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Come on, Mac, it's not even close.
Firstly, Xhaka is a bit reckless but he's not exactly a Shawcross.
And mistiming tackles or red mist descending here and there in the heat of a game isn't anywhere near as bad as targeting a footballer's family for abuse because you don't think they're good enough.
You have to be a special kind of cunt to personally abuse someone online, saying the the kind of things you wouldn’t even dream of saying to their face. Guarantee if Xhaka met any of these people their arsehole would fall out. It’s one thing to call him a shite player but to target his family is just beyond bizarre.
These people are the lowest of the low. We live in a civilised society where these things come with consequences in real life and I don’t see why behaviour on the internet should be treated any differently.
Hope these people are treated with the harshest of punishments going forward. Kids also need to be taught how much damage can be done by something they see as fun.
Yes I saw this. So of those players that people critcise Arteta for ostracising - Ozil; Guendouzi and Torreira - none is exactly proving him wrong...Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
c'mon the guy was prevented from playing any competitive football for many months it's hardly surprisign if he needs to get up to speed
sure, but i still think if you behave in a thuggish manner you are encouraging other types of thuggish behaviourQuote:
Originally Posted by Letters
but of course i think the social media abuse is unacceptable and it should be being sorted out - my guess that no one platform. e.g. Twitter is going to want to be the first to crack down harder on these people because they woorry about seeing their traffic fall as people migrate to another platform which isn't restrictive
Great piece on Ozil in The Times yesterday - a long read detailing his professional and personal life; career trajectory and analysing his game. "Mesut Özil - the genius that the game left behind"
What I found interesting was the analysis of how Ozil was left behind by the transition of the game to the German whole team press method, where every member of the team is expected to work to press; track back etc rather than having creative players - particularly No.10's - around whom the team is based and who work for the likes of an Ozil to weave his magic.
'He began to look less and less like a luxury item and more and more like an unconscionable indulgence. Eventually, even Arsenal realised it. Özil was the decadent boom-time purchase you grow slightly ashamed of: the crystal vase gathering dust in the attic; the Silver Ghost hidden in the garage while the neighbours admire your new Tesla.'
Wonderful metaphor...
What made me feel a bit sad was the observation that Ozil demonstrably tried to become more efficient and hard-working to try to fit into Arteta's desired style of play.
'In a 2-0 win over Manchester United, Arteta’s third game, Özil covered 11.5km, more ground than any other Arsenal player, and regained possession ten times, more than anyone on the pitch.'
'Last season, he only misplaced the ball in the attacking half 4.8 times per 90 minutes — the best figure of his Premier League career. But he only managed two assists. In his stellar season, 2015-16, he had lost the ball in the opposition half more than eight times on average. The traditional Özil narrative is that he was not a team player. In reality, he was at his best when he understood that his responsibility to the team was to play with a sense of emancipation; trying to be dependable was his kryptonite.'
This makes a lot of sense to me. The fall out at Arsenal wasn't really to do with his lack of effort or desire - I can't see how any of these players who have made it to the very top can be completely lacking in this - but that doing what Emery and Arteta wanted him to do took away the thing that made him a genius...
i remember when he was asked to captain the europa league teams a few times and you could see he really inspired the young players around himQuote:
Originally Posted by IBK
Yes a sad tale in the end of football moving past a player's star talent...I know people say he was cynical, but as far as I am aware he never said a bad word about our club despite beiong frozen out.
I kinda feel the same happened to Wenger as a manager, over a longer time period.Quote:
Originally Posted by IBK
He came to England in the era when squads were full of English players and there were drinking schools in clubs.
His fitness regime and knowledge of the modern game were years ahead of his time. But over the course of a couple of decades people caught up and overtook us and with the billionaires barging in suddenly the whole game moved out and he didn't.
Ah well.