Arsenal's 'Friendly Blogs' Endorsement?

[I Hate Hleb]

Was just on Arsenal.com and was drawn by the headline on their MediaWatch section. Now it's not normally a place I visit but the headline was from the Arsenal blog 'A Cultured Left Foot'. This surprised me as I always thought that they concentrated on stories from the main media outlets.

Scrolling further down that section I also saw plenty of other articles from that source as well as many for the likes of Arseblog and Untold Arsenal. Indeed it seems those in power don't mind any blog that either takes the club line and/or is not seen as critical of their actions, because even articles from the likes of LadyArse and Gunnerblog (along with a few others) are highlighted!!

Not that I have anything against those blogs as this is a free country and you can think and believe what you want. However I do wonder if other Arsenal blogs and articles will be getting mentioned/endorsed on the club website that aren't so 'accommodating' in their views?

[OneBardGooner]

Imagine all that free publicity for OnlineGooner if we start 'towing the line'

GO GAZIDIS! GO GAZIDIS !!!





































No! I mean PLEASE Go Gazidis !! Please just Fuck Off!.

[augie]

I have always felt that arseblogger is way too club and wenger friendly so much so that we had "a nice little friendly exchange" of opinions a few years ago

Tbf I quite enjoy most of his columns and I probably did go over the top in my criticism that day but for my mind these people should be writing what they see in front of them and not what they might see in the future and basing it on what they have seen several years ago Kroenke and gazidas have contributed nothing positive since they joined the club (please dont give me any of this arsenalisation of the stadium bollox ) so why do these bloggers not highlight this situation and ask real questions about where the club is heading ? As far as I am concerned people who have supported this club for decades cannot just take the "passive ah well" type of attitude especially when many are paying over 1k per season to support this club and everytime one of these bloggers show distain for how feels like me feel or everytime they turn a blind eye to the mismanagement of the club by kroenke, ivan and wenger then they lose a little more credibility in my eye's - these people should ask themselves if, the very fact that the club advertise their blogs, suggests that they too are seen as another pr subsidary for the club in the same way as redaction and the other "fan groups" are

[arseofacrow]

I have always felt that arseblogger is way too club and wenger friendly so much so that we had "a nice little friendly exchange" of opinions a few years ago

Tbf I quite enjoy most of his columns and I probably did go over the top in my criticism that day but for my mind these people should be writing what they see in front of them and not what they might see in the future and basing it on what they have seen several years ago Kroenke and gazidas have contributed nothing positive since they joined the club (please dont give me any of this arsenalisation of the stadium bollox ) so why do these bloggers not highlight this situation and ask real questions about where the club is heading ? As far as I am concerned people who have supported this club for decades cannot just take the "passive ah well" type of attitude especially when many are paying over 1k per season to support this club and everytime one of these bloggers show distain for how feels like me feel or everytime they turn a blind eye to the mismanagement of the club by kroenke, ivan and wenger then they lose a little more credibility in my eye's - these people should ask themselves if, the very fact that the club advertise their blogs, suggests that they too are seen as another pr subsidary for the club in the same way as redaction and the other "fan groups" are

The club are massaging their egos, and let's be honest, most of these guys must have some sort of inflated ego to start a blog in the first place, so the inflation as such will hardly hurt!

The thing is augie, the blogs don't represent what the fanzines once did - that is, an alternative noise to the club's voice at a time when football fans were the scum of the earth. Now that we are consumers, the clubs want to encourage as much postive PR as possible, and if they can make some of these guys feel part of the club, then better for the club.

I'm not against blogs (well, actually, I am ), it's just that it's hard to seperate the wheat from the chav, to find anything original, to explore interesting issues, or when relaying "inside information" give even the slightest impression that they really do speak to people who might know something.

[augie]

Bloggers keep cosy with the club and in return the club give them morsels of exclusive's via "inside sources".......it's a win win scenario for all involved isnt it ? The sad thing about it all is that nowadays the game is over-run with sky sports supporters (people who knew fcuk all about the game prior to sky) and these people need the various media outlets to tell them what is happening in the game cos they cant see or understand things for themselves and as a result they become devoted sheep buying into everything that their clubs say I find it embarassing, as a fan, to be associated with fans like this but every club has them and I think that as long as sky sports and the like are on the scene then that isnt going to change

I cannot understand why some people are afraid of contrasting opinion On here there are several people whose opinions I strongly oppose but I do enjoy debating different points with them on here - on some of the issue's I might be correct and on some they might be correct but at least we both get to see and hear reasoned points (assuming not abusive) from people who have different viewpoints and that is what these forums are about for me. Why are the club afraid of debate ? Why do they insist on questions being submitted in advance so that they can screen them ? Surely if they believe what they are doing is correct then they should welcome questions challenging what they are doing so that they can explain their actions publicly to the fans, silence the misinformation and put the matter to bed once and for all ? It is a dictator state where only those that are willing to toe the party line are kept close and allowed access to the club and that is what the modern day fans helped create and continue to feed

[arseofacrow]

It's all about control. Wherever there is a "brand" to protect or publicise, it's about controlling the message. It's about what is associated with the brand, what is perceived by the customers. They want to exert as much control as possible, and limit the possibilities of free expression.

It's understandable - they are now tied into a multi-million pound industry where so many parties are feeding off each other, so they all have something to protect - the same thing to protect. They don't want or like surprises, so the structures in place to limit surprises is well-developed.

[T.S]

I have always felt that arseblogger is way too club and wenger friendly so much so that we had "a nice little friendly exchange" of opinions a few years ago

Tbf I quite enjoy most of his columns and I probably did go over the top in my criticism that day but for my mind these people should be writing what they see in front of them and not what they might see in the future and basing it on what they have seen several years ago Kroenke and gazidas have contributed nothing positive since they joined the club (please dont give me any of this arsenalisation of the stadium bollox ) so why do these bloggers not highlight this situation and ask real questions about where the club is heading ? As far as I am concerned people who have supported this club for decades cannot just take the "passive ah well" type of attitude especially when many are paying over 1k per season to support this club and everytime one of these bloggers show distain for how feels like me feel or everytime they turn a blind eye to the mismanagement of the club by kroenke, ivan and wenger then they lose a little more credibility in my eye's - these people should ask themselves if, the very fact that the club advertise their blogs, suggests that they too are seen as another pr subsidary for the club in the same way as redaction and the other "fan groups" are

Is there any record of you having a row with Arseblogger - was it on the comments section of one of his blogs or somewhere else online? I would LOVE to read that exchange!

[Dan_85]

They want to exert as much control as possible, and limit the possibilities of free expression.

This for me, is the most fucked up thing about modern day Arsenal & I can't believe more of an issue isn't made of it. Put up or shut up, pay your money or fuck off, agree with us or be banned from all football. It's fucked.

Football stadiums were always the last bastion of free speech, a place where people with views could get together, protest & organise themselves against regimes they didn't agree with; see Camp Nou under General Franco's regime, or Polish stadiums during Communist repression.

Now we're all customers, numbers on a database. Herded into the bowl every other saturday, our bank accounts are milked dry, we're told to sit down & shut up. Praise Wenger or get out. And nobody seems to give a damn.

This is the English mentality though sadly. Moan behind closed doors but not enough motivation or balls to organise ourselves to bring about change.

[augie]

I have always felt that arseblogger is way too club and wenger friendly so much so that we had "a nice little friendly exchange" of opinions a few years ago

Tbf I quite enjoy most of his columns and I probably did go over the top in my criticism that day but for my mind these people should be writing what they see in front of them and not what they might see in the future and basing it on what they have seen several years ago Kroenke and gazidas have contributed nothing positive since they joined the club (please dont give me any of this arsenalisation of the stadium bollox ) so why do these bloggers not highlight this situation and ask real questions about where the club is heading ? As far as I am concerned people who have supported this club for decades cannot just take the "passive ah well" type of attitude especially when many are paying over 1k per season to support this club and everytime one of these bloggers show distain for how feels like me feel or everytime they turn a blind eye to the mismanagement of the club by kroenke, ivan and wenger then they lose a little more credibility in my eye's - these people should ask themselves if, the very fact that the club advertise their blogs, suggests that they too are seen as another pr subsidary for the club in the same way as redaction and the other "fan groups" are

I can't remember if it was in comments section or not but it was related to DD - he decided to have a right pop at Dein and that was blasphemy to me and I wasn't slow in relaying that point to him I find it amazing that so many people are ok with slating DD for his usmanov alliance and in doing so are deciding to write off all the good things he did for this club but yet they stand loyally behind wenger based on past achievements despite at least 4 years of diabolical management of the club - hypocrisy of the highest level but then again I wouldn't expect any less

Is there any record of you having a row with Arseblogger - was it on the comments section of one of his blogs or somewhere else online? I would LOVE to read that exchange!

[g88ner]

Why are the club afraid of debate ? Why do they insist on questions being submitted in advance so that they can screen them ? Surely if they believe what they are doing is correct then they should welcome questions challenging what they are doing so that they can explain their actions publicly to the fans, silence the misinformation and put the matter to bed once and for all ? It is a dictator state where only those that are willing to toe the party line are kept close and allowed access to the club and that is what the modern day fans helped create and continue to feed

I agree with everything you've written above except the highlighted bit.

The "modern day fan" can be blamed for quite a lot in this media driven era, but did they really help create/feed the "dictator state", as you put it? or has it always been that way?

Before sky were on the scene, and the modern day fans arrived, were Arsenal open and forthcoming? because from what I understand, getting answers from Arsenal has always been like getting blood from a stone. In fact, that's probably true of most clubs.

I hate the fact the club insist on screening questions in advance as it suggests they have something to hide and want to totally control the process, but I'm not convinced the Arsenal of the 30s, 50s, or 70s would have been any more open and keen to answer any and all questions if they knew their answers would be communicated around the world in seconds. In fact, I'm not sure they'd be keen to engage with the fans at all.

[QuartzGooner]

It is a reason why this Forum is important, because people can criticise the club all they want on here as long as the language stays within certain parameters.

I reckon arsenalnewsreview.co.uk is the most widely read blog, and it is highly critical of the club and Wenger.
I am no fan of Myles Palmer's politics, and he does get "exclusives" wrong sometimes, but he can write professionally and offers interesting tactical insights and he publishes reader's letters.

[augie]

G88ner, where I say that the fans create and feed this situation is by their acceptance of what is happening - fans of past era's would have been far far less willing to accept the continued mismanagement of their club and would not be slow in letting the club know their dissatisfaction. Believe it or not criticising your club is not treachery and shouldn't result in hanging or public flogging yet I heard a supporter leaving the ground after a match last season shouting abuse at a fan who dared to show a homemade banner expressing disgust and he said that we shouldn't be airing our views publicly like that for the rest of the football world to see.......why not ? Did it bother fans in the 70's or other era's and if not then why should it be any different today ? What other options are open to the fans to air our grievances ? Basically the club don't feel answerable to the fans and too many fans don't feel it is right to publicly criticise the club therefore granting the club a free pass on everything

[g88ner]

G88ner, where I say that the fans create and feed this situation is by their acceptance of what is happening - fans of past era's would have been far far less willing to accept the continued mismanagement of their club and would not be slow in letting the club know their dissatisfaction.

I suppose the main difference is that post-sky era football has shaken off it's working class tag and has welcomed families and become far more middle class, and generally they're a lot less likely to revolt.

But beyond the change in demographic, the problem is Augie, this idea of mismanagement is not universally accepted amongst our fan base anyway, so it's not necessarily that the modern days are willing to accept mismanagement, but more that they don't feel the club is being mismanaged in the first place - or at least, not to the level that they'd react more than booing the odd result and chanting "spend some fucking money"

And as Arsenal generally behave like most other clubs and businesses, it's difficult to feel we're being treated any different than is to be expected.

I'm disillusioned about the groundhog day reality of supporting Arsenal, and I'm amazed the board and Wenger haven't managed to find a way out of this cyclic disaster after 4-5years of endless spinning around repeating the same mistakes over and over again, but I do believe their is light at the end of the tunnel once Wenger has gone, the sponsorship deals have been renegotiated and FFP comes in*

*and by that, I mean when FFP has gone through several interations, because no doubt it will be used and abused by some clubs for a few years before bedding down. Although, I accept that may never happen.