I have to say SORRY for not attending the match review yesterday, I headed back to New York and didn’t have the time.
However, I did take in the Blackpool game. Miserable on so many levels, right? I’m not talking about the football, but more looking at a half-empty stadium half-full of fans who’ve been absolutely mugged off by that weird looking owner of theirs (defo wouldn’t want to peak at his internet history, or venture into his basement).
I’m not much of a protectionist, but I have to say, when it comes to football clubs, I really think the UK government should get involved to stop dickheads taking over and destroying things. I don’t know how you go about doing that, but football really is so much more than a business. It doesn’t even work like a business (clubs almost never die either). It’s all for the people and the communities. To do what he’s done is an assault on the town.
The game wasn’t up to much. Laurent K pulled out before the game throwing our defence into a shambles. I was surprised he didn’t opt for one of the kids to step into his shoes, but there you go.
It’s hard to lose your mind over a game against Blackpool, but it was thrilling to see Joe Willock grab two goals. I was a bit gutted for Eddie, he’s a very exciting player but he made some bad decisions in front of goal. He did work hard though, and here’s the important point: at least he was finding the positions and the runs to miss. Goals will come. Wouldn’t it be immense to have a striker in the ranks who could deliver that came from the academy? NOT HAPPENED IN OVER 30 YEARS.
Iwobi also had a positive impact on the game and I thought AMN looked very good in midfield in that more advanced position.
My big hope with the latest batch of young players coming through is that we see some growth with them towards the back end of the season. We can’t fall in love with another group only to see them all fuck off to Hull, Swansea and Birmingham (god damn it, I miss you Fran Merida). We have to see some progress, otherwise some serious questions need to be raised about the state of our academy. The production rate has been utterly pitiful over the last 20 years. The club need to move away from excuse making when it comes to the academy. Making it work is about hiring the best people, giving them the best young players and having a coaching setup that can build them into smart footballers and good humans.
KIT TIME:
Hmmm…
I was not immediately in the firm zone when I saw them.
However, the computer kits look nicer and I’m sure they’ll look way better on a human. A very solid start and the colours feel right, I like the blue that they’ve brought back into the mixer and you know they’ll make them to a high-quality (please, no plastic badge).
The Denis Suarez story continues to rumble on. Part of me feels a bit miffed that we’re losing someone like Ramsey and bringing in someone who feels less effective. However, hard to say Ramsey has had an impact on our season up until now. It’s not like we’re shipping out a powerhouse contributor to the first team. We’re hiring in a better technician out wide who can knit midfield and attack together with more efficiency. So really, it’s an upgrade on where we are.
I have no idea what we’re going to do with the defence. It’s clear that LK and NM are going to be injured most of the season. Mavrapanos needs to hurry up and get back into the squad and hopefully prove he’s more than a 4 game wonder. We were all very excited about him when he played last year. He’s very big, he’s quick on his feet and he has a lot of composure about his game. Forget that red card.
More and more, it looks like the second half of the season is going to be about stretching old men way too far, or blooding the kids and giving an honest appraisal of how hard we have to work the pound notes this summer.
I’m gunning for all the kids.
I really do detest the muppets online who try and destroy teenagers because they’re not Leo Messi after two games. Players rarely come fully formed. It takes time to adapt to the tactics, fitness levels and technical expectations of the league. The guys can grow if they’re given the chance. We can’t be writing them off after a dodgy touch in the FA Cup. Young players grow. Thierry Henry and PV04 were in no-mans-land before they came to us, then they exploded. Why? Because they were given room to grow.
I’d rather have a kid with a high ceiling than an expensive journeyman who has hit their peak.
Right, that’s me done, see you in the comments you beautiful people. x
CG
The moment you brought up Wenger in terms of having faith to run the club, you lost all credibility.
The more I think about it, the more opportunity I see for the club to really forge an identity with Brexit. I would like to see the club take back control. There is no doubt that “Britishness” is essential to success in this league. The invincibles had a couple of foreigners that were fairly good, but without Merson, Keown and Adams as the backbone, it never wouldve happened. Merson was certainly our best player in 2004. There are a number of changes I would like to see: Management Foreign managers may have their fancy formations, but they dont know this… Read more »
Indian or Canadian today?
This has to be one of THE stupidest comments ever made on here
Typical it would come from
Un has he hasn’t polluted this place up pretty well the last 2-3 days even more so than usual from him which is really tough to do
You’re lack of any intelligence comes through daily on here
Don’t know about you guys but I will take Yannick Carrasco as a wing option in a heartbeat
Man was scintillating at Athleti before the need to make more money distracted him
Even in the 70s, 80s and 90s. The best players in he English league were invariably Scottish or Irish. The English,” Up n at Em”, approach has won diddly squat in 60 years
That has to be one of gambons best posts
Rather than try to reason with the patriot he takes him head on in one of the most satirical posts ever
The discredited gazidas picked this trio.
I have no faith whatsover in his judgement or footballing acumen.
i have already seen enough – to know this trio will not improve Arsenal ENOUGH!
bit like Sarri -wont last long at Chelsea
think OGS Mn utd tenure will last longer at Man utd than Emery and Sarri!
Gambon…Are you smoking weed? Merson.??????? in 2004. WTF!!!!
Ok Gambon….I see it was Satire,,,,,but Merson was long gone in 2004
Gambon, your post is making Unnnai very excited.
better tone it down 🙂
I like this direction we’re going.
The blog shall now be known as The-Grove.co.uk
Marko Where are you from? I went to live and work abroad in 1984 and before leaving had been actively involved in helping out at several junior Football academies here in the UK. On returning to the country in 2001, the general standards of the youngsters in these academies had improved markedly. There is now a plethora of talent around the country at junior/youth level, as well as in professional club set ups. Whether you want to believe it or not, there is a great deal of talent out there which, with the likes of Southgate in charge, will be… Read more »
Primark British? You wish
🙂
graham 62- brilliantly put,
Things go around in cycles,
I am sure to my Arsenal bones- we are on the cusp of an English explosion of talent.
We have to be at the forefront of this.
Or better still
HerMajesty’s Grove.co.uk
Carts
We could still flog Suarez for a sizeable fee to an Everton or Wolves in 2 years if it doesn’t work out so yea the re-sale value part does come into play especially with the club pleading poverty, seen enough of Herrera to know there’s a reason he’s still at Porto at 29, a firm no for me
Even in the 70s, 80s and 90s. The best players in he English league were invariably Scottish or Irish. The English,” Up n at Em”, approach has won diddly squat in 60 years???
Hoddle, gazza, lineker, Beardsley, charlton, greaves, Barnes, shearer, Beckham, Adams, butcher, Fowler, Ferdinand, platt, Pearce, waddle, sherringham, macca, Scholes, shilton, seaman, Campbell, Owen,Keegan Wilkins, walker, Wright, Thomas, rocky, Neville. Gerrard, Robson, brooking, Francis, Clemente, ince, Samson
This excludes the50s, 60s & 00s legends too
Give me a list of jocks and paddies better than this lot
Raheem doesnt sound like a British name. Im not sure your opinion is valid.
From now on i’ll call you Rumpole of the Bailey.
too on the nose to be effective satire.
Like little Britain.
I have to say that the last few posts gambon has put up to rebut Charlie George have been rivetting
I can’t stop guffawing at the thought of stopping the outreach to expand the fan base and limiting the commercial sponsors to the Islington area.
We can replace the “visit Rwanda” sleeve to “sunlight kebab”
Dissenter Of course it wouldn’t matter to you. No offence but you aren’t a british, London gooner. As Pedro said, to see a homegrown striker banging them in for us would be magic. A real link to the fans. One of your own. Do you not understand that?? Take the black panther movie and what it meant to young black lads. Similar concept only it’s nationality based. Not race. If Nketiah, nelson, AMN and Smith Rowe go on to become star players for us then it would mean so much more than a Mesut Ozil or a Mkhitaryan. Obviously beggars… Read more »
Dissenter
What the fucks wrong with Sunlight Kebab’s?
Hoddle, gazza, lineker, Beardsley, charlton, greaves, Barnes, shearer, Beckham, Adams, butcher, Fowler, Ferdinand, platt, Pearce, waddle, sherringham, macca, Scholes, shilton, seaman, Campbell, Owen,Keegan Wilkins, walker, Wright, Thomas, rocky, Neville. Gerrard, Robson, brooking, Francis, Clemente, ince, Samson.
Wha did his blessed lot win? Euros?. WCs?. maybe Commonwealh cups?
Global
Plenty of european cups and titles
But that’s not what you said
You said that the jocks and paddies were better in the 70s-80s-90s
Give me the list of players better than this lot
Personally I don’t care if a player is English or overseas, black or white , gay or straight as long as they perform I’m happy.
As for an explosion of English talent I’ll believe it when I see it. One easy route in the World Cup that we still struggled and looked sluggish and that cunt who constantly bangs that fucking drum is preaching.
2 Englishmen taken off for a couple of foreigners for Liverpool.
CG will be going bat shit crazy right now
Joe
What’s the score currently?
What will the score be at the final whistle now they’ve brought on some decent foreign chaps?
“Hoddle, gazza, lineker, Beardsley, charlton, greaves, Barnes, shearer, Beckham, Adams, butcher, Fowler, Ferdinand, platt, Pearce, waddle, sherringham, macca, Scholes, shilton, seaman, Campbell, Owen,Keegan Wilkins, walker, Wright, Thomas, rocky, Neville. Gerrard, Robson, brooking, Francis, Clemente, ince, Samson”
Most of these players ard shit
Tony Currie, Frank Worthington, Stan Bowles and Rodney Marsh were better players.
Batistuta
Selling for a profit is a challenge in on itself for Arsenal
I can easily see us loaning out Suarez to Getafe before accepting £3.5m for him with a year to go on his deal.
Admittedly, the Portuguese at times have been too clever for their own good. Those outrageous buy out clause have worked in many cases, but nowadays most teams, I suspect, are becoming weary
Let’s see what happens this month and in the summer.
We’re linked with Donis Avdijaj today, winger that used to play for schalke, had 59 goals 15 assists for them before leaving for Willem II in the summer on a free. Something doesn’t add up there but he had fantastic numbers and would probably be cheap, still young too at 22.
Anyone knows more about him?
Gambon is on banter
Yeah anyone putting their money on English talent to build around to win big titles is losing said money.
Foreign players are still miles better. Though sterling is very impressive as he is playing at a top top level now.
Oh and those goals were in 53 matches, which is insane numbers for a winger.
Marc
2-1 wolves
Probably go to 6-1 wolves because Liverpool brought on a bunch of immigrants and took off good ole English blokes. Queens men really
Marc
No way is salah better than English boy sturridge.
And what to Brazilians know about playing in Wolverhampton in Jan?
Redtruth
You’re right they were better but so often they didn’t turn up in big matches and al of them were disappointing for England
Joe
I’m amazed Sturridge managed to put his boots on without getting injured.
Gambon showing the correct way to deal with trolls.
Don’t fly into an unbridled rage, frothing at the mouth, arguing with someone who is obviously on a wind up. Dont take the bait.
Simply mock said troll till they choke on the absurdity and/or stupidity of their arguments.
RE. explosion of English talent Since when have the German powerhouses -been looking to buy British youngsters? They know- there is lots of English talent , now out there. We should not be frightened of being, called racist, xenophobic for wanting Arsenal to have a majority of English players. And the reason – I want English players- is because I think it the best way to go forward. If we had Man City money -THEN you can go and get the best technical world stars.. and pay them the 1 mill a month We ain’t got a pot to piss… Read more »
The solution to not having any money is to go and buy English players who carry a ridiculous premium rather than buying quality overseas players for a far smaller amount?
Marc
We earn about 3 million from”fly Rwanda” sleeve
We can replace it with an “eat sunlight Kebab” sleeve for 10,000 with the added bonus of “first 1000 hoem fans get extra lamb in their kebab” offer.
https://youtu.be/W0z_arXZ8nM
Dissenter
10,000 what? Jelly beans!
Liverpool would have won this if they had
An English manager who understood the importance of the FA Cup
Like Arsène Wenger
Imagine klopp spending £412m since summer of 2016 and now has lost 2 in a row including a loss to wolves.
Bet arteta is licking his lips waiting for klopp the flop to get the sack
London gunner It’s not true that foreign players ae necssarily better. There a re soime excellent players in the city and Chelsea academy that will never see the light of day because they are overpaid to meet the home grown quota. Chelsea won the UEFA youth CL a couple of years ago with good talent that won’t even get a chance in the first teams. It’s only with the break out of Sancho that European clubs are realizing it. England won the FIFA U-17 and U-20 world cups in the same sequence. England also won the Toulouse championship back-to-back. There’s… Read more »
Marc
How much did jadon sancho go for?? How much will nelson be worth when he comes back
How much did trippier, Ali, dier and Kane cost spurs?
Robertson to Liverpool?
Maguire?
Holding?
Either way it doesn’t matter. We’ve got a really talented group already.
Marc
Your strategy does make sense
But since when Elneny, Perez, Mustafi Xhaka, even PPA and lacette ( last 2 undoubted quality), soktarits , Leno been cheap.?
All those players IF THEY WERE UP FOR SALE TOMO- we would lose money.
We would not for Holding.
Wolves Reserves 2 Liverpool Reserves 1
We would make money from Ramsey too, if the clueless Emery could judge player and get him signed up.
Charlie George
The best English youth need to go out and compete every where. England will be better for when they go out and start playing for Porto, Olympiakos, Bekistas, Bayern and Monpellier from an early age.
You’re misdirecting your nationalistic passion.
The influx of foreign money has elevated the English game.
See how much money the city owners have poured into Manchester and turned a perennially failing club into a global power house in one decade.
It works both ways you know.
The Arse have manure at home next up in FA Cup
http://dailycannon.com/2019/01/arsenal-donis-avdijaj/
CG and UNNAi what do you think of this? A promising German young left winger for 2M?
or shall we skip and go English here?
“The influx of foreign money has elevated the English game” lol
They slaughtered all competition with a 100 points tally……
Where did you see the price?
I posted about him above but just curious to why he left to a second rate dutch club on a free after posting some fantastic numbers in the bundesliga? Seems weird. Would like to know more about that.
Also I think he’s albanian.
Looks great on paper though and exactly the kinds of punts we should be taking.
Kosovo- might he German by birth.
Transfermarket says 2m
IF we buy foreign talent for parsimonious fees- I am more than Ok with,
Its the ridicuous high fees we have paid in the past for players we could get in our own league- and so much cheaper with a sell on value.
Being german-the player will find the physical aspect of our game easier too.
Dissenter
English are good at young ages coz the youth league are full of over grown big lads.
English footballers dont have half the talent of French Italians Spanish south Americans and germans. We just aren’t that good at football dude we too basic and limited in creativity.
Not a good indicator of the eventual price though. Should still be relatively cheap coming from a club like that I think.
If we’re skint why not gamble, if he can replicate even half of his schalke goals in the PL he would be a great buy.
If not he’s young enough to be backup or get sold on for a profit.
Nice post gambon.
IF we buy foreign talent for parsimonious fees- Ill accept. Not my personal preference. but at least the old fashioned ‘risk and reward’ theory kicks in.
Its the ridicuous high fees we have paid in the past for players we could get in our own league- and so much cheaper with a sell on value.
Being german-the player will find the physical aspect of our game easier too.
What a travesty that great example of English greatness defeated by the foreign horde of Wolverhampton. Blasphemy I tell you
I have never had a problem with the Sead Kolasincec signing.
A FREE transfer from Schalke.
And a physical specimen.to boot (suited to the Prem)
Its Lichenstienr/elneys /xhaka/mustafi/ etc etc
SF I think you misinterpreted my thoughts. I’ve nothing against non English players whatever the fee. Rvp and Sanchez were a pleasure to watch and enjoy at my own club. I wouldn’t say don’t sign such and such because he isn’t English. I would however like to see our lads given a proper go though. Just look at the good it’s done for holding getting a run of games. I’d rather see Amn than Elneny yes as Elneny is going nowhere as an arsenal player I’d like to see smith Rowe given minutes in the league. I’d like to see… Read more »
Gambon hahaha you nutter
Arsenal v Man Utd next round. Boomtown.
Also, gambon killing it with the satire tonight.
The thing is ,nowadays the young English players are not like your archetypal English players of old.. Most are technically very good but are not as physically aggressive as years gone by, though the lower leagues still breed them tough . Arsenal in particular have focused too much on the technical side ,which is fine coming through the youth league but is not enough to get to the very top . Whether this group coming through at Arsenal have the mental toughness and also that special talent to take us back to the top is debatable …the only way you… Read more »
Who is the most Brexit team in the UK?
Burnley?
Unnnai
SO why is your handle Unnnai? he is Spanish. not English.
or is Unnnaii something else?
How about ALLLerr dyycce? 🙂
Pedro hearts Brexit
Pedro is remainer. I remember his anti brexit posts running up to the vote.
You guys taking the piss with this Donis Avdijaj fellow? He has 12 games at Schalke and 2 goals. He’s a Willem II player because Schalke has been loaning him around.
There is some value in lower league English players, however there is also a bigger risk that they have in fact peaked. For every Holding, there is a Jeffers, a Jenkinson and a Walcott.
Holding was a steal because Bolton was in a bit of jam at the time. So not only did Arsenal bought him cheap, but later it also renegotiate a discount in exchange for anticipated payments.
The team with the least money, Pedro. Or to put it another way, the reason why there are so many foreign players in PL is because the Pl clubs in general have more money to spend on transfers and wages.
Does that mean the poorer Arsenal get, the more Brexit they will become? Come to think of it, apart from Torreira and the two GKs, I wouldn’t miss any of the non-Brits we’ve got.
Un Na
“I’ll agree with you. [England] were shite [in the 2018 WC]. And it was fortunate. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t possess good young players …”
First thing you’ve ever said here that I agree with. That England team wasn’t really all that great, but there is A LOT of good young talent coming out of England right now.
We would be wise to pursue as much of this young talent as possible.
https://www.90min.com/posts/6145762-revealed-what-proportion-of-every-premier-league-squad-in-2018-19-is-english
We are the least Brexit team according to this random article. “Le Grove” lives on.
Bournemouth is first apparently.
Personally the league with the EST value and lower risk (if you do your work) is France in ligue 1 and Ligue 2. The ligue is physical, tactical and behind PSG a lot more competitive than some. A lot of people looked in awe at our new head scout, but instead of raiding Dortmund, we would have been better off raiding Toulouse. Issa Diop joined WestHam and is now striving. Arsenal needed an agile, left footed or right footer playing on the left centre defender. Joris Gnagnon was available and is now enjoying life at Sevilla. The TFC also had… Read more »
Unnai and CG should have a look at Bournemouth… might be more to their political fancy.
I for one would throw up if we became the next Bournemouth.
The world has too many good players to pass up on… Grab the English ones and the foreign ones. So funny saying “foreign” being what some would refer to as a “foreign” fan
makes me laugh
Unai isn’t wrong about SF. Terrible fucking junkie problem. When you set up public shoot up stations you’re officially a junkie town like Vancouver. Used to be something special, but Democrats ruin everything they touch. Just look at Chicago. Cali would rather ban plastic straws than use common sense and now a cop and family man is dead at Christmas time. Pathetic Commie Fucks.
What the fuck was Milner doing on that first Wolves goal? Holy shit. He gives the ball away foolishly. Then he runs AWAY from the attacking player with the ball in order to track an irrelevant runner. Then he slips and falls, pathetically.
That has to be the worst ten seconds of his career.
Not sure how plastic straws have anything to do with a cop dying but sure, why let common sense get in the way of an argument advocating for common sense.
Junkie town like Vancouver
Hahahah
Fuck we have some clueless idiots on here
Sancho on fire today
UnDon{e} You need to travel further than your hols in Benidorm mate rather than relying on the Internet for your foreign shore’s education. Must be great living in London with all the stabbings and moped drive by muggings. Every city these days has its poor and dangerous areas. Haven’t seen Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool ranked highly as tourists destinations either. Take the family for a drive up PCH1 from San Diego to the Nappa valley and then compare that to London to Sheffield to York – might open your eyes a bit. The run from San Francisco to Vancouver via… Read more »
Interesting list:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6564941/Kylian-Mbappe-pips-Harry-Kane-title-worlds-valuable-player-196million.html
31. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Arsenal 30 £85.7m
Only Arsenal player in the top 50 list – No Ramsey or Ozil
Guess Bamford won’t agree with Kane being 2nd at £180 milion
Tony
Vancouver and SF are probably two of the most desirable places in the world
To live and always come at the top or near the top.
Some of the posters on here haven’t gone further than their local maccas yet want to tell us about the world and how climate change isn’t real nor caused by humans.
Fuck me
Just like all those morons who believe in trump. That vaccines cause autism. The world is flat
All cut from the same cloth
Unnai ( why did you chose that handle?) and his buddy KC, are just haters.
Haters going to hate
Players gonna play.
Both do not live here but yet keenly have an awareness of what is wrong with our cities and country. Apparently they can speak to this more than locals.
Its ok… every time they post they stick their foot in their collective mouths.
Tony
Thank you. You have a good world view and indeed, the drive up the west coast of the US is something to behold.
Alas, I will not insult England or where these 2 are from. It would be just what they would expect from a commie like me
This blog really has quite a variety of posters on it… most seem centrist, others more liberal and then you have Unnai and KC- extremist
I did my honeymoon in Vancouver and it was a wonderful beautiful place. The people were super friendly, and I will always remember the cabbie that stayed with me really late on a Sunday night, while I searched for another suitcase going all over town to a store that had one ( we bought too many souvenirs)!
I bought my first Cuban cigar and that was of course amazing….
great place!
Vancouver and San Fran are always ranked one of the most beautiful places in the world
But yet we have tweedle Dee and tweedle dum letting us know different. Haha
God bless the ret*arded
Visited London last year, with my family. It was one of the best places I have visited. The locals were the friendliest and were always willing to help, converse and showed genuine warmth to us. caught my first Arsenal game with my son, who I hope will never forget that experience- he was 7 years old and decked out head to toe in his Arsenal gear. We watched Stoke city lose by 4 goals! While in London, we did hear of things like knifing attacks and there was a murder near where we were staying. It didnt phase me, I… Read more »
“They’re all coming back, and they’re coming back now,” Trump said in a video message.
We have won vs isis
That was trump last month
Today trump said no timeline and will only bring home troops when isis is defeated.
Could be years
Hahahaha
The man is the biggest fucking tool on the planet.
What. A. Fucking. Joke. Of. A. Man.
I love London too Guns.
I don’t think uanaiiii or whatever is from London
Some council estates up north I imagine
Why is he called Unnaii ( I am assuming he means Unai)
Yet he cries out for English coaches and staff… Unai is Spanish but it would seem that Unnaaii or whatever is a fan of his.
just seems a bit ironic
His buddy is KC- another extreme Trump loving insulting little turd
Just my 2 cents in Brexit and British players. – I thought FA has reduced the number of foreign players in each squad starting next season. – I think we all agree that there are more money available in the British teams compared to those in other countries. All the academies will catch up and exceed those in other countries. With the wealth, they could hire the best coaches. I predict that there will be many good footballer coming out from British academies in the future. Majority of them should be British footballers. With the new FA rule, we should… Read more »
Haha guns glad you loved it
Tho if you found londoners warm and friendly you’ll love the people pretty much everywhere else in the UK more 😀
Londoners are usually considered to be the coldest and least friendly in England!! No offense London boyos haha
Guns of SF & Joe Spent time in the 70s, 80s, & 90s in SF and Vancouver; hung a fishing line out of The Edgewater hotel room in Seattle window to catch mud sharks and so much more in my work travels, especially from my music business touring days in the late 70s to late 80s. The world is a much smaller place these days and still so much to enjoy. It’s always the ignorant uninitiated who have the strongest views on what they know nothing or very little about. I lived in London’s West End Lane during my music… Read more »
You are a well traveled man Tony.
A few days in London was not enough to even see most of what we wanted to. So another trip is needed. Also went to Paris for just 2 nights but we crammed a lot in. That is a beautiful city for sure. London may not have the exquisite architecture as Paris, but the people in London made up for it. Very friendly- and not an ounce of yank hate
Haha China, maybe Im just used to big city type folks being here in the Silicon Valley and SF and a lived in LA for a time.
Perhaps I never noticed it!
I’d like to check out other parts too. I found Parisians to be cordial and nice but London folks were very warm to us
http://arsenaltruth.squarespace.com Pierre will not enjoy this at all: Why was Mesut Ozil given that £350k p/wk contract? Largely because Arsenal needed to save face. The departure of Alexis Sanchez on a Bosman didn’t look good for outgoing CEO Ivan Gazidis. An outstanding diplomat he may have been, able seduce any gormless fan to his way of thinking, but his tenure as Arsenal CEO has been riddled with weakness and failure – most of which was obfuscated by slick PR machinations. However, losing Ozil under the same circumstances as Sanchez would have been a very public embarrassment, not something that could… Read more »