By Tony Attwood
When Untold gets its teeth into a story we like to dig in deep, and not give up until we’ve got to the bone.
OK, perhaps not the best idiom when I am about to talk about injuries, but I’m sure you know what I mean.
You’ll remember the era when we had lots and lots of injuries seemingly going on for years. We even had the Year of the Seven Left Backs. Now we have far fewer it is not an issue – except it has popped up as a concern with Bayern Munich, where Doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt and his three top staff have quit the club, after the manager blamed the top doc for a series of injuries.
That is interesting, not just because it gives us another perspective on injuries, but also because Bayern’s manager is the closest thing football has to a god, so when he has a fall-out it is a bit like the heavens’ shaking.
When injuries were the issue of the day at Arsenal, the aaa blamed Wenger’s training methods, the fact that the manager wouldn’t listen to his medical staff, a fault with the pitch, a fault with the training pitch, and even the players’ diets.
We also looked at the way the referees treated teams, and how in some cases the cloggers among the playing fraternity, unable to keep up with the speed of our players, used the only resource they had, and how they got away with it.
Indeed it is a viable theory that a ref who has been bought through Type III match fixing really need do little other than let the defence of a lesser talented team hack us to bits. That not only makes it harder for us to win that match, but can affect the next five matches with players being out injured.
A while back Untold did a summary of the findings of the press, and Walter did a complete in-depth series of articles on injuries, and we’ve also had quite an inquiry into the rabid world of Raymond Verheijen who very much blamed Wenger – as well as everyone else. (Except himself – he seemed to have found the holy grail although never quite got around to telling any of us where it was). There’s an index to the series below.
But let’s move back to Bayern, after which I want to put forward a new (or at least new to Untold) explanation as to why injuries can suddenly take hold of a club and spread.
So… all is not perfect in the world domination world of Bayern in that they were recently beaten by Porto 3-1 in the quarter finals of the Champs League. (Imagine what would happen if this were Arsenal. It would be like being beaten by Monaco or someone. There would be calls for the manager to be hung, drawn and quartered.
Oh).
But unlike Mr Wenger, who never blames anyone within the club and shoulders all responsibility, Guardiola doesn’t accept responsibility. He said, ‘We have players who were out a long time with injuries … their legs don’t last very long,” and he pointed at the medics.
The doctor in charge of putting broken bits back together said, “After the Champions League match of Bayern Munich against Porto the medical department was for some inexplicable reason made primarily responsible. The bond of trust is damaged,” and he and his team walked out.
Could the great god Guardiola be slipping? After all one must remember, the only top coaching job he had before Munich was Barcelona. Maybe he’s not quite invincible after all. (They are 12 points clear at the top of the league but then they have twice as much money as the rest of the league put together so that is not surprising).
Certainly Guardiola didn’t have much to say about the entire doctoring team leaving. “It was his decision to leave. I respect his decision that is all.”
Which isn’t much to say about the guy who Usain Bolt claimed was the core of his Olympic successes. But gods tend to be a bit like that. It comes with the territory.
But that leaves the whole issue of injuries, and why sometimes we have lots and sometimes not so many. And indeed the question of whether we have more than other clubs.
If you look at the list on Physioroom at the moment QPR have nine players out at the top of the injury league, while Arsenal, Burnley, Leicester and WBA have two. It is a big gap.
But of course, who is injured is also an issue. Our problem earlier in the season was with getting several players injured in the same position. And there is the problem with bringing back players who have been out for a long time – as we have seen with Theo, getting up to the previous top level can be very hard indeed. Obviously it is not just a numbers thing.
However there is another element, which I had not thought about before with injuries, and which I only came across when discussing this article yesterday with a senior nurse.
She made this simple point: it doesn’t matter how many machines you have got monitoring an individual, in the end you are also reliant on the individual telling you what he/she feels.
Which means you are at the mercy of a player lying to the medics about where the pain is, or if there is any pain at all.
So consider this scenario. You are a young up and coming professional player, but you are currently number two in the squad to another guy. That guy gets injured, and this is your chance. You play, but in the second game you get a twinge. Normally you would follow the rulebook and mention it at once to the doc, but this is your big moment to get in and make a mark. The lead player in the squad in your position is only out for three weeks, so you have to take your chance. You ignore the twinge and play on.
Next thing we know, both our lead player and the back up are out injured. And the injury to the back up player which should have been tiny is actually now very big because it was exacerbated.
Of course we talk about footballers being professionals, but you only have to look at their behaviour both on and off the pitch to know that sometimes they are also idiots, so the scenario seems likely.
Do they lie about pain? Of course they do. Not all, by any means, and not all the time, but some of them do, some of the time.
Maybe that is why one or two highly promising players get sold – because they can’t be trusted to tell the truth about their injuries. Maybe that’s why some players who really look so promising seem to fade away and end up in the fourth division because they are MEN who can play through pain.
It’s an interesting insight.
Well, I think so.
—————————
Untold on injuries…
- Introduction and part 1
- Part 2: average injuries per season analysis
- Part 3: Arsenal compared to other teams
- Part 4 : The risk for each player
- part 5 Non-contact injuries
- Part 5.2 – an aside. Raymond Verheijen
- part 6 Ankles, foot and back injuries
- part 7 Broken Legs
- part 8 How to Hurt a Player and Not get a Card
- part 9 Broken Legs – the analysis in detail
- part 10 Knee Injuries
- part 11: Shoulders and Thighs
- Part 12 Injuries and the number of games
I can guarantee everyone that even Mourinho, Van Gaal and Rodgers will throw a blame to anyone within their clubs when things go wrong. Pep has a fury character, just like the names above. But will never be a gentleman like Wenger. And the media will still dance on their laps and condemn Wenger at the same time.
You can think what you want of Dr. Muller-Wohlfart but he is a monument in German football, not just Bayern. He also still is/was responsible for the German national team and is seen as some kind of wonder doctor to heal players.
Tony,
I’m still of the mind that our high injury count is very much a consequence of lenient refereeing.
What I saw on Saturday is a trend I think I’ve been seeing for a majority of this season.
That is, that by and large, regarding a majority of decisions such as off sides, penalties, hand balls etc., we are getting a better, though still not perfect by any means, crack of the whip.
We have had penalties awarded to us the like of which we wouldn’t of got in the past. When did we ever get a ‘soft’ pen or an ‘I’ve seen ’em given’ type penalty? But we have this year.
Add to that the fact we’ve got away with, if that’s the right word, a few borderline that would of definitely been given prior to this season.
And this has even been happening with Dean and the like.
So I just sense that some things have changed, in some areas, but not everything.
And the area it hasn’t is the latitude our opposition are still given to attempt to kick us off the park. It was more through luck than judgement that we got through Saturdays game with what seems like just one costly injury, to Per.
Kos and Mesut where assaulted with Red Card challenges that weren’t even called as fouls and as usual they where completely ‘fobbed off’ by the media, as if they never even happened.
Our injuries are looking better but with the latitude still being afforded our opponents I fear another bad one is just around the corner.
I really hope I’m wrong.
That a Doctor and his team should resign en masse after a defeat ,should of course raise eyebrows.
Especially as he has had close to 40 years association with the club , and has worked with some of the ‘giants’ of German football – players and managers ‘ as well as other sporting greats.
Has the novice carpenter blamed the wrong tools ? And the tools have decided to walk.
There seems to be more to this then is being let out. Is some in-shop cleaning due ?
Will there now start a managerial merry -go-round ? Some nice vacancies opening up . This close season should be quite interesting .
Except for Arsenal ,of course . We don’t have to do too much !
And stretching the truth will set you…..
A Lawyer Had A Wife And 12 Children And Needed To Move As His
Rental Agreement Was Coming To An End For The Home Where He
Lived But Was Having Difficulty In Finding A New Home.
When he said he had 12 children, no one would Rent A Home To
Him because they knew that the Children Would Destroy The Home.
He could not say that he had no children, He Could Not Lie,
After all, Lawyers Cannot And Do Not Lie.
So, he had an idea : he sent his wife for a walk to the
cemetery with 11 children.
He took the remaining one with him to see homes with the
Real Estate Agent.
He liked one of the homes and the agent asked :
“How Many Children Do You Have ?
He answered : “12 children.
The agent asked “Where are the others ?
The Lawyer answered, with a sad look, “They are in the
Cemetery with their Mother.
And that’s the way he was able to Rent A Home For
His Family Without Lying.
MORAL : It is not Necessary To Lie, One Only Has To Choose The Right Words.
Lawyers Don’t Lie …They Are Creative …
As we quietly meander towards the season’s end, with our sick room near empty, our new medics must be congratulating themselves at having done something right.
However, they still have the supreme test of restoring Abou Diaby to his former status.
I like your nurse, Tony. She is so right. So much diagnosis depends on the truth spoken by the patient.
In my humble opinion, there is far too much use being made of painkillers
by football clubs, mainly on the orders of coaches and/or
managers, to assist the progress of the team.
I suspect that Arsenal could well be one of the culprits. Koscielny probably could do with surgery but is kept going by match-day painkillers until the season ends.
I don’t know why Guardiola is rated so highly? He inherited a strong Barcelona side then a treble winning Munich side with all the money to burn in a 1 team league. Personally I think he’s shit. Makes Wenger even more amazing as a manager and human being.
@Bricky
*Slips of the Tongue*
12 of the finest (unintentional) double-entendres ever aired on TV and Radio
1. Ted Walsh – Horse Racing Commentator –
‘This is really a lovely horse. I once rode her mother.’
2. New Zealand Rugby Commentator –
‘Andrew Mehrtens loves it when Daryl Gibson comes inside of him.’
3. Pat Glenn, weightlifting commentator –
‘And this is Gregoriava from Bulgaria .. I saw her snatch this morning and it was amazing!’
4. Harry Carpenter at the Oxford-Cambridge boat race 1977 –
‘Ah, isn’t that nice.. The wife of the Cambridge President is kissing the Cox of the Oxford crew..’
5. US PGA Commentator –
‘One of the reasons Arnie (Arnold Palmer) is playing so well is that, before each tee shot, his wife takes out his balls and kisses them ……..
Oh my god !! What have I just said??’
6. Carenza Lewis about finding food in the Middle Ages on ‘Time Team Live’ said:
‘You’d eat beaver if you could get it.’
7. A female news anchor who, the day after it was supposed to have snowed and didn’t, turned to the weatherman and asked,
‘So Bob, where’s that eight inches you promised me last night?’
Not only did HE have to leave the set, but half the crew did too, because they were laughing so hard!
8. Steve Ryder covering the US Masters:
‘Ballesteros felt much better today after a 69 yesterday.’
9. Clair Frisby talking about a jumbo hot dog on Look North said:
‘There’s nothing like a big hot sausage inside you on a cold night like this. ‘
10 Mike Hallett discussing missed snooker shots on Sky Sports:
‘Stephen Hendry jumps on Steve Davis’s misses every chance he gets.’
11. Michael Buerk on watching Philippa Forrester cuddle up to a male astronomer for warmth during BBC1’s UK eclipse coverage remarked:
‘They seem cold out there, they’re rubbing each other and he’s only come in his shorts.’
12. Ken Brown commentating on golfer Nick Faldo and his caddie Fanny Sunneson lining-up shots at the Scottish Open:
‘Some weeks Nick likes to use Fanny, other weeks he prefers to do it by himself.’
Nicky
I suspect that however good our medical team is it will never restore Diaby to his former fitness, at least not well enough to last a full season without long rest periods, and no prizes for guessing who the nurse story might relate to.
It is good though to see so many players now returned from long lay offs, I think just Oxlade-Chamberlaine is the only absentee with Arteta having a little “setback” and no news on Mertesacker’s injury.
Debuchy, Wilshere, Arteta, Özil (knee hack in Chelsea game? Maybe not in this case) and now Mertesacker all injured by simple fouls that were not called (I’m not referring to cards, but simple calls for fouls).
Add in Walcott, Chamberlain (like Theo England’s best young player, just ahead of Wilshere in my humble opinion, he is still recovering from that A.Taylor attempt to get the gaffer the sack in that Villa game with his supervised hacking) and others from last season.
It is an unavoidable conclusion to understand that the clogging on the pitch which no other team in the league receives (please refer to the edited list above) does, very much so, have an impact (as in impact injuries) on the clubs ability to compete for the top position in the league, the title, both this season and last. And I didn’t even need to mention any bruised bones. A clear and present pattern. It is, what it is ;).
Doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt walking out on Munchen is the equivalent of the Lewin clan walking out on their beloved Arsenal.
There must be some smoke as well as fire.
I wonder what the certified yet unemployed expert Raymond Verheijen has to say on the matter? Oh, I see: he’s taken this opportunity to take another commission from one of RVPs agents and has taken yet another baseless unsubstantiated hysterical attack on arsenal football club, great timing, in order to help facilitate a transfer for the greying and sidelined and almost forgotten former Utd star. Rumours in recent weeks that Utd are desperate to offload his extortionate wages, what a sad story.
Raymond: what a guy!
Off topic but of interest…
Jon Moss to referee FA Cup final between Aston Villa and Arsenal according to the Guardian. Could be worse I guess.
The full list of Cup Final officials here taken from Guardian….
Jon Moss will referee the FA Cup final between Aston Villa and Arsenal on 30 May.
The 44-year-old from West Riding said: “It was a complete surprise. When I got the call it was the realisation of a dream really. For any referee it is the pinnacle of your career.
“I’ve been involved in the Community Shield and the Conference and Championship play-off finals but this is the biggest game I will ever referee.”
The assistant referees will be Darren England and Simon Bennett, while Craig Pawson will be the fourth official. Harry Lennard will be the reserve assistant referee.
Did Pep orchestrate all this to get his men into the setup!!….
Gents.
Off topic, but Sherwood is getting all the publicity at present.Can you imagine what it will be like nearer the final.But as “Arry ” and the rest of the media are saying “his a good boy, a proper Manager”.
Where is the sick bucket!
Hell, that’s why speculation is so loved by people. No one will probably ever know the ins and outs except those involved so we speculate. Love it.
So the BIGGEST match of the season is due on sun and i feel we are going to embarrass them.
Come on Arsenal. BOOM.
Interesting appointment of John Moss. have a read of this article from “football is fixed” related to John Moss http://footballisfixed.blogspot.de/2015/04/mobgate_21.html
“Paul the Gooner”
Well, to be fair Sherwoods record over the last 7 days is better than Wengers, what with disposing of the mighty Liverpool, and not requiring extra time and all, so surely that proves he’s a much better manager than Wenger.
I’m sure the AAA are already looking for a way of getting him in to replace Wenger at this very moment.
Saturday was a textbook example of how so many of our injuries occur, and why.
If the ref isn’t lenient in the extreme, the ‘tackle’ on Per almost certainly doesn’t occur.
Atkinson was, predictably enough, the worst we’ve had in a while, and we are screwed as a team if such performances are common.
Despite the victory, it was a game to inspire dark thoughts. As in all of life, when a bad thing occurs, the main thing to look for, so long as it is not you who has suffered because of it, is the reaction. If the reaction is the correct one, you can feel hope and your belief in justice is not harmed. The reaction to that tackle on Per, a reaction in itself to the bad thing of Atkinson’s refereeing to that point, was to ignore it comprehensively. Not just the referee, but whoever is in charge of replays, and the entire commentary team.
It’s possible the challenge was not as bad as it looked, but i have no way of clarifying that, thanks to the lack of replay. What I saw was a flash of action, someone flying in at speed with what was surely a straight leg and raised studs. I saw Atkinson staring right at it by close by. I saw Per in immediate pain stay on the ground. I don’t recall the play immediately afterwards. Presumably Atkinson let it carry on, as he did when he watched Kos take a smack to the face and stay down, but not what he did when the Reading keeper’s finger was hurt. I believe Atkinson then spoke to a clearly unhappy and in pain Per.
A few minutes later the player, clearly struggling the whole while, had to come off and, the coup de grace or nail in the coffin, the commentary team pretended to be mystified – oh, it looks like Mertesacker has a problem- this told me they had either somehow managed to miss the entire incident and the fact it injured the player, or, and as it seems impossible they could have done so, that they were deliberately engaging in blanket denial of the last couple of minutes because not to do so would be to admit a bad challenge had occurred which the ref had ignored.
Basically, it seemed that ,as well as the suspicious behaviour of the ref, someone sat in the tv control room and made the decision not to show a compromising replay, and something-who knows what- drove the commentary team to play their part,too.
To me, this means Jambug’s fears are well-justified. A bad challenge is one thing, and you can only be glad when it doesn’t result in a serious injury. A bad challenge dealt with at every juncture in a bizarrely inadequate way, can tell us as fans only one thing : more are around the corner. It feels like it rises up like a boil, and only pops, until the next time, when someone is badly hurt by a wretched challenge.
Not that it led to any of the consequences it should have, but I bet they regret being too slow to realise how damning the replay of the Wilshere injury was. Maybe it taught them to hold fire a little.
Talking of Mertesackers injury, Ozil had a kick on the achilles which was not even called a foul…by Williams (was it).
Five or six first team players all injured by simple fouls that were not called.
This season alone.
You can either ignore this pattern, or accept that there is something strange going on with the officials in Arsenal games. That all Arsenal players, like Mertersacker, have a genetic deformity and have brittle or *coughs* “bruised” bones. Or that they get no protection. One, or the other.
Adding to Mick’s notification of FA Cup officials.
Debuchy probably doesn’t have fond memories of Moss.
http://untold-arsenal.com/archives/40614
And Andrew’s preview of said game.
http://untold-arsenal.com/archives/40212
—
The next ref assigments in EPL are
http://untold-arsenal.com/archives/42688#comment-839150
Rich
Replays clearly showed just what a bad, late challenge it actually was that injured Wilshere against united.
Similarly replays showed what a bad, late challange it was that injured him on England Duty.
There was no more denying it. The Media had to admit it, Wilshere was definitely being injured by bad, late challenges.
Or did they? Oh what to do?
I know. Lets blame Wilshere for not getting out of the way.
And that’s exactly what’s happened. According to the Media it’s all Wilsheres own fault.
And let me tell you, the muppets buy it.
It was only last week I had a row with an Arsenal fan, yep one of those clowns again, who repeated the Medias line, word for word.
When your own fans are brain washed by these Media idiots what chance have you got.
Mr. Moss in the final
http://footballisfixed.blogspot.de/2015/04/mobgate_21.html
A new consultant?
http://www.sportsvibe.co.uk/news/football/arsenal-bring-in-world-record-holding-star-40436/
Maybe help Walcott and Bellerin with that bet?
Jambug
Yeah, the reaction the Wilshere injury was a true hope-killer for me. If the press can go that far towards twisting reality, and people, including our own fans, will swallow it in the numbers they do, the vulnerability of our players and the scope for injustice is pretty immense.
I kept waiting for the line ‘Wilshere, who injured himself in the United game,…’ , or ‘Wilshere, whose ankle weakness again showed up when it gave way on him recently’. It was incredible at times how close they got to presenting it that way.
Watched him for u21s last week. What a unique player he is. I can only feel good about his chances of fulfilling his immense potential by ignoring everything I know about the way opponents will challenge him.
Watching that abysmal performance by Atkinson on Saturday was the worst refereeing I have seen since Riley in game 50 vs. Man. Utd. How can the blatant thuggery that took place in that match be totally ignored by the media. If that kind of officiating happened over here, The media would’ve been showing all the assaults on our players en masse. The stats said that Reading committed 22 fouls during the match, Probably another 22 or more fouls were not called. FUCKING UNBELIEVABLE. How all the skullduggery with these refs keeps getting swept underneath the rug is mind boggling. Sunlight is the best disinfectant, The British media is corrupt and complicit in what is going on in the Premiership. That kind of bullshit wouldn’t cut the mustard over here. The media would be climbing over each other to be the first to expose the dirty rotten slimy under-doings that permeate your national game. Case in point, Old red nose Fergy having secret phone calls with match officials would have been front page news across the U.S.A. You can’t tell me that he didn’t influence referees and the F.A. Those motherfuckers were scared to death of him. As far as I’m concerned, Half those league championships Man. Utd. won were tainted. There is something rotten in Denmark and your media is partly to blame. The way the media treats the Arsenal and Wenger is despicable. Meanwhile shady characters like Harry and the little Portuguese eye-gouging translator are lauded. MOTHERFUCKING UNBELIEVABLE.
Regarding the Mertesacker injury. I just re watched the 5-10 minutes from his injury to substitution. After the Reading offside Mert is shown on the ground talking to Atkinson, the announcer says “…it’s Merte………Mertesacker who’s………..hurt, lunging into a challenge”. Replays of Readings goal are shown and of course we’re told Sczc should have done better. Later while Mert is walking off the announcer informs us that “Mertesacker is struggling from the effects of the lunging challenge he made”. At no point are we shown a replay and this is the only discussion of the incident. Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.
Bill – I love your rants. Bang on the money every time!
@Va Cong – April 21, 2015 at 9:58 am – Very good .Here’s some nursing jokes .
Thermometer Jokes-
Patient: “Excuse me Nurse, can I get your temperature?”
Female Nurse: “Why?”
Patient: ” Coz I think you’re hot!”
Q: What did the Nurse said when she found
a rectal thermometer inside her pocket?
A: “Some a**hole has my pen!”
Q: What is the difference between an oral thermometer and
a rectal thermometer?
A: The taste.
Q: Why do Nurses always insist on using
the rectal thermometer to obtain temperatures?
A: She was taught in nursing school to always look
for her patient’s “best side”.
TAKING THE EASY WAY OUT !
A man wasn’t feeling well so he went to the doctor. After examining him the doctor took his wife aside, and said, “your husband has a very sensitive heart. I am afraid he’s not going to make it, unless you treat him like a king, which means you are at his every beck and call, 24 hours a day and that he doesn’t have to do anything himself.”
On the way home the husband asked with a note of concern “what did he say?”
“Well”, the lady responded, “he said it looks like you probably won’t make it.”
Going down ?
Suzie was all alone. It was two months since her dear Herbie had passed, and she just couldn’t seem to move on.
“Listen here Suzie”, said her good friend Barbara, “maybe you should go see a psychic? One of my friends did it after her husband died and it made her feel so much better knowing that her dearest was happy.”
So that’s how, on the next Tuesday, Suzie found herself in a dim room with a crystal ball and a psychic talking in a calm voice.
“Is he here?” Suzie asked.
“Yes, I sense him,” was her reply.
“Can you ask him if he’s happy?” Suzie hesitantly asked.
“He’s putting his hand to his mouth like he wants to smoke” said the psychic.
“Oh, of course” said Suzie, “he needs a cigar. Herbie can never last more then a few hours without a cigar. I guess they don’t have cigars up there. Did he say where he is or how I could get one to him?” Questioned Suzie urgently.
“Hmm”, said the psychic. “I can’t seem to get that question across to him. But then again,” said the psychic after a brief pause, “he didn’t say anything about needing a lighter!”
Saint Peter is at the gates of Heaven. He’s had too much coffee and now needs to use the bathroom.
He sees Jesus walking by and stops him.
“Jesus, thank goodness you’re here. I have a favor to ask. Can you watch the gate while I use the bathroom?”
Jesus, ecstatic at the chance to help says, “Of course… But what do I do?”
“Its simple, as people come up you must check their names to see if they are in this book I have. If they are then welcome them in! If not, turn them away.” And with that Peter leaves to exorcise his bowels.
Jesus waits for some time and eventually an elderly man walks up to him. Jesus greets him energetically and asks his name.
The old man looks dismayed. “I was hit on the head when i died… I don’t remember it.”
“Well sir,” says Jesus, “tell me about yourself! Perhaps I can guess it?”
The old man’s brow furrows in thought. “All I can remember is I was a carpenter and my son was beloved by millions of people.
Now Jesus begins to choke up at this.
“Dad… Daddy?”
The old man looks hard at Jesus and says
“Pinocchio!?”
Twitterverse notices Moss got FA Cup Final.
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/571938/Jon-Moss-Arsenal-Aston-Villa-FA-Cup-final-referee-Twitter
I just saw Oliver will referee vs Chelsea so my cynical side may be right afterall. I wonder if Oliver will be given any orders on what to do. Just hoping he refs it fair and square and is at his best
Atkinson really is a piece of work with us. The media are certainly complicit to at least some degree…in their silence. Just wish the club would do more, but maybe they cannot.
Some great points Rich again, as with your comments in the other thread on the recent academy performances
Mandy Dodd
“Just wish the club would do more, but maybe they cannot.”
I have said many times that the first step should be to just comply with our media obligations and no more.
But,
-Our players still give exclusives to papers that do everything in there power to undermine and destabilise our Club.
-Our Manager still does pre match talks with BT and SKY, who do everything in there power to undermine and destabilise our Club.
-Others on our pay roll such as Adriane Clark, who does the post match breakdown on Arsenal.com, appears on Talkshite, who…….well lets not even go there.
If Arsenal Football Club themselves are happy enough with how we are treated in the media, then I’m beginning to think that maybe they don’t deserve our indignation at what is going on. If they cant see it, or be bothered to address it, then perhaps we should just be the same and let them kick us off the park and injure our players, without a word.
It seems Arsenal FC are quite happy to do this.
Corr: Should say,
..then perhaps we should just let them encourage kicking us off the park and injuring our players, without a word.
Jambug
I usually agree with & support your comments. If you believe the media are complicit in the treatment of Arsenal players on the pitch and have some influence with the shite refs imagine what the treatment would be like if Wenger and the players actively went at them. Or ignored them. I’d probably be happy in the moment if Wenger gave them the business but would it help in the long term? He maintains his dignity in the face of disrepect and I admire that. After the PSG v Chelski debacle he was the only prominent manager to support the referees and he still doesn’t seem to get the benefit of the doubt in decisions. I’d like an explanation of that from the PGMO and FA.