By Tony Attwood
Has Stewart Robson been sacked by Arsenal TV?
I ask because a reader of untold recently said this, and I had heard it elsewhere. He turned up doing his commentaries on ESPN during the Far East tour, and a rather eccentric web site (if I might use that phrase) Arsenal Truth ran the story that he had gone, following its usual approach of blaming Wenger.
But as you may know, I do like to find something a little more concrete, and tracing the story back to Talk Sprot didn’t really give me that. Talk Sprot is a user of Mr Robson’s unique commentary style, so presumably they do have a direct line to him, but even so, since most of what they say seems to be wrong (especially their transfer rumours) I am not convinced.
I turned therefore to Wikipedia, which occasionally can be quite helpful, but there too I hit a brick wall. The entry for Mr Robson includes:
“In 2003 he spent a short spell as first-team coach at Southend United, and in 2004 he joined Rushden & Diamonds as assistant manager. He is now the Diamonds’ technical director.“
The problem is that the Diamonds (a club dear to my heart as when Arsenal were playing away I would go and watch them make their way up through the leagues to the third tier, and then sadly down again) were bankrupted in 2011, and so that entry is clearly at least one year out of date.
[Can I pause just to introduce you, in case you are not familiar with it, to the insane world of football in England beyond the Football League. In Northamptonshire we have Kettering Town, who now play at the Diamonds old ground in Irthlingborough. We have AFC Rushden and Diamonds who play at Wellingborough’s ground. No one plays at Kettering’s ground in Kettering. Corby Town play in Corby, just next to the Rangers – ie Glasgow Rangers – supporters club. That’s Northamptonshire in the English East Midlands. You get the picture.]
So what of Robson? There was a petition around asking for him to be removed from the Arsenal player, and it is in the understanding of that, that one begins to get the picture.
Robson, great Arsenal player though he was, used his time on Arsenal’s on line TV service to be highly critical of Arsenal players and indeed Mr Wenger, often using phrases such as “this is something Wenger has got to sort out,” over and over and over and over again. If you watched the EPSN coverage of the Far East tour you would have heard Robson go apoplectic over Santos – it was fairly typical of his coverage.
Now it can be argued that this is ok, he is telling it like he sees it. That is what a journalist is supposed to do. And that would be fine but for two reasons.
The first is that we are surrounded by media for whom telling it like it is, involves outright and constant criticism of Arsenal in general and the despising of Mr Wenger in particular. I guess, for people who are themselves openly anti-Wengerian that’s fine, but given that the media is so anti-Wenger, and given that there are quite a few people who go to the matches at the Ems who are totally pro-Wenger, there is a desire for a channel that will balance the opinion.
This is even more so given that as we approach the new season we have the Sun looking like it will continue its virulent anti-Arsenal approach, we have the Guardian radically changing its position from last year to take up a view that is similar to the Sun’s only with longer words, and we have the Telegraph edging towards the Guardian’s position, for all the world looking like a paper whose sports editor is nervous about being left out on the fringe.
Meanwhile 606, when it returns on Radio 5, is expected to allow itself once again to be the mouthpiece of the AAA, and Talk Sprot has never shown any interest in being anywhere other than anti-Wenger – which is why Mr Robson has such a natural habitat there.
On TV we have Match of the Day which is persistently anti-Arsenal, and ESPN which is so utterly anti-Arsenal than even the appearance of Mr Robson doesn’t actually take it much further away from the centre.
In such a scenario having a pro-Arsenal commentary on Arsenal’s own TV station was something quite a few people (including me) wanted, and so it wouldn’t be surprising if Robson was moved along in order to give the pro-Wengerians just one source of information to our taste. (Of course the AAA will cast this as a typical bit of Wengerian micro management, suggesting that Robson was right, and that the Wengerians can’t stand the truth. But the fact that this very openly pro-Wenger site is now getting 750,000 visits a month suggests there is a reason for some more pro-Wenger outlets.)
But as I suggested above there is second reason why Robson’s comments are unwelcome. He speaks with deep conviction, but without either evidence or background to back him up. Yes he was a fine player for the club, but as I noted above his period in management was tiny. So his knowledge about how to manage is extremely limited, and I believe, based on a failure in management.
This does not stop him commenting on tactics, his favourite topic, any more than it stops me commentating on tactics, but at least I try and make it clear that anything I say is nothing more than my opinion as a supporter. Robson has never been able to do that. All he does is say its wrong, its wrong, its wrong, Wenger has got to fix that, if he doesn’t fix that Arsenal will be in real trouble this season.
And then when each season Arsenal comes to an end he says, “this is a real problem for Arsenal and Wenger has got to sort this out now or else Arsenal will be in trouble.”
Even if you agree with his approach, you have to admit he is stunningly repetitive.
So, has he gone? I don’t know. But if he has, I’ll certainly come back to Arsenal TV.
————————————————
If you think you know your Arsenal, it is time to think again.
Did a club win the Premier League because of referee bias? Read the analyses of referee decisions:
Manchester City Manchester United
i hope he is gone hecomes out with statments like ‘ Koscielny is very poor at reading the game and is slow’ lol he is clueless
“Stewart Ian Robson (born November 6, 1964 in Billericay, Essex, England) is an English former football player. He now summarises for Arsenal TV and sometimes on TalkSPORT’s evening Kick Off Show during the week.[citation needed] He also serves as match analyst for Premier League telecasts airing on ESPN2(U.S.A.) and ESPN Caribbean on some Saturday mornings.”
From Wikipedia
Idiot.
I think he walked/ was pushed because he likes to critique arsenal. This is fine, but not on Arsenal TV where we want positivity.
yes, he was ‘let go’. As for recently, i believe robson is in hospital having his head removed from his arse
It was indeed on Talksh*te that Stewart Robson, alluded to that Arsene Wenger, David Dein and Darren Dein were in some sort of collusion regarding the sale of some of our top players, whos agent was indeed Darren Dein.
I thought at the time i wondered if anything would happen, looks like it maybe has.
Hope this helps.
He is a complete fuckwit, he might sound educated to the legions of foreign fans overseas, but he’s actually an intellectual pygmy.
I rate him right down there with Tommy Smyth for his inability to actually read what is going on in a game and describe it properly.
I actually thought he was worth the (now free) subscription to ATVO all by himself. I want the truth and if someone as obviously pro–Arsenal as him told me that something was wrong then I’d believe it. Plus he also helped me to understand why it was so.
If he has gone and there is someone to ‘blame’ look to the owner of Arsenal Broadband for your clues.
I signed the petition that he be binned. His contribution to the ESPN commentary in the recent Far East tour was so anti-Wenger it had me flabergasted. Apparently poor old Steve Bould was hapless in face of Wenger’s team management. Let him have a megaphone elsewhere, not Arsenal Player.
Anyone that ever had to listen to the sycophancy on MUTV or LTV will realise that employing Stewart Robson displays confidence in our approach. No organisiation should be beyond criticism, particularly from within. I always have and always will support Robbo the player and pundit and hope he is back on ATV ASAP
Heard he resigned from arsenal tv before arsenal could do anything about the petition.
Did you listen to his rant on talk sport? He was so annoying!! He seemed to think that he could do a better job than Arsene Wenger. Ridiculous!!
I don’t mind him being critical as long as it’s balanced. This guy lost any credibility with me when he suggested that Sagna was making a meal of it after he was fouled. Of all people, Sagna?! He actually was accusing all Arsenal players of going down easy. He’s a disgrace and we shouldn’t pay him for that nonsense!
He was pushed out. I heard him give an interview on talksport immediately after where they said the same. I think the quote was “he didn’t toe the line”.
I am saddened that he was dropped because I did enjoy his approach to an extent, though disagreed with some of his comments. He was getting repetitive too. He was wrong a lot of the time, no doubt about that. But no one else on ATVO ever highlights what’s wrong. I think Martin Keown is perhaps the only other former player who’s a pundit that tells it straight, and is probably right most of the time. I thought he’d be a good defensive coach – less of a yes man than Bouldy might be. Remains to be seen.
Loved the article, Tony.
Just thought you might have gone with “where’s Wally?” for a title. But “where’s Stuart Robson?” means exactly the same thing.
I’m more than capable of judging a pattern of play and more often than not Robson is too quick to pick up on negatives rather than positives, any compliment on our play was back handed akin to Andy Gray before he was sacked, good riddance I say I can now watch Player with the volume on.
I don’t have a problem with the critical nature of Robson but I do with the poor quality of his criticism. It is all too pub manager speak. Like Lawro et al.
Even the dick that poor Garth Crooks is, at least he fails trying to make an ‘un’ educated argument.
Could be worse. Merson anyone?
I signed the petition and would be quite happy if he us gone.
Its been a tough few seasons without us paying the likes of Stewart Robson to stick the knife in.
We get that enough from other outlets Dont get me wrong we are not above criticism but he went about it in an unacceptable manner.
good riddance to him.
How can you trust the judgement of someone who engineered a move away from Arsenal in 1986 to play with his mate Tony Cottee at West Ham?
His mate left West Ham a year later, Arsenal went on to win loads of trophies under George Graham and West Ham were relegated in 1989.
Yep, Stewart Robson really knows the game.
Laundryender,
Have you heard your beloved Robson this very July on TalkShite? Kicking AW whilst in the midst of RvP’s mendacity; AW as the source of all that’s wrong with AFC and RvP being angelic and symptomatic of the Wenger-Rot that saps us. Is that the truth you want all the time? Is it lacking anywhere else? Is no one else capable of giving you the tactics you wish to learn; that without the duplicity of getting paid on both sides of the tracks? What does that make of him? There’s nothing so special about him as an “educator” that others can’t provide, without having to swallow the knowledge of this man’s earning his paycheck by slandering the side and Wenger, with no evidence beyond his say-so, everytime his mug appears on a channel that I pay for.
Tony, All,
I had read the obscure Arsenal Truth blog, stating that Robson had left before he could be fired; slagging the online petition to remove Robson; and blaming Arsene Wenger for all AFC woes, including the departure of the esteemed Robson. It seemed to me that in their eagerness to bash Wenger, they used a source to further unsettle the fanbase over Robson’s departure. I was eager to believe that he’d gone, and mentioned it, as if it were fact, in the comments. I may have jumped the gun, but it’s good to air this debate, which has come up in the not so distant past hereabouts. We won’t know for sure, where and whether he’s gone. But, while I want free speech, I would like fans to have a chance to encounter and confront him on Arsenal Player – especially when we pay for the teachings of someone who quite publicly insults off in his other football “work.” Robson feeds at the former-player bashes AFC/AW trough; a growth industry of the traitorous. I don’t want to pay for him unless I have the chance – and other subscribers get the chance – to confront him on Arsenal Player. If not, then Arsenal Player is remiss. There is a lot of discontent about having to put up with his duplicity and opportunism and pay his wage while we watch our medicine.
The human nature is very complex. The same people who claimed that Pat Rice was a Yes man and longed for Bould are now insinuating that even Bould too is likely a Yes man and Keown is the one who says it as it is. It seems to me anyone who says what they wan to hear is the right person, even when they are no insiders! Say other things and you are a Yes man! That said, let us celebrate Stewart’s departure. His new whereabouts/job will soon be common knowledge.
I hope he’s choking on Russian dick somewhere for 5 quid a hour…harsh?
Tony, it’s 8pm now, what about the part 2 of the “Vapour” article?
@AndyKelly
Get your facts right
Arsenal sold Robson because they new he was a crock. his career at the highest level was very short lived not because of lack of talent, but injuries. Arsenal sold West Ham a broke part.
750k comments probably all trying to work out what drivel you are writing! You are as absurdly pro AW as some of the websites you dig out for being anti AW, which just dilutes your arguments to the same level as theirs!
Maybe not the most appropriate forum, but since it is happening right now:
http://twitter.com/SCazorla12
Cazorla is playing for The Arsenal this season.
Robson was entitled to his opinion but Arsenal fans had no business paying his salary indirectly while he was working with Arsenal if he didn’t believe in the club’s players and its management enough to make his criticms balanced.
Recently, he said it was typical of Wenger’s mismangement for RvP to want to leave…then when it wasn’t happening fast enough he had the gall to also blame Wenger for been too tardy to cut off a player who no longer wanted to play with the team.
It seemed like “Heads” Arsenal’s position lost; “Tails” the anti-Arsenal position won. Arsenal fans are free to bandy such illogicality; after all, no fan is on Arsenal’s payroll.
I for one will be sad to see him go – if he has, in fact, gone. I thought he was one of the best match commentators and analysts broadcasting and Arsenal TV were lucky to have him.
Yes, he had an abrasive nature and his mike-side manner was not the most refined but it meant he spoke the truth. I think people are reacting to his manner and his daring to question the manager more than his actual commentary and analysis. His reading of the game and knowledge of all players in the English football was outstanding. At times he called what was going to happen in a match in an almost uncanny way.
What do fans want – a deluded one-sided sycophantic blurb of a commentary that barely acknowledges the other team in the match and its qualities and toes the party line at all times? In a club dangerously devoid of internal examination Stuart Robson performed an important role – a role no-one will now fill.
Theirry Henry on SSN the other day, when asked about Robin Van Persie “I don’t want to be one of those ex players who says this about the club or that about the club, I just want Arsenal to win.”
Robson should learn to have a bit of class like this fella
Sam – you are the man…the harbinger of a Great News! God bless you and Arsenal!
If I were a king I would have bestowed a fief,about half of my treasury, titles of your choice, a harem of women/men (your choice mate) and God Knows what all!!!
This was the news I was following up for hours since the The Guardian – the only time they have ever done it – broke this excellent piece of news…
Shakabula Gooner,
So well said!
Laundryender, this is what Graham said after Robson’s transfer:
ARSENAL manager George Graham last night admitted
he was ‘gutted’ after midfield ace Stewart Robson signed for West Ham in a £700,000 deal.
“I am absolutely sick and have never been more disappointed in my life,” Graham said after the 22-year-bld England Under-21 player turned his back on Highbury.
“We wanted him to stay and did everything possible
to keep him here.
“But Robson had made up his mind to leave and as players have all the power these days, there was nothing we could do about it.
“He actually asked for a transfer last September when he told me he had been unhappy at the club for a long time.
And here is what Robson said:
Robsdn completed the deal at West Ham’s Chadwell Heath training ground and said: “People wonder why I am leaving Arsenal, claiming they are one of the game’s great clubs.
“That is a matter of opinion—and it is not my opinion. I have always rated West Ham .a very good club and admire the kind of football they play.
“As far as I’m concerned
it is a great move for me and I’m very happy
to be joining the Hammers.
And I won’t be among strangers. I live just round the corner from Tony Cottee and know him well.”
Robson claims he is now fully fit and raring to go after the pelvic operation that has kept him out of the Arsenal first team since September 5.
“There is no problem with the injury, none at all,”.he added. “I’m in full training and expect to be playing in the near future.”
A club TV station exists to act as an informer to its fans, but most significantly, as a public relations channels for them and the club. Having a commentator of Stewart Robson’s propensity, essentially doing the bidding for the ultra-hostile national media including the ones you list above is not what the club and its fans deserve. After all from the likes of radio talk Shh…ugar we already have the likes of stan collymore, etc slagging AFC at every opportunity, yet conviniently shut their eyes when their former clubs (Aston Villa and Liverpool in his case) are in turmoil. SR is a disgrace to the club and should never be allowed anywhere near the TV station.
Tony
Not meant to denigrate your article, and appreciate the effort that went into writing it. But in answer to your question: Who gives a f*** where he’s gone, as long as he stays away from Arsenal.
Robson’s media function is to play the part of the well-meaning ex-Arsenal player who “reluctantly” agrees
– and therefore gives technical legitimacy – to the mainstream Arsenal-bashing which pays the bulk of his face time and ear time. Working both sides of the street. Nice work if you can get it, but he’s Mr. Salt in the Wound and it’s high-time we stopped laying down for his abusive double-game.
@bob
Well said.
Steve,
It’s not been officially announced in any corner and, in the interest of keeping him away, people do give a fuck and are saying so. Not that he deserves our further energy.
why do Arsenal NOT have a TV station????????
I often wondered during his commentaries if he is a real fan as some of you have alluded to him being one. Yes we needed a balanced take on the criticisms of the team’s performances so that they never become complacent but his (Robson’s) was bothering too much on the negative that I thought it could be denting players morale.
Good riddance!! Who next? Not Merson as he is even more critical; perhaps Wrighty! Anyone for Ian?
bjtgooner,
Yeah, he’s “the honest broker” who knows the inside poop and is so trustworthy that he even works for AFC/Player. Very good that role at dividing the fan base. Getting rid of him shows some spine and self-respect. That’s been overdue and could get contagious. 🙂
There’s nothing wrong with good old constructive intelligent well balanced criticism. However, Robson never displayed any of that.
It bordered on a personal agenda with the man, not necessarily against the players or manager, but the whole club! He also made loads of personal unsubstantiated digs at Arsenal staff numerous times.
Oh and his voice is so effin annoying, like he is constantly, erm, constipated!
Thank f*ck the tool was let go.
I’ll probably be the only one to say it, Rafi, but I actually like Stan Collymore as a football analist.
There, I’ve said it!
Jeeeezus Gerry, this is not the time or place for that kind of admission man! Go find yourself a priest and probably a therapist! 🙂
I hate to widdle on peoples’ chips but we should note that this Cazorla Twitter account is a fake.
Iexpect this deal to go through and like many Wenger deals to be for a ridiculously low price but this tweet is a fake. We must await official confirmation.
Dexter
That was my point, as long as he stays away, I don’t give a F**. I cannot believe he lasted so long.
For Dexter, read Bob
I don’t mind someone being fair but lets have an Arsenal man who loves the club talking Arsenal. Nigel Winterburn seems to have taken up a role, I hope he becomes a fixture. Honest but passionate aboute the club, Robson a drone of constant stuck record.
Robson is gone and forgotten. Cannot think of many allowed onto their employers TV Channel only to spend every available moment slagging off the players and club. As Bob has posted, this is a man with a history of no real love of Arsenal. He will say he left to preserve his journalistic integrity, I suspect the truth is very different. The man was a mouthpiece for the AAA.. Time to bring in the pro Wenger Romford Pele? Keown seems to be around rather a lot these days as well.
Where is who? 😉
I must admit I never have seen him or heard him because for reviews I listen on mute to not get disturbed by the noise of the crowd.
Amazing that Robson was accommodated for as long as he was-because his commentaries were over-critical for about 18 months.
The rest of your article saddens me-because it portrays Arsene as being surrounded by a sea of haters in the media-and that just aint the case. The only people who are opposed to AW are other Arsenal fans-a small minority as promoted on the LeG website. They are 20 times more critical than the mainstream media. Other Arsenal fans-and a host of former players are those who have lost faith in AW.
Green, and other media are pro big spending, pro Liverpool, Man City, especially United-but not conspicuously anti Arsene. As for your criticism of the Guardian-I simply think you are wrong Mr Attwood.
for those defending Robson are you serious? Arsenal didnt need to pay an utter idiot for continuously slating and putting a knife in the club’s management and players..we have the entire English media doing that so why pay one?
Robson can utter his pure bs drivel somewhere else and i couldnt care less as long as he is not being paid by Arsenal and not doing so on ArsenalTV..
Wow looks like Robson pissed you lot right off.
P.S sorry about the 750,000 hits last month, I will try to control myself in August.
16 days till kick off. Control yourself young man.
What took the club so long? Good riddance to a dangerous tumour!
Childish I know, (and with apologies to every other Stewart Robson) but;
Stewart Robson
is an anagram of
Bane: worst sort
Which kinda suits methinx.
These kind of articles make apoplectic. Let me use an example to show what the uncritical condone. Defensive organisation, for several seasons now the team needed defensive organisation, yet Wenger ignored the obvious. How any rational Arsenal fan can defend this arrogant incompetence is beyond me.I could also mention Denilson,but I’ll leave that one for now. The point is, Wenger endures little dissent within the club, so fans and former players must provide the necessary criticism. Robson provides gentle, questioning criticism, any Arsenal fan who cannot recognise this is like those overly optimistic retards who litter the Emirates. Lets face it, Arsene is our strength and our weakness.
So everyone in the media is against us then? The paranoia is rampant on this site, as usual. Oh and the reason you get so many hits is because you write headlines that have people think to themselves: ‘he can’t really believe that, can he?’ and then go on to read your mainly conspiratorial articles in stunned disbelief at the ridiculous lengths you’re prepared to go to defend Wenger!! It’s seems to a lot of gooners that you guys love Arsene more than you do Arsenal.
On the Danny Kelly show a few weeks ago on talkrubbish radio they had Mr Robson on and he was introduced as “the former presenter of Arsenal TV who was asked to leave because of his forthright views and honest opinions of Arsenal”(or words to that effect)
He went on to state the bloody obvious about Arsenal and moan about Wengers tactics and buying of young players from Europe etc. when he first started to appear on radio I quite liked him but now he just sounds like a broken record repeating the same points over and over again.
I think he has a big chip on his shoulder about the Arsenal and Wenger perhaps he wasn’t given a coaching job or something and now he is out to prove a point with his tactical and management skills as a Arsenal pundit!!!!!
Some of you really need to look at yourselves. Former players like Robson, Merson and Wright have been putting across the point that not all is well at Arsenal for a few years. Former pro’s that have played at the top level and won trophies. Yet because it does not suit the point of view of the AKB’s among you, they know fuck all. Despite the FACT that we have won nothing for so long.
You guys are like religious zealots, you cannot be convinced of anything that goes against your messiah. Loyalty is admirable, blind loyalty leads to disaster.
It is amazing when blinding dullards, who write fact in capital letters, try to ‘prove’ a point that they know absolutely nothing about.
So Gary C, are you trying to say that because some of your brain-dead heros, who cannot even succeed as a Sunday league team coach, say something we should all jump to believe them?
Wow! That was really enlightening.
It looks like he has been axed. His comments about the poor defence had irked Wenger.The truth hurts and if the defence performs badly to undermine the gunners season,he will have been vindicated.
It looks like he has been axed. His comments about the poor defence had irked Wenger.The truth hurts and if the defence performs badly to undermine the gunners season,he will have been vindicated.
took way too long if he has been sacked, i signed that petition too and id do it again in a heart beat. horrible horrible little man.
i’d like some one like Desigunner doing it instead. he’d be near perfect for the job.
goonergerry,
Who are you kidding? I love the Guardian for its non-football coverage. That said, it’s Manchester Guardian’s football department HATES Arsene Wenger. You can pretend that last summer’s Arsene-Out campaign didn’t happen. I wrote an article here documenting how it rivaled if not led much of the media in its one-sided written and photographic blitzkrieg (and I choose that word carefully) against AW/AFC. Its unholy trinity of lens-crafters – namely, Richard Williams, Paul Wilson and David Hytner (especially) – and many of the others took regular beatdowns against Arsene as their personal pinata (that would be whipping boy). He regularly lost the plot, was having a breakdown, was reviled by all AFC fans, etc. etc. – these were regular themes in the Guardian’s pages and they were dusted off again as soon as these predators sniffed blood in the water as RVP refused to sign. You have not been paying attention to this lot, and Tony is spot on in his characterization of the Guardian, at least when it comes to football. Its football writers are good wordsmiths; but they only serve to perfume ManUre.
Here comes the AAA brigade..
Anyway no-one here is against valid criticism of Arsenal and I’m pretty sure no-one here wants the sycophantic sounds of Man U or Liverpool TV commentators either.
We all realize our defense needs to improve, even Wenger (Bould is working on it right now).
The difference between us and you is that we don’t go to games and abuse our own players, slag off our players and manager all day on the internet (where they probably do see some of the vitriol you spout) and expect that to somehow make them play better or ever want to re-sign with Arsenal, let alone new players choosing to sign for the club.
Idiots.
Shithispants super-stinker and Gary – nice AAA raving but unfortunately your lumping all posters and bloggers in this forum as AKB’s reveals your ignorance, vile prejudice and unrelenting stupidity about what UA is all about.
1)No one on this site feels Wenger is a messiah, but only you guys like hyperbole and thus paint him as the devil incarnate. We know he has his faults, but overall, is the best option when faced with any viable alternatives, which, by the way, you guys NEVER are able to offer.
2)I defy you to prove anything you vomit or excrete about AW! It is all innuendo, rumour-mongering, hateful speculation and prejudicial myopia intended to take out your bitterness and rancour at being insignioficant little cretins in the larger order of things. When you can actually back up your misinformed and ignorant rants about AFc, Wenger and the BoD with verifiable and solid facts, then maybe somebody might take you seriously…until then stew in your own bitter broth.
3)It is tragic that you claim to want the best for the Arsenal yet when it is right in front of your noses, you reject it as insignificant and insufficient: Podolski, Giroud, probably Cazorla, maybe Shain, certainly Diaby, and definitely the OX, Walcott, Ramsey, Per,Gibbs and Santos have all been described by you whining ignoramuses as bargain basement, used goods or underachieving refuse from Wenger’s youth project, as the case may be. If you can’t appreciate the genius of Wenger, at least acknowledge that he is far and above most other managers in his recruiting and development skills…even his fiercest enemies admit that!
Anyway, the Seven Sisters sadsacks are just down the road and they are more to your tastes as is LeGrovel website where like-minded morons congregate for their ritual crucifixion of all things Arsenal.
Gunner4ever,
The truth hurts? Did you notice that Arsene immediately said that the defense was fragile and needs a lot of work; but that his decision was to give everyone a chance to experience what was expected at the top flight? (And that some were not yet ready.) Is this denial? And did you notice what part of the full defense was either not on the tour, or did not play? Have you ever heard of Sagna and Mertesacker (recovering in London); Santos being played as a winger for experience; Djourou possibly on his way out and perhaps not fully incentivized; youngsters like Yennaris, Jenkinson, Miquel being given more of a taste? Perhaps there is more here than meets the eye: that is, both yours and Stewart “the honest broker” Robson’s. The truth that hurts is how limited your idea of truth is when it comes to actually offering an analysis of the situation that anyone could learn or benefit from. Oh, and thanks for putting us all on notice. Just can’t wait to say “I told you so” next June, can you?
So let me get this right – Stewart Robson is hated for telling the truth and that all a cerain element of our supporter base along with apparently Arsene and maybe a board member or two want to hear is a glossy whitewash telling everyone just how great and rosy thing are – right???
Well if he has gone it will be sad as I liked to hear someone who told things, honestly and accurately as he saw it and was not afraid to ruffle a few feathers!
Now all we will see and hear from Arsenal.com and Arsenal player are the inane almost bland commentry with no attempt to say it as it is. And if you want to see/hear what I mean go watch the last pre-season Asia match v Kichen, I think the commentry team have been warned that all comments must be positive and at no times must there be any criticism of the Arsenal play or management!
If this is what you really want then you have got it, you will be fed the Arsene/Arsenal line which will tell you how good things are – all nicely wrapped and sugar coated – but with very little honesty!!
Mike,
Far from what you state most people are complaining that no matter how Arsenal are playing in the specific game he is commentating, Robson was criticizing the teams the players and the manager unfairly and not based on how they were actually playing at the time.
It’s about balance, his commentary was too often unbalanced and not representational of the game and he was constantly bringing up negative points about the club that were not related to the game he was commentating.
This would be fine if he also brought up good points such as specific players development or improvement, new signings, good passages of play etc but instead he was so focused on the negatives that his commentary stopped being objective and just became a platform for him to push his own agenda with no regard for the game actually being played.
If you like listening to Robson’s negative diatribe about Arsenal, you could probably just listen to an commentary from an old game over the top of the latest game and it would be just as relevant, but most people would rather listen to a balanced commentary that has some relation to the game we are actually watching!
I too had signed the petition and am glad that he is gone .
I have been pissed off with his “expert commentary ” – telling that truth as he sees it one thing but distorting the facts are totally another.
We can all make our own conclusions by watching the game ,without having him mock our intelligence with his prattle .No more shouting at the idiot box from me !
Let him choke himself on all that bile !
@ DogFace , what’s with Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka picture ?
Is it a riddle ? Or some backhand compliment ? You’ve got me piqued .
Gary, but why do you just pick the players that meet your view. Why not quote Charlie Nicholas for example?
My point, which you didn’t get (obviously poor writing on my part) is that I couldn’t see the value of a person who is critical of Arsenal, on the Arsenal channel, given that there is so much criticism elsewhere.
Les Arse
Constructive criticism is one thing, telling it how it is is another thing, both of which I can accept but this guy talked about Arsenal as though we had been relegated and he did this regardless of how well we played and who we beat. Arsenal were always lucky and the opposition were always class according to him.
All the guy ever did was twist the knife and it’s scum like this that you don’t need on your payroll. It’s hard enough without your own staff making things harder.
Gary Coulson
The FACT is, we haven’t spent a £Gazillion on buying over inflated players that we can’t afford and bring little or nothing to the team (Carroll anyone?). Using your pathetic little label of AKB also makes your arguement irrelevant because if this money isn’t there to spend and compete with the likes of Chelsea, Man City, PSG, Anzhi etc then it matters not if you are pro or anti Arsene Wenger.
Robson sounds more and more like an old fashioned teacher
who is disappointed in an underperforming pupil.
He is full of praise when commenting on Man City and United
for Skye but highly critical of Chelsea and especially Arsenal.
If memory serves me correctly he was commentating on the
Arsenal v Man City game which we won 1-0 at the Emirates.
He kept on about how well Kompany was playing but apart from
praising individual Arsenal/Man City player’s technique at particular
moments such as when Arteta scored he had nothing positive to say.
Personally I think he sounds arrogant and bitter and this swamps the
fact that he has a good knowledge of the game.
I can imagine that he demotivated players when he was a coach because
of his over critical tone and know it all personality.
His sense of humour also lets him down. It is too dry and
self satisfied although he bows to the fact that he wasn’t a top top player
in terms of medals and success (I watched him alot and he was good but too
slow and not composed in front of goal) he doesn’t speak with enough
humility to be in any way funny.
Domhuaille
I wouldn’t wish these creatures on the WHL lot. Fact is, I would piss on a Spurs fan if he was on fire but not one of these brainless idiots. The average intelligence of the population would increase without them.
Mike,
I am repeating the thoughts of MK; the main reason most fans are against Stewart Robson is that he went out of his way to be anti everything that is currently Arsenal and turn even positive things into a negative. (We have the Daily Mail for that thanks) It does look like he is bitter about something, someone said maybe he didn’t get the coaching role he wanted – a plausible arguement IMO. The fact is, he criticises us when we have been sublime. Christ, even the invincibles made mistakes but I wouldn’t change anything there, would you?
Arsenal are well represented in the media with ex-players and I am struggling to think of one who backs Arsenal 100% in all things. The most positive is probably Bob Wilson the rest I would say ‘tell it like it is’ most if not all of the time.
Where I think SR falls down is his lack of balance in his arguments but this might be down to his time spent on talksport who rely on extremes of views to get people to call in. SR always talks a good game but then again I can talk the talk but am miles away from walking the walk. When challenged on a point of view he goes very defensive and tends to repeat the same point over and over until the caller is cut off.
What I want from an Arsenal point of view on matches is a consistent and fair view of the match and from what I heard from SR he is far from that. Lee Dixon is probably the best when giving comments about the Arsenal he gets straight to the point tells you the good and bad points and articulates it well. Ian Wright is all about passion he comes from more of a fans perspective. Martin Keown and Alan Smith tell it more as a journalistic view point and Ray Parlour well he just loves to talk but again comes across with a balanced view. The others Merson, Charlie N, Frank Mc and GG all fall somewhere in-between. Where as SR is out on the fringes with his stubborn and rather limited viewpoint.
I always thought of calling the station and tell Stewart what great analysis he had and that I made a pile from his takes. But of course I’m a contrarian.
Whilst I’m here.
I think the media want us to be either better or worse
than we have been for the last seven years.
They don’t really know how to deal with a club who so
consistently hover in that space between success and
failure. Mildly eccentric old Arsene is an easy target
but stubborn, sophisticated and educated Wenger can
be a hell of a handful to contend with for gut reaction only
ex football players and bullying journalists.
Due to the new stadium, his past record and the fact that
he does keep getting us into the CL I feel he is probably still
just about a force for the good.
He seems to eventually learn from his mistakes and unlike my
personal hero, GG, he has real staying power.
He is a little more gracious in defeat than he used to be and is
sticking with a little more British talent than he used to.
Both are steps in the right direction as is the nurturing of far
Eastern Asian support.
He still irritates the hell out of me sometimes with his overconfident
predictions and comments about teams such as Spain playing anti
football.
Maybe the media twist his words on occasion but he brings it on
himself to a degree with his possibly purposefully jumbled use of
English phraseology.
Our club is neither one thing nor the other so players see us as a
stepping stone. We have Usamov on our side but not on board so we
aren’t super rich. Thanks to Arsene we play attractive but suicidal
football which should really make us popular with the media but in
reality makes us a lot of friends worldwide but irritates as much as
it entertains.
I may be wrong but I think when the media see Wenger they see a
French Mr Bean doing quite well in our country and they don’t like it.
They don’t want him lecturing us even if he is right half the time, so
they jump down his and the club’s throat any chance they get and
begrudge giving us any credit unless they have to.
It’s their job to lecture us, not his and maybe they have a point but then
often so does he which infuriates them even more.
God forbid we don’t get into the CL one year. The knives would be out
and how.
There’s a reason why French clubs never do well in Europe. Not sure
what it is. Does anyone else know?
Why you write that Robson lacks the information and background to criticise … I cannot imagine. Ex players and current staff have become rife with criticism of Wenger … and make not mistake – they are in a position to know. As for Robson he has made himself unpopular and in fact asked for trouble – which has duly arrived. But his criticisms have usually been spot on.
@Stuart 8:05
Yes so would I. But I wouldn’t put the fire out…
To Mike, Gary and the lot:
Yes, it is a pro-Arsenal site, and if that means pro-Wenger, then you should perhaps think again who’s making that connection. Isn’t it you, by any chance?
The value of this being a pro-Arsenal site is that the likelihood of bumping on anti-Arsenal material here is close to 0 (it’s actually sometimes below zero). Whereas if you look through other Arsenal blogs, or just through today’s papers, Arsenal coverage tends to be negative, or at best suggestive of imminent defeat. Yes, I, too, think that the media can’t handle a club that’s squarely in between – neither successful in winning trophies, nor a failure in financial or footballing terms. And their cheap criticism sells, obviously, because it’s one of those clubs everybody has an opinion on.
Some of the criticism leveled at the club is simply idiotic. When I hear we’re making a mistake by keeping RVP and should sell him on the cheap (cf. recent SR material here: http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/transfer-rumours/120803/exclusive-robson-urges-arsenal-cut-van-persie-asking-price-1), I just can’t believe how stupid some people are. Today, SR says “Sell on the cheap or suffer”; tomorrow we sell RVP for the £12 million he cites, and guess what will happen on Monday? SR will come up and say “Arsenal have no ambition cause they just sold RVP on the cheap.” For such people it’s always a vicious circle, and whatever Wenger does, it’s always not enough, or worse – exactly what he shouldn’t do. I’m surprised you’re not bored with that – being told that Arsenal defence sucks noodles. It’s a crap assessment, based on a season where we suffered from injuries both predictable and unpredictable, when we were forced to fast-track two new players into the back line and one into the DM role. We did concede too much – and that’s about the only thing SR and other critics of his kind can say. Of course, most of them add: “This trend will continue under Wenger.” There’s no real claim, no argument, but there’s pure negativism – and somehow that’s just fine with a lot of the Arsenal supporter crowd.
That’s the problem many people have with SR: they want criticism, but they want it done smart. They don’t want crap negativism. If you lot want crap negativism, there’s a host of Arsenal-themed blogs that serve it – Le Grove, Arsenal Truth – there are also some that serve it without curry or in a vegetarian version – Just Arsenal News, Just Arsenal, Arsenal News… If that’s what you want, I’m surprised you care to locate this pro-Arsenal blog that happens not to share your views. You should also pay more attention to the way Arsenal bloggers write: choose those who use words like “deadwood,” “misery,” “crisis,” phrases like “miss out,” “wage bill,” “defensive woes,” over those that don’t. The likelihood of you finding empty criticism of Arsenal will rise exponentially.
Also, I’d like to say, I can’t accept the idea that you can be an Arsenal supporter and not use your brain at all. I’m talking about people who think our game against “Kitchen Sink F.C.” shows our worth; of people who think every Arsenal transfer rumour is gospel truth, and if the transfer doesn’t materialize, it’s because of Wenger; of people who hurl abuse at Arsenal players and supporters for, respectively, playing and supporting. If it were up to me, I’d gladly have them march to the talkSport side of the Internet. It makes much more sense and would reduce the amount of bile and verbal aggression on the pro-Arsenal side.
I hope this helps and you won’t bother looking for anti-Arsenal content on this site again. Happy trails!
Tony
The problem is with your article and your opinions is that you pay no time actually looking at it form the other persons perspective all you ever do is try to discredit the opinion.
Arsenal defensive organization has been shambolic. Considering the amount of time we have the ball we are are without a shadow of a doubt one of the worst defensive teams in the league.
Once again in pre season youngsters who have been brought up being coached ”the aresenal way” showed a complete and utter lack of understanding of some of the basic tenets of defending with a high line.
Its about fricking time our highly paid manager actually practiced what he preached and sorted out the defense. We have one game to start looking organized.
There is absolutely nothing wrong in Robson pointing out that arsenal defensive structure is shambolic as that is the case. Its the foolish fans who constantly need to be told nice things about the club who need to do one.
@ Upper Street Gooner – bore off!!!!
To all pro-Robsonites:
May I ask, does a person who says this, for pay, TODAY, on TalkSHITE deserve to be paid by Arsenal? Who exactly is he working for? David Dein? Don Fergus? It’s clear who he’s working against. Have a go:
“At the moment it doesn’t look like anyone is willing to pay the price Arsenal are asking for Robin van Persie,” he told the Sports Bar… Arsenal could end up being stuck with Van Persie, which some people might say is a good thing, but he doesn’t want to be there. It’s a difficult situation for the player, the club and the fans. They should accept something around £12million.
..This is a player who’s said he’s not going to sign for Arsenal again. I don’t see how it can work if a player doesn’t want to be at the club.”
All the for and against, anti or pro labels are starting to get a bit lost on me. All the same I am glad to hear that Robson has gone. I am all for constructive criticism but I don’t think Robson was able to strike the right balance.
Upper Stree Gooner,
You are right, there is nothing wrong in Robson pointing it out. The wrong is when the only thing you have to say is negatives, even creating negatives from the positives. This is winding up the small minded fans and causing more of a stir unnecessarily when infact there have been lots of positive things happening.
p.s. My take: How dare he pressure us to lose at least 8 million in the transaction? What sort of “fair broker” intervenes at this moment to advocate and pressure for an outcome that will BOTH lose us the player and lose us the money which would be far below what RVP should command? The beneficiary of this man’s perfidy: Mancunia.
With his statement that the club should right now deal Van Purse-Strings at 12M, it is clear that Stuart Rob-Son is a complete and utter shill of Mancunia, especially in light of Juve’s possible 20M bid, which is already too low by any fair rate. Why doesn’t Rob-Son tell Mancunia to up it’s bid? It’s a clear choice and he has chosen to stick the cleated boot into AFC/AW’s chances. Whatever happened or happens, this Judas has burnt the bridge and is auditioning for highest paid anti-Arsenal pundit; and the lead former player to pay the rent by denouncing AFC. We should be crystal clear that being a former AFC-player pundit that slags AW (by any means possible) is one way to earn a living in this world in which they have no better way of earning a living. Seen in the cold light of day, it is a traitor’s wage. That it is a wage at all is very telling about the UK media: how it has made Arsenal Bashing a line of business. Having severed any future with Arsenal – by these comments – Robson will have to make up the shortfall by going as viciously anti-AFC/AW as possible. This is his moment: he would have his meal, like Darren The Lesser Dein, at Arsenal’s expense. Those who continue to shill for this man must now do so in light of today’s commentary. What kind of fan would continue to do so?!
“Today, SR says “Sell on the cheap or suffer”; tomorrow we sell RVP for the £12 million he cites, and guess what will happen on Monday? SR will come up and say “Arsenal have no ambition cause they just sold RVP on the cheap.” For such people it’s always a vicious circle, and whatever Wenger does, it’s always not enough, or worse – exactly what he shouldn’t do.
zdis: You have given us the exact formula that has made SR his meal ticket. It is the template for paying the rent by any who can manage it. In this economy, there is a long queue for this job description. The former player who can play the role of “honest broker” goes to the head of the queue against the other job applicants who will be consigned to the soup kitchens of a heartless society. Now that he appears to have disappeared (or pushed to finally chose the side he’s been on all along) Stuart Robson is maximizing an extended payday by being the most flagrant traitor of that lot.
As for constructive criticism, compare Nigel Winterburn (for one example) with Rob-Son’s. The latter’s public demand that Arsenal take 12M and release the captive named Van Purse-Strings marks him an agent of Mancunia and Arsenal enemy. This is more than having a contrarian opinion, nothing to do with loyal opposition. This Judas should be banished from any access to AFC – he has tried to inflict material damage on the club.
Goonagal
How about no. I find some of our fans so pathetic.
We cant defend in fact we’ve been getting worse and worse. Pundits who call us up on this get lambasted by these fans.
Until they and Mr Wenger get with the program we will continue to tread water.
Last season once again saw the side hardly improve. our points totals look like this 72, 75, 68 , 70 no trajectory just a mish mash of poits totals that a club with such a wage bill should be achieving.
The issue comes from the manager players and coaching staff who continue to not improve defensively , not form the people who call them out for it
Upper Street Gooner,
Thanks for your analysis-free spasm.
Did you count ManUre’s 8 goals as a normal match with anything but a makeshift defense? No asterisk for why? (context needed, please)
Did you count how many weeks we went without a single fullback leaving a mostly makeshift defense? No asterisk for why? (context needed, please)
Do you actually equate the defense that was played on the Asia Tour with 2012’s defense? No asterisk for why? (context needed, please)
No, you are context-free. Your reason for all of our defensive woes is Arsene Wenger; and your remedy is…. Wenger out?
Sorry to go off track, not sure if anyone’s seen this yet, but I just thought I’d share this link: http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/ivan-gazidis-appointed-to-governing-posts
Apparently our very Ivan Gazidis now has a place on the FA’s Professional Game Board and the FA Council
iniez,
Honest question: Is that necessarily a good thing? Please explain.
@ USG – yawn!
@Bob
The Guardian employs a number of journalists- and contracts a number of others. Quoting one who has made comments criticising the club’s policies does not make the Guardian newspaper anti Wenger or anti Arsenal as you claim.
Have you thought that the temporary criticism is simply reporting what happened and may not reflect a hate campaign against the club? I am loathe to just accept your analysis, not when Arsenal sympathisers like Amy Lawrence, Barney Ronay and fair minded journos like Kevin McCarra regularly talk our club up on the Guardian’s weekly podcast. The Guardian of course has regularly been accused of pro Arsenal bias. They of course may not be pro Arsene enough for your liking- but that does make them anti Arsenal.
I think that you will find that Guardian journalists frequently make the point that I have: that the biggest critics of Arsenal and Arsene Wenger are a minority of other disappointed Arsenal fans and former players- not journalists.
Gooner Gerry – I think you need to go back and have a look at our articles on the Guardian of late – it has done a whole series of very strongly anti-Arsenal pieces, including one by Amy, which took me totally by surprise.
goonergerry,
Say what? Did I not say I loved the non-football parts of the Guardian? Did I quote one jorno? a part time jorno? Did I slate the entirety of the Guardian, or only its football department? Did I not name Williams, Wilson and Hytner as the principal offenders? Are you unable to read a specific critique, or just twist it into a blanket, uncritical defense of that football department? There is a difference (though not as much as you see) between the senior full-time writers (Williams, Wilson and Hytner) who are especially anti-Arsenal, and those like McCarra who is less virulent, and Amy Lawrence, who used to be, imo, a fair broker with Arsenal sympathies. I don’t listen to the radio, so I can’t opine on their performances on the airwaves. But you, mate, are blind as a bat to refuse to see the chronic slagging off of AFC/AW by this unholy trinity – especially doing yeoman service last summer in the Arsene-Out Campaign. And you fail to see Williams lead article when the RVP crisis burst forth with a vengeance this June-July, and how David Hytner has been assigned to hover like a vulture over the RVP/Walcott transactions. You won’t see the obvious. The remedy: see the obvious and note the healthy parts of the paper and disavow the toxic parts. It’s not all or nothing, even if you prefer to mis-characterize what I wrote so as to project a muddled mind and muddy the general waters.
Bob
Ok lets take out the 8 goals. That still leaves 41 which our own manager 3 seasons ago said was to much. 41, 43, 49 all this and yet the manager said we needed to improve.
Lets talk abotu that 8 goal smashing as it highlights wonderfully our manager’s lack of flexibility. We go up there with a novice defence, what does arsene do??
He tells our team to go out and play there normal game. Go on Jenks go on traore imagine your playing qpr reserves dont worry about it. Awful management. You would think he would learn but look at the home loss to Utd. Djouou was trying to play as sagna would. there was absolutely no tactical flexibility from the manager.
The manager does many things incredibly well, but tactics most certainly arent one of them.
Look at ac milan away, its criminal that a team should set up like that in a away first leg
goonergerry,
Since you appear to be memory-free, go back to last summer’s analyses here via the Untold Media links and have a look at my articles and the work of others, like Anne especially, on the Arsene Out Campaign. How dare you defend that level of venom poured forth by your beloved lenscrafters of the Manchester Guardian’s football department (note my specificity here if you can) and show me/anyone that something is not run amok there. How dare you cast that lot in the role of journalists? They are people with a bloody axe to grind when it comes to making a banquet out of Arsene/Arsenal’s distress. As someone who respects the good works of that paper, it took a while for me to see past this and actually detect the entrenched anti-Arsenal bias that goes on among one section – a senior section – of that department; and which, as Tony notes above, would appear to be continuing in the run-up to this season. Perhaps Stuart Robson will be given a summer internship to that trio? Would you like that?
Tony
It took you by surprise as you cant even comprehend that what they are syaing might have some truth. Amy is about as much as home pundit as we will ever have. The fact is there needs to be improvements made as there are in all clubs. A club of our size and resources should improve quicker and that has nothign to do with city millons and has everything to do with us.
Bob
I think the manager should be under pressure to perform better. The defense needs to concede a respectable amount of goals this year. The team needs to be achieving a respectable amount of points 80+. If we come 4th then so be it but at least we will have done ourselves justice. chels having a woeful year was the difference between some silly fans seeing that we only improved by 2 points from arsene worst ever year.
Bob
Any spys from the north might concentrate their energies on there biggest rivals. This notion that they are scared of us is slightly outdated is it not.
Some people want the manager out because in the last 3 years we haven’t performed above our resource level, we havent improved not one jot. We pay our manager so that he performs miracles. Since the completion of the highbury flats our financial position has changed, our manager needs to up his game
Upper Street Gooner,
The manager can be slated for not being ready at Old Toilet. And yes, it still stings me. But what was the timing of that match? Why was he/AFC not ready? Do any even somewhat mitigating circumstances come to mind? Or is the manager pure shite, end of story?
And what about the missing 4 fullbacks due to injuries that you don’t bother to address? How might that affect your calculations?
Last week, the manager has said, whilst in Asia, that the youngsters were given a chance, were not ready, and that the defense as a whole needs a lot of work. The problems do exist and are acknowledged. But, mate, it’s not like we are bereft of good elements to combine; as any fair-minded person would state as part of the larger picture.
Are you saying that Sagna, Vermaellen, Koscielny are shite? Is Santos useless? Is Gibbs hopeless? Are there not elements? Clearly there are. Steve Bould’s challenge is to orchestrate a full-court press or something with that effect. Szez has stated that Bould is and will be a difference maker. Are you willing to give this conjuncture a chance?
Based on your comments of yesterday and today, it would appear not.
Upper Street Gooner,
You say our problems have “nothing to do with City millions”?
OMG, listen to yourself. What game are you playing here?
We are not poor; but do we have UNLIMITED funds?
Where did Clichy, Toure and Nasri wind up?
Where did Veira wind up as Tapper in Chief?
Who is both tapping up and constantly openly pressuring for RVP to join them? or trying to destabilize us or glad to undermine us lest, at a minimum, we compete for their oily crown?
Who is their preferred agent? (hint: Dein the Lesser)
Who brokered Adebayor first there, then to Madrid. and back to T-Scum?
We agree that improvements need to be made. But to argue that there is a level financial playing field that has no impact on our problems is willful blindness at best.
p.s. Where did I say they were scared of us? (What ghosts are you fighting with here?) You are fighting last season, this hard; at a moment when a very promising start to 2012 is at hand. What is mobilizing you now? Getting behind this side or fighting the last war to a finish?
Bob
The manager got played by the Cesc and Nasri. Why were no plans drawn up. If any average fan could read the situation by reading offical quotes why could our manager not comprehend that the players wanted out. His stubborn streak was the reason why players were sold and bough so late.
Yes we had full back out and that should mean the manager changed our tactics. He didn’t. By playign Djouou and vermalan at lb and rb we shouldn’t have been worse defensvly, the one thing we should have guarnteed was solid defence. The problem was the manager told the players to carrty on playing as if they were full backs, it was a huge misjudgement.
The issue is we arent all that good at attacking. we need to comit allot of players forward and yet we dont score a huge amount of goals. We concede loads. The tactics are at fault. The manager can either start to drill into to his players that if we are going to play a high line pressure on the ball is imperative in forward areas and yet watch us compared to dortmund or barca. Our players dont understand what to do. This has been the case for 3 years…………WHO WOULD YOU BLAME?
bob,
Well to me it really depends on his intentions. Whether it’s all about personal gain and him getting more power, or whether he genuinely wants to try to improve the game as a whole. I must admit though, that I’m not really sure as to how much of a voice he will have and what he will be able to influence. The FA is a shifty character in my opinion, and I’ve always felt that with bodies such as this there is usually a well established “sub-community” already which makes most of the decisions and the rest is all for show. It does mention a role in youth development and maybe part of the reason he was appointed is because arsenals youth academy is among the best, if not the best. We are in the next gen series next year (if I’m correct it’s in its second year now) so it could also have something to do with that. Frankly bob, I’m an optimist, I’d like to think it’s a good thing, but I don’t trust the FA. So if Ivan is in that mix now (for whatever amount of decision making power he has) I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing as of yet, but I’d like to hope he has good intentions. Who knows, maybe he sees how hostile the atmosphere is towards arsenal and wants to remedy that
Bob
On the contrary i think some of whom you mentioned are excellent defenders.
Which brings me back to the point….who to blame?
Thats the issue on sites like this and aclf. we have world class players coming out of our ears in defensive positions according to these guys and yet we are tragic defensivly. You guys blame the other fans, we blame the actual coaching staff who sends out these good players like headless chickens.
we conceded 49 goals last year, the manger resonse so far is to sign 2 strikers and almost certainly an amc. He therefore thinks we have the quality at the back. If we dont improve the defence considerably thats on him.
He was an gk error in the final game of the season from what should have been a sacking. Failure to get top 4 with our resource adavantage if completely unaccepateable
Dogface
Well know they probably wouldnt would they as they are perfectly happy watch there investment value go up by doing absolutly nothing.
Why is it that some of our fans like our board getting very very rich wihout doing anything???
Upper Street Gooner,
I agree that there needs to be a full court press to maintain a high line, and that it’s something to work on, should this season’s tactics go that way. This said, do have a read of the next article – the Arsenal Ref Review – then have a think and come back to continue your analysis. Let’s see if you are then willing and able to factor in the demonstrated Refshite; or will that demonstration have no impact – that would be zero impact – on your reduction of Arsene Wenger to a nullity. Let’s say how far you are willing to find one single factor – Arsene Wenger – as the single cause of Arsenal’s errrrr, third place finish was it?
p.s. sorry, meant to say at the end: “Let’s see whether and how far you are then willing to find one single factor….”
Upper Street Gooner,
And, if/when you come back after factoring in the Arsenal Ref Review, why not bring back an answer to my posting @3:33 above (dear lord, how I love that number 🙂 ) You go quiet on City’s outsized advantage due to finances. I wonder what you’d do with Arsenal’s disadvantages due to refshite. Do you really have to win your argument? How about some constructive analysis that everyone could benefit from?
Upper Street Gooner,
Your posting is the gift that keeps on giving. Try this out as yet a third ask: It’s a gooner’s posting from another blog which actually analyzes an aspect of your 49 goals mantra:
“49 goals conceded sounds horrible when you are title contender (and, yes, club like Arsenal is always title contender). However, we should not forget that we conceded most of that 49 goals during absence of Vermaelen or/and Sagna (United away, Blackburn away, Chelsea away, Fulham away, Swansea away – 20 goals in five matches without Vermaelen and Sagna). With Vermaelen Arsenal conceded only 25 goals.”
Watcha think, mate? (And do answer my other two asks as well. Ok?)
I often wonder why sometimes people bother to discuss anything on sites such as these because it is obvious that most of those that on here who criticise Stewart Robson for daring to point out failings in Arsene Wenger and the team, quite rightly in a lot of cases, are those who would glady follow blindly another 7 or more years in the trophy “wilderness” !
I watched all of Robson’s talking tactics and also saw a lot of his appearances on ESPN Soccernet, I can honestly say I thought at times he didn’t go far enough in his criticism, but he was certainly fair in his balance as he gave praise when it was due. Van Persie was singled out by him many times as was Arteta (but I thought that praise for him was overated expecially as 90% of his passing was sideways and backwards) likewise Song got praise simply because he made 1 telling pass to RVP to score, when he was poor for the rest of the match.
What Robson tried to highlight constantly was the almost amature way our defence played yet again which as you must admit, was the same problem that had been obvious for at least 5 years, and he quite rightly pointed the finger at Arsene Wenger for not having solved the problem in all of that time. And dont forget AW has made countless acquisitions of centrebacks since 2003 and it is only in the last 2 years that he may have found 2 decent ones in Koscielny and Vermaelen, even then he made another blunder in buying Squillachi and possibly Mertasacker.
I cannot for the life of me understand why all of those of you who are so vehemently anti Robson for daring to criticise the club and or AW? he was honestly pointing out that if things continued we would keep losing our best players and be in danger of gradually seeing a decline in our league position and status as one of the top sides! I do think that all of the criticism of the team this season by people like Robson and the rest of the fans who could honestly see the decline, has forced the change in policy that has seen the signings this summer. If we had all “toed the line” and not criticised the club we would undoubtably have been looking forward to another season of battling for only a CL spot, whereas now with quality players purchased we can hpefully push on with a realistic chance of challenging for trophies.
I do admire all of you for being dedicated supporters of our club, but please try not to be so blinkered to truth, otherwise you will look like those unfortunates down the road who have a bloody chicken as their emblem, they are constantly in denial of the fact that they are nowhere near our class but they refuse to believe it!!!
@ Mike,5:22pm – If you read the article and the comments that proceeded your own, why did you bother to write all that then?
Mike,
Who is your Avatar to tell AFC/AW to lower their ask for RVP to 12M so as to free the captive? What do you make of your “honest broker” with that comment? Who does he represent with that comment? Whose favor does he curry with it? What right does this former or current or suspended employee have to advocate material damages? Now surely you’ll see this as truth, justice and the fair-minded way, but how blinkered of you to write it all off as honesty. I’d welcome your thoughts.
p.s. Of course, Mike, I expect your to blame Wenger for creating a situation wherein the only thing an “honest broker” like your man, Rob-Son, could do is to go public and advocate that AFC do the right thing and take 8M less that what Juve is purported to be considering for RVP. What payroll is your paragon of virtue on? or hope to be on? Of course, after all that AFC have done to develop RVP (and get back one good season in return), it is only right that AFC stop being the obstacle-villain in this transfer drama, right? Do you approve of Rob-Son’s intervention on TalkShite on this, at this moment? You are perfuming treachery here, mate.
@ Dog Face – I love movies with Gene Wilder in them and whilst his acting ability may not be held with the same regard as Burton, Brando, De Niro etc, his films and acting stand the test of time. Silver Streak, The Producers, Blazin Saddles and of course Willy Wonka(I prefer his interpretation rather than Depp’s) are films that bring a smile to my face even now!
Dogface,
Do you have an alternate Oik image of say the new villain in the new Batman flic? You see there’s a spiked plug/mask in his mug to keep in the pain, whilst expressing it perfectly. So many Oiks of that poisonality, methinks. That is, just as the flip side to Gene Wilder; who, in the interests of full disclosure, I do love dearly (great taste to you and Goona Gal) and, omg, I am often mistaken for! And when asked, are you what’s his name, I always say yes….
A petition got Stewart Robson out, can we do the same of that Ginger tosser (Adrian Durham)?
Can I just add to my voice to those who think Robson is a complete Bell? It’s one thing to have constructive criticism and entirely something else to be full of bitter vitriol towards your former club. Something must have happened that made him have such a grudge.
Don’t get me started on Talksport. I have never seen a media outlet with such open contempt for one club. They are so BLATANTLY anti-Arsenal it is laughable. Talksport + Robson = Spurs fans’ heaven
Bob
Normally I don’t like to criticise the efforts of other Arsenal fans.
Your research appears to be biased itself-ignoring contrary evidence because it does not fit with your preconceived view. Seems like you might be ruining the good points you make about media bias by taking your argument too far.
Having just turned on my lap top and browsed the fantastic balanced web site of Untold Arsenal I feel Arsenal have just won a very Important match, this site has exhibited that Untold can now provide a forum to launch judicious campaigns for open honest constructive and Informative analysis of our Games, lets hope journalists are up to the challenge, Stew rat Rob son, most certainly was not. I am overjoyed we won’t have to listen to his recalcitrant, belligerent attitude on Arsenal player again.
goonergerry,
sorry, but I found last summer’s media blitz deeply unfair and vicious. i’m happy to hear what i’ve ignored in my analysis and will gladly correct for a more accurate account. that’s what matters, not my preconceptions. so, please, I invite your corrections and considerations so we all have a better understanding of what goes on.
Whilst I am glad that Robson is no longer at Arsenal TV, mainly for his OTT criticism of Walcott who he slated at least 20 times a game, I do think the club is moving more and more to a position where it just spins everything to hide what is going on.
The club podcast of the performance against Norwich is little more than a bad joke – excuses and player reviews that are not at all aligned to what actually happened. Throw in Gazidis’ spin on our finances and you wonder whether Arsenal PLC is a place where you have to say everything is fine or you get sacked.
For a start I am happy that he has his opinions, and also that I do not find myself disagreeing with him consistently. The main point I agree on with this article is that the way he delivers his opinion is rude, arrogant, ignorant and EXTREMELY anti-arsenal. Now I can say that our attacking players have lacked conviction recently, and they need a boot up their arse. Its an opinion, Im not going to name 20 people, say exactly why they are crap and ram it down your throats on an online tv channel supposedly supporting the club. And yet time and time again he badmouths each and every person at Arsenal.
My personal opinion on him is that he is peeved at his terrible management career. He is tactically astute, however his people skills are clearly awful and he isnt exactly an inspiring legend. He wants the Arsenal job.
I hope he goes to hell or tottenham (if there’s a difference). I used to like him as a player but his anti-arsenal rants are beyond the pale – his attack on Wenger on 5 live this morning was moronic and vindictive. No way is he ever going to become the Arsenal manager.