Video – The Just Arsenal Show with Dan Smith discussing accusations of Being Mr Negative

So it is time for this weeks Just Arsenal Show featuring our very own Dan Smith, who has been labelled as negative for pointing out that we have not actually made it to the Top Four yet, so perhaps we should be a little more patient before declaring that Mikel Arteta has worked wonders already.

He also talks a little about our upcoming game against Watford, and suggests that we cannot guarantee that there are any easy games in the Premier League, so do not count your chickens…

If you enjoy this, please go to @JustArsenalVids on YouTube and subscribe, for snippets from Mikel Arteta’s press conferences, and of course THE JUST ARSENAL SHOW!

Tags Dan Smith Just Arsenal Show

36 Comments

  1. Arsenal don’t have the fear factor anymore on our side,
    teams are not afraid of us as they used to be, bringing
    Haaland would rectify that or even Jude Bellingham
    from the talented Dortmund side.

    1. I don’t know why you guys always rate other league players like bundesliga, serieA and others against our league players, what’s so special about Bellingham, Hall and( sure prolific striker) but what make you guys think that they will play better here in england( may I remind you of Sancho, Warner even lukaku). Please let’s appreciate our own league and players( mavropanus, Saliba, Guendousi) are all doing well in those league in which we believe are not good enough in our own league ( team).

      1. Have you seen Bellingham or Haaland play? Its not to say that players coming from abroad must be better, far from it, but saying they can’t be good because they play abroad is equally ridiculous.

  2. Sorry to say Dan but your gloomy outlook contrasts with where the club is right now.
    I think you convinced yourself Arteta was not the right man after the 0-3 and now find it hard to see us on the cusp of 5th even 4th just 7 games later. Yes the fixtures have been much kinder since game 3 and other teams competing for 5th/6th Tottenham, Leicester + Everton have all underachieved no doubt. But we can only beat what’s in front of us and other teams failings are not our problem. While top 6 comes first top 4 is possible if we beat Watford and Newcastle even if we lose to Liverpool and Man U. 5/6 by Xmas looks nailed on. Westham has three very tough games coming up and could slip to 8/9. Spurs though has 5 soft games up coming and with Conte installed are now our toughest competition for 5th.
    No European football is a Godsend with low injury rates and a fit fresh squad each PL game. The Carabao cup has not been a distraction because the soft draw means the A team has been rotaed with the scrubbers.
    Right now there is no reason to be gloomy Dan. Come toward the light 🙂

      1. But you ARE gloomy now DAN . Any old or young fan can be happy with proven success but the perceptive ones can see the clear progress towards it, while the pessimists do not.

        Or should I say, that pessimists CHOOSE NOT to see it, AS IT SUITS THEIR PERSONAL PESSIMISTIC NATURE NOT TO SEE IT.

        That is the reality of how fanhood works. OR DO YOU DENY THAT THERE ARE IN LIFE BOTH PESSIMISTS AND OPTIMISTS?

  3. Sorry to say Dan, whilst I listened to a good few minutes I gave up in the end

    Your only reference point is the Wenger years. Some of which were outstanding and some which were not. You always refer to our worst league position in 25 years like as if the club is only 25 years old and has therefore, regressed only under Arteta. This is palpably not true. Wenger was struggling too and I also doubt that he could have turned the corner and Emery didn’t turn us into world beaters either. We were in a difficult spot

    I would regard your attitude as negative at times because you appear to have an inbuilt expectation that Arsenal should automatically be a top4 team without consideration for the other teams that have, under new ownership and with the right directors and chairmen challenged for the top

    It’s tiresome having to keep referring to myself as an oldie because as an oldie I have lived through the best of times with Arsenal and the worst as well. I might be nearly at retirement age now but I was young once and remember the ebb and flow. So it has given me a different perspective as I know that football is cyclical and there are no guarantees. I did mistakenly think that the years of top4 would never end but they did and we had to start again and there are shoots of progress beginning.

    There is nothing wrong with celebrating a win or being grumpy about a loss. I also thought it was part of being deliberately unsporting to one’s friends who support a rival team to take the P out of them if we win and they lose. Isn’t it par for the course? We just look berks when the boot is in the other foot which is inevitable at some point

    1. I think there are a number of fans who will exclusively focus in on our present points, league position and as Dan say’s, rejoice about this. This I can fully understand and appreciate as to some, it might be perceived as being the start of a long term progression from this point onwards, the shape of things to come!

      Again, I can understand this because where we’ve been as a club for a long while now. It has been very gloomy. We’ve been unable to make the kind in-roads that we feel we should be making. So going on a bit of a run at the present and having a modicum off success when taking a few scalps along the way will always be a cause for jubilation, however misguided it might be.

      It’s not too different from being in a bad way socially. Just say long term unemployed. All of a sudden you’ve managed to get a job (hopefully something you like) and your future from that point will always be a cause for celebration as you believe you’re on the up. You now perceive a change of fortune and start to look ahead with optimism. You might even be inclined to splash the cash and treat yourself to a few shiny things you’ve yearned for during your darker days.

      So to Dan, without sounding hyper critical it’s not alien to let one’s happiness get the better of them in such circumstances and, I don’t think those that are rejoicing should be criticised either. They are just enjoying the moment and I don’t believe that such fans aren’t savvy enough to realise the changing fortunes of any life experienced event. The person who has just been able to secure employment after so long will always be happy and as a result romancing ideas of the future. But, in the back of their mind they also know things could change. They’re just living the moment! It’s the same for the exuberant footy fan.

      I don’t know what the numbers are for these fans that rejoice so collectively or why their happiness should be a cause for concern. I’m sure the majority of fans, might be more level headed and see things differently, without all the flag waving and bunting unlike like their exuberant rejoicing colleagues. But should we call them pessimist’s for being dour?

      I think we shouldn’t be so overly concerned about who is rejoicing and why. We should all just enjoy the moment in whatever way we can and, for our own reasons, however misguided as they might be!

      As fans we can only lend our continued support. Matters behind the scenes or on the field are out of our control so we should enjoy what we have but always be at least hoping for more!

  4. Dan- you are the most consistent article writer on this forum. Your views are shared by most, but we all interpret things differently.
    For what it’s worth, I enjoy most of what you put up for discussion and share your views on most of your thoughts.
    Dont let the minority get to you mate. Your brave enough to put it up for discussion which says everything.

    1. I’m with you Phil 👍
      Dan should have nothing to feel bad about as plenty of fans share the same view .
      As we see below the other end of the spectrum from posters who will always believe they are right no matter what is thrown at them .👇

      1. DK- these “Realists”. Let’s see where we are in the league, and just as importantly, the level of consistency we have achieved, after the Citeh game on 1st Jan. We have some tough fixtures coming up- Man Utd, Everton and Liverpool all away. But also winnable games at home too. To date we have had, in my opinion, three very good First Half performances all season. Leicester away plus Spuds and Villa at home. Other than those three 45 minutes we have still to recognise a pattern of play that the players seem to understand. We have also had hapless displays against Brighton and Palace to which ANY supporter who understands the game would have no option other than to admit we were very very fortunate to get anything from.
        Arteta is still to convince me. Dan is saying the same. That DK is being a Realist.

  5. I am opposed to Dans consistently negative view on our team. I also believe that more and more fans each week are leaving his negative side of the debate – as is very plain by reading the many posts on here – which are and have changed sides in recent weeks and moving over to the positive side!

    I am surprised that someone of Dans obvious intelligence is still so far behind the eight ball on this one.

    In my view, it is normal for intelligent people of all types to have very different opinions on many different things.

    HOWEVER, the MOST intelligent folk change sides when the evidence changes and reality becomes clear . And THAT is precisely why I am surprised that a man whom I consider intelligent, has chosen to remain stubbornly on the “dark” side.

    DAN, I BELIEVE, LIKES TO CONSIDER HIMSELF AHEAD OF EVENTS AND ON MANY THINGS INDEED HE IS .

    But on this one, he lags firmly along in the rear of informed opinion. I also believe he risks losing the general respect he has thus far on JA, IF he wilfully denies the very obvious changing evidence for much longer.

    1. Just maybe Jon, Dan is the realist in the camp!

      He admits that he’ll put his hands up if proved wrong, but THE FACTS, right now, say we are not yet in the Top Four….

      1. Ad PAT Dan is not a realist but a confirmed pessimist and obviously!

        IF HE WERE A REALIST he would have seen the clear evidence that the REAL REALISTS have so clearly seen and which has also been seen by many fans who have now changed their former stance on Arteta, esp in the light of the many excellent signings made this summer. AND the CLEARING OUT OF MUCH DEADWOOD(more still to clear out, as all realists know).
        But ample evidence clearly shows all these improvements happening and only PESSIMISTS, who are NOT REALISTS(BY DEFINITION). fail to see it!
        FACT : Dan even admits that many fans see him as Mr. Negative. Self confessed!

        1. How do you think some fans see you Jon?
          I’m sure that, just like anyone with a backbone, it’s water off a ducks back!!!!

          As for Dan, his views are just as important as anyone else’s and, to date, I can’t think of one prediction he has got wrong….. unlike others 🦊🦊

          1. WELL KEN, YOU ANSWERED YOUR OWN POINTLESS QUESTION THEN!
            At least you got the answer right, unlike Dans negativity on our club, which it seems you now agree with.

            How rotten to be as keen as you are but to have so little hope! Must be very frustrating for you and for DAN.

            1. Honestly Jon, just let others have their opinion and stop being so sensitive when people dont buy into your ideology.

              Jon, stop being a Karen.

                    1. I see you prefer to insult me than actually answer my serious question about “Karen”! Writing something that means nothing at all to the person it is directed at, makes it pointless and non effective.

        2. lets see where we are half way through the season, that should be a good indicator?

          Yes, we are moving up the table but I understand his view. We have not been playing good football bar 135 minutes the entire season.

          The football has been more dire and uninspiring than it it should be.

          This leads me to the conclusion we might just be going through a purple patch, and will possible fall off the pace as fixtures become more difficult.

          Its not to say the teams around out wont struggle either.

          tbh, I think an actual improvement is not even top 4,but maybe how we hold our own and dictate games against city, pool and chelsea.

          There are so many aspecta to consider it is not so black and white.

          1. Personally, I’d call the view of someone who seriously thinks we have “played only 135 minutes of good football”, as being as black or negative as can possibly be.

            No shades of grey in your post, despite falsely claiming some.

            1. You actually call those paltry few minutes only, which you claim is true, though they are not, amounts to shades of grey! LAUGHABLE!

              I agree there are good and bad and that is WHY I call it shades of grey.

              YOUR laughably inaccurate description was almost entirely black!

    2. Come on now. I’m sure there are plenty of fans tired of your pessimistic and prejudiced views regarding Xhaka

  6. Can we get less stuff about Dan smith and more stuff about Arsenal please? I’m not here to read about Dan smith.

    1. Must say you have a point there Tojo, but I’m sure you’re aware that Dan produces a lot of good articles on JA and it’s only other fans who make it personal.
      What are your views on the upcoming GAME, chances of top four and MA himself?

      1. Hi Ken.

        I think we have as good a chance as any in the mix for the 4th spot at present, for sure that spot is going to be tough to get. If we get it I will be ecstatic, if we don’t I won’t loose sleep over it. There’s another season and another chance to improve.

        I appreciate what MA has done and is continuing to do. He is bringing some form of stability back to the club, he is well spoken, composed and has improved our defence, something that’s been letting us down for years. I prefer him much more as our manager than I did as our player.

        I trust him to use our players fairly and to rest our young players (martinelli) when he feels it’s required. After all he witnessed a generation of our youth be over played to early.

        Ramsdale, needs a mention, not only because I’ve never been al that impressed by Leno, but also because, he’s awesome. From that master save, to making himself as big as possible to the fist pump. That’s what we need from every player everyday every game to get back to where we want to be, it’s coming we have some amazing young players, all they need is our support.

        Let’s get behind the boys

        1. Absolutely right to get behind the boys…. that’s been happening, both at The Emirates and at away games.

          The support is there, as we all want The Arsenal to be succesful under MA – if we didn’t, we wouldn’t be Gooners would we?

          There are definitely signs of improvement and, as you say, the defence is a unit… at last!!

          BUT, just because some of the fanbase is cautious, doesn’t mean it is a sign of not supporting MA, it’s being realistic about not getting carried away… REALISM can fit any viewpoint, don’t you think?

          1. I never said it was a sign of supporting MA or not. I simply asked for less articles on Dan smith. I firmly believe there’s been a lot of negativity from Arsenal fans for a long time and I’m pretty fed up of it. I stand by negativity doesn’t help the team.

  7. Jon, I’m very happy at this moment in time regarding The Arsenal.
    I’m down to watch the game on Sunday and I will be backing MA and his squad 100%.
    That doesn’t mean I won’t be blinkered to any faults that MAY occur, as I am a true realist, not a blind one…. and that’s why I appreciate Dan’s honesty.
    As for the “pointless question” you are correct, just as your thoughts regarding pessimists and realists are also absurd.

    Do you realise Jon, you actually called for MA to go, something that I haven’t said and YET you try and preach to me about realism?
    At least Dan has been consistent, perhaps you should too?
    Remind me, what are your expectations for the season end?

    1. 👍 I recall that, actually think I took a screenprint 🤔 as he likes to change his mind and simply forget.

      fickle, no?

      wrt Dan, you may disagree but he sticks to his guns, something few on here do.

    2. Ignoring all the personal insults, which are sadly becoming par for the course with you KEN, I’ll answer your question with my opinion that we will finish 5th or 6th.

      I have not given up hope for 4th but think it a tall though not impossible task. A domestic cup is a distinct possibility, given our less hectic programme being out of Europe. Where do YOU see us finishing?

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