By Sir Hardly Anyone.
The Express is unrepentant – for while certain other drainpipes have begun to ease off their wild and outrageous attacks on Mr Arteta, and one or two are even admitting that the last two thirds of the season were pretty amazing, publications with a lower reading age (and that’s just of the writers) are being a little slow on the uptake.
Hence we have the headline “Arsenal chief Edu told to appoint ‘better’ boss than Arteta with three candidates assessed”. How better? And who is the person telling us this? Why it is none other than Darren Bent, who played for…
But on a more positive note the Daily Cannon has picked up on what is really happening…
- Joe Willock has been named Premier League Player of the Month for May,
- Granit Xhaka has been named by the CIES Football Observatory in the Premier League Best XI of the Season.
And to be fair all round they did pick up on one we didn’t run: Nicolas Pepe has made it into the UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season Virtually all of the rest of the squad are Villareal players.
But such a positive moment should not tempt us to be thinking that all is ok, and that the media is reformed, because actually, it isn’t and it hasn’t, as the Daily Star shows with the headline…
“Mikel Arteta will be desperate to strengthen this summer following a difficult season for Arsenal.”
Suggesting that they can read the manager’s mind is pretty spooky stuff and has not made me feel any more at ease with journalists. However small mercies, I can at least be thankful that I can’t read their minds.
Although come to think of it, that comment from the Star actually sounds like a bit of mind-reading by someone who has no ability at telepathy. So that’s a relief. Except they then pop up with this… “The Gunners struggled in the Premier League though there were certainly glimpses of promise throughout the campaign.” No, actually, we were very poor in the first third, and superb in the last two thirds.
But a genuine blink of light appears in Just Arsenal who say, “On the flip side, since Christmas we have picked up the second-most points in the division, and even ended the campaign on the back of five straight victories, our best run of league form since 2018.”
Now where on earth did they get that from? After all no one was saying that a week ago, except for… oh.
Actually the Just Arsenal piece really is worth looking at as it is built entirely around Darren Bent suggesting we need a better coach. Just Arsenal is a rival to Football London in terms of regularity of popping up with an Arsenal story – in fact last time I looked Just Arsenal were winning, coming up with a new tale on average every 90 minutes while with FoLo it is every two hours.
A slight change of mood with HITC saying “‘THIS IS CRIMINAL, THEY HATE ARSENAL’: SOME GUNNERS FUME OVER PREMIER LEAGUE’S ANNOUNCEMENT”.
The fuming is that “Arsenal had a brilliant last five games of the Premier League season, it has to be said. The Gunners won all of their domestic games during the month of May – and also beat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge…. But the North Londoners’ form wasn’t enough to land Mikel Arteta a manager of the month award.”
OK, its not a major recognition of the last two thirds of the season, but it is something, and something is better than nothing given the avalanche of anti-Arsenal stories appearing in the media hour by hour.
For what HITC gives with one hand it takes with both the others [is that possible – Tony?] in telling us that “Some Arsenal fans on social media are over the moon after reading reports linking them with a move for both Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling”.
But for bitter vitriol it is the Excess that is out on its own with Arsenal chief Edu told to appoint ‘better’ boss than Arteta with three candidates assessed
A central point here – and it is all over the media at the moment – is that ambition equals spending. Although to be fair the Mirror has now changed its tune and says, “…following some wise acquisitions in January, Arteta has gradually steered the ship away from stormy waters.”
Wow! I mean Wow!!!! Who did we buy in January?
Omar Rekik (Hertha Berlin), Mat Ryan (Brighton, loan), Martin Odegaard (Real Mad, loan). Ryan played three games, Odegaard played 14.
Last summer, 97 in every 100 rumours turned out to be lies.
Arsenal against the media….
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Using a defunct blog to knock the Arsenal: the media sinks lower still
The absolute proof that Arsenal has turned itself around. Now to avoid the danger.
Are the refs and the media really out to get Arsenal
oUR BOSS Arteta, plz do not drop Pepe in every game. Let Sakha grow above this. Smith is also our hope. Please purchase a world class striker by selling Laca. Saliba, Gariel and Holding are full backs we need.
Hitc do indeed have 3 hands a left a right then their underhand too.
In fact we had a great January window, mostly because we got rid of some players that had a negative influence in the dressing room. From my point of view it was a crucial change that should be mentioned more often…
Spooky stuff indeed , SHA ! Having said that , I would be terrified to read some of our fans minds – while most would akin to empty drums , others would be like being trapped for eternity in an echo chamber !