop. We worked really well, we agreed and set some targets and we have started to work on them and hopefully we can see the outcome in the next few weeks.
on planning for the summer and if he’s started to plan already…
Absolutely. We have to plan and we need to know the direction we want to head and with that we need to bear in mind different scenarios and with that in mind, I have to tell the club what we need, where we think we can improve and where we want to end. And if we all end with the same thing, we put a plan together to try and execute it and make the process as short as possible.
on the coronavirus outbreak and what precautions are being taken…
We have great doctors here and people who are looking after our health. They’ve been putting a plan together to try and keep everybody in safe hands and we have some protocols that we have to respect within the training ground. But as far as I know, everything is under control but we have to be very aware.
on Bukayo Saka and whether we’re trying to sign him to a new contract…
I am really happy with how they [young players] are developing. Part of that developing is to improve the contract and to tie them to the club. But that has to follow a natural process. We have Edu, we have Raul, Vinai and Huss who are in charge of that and I am sure we will do the right thing when players deserve to improve and extend their contracts.
on whether scoring goals or not conceding goals is more important to him…
It’s winning. Obviously, that game for the crowd [the 7-3 against Newcastle] is great but for the manager it’s not great because balance-wise we suffered. But I love scoring goals for sure. I love attacking football, but I like attacking football where you control what the opponent does to you in your own box.
on whether he’s had to sacrifice attacking flair for defensive solidity…
I don’t think so. I think we have to generate some defensive stability, but not by defending deep. I don’t like that. It’s by defending high and pressing the opponent as much as possible. But the process – together as many times as possible in the most efficient way – has to be done properly from here. If not in two passes when you arrive there, that transition is impossible to control because you are too far from the opponent. So we need to do that well first to after be able to generate and sustain our attacks as many times as possible during the games.
on whether he or the players have noticed Unai Emery’s comments about them…
Towards our players? I haven’t read anything.
Copyright 2020 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to http://www.arsenal.com as the source.
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Seriously doubt ban will be enforced (things that good just don’t come to pass often!)
Funny coincidence it was in week that detailed excellent article (link above from labo) on money’s distorting effects in football released though.
That article basically goes over the issues most of us spent years talking about as crucial to a fair, correct way to judge football performance and of course Arsenal and Arsene specifically.
Alas, we lost utterly in terms of the argument as played out in the media and in the minds of most of the noisiest fans. Nice to see it recognised accurately or even discussed properly in media, even if there’s something bittersweet about it being so late in the day.
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Has the feel of a last stand to it for me, the UEFA ruling.
If city defeat it, as I expect they will, and get some fine and suspended sentence, having broken the rules in just about the most outrageous manner possible, after they had been done once, let off lightly, warned this would happen if did it again…hard to see that won’t be game over for the whole thing.
I’m surprised their initial line, or at least one flashing on sky sport screen, is so weak, mind : ‘.Simply put, this is a case initiated by UEFA, prosecuted by UEFA and judged by UEFA.’
And?! Who else is meant to do any of those things? A drunk chucked from a nightclub for breaking rules could probably do better than that.
‘Ow Officer, this was a case nitiated by those big bastards over there, proscuted by them, and judged by them! Make them let me back in!’
‘Look, fuck off before we arrest you’
But they no doubt will
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Think you are right Rich.
But if it does stick, it will make the English authorities look the most lame bunch going, for tolerating this, and encouraging/tolerating many other things, bent/biased refereeing to start with.
Still, an organisation that felt the need to give two clubs a veto over their next CEO isn’t exactly fair or transparent
Although City themselves might not be high in the FA and EPLs plans for Utd Liverpool domination
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biggest laugh is that the media is just echoing citys line that UEFA investigating a breach of UEFA rules is wrong. Odd that they don’t say its wrong for the FA or EPL to investigate a breech of FA or EPL rules. Of course the governing body should investigate a breech of their rules, why should it be any other way
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Ed. (1.02 pm) My main thought as well. Hackett parroted City’s line on it almost verbatim this morning, as though it contained powerful self-evident truth. Pretty sure he was better than Riley but his tweets still often leave me thinking ‘yikes, this guy was in charge of the show’.
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Why do they even bother to use VAR to check anything that could favour Liverpool , always the same result, tho possibly correct this time
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Plays a bit on biggest fear with PGMOL VAR that winner this evening. Them having this extra scope to do us on a goal at that threshold, while pretty much never giving them against rivals.
That said, by tiniest of margins, thought probably right to stand. It was borderline and if any way one like that to be overturned, should be via monitor. I thought it a smidgeon or two less of a foul than that one by Aguero vs us in Carling Cup final.
But anyway, the fear is we are gaining nothing bar certain types of offsides (not getting anything like full benefit of that because they have ability to raise flag on close ones, as did the other day) but lose as they have this chance to search through goals for stuff anywhere around that threshold with us.
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Don’t think coincidence it was Mane. As well as being superb footballer, the guy is a master of foul play- nasty stuff, dives, nudges, the lot. Sharp brain as well. Pretty sure he aimed deliberately at hand for that CL final pen vs Spurs, though that ones pretty easy to forgive.
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What do you lot actually make of Pool’s style by the way? They have bags of skill, ingenuity, creativity in the front three, but elsewhere it all seems a bit mechanical to me.
I know how ridiculous it sound given the form, how devastating they can be, etc, but it’s like there’s something missing. Je ne said quoi? Spontaneity?
It irks me how risk averse they are in many areas, which I guess means overall. Feels like their play could be result of the best number crunching football has yet known, though of course instrumental in that is having near perfect physical attributes to carry it out, and that front three who together tend to have too much for defences even in close contests.
Bah. There’s a hell of a chance they’ll take the record.
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anyone able to recommend a liquid drain clearer, suitable for use at the manhole, as there is about a foot of water in the manhole, I used a 15M drainsnake but it did not unblock it so I need something that will work its way down the pipe to where ever its blocked
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Can’t sorry, Ed. Not a clue.
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New post is up
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