Van Persie the fraud

[Joker]

It's been interesting reading the timeline of @DarrenArsenal1, an Arsenal season ticket holder and AST member with a lot of twitter followers whose opinions are well respected. In an exchange with John Cross about RVP, this is what he had to say:

@johncrossmirror I have a 7 year list of why Van Persie's a fraud, culminating not in that letter but the FT article which was all but....

@johncrossmirror ...written in his name but his friend. Throwing his team-mates totally under the bus. Captain my Captain indeed....

@johncrossmirror ..or the times he was declared barely fit back from injury and was asked not to play for holland but choose to and then....

@johncrossmirror ...got himself further injured. Happened at least twice, contributed to his long term layoffs, arsenal medics furious....

@johncrossmirror ...but selfishly for his own end decided to ignore it. Loyalty indeed, I have a list and could go on and on.

@johncrossmirror Van Persie didn't care, showed it through his 7 years at Arsenal on multiple occasions, but forgotton due to a good season

@johncrossmirror between FT article & the letter, he threw club,team mates and manager under the bus, yes AW remains classy asking 4 respect

@johncrossmirror He will never have my respect, never. Stapleton was a disgrace this fraud is even worse in my book

@arseblog @johncrossmirror has he had a 2nd good season,yes of course. Cuts no ice with me. At least Nasri tried to leave the right way


People claim that my opinion that RVP was a fraud is an extreme one, but both Arseblog (who I tend to disagree with) and Darren are basically saying the same thing. RVP, throughout his time at Arsenal, was either injured during important games, had bad performances when it really mattered (FA Cup semi vs Chelsea, Barca red card at Nou Camp, the last few games of last season etc) or exacerbated his injury problems by ignorning medical advice.

Not only that, but the article in the FT (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/49f4621a-aab2-11e1-9331-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2RMswbqXt) which was written by his friend does the dirty on his Netherlands team mates, surely with his understanding and tacit approval.

Losing a player like this was not a blow, it was a relief. The issue was not using the money to buy a top quality replacement, rather than a rather average player like Giroud.

[Letters]

:lol:

:doh:

[Joker]

:lol:

:doh:

Both Arseblog and DarrenArsenal1 (well respected in the Arsenal community) have said he's a fraud/phoney. It's hardly an extreme opinion.

[Letters]

Tell that to the PL medal hanging round his neck. A medal he has been a massive part of Utd winning.

[Kano]

he is one of the best strikers in the world. would get into any team, so let it go! :lol:

credibility shot in that article


On the positive side, Wenger did buy the playmaker Mikel Arteta, who within six months has become a true Arsenal player, the bedrock of their passing game.

[KSE Comedy Club]

I wouldn't say he was a fraud, that's just wrong. He's proven over the last two seasons that he's anything but.

However, I think what they are alluding to more is his blatant lack of loyalty in repaying the patience and faith that the club showed him for the 7 years he spent on the injury table. I get that he wants to win things before he dies/retires but he could've tried to do that with us and not sign for fucking Man U.

Calling him a fraud is just ridiculous as everyone can see he has the talent and ability in spades. The horse placenta worked wonders and he was the main reason we finished where we did last season.

He's a brilliant player but in terms of arsenal, a disloyal ****, but he is not a fraud.

[Marc Overmars]

He's a great striker.

Move on!

[Power n Glory]

I get that he wants to win things before he dies/retires but he could've tried to do that with us and not sign for fucking Man U.
We won’t change our transfer policy and that was made clear to him after the meeting he had with Wenger and Gazidis. We’re dead set on seeing out this strategy and it’s why it’s near impossible to win anything. We’d probably wouldn’t have bought the guys we have now if our star players didn’t leave.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Both Arseblog and DarrenArsenal1 (well respected in the Arsenal community) have said he's a fraud/phoney. It's hardly an extreme opinion.

You spend most of your time damning Arseblog as a Pravda emulator, you don't respect his articles from what I have seen. :lol:

[Letters]

However, I think what they are alluding to more is his blatant lack of loyalty in repaying the patience and faith that the club showed him for the 7 years he spent on the injury table. I get that he wants to win things before he dies/retires but he could've tried to do that with us and not sign for fucking Man U.
He could have done but he probably didn't think Arsenal were very serious about trying to win trophies. It's certainly a secondary concern to keeping the money rolling in. We can all see that, the players must be able to as well. Most of our players aren't at the level where they'd be courted by a club like Utd. RvP clearly was, if he didn't think it was possible to win trophies at Arsenal because we're not serious about signing the level of players we need to push us on. Utd are. Loyalty is fine up to a point but there's no point being stupid about it. Forgetting who we support, in the same position most of us would have done the exact same thing. Maybe not in the exact same way.

[Grebbo]

Persie definitely dicked on us, there's no doubt about that. Showed no loyalty at all when we'd shown plenty to him.

But that's football. He left for a bigger club. I'm sure Feyenoord fans felt exactly the same way when he left them for us.

Players leave for the glory. The problem is Arsenal FC cannot offer ANY hope of glory to a player so we're left with buying also-rans like Giroud.

We're on a downward spiral and will probably never recover. We are Liverpool.

[Alpha]

He could have done but he probably didn't think Arsenal were very serious about trying to win trophies. It's certainly a secondary concern to keeping the money rolling in. We can all see that, the players must be able to as well. Most of our players aren't at the level where they'd be courted by a club like Utd. RvP clearly was, if he didn't think it was possible to win trophies at Arsenal because we're not serious about signing the level of players we need to push us on. Utd are. Loyalty is fine up to a point but there's no point being stupid about it. Forgetting who we support, in the same position most of us would have done the exact same thing. Maybe not in the exact same way.

At least you talk sense . Most fans are blinded by emotion . They blame the Board or the Manager for refusing to strengthen and make the team competitive but when the players , who know better than us how the team is being run , react , the same fans blame the players more than the culprits who don't care about the fans .
RVP was loyal and a great player for us but the team let him down . You can't be watching other people winning everything every day and accept it simply because your bosses don't want to win anything . I could have understood people anger towards Van Persie if Arsenal tried to win something . Our transfer policy is wrong and out of date . We are one of the worst in transfer policy . The likes of Swansea , QPR , ...are better than us in that respect .How can we expect to keep our star players ? Plus , our wages are just ridiculous . We pay more money to average and injury-prone players who can not help the team and refuse to give money to those who work hard for the team . We refused to add world class players to help RVP and our offer to him was around 130k per week . How could we have kept him ?

[Grebbo]

At least you talk sense . Most fans are blinded by emotion . They blame the Board or the Manager for refusing to strengthen and make the team competitive but when the players , who know better than us how the team is being run , react , the same fans blame the players more than the culprits who don't care about the fans .
RVP was loyal and a great player for us but the team let him down . You can't be watching other people winning everything every day and accept it simply because your bosses don't want to win anything . I could have understood people anger towards Van Persie if Arsenal tried to win something . Our transfer policy is wrong and out of date . We are one of the worst in transfer policy . The likes of Swansea , QPR , ...are better than us in that respect .How can we expect to keep our star players ? Plus , our wages are just ridiculous . We pay more money to average and injury-prone players who can not help the team and refuse to give money to those who work hard for the team . We refused to add world class players to help RVP and our offer to him was around 130k per week . How could we have kept him ?

I'm sorry but QPR??!! Are you nuts??

We're shit at a lot of things but we're not worse at transfers than bloody QPR!!

[Gooner23]

I'm sorry but QPR??!! Are you nuts??

We're shit at a lot of things but we're not worse at transfers than bloody QPR!!

I fink 'Arrys dun a triffic job wiv them

[Power n Glory]

At least you talk sense . Most fans are blinded by emotion . They blame the Board or the Manager for refusing to strengthen and make the team competitive but when the players , who know better than us how the team is being run , react , the same fans blame the players more than the culprits who don't care about the fans .
RVP was loyal and a great player for us but the team let him down . You can't be watching other people winning everything every day and accept it simply because your bosses don't want to win anything . I could have understood people anger towards Van Persie if Arsenal tried to win something . Our transfer policy is wrong and out of date . We are one of the worst in transfer policy . The likes of Swansea , QPR , ...are better than us in that respect .How can we expect to keep our star players ? Plus , our wages are just ridiculous . We pay more money to average and injury-prone players who can not help the team and refuse to give money to those who work hard for the team . We refused to add world class players to help RVP and our offer to him was around 130k per week . How could we have kept him ?

:gp:

That’s my point of view too. We’ll always cross this bridge if we continue to operate like this.

The guard of honour is going to be a real moment for the team. Seeing their former captain beaming with happiness is going to fill them with envy and maybe spur (excuse me) them on to do better at Arsenal next season. But if it looks like we’re close to being out of the title race again before Christmas and the club and manager harp on about smart spending/super quality but sign no one, that initial drive and desire to win will turn to bitterness towards the club. I remember Wenger once saying something like ‘all players want new signings but when you ask who they want, don’t want anyone that plays in their position’. It’s very true but it came as side swipe to players publically saying we needed new blood. If he and the club want match your ‘sporting ambition’ then what next?

[LDG]

He was given a choice of more money, a longer contract and a better chance of success. If your motives are purely career driven, then I understand why he went.

However, you can't do that AND claim "I will always be a gooner" and all the other bollocks he spouted on leaving. He left a club who had supported him through injury after injury, given him captaincy of the club, and had fans singing his name. Arsenal fans feel let down, because at a time when we needed some stability, we believed that our captain wouldn't do the same as Nasri, as Adebayor, as Helb etc etc. And to that end, he was and is still, and utter utter **** of a man, who never really had Arsenal in his heart. He's just another badge kisser....and Utd fans would do well to hold back their adoration for someone who is clearly just like Nasri on the other side of town.

That doesn't leave the club blameless however. He had another year to run on his contract....so we didn't HAVE to sell him. We only HAD to sell him, in that we wanted a fee for him. But we didn't HAVE to sell him to Utd. We could have sold him abroad....but money clearly mattered more, and we effectively sold Utd the title for 24m.

That is inexcusible, given that we didn't replace him properly, and showed everyone what really mattered more to the club was a profit, and money in the bank.

So in summary, RVP is a fraud, and a judas ****. And our club are just as fucking bad!

[Letters]

And to that end, he was and is still, and utter utter **** of a man, who never really had Arsenal in his heart. He's just another badge kisser....and Utd fans would do well to hold back their adoration for someone who is clearly just like Nasri on the other side of town.
Unfortunately this applies to pretty much all footballers these days hence the disconnect we feel from the game these days.

:(

[Özim]

Loyalty in football is a thing of the past to be honest, but it's a two way street, after all a club can decide to sell a player at any point even if under contract.....does anyone question it's loyalty then?

As for RVP, well he moved and it's was terrible for us to see him go to Man U, but our attitude doesn't help, we expect to keep players happy without really trying to be successful, success for us is financial...should players just accept that and play out their careers with nothing to show for it because the club isn't that concerned about winning?

[Niall_Quinn]

This has just got to be attention seeking right? It's over FFS you joker!

We could claim and say anything about the bloke right up until that Villa game. That's when in his first season at a new club he officially won the title he's carried them to. The debate is over now. The medal is in his hand, the golden boot will be on his foot. It's over. If you want to keep analysing this then turn your attention to our club who wouldn't buy the players we needed to compliment and hang on to the best striker in the world. FFS, we are talking now about splashing £30mill to find a decent striker when we already had the best. How fucking stupid and pointless is that for a bunch of penny pinching ****s?

[Marc Overmars]

As a career decision, there is nothing to say. He's moved to a bigger club and it's been instantly justified. Fair enough.

What stings the most is we were all naive enough to think a modicum of loyalty still existed in the game and that's why we feel let down.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Persie definitely dicked on us, there's no doubt about that. Showed no loyalty at all when we'd shown plenty to him.

But that's football. He left for a bigger club. I'm sure Feyenoord fans felt exactly the same way when he left them for us.

Players leave for the glory. The problem is Arsenal FC cannot offer ANY hope of glory to a player so we're left with buying also-rans like Giroud.

We're on a downward spiral and will probably never recover. We are Liverpool.
Hey!


Fair enough.

[Özil's Panoramic View]

This thread should have been moved to the recycle bin the moment a mod read Joker saying he agrees with Arseblog.

Anyway, RvC is a Judas ****, but he did say the same things about the club that us fans have been saying for years, so I really don't get the griping over what he said. The fans rage and fury would be better suited being directed at the man who sold us short.

Wenger used to go head to head with SAF, why has that stopped? Since Wenger's been here, SAF has won 10 titles compared him winning 3. 5 of those have come since we last won the league, or won anything for that matter. Why the fuck is he still here?

[Niall_Quinn]

This thread should have been moved to the recycle bin the moment a mod read Joker saying he agrees with Arseblog.

Anyway, RvC is a Judas ****, but he did say the same things about the club that us fans have been saying for years, so I really don't get the griping over what he said. The fans rage and fury would be better suited being directed at the man who sold us short.

Wenger used to go head to head with SAF, why has that stopped? Since Wenger's been here, SAF has won 10 titles compared him winning 3. 5 of those have come since we last won the league, or won anything for that matter. Why the fuck is he still here?

Well there was a stadium move that (just coincidentally) was followed by a shareholder buyout. We sold all our decent players to fund it. The goal was to help us compete with the likes of Utd. I assume by compete they meant sell RvP to them.

[Letters]

Wenger used to go head to head with SAF, why has that stopped? Since Wenger's been here, SAF has won 10 titles compared him winning 3. 5 of those have come since we last won the league, or won anything for that matter. Why the fuck is he still here?Because he's meeting the board's (his bosses) objectives.
Top 4 finishes, plenty of money rolling in from the fans and the good people at Sky and UEFA.
Everyone's happy.

Well, everyone but the fans but hey, we're still filling the stadium, buying the shirts and and paying for Sky Sports so who cares about that?

[Özil's Panoramic View]

Well there was a stadium move that (just coincidentally) was followed by a shareholder buyout. We sold all our decent players to fund it. The goal was to help us compete with the likes of Utd. I assume by compete they meant sell RvP to them.

:gp:

I like this post. :haha:

[Özim]

The stadium it seems was one of the biggest cons in history..."to compete with the biggest clubs in the world", "No point having a world class stadium and not having a world class team" etc etc.

Fortunately some ready made excuses then turned up in the likes of Chelsea and Man City.

[IBK]

At least you talk sense . Most fans are blinded by emotion . They blame the Board or the Manager for refusing to strengthen and make the team competitive but when the players , who know better than us how the team is being run , react , the same fans blame the players more than the culprits who don't care about the fans .
RVP was loyal and a great player for us but the team let him down . You can't be watching other people winning everything every day and accept it simply because your bosses don't want to win anything . I could have understood people anger towards Van Persie if Arsenal tried to win something . Our transfer policy is wrong and out of date . We are one of the worst in transfer policy . The likes of Swansea , QPR , ...are better than us in that respect .How can we expect to keep our star players ? Plus , our wages are just ridiculous . We pay more money to average and injury-prone players who can not help the team and refuse to give money to those who work hard for the team . We refused to add world class players to help RVP and our offer to him was around 130k per week . How could we have kept him ?

You see I get that RVP left us for a club where he was more likely to win things. I get that the board and the manager have crapped on us fans by selling the crown jewels every year, and put the boot in by gifting Manure the league into the bargain. But the club letting RVP down? Really? By supporting him though year after year of injury, making him club captain? Turning him into the complete striker and building the team around him?

There is no way in hell Arsenal owed RVP anything, and the day any team starts deferring to any player on matters of transfer policy is the day things start going wrong. We fans may agree with the opinion that RVP expressed when he left but that is not the point. If anyone let anyone else down, RVP let Arsenal down. His motives for doing so do not, IMO, come into this particular argument.

[Özil's Panoramic View]

Because he's meeting the board's (his bosses) objectives.
Top 4 finishes, plenty of money rolling in from the fans and the good people at Sky and UEFA.
Everyone's happy.

Well, everyone but the fans but hey, we're still filling the stadium, buying the shirts and and paying for Sky Sports so who cares about that?

Ok then. But the stadium isn't exactly being filled these, huh? It's obvious we're on a crash course should we continue down this path. Let's see how much longer we'll be finishing top four, and let's so how many more players of worth we're going to have to sell for profit.

Also, it would be interesting to see some credible figures on how our shirt sales have been trending over a few years now.

[Özim]

You see I get that RVP left us for a club where he was more likely to win things. I get that the board and the manager have crapped on us fans by selling the crown jewels every year, and put the boot in by gifting Manure the league into the bargain. But the club letting RVP down? Really? By supporting him though year after year of injury, making him club captain? Turning him into the complete striker and building the team around him?

There is no way in hell Arsenal owed RVP anything, and the day any team starts deferring to any player on matters of transfer policy is the day things start going wrong. We fans may agree with the opinion that RVP expressed when he left but that is not the point. If anyone let anyone else down, RVP let Arsenal down. His motives for doing so do not, IMO, come into this particular argument.
The injuries weren't his fault to be fair and it was our choice to offer him new contract, I personally the motive was to stop us needing to buy anyone else (just as we do with the likes of Diaby, Rosicky etc).

In the end he got to 28/29 and was looking at his final contract, we basically told him we're 2% away from domination and have the best group of players and that transfers are always the answer and he realised there's no hope of anything changing and then decided to leave.

By staying he would basically be sacrificing his career to a club who have no ambition, that might be OK to some players but very few top players will want to settle for that only to look back at their career and think what could have been.

[IBK]

Ok then. But the stadium isn't exactly being filled these, huh? It's obvious we're on a crash course should we continue down this path. Let's see how much longer we'll be finishing top four, and let's so how many more players of worth we're going to have to sell for profit.

Also, it would be interesting to see some credible figures on how our shirt sales have been trending over a few years now.

Its a complete fiasco. I'd be surprised if we even register in terms of gaining new worldwide fans these days. I mean if you were born after 1998, why would you support Arsenal. Manure; Citeh; Chelsea are not only cleaning up the trophies, they are establishing new fan-bases and new marketing opportunities. Its astonishing that a board so money-fixated can't see that long term, their current policy is killing, not strengthening the club.

[Letters]

Ok then. But the stadium isn't exactly being filled these, huh? It's obvious we're on a crash course should we continue down this path. Let's see how much longer we'll be finishing top four, and let's so how many more players of worth we're going to have to sell for profit.

Also, it would be interesting to see some credible figures on how our shirt sales have been trending over a few years now.
You're preaching to the choir, fella, but you asked why he's still here - that's the answer.
There is a clear downward trend in terms of attendance but it's not half full. There's still enough money rolling in to justify the policy from a business point of view.

[IBK]

The injuries weren't his fault to be fair and it was our choice to offer him new contract, I personally the motive was to stop us needing to buy anyone else (just as we do with the likes of Diaby, Rosicky etc).

In the end he got to 28/29 and was looking at his final contract, we basically told him we're 2% away from domination and have the best group of players and that transfers are always the answer and he realised there's no hope of anything changing and then decided to leave.

By staying he would basically be sacrificing his career to a club who have no ambition, that might be OK to some players but very few top players will want to settle for that only to look back at their career and think what could have been.

I think you misunderstand me, Zimm. I think everyone can understand why he left, but its ridiculous to think in terms of the club 'letting RVP down' when the reality is that it did anything but.

[IBK]

You're preaching to the choir, fella, but you asked why he's still here - that's the answer.
There is a clear downward trend in terms of attendance but it's not half full. There's still enough money rolling in to justify the policy from a business point of view.

Agreed - but for how long? What's beginning to really worry me is that the owners of the club know all about building for long - term business success in their own areas, but are just not doing so at Arsenal. Thus they are either incompetent, or they are only there to exploit the club short term.

[Kano]

Ok then. But the stadium isn't exactly being filled these, huh? It's obvious we're on a crash course should we continue down this path. Let's see how much longer we'll be finishing top four, and let's so how many more players of worth we're going to have to sell for profit.

Also, it would be interesting to see some credible figures on how our shirt sales have been trending over a few years now.

http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/10/08/manchester-united-and-real-madrid-top-global-shirt-sale-charts/

people become fans because we're a big club. simple as that.

[Özil's Panoramic View]

Agreed - but for how long? What's beginning to really worry me is that the owners of the club know all about building for long - term business success in their own areas, but are just not doing so at Arsenal. Thus they are either incompetent, or they are only there to exploit the club short term.

I've said this before that our model, which has become too pronounced of late, is a lazy one, aimed at guaranteeing short term returns on whatever whoever the fuck invested.

I really despair for the Club's future if there isn't a shift in how from our current model.

[Ollie the Optimist]

If we were to win a couple of trophies, maybe even a league title in the next 2/3 seasons, would judas count face still have been vindicated in leaving a year or two early?


(And don't reply with what's the point, we won't win anything ever again in the history of the world, it's a hypothetical question)

[Özil's Panoramic View]

You're preaching to the choir, fella, but you asked why he's still here - that's the answer.
There is a clear downward trend in terms of attendance but it's not half full. There's still enough money rolling in to justify the policy from a business point of view.

A choir is seldom allowed to sing on it's own. It needs constant direction, and also, the preacher's job never becomes redundant for the simple fact that the flock must always be reminded of the 'word'. :lol:

[IBK]

I've said this before that our model, which has become too pronounced of late, is a lazy one, aimed at guaranteeing short term returns whatever whoever the fuck invested.

I really despair for the Club's future if there isn't a shift in how from our current model.

It certainly seems that way. With an economist for a manager and a billionaire for an owner - you would have thought that someone could see the link between football and commercial success - but instead we seem to be running on past reputation rather than buildign for the future. And the likes of Citeh and Chelsea are hardly standing still, either.

[IBK]

If we were to win a couple of trophies, maybe even a league title in the next 2/3 seasons, would judas count face still have been vindicated in leaving a year or two early?


(And don't reply with what's the point, we won't win anything ever again in the history of the world, it's a hypothetical question)

'twould probably depend upon what Manure win in the same period.

[Marc Overmars]

If we were to win a couple of trophies, maybe even a league title in the next 2/3 seasons, would judas count face still have been vindicated in leaving a year or two early?


(And don't reply with what's the point, we won't win anything ever again in the history of the world, it's a hypothetical question)

If we win the league or CL (:haha:) then we'll get one over him depending on what United do in that time.

Also, count face. :bow:

[Özim]

If we were to win a couple of trophies, maybe even a league title in the next 2/3 seasons, would judas count face still have been vindicated in leaving a year or two early?


(And don't reply with what's the point, we won't win anything ever again in the history of the world, it's a hypothetical question)
If we win 2 trebles and a quadruple and Man U get relegated and have to sell off all their stars, then we'll have the upper hand.

We're 2% away from achieving this right now.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

It's a bit of a hard one this.

On a pure career perspective you can't blame Van Persie. I don't think he was driven by money but a clear desire to win trophies before he retired which we all honestly know he wasn't going to do so here. A player of his talent can't really only have one Fa Cup trophy to his name. Perhaps I'm naive but I honestly think he would have stayed if we were at the level we were 8 years ago and seriously challenging for the league instead of scrapping into the top four.

However we, the club and the fans, did stick by with him through so much bullshit over the years.

- When he was missing back to back seasons with long term injuries
- When he was arrested for rape back in Holland
- Was accused of racism by David Sommeil
- When he went through that petty childish streak early on his career involving getting sent of against Southampton for a childish tackle

A lot of other clubs, certainly the more ruthless one like a Man City or Chelsea, wouldn't have tolerated that and would have discarded him ages ago - something he may have never recovered from. You'll like to think he would have shown more loyalty and respect for that. At the very least he should have signed a new contract earlier on we at the very least could have extracted the maximum fee out of him - 24 million in today's market is a complete joke especially considering he's practically won the league for his new club.

[Letters]

Clubs rarely discard top players whatever they do, TEG. Take City with Tevez last year.
Fergie wouldn't have put up with that, lots of clubs do though.

[Power n Glory]

I think Fergie would have put up with it considering the the stunt Rooney pulled with his contract talks, his form, weight issues and conduct outside of the club. Rio Ferdinand is another example. The parties, drugs scandal, injuries....if you're good, you'll get away with it.

[Letters]

He is a fraud. Look:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22263252

:sulk:

[Niall_Quinn]

He is a fraud. Look:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22263252

:sulk:

I hope he's not going to eat that dog.

[Letters]

I hope he's not going to eat that dog.
Indians don't eat dogs, you racist.


They do eat their young though.

[Syn]

The only thing I don't understand to this day is why Van Persie chose to damage his reputation by announcing on his website that he didn't agree with the club policy and that he won't be signing a new contract. If we weren't going to sell him, that wouldn't have stopped us. And if were going to sell him, he didn't need to do it and could've kept the respect of the arsenal fans knowing it was purely araenal's decision to sell. You guys like to argue about loads of stupid things but I haven't heard a logical reason for this.

[Marc Overmars]

The only thing I don't understand to this day is why Van Persie chose to damage his reputation by announcing on his website that he didn't agree with the club policy and that he won't be signing a new contract. If we weren't going to sell him, that wouldn't have stopped us. And if were going to sell him, he didn't need to do it and could've kept the respect of the arsenal fans knowing it was purely araenal's decision to sell. You guys like to argue about loads of stupid things but I haven't heard a logical reason for this.

After the talks he held with the board and Wenget, maybe he harbored some resentment towards them? I can't remember exactly what he said but didn't PHW also come out and allude to him possibly being after the money, which he might have taken exception to?

[Syn]

After the talks he held with the board and Wenget, maybe he harbored some resentment towards them? I can't remember exactly what he said but didn't PHW also come out and allude to him possibly being after the money, which he might have taken exception to?

But that's still not the way you would get back at them. Nobody believed him, amongst other things of course he wants more money - everyone does. He could've got a bigger pay by getting another 30 and leaving as a free agent. There's not a single club that wouldn't pay over the odds on his wages if they could get him for free. The way to get back at the club was by saying "I really want to stay but the club want to sell me"...how much anger would there have been directed at the club then?

[Marc Overmars]

Footballers are not very bright.

[Syn]

Footballers are not very bright.

They're not, but he, in particular, doesn't seem to fit the normal description. I'm not taking about footballing genius like Rooney who end up being stupid off the pitch. I have mentioned many times that Van Persie gives the best interviews. It's not cliche driven bollocks - he appears to be very smart in general. I could be wrong.

[Kano]

quite simply? because footballers are stupid and naive, wrapped up in their bubble world still believing they hold that 'connection' with the common guy. they have no track record of handling their own PR in the correct fashion and those that attempt to, usually end up with egg on their faces. he thought he would try the 'honest' approach, that all the fans were praying at the RVP altar after his star studded season, Mr Big Schtuff Captain, coming out all honest like, one-to-one, man-to-man type shit and we'd all get it. he fucked up basically.

[Marc Overmars]

They're not, but he, in particular, doesn't seem to fit the normal description. I'm not taking about footballing genius like Rooney who end up being stupid off the pitch. I have mentioned many times that Van Persie gives the best interviews. It's not cliche driven bollocks - he appears to be very smart in general. I could be wrong.

I think he was badly advised.

[Letters]

Maybe he was just being honest :shrug:

[GP]

After the talks he held with the board and Wenget, maybe he harbored some resentment towards them? I can't remember exactly what he said but didn't PHW also come out and allude to him possibly being after the money, which he might have taken exception to?

That's not really what happened. Some less bright posters like to bang on about that but it was simply a case of PHW being asked if Arsenal could match a City wage offer, with the answer being obvious.

[GP]

Maybe he was just being honest :shrug:

That doesn't really make sense. If those were his honest thoughts he can say it privately. There was no need to release his statement 'for the fans. Which was for no one but himself.

[Ollie the Optimist]

He's a judas **** who spat everything arsene wenger gave him back in his face. He stood by the injury prone dick, when many fans were saying to sell him because he knew how good he was, he believed in him and was proved right and that **** spat everything back in his face. He's a fraud, a **** and left because he forced the club to sell with that fucking statement

[Power n Glory]

The only thing I don't understand to this day is why Van Persie chose to damage his reputation by announcing on his website that he didn't agree with the club policy and that he won't be signing a new contract. If we weren't going to sell him, that wouldn't have stopped us. And if were going to sell him, he didn't need to do it and could've kept the respect of the arsenal fans knowing it was purely araenal's decision to sell. You guys like to argue about loads of stupid things but I haven't heard a logical reason for this.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11670/7804552/Hill-Wood-s-RVP-warning


Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood admits that Robin van Persie will quit the club if he wants big money.

The Gunners captain and talisman has just a year left on his current deal and he is in talks about an extension.

But a host of clubs from across the continent are showing an interest with the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United strongly linked in England.

And Hill-Wood admits that if money is the deciding factor then their captain will most likely leave.

"He is vital to us and has been an extremely good captain," said Hill-Wood in the Sunday Mirror.

"But if somebody comes along and offers Robin £250,000 a week then I am afraid we cannot compete with that.

"With players, you never know what they are going to do.

Loyalty
"Some players say they want silverware but when they have the chance to earn extraordinary money that has been pumped into the game, then you just have to hope they will stay because they are happy and loyal where they are.

"There are players like Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes at Manchester United who have been loyal to one club but players like that are few and far between.

"Hopefully we can reach agreement with Robin and ideally he will extend his contract.

"We have already brought in one new player in Lukas Podolski and I believe we will bring in more. I am confident we will, in fact.

"I just hope that Robin will be with us next season because I genuinely feel we can make a real challenge for the Premier League title.

"We had an atrocious start to last season but we recovered to finish third which was a marvellous achievement when you look at the problems that we had with injuries."

I said when this was released that he was right and on the money. It’s true, we can’t compete. But why release this into the press and link him with a move in the heat of the speculation about where he was going? With so much spin and PR stunts, you have to question why he’s said this and it’s not a case of the media asking a question and PHW giving a simple answer. If so, then he’s a very foolish old man that needs to steer clear of talking to the press. There was a slight backlash from the fans when RVP was linked with City and I could sense this story would cause trouble. I believe RVP wanted to make the fans aware of the fact that he’s not leaving the club for money. Maybe he should have kept his mouth shut but it wouldn’t have changed the outcome of the fans reactions. Cesc kept quiet and let other people talk for him and there was a huge backlash. It would have made no difference.
.

[Niall_Quinn]

The only thing I don't understand to this day is why Van Persie chose to damage his reputation by announcing on his website that he didn't agree with the club policy and that he won't be signing a new contract. If we weren't going to sell him, that wouldn't have stopped us. And if were going to sell him, he didn't need to do it and could've kept the respect of the arsenal fans knowing it was purely araenal's decision to sell. You guys like to argue about loads of stupid things but I haven't heard a logical reason for this.

Maybe he calculated there was enough bad feeling towards the club's policies he'd get support from the fans. That way he could leave and have the fans nodding in understanding rather than calling him a traitorous ****. He calculated correctly in many cases.

[Syn]

Maybe he should have kept his mouth shut but it wouldn’t have changed the outcome of the fans reactions. Cesc kept quiet and let other people talk for him and there was a huge backlash. It would have made no difference.
.

Of course it would've changed the reactions - not just of our fans but everyone in football. Reading on Rawk and elsewhere, everyone thinks he's a bit of a **** for doing what he did. He didn't need to do it and if he was pissed off at PHW, as I said, his statement shouldve been "I want to stay but Arsenal want the money and want to sell", knowing full well that Arsenal had got the replacements in and wanted to cash in.

The bottom line is -Cesc would not be booed. He never made a secret about wanting to go back to Barcelona (as stupid a decision as that was) and kept his mouth shut and didn't slag off the club. Even though he had 3 years on his contract, he knew the club would sell, and we did.

Its illogical behaviour and I think Van Persie is more switched on than that. As thick skinned as he might be, and as happy as he might be at winning the title, everyone also likes to be loved and I'm sure he's regretting releasing that statement, knowing full well the move to man Utd would've happened anyway.

[Syn]

Maybe he calculated there was enough bad feeling towards the club's policies he'd get support from the fans. That way he could leave and have the fans nodding in understanding rather than calling him a traitorous ****. He calculated correctly in many cases.

Not really. GW is more anti-club than Arsenal fans in general. The Letters' of this world who bother to go to matches these days think he's a **** and he there's a lot of ill feeling. I would say he calculated wrongly. Should've done a Cesc.

[Niall_Quinn]

Not really. GW is more anti-club than Arsenal fans in general. The Letters' of this world who bother to go to matches these days think he's a **** and he there's a lot of ill feeling. I would say he calculated wrongly. Should've done a Cesc.

Are you implying he's a ****?

[Power n Glory]

Of course it would've changed the reactions - not just of our fans but everyone in football. Reading on Rawk and elsewhere, everyone thinks he's a bit of a **** for doing what he did. He didn't need to do it and if he was pissed off at PHW, as I said, his statement shouldve been "I want to stay but Arsenal want the money and want to sell", knowing full well that Arsenal had got the replacements in and wanted to cash in.

The bottom line is -Cesc would not be booed. He never made a secret about wanting to go back to Barcelona (as stupid a decision as that was) and kept his mouth shut and didn't slag off the club. Even though he had 3 years on his contract, he knew the club would sell, and we did.

Its illogical behaviour and I think Van Persie is more switched on than that. As thick skinned as he might be, and as happy as he might be at winning the title, everyone also likes to be loved and I'm sure he's regretting releasing that statement, knowing full well the move to man Utd would've happened anyway.

Why would a statement of ‘Arsenal want to cash’ be any better than what he did? Wouldn’t that be worse and a serious disrespect to the club? I think he may have misjudged the fans and shouldn’t have said anything. It was handled badly and the club knew what they were doing when they stopped him from talking to the press and then PHW makes that silly statement. Each of them were trying to play the blame game. PHW was trying to blame to spin the ‘modern day player’ story. Didn’t he talk about Man Utd and Scholes or was that when he was talking about Theo? RVP was blaming the club and putting the spin on the clubs ‘sporting ambition’.

[Özil's Panoramic View]

We may all never agree on the circumstances surrounding his departure, but I think we can all agree he's a Judas ****.

Absolutely disgusting, cringeworthy and heartwrenching seeing him hugging and celebrating with that odious whiskey nose bastard. He can play it down all he wants, but I'm sure he can never be impervious to what Gooners who stuck by him, sung his name and blindly adored him, think of him today. He wasn't just here for a season or two, so he's bloody hell fully cognizant of the fact that the mancs are a filthy set of sub human, oxygen thieving scums and that we share mutual resentment and loathing for each other.

That's who he chose to abandon us for, so yes, FUCK HIM! I hope the fans boo him to high heaven come Sunday.

**** bastard.

[Syn]

Are you implying he's a ****?

I can't relate to a millionnaire footballer. If I was him I would've stayed at arsenal knowing full well I was going to be filthy rich no matter what, I would be loved by millions of Arsenal fans - become a club legend on the level of bergkamp, and knowing that I'm so fucking great that I'm the best player in the league by a massive margin and I could make up about 25 points on my own and hence give Arsenal a chance of winning the title anyway.

If I think he's a ****, I think the club are bigger ****s for selling out and giving a massive fuck you to the fans. Fair enough they finally managed to keep a promising Walcott. But the time to take a stand was at Van Persie. We were paid to get bullied and the club has lost its dignity.

[Power n Glory]

Maybe he calculated there was enough bad feeling towards the club's policies he'd get support from the fans. That way he could leave and have the fans nodding in understanding rather than calling him a traitorous ****. He calculated correctly in many cases.

:gp:

I agree with that but didn't expect the backlash. The club have admitted they were trying to attract PSG with a bid. If we had sold him to PSG, wouldn’t that have just reinforced the clubs spin about him wanting more money and really damage his reputation? They were spinning it so it looked like the main sticking point was money from very early on.

[Syn]

Why would a statement of ‘Arsenal want to cash’ be any better than what he did? Wouldn’t that be worse and a serious disrespect to the club? I think he may have misjudged the fans and shouldn’t have said anything. It was handled badly and the club knew what they were doing when they stopped him from talking to the press and then PHW makes that silly statement. Each of them were trying to play the blame game. PHW was trying to blame to spin the ‘modern day player’ story. Didn’t he talk about Man Utd and Scholes or was that when he was talking about Theo? RVP was blaming the club and putting the spin on the clubs ‘sporting ambition’.

It would've been much better because Van Persie would be indicating the club want to sell him more than he wants to leave. Right now, we're not so sure. If you've said you want to stay, then it's automatically the clubs fault (who have final say) for selling.

[Power n Glory]

It would've been much better because Van Persie would be indicating the club want to sell him more than he wants to leave. Right now, we're not so sure. If you've said you want to stay, then it's automatically the clubs fault (who have final say) for selling.

I highly doubt people would have bought that story. All he had to do was sign a contract if he wanted to stay. Nasri and Adebayor tried to pull that nosense and it didn't wash.

[Syn]

I highly doubt people would have bought that story. All he had to do was sign a contract if he wanted to stay. Nasri and Adebayor tried to pull that nosense and it didn't wash.

You're missing the point - of course most would be suspicious until he signed a new contact. But the point is - in public - he wasn't the one forcing the move, and so it's more transparently the club's decision. I, and many others I guess, weren't angry that he didn't sign a new contract. If we can't afford him, that's that - what can a club do. I was very annoyed that we didn't hold him to his last year of his contract, took the hit of £12m (taking away Giroud's fee) and gave ourselves the best chance of doing well on the pitch. This showed where the club's priorities are.

[Power n Glory]

You're missing the point - of course most would be suspicious until he signed a new contact. But the point is - in public - he wasn't the one forcing the move, and so it's more transparently the club's decision. I, and many others I guess, weren't angry that he didn't sign a new contract. If we can't afford him, that's that - what can a club do. I was very annoyed that we didn't hold him to his last year of his contract, took the hit of £12m (taking away Giroud's fee) and gave ourselves the best chance of doing well on the pitch. This showed where the club's priorities are.

How is that different from the Nasri situation or the stick Theo was getting for stalling on a contract? Regardless of how he’d play this out in the public, he’d have still suffered the same backlash. The situation is already as transparent as it gets. We sold him to Man Utd when we didn’t have to. After selling RVP we also decide to sell Song, make a lot of noise about replacing him and then end up doing nothing as usual. The way this season has played out with the spin and rubbish is enough for fans to see what’s going on. It’s a surprise to me that this conversation is even happening as if there is some sort of ambiguity surrounding his transfer.

At the end of the day, fans are mad that he left and that’s just it really. How we want to dress up that anger is another story and think a lot is being made of this statement when in truth there wouldn’t have been an easier way for us to lose another one of captains and key players. It’s another gut punch.

[Özim]

I still don't get why him telling us what we already knew is a kick in the teeth?

He said the club and it "had become clear to me that we in many aspects disagree on the way Arsenal FC should move forward", we all knew this right...so why are we annoyed at him stating someone we've known for years....if anything it puts an end to the conspiracies that players are just leaving "because of the money".

We would have sold him either way, whether he'd kept quiet about it or not.

[Özim]

He's a judas **** who spat everything arsene wenger gave him back in his face. He stood by the injury prone dick, when many fans were saying to sell him because he knew how good he was, he believed in him and was proved right and that **** spat everything back in his face. He's a fraud, a **** and left because he forced the club to sell with that fucking statement
Yeah and you were the guy telling us he was definitely staying etc etc.

Wenger stuck by him because that's what he does, stick by crocks in the hope they'll one day be fit so that he doesn't have to spend sh*t and can pickup his 7 million a year safe in the knowledge that he's made the club a profit again.

He didn't force the club to sell, they would have sold him anyway once they'd realised he wasn't going to sign a new contract.

[Cripps_orig]

He's a ****

Fuck him

[Xhaka Can’t]

He's a judas **** who spat everything arsene wenger gave him back in his face. He stood by the injury prone dick, when many fans were saying to sell him because he knew how good he was, he believed in him and was proved right and that **** spat everything back in his face. He's a fraud, a **** and left because he forced the club to sell with that fucking statement

And breathe.

[Cripps_orig]

I still don't get why him telling us what we already knew is a kick in the teeth?

He said the club and it "had become clear to me that we in many aspects disagree on the way Arsenal FC should move forward", we all knew this right...so why are we annoyed at him stating someone we've known for years....if anything it puts an end to the conspiracies that players are just leaving "because of the money".

We would have sold him either way, whether he'd kept quiet about it or not.no problem with what he said and I don't blame him for leaving.

Why he had to go to Man utd is the reason he's a ****. He spat in all the arsenal fans faces and showed he didn't give a shit about us.

Fuck him. He's a ****

[Özil's Panoramic View]

no problem with what he said and I don't blame him for leaving.

Why he had to go to Man utd is the reason he's a ****. He spat in all the arsenal fans faces and showed he didn't give a shit about us.

Fuck him. He's a ****

Simply put.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

why do we have to keep on talking about him? can we not just leave it?

now that you've raised it up, what makes him a fraud exactly? if you're referring to what he's doing on the pitch then clearly you need to get off the internet and check into a mental hospital. if you're talking about off the pitch then he's a wanker, not a fraud. you've chosen completely the wrong word. but then again, why should he have stayed? if every tom and his dog can see what's going on at this club, why should players be immune to it? they get 1 career and have to make important choices or else they live to regret it for the rest of their lives. he hit his peak and came at a crossroads; stay here and win nothing or go to united and win everything. he chose the latter.

an agglomeration of factors contributed to him deciding to leave and it all started years ago when a deep-rooted, systematically flawed, broken value system was implemented between the board and manager. this has contributed to a downgrade of this football club and my only worry is the effect players leaving and winning trophies elsewhere will have on the current squad.

nasri and clichy leave, they win the league. cesc leaves, he wins the league. van persie leaves, he wins the league. i was hoping theo signing a new contract would put an end to the cycle of departures but van persie's title winning season might just start it again.

[IBK]

why do we have to keep on talking about him? can we not just leave it?

now that you've raised it up, what makes him a fraud exactly? if you're referring to what he's doing on the pitch then clearly you need to get off the internet and check into a mental hospital. if you're talking about off the pitch then he's a wanker, not a fraud. you've chosen completely the wrong word. but then again, why should he have stayed? if every tom and his dog can see what's going on at this club, why should players be immune to it? they get 1 career and have to make important choices or else they live to regret it for the rest of their lives. he hit his peak and came at a crossroads; stay here and win nothing or go to united and win everything. he chose the latter.

an agglomeration of factors contributed to him deciding to leave and it all started years ago when a deep-rooted, systematically flawed, broken value system was implemented between the board and manager. this has contributed to a downgrade of this football club and my only worry is the effect players leaving and winning trophies elsewhere will have on the current squad.

nasri and clichy leave, they win the league. cesc leaves, he wins the league. van persie leaves, he wins the league. i was hoping theo signing a new contract would put an end to the cycle of departures but van persie's title winning season might just start it again.

We fuck it up whether they stay or go...

[Niall_Quinn]

why do we have to keep on talking about him? can we not just leave it?

now that you've raised it up, what makes him a fraud exactly? if you're referring to what he's doing on the pitch then clearly you need to get off the internet and check into a mental hospital. if you're talking about off the pitch then he's a wanker, not a fraud. you've chosen completely the wrong word. but then again, why should he have stayed? if every tom and his dog can see what's going on at this club, why should players be immune to it? they get 1 career and have to make important choices or else they live to regret it for the rest of their lives. he hit his peak and came at a crossroads; stay here and win nothing or go to united and win everything. he chose the latter.

an agglomeration of factors contributed to him deciding to leave and it all started years ago when a deep-rooted, systematically flawed, broken value system was implemented between the board and manager. this has contributed to a downgrade of this football club and my only worry is the effect players leaving and winning trophies elsewhere will have on the current squad.

nasri and clichy leave, they win the league. cesc leaves, he wins the league. van persie leaves, he wins the league. i was hoping theo signing a new contract would put an end to the cycle of departures but van persie's title winning season might just start it again.

Good point, out of all those players we end up with Walnut.

[IBK]

Good point, out of all those players we end up with Walnut.

Better put than me! :angry:

[Joker]

http://news.arseblog.com/2013/04/andrei-arshavin-by-the-numbers/

Interesting article. Notice how Chamakh's form went down the toilet when RVP returned, and the same with Rooney at Utd. IMO RVP is a player who demands attention on the pitch, and the play has to be centred around him. Therefore, naturally he will score goals and hog the headlines. But football is a collective game, and if RVP's influence negatively affects other players, can you really say he's a top quality perfomer? Surely world classs footballers are those who work well with other players as well as play well on their own terms.

[Xhaka Can’t]

He is the reason United have strolled to the title.

Give.
It.
Up.

[Joker]

He is the reason United have strolled to the title.

Give.
It.
Up.

Yes, but who knows what will happen next season? Football's a team game, and if one player becomes bigger than the team you could be running into problems.

[Kano]

http://news.arseblog.com/2013/04/andrei-arshavin-by-the-numbers/

Interesting article. Notice how Chamakh's form went down the toilet when RVP returned, and the same with Rooney at Utd. IMO RVP is a player who demands attention on the pitch, and the play has to be centred around him. Therefore, naturally he will score goals and hog the headlines. But football is a collective game, and if RVP's influence negatively affects other players, can you really say he's a top quality perfomer? Surely world classs footballers are those who work well with other players as well as play well on their own terms.
:lol: now Arseblog is your accredited source of information.

conclusive
We won’t know if that’s because the two didn’t get along, or if Wenger had wanted to bench him a year earlier but couldn’t because of Robin’s injury problems, or if there’s even any causal relationship between the two events.

Have you noticed, that no-one shares your view and your isolated stance only looks very bitter?

[KSE Comedy Club]

Yes, but who knows what will happen next season? Football's a team game, and if one player becomes bigger than the team you could be running into problems.

Thats utd's worry not ours, so what's your point?

[Niall_Quinn]

Anyone see that fraud Lewandowski last night? What a fucker, four goals and he gets all of them. Talk about an attention seeking fraud. I bet Dortmund can't wait to be shot of him, preferably to Bayern.

[Letters]

But football is a collective game, and if RVP's influence negatively affects other players, can you really say he's a top quality perfomer? Surely world classs footballers are those who work well with other players as well as play well on their own terms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance#Belief_disconfirmation_paradi gm

tbh.

[Kano]

Indeed several of our traditions date from before the days of Sky.

Take the guard of honour. It is not always possible for players to mark their opponents’ league triumph by lining up and applauding them on to the pitch.

It did not happen last season for the obvious, practical reason that the champions were not identified until the third minute of added time in the last game.

But when Arsenal won the old Football League title back in 1991, there was plenty of time for a guard to be organised for their final game of the season. Intriguingly it was against Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson arranged for his players to demonstrate their respect for his good friend George Graham’s champions by standing in line to clap them on to the Highbury pitch.

In the Premier League era it has been done on several occasions. When Chelsea won the title with half a dozen games left to play in 2005, players of both Newcastle United and United lined up to applaud.

Though some did so through gritted teeth. Gary Neville wore an expression that suggested that joining in the clapping was like being subjected to the kind of torture Torquemada might consider excessive.

When Chelsea returned the honour a couple of seasons later, John Terry and Frank Lampard looked no less uncomfortable.

Particularly as, with the title decided, the United team that day consisted of such a callow collection of youth-team players and reserves, they must have wondered why it was they were standing there applauding the ball boys. But at least they went through the motions and put their hands together.

According to reports, the crowd turning up at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday appear less inclined to maintain tradition. After Arsène Wenger indicated that he would be honouring the new champions in the standard way, a campaign has started on social media proposing that Arsenal supporters turn their backs on it all. Do the Poznan is the idea.

The logic is this: United won the league because of the goals scored by Robin van Persie. And since Van Persie showed no respect to the club who had nurtured his talent by heading north in pursuit of trophies, they have no requirement to show any respect to him.

Funny that. Back in 2004, when Arsenal’s Invincibles won the title with several games to spare, they did so at White Hart Lane. The Tottenham Hotspur supporters spent much of that game spewing vitriol in the direction of Sol Campbell, the Spurs stalwart who had abandoned the club three seasons previously for Arsenal because – he stated at the time – he wanted to win things.

Mocking their rivals’ spluttering indignation, the Gunners fans at the ground flourished a banner designed to point up their centre-back’s motivation. “Why did Sol leave the Lane?” it read. “Arsenal champions. 43 years and you’re still waiting.”

This is at the heart of the Arsenal supporters’ fury at the idea of a guard of honour: nine seasons ago, they were the club that offered players the chance to fulfil ambition; after eight trophy-free years these days they have become a club that supplies others with the raw material to accumulate honours.

The fans’ anger would have been the same had Manchester City won the title and been afforded an Emirates guard of honour. In their ranks would have been Kolo Touré, Gaël Clichy and Samir Nasri, all of whom abandoned north London in search of silverware.

What this guard of honour has done is provide a point of articulation for the rumbling discontent about Arsenal’s decline. Across much of the Premier League’s 21-year history, it was their club challenging United hegemony.

So tight was the competition the raging antipathy was personal. Pizzagate, Roy Keane squaring up to Patrick Vieira in the tunnel, Martin Keown dancing round Ruud van Nistelrooy: all are history. Now there is a guard of honour. Now Arsenal are so far off the pace, Ferguson – who once made plain his visceral loathing of Wenger at every opportunity – can chummily first name his erstwhile rival.

“Arsène told me he was a better player than I thought,” he said of Van Persie after the title was secured on Monday. “And he was right.”

This is what really infuriates Arsenal supporters: that their team have slipped so far from contenders to also-rans that they no longer discomfort the opposition.

So what can they do? Well, Piers Morgan is among those questioning the guard of honour. The former tabloid editor told his three million followers on Twitter that the very idea of demonstrating respect had left him “actually trembling with fury”. His favoured hashtag at the moment is #vanpursestrings.

Though in truth, much as he might wish it to be the case, not everyone takes their lead from Piers Morgan or from Twitter.

In 2008, ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Munich air crash, social media was awash with dire predictions of Manchester City fans spoiling the minute’s silence at Old Trafford.

In the event they were immaculate in their observance. I suspect Sunday’s moment will pass with little more than a few boos. Because most Arsenal fans know that to rage against Van Persie is to miss the point. His defection is not the root cause of their condition. It is merely the most obvious symptom.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/10016200/Arsenal-fans-should-rage-against-their-clubs-decline-not-Robin-van-Persie.html

[Özil's Panoramic View]

Read that and again I say, do what's right by affording the filth a guard of honour, boo the fuck out of the Judas ****, but save the fury and frustration for the fuckers who have been systematically destroying this once great club.

[I_Killed_Kenny]

Read that and again I say, do what's right by affording the filth a guard of honour, boo the fuck out of the Judas ****, but save the fury and frustration for the fuckers who have been systematically destroying this once great club.

:gp:

we must respect the guard of honour. We are THE Arsenal and have always behaved correctly and must do so again. Once the game kicks off that is a whole other matter and abuse the shit out the ****s.

failure to pay due respect will tarnish our club with being petulant and we will show up to have an inferiority complex.we are above that, surely. all this doing the poznan is stupid if you ask me. thats for game time.

[LDG]

Interesting from Fergie:


"For Arsenal to have one of their players go to their biggest rivals of the last 20 years doesn't sit well with their fans, nor Arsene for that matter.

"But it does happen. You just have to move on."



:shrug:

[GP]

Interesting from Fergie:



:shrug:

Well, of course.

I'm sure he felt as betrayed as the rest of us.

[Munchies]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BIxx852CEAEJlnW.jpg:large

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Anybody else just hear the re-done RVP song by the Arsenal Away Boyz on Drivetime (TalkSport)?

Absolutely brilliant.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/listen-again/episode/112831

From 1730-1800 (and then skip three minutes).

:bow:

[Grebbo]

Interesting from Fergie:



:shrug:

You think Arsene was happy to sell RVP to Fergie??!!

[Grebbo]

http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/listen-again/episode/112831

From 1730-1800 (and then skip three minutes).

:bow:

:lol:

[Letters]

http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/listen-again/episode/112831

From 1730-1800 (and then skip three minutes).

:bow:
:lol:

Awlsome (although the bit about Giroud is maybe stretching the truth somewhat!)

[Ollie the Optimist]

Well, of course.

I'm sure he felt as betrayed as the rest of us.


i think of all the players to leave us, this was the one that hurt wenger the most. he took a talented yet angry teenager and made him into one of the best strikers in the world, and stood by him through his rape case and injuries to have it all spat back in his face. although you wont ever catch him saying it in the media, i bet secerctly wenger fucking hates him

[Özim]

Wenger won't hate him at all, it'll ensure the club makes a tidy profit and he'll be able to justify his 7 million a year. I bet he f*cking loves him!

[Niall_Quinn]

http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/listen-again/episode/112831

From 1730-1800 (and then skip three minutes).

:bow:

Stapleton :lol:

Judas the first.

[Munchies]

I had a signature from stapleton with my name and everything when I was around 10. This was before I really knew too much about him, but I didn't bother with it and it probably ended up in the bin

[Munchies]

http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/listen-again/episode/112831

From 1730-1800 (and then skip three minutes).

:bow:

:haha: good stuff

[Ollie the Optimist]

Arsene Wenger claims Robin van Persie left Arsenal because his body-clock was ticking on dreams of silverware.

Wenger likened Van Persie’s desire for titles to a woman fearing time was running out on her chances of motherhood and admits the Dutchman felt he had a better chance of winning trophies at Manchester United.

“He had arrived at the age of 29 and thought, ‘can we win the championship here or do I have more chances to win it somewhere else’?” said Wenger, ahead of Sunday's reunion with Van Persie as new champions United visit the Emirates.

“There’s a kind of timescale - like for a woman who has no baby at 39. She starts to think I have not much time left now.”

Wenger also feared there was a danger Van Persie might sulk through the final year of his contract and that is why he decided to sell him last summer.

The Gunners' boss admitted it was one of the “hardest decisions” he has ever made but made it clear it was van Persie who forced the move rather than the club cashing in.

“Yes, of course it was one of the hardest decisions,” said Wenger. “But at some stage you have to be realistic. I can explain to you what is around that story one day. I am sure that you will be much more comprehensive about it.

“It is difficult for all the players when a player does not want to be here, to force him to be here and know that at the end of the season the club does not get anything with knowing that he might not contribute as well. So you are twice a loser.

“We have lost some other big players like Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, they had won with the club and they were around 30 or 31. He could help us to win because we haven’t won for a few years. That he left before that, was frustrating for us.”

Wenger has already admitted it was a phone call from Sir Alex Ferguson that finally forced the deal to happen but says Van Persie was brutally honest in his desire to leave.

“It was completely honest with Robin,” said Wenger. “We had a frank exchange of views. He’s an honest guy, Robin. He tells you the truth. The truth is what you want. He was respectful until the end and we cannot complain.”

Wenger has urged Arsenal fans to show “respect” to Van Persie, which may be a little unrealistic, especially with the guard of honour to mark United’s position as the new champions.

Van Persie is seen as public enemy No.1 by Arsenal fans and is certain to get a hostile reception but Wenger will urge his players not to get themselves into any sort of trouble.

In October's reverse fixture, Andre Santos swapped shirts with RVP and was never forgiven before being shipped out on loan.


Getting shirty: Van Persie and Andre Santos at Old Trafford earlier this season
Alex Livesey

“From that moment it became more difficult for Santos,” said Wenger. “He didn’t really see anything bad in that and it was not because he doesn’t care about the game, it is just the way they do it in Brazil.

“I agree it is something that should not happen. I am against it but I have seen it in other games.

“I will ask our players to focus and give absolutely everything in this game. The chance we have to beat them is to be up for it.

“A guard of honour is just to respect those that have been stronger than you. In life if someone is stronger than you then respect him. It is not easy.

“I don’t think it deeply hurts the fans. It hurts them that you do not win it. It is a concrete realisation that you do not win it. But you show some class and it will not hurt our fans.”

Wenger warned his players they cannot expect United to be in a party mood but says Arsenal cannot afford to let up in the battle for a top-four place.

He added: “Because we suffered at Old Trafford it is a good opportunity to show we have improved since.

"It is a special game. In two to three games they will ease off. Whether they want to or not. It would be a big mistake for us to think they will ease off on Sunday.”



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interesting read from wenger. he does genuinely sound hurt when you read it.

[Injury Time]

interesting read from wenger. he does genuinely sound hurt when you read it.

Yes but has he learnt anything from it? Guess not "won't hurt the fans" :ilt:

[Niall_Quinn]

interesting read from wenger. he does genuinely sound hurt when you read it.


I can explain to you what is around that story one day.

We shouldn't wait for that explanation, it will be too late by then. The board should be run out of this club by whatever means so they pay the penalty for their actions now rather than after they cash in when it won't matter, as was the case with the last bunch of thieving rats.

[Master Splinter]

I will tell you everything about everything one day.

Will this be in my ever-forthcoming book which has achieved now little bit mythical status?

There is a chance of a small possibility I believe, yes.

Will I nevertheless continue to pocket the money until the waiting period up to the book's release is over?

As well you know, it is not a quality to comment on future speculations.

[Özim]

interesting read from wenger. he does genuinely sound hurt when you read it.
Oh poor Wenger :upset: however will he get over it.

7 million notes should do it.

Got no sympathy for they guy, if he wanted to keep his best players he should have done a better job of trying to win.

[Letters]

Oh poor Wenger :upset: however will he get over it.

7 million notes should do it.

Got no sympathy for they guy, if he wanted to keep his best players he should have done a better job of trying to win.


http://www.justintimepr.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/scratched_record.jpg

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

i dont feel sorry for someone who created his own bed.

lie in it you wanker.

[Ernesto]

Ferguson's speaking through his arsehole again. In 2002, we won the league at their patch, but they did no such guard of honour for Arsenal after the game.

[Letters]

Ferguson's speaking through his arsehole again. In 2002, we won the league at their patch, but they did no such guard of honour for Arsenal after the game.
I don't think anyone has done it after a game.

[Injury Time]

I don't think anyone has done it after a game.

No that's the more traditional tunnel of death/ pizza/ punch up*

*delete as appropriate

[Ernesto]

I don't think anyone has done it after a game.

Exactly. Totally ridiculous suggestion by Baconface to shower his club in glory instead of perennial shit.

[KSE Comedy Club]

interesting read from wenger. he does genuinely sound hurt when you read it.

He should look at the first part that he said and have a long hard think about it.

He's part of the reason why RVP or any top player would ask that question.

[Ollie the Optimist]

Oh poor Wenger :upset: however will he get over it.

7 million notes should do it.

Got no sympathy for they guy, if he wanted to keep his best players he should have done a better job of trying to win.


Zimm, how much money do you earn? please let me know so i can mention everytime i reply in a post to you

[Xhaka Can’t]

Leave it Ollie.

[GP]

Leave it 'E ain't wurf it.

[Letters]

Leave it 'E ain't wurf it.
Talking of people not being worth it, do you know how much Wenger earns?

[Ollie the Optimist]

Talking of people not being worth it, do you know how much Wenger earns?

is 7 million by any chance?

[GP]

Talking of people not being worth it, do you know how much Wenger earns?

Far less than he makes for the club?

[Özim]

Zimm, how much money do you earn? please let me know so i can mention everytime i reply in a post to you
I'm 2% away from 7 million.

[Özim]

http://www.justintimepr.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/scratched_record.jpg
Many have said that about the guy!

[Özim]

Talking of people not being worth it, do you know how much Wenger earns?
In simple terms, way more than he's worth!

[Özim]

He should look at the first part that he said and have a long hard think about it.

He's part of the reason why RVP or any top player would ask that question.
Precisely, he never seems to recognise that for some reason, I'm shocked he was surprised RVP wanted to leave to be honest.

[Letters]

Many have said that about the guy!
You certainly have.
Over and over again.
Again and again.

Bit like a...broken record.

Ironic, eh?

[Ollie the Optimist]

all these intereviews with the judas today. one quote sticks out like a sore thumb


ive always respected the Arsenal fans

no you havnt you ****.

but just the way he talks about the lack of trophies here, it reads that its ridclously unfair on him that his team mates never won him a medal while he sat on sidelines injured for 6 and a half years. judas fucking ****

[Özim]

It amazes me people expected him to stay on and waste what's left of his career with us, he only has one career. At the end of the day if he hadn't made it with us he'd have made it somewhere else, he's always had bags of talent, Van Basten rated him and Robben as Holland's best two young players.

Why should he owe us anything, we choose to pay him and offer him a new contract, we don't do it out of the goodness of our heart but because it suits us and we think it will benefit us. He had injuries, not his fault and we chose to sign him up on new contracts again not down to him made the offer.

Seems to me people think that clubs do players a favour by offering giving them contracts, they're thinking about themselves when they do it, it's not sentiment.

[Niall_Quinn]

It amazes me people expected him to stay on and waste what's left of his career with us, he only has one career. At the end of the day if he hadn't made it with us he'd have made it somewhere else, he's always had bags of talent, Van Basten rated him and Robben as Holland's best two young players.

Why should he owe us anything, we choose to pay him and offer him a new contract, we don't do it out of the goodness of our heart but because it suits us and we think it will benefit us. He had injuries, not his fault and we chose to sign him up on new contracts again not down to him made the offer.

Seems to me people think that clubs do players a favour by offering giving them contracts, they're thinking about themselves when they do it, it's not sentiment.

No, he didn't owe the club anything. He had a contractual arrangement with the club to the satisfaction of both parties. Your point is made.

Now here's the huge, huge, elephantine point you missed. The fans. You know, the great unwashed who actually dig in their pockets to make this whole football thing go round and around? Remember them?

He owed the fans a LOT, not least respect. We already know the club doesn't respect the fans. So we turn to the players to see if we can get a shred of that mutual satisfaction. But no luck there either, turns out the players don't give a fuck about the fans either. At least not beyond the theatrical, the badge kissing, let's do it for the kids, tell me how much you love me bullshit they spout in the newspapers.

The fans (not the club) paid this guy to sit in a treatment room for six years. Then they elevated him to cult hero status when he eventually managed to put a season together. He was the club captain. Our one weapon that kept us even semi competitive. One of the few things that was right with this club. He weighed that against more cash and silver pots and decided it was acceptable to swap his shirt and captain's armband for the colours of maybe our fiercest rival. In that act, not the hollow words he offers, he told us how much he really loves and respects us and how much gratitude he has for the support we showed over seven years. None at all. Zero. Nothing.

He could have gone abroad to lessen the impact of his betrayal, out of sight out of mind. He could have had his money and his pots. But he decided to stay very much in sight and so he remains in our minds. And that's why he will be rightly booed today. For the choices he made, not the choices the fans made. For the bed he made and chose to lie in. He'll forever be a Judas because of what he has done and regardless of how many fans line up to apologise on his behalf.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

the fact he stood up to take that penalty and basked in the glory shows how much of a c*nt he is.

[Özim]

No, he didn't owe the club anything. He had a contractual arrangement with the club to the satisfaction of both parties. Your point is made.

Now here's the huge, huge, elephantine point you missed. The fans. You know, the great unwashed who actually dig in their pockets to make this whole football thing go round and around? Remember them?

He owed the fans a LOT, not least respect. We already know the club doesn't respect the fans. So we turn to the players to see if we can get a shred of that mutual satisfaction. But no luck there either, turns out the players don't give a fuck about the fans either. At least not beyond the theatrical, the badge kissing, let's do it for the kids, tell me how much you love me bullshit they spout in the newspapers.

The fans (not the club) paid this guy to sit in a treatment room for six years. Then they elevated him to cult hero status when he eventually managed to put a season together. He was the club captain. Our one weapon that kept us even semi competitive. One of the few things that was right with this club. He weighed that against more cash and silver pots and decided it was acceptable to swap his shirt and captain's armband for the colours of maybe our fiercest rival. In that act, not the hollow words he offers, he told us how much he really loves and respects us and how much gratitude he has for the support we showed over seven years. None at all. Zero. Nothing.

He could have gone abroad to lessen the impact of his betrayal, out of sight out of mind. He could have had his money and his pots. But he decided to stay very much in sight and so he remains in our minds. And that's why he will be rightly booed today. For the choices he made, not the choices the fans made. For the bed he made and chose to lie in. He'll forever be a Judas because of what he has done and regardless of how many fans line up to apologise on his behalf.
Yeah it's true about the fans, but it doesn't change the fact he's only got one career. Now sure you can expect him to stick around at a club who have no realistic hope of winning anything (a la Le Tissier), but how many players do you know that have ever done that?

Le Tissier is a legend in Southampton but what medals does he have to show his kids, what physical memories does he have of his career. I admire his loyalty but can't help but think he wasted his talent by never being able to perform and win things on the big stage.

[Ollie the Optimist]

the **** tried to be funny by walking into the wrong changing room. 100% delierbate. the fucking ****

[GP]

the **** tried to be funny by walking into the wrong changing room. 100% delierbate. the fucking ****

Should have locked him in there and flushed the key

[Joker]

And he actually sarcastically applauded the whole stadium at the full time whistle, rather than just the Utd fans. Don't the FA have some rule against inciting opposition fans? Neville got done in against Liverpool after all.

[Niall_Quinn]

the **** tried to be funny by walking into the wrong changing room. 100% delierbate. the fucking ****

Nah, he loves the club so much he just went into auto Arsenal mode. He's a hero, he wouldn't do anything that harms the club. Apart from signing for Utd.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Ferguson on Van Persie's penalty:

"He's taken three so far. It takes bottle to take a penalty when the crowd are booing. We have a great spirit of applauding players when they come back to our club. I expected the booing to be honest with you."

That is comedy gold. I don't know if people are in on some inside joke or something but is it normal to applaud and have a song and dance when a shitbag former player returns?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Yeah, Tevez always gets a warm reception at Old Trafford.

[Marc Overmars]

I'm sure Tevez gets the red carpet treatment when he goes back.

[gunnerrrrr]

Ferguson on Van Persie's penalty:

"He's taken three so far. It takes bottle to take a penalty when the crowd are booing. We have a great spirit of applauding players when they come back to our club. I expected the booing to be honest with you."

That is comedy gold. I don't know if people are in on some inside joke or something but is it normal to applaud and have a song and dance when a shitbag former player returns?

Feargie you twat....so if Rooney had gone to City he would have been warmly applauded at Old Trafford

[Marc Overmars]

Damn, beaten by a better man.

[IBK]

Sorry I'm late to the show, but what was the atmosphere like today? How much stick did RVP get?

[Marc Overmars]

As you'd expect. Booed for every touch.

[GP]

He won't have heard most of it from inside Kos's pocket, anyway.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Both RVP's goals against us this season came directly from an Arsenal player assist.

He's not on our team anymore guys.

[BOBN]

“I made mistakes when I was young. Then I joined Arsenal and met players like Bergkamp, Henry, Pires and Arsene Wenger. Great *people. They all wanted to help me.

“Even at Arsenal I could get *impatient. I wanted to go and knock on the manager’s office door and ask him why I was not playing.

“Dennis (Bergkamp) said: ‘Don’t! It might work like that in Holland, but not here. This is England.’

“So I said, ok, I will wait and keep my mouth shut for a bit. *I *appreciated he told me to be patient. I do the same now with young players. I love talking to the Academy lads at the club now. I know how they feel, I know why they feel like they do.”
I wish I was a manager just so a player could come and ask me a question like that.

He was shit back then!