The Arsenal Thread XIX

If arsenal had beaten villa (h), Swansea (h), Stoke (a), West Brom (a) and Southampton (a), they'd be 12 points better off and the heavy defeats to Liverpool/City/Chelsea wouldn't be an issue

Tbf stoke away is not a fixture you have done well in over recent times, they seem to have the knowhow to beat you at the Britannia.

Subscribed.

Post dedicated to the scouse slayer, Obi Wan Diaby.

If arsenal had beaten villa (h), Swansea (h), Stoke (a), West Brom (a) and Southampton (a), they'd be 12 points better off and the heavy defeats to Liverpool/City/Chelsea wouldn't be an issue

Wasn't implying that that was motivated by racism at all (I don't think it is), and I agree the clichés are based on truth mostly. But I do think that in some cases African/black players tend to get reduced to their physical attributes. Keita for example is talked about as a "powerhouse", "engine" etc although his technical ability was just as great imo. Of course praising one thing doesn't mean one ignores/excludes the other and in Spain especially that physical strength is rarer than technical ability which is why that gets more noticed, but I can see why some black players would complain about it.

Guess that's getting a little off-topic now though.

Has anyone seen that film 'Intouchables'?

Anyway regardless I think that the Balon d'or favours certain individuals and since 2009 it's been a glorified Golden boot+assists tally since Ronaldo joined Real Madrid. If they favour certain individuals, then clearly another award should be made that doesn't favour attacking players and/or assist machines. We're in an age that favours attacking play and technical over defensive play and physical prowess in football and this means that certain players will miss out even if their job is just as or more important to the team. Thinking about it Costa is most likely to get the Balon d'or from the Atlético side, same for Hazard but the system is based on defenders doing their job and they get no credit bar a brief mention on MOTD or a skysports article.

Rant over. Are there any indications as to who Arsenal will sign in this window. Wenger hasn't even made it clear that he wants a striker this window. I reckon he's looking to find a suitor for Bendtner and I wonder if he's planning on developing Sanogo, who I think is a good player. He gets into positions and just needs to improve on his finishing, Giroud needs to improve on his finishing and he's not even fast enough to get into good positions as much as Sanogo does.

Bendtner is out of contract, will be interesting to see who picks him up. Worth a punt for a club like WHU imo.

Sanogo has something about him alright, gets into good positions, quick etc but his technique is way off. Apparently that's down to nerves though and once he settles down he'll be different apparently. Scored for fun for French youth teams.

Giroud is just wrecked I think, both mentally and physically. If he played 10 less games this season then he'd have maintained his early season form I think, when he was genuinely very good.

---

On transfers, Wenger's met with Aurier's agent from Toulouse. Looks like Sagna is off for sure. Links with Drimic and that's about it

It's a cliche but the best African players do tend to fit into that description if you think about it, that perception has come from people using their eyes.

Generally top Spanish players are considered to be diminutive, technically gifted, slow etc because most of them are. Generally Scandinavian footballers are seen to be hard working, physically robust, tactically astute and well organised whilst lacking flair because most of them are to greater or lesser degrees in that box. It is not some anti-Spanish prejudice that stops us seeing all the Iberian 6'4, box to box engines, nor anti-Norwegian sentiment that stops us seeing their flamboyant, individualistic dribblers.

Frustration that there are exceptions to these cliches is one thing, but to feign confusion as to where these perceptions, even to see racism, is ludicrous really.

Sagna can **** off tbh. So can Santi. Cba with these players who feel entitled and yet they don't turn up when it is needed.

Woah woah Sagna has been very very very loyal to us. Santi can stay.

He is a footballer, he wants more money when he is getting over the hill. We offered very good terms and he is not budging. I also don't like Santi's comments in the press recently.

Santi's not lying most players want to win trophies what's wrong with that?

Why don't you just ask people who you'd like to mod? I'm sure River85 can think of a few. Whoever it is will be disliked.

May be they do? I don't know but I had a PM from the TSRcommunityteam or whoever it was but I deleted before reading it thinking it was another TSR House of Commons thing and the layout was being annoying. I'm guess if you get people to suggest potential mods then people may end up voting for their buddies and you get the whole issue of cliques associated with that.

Has anyone seen that film 'Intouchables'?