Rubbish articles about Arsenal in national press

[stg]

BY BRUCE MILLINGTON 4:23PM 21 FEB 2013

THE enthusiasm with which people line up to kick lumps out of Arsenal is as mystifying as it is depressing. And never have the club come under such a barrage of criticism as they have in the wake of their defeat by Bayern Munich this week.

Cowering like a puppy who has urinated on the carpet once too often for its brute of an owner, Arsene Wenger is taking blows from all directions. The media are having a field day, former Gunners stars are wading in and fans are short-circuiting phone-in switchboards in their rabid desire to slag off the team they are supposed to support.

It’s monumentally unpleasant to witness and the critics should stop hurling abuse and ask themselves why they are so surprised at the way Arsenal’s season is panning out.

In an almost certainly futile attempt to provide some balance, let’s take a look at some boring old facts that suggest Wenger’s side are experiencing only a slightly worse season than normal rather than taking part in some evil sabotage plot to turn the club into Telford United.

Arsenal have just played in the knockout stages of the Champions league for the 13th consecutive season. They lie sixth in the Premier League and will, if they win their game in hand, be just three points behind the team in fourth place.

They have a beautiful new stadium which doesn’t come with any crippling outstanding debt, their squad contains some of the most coveted young footballers in England and they are not on the road to financial ruin as a consequence of a reckless transfer policy.

On Tuesday they lost at home to a team that anyone who spares more than a few seconds a week to look at what’s happening in mainland Europe will be well aware is now virtually on a par with the magnificence of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Clearly, it cannot be regarded as one of Wenger’s finest campaigns. Failure to mount a sustained challenge in either domestic cup competition has been disappointing, and a points haul of 34 from 21 matches is on the lean side even based on realistic expectations rather than the hysterically excessive ones that Arsenal seem to be lumbered with at the start of each season.

But this is Arsenal. They cannot match the spending capability of Manchester United, Manchester City or Chelsea. They are a club who have, due to the success Wenger brought them in the first half of his 16-year spell as manager and the sensible approach of the board, established themselves as roughly the fourth most powerful team in English football.

They play stylishly, manage their affairs in a reasonably inoffensive manner and are generally a team who have brought far more good than harm to the Premier League under Wenger. Yet whenever their performances fall short of expectations he gets savaged.

Press conferences, for all the lavish media coverage they get, are usually stunningly boring occasions.

Before the Bayern clash, however, Wenger made one of them genuinely interesting as he mounted a passionate defence of all things Arsenal, and the press gave it back to him with interest the following day.

Yet the same press allowed Roberto Mancini, who to my mind has done a far worse job this season, to claim he’s been the best manager in England over the last 15 months without any accompanying critical comment of this preposterous boast.

City’s defence of their league title has been woeful, their European challenge, albeit hampered by a horrible group draw, fizzled out tamely, and their general regression reflects badly on a manager who is doing a superb job of living up to the old adage that it’s harder to stay at the top than to get there in the first place.

Wenger would be far more successful than Mancini at City and the way he is being slaughtered by so many Arsenal fans makes me yearn for him to head north-west and prove the point next season.

Meanwhile, if I supported Liverpool I’d be far more pessimistic about the Reds’ prospects next term than Arsenal fans should be about their own aspirations.

They are hugely reliant on the superb Luis Suarez and if he is tempted away in the summer it would weaken the Merseysiders considerably.

Yet, while other clubs are allowed to underperform in relative peace, when Arsenal come up short to any degree the noise is enormous and the criticism savage and unjust.

Wenger has been a huge asset to English football. Without him Manchester United would have been so completely dominant that it’s possible the likes of Roman Abramovich and Sheikh Mansour wouldn’t even have entertained the notion of trying to buy a club with a view to competing with them.

He has created wonderfully attractive sides and nurtured young players for the benefit of the national team. Yes, the trophy cabinet door hasn’t swung open for a long time, but he deserves far more respect than he is getting, not least from Arsenal fans who may well now be supporting a club the equivalent of Aston Villa if he hadn’t come along.

[Dan_85]

Ridiculous article. I could literally pick apart every sentence but I can't be arsed. I'm guessing Bruce Millington doesn't have to pay £1000 and up each to endure season after season of this groundhog project.

Nobody is questioning that it's a real accomplishment to build a new stadium & have almost cleared the debt. What they take issue with is the fact that there is money to be spent & our stubborn dictator in cahoots with the board refuse to strengthen the team, all the while Arsenal fans are made to pay through the nose & listen to bullshit, spin & lies from everyone at AFC.

Press conferences, for all the lavish media coverage they get, are usually stunningly boring occasions.

Before the Bayern clash, however, Wenger made one of them genuinely interesting as he mounted a passionate defence of all things Arsenal

Really? I don't remember a "passionate defence of Arsenal", I remember the angry ramblings of a bloke upset at having his methods questioned.

[mcdowell42]

BY BRUCE MILLINGTON 4:23PM 21 FEB 2013


Arsenal have just played in the knockout stages of the Champions league for the 13th consecutive season. They lie sixth in the Premier League and will, if they win their game in hand, be just three points behind the team in fourth place.

What game in hand we have played the same amount of games as teams above us,only the victims and swansea have played 1 game more than the rest of the PL.

[northbank123]

Agree Dan - it was a defence of himself and not Arsenal FC by any means.

fans are short-circuiting phone-in switchboards in their rabid desire to slag off the team they are supposed to support.

It's one thing when people say we shouldn't be calling for his head. Annoying, but there are plenty of journalists who lack powers of analysis and instead continuously write superficial articles. But it's this idea that's perpetuated in some quarters that we have no right to criticise the club or the manager that really pisses me off.

[Soul of mischief]

We obviously have a rubbish board and terrible backbone behind Wenger to the club. Still looking at his football decisions in isolation, he's made A LOT of mistakes and it annoys me a a lot that people don't acknowledge than in the ten years before Arsene came we won six trophies. Always have been a big club, in my opinion always London's biggest. I think one thing that he gets right (don't shoot me) is the level of vitriol and disrespect some people are directing towards him. I can understand to an extent why people do it, but I think the level to which it has gone can be a bit too much. I heard a discussion at a pub about singing the disgusting song united fans used to sing about Arsene at the Grove. That's far too far in my opinion.

I want him out of the club as much as anyone on here. GG was a great manager for us and became stale. Let's not rewrite things and claim Wenger wasn't a great manager too. He was. He isn't any more. He's become stale too. But like I'll always admire and respect Graham, I'll always admire and respect Arsene. Is it possible to be in 'WOB' brigade but still like the man haha?

[Leyton Gooner]

It’s monumentally unpleasant to witness and the critics should stop hurling abuse and ask themselves why they are so surprised at the way Arsenal’s season is panning out.

Fucking hell what a shit article with all the points plucked from the AKBs' fucked up propaganda filled minds. It's all there: Four points off the VT, knockout stage of the CL for 13th consecutive season. But this particular section really winds me up. No one is surprised about the situation, and this quote suggests that we should just accept it because we "can't compete with the financial strength of the top 3 " (another AKB favourite)

Oh, and as for Wenker managing a club such as Citeh that demands silverware?

[northbank123]

It’s monumentally unpleasant to witness and the critics should stop hurling abuse and ask themselves why they are so surprised at the way Arsenal’s season is panning out.

Fucking hell what a shit article with all the points plucked from the AKBs' fucked up propaganda filled minds. It's all there: Four points off the VT, knockout stage of the CL for 13th consecutive season. But this particular section really winds me up. No one is surprised about the situation, and this quote suggests that we should just accept it because we "can't compete with the financial strength of the top 3 " (another AKB favourite)

Oh, and as for Wenker managing a club such as Citeh that demands silverware?

Same old shit trotted out about Chelsea and Citeh. Amazing how people think that them spending more is the reason that we have had to spend less - how??? Also regularly see references to the unexpected successes of the two clubs causing our drought - Jesus Abramovich was throwing round the cash from 2003 and Chelsea had won the last two titles when we moved. Is anybody actually surprised they're still up there and throwing money around?

[QuartzGooner]

Hideously poor article.
Full of opinion but not backed up by facts.

If "Stylish Football" is watching an unco-ordinated fence mess up repeatedly then I hate to think what unstylish football is.

[Brady's left peg]

I just love this bit......"On Tuesday they lost at home to a team that anyone who spares more than a few seconds a week to look at what’s happening in mainland Europe will be well aware is now virtually on a par with the magnificence of Real Madrid and Barcelona."...... Conveniently forgetting the dismal and pathetic showing against Blackburn just a few days before!
Never mind his memory loss regarding Wenger flogging some of our best players year on year. Just another piece of opportunistic crap from an opportunistic hack.
Nothing like a bit of unbiased journalism eh.

[donaldo]

What a load of bull.Another Arsenal would be nothing if Wenger hadnt come to the club article.Forgetting GG won 6 trophies in 8 years

Nothing about the fans being fleeced with the highest ticket prices

[DB10GOONER]

I'm just gonna quote Dan's perfect summation;

"Ridiculous article. I could literally pick apart every sentence but I can't be arsed."

And add;

What a fucking idiot Bruce Millington is. That is all.

[Top Londoner]

Stick to the racing Bruce.
You stupidly ignorant tosser.

[Bradywasking]

Arsenal sell top players..media go into overdrive saying (correctly) club lack ambition and are a feeder club.
Arsenal sell top players ...fans go into overdrive saying (correctly) club lack ambition and are a feeder club.

Only difference is when the fans say what the media are saying the very same media tell the fans to shut up and be careful what they wish for...

Not defending Wenger or the board but are Liverpool not getting off very lightly in comparison to Arsenal in the media ?. ITV last night was a pure 'Pool wankathon. one fluked Carling Cup in seven years. Three top managers (their words) to return them to the glory days. Millions spent on Carroll, Downing, Henderson etc. Yet they are still immune to any criticism.

[QuartzGooner]

Here is another daft article:

Where to start criticising this one!

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/abhinav ... f=uk-sport

Why I Am Excited About Arsenal's 2013/14 Season
Posted: 15/03/2013 23:00

Arsenal may be out of the Champions League but they went out with a bang - defeating tournament favourites and probably the best Bayern Munich side in ages, 2-0 in their own backyard.

It comes as a huge morale booster, especially as Arsenal had lost to Spurs 10 days earlier and while third place is still possible, let alone fourth, - more than anything - I am excited about next season.

Why? The main reason is continuity. For way too many seasons, Arsenal have lacked that key component of any title winning side - continuity. And this may be the first time since the Invincibles season that no key player or should I say, player in their prime is leaving Arsenal.

Of course, one can argue about the case of Bacary Sagna and his contract talks being broken down, but given his recent performances ever since the calendar year began, one may start to think he is past his prime or no longer needed considering the form of the improved Carl Jenkinson.

There is also the case of Thomas Vermaelen - he might be captain and he might have been one of the best defenders in the Premier League, but the captaincy has been a huge burden on him as his form has declined drastically with manager, Arsene Wenger more than possibly having dropped the skipper for the Bayern game as opposed to resting him.

In brief though, I can't see any player whom Wenger wants to keep leaving. This leaves Arsenal with their core bunch of players remaining intact at the club - the likes of Wojciech Szczesny, Laurent Koscielny, Kieran Gibbs, Jenkinson, Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla, Olivier Giroud et al.

Arsenal can only improve now. With rumoured targets in Stevan Jovetic, Ashley Williams and more, we are finally improving rather than replacing - something Wenger has sought to do for a long time now.

Helping us attract players by paying top dollar along the way, are the departures of several fringe players whose contracts are up this summer - notably Sebastien Squillaci, Lukasz Fabianski (though I would like him to stay), and Andrei Arshavin who all earn a combined approximate of £145,000 per week.

Their departues would not only free up a bulk of the wage bill but three squad spaces while the possible departures of Denilson, Nicklas Bendtner, Johan Djourou, Park Chu Young and Marouane Chamakh would free up a combined approximate of £225k per week as well as some transfer money.

Kieran Gibbs - who is still injury prone - finally has a proper backup in Nacho Monreal who has done well so far while Joel Campbell has impressed on loan at Real Betis, with his versatility maybe offering Wenger some options up front next season as well.

Lastly, there is the continued impacts of Cazorla, Giroud and Lukas Podolski up front to look forward to as they head into their second seasons, fully adapted to life in England and the style of the team, while the steady rise of Wilshere will go on.

This season is yet to be concluded, but boy, am I ready for next season.

Follow Abhinav Kini on Twitter: www.twitter.com/abhinavAFC

[Hamed]

Here is another daft article:

Where to start criticising this one!

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/abhinav ... f=uk-sport

Why I Am Excited About Arsenal's 2013/14 Season
Posted: 15/03/2013 23:00

Arsenal may be out of the Champions League but they went out with a bang - defeating tournament favourites and probably the best Bayern Munich side in ages, 2-0 in their own backyard.

It comes as a huge morale booster, especially as Arsenal had lost to Spurs 10 days earlier and while third place is still possible, let alone fourth, - more than anything - I am excited about next season.

Why? The main reason is continuity. For way too many seasons, Arsenal have lacked that key component of any title winning side - continuity. And this may be the first time since the Invincibles season that no key player or should I say, player in their prime is leaving Arsenal.

Of course, one can argue about the case of Bacary Sagna and his contract talks being broken down, but given his recent performances ever since the calendar year began, one may start to think he is past his prime or no longer needed considering the form of the improved Carl Jenkinson.

There is also the case of Thomas Vermaelen - he might be captain and he might have been one of the best defenders in the Premier League, but the captaincy has been a huge burden on him as his form has declined drastically with manager, Arsene Wenger more than possibly having dropped the skipper for the Bayern game as opposed to resting him.

In brief though, I can't see any player whom Wenger wants to keep leaving. This leaves Arsenal with their core bunch of players remaining intact at the club - the likes of Wojciech Szczesny, Laurent Koscielny, Kieran Gibbs, Jenkinson, Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla, Olivier Giroud et al.

Arsenal can only improve now. With rumoured targets in Stevan Jovetic, Ashley Williams and more, we are finally improving rather than replacing - something Wenger has sought to do for a long time now.

Helping us attract players by paying top dollar along the way, are the departures of several fringe players whose contracts are up this summer - notably Sebastien Squillaci, Lukasz Fabianski (though I would like him to stay), and Andrei Arshavin who all earn a combined approximate of £145,000 per week.

Their departues would not only free up a bulk of the wage bill but three squad spaces while the possible departures of Denilson, Nicklas Bendtner, Johan Djourou, Park Chu Young and Marouane Chamakh would free up a combined approximate of £225k per week as well as some transfer money.

Kieran Gibbs - who is still injury prone - finally has a proper backup in Nacho Monreal who has done well so far while Joel Campbell has impressed on loan at Real Betis, with his versatility maybe offering Wenger some options up front next season as well.

Lastly, there is the continued impacts of Cazorla, Giroud and Lukas Podolski up front to look forward to as they head into their second seasons, fully adapted to life in England and the style of the team, while the steady rise of Wilshere will go on.

This season is yet to be concluded, but boy, am I ready for next season.

Follow Abhinav Kini on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/abhinavAFC

I'd expect this sort of rubbish quality from the Huff Post; pointless jabbering throughout.