Arsenal “reportedly”. How often are those words used together?

By Tony Attwood

In his post this morning Sir Hardly Anyone noted the word “reportedly” and the standard dictionary definition of the word as meaning “according to what some say (used to express the speaker’s belief that the information given is not necessarily true).”

Immediately the discussion broke out: was the word used as much as Sir Hardly suggested?  Does it really crop up all the time?  Is it the modern day scribbler’s go to word of choice?

We started looking at some of the reports in the last day or so to see if this is indeed the word that journalists are now using as a standard.  Here are our findings…

HITC:Everton or Arsenal can sign four-time league champion, he’s reportedly up for sale.”

Daily Mail: “The Gunners have reportedly been offered the chance to bring in the Brazilian as a cut-price replacement for captain Pierre-Emerick …”

Scottish Sun: William Saliba will return to the club to make his debut in summer after a loan season at Saint-Etienne and Mikel Arteta is reportedly set to exercise Arsenal’s option to buy Pablo Mari for £10m, but they are still keen for further reinforcements….

Metro:  Chelsea are reportedly ready to sell Jorginho, if they beat Manchester United and Arsenal to the £70million transfer of Declan Rice. West Ham …

HITC: £50m Spurs and Arsenal target reportedly agrees next club …

HITC: Los Blancos are willing to listen to big offers for the midfielder, and a bid of £43.5 million from Arsenal would reportedly be accepted.  (Re Dani Ceballos)

Ghanaweb: Arsenal reportedly need Champions League football to afford …

Football London: Willian is reportedly unlikely to sign a new deal at Chelsea because they are unwilling to offer him a long deal, while the prospect of joining his …”

Legit.ng: Borussia Dortmund are reportedly interested in the signing of Arsenal youngster Bukayo Saka and the German giants will raid the Emirates stadium this summer.

HITC: Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal reportedly want to bring Orkun Kokcu to the Premier League after a fine Eredivisie season with Dick Advocaat’s …

HITC: £35m Milan plan could reportedly help Arsenal or Liverpool …

HITC: Premier League rivals Liverpool and Arsenal are reportedly fighting it out to sign Layvin Kurzawa –

The Sun:  Arsenal and Manchester United have been dealt a huge blow in their pursuit to sign Dayot Upamecano with the player reportedly agreeing a …

The Sun: Arsenal reportedly tracking Atletico Madrid winger Yannick …

Just Arsenal: Arsenal reportedly agree a five-year deal with PSG star –

Goal:  Arsenal are eyeing up a summer move for Saint-Etienne’s France Under-19 centre-back William Saliba, 18.

Football London: ARSENAL are reportedly eyeing a move for Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco from Atletico Madrid. Arsene Wenger has vowed to strengthen his attack since…

Sun: Arsenal are reportedly lining up a £9million swoop for forward Alexis Claude-Maurice as the Gunners look to raid Lorient once again.

It took just a couple of minutes to find these stories, and clearly the absolute get-out for all these wild and whacky tales is always the same: “reportedly”.

But it was interesting that this little observation of the ceaseless, remorseless use of one word came at the same moment that The Athletic published this gem:

“Fortunately, there are hundreds of more accomplished sportswriters than I …  Every reporter in the room, no matter how experienced, is looking for the same thing: something interesting.”

Well. no, on the basis of my one-off little survey of this morning’s reports, the reporters are not looking for something interesting.  They are making up stories and then writing the word “reportedly” into them as their defence get-out clause.  Anyone challenges what they say, they trot out the standard definition is “according to what some say (used to express the speaker’s belief that the information given is not necessarily true).”

This is exactly like Donald Trump proclaiming that he was being sarcastic when he told people to use disinfectant in order to avoid corona virus.

It is all part of the biggest con-trick in the history of the media.  We are all being conned, every minute of every day by these alleged reporters.  If any of them had a moment’s decency they would admit that their entire work had been to make fools of us and would then at once resign.

 

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