old boy thread

well that was crap

Things arteta can be blamed for:

Odd selections - especially the willian love-in and lack of willingness to play martinelli;
Slow starts and lack of courage/confidence - particularly not playing forward balls in the first 20 mins of games (featuring long dawdling on the ball by Holding and Gabriel when the rest of the team have passed it back to them).
Defensive mindset when team is ahead

Things he cant:

Woeful finishing this season by Aubamayang, Lacazette, Saka
Panic stations when defending narrow leads in last 15 mins - see spurs for details and last night.
Injuries to Tierney and Cant quite believe I am saying this, Luiz.
Selling our back up left back without a replacement (if that is down to him)

Things he can be praised for:

Team has a pattern of play
Rehabilitation of xhaka - whatever the thoughts of whether he is ultimately good enough, we really miss hi when he is not there.
Determination not to put up with unprofessional ****e from aubamayang.

sd

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wibble the lobster

well that was crap

Things arteta can be blamed for:

Odd selections - especially the willian love-in and lack of willingness to play martinelli;
Slow starts and lack of courage/confidence - particularly not playing forward balls in the first 20 mins of games (featuring long dawdling on the ball by Holding and Gabriel when the rest of the team have passed it back to them).
Defensive mindset when team is ahead

Things he cant:

Woeful finishing this season by Aubamayang, Lacazette, Saka
Panic stations when defending narrow leads in last 15 mins - see spurs for details and last night.
Injuries to Tierney and Cant quite believe I am saying this, Luiz.
Selling our back up left back without a replacement (if that is down to him)

Things he can be praised for:

Team has a pattern of play
Rehabilitation of xhaka - whatever the thoughts of whether he is ultimately good enough, we really miss hi when he is not there.
Determination not to put up with unprofessional ****e from aubamayang.

sd

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Partey was ****ing terrible

true that

although my main reason for posting was to let people know i am still alive.

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Originally Posted by wibble the lobster

true that

although my main reason for posting was to let people know i am still alive.

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Have you had the vaccine?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wibble the lobster

well that was crap

Things arteta can be blamed for:

Odd selections - especially the willian love-in and lack of willingness to play martinelli;
Slow starts and lack of courage/confidence - particularly not playing forward balls in the first 20 mins of games (featuring long dawdling on the ball by Holding and Gabriel when the rest of the team have passed it back to them).
Defensive mindset when team is ahead

Things he cant:

Woeful finishing this season by Aubamayang, Lacazette, Saka
Panic stations when defending narrow leads in last 15 mins - see spurs for details and last night.
Injuries to Tierney and Cant quite believe I am saying this, Luiz.
Selling our back up left back without a replacement (if that is down to him)

Things he can be praised for:

Team has a pattern of play
Rehabilitation of xhaka - whatever the thoughts of whether he is ultimately good enough, we really miss hi when he is not there.
Determination not to put up with unprofessional ****e from aubamayang.

sd

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I largely agree.

But he's not the man for the job.

No doubt he'll be allowed to run his contract down and then we'll be wondering why we wasted the last 3 seasons...

yep - got pfizered in mid Feb on account of a deficient immune system/crohns (got no side effects and have been told there is a decent chance it hasn't worked for me to trigger/train an immune response unfortunately but you have got to try)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wibble the lobster

well that was crap

Things arteta can be blamed for:

Odd selections - especially the willian love-in and lack of willingness to play martinelli;
Slow starts and lack of courage/confidence - particularly not playing forward balls in the first 20 mins of games (featuring long dawdling on the ball by Holding and Gabriel when the rest of the team have passed it back to them).
Defensive mindset when team is ahead

Things he cant:

Woeful finishing this season by Aubamayang, Lacazette, Saka
Panic stations when defending narrow leads in last 15 mins - see spurs for details and last night.
Injuries to Tierney and Cant quite believe I am saying this, Luiz.
Selling our back up left back without a replacement (if that is down to him)

Things he can be praised for:

Team has a pattern of play
Rehabilitation of xhaka - whatever the thoughts of whether he is ultimately good enough, we really miss hi when he is not there.
Determination not to put up with unprofessional ****e from aubamayang.

sd

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Do you really thinkwe have a discernible pattern of play? Last night iot looked to me like 'get it to Saka if you can'. Although Partey had clearly been briefed to 'smash the ball straight into touch.'

It's awfully good to know you're still scuttling around the seabed, w.

I'm puzzled by our recent determination to buy players who aren't very good at football.

Thon lad Torreira was supposed to be all that's wonderful; I don't even know if he still plays for us. Willian is clearly older than you and as for Partey...

Honestly, I can't watch it any more.

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Originally Posted by Sir C

Honestly, I can't watch it any more.

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it's getting that way for me too.

I find myself getting quite annoyed by it all. Which, I recognise, is all rather daft.

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Originally Posted by IUFG2

it's getting that way for me too.

I find myself getting quite annoyed by it all. Which, I recognise, is all rather daft.

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I don't mind if the players aren't very good, really. I grew up watching Arsenal players who weren't very good and that didn't really affect my enjoyment too much. It's just the total lack of any discernible effort makes me feel equally apathetic.

If they can't be arsed, why would I be?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir C

I don't mind if the players aren't very good, really. I grew up watching Arsenal players who weren't very good and that didn't really affect my enjoyment too much. It's just the total lack of any discernible effort makes me feel equally apathetic.

If they can't be arsed, why would I be?

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The Arsenal of the early/mid 80s was pretty **** imo. But you could love them.

This current crop (and about the last 5-10 years) have been a bunch of unlikeable pansies and now we have a Poundland Mourinho managing them.

It is like pissing in the wind / shovelling water uphill with this lot...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IUFG2

The Arsenal of the early/mid 80s was pretty **** imo. But you could love them.

This current crop (and about the last 5-10 years) have been a bunch of unlikeable pansies and now we have a Poundland Mourinho managing them.

It is like pissing in the wind / shovelling water uphill with this lot...

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Tierney, Holding, Gabriel, Xhaka, Saka and Smith-Rowe. That should be the basis of a decent side. The rest of them aren't worth a cup of cold piss.

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Originally Posted by Sir C

Tierney, Holding, Gabriel, Xhaka, Saka and Smith-Rowe. That should be the basis of a decent side. The rest of them aren't worth a cup of cold piss.

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Swap Martinelli for Xhaka, and I'd completely agree with you.

If I was facing the sack I wouldn’t put my faith in Xhaka being our saviour.

Would roll the dice and gamble on that Miguel Asneeze kid next to Partey for the 2nd leg.

According to my extensive research ie YouTube...he appears to be very good.

Nothing to lose with a P45 looming.

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Originally Posted by Tony C

If I was facing the sack I wouldn’t put my faith in Xhaka being our saviour.

Would roll the dice and gamble on that Miguel Asneeze kid next to Partey for the 2nd leg.

According to my extensive research ie YouTube...he appears to be very good.

Nothing to lose with a P45 looming.

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Balogun close to extending his stay too :thumbup:

If Balogun was that good he would be in this team already. He's 19, in fact nearly 20. Very little evidence that he is not going to be the next Eddie Nketiah

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Originally Posted by Yesterday Once More

If Balogun was that good he would be in this team already. He's 19, in fact nearly 20. Very little evidence that he is not going to be the next Eddie Nketiah

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Very different player to Eddie

To be fair to Balogun...we’re dealing with a manager who has a hard on for Bellerin, Xhaka and Fake Willian while completely hating Martinelli.

I think it’s a weird ex player complex.

like he feels he must completely break their spirits and if they can’t handle it they’re not Arsenal material but Bellend and Xhaka are okay because they’ve taking their lumps in the past.

-

Ps fake Willian is Willian

:-( Whatever happened to the questionnaire. THAT was bad enough, I thought.

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Originally Posted by PSRB

Have you had the vaccine?

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:hehe: Brilliant!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by redgunamo

:-( Whatever happened to the questionnaire. THAT was bad enough, I thought.

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Right. The Arsenal manager's job should NOT, MUST not be an entry-level position.

We are not Wallingford United or Swindon Town or someone.

Shameful.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IUFG2

I largely agree.

But he's not the man for the job.

No doubt he'll be allowed to run his contract down and then we'll be wondering why we wasted the last 3 seasons...

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir C

I don't mind if the players aren't very good, really. I grew up watching Arsenal players who weren't very good and that didn't really affect my enjoyment too much. It's just the total lack of any discernible effort makes me feel equally apathetic.

If they can't be arsed, why would I be?

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Your brain is befuddled. The team of the mid-late 70s wandered around like dilettantes. I think Alan Sunderland managed three sprints in his entire career. They matched their laziness with an almost total lack of technique and imagination.

We are currently very ****, but let's be honest about the past.

The thing that has changed is your age.

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Originally Posted by AFC East

Your brain is befuddled. The team of the mid-late 70s wandered around like dilettantes. I think Alan Sunderland managed three sprints in his entire career. They matched their laziness with an almost total lack of technique and imagination.

We are currently very ****, but let's be honest about the past.

The thing that has changed is your age.

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You may be right, I suppose. It’s so hard to look back and see things objectively.

5 years at the club and we finally locate Xhaka’s best position lol

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Originally Posted by Tony C

5 years at the club and we finally locate Xhaka’s best position lol

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Yeah. Agreed.

So who do we play with Partey? Dani was great today, but as I said, I'd love ESR-MO with him and Saka-Marti out wide.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tony C

If I was facing the sack I wouldn’t put my faith in Xhaka being our saviour.

Would roll the dice and gamble on that Miguel Asneeze kid next to Partey for the 2nd leg.

According to my extensive research ie YouTube...he appears to be very good.

Nothing to lose with a P45 looming.

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Sorry to disagree but he's been one of the few players who've stepped up. Was excellent again yesterday at LB......not that he had much to do