Selley played 60 games. Can I also remind you were saying our current midfield was the worst you’ve seen. There have been worse overall midfields like Hillier, Selley, Jensen and Morrow. Elneny played some more games than Selley but I wouldn’t put him in the collective of the worst midfield. I think Elneny was significantly better than Selley anyway.

Our current midfield is the worst in my arsenal supporting lifetime

What you are saying is that our midfield at that time which contained Paul Davis, a young parlour and Merson and only a few months later Stefan Schwarz is worse than our current one which clearly isn’t the case.

Name me a manager who doesn’t rate him then? [quote]

I don’t believe they rate him they are stuck with him and make due and put up a facade*





*Also applies to Mustafi and Özil

Hillier played 143 games, Selley played 60, Jensen played 138 games and Morrow played 85 games. Sadly, enough in the same midfield to see them as our worst midfield. Our present one simply doesn’t compare.

Okay, so you don’t think any of Xhaka’s managers rate him despite some buying him, regularly picking him, and even at least two making him captain. Yeah right.

But they didn’t always play together. That’s the point. How many games did we play that 4 together. I bet it was less than 4 matches.

I said it’s the output of the midfield your picking individuals. We also had merse, Davis and parlour and that year we also played Campbell wide right

I reckon any decent offer would get accepted yes.

Oh and the captain thing is nonsense as the cleaner gets offered the captaincy these days.

He’s *%^@ and Arteta knows he’s *%^@

He’s come from city where they had De Bruyne and silva tearing teams apart. Believe me he knows Xhaka ain’t up to it. (Which he clearly *%^@*** isn’t )

I bet it was a lot more than four. Feel free to do the research on your guesswork. If you do I’ll show the respect to check it.

Actually I bet it’s less.

In the European final only 2 played and that was because Jensen was suspended

Many players captain clubs in one off games. But Xhaka is the captain of his national side and has been made Arsenal’s club captain. You watch him and he shows leadership qualities.

Everything Arteta has said suggests he rates him, whatever you want to think. Like all his other managers. Arteta knows we don’t have De Bruyne and Silva so him coming from there seems irrelevant to me.

It’s an act. Do you also think he rates Mustafi ? He plays him too.

They have to endure these legacy problems.

Xhakas competition is a young kid from the French second division and we have no money. The moment a decent offer comes in he’s gone.

There’s reasons Sheffield United are above us in the league. Parkerknoll is right

Go and prove it then. Look the teams up for individual games because looking at the totals they all played while at the club around the same time suggests you’re hopelessly wrong. If you do I’ll show the respect of checking your figures.

How much spare time do you think I have.

I know I’m right though. They are also 4 central players. Didn’t happen. Make believe on your part

Hi Bernard,

I would hope that Arteta does not rate him as anything more than an average PL midfielder, because realistically that's all he is. His lack of mobility around the pitch coupled with his inability to tackle cleanly, without pulling the man back or tripping him, means he will never sit at the top table of PL midfielders in my opinion. The fact that Arteta picks him every week is more a reflection of the inadequacies of the rest of our midfielders, I would suggest, than any huge endorsement of Xhaka's qualities.

If we could get back anything like what we paid for him I'd sell him in a heartbeat.

I don’t think it is an act. I presume Arteta doesn’t see Xhaka as a world beater and would be happy to see him sold for a good price. But he appears to rate him and I don’t think it’s remotely guaranteed he’ll be sold, even though I personally hope he is. Mustafi is prone to bad errors but I have little doubt Arteta would see your views on him as ridiculous.

Well you have enough time to post bollocks on this forum. I bet they did play together more often than you. If you can’t prove it, don’t claim it.

4 central midfielders in a row. This is your fantasy. This is entirely inside your head. Your mind is creating an alternate reality you live in.

I wouldn’t argue with your moderate criticism of Xhaka socrates. I’d be happy to see him sold for a good price, as I’ve said repeatedly. My point is Top Gun goes ludicrously over the top about how bad he is. Worse than Hillier? For Christ’s sake that’s stupid. Xhaka’s quite slow, makes silly tackles (but at least makes tackles), but does pass the ball well and quite intelligently, and shows leadership qualities. Not a play who will win you the league, although he played well in a cup final we won. But not as bad as Top Gun pretends.

Morrow often played wider. Stop being stupid. Anyway, George’s team selections were often crazy over that period.

Hillier had a title win in a team that only lost a single game. A lifetime away from Xhaka

Morrow was mostly a left back. Another reason all this stuff is inside your head.

No he was not. He started at left back but mostly played in midfield.

Not in a central midfield 4

You have created an alternate reality. Like science fiction. Maybe inception where Di caprio can’t tell what is real or reality anymore

I went to that single defeat, at Stamford Bridge if you’re not sure. From memory I seem to remember it was Hillier who lost us the game.

Yeah me too, incredibly he was playing at centre half cause Bould was injured and Adams was nicked if I recall

They would have played together in midfield. Okay we’re comparing my four against your definition of the worst ever Arsenal midfield you’ve seen. If you’re narrowing it down to central midfield who are you comparing my choices against? Torreira, Guendouzi, Xhaka are the main three you must be talking about, although Ceballos Willock and Özil have also played. Name your central midfielders then. Because I would rate any of them higher than those I named.

Anyway I’m off to bed. I’ll see what you say in the morning.

I’ve Already said this not going to repeat myself

Liverpool is known for the variety of players who can score on you but their goals against is great and miles better than the rest of the league. They are very difficult to score on.

So are you saying it’s good to have a solid defence? It’s a wonder that others have never realised how important this is. George Graham could have used this to our advantage if he had known.

Quite enjoyed that episode of "After You, Claude" starring Pete and Bernard.

Anyway, today in 1940...

i'm reading articles where players said Emery's instructions were 'confusing'. Seems a lack of communication. Maybe the translation from what he wants into English wasn't accurate enough.

Pretty interesting the ownership of the clubs. I hadn't realized some were so rich. I've always had a soft spot and its cemented because the owner also owns my hometown Philadelphia 76ers
Also had no idea West Ham's owner made his money in soft porn.

https://talksport.com/football/666456/r ... er-united/

It was common knowledge of sorts from players on various media outlets that Emery's instructions didn't exactly translate well. Language barrier? Quite possibly among other things.

Rich clubs....that's also quite common knowledge. Plenty of them around in varoius levels.

Well if it's any consellation to you I'd say the All Blacks have had their 'day in the sun' .

Retirement of a lot of top players and the appointment of what I think is a very average coach .

Your arse backwards mob have snared Dave Rennie ; I'd like to have seen him coaching the All Blacks

Slight difference though Zed ; Ferguson went out a winner , managed to drag an ailing threadbare Man Uted side to a title and I'd think he still has a lot to offer
in the advice department .

Arsene by comparison in his last few years made terrible decisions , buying midgets , not selling Sanchez , awarding Özil [ choke ] 350k a week , bought Mkhitaryan , insituted a bloody awful playing style which we are still paying for today .

I'd be very disappointed if Wenger came back in any capacity .

I think there is a tendency to bash Selley , Hillier , Morrow , McGoldrick , Jensen as a midfield because of George Graham misguided disamantling of the Rocastle , Davis , Thomas triumvirate beforehand and a comparison with the illustrious names that followed .

I could be wrong , but didn't we beat Parma , Sheffield Wednesday twice in Cup Finals with that same motley collection .

They mightn't have be stellar names but from memory we had a lot more cohesion than we currently display .

It is said on paper we should have a decent midfield which is true ; the only problem the game isn't played on paper .

At the moment we have a collection talented individuals who could fare well swapped out one for one into other sides but as seen when we get the run around by the likes of 'minnows' Brighton , Burnley , Palace , Watford our current side are a bunch of square pegs in round holes .

A lot of our players look worse than they actually are because they don't operate as a team .

If you live in the UK, then sure it would, but not to me. Matches are on tv, I watch them..lol. The intricacies of the various clubs? No, as far as the ownership, such as promoted clubs, other things. The bigger clubs I knew of as well as some of the PL clubs but not top to bottom. And certainly not the ownership of the lower divisions in part because those of us half way around the globe don't get an opportunity to see the matches.

Didn't realize how many billionaires owned clubs. Not so when I first became a fan.

As would I.