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Post #417601  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 3:40 am 
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Rich wrote:
We may be criticising our creativity and attacking but we've also got the 2nd best defensive record in the league having already travelled to the 2 teams who would likely end up scoring the most goals this season. Still a really tough run of 6 games to come in the league:
Leicester (h)
Man U (a)
Villa (h)
Leeds (a)
Wolves (h)
Spurs (a)

12 points from those 6 games should be the minimum target if we have top 4 aims.


Leicester win
Man Utd away shock win
Villa home win
Leeds away win
Wolves home win
Spurs away draw

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Post #417602  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 6:19 am 
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Rich wrote:
We may be criticising our creativity and attacking but we've also got the 2nd best defensive record in the league having already travelled to the 2 teams who would likely end up scoring the most goals this season. Still a really tough run of 6 games to come in the league:
Leicester (h)
Man U (a)
Villa (h)
Leeds (a)
Wolves (h)
Spurs (a)

12 points from those 6 games should be the minimum target if we have top 4 aims.


I also read somewhere that he has history of doing the same. He did it to Dele Alli amongst others. Mason said it and thinks the guy should be banned before he breaks someone's legs.


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Post #417603  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 6:44 am 
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bubblechris wrote:
Rich wrote:
We may be criticising our creativity and attacking but we've also got the 2nd best defensive record in the league having already travelled to the 2 teams who would likely end up scoring the most goals this season. Still a really tough run of 6 games to come in the league:
Leicester (h)
Man U (a)
Villa (h)
Leeds (a)
Wolves (h)
Spurs (a)

12 points from those 6 games should be the minimum target if we have top 4 aims.


I also read somewhere that he has history of doing the same. He did it to Dele Alli amongst others. Mason said it and thinks the guy should be banned before he breaks someone's legs.

What does non sequitur mean?

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Post #417604  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 7:27 am 
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long time gooner wrote:
bubblechris wrote:

I also read somewhere that he has history of doing the same. He did it to Dele Alli amongst others. Mason said it and thinks the guy should be banned before he breaks someone's legs.

What does non sequitur mean?

If this is a non sequitur post challenge - I will have a go - Martinez must be waiting for the upcoming game. They have only played 4 games but 2 of them will give us a direct comparison by the time we play them - Liverpool and Leicester.

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Post #417605  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 9:03 am 
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Gaz from Oz wrote:
long time gooner wrote:
What does non sequitur mean?

If this is a non sequitur post challenge - I will have a go - Martinez must be waiting for the upcoming game. They have only played 4 games but 2 of them will give us a direct comparison by the time we play them - Liverpool and Leicester.

Only if it’s raining.

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Post #417606  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 9:50 am 
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long time gooner wrote:
Gaz from Oz wrote:
If this is a non sequitur post challenge - I will have a go - Martinez must be waiting for the upcoming game. They have only played 4 games but 2 of them will give us a direct comparison by the time we play them - Liverpool and Leicester.

Only if it’s raining.

It was a lovely backheel. He was awful for the first hour, though.

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Post #417607  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 9:53 am 
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Saw a piece that noted that if Saliba had cost £3m instead of £25m then not many Arsenal fans would be getting frustrated that a 19 year old isn't quite ready for the first team. Saliba is younger than Medley and Ballard who are both on loan.
The shame seems to be that Saliba hasn't gone out on loan if that is what the management think he needs. Also a shame that he's not in the Europa League squad - perhaps because they thought he'd be going on loan - because games against Dundalk and Molde at least would appear to be good games to get him experience.


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Post #417608  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:15 am 
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mcquilkie wrote:
long time gooner wrote:
Only if it’s raining.

It was a lovely backheel. He was awful for the first hour, though.

It's pastry week tonight. Lottie will have to improve on last week.


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Post #417609  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:56 am 
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Arsenal, 30 years ago today anyone? No Googling.


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Post #417610  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 12:02 pm 
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tomc wrote:
Arsenal, 30 years ago today anyone? No Googling.

So 20th October 1990? I’m struggling with this one. Wasn’t the date of our only league defeat that season, was it? Hence Chelsea away?


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Post #417611  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 12:15 pm 
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Bernard wrote:
tomc wrote:
Arsenal, 30 years ago today anyone? No Googling.

So 20th October 1990? I’m struggling with this one. Wasn’t the date of our only league defeat that season, was it? Hence Chelsea away?

Nope, although we were away on the day.


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Post #417612  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 12:16 pm 
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tomc wrote:
Bernard wrote:
So 20th October 1990? I’m struggling with this one. Wasn’t the date of our only league defeat that season, was it? Hence Chelsea away?

Nope, although we were away on the day.

Brawl at Old Trafford?


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Post #417613  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 12:18 pm 
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Rich wrote:
tomc wrote:
Nope, although we were away on the day.

Brawl at Old Trafford?

Give that man a Mars Bar :58big-emoticons:


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Post #417614  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 12:27 pm 
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tomc wrote:
mcquilkie wrote:
It was a lovely backheel. He was awful for the first hour, though.

It's pastry week tonight. Lottie will have to improve on last week.

Red ones are the best.

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Post #417615  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 12:29 pm 
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Rich wrote:
FA still hiding behind the "incident was seen by officials at the time so no further punishment will be handed out" with respect to the Pickford tackle on Van Dijk.
Is football the only sport that does this, nearly every other major sport I know has a proper disciplinary panel that acts in serious cases irrespective of what happened on the pitch.

The FA don't want to undermine the referee by acting over them, but the ref missed it and VAR missed it, by not acting it puts the ref and VAR firmly back in the spotlight. Everyone can see it is a clear red, there must be a 3 game ban.

If the FA and referee's association expect us to swallow it then they need to come out and explain why Pickford's tackle didn't meet the threshold for a red card for serious foul play.

"A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play. Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play."

So come on Mike Riley or The FA, explain what part Pickford didn't meet?

Absolutely. The only thing 'undermining the referee' (and match officials more generally) is this failure to take responsibility. It gives the impression that the whole lot are closing ranks like an unaccountable mafia. Setting match officials up as the 'enemy' undermines them in my view.

Apparent the VAR official is now claiming he/she 'forgot' the rules with the Pickford tackle.

I can only imagines that this is the case with the Mané offside. If there is a frame where some part of Mané's body, feet or head is over the line (and not his elbow or sleeve!) they really need to show it. Otherwise their credibility is rapidly approaching zero.

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Post #417616  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 12:33 pm 
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I read that Van Dijk had only missed 35 minutes of premier league football since he signed for Liverpool and then went off injured at the weekend. Liverpool are now down to their only 2 senior CB's and hoping Fabinho can fill in as well. Testing times for them. I predict we may see less of Robertson and Trent flying so far forward with the loss of Van Dijk.


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Post #417617  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 12:37 pm 
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TOP GUN wrote:
tomc wrote:
Moving Pépé over to the left would also be better as well methinks. All this left footed winger coming in from the right just isn't working for him. A Robben or Waddle he ain't (yet). Get him over to the left and get him running at defenders and getting crosses in to PEA from that flank


What about the cross he did at Wembley last season from the right flank that Aubameyang headed in ?

Or the one againest West Ham away last year from the right flank that got flicked in.

Or the one againest Newcastle at home last year that Aubameyang headed in,

Or,or,or

Does anyone here actually watch Arsenal games ?

No, you are the only one who actually watches, in the deepest sense of taking in every detail and gaining infallible wisdom via the eyes :53big-emoticons:

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Post #417618  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 1:05 pm 
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TOP GUN wrote:
grantyboy wrote:

I agree that Pépé receiving flat passes isn't helping. I also don't expect him to beat 8 defenders. My point is for all of his supposed pace amd trickery, I've rarely seen him beat one defender.


What about his goal againest Sheffield? A one two with Bellerin and he has 2 defenders in stitches. 100% down to him that one.


Yes I know but that is as I mentioned "rare". He also puffed up like peacock after that goal and thought his job for the day was done because he disappeared completely and stopped defending for the remainder. As noted in an earlier post, his workrate was an improvement against Man City so it looks like Arteta is giving him the judge he needs.


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Post #417619  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 1:12 pm 
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TOP GUN wrote:
tomc wrote:
Moving Pépé over to the left would also be better as well methinks. All this left footed winger coming in from the right just isn't working for him. A Robben or Waddle he ain't (yet). Get him over to the left and get him running at defenders and getting crosses in to PEA from that flank


What about the cross he did at Wembley last season from the right flank that Aubameyang headed in ?

Or the one againest West Ham away last year from the right flank that got flicked in.

Or the one againest Newcastle at home last year that Aubameyang headed in,

Or,or,or

Does anyone here actually watch Arsenal games ?


Have you watched any this year, apart from the Sheffield match?


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Post #417620  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 1:45 pm 
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grantyboy wrote:
TOP GUN wrote:

What about the cross he did at Wembley last season from the right flank that Aubameyang headed in ?

Or the one againest West Ham away last year from the right flank that got flicked in.

Or the one againest Newcastle at home last year that Aubameyang headed in,

Or,or,or

Does anyone here actually watch Arsenal games ?


Have you watched any this year, apart from the Sheffield match?


Yeah plenty, he’s barely played


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Post #417621  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 1:46 pm 
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Decaf wrote:
TOP GUN wrote:

What about the cross he did at Wembley last season from the right flank that Aubameyang headed in ?

Or the one againest West Ham away last year from the right flank that got flicked in.

Or the one againest Newcastle at home last year that Aubameyang headed in,

Or,or,or

Does anyone here actually watch Arsenal games ?

No, you are the only one who actually watches, in the deepest sense of taking in every detail and gaining infallible wisdom via the eyes :53big-emoticons:

Thanks mate


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Post #417622  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 2:32 pm 
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tomc wrote:
Rich wrote:
Brawl at Old Trafford?

Give that man a Mars Bar :58big-emoticons:

Just make sure Arsene isn't looking....


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Post #417623  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 3:13 pm 
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I see that Liverpool, Man U and some other un-named Premier league clubs are in discussions with FIFA about creating a European super league. It makes me angry that 100+ years of football culture and history can just be eradicated because some greedy multi billionaire club owners want to make even more money and by trashing the game in the process. I'm all for progress but change isnt necessarily the same thing.


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Post #417624  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 4:11 pm 
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What makes the Champion's league exciting is seeing big clubs who typically don't see each other as much, square off. Barcelona vs Juventus, or Bayern Munich vs. Liverpool doesn't happen often, but when it does all eyes are on it. Normalize it where they are playing twice a year, annually (and you know they will have their own version of a league cup), and it will get boring. Decades old if not over a century old rivalries go by the way side. .

I can assure the American owners will be all for it. Changing cities is nothing to us. Very few clubs are left where there is enough nostalgia that it would get push back if they left. But too many change cities too often. The present LA Rams were originally in Cleveland, left for LA, then moved to St. Louis and moved back to LA, all within 75 years. Even the storied Los Angeles Lakers were originally from Minneapolis. (Minnesota is known as the land of a thousand lakes).

I was attracted to the English leagues over the other leagues for a variety of reasons. But over the course of 20 odd years, the league and the game as changed where its almost unrecognizable. The skill level has gone up alot but at the expense of a variety of things that made the league great.

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Post #417625  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 4:25 pm 
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Seems that as expected and trailed, Özil and Sokratis have indeed been omitted from our Premier League squad submitted today.


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Post #417626  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 4:35 pm 
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Premier League facing backlash over $19 pay-per-view charge

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/10/20/foot ... index.html


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Post #417627  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 8:18 pm 
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Bored wrote:
I see that Liverpool, Man U and some other un-named Premier league clubs are in discussions with FIFA about creating a European super league. It makes me angry that 100+ years of football culture and history can just be eradicated because some greedy multi billionaire club owners want to make even more money and by trashing the game in the process. I'm all for progress but change isnt necessarily the same thing.

Good call

Also if Arsenal are involved that’s 3 American owners trying to drive it. It’s our national sport, there needs to be intervention.


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Post #417628  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 8:18 pm 
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PSG should get a PK purely for how ugly the Man Utd kit is.

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Post #417629  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:00 pm 
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long time gooner wrote:
tomc wrote:
It's pastry week tonight. Lottie will have to improve on last week.

Red ones are the best.

Fine and sunny but the fish aren't biting. Wrong bait?

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Post #417630  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:05 pm 
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Liverpool having a whinge about Pickford.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... n-pickford
Apparently people like Jimmy Case, Souness etc were okay. I missed their article about the elbow to Tierney's face in the game against us. No sympathy for them at all. Scummy club and scummy supporters.

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Post #417631  Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:13 pm 
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TOP GUN wrote:
Bored wrote:
I see that Liverpool, Man U and some other un-named Premier league clubs are in discussions with FIFA about creating a European super league. It makes me angry that 100+ years of football culture and history can just be eradicated because some greedy multi billionaire club owners want to make even more money and by trashing the game in the process. I'm all for progress but change isnt necessarily the same thing.

Good call

Also if Arsenal are involved that’s 3 American owners trying to drive it. It’s our national sport, there needs to be intervention.

There was a guest on Arseblog or Daily Cannon (the only 2 I listen to beside Tuesday Club) who talked about the remodel they put forward was the first steps towards the European super league. It may have been Philippe Auclair but I am not sure. It might appeal to younger people but I have limited interest in such a proposal and if anyone thinks I would pay to watch my team in such a league - think again. I barely bother watching any CL or Europa League games and more likely to watch 3 minutes highlights.

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Post #417632  Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 6:05 am 
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Goonie wrote:
DHD wrote:
Seems that as expected and trailed, Özil and Sokratis have indeed been omitted from our Premier League squad submitted today.


Can they play in U23 matches?

:7laughter:


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Post #417633  Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 11:29 am 
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Man U have 36 penalties since Ole took over. In that same time we've been given 9.

I get that Man U have fast players who dribble in to the box more but when I watch their games and our games there is never a debatable penalty that isn't given for them, they get everything. We never get a debatable one and have plenty of really good shouts not even looked at by VAR.

Just this season Saka was clearly bundled over in the box v Leicester in the cup, Milner must have handballed it about 3 times in the league cup match v Liverpool and a City player nearly took Gabriel's head off in the last game

Someone has done the stats of touches in the box per penalty given, which gives a fairer reflection as those teams who get in the box more will get more penalties.

Man U lead with 68 touches in the box per penalty. Arsenal are last with 849 touches in the box per penalty


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Post #417634  Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 11:57 am 
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Ah Mesut has just released another statement dribbling with self pity

Looks at watch and waits for the debate that he should be in the team again


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Post #417635  Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 12:48 pm 
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TOP GUN wrote:
Ah Mesut has just released another statement dribbling with self pity

Looks at watch and waits for the debate that he should be in the team again

If Özil's sole aim in all of this is to just play football then he should have moved on when he was clearly told he wouldn't be used this season. I don't blame him for staying and seeing out a hefty contract that the club gave to him, but if it is only about playing football then he could have moved, there were offers on the table. None of the top 50 clubs in Europe would sign him on even 1/4 of his current salary


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Post #417636  Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 1:20 pm 
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Rich wrote:
TOP GUN wrote:
Ah Mesut has just released another statement dribbling with self pity

Looks at watch and waits for the debate that he should be in the team again

If Özil's sole aim in all of this is to just play football then he should have moved on when he was clearly told he wouldn't be used this season. I don't blame him for staying and seeing out a hefty contract that the club gave to him, but if it is only about playing football then he could have moved, there were offers on the table. None of the top 50 clubs in Europe would sign him on even 1/4 of his current salary


The comments about fighting inhumanity and justice made me laugh. Erdogan was his best man at his wedding.

Sooner the bloke *%^@* off the better. Disastrous signing


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Post #417637  Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 2:09 pm 
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If Özil goes this season without playing, I wonder what clubs will pick him up. I wonder what will be the best offer. Best in terms of the level of club not wages. Any top club will worry about his attitude. Will a RM, Juve, PSG, BM, City or Liverpool be interested?

My guess and its only a guess obviously, given his age, the acrimony, etc, he will be blamed for part of it. My guess is that it will be a club just below the top clubs. Milan, Roma, Sevilla, Atletico may be considered a top club at this point, Tottenham, Everton would take a chance I think. Ajax, Leipzig, Dortmund.

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Post #417638  Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 2:15 pm 
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TOP GUN wrote:
Rich wrote:
If Özil's sole aim in all of this is to just play football then he should have moved on when he was clearly told he wouldn't be used this season. I don't blame him for staying and seeing out a hefty contract that the club gave to him, but if it is only about playing football then he could have moved, there were offers on the table. None of the top 50 clubs in Europe would sign him on even 1/4 of his current salary


The comments about fighting inhumanity and justice made me laugh. Erdogan was his best man at his wedding.

Sooner the bloke *%^@* off the better. Disastrous signing

Indeed. One would imagine that Arteta told him some time ago that he wasn't part of his plans. So he's had plenty of time to find a new club or consider any offers that came in for him, if there were any. Of course if there were it's doubtful any club was offering him £350k a week, so if he's turned offers down to sit tight and continue picking up his money that is his prerogative. But don't go on social media whingeing about loyalty if you make that choice. Arsenal are still paying you Mesut.


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Post #417639  Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 2:27 pm 
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When he first arrived, Özil’s play was a thing of beauty. I remember his first game away at Sunderland when he laid on a goal for Giroud with an inch-perfect and sublimely weighted pass. For the next few years, we all basked in the reflected glory of having a truly world class player in our team. He’s better than Zidane! It all seemed to change after the 2018 World Cup when he turned on the German international team set-up and his country – and they turned right back on him! I don’t know if that was when he signed the mega-bucks contract but his performances have waned significantly from that time onwards. For me he’s been a waste of space for the last 18 months.

When they played for Pep, both TH14 and Fabregas fell out of favour because they were used to a roving role with us and largely pleased themselves where they played. That’s not the Guardiola way; all his players are given very specific responsibilities. For example, TH was instructed – ordered – to hug the touchline even though that was never his game when he starred for us. When he consistently drifted around, as he’d always done, he was dropped. Similarly, Fabregas was required to play a very specific role in the Barca mf to mesh with Iniesta and Xavi. He stuck if for 3 years but he’d had enough at the end and demanded a move.

MA has taken a lot from Pep. We can all see that our players now have a much clearer idea of their roles – and I think we’d all agree that we look so much better for it. Like everyone else, Özil would have been given his instructions but given the evidence of his displays under MA, does anyone believe he stuck to them? I don’t recall a single convincing performance under MA. So he was regularly hooked, taking several minutes to inch his way off, bottom lip dragging; alternatively, he was just dropped. Remember the regular ‘sickness’ excuse, particularly for away games?

I also heard that in the aftermath of that debacle of a match vs Brighton, when MA (in my view, quite rightly) launched into Guendouzi, Özil who hadn’t even been on the bench, staunchly but somewhat irrationally defended Guendouzi. This deepened even further the rift between himself and MA. There was no coming back after that. I’m not sure if that was the intention of the episode but I wouldn’t bet against it. Whatever his motive, you reap what you sow, Mesut and today’s mewling self-serving pronouncements on loyalty and injustice all ring pretty hollow to me.


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Post #417640  Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 2:44 pm 
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Some proper vomit stuff on twitter with wrighty and lineker bemoaning poor Özil being held by evil Arsenal againest his will. Totally ignoring his 350k a week wage and the fact Arsenal would let him go without a transfer fee at any point.


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