Your cut out and keep guide to avoiding internet dross from hacks about Arsenal
Like most of us who should know better your humble scribe was as guilty as the next gooner of trawling the web looking for stories of Arsenal salvation in the form of megastar signings in the last two weeks of August.
What is more apparent in the hit-whore dominated sports websites of nowadays is that stock phrases that are supposed to entice the Arsenal surfer to click on a link are instead beginning to wind me up.
Such give away signs that reveal you should give the “story” a wide berth include:
1. “Carlos Kickabout snubs Arsenal to stay at Real Spanish club” – the image the hacks who use this phrase are trying to conjure up is that of Wenger and his side kick Stan, humbly approaching said Senor Kickabout (ok it doesn’t have to be a Spanish player, just any player with an agent trying to bump up his sale price) cap in hand asking for him to join only to be rejected causing said Arsenal duo to hold their heads in their hands and, with much wailing and gnashing of teeth, wend a “Trail of tears”- like passage back to Highbury House.
Yeah, of course, that’s exactly what happens because a hack has said so, nothing to do with a player using our clubs name to encourage interest and inflate the selling fee and thereby his agents fee.
2. “Player X is said to be unhappy at AFC” – “is said to be” !! Said to be by whom? By an unnamed anonymous(and probably made up source) by a reporter who can’t think of any actual reporting to do rather just fit in the name of any player they think of to their template for an AFC player angling for a move.
3. “It’s being reported that….” – so the hack with this opening line now has no news of their own they are actually just presenting the reporting of news as actual news. That smacks of a journalistic version of regurgitation and subsequent ingestion.
4. “Arsenal fight to be top 4” – now how many times have we heard every so called expert confidently predict that we would drop out of the top 4 – I’m thinking especially of a certain ex footballer who, on a audience discussion programme on the short lived Setanta UK channel. When asked by gooners in the front row if they would be in the Champions League the next season replied with relish “No chance, no chance at all”. If you think that is a recent phenomenon think again – it was at the beginning of the 2007-08 season. And who was the early purveyor of such agenda driven, inane detritus ? Step forward Stanley Victor Collymore, the gracious expert who saw fit to mimic Wenger on the radio in a manner he wouldn’t dare to for a certain Caledonian ex Aberdeen manager with a burgundy proboscis.
And finally.
5. Anything by Mihir Bose (not cricket related)
There are many examples of key phrases which flag up the bullshittometer’s red zone and I’m sure there’ll be great examples in the comments below.
Charybdis1966 (on twitter and you tube)
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
The aforementioned woman-beater and sex pest was at it again on the radio at the weekend. When Gibbs was injured and taken off he stated that many players had pulled out of England matches with injuries only to make startling recoveries in time for the following league games. Of course he didn’t say that Gibbs was swinging the lead. However the implication could be read into his statement and tone as could the idea that somehow this was all that dastardly Wengers doing.
No mention of, for example, Scholes at Manu who, prior to a suspiciously early retirement from internationals serially went missing on England duty. Or Giggs, who hardly ever played for “his” country. Wouldn’t want to rile Ferguson, would we, Stan?
Like it, CharyB, 🙂
You have touched on a topic that bugs all of us, Gooners.
The worst part of it is, that like you, these spurious articles catch us in the January transfer window, or the last two weeks of August, when we are both keyed up scratching around for news, and possibly fearing the worst.
I know journalists are trying to fill up blank pages, and probably read other stories/articles and try to rehash them, probably without knowing the original source, which was, again as you say, probably non-existent in the first place, and the slightly amend them by inaccurately précising them.
The result is akin to the apochryphal legend of the Charge of the Light Brigade, when Lord Cardigan sent the message back to Headquarters, “send reinforcements, we are going to advance” only for the message to be sent up the line and subsequently slightly modified by each person so that it ended up as “send three and fourpence, we’re going to a dance”.
I am convinced that on those occasions when the original footie story had an element of truth in it, by the time other hacks had pinched it and cobbled their version together you get a similar nonsense article, which so infuriates innocent Gooners.
Just hide the publications in newsnow or grow a thicker skin, it’s really as simple as that.
you have a point Phil, i have been saying this for years. What i dont understand is people working themselves up into a frenzy (regardless of nonsense stories) about things that they have no control over. Journalists pray on the weak and football fans are among the weakest. I know they are talking about things close to our hearts but the less of it we read the less of it they will be. Without hits they would simply disappear. it really is that simple guys
Journalists need to sell papers and to do that, much of what you read in them is sensationalised, particuarly the Red Tops. I never bother reading newspapers anymore, they bore me to death with their dross about everything, not just football.
Phil that’s fine most of us do (or don’t even look), how many fans don’t and then use it as a stick to beat the club.
After the Chelski game some fans set about moaning that two “done deals” were on the opposing side, Hazard and Mata. I think this is what Chary is getting at with his post.
The long and short is its only a done deal when it’s on Arsenal.com, it wasn’t like the player was discussing contracts at Emirates and then getting us to pay the cab fare to Roman’s yacht. (For younger fans Petit will always hold a place in our hearts because of this). But the papers reported Done Deal in their gossip columns so the fans think it is, and not all fans find their news from NewsNow, some actually still read hard copy.
Good post Chary, i especially dislike the “it has been reported”, and the “a source says”.
Yesterday on TalkSport I heard them say that the midfield three of Tiote, Cabaye and Ben Arfa was better than Arteta, Cazorla, Wilshire…..that’s the level of journalism we have to deal with.
As for Gibbs substitution for injury, I cheekily said it was due to England duty during the game, but if it had been 3-1 at the time of the substitution then it would have more truth, the fact we had to make a substitution when searching for a winner I doubt Arsene would be thinking about an International injury. Also it’s a lot easier to convince a player assured of his England spot when coming to an international break to injure himself than a young man looking to establish himself.
Morning all, for some reason wordpress won’t let me log in on my PC. So thanks Redders and block end. Phil, my post is less of an appeal for help more an invitation to share pet peeves on newsnow.
Frustrated I can’t join in the discussion ! 🙂
They’ve sussed you out as a trouble maker, CharyB!!! 🙂
They banned my last match report from newsnow Redders for having “hell” in the title and swearing in the text. Hate blogging on a phone 😦
6./ Olivier Giroud missed a difficult volley on his weaker foot in his first game and is now in a drought. Each week he becomes more defined by that miss and the miss itself went from being a difficult shot that pele would have had found hard to one where he actually prevented a goal with sheer incompetance
7./ Barcelona players asked by journalists about how a random arsenal player would fit in
8./ Man Utd paying 24 million for a 29 year old player with a terrible injury record is somehow a coup
9./ Allowing Man City buying some peripheral players for twice their market price is some how a foolish endeavour
10./ Self sustainability is a bad thing.
11./ Changing the criticism from Arsenal can’t beat the big teams to Arsenal can’t break down the small teams when Arsenal beat a big team
12./ TV presenters doing crass impersonations of our manager
13./ Criticising arsenal for their youth policy and then criticising them for buying a few seasoned pros
14./ Constant speculation on where all Arsenal contracts are – no other club seems to be tracked as vehemently as us. How many years has Ronaldo got left, how many has Rooney, How many has Vidic?
15./ Campaigns for Arshavin to be dropped / picked / sold / given a chance
16./ Myles palmer
for starters
There is a lot of good common sense spoken by Phil, Brigham et al, and the obvious thing to do if banging your head against a wall hurts is to stop doing it.
But despite that many of us cannot help but be curious about what is, or isn’t, going on, and the temptation to try and find out from the media can be overpowering.
Hand on hearts guys – are you really saying you never read a paper, or click on an internet article, or peek at SkySports News, or listen to the radio and then be disappointed by the contradictory and downright nonsensical crap you see or hear?
What I believe is at the heart of CharyB’s piece, is not that we are naive or unable to sort the wheat from the chaff ourselves, but that we, as fans, deserve some respect and to be treated accordingly by the media. Perhaps that wish, too, could be construed as naive, but if we simply accept the status quo surely we deserve all we get?
Let’s face it, it isn’t just the ‘Red Tops’ that indulge in this innuendo and false reporting but also some other ‘high end’ papers too and I am not going without my daily dose of non-footie news and comment just to teach the papers a lesson about their sports pages.
It’s easier for me that I’m a 47, I learned years ago after Liam Brady left. That broke the heart of 15 year old kid in 1980. It can be annoying at most but it’s just desperation from incompetent hacks.
Hi D98, 🙂
Where have you been?
You are spot on with your list!!
By the way, I thought it was Gary Lineker on MOTD who did the AW impersonation.
But also how many idiot managers as well as journalists carp on about Arsene ‘not seeing’ something, Ho Ho.
That’s better than some of the lying comments from other managers about one of their players being harshly treated by the ref who is standing 3 yards away, when they are 50 yards away.
The irony of such illogic is simply lost on them!
Phil – for me its a concerted effort. why Arsenal? Why don’t we hear about other clubs in such a negative fashion?
imagine if Wenger refused to do interviews with the BBC. Imagine if he called himself the special one. Imagine if he spent half a billion petrodollars on title.
No matter what we do its wrong.. Santi Cazorla is having a honey moon period but we already hear about how he can’t get in the Spanish side, about how Podolski failed at Munich about how Giroud missed a shot on the opening day of the season.
We hear about how stingy Wenger is and then how lavishly he pays his players.
We hear about how Theo Walcott is not worth 100k a week and yet we should pay it to keep him..,.
its all designed to hip away at Wenger and the board because he doesn’t play media ball with them
Hi RA
i have been avidly reading but i changed job and can’t sit down to contribute much… plus i find myself moved to write more when times are tough… so long may my partial exile last.
Great stuff Charey
When your a goon, its prerequisite to expect the antigoon press.
Backs to the wall and thicker skinned for the modern day gooner, we are evolving.
I don’t browse newsnow but i’m a sucker for talksport and all their associated down on the Arsenal wankers.
Just saddens me when ex gooners join in, OLeary, Adams, Merse, Wright & Smudge – you can all do one!
What really grinds me is that every game i watch on TV now, i am waiting for the commentator to mention “7 years without a trophy!”. Whats worse is that its always said in the first 15 mins.
DB98 @1120 sums it all up perfectly for me. The media seem to look for any kind of excuse to ridicule Arsenal at every opportunity. That is what I am sick of reading about in all honesty, I prefer to get my fix on here or other similar Arsenal related sites where there is not the fixation for slagging off anything Gooner! (Well, not all the time anyway 🙂 )
I have been around on this tiny planet of ours for over half a century now and the media have pretty much always been the same regarding our club; Big them up now and then, but ultimately keep knocking us down. I find that if I do not bother to read such crass articles, then it will not deepen my need for anger management! 😉
Jonathan and Brigham, 🙂
CharyB,
Two suggestions, both obvious and therefore useless, but you never know;
1) Reboot your PC;
2) Delete any gravatar address on the 3rd line of your ‘Leave a Reply’ box.
Then I wouldn’t need to explain what I think you meant, which is probably all bollix anyway!! 🙂
Redders, you and GiE have pretty much got what I’m getting at. I can’t get into the leave a reply box. I’m barred !
Charyb,
Come in using another name. Just don’t be rude to me and pretend it’s not you!! 🙂
From Arsenal.com
I guess this means less equals more?
……………………………………………………………………….
‘Shorter players are becoming more important’
By Rob Kelly
Shorter players are becoming hot property in the transfer market because of their innate technical ability, according to Arsène Wenger.
This summer, the Arsenal manager signed Santi Cazorla from Malaga, while Shinji Kagawa and Luka Modric also made big-money moves.
Wenger believes the value of these players has rocketed due to changes in recent seasons across European football.
“I believe it’s because the density of players you have to fight against in the final third is always getting bigger, so the quality of the pass and the technique in that area has become much more important,” he told the Official Arsenal Magazine.
“There is less space available, so accuracy is key. Secondly, because there is a smaller space the shorter players, the very agile players, are becoming more important and the taller players in midfield less so. That could be an explanation.
“It’s changed in the last four or five years – the distances absorbed by players are becoming bigger and bigger, and therefore the limited space on the pitch demands more technical ability.”
Wenger says so-called defensive midfielders have also had to redefine their roles due to the evolution of the modern game.
“Yes, but you can now say that this player has had to become more technical – you saw it during Euro 2012, with guys like Andrea Pirlo playing in this position,” he said.
“They are not destroyers anymore, they are players that the game starts from and the quality of their passing has become very important. That’s why you don’t really see purely destructive players in these positions anymore.”
I’ve tried logging out but still not able to get into the leave a reply box Redders. I’ll try on a different machine later.
Afternoon all, some fine points from D98 there.
Your post today has given me an idea for a post Chary, hopefully I can get it in to drafts during the interlull.
Thanks chary
You know what annoys me. When people that dont support the Club dont show the reverence and respect the Club deserves.
When fools like Linaker and Doggymore talk about the Club they should say “The Mighty Arsenal” and go on to explain how they wanted to play for the club but couldnt because they wernt good enough
We should receive more credit for the we have enhanced and enriched peoples lives by virtue of our very exsistence. Were would this idiots be without Arsenal? No were is the answer.
Arsenal bring joy and harmony to a turbilent and troubled universe. and should be lauded and admired for doing so.
Excellent stuff Chary – and, as you probably know, a subject very close to my heart.
And some great extra points from D98 – well played Sir!
To answer Phil and Wardy – you’re right that, of course, we can just ignore the rubbish stories and rubbish sites. In an ideal world.
But the sad truth is that many, many Gooners do NOT ignore them and their mood is swayed by them to some degree.
Our disastrous start to last season was undoubtedly a cause for concern, but I have no doubt that the nasty mood that hung around the Emirates for several months afterwards was exacerbated by the shitstorm of garbage spouted by all and sundry on the internet and in the media and picked up on by the fans.
There were genuine grounds for concern, but the irresponsible (and in many cases wilfully malevolent) coverage helped create an atmosphere where fans were turning on each other and the team to a disproportionate effect.
GiE, excellent the interlull is stretching out forever and gooners need Arsenal talk to sustain us through these barren Arsenal free days. Well said Mr Syrup, we don’t get anywhere near the respect lesser clubs get. Cheers the Rock, I think you may see where one of your posts a week or so pre empted my one. 😦
Haha Chary
I did spot that you used the “player X snubbed Arsenal” issue – but you have expanded on it brilliantly to bring the bigger problem into focus.
You got it the rock, busted !
Cracking article Chary
Totally agree with you and Stain Colleymore is an absolute git who loves nothing better than trying to stick it in to us Gooners…however it is all absolute rubbish. He knows nothing about football other than to say he had a passable talent for it.
His nonsensical ramblings have seen him slide from even the worst newspapers and now he just gets on the odd panel when noone else is available.
He didn’t win anything as a player and got caught being a pervert.
What more can I say. He’s a tool.
WG
Spot on Wiggy.
I often wonder whether we are paranoid about the negative media coverage, but then I see the easy ride given to a club like Liverpool and think “just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.”
I enjoyed your piece on the new England “academy” facility, by the way.
Hi all
Well done chary, a good subject for discussion, just like Durham has his ‘Daily Arsenal’ we could just as easily have a ‘What’s rubbish in the press today’ column.
My view is that they’re all jealous and I’m sticking to it 😉
We still need some posts to carry us through the next seven days so if anyone has any ideas please send them in to arsenalnuts@live.co.uk
good idea Peachy, we could call it The Daily Durham.
Yes chary, we could 🙂
I was just about to come on and say that in truth there all just jealous, but the perceptive peaches beat me to it.
London clubs envy stems from an inferiority complex, and they are quite correct. This also applies to smaller northern clubs and the fact they think were a bunch of posh arrogant London gits.
The big northern clubs envy our class and fear our ability to chalange them for the league. Before Abramovich, we were the only geniune contender
So in sumarisation then, they all a bunch of jealous gits. And we should be very proud of there envy.
I know this is a day late but have just watched MotD2 and was surprised to see so many empty seats at St Mary’s this is their first season back in the EPL and they can’t sell out the ground.
The prices for the game against Fulham (their CatC)
Family Enclosure £28
Wings/Goal £30
Up to a top proce ticket of £42.
Ok you all know where i am going with this.
Fulham are a Cat B game for the Arsenal, so not a direct comparison
Cheapest Seat £35.50
Our Cheapest Cat C seat £25.50…..thats right cheaper than the Family Enclosure at St Mary’s and all the cheap seats.
Southampton fans paid £25.50 to visit THOF, it will cost our away fans £38 to visit St Mary’s.
But of course we have the most EXPENSIVE SEATS IN THE WORLD!
On a side note Fulham Home is sold out at Cat B prices…thats why the club can charge the prices they do.
Hi chary, apologies for my late arrival to express admiration for your post – I’ve been driving all around the shires filling in for staff who have gone sick 😦
All that you say is true, and everything is motivated by money. Every website that has advertising seeks to attract clicks by duping the reader into thinking they will read something sensational – the daft thing is that we still fall for it time and time again.
The researchers at TS know they have more Arsenal listeners than any other group of supporters so try to rattle our cages so we will react and earn them revenue. Same for the papers – in fact all the meeja.
I like Paddy Barclay and Henry Winter as journos but take little notice of most of the rest.
Is it true that Carlos Kickaball turned us down then?
Does he still play for that Chines club Onehunglau?
Give’em hell Chary.
Thanks Rasp and London. Just a bit annoyed I’ve had to blog on my phone all day due to wordpress playing silly buggers.
A very interesting article,chary and I for one don’listen to Talksport anymore, especially Collymore .
Every caller from any club he always says “they nedd a twenty goals + striker” as if they grow on trees.
I honestly don’t know why we are despised so much by many commentators and a large part of the media.
Is it a North South divide ? or possibly that in general the English don’t like the French in general and Arsene is always getting it in the neck, yet the English and the Scots despise each other even more.
If any top team should really be hammerd it is lLiverpool. they haven’t won the league since before the mobile phone was invented.
I also think that there are a generation of supporters at Arsenal who were fortunate to be born in the late seventies and early eighties and therefore fortunate to be at a time when we started winning trophies under Wenger and don’t really understand the effect of the move financially and of course think that we should spend like Chelsea and now City They close their eyes to the way football is conducted but having said all that I still think we are too reliant on the FFP working.
hi KelseY, I think it’s partly the north south thing and some anti french sentiment but some of the residual resentment about us being the bank of england football club is also there.
kelsey. They don’t like us because we have class. Been that way since the 30’s.
It is envy, pure and simple.
Chary. Lovely post. The xxxxx snubs Arsenal always makes me smile. Strange we never read xxxxx snubs Everton or Liverpool or Spurs etc
If they were a top team (which is as likely as a lottery win) Spurs would have to answer as to why the last time they won the League was at the start of the ’60’s…. ver 50 years ago.
Damn Chary, i really want to join in but.despite having a phone the size of a small mansion, ill have to wait and see if i get home in time
Thanks anyway. Enjoyed the read very mu h
Nice post, chary.
Hiding publications in Newsnow doesn’t stop others reading the stories.
Look at the top ten on Newsnow for the last 24 hours.
Five are about transfer stuff and it’s the middle of October, ffs.
1.Arsenal Complete Deal for Talented England Youngster
2.Wenger wants striker in January
3.Pictures from France training show Koscielny injury
4.Report: Laurent Koscielny seriously injures knee in training
5.Wenger scouting FIVE forwards -Gazidis’ jam running out -Cazorla’s aim -Lolo injured?
6.Llorente and Lopez top Arsenal hitlist as Wenger concedes he must replace…
7.Santi Cazorla: I’ve had to join Arsenal to get recognition in Spain
8.Arsenal ace suffers injury scare on international duty
9.6 Biggest Names Linked to Arsenal
10.Cazorla tells Arteta: you should be captain, not Vermaelen
Chary,
Have you tried deleting your Arsenal Arsenal and your Gravatar cookies? Should do the trick.
Chas,
You missed (its just come up); 🙂
— Van Persie can become World’s Best now he has left Arsenal — TalkSport.
We are all knocking the media, and there is an element of reason to that, but even blogs leach off each other.
Rocky came up with a great Post yesterday regarding Arteta playing for Spain, and today – low and behold – Arseblog explains why Arteta should play for Spain.
Why? Just looking for something to write on the site during the interlull.
Human nature?
Multi-ball fail.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=A8JqGfXwiYg
Here’s irony given Chary’s post and talking of internet dross, that idiot Didnt has a directors boxy source at Crystal Palace who says we are sniffing around Wilfried Zaha. Is this old news, or simply the kind of rubbish we wise sorts are trying to avoid?
Micky,
Been around for a while in the London Evening News, followed the next day by – Spurs are in talks with Palace over Zaha, and Man City are keeping an eye blah, blah.
I think clubs are sniffing around Zaha — but Arsenal – not convinced.
In the waste bucket!!
Micky I heard Kevin Day (Eagles fan) discuss Zaha on the Whistleblowers podcast, his view was he is better than all his predecessors that have gone not far in the PL in recent seasons from Palace and that he plays football with a smile on his face.
He is also a company man in that he has just signed a new Long Term contract, but everyone knows that it is to protect the club and get a good price.
Chas I’m not sure if that’s a fail or a damn fine bluff….surely the ultimate dummy!
Didn’t make it to the very end, if the goal was awarded it shouldn’t have been, much like Pepe Reina’s beachball encounter.
Here’s a way to liven up footy: let’s have two balls in play during every game 🙂
I really enjoy the tweets you find
Stop sucking up because you called him short 😀
*WARNING – FOREIGN INTRUDER WHO KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT FOOTBALL*
As a lost and wandering locked-out NHL fan, it’s fascinating that one can change sports, countries, even entire continents and the media coverage of the local team remains identical.
Excellent blog, BTW, and top-notch commenters. Very nice to find.
Welcome 1967ers
Where are you based?
From the endless suburbs that ring Toronto. If there were hockey being played, I could take the above storylines, substitute “Maple Leafs” for “Arsenal” and find half in the morning paper. Even without hockey, I could probably find three or four. That sort of thing is universal.
I do have one question, though – I’ve seen reference here to Arsenal not being willing/able to pay absurd money to players. Is this more team philosophy or some sort of market limitation? (Or is it nonsense?)
Panic not 1967ers, there are many domestic extruders here who nothing about football.
Oh here we go, Toronto 🙂
I’m off in a second, but if a post is needed, then someone leave a sign, and I’ll do something in the morning.
I know enough to know I wasn’t any good when I played. That’s a start.
Also – if the papers give you grief over a 7-year trophy drought, just wait until it’s 45.
1967,
We operate within our means. No sugar Daddy, and no borrowing for players, wages or transfer fees.
@MickyDidIt89 – So presumably that’s how other teams are doing it, then. There’s my new piece of knowledge for the day.
Yesterday’s was the definition of “missing a sitter.” 🙂
Sorry, really can’t stay longer, its nosebag-on time here.
We have a few Canadian based bloggers here ’67 (I’m in Toronto myself).
I hate to say it but the Leafs are more like Arsenal’s inelegant neighbours (Totteringham Hotspurs) in that they have not won a championship in the living memory of most of their fans.
As to the money thing, European football is currently contaminated by a mini-invasion of oil rich sugar daddies who buy up clubs and then can afford to spend vast amounts of money to buy success without any worries about ever getting their money back.
The current champions – Man City – are a classic case in point. They were bought, effectively, by the Abu Dhabi Royal Family and have spent over £400 million on players in the last three years. They can afford to pay wages that no club that is run on anything approaching normal business lines could ever match – consequently the market for top players is very skewed. The other main culprit in England is Chelsea, owned by a Russian oligarch with a similarly spendthrift approach to running the club.
Arsenal, despite have a very wealthy majority owner (Stan Kroenke, who owns the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL among other sports franchises) attempts to run itself on a sustainability model.
We’re a big club that can pay pretty big wages – but we will always be outbid by the clubs backed by oil billions.
Fortunately we have the best coach in world football and we have remained competitive despite breaking even on player transfers year after year.
Damn it Micky… I just wrote a long explanation of our situation to answer ’67 – and then found you had already done the same thing earlier in just one line.
’67
Have you been to watch Toronto FC?
Last time I was there they set a new record – for the worst ever start to a MLS season.
They had eight straight defeats, beating the previous record of seven straight defeats held by… oh yes… Toronto FC 🙂
Of course they are owned by MLSE, so you’ll be familiar with the issues…
Ah, but the Leafs and Arsenal have both had beloved players named George Armstrong. Hotspurs can’t claim that….
I’ll turn Hotspur into the Habs and will work on a reason why that works. 🙂
The finance thing makes one wonder, though, whether there will be a push for some form of spending limits at the highest tier – though the presence of the other leagues might prevent that. NA doesn’t face that issue in its bigger sports.
I have small kids, so I don’t get out to live sports much. BMO field is supposed to be nice, but I’ve not been there.
Toronto FC seems to work on the principle that if at season’s end, they’ve employed more players than head coaches, then the season was a success.
Tomorrow at BMO will be Canada/Cuba, which is huge because it’s the first time in ages that it might be relevant if Canada wins. Everyone is hoping for game-time temperatures near freezing, since they always make us play when it’s absurdly hot.
1967ers, i have a cousin, “George Christodopolous” who lives in the Toronto area. Do you know him? If you do, can you ask him for that £5 note i lent him when he came to London in 1982, the tight Git.
I know that guy! He owes me ten bucks. He said his cousin would be good for it….
1967ers, problem is ime tighter than him. hahaha
S’OK, you can bring it next time you’re out this way. No rush.
I can’t believe it. I gave a George Christodopolous £20 credit in one of my shops in the mid-80’s, swine never paid us back.
Terry. As he is family the debt inevitably falls to you.
With interest and inflation ,,,, you owe me £147.32. I will accept luncheon vouchers.
Ime so tight i would avoid going there just for that. hahaha. Just to expand on the finance qustion you had 67, the european governing body of football is implementing rules that all clubs should live within there means. If these rules have bite, and i personaly think they will, then Arsenal will greatly benefit. Should not be to long before the club starts winning things again.
Evening all, for those of you following my travails blogging on a teeny weeny phone today I can confirm my PC is the problem.
I can comment freely(Boo I hear you say) on my lap top – hurrah ! (I say).
Have to say having a non footie fan drawn to commenting on our blog is top hole – welcome 1967ers
As for Mr Mdi89 – I think he is pulling my leg somewhat.
Thats another country i can no longer visit Raddy. hahahaha
What with the Greek crisis, I guess you are persona non grata in half the world 🙂
Fine post Champagne Chary
Mihir Bose is a self confessed Spud ( you probably already knew ) and I cant stand his voice on OrcSport, so I usually turn it off and spend a bit more time looking in the mirror, then after ten mins turn it back on and he`s usually disappeared. On reflection……..I`m one handsome bastard !. hahaha
chary, Did you notice that Didit boasted about having a phone the size of a small mansion.
I think he was belittling you and your teeny weeny phone.
Or was he alluding to something else ?? 😉
Ime persona non grata in Bounds Green Raddy, never mind the world. I have to sneak into my house through a secret tunnel to avoid the long queue of angry debtors at my door. hahaha
’67
“Toronto FC seems to work on the principle that if at season’s end, they’ve employed more players than head coaches, then the season was a success.” Very funny 🙂
Can we take it that you are developing an affiliation to the mighty Arsenal?
You won’t go far wrong.
Here’s a link to a previous article on here explaining why:
https://arsenalarsenal.wordpress.com/2011/02/19/proof-that-arsenal-are-the-greatest-club-the-world-has-ever-seen/
TMHT. Why do you think I live in Denmark ………
@Terry – would they be able to impose restrictions without buy-in from the big clubs? It’s certainly to the benefit of the game as a whole, though I can imagine the joy of trying to determine just what revenues could be allocated to player contracts.
@charybdis1966 – Thankee! Seems like a nice place!
“Fortunately we have the best coach in world football and we have remained competitive despite breaking even on player transfers year after year.”
I never tire or reading sentences like that.
Rocky. I think we should reproduce that post every year – inspirational.
Evening all, great to have another Canadian on – can someone explain what ‘1967ers’ relates to?
We are still in need of an offering to publish tomorrow if anyone is feeling inspired.
On another note, what a coincidence that both sides of the Atlantic have a difficult moral dilemma regarding someone who was once hero worshiped but is now disgraced yet has raised millions for good causes.
What colour is the Canadian Flag?
What colour do Arsenal play in?
No brainer really.
67, the big clubs are all for it. For economic and political reasons it suits there interests. The elephant in the room is the “suger daddy clubs” who rely on rich benefactors. The signs are that they will comply but they are already pushing there luck with dodgy sponsership deals etc. Interesting times lie ahead for European football.
Thanks glic – yeah, it turns my stomach when Bose wanders off from cricket to talk spuddite.
Radders – that Didit is a cheeky so and so and I sincerely hope it is a belittling of my phone, that I can take 🙂
Rasp
For a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, calling yourself a 1967er would be like a Spud fan calling themselves a 1961er.
1967 was the last time the Leafs won hockey’s Stanley Cup.
I guess that makes us 2004ers 🙂
Despite that long barren run, the Leafs sell out every game in this hockey mad city and are often said to be the wealthiest franchise in the NHL.
Obviously their owners are as averse to spending as Arsenal’s owners 🙂
Raddy – I actually adopted Arsenal as “my team” about 25 years ago. It was just the sort of fandom that never involved having the slightest idea of anything at all or checking the standings more than once every couple years.
I’m finally trying to take an active interest and see if I can learn something.
Growing up in NA, there isn’t a lot of exposure to football at its highest levels – at least, there wasn’t at that time. It’s more readily available now and it’s possible to get more of a sense of what the rest of the world is doing.
chary lol
LB. Obvious when you think about it. May be why Danes have such a big AFC fan club.
Thanks Rocky, I must pay more attention 🙄
Well it looks like we have something in common with the 1967ers. Our new friend is far too intelligent to be compared to spud fan.
LB – look at Canadian team’s uniforms. 🙂
RockyLives – I liberated the name from a particularly irritating troll. I figured it was safer in my hands.
Hi Rocky
Are there similarities in the sense that if the King of Saudi bought the Leafs would he be able to buy the Stanley Cup in similar way to Citeh?
1967. I am the same with American Football. Watch the Superbowl every other year and support Washington Redskins thanks to John Riggins (don’t ask me why – it is lost in the mists of time)
LB
I’ll have to defer to ’67 on that one (but I believe there are some forms of financial control in hockey as in most NA sports).
BR
Why do you watch the Superbowl only every other year?
LB – hockey has a salary cap, so the upper limit is fixed no matter who owns them. They’ve been bought by two large media companies, so there’s an incentive to ice a decent club as it will translate to eyeballs on their channels. They just seem to have a difficult time figuring out how to do it.
Of course, right now it’s all moot.
RL. I try to record it but have senior moments, and it finishes so late over here … around 4 in the morning, I love the half time show, always great entertainment.
I wish I had a more esoteric reason.
The Grey Cup (CFL) is often a better game than the Super Bowl, said the complete homer.
67, when i was a kid my mum bought me this game called Puck Master, well, when i say kid i was actully 31. It was a brilliant game simulating the game of Ice Hockey. Bloody hell, that was a good game. Ime off to scour the net to see if i can find anybody that still sells it.
Mrs Raddy is wanting some cocoa (and I wish that were a euphemism!)
Night all.
1967ers. Great chatting with you – come back.
Terry – there are loads of great table hockey games. It’s one of the few sports that really translates well to that format.
Raddy – will do – where else could I go – Hotspurs?
OK, beginning to panic now, we really need a volunteer to write a short post for tomorrow ………….
Rasp
There’s one in drafts.
Quality work Chary. It is truly amazing that so many people still fall for exactly the sort of headline that you are ridiculing above.
They” use those flights of fiction around which to base heir ‘solid arguments.
‘So and so was begging to come to us and that tight fisted git preferred to keep playing his love child and building his bonus….’
Nutters
Thanks Rocky, you are a saviour, I’ll definitely owe you several Peronis however the Chamakh bet ends 😉
I never listen to talk – shite. Stan Doggymore ( a more apt surname. Nice one TMHT. I love it. ha ha.) is not an authority on anything that interests me. The other talkers talk shite. I take the press with a pound of salt. However, this topic is about something which can be quite annoying and is well worth a discussion. Thanx Cherry B for posting.
Cherry B 🙂
I used to check and comment on most of the other blogs available, now I only read and comment on this one. I prefer wit to shit.
That’s nice to hear TC – you’re always welcome here.
Watch out though, or Peaches and Rasp will be after you to write a Post 🙂
Where are you based?
I live in Stokey. Been an Arsenal fan since ’70-71. I jumped on the bandwagon when we won our first double.
About the same time as me – I started in ’69. Live in Canada now, so don’t get to go in person too often.
Hi Rocky, thanks for putting a post in drafts 🙂
To any of the late night crew, we still need posts for the coming days so if you think you can write somehting for us please send it to
arsenalnuts@live.co.uk
I love the way Peaches’ request for Posts has an invisible “Or else…” at the end of it 😀
Smiley got eaten at the end of my last comment. Thanks all for an enjoyable afternoon (local time)
Ha, nice.
I volunteer a post at 8’ish. Later Rasp comes pleading, and bingo Rocky saves.
Morning off 🙂
Chary,
I really was not being cheeky at any point esterda. Incredible, but true.
Morning Micky, we still need a post for tomorrow 😛
Micky. Get writing, you know the press gang are on their way!
And we all know what you are inferring by your phone comment 😉
See …..
Ha Ha Mdi89 I know your game 🙂
Radders – why couldn’t it have been vanJudas breaking a foot or two ?
Liverpool’s Borini breaks his foot in training with Italy. Why are there so many injuries on International duty?
Morning all …..
….. New post…..
Morning all.
Having just read the above from Raddy I may attempt to write a post about players in our squad that have a long history of repeated injuries and how that may affect our chances this season.
mainly,Rosicky,Diaby and yes Wilshere. and even Gibbs and short term the loss of our keeper who is still 5 to 6 away from making a comeback. leg breaks (Sagna,ramsey,Eduardo) is a different matter as that can be physcological to each individual player when they return.
My timing is great 🙂