Arsenal Banter Archive March 20 2017

20 Mar 2017 22:16:47
I'll be 42 this year and have been supporting Arsenal since I was 18. Unlike most of you who have had your fanships passed down through your families, I'm not British and my dad never really cared much for any kind of sports.

I'm from a tiny island in the Middle East (Bahrain) and trained and played for Al Ahli Club when I was a teen. One of the best teams on the island but by any measure we were still rather poor when compared to the quality of football being played in Europe.

The only European football we ever saw on telly was the EPL and my first taste of it was when I went to visit a cousin who was much older than me and apparently a Man United fan (no idea why) . Anyway, it was a Man Utd v Arsenal game and I was watching this for the first time, realising how totally rubbish the club I played for was and in awe of how good Arsenal were. Arsenal lost that day but their brand of football turned me into an Arsenal fan and I'm bloody proud of it.

Why am I telling you this? Simply because, if I, as an adopted fan, can find it within myself to back this great club no matter what, then the rest of you can too. We're not just fans when we're winning things. We're not just fans when the going is good. We are Arsenal fans, and that means something! It means something to me and it should mean something to you.

I get that many of you are disgruntled with our manager and I appreciate the many arguments I've heard on why he should go. There are however some arguments that border on the inane. Remember, this is a man who has given 21 years of his life to Arsenal Football Club. You don't do that without forming a deep sense of loyalty; maybe even love. And I truly believe that the man loves this club of ours just as much as we do. Maybe he is past it, maybe he is a dinosaur, but show him some respect because he has bloody well earned it.

{Ed002's Note - This gets post of the day. Well done.}

20 Mar 2017 22:31:04
Good post Sharpy.

Could have swore you were from Dagenham though? .

Hey ho, Dagenham/ Bahrain, what's the difference.

20 Mar 2017 22:38:13
Well said, top post.

20 Mar 2017 23:12:10
Well said - he has also won the league more times than Spurs 😉.

20 Mar 2017 23:16:13
Agee top post and remember guys tomorrow when you wake up you can still smile and thank our omnipotent lord you're a Gooner and not a Spud - not just tomorrow but the rest of your lives COYG!

21 Mar 2017 00:02:29
Awesome post.

21 Mar 2017 02:19:29
Post of the day
lol
you must have just pipped me there mate.
Well said.
Respect to you mate.

21 Mar 2017 09:37:43
Nice post but our football ain't as good as that anymore.

21 Mar 2017 10:11:44
So that was 24 years ago that you became an Arsenal fan Sharpie and by my calculations that means George was still manager and it was his brand of football made you follow the Arsenal?
You really did need to get out more in those days mate :-)

21 Mar 2017 10:12:44
Good post. It goes without saying every one on here respects the job he has done. The amount of respect and the depth of respect will depend on what happens over the next couple of months. Football management comes with its plusses but it comes with its negatives, the big secret is knowing when your time is up and when it isnt. Football demands success and when it isn't forth coming it is brutal. More so now than ever before. Big money is paid by all to watch this sport and money breeds greed and that's a fact.

21 Mar 2017 10:13:11
Great post sharpie. Your English is perfect. Well said 👍🏻.

21 Mar 2017 10:57:15
@G62 - No mate, that's how bad we were at the club I played at. When Arsene came about, it made it even more exciting viewing and a lot more fun being a Gunner.

@SBL, not hard when I have to compete with Welshie mate. I have his wife on speed dial so she can translate whatever he writes :)

21 Mar 2017 10:56:18
Great post mate and it genuinely makes me feel gutted that I think his time is up, I've so wanted him to come good and even now still do.

You cannot argue that Wenger hasn't done a massive amount for this club but right now he sadly looks like he may do us and himself more harm than good and that is not something that can be put on the shoulders of any fan no matter how disgruntled.

I can't tell you how much I want his time with us to end on a high but I cannot tell you how much I fear it won't. That makes me truly sad.

21 Mar 2017 10:57:14
Great post. I think his love for the club is now his biggest down fall and he can't see the errors. The players also need a change of direction and a kick up the arse. he's a great man and I hope he takes the psg job and gets his mojo back. I think with there team he can do great things.

21 Mar 2017 12:19:43
Christ
Sharpie seems to have united the room. I think he has said what I have been saying for months, but he has put his barhian style on it, lol
Sharpie I think we had the same English teacher.

21 Mar 2017 12:38:07
excellent post at the top Sharpie 😋

and, Welsh - ''seems to have united the room'', super comment too.

regardless what we all feel, think and say, we are all arsenal fans in the end 😋
loved reading this trail of posts 😋 thanks everyone, made me smile

COYG andi.

21 Mar 2017 13:01:51
That's what I think great post in Wenger we trust.

21 Mar 2017 14:01:20
Andi,
Well our football is not going to make any of us smile. Still we have the spuds collapse to look forward to. True Andi, we are all gooners.

21 Mar 2017 14:02:03
Love it sharpie 😂.

21 Mar 2017 14:04:11
Top man Sharpie mate, you are of course 100% right Arsene gave us a brand of football the whole country if not the world fell in love with.
Super sexy fast flowing both breathe taking and devastating in equal measure, let's face it in those first 7 years he set the bar so high it was impossible to stay there forever.

Whatever we each individually feel about the last few seasons or what's best for the future of Arsenal football club now the standard Arsene set at the start of his Arsenal career will never be matched no matter how many more managers we have over the next 100 or even a 1000 years.

what separates us from most is we were very very fortunate to have it once and to ask anyone to repeat that level of brilliance would be asking too much from them whoever they were.

Arsene's achievements in 7 amazing first seasons are what separates him from all others no question.

21 Mar 2017 13:12:22
Sanogo
He spelt insane wrong,
lol
Do I need to correct every thing.
Sharpie 26 years ago you had sky, you rich boy, I bet your the prince of barhain.
26 years ago we only just got eclectic in wales.

{Ed033's Note - By "eclectic", do you mean stringing 2 sentences together? 😋

21 Mar 2017 14:40:11
Very funny. An epic fail there welshy! The last bit was inane lol 😂😂😂.

21 Mar 2017 16:45:57
Had to scroll a long way to get to the reply button, great post.

I'm a Wenger out guy, but god do I respect what he's done. Absolutely agree with you here mate.

21 Mar 2017 17:48:58
Top post from a top man

Well done mate.

20 Mar 2017 20:45:36
A quote by Thierry to the current squad.

"Is the Arsenal shirt too heavy for you? Stop hiding behind Arsene and be more than mediocre".

Sums it up perfectly.

20 Mar 2017 21:00:47
Is he saying they are the heaviest shirts in the prem Dags.

20 Mar 2017 21:43:08
Steve,
The way we have been playing we must have the heaviest football boots as well.

{Ed025's Note - they are divers boots by the looks of it dags..

20 Mar 2017 22:37:32
Speaking of divers Ed, they say swimming with dolphins is quite expensive. But, I tried swimming with sharks. Much more expensive, cost me an arm and a leg.

{Ed025's Note - speaking of divers...how is xhaka doing?.. :)

21 Mar 2017 10:10:37
I've heard next season's kits are going to be short sleeved so theo will be happy and giroud can show his tats. They will be lighter too because of that, improvements expected then.

20 Mar 2017 18:44:56
If Arsene does sign a new 1 year deal what will be your coping method to help you through next season?

1. convince yourself it will all come good and we will finally challenge again

2. accept it's only one more season and chill out with things

3. carry on supporting the Wenger out campaign

4. take a sabbatical from football for a season.

20 Mar 2017 18:52:19
Its no 3 for me gunner62.

{Ed025's Note - mine would be No5...lock away all tablets and medicines, dispose of any chords longer than 3 feet, and blunt any sharp instruments within reach.. :)

20 Mar 2017 19:20:50
Mine would be 6: Support my team AND manager regardless.

{Ed025's Note - very admirable sharpey, pack of lies mind.. :)

20 Mar 2017 19:01:10
5. Just keep taking the strong tranquilisers.

20 Mar 2017 19:13:58
HEYBRIDGE, and your an arsenal fan, take a look at yourself mate please.
N0 5 G62 support the manager while the club look for a replacement
G62 1 to 4, they all seem negative.

20 mar 2017 19:37:01
mine would be in wenger we trust.

20 Mar 2017 19:58:58
Welsh i will have to leave you think of something more positive than my number 1 choice as that was my genuinely best attempt at offering a positive option for people to chose from.
I'm sure you will be able to come up with hundreds if not thousands mate and in this instance i think you are definitely the man for that job :-)

20 Mar 2017 20:51:13
Number 1 for me.

Support the club through thick or thin.

20 Mar 2017 21:10:20
Number 2 for me. If it was any other coach in this world he would walked out a long time ago because it is clearly not working and i'll be surprised if results get better. wenger is a tactical dinosour who has been left behind. He couldn't handle mourinho what makes you think he would handle this young hungry tactically superior coaches in the mould of guardiola and klopp?

20 Mar 2017 21:07:27
Dags is that " guides honour " lol.

20 Mar 2017 21:13:21
Welshy, jelfy I'm with you guys no point bleeting, I want change but can't cope with all this vagina pain of some fans. It's pathetic.

20 Mar 2017 21:44:42
Dib Dib Dib Steve 😃.

20 Mar 2017 17:23:39
Just a question for The Ed Newsnow Arsenal are saying no announcement will be made during 2wk break can we take that as gospel cheers Ed you do a great job.

{Ed002's Note - Newsnow doesn't write write news it simply relays news from elsewhere. I have no idea when the supporters will be told anything, but I have explained want the club want already.}

20 Mar 2017 19:04:35
Ed, can you find out what the record is for the most thumbs down, as I think I'm closing in on it.

I'm starting to feel like wenger, I hope stevie r, isn't going to hire a plane banner saying welshgooner out, PMSL.

{Ed033's Note - The record on Arsenal rumours is 190 thumbs down/disagrees for the below post from username MR B:

02 May 2013 21:23:45
Hey just herd wenger has be talking to real madrid manager and he's in talks over casilias to come to arsenal on a £28.5 million.

20 Mar 2017 20:50:25
Welsh get a life mate and a chill pill. Stop accussing me of some sort of single anti welsh. that's rubbish and I accept your opinion but not your vindictive slur. You have you opinion I have mine some agree some don't, don't get sour.

21 Mar 2017 02:33:52
Steve it was ment as a joke at my exspence,
Banter Steve, look the word up.

21 Mar 2017 10:08:48
Where has the anti Welsh thing come from lol. I for one like the tender hand of the Welsh!

Yours faithfully Mr Ovis aries.

21 Mar 2017 10:20:11
Sorry welsh I don't always get the welsh humour. Yaki da boyo.

20 Mar 2017 13:50:19
Quick question. We are all assuming that potential replacements for Arsene will be the likes of Tuchel, Allegri, Jardim or Simoeone. However, with the Arsenal Board showing no signs of any ambition for a new manager (IMO) , combined with the fact that these type of managers would no doubt demand a decent transfer budget as part of any deal. Therefore if it transpired that our next manager is more likely to be a Hodgson, Pardew or Mclaren (or any other cheaper, currently out of work ex EPL manager) , do you still want Wenger to go?

{Ed002's Note - Purile nonsense. Arsenal has already made approaches through a third party to guage interest of three potential managers and has liaised further with one of these. Whilst I agree the fans deserve the likes of Glenn Roeder or Tony Adams, sadly it won't happen.}

20 Mar 2017 15:09:02
I think your club should go for harry redknapp who would do a excellent job for you lot, he takes no messing and all the players would love him. He made a average spurs squad one of the most exciting team's in the league while qualifying for the champions league twice in 4 years, he made Portsmouth a very good side and won the FA cup and made west ham a top side.

20 Mar 2017 15:30:46
If the day ever comes when we need input from a Subaru driving, ganja smoking, Spurs supporting numpty . we'll let you know raver!

20 Mar 2017 16:48:57
You sound jealous of my lifestyle sharpy, good looking, smashed 24/ 7 and drive a Subaru with a furry dice and my club plays better football than you lot.

{Ed025's Note - i dont think its jealousy raver, i just think he wants to employ your carer mate.. :)

20 Mar 2017 16:54:24
Sharpie 😂😂😂😂😂.

20 Mar 2017 17:51:54
"smashed 24/ 7 and drive a Subaru". probably not the smartest thing to do Raver!

20 Mar 2017 17:14:43
Don't be silly Ed025, I would never employ his mum . :)

{Ed025's Note - love it sharpey.. :)

20 Mar 2017 17:28:54
Ed025,
You got to admit, Raver is a funny bugger, thick skinned, but funny.

{Ed025's Note - i like him dags, win or lose he still comes on giving it large and im sure that his skin is not as thick as his head mate.. :)

20 Mar 2017 18:58:04
SHARPIE
That had me in stitches.
And you summed up a spud fan perfect. Not like us eaton educated sharp witted fan.

20 Mar 2017 11:58:33
A lot of negativity and blame has been aimed primarily at Wenger. I mean let's be honest a huge part of the blame does go to him, as a lot of the reasons we are failing are down to Arsene, I don't need to list and explain them I think we're all pretty clear on what these are.

I do however think some of the players need to hang their heads in shame, some of them have been an absolute disgrace and not performing for a long time whilst Wenger has been taking all the flak.

Yesterdays game was a disaster. West Brom set up well with a game plan, but that's not why we lost. Individual errors and a lack of fight and passion from the players is why we lost the game. Ospina completely at fault for the second goal, and the marking and willingness to win the ball from the two set piece goals were simply non existent. West Brom were winning every ball and every 40:60 challenge. this is down to the players, not Wenger.

Sanchez throwing his tantrums, laughing and smirking on the bench, reported fallings out with players etc. this is not what we need and problems no manager should have to deal with.

Ozil has been underperforming for months now and all these mysterious illnesses and injuries don't add up something is not right and he clearly is'nt up for the fight.

Opsina and Cech have been poor, our defence in general has been disorganised and shoddy. Xhaka, Ramsey, Coquelain all underperforming. Iwobi has gone off the boil. Giroud and Walcott good performances have been few and far between.

Oxlade Chamberlain fair play to him has been trying and producing some good
performances. Lucas and Sanchez have been doing well on the pitch too. that's it in my opinion.

I understand it is Wengers job to motivate and get the best out of his players. But if the players are not willing to turn things around, give maximum effort and not perform then they are to blame too.

I think the situation of Wenger's contract talks and future is not helping the situation. The players need to know this to clear things up, but obviously we have no clue if they already know this. Some players are getting off lightly as all blame and media attention is focused on Arsene.

It is now looking very much like we will not get top 4. In my eyes we are competing with Liverpool, we win our two games in hand v Liecester (H) and Soton (A) we are level on points, potentially ahead on goal difference. We have too many tough games like United, Everton and City (H) and Spurs (A) . On current form we are going to lose or draw all of these games and to be honest probably even finish below Everton.

Hopefully the international break does us good and we'll have Cech, Ozil, Elneny, Sanchez and Lucas all back fully fit for our crunch game v Man City.

Only hope is by then Wenger has decided his future and the players know they are fighting for CL football, their future at this club or if so performing to attract suitors in the summer window.

20 Mar 2017 13:12:45
As much as the Arsenal players have undeperformed, the buck stops with the manager. Wenger is the sole author of his pain because he is a manager who has total control of the operations in the club. There can never be a player mutinity in arsenal because the board will back wenger fully. If wenger wakes up tomorrow and says he wants to sell half the team, i am preety sure the board will back him. Given that he enjoys all that power, then it follows that he is fully to blame. If a player doesn't perform for you why not bench him or sell him?

20 Mar 2017 15:02:55
Agree punani, they are wenger's players, he chose them, he sets them up, motivates them and drops them. The buck stops with him over players perfomance. When people talk about 2004 it is wenger's team, so this is as well. Im afraid there is a massive difference between the 2004 wenger andthe 2017 one. He doesn't have the same aura any more and he won't get it back.

20 Mar 2017 15:05:00
The problem is Arsene has been in charge so long it's difficult to excuse him from total responsibility, they are 100% his players his team his tactics his motivation his traning methods his standards to set for the players.

He has encouraged a top 4 is a trophy mentality amongst his players, obviously not deliberately but he has none the same.

He has defended his teams awful lack of fight in so many games over the years that it has lead to an acceptability amongst them to give up when things go wrong rather than a fight with all they have to turn things around in matches.

Again done of this is deliberate but just a product of a far to cosy set up where excuses are found by Arsene and his players are more than happy to accept those excuses he offers rather than feel embarrassed by their performances.
This is 100% Arsene's team squad club set up and unfortunately for him there are no credible excuses left for him to offer.

20 Mar 2017 09:55:29
Hi San/ Bendt i for one cannot see the benefit of him staying on past this season it does not benefit our club in anyway shape or form, he is not going to change his methods because he thinks he doesn't have to and he is not being made accountable for this situation and has i have already stated the signing of a new contract benefits no one but him, we all love our club that's why we express our views on this website but this is my take/ views on this current situation
take care mate.

20 Mar 2017 15:04:12
Yes and I agree he should go and I think him staying would not Benifit the club. But if Wenger stays then he will believe it would benefit the club, the club might not have anyone decent to replace him so in that eventuality it would benefit the club.

I have no problem with you voicing your opinion mate but as you say this site is for debating views and I agree in most of what you say but I have to strongly disagree with anyone who suggests that Wenger is in it for his own gain because I can tell you 100% that is incorrect.

The criticism towards him in most part is fair but they are then others who (not you) are turning it into a hate campaign and are simply telling lies or distorted truths. Let's call a spade a spade and not fabricate nonsense.

20 Mar 2017 17:06:48
Thanks for your reply San/ Bendt.

20 Mar 2017 07:18:43
If its true that he will sign contract extension and i always thought he would that decision is purely done in my opinion for the benefit or Arsene Wenger and nobody else. Shame on the board for allowing this to happen and most of all shame on you Arsene for coming to a decision that feeds your arrogance and stubbornness.

20 Mar 2017 09:06:50
Heybridge I hope we get a change. But let's not vilify the man and make him out to be some selfish monster who only thinks of himself because that is out and out slander. Things are not working and I think it's time to move on! But to suggest that he his staying (if he is) for his own benefit when he has spent 20 years of his life and turned down deals where he could have got Champs league glory on his cv is crazy. If he does stay that's because the board has not prepared for his departure (which is shocking ) and he will be doing it to hopefully steady a sinking ship. I will be personally be annoyed if he stays but even more so if he leaves and we end up with a David moyes.

20 Mar 2017 09:08:30
I think Arsene will try and stay but I'm not sure it's as cut and dry as that anymore, the club are not immune to what's happening the players fans and media aren't exactly keeping thier feeling hidden and although the board may not be full of footballing people they are still people with personal interests plus opinions and feelings they must share with each other outside the boardroom so it's difficult to think they are consider everything to be ok at he club.

Over the last 20 years there can't help but have been some very close personal relationships built between Arsene and the people who run the club and although I've never met him Arsene appears to be a really nice person who no one can question loves Arsenal football club passionately so it must be extremely difficult for the club to take the decision for him.

If it was us and we'd worked with someone for 20 years who we had become extremely close to who worked tirelessly for the company we ran and had once been the companies biggest asset how easy would we find it to say " thanks but your just not up to it anymore and I'm letting you go "?

We'd all give that person every possible chance to turn things around and hope if things didn't improve that person took the decision for us and accepted a different role in the company or left on the best terms possible.

I think everyone can now see things aren't going to turn around for Arsene at Arsenal and if he carries on things will most likely continue to deteriorate for both Arsenal and Arsene himself too, i realise the board are paid to make these decisions and do what's right for the club not What's best for Arsene Wenger but they are still human and must be finding it an extremely difficult situation to deal with given Arsene's​ long service to our club and the level of support that he still has in parts of the fan base and media too.

20 Mar 2017 10:39:04
12 mil a year is a hard thing to turn down.

20 Mar 2017 15:01:43
Oh please NE Gooner. Now he's a greedy selfish idiot!? If you have watched the man over the years and have come to that conclusion then you don't know the man at all!

This is it no more no less, the dynamics ain't working and it has gone past repair things need a shake up and Wenger going appears to be the best place to start. People are been hysterical and it's growing arms and legs he has been made in to a phariah and some of the stuff thrown at him is nothing short of a disgrace.

The worst I will hear and except is that he is apparently clueless and hasn't been able to stop the rot. The man is not a thief a monster, arsehole or any of the nasty stuff been thrown at him. Why must we disrespect him?! It's time for change but let's not forget it would be fair to say that had he not come to us we would be still sat at Highbury 25 years potless.

20 Mar 2017 15:14:38
i didn't call him greedy, sanogo. i'm just saying that money talks. regardless of how wealthy you are, would you rather earn money and do what you love or not? even if it isn't for the best of the thing you love.

20 Mar 2017 18:00:27
I don't believe in this case that money has anything to do with it on wengers behalf.

20 Mar 2017 00:14:57
Reports in the papers saying that wenger will extend his contract. That is a strange decision if it is true. Wenger is past it and has been for the last half a decade. Most fans want him out it is just that some are respectful about it. deep down they know the man is finished. The only way most fans will be appeased is if they give him one more year and he promises to go after that. That will calm most people i think. Most of us have respect for wenger due to his past success so i am sure we can tolerate him for one more year but i'll prefer if he left at the end of the season.

20 Mar 2017 02:06:18
Hopefully, but some fans like DT have openly threatened to protest from day 1 of the new season if he is given one more year.

20 Mar 2017 15:03:35
Wesley
Are they fans, If dt doesn't come to our great club, open the door and let another true fan in.