A comment came into Untold a few days back which basically said that all the stuff about the systematic errors by referees which favour some teams and harm others, and all the analysis of injuries and how Arsenal get more on-field contact injuries than others, is all nonsense.
The clear fact, it was said in the comment, is that Wenger is useless. The rest of the comment was about how useless Wenger supposedly is.
It was fairly typical of a lot of comments that we get, and for myself, as the originator of this site, and still its publisher (meaning I’m the final arbiter of the policy behind this site) it leads to a problem.
Argument and debate, in my view, is part of the basis of a free society, in which I believe. But once it gets beyond the sort of thing one hears in the pub at closing time I think it should be based on evidence. Indeed it is hard for me, as a person with a science degree, to have any other view. There is nothing wrong with the expression of opinion, but opinion which is opinion without any backup, is in the end just opinion.
Such opinion can be interesting, amusing, entertaining, frightening or illegal, but until it has clear evidence in support it is still opinion.
Now I have a problem, because I do have a strong belief in freedom of expression. I can remember when, as a young inexperienced writer, my opinions were blocked by an editor. His view was, I think, that the point I was making was boring and so he wasn’t going down that route. This being long before the internet, there was nothing I could do except fume. And fume I did… quickly finding myself another outlet for my views.
But here I am now, on the other side of the fence wondering what I am to make of the people like the correspondent cited above who just weighs in with no evidence, and blames Wenger. Or worse the person who suggests he/she has evidence, only for that evidence to be personal analysis, and the citation of results, without any view of what lies behind the results. Without any real evidence drawn from a variety of sources.
Or even worse the person who quotes a “fact” without any indication as to where the evidence is to show that it is, indeed, a fact. Like the person who wrote in a few days back to say that Arsenal was the slowest team in the league. Is that true? I wouldn’t even know how to start working that out, let alone whether the figure is meaningful or not. But the correspondent just said it – we have the slowest team, and therefore the tactics are clearly rubbish.
To me, without any evidence, it is not the tactics that are rubbish but the argument.
Untold is a site which has made it clear from day one that it supports the manager, the players and the club. That is the whole essence of what this site is, and then we have readers who write in and complain about our actual existence!. That really strikes me as silly. It is a bit like writing to the Daily Mail and complaining that it is right wing and anti-EU. Yes it is, that is what it does. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. I hate the paper and all it stands for, not to mention its appeasement of the National Socialists in the build up to the second world war, but still I would argue for its right to exist.
The argument has even been made that Untold is the only Arsenal site that has this sort of built in bias – that all the others are balanced and considering everything on its merits.
I must say I think this is perhaps the biggest nonsense of all. Most of the other sites do proclaim themselves to be unbiased – but in fact they come from as clear a position as we do. Indeed it is impossible not to do so – even if that position is nothing other than the fact that you don’t need statistical analysis but can see what’s what, just by looking.
Take the above, and then add the fact that I have been called a Nazi, and have received a death threat from one guy because his comment was not published, and you might imagine why my long-term liberal belief in freedom of speech is being challenged.
In the end I began to resolve this very personal difficulty, when I thought not about comments from people who call themselves Arsenal supporters but instead from Everton fans, after my articles about the dangers of smoke bombs and flares.
I published quite a few of them (although not all) because I thought they were quite amusing in the way they totally missed the point, and quite frightening in the way that they justified what is a very dangerous activity. But when they got onto generalised abuse about Arsenal I cut them, for the simple reason that this is a site that supports Arsenal and the players and the manager.
We know these contrary views exist, we’ve heard the abuse, so what is the point of giving space on this site, to such comments? They have plenty of web sites of their own where they can comment.
The argument that somehow I am a fascist because I don’t publish opinions which are contrary to my own seems silly. If someone produced a serious analysis of referee decisions which showed that our analyses were faulted in some way, of course I’d be interested, but I really don’t see why I should take up my time giving space to those who have views without serious evidence which are contrary to my own. Such people can do what I did, and set up their own blog, then their views can be heard as much as they like.
And all this happens in the midst of criticism of those of us who write on Untold, for actually daring to write! I remember when I had the temerity to point out what I perceived to be a fault in an argument expounded on Swiss Ramble. The writer of that web site is clearly very knowledgeable about economics, but I thought he made an error when he commented upon marketing, and I said so. I was told by commentators on Untold that I had no right to say such a thing.
So there is one consistent theme: I’m wrong. Fair enough. That’s established. I don’t really think we need to establish that any more do we?
Which takes me to where we’ve come from and where we are now. I set up Untold on my own with a readership of four of my mates. The site grew, and now instead of maybe 100 visits a month if I was lucky, we get between 500,000 and 750,000 visits a month. We’ve been outlawed by Google and then rehabilitated, and ultimately had an influence on the club over the development of the statues.
This is what we are – Untold supports the club, the manager and the players, and I think it is time to say, I’ve had enough of being threatened and called a Nazi by people for whom the concept of “evidence” and that of “personal opinion” are indistinguishable.
So I am hoping you will see fewer of these “Wenger is a prat, anyone can see it” type comments, and I hope you will sympathise with my liberal angst, and understand why it has taken me so long to deal with these things. Some commentators have been banned, others put in permanent moderation. Hopefully it will improve Untold as an experience for everyone else.
And as always, if you have been, thanks for reading.
Tony Attwood
Well said Tony, spot on as per usual.
On one hand I believe in freedom of speech, on the other, there are a lot of idiots in the world with internet access that think they have an opinion. Most worryingly it is usually just an opinion impressed on them through the media, and they bleat it out until they feel self important. Just think, it’s all they have.
Ignore them as best you can, they usually go away. Keep up the great work!
‘So I am hoping you will see fewer of these “Wenger is a prat, anyone can see it” type comments, and I hope you will sympathise with my liberal angst, and understand why it has taken me so long to deal with these things. Some commentators have been banned, others put in permanent moderation. Hopefully it will improve Untold as an experience for everyone else.’
A rousing chorus of ‘For he’s a jolly good fellow, and so say all of us’ for Tony.
Thanks for this site ,Tony ,my only contact with football reality .Keep up the good work in supporting the club.
Thanks also to the like minded guys and gals who come on here for their daily fix and comment sensibly .
I only used to come on here while at work ,but over the last year or so I sit in front of the home computer whenever I get the chance .
I’ve even giving up trawling porn sites as its more interesting here !
I ‘ve come to enjoy reading the input from the regulars and I do believe I learn something new everyday.
As wit and satire is my forte ,I do enjoy posting jokes and sometimes serious stuff that may be relevant to the article or discussion .
Other times I just go berserk and let rip !
Thanks again ,Tony and may your joints ever be supple to keep on jiving !
The Senior Alphabet!
New Alphabet:
A is for apple, and B is for boat,
That used to be right, but now it won’t float!
Age before beauty is what we once said,
But let’s be a bit more realistic instead.
senior alphabet senior alphabet
Now The Alphabet For Seniors:
A’s for arthritis,
B’s the bad back,
C’s the chest pains, perhaps car-di-ac?
D is for dental decay and decline,
E is for eyesight, can’t read that top line!
F is for fissures and fluid retention,
G is for gas which I’d rather not mention.
H is for high blood pressure – I’d rather it low;
I for incisions with scars you can show.
J is for joints, out of socket, won’t mend,
K is for knees that crack when they bend.
L ‘s for libido, what happened to sex?
M is for memory, I forget what comes next.
N is neuralgia, in nerves way down low;
O is for osteo, bones that don’t grow!
P for prescriptions, I have quite a few,
just give me a pill and I’ll be good as new!
Q is for queasy, is it fatal or flu?
R is for reflux, one meal turns to two.
senior alphabet
S is for sleepless nights, counting my fears,
T is for Tinnitus, bells in my ears!
U is for urinary, troubles with flow,
V for vertigo, that’s ‘dizzy,’ you know.
W for worry, now what’s going ’round?
X is for X ray, and what might be found.
Y for another year I’m left here behind,
Z is for zest I still have – in my mind!
Not forgetting the AAAA – those #@*&% !!!
Thank you, I am sorry to hear you have to suffer from idiots. You don’t need to be passive aggressive about being wrong all the time etc., (reminds me of my dad in law, euwww).
One day we will talk about evidence…
The gift of analysis – still the preserve of the priveledged few, but rapidly being eroded by the me me me, X Factor, Talk Radio generation.
Amazed by how many people use the word fact, when someone uses that word in isolation, I switch off, unless of course it is Rafa Benitez ranting, he may have been one of the few justified in using such a word in a short monologue.
Dont let the keyboard warriors bother you, most of them are just inadequate kids in a room, just take a look at the trolls that get unmasked in the news, sad gits, every last one of them.
Here is to hoping things improve on the analysis front.
—-
OT: About 8 April 1898 Tottenham 0 Arsenal 0
A few (at least 2) websites that are Spurs oriented, display the same 2 sentences about this game. The only thing that might be information in those 2 sentences, is that the attendence was listed as 15,000 (apparently a record).
None of the other leads I followed showed nothing at all like rosters, officials, ….
Tony,
Keep on keeping on. I wouldn’t worry too much about being perceived by some as being against free speech. Unfortunately we live in an age where people are taught that whatever the quality of the argument they want to put, they have an inalienable right to be heard. This is not democracy but morocracy – rule by the stupid. To assume that having something to say equates to having something worth listening to is a false equation. I don’t mind that there are stupid people out there. I just don’t want to have to listen to their opinions. Thankfully here I don’t have to. Vive la revolution.
As I also have access behind the scenes of Untold I can only agree with you Tony.
Sometimes I have thought about letting all those things go and put them on the site. Just to show what a bunch of morons are out there who abuse all the writers on here in ways that if I would say them about others my wife would slap me in the face. And it would be a deserved slap.
I think on average there are a good dozen I trash myself each day that just come on here calling us names or just calling Wenger names or any given player that had a bad game or made a mistake. It’s terrible in a way.
There was a time I thought Arsenal supporters were better than many of other teams. I have learned (and respected) supporters from other teams can be more reasonable than some Arsenal fans. I don’t use the word supporter for them.
I completely agree with you and even I who am completely in favour of free speech agree that we should stop them from polluting Untold.
They know what we stand for and if they don’t agree with that : fine. But no need to abuse writers or people who comment on here, or players, or the managers, or whoever from Arsenal.
Thank you Tony for establishing one of only a few sites where one can find sustenance for sanity. The public sphere is the most powerful site of social power, greater than that of political parties and private foundations. That you seek to produce understanding through factums, analysis, logical reasoning, and comprehensive evaluations as an aid to wisdom cannot go well with other interests that seek to dominate the power in the public sphere. There the priority for control is misinformation through information and mere opinion as “freedom of speech”. The very ingredients for hateful prejudices and blind catastrophic following. I value this site and rate it highly, so thank you and my support to keep it going strongly for all for whom the Arsenal culture means a lot. Also, for keep it clean of nauseating “clutter”: thank you again!
It’s about time Tony.. Yes logically it might not always be easy to justify banning certain comments, and like you I am uncomfortable with that because some ‘innocents’ might fall under that banner. Also, I think it important to build bridges and wouldn’t want there to be a clear divide.
All the same, I had stopped even coming on the site for a period of months because of there being a flood of such comments as you describe, clearly intended to either insult or infuriate rather than debate. I had had enough, and so decided to stay away.
Let me also say that I think Untold has been more patient than many other sites (not just Le Grove, which I have never commented on) with what are obviously trolls, or idiots, or both. I still believe that people with an alternate viewpoint who are respectful, and genuinely up for a debate (even if they lack all the facts) will be entertained on here. I am sure banning the trolls will make it a more pleasant experience even for them since the need for combating the incessant negativity will decrease and make for a better atmosphere for debate all round.
Cheers.
So, I take it we’ll see less yaaaps from now on? I can’t wait for that to happen. On my occasional visits to other sites (Eurosport mostly) I am shocked at the amount of poisonous comments without any base – and I’m receiving the poison treatment whenever I dare to point at a hint of evidence. So, thank you Tony for keeping Untold the gem it is. It really brings me a ray of happiness knowing that the reasoning is alive in a mad world.
Gord ?????
http://blogs.ca.com/innovation/wp-content/uploads/sites/101/EpiFunnies2.jpg
A young man is apt to think himself wise , as a drunken man is apt to think himself sober .
Goodnight ,guys .
http://blog.writch.com/a%20stunning%20senior%20moment.jpg
Well done Tony, I applaud you on your honesty and perseverance. This is the best blog bar none on all things arsenal. In fact one of the best for football in general because in no small part to the unbiased ref watch and recent injury crisis write up.
It takes guts to stand against the wall of imbeciles that come on here with caveman intellect and abuse their right to have an opinion.
Im born an Arsenal fan, all my family are and ive had the pleasure of watching them for 30 odd years.
Whats happening in the gooner world at the moment is pitiful, I never imagined we could see this sort of infighting supporting Arsenal, let alone with Wenger in charge.
My opinion is give Wenger another year to rectify what he must now know are his faults. Transfer dealings, tactics against stronger teams and so on.
Its not been an easy ride since 2006 but we could have it alot worse and would of if we had been wengerless since 06.
Start of season im sure most would of grabbed the position we are in in he cup and would be happy with hopefully the win and then a reaction to finally getting their paws on a trophy.
I still believe this will happen and I still believe Wenger will kick his ass into gear over his failings. Then the glory days will be back.
If he doesn’t then fair enough we move on and hit the heights with a younger, hungrier tactician.
Everything from youth policy and setup, training facilties, class of player in the squad and amazing stadium will be there ready for whoever it may be thanks in full to one man.
Wenger is one of the best EVER and will be seen as such in years to come. Whether we win again with him or not, he still deserves our respect and thanks for what he has done for our, my, your club.
Yaaaps! Que?
YAAAP = Yet Another Anti Arsenal Post
Tony & Walter you light up life for football loving Arsenal supporters. You are biased toward all things Arsenal yet you deliver an unbiased analysis of all things football. The officials, the injuries and the strange turns of fortune are all aspects of your coverage.
You are part of Arsenal and I love your courage and your opinions.
Quite self-explanatory:
http://thoughtcatalog.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/a-flowchart-to-help-you-determine-if-yoursquore-having-a-rational-discussion.jpg
Tony and Walter, I am also grateful for this site because of the quality of comments that allows us a sense of community even if for the most part it lies in cyber space. For all of the commentators above and similar ones that may follow, I can’t help but feel a sense of positive connection. More than analysis, this site also assembles quite remarkable people and personalities. Thank you, again.
This post is the reason why I rarely go below the articles to read comments and even more rarely make comments myself. Commenters with a sense of entitlement of their right to be abusive make for tedious reading. Keep up the good work above the line.
Florian
Seriously?
Yes, both the YAAAP and the flowchart 🙂
Whoops!
Nice flow chart Florian.
—-
Brickfields, there are days when I feel “brain dead”, and there is no sense trying to out think a problem. I am better off getting an axe and chopping wood, getting my Japanese saw and making more basswood veneer, working on some pallets I just took apart, or so on. But most days, the light bulb works just fine. If only there was a way to get an employer to notice, without getting those idiots from HR involved.
Here is a legitimate question:
why would Walter’s analysis of our injuries (that deserves respect) be mutually exclusive with any analysis of Wenger’s mistakes? Unless you think ignoring pieces of puzzles would make a big picture prettier, of course.
Thank you, and grateful for such an informative, factual and positive site. It’s like an oasis in a desert. Keep up the good work.
Thank you Gord. I think it sums up what most of us tend to agree a normal discussion should look like. Ultimately, this is what differentiates us from animals. So funny how rarely rationality prevails among humans.
Josif….a good question but a misleading one. We have seen analyses of Wenger (both his failings and strengths/successes)and they were not accompanied by any other analysis. We are , for the most part, mature readers who can accept a less than pretty picture like most adults (last weekend a case in point) but we also know that a piece of the puzzle is NOT the entire puzzle and that the whole is ALWAYS greater than its parts.
The ever present and ubiquitous danger of starting a ¨review ¨of Wenger’s failures on this website is that every sanctimonious, supercilious entitled ¨ex^pert¨ would flog his or her BS about Wenger, without once mentioning a positive as well. We get that in spades already. That is NOT what this website is about and so while we do not fear facing the less salubrious aspects of Arsenal, we avoid the gutter rats that infect the other Arsenal blogs with their excrement….simple as that.
If you want to post an expose of Wenger’s faults, please do that but do take the time to add proven facts and also some positives as well….that is called balance!
Tony and Walter, I support your site.
BUT!
BUT!
Has Walter, officiated in front of 10,000 fanatics howling abuse at him? Or as a referee, 40,000 screaming “lunatics” at Anfield, Old Trafford or the Newcastle Stadium, whatever it is called now?
I believe that certain officials are inclined to “bend the rules”, to avoid the “banter”.
Webb and Dean, I am sure can pick and choose, which games they officiate at.
A difference of opinion, based on human frailty.
How can one judge Spectrum or Matt? Have either of them, any experience (real) of management skills? Surely not!
I support Tony and Walter, with the main thrust, Arsenal, the Manager, the players and the supporters (win, draw or lose).
Tony, thanks for this awesome step you are taking to prune this site of its excesses.
I read only two webpages whenever we lose a game; Wenger’s post match interview on arsenal.com AND the review on here.
I hate joining issues with morons and nonentities that’s why I cease commenting in the articles but with this incoming breeze of fresh air, I think commenting will sure be fun again. COYG.
@James,
Your 6.55 saying you rarely read the comments following Untold posts, surprises me no end.
It means you won’t be aware of my prediction that we will win the FA Cup, qualify for next season’s CL and Arsene will buy heavily in the Summer Transfer Window.
Notoverthehill,
as football in Belgium is not a sport that gets as much supporters as in England: no! 😉
Last weekend we had in all the play off matches not even 60.000 people going to ALL THE MATCHES IN TOTAL.
But I did matches in front of some 3.000 supporters and did matches with teams from the highest division in my career so far, even just a few weeks ago. As you can see from the total numbers and one match had around 20.000 last weekend as it was a top match, this is not that bad for Belgium attendances.
And to follow up: yes within a minute they chanted that I could stick my flag where the sun doesn’t shine. The popular song that is aimed at assistant referees when the crowd doesn’t agree with a decision. 🙂 😉 part of the game 🙂
Selfishly, I for one, am ecstatic about the notion of banning the habitually negative posturing from people who project their own personal anger onto the club. There are plenty of sites for them.
We come here for solace and positivity in supporting the club. If they’re allowed to hijack the blog, where do we go?
Thank you to all the contributers for all you do.
Great article, great discussion. Back to Untold as it used to be before it was discovered by certain people. Thanks Tony. You are doing us all a great service, and there is nothing to feel guilty about. And I’m very excited because I am GOING TO WEMBLEY! They have got down to my section of red members and I’ve bought my ticket!
Tony, would it be worthwhile displaying prominently on the page a code of conduct expected of commenters in their posts with the consequences of not complying clearly laid out. Transgressors could hardly complain then of any ‘punishment’ handed out to them if they offended.
Just catching up on articles I’ve missed – been a bit busy. The question the journalists never asked – what a great article and discussion! You won’t read that analysis of the game against Everton anywhere else. Just one more reason why I’m so grateful to Untold.
Here’s some analysis, thanks to Ladyarse /Daily Cannon
http://ladyarse.co.uk/2014/04/former-liverpool-man-hits-out-at-arsenal/
I know Untold has posted injury stats as well , but Scroll down, our injury list this year is just mind boggling. No wonder they are doing an injury rewiew at the club
My God people still blaming refs and Harry and his dog… Meanwhile Jose guides the Russians through to the next round.. Andewhat’s the specialist in failure doing? Twiddling his thumbs no doubt.
Thanks for the link, Mandy. It was worth getting riled by Carragher to get to the injury list at the bottom. Shocking but not surprising. Given how we are treated by the referees.
Max
Have you read the article that you have commented on?
Bye!
Well said Tony.
I’m mostly a lurker here, but I also found the recent abuse ridiculous, especially since terms like “democracy” “dictatorship” “fascist” etc. really describe systems of government, which are notoriously difficult to evade, and have nothing really to do with one privately-controlled website, which can be left behind with a single click. Freedom of speech is 1,000,000 website authors/publishers free to craft whatever websites they wish.
Well Tony, as a regular reader for several years now whom only comment less than 10 times in a calendar year, you have my full support.
I think it is only right. It should have been sooner. These people are toxics and full of hatred. Some time I wonder if they even have brain. Some clearly had an agenda.
But I have to admits they are sometime are very amusing to read or else some comments section would be very bland and dull without them.
You should allow their comments but should moderate their comments especially during those times – you know, when the team had bad results.. those times where they comes in hordes at untold with a smile on their face..
Well, keep up the good work, Tony & co…
AIN’T IT THE TRUTH .
http://design2000.biz/usksider/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/dead-stupid.jpg
We could post this ‘KEEP OUT !’ warning poster on the top .Do you think it would help ? Nah ? Me too !
http://lastshredsofsanity.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/stupidPeople.jpg
From the Medical Division of UA –
New science shows sugar makes lab rats dumber …
A recent scientific study indicates that sugar can make you fat! Oh, wait, no that’s an old scientific study and what your grandma said a million times. The recent study has determined that sugar can make you dumb!
UCLA researchers took a bunch of lab rats, fed them Count Chocula, and then asked them to complete The New York Times crossword puzzle. Kidding, most rats prefer sudoku.
The full article at …
http://doesthisblogmakeuslookfat.com/2012/05/17/sugar-makes-us-stupid/
I have read it and I am about to call agent scully and mulder to solve the problem set against arsenal. Grow a pair will you. Ffs that’s the pathetic excuses you guys come out with every bloody time. You can’t accept the fact that this team is absolutely dire and the dictator is walking on his last legs. Before he chronically damages the team he needs to be moved on. Simple.
You want proof do you? Well, explain the nine years without a trophy? Explain why he did not go for berbatov a proven premiership striker in January? Explain why he is allowed to remain at the club despite the ridiculous defeats by our top rivals? When you have answers I will be ready.
Most of the guys on here are the most delusional set of people on earth! They blame every other thing for mistakes and never look at themselves to see what they might be doing wrong. It’s all the refs, oil money, etc fault.
Good luck!
Thanks Tony. Hopefully the site will return to what it was.
@Max,Gambon: If you’re not trolling, stick around – you’ll see plenty of intelligent discussion discussing our problems in a respectful way. That’s all it really is about – disagree diametrically but do it rationally and be able to back up your arguments.
Some fine jokes/quotes and shit here.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/364721269793111669/
I don’t normally link to the BBC, but this article gives some facts about what has happened to the sides who have replaced their managers during the season this year. It seems most “supporters” don’t realize that sacking a manager often only goes to show what a good job he has been doing already! Of all the new miracle men in the PL this year only one actually has improved his side’s standing (and that was a bit of an exception due to the way the former manager left). http://www.bbc.com/newsbeat/26920629
Today’s word is ‘MISOPHONIA ‘…
http://misophonia.com/symptoms-triggers/
Symptoms and Triggers
Misophonia – literally the hatred of sound -can be defined as a hypersensitivity to background sounds or visual stimuli that are generally ignored by other people. More importantly than the individuals inability to block out the offending stimuli or “trigger” is the acute negative emotional response experienced as a direct result of being in contact with a trigger.
The response has been described as a reflexive emotional flood of rage and panic with a storm of fight-or-flight reactions becoming paramount. Adrenaline flooding, face flushing, heart-pounding and/or shaking and the need to physically flee or attack are often experienced. The mindful thoughts that the emotional reflex/response is unreasonable given the facts of the stimulus is often actually harmless come only after the fight-or-flight response is in full force and the affected person may find themselves in a constant mode of “talking themselves down” into a normal state of calm.
The majority of trigger stimuli are counted as harmless or just part of every day to day life by the “normal” person, but to a person inflicted with Misophonia, they are a tremendous burden, often the analogy of nails down a chalk board or exposed nerves have been used to describe the disturbing response.
Often a sufferer is forced into a life of isolation, shrinking away from the general population and the offending triggers, not by choice but out of necessity for their sanity. Many withdraw from social occasions due to the fear and anxiety caused that a trigger may be present. Often relationships are destroyed due to misunderstandings and misdirected negativity. Work opportunities are reduced or obliterated altogether.
When asked how they feel, a sufferer will often detail the tremendous levels of guilt and turmoil they feel due to their reaction, their fear of an ever collapsing tolerance and the ever increasing restrictions imposed on them by the condition.
Although the initial list of Triggers was thought to be focused around soft sounds or eating and bodily noises it has since been identified that an ever increasing list of audio and visual stimuli may trigger the above reaction. Not everyone who has this condition is affected equally, with some being unaffected by trigger noises that torments others, while others still seem to have no negative response visual stimuli but are completely overcome by sounds.
@ Zamscotican – Thanks for that link .Do hope everybody reads it .This French saying says it all –
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Brickfield,
I think we have misophonia to troll noises.
No need to feed any trolls. Agent Scully and Mulder have taken care of them 😉
Indeed Zamscotican, I hope on their way out some trolls will have read that article. Mind you….we could go for….Pulis… puke… 😉
@ Florian – Yes we do , it also does help that I use AW-tinted glasses when I read comments and have a very selective sense of hearing ; otherwise…..
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/44754590021415988/
Seems a perfectly reasonable approach to me Tony. It’s a strange world when supporting and sticking up for your club is seen as a bad thing to do. If you hate a club as much as some Arsenal fans seem to hate Arsenal then I can’t see the point in being a fan.
Is it a gift or a curse that I have the ability of the 7th sense ?
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/678/stupidsense.jpg
A very good looking man walks into a singles bar, gets a drink and has a seat. During the course of the evening he tries to chat with every single woman who walks into the bar, with no luck.
Suddenly a really ugly man, and I mean R-E-A-L-L-Y ugly man walks into the bar. He sits at the bar, and within seconds he is surrounded by women.
Very soon he walks out of the bar with the two of the most beautiful women you ever saw.
Disheartened by all this, the good looking man asks the barman, ‘Excuse me, but that really ugly man just came in here and left with those two stunning women – what’s his secret? He’s as ugly as sin and I’m everything a girl could want but have not been able to connect all night – What’s going on?’
‘Well,’ Said the Barman, ‘I don’t know how he does it, but he does the same thing every night.
He walks in, orders a drink, and just sits there licking his eyebrows…’
hello Max
I don’t pretend to have all the answers but I would suggest we did not buy Berba because he’s too old and too slow and wouldn’t fit into our system. He’s played 6 times for Monaco this year and scored twice. I think we should have signed a striker but perhaps a suitable one was not available and the club believed (perhaps wrongly) that it was better to wait till the close season.
Wenger is still there after heavy defeats because the Arsenal board are not short-termist reactionists. Sacking AW might appease a section of the fans, it would certainly make the media happy, but would it benefit the team or the club? Without a replacement I can’t see how. I can see change in the near future – maybe even this summer – but I have no desire for a knee jerk reaction which leaves the club headless.
Personally I think Tony and Walter have a point about referees and its hard to argue about the financial doping of the PL. Whether both are adequate reasons to pinpoint our lack of success ON THEIR OWN I doubt, but then I don’t think that is Untold’s position. The site supports the club, the manager and the team, as do I. Asking people to ‘grow a pair, FFS’ is fairly pointless, don’t you think?
Cinderella wanted to go to the ball one night, but she didn’t have any tampons to use and she was on the rags. Her Fairy Godmother came to the rescue and turned a pumpkin next to Cinderella’s house into a tampon. The Godmother says, “Now use the tampon, but be sure to get back home before midnight or it will turn back into a pumpkin, and that wouldn’t be good.” Cinderella agrees and leaves the house.
Midnight comes along…no Cinderella, 1am, 2am and 3am, still no Cinderella!
Finally, 5am rolls by and Cinderella waltzes through the door and the fairy godmother jumps up. “Where the hell have you been?!?” To which Cinderella replies, “I met this amazing guy, and well, before I knew it, we got into a serious bang session. His name was Peter Peter…..”
(Clue – its a nursery rhyme.)
Max
Why don’t the board sack Wenger? This is an interesting question.
An interesting concept . Could UA put up a ” 404 NOT FOUND ” message when the AAAA and trolls come on ? Seems logical to me !
http://static.fjcdn.com/large/pictures/60/53/605393_2446512.jpg
It seems obvious that some of the posters branded as AAA (if not all) are probably “agent provocateurs”, here to stifle any proper discussion and disrupt it by invoking replies.
It is these replies that give them their victory, as mentioned above, ignore them and they will soon tire. It is hard for some to ignore them, so i think Walter is doing the right thing now.
@para
Exactly.
@Brickfields
Some great posts this morning!
Some people eat to live,
Some people live to eat.
I have heard these phrases many times. Forgotten most of it. Can someone refresh my memories?
@Tony
I have read your blog for a few years now. I dont know how you (and other bloggers) keep it all going. I applaud you and the untold team for that.
As it is with life not all of my views co-incide with yours/your blog. I do respect your views.
This blog sticks out from the others because it has some values that are pretty close to mine. Treat people with respect, treat their views with respect and don’t put up with poor behaviour. Standards.
That said sometimes I think Untold makes a rod for its own back. For example the timing of the referee blog after the Everton game. You must have known you’d get stick and get accussed of making excuses. Arsenal were poor. Sometimes you just have to say that and move on. Perhaps run that particular article a few days later?
Anyway I appreciate the standards that you apply. In the world of social media and blogging it is pretty rare.
Here Here Tony!
Hear Hear 😉
Regular lurker on the site also. I am fully aware that this simply echoes previous posters – this is an excellent website, the articles are superbly written, and it offers, somewhat ludicrously, a unique viewpoint on Arsenal. It is a pleasure to read such well researched and balanced views.
I am often hot-headed in my approach to football, as many will understand, but this site helps restore balance
Thank you to all the team here (and the many excellent regular commenters). I will continue to lurk regularly, and would like to post more!
@ bjtgooner – Thanks , I had a blast at work ,especially when I was supposed to be doing other things !
Well I guess it pays to play hookey when you’re the boss!
@Brickfields
I know what you mean, I have had to travel a lot recently – tiring. (Maybe you have some travel funnies up your sleeve?)
It’s nice to see an increased number of balanced and positive posts at the week has progressed – hope I don’t put the scud on us!!
@ bjtgooner – weren’t those scuds missiles very unreliable ? They were more likely to blow up in the face of the aggressor and miss their targets as they were actually hitting their intended targets .
Very much like the AAAA here who put their foot in their mouth more often then they actually kick butt ! Or make a valid point !
Will try to find something funny about the travel bug for you tomorrow .Will try ‘get’ you before you have your breakfast!
@Brickfields
Tomorrow is fine, thanks, look forward to it. But I know you are a busy guy, don’t go to too much trouble.
@ bjtgooner – Never too busy at work ,but was supposed to read up something to present at my lodge meeting today but was ‘playing hookey ‘ ( at work )by coming on here and ‘doing ‘ my thing !
Luckily it went well and I didn’t mess it up .
Watch out for the Delhi belly and Montezuma’s revenge jokes !
Its almost midnight here , so I’ll wish all the regulars goodnight !
This is an amazing Arsenal football site.
When things do not go as we would want re results it is very encouraging to find others of like mind….ie we believe, and things will actually get better.
I dislike reading destructive comments on the team/club/manager/players that give so much enjoyment and stimulation irrespective of results.
Although it may not be deemed politically correct; Walter, please DO NOT accept any adverse comments about The Arsenal as most of us wish to indulge our fantasies.
Let’s all take the piss, about Arsenal and any other team……and enjoy the funnies and/or, but for god’s sake stop slagging our club/team/players/manager.It is becoming a bloody ball ache.
Matthew Syed wrote an enlightening article in the Times today.
Straight to the point, and well worth a read.
For those who truly find understanding The Arsenal why not try the official Arsenal site, brilliant information……especially re Arsene and the ‘Breakdown’ with Adrian Clarke is most informative. and free to access.
Ugh… Trying to ignore maxie… Focusing on the piece….
So yeah…. It’s about time ua do this…
Well, haters gonna hate… That’s a fact. LOL
Thank you for taking this stance Tony.
I am all for free speech.
But, being all for free speech and having to listen to people abusing something you love, day after day, is an entirely different matter.
There are many sites out there that cater for those that want to do that so why come here?
Hi Tony, I saw this post rather late (an unconscious act on my part, trying to avoid all the negativity that was sprouting up here, I guess). I think you made the right move for you may just get to keep some of us coming back.
As they say around our parts here, ‘your good manners reflect your upbringing’ . I had a lecturer who reacted to insults and bad language by saying “…freedom of speech should not be equated with freedom of abuse or insults…” Many of us at the lecture agreed with him.
Those “…nattering nabobs of negativism…” – Spiro Agnew, former US Vice-President – should be kept off this site, permanently! “With very many thank yous”