Are Arsenal hypocritical? Why is Sokratis’ request different to Ozil’s situation?

Are Arsenal Being Hypocritical Regarding Sokratis and Ozil? by Dan Smith

So, Arsenal have told a player he doesn’t fit into their plans but selling him might be an issue due to his salary. Guess what? I’m not referring to Mesut Ozil.

Sokratis hasn’t started a game post lockdown, which makes his 90,000 pounds a week pay costly. For a few years now the club has been paying Champions League wages to a Europa League squad.

The defender has every right to question how he gets frozen out over the likes of Luiz and Kolasinac, but it’s a case of him simply not fitting into Arteta’s ethos. He’s the kind of defender more suited to defending a lead in the final 10 minutes, getting his head to things, blocking shots, etc. Yet he’s not a fit for a team in possession, he’s not great on the ball and gets his feet muddled up.

The Greek international has to choose between what matters to him more, his bank balance or first team football? While there’s zero guarantee when anyone will be receiving match day revenue more players will be trapped in this kind of situation, holding on to a big contract that they won’t receive elsewhere.

Sokratis could insist on running down his deal but that would mean only the odd cup tie. The 32 year-old and his agent are a step ahead asking for his contract to be cancelled. Having spoken with Napoli, they are honest enough that the majority of suitors wouldn’t be in a position where they could offer both his current income as well as a transfer fee due to his age.

Arsenal, while happy to reduce their wage bill, would of course ideally would want some kind of compensation and they themselves have to make a decision. Having again allowed a player to run down his deal into its final year we don’t really hold many cards in this situation.

Our choices seem to be, rip up the contract and save wages, or not sell unless we receive a fee, forcing someone to stay who your manager has made clear he doesn’t fancy. It’s the equivalent of cutting your nose off to spite your face – for what? A couple of million.

The likes of Roma (also linked) will be well aware of that and in many ways, it now becomes a game of bluff. The buyer feeling that the seller will sell on the cheap, the seller pretending they won’t negotiate unless they get a realistic offer. Yet we sacked 55 staff to save that amount so don’t put anything past the current regime in terms of making Stan Kroenke money.

Imagine being made redundant by your employer then hearing they can afford to reject someone giving them permission to not have to honour an agreement to carry on paying him 90,000 pound a week? Trust me, none of our non-playing staff were earning close to that.

If I was one of those people sacked, I be wondering which one is it? On one hand you’re so poor you cut jobs, but yet rich enough to turn down a chance to save 90 grand a week! It’s contradictory, It’s hypocritical and it’s double standards.

If you’re reading this and your first thought is why should we release a player? The player should honour his contract. He’s an asset and no business gives an asset away for nothing? Then you too are being contradictory.

Arsenal want Ozil’s representatives to make the exact same offer that Sokratis has. If you believe reports, the German has rejected having his contract torn up. Sections of our fanbase have labelled him ‘greedy’, ‘a thief’, etc, for not walking away from 350 000 pound a week. Yet when someone very kindly says don’t worry about giving me the 90-000 pound a week I legally am entitled to, why haven’t we bitten off his hands?

Why do some gooners lambast Ozil for taking home so much money at a time when other departments of the club are cutting jobs, yet turn the other cheek when Arsenal themselves are choosing not to accept a recommendation from Sokratis? The exact same suggestion Ozil is criticised for not going along with. 90,000 a week saves you a lot of cash.

Not many companies who have to ask some workers to take a pay cut and others a redundancy package then reject a chance to save 90,000 grand a week on a resource they don’t even use.

These are all rhetorical questions of course. I know the answer but just want some supporters to open their eyes.

Is Ozil greedy? Yes
But so are Arsenal.

Will Ozil do everything lawfully to maximise how much money he can make for him and his family? Yes
But will Arsenal equally do the same to maximise how much money they make and save for their owner? Yes

Does any player need 350 000 pound a week, is that excessive? Of course

Does a Billionaire Owner really need to save 2 million a year by making people unemployed? Of course not

Could Ozil write off his last year of pay, go and play elsewhere and still earn a decent living where he is more than comfortable? 100 percent

Yet, could Arsenal release Sokratis and help him get a move and still make millions? 100 percent

Is Ozil being loyal to the ‘Arsenal Family’. No, he’s prioritising his own family

Are Arsenal loyal to players? No. If Auba broke his leg and couldn’t play for two years, do you think we would still offer him a pay rise?

Will some question Ozil, yet not query why Arsenal shirts now start from 60 pounds? Yes

I understand why we have not simply made Sokratis a free agent just because we don’t want him. He’s still an investment, someone you will fight to make as much money on as possible. If that wasn’t the case, we wouldn’t have transfers at all.

Football is a business. Take the emotion out of it, the Premiership is one of the UK’s biggest brands. Yet you can’t have it both ways. Arsenal FC led by the Kroenke family will do everything they can to make as much money as possible even if it upsets many. To them, the juice is worth the squeeze. So that stance has to be the same regarding players.

Did Arsenal think of their scouts, receptionists, security, stewards, catering, etc when they made them unemployed? What about their families? Their Children?

Did Arsenal think or care that this is the worst time to be laying people off? No, they were ruthless as most empires are.

So, when someone is doing it to them, it’s a lot of things…. but it’s not poor old Arsenal…

Dan Smith

85 Comments

  1. Looks like Arteta is listening to us fans the legend Dennis Bergkamp is coming home!! Hopefully it will happen be a fantastic coaching appointment!!

      1. This guy Ozil is phenomenal. Why? He trends in the comments section regularly , I’ve never read comments where he hasn’t been mentioned be it articles related to him or not. And guess what? His story largely revolves around laziness, his salary, greed, politics. We the Justarsenal fans are similar to a couple who can’t agree on anything and the only thing cooking is divorce. Let’s try to move on from Ozil and look at the bright things that could be happening at the emirates.

    1. On a scale of 1-10, how sure are you Danny? And I think it’s a myth that Arteta is listening to us fans, if this were true, he would have heard my screams from thousands of miles away to Sign Thomas Partey now, announce Gabriel and Auba. And give us a bonus of Auoar if ceballos doesn’t come back. When I scream, it’s deafening, trust me, he’ll have gotten the message 😂

      1. Let Ozil rot on the bench. It’s all about the money.
        I also think Madrid will demand lots of money for Ceballos so we should rather go for Aouar, the better of the two.

        A midfield of Aouar, Partey, Willian and Xhaka can challenge for the Epl if we still have our Captain and get Gabrael and with Martinez as GP

        1. Arsenal will never challenge for the title with Xhaka playing in the team. The reason is because he lacks the basic skill levels in tackling and control of the ball for a premier
          league football club. He can pass yes but not at an elite match winning level needed to guarantee him a place in the team. He is pretty ordinary at it. An elite midfielder must be able to run tackle create cover the defense and score, you will never get that from Xhaka. The idea that a team should have a specialist passer and a specialist box to box player and a specialist defensive midfielder plus a specialist creative player is a total waste of limited resources of 11 players on the team, which means you have to come up with systems to accommodate all of these specialist in midfield, which means you will to compromise either in defense or scoring goals. Both have been the case since Xhaka’s arrival at the club

          1. @akan: Spot on sir. Unlike those who constantly demean and attack Ozil , the best player at arsenal, You do understand football

    2. Get over the 55 thing, redundancy is part of life. I have been made redundant 3 times. The last time set me up to invest in property and I now haven’t took orders from anyone for 11 years.

      As for the 55 it is actually far more than that, you can add chips, Raul, Freddie, pat rice, Steve morrow, Charlie George, Sammy nelson and Stuart Houston too that list of people to lose their jobs and the club is not finished yet. The non playing staff list is horrendous and needs to be reduced in order to save the playing staff, after all a football club should really be focusing on football and winning trophies.

      The club was paying over 1000 people’s wages yet less than 10% were actually playing football

      1. Without more detail mate it’s hard to compare

        When you were made redundant was your employer then paying someone else 250-000 pound a week ?

        Were they sacking staff then turning down other chances to save money ?I

        Did other departments be told taking a pay cut would mean zero redundancies?

        1. One thing that is easy to compare is as far as im aware we had a larger non-playing staff than City which is obviously absurd.

      1. Of course Ken. Always and you know why? Because I support the club over any player. When he was selected pre-covid, I didn’t write tonnes of articles like dear old Dan here on why he shouldn’t be starting. I supported the club. I criticised players who played poorly in match reviews but I didn’t write articles every two days trying to question the club and Arteta on why he kept selecting him in the line up even though I wasn’t comfortable with he starting for us tbh.

        1. Well, to ask such a silly question of another Gooner is ridiculous.
          While you haven’t written any articles, you have always criticised Ozil to the extent one has to ask the question I posed to you.
          I can guarantee his answer will be the same as yours, so what gives you the moral high ground to question ANY fans support?
          It’s strange that we all say we commit 100% to Arteta, then blindly and slag off individuals – how about you writing an article on what you believe makes a supporter?

          1. I’ll have to take you up on that challenge some day soon Ken. You just might not like it because some hard truths will be spoken.

          2. Kstix, if it’s what you believe in, I will look forward to reading your thoughts, as I believe you are a true Gooner, with different criteria to me… whose to say which one of us is right or wrong?

  2. Ozil made a sacrifice by signing that contract that they want to remove his hands from it
    Sanchez left,Van persie left Ozil sacrificed his adventure..Arsenal should give Ozil some respect

  3. The big difference you failed to mention is that Socrates is a man monster wrestler type player, Ozil injures himself sitting on seat!!! (Even I am not that bad). Socrates as you mentioned will do a job when called upon, can you say the same about Ozil? Oh the excuses will come out – winter break, Iwobi/Giroud around him and now their gone for a season any new outcome? Socrates is generating interest in clubs, no club seems bothered to even discuss Ozil! Socrates wants to play the other wants to stay and do nothing worthwhile! There is a sky to earth difference in the attitude of both players, both cannot be referred to in the same sentence or even on the same page.
    Bottom line : Although expensive, Socrates will do a job, although mega expensive Ozil has failed to do his job since he signed (except for that fluke 19 assists seasons ago when Sanchez was at his peak) and from previous history there is no forecast that he will do us a job

    I have ZERO confidence in Ozil, it doesn’t matter.The coach gave him opportunities and he has ZERO confidence in him too.
    End of the story and stop playing the victim card again.

    1. And to think Dan forget about arsenal patience for players even while they were injured and underperforming, Diaby, Wilshire, Ramsey, bischoff, Eduardo and many more with career threatened injuries at arsenal came to mind, last I checked none of the aforementioned contracts where terminated.
      Football might be business but there is loyalty and emotions as well.
      Am sure sokratis wouldnt be requesting for contract termination if he isn’t having interest, Ozil would have done same, I guess no interest that he value is knocking on his door yet

      1. I was going to say the same.
        Diaby
        RVP
        Wilshere
        Eduardo
        Ramsey
        Rosicky
        Vamaelen
        Etc
        All injury prone but Arsenal stood by them.

      2. And to think you forgot how Diaby , Wilshire , Cazorla , Rosisky , Welbeck , Ramsey were all not awarded new contracts once Arsenal felt they were no longer assets ?

        1. Would you keep wearing your old clothes even when it’s off fashion.
          Even at that, arsenal offered some of them a renew contract which was rejected

  4. This is on whoever signed him at 30+ years old player for 15m+( the rumour was 18/19m) on 3 years deal and deemed it to give him 90k per week when we have options to suyuncu or Diallo who could be on lesser wage with almost the same fee. A lot of Kroenke money was surely wasted during Emery’s 1 and half years. Add 9.7m his wages for 2 years to 18m, that is 27.5m which Sokratis wants us to lose to save 4.7m. Youth is the way to go and if it doesn’t work out it will be easier and cheaper to move them on. What I don’t get about Sokratis request is, won’t he get sign-on bonus and whatever comes with becoming free agent. So he want to continue collecting 90k for say next 4 years in his new club at the expense of us. If he so love to play football, he should take a pay cut and let Napoli or Roma pay 8m for him or suggest Soares kind of loan deal

    1. I so much agree with your final summation. Am sure his agent has some mischievous plot in place, he is receiving interest, instead of asking the interested club to approach arsenal for bid?
      As for why we opted for him instead of a younger player, I think it’s what UE wanted at the time.
      Probably the reason his wishes were trashed during his last summer transfers. Asking for Benaga,?

      1. Adajim, if you follow the way The Arsenal has been set up since gazidis introduced the three musketeers, you will know that UE was employed as a coach – nothing more and nothing less.

        I am certain he gave his ideas on who he wanted (Pepe versus Zaha), but in the end,it was not his decision who was signed…as he has said many times since he was sacked.

        I do not defend UE, as I believe he was the wrong choice, but we have to be clear on the mistakes he made and those of others.

        As for Dennis coming back, if it is true of course, what a step forward this will be for the club,
        I am sorry to lose Freddie, but it does seem it was his decision and to have DB take his place, would be incredible.

        1. Ken, a right step forward, hopefully, they all work together to take our great club back to top.
          Funny, I do not rate Zaha, and base on stats, his last 2 seasons compare to zaha still shows he is superior

        2. Thank you, Ken. So many others are yet to see the light.
          Let’s all hope that Arteta gets more support to bring in the players HE WANTS to play the style he wants to play.

          1. What you could say Is even if he didn’t get the players he wanted(which wasn’t true from what I’ve read ) ,it just ment that they didnt trust his judgment in the transfer market ,which begs the question why would they employ someone like that in the first place .

  5. Another way to defend your sweet Ozil.
    Have you ever think you’re making things difficult for Ozil by coming up with different articles blaming one thing or other for Ozil.
    I have so many people who are so proud about Ozil charities but criticized him only for his onfield performance but now getting pissed off because of different article trying to cover his field blushes with his kind heart.
    This are two different things.
    Ozil is kind hearted but a flop on the field.
    Yes Ozil was the best among the creative players we have presently but Ceballos more than cover for it with much defensive side of his and reason why Ozil is no more needed in the new formation after the pandemic(we switched to a defensive formation).
    And don’t give me the game against Aston Villa about us not creating if you can’t figure out that the same formation was used to beat Liverpool, Man city and Chelsea and the only different is not starting Xhaka to balance our midfield against Aston Villa.
    Xhaka also missed the game against Man City(left the field at 0:0) and Brighton to balance that midfield, so I don’t understand the fuss that, we lost cos Ozil didn’t play.
    Please drop this Ozil stuff and don’t make people hate him more. I’m 100% sure that he was dislike even more because of article like this coz Ozil fans will always bring something up to cover his blushes.

    But believe me, nobody will complain about Ozil if he still perform at the level of Auba or even Willian at Chelsea and all are same age.

  6. I agree with Dan Smith; the same rules should apply to both players.
    Socrates still has value, so he should have a transfer fee. Letting him leave on a free only allows him to negotiate higher wages. If Napoli or another club wants him, they will pay the transfer fee and wages. If no club is interested, Socrates could be let go just to free up the wages.
    However Ozil will not leave, even on a free transfer, because no club will match his wages and he would rather sit on the bench than drop money.

      1. Adajim, I am agreeing with the Dan’s basic premise. My comments are a clarification, which may not agree with Dan’s application of the premise to Mezut Ozil.

    1. ozziegunner, your first paragraph makes complete sense and I agree 100%.

      As for the second part, has Ozil ever said he would rather sit on the bench? Or has he said he is fit, ready for selection and wants to earn his place back?

      I’m not saying if he worthy of winning his place back, in Arteta’s eyes at the moment he isn’t and that’s what counts.

      But to fabricate a situation, as you have done, is wrong….unless you can show me where he has said what you allege?

      1. Ken , as a football fan, am dissapointed Ozil is wasting away at arsenal, as I refuse to believe he can’t get playing time elsewhere, the way we treat him might be ungrateful/ unfair, German team may have treated him bad, but that doesn’t mean he should be unfair to himself and his career, if he isn’t in MA plans, no need to force things, he needs to get his career back on track ,probably by taking paycut to move

        1. Adajim, I’m sure you believe that when a contract is signed, it is legally binding for both parties?
          When the club and Ozil entered into this agreement, neither party knew what the future held.
          What both parties did agree to was a commitment that involved neither reneging on said deal.
          The club wanted him to stay so much, they offered him a ludicrous and grotesque salary – Ozil accepted it and, at that time, the majority of the fan base agreed and welcomed the agreement…even though most of us were aghast at the salary reportedly given (of course we know nothing about the details of said contract).

          At the time, Ozil could have walked away from the club, obtained a massive signing on fee from another club and been in the same financial situation he is now.
          Don’t forget, he was already earning a reported £150,000 a week and, with the form he was in, could have demanded that as a minimum PLUS his signing on fee.

          Now, as it has turned out, neither the club or the player have fulfilled what, it seems, was their side of the contract as far as results are concerned.
          The club fell from the top four, relegation was discussed, the AW replacement, UE, was a disaster (in my opinion) and we were on a slippery slope to becoming a mid-table team.

          Ozil lost form, was injured frequently ( never disputed by the club), fell out with UE and became the whipping boy of a section of our fan base – remember Iwobi, Eboue, Ramsey, Giroud?

          When Mikel Arteta arrived, he gave every player a clean bill of health and stated quite clearly, what he thought of Ozil and how he rated him…backing that up by selecting him for every single premier league game in 2020 up and until the coronavirus outbreak…an unbeaten run of course.
          Now this proved to be an unpopular decision amongst those fans who were already blaming him for every conceivable wrong the club had suffered under UE and the last year of AW.
          Such rubbish as we were playing with ten men springs to mind as an example of the pathetic and unrelenting abuse he was subjected to…thief. liar, mentally frail, filth were aimed at him and THAT IS WHY any decent fan would defend him as a person. Outright lies about fans comparing him to Dennis Bergkamp were made, but easily proved incorrect.

          It was deemed that Arteta didn’t know what he was doing, selecting this player, while those of us who supported Arteta, backed up his decision 100%.

          Then came the virus and the pay cut, when someone at the club leaked to the public that Ozil and two other players wanted more information about, before committing to the cuts. Strangely, the club didn’t deem it worthy to let us fans know who the other two were…interesting don’t you think?

          Since then and despite not being on the losing side in 2020’s premier league fixture, Ozil was dropped…not only from the team, but the squad as well. Why? It couldn’t be loss of form or not putting in a full training session, simply because there wasn’t any happening.

          Now I happen to believe in Mikel Arteta 100% and will support his decisions, even when I can’t , for the life of me, understand the reasons behind them – what I do expect is for both parties to honour the contract signed and the way our club has gone about trying to ostracize him has been a disgrace.
          However, the person, I believe, responsible for this has now left the club and it remains to be seen what happens next.

          I have been told by someone who knows a little about the inner goings on at the club regarding player level, that Arteta and Ozil have had face to face talks since raul left and they went well…watch this space!!!

          Now, if this proves correct, we could see Ozil back in his plans – so tell me, what do you think the reaction will be?

          A complete support of Arteta and his decisions, or a unholy outcry from that certain section of fans who say the support the club and not a player?

          I applaud people like Dan, who try to ask pertinent questions about one players treatment versus another, but I am certain he will carry on supporting our club no matter what happens to Ozil or Sokratis, that is what supporting you r club and it’s manager is all about….in my opinion.

          1. I still think that he was not played after the break due to upper management. We will know if he starts playing….

          2. Ozil needs quality players around him to make things happen. Ozil’s best season came with Sanchez (LW) and Cazorla (B2B) in team with excellent form of Coq (DM) and Theo (RW). Only problem was loss of Giroud’s (ST) form mid season.

            Now after that season our team started to slip. We replaced Cazorla with Xhaka, Sanchez with Iwobi. Theo and coq lost form and eventually sold. Only plus is we replaced Gioud with Lacazette. We blamed it on Ozil and UE dropped him.

            Last season after MA took over and Ozil is reinstated Ozil played well. Why? Again he had some excellent player around him. A good front three and B2B. Only problem is DM. Post lock down MA changed formation for seemingly two reasons. One is to address lack of DM with back 3 and the other is to play to Luiz’s strength. Now in 3-4-3 formation Ozil can only play as false nine. But between him and Lacazette, later is preferable for his goal threat.
            Now in this new season, if we go back to 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, we will see Ozil again with competing his place with Willian. And if we can give him a good DM and B2B to play behind him, I think he will excel.

        2. People need to watch Ozil’s 2010 World Cup highlights are remember how talented this guy was. Then compare him to his time at Arsenal. They aren’t the same players. Ozil has been on vacation in London for most his Arsenal career. Fun fact, Ozil actually used to run, leave players in his dust on a regular basis, and be consistent. That is only a glimpse of the player we bought.

          1. ‘To whom much is given, much is expected.”
            ” For what shall it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and lose his own soul.” Mark 8:36

  7. The writer of this article obviously doesn’t understand football finance and player attitude and the actual situation. Plus twisting the actual situation to suit his Ozil love fest.

  8. I disagree.
    It’s disheartening what’sgoing on with the redundancies and that’s on Kroenke and his board. However Sokratis is valued at £7.2m according to Transfermarkt. Roma/Napoli can either buy at a discounted rate or pay a 1 year loan fee to take the player. It’s decisions like this – giving away £2.4m (£7.2m MV less £4.8m wages) that make the business model unsustainable. Any club willing to pay £2.4m means we do not lose on the player. You don’t pay the player what they demand, you lose them for free and we moan. We pay them the demand and they lose form, we complain that they are overpaid. The right model is to reassess the player contract every 2 years to ensure the club is happy, the player is happy, and any increases are proportionate – not double your wages. That means you don’t lose players for nothing and can still sell or loan players without losing money or value.

  9. and about Kronke
    Does a Billionaire Owner really need to save 2 million a year by making people unemployed? Of course not

    A businessman do not run his business on self pity or else he won’t be a billionaire.
    He was a billionaire before he bought Arsenal and for him not been a football man, it means he came into the business to make money, so any money save is money even if is £100.

    And believe me, Arsenal is self sustaining business, so we need any money to sustain.

    And about Socratis,
    We still have many days left in this transfer window. Arsenal can hold on to him thinking whoever needs him might latter change there mind and offer say 2-5M(Koscielny case) and if not release him at the end of the transfer window.

    Arsenal don’t need to show pity to any players cos the players don’t pity Arsenal too.

    I still remember us paying players with critical injuries but the moment they have the chance,they move(Van persie)
    Nurturing small players and yet move(Fab, Nasri etc)
    So you don’t expect them to show pity also. It’s business for both.

  10. Napoli are in negotiations with sokratis, Arsenal are willing to terminate his contract to save wages, sokratis is waiting to negotiate a good deal with Napoli, his contract will be terminated if he chooses to move to Napoli, this article is baseless and the writer is clueless. Twisting the story just to suit the message you want to pass across.

    1. Mate all articles are baseless ?
      We report on what we hear
      You just said his contract will be terminated if he joins Napoli
      Is that something you can prove or ….baseless ?

  11. Based on the standard of his performances for Arsenal I cannot see any Club on the Planet paying more than 1m for Socratis under normal circumstances.However,we are not living in normal circumstances and most Clubs, Arsenal included , are feeling the pinch to say the least.An immediate saving of 90k per week goes some way towards meeting the wages agreed for Willian, so it makes economical sense to unload Socratis particularly when he does not figure in Artetas plans..I refuse to enter into any comments concerning the other Arsenal player mentioned in dispatches nor to compare their respective talents.All I would say is they are both examples of sheer incompetence on the part of Management within our Club.

  12. Dans sociallly important and excellent article is right up my styreet. As a life long political activist and campaigner I am always pasionate about the unfairness of how society runs. But being a realist I also know that human beings will put ourselves before the welfare of others. That does not mean we are bad people,merely that we are acting as humans do.

    Ozil AND Sokratis are of course greedy but so are all Prem players. Unless a Prem player, in flying pig land let us suppose, agrees to a wage of, say, £50k a YEAR, not a week, then he is taking a huge advantage of the gift that nature has given him for playing foOtball and at the same time playing a part(whether large or small but thE principle is still the same) in causing many hard pressed fans to pay far more to watch their beloved team and spoRt than they need to. Wages are an obscenity and this is oft forgotten or at least only comes up whemn Ozils hige salary is questioned.

    My POINT is that ALL top players salaries are obscene and disgusting and unfair and unearned. Yes, I accept that the world is unfair and always was throughout history BUT we have the power to change attitudes, PROVIDED THAT we have the will to do so.
    I have that will and constantly try to persuade others of the harm that gross greed does. BTW, I an NOT a socialist and believe in a capitalist system but a far fairer and more equitable one.

    1. Jon, like me, you can read exactly the point Dan is making, rather than making it a simple opportunity to knock a player as this has turned into once again.

      It seems that the coronavirus has not had any effect on the ridiculous salaries football players can demand or earn, along with the transfer fees being demanded – the Partey release clause being a perfect example.

      However Jon, the area that you revolve around, the theatre, also has examples of greed and overpaid people.

      To think that the greed of individuals/companies /institutions is confined to football is nonsense (I know that is not what you are saying) and Dan is highlighting, once again, the hypocrisy around our club and it’s fans.

      OT. Great news about DB, if it’s true.

      1. Ken, We could not more on the same page than on this important – far more important than football too – subject! Greed is the enemy of mankinds development and evolvement of our species and as you rightly say is found in sport, theatre, media, business and everywhere where powerful and/or talented people are able to exploit less fortunate people to make themselves filthy rich. I have hated – and I use the word HATE correctly in this instance – this repulsive and obscene exploitation of the less able by powerful folk, for my whole adult life.

        I ought to be a socialist as my principles are same but I know that because of how humans are, true socialism can never work. Not until our race becomes far more evolved ,IF we ever do!
        I gladly admit to being impatient for proper change and the world COULD be so wonderful if only life were fairer and ALL people thought more of others in PRACTICAL WAYS, NOT MERELY IN WORDS. But until that day comes, all such as we can do is to keep banging on about greed and gross inequality and try to bring less thinking or caring folk to their senses.

        I have long hated myself for even supporting a club who prop up this diseased sysyem, as ALL TOP LEVEL CLUBS DO. THAT MAKES ME A HYPOCRITE AND THEREFORE A TYPICAL HUMAN BEING. But I don’t like it one bit!

        THAT SHANKLY SAYING WAS SO VERY WRONG, though to be fair, he said it tongue in cheek, for effect, and he was bright enough to know how much it helped Liverpool at that time.

        1. The two arguments to be made for professional footballers making more than £50k per week wages is the relatively short length of a football career and what they bring through the gate. What many of them do make is obscene compared to the ordinary working trades person or professional man or women.

  13. Arsenal will never challenge for the title with Xhaka playing in the team. The reason is because he lacks the basic skill levels in tackling and control of the ball for a premier
    league football club. He can pass yes but not at an elite match winning level needed to guarantee him a place in the team. He is pretty ordinary at it. An elite midfielder must be able to run tackle create cover the defense and score, you will never get that from Xhaka. The idea that a team should have a specialist passer and a specialist box to box player and a specialist defensive midfielder plus a specialist creative player is a total waste of limited resources of 11 players on the team, which means you have to come up with systems to accommodate all of these specialist in midfield, which means you will to compromise either in defense or scoring goals. Both have been the case since Xhaka’s arrival at the club

  14. best article i have read on here Dan, I was very happy to read this as the thing I hate most in this world is the hypocrisy and double standards of human people but they will deny it even if you confront them directly.. like the comments in this article except Ken, Jon and some others

    1. You can tell mate by anyone who personally ha s a dig , it’s a sign they are wrong
      For example, easier to say your article is rubbish then factually have a debate

      1. Absolutely!
        I also hated the hypocrisy of the club when they denied to support the muslims in china with the reason that they dont mingle into political problems but the real reason was surely that they didnt want to offend china because of financial reasons. but when the black lives matter movement started they had no problems to support it because they had nothing to lose as america as a nation was not against BLM, so if it suits they will mingle into politics but if its difficult they wont.. thats just hypocrisy, either you stay out of politics or you dont.. this is not moral to just support something when its convenient…
        but on the other side özil is hypocritical too as he supports erdogan

        1. Rubbish and sentiments..

          The premiere league teams collectively agreed to support blm…

          Racism is real and alive in England too..

          When you set up your company, let your employees tell you how to run it.., also set up your company, thats out to save the world from injustice..

  15. This giant post is missing the part where Sokratis wants to be let go SO HE CAN JOIN NAPOLI. Ozil has no suitors, and we cannot make money off his transfer because nobody will pay his wages. The difference is simple. We can make money off of Sokratis, we can only lose money from Ozil.

    1. You can write and write but it doesnt really change the fact Ozil has been a non-performer for ages at Arsenal and has not been earning his keep, and many many fans agree. Essentially what you’ve described is the nature of a football club which is to hold onto valuable assets and let go of the ones that are costing you. It’s not anymore complicated than that, yet when it comes to Ozil, you always think he needs protecting and is some victim who is just trying to take care of his family. It’s simply yet somehow it’s made complicated. Arsenal offered a poor contract, Ozil is sticking with it, even if it ruins the remainder of his career. And guess what, fans are allowed to voice their displeasure with that. Dan I highly, highly, highly doubt that if this was a player you did not like you would defend them so much. Nobody ever defends Xhaka or Mustafi on basically any argument, yet Ozil gets an army just because he played for Real Madrid.

    2. i think you are not getting the point, what he means is özil has his greed and arsenal has its greed and from their point of view its reasonable but from on objective point of view its wrong to condemn one as greed and a sin and the other one as just normal capitalistic way,
      that Özil is not good enough anymore is not the topic

  16. When did I say fans couldn’t voice their displeasure ?
    Are you suggesting Fans havn’t voiced their displeasure
    I have defended both Mustafi and Xakha in articles so that’s not factual
    I don’t rate Ozil as a player anymore . I just think morally he hasn’t done anything wrong ?

    My opinion
    Don’t get the Real Madrid thing ? lol

    1. Dan,
      I was never going to comment again on Ozil but on the issue that he has done nothing morally wrong I agree with what you say.

      It is of course, really difficult for some Arsenal supporters who feel that he is past his best, like you but who can remain objective, to be objective in his case. Arsenal supporters are thinking about what is best for the club, as the hierarchy will be doing too. Paying players who are going to be used sparingly at best sticks in the craw of many. There is no unwritten rule that players who fall out of favour should move on, to get a chance elsewhere, but staying on because you are entitled to do so, will cause disagreement within the fanbase. The fact that he is the highest paid player by quite some margin, (fair or otherwise) is another reason behind the backlash. But as far as it being immoral to stay, that is wrong.

  17. I also hated the hypocrisy of the club when they denied to support the muslims in china with the reason that they dont mingle into political problems but the real reason was surely that they didnt want to offend china because of financial reasons which would be ok, its reasonable. but when the black lives matter movement started they had no problems to support it because they had nothing to lose as america as a nation was not against BLM, so if it suits they will mingle into politics but if its difficult they wont.. thats just hypocrisy, either you stay out of politics or you dont.. this is not moral to just support something when its convenient…
    but on the other side özil is hypocritical too as he supports erdogan
    I am curious if arsenal would have supported BLM if they had to oppose america for that, i would bet all my money against that 😉 then they would tweet “Aubameyang has his opinion but we as a football club dont want to mingle into politics”

    1. Well it’s not that simple is it though? Every sports team on the face of planet earth is showing support for BLM. It would reflect extremely badly on Arsenal not to show support, you could even say support is non-optional.

      Ozil posted about a human rights issue that not even Indonesia, Pakistan or Mo Salah will touch. And then he threw his toys out the pram when Arsenal backed away.

      The context of the two issues are entirely different. You are looking for a sports club to jump into a place where governments fear to tread.

  18. Sokratis and Ozil situations are different. When you consider that both have contracts with Arsenal,you can assume the cases are related. In both cases, it is clear Arsenal does not want to perform.
    In Sokratis’s case, it’s clear he does not meet the required standard of performance even if he wanted to. He understands that too (I’m just supposing) so he wants to go where he can really make a difference. I’m rationalising Arsenal’s stance in holding out for more money to recoup what they invested in him. Basic thing that rational investors do.
    Mr Ozil, On the paradox, has what is required of him to play for Arsenal week in week out. Why? Mr Arteta come out one day and told the world that when he meets the requirement he shall play. It can’t be clearer than that. The Germany national team also had problems with Ozil on attitude and application.
    Mr Dan and Mr Ken can stop the activism so that Arsenal can move forward.
    Finally Mr Ozil can learn from Gnabry and Sokratis on how to respond when you are not wanted. He can also talk to Rio Ferdinand as did Gnabry.
    The Ozil debate is just depressing because it’s not football related. If you know you know.
    My first contribution since 2009 or 2010 when I have been visiting this site daily. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

  19. But for anyone to wish Auba gets a broken leg to illustrate a moot point is astonishingly worrying. Here in Africa, we worship the Arsenal so much our minds never muddle in such thoughts Danny.

    Except to agree, Hear, hear, hear XHAKA is a heap of scrap metal we need proper steel in the core.

    Forever Forward.

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