By Sir Hardly Anyone
The media always knows when it is on to a winner, and that is certainly the mood at the moment with the feeling that with enough pressure Arsenal can be laid to waste in such a bad state that it will take a decade for the club to recover. This is encouraging for the guys at the “Howling” – the Wapping pub in which the plots to keep kicking Arsenal until it is reduced to a semblance of itself in the post-Whittaker era.
The essence of the plan is that if the combined forces of the blogs and the national media can bring about the collapse of a club like Arsenal there is no limit to their power.
So, slowly, attention is turning to transfers – although most of the stories are not very original, with Bellerin, having been the centre of all the discussion last year once again becoming the key focus.
There is of course no explanation anywhere as to why or how Bellerin could have been tipped to be going to a variety of clubs last summer every single day, and yet still did not go. No explanation as to what happened to his family who allegedly moved to Barcelona ahead of him.
No explanation as to how he could have been seen at so many airports simultaneous. And no explanation of how all these mis-reports might be forgiven and why we should start believing anyone in the media ever again. Instead the readers are treated with contempt, considered to have the minds of a goat and the memory of a rat.
And thus we have…
The Leaving List latest…
Bellerin to Liverpool. That is in Football Fancast and The Guardian.
Bellerin to Juventus. They are “reportedly” “set to” step up their efforts to sign Hector Bellerin, The price is £45m. Has no one told them that according to all those people who claim to know, he is no good.
This story is everywhere, even on the BBC, although their transfer rumours are no more reliable than anyone else’s these days.
And we have the fact that Joel Campbell doesn’t want to return. Indeed what he actually said was
“I have not played for a long time and I must go step by step, to keep working hard and not to become frustrated. My idea is to stay here for many years but those decisions are not mine, I have been lucky enough to enjoy lots of different clubs and leagues but I like it here. We want to remain as high as possible in the table and aim for a European spot – we are a great club who deserve to be at that level. We must keep working with the coach’s philosophy and aim to keep improving, but I believe we are on the right path.”
So moving on…
The New Manager latest:
Confident they have now forced Mr Wenger out, the papers are trying to find someone, anyone who would take on the job, fresh in the knowledge of the way in which the media treats Arsenal.
Memories of the disgusting behaviour of journalists on the steps of Highbury in the weeks after Mr Wenger’s appointment are still rife, and in such circumstances it is easy to see why Brendan Rodgers says he doesn’t want to go near Arsenal.
However it may be that some have forgotten, or were not reading the British press two decades ago and might feel that they could slip into the job without coming under constant and total attack. Leonardo Jardim is “reportedly” keen on the job and in the fantasy world that journalists inhabit is said to have been “almost given” the job last summer. The Independent says he has been placed on a short-list of possible candidates following the club almost appointing him manager last summer.
Jardim is reportedly ‘hugely admired’ at the club for the way he improved Monaco although this is relatively obvious rather than any indication of inside knowledge.
But that is not all, because “Arsenal are reportedly looking at Hoffenheim manager Julian Nagelsmann to replace Arsene Wenger”. That is according to the Daily Mail.
Because he is only 30 it is felt that he may not fully appreciate the level of power the media has in England, and he certainly won’t know about the attacks of 22 years ago. Indeed he wouldn’t have been old enough to have understood the appalling crimes Mr Wenger was accused of by the shouting mob that tried to have the boss removed before he even got down to bringing in the top players.
Julian Nagelsmann has been at Hoffenheim since 2016 and got them into the Champions League qualifier spot for the first time – and that is the only team has has managed.
Mr Wenger believed he could take on the press – and he held them at bay for most of his years at the club. Do any of these men have the strength and authority to do it again? Here are the candidates.
- Julian Nagelsmann of Hoffenheim.
- Brendan Rogers: you might recall him – he was at Liverpool and his results there were interesting. Now at Celtic.
- Leonardo Jardim of Monaco
- Joachim Low the Germany manager
- Mikel Arteta our old chum now at Manchester City and oft seen with a clipboard.
- Why in terms of Arsenal, the transfer rumour has become a thing of the past.
- Sometimes the world can take you by surprise. As long as you are not looking the wrong way
- Arsenal in confusion. No money and the canon has come loose.
The match against Brighton is massive.If the players have any stomach for a fight, they must perform.We cannot win either way, as we know the media will take us to task even if we win 3 nil.I do expect us to win and perform well.
It has been said before, with AW in charge the scum media will always have a pop at us.
Sorry to say this,win the Europa Cup and AW stays to see his contract out.If not, he has to go.
Or, he could leave with his head held high as a European cup winner. I doubt Arsenal will get near the Europe League final, but a victory in the competition should see him bow out gracefully. The scum in the media have been handily downplaying any such possibility before it happens of course; only when Mourinho completely buggers a league position and get out of jail is it seen as a genius move. Nonetheless, I think even die hard Wenger supporters are coming around to the idea that it’s time. I’m personally quite excited, rather than feeling any negative emotions. We’ve been blessed by one of the greatest managers of the modern era. It’s been a pleasure.
The media’s treatment of Arsene Wenger is disgraceful. Literally hours of airtime and pages of newsprint are devoted each day to the campaign to get him sacked. Has any manager in the history of football ever been subjected to such unrelenting criticism? How would the journalists like to open the paper every day and read that they don’t deserve to keep their job?
The flip side to “right” of freedom of speech is, of course, the “responsibility” to use it wisely and constructively. However, none of our constitutions, written or not have these responsibilities enshrined therein. The bar for slander or libel is set extremely high.
Were you to criticise a number of high profile minorities’ actions within countries or internationally, you would be attacked with a relentless vigour. If, however, you were to spread the most shocking unsubstantiated innuendo about Arsene Wenger… if you were to question his intelligence, character and competence on a daily basis, you would draw a pay check.
If you were to mock a man who always answers questions honestly and forthrightly after a most trying situation. If you were to make fun of the abilities of a man who has withstood the test of time in the EPL and triumphed against odds that would make even the most stought-hearted of men quail.. If you were to have double standards when treating with much lesser men, you would have people listen to what you say…
You would not be accused of a hate crime, of having low character, of being a person of low moral fibre. Your comments would not constitute prejudice or stupidity… no… you would be called a sports journalist.
You are right guys its so annoying how they belittle Wenger. GGG can I copy and paste that to my neurtal friend who watches football he just repeats what the poodits says. Thats is beautiful what you said. I’ve been defending Arsenal last 2 weeks as I am getting rediculed.
Judge your power by the number of your enemy.
They say they want to help Arsenal, when have they ever!?
So it means the opposite, sounds about right.
why would they want to damage Arsenal, if they can’t complain about the manager, surely they’d sell less media?
Must Ben a reason behind it!
It’s it about Europa or his legacy, it’s about his job, he takes it very seriously.
First and full most he is to ensure the club goes forward and upward. If the sacrifice is his good name or league position or even trophies so be it.
Had Alexander, Napoleon, Hitler been willing to suffer a few more battlefield defeats, their legacies would be far more longstanding.
To win this war, I’m happy to lose. I just won’t watch it!
IWIT