Good morning all.
You might normally expect this to be the match preview, what with it being matchday and all. However, as I don’t know who we are playing, where and with which players, that’s not the case. Now, a fair question might be “Why don’t you know George, wtf is going on?” Let me try to explain where I am.
I don’t know these things because as things stand, I don’t care. I know we are playing in the Europa League, so it’s somewhere in Europe, it will be against a 3rd rate team and we will be putting out a 2nd string team to play them.
Still, this is nothing new, it happens most years in most qualifying groups, so why today do I have zero interest?
Well basically I am so disappointed in KSE, Arteta and the fan base that it’s drained my enthusiasm almost completely.
My mood hasn’t been lifted by the arrival of Arsene’s book and him popping up all over everywhere, full of class and insight, reminding me of what used to be.
Now we are stuck with KSE, who are prepared to do any scummy things to protect their bottom line. But hey, this also is not brand new, it has gotten worse though, since they acquired 100% of the club. There is no longer even a pretence to be custodians, it’s all in as a business venture.
Now we get to my big problem, namely Mikel Arteta. This is horrible for me personally, because as most people know, I was his biggest and earliest advocate. I wanted him as Arsene’s assistant while he was still playing. I wanted him to replace Arsene when the great man left and I was desperate for him to replace Emery. I was over the moon happy when he was appointed and really believed he was the best possible answer. How wrong was I?
It’s bad enough that he has the team so rigidly structured to defend that by half-time my eyes start to bleed, that he stands for 90+ minutes barking micro-instructions to every player as if he’s playing FIFA20 with real players, that there seems to be zero intention to play attractive football, but I’m being asked to see some sort of improvement. A plan even.
I’m being asked to accept that all will be well, that this depressingly mundane football is going to morph into a team that will entertain AND win stuff. Well I don’t see it and I can’t see it coming.
Now we get to the Ozil fiasco. We find ourselves in the crazy situation where our best player isn’t registered to play, and we are expected to believe it’s for “football reasons” ?!?!?!
Right, that leaves me to conclude that Arteta is lying and is a puppet for KSE, or he is an idiot and such a poor manager that he can’t coach the most talented player at the club. There is no other option.
Now I, and many more, are put in the situation that we follow a club that is acting without a shred of class, a manager that thinks he can talk any old bollocks and we will believe it while disrespecting a player that has been a joy to watch and given us so much.
It’s possible to want the team to succeed, the players that turn out, to do well AND be disgusted in the way that KSE and Arteta are behaving.
Is this what we want? Is this what we hoped for when Arteta came in? Is this the club you fell in love with? Well I can tell you now, it’s NO from me.
Anyway, I hope we win tonight and I might even watch the game.
See you all soon.
Pedantic George.
Positively Arsenal 
You old mate are a relic.
And I say that as a gooner since 1966.
Hanging on to whatever you can about about how it used to be and perhaps how you would like it to be has gripped you so tightly you are already sour in your observations.
What you could see is that Ozil used to be our best player. Treasure the memory of it but don’t let it cloud what is happening already with this manager and his crew of believers of his winning formula in how to perform as a unit.
Be excited even tonight when you can watch the wonderful crop of youngsters around the other hungry-for-first team spots all proudly wearing our colours as we grow Slowly perhaps into a winning club at all levels.
It’s going to happen PG. Spit out the bile and come enjoy the ride.
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As I follow politics football is an escape from reality. While I’m not stupid enough not to realize money brings corruption and was well aware football was losing its feel from the start at the PL I do try and forget everything once the game kicks off.
We know we have shit owners and the Ozil situation stinks but I still will support the players who are playing especially the youngsters who I love watching play.
Things do change in football all the time so keep your hair on and enjoy the good bits COYG.
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The first time I became aware of you, George, was following an argument you were having on twitter with a couple of Wenger Out merchants. It must have been seven years ago or so. They were jumping down your throat as you’d posited the idea that if a club moved far enough away from the reasons you began to support it in the first place then it was a natural progression to stop your support and move on to another team or another sport. They rather disingenuously took this to mean that you supported Arsene over the club and therefore were not a ‘proper fan’, whatever one of those is. I remember being taken with your ardent idealism, assuming you were probably still in the first flush of youth, such was the passion of your position.
It is sad to see that you have indeed reached the point you were imagining back then – but comforting that you have not compromised your values in any way. You are a better man than most, cantankerous old bugger that you are, notwithstanding.
I remain full of hope that as this season develops we will see a greater emphasis on creativity delivered at pace, an optimism adduced by a few of the team goals already scored, the emergence of Saka and the possibility of Partey becoming really quite something. With regard to the Ozil situation, as I commented at the end of the previous post, I suspect MA has been under great pressure, and not necessarily just from the Arsenal owners. One day we might know all, and until I do I shall choose not to judge any of the individuals involved in the Curious Case of Mesut the Magician.
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Well put. I could not have said it better.
I have no doubt that many, if not most fans, will swallow Arteta’s nonsense yesterday, provided, of course, they could understand what he was saying and will keep their mouths shut, as seems to be the case with so many regular contributors in this site, and move on.
I have a friend, who simply said to me yesterday that he su[pports Arteta and is happy that Ozil is gone. Why, because Ozil is not a team player. Really!!!!!!
I suppose if you repeat a lie often enough it becomes the truth.
I also hope we win tonight, but will not be watching, especially as I do not have BT, and will not be following whilst it is being played.
The trouble is, if we win, then that will be taken by many is evidence that Arteta is right and on the correct track.
I suspect that in truth it is the wrong message.
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I got shot down on a group where I suggested that Arteta was not being entirely truthful with the football reasons lark. Never mind, seems like a lot of robots running about efficiently is what premier league football is now about.
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Nah not for me.
Fook KSE, it all started with new money coming into the board.
The last true custodians of the club at board level have all gone
The last true custodians at managerial level left with Wenger and
The last true custodians at player level is leaving with Ozil.
Rinola and Kia rubbing their hands as new custodians, Kronkes waiting for profits from his leveraged buyout. New mercenary players getting payed more than ever but now more than ever we do not get value for money, and fans are now the worst glory hunters (honestly bad as or worse than the glory hunting man utd, liverpool fans back in the day) that will sell their souls to brag to their mates.
Yeah, I don’t really recognise this new arsenal and don’t really relate to the newer gen of fans esp aftv lot.
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JJ is of the opinion that anybody that doesn’t throw childish tantrums like himself as some sort of blind follower – he said just that in numerous times before. I also find it disingenuous that you claim you want Arsenal to win tonight, yet adds it would send some sort of wrong message? What message? That our team was better on the night. Be honest, at least with yourself like your buddy is, and say you want us to finish in the bottom half of the season.
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Is it arrogant of me to say that I knew this would happen.That once Arsene left we would descend to these levels?……modern game my ass.
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another inspiring half of football from Arsenal,
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A mistake by Bernd Leno gifts the ball to Taxiarchis Fountas who converts from five yards.
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Arsenal have handed a trial to Mitchel Bergkamp, son of club legend Dennis. 22-year-old Bergkamp is a free agent having left Dutch second tier side Almere City & has spent the week training at London Colney with Steve Bould’s U23s team. [@charles_watts, Goal] #afc
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latest Dundalk 1-1 Molde
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Leno the liability? It keeps happening….
Pepe, not yet my cup of tea….
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Aubameyang and Bellerin on Nketiah and Cedric off
Arsenal not had a shot in the last 30 minutes of play
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Thank you labo for your kind words.
If one has nothing to say then why say anything?
I assume that you have been a supporter longer than I have, so have also the very high points and the very low points.
The younger fans have only known the Wenger days, so find it difficult to cope with not winning and not playing with style.
The older ones also enjoyed the winning and the style, but what disappoints us is the moral stance taken in the last 2 years, the way that the standard of conduct in the club, not the players, has deteriorated so that the high ground that the club occupied in respect of its conduct has now been given up, for something less palatable.
Yes, I am critical, and comment when I feel that I see something wrong, but I do not insult or make personal comments against people who might say things that I disagree with.
Yes, please disagree with me and tell me that you do, and that is fine because that is what honest and proper debate is all about.
I do not wish the team ill, so hope they will win.
However, winning tonight’s game, or any game will not change the atmosphere or the standard of conduct that I have grown to like and respect.
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latest Dundalk 1-2 Molde
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David Luiz heads hope a Pepe freekick to make it 1-1
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Leno the liability? The case continues to build….
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Aubameyang taps home a Bellerin pass to make it 2-1
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Tierney on for Saka
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willock on for Lacazette
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FT: Dundalk 1-2 Molde
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4 minutes of stoppage time to be played, Nelson has come on
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Full Time : Rapid 1-2 Arsenal
David Luiz and Aubameyang with our goals in a comeback win, not a very inspiring performance
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Ofcos JJ. Choosing the backhanded way is more your way.
I’ve never been that way to anybody on here, always try keeping things respectful. You’ve used that backhanded tact to call me blinkered on here before, because of nothing more than a reliance to throw childish fits. Apparently thats the new “passionate” positive support.
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afcstuff
@afcstuff
·
21m
Arsenal’s next six fixtures:
Leicester H
Dundalk H
Manchester United A
Molde H
Aston Villa H
Leeds A
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Bellerin has 4 assists this season in 7 games.
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We got there in the end, that’s what mattered in that game.
Lots of talk recently about values amongst other things. Are these wengers values, or the clubs values? Of course they are two very different things. I have only supported the club since 1978, but my family much longer.
There have been many value sets at this club just in my lifetime, or just before. Values change in football
One of our greatest managers, bought us great success, Loved by many, but was a very naughty boy, though some would say he was just doing what all managers did in his time, and in true Arsenal style, he was the only manager really punished for bungs, can think of a big name or two who allegedly got away with similar Scot free, and Nott going to name the others on my mind, that sort of thing Leeds to the wrong man.
One of our greatest ever captains, brilliant, but flawed, he at least did something that could have easily killed innocent people. But he reformed, he helped others, now we know he had an illness. His greatness will last.
The revered early 70s double winners, a couple very naughty boys in that team. One became a criminal.
But most of us fans, or the ones that came before us loved them all.
But if you are hanging onto Wenger as a standard for values, you will only be disappointed in others. He was and is a one off, and from his latest interviews, he ain’t coming back. Seems the board, and I suspect CEO betrayed him. But so many years, great players,so many trophies, and a big fat payoff, what manager would argue at that at the start of their career? Everything comes to an end eventually.
As for Ozil, I miss him, one of the best players I have ever seen. I have had my theories as to what went on, but none add up. If it were a Kroenke money obsession, surely they would play such an expensive investment. If it were upsetting the Chinese , why did he play so many games after tweeting support of the Uighurs. Did something happen in lockdown? Has he pissed off Arteta? Does Arteta just want to give others a chance? The fact is, none of us have a clue .
Arteta himself, the football is not great for now, but a man schooled by Wenger, pep and la Masia, I am pretty sure something more expansive awaits in time. Ok, there was Moyes, but we can ignore that for the purposes of this post. But Arteta inherited a mess, a complete mess, and ended the season with shiny things not all in north London possess. What Arteta did was remarkable by any standards. Not sure he would have beaten those teams on the way going gung ho with the players he has either. I am sticking with him, a man who has got the better of Klopp three times out of the last four has something. not suggesting what anyone else does or doesn’t do, but backing him is what I am going to do.
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George, I want to thank you for your honesty. It takes a lot of energy to unpack one’s emotions and analyze them in this way, so I appreciate the effort as well.
Many things have happened at the club over the past five years, to say nothing of developments in society. For me, they have all combined to produce greater emotional distance between me and the club. This may be healthy.
In the few minutes and with the minimal energy I have to explore the dynamics, I would say that Arteta’s communication style is a contributor. It is very cold and corporate. I think he is insightful, particularly about leadership, but everything he says is guarded and clinical. It is hard to connect with on an emotional level. On an intellectual level, the corporate style points to the reprehensibility of the corporation that employs him.
So, lacking either a personable communicator or a humane organization, Arsenal is struggling to live out the values that attracted so many of us in the first place.
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Spot on Mandy and you only have to listen to Wenger doing the circuit to promote his book to realise that he was/is a one off. Equally we can only guess at what went on prior to his departure.
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Sounded a bit of a struggle but got there in the end. The mistake that led to their goal a useful reminder not to be too clever by half. Be interesting to see Xhaka, Partey and Ceballos play together and i guess that may happen on Sunday. I wonder if Mesut is struggling with some kind of clinical depression and that is perhaps why we are not hearing the whole story.
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Thank you for that Mandy. I agree from start to end.
The Özil situation stinks and as 900ft says, Mikel’s cold communication style ain’t helping. Still, I’m not going to let to stop me from not wanting him to succeed this season in his quest to get us into top-four, even if some have already written him off, nor will it stop me from wanting our players to do well.
Arsène Wenger is gone and the best thing to do, for me at least, is to move one.
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** I’m not going to let that stop me from wanting him to succeed this season in his quest to get us into top-four…
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Tim, I have had that thought about Mesut as well, some kind of condition that for privacy reasons they can’t discuss.
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Very true Brady, we don’t know what happened with Wenger either, though he did say he was keeping quiet “ I prefer to be private about that because it wouldn’t be too nice for the club. I want to keep what was good”
900ft, agree, Artetas communication can come across as a little stilted at times, but he has learned from one of the masters at City.
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Thank you Labo
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Arteta on Ozil tweeting during the game:
“This is great! This is what I want from all the players that aren’t in our squad. I didn’t expect anything different to that, so it’s good to hear.”
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It was hard work, but we kicked off our Europa League campaign with a win against Rapid Vienna on Thursday night.
Mikel Arteta faced the media after the game and discussed the match, playing out from the back, Thomas Partey and Mesut Ozil.
This is what he said:
on whether we were lucky to win…
We knew it would be a difficult match and we made it a little bit harder with a few of the decisions we made and the goal we conceded, which if anything is my fault because I demand those things. But I really liked the reaction, in the second half we understood much better the spaces that we have to attack, we played with more purpose and we generated much more, even though we conceded a late chance with another misunderstanding at the back. But in general I think e scored two good goals, the second one was fantastic and I am delighted to start with a victory.
on persisting with playing out from the back even under pressure…
Yes, and it is part of our game. We need where we can do it and when we should kick the ball to the stand, which is a big part of what we are trying to do, but to recognise that from the outside is much easier than from the inside. He (Leno) has the courage to do that, we have been very successful at doing it as well with the amount of goals we have scored even in important games, so we have to find the right balance but I will keep encouraging them to do it in the right moments.
on whether errors like the first goal are just the risk of playing in this way…
Yes, absolutely but they will understand better and better the type of balls that we have to play in those areas and in relation to where the pressure is coming, and the distances that you can manage from the opponent. After that everything will be better, but obviously in a split second you have to make a decision, you have to get the right touch, the right pass and as well the opponent is waiting for that so again it is something we have to keep working on because if we want to play in the way that I want to, it is necessary that we keep doing nit in our build up play.
on Thomas Partey looking so good in midfield…
Yes, to be fair he looked really solid and really comfortable. I think he held the midfield by himself in the second half when we were a little more open and started to take more chances and attacking certain spaces with some players. But I think he was fantastic tonight and there is much more to come from him.
on whether there’s a challenge to keep expectations under control for Thomas…
Yes, of course. But he needs his teammates around him. It’s not about him. We know that with the price that we paid for him and the profile of the player that he is, that he’s going to have a lot of people looking at him every single game. But this is about the structure we have as a team and the flow, the unity and the cohesion that we need in our team and he is one piece of that and hopefully he’s a big piece.
on Mesut Ozil’s tweets during the game…
This is great! This is what I want from all the players that aren’t in our squad. I didn’t expect anything different to that, so it’s good to hear.
on whether he finds it frustrating that there is so much talk about Mesut…
No. I think it’s part of the situation that we have. When we have big players in this position, it’s normal that people want to know and fans want that information and you have to ask the questions. So I take it in a natural way, I try to respond with honesty and clarity and give the information that is available from the inside.
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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Just because Arteta isn’t Arsene, doesn’t mean he can be excused any level of shithousery.
I always find if someone acts like a twat, it’s generally because they are , well, a bit of a twat.
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There is a lot of praise for Partey tonight. Seems reasonable , he did look very good.
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Trouble is, many, perhaps even most managers indulge in shithousery. We were spoiled with one who didn’t, but he isn’t the norm. Should we expect the same from a manager making his way in this league?
The recent winners of the league, Klopp, Pep, Ranieri, Jose, Fergie even Mancini have either indulged In shithousery or have been indulged by others helping them.
One of the greatest feats of Wenger, Fergie, considered by many the greatest Ever manager, was reduced to recruiting the head of the league, Scudamore ,his minion, Riley and the media that went with it, to stop Wenger, even while our manager was held back by the consequences of the new stadium. Wenger never resorted to shithousery in retaliation. In recent interviews, fergies respect for Wenger is palpable.
Wenger shunned shithousery he was and is unique, and may never come again.
Expecting a new manager to match wengers values is not realistic, if he, or she even tried, they wouldn’t last 6 months. Arteta is streetwise. He needs to be, it will serve him well, especially at this club. He will be aware of what he is up against
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Labo, thank you for your comments. It is a shame that I have no idea what you are talking about.
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Mandy, I find it impossible to swallow what Arteta has done to Mesut, without it choking me.
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Originally posted on October 22, 2020 at 5:56pm..(don’t really get this WordPress stuff🤷♂️)
They say the Universe works in mysterious ways PG…
2018: After extending Mesut at a premium, bringing in Laca, Auba, Granit, and Mikhi., a departing AW said to gooners, “Take care of the soul of the club”, and mutes it. The dark clouds move in.
2020: MA his preferred heir is manager, AW is everywhere, pushing his book, spreading his class, wisdom, and good vibes..while…
Mesut, still on premium wages, is axed from the official squad lists till definitely January. Auba has extended. Laca & Granit are still here. Partey’s a gunner, with Saka, Pepe, Eddie, Joe, Reiss and Emile on tap. Mesut still trains with the team.😉
Like you, the dark clouds returned once the PL25 was announced and its not been helped by the happenings here in Lagos. MA deeply disappointed me…but so did Cesc. So did RvP…as did the exit of our meerkat. 😢
But as the saying goes, “as long as there’s life, there’s hope”. You never know what fate’s got in store for this assembly of positive energies.
Keep the faith…and lets continue with the tale… of the magical red & whites”.
+
At least, we won .
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If Mezut put on ten stone, ran on to the pitch with a massive beer belly and was the laziest player in world football he would still offer something to this squad.
Actually I used to play with a very obese mate who struggled to get his shorts on and could do no running but give him the ball in the area and he would score for fun and if you stuck him in midfield he would spray the ball around like Pirlo but wouldn’t move out the centre circle.
We have seen this before GG was one for freezing flair players out but not on such sudden basis that’s why I’m sure this time it’s political
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D’Oliveira was omitted from the England team for part of 1968 amid a slump in his batting form, but he marked his return in late August with a score of 158 runs in England’s final Test match of the year, against Australia at The Oval. Days later, the MCC selectors omitted D’Oliveira from the team to tour South Africa; they insisted that this was based entirely on cricketing merit, but many in Britain voiced apprehension and there was a public outcry. After Tom Cartwright’s withdrawal because of injury on 16 September, the MCC chose D’Oliveira as a replacement, prompting accusations from Vorster and other South African politicians that the selection was politically motivated. Attempts to find a compromise followed, but these led nowhere. The MCC announced the tour’s cancellation on 24 September.
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And what a good player Basil was.
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For the sake of those of our colleagues who think I am only critical, looking positively, we won and increased our shots on target by a massive 33.33% from 3 to 4.
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FH:
The D’Oliveira family will always be grateful to England for giving him the career the South African government of the time wanted to rob him of. They still robbed it from many others though.
Days got better, but integration is still slow and the entire Cricket SA board being asked to stepped down this afternoon because of boardroom politics, opportunism and giving jobs to pals.
That said, England will visit during our summer and hopefully we put up a better fight when they visited our shores last time.
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Watagwaan!
I feel George and jjgsol.
I supported Arsene to the end, starting with back at ACLF. That being said, I cannot speak for anyone else, but my disdain for what I am seeing has nothing at all to do with Arsene. I too have moved on from Arsene but I am simply not a fan of what is going on right now. If I do not have an issue with Arteta, I would have to apologize for how I felt about Emery. At this stage in the game I don’t see much difference; the play, the pressers and the treatment of Ozil. Is he taking bullets for the Club? maybe, however he said it is all on, so he must shoulder some of the blame. Lets remember that it was the same exact thing being said, that Emery was taking bullets for the club until the team was so awful that he had to play the young man.
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