A political hierarchy exists at Arsenal as it does at most clubs. Players with a greater potential long term value will get priority over those who may be as good but are not seen as being as big an asset in the future.
This has driven me to distraction on occasions. Many times I have thought that Walcott got picked over someone better suited, most infuriatingly during 2007/2008 season, the one in which Eduardo broke his leg. Theo was being selected for no other reason, as far as I am concerned, than the price we paid for him and his perceived future value to the club. Remember when everyone used to call out Theeeeoooo, Theeeeoooo, honestly, more often than not he was so ineffectual it was like playing with ten men. I remain convinced that Walcott’s continuous selection was the core reason we failed to win the league that season.
Being selected when better options are available also applies to Wilshere. At the beginning of last season Wilshere was being picked ahead of the outstanding Cazorla which made no sense to me. Looking ahead though, now that Santi has moved further back it is easier to see where Jack’s future lies, subject to injury, there will eventually be a straight swap. Wilshere will play deep midfield — not attacking midfield.
I digress, back to the point.
To a similar degree the same is true of Oxlaide-Chamberlain’s selection over Joel Campbell. The Ox is not obviously better but he has a far higher sell on value than Campbell does and so, in the past, has been chosen ahead of him; to be clear, I am not suggesting that the club have plans to sell OC but they wouldn’t want him to get too unhappy or he might start thinking about moving himself, this applies to an even greater extent with Ramsey who himself has been shoe horned into the right wing. Now, with Oxlaide-Chamberlain injured Wenger no longer has to inadvertently take future importance into consideration.
If you think about it, the last time we saw Campbell surrounded by decent players for a length of time was in the World Cup and he was impressive. Campbell’s goal against Swansea will do him the world of good; he should now be able to relax and give us a bit more of what we saw of him on that global platform.
As for who is most likely to succeed out of the two, I think the Ox may edge it, but Campbell could keep him out for most of this season if he continues scoring.
LB
Arsenal News 24/7
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Interesting question LB, I fear there is an answer not just in sell on values, but why are the sell on values of the players you mention so much better than their counterparts, and why should they get more game time?
Well I believe the answer may lie in the Homegrown rule, if we think Ox and Campbell have similar potential which one should we back? Well if we want to acquire the best European and Worldwide talent at their peak, like Ozil and Alexis far better to have a solid core of homegrown players who can do the job for us, thankfully Hector is homegrown, and actually club homegrown so two big pluses in his pro column.
Joel Campbell tacks back and defends better, something Ox doesn’t do, too many times he gets caught in possession, Campbell’s first full game in the PL and he scores, he can only get better and I hope he does as he has been patience for a while now, good luck to him
Morning All,
LB. Interesting post.
I have to question whether the perceived value of the player affects Mr Wenger’s selections. I very much doubt it.
My guess is that Ox performs better than Campbell in training and therefore gets selected ahead of him.
Long term, I expect Campbell to be sold. A run of good performances will increase his value
A topic that is rarely discussed, and yet has a lot of ramifications if your contention is correct, so well done, LB, for giving us something different to add grist to the AA yacking mill. 🙂
It is difficult to discuss this sort of topic objectively as for reasons that I always find defeat me, each player tends to develop a personal coterie of supporters who have nailed their colors to the mast on his behalf, and woe betide anyone who is deemed to have questioned, directly or indirectly, a specific player’s credentials.
Just to get this out of the way, let me say that my loyalty goes out to every player who pulls on the shirt, but I support the team and I want my team to do well and, if possible, within their capabilities, I want the team to win.
As a direct consequence of the above belief, I do not have favourites who I want to be picked for the team regardless of how they are playing or because of what they might do.
I reluctantly concede that Mr Wenger’s views and mine may not always coincide, but I am also content that his choice of any given team is absolute — with the caveat that I can disagree or even moan about it should I choose to do so.
I will return to your Post, LB, but I think it may get bogged down in the content of your second paragraph, because objectivity goes out of the window when the name of a favoured son is mentioned in a less than praiseworthy way – altho, if you are correct in what you say, the player in question had no role in the decision to play him as that would have or does reside with the manager or the club hierarchy.
‘morning all, Freudien slip there BR? “Ox performs better than Campbell in trading”. So Joel needs a run of games to raise his price before being “traded” in January.
Thanks LB, this is going to make very interesting reading in todays comments. So well done
Exile has touched rightly on the homegrown rule effect
Then, there is also quite simply in each case mentioned (putting aside the fact that they’re all british/homegrown) that it may simply be the case that Arsene sees potential where others don’t
Best example being Aaron. He was played and played a few seasons ago while being a bit pants if we’re honest, then bang, superb
Could one argue that all these players would have benefitted from far longer periods on loan, thus gaining the experience?
I haven’t touched specifically on Jack, as I think he may be a unique case, and when I get the usual Monday work crap out of the way, I’ll be back to expand
As to the question LB asks, neither the Ox or Joel are automatic first choice starters. Both are reliant on injuries or suspensions and, to a lesser extent, rotation for the chance to start a game and as injured players return to fitness those chances will further diminish. Ramsey will return on the right, Walcott will be back in the centre.
At the moment, Joel is fit and has the chance to push himself up the pecking order. if he can do well in the next five or six games, he’ll overtake the OX, but Welbeck will eventually come into the equation which will cause another rethink.
I’m not sure where either player sees themselves in say two season’s time, Joel has played in several countries and for several clubs in different leagues. The Ox only for Southampton and Arsenal in the Premiership.
I can’t see either becoming regular first choice starters so it’s really up to them to decide to be a squad player with their own spot on the bench or to move on in the hope of better things elsewhere.
Interesting article.
Given that Campbell & Oxlade-Chamberlain can both play in different positions on the pitch (the former anywhere across the forward line, and the latter in midfield too), they are not necessarily directly competing for the same “space” in the team.
However, what your article raises for me is the question of the criteria that Arsene uses to come up with the pecking order for the team.
What exactly is the criteria that he uses to form the pecking order?
I’d love to know the answer to that.
Home grown rule, hmmm, I never thought of that but it I wouldn’t be surprised if it influences the perceived value of a player to a club be it consciously or not.
That’s a challenging question, thank you LB.
There is little doubt that the marketing department have some influence on recruitment = Park, but we’d like to think that the players who get onto the pitch are selected purely for footballing reasons.
With Greg Dyke pushing for more home grown players, increasing from 8 to 12 out of a 25 man squad, you can see why the value and premium on HG players exists.
As regards the choice between The Ox and JC, I confess to being impressed by one and disappointed by the other so far this season.
After a good pre-season, AOC was struggling with his decision making and failing to have an impact on games whereas JC (who admittedly was poor in the C1C) showed on Saturday that when he is surrounded by good players, he can be very effective. He also brings something a little different to our attack which is always a good thing.
I like AOC, but I have to say that if (and its a big if) JC can maintain the standard he showed against Swansea, he is the one who should occupy that wide right berth in the big games this season.
NG
Against Everton both OC and Campbell were fit; there was one space available (the right wing) they can both play there, so why did OC get chosen over Campbell, well, BR would say that Wenger views OC as the better player which is fair enough, my point is that Wenger is subconsciously influenced by other factors: Home grown, future value…….
Ramsey will go straight back on the right as he is more important than both of them, I understand some will say that Ramsey is a better player but is he a better right winger than Campbell?
I am convinced that other factors must influence the decision?
That’s a very pertinent, interesting question LB.
Whilst The Ox is a big threat going forward, defensively he can be a liability, which has shown no sign of improvement. It would be sacrilege to try to curb his attacking flair, but as keen as he is to be an extra defender when required, he needs to be a lot sharper and far more disciplined.
Joel Campbell took his opportunity with both hands on Saturday against a decent Swansea side. His goal was just reward for a good performance, if he can repeat that level consistently he could make the right wing berth his own.
It could develop into a fascinating little battle between Campbell, Aaron Ramsey and The Ox.
Danny Welbeck will return at some point too, to add even more competition.
With so many options in that position for the club, Joel Campbell is playing for his future. Games don’t come much bigger than Bayern Munich in the Allianz Arena followed by the NLD, the perfect platform for him to stake his claim.
The positive from this is that everyone has to raise their levels to have a chance of playing, and we’re reaping the benefit.
Hector Bellerin could yet develop into a devastating right winger too.
The boy is absolute quality.
Cheers LB
I can not agree with you my friend. I think your jumping the gun. You know, like last month when you beat that old lady in a cycle race by jumping the starter gun.
Campbell is not better than Chamberlin, hes just got more experience. Nearly all the players you mention are the British core who were bought as nippers and with the exception of Theo are no were near the peaks.
I don’t buy the assertion that these guys are playing because of sale on value. There are many factors. Potential, British core, spirit, etc, but fundamentally they play because Arsene sees that in the long term it will bear fruit.
I feel that the question morphs into one about the so called inadequacy of English players. For me the answer stems from inexperience. These young English guys, unlike there foreign counterparts have not experienced the delights of playing in Spain,South America, etc or felt the ecstasy that only a full buxom Italian Bint can provide. Why do you think Sanchez career took off when he played in Italy?
Conversely of course, German players have to go abroad.
Talking of Morph, does any one know what happened to him? The last I heard he was one of the group of historical gropers arrested by the police under the accusation he fondled a South Korean ruler. Apparently the ruler is now so bent from the experience, he constantly bends over at the sight of a pencil?
Hi LB. Interesting post 🙂
What I won’t dispute and is generally accepted I think, is that Wenger prefers to have an established first team, and the rest of the squad fighting to get into the first team. In my view, he will often persevere with players even when they are out of form. But once he decides that his faith is not being repaid, he drops them quite ruthlessly.
Even in the years when we were playing the youth, I think the idea was to develop the players we had. Like in between the Ox and Campbell, I think the player who had the higher ceiling over one of comparable current ability, would get the nod. That might have been even more pronounced then because in effect we were investing in the future. From the stadium downwards.
Now, you say transfer value is a consideration in determining the pecking order, but I highly doubt it. He’s always maintained that merit is the best thing about sport. He’s also always chided the view that a player’s value to the team is determined by his transfer valuation. I find it hard to believe that he’ll then decide who starts/plays based on how their value in the market would go up, rather than who can contribute more to the team.
As for political, which I take to mean keeping players happy, surely that is an important part of the manager’s job too, because without it the results will suffer.
Even you say that the Ox will probably be the better player. In fact, Ox is also currently the better player, but has been in a patch of bad form. Campbell may have got his chance through injury, but if he performs better than the Ox has been doing, then I don’t think he’ll be dropped for him. Case in point, Bellerin deposing Debuchy and Chambers -English and expensive, and Monreal, who is keeping out a younger, homegrown Gibbs.
Priorities have changed for Arsenal from the long term to the shorter term, but developing players in still important, and like I said, the Ox is a better player currently anyway. So I don’t see any reason to doubt that it’s simply a case of the better player starting.
PS. I agree with you about Wilshere. He should be Santi’s replacement, but I still doubt whether that will happen. Wenger has said he sees him further forward, though that often means nothing (Song was to be CB, Chambers a DM etc)
Intriguing post, LB, thanks.
I can’t believe any player is selected by any manager (including Wenger) because of future market value, even subconsciously.
There is, undoubtedly, an element of team building for the future when selections are made, though, so you may have a point.
Like Magneto, I’d love the question to be put to Arsene so that we could hear his response.
LB, you ask why the Ox got the nod over Joel for the Everton game, I can only surmise that it was because OC had played in the first team this season whilst Joel had rarely even sat on the bench.
I don’t think Wenger is actually obsessed about home grown, although he has in the past advocated a “British spine” there’s not much evidence of it in the present first choice eleven. He has to maintain the required numbers in his squad, but that’s about as far as he goes.
For anyone who hasn’t yet seen it, Nick Hornby’s Fever Pitch is getting an airing Tuesday at 21.00 on TCM. Well worth watching.
Abyone notice how enthusiastically celebrated Joel’s goal was, seemed like all the players realised it was a big breakthrough for the youngster and I thought it was good to see how happy the likes of Santi were for him. I’d somehow got the impression that JC was a bit of an outsider amongst the squad, but the celebrations showed that he was very much part of it.
I wonder if awkward agents also cause a problem for some players, Capmbells agent was quoted a lot in the press in the previous summer and he didn’t seem to get much of a chance, I haven’t read half as much recently so perhaps that was another thorn in Arsene’s side when it came to selection.
Was thinking earlier that the HG rule needs a rethink. Currently any player over 21 has to be named in the 25, perhaps that rule should be altered to something like “maximum of 25 players to be named in squad and a maximum of 17 non homegrown players, all overseas players over 21 have to be named, all homegrown players over 25 have to be named, homegrown players up to age of 25 are not included in the 25 player squad”.
That would mean that we wouldn’t have had to loan out the likes of Chuba and also allow is to have a bit more depth”.
Thanks LB an excellent post. I will come back to answer it in a moment but just wanted to thank Raddy and RA for the last 2 posts that I wasn’t around to comment on.
A brief word on the Swansea game; I thought it was an excellent win regardless of whether we looked a bit jaded at times. I would definitely take into consideration our recent run of tough fixtures vs theirs, our injury list, and the fact that they are a pretty decent outfit and were at home. I think Swansea away has “dropped points” for the EPL challengers written all over it and it may turn out to be one of those fixtures (as well as the head to heads) where a win could be part of deciding where the title ends up.
LB you ask a very interesting question. Does Wenger either sub-consciously or consciously create a hierarchy of potentially unfair preference? I am not so sure LB. I can’t really see AW preferring a player to another who may be more worthy purely over future value.
However, I think the home grown rule is very important. You only have to look at Man City and Chelsea in the summer to realise they have a slight worry about fulfilling that quota in the future. They both alluded to wanting some of our players and rightly so because we not only have a good quota numbers wise but they are also by and large of quality international standard as well. I think we must protect our position of strength here at all costs if necessary.
Who is better between JC and AOC? My first thought is,as Magneto alluded to, are they competing for the same role? I was looking towards writing a post about certain players and their best position, and in many ways LB you beat to the punch, although I acknowledge that you are asking a slightly different question LB.
The interesting thing for me is that it seems to be our British contingent that have the most question marks over their best position, not the transferred in more ready made overseas players. I had better follow up your post with one along these lines as Rasp and Peaches hate it when you put out a post worthy comment instead of sending it in to Nuts.
I will elaborate slightly and say that I don’t think that AOC has found his best position yet, and I will stick my neck out and say that I don’t think it is from the attacking right side (although he is a very decent option there).
Conversely I think the attacking right side is JC’s best position. One thing I have said for a while is that I feel the big omission in our squad is a quick left footer, with an eye for goal, that prefers to play from the right. I like to use the term wing-forward myself in our 4-2-3-1 fluidly changing to 4-3-3 set up, but wide player or winger is fine (they area bit of all of this anyway). When I look at the best wing-forward wide players in the world today it appears to me that they are predominantly left footers from the right and right footers from the left.
I think that there is the potential for both to succeed in different positions in the long run. JC has his opportunity now. Give him a run and see what happens.
Some great comments today. They are testament to the quality of a post which poses an interesting question that for once doesn’t provoke negative responses …. well done LB 🙂
GoonerB’s follow up post is eagerly awaited 😀
Aww! that’s what’s missing, no arguements. Hmph! I’m off. 😀
Do you want the 5 minute argument or the full half hour?
I have to endorse the Rasper’s 🐠 comment at 1:09 that there have been some great comments, which is a compliment to the topic and the content of the Post.
I do not think there is too much evidence of the Board trying to influence Wenger’s team selection on the grounds of pecuniary advantage in resale terms. Wenger would not permit that in any event.
Would Wenger choose to select one player over another on the basis of some projected increase in re-sale value? I cannot see that. Arsene takes too much stick on the basis of not buying enough players, whatever the price, and it would not be in his or Arsenal’s interests to weaken his position further, especially by playing an expensive player like Chambers, for example, who everyone can see is seriously struggling for confidence and pace – and any potential buyer can see that too, meaning the projected future sale price would weaken rather than increase.
As to the Ox v Campbell comparison, it seems to me that they are not necessarily competing for selection anymore than others in the squad are competing for selection.
There are other factors that the Boss would have to consider.
For the Ox it is obvious that he is not a first call team selection and has warmed the bench a lot, partly because he has a chequered injury record. This means when he does get in the team he tries too hard to impress which means he makes poor decisions on occasions, and over-extends himself physically — resulting in yet another injury. This will change with maturity – I hope.
Consideration for Campbell would have to include that when he has been given a chance to play, prior to the Swans game, he has not impressed. Talk on the street is that he is a little impatient to get a first team berth, either at Arenal or elsewhere, and has been making a nuisance of himself with the coaching staff, and continually pestering Wenger. Big mistake!
LB has made the point that Campbell needs to be with better players, despite all the loan clubs and countries he has played in, and Arsene agrees with him.
— Wenger said — “He has had to wait, to be patient, to get a chance and he was always on the waiting list,” he told the club’s website.
“He got through a few countries but he is still very young [23 y.o.] and I never let him go as I feel he is a good player and on top of that he is a team player.
“[Against Swansea] he scored one but he could have scored more so that is something very interesting.
“You see when he has good players around him he is a good player.”
So, in a way, Chas got his answer to why Wenger made his selection for the team on Saturday, and it was not an either or between Campbell and the Ox — a space became available and the next player in the queue (Campbell) came off the rank.
A really first class Post containing a really tricky question to answer, LB. 😀
In may ways LB’s excellent post is testament to the greatness and splendidity of Arsene Wenger
The pressure managers are under to achieve results in our league is incredible. This creates a short term view which in the long run is detrimental.
You play your strongest side in search of the result but you sacrifice the game time of a more inexperienced player which would bring greater rewards in the future.
Arsene has been the most consistent manager in the history of English football. Not even Fergie could maintain a top four position every year.
In the past people have scoffed at Arsenes record of top four finishes as though “Any one can do that” but the simple answer is, no they cant.
I am fairly neutral on Mr Wenger, but in my mind he is the greatest football manager the world has ever known.
In fairness the person who should be taking the plaudits is Micky; he wrote this yesterday which acted as the inspiration.
MickyDidIt89 says:
November 1, 2015 at 7:37 pm
That’s better
Been collecting and juicing apples all day with my Daughter
Oooof, we drank a lot
Hey taste this lot mixed with that lot, and so the day went on 🙂
Right, who’s going to be the better footballer, Joel or Ox?
Hmmm, the question I wanted to hear the answer to was ‘if selection was ever influenced by a player’s future sell on value’.
Viva Micky
MickyDidIt89 says:
November 1, 2015 at 6:49 pm
I smell
Must go
Yet another gem from Terry………..and I agree..
I am fairly neutral on Mr Wenger, but in my mind he is the greatest football manager the world has ever known.
Well LB,. I believe that they both have high potential, but I would give the edge to Ox as his speed gives us that extra edge. But both can be very useful players and their different skill sets gives AW more options.
From what Wenger said Chas, the implied answer was …….NO. 🙂
I was perhaps undecided by Terry’s ‘neutral’ stand [2:16} on Wenger – but the clinching argument was his brilliant, “a short term view which in the long run is detrimental” – how does that boy do it?
Nothing makes any sense, but it all hangs together – and so it should. 😀
Crikey, everyone gone?
Right then – Chas I know you like to be punctilious;
1. — At 10:43, what Magneto actually asked was, — “What exactly is the [selection] criteria that he [Wenger] uses to form the pecking order?
I’d love to know the answer to that”
2. — At 12:07, you responded; — “Like Magneto, I’d love the question [above] to be put to Arsene so that we could hear his response.”
3. — At 2:02, I opined, — “in a way, Chas got his answer to why Wenger made his selection for the team on Saturday, and it was not an either or between Campbell and the Ox — a space became available and the next player in the queue (Campbell) came off the rank.
4. At 2:19 you re-stated the question you wanted answered;
— “what I wanted to hear the answer to was ‘if selection was ever influenced by a player’s future sell on value'”.
I was hoping to be helpful by going to the bother of looking up Arsene’s comments on Campbell and his inclusion in the team, to perhaps resolve the burning question of the hour.
However, it seems that your question at [4.] is quite different from what Magneto asked at [1.] and which you had said at [2.] you would like an answer.
Ambiguous question? Shifting sands? Who knows/ Who cares?
Serves me right for sticking my nose into something at [3.] which I wasn’t assed about in the first place, and where the original questioner has long sodded off. 😀
So, here is the best way to deal with things.
I hereby, of my own free will, agree to excise the following phrase from my comment at 2:02;
“So, in a way, Chas got his answer to why”
And furthermore, I agree to stop sticking my nose into other people’s comments – unless I want to be amazingly unhelpful. 😀
There are two subjects on which I never expect to hear the whole truth from Arsene Wenger. The first is transfers, I think it is completely unreasonable to expect him to make private negotiations public.
The second is team selection and his reasons for choosing who he does.
I can’t recall a time when AW has been correct when discussing the time it takes for a player to recover from injury. 🙂
You could be maligning yourself BR, Wenger’s estmates may well be accurate but so many of our players recover from one injury only to succumb to a slightly different one.
As you say, LB, it would be naïve in the extreme to imagine any manager, in any walk of life, would ‘bare his soul’ in public as to his detailed plans and/or intentions, so to speak.
And in Arsene’s case, and probably every other football manager, giving precise details or recovery time estimates would fall into the above category.
All Gooner fans would like to know everything about everything going on at Arsenal, but so would all our competitors.
Never going to happen. 🙂
Norfolk,
I don’t think Raddy is maligning himself — and he is decidedly on the button when he says Arsene is never correct in the estimated recovery time from injury — in public, that is.
He knows all there is to know —- in private. 🙂
Can he give me this week’s lottery numbers as well please 🙂
I still don’t get it, RA. 🙂
It couldn’t have been a choice between Campbell or the Ox on Saturday because the Ox is injured. 🙂
p.s. I, perhaps incorrectly, assumed that Magneto wished to know if future sell on value was one of the criteria used to establish a selection pecking order.
p.p.s. I should have known better than to mess with the master of punctilious perfection 🙂
Rasp
2 11 17 23 30 33
Thanks Raddy – the same as last week then? 😆
Really? Damson I should have bought the ticket. 🙂
A lottery ticket costs ￡5 in Dk and the most one can win is less than a million.
If Remy does well he could be the next AFC manager with PV4 as his assistant. Sadly, it is a very big IF.
Very good post, thanks LB.
I am as naive as Raddy and thought that players were chosen purely because of their abilities. But you are probably right and there are other considerations during a team selection like sell on value, pleasing certain players, fulfilling the home grown rule and hell knows what else
What has really alarmed me is you thinking that playing Theo cost us the title. Do you really mean it?!
Oooops
herb – hands off Bellerin, he is mine 🙂
ha! When watching Joel on Saturday and admiring his long strides I was sure that he was taller than Alex O. But no, Alex is taller, younger and English.
Eight hours later and I’ve decided. The Ox 🙂
Thing is, I haven’t seen much of Joel. Watched first half against Swans, and he was average (as were the whole team) and second half I only had one eye on, and he looked ok, but little more. Until the goal.
So I just did some youtube Joel highlights, and that wasn’t great either.
He has, however, scored more than The Ox this season, so as LB says in his last few words “Campbell could keep him out for most of this season if he continues scoring”
my vote is for campbell being the better player
Remi never scored for Arsenal, did he? Rubbish player
Not at all, Chas — you know what I am like when no one is around – I get bored and think of mischief, half expecting no one will even notice — of course that is a mistake with you! 😀
Big Daddy never notices!! 😀 He will never notice this either!! 😀
Remi is on record as saying he wants to manage Arsenal at some time in the future.
Villa will be his Premiership proving ground – but the Villans do not seem to happy with his appointment.
He wanted Eddie as his geisha as well, but Norther said ‘hands off!’ 🙂
Spag bol is calling — I need a lot of it – and if I am late the Fiend will scoff it – she is a monster! 🙂
Too late RA, I’ve already eaten all the spag bowl. Ha ha ha ha (fiendish laughter).
RA – behave! and bon appetit
Mourinho’s given one match stadium ban and £40,000 fine for his behaviour at Hammers game.
RA. Spag Bol …. unbeatable (though it must be al dente and the bol has to have a red wine base)
And I do notice but choose not to comment 😉
chas 5.55. Those twats think their opinion carries some weight! Dorks.
Evening all, Good Post LB.
Not many would be brave enough for a \Post such as this. The club are on Shared points at the top of the table, and every body has delusions of grandeur, Is this the year that the Premier Trophy finds a spot in our cabinet.
Your post is an eye opener, and also a bit of rocking the boat, but a good post and a good question. I have been surprised by one or two bloggers when i read that Sanchez may turn out to be a one season wonder, In all respects the guy even when he is not firing on all cylinders, works harder than Theo Or Oxlaid. Not seen enough of Danny as he seems to like the sick bay but given a choice Sanchez would be my pick every time.
Campbell, Now we start talking about a guy who has been moved all over the place, I reckon if you asked him to go in goal he would without question he wants to play thats why, He has been used in the past with inferior support, or when he has come on as a sub expected to make a difference immediately, The guy Started against Wednesday, not with a full team of first picks, but he did show promiss and i felt he gave a good account of himself, i felt he deserved a start with a full first team and he did and i felt he worked hard and tracked back if fact he played very well.
Oxlaid and Theo tire very easily, yes they are speed merchants and will ruh out of gas, but Belerin is faster than both of them and playing wingback he spends all his time up and down the field , he may tire but you dont see it very often. Ox and Theo are lightweight in my opinion, their visits to the sick bay seems to be getting worse.
I dont care what a players sell on value’s are as the way i see it being in the sick bay half a dozen times a season makes them worth bugger all when they don;t play.
I was hoping both Theo and The Ox were going to turn out superstars, but i have been wrong, Theo been with us 9 years and has a little spell of showing what he is capable of then he goes sick for half a season, I dread to count his visits to sick bay and that will never change, I would sell him for as much as we can get, and buy the striker we have all been asking for.
As for the Ox, he hasn’t been with us anywhere near as long as Theo so he may still surprise us. Danny well he was sold by United because they didn’t want him i am asking Myself why did we..
Steve. You appear to be blaming the players for being injured. Do you really think that Welbeck etc wants to spend his career on the treatment table?
I expect Danny to be a major contributor as we come into Spring
BR
Same with us, I suppose.
I was watching this earlier because of the ‘Get out while you can, Joel’ comment.
chas. Shameful. Those morons are the same people who sing “there’s only one AW” when we are winning.
Probably blog on LG (if they can write)
Some are making mischief at Chelsea, too 🙂
I don’t believe Cesc is at the heart of it – still funny though.
http://www.thesecretfootballer.com/articles/tsf-diary/29129/chelsea-players-revolt-yet-still-stubborn-jose-mourinho-wont-back-down/
Good start for Remi….. Not.
BR
As you say, morons.
I’m sure they’d be happier if they supported Chelsea.
Then again, maybe not. 😆
At least then, they’d get a different manager to be abusive to every few seasons.
Evening BR, I am not blaming them for being injured just pointing out that they are injury prone. But lets face it it doesn’t need an expert to see who is out a lot does it.
LB post suggests that Jack will play back, the guy gets injured just pulling his socks up, you wont win things with blokes that spend half the season injured.
Patterns emerge with players Van P was always injured, then he has a couple of seasons and wants off, didn’t last long though did he. Not digging any player out but how long do you leave it before you know they have to go.
Dean needs to sort out his gestures.
Steve. As long as the player has a contract. There is no-one at AFC I would like to leave and have expectation that all will make a return to fitness.
The only strange one is Rosicky.
Spurs diving as per norm. Expect the same next weekend
Cesc being the leader of the mini revolution is a funny one.
Where is Arnie?
Rosicky is surely just seeing out his contract and who among us begrudges him that?
I certainly don’t.
Suuuuuuper, super Tom, suuuuuper, super Tom…………………..
Looking back on today’s comments I really feel that everyone entered into the spirit of the debate in the right way. The post was purposely designed to provoke differing views and so it did but in the most civilised way.
Bit rich coming from me considering I am the one usually causing the problems.
Anyway, anon.
The football is so poor at WHL that I decided to have a look at the crowd and an uglier bunch of miscreants I haven’t seen since the bar scene in Star Wars
On the contrary LB, Cesc is a very insidious individual. At home he wears a pumpkin on his head.
Poor old moronio is been driven slowly mad by Cesc and his gang of vegetables.
It began with all the players sending anonymous masked naked photos of themselves, Terry with a goat head, Hazzard a Rats face, and worst of all Costa without a mask.
Moronio paranoia grew. Who were this people? Moronios team talks took a nasty turn as when he commenced to show the players a video of how he wanted them to defend and then seek penaltys by diving against Bournmouth at home, instead the vid had been hacked and was nowi showing an episode of embarrassing bddies, with Dr Eva Canero lancing a penis boil of a grey haired middle aged man claiming to be a great manager
To escape this torment, Moronio would rush home early, but instead of finding his wife in bed, the matrimonial bed was occupied by the 1970s Borousia Munchen Gladbach team playing fast and fluent football. Who wa behind all this? Was it Wenger?
The next morning Moronio had to face a press conference. How was he going to explain losing three nil at home to Bournemouth and poking John Terry in the arse? However, instead of the auditorium been full of journalists, only one individual, suspiciously resembling the body of Cesc but with a mask of Roman Abramavitch was present at the bacK
As Moronio rushed over to confront his phantom menace, the lights went out and before Moronio knew it, a midfield three of Matic, Mikel, and 62 year old Makelele wearing white coats had blocked and tranquilised him.
Moronio whimpered in the ambulance. He had to share a bed with a naked but through been dropped a very angry John Terry, desperate to prove he could still rise to the big occasion
Poor old Moronio.
Terry I can’t imagine what goes on inside your head – but whatever it is – don’t stop it!!!
It began with all the players sending anonymous masked naked photos of themselves, Terry with a goat head, Hazzard a Rats face, and worst of all Costa without a mask.
He had to share a bed with a naked but through been dropped a very angry John Terry, desperate to prove he could still rise to the big occasion
Thanks Terry, its always good to go to bed laughing.
Goodnight one and all.
LB, Re your 9:08
I totally agree it has been a very pleasant days blogging, quite civilized.
But the tide will turn once we lose another game.
Night all…………..
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20151102/the-breakdown-swansea-a-
Morning All,
6.04. Genius.
Morning, BR.
I thought I was on my Jack Jones.
chas. You¨ll never walk alone if you are a Gooner.
It is Mantra No. 4.
BR
Does anyone in CPH talk to you about Arsenal?
Nearly everyone I know, even passing acquaintances, ask me questions about the game just gone or the game coming up; even those who have no interest in football whatsoever. 🙂
Yes they do. As you say people who have no interest in football take the piss when we go on a losing run. Bastards,
I have been a missionary for AFC and garnered many souls to the cause; there are Swiss, Danish, Ozzie, German, French, Canadians, Italians etc who are Gunners because they had the great fortune to allow me to share my passion
I love that when I travel that there are Gooners everywhere and have made friends in bars all around the world watching our chaps
TT Briliant
Chas Great start to the day
Ello Erik
Spread the Arsenal gospel
Mantra No. 3 🙂
“made friends” eh Big
Typical comment of a needy dog lover. Cat lovers don’t care. Friends are for wimps and all that 🙂
When you’re doing your tours, do we pretend to have Viking dna and chuck in stories and legends of your ancients
Re-enacters!! Aamazing. They gather for weekends and do wars of all eras fully dressed up. At least Erik does does those sort of things in his dungeon below ground and out of sight
sign me up
Micky
Can you hear sheep where you are?
Chas,
Where did you get that pic of the Fiend? Petite, attractive but a right Goth when it comes to any suggestion on how to improve the Spag Bol.
Tcch! 😦
Good morning, All. 🙂
Morning, RA.
You’re a lucky man if she can cook as well. 🙂
……………….as well as look that good.
ha ha it’s true though Chas
Only five miles distant, but where we lived before was cow country. Here sheep. Baas really are far more comforting than moos, and sheeps’ vocal range is impressive
I imagine if I was a Chelsea fan I would be humiliatingly ostracised wherever I went. 🙂
The vid in the retweet.
Micky
Have you heard of Tom Cox?
He lives down your way somewhere.
Used to be a journo, pro golfer and now writes cat books.
A lamb is fine eating. Mint sauce etc.
Sheep , not so good.
chas. 7.22 How did you get that pic of Mrs Raddy?
Right, better get moving.
Ciao
Haha, everyone claiming 7.22 as their own. 🙂
Really off.
Oddly enough, Big Dandy, many people it seems prefer mutton – or sheep, to you Vikings – rather than lamb.
My local butcher told me that when I bought some sausages.
I know — I have some of my more esoteric conversations when I look hungry in a butcher’s shop.
Bit like a guy wearing a mask in a bank – impressions – if he ever does a Costa on me and asks me to take my mask off I will be cross and set the Fiend on him.
Man writes books about cats. What exactly does he write?
Rod Stewart just said on BBC ‘I am a bit of a hypochondriac, I have 4 blood tests a year, heart stress test and anything to keep me healthy. I love this life so much I want it to last’. Nice thing to say
so what have we decided yesterday – Ox or Joel?
Re Mint Sauce
While I think the Continentals are weak and wrong about everything, I think they have a good point about garlic and rosemary with the lamb
Eddie
At the moment, they’re both average and we’d happily swap the pair of them for one god ‘un
Although when I say “we” I meant nobody actually said that
good ‘un
no, nobody said that 🙂
When ox started I had really high hopes for him, but now I somehow think that he is not improving. At 22 he is still young, but Cesc at 17 was better. Same goes for Campbell, but I like his footwork
I like lamb, delish. Where in Europe do they eat lamb? In Poland they would not touch it with a barge pole
Confession time – I had a mate, terrific guy, but an ardent Chav. We were also FaceBook friends and chatted from time to time. When Chavs were winning everything and my mate posted a photo holding the CL cup I had enough. I deleted him from my FB friends.
Now I changed my mind and sent him messages to rekindle the friendship. He has not responded 😦 maybe he knew what I was planning 🙂
Change your name and send him a friendly message, then wallop, the reveal and lay into him
must go work
good idea micky 🙂
Ok, you’ve all had your fun and scampered off 🙂 it’s time for me to really kill the blog off ……
…. anyone got a post for today? …….
Rasp
Few calls to make, then will scribble a quickie
20 mins ‘ish
sent
What do we want?
Micky’s post!
When do we want it?
Now!
Thanks Micky 🙂
….. New post …….