From Rudy Bright : Blackburn match review
Glad you’ve touched on the ridiculous pre-match blah at Arsenal.
As for the team – cowardly bunch of chokers. I expect them to start playing well again once Man U have wrapped up the league.
From Alex : DJ & Speaker
Myles,
I could not agree more with your comment about the speaker/DJ.
There is indeed no need to treat the fans so childishly, unless, like you said, Arsenal marketing dept has evidence that the newly promoted average fan has discovered football a few years ago.
This routine of calling the players with their first name has been in used for several years in Münich and has been used in the old Olympia Stadium and in the Allianz Arena.
In the Olympia stadium anything to create some atmosphere was welcome. in the Allianz Arena it is as stupid as at the Emirates.
But the fans love it and it has become a tradition…but it is theirs (maybe some other obscure teams have used it as well!) and there is no need to import such nonsense. There is no need to “go global” on these sideshows! This is just as an aside, as I really do not have it in me anymore to comment with passion about the shameful showing of last Saturday!
From Reuben, Hackney : rewarding failure
Hi Myles,
Agree with most of your latest post.
And I would like you to post this:
I think your line “Never in the history of football has failure been rewarded so often, and so generously” should be made into a large banner and dispayed at Arsenal’s next home match.
I won’t be taking it there because I’ve stopped attending matches.
My little brother was watching the game and after 30 mins and 0-0 without Fabregas playing, I called it as 0-0 with Bendtner coming on late and playing like a fool.
I quoted you : “I’ve seen this before.” It’s time we all (Gooners) accepted reality.
From Pat Gillett : Good season
Not the team, yours.
I’m sure it gives you no pleasure but you’ve called it right.
Not sure about the PA rant though!
From Razman Razali: Arsenal’s season ends with a pretty boring draw against Blackburn
Hi Myles,
For years now, I log in to your blog and among friends (who also read ANR), I defend the team and argue your thoughts on Wenger, desperately hoping the next game will prove you wrong.
But deep down inside I, like many others, KNOW that you are right.
We’re just too stubborn to admit it. We don’t want to admit it because it hurts.
I’ve now come to realise that unconsciously we were all becoming Wengerish. It’s contagious that disease. We adore this man so much for what he has done for the club since ’97 that we find ourselves agreeing with him even when deep down we really don’t.
Not much to say really. I’m disappointed yet knew this was 100% inevitable. So why am I disappointed if I knew this would happen?
For me the season ended on 27th February at Wembley. I was certain that if we won the Carling Cup, then another trophy would be added before season end.
I was also completely certain that we would win zilch this season if we can’t beat Birmingham at Wembley. But the 3-1 win over Barcelona fanned the wengerstubbornitis in me and I faked being hopeful and confident that we could still make something of the 2010-11 season.
Hiding behind ye olde “referee alibi” at Camp Nou, and even after yet another spineless display vs United in the 2-0 loss in the FA Cup, I still managed to mumble something along the lines of “We could still win the league”.
No we can’t. Not with this team. Not with this manager.
I can say that out loud now because I’ve managed to shake off the Arsene syndrome.
You Myles, never caught that bug.
Lucky you.
From BrusselsNorthBank : Your latest post
Sadly, I can’t find anything to disagree with you – not because I want to argue, but I’d like to feel more positive about the future. My sense is that, with the building of the new stadium, AW had to accept there was no money for players, and he did well to keep us in the CL spot places on a zero budget. At the time, I thought it was a good performance.
Unfortunately, ‘growing them from within’ has become an all-consuming mantra and now he refuses to recognise that many of his young team, just haven’t ‘trained on’ , to use a horse racing term, and are not capable of further improvement.
And don’t get me started on the lack of passion and commitment – I have no idea how the level of motivation/drive in the team can have been allowed to become so abysmal…. Ivan and board – over to you.
From Paul Mullen: The best article you have ever written
Hi Myles,
I’ve been reading your website for many years now and agree and disagree with you in equal measures.
In the case of the stadium announcer, I have to agree with you 100%.
He is too loud and the attempt to get the crowd to shout the surnames of each player is embarrassing. I cringe each time I hear it.
In fact, I have never heard more than about 20% to 30% of the crowd join in with this stupid/dumb/infantile little piece of nonsense. It has never worked and it never will work. Trying to manufacture an atmosphere has never worked in this country – it is an American affectation that turns off most true followers of english football.
As far as the football goes, it is beyond disappointing now. I was disappointed after the CC final, resigned to defeat in the Champions League, and was finally put out of my misery after the FA cup defeat. I (seemingly like the players) no longer have any interest in the season and that is sad.
It is sad because I truly believed that we would do something this season but ultimately, even if we finish second in the league, this can not be seen as an achievement as this is the poorest league championship in recent memory.
Strangely though, I think that AW should remain – I believe that if we get another manager in we will have to accept that we will drop down a bit before we come back.
He should though be told to spend the significant funds that we are told every season is at his disposal and clear out the deadwood that are so familiar to fans that there is no need to even list them here.
From Marc : Great piece!
Fantastic piece this morning, Myles.
I’ve been waiting for three years for someone to come out and slam the announcer they use and you’ve done it brilliantly!
As for the game, I think most the regulars could see what was going to happen after about 20 mintues because he’s botched the team. None of them have any idea what to do off the ball – apart from Rosicky and Arshavin, who are past it.
And because we have average centre backs (and holding midfielder) the team have to be cautious and back off out of possession. It’s a total dog’s breakfast, literally everything a pass and move team shouldn’t be.
From Neil Dorgan : BEST ARTICLE OF 2010/11
That was a fantastic article. Truly well thought out and straight to the point.
The stuff about the stadium and the AMERIKAN atmosphere is pathetic. I have never thought about how it drowns the atmosphere before the game though. It makes so much sense. Stupid pop music blaring.
I can’t even speak or concentrate on reading before the game. Another sensational article…the best you have done in a long time. Not that the others are bad…just this was fantastic, I thought. Really superb piece.
Keep up the good work.
From Chris Mill : Fantastic Article
“Arsenal are often slick and pretty but rarely exciting. Their style of play is one-dimensional and, to me, quite boring to watch.”
I couldn’t agree with you more. Wenger believes we are playing an entertaining, attacking game in “the Arsenal way”, but I don’t see it that way. We pass pass pass, no one takes a shot unless they are within 10 yards and right in front of goal. It’s not attacking football, its passing football, and often passing very poorly.
No team is more one-dimensional than Arsenal, that I have ever seen, to be honest. When was the last time we destroyed a team, maybe Blackpool at home? I am amazed we are as high as 2nd. I fear we may not end that high however.
From Steve : 2 things
1. The volume of the announcer was one of the questions raised at the last AGM.
We were assured it would be looked into and turned down…that was over 6 months ago!!!
2. I said back in the transfer window that as soon Torres was obviously available we should have swapped van Persie for Torres – I bet Liverpool would have gone for it hook line and sinker. Can you image Torres and Fabregas in the same team? I can but why didn’t/can’t Wenger? Needless to say, my idea was met with derision by most of my Arsenal friends/other people saying that Torres was too injury prone!!! Hah hah. On well…roll on next season…
From Mike Geraghty: Some thoughts
Good afternoon, Myles.
Although I always enjoy your posts, I generally find that I only agree with maybe 60-70% of your opinions, finding them on balance to tend towards negativity.
However, your article this morning contained nothing with which I could disagree. “In May, we could be told that, “Second is a trophy.” “
Does anyone doubt that is what we will be told if we manage second?
“Style of play is boring†– Ditto, there is nothing more boring than piggy-in-the-middle being played on a football pitch.
Goal attempts are exciting, but Arsenal rarely hit the target, their shots on target ratio is very low.
“Arsenal can\’t play without Fabregas†– I don\’t have the statistics to show that but football365.com published statistics a month or so ago that showed us as mid-table fodder without Cesc.
Is the season over? No, not yet, but it\’s damn close. We need to win the next game and raise the performance level about 5-fold.
Amazingly we are not crippled with injuries at this time of the year. That is a first for this squad. But we need to win our game in hand to bring the gap to four. If we can do that then we are in with a shout, or a whisper maybe.
It just doesn\’t feel likely. In some ways I yearn so much for significant change at Arsenal that winning the league and justifying this policy would almost be a step backwards. Now that is a sorry state of affairs
From Marius : Arsenal today: corporation marketing over poor football
Hi there Myles!
There’s no soul in Arsenal’s body today, and the cells of this body are the players.
Only Jack and Wojciech still alive, Samir, Robin and the great footballer who Andrey is, give, from time to time, some signs of life.
The coordinator-cell/Cesc is gone. To his sunny homeland. No one else alive.
The brain/Arsene is just like the Hal 9000 in Space Odyssey. “Overall we are a better team this year.” “Overall we are a better team this year.” “Overall we are a better team this year.”
And all this strange construction is branded Arsenal. That’s not my club. This is only a corporation with cheap washedbrain-workers on the pitch (HAL: “you’re good, you’re very good”), an efficient and powerful marketing machinery for easy viewers ready to pay hard for the most expensive tickets in EPL.
I’m Arsenal till I die, I know I am, I’m sure I am but I’m not sure will watch anymore these life-empty bodies in red&white with the gun on their chests.
From Abraham Lutta : What Arsenal?
I’d like to first off apologize for all the stick some of us have given you in recent years and for all those SORRY “in Arsene we trust” Arsenal fans.
Because, if they haven’t gotten the point now, they never will.
I’ve personally become physically ill from watching Arsenal…and funny enough all my Arsenal friends out here in America feel the same way.
We boycotted Saturday’s game and rightly so.
WENGER MUST GO,OR GAZIDIS MUST GROW SOME BALLS AND START RUNNING THINGS.PERIOD.
NB:My new banner reads, “IN DEIN WE SHOULD HAVE TRUSTED”
______________________________________
Myles replies :
Abraham, I’m here to be slagged off.
I write what I believe and what I think somebody should write.
If people don’t like it, tough.
I’m not precious, so when people slag me off, I don’t burst into tears.
No apology is necessary from you or anyone. It’s only football, it’s only opinion.
I reckon Kroenke’s takoever was planned for this summer. The deal was brought forward because Danny was about to die. If Danny had been ten years younger, and not had a terminal illness (throat cancer), things might have been very different at Arsenal in recent years.
A couple of other points :
1. Putting up your letters is always late, always a bit random.
There are always other letters as interesting as those I post. So this interactive process is flawed, I admit that.
A bunch of emails will be pasted onto my Notepad, then lost in the onrush of life. That’s what I call it : the onrush of life. I never catch up.Today is a small catch-up after the Blackburn game, before Blackpool. I wrote a piece on the Blackpool game but before I could post that, the Kroenke takeover happened and then Danny died.
2 I’ve been talking to some Gooners about the stadium announcer and matchday presentation.
A close friend asked : “Why does Wenger read out the team on the big screen? What’s the point? ” Thousands of Gooners get the teamsheets emailed to them by the club, so they know the teams before they arrive. The teams are on the big screen all through the match.”
Another friend said, “It’s as if the announcer is talking to people who have never been to the Emirates before.”