Arsenal have always had the reputation of doing things the ‘right way’.
It dates back to the days of Herbert Chapman, who legend has it paid out of his own money for the Highbury Halls to be painted marble.
The idea being that our manager wanted any visitors to arrive understanding that this club always acted with class.
Arsene Wenger in his final year said a section of our fanbase were in danger of jeopardising those values.
I’m happy we are currently managed by someone who has non-negotiable principles.
That’s including inviting Maitland Niles back to Colney to say his goodbyes.
The player has already confirmed he won’t be reviewing his contract with Arsenal and therefore will become a free agent.
Mikel Arteta hasn’t always shown respect towards those he feels are surplus to requirements. Yet Niles has been part of our set up since the age of 6 so his farewells are not exclusive to teammates but members of staff, he would have grown up around.
Being released at the age of 25 reminds me of my favourite debate on JustArsenal. A reader for days generally got annoyed that I wouldn’t agree that Maitland Niles was better than Kante. Yes, that Kante …. World Cup and Champions League winner Kante!
It’s a disagreement that embodies the issues within our fanbase. We rate players too high too soon, and almost seem to think it’s a weakness to ever acknowledge not every Gunner Is good enough.
It’s not a disgrace to say you’re not at the level where you can expect to play in Arsenal’s midfield. Not when those levels should be challenging for the title.
There’s nothing wrong with a player having faith in himself. Many sports story have started with an athlete having self-belief and drive to chase their dreams.
Yet you also have to listen to those developing you. Three coaches at the Emirates saw Maitland Niles as a suitable full back. Three men who may have learnt a lot about his character.
The moments he talked his way out of his Arsenal career.
That’s where the majority of his 132 appearances for the Arsenal were played at, as a full back. 132 games and yet some still have the audacity to suggest he never got a chance?
What they mean is not every opportunity was on his terms?
That though was the position that meant he started in European Finals, won FA Cups and got capped by England.
If he had embraced being our left or right back, he might still have had a future with us?
The odds of graduating from the academy and starting in the League consistently are low. Maitland Niles had his route, but on more than one occasion publicly made it clear he didn’t want to be a defender.
He could have maintained long term aspirations to be in the middle, but in the short term learnt his trade.
The closest he got to being the midfielder he believes exists in his own mind, was a loan to West Brom where he couldn’t stop their relegation. He claimed to have picked the Baggies over Southampton because the Saints also saw him as a defensive option.
This decision ended his outside hopes of going to the Euros and he hasn’t been considered by Southgate since.
After posting on social media, he wanted to go to Everton where he was ‘wanted’ Arteta claimed all parties had reached a compromise.
It took till January for the player to realise it was a lie.
He went to Roma where Jose Mourinho (who knows a bit about defensive football) became the latest to only recognise the player as a makeshift full back.
He then went to the South Coast, the destination he rejected two years before. It’s not like their stance changed, he only started twice as a DM for them.
He’s openly stated he would be open to staying at Saint Mary’s permanent. He made that stance when it seemed when and not if he would have a second relegation on his CV.
Surely at this point he must regret not listening to Mr Wenger, Emery and Arteta?
He’s now open to the possibility of playing in the Championship, most likely because he can’t find any interest in the topflight. Maybe that’s the League where he can play in his favourite position?
It’s sad that a youngster would leave based on not being happy about his role, spend a few months abroad, get relegated twice and yet find himself in the exact same position when he left?
A worse position?
He disagreed with three managers at Arsenal and then found another 4 managers who also didn’t put him in midfield.
Big Sam is the only one who didn’t play him in a back 4 or 5 and that ended in failure.
He’s 25 and his career is at a crossroads. At an age where he should be flourishing, he’s in a unique situation where he regresses the older he gets.
The highlights of his career came when he was younger. That’s when he was being capped, winning medals, and playing for the team he supported.
He was living every Gooner’s fantasy.
Domestically and internationally, it was in the palm of his hand. Yet he’s wasted years of his life. Years he won’t get back and for what?
He’s hasn’t become richer, has been relegated twice, and is no nearer being the midfielder he wants to be.
Having wanted to leave Arsenal based on playing as a wing back, his agent might now be advertising his client as a …. full back.
It’s a sad cycle where a young man is back where he started.
It would be sad that after all this time he ends up in the predicament he tried to escape from. There is nothing worse than regret.
When he said his farewells and sent his best wishes I can’t help but think he was thinking ‘what if’?
He’s talked himself out of his dream job. The only reason he’s saying bye is because of his ego!
A Man of the Match display at Wembley, but now a free agent with little fanfare.
We once rejected 20-30 million bids from Wolves, so clearly saw the player as an asset only to watch his value reduce to zero.
Very sad.
Dan
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not selling him to wolves then not playing him and loaning him out 6months later was criminal and who ever is directly involved deserved to be punished
And if we had sold him to Wolves and he flourished, joining a rival for twice what we paid for him a year later, you’d be calling for THAT person’s head, too.
You can only make the best decision at the time, with the information you have.
Seriously. People were on here crying that Arteta should be sacked if he lets AMN sign for Wolves for a mere £23 millions.
The majority on here like always got into their sensationalist moods pelting Arteta as a bad manager for not seeing the talent that was AMN.
Just go back and read the articles and comments during that time. Most people on here like always were assuring us about how we will regret selling AMN for that cheap instead of playing him in his preferred position (CM / B2B blah blah).
Arteta taking his time in integrating young players like Guendouzi, Martinelli, ESR, Nelson, Saliba, AMN, Mav etc has been and continues to be interpreted as him being a bad man manager, a vindictive hater, an authoritarian dictator, a grudge holder, a poor manager, has an agenda against all these young players, can’t manage young players, he can only manage finished articles. He only feels comfortable with his own signed players. Hates attacking football etc 😊
And that that’s why he won’t include these young players into his team blah blah..
Smh 🤦♂️
No excuse is enough to vindicate Arteta on this, why keep him, not play him and loaning him six months later, it’s insane
if he wasn’t in his plans let him go, he let willock go and God heaven didn’t fall, mind you willock was way far rated amount fans.
So what vindicates AMN for not improving as a player even if the fan base and manager have tried to encourage him to take his opportunity? He goes back to when he was in the youth system in the 2010’s. His mother was a monster soccer mum that would turn up at the club to demand AMN is played.
Why did ESR, Saliba etc go out on loan and came back improved? Even Nelson seems to have improved hence why he was given more playing time and rumours are that the club have offered him a new contract. I am tired of always blaming the managers instead of these players taking responsibility for themselves. They are being paid amazingly. Given all sorts of chances to prove their worth but as always it’s the manager’s fault. Willock went out on loan to Newcastle and performed. It ended in him being retained by then and has been one of the biggest reason that Newcastle are now in the CL.
Guendouzi was loaned out. He performed and has continued to impress according to what I have heard from our own fans.
Mav was loaned to a German club impressed them, they decided to pay up and retain him.
Odegaard wss loaned to Arsenal and impressed, somee retained him. Etc.
Sorry but I don’t buy this ridiculous Victimhood excuses for players that have failed to earn the £millions that the club has poured into them and given time and chances to prove themselves. But then fans turn around and start blaming managers for these grown overly pampered players. I changed my mind long time ago. I have had enough of Player power, egotism, primadonna attitude and victimhood mentality. Sorry but in real life your employer ain’t gonna give you this amount of time and chances before you are let go / sacked. You are paid to perform to an expected level. If you are not then what happens?
Why should £multi millionaire athletes be different from the rest of us at our work places? Which employers in the real world babysit their employees like how these footballer / sports personalities are babysat by their clubs.
Yes, likewise the management that are paid millions to make this decision, knowing when players are right to leave is part of the job of the management team, you can’t keep mismanaging assets, every player is unique and their cases and development defers, there was a reason wolves were will to part with close to £30 for his services then, and it was because of what he did one the pitch not on bench or at home. You can’t insist you want to keep a player only for you not to play him and send him out on loan whether he succeeds or not is irrelevant what i am looking at is assest management, you could either make money and reinvest in the team but out mismanagement left us with nothing, whether he goes on to have a successful career is not my concern but how he was badly managed…. Many players you mentioned and some of the things you said i strongly oppose to but i will stick to our topic of discussion
I’m afraid you are looking at this through a very narrow lens that seeks to blame the manager/management for what has happened with this player.
There are many who quite rightly saw something in AMN and at Arsenal it was hoped that he would prove his worth. It is still up to the player to apply himself and demonstrate why he should play ahead of others.
Your insistence that he was badly managed is based on expecting management to predict an inherently uncertain outcome. This is a faulty and unreasonable approach to analysis which is all too common amongst fans who have an axe to grind. It doesn’t matter how many millions you are paid there are limitations to how much you can improve a player or predict how well a talent will turn out.
So you are trying to convince me that what was seen in him could only be realized while was on bench or at home? From day one he was neglected, the treatment and the managers body language was that he was not wanted, how come a player like Vieira this season was having numerous opportunity or even Sambi before for instance, he was frozen out and loaned out six months later that is groose mismanagement, if he wasn’t going to play move him on and reinvest…
Knowing the best Time to move players is one aspect this management fails woefully, and one thing I admired about Liverpool
It is not a rocket science, every player will not make it at arsenal, maybe you can sell him and put a clause that allows you to get them back too
You have misrepresented what I have written above. Quite clearly you have a particular agenda and narrative you want to pursue.
Overall, Liverpool have done well over the last few years. However, your sweeping observation lacks relevance to Arsenal’s current context. The effective management of Arsenal’s resources has been a key ingredient that has allowed us to progress over the last few years.
Which management? And what success? Finishing second in a season where united and Newcastle finished 3rd and 4th, mind you both finished below us last season too…
resource management that have seen us lose players for nothing, paid players to sit at home,Rip off contract, while buying some below average players for top dollars (Sambi,Taveras,Pablo Mari,Vieira etc)
You are attempting to make intelligent arguments but you are saying a lot of rubbish here.
Resource management? 132 games and the player failed to impress 3 managers at Arsenal and more managers on loan spells, but yet that is Arteta’s fault. Arsenal kept him because he had to potential to improve (if he applied himself). Furthermore, we had to keep as the squad was weak and he was viable cover for the team. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t do enough to force his way into the team and was loaned.
A player’s asset value is subject to the players performance, it’s a no brainer. If he played like a player that’s worth the trouble clubs will have inquired about him. Case in point: Folarin Balogun, didn’t get games at Arsenal, didn’t explode at Middlesborough, but has now gone to Ligue 1 and made a global impression.
You are talking with ego of someone who knows the ins and outs of football and player asset management. We are not talking about gold, real estate, or securities here. Footballers are people. You can measure all you want, but the right time to sell a player is subject to many factors and there is no clear formula for that, it’s circumstantial. The only way to have more control of the outcomes is to setup as a selling club, i.e. Borussia Dortmund.
To DAVID AND LARRY, How blissful to read hugely intelligent mature and worldly wise comments from you two who understand how football players ins and outs work.
And in stark contrast to so many foolish, mainly young, fans who show their ignorance of how finance and football work.
To read some of the many silly immature comments on here, as we do daily, CERTAIN fans seem to believe we are buying and selling cornflakes or cars and NOTdealing with human beings. So it IS blissful to read highly intelligent comments too on JA.
I hugely value and thank you BOTH for your contributions in upgrading the AVERAGE collective intellect on JA.
I have to say that as one who notices a great deal but lets most of it go by unremarked upon, what I notice so very often is that the less intelligent and immature posts come from those who ,in most though not all cases, have never got over their own personal slavish devotion to AW.
SOME WILL NEVER MOVE ON FROM THEIR PERSONAL WENGER OBSESSION, NOR LET THEIR OWN PERSONAL BITTERNESS AT HIM BEING SACKED, FINALLY DIE.
UNREMARKED UPON!
My word!!!!
Goonster,
Great opinion- I fully agree with you.
AMN screw it himself and Arteta has no blame. Whoever doesn’t understand that is a football imbecile.
I think you’re missing the point. it’s not about AMN being a good player or not but why would a manager(MA) turned down 20M for a player he didn’t consider good enough or played? I’m pretty sure that Edu consulted MA when he received the offer and that MA has the final word when it comes to keeping or selling players.so I’m asking you”why did MA keep AMN when he was not part of his plans?”
Your mindless and in-objective defense of the manager is disgusting as I feel the manager himself will accept some of his errors.
We all know he is a rookie manager on his first job. Stop acting and talking like he always knows what he is doing and never made any mistakes since he took the reings at our beloved arsenal. Stop berating those who question him he is not beyond questioning. If you cannot stand it you can ask him to resign his job.
You are sounding super disgusting.
I remember the opposite. I challenge you we go back check and come back to post here if the ones who you are referring actually said he should not sale AMN or it was you and your ilk who supported him in that decision.
Are you up for it?
@HH
Sorry for the late reply.
Just opened this article again this morning.
The overall sentiment was not to sell AMN if the opportunity was viable.
I am going to paste some of the comments but deduct the posters User Name. It won’t be fair on them.
“What is this obsession with selling almost all our academy players? Gnabry proved us wrong just as Coman proved PSG wrong. We have to manage those who show promise better instead of just selling. There are many older players who should be sold.”
“I wish we can include a buy back clause in selling AMN. A versatile and promising player to say the least.”
“Young, talented, pace, versatile, homegrown, a winner, $30 mill not a penny less.
Get rid of all the other driftwood before selling up and coming talents.
How much would we have to pay to get a player like this? $30 mil +.”
“Are we not running low on homegrown players? 😬“
“Shame to see him but he will shine and he will be called up for England soon when he plays box to box of“
“In AMN, we had someone who could actually handle the force that is Adama Traore. Even Tierney struggled against him and I wouldn’t like to see Bellerin having to try – he’d get dominated. Traore is an extreme case but shows how AMN can handle difficult individual players better than the others in the side.
I think wolves saw how AMN could handle their powerful winger probably better than anyone in the division (maybe some others managed, but Traore was their big weapon against the top teams), and now this is their lucky day. We’re going to be seriously strengthening a rival that was already ahead of us last season.”
“Selling AMN would be a big mistake .Why do you think he is very marketable, because he is really talented.I cannot believe an intelligent guy like Arteta would go along with such a deal, when AMN has never been given a chance as a central midfielder, an area where we lack pace and energy which he has in abundance. Torreria and Guendousi are the players we need to sell not a versatile player who played a major part in our FA Cup success with excellent displays against quality opposition in Man City and Chelsea.I hope these rumours prove to be pure speculation.”
“Never in a month of Sundays would I sell AMN. He can play RB/LB (Ok not brilliant the other game) and CDM as well as being a box to box midfielder. I would rather sell Bellerin who always lets us down on the right side of defence than AMN.”
“Totally agree, we have made so many mistakes of late, selling off our academy products, like Gnabry, Malen and Martinez to name but a few.
Give Ainsley a chance in midfield for the cup match against Southampton.
Find another whipping boy to play left back if you are going to rotate. If Arteta saw fit enough to let kolasinac leave to include AMN as a left back option then he shouldn’t dump him and berate him after 1 poor game.
Soares has 6 years and much more experience on Ainsley why not play him that side and Ainsley on the right.”
“If Arteta keeps his position at the end of this season, then Maitland-Niles should move. And vice versa. Arteta hates him, so there’s no need for him to work under that kind of manager”.
“Maitland-Niles should take a bold decision to leave Arsenal, because Arteta is gonna destroy his career. Maitland-Niles, Gouendouzi, Seliba, Martinelli, and Nelson should just leave because Arteta doesn’t like them. There are players who are worse than them, but Arteta will always select those under performing players over them”.
“Do not sell one of our best players again, a man who most of the time is played out of position and still does well, and is brilliant in the right position”.
“I’ll say again….AMN with Partey would be a killer combination infront of the defence.
Both can attack and defend, both are great athletes!”
“Not now. It will be a big mistake selling him now. He is young, very quick, versatile,
Very good in defending and attacking, just need more polishing.”
Etc
I can keep going but I can’t copy and paste all the comments on the different AMN articles we have been treated to since 2015.
And I got these comments from just two articles. But we have had countless Articles written about him for nearly 10 years now.
If you want I can just paste the actual Articles and you can go through the comments and see the overall sentiment toward AMN since his academy ad youth system days when his mother had become a monster Soccer mum turning up and demanding her son is played. I remember it used to be AMN’s mother and Szczęsny‘s father that used to turn up and demand their sons be played..
I agree mate and Eddie will be the same
He will one day be playing for a lower Prem team and still some will say ….he’s world class lol
‘What if’ is a story of Maitland Niles throughout his career and of Arsenal at least this year and many years in the past.
Most here only saw him as a FB. In my case as a LB or LWB.
He could still salvage his career as Vardy did, by joining a newly promoted club or the likes of Everton/ Nottingham Forest
I still remember that Salah, Traore and Zaha couldn’t get past him in their primes. His main weakness is his aerial ability
With the inverted full-back role about to become invaluable, AMN should get his chance at redemption…if he remains focused. Best of luck to him.
“Once a gunner, always a gunner”.
He could be a good inverted-RB. Unfortunately, it is rarely used in EPL
Think Salah did okay against him lol ?
Nope, Maitland-Niles was just too pacey for Salah
2019
Liverpool 3- 1 arsenal
Salah scored twice
Maitaland Niles was our full back ?
Its revealing, to my mind, that when DAN used the word “sad ” several times about AMN personally, the only time I can agre that it IS sad, is in his final line, where he says, correctly and pertinently, that we rejected two bids from Wolves and then wasted any chancs of a sellers fee by not accepting their bids.
That OMISSION WAS SAD. But for us, not for the player, who may or may not have also felt sad, but who from my perspective, I CARED NOTHING ABOUT.
I JUST WANTED HIM SOLD but his then existing financial value was, foolishly, THROWN AWAY. SIGH!
Sorry, fellow realists but I refuse to pretend to be even remotely interested in the future success of any player who has proved to be of no further use to us. And who never was of much use either, when still here.
I have been an Arsenal fan for well over sixty years but an AMN fan for precisely no time whatsoever.
I wish no human anywhere any actual harm,- perhaps TRUMP, PUTIN AND A VERY FEW OTHERS APART – but neither will I pretend to care at all about our non useful players.
But, on the subject of AMN I think the article was well-written and on a subject I myself have commented on. AMN is a fine athlete, who seems to have so much time on the ball, yet does so little with it, and indeed, his talent and opportunity. He had his chance and he blew it, big time. But he is still young enough to resurrect his career, and for his sake, I hope he does.
After re-reading your comment, Jon, it is apparent I may have misquoted you. You intimated that you might perhaps wish harm upon both men, not that they were identical in their own particular deviances, and I simply assumed from that that you had adjudged them both equally. But clearly that is not the case, so I think we can lay that one to rest?
We may indeed have differing views on politics, but I do not make excuses for Donald Trump. I think he is a very flawed individual but a far superior president to Joe Biden. Of course, a load of bread could do a better job than old JB.
Biden looks plain doddery these days and Trump is made of a similar cloth to the awful Johnson. Both liars and narcissists.
Ben Ad PAT will probably censor this post, as he so often does with MY POSTS, though he does not witt most others who fail to also mention Arsenal matters. But while you still havetime ro read it, i will qay I feel desperately sorry for USA voters, choosing between a decrepit old shell and , possibly( depending on imminent prosecutions) the biggest liar and misogynist in USA political history.
I am so glad to live in England even with all our hopeless politicians.
At least we Brits dont carry guns like people carry phones. What a sick society USA truly is.
*doesn’t bend to their will*
On his day he was a good player, unfortunately he lacked consistency and people only remember your mistakes. If your consistent then people will forgive your mistakes. I hope he turns it around. If I was him I would go to a slightly weaker league abroad and start fresh and jump start his carer. He has the ability to do it. A lot of premiership players have been more successful abroad! Good luck to him.
He needs a new image and to start fresh abroad. Love his double barrel posh name, I hope he talks posh like Chris Eubank, that would be brilliant. Are bless him. Good luck in your future, hope it all goes well.
I find it painfully amusing that you appear to link double barrelled names with poshness.
HAVE YOU ANY IDEA HOW MANY WORKING CLASS KIDS, MANY WHO COME FROM IMPOVERISHED BACKGROUNDS, NOW HAVE DOUBLE BARRELLED NAMES, MOSTLY THROUGH PARENTUL BREAK UPS
Few, if any, would be seen as being in any true sense of the word as”posh”
Big shame that a player that we had such high hopes for is temporarily clubless.
He’ll most likely find a decent Championship team and re-kickstart his career, and who knows, perhaps be back in the PL before too long.
Best of luck Ainsley, I’ve always liked you.
With Xhaka, Pepe, M-N and and Tierney all leaving we will have lost every starter from that cup final, a complete rehaul in three years
Great skill but no application.
Good luck in the future AMN.
Odd, that the last match he played for us, he scooped MOTM. He was playing as a DM. Then, he was shipped out. Never to play for us again.
I wish the young Gunner all the best in his future endeavours and want to thank him for his service to the club.
Dan, he made his senior debut at the age of 17 and a half in a European game under Arsene Wenger.
Now I’m not sure how many games there were from that debut until he played his last game for our club, but let’s say about 500, give or take.
He played, according to you, 132 times in the PL, CL, EC, so that’s, roughly, a quarter of the available matches – I’m struggling to remember any game where he let us down enough to be snubbed afterwards.
As you rightly say, he was also capped by his country – not bad in my book!!
Your article paints a picture of someone who failed during his career at the club, yet the same club turned down a reported offer of between £20 to £300,000 (again your figures) because they wanted him to stay.
This, despite it seems, having no intention of giving him the opportunity of proving himself in any position with an extended run in the first team.
I have watched AMN over the years and, at no time, did he let the club down, bring it into disrepute, go on strike, or behave in a way that would cause embarrassment to himself, the fans, or the club.
His display at Wembley, earnt him MOM and was thoroughly deserved – then, as sometimes happen with MA, the player was, basically, discarded, then sent out on loan until his contract expired.
You began your article by saying that The Arsenal have the reputation of doing things the right way – does any of the above back that statement up?
You reference his being part of two relegated teams, perhaps Ramsdale could tell you a little about how that scenario cannot possibly be down to one man with an ego problem.
I do agree that it is sad to see a talent that our club wanted to keep from the age of (I believe) seven, leave for free, especially as he was playing in the PL last season.
I wish him all the best and thank him for his time at the club.
£30,000,000 my mistake!!
You make good points but it begs the question then if he never let us down why was he loaned out and allowed to leave for free ?
I agree he was good for us as a full back and if he accepted that he would maybe still be here now
I would suggest he’s been mediocre at the clubs he’s gone on loan at ?
Lets see the calibre of club he goes too
You should ask Mikel that question, along with three others.
Why keep him?
Turn down the reported £30,000,000 from Wolves?
See him perform MOTM at Wembley and then send him out on loan, basically giving up on him?
As for where he might play his football in the future, who can tell? But, when leaving The Arsenal (in most cases), it is very difficult to find a better club and really doesn’t answer the questions I have posed regarding his time at the club does it?
Because Ken the reality of his situation answers they question
If he was good he wouldn’t have been loaned out in first place
At very least after three loans away he would have done something to have proven his manager wrong
His loans confirmed to Arsenal he’s not good enough
That’s not my opinion it’s what has happened
But if that was the case, why did they not accept the £30,000,000, why play him in the final only to ignore him from then onwards and why was he loaned out and not sold for ANY fee if the club “confirmed he was not good enough” in their opinion?
Arteta was wrong mate
I bet he and club regret not taking 30 million
He’s lost lots of money with decisions like that
Ask this …..if he was as good as you think wouldn’t Arsenal offer him a new contract?
I give up on SOME of our contract negotiations though Dan
From the debacle of Ozil’s grotesque contract, to Aubameyang’s duplicated error (no lessons learnt there then) through to Nketiah’s reported £100,000 a week, followed by, it seems, another duplication for Nelson (yet another no lessons learnt there then!!) and then watching on as the club dilly dally over getting the finest CB we’ve had in ages to agree a new contract – so no, I’m not sure why they didn’t offer him a new contract,, considering he played PL football this season just gone.
I guess this is one subject we don’t see eye to eye on, but enjoyed the debate – let’s hope AMN prospers in the future.
Thank you for your service AMN. You will always be an Arsenal legend to me
Stephanie, I must say that you have a VERYdifferent understandingof what the hyped word “legend” actually means , when applied to footballers, than I do.
In no way could I POSSIBLY ever regard that rather poor ex Arsenal player AMN, as being anywhere near being a so called “legend”.
Bergkamp, Henry, Adams, Vieira were legends. Saka is steadily BECOMING one.
AMN, in stark contrast, is merely a nowhere near good enough ex player. And that ONLY.
@stephanie, sais he is a legend “to her” Mr Grammar Police.
She is entitled to her opinion without you telling her that she is not allowed it….
Gun down, AS YOU PLAINLY DO NOT UNDERSTAND ENGLISH WORDS CORRECTLY, PLEASE READ MY POST ABOVE REPLYING TO AD PAT. It applies equally to you too..
Okay, mr English teacher, i will do just that. Next time you can just send your opinion without trying to teach others English as most of us here do not have English as their first nor the second language and more importantly this is not an English class
Gun down, To answer your question, I HAVE TO SAY THE PLAIN ANSWER IS NO. I will write as I see fit and will not regard you as any sort of self appointed censor, as you are NOT one.
I trust that is clear! #
I also say your claim that most on JA have English as NEITHER their first, nor even their second langauge, as clearly being nonsense.
If it is neither first nor second language, then HOW is it they what they write is almost always very easily understood?
CARE TO EXPLAIN THAT PUZZLING OVERSIGHT IN YOUR FALSE CLAIM, PLEASE!
Finally, I am not an “English teacher” and will be pleased to expect you to use my own actual name in future and not one of your own impertinent invention.
I HOPE YOU WILL HAVE THE DECENCY TO DO SO!
English is my 3rd language and i have seen someone telling us here he/she was able to follow this site and contribute through a translator and i know there are others like me here too that’s how i know, i called you an English teacher because your posts looks as such from the little i observed
That may well be so, in your case, but you claimed, wrongly , that MOST on JA have English as neither first nor second langauge THAT IS PLAINLY UNTRUE.
You refer to one other person too. But a mere two people do NOT and never have ,nor ever will, represent a majority on a site such as JA, used and read by many thousands, most, though far from all, of whom speak English naturally.
If you do not accept fhat truth, then there is nothing more I can do to persuade you of your error. I tried to advise you and will now waste no more time debating pointlessly.
So how do you know that many here are English like you, as I don’t agree on that
CARE TO EXPLAIN THAT PUZZLING OVERSIGHT IN YOUR FALSE CLAIM, THAT MOST HERE SPEAK ENGLISH PLEASE!
And you can’t equally speak for all or most people here, as I believe that many here are like me though fairly good at English it is not there native language or their second language
Sakas not close to being a legend yet
Agreed. Not even close. And highly unlikely from what I have seen he is going to be one. With today football it’s very hard to be a legend in the same level like players of the past.
If RVP and Fabregas the Judas (I love them btw) to name a few cannot be called Arsenal legends like the greats Thierry, Dennis and Patrick how can AMN be?
What has he done for Arsenal that is even a 0.1% of legendary status?
It’s an opinion yes but
I think you need to understand it is her opinion, just as your post is an opinion, nothing more, nothing less.
I’d happily keep him as a third-choice inverted RB/ LB if he keeps his wage demands low. On his day AMN is one of the best inverted fullbacks out there. We might need a Rob holding type of player around at FB and I think he’d be more effective in the current system.
One of the best ?
He got relegated playing in that position ?
Which club you think will be after him ?
Man City ? Real ? Bayern ,?
Dan, as I wrote above, Ramsdale got relegated playing as a goalkeeper – who do you think went after him?
Your assumption that being in a team that got relegated proves anything, is laughable – Villa have just signed one, Newcastle are after another Leicester player and three PL teams are vying for a Southampton player.
No one is saying AMN is a world class player, but being part of a relegated team doesn’t mean he wasn’t one of the best inverted full backs out there either.
No KEN indeed it does not mean that. But what the eye test DOES SHOW ONLY TOO CLEARLY,is that AMN was never of the standard any ambitious would be title chasing team will need.
As I have said before more than once, MA make a foolish mistake in keeping this less than adequate player around while his value plummeted to almost nothing, when he OUGHT to have bitten Wolves hands off when they bid that money
A waste of an opportunity to get real money for a sub par player IMO.
But MY EYES saw it differently to yours Jon and, it seems, MA agreed with me up and until he WAS MOTM at Wembley.
What happened then Jon?
You state he was NEVER of the standard…. yet he was capped by his country and was retained at our club for nearly two decades under Wenger, Emery and Arteta.
I really wish that you would show some respect to players who have worn the shirt, rather than engaging in character assassinations against those who are unable to defend themselves.
Ken you have more determination to discuss pointlessly than I do. I WILLNOT DEBATE FURTHER We both know that whenever we disagree, all discussion ever leads to is foolishly falling out.
I am no longer prepared to debate ENDLESSLY with anyone , not only you, unless there is some prospect of a meeting of minds. We have talked, both with friendliness and hostility on here for many years
I NO LONGER DO SO IN HOSTILE FASHION WITH PEOPLE I MUCH LIKE – as I have long done with you, old bean.
I leave you to your own valid opinions and I retain my own too. IF AND WHEN WE HAVE SOME PROSPECT OF A MEETING OF MINDS I am only too willing to debate. Put simply, I no longer fight with friends KEN.
No mate but Ramsdale consistantly has been brilliant for us for two seasons now .
If he said I want to go to elsewhere to prove I’m a good striker and then got relegated your judgement would be your not a good striker
I’m agreeing with you on lots of point
At Arsenal he was a good full back but elsewhere he’s been poor and hasn’t got close to being the midfielder he left to be
That was his choice
I wish Ainsley all the best. I think you’re being extremely harsh on him. Yes, he is better as a right back than as midfielder, but if that is his dream, then who are we to question him? I personally respect the fact that he is willing to risk big(ger) money and playing regularly to pursue his dream of playing in midfield. It would be a better world if more people realized it’s not always all about money.
No matter what let’s not forget that he played a big role for us, and he deserves every bit of credit for that.
He should be so proud of what he has done so far.
Proud of playing a part in one of the worst period in our Prem history ?
Great Post Bellend Bob and so different in it’s resume of a Arsenal player since the age of seven (?) to the article and certain posters before you.
Ken there’s a difference between opinion and fact
Factually on his resume he he was a good full back but wanted to prove he could be a CM and has failed to prove that
What your saying is I don’t want to hear he got relegated and has been released because I like him
Look at the greif fans gave to Giroud , Mustafi , Ozil , etc
Players who did more then MNiles for us and yet we can’t question a player loaned out three times , released and relegated
Your not questioning though are you?
Your stating – like he was in a team that was relegated, so that proves his worth… WHAT?!?!
Your article was about AMN and it was completely negative, yet you didn’t answer any of my questions.
Why was he worth a reported £30,000,00?
Why did The Arsenal turn that down?
Why did the club, after our fa cup win, when witnessing a MOTM display, turn their back on him?
AMN certainly didn’t help his cause at times, but he was always professional and deserves more than you seem prepared to acknowledge.
Here’s another way to look at it
A Ganabry went away and proved Arsenal were wrong to not trust him
Maitland Niles never did that
What have you seen in last three years to think ‘ wow , we miss him ‘
Well,, I saw us throw away the title this season by not being able to rotate our players and the previous season saw us blow a given top four spot away through lack of cover.
I refer back to AMN’s display at Wembley and ask you this question – would he have made a difference in either or both of those scenarios above playing like that?
I strongly believe he would have done in the first example, by allowing White to fill in at CB.
In the second example, he would have done a much better job than Holding in regards to the spuds match and Son and with the Partey injury, he would have been the ideal substitute, while he would have given us some backbone in the Newcastle debacle….. so I most definitely would say we have missed him, wouldn’t you?
Based on the evidence of how he’s played on loan ? No we haven’t missed him
His performance at Wembley was great but he doesn’t want to be a full back
He was on loan at clubs with inferior players, As I say, I can’t remember him letting The Arsenal down, so why bring in other clubs?
Because that was the point of the loan to prove he could be the CM he think is he
If he can’t get in Saints midfield he’s not getting into ours is he ?
Compare that to Balogun who used his loan to prove he now deserves a chance
Shame – he showed in occasion that he has in him a special ability to completely dominate his side of the pitch from a left back/wing back position, when up against some of the toughest wingers around. Not just his athleticism and tackling abilities, but he also showed fantastic skill in the ball. There’s real talent in there.
His rapid decline may have been self inflicted, at least in part, but it’s his career and his life – I hope that his next move helps him towards his goals (as long as it’s not at arsenal’s eventual expense!), or at least takes him somewhere he can enjoy.
He went to west brom, Roma and Saints to prove he can be a top CM
Relegation proves he failed at those clubs and proves your correct in terms of we were crazy to not take 30 million
Palace wanted to pay 20 for Eddie who will prove he’s not worth that
I acknowledge his FA Cup display and like I said if he got his head round playing at full back he had a chance with us
Did we turn back on him or did he go on social media and try and force a move away
He got that move and it turned out grass want greener
The way I see it, he was a squad player at best and there’s nothing wrong with being a squad player- even squad players contribute to titles and trophies. I know he has been a gunner from young but the moment he went on social media to push a move through to Everton by claiming he wants to go where he is wanted, is the moment I lost respect for him. I’m sorry if others don’t agree but good riddance. Take a look at Rob Holding, not the best defender in my opinion but a decent squad player that is willing to roll up his sleeves and get stuck in when called upon as we just cannot afford the wages of 4 word class central defenders if we are not in all competitions consistently. AMN would have got his chances if he rolled his sleeves up, worked hard and took his chances, whether at FB, Midfield, Winger or any position his employer asked him to play. Instead, he’s a clubless midfielder with some experience at full back who previously tried to force a move away from the club that developed him, not a great CV for a 25 yr old but also not the end of the world for him either. He should be proud of having achieved playing in our first 11, just ask the 1,000’s of other academy prospects that never made it into the first team or any other first team up and down the country.
I wish Ashley all the best in his future career in football. In my opinion he has always conducted himself well at Arsenal.
My hope for AMN is that he realizes that his future does not lie in midfield, but as a fullback/wingback. Surely the advice/selection decisions of his previous managers to play as FB, will finally be accepted by him given that in this position he gained selection for England. At only 25 his career is still in front of him.
The problem is he squandered the chance he had, he was a very capable player with a lot of talent, but would always switch off at certain points, he should have listened to the managers who coached him, and maybe he may have made it, but good luck to him, I met him at an Arsenal do and he is a very likable bloke. Good luck with his future, 25 it isn’t over