From: ThomB : a sheep in lamb’s clothing!
Dear Myles,
After reading a contribution from one Mr. Justin Byrne and his fleeting acknowledgement of AW’s “flaws” and “imperfection”, instructing us that “that’s the reality we have to live with until he goes”, I am slightly bemused. Maybe I have been living under a rock for the last number of years Myles, but as he places you in a group he introduces at least to me to for the first time, one he calls “WKB”, maybe you can enlighten me and answer some of my questions based on his description of that group of fans.
(a) Are there really any Arsenal fans out there trying to find ways to discredit EVERYTHING AW does?
(b) Are there really any Arsenal fans out there trying to find ways to blame him for EVERYTHING bad about Arsenal, both real and imagined?
(c) Are there any Arsenal fans out there claiming that ‘AW does not teach defence’ ?
(d) Are there any Arsenal fans out there that have convinced themselves that AW is personally responsible for the wider malaise in football (overpaid pampered footballers)?
I am at the ground regularly and I have not met one of these fans.
What I have met is:
(a) a large number of fans who are critical but credit AW for all he has done and is doing for the club, albeit well paid, but question his ability to take us to the title again in his lifetime based on witnessing the same repetitive fundamental errors over several seasons.
(b) a large number of fans are critical but who nonetheless give Arsene great credit for what he has done for the club, for continuing much of what is good about Arsenal, for developing the club further to another level and enjoying much of the football we play- but also questioning his ability to take us to the title again in his lifetime based on witnessing the same repetitive fundamental errors over several seasons.
(c) a large number of fans who are often wondering why the defence and the team make the same repetitive mistakes over and over, why every season can be predicted based on witnessing the same repetitive fundamental errors over several seasons.
(d) a large number of fans that convinced themselves that AW is personally responsible for the revolutionising the English game, dragging it into the 21st century and having a hughly positive impact in his day, but asking if his day is gone now he is pension age and if someone else could do a better job- based on witnessing the same repetitive fundamental errors over several seasons.
Does this mean that there is actually a 3rd category of Arsenal supporter who lives in a less hyperbolic Arsenal world than Justin where everything is not black and white?
A world where it is not ‘us and them’, ‘right and wrong”, ‘good and bad’, EVERYTHING and nothing’? A world where criticism is not just for the sake of criticism, without agenda, borne out of love and concern of a common entity bigger than one man, possibly constructive if taken on board?
Or does attempting to further polarise supporters in a passive aggressive manner,using hyperbole to discredit balanced opinions, suit those who Justin describes as the “stalwarts”, those who write blogs entirely dedicated to defending the manager from any criticism, genuine or not, who, like Cult leaders, polarise to convince and entice the sheep into the group?
I wonder.
Myles says:
I can’t do justice to so many complex points this morning.
Yes, ANR has been more fun for me since it become a forum.
But it also takes far more time now because reading the ANR inbox is a job in itself.
And correcting your spelling mistakes, typos and bad punctuation has become a chore.
Tomorrow I’ll post my thoughts on Arsenal v West Ham and Southampton v Liverpool.
Really looking forward to seeing Hurricane Harry Kane take Manchester United apart at Old Trafford.
HOPE THAT HAPPENS.
The England team against Lithuania should be Kane and Rooney. Both are suited to switching between No.9 and no.10 roles. Both are versatile, direct and dynamic.
Nigel Bidmead reckons those two are made for each other & I agree.
Tony Woodcock once said, “I believe in instant partnerships.”
If players suit each other, read each other straight away, a partnership CAN be instant.
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