This morning there are a lot of angry Arsenal fans waking up. And they have every right to be furious with the club. The recently unjustified 3% ticket rise is still raw in people’s minds, the condescending email to season tickets about the Bayern Munich game, has now been followed up by the realisation that we will not be signing anyone in January. The divide between club and fans has never been as wide.
The 3% ticket rise sickened a lot of fans. After the increase in TV money and the clubs bumper new agreements with Emirates and Puma, plus the new commercial deals we seem to be unveiling on a regular basis, there was no need for it. The club was due to increase revenues by nearly £100m next year. Why hit the fans with a 3% rise?
Following this up was the news about Bayern Munich. We all knew that the game would be Cat A, but it was the tone of the email that got up many people’s noses. When in the email the club failed to mention prices, it was clear they were hiding their shame at charging £62 minimum for a ticket. Arsenal have been made to look worse by Bayern Munich subsidising their away fans for the game.
The episode also showed how little influence fan groups have on the club, and how little the club really cares about them. Despite all groups – RedAction, AISA, AST & BSM – agreeing on an open letter written to the club, the club has gone against the suggestions and done what is best for them, not what is best for the fans.
Finally we move onto the January transfer window. It shuts today. Arsenal have yet to sign anyone, and yesterday it was announced the £37m deal for Julian Draxler was dead in the water. This is the straw that could break the camels back. Arsenal are taking more money from fans than ever before, yet are not investing it at a time when we are in the running for a title.
Rumours are that it is Arsene Wenger who was unwilling to pay the £37m. Whilst this could be true, it would not surprise me if the board have ‘leaked’ this to ensure they have a scapegoat for another farcical transfer window. After last years embarrassing pursuit of Luis Suarez, you’d think we’d have learnt not to put eggs in baskets, only to be unwilling to pay the asking price.
On the Draxler deal, I can see what it has not gone through, and maybe on another day, views will soften on it. Yes, he could become a Ronaldo type player. Yes, he has similar potential to Eden Hazard at 20. Yes, he is one of the most promising youngsters in Europe. But is £37m a lot for ‘could be’, ‘potential’ and promising’? You could argue yes, especially when you see Juan Mata going for a similar price.
Last transfer window, Tottenham signed a promising 20 year old Argentine with bag of potential who had impressed in Italy. Erik Lamela cost them over £30m. And where is he now? Who knows. What is certain is that after just 6 months, Spurs are looking for a buyer and he will be known as one of the Premier League’s biggest flops. Spending big on ‘potential’ is a risk. Will Arsenal regret paying the big bucks for Draxler, like they did with Ronaldo? Or in a few years time, will we be thinking ‘we got that one right’.
The bigger picture on the January transfer window is not really associated with Draxler. Not signing his is as justifiable as signing him. The disgraceful act is not signing anyone. With midfielders aplenty injured, suspended and ageing and with just 1 decent striker, it was clear to everyone where we needed to improve. The thoughts were, get in a defensive midfielder, get in a striker, and the league could be ours. In 2004 we signed Jose Antonio Reyes. Whilst he might not have been a success in the long term – and a perfect example of risking a lot of money on youth – he gave the fans a lift into the second half of the season. A shot of adrenaline.
Instead, we go into Sunday’s clash with Crystal Palace with no new signings, more injuries, 2nd in the league and with fan morale at an all time low. Rather than cheering the club on to victory, rather than being in a positive mood, the atmosphere in the Emirates will be a negative one.
It is hard to act. The club have been a disgrace and shown they do not care about the fans at all. But how do you let them know? Do it before a game, but still go in and it losses its affect. Do it during a game, and it could affect the team – remember, it’s the club not the team who are the disgrace. Protest after the game and again, the club have already got your money. It is such a fine line between getting your voices heard and allowing the negativity to damage the performance.
My only suggestion is next time Ivan Gazidas and the club invites you to a ‘meet Ivan’ event, accept the invitation but do not fo. Boycott it on mass. It will be an embarrassing episode and let him know clearly that Arsenal are a disgrace in the way they are treating fans. Yes, it might means the fan groups or bloggers fall out with the club. They might lose their place at the top table. Or god forbid, they might never be invited to meet Ivan again, or invited to have biscuits and tea after a shirt unveiling, but it is what needs to happen. They’ll be acting for the greater good.
Arsenal – You’re a. Disgrace. Sort it out.
Keenos
Follow @KeenosAFC
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 
No one knew about Ozil til the last day of the transfer window. Not saying that I disagree with you, but why not wait until tomorrow before posting such vitriole?
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I quite agree with Rich on this.Truely,you av a point,but you should av waited till tomorrow,anyting positive can still happen before Midnight.
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agree with rich
or did u think the window closed last night?
as for the prices, you do not have to pay anything to arsenal if you so wish? why not just go away matches, if you don’t like the prices at home? But I warn you away match ticket prices are higher than home ticket prices. home matches still average out at £37 a ticket for me. yet the cheapest I have paid for any away match this season is £40.
So please stop being so dramatic and look at the bigger picture
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Fan morale at an all time low? That’s a bridge too far.
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alll time low!!! wtf??
on sunday we will return to the top of the league, we are into the next rounds of fa cup and champions league and my season ticket is costing just £37 a match for home games (aways cost an average of £47). we have ozil, cazorla, ramsey, Wilshire, (4 of the most exciting players in the premier league) we are the 3rd highest scorers in the league and we have the 2nd best defensive record. there is 13 hours to go in the transfer window, why all the doom and gloom??
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Because wenger is a loser. Like a failed ageing salesman that can’t close. Tell him now while there is time.. And gazidis is inept. Shades of 2008
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@ Alan you must be very stupid for saying such words to Wenger… Fuck you
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My thoughts exactly. How many times in the past have we been set fair in January, only to be relying on the likes of Djourou, Squillacci and Diaby, as well as players playing out of position?
Arsene is poised to sign a new £8m deal, while making the same mistakes as before!
I suppose I’ll be told by certain people to fuck off down the lane for moaning, but honestly, what has he done to get a new deal?
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Whilst I agree with some of your points. Arsenal fan morale is certainly not at an all time low.
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It’s about to be very soon, arsepiss. Problem is too many loser fans who help drag this club down by putting up with loser crap . Get rid of all of them first. They all know who they are
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Yes Gary Alan and the rest, Fuck off down the lane you pathetic bunch of moaners,, castigating and accusing for what ??? failing to buy a player in the mid season transfer window !!!!!!! Football is about games played on the pitch unless you are so mindless to think Sky glorification of two transfer windows is the most important thing in the world………
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Not at all, you pathetic mindless AKB.
We needed support for Giroud in the summer. What happens when he’s in Wengers famous red zone? I have my own ideas, I don’t mindlessly believe every word to spew from the current (extremely rich, and getting richer) custodians of the club I love.
Sky has NOTHING to do with anything, they don’t make Wenger buy or not buy, but as usual, everyone is to blame except for your idol.
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@philbet, We have forgotten how to listen to opinions we dont agree with. I guess we are afraid of possibly reconsidering our own. Its wrong to insult others because they have different opinions.
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Even messi/cr7 under wenger will disapoint!we need a new coach not players!
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Are you Adrian Durham in disguise? Biggest load of OTT bollocks I’ve read in a long time.
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Any one supportio hw arsenal is runned are nt arsenal fans they are rivals just ignore them
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Name me any other manager, not including those at financially doped clubs, that would spend £37 million plus on a 19 yr old…………….,……..well?
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Wenges is an economist Ozil will endup in bayan whfn he wil tired..
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this club continues to dupe us again, every year they tell us they will spend on big players, and every year we fall for it. I think they do chase players to make us think they are interested and we are doing something, but in reality when we do get near they shy away and won’t commit to big signings. They had the chabce to buy Draxler but won’t pay the price that has been bandied about all through the season so far.
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Yeah we are a crap team going nowhere ……..oh hang on we are 2nd in the league, with a very good chance of being top again sunday, still in the CL still in the FA cup yeah lets sack the manager!!!!!
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Why am I not surprized? we had similar comments and complaints in the summer and look at where we are in the league. If Arsenal is such a disgrace they why bother supporting then? If Schalke04 don’t want to sell what do you expect Arsenal to do? Don’t forget that people’s opinions are divided on this matter as it is, there’s no middle ground, he’ll either turn out like CR7 or Lamela, either way people will say I told you so. If we sign Draxler then we sign him and I’ll be ecstatic, if we don’t sign him I’ll be disappointed but I’ll continue support Arsenal and I’ll never call them a disgrace.
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Are you a spud in disguise?! Yes the ticket prices are unacceptable but I think that’s about the only valid point you make.
There’s still a day left before the window closes, and a we’ve proved in the past today could be massive for us.
As for the fans morale being at an all time low, I think you’re talking from a personal perspective here pal ‘cos being at the emirates this season has been much different from past seasons. Fans seem happy and optimistic once again. Sure we’d all like another signing but whatever happens we’ve still got a fantastic group of players that we should be getting behind, not protesting against. I’m afraid it’s people like you that destroy the morale in the club. If that’s how you wanna be take a trip over to White Hart Lane, you’ll fit in nicely over there.
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Good lord, you people need to get a grip. I’d also love us to sign a few players but do any of you honestly think you know better or could do a better job than Mr. Wenger and company. Seriously? If you could, you’d be earning £100K a week instead of posting this drivel. Idiots.
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Arsene Wenger is a good coach,i think fans should not get carried away just allow him he knows what he is doing.
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Arsene believe that players are cheaper on the last day of transfer season is wrong because every player has his price. Also the club knows how to take the fan on a long ride every transfer season. Looking bank over 90% of players linked to us in the past are doing well in there new clubs viz: Cahill, Ba, Mata,Hazard(Chelsea), Hugain, Suarez. Save for Jovetic. What risks in players that are we seeing that other team are not seeing? Note it, if we cannot not sign Draxler now, we would never sign him again because other clubs will circle him in the summer.
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And nice to see so many well informed fans FACT there is no buy out clause it ran out last summer that was confirmed by Schalke 2 days ago so how do any of u knw what they are now asking for the player or what we have offered?
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Arsenal has money bt nt 4 football,bt 4 commercial activities wenger want to make some coins b4 he retire…am very sure any great player under wenger will look ordinary bt when they leave for ambitious clubs wil be great..even Draxlar under wenger wil be just decsent bt in man-u/bayan or madrid wil appear in balun dior
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What a pathetic and negative article. The only thing I agree with is that the ticket prices are too high. However calling a team that is still in the FA cup, champions league and a point from top of the premier league a disgrace is beyond mind boggling? For one we have a huge midfield and it has only become apparent over the last couple of days that we will be missing a couple I players. I agree we need another striker but wenger wants world class players now. He does not want to spend on not good enough players. Unfortunately they are not available in January. Stop being so negative, you are one of the fans that want asrenal to fail just so you can say you was right. Get behind your team please.
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arsenal are already falling!He wants world class but he cannot chuck out the money for a world class player!He wanted Mata,Chelsea bought him,he wanted CR7, man u bought him,just because he could not add a few cents!Picture how fast arsenal fall,one time as u have mentioned we are in the FA,champions league and 2nd in the epl,in a weeks time they are out of all bar epl challenging for the fourth place trophy.it will b 2007 again.We must b realistic,with that squad and upcoming fixtures.after the Soton game am really in doubt!but i pray!
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An by the way the only teams really doing business are those struggling at the bottom or mid table like Utd
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it is the same old story as we miss out on talent. We were going to buy hazzard and then Mata but Chelsea bought them. The same will happen on Draxler
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You don’t need to be on £8m a year and speak 5 languages to work out that we need a world class defensive midfielder to compete with toure, not 10 little wingy midgets. And that we need a pacy striker who can get at the end of ozil s assists. Not to mention cover for Giroud, in fact someone for whom Giroud is cover. And why not buy a top central defender like zouma or man gala? And a keeper with better distribution than scezsney .
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In fact why don’t we just buy 4 players for every position. It doesn’t matter how good they are or whether they’d add to the team, as long as all the stupid fucking Whiney fans will be happy because we’ve signed someone. And then when they turn out to be shit we can all blame Wenger and the board!
I have to say that I’m amazed at what shit has been posted on here (both the article and the comments). This is why I’ve pretty much stopped reading blogs and almost totally stopped reading the comments. Too many people with a tiny amount of knowledge thinking the crap they spurt is exactly how it is!
We’re second in the league, still in CL and FA cup. Yes I’d like to see another striker, but as I said above the window isn’t closed yet and we don’t know what’s going to happen.
I really do wish that the “Arsenal Recreational Outrage Brigade” would find another hobby as it’s really boring me reading your crap!
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True
we r still in CL FA and 2nd, but for how long?have you seen the fixtures? and nearly half of the midfield is out injured!for all ur comments you should just look at the mirror and ask the person you see if he has any tiny amount of knowledge.it will b like 2007,we will be out of contention and as usual be dumped out of the cl and FA.Funny thing u know what am saying is the truth.
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deefyant
have you seen the fixtures?
with 15 matches to go all the top clubs have still got to play each other in the league, except Chelsea and united have played each twice other already.
man city have to play
Chelsea
arsenal
man united
Liverpool
everton
Chelsea have to play
man city
arsenal
everton
Liverpool
Tottenham
Liverpool still have to play
arsenal
man united
Tottenham
man city
Chelsea
in the fa cup man city have got to play Chelsea
chelsea have got to play man city
Liverpool have to play arsenal
man united, spurs are already out
in the champions league
man city have got to play Barcelona
ok Chelsea and united have it easier, but have tricky trips to Greece and turkey
lets also not forget that man city have an extra game to play a cup final, which as they proved last season are never easy
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Deefyant,
My point is I’m talking about what has actually happened thus far in the season, not what MIGHT happen.
My knowledge is based on something other than my own thoughts and feelings, unlike yours.
All teams have hard fixtures, that’s the nature of the game.
Too many “fans” feel the need to complain constantly about something. Yes, the ticket prices are expensive (although I’d like to see how many of the people complaining about the price rise actually buy tickets and don’t use it as something else to moan about). Yes we do need a striker (still time for that to happen). Yes we have a number of midfielders out injured (that’s the nature of a football “season” I’m afraid)
And don’t tell me that what you are saying is the truth as it’s clearly not the truth, it’s your opinion.
If you’re going to argue with me then base your argument on something more than what you think might happen!
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bc,
i feel you,based on the fixtures,we have liverpool twice,man u and bayern also twice following each other.my point is with the kind of squad we have and our history,we usually tend to fumble.just like we did in december,remember napoli,everton,man city?now its worse.i dnt think,we will manage to go thru.yes city are yet to play barca etc but check the timings and the squads at hand.
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@Rich,you can predict future trends by learning/going thru older trends.as i said so far so good,but the hardest part is coming.being on top of the league will not count if the last day of the league u get overtaken.the issue with arsenal is we keep on going in circles,if one thing doesn’t work try another,we have been doing the something for years why not try something else.we should b learning from our mistakes.this is the time we need that final push,but we wont get it because somebody wants to prove something.it is not the time or place.almost doesn’t count..You really think AW will buy a striker?at least you acknowledge he needs one,that is a starting point.You will also see clearly that i did not have any issue with the tickets etc,my only beef is the squad,it is a good squad but not the best.and to win we need the best.and that is a fact not an opinion.
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Most clubs in the go straight to business by buying whoever they want as addition to the club but that has never been the case with arsenal. The coach also like to play balls and do dealing on last day of the window. this is unaccepted by me. If the club wants a player, it should just fork out the funds and make payment asap. If for any reason we failed to lift any trophy, I blame no one but the coach.
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allow wenger fans pls.
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Take a chill pill, let the transfer deadline close before you rant.
You don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors and nothing is said and done yet.
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Is there a red button I can push to simply obliterate all these AKB idiots?
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It was a disgrace too when we went into the season with only yaya sanogo as a transfer, woefully short in attacking options and an embarassment to the hard working arsenal faithful. Morale was at an all time low..
And how has that turned out?
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I totally agree with you.The fact that so many Arsenal fans are so unhappy,doesn’t tie in with our League position,it ties in with the blatant piss taking of fans’ loyalty by charging them huge prices,whilst refusing to invest the huge pile of cash available,needed to improve our squad.Every club that Kroenke has bought has seen higher prices and less success,on the field.The overiding feeling is one of profit before success.
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Wenger is a disgrace to Arsenal. See big games ahead and injuries in the club. Wenger has no dream of strengthenig the team but to put the money in his own pocket.
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Is Barca crazy spending 50m on 20yrs old Neymar. Draxler is far inferior from Neymar?? Wenger should stop playing the figures and just focus on the ‘menu’ to be a champion. Let the board decide the financial stuff!!
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wenger should be serious he must sign a new striker we must win the league
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Dont blame the writter Wenger purchased Ozil bcoz of such pressure from such a writter..i wonder y wenger is nt a national team coach where he can pick gd players 4 free…every nation would b running after him bcoz of world cup glory
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this bullshit, y cant the club buy nw to contest 4 d title, yet u milk faithful fans.
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i agree if we do not make a signing in january we might not even make top four
it is so frustrating
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those supporting ARSENE wenger are all fools, what my brother Kenoos is talking about is true. the most important central midfielders all down with injuries, the giroud f******k aint good enough and you are blostering with how you still second in the league and that you have a chance of being top again (are you crazy). Feb and March are the hardest months and you are going to witness Arsenal fall to fourth if there is no enforcement by the end of today. cant you nuts realize that.
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Not an AKB but as we are sitting 2nd, after being top for most of the season, think he may have a better idea of what he is doing than Adam an the rest of the “in arsene we rust”boys that crawled into the woodwork about 5 games into the season an now see our lack of new signings as cause to crawl back out again
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remember the trophy is for the winner at the end of May,not the team that has been on top for many months!so question is?will he hack it?or it will b the usual calm before storm?you dnt have to be a coach to know we need players ie a striker.i dare you to dream,this arsenal team with a striker like suarez, aguero or even rooney,we could have won the epl as early as december!
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Peter Tosh yeah lm sure Arsenal paid £42 million because of something written on a website yr comment is like yr name m8 TOSH!!! oh an by the way “writer” has one “T” not two
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I am AKB too. ….Arsene KNEW best. He doesn’t now and hasn’t for some time. He should watch videos of his early teams. The sheer class, the physical strength, the spine. And spirit and character in a different league to most of the current bunch . Better that than watching African nations cup U17 games and French ligue 2 . He just doesn’t get it any more. Rather say this now when we re one point behind city, than in March, when we re one behind United .
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Long running AAA site
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Arsenal faithful i had that the board was wiling bt the president wenger said no…hw sure are puma deal wil do arsenal any favour.wenger pened down a new contract to take maximum profits
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its embarrassin to see Wenger nt signing any player.shame on him maybe he will realise it when he finally finish this with no silverware again.
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patience pays mate..lets live those whom we employ to act.if they fail then its something else.the window is closing at 11 tonite.
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Peter tosh, you are a brainless moron. I only wish wenger did go buying players that fans want . Ozil a star player, but not what we needed most. We needed a toure type player. And any assist needs a quality finisher at the end of it. Wenger s neglect of our strike force is bordering on criminal to insane. Also a player of ozil s quality needed to be bought in the same summer we sold fabregas, ditto a world class DM to replace Song . But wenger always playing loser tag with this club. Because he is officially now a loser. 10th anniversary of it.
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@ hants gooner thnks…we hav to be real without pressure from fans wenger play with academy players 4 decades with fear of spending
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We have been top for 17 weeks we are 1 point off top with them having to come to the emirates in the last calendar. Year we have out performed every team in the premiership fans divide price increase what are you a fucking dimwit
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I have never read so much crap in my life…Let us sack Wenger…and let him take Ozil with him…we are fighting relegation,out of all cups and they have failed to bring peace to Somalia and palestine….
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Whosoever support wenger not to buy this january is a failure like him.Why is he now seeking for a loan deal if all is well with the team? Why late bid? Wenger is a failure.He lacks planning & vision.He spotted Hazard but cheasel got him,mata etc. Julian is young& skillful under wenger he can never be a flop. He wenger must have seen something special about.Then get him by all means.With a sharp striker,good defensive mid.fielder& winger epl is sure. Every other gud midfielders were on injury list any ambit
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