The Arsenal v Bournemouth, Saturday 3 May, 5.30pm, Emirates Stadium (and on TV somewhere if people can be bothered to watch)

[HCZ_Reborn]

Yeah, saw it. But the reason the goal was given was because it's us. Surely you have noticed the trend this season?

Because the post you’re replying to in no way alludes to that

[Niall_Quinn]

Because the post you’re replying to in no way alludes to that

Irony spurned. Okay.

No. I don't think that was a legitimate goal.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Ok, but as i said elsewhere every team needs competition from within, including this one, otherwise there's complacency.

I want Saka to feel like Nwaneri is threatening his position, I want Saliba to think White is threatening his, I want Trossard and Martinelli to be competing for LW instead of Trossard being wasted playing down the middle, I want Butler-Oyedeji competing to start at 9, I want Tierney competing to start at LB

It all comes back to Arteta failing to recruit going forward or to give enough opportunity to other players, even Nwaneri who we all agree looks special

He thinks it gives him the excuse to keep playing the same team, but there's always alternatives, he just doesn't use them

[Niall_Quinn]

Ok, but as i said elsewhere every team needs competition from within, including this one, otherwise there's complacency.

I want Saka to feel like Nwaneri is threatening his position, I want Saliba to think White is threatening his, I want Trossard and Martinelli to be competing for LW instead of Trossard being wasted playing down the middle, I want Butler-Oyedeji competing to start at 9, I want Tierney competing to start at LB

It all comes back to Arteta failing to recruit going forward or to give enough opportunity to other players, even Nwaneri who we all agree looks special

He thinks it gives him the excuse to keep playing the same team, but there's always alternatives, he just doesn't use them

I want some balance to be restored between the fans and the players. It's funny how the fans can be soaked for mega expensive season tickets, plus a triple TV subscription at crazy money, plus all the merch shite if you are dumb enough, yet the 200K a week players think it's slavery if they are asked to do a job. When you step back and think about it, that Bosman cunt, when he referred to the conditions imposed on players as akin to farmyard animals, and the uber-cunt Blatter actually going as far as to use the term "slaves" - I wonder what modern days slaves think abut that comparison, or slaves from the past if they could time warp from the Roman legions or the cotton fields?

Bosman tried to pretend football players are just like normal workers. Well maybe back in the days of George Graham and his mates down the pub, perhaps. Perhaps the limitations on transfers were too restrictive. But look at what it has led to. Players now soak the clubs for every last penny and then some, regardless of their contribution. Even kids are getting 30K a week now just to stop them fucking off from the academy that invested in them to the highest bidder.

It's a nice idea for Saka to be fighting for his place - and I agree wholeheartedly. But what do you think the outcome would be if Nwaneri took his place? I think we can all guess.

Question is, who are the players that actually respect the fans, I mean genuinely respect them? Who are the players that feel absolutely privileged to be doing what they do? Are there any players that stand out with those attributes? Maybe there are, maybe there's a Tony Adams still playing in this league, or a Matt LeTiss. I find them hard to spot though.

But you aren't wrong. These players should be honing their skills every day for fear of being replaced by somebody hungrier and more committed. But you know how it goes in the world of football. Once you get that name and the pundits start doing the "best ever" thing, well I guess you have to have a certain character to spurn the free ride that comes thereafter.

I was actually listening to some Arsenal fans and media pundits purr about how good Odegard was after that Ipswich match. When he was utter shit. They were judging it on the scoreline, not the individual player performance. So much bullshit connected to football now. Back in the day, Liam Brady - good player, Gus Caesar - well, if that's all we have - good lad, not going to stop the orld though. Was the same with my fake counterpart Niall Quinn - not exactly Geoff Hurst, but you go with what you have. But we all knew what was what and what they had.

Nowadays, some kid scores a goal and he's worth 50mill. Just like that. All hype. And the modern player knows how to milk that hype.