“Maddest statement I’ve heard” Merson slammed for latest comments

It is fair to say that Paul Merson is not everyone’s idea of a top pundit and his latest comments will not have done him many favours, certainly not in the eyes of some Arsenal fans.

Merson has opined that Mikel Arteta should not be fielding Martin Odegaard if there is no chance of his transfer deal being made permanent.

Well, that has not gone down too well with some fans, especially when the former Gunner has failed to appreciate the meaning of the word loan.

In all fairness to Merson, he did qualify his comments by stating that Emile Smith Rowe should be played more often if Odegaard is certain to leave but that point has basically been disregarded by most of those that responded to his utterings.

Anyway, here are some of the responses from the fans and I am sure that you will have noticed a pattern developing here.

Tags Martin Odegaard Paul Merson

19 Comments

  1. Well Ad Martin, you are certainly quick in coming back with this article so soon after the original MERSE gaffe was on JA!

    Merses regular “look at how good a court jester I am ” public statements may be good for JA and for his continued career as a professional “fool”, but are a source of irritation to those of us who are blessed with normal or above IQ.
    I freely admit to never having suffered “fools” gladly,not even professional ones like Merse.

  2. I’m obviously in the below IQ level as I thought the whole point of the loan system was to help both clubs for a period of time. It can’t be helped if RM get a better player back if Odegaard has proved his worth during his time at Arsenal. If this loan spell proves to be a factor in getting European football next season then I shall be more than happy. Job done. Signing him would be a highly desirable but wouldn’t Arteta have factored in more than one scenario for the end of the season?

    1. Sue P your claim to a below normal IQ fools no one and is plainly not so! Your post is a wise and sensible one.

      My separate point however was about not showing our financial hand prematurely to RM. We will not do so either, as I am convinced. MERSES COMMENT WAS A NAIVE AND FOOLISH ONE.

      1. That was not in my thought process at all, but that is not my forte but I see your point.

        At this stage of the season with a few games to go and so much at stake for next season why would anybody care if Odegaard plays in both the league and the cup? Is ESR going to go backwards if he shares his role?

  3. He’s got a point though ,while we play him others are missing out who could be gaining experience for next season .
    We help out Real Madrid while some of our talent(Martinelli,Pepe) sit on the bench to make room for him .
    Ceballos is another one taking up another spot from an Arsenal player .
    The club should be looking at long term not some fly by 6 month deal .
    Has he played well ? Yes but Martinelli and Pepe were both playing well but we see them dropped .
    Before Xmas Arteta didn’t even wanna play with a number 10 now he’s pushing 2 into the same team .

    1. Dan, agree completely with your views – ESR and Martinelli for Ceballos and Odegaard… especially how this season has gone.
      With only the Europa league as a realistic goal, we should be giving these players much more playing time.
      I would love to see Odegaard sign for us, he looks an excellent prospect/talent, unlike Ceballos… in my opinion.
      I have never liked the idea of loaning players AND AW, UE (gazidis) and MA have all shown what awful results some of these deals can produce… Kalstrom, Lichsteiner and Ceballos for example.
      Odegaard has been the only shining light that I can think of, but what are we doing, proving that he is what RM already know?
      Jacking up his value, improving him, stopping the progress of our own young and VERY talented players – of course, if we had a cat in hells chance of getting Odegaard, then that would be a completely different matter and it is patently obvious that RM have no intention of letting him go, otherwise a clause would have been included that gave us this option.
      I guess we will just have to watch him perform, knowing that he is not going to be one of ours.

          1. Not much to say. I’m not a fan of Merson as a pundit, and this is an example of why. Smith Rowe and Odegaard have shown they can play in the same team so i don’t get the whole “blocking his development” thing. Everyone agreed that we needed an attacking midfielder in the last window, the club went out and got a good one, albeit temporarily at the moment, and now suddenly it was a mistake.

      1. KEN YOU HAVE PLAINLY MADE UP YOUR MIND THAT WE HAVE NO CHANCE OF LANDING ODEGAARD IN ANY FORM, TRANSFER OR LOAN.

        You must have info that no one else has then. To make policy based on an assumption that is too early to make with any certainty, is foolish. Which is why it will not happen and while we are able, we will continue to play Odegaaard, fitness and rest permitting, IMO.

        FOR WHAT ITS WORTH. I EXPECT HIM TO BE HERE NEXT SEASON IN SOME FORM. YOU DON’T, APPARENTLY.

        I base that view on my certainty that Kroenke wil do all he can to keep MA here and will support him as best he can, while not spending any of his personal money on transfers. But there are other ways of landing players and in this world pandemic we are about to find out how very inventive and flexible many clubs can and will be. Of necessity too!

        1. Argooner, please read my comments – I value the player highly and have said that quite clearly.
          What I am suggesting (my opinion only) is that it is at the expense of our own players, who we have had here since the beginning of the season and, to date, have proved to be every bit as good as Odegaard.
          After having “discovered” ESR, to see him being played out of position in order to play Odegaard, seems a little strange to me… especially as RM have stated he is not for sale.

          Jon, we do differ in our opinion that Odegaard will or will not be here next season.

          Yours, it seems, is based on kronkie, who you have never had a good word for, backing his manager – mine is based on what the player and his parent club are saying.

          Needless to say, if you are correct, then I will be as happy as you… but only if it is on a permanent deal.
          Another loan deal further affects our OWN players development… in my opinion.

  4. I think people are being too polar. If you have a good loan player, you have to asses, how important he is to win and how important is winning to the long term benefit if the club.

    If not playing him means we lose (and it is critical to win) and ESR gets exhausted and injured, then you play him.
    If you have other players who can fill efficiently and needs game time, they get priority, if you know you cannot extend a loan player. Manager should find the balance.

    Before Willian and Pepe improve, we desperately need Martin. Because only ESR and Saka was top level. They made the loan decision accordingly.

  5. Its a loan, we have no obligation to buy and we decided to loan him. If he plays well, its a win win for both teams as far as the loan is concerned. A loan is what it is and no obligation has been stipulated so thats as far as it goes. Media BS tries to make it different, it isnt.

    1. Yes, we know that Reggie, but the question is, is he holding up the development of our own players – or is he giving them an insight into another level of football… but at a cost to their development?

  6. Ken, some people just don’t seem to get it…Merse was merely suggesting if the club knew, due to their actual communications with his parent club, that there was no way a transfer was in the offing then it might not make sense to continually have him playing a starting role, especially in the no. 10 position…my only exception was for Europa games because if he could help us in some way to secure a Cup, this would provide us with the necessary resources to potentially find a plausible replacement…since Arteta has finally come to the understanding that this is a “rebuild” not a “retool” we should be using our remaining League games to develop players who actually have a future with the club…we both obviously know what the intended purposes are behind the loaning of a player, but that doesn’t mean we should wantonly cater to the needs or wishes of either that loanee or the parent club…our more pressing concern is to get our ship righted, not to help some other club further develop their players and/or fill their coffers

    1. RV, at least you see my point, along with Dan kit.
      There is no argument regarding the player, but what Merson says makes complete sense… if only fans digested what he was actually saying.
      For once I agree with him.

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