This report was written before the Bradford defeat. But it is still highly relevant as a media analysis because it deals with the reality as perceived by some at all stages of Arsenal’s season.
Why can’t they just commentate on the game?
By Cameron Wolfe.
I watch all my EPL games through ESPN North America.
I wrote about the negativity from the commentators during the Spuds game. A game that we went on to win convincingly but not if you were listening to the commentators. (Ian Darke and Steve McMannaman) I decided not to write about the very negative 0-0 against Villa, the negative 1-1 draw against Everton or the even more negative 2-0 defeat from Swansea.
So how did we fair during our game against WBA? They had started off the season well. Their above us in the league so I’m sure the commentators will have us written off by half time.
The studio pundits are Gerry Dobson and Craig Forrest:
(So before the game has even kicked off. The program hasn’t even started yet. This is just an introduction to the match program)
Gerry Dobson: The Gunners form has taken a nose dive as of late with cracks in their armour becoming ever more apparent. Pressure is starting to mount on Arsene Wenger. The manager has said he’ll only consider his future at the end of the season but if Arsenal continue to slide down the table. That decision could be made for him.
(So. We’re in turmoil then and Arsene is on the brink of being sacked – but it turned out even the poor result following this game didn’t get him sacked.).
They show the second goal from last weeks Swansea game. (Voice over)“The boos ring out from the Arsenal fans all around the ground”
Then a shot of the black scarf march. Big black and yellow banner held up by Arsenal “supporters” then the camera conveniently cuts to a general shot of the crowd arriving at the Stadium.
(They give the impression the crowd you see walking to the Ems. are all part of the protest march.)
G.D: Gunners fans have been protesting for weeks about the way the club has been run.
In the Studio:
G.D: Yes indeed they have. Arsene Wenger. He’s the manager under the microscope.
What about this Arsenal side Craig? Tenth just now. Worst ever start under Wenger.
Craig Forrest: Yeah. It’s not great is it? Remember last October they were tenth but ended up being fourth. For Arsenal fans no need to panic quite yet.
(So it’s still possible that we could climb the table in to the top four at least or even better?)
G.D: Just three wins in their last ten games at Home. Just last week was a new low when……….
(They show a clip of the Swansea’s goals again twice each then in slow motion)
So. The program has been on for four minutes. We’ve seen the Swansea goals four times each. Been told how bad we’re playing and how the Arsenal fans have been protesting for weeks. Oh and if Arsene doesn’t get it right. He’ll be sacked. No negative biased reporting here then?
They put up a caption (titled. Gunned down) of our last four games. 0-0, 1-1, 0-2, 1-2.
Two draws and two losses.
In reality we have lost once in the EPL to Swansea since we were last beaten by Man.U on the 3rd of November.
G.D: Here’s the recent story. They’ve lost (corrects himself) well they have not done well. Let’s put it that way. Two losses and two draws.
They talk about WBA and their great start to the season. Discuss how they need to get back to winning ways today. As they go to the break they show a Swansea goal from last week. (Again)
To the game.
Commentators Garry Weaver and Paul Walsh.
Garry Weaver: Arsenal the once great force of English football are on the rocks right now. Title dreams are fading. Hopes of a top four finish are beginning to disappear amongst the fans.
Plenty of empty seats around the stadium. The fans are not happy. A few discontent voices around. Will it turn into a revolt?
Arsene Wenger enters the stadium where seven days ago he was sent back to the dressing room with a crescendo boos ringing in his ears from the fans. So too that of the Arsenal players.
WBA know Arsenal are venerable at Home right now. How fragile is the Gunners confidence?
Do the pieces fit anymore at Arsenal? When does a drama become a crisis? Arsenal are a fading force. They need to find themselves again and quickly. WBA have already beaten some of the top teams this season and they back themselves to get a result here today. (There’s a guy with a lot to say about Arsenal unfortunately it’s all so negative)
Paul Walsh: I think you’re right. They’ll certainly be looking to take advantage of the wobble Arsenal are having at the moment.
G.W: How Arsenal start here will dictate this game. They’ve been edgy they’ve been jittery in front of their Home fans. The mood could darken if they don’t start well. That would be music to WBA ears. Arsenal experiencing their worst start to the season under Arsene Wenger. No wins in their last four games and their form here has not been great to say the least. They’ve struggled at the Emirates stadium this season. Swansea took full advantage here seven days ago with two late goals from Michu.
The problem for Arsenal is the players that they have allowed to leave this club. They’ve spent £90m in the last two seasons so they are spending but the players that have left RVP, Nasri, Fabregras and Song. You can’t win things if you keep on letting your best players go?
(It’s almost like he’s copied out all the negative headlines from the tabloids back pages and just keeps on repeating them.)
We score with the first penalty.
G.W One swing of his boot lifts the gloom from around the Emirates stadium.
(Which is in fact a sad thing to say as the crowd has been fairly vocal from the off.)
They show several clips of the penalty incident from different angles.
P.W it’s obviously not a penalty or at least it shouldn’t have been a penalty.
(OK got that one right but the fact is the referee thought it was a penalty and gave a penalty.)
G.W sometimes when you’re stuck in a rut or in a hole. You need a little luck and Arsenal have got that today with the dubious penalty decision.
(It’s always going to be debated if it should’ve been a penalty but if you think about how many stonewall penalties we haven’t had? I’m not going to argue about one we got. Rightly or wrongly the referee gave the penalty).
G.W Arteta on the ball. The scorer of the penalty that should never have been given.
(But it was and he did.)
G.W Well sometimes when you’re in trouble you need some help and Arsenal have had that help today. The ref awarding a penalty kick after it appears that there was no contact at all after Carzola went crashing to the ground.
Second half:
G.W welcome back to the Emirates stadium where Arsenal lead after a hugely contentious penalty.
(He then goes on to repeat the same sentence almost word for word. So in case you don’t know yet. We’re leading by a highly contentious penalty that we shouldn’t have had at all.)
G.W Carzola is the villain of the piece after winning that hugely contentious penalty. (Just in case you haven’t got it yet)
Per makes a superb tackle on Long.
P.W Not sure if he didn’t get the man before the ball or some of the man and the ball. (Great tackle by the way)
Second penalty.
P.W Well their going to argue about the penalty and the non free kick before. I sympathise with them (shock horror)
(We’re in the 67min. we’re controlling the game. They’re hasn’t been too many negative comments for a while now but)
G.W If Arsenal hang on to this Paul will this lift the gloom that’s enveloped the club in the last few weeks?
P.W Well it’s a start. Gives them something to build on. They haven’t been at their best today. Not by a long way.
(We’re 2-0 up. They haven’t had a shot on target in the second half. We’re still controlling the game. There’s only 20mins to go but we’re hanging on. Honestly)
G.W They’ve got money in the bank and platinum customers. Do they spend it on established players in January if they need too? Do they hang on to the money to cushion the blow of not making the Champions League? If the worst does come to the worst.
(So since we’re 2-0 up and in control. We’re playing reasonably well. Their bored now by that fact so off they go again and carry on knocking us.)
We have a free kick just outside their box
G.W Arsenal looking for the goal that will put this game to bed. With only 12mins to play. They only have a two goal advantage.
NO COMMENT! HE SAID IT ALL.
Goal attempts 15-4 to us. Shots on target 7-0 to us. Yet “can we hang on and put this game to bed?” WTF!
G.W One goal from WBA would change everything.
Rosenberg then throws himself to the ground. It’s not even mentioned. No replay nothing.
P.W He was just testing the referee?
Again no replay. Funnily enough they’re back to talking about Santi’s first half penalty.
They show Arsene at the touchline.
G.W well he’ll be happier now. Their only 8mins away from banking three points although they haven’t won in their last four and the storm clouds were gathering above the Emirates stadium. As Paul mentioned they won’t disappear with this win but it’s a start if they HOLD ON to it?
Is he watching the same game as me? They haven’t hit the target the whole game? How are we holding on?
G.W Arsenal’s winless run is coming to the end here.
Since we lost to Man.U on the 3rd of November we’re only been beat by Swansea last week in the EPL. How is that a winless run?
G.W This place is smiling again. The pressure is lifted for now. It wasn’t emphatic from Arsenal but it’s some respite for Arsene Wenger. They’re elated WBA are furious and frustrated.
I’m sure the back pages were full of the penalties incidents. I’m sure there won’t be much said about Rosenberg’s dive? Those aside I thought we controlled the game and for sure had the better chances. For me the annoyance is that even when we’re playing well the commentators just don’t seem to give us much credit. It was so obvious that when we went 2-0 up they switched from being too negative and just commented on the game. I just wish they would commentate like that from the start? We had more possession and more shots on target but to listen to the commentators you would think we were lucky to win.
I know as an Arsenal fan. We are slated and that we think the media have it in for us. Before I wrote this and watched the game again for the second time. I watched the Everton v’s Spuds game. Honestly there wasn’t nearly as much negative commentating for either side. Paranoid I am not.
Gooner for life.
The books…
- Woolwich Arsenal: The club that changed football – Arsenal’s early years
- Making the Arsenal – how the modern Arsenal was born in 1910
- The Crowd at Woolwich Arsenal FC: crowd behaviour at the early matches
The sites…
- For the parent who really wants to know what is really going on in schools
- Referee Decisions – just what are the refs up to this season?
- Parent News – what is going on in schools these days?
- The weight loss programme: The only guaranteed wayto stay fit
Great article, I really enjoyed it.
Certainly a massive indicator of media bias, though I cannot fathom why. Surely we must be below the radar now Mancini is pressing the self-destruct and ManYoo look like they will let in goals every single game. Yet nothing is said about those clowns.
WG
I have no regards for the media because I know the hate for Arsenal and I follow Arsenal just for this reason. When you are most criticised it is because you have something special they see in you so you should never be discourage and lose confidence. You did not hear the TalkSport trashing of Arséne Wenger last night.
Here in the UK there are mix messages when it comes to Arsenal. UK owns so much due to borrowing and we have been dealt with by the harsh cuts but in football all we hear is spend, spend, spend, spend and spend more. Why can they give credit to a club that is not spending? They want us to be in debt and maybe one day end up like Rangers.
For almost two years we never had a penalty awarded to us when the like of Man U and City has almost 40 penalty last season. They whole talk is Carzola dived. Who cares?
Don’t allow the media to determine your love and passion for Arsenal. They are jealous because they know we own the future. Don’t forget that we had to be hard on spending if we were to stay in the league and not be relegated after building one of the best stadium in the world. We have survived and the new deals have so much diamond for us so now is not the time to break. There is a silver lining for us.
Surely Wenger is in self denial if he said the Brad defeat is not an embarssment. He may say anything he likes.The thing is he is dangerously naive to think Arsenal can win the epl.To do so would require the gunners to on along winning run,imho,is as likely as my 60 year old grand father becoming king of England.
The warning signs are there.Keown says he shd be given more time. Infact he has been given more time to improve the gunners. This could be the season when he will guide Arsenal to mid table even assuming he strengthens the playing side but still plays the tikitaka style.which
Same thing on the Daily Mail website after the Bradford game.
The reporter said Bradford “deserved the win and dominated possession” they must have been watching a different game.
more bollox:-
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/dec/12/torquay-arsenal-bradford-captain-jones
@ Gunner fan
Do you really expect any manager to come out and crucify the team!!!
Remember that idiot at Hull?
How delusional are you ? Most of the critisism aimed at us is well justified. You are just weeding out the obvious bits just like the camermen making the protest look bigger than it is. If somehow you think this season is no worse than last year, then we are watching different Arsenals. I am currently struggling to watch our games to the end. Our club is in dire staits and burying your head in the sand will not change that.
Gunner fan,
I don’t think Arsene said we would win the EPL. He said that we’re too far off, but to have a say in the title fight, we will need to be consistent. In any case, what do you think a leader should say in such a situation, admit to all sundry that we’re crap?
Finally, I have this feeling that all the negative publicity we get might be sponsored ( but I don’t know by who).The only problem is that Arsene sometimes seems to do no favours for himself.If he could do some clearout in january of many of the less effective players and sepend on a few ones who have a fighting spirit, then I would be quietly optimistic come May to nick something
I can see light at the end of the tunnel too. The famed little bird or phoenix as it is called. We cannot go any lower than we’ve done. The only way to go from here is up. I believe we would still have a say in who wins the league this season.
We’ve had our bad patch for the season and others will enter theirs sooner or later. We have always lost the league at the business end of the season when we tire out but from the look of things, this season is going to be different.
BELIEVE!!!
People were ready to crucify wenger last season after that old trafford defeat.well he came back to take us to a top 4 finish.
He loses fabregas,nasri,clichy,van persie,song…all the core member of the team…n u expect him to make this team an all winning one..absurd.
If wenger goes,arsenal will b screwed.
Yes, it was an awful result at Bradford. The truth is that we dominated the game after the first 20 min, except for the penalties at the end. If we had put a quarter of the chances we made in the last half hour of normal time alone, it would have been a comfortable win.
Predictably, it’s like an early Christmas present for the media. Don’t they love it!
Today’s (Manchester) Guardian is particularly obnoxious and spiteful.
It takes time for a team to gel,all new players.its like a puzzle and wenger is trying to solve it.
All these player havent played together for more than 20 30 games man.
Wilshere,cazorla,podolski,giroud.these are our best four n they havent played together for long..
Wait till the season ends n u will see how wenger turns it around.
Very good article.
You just need to look at the way the media write about Van Persie now he’s at Man U.
Last year when he was at Arsenal there was grudging praise and then the constant theme of Arsenal being a one man team.
Now Van Persie’s the equivalent of Cantona in the media’s eyes.
We are not imagining the media bias against Arsenal.
Maybe they just don’t like a manager with principles.
Sky Sports gave Stewart Robson a free reign last night to spread his negativity. Just one gem: ‘tactically Phil Parkinson showed he’s a better coach than Arsene Wenger’.
Please!
Onward and upward!
I too watched the game with the same biased commentators.
there is a huge bias in media against arsenal. most comes from sky sports and their heavy emphasis on physical football- the type stoke city play. so much so that if barca needs to prove they are no. 1 they need to defeat stoke. technically english football is lacking, yet media is biased on teams playing technical. for media long balls, rough tackle, anti tiki-taka is english football.
Stewart Robson – he wore the shirt and like everyone else, is entitled to an opinion…and his record as a coach / manager certainly stands scrutiny…well ok maybe not. He is bitter over Wenger, and I for one would not believe a word he says BUT – I would believe John Cross, especially when he is away from his daily mirror column, he is a top Gooner and constantly at war with the likes of Piers Morgan. He says there are problems within the club, and like Robson, problems between Bould and Wenger. Now I must qualify this, JC can get things wrong like all of us, but personally, I tend to place more belief in what he says, and the context in which he says it. He claims to passionately believe Wenger is the man for this club as a point of reference. IF Wenger is refusing to let Bould help the team…for whatever reason whether it be ego, power or differences of opinion, he needs to be very firmly reminded this club and team come first. We can observe in the performances there is something wrong, but cannot be exactly sure what it is. Gazidis apologised to fans last night, if someone within the club is not pulling in the direction the team and club need to go in, I took his words as a warning to them, whoever they may be. He also said money is available but needs to be spent much more smartly, again, a warning to someone. My admiration for Wenger is there for all to see, but it is not unconditional, at the moment, nobody at the club (apart from maybe Jack) can say their stock is so high that they are beyond reproach for the current situation. Nothing wrong with creative tension, but egos, petty personal squabbles now have to be put firmly aside for the sake of the club , and the fans, Ivan has to ensure this.
Back to the media, unfortunately, for them, we are the gift that keeps on giving. Lets get to a position where they can only report success, some will soon get bored and go away.
Mandy
I wouldn’t trust John Cross. I don’t forget so easily. He was a part of the whole Wenger out campaign the media ran last season. He MIGHT have been just following his editors’ orders and might actually want Wenger to say. But he’s written enough doublespeak and included so many talking points in his articles that I have no trust in that man being an Arsenal fan. Robson is just a sad, bitter individual who’s on this self promotion drive. Anti-Arsenal speak, especially from an ‘insider’ guarantees a job for him.
As for a feud between Wenger and Bould, as far as I know the only source for the start of this rumour was Robson. It is one of those which gains ground because it is impossible to prove either way. I personally, ignore such stuff, and see no reason to give it any mileage.
Agree on Cross in Daily Mirror Shard, but get him on the radio and twitter, he comes across as very pro Wenger. Todays Daily Mirror…not surprisingly has a lot of stuff about this so called rift between the two. I await to see what he says about it on twitter, which is more telling, but I have heard Cross talk away from the mirror about reifs in the camp for some time now.Interestingly, Gazidis refused to comment when asked about it last night. I am not 100% convinced, thats why I keep using the word IF, but this sroty has spread to the extent where it would be nice to see one or both of them flatly deny it. If there is no truth, great, but if there is something in it, I would like to think two grown men could be taken into a room and their heads banged together, not that I would like to have my head banged with Boulds! It would be a complete and utter travesty IF such a thing were affecting our performances, I know they cannot respond to every story , but they should be able to nip this in the bud
Thanks for this Cameron , very nice ,and very true .We in Malaysia got the same commentators and I just couldn’t the crap that they were spewing .
Arsenal this ,Arsene this ….and I ‘m thinking wot ?No praise for WBA and their season so far ? How weird is it to watch a game , only for the commentators to talk shite about only one team .
As for Robson ,less said the better .Is someone really paying him for all this or is he doing it for free and for fun .
Nobody is claiming that everything is hunky-dory and we all would like things to improve but we don’t really know all the facts as to what is going on within the club.
Blindly hitting out individuals is not helping in any way.Its
still early days ,just support the team and hope we turn it all around .We ‘ve done it before .Up the Gunners .
A good article. Some of the comments attributed to the commentators remind me of the regurgitated nonsense that comes from the rupert.
I noticed on SKY Sports this morning that Robson was being given some premium air time with which to attack Wenger. I wonder if one of Doublegooner’s “high roller” acquaintances is pulling strings?
I am not so sure on the Wenger/Bould rift story, the two did seem to have some chat during the Bradford chat and despite reports to the contrary did speak during the WBA match. I would not believe a word Robson said – if he was the source of the rift story then I would suspect mischief.
@bjtgooner
Robson was also on Talkshite for 3 hours last night together with Mark Saggers who is almost as bad. He was his usual insulting, sneering, spiteful self. Mind you, bearing in mind that he achieved the lofty post of Southend reserve team coach I suppose we really ought to take more notice of him!
Great article Cameron – thanks.
I do not throw insults around lightly.
Those journos are liars and cheats.
Unprofessional.
Men without honour.
@Mick
Very interesting, I wonder why Robson is being given so much air time on this issue?
I’m waiting for either Cameron or some other on here to come up with ‘we didn’t lose in real play, we were only beaten on penalties’ !
BTW: Evening BJ
You’re quite right, I’ve got my ‘high roller’ acquaintances pulling strings 🙂
BJ:
Assume you’re going.
Want a lift to Reading & Wigan next week ?
@ Doublegooner
I’m going to assume that you’re talking about the Bradford game?
Where as the above article is all about the WBA game.
No we lost on penalties to Bradford. I won’t change my mind on as to should we have won or could we have won. We had more shots, more posession and yes we hit the post twice in the penalty shoot out.
We could have won it with the last kick of the ball but we didn’t. So now I’ll look forward to the Reading game on Monday and hopefully we’ll get three points there.
I’m not in denial never have been. I’m a realist. Following Arsenal for me has been a roller coaster ride. I’m sure that will continue too but this is a pro Wenger/Arsenal site so no you’re not going to read anything from me slating the team, Club or Manager.
I may not be happy with the poor results we’ve had but it doesn’t stop me supporting the team 100%.
Unfortunately for me I follow Arsenal. I am an Arsene fan but come what may I’ll still be supporting Arsenal forever.
Gooner for life.
@Doublegooner
The implication of what you have written: –
“You’re quite right, I’ve got my ‘high roller’ acquaintances pulling strings”
is an incorrect interpretation of what I had previously posted. My post was: –
” I wonder if one of Doublegooner’s “high roller” acquaintances is pulling strings?”
The unsubtle difference is that you imply that you are in control of the “high roller”, I did not imply that. You really should be more careful when trying to score cheap shots. Also, don’t forget you are the one who boasted that some “high rollers” were very unhappy with AW and were going to take action – this was before the Man U and Spurs matches – I can remind you of your exact wording if you like.
Thanks for the offer of a lift; but I do not travel with people who wear black scarves or who are xenophobic – I can remind you of your words on that subject as well.
Brilliant article Cameron! Really shows the bias and the way the commentators try to sway the viewers. I leave the sound on to hear the crowd – wish I could mute the commentators, they are vile about Arsenal and Mr Wenger, except in rare cases.
Its funny, a win against West Brom and everything is fine – in the media. A lose against Bradford in the League Cup – end of the world. Media hype coveres all topics, not just football, as one of the posters on Untold mentioned the other day. But it just gets so very very boring.
You either have the people who can see through the matrix and ignore it, just trying to sift for actual news amongst the hyperbole. Then you get the gullible folks who believe everything they hear.
You cannot really count peole like little rupert or doublegooner or others – they are most likely being paid for their services on the web, so they are part of the media, not the support.
A question for Tony and Walter – should someone start reguarly analysing and transcripting what the commentators are saying during Arsenal matches?
After reading Cameron’s article, I am wondering if more awareness needs to be made about the way the commentators are tilting the unwary viewers mindsets. I volunteer my services, because I think its a job that needs doing.
The media bias is incredible. I think we’re witnessing the resurrection of the Arsene Out campaign. There’s polls in the guardian, the sun, and on blogs on whether or not AW should go. Of course the “article” above the poll tries to paint a highly negative picture of AW and Arsenal before asking you to vote.
Personally, I feel offended by such cheap tricks, the media really take us for idiots.
Journalists are trying to take revenge on “the Frenchman” for making them look such fools all these years with their hopeful predictions of doom. Last season we had The Great Turnaround. Right now, we’re in the great depression. What we need is for AW to make an ass of all these cock-sucking journalists again and give us a sequel to The Great Turnaround. Would be nice if we could lend a helping hand to the Prof by supporting him and the team. No-one else is going to do it apart from u Arsenal fans, the neutrals are being steadily brainwashed into the Anti-Arsenal mindset. Failure to support the club, manager and especially the players could prove highly destructive. And if we don’t do it, nobody else will. Just look at what the Bradford crowd was able to help their team achieve, even though their team spent almost an hour in their own half. Now THOSE are supporters. Imagine 60 000 people doing the same thing at the Emirates. You really think we’d still be losing to Swansea, etc at home?
Sav,
Go ahead, would make a good article.
I may have missed the reason the media and commentators keep being negative about Arsenal, but has anyone looked to see if all this rubbish they keep printing helps increase sales or hits to newspapers?
Is it a possibility for Arsenal to sue these journalists for the crap they say much like if any Hollywood celeb can do in US if the media makes up cap about them as much as the media does to Arsenal?
Okay Stuart will give it a go.
You could see how balanced it is by counting the different criteria and giving a running total of things like
* Positive about Arsenal
* Negative about Arsenal
* Positive about opposition
* Negative about opposition
Would be also interesting to have some form of relevance factor in there too and see how much crap they talk.
Back to the supposed rift,,the standard reporting that it has been greatly exaggerated, and that bould is extremely pissed off with these reports
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/steve-boulds-left-fuming-after-row-with-arsene-wenger-is-exaggerated-8412681.html
Just do not know who to believe , maybe they have it wrong, and the real rift is between PHW and Gunnersaurus? Hopefully, wenger and bould and the others have been on the training pitches talking…,maybe arguing passionately, but giving their all to sort things out. Reading may be on the wrong end of a fight back.
lol @ rift between PHW & gunnersaurus. imagine the story if it were to happen. I bet newspapers would be selling like hotcakes.
@C4 How is this so called “Arsene Out campaign” different from “AVB out” when he was struggling at Chelsea last season? Or AVB “warm reception” from media when he started at Spurs? What about Mirk Hughes firing count down this season? You think it is different in other leagues? Spanish media started predicting Mourihno out practically from his day one at RM. That’s just bread and butter for people in sports media regardless if you are Arsenal, Chelsea or RM. Dealing with stuff like this comes with the job if you are one of the highest paid managers in the world in one of the top clubs in the world. If you cannot take it try plying your trade in the League 4 for 50k a year. Practically worry free with not much media attention.
@Andrei
It is different in that the Arsene out campaign has been incessant and relentless for a number of years, or have you been living in a bubble and not noticed.
The blubbering fool PHW probably thinks Gunnersaurus is real.
The newspapers would love that. Must admit, I did wonder if there was something ….maybe on a smaller scale over wenger bould, I heard things from someone I sometimes trust, that allied to some recent performances. But …as usual, maybe cock up beats conspiracy. The fact is, we had ample chances against Bradford, and just did not put the ball in the net, have to say gervinhos miss was something else, I do question if he commands a place in the middle above Poldi or theo if giroud not playing. Gervinho needs a lot of one on one coaching to play in the centre. Bould wenger..hopefully nothing more than a couple getting used to each other…a partnership which started off well in the first exciting moments of a new relationship,maybe a few arguments, a bit of jealousy and a slightly hurt ego, but eventually, a mutual interest will overcome differences with happy and long lived consequences.
bj:
Maybe I have influenced some ‘high rollers’ !
One thing I will tell you is, I’ve had many a disagreements with people I know who have been as staunch Wenger supporters like you, who have now openly admitted, reluctantly & sadly and open enough to admit, that they have finally changed their minds.
One thing is for sure, I have never known Arsenal fans so divided between each other. Ever.
So, you’ll be going to Reading & Wigan ?
Come on doublegooner, very naughty and below the belt!
So double talking Doubledooner you claim to possibly have influenced some “high rollers”, I find that hard to believe, I would suggest you are probably being used by a “high roller”.
@Mick Do you have any metrics to demonstrate that “Arsene out campaign has been incessant and relentless” compared to other managers? Or it is just your perception? As for the compaign lasting for “a number of years” well Wenger has been around for a quite while unlike other managers that did last that long.
Just out of curiousity do you think that “Arsene out” campaign was as “incessent and relentless” during Invivincibles era?
‘AVB out’ differs in the sense that there was a supposed power struggle between 34 yr old AVB and similar aged Terry Lampard and Cole. they were sensing that AVB will want to bring in young guns thus hampering their influence. besides there need not be ‘any chelsea manager out’ campaign from the media because of RA’s arbitrary hiring/firing nature. it is only in arsenal that arbitrariness is not welcomed. hence media wants to influence there. can’t see any reason to give robson some air time other than to create something negative about arsene and arsenal just out of thin air.
if media wants to potray AW and arsenal in good light why interview ex-players who supposedly have a negative perception of AW. why not interview henry, pires, bergkamp, ljungberg, keown, Fabregas, parlour, et. al?
Thanks for the advice Stuart, will take it on board and see what I can come up with.
@Andrei,
The anti-Wenger campaign started years ago, practically when the team started losing titles on the streak. I remember the anxiety slowly taking over from season 2005-2006, when we won fourth pace in the last day, as the Totts had a collective stomach problem. Also, look at season 2007-2008, we were in the title fight only for a few misplaced results in the final few days (Chelsea, Liverpool and ManU). This contributed to the bad perception about our possibilities. The problem is, it is just a perception based on selective memory amplified by the media. If you look at the numbers, you see a different story compared to what the media are promoting.
I’m sure there are better people out there to confirm these numbers, but I’ve never heard of more than what, a few hundred demonstrating unhappy chaps?
The Invincibles era was a totally different proposition. The football world has changed dramatically, most notably since foreign ownership was allowed in the EPL. Guess who were the first to take advantage. Before 2005, the top teams were much closer in terms of financial strength, so the competition was much closer, the refereeing (likely) more balanced, and the media had more sources of inspiration for their foul language. I remember reading a pre-season magazine back in those days, and all I could spot was gross incompetence, not so much bias.
As an exercise, I’d suggest paying attention to the media coverage of ManU’s defeats compared to ours. You’ll notice the difference. In the greater scheme of things, AAA is just a fortunate incident, exploited to the max by the biased media. But I’m stating the obvious by now.
And last but not least, remember that by the laws of physics, one strong voice can cover one little town’s whisper. Explains why the AAA are growing in noise but not necessarily in number, and why the atmosphere in the stadium can rapidly degrade from only a few detractors.
A very entertaining and nice article for me. I like it. It surely has put smiles on my face after all those gloomy feelings I have had (created by the fans). Those bad comments from commentators annoy me while watching games, but they entertain me really well if they are read this way _ after games. They make me laugh and feel refreshed. So, big big thanks to Cameron!!
By the way, “transcipt what commentators say during the Arsenal matches” is A GREAT IDEA. Come on and make it real!
@bjt, I’ve never actually read one piece of informed comment from you about anything. All we ever read is one insult after another. If you could only see what a clown you make of yourself but I guess you’re too dumb.
There was a piece by Alan Smith in the Telegraph that suggested that Wenger had sidelined Bould as he rather disliked the credit he was getting at the start of the season. In a similar article on the same page there was talk of Wenger being basically a control freak and wanting to do everything. This was the difference between Fergie and Wenger, the latter delegates and lets others do coaching, Wenger is incapable of doing this.
I really hope this is spurious. The picture painted of Wenger is of an egomaniac. If so this is hardly beneficial to AFC.
@bjt, I’ve never actually read one piece of informed comment from you about anything. All we ever read is one insult after another. If you could only see what a clown you make of yourself but I guess you’re too dumb.
There was a piece by Alan Smith in the Telegraph that suggested that Wenger had sidelined Bould as he rather disliked the credit he was getting at the start of the season. In a similar article on the same page there was talk of Wenger being basically a control freak and wanting to do everything. This was the difference between Fergie and Wenger, the latter delegates and lets others do coaching, Wenger is incapable of doing this.
I really hope this is spurious. The picture painted of Wenger is of an egomaniac. If so this is hardly beneficial to AFC.
@Sav from Australia, I’m not being paid by anyone mate, I wish. I’ve never been part of the media. I love the way you blind supporters dismiss anyone with wild and stupid assumptions.
Again have you ever made a point about anything except agree with everything the writers on this site publish?
So the media have it in for poor old Arsenal. I’ve seen plenty of anti Chelsea reporting too in the last few weeks so don’t think we alone get this alleged bad press.
As I said before Cameron if you don’t like the commentary turn the sound down.
In a game of 90 minutes you’ve highlighted a few so-called negative comments. Whilst I agree commentators are prone to indulge in tedious inanities I guess it’s hard to fill 90 minutes of football watching unless the game in question is high octane stuff which the WBA game wasn’t. The commentators are making factual statements and then surmising what may or may not happen. You claim they’re knocking Arsenal at one point. I don’t think so, they’re just speculating and imagining what may or may not happen at AFC. A thought that many of us entertain.
In all these comments probably took up about 8 minutes of the commentary. What did they say for the rest of the time?
It’s easy to make any commentator sound bad if you want to.
@ rupert
Did you watch the match, and did you listen to the commentators? Do you think think they were fair on both teams and were not actually knocking Arsenal?
Am really very happy for Cameron Wolfe. At least you won’t be listening to the same old rhetoric from next season as this will be the last season when you have to see ESPN NA for the matches.
This time the bid is won by NBC and hopefully they do better. I also believe the loss of ESPN in US markets will have some kind of tilt in the way certain clubs are projected as until now they have been controlling much of the telecast across the world. This might also in turn change the way the admin sees the game.
@Andrei
It’s different because a lot more effort is put into the Wenger knocking articles than the ones knocking AVB, etc. I pointed out a few days ago that there was even a “Wenger Watch” section at the end of the DM’s WBA match report. Now if a match report is supposed to simply report events in a match, why the special section ridiculing the manager of only ONE of the teams? Why not have a “Clarke Watch” section? It’s obvious that they’re trying to ridicule the manager, rather than praise him after his team won a game. Fergie gets praised even when his team loses, as did ‘arry. Wenger rarely gets praised even when he wins. They’d rather look for tiny details or mistakes in a performance to try and put a negative spin on things. I once counted 8 negative articles in 1 day in the guardian attacking mostly Arsene and not Arsenal after a defeat.
Just count the number of articles in the guardian or the mail that came out in the first 48 hours after the Bradford defeat. And check whether the focus of those articles is about the team or the manager. While you’re at it count the number of “should Wenger be sacked” polls.
Other teams don’t receive the sheer volume of negative coverage that Arsenal get.
@C4, When I watch a match on tv I don’t sit there taking notes on what commentators say. I’ve got better things to do. I’ll put on an lp by Youth Group or Jens Lekman and then watch what I can on an ineffective stream.
I don’t know what they said about WBA other than the snippets Cameron has siphoned from the commentary. Do I think they’re knocking Arsenal? Not particularly. I think they’re mystified by the stagnation at the club and the rather ineffectual managing of late. Maybe they hate Arsenal. I don’t know. Would it worry me if they did? No. I don’t see what relevance it has.
@C4, I think some of this negative press is because Arsenal are an enigma. Your average journalist doesn’t get Arsenal. I’m not sure I do anymore.
We have a manager who was incredibly successful for many years who has suddenly become unsuccessful for the last six years. And yet we stick with him. We have supposedly loads of money in the bank but we won’t spend it. In short we don’t behave like any other club. Arsenal seem unsure whether they want to be a business or a football club. It seems that they are desperate to prove that the two are mutually inclusive but success comes to those who act as though the two are mutually exclusive. That maybe unfair but that is how it is.
Interesting and from the horses mouth
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11670/8330868/Arsenal-boss-Arsene-Wenger-dismisses-reports-of-rift-with-assistant-Steve-Bould
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11670/8329848/Arsene-Wenger-admits-Arsenal-s-values-and-evolution-are-his-responsibility
So according to this, either no rift,- lies, cannot really be any clearer from what he is saying at least
And, it is Wenger setting the agenda, not so much the board – so he does have a fair amount of control in proceedings as most have suspected.He goes on to say he constantly questions himself
Lets hope they are all working together to put things right and quickly.
He also says Diaby out for the foreseeable, think unfortunately, we all know the potential reality of that, a real shame for a very talented player
@ R Cook Wenger is still successful in financial terms for Arsenal. The winning of trophies has become more difficult because the competition is more affluent. Our team has been decimated each season by ‘tapped up’ players. It is time for our contract lawyers to add penalty clauses, specifically where agents are involved.
@Rupert if you really don’t give a shit about what the press and commentators say about arsenal, wenger and players why participate in this blog post in the first place. and just because other clubs are also victim of media-bias doesn’t mean that it cannot be discussed at all. maybe chelsea blogs are discussing media-bias? this is an arsenal blog, so we discuss all things arsenal. if you believe the article is mundane why willingly be a part of it by commenting?
The really sad thing is that a lot of people seem to believe what the media say when it comes to Arsenal. How often are rumours and second-hand comments repeated back as so-called facts on blogs and call-ins.
There is an assumption that pundits, reporters and some ex-players (in particular) have access to inside contacts and information.
The Wenger/Bould rift story was created on TalkSport by Stuart Robson who was sacked by the club earlier in the year. Given that Bould has been at the club for years and was chosen by Wenger to succeed Pat Rice only 6 months ago it would seem highly unlikely that they would have fallen out so quickly.
However, nobody in the media has questioned Robson’s story or motives. Instead they take it as gospel and even expanded it to include the rest of the coaching staff. How convenient that when results have been poor stories of internal strife come along.
What next? Usmanov to want Henry back at the club? You can’t get more populist than that. Oh, wait a minute he has just said it.
The media does have an agenda against Wenger, but he hasn’t helped himself either!
Some of a buys have been very poor, I would class Gervinho another one for the dead wood stock. The finances available are unknown, therefore we can only speculate, due to other matters our coaching staff have failed to address many of the issues which cost us so dearly in the past.
We’ve been reliant on to many veriables to pose a genuine threath to our leagues big spenders.
@ American gooner,m ost people in this day and age are fairly cynical about the press. If you want to worry about what some commentators say during a game I fear for your sanity. Seriously, who cares?
Written articles are a different matter but again they are soon forgotten.
Some say media negativity affects the team. Maybe so but players have to grow a pair. Answer your critics by playing out of your skin. Laugh in the face of adversity. I have to every time I post on here.
Participating on this blog is an entirely different matter. This is where AFC supporters come to debate or in some cases insult one another. And I didn’t say media bias shouldn’t be discussed, I just don’t think it’s that prevalent or particularly detrimental. Maybe I’m too generous to my fellow human beings in thinking that they can see through a journalist’s agenda.
@ dan, what the whole media has an agenda against Wenger? That’s a rather sweeping statement.
@ Rupert, turn on the radio or TV you can’t really get away from it.
@ Rupert
Honestly I don’t know why you bother commenting here. I really believe you come here just to upset fans who want to read positive things about Arsenal.
You on the other hand NEVER have anything positive to say about Arsenal/Arsene.
Time to start zoning you out and ignoring you from now on.
You belong on a different blog where you can all indulge together in your hate of all things Arsenal.
I’m done with you.
@ American gooner
Like you I have to endure the same commentators as you do. Ruperts idea is to play music while watching the game. I like to feel the atmosphere of the match and endure the commnents.
Parasanna says from next season it’ll be NBC? Unfortunately we’ll have to wait and see, if they adopt the ESPN way of just employing the current British commentators? If so we’ll still have the same commnetators just a different broadcaster.
Watch this space.
Gooner for life.
@ rupert
So being an enigma is a reason to spew mountains of negativity about a club? I seriously doubt that. Also, I’m afraid it DOES have a negative effect on the team. I know fans of other teams whose perceptions of Arsenal are basically defined by the media. Ask them to describe Arsenal, they’ll say we’re a sh!t team that hasn’t won a trophy in x years. Then the media changes their talking points and we become a team in crisis about to lose their manager. I know guys who still think Arsenal is a “French team”. Basically, whatever the media is force feeding the public at the time, is what most people will believe. I even read comments on articles and blogs that talk about how Bradford completely outplayed us! Not in the game I was watching… We kept them in their own half for most of the game, and created many chances. All we failed to do was score. But read a match report on that game, or listen to a pundit, and you’d never guess that unless you watched the game. And then you get guys who DID watch the game commenting on the match reports, agreeing with author that e were outplayed. 28 shots to 5, and we were outplayed?
My point is, a large number of people have their perceptions affected by media. That’s why America can invade a country using the excuse of WMD, and by the time they’re done everyone has forgotten that it was about weapons, and not removing a dictator.
@Woody
The persistence with which the rupert spews out his negative bile day after day and week after week could make anyone surprised that he bothers to post on this site. It would be easy to think that he would be at home on Le Groan – indeed he may well post to that site under a different name.
But, the persistence over a period of time should make the answer a bit more obvious to us now, it is not just that the rupert is an AAA sewer rat determined to wind us all up with his negativity, or that he takes a malicious pleasure in causing mischief, or that he has a mental weakness which leads to compulsive posting and ego building – it may be all of these, but, far more likely he is in the employ of a fat high roller and is being deliberately used not just to attack AW, but to undermine this site – why – because this site has been so staunch in supporting AW and is seen by a certain high roller as an obstacle to his ambition.
Time the rupert was red carded.
Deindividuation,
Look it up, it all makes sense now. You really couldn’t make it up.
http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=77099
They even named a theory after the family.
In passing, people make harsh comments about Diaby being deadwood who should be moved on, because of his injury record.
Let’s remember that his vulnerability to injuries results from the permanent damage caused by the disgraceful tackle by the Sunderland player some years ago. (I know, he wasn’t that kind of player, not a malicious bone in his body, just showing full-bloodied commitment and all that kind of shite)
Diaby is a talented player and it is to Arsenal’s credit as an employer that he is still here…. contrast with Man Utd treatment of Hargreaves.
@C4, but who cares how fans of other teams perceive us? How does what a supporter of Spuds or Chelsea think of Arsenal affect players? What do you expect a fan of another team to think of us? What do you care what they think of us?
Millwall fans sing, “Everybody hates us and we don’t care.” They use negativity to fire their team up.
The fact is that we failed to beat a League 2 side with a full strength team. Dominating a game is different from winning it and to paraphrase Wenger, “we had an illusory dominance.”
The WMD issue is another matter. There were large parts of the media in this country who were not in favour of invading Iraq. If people believe what politicians say then I’m afraid they get what they deserve.
@Adam, is that link a way of showing you disapprove of the hostility certain posters show to me?
I don’t know why they have to write pages on the subject, I’d say it’s plainly obvious. Safety in numbers, as the saying goes. When the majority bends in one direction it takes courage to bend the other way.
It’s how people excuse their extreme behaviour in riots or lynch mobs. It’s how many people in 1930’s Germany felt vindicated when they displayed inhuman behaviour towards fellow humans. To be the voice of a rabbit among a pack of wolves takes rare courage.
@bjt, I imagine you were a bully at school, now you like to bully people on the internet. Maybe you were bullied yourself, in which case you have my sympathy.
I’ve met people like you in real life. The nasty little man who despises free speech who heckles those who he dislikes. The man who imposes his views on weaker types, who takes pleasure in denigrating and humiliating people. They usually have a reason for it. Lack of self esteem or a terrible home life. These people deserve some understanding.
Of course some people were just born with nasty natures.
@Woody, you’ve been talking about ignoring me for ages and yet you never do.
I’ll say one thing for you, at least you don’t make utterly ludicrous assumptions about me like bjt gooner.
We’re discussing Arsenal of today, not yesteryear, and there’s not a lot to be positive about.
But here are some positives: we’re not in a relegation battle. We are a rich club. We have Wilshire. We have a brand new stadium. We can still win one competition and have a slight chance of winning another. We have a history to be proud of.
Anyway here’s the latest from planet Wenger:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-arsene-wenger-jokes-hes-1489711
He acquits himself well as the biased media lay into him but I do wish he’d stop harping on about 13 years of CL qualification when that’s the least you’d expect considering the resources Arsenal have. In response to this tedious mantra I’d say, “and what year did you win it?”
The most bizarre comment is his claim that we won trophies with less focused and serious teams. Really? Makes you wonder why this team is so average then. Reminds me of his odd claim a few years ago when he said that that squad was the best he ever had. Not very fair on the amazing squad of 98 that did the double; in comparison what did that “best squad” achieve?
Perhaps by serious he means they all sit down and discuss the literature of Selma Lagerlof and how being the first woman to win the Nobel prize for literature inspired other women to write. Or they discuss the burgeoning hatred for the unemployed engendered by the disastrous George Osborne in his attempts to criminalize them.
Anyway, let’s see where we are in May and how many trophies we hold aloft.
Perhaps some people would prefer it if Arsene Wenger stopped protecting his players.
Maybe he should take them onto the field of play during H/T and lay into them. That worked out well for Hull City.
Try not taking things to heart Rupert.
A man of your perceived intelligence doesn’t really believe our manager is addressing anyone other than his present group of players when answering the loaded Press conference questions .
@rupert (depressive AAA sewer rat with acne but not a lisp and who thinks he is a rabbit)
You are indeed a strange one, there is a lot of material in your mind waiting to be discovered by the medical profession. You constantly knife the team and manager behind their back, mostly using throw away cliches rather than a developed argument, then when you are in turn attacked face to face (or post to post) you scream bully. Attacking people behind their back is cowardly – but that is what you do.
The fact that you persist in your cowardly attacks suggest that there is a reason for your persistence. There is a variation in your phraseology which suggests you are not just one rat but a nest, so who would employ a nest of rats to go onto a pro Wenger site to continuously vomit their anti Wenger bile?
@Rupert’s
“Anyway, let’s see where we are in May and how many trophies we hold aloft.”
Ahh, now I see your problem.
This is an Arsenal supporters site.
The number of trophies in May is not material to support of the club. If it were we’d all be moving north.
@rupert like you said AW is “going against the current”. when the whole of media is always probing, questioning players, team and coach; when there is nothing but doubt & negativity someone should move against the current. the general tone of fans is negative,media is negative, IG is sort of confused, usmanov & kroenke are indifferent so its down to AW to send somewhat a positive message. yes some of the things AW says is way too much accentuating the positive. but we have to bear in mind that he won’t slate his players in public no matter how horrible they are- e.g. gervinho & chamack.
@Rupert, to answer your question no I did not have you in mind when I posted that link on deindividuation, although I can see how you found similarities and yes we all fall in to it somewhere along the line.
Ultimately this is a pro Wenger haven, I know you enjoy debate but you will not change peoples opinions on wenger and I don’t think that is your objective anyway. If you chose to play devils advocate all the time you will get challenged.
The link was more directed at the media situation with all publications hounding Arsenal. It shows a trend a mode if you will, that has become common all across the media hence DEINdividuation it seems orchestrated although probably just picked up and expanded by the gossip and buls**t sellers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deindividuation
Funny that we have a word that describes the propaganda aimed at Arsenal and Arsene that also carries the name of the man who set us on this collision course.
You couldn’t make it up.
@ rupert
Even our own fans are having their perceptions affected. That’s how strong media influence is. They are turning againt their players, so it’s no surprise that our away record is better than our home record.
The media do have an effect, but hopefully, the cavalry will soon arrive, starting with a clutch of homegrown players signing contract extensions, including hopefully Wilshere.
That, the arrival of a couple of new players, and a few departures of players holding squad places , commanding big wages but who clearly have no future at this club should at least increase the feel good factor around the place.
Mandy,
Signing extensions is surely a tonic for the atmospherics, but as with Cesc and Song, what does a signed contract mean if the player, at any time, wants out and the club is not willing to say NO ever. A player can sign an extension to look good, or give the club a thank-you and some leverage in future sales, etc., but, as we know, contracts are not respected in professional football.
very true Bob…and until these are announced on arse.com, we cannot be sure of anything. But hopefully, this marks moving into a new era. These are good players, including the much maligned Ramsey. For whatever reason, we have recently signed players who have proven expensive, but nowhere near good enough. Just have to hope this will stop.
On another note, just heard this recent quote from Tim Payton on Wenger
“His inability to delegate or seek help from others has resulted in a stale environment where best practice is no longer to the fore”
I actually agree with some – if not all of the things Tim says, but he is quite critical of the club becoming an increasingly corporate American style franchise…or that sort of thing, so those words did tickle me somewhat!
p.s. let me add RvP to the list. The club will not (as in never) exercise its actual or potential leverage and ability to say NO, even when it has the upper hand. Even as AW says – in public – that he will not sell a player no matter what (as, at different times, with Nasri, RvP, Cesc), that player is always sold. By playing hardball and refusing the wantaways (actual and seeming), the club could have, imo, won at least 2 of the 3 stand-offs. RvP could not have afforded a bad showing in his possible walk away free last season, or ruin his prospects of a great contract at his next team (if he left). Song could have been kept with 3 years remaining on that contract. Neither RvP nor Song had a track record of the presumed disruption that they might bring to the changing room if they did not get released. And x-Cess could have been kept for another year or, at the very least, actual market value rather than sub-market value. Of course, all this now comes to Walcott’s situation – our top scorer who is played part time. Why are people who love this club so glum? Why do fans who bond with our best players feel steamrolled? It doesn’t take Freud or a rocket scientist to see a club that will not spend to put quality on the pitch; and that suffers accumulated dro$$ (aka deadwood) to a large extent. Mandy, if no quality purchases are made – and I don’t mean swapping Theo for whomever, as if it’s a purchase – what then? Let’s see, but to me, it is the acid test.
p.s. And does anyone know if Podolski is earning 90K per week?
If so, can anyone see that Walcott may well have a point? Is he busting the sacred “wage structure” or has it already been done with Podolski? In either case, the club has money, arguably has had money, and will hopefully make a qualitative difference to the intermittent (and justly well-loved) Arsenal football that one might get to glimpse on rare occasion this season.
Song – just the mention of that gets me annoyed. Yes , we have not been replacing with equal quality and it is frustrating. All is not currently so well, we have undoubtedly made mistakes, in signings, management, closing deals, contract negotiations, scouting, assuming players would extend when they had no intention of doing so, wages, the lot. I just hope the powers that be have learned, if they have not, we will lose our place near the top, and that suits nobody. The way Poldi, Santi and Giroud were handled encourages me, Song, Theo and maybe Sagna maybe less so. We are now a big and wealthy club, and we must now be managed accordingly.
I agree, we should at times strike a harder deal. Hernandez rumoured to want out of Utd, wouldn’t it be great if Wenger had negotiated forst refusal in such an event as part of the RVP deal. These clubs we keep selling to must have players we could use, shame we never seem interested in taking advantage. We have made mistakes, we have been too finance driven, maybe for good reasons. But now, we seem to be in a much better place, a good time to change a few things.
Back to Theo, as much as I like him, just get the feeling Wenger does not really rate him, maybe the same with Song…but even so, no excuse for lack of replacements.
@Mandy and bob
Like you I was very disappointed at our high profile departures over the last two summers – up to that point we were close to contending for the EPL. There was the Dein factor in most if not all of those departures – and that did not seem to help the club. What we need now is stability and some rapid rebuilding, unfortunately it looks like Walcott may cause further instability. I don’t think we will know the right way of these transfers until Wenger writes his memoirs, but they may be worth the wait!
@bjtgooner
I wouldn’t bank on Wenger’s memoirs (if they ever materialise) revealing much. These days most organisations (which include major football clubs) have contractual clauses and/or settlement agreements which effectively restrict employees revealing anything negative about them when they leave. That’s why these days most memoirs and autobigraphies are so bland.
@Adam, I doubt I will change people’s opinions. What happens on the field will as it has for many fans in the last few years. And the continuing selling of our best players. If we sell Wilshire in a couple of years time I wonder who will be still happy about the direction the club is going.
@Matt Clarke, I bet you hated it when we were winning trophies in the early days under Wenger. “We don’t want those things cluttering up the place. Arsenal is above winning trophies, that’s for the likes of Birmingham and Portsmouth and we all know what happened to them.”
@Mandy, well selling Song seems mystifying to fans. It seems the logical reason was to ensure we didn’t have a net loss on expenditure in the transfer market. I don’t think you can really run a big club like that. Sometimes you have to make an investment which incurs a loss, that’s what big businesses do, speculate to accumulate.
@Tasos, “a man of my perceived intelligence”, that was very funny Tasos, it made me laugh anyway (:
@bjt, I’m trying to ignore your unhinged posts aimed at me but I couldn’t resist replying to the latest nonsense.
How exactly am I attacking anyone behind their back on a public forum?
You’re an idiot, and I’m not one for blatant abuse but it has to be said.
It is really strange that a discussion between fans has turned into a battle between fans, completely forgetting the discussion. These are the “stirrers” who infiltrate and cause problems between peaceful discussions.
Anyway it is clear to me that AW is not liked by the UK media at all. Why? I have no real idea why. Choose your own reason:
AW does not hobnob with the so called “elite”.
AW is French.
AW buys only french players,(at least until recently).
AW has integrity, which just does not work in UK football, where it is a battle and not a game.
AW makes stupid decisions, but who doesn’t?
AW says apparently silly things, but who else doesn’t?
I could go on and on and on.
Para
And he wears a very long coat
Para
And he wears a very long coat