Tag Archives: She Wore

Are Arsenal really that bad?

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So crisis club Arsenal are in the midst of another crisis after their defeat to Everton which left us in a crisis 6 points behind league leaders Chelsea.

The broken badges have reappeared in the papers, the moaner’s have spent 48 hours online slinging mud, the future of Arsene Wenger is once again under question. Arsenal are in shocking form. Out of the title race in December for the 12th year in a row. We could be 9 points behind Chelsea come Sunday. If only we had have gone for Per Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp when we had the chance. Then you see the following:

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Awful Arsenal are level on points with brilliant Liverpool, only behind them on goals scored. And a point above Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Everyone is going on about how Arsenal could be 9 points behind Chelsea. Well Man City could be 10 points behind them if results don’t go their way this weekend (IE Arsenal win).

So Arsenal are getting all the criticism after 1 defeat in 15 league games, whilst the Liverpool Love In is still very much still going on. Would Arsenal be in any better a situation in the league if they had Klopp or Guardiola? Probably not.

But it is the poor form of Arsenal that concerns most. We are on an awful run,

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Yet over the last 10 games, Arsenal and Liverpool’s form is exactly the same. Man City’s form is significantly worse than Arsenal’s – 6 points less.

Even if you narrow it down to the last 5 games, Arsenal are 2 points better off than Liverpool, and 1 point better off than Man City. Narrow it further to last 3 games, Arsenal have 6 points from 9, Liverpool 4 from 9, Man City 3 from 9.

In fact, looking at form over the last 5 games, only Chelsea have got more points than Arsenal. Liverpool sit 8th in the form table. So are Arsenal really that bad? Are Liverpool really that great?

Looking forward rather than backwards, Arsenal have drifted to 6 points behind Chelsea, and yes, it could be 9 points behind Chelsea after the weekend. But this is more to do with Chelsea’s brilliant form rather than Arsenal’s poor form.

Since losing to Arsenal 3-0 back in September, Chelsea have played 10, won 10, scored 24, conceding just 2 goals – 8 clean sheets. It is an incredible run of form which has taken Antonio Conte from favourite to be next manager sacked, to Chelsea favourites to win the league.

Chelsea’s blue machine looks in incredible form at the moment, and with a run of fairly easy fixtures coming up, I can see them easily increasing their win streak to 13 in a row. When a team is in the sort of form they are in, you only hope that Arsenal can keep hold of their coat tails and when (or if) they lose a bit of form, we are close enough to take advantage.

It has been an odd season, the press have already crowned Liverpool and Man City champions. It will be Chelsea’s turn next.

One reason Arsenal are in a supposed crisis (even though they are clearly not) is due to our fans. A bunch of fans who’s threw their toys out of the pram the second the final whistle went against Everton. And 48 hours later they were still moaning. They are the loud minority. The silent majority just got on with their lives. I saw one fan tweet 1,000 times on Wednesday. All an anti-Arsenal, anti-Wenger, anti- Ozil narrative.

In some fans eyes, Mesut Ozil can do no right. He can score a hat trick, and people will moan when it was against a bunch of chicken farmers, and not against Manchester United. They love to shout and cry every time he has a poor game. We an in an era where a player seems to be only as good as his last appearance. You wonder how someone like Dennis Bergkamp would get on in the current era. He often went missing for Arsenal in games.

Then we have Alex Iwobi. The racist abuse he has received by some so called “fans” is disgusting. It has been condemned by many fans. The abuse has come from children who are clearly to young to own mobile phones, and who’s parents really should monitor their internet activity, or from foreign fans who often sit on YouTube throwing disgusting comments. Twitter really does make people feel that they can say anything without any reprisals. That sitting in front of a screen abusing someone racially is OK as you are anonymous. If someone chucking about racist comments to players or fellow fans was ever caught as a game, they would be harmed. Seriously harmed.

People need to remember who they are, what they are and who they represent.

I fully understand people being upset when Arsenal lose. I am. My mates are. Most people are. But being upset is not an excuse to throw around abuse. To Ozil, to Iwobi. Some have even abused Aaron Ramsey on an Instagram picture he posted of his young son. I have recently read an admin of an Arsenal Facebook group which has nearly 25,000 likes post the following up:

I want a scandal and his name in ruins, want his reputation in shreds and him knocked off his pedestal, as this is what will hurt the AKBs, to see their messiah humiliated, this would give us WOBs a sense of vindication (we are right anyway) and forever haunt the AKB clowns. I have never called him a nonce (as some have) but any sort of scandal would do me, the seedier the better.

You are so upset after a victory that your response is to go online and say you want Arsene Wenger, a 67 year old man, to be involved in a scandal. And let’s be honest, ‘the seedier the better’ we all know what type of scandal you want him to be involved in. All because we lost a single game. How rotten must your life be? You are probably someone who sits online all day, every day, abusing everything to do with Arsenal, because you love Arsenal.

The behaviour of our fans after a defeat makes it seem like we are in a much worse position than we are. And the media just eat this up. Knowing that disgruntled Arsenal fans are going to click and repost any article that supports their narrative.

With a platform’s such as Twitter and Facebook, many fans spend a lot of hours reading and absorbing information. If that information is bile, it is negative, you can end up getting drawn in. Drawn into the belief that Arsenal are in awful form. Ignoring the facts, ignoring the league table. You end up sitting their pining for Guardiola, dreaming of Klopp, when the reality the clubs they are running are in no better situation than Arsenal,

You look at Ronald Koeman, who has once more got the better of Arsene Wenger, and praise him highly. A brilliant manager. But you ignore the fact that he has won 1 in 10. You forget Manchester United have won just 3 league games since August. You end up in a spiral of negativity, which is hard to come out of.

The best way to get out of the spiral is to put the phone down, come off social media, take a break. Go outside. Get some fresh air. Get some reality in your life. Then when you return, you notice the league table. Arsenal are 3rd, level on points with 2nd place Liverpool. A bit of a distance from inform  Chelsea.

Things are Arsenal are not that bad. They have never been that bad. Just the narrative written makes it appear things are bad.

12 years without a league title might be bad, but how about 25 years (Liverpool), 19 years (Everton), 35 years (Aston Villa) or 55 years (Spurs).

Want to know what bad is? Aston Villa. A massive club. 7 league titles, 7 FA Cups. 5 League Cups. And of course, 1 European Cup. They are currently 13th in the Championship.

Or Everton. When Arsene Wenger took over, Arsenal had just 1 more league title than the Toffee’s and 1 more FA Cup. Roll forward 20 years and Everton have not won a trophy since 1995, and Arsenal are now 4 league titles and 7 FA Cups ahead. Everton fans still dream of a new stadium that will make them competitive again, Arsenal have had theirs for 10 years.

So you think Arsenal are bad, look at others around you.

It reminds me a bit of the meme ‘1st world problem’. Whilst we are moaning about Amazon not delivering a PS4, or Debenhams not delivering the right chairs, children around the world are dying due to lack of water. It is all about perspective.

And the reality is, Arsenal are not that bad. We are not in bad form. We are not that bad in the league. And over the last 10 years, whilst just 2 FA Cups might seem bad, the reality is it is not.

So get out from behind your screens, watching on your illegal streams, defining your life by a social media persona, get some fresh air, and start backing the team.

Life is too short to be a bitter middle aged man moaning all day about football.

Keenos

Arsenal set to SELL up to 11 senior players (and none are Ozil or Sanchez)

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In recent weeks, the big transfer news at Arsenal has been about the contract situations of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.

It has been well written by many that both have 18 months left on their contract and are currently stalling on negotiations. Some say they are waiting on Arsene Wenger to declare his future, or for it to be announced who his replacement might be, others say they are driven by money, with rumours of a $400,000 offer on the table from China – I always laugh that the offer is ‘from China’ without mentioning a particular club.

Some say that want to ensure they are playing for a competitive club, and will wait to see if we do challenge (and win) the title, whilst Ian Wright thinks they will both sign, but will do in the summer where they will be worth even more if they take Arsenal to the title.

The future of both is concerning for all Arsenal fans, but there are another 11 senior players who’s future at the club might not be bright. And entire starting XI could leave Arsenal this summer.

David Ospina has been linked away from Arsenal ever since Petr Cech joined. Currently the clubs Champions League keeper, he is also likely to play in the FA Cup in the New Year. The Colombian will be 29 next season, entering the peak for a goal keeper. Would he really want to spend his best years sitting on Arsenal’s bench?

The writing is also on the wall for Carl Jenkinson. The boyhood Arsenal fan looks like a deer in headlights every time he puts on an Arsenal shirt. He is good enough to be 2nd choice right back behind Hector Bellerin, but in his own head, Arsenal are too big for him. His demise from one of West Ham’s best players a few years ago has been incredible.

When Frenchman Mathieu Debuchy started against Bournemouth, some were surprised he was still at the club. His contract does not expire until 2019, but with injuries now piling up, and reports of a poor attitude at times, if he is not sold next summer, he will surely be sent out on loan.

Per Mertesacker. The big German. The captain. His contract runs out at the end of the year and there has been no talk about him getting a new one. With the form of Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny, and the development of Rob Holding, Arsenal no longer require his services. He will be able to get himself a nice big contract back in Germany.

After a season of poor form, Arsenal will surely sign a stronger left back than either Nacho Monreal or Kieran Gibbs. With Gibbs being younger and English, and Monreal’s future potentially tied to that of best mate Santi Cazorla (more later), it is the Spaniard who will make way.

Another on borrowed time is Calum Chambers. After a brilliant start to his Arsenal career where he looked like an assured, ball playing centre back, he has gone backwards. Part of this is due to him being played in multiple positions – a bit like Phil Jones at Man U – and part of it due to not getting enough game time. He has made 10 appearances for Middlesborough this season but has been outshone by fellow youngster Ben Gibson. With Rob Holding also at the club, Arsenal will struggle to give to young centre backs enough time to develop. He might be saved by the fact Debuchy & Jenkinson are likely to go, meaning Arsenal need a back up right back.

Santi Cazorla has already played his last game for Arsenal Football Club in my opinion. Now 32, with 18 months of poor injuries behind (and head) of him, his contract runs out at the end of this season. I can not see Arsenal offering him any more than a new 1 year deal. Something that Cazorla will surely not accept. He has spoken previously about finishing his career at Spain, and that time has come. And he will take Nacho Monreal with him.

Another who’s Arsenal career is almost certainly over his Jack Wilshere. Playing once a week for Bournemouth does not mean he is good enough to play twice a week for Arsenal. He clearly enjoys the sea air, a lower intensity of life, and time away from his trouble making friends. Bournemouth are able to manage his work load in a way that a big club like Arsenal are unable to facilitate. Arsenal need fit players playing twice a week. Wilshere does not fit the bill.

Joel Campbell is out on loan at Sporting. With the development of Alex Iwobi, nothing will change for Campbell next year. He will still be surplus to requirements, and will either be loaned once more, or sold.

Homegrown striker Chuba Akpom is at a cross roads in his career. He has not progressed from talented youngster to senior superstar. 4 average loan deals, and Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud, Danny Welbeck and Lucas Perez ahead of him, there will be no chance for him to break through in the future.

Lastly we come to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Whilst everyone is going on about Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez’s contract coming to an end in 2018, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s also does. Another player at a cross roads in his career, he has never really secured a place in Arsenal’s starting XI. He is getting a run now, a chance to prove himself, but if he fails to impose himself on games consistently, he might have to look elsewhere next summer, take a step down to get regular football.

 

Arsenal could end up off loading an entire XI. I wonder how this lot would get on in the Premier League:

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Keenos

Proof that the Champions League draw is flawed?

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So Arsenal get Bayern Munich in the Champions League knock out stages again. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

At least it has saved me £500 on tickets, flights, hotels and booze. But whilst watching the draw, I noticed a massive flaw which could lead it to be fix and / or flawed.

The runners-up are drawn first from a single bowl. Once the runners-up are drawn, some UEFA suit picks out balls from the bowls of the teams they can face. These balls are then put into a bowl that is infront of Ruud Gullit, who is drawing the winners.

A courtesy mixing of the balls round the bowl, and Gullit then draws the side.

So Gullit can see which balls are taken from which bowl, sees these balls go into a bowl infront of him, and then watches as they are ‘mixed’ up, remaining in the order they were in the bowl.

Anyone who has ever been to Spain and play the “find the ball” game with a lookielooklie man will know how it works.

As the ball go’s under the cup, you keep an eye on that cup. And as long as your eye speed is quick enough, you can almost always find out. Of course, they are usually a scam, with a quick slight of hand trick removing the ball. Or whilst you are watching what is going on, pick pockets work the outside stealing wallets and phones whilst you concentrate on the cups.

We all know the game.

So back to the Champions League draw.

The balls go in the bowl infront of Gullit. He knows which ball is which, keeping an eye on the one he wants as they spin around the bowl, and can then pick out the ball he chooses. Made even easier in a situation like Arsenal’s where there were only 4 balls in the draw.

The UEFA Champions League draw is badly flawed and it is no surprise we got Bayern Munich once more.

Keenos