Arsenal Banter Archive February 10 2014

 

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10 Feb 2014 21:38:19
We lose a match and people are freaking out

This just in, Liverpool is pretty good

This just in, City and Chelsea both still have to go there

I'm at a loss for the hordes of people criticizing Ozil. Give him a world class striker and watch the goals bang in. Instead we gave him Olivier Giroud, what the hell do people expect?

Giroud is technically one of the worst strikers we have had at Arsenal. Ya, he works hard and his link play is good. Same can be said for hundreds of top level strikers.

He is not good enough to lead our line.

Have said it all year.

Had we bought Higuain, we'd be running away with the league

We may or may not win a trophy this year. The important thing is the gulf which existed between us and the top teams is gone. We are level with them.

To take it over the top, we need a world class striker.

Giroud can score 3 versus United, but he is still not a world class striker, nor will he ever be

Only time I can ever remember us winning trophies, we had a world class striker or two. As of now we have zero.

There is not one defense out there agonizing about playing against Giroud. Great guy, good teammate, sure, but as a footballer, give me Adebayor over Giroud everyday of the week and twice on Sundays.

He was the best player on the pitch of the two teams in the Everton match. There will never be a match where Giroud is the best at anything on the pitch.

It's what we needed. We didn't buy. Big games, we can't score. I'm not surprised.

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10 Feb 2014 22:40:31
This just in - we didn't lose the match we got proper tonked.

This just in - don't recall anyone saying Giroud is world class.

This just in - Saurez was really the man we needed, him and Lars Bender and Draxler next summer.

This just in - when we had Henry we didn't have the luxury of an Ozil, we had Viera, Petit, Overmars, Pires, Gilberto et al, players who didn't get shoved about in the midfield but took it by the scruff of the neck and steam rollered other teams.

We need a dominant CDM and a world class striker but for now we are making do with what we've got, Flamini and Giroud.

Love em to bits but would swap them for the afore mentioned in a heart beat.

Then Ozil can show us what he's made of.

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Top post

Def mid will be addressed this summer, and it could be the right one to do business in:

Vidal
Pogba
Kondogbia
Bender
Gundogan
Kroos
Javi Martinez
Matuidi
Veratti
Gonalons

Could all be moving. That's quite a list.

With a saturated market, I think we get our guy at our price.

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Im going to stick my neck out here and just question the 'hold the ball up' type forward logic we keep hearing.

for what its worth I see the beenfit of this side of girouds game, bringing other players into the attack is vital to our game. however, should this be so intergral to a team with attacking mids, then bayern potentially wouldn't have signed lewendoski as they have the master of this in mandzukic and barca would have a tank of a forward in their team.

to me, pace is what we lack. having a forward who poitioning and pace is problematic means a team sit deeper against us or are vulnerable to the counter, with room to play we have shown to be lethal.

In summary a forward to stretch play, providing an out ball, and leaving gaps for midfielders to run into, and not hold it up with your back to goal would be my preferred buy, keeping giroud as a plan b type guy.

my opinion not fact. fire away :)

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Us gooner, you say we can't win the league without a world class striker;
Just a question: what if we do win the league this year?
And please don't reply with answer along the lines of 'we won't win it'
:)

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That rules out Chelski too then because they ain't got a world class striker

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Calm down.

yes it was a bad game, but liverpool deserve their moment in the sun.

they have played well at home this season, just like city have.

their form right now is better than ours.

they have strikers which only Manchester United and city can rival.

but saying that they are atrocious away from home.

they are thinking title contenders, I would say beating us does not make them title contenders. especially when we rolled over like we did.

would like to see how we do in the FA cup against them.

man utd, liverpool and bayern to think of. not the last game.

ozil is clearly not firing on all cylinders. let's hope he can make it to the end atleast on a level where he is not a liability.

you would be hard pressed to realise how a winter break helps.

anyway until tom, chin up.

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My chins well up Lakerville I just hope it don't get shattered tomorrow night -:)
We'll need Rocky Balboa stamina to come back if it does! ADRIAAAN

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Waq1, we very well could

But it will come on the back of victories we have to grind out where we could have won comfortably

It will also be on the back of goals from the midfield

For how dominant we are in the middle of the pitch, our scoring record is the reason we aren't running away w the league

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10 Feb 2014 20:50:46
I saw a sneak preview of the Bergkamp statue today. Friend sent me a pic! Anyone else seen it?

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Looks great! Mid jump looking majestic as always.

Walking in a Bergkamp wonderland!

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11 Feb 2014 10:29:40
Does look great, I put up the original photo from which it's modelled on.

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10 Feb 2014 19:27:39
When we lost against Villa- a lot of people were calling for AW's head, many media/pundits said we wouldn't make top 6.

5/6 games later we were top the league- media/pundits saying what a good recovery, but it's not until after 10-12 games have been played when things settle down i.e. we won't still there for long.

10-12 games later- we are still top. Media/pundits - rather patronisingly, arsenal have done very well, but again it won't last.

We Lose to city- Media/pundits - 'shocking loss I can see arsenal slipping now and xmas will be the big test, we'll see things come into place after xmas i.e. again, we won't stay there.

We go a terrific run after the city loss- Its now after xmas and we are still top- Media/pundits, ' yeah arsenal have done very well, but I still can't see arsenal staying there blah blah'.

One month later and up until Saturday we were still top of the league.

Shocking loss to Liverpool- after that?

We have been patronised, been doubted time and time again, but we've always managed to find something and recover.

Some of the players are starting to look a little tired now- it's easy to be a fan when things are going well, it's easy to criticise and point fingers after a loss- but now it's our time as supporters, to support our team.

Come on, we've lost 1 game, not 7 in a freakin row!

It's still all to play for and we need to get behind our team and show some believe in them.

Lets prove everyone wrong again and go on another unbeaten run. Make them eat their patronising words until their stuck in their throats!

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10 Feb 2014 17:07:59
Following the 5-1 hammering at Liverpool, I feel the team needs freshening up.

Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny and Mertesacker keep their places and are told to go out and make amends. Gibbs comes in for Monreal, who IMO has been poor in the last few games.

In the middle of the park I would play Rosicky and Wilshere together as I feel we need these tenacious type players, breaking up the play and starting our attacks.

Behind the front player I would play an attacking three of Poldoski, Cazorla and Oxlaide-Chamberlain.

For me Ozil needs to be dropped. He's hasn't become a bad player overnight but does need to be taken out of the firing line. We need pace but also players that track back and defend which Ox and Poldi will do. Cazorla in the hole will be the creative influence that Ozil hasn't been the last few weeks.

I would stick with Giroud up front because, although he is not banging them in for fun, he links up play and creates space which often goes unnoticed. Plus I think having both Giroud and Poldi on together works rather than LP replacing OG as striker.

Thoughts?

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I was with you right up to Giroud Greeny.
We can't keep over playing him hoping he some how becomes super human, I don't know the stats I'd bet he has been involved more than any other solo striker this season.
I would go your side and Gnarby for Giroud and hit utd with a bit of pace at the back

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Unfortunately due to the managers complacence/incompetence we don't have a choice but to play Giroud up top.
Would play Poldi left, Cazorla centre and Gnab/Ox on the right.

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To be fair g62, I watched Richardson ruin Rafael and Vidic constantly with pace on Sunday so you may have a point.

Just feel like Giroud will be a handful for them creating space for the others.

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A few years ago in the CL SF against utd I was desperate for Wenger to play Theo running at Vidic as I felt he would deffinately have to bring him down and as likely to concede a pen and probably see red .
He's not got any quicker

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10 Feb 2014 16:42:56
Awful game at the weekend but we are right there. I fully expect us to beat United on Wednesday and we will be right back in the thick of things. However, the loss of Ramsey has been huge in my opinion. Anyone have an idea when he is back I heard 4-6 weeks. He was playing world class futbol! I don't think Arteta should be starting ever he just seems to slow for me and gives us very little defensively or going forward. But I am not sure what other option we have, stupid two footed challenge by Flamini. I am very concerned about our chances against Bayern I feel we have regressed since our amazing display against Napoli early on in the season. Can we regain our previous form is the question if we can we can beat anyone and win the title. If not we may be looking at third maybe 4th place.

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10 Feb 2014 16:09:26
Who would you all like to see come to arsenal to fill the dm position? Bender? Kondogbia? He was all the rage in the summer but the hype surrounding him seems to have died down. Would/could he be an option? Just throw out some names of who you would like to see!

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I would like scheiderling, he was awesome against us. Matuidi would be good signing too.

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NE,
For me, Lars Bender is a class above the other potential Dms for 25m or under.

He's physically very fit - which means he can hold his own against all the big, tough forwards, and is a very good passer of the football. Him alongside Ramsey/Jack in the midfield would be brilliant.

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10 Feb 2014 15:31:09
G62, bruv, sorry for the late reply regarding my post yesterday. I am afraid the Arsenal curse has caught up with me as well. After my epic 5 mins revenge match with the wife on Sunday night, l have just been to the doctors for a scan. It appears I have done my back and I will be out of action for at least 4-8 of my wife's cycles. Gutted bruv, that was my best performance ever, the good news is that I have been referred to Diaby's specialist so I maybe back sooner than expected.

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Mofaya you truly are a gooner mate, just hit top form and out for the season. Hey ho mate you'll come back stronger I'm sure

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Cheers bruv, this may seem crazy, but I thought I saw Wenger having a scan as well, its probably the hospital fumes, what are the chances of Wenger hurting his back, its not like he can slip on a banana or something.

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10 Feb 2014 15:27:09
Saturday was a shambles. We all know that. However flip side of the coin, I'm glad we're playing united, it's helps that there shocking, but at the same time it's another big game and that result against pool should have got there ***** into gear and go flat out against united. There vunerbale. Use that defeat as a springboard. I expect us to come out the blocks 100mph and try and destroy them in the 1st half, they are there for the taking. If this hasn't given the players motivation and woke them up then nothing will. Saturday might not be such a tragic result as we thought.

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10 Feb 2014 13:45:24
Hi Gooners, Liverpool fan here in peace.

How do you see the FA cup going gents?
Do you think Wenger will prioritise the UCL and rest a few players?
It'll be a very tough 4 games with little rest if you play your first team, and it seems highly unlikely Wenger will be able to rest any players for your game against United.
I'll be honest, I don't want you to win the title, because there's a small chance we can, (tiny infact but it's still closer than we've been in years)
I do sincerely hope you boys can bring home a champions league trophy though, and should you knock us out of the FA cup, I'll be rooting for you in that too!
Cheers guys (and gals)

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Hi Welsh,

I honestly think Arsene will play a strong team because if we beat you we have a strong chance of winning FA Cup, although I can understand if he rests a lot of players against you to keep them fresh for CL.

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I don't think we can afford to rest too many players. A bit of rotation is needed definitely tho;
Against Man United we should line up with Gibbs coming back in, podolski rosicky and cazorla as the att mids, with wilshere/ox and arteta in the deeper roles, with giroud upfront.
Against Liverpool we should bring in verm, Monreal and jenkinson play ox/wilshere(which ever didn't play against Manu) and arteta, gnabry rosicky and cazorla att mids wiv podolski upfront
Ozil needs to be dropped a couple of games, needs to be shown he isn't an automatic starter, especially not after his recent games

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Hi Welsh boy
I'm not sure we have to many to bring in to rest that many.
I think we will try and get a good result to save face as much as anything

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11 Feb 2014 06:52:57
Thanks for the replys gents.
I suppose it's worth remembering that your squad is a bit stronger than ours, you can afford to make some changes and still be a very strong outfit.
For the record, Saturday was a pretty freak result, so don't get too down!
As always a pleasure!

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10 Feb 2014 12:56:08
Well the weekend was a kick up the Arse. nal. Like some of you, I was not overly surprised. Liverpool going forward, on their day, are one of the best in the league. We just caught them on their day.

I'm going to be brutally honest now and say I do not think we will win on Wednesday. Of course I hope I am wrong but feel we lack an outstanding leader to galvanise the team after the weekend.

Adams, Vieira, McLintock etc would be the voice of the dressing room.

Alledgedly AW was ranting at half time. At half time, my friend, we were 4 0 down, the damage was done. Have some balls and change the team, formation etc before it's too late rather than sitting on the bench like you have lost your favourite teddy. Plan B, what effin plan B.

Anyway, life goes on and it has been a season of some very unpredictable results. Let's hope a few go our way in the coming weeks.

Be Lucky

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10 Feb 2014 10:00:07
The defeat against Liverpool came as no surprise, although the scoreline and performance were horrendous.
Since the start of the season, we have been a centre back and a striker short. In addition we have suffered long term injuries to Abu Diaby & Walcott, as well as other players being out for long periods. We had an opportunity to make signings during the recent window and only signed an ageing, injured player.
Next season, we will probably lose Sagna, Fabianski, Vermaelen & Bentner form the first team squad, leaving us desperately short of numbers. In addition Arteta & Rosicky will be a year older.
I cannot see us finishing above Chelsea or Man City this season and on form Liverpool do not have european football to contend with and have closed the gap on us to only 5 points. If Everton, Man U or Tottenham go on a run, we could face a struggle to finish 4th. On the positive side, we have the points in the bag. We have Flamini back soon and hopefully Ramsey in March, as well as the loan signing. However, Wenger must rotate the team to allow players to rest.

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You make some very fair points Robbie but IF we can beat utd Wednesday the picture will look much much brighter.
Lose and your warning about a battle for 4th will be storking us like the break down car on a top gear special

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10 Feb 2014 08:39:27
Alright. Faced all the jeers at work. Came out unscathed. (It was a lot better than I expected).
I am no longer upset with you boys. I know how you must feel too. So instead, I need you to bounce back. Show the mancs we've got what it takes.

While I'm at it though; "shame on you Flamini, shame on you." Thank you for leaving us with no better option than Arteta. Hope you're feeling the pain too.
Ok. now I'm no longer upset. A point behind isn't that bad considering where we're coming from. Something in me though still believes this is our season. Did I dare hope before now? Something has definitely changed at our beloved club. Something hopeful.

Alright, bring on Wednessday.

Arsenal till I die.

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Wednesday has become bigger than the Bayern x 2 and fa cup game Saturday put together.
Dont know about anyone else but I'm nervous already, surely we can do it this time against this utd even with our injury problems

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10 Feb 2014 07:07:13
Very interesting article in the Metro, basically, Liverpool FC might have done us a favour, I tend to be of the same opinion. After both of our heaviest or unexpected defeats this season we went on very good runs, 9 and 11 games respectively, so, let's hope this hard to stomach bad medicine illicit's some good results.
Liverpool played well, created their own luck by doing the simple things really well, we played with the same lack of energy as we had in last few games, just doing enough, in the last few victories we have crazy 10 min spells banging a couple in then holding on, except, in this match tactically we couldn't cope with Liverpool's formation, it appeared we didn't have enough players in the right positions, couldn't cope with Liverpool's movement, weren't tight enough, didn't fill up the holes, didn't win enough 2nd ball ( or first ball ) Liverpool found the gaps and played through us.
To me, there is a contradiction in the side, the modern Arsenal have been most successful when they win the ball, move the ball quickly into the danger areas and capitalise on superior numbers and technically gifted players, however, Olivier Giroud isn't that kind of striker, I love his passion, however, he is not "top top" quality, he makes too many mistakes and never performs in the big games, think on that for a minute, the reason is obvious. the elite sides have elite defenders, to beat an elite defender you need more than passion, and for all his passion I think he is too easy to defend against, so the contradiction is, we have one part of the team playing the old way and Olivier trundling around up top being the slow heavy, target man, which worked fine when we had Rambo and Walcott, they worked off him, since their injuries we do not have the link up support, I think he would make an exceptional lower league striker, but never an elite team striker, Bendtner and him are about the same.
And Kim Kallistrom. Arsenal are the laughing stock of the premier league, what person in their right mind buys( loans) an
injured player, the season will be done and dusted by the time he comes back, think about it this way, you go to a shop and buy a new phone, the screen doesn't work, you have a chat with the salesperson, then decide to take the broken phone home and wait for a replacement part, the thing is you need the " phone" right now.eh!
COYG

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10 Feb 2014 07:07:13
Very interesting article in the Metro, basically, Liverpool FC might have done us a favour, I tend to be of the same opinion. After both of our heaviest or unexpected defeats this season we went on very good runs, 9 and 11 games respectively, so, let's hope this hard to stomach bad medicine illicit's some good results.
Liverpool played well, created their own luck by doing the simple things really well, we played with the same lack of energy as we had in last few games, just doing enough, in the last few victories we have crazy 10 min spells banging a couple in then holding on, except, in this match tactically we couldn't cope with Liverpool's formation, it appeared we didn't have enough players in the right positions, couldn't cope with Liverpool's movement, weren't tight enough, didn't fill up the holes, didn't win enough 2nd ball ( or first ball ) Liverpool found the gaps and played through us.
To me, there is a contradiction in the side, the modern Arsenal have been most successful when they win the ball, move the ball quickly into the danger areas and capitalise on superior numbers and technically gifted players, however, Olivier Giroud isn't that kind of striker, I love his passion, however, he is not "top top" quality, he makes too many mistakes and never performs in the big games, think on that for a minute, the reason is obvious. the elite sides have elite defenders, to beat an elite defender you need more than passion, and for all his passion I think he is too easy to defend against, so the contradiction is, we have one part of the team playing the old way and Olivier trundling around up top being the slow heavy, target man, which worked fine when we had Rambo and Walcott, they worked off him, since their injuries we do not have the link up support, I think he would make an exceptional lower league striker, but never an elite team striker, Bendtner and him are about the same.
And Kim Kallistrom. Arsenal are the laughing stock of the premier league, what person in their right mind buys( loans) an
injured player, the season will be done and dusted by the time he comes back, think about it this way, you go to a shop and buy a new phone, the screen doesn't work, you have a chat with the salesperson, then decide to take the broken phone home and wait for a replacement part, the thing is you need the " phone" right now.eh!
COYG

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09 Feb 2014 23:55:22
No 'if's' or 'but's' PLEASE against Utd on Wednesday. Utd are there for the taking, we really need to show we can be ruthless against the big teams. I'm starting to worry about Ozil. I know he's a fantastic footballer but I can see a tactical demolition job at the courtesy of Wenger happening to him. Ozil thrives on players getting ahead of him, and in between defenses. He needs runners who he can play cutting passes to, not passes back or to the side of the pitch. Our main focus is Giroud who we look to find to play balls to oncoming midfield attackers and I really do not think Ozil is the type to be busting a gut to get into the box for such lay offs. Personally, I think Wengers football changing ways are behind him. He was a revelation over a decade ago who no doubt changed English football for the better, but he doesn't seem to be doing what the 'up and coming' managers do, which is basically change their line-up depending on which team they're playing. Wenger just seems to put out the best at his disposal and hopes his one dimensional tactics pay off. I can't help but think that the likes of Mourinho, Rodgers, Ferguson, and basically any other 21st century manager, can tell before a game against Arsenal, which way they are going to play.
This isn't a cutting statement on Wenger the same as we see on blogs throughout the WEB, calling for his head and basically cutting him to death. Just an honest opinion of how football has moved on, even from the revelation days of Wenger's changes on training, tactics, and football culture. I'm not in the opinion of saying there's many managers out there at the minute who could have done the same job that Wenger has in the last decdade. The man has totally revolutionised the club when it comes to revenue, training facilities and stadium, but it pains me to say, he has taken the club as far as he can on the field. His one-way tactics are out-dated. We were anihilated in the 1st 20 mins at Anfield and it still didn't look to me that he had asked the team to change style. Obviously he can't be so arrogant as to thinking he can just put his best team out in the same formation every single week against completely different opposition?

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Boozy you make some really good points here (btw, paragraphs are good- makes it easier to read, etc.).


Totally spot on about Ozil and utilising his strengths (or not as the case maybe).

It's not just that we need another striker, we need a different *type* of striker, an alternative and also one that will bring into play the strengths of Ozil as well (I think we've missed theo on flanks with his pace for that as well).

I think you make a point about AW and his one dimensional tactics, compared with Fergie, Mourniho, etc who will change as and when and get their players understanding and working those tactics for particular games.

Yes, perhaps things have moved on from 10+ years ago. But I also think AW has a philosophy/style which he (rightly or wrongly) absolutely believes in. A vision of how he wants to see his teams play.

For me his philosophy or one dimensional tactics, as you call it, is dependent on the players available to just how successful this style is going to be (that's the lack of flexibility/versatility and using the players available to "do a job", etc which Fergie, JM, etc would do).

When we had a genuinely great
team 8, 10-12 years ago, we all saw just had good AW philosophy was - a lot of the time, it was arguably unplayable. They could make AW's philosophy work to the max. That's the strengths and weaknesses of AW's philosophy.

Problem is we have (and have had for some time), on the whole a good team, not a great one. That's the weakness of his philosophy imho.

I think this is why when we do come up against teams with quality we can/or do struggle. We don't quite have the players to pull it off.

The great team we had, as well as technical ability, had the physical attributes, leadership and perhaps most of all intelligence- they had the ability to be flexible, within AW's philosophy, they could make it work against most opponents.

Today, by and large you need a cheque book to buy quality players- as we know he hasn't had that.

But know he does ( a sizeable budget will be available each summer).

The big question for me is, can he assemble that 'great team'? If he does, I think the potential rewards could be great, but.

There are just my views anyway.

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