By Sir Hardly Anyone
We’ve had one clear piece of proof of the imaginary nature of transfers for quite some time, after discovering that if all the transfer rumours of the summer are added together then it turns out that only three in every 100 rumours actually manifests itself in a transfer. A figure that of itself proves that these stories are complete inventions by over-excited journalists with nothing to say.
But now there is a second proof. For during Arsenal’s recent run of poor form the rumours have vanished almost totally. Indeed the only one doing the rounds today is that Hector Bellerin is going to Juventus.
In considering the implication of this we need to remember that if there was any truth in the stories that normally appear every hour or so on some of the more energetic bloggettas, there should be many more than usual appearing at this time, on all three fronts.
In terms of Arsenal players leaving you would expect most of the team to be willing to get up and go either to escape the poor run of results or to escape the journalists who are taunting the players on an hourly basis, or indeed to avoid the booing of the alleged fans. But the stories have just about dried up.
In terms of managers queuing up to get the job of Arsenal manager again there is normally no shortage of possible options. For example when Crystal Palace look as if they are sinking down the table and are ready sack their main man (as they do from time to time) there and normally multiple articles being written about who the new man is going to be.
Likewise in the past couple of years we could list at least half a dozen names that were being bandied around at any time. We were getting a steady stream of such pieces, but not now.
Finally in terms of players Arsenal were trying to bring in to strengthen the team once again there would normally be 10 or so names being mentioned each day, and Untold would schedule a new transfer article to summarise them all every two or three days.
But take today – there is virtually nothing doing the rounds other than the Bellerin story. So in true Untold fashion let’s consider the reasons why all the transfer tales have dried up.
Reason 1: No one wants to come to Arsenal because the club is in bad state. This is possible. If you were a player would you want to put your career on the line by playing in front of a crowd who can do this to the players of their own club?
Unfortunately this doesn’t account for the cessation in tales about players wanting to leave – which last year was just about the whole squad according to the stories.
Reason 2: No clubs want to buy any of the players in Arsenal’s current squad, because the quality is so poor. That is a possible story to run, although it goes contrary to the notion that Arsenal players were being bid for every day of every week, that we were hearing last summer.
Reason 3: The entire social media, bloggetta, and newspaper journalist thing is a total fabrication and the stories are just invented to fill spaces on websites without having any basis in reality whatsoever . When the current topic that gets people to read shifts away from the sense of expectation that new players will join, and instead becomes a review of the failures of the club recently, then there is no need to make up tales anymore.
In effect Reason 3 is the only one that covers the current situation, and so on their own the newspapers and blogs have confirmed what we have been saying all along. Everything in their sports coverage is simply an invention of set of over-heated child-like imaginations.
I for one am a bit fed up about this because I enjoyed writing about the make believe transfers which would appear hour after hour. But also because I know that the club does and always will be on the lookout for players to buy.
But now I rather suspect that the notion that players will not want to come to Arsenal in its present circumstances is now true. The bile that is pouring out from each TV station, newspaper and blog attacking Arsenal players is such that none of the major stars will ever want to come to Arsenal for years to come.
Of course eventually the little bloggettas and their chums at the “Howling” public house will get bored with making up stories based on the Twitter accounts of people who are allegedly Arsenal fans, just as the Arsenal supporters will get bored with reading them.
But for now the transfer rumour season has been put on hold. The transfer rumour, is for now at least, a thing of the past.
The transfer window, as far as Arsenal is concerned, is no more.
Invention or no invention, the Gunners MUST recover from their bad playing form that saw Arsenal lost 3 back to back games in all competitions in 8 days.
True, the Gunners played at high intensity intended to catch Man City out in the Premier League big game encounter between Arsenal and Man City played at the Emirates Stadium last night but have no product ends to their high intensity play due to their profligacy in front of Man City’s goalmouth. Why that? Even the £56m January Arsenal signing, Aubameyang missed a penalty for Arsenal in the 2nd half of the match which would have reduced the tally against Arsenal had he scored to give the Gunners hope of a come back in the match. Apparantly, he must be thinking of cars and playboying with girls. Thus, forgeting placing the ball well into Man City’s back of the net for Arsenal. At Brighton and Have Albion on Sunday in the PL, Le Boss MUST wake Auba’ up from his mental sleep and reminds him the reason Arsenal pay so much to sign him in the last winter window.
Arsenal defensive defect in a big game this season was once again exposed by Man City’s high quality ruthless strikings that saw them take a 0-3 lead in the first half in the PL game at the Ems last night between the duo clubs. Such a defensive mental sleep by the Gunners MUST never be repeated by them generally in Arsenal game defending throughtout their remaining season campaing in all competition this season. For, a reapeat of such lackadiasical defending will not only be punished by a top six club side like AC Milan and Man Utd who are the next Arsenal big opponets in a few days time, but even a lower table club side like Brighton could exploit such defensive inefficiency by the Gunners to an advantage on Sunday if the Gunners give them the chance to do that.
Starting with a decisive win over Brighton & HA on Sunday at away in the PL by Arsenal, the Gunners can use the win as a starting point to their recovering back their lost game playing winning form in all competition which can see their confidence raised up ahead of their tackling AC Milan at San Siro in the first leg of their last 16 match in the Europa League Cup competition on Thursday night. A match that I can only see Arsenal win it.
Viewing every game from my perch in Canada to where I retired. What was a gentle decline is now a fast slump with a defence that is as poor as I can remember. I refuse to believe it is a lack of talent so it it just a lack of coaching. Come back George Graham all is forgiven.
Just a bit on a possible contract for Ramsey. Over here all sports franchises are very wary about long term contracts for any player at 30 or above. All the statistics show that their performance falls off a cliff at that age. Also their injury rate although with Ramsey he reached that cliff some time ago. Unfortunately (and I do mean that) the buck stops with AW.
Mike Collins
Have to wonder what the hell Steve Bould actually does at Arsenal? Certainly not defensive coaching that’s for sure!
Steve Bould is there as an yesman to wenger. The bloke brings absolutely nothing to the table.
Going by our defensive record, Stevie B isnt doing that great a job.
But big Tony is doing a great job for legend Wengker. Once Wengker is kicked out, who would you be supporting Big tony?Spuds or the Chavs?
Lets start a discussion about the teams which you guys should follow once Wenger leaves Arsenal.I am sure Big Tony is a closet Spuddie.
The comment section is closing in on double digits.Should be the first time in history of this site
Repeating my post from another article.
I love how people come to Untold to say how other sites are so much better when Arsenal loses or draws, yet always seem to forget how to get to Untold when Arsenal wins.
You know to really stick it to us at Untold, you guys should definitely also click on some of the ads around the site before you leave. That would really show us. I mean just go crazy, we know rational thoughts are not your strong suit.
While you guys are at it, you might actually see what the Untold banner says.
‘Lets start a discussion about the teams which you guys should follow once Wenger leaves Arsenal’
Let’s not.
Who is Gooner Ron? Let’s have your email address live on the site sir so we can all see it and abuse you for a change. It is open season on Tony at the moment and there can only be one reason for that – to close down debate and any alternative voice. You must credit Untold with (dare I say, untold) power. Snide remarks about the numbers of comments are pathetic at best – this site reaches tens of thousands of people on a daily basis and that’s because they must want to read an alternative agenda to that peddled by the media and many (not all) Arsenal ‘fan’ sites. Debate should be informed and pleasant – there’s no need to abusive or even discourteous.
I know Tony and I know that he gets much worse abuse on a daily basis including stuff which is frankly disgusting, libellous and threatening. He is no closet Spuddite, or Chelsea fan – he’s been following Arsenal for longer than I’ve been alive (which is a LONG time) and has written books and articles on Arsenal’s history. You may not be aware of this but now you are, perhaps take a minute to think about how you are acting on social media and how that might make others feel.
So Mr Ron (Gooner or otherwise) here’s an idea. This is a site which has a particular take on Arsenal, football and the world. It doesn’t cost you anything, it isn’t behind a paywall. It isn’t supported by a big financial backer, isn’t run by Arsene Wenger, Ivan Gazidis, or Arsenal FC. It is staffed (a laughable term) by a small group of volunteers who write about Arsenal, referees, what they had for lunch, etc because they want to and some people enjoy reading it.
Please come back on here when you’ve started your own blog and give us all the link – we’ll be sure to give your words the time of day and comment if we see fit to. Until them you might like to go and read opinions which more closely align with your own. Honestly, you’ll be happier for it I promise you.
oh, and for the record I think its time we changed direction and had a new person managing Arsenal. In fact I’ve felt that for a few years but haven’t seen an obvious replacement. However, while I might agree its time for a change I won’t boo my own team or a manager that has brought such success to my club. When he leaves I’ll support the next manager, when a player pull on an Arsenal shirt he is an Arsenal player and he’ll get my support too. I’m not blind and uncritical – we’ve been shite this season and much of the last few season as well. But booing Arsenal players, joining demonstrations, going on Arsenal Tv, or slagging off the club/tea,/manager in other ways does not help us win football, matches. And frankly, there are worse things going on in the world at the moment for me to get too worked up about something I do once a week in my spare time FOR FUN.
time for a change? Maybe, probably.
Time for Arsenal fans to get a F****** life? Definitely
I have seen anti Wenger arsenal fans abuse pro Wenger sites and supporters…
But when the shoe is on the other foot pro Wenger supporters always seem to try to put their side over with reasoned comments and debate.
What is the point of abusing and being rude to supporters who are supposed to have the same goals yet differing opinions?
blacksheep@1:56pm
Well said my friend, well said.
I can only applaud to blacksheep’s comment.
I’d a funny thing:
most of these __________ (insert a dirty word here) fans of Arsenal who now spit venom on Tony and Arsene have become Arsenal fans because of Arsene and “posh” values he brought to the club – fantastic football, exciting football, unique title in 2004… Those fans have never thought a second beyond other values Arsene will left behind him at Arsenal – Emirates, painless transition from Highbury to Emirates comparing to usual transitions, clean football without anything we should be ashamed of (we don’t dive, we don’t break opponents’ ankles). Before Arsene Spuds had won more FA Cups than Arsenal, now we are the best team in the competition EVER. But that’s how it goes – you feed a donkey with caviar for a decade and now the donkey expects caviar every day.
On the other hand, Tony has been a supporter since…well, a few days after Arsenal were founded. 🙂 He has dedicated his time and money to Arsenal. He has been with Arsenal for decades. I don’t agree with everything he says but I agree with values he supports.
Well played blacksheep. You have tried to present something coherent with out abuse, which most of Arsene followers cant manage to do
However, I disagree with your sentiments. When someone calls the manager as Lord Wenger, it clearly indicates where his priorities lie.Its certainly not the club, but the manager. Wont be surprised if Big Tony and Walt start supporting PSG once Wenger moves in there.
Surely, suggesting that someone who has supported Arsenal for many decades and who has devoted so much time effort, and, most probably, money on this blogg, would go and support the other North London team if Wenger leaves is a greater insult than the use of any other denigration or swear word.
If mr Ron, you cannot see that, and that you have fallen for the old maxim that someone who does not have an argument, just insults, it is a shame.
If you would prefer not to hear a positive attitude to our beloved club and its manager and players, then please do not visit this blogg and spend your time on those which more reflect your views.
Thank you Blacksheep. Being in Australia means I’m 11 hours out from most correspondents so your help while I am sleeping is very much appreciated
The nonsense coming out in some comments against other Arsenal fans is of real concern!!
We are all active in social media and I am sure that this stands out far more with our supporters then any other club.
Truly is more disheartening then our poor performances lately.
This absolutely NEEDS to change!
@gooner Ron it’s obvious you don’t often read this site. The comments section is normally way past double figures and can take a lot longer than reading the actual article itself. Also like most other Arsenal blogs the first 10 comments are not about who has commented first as soon as the article goes out. Untold Arsenal is my favorite Arsenal website by far and always have great informative articles. The work they have done on the referees should be applauded and is at least 5 years ahead of its time.
Tony and Walter and the other writers do an excellent job and will still keeping doing it whoever the next manager is. Our so called ‘supporters’ are an embarrassment to the club with many of them wishing for Arsenal to lose the rest of the games this season.