Arsenal have finished 8th in consecutive seasons, our lowest finish in the top division in over 25 years. So it’s safe to say that we currently are witnessing one of the worst squads in two decades.
We have made a habit of paying talent to rip up their contracts, it’s now common practice for players to be verbally abused by their own ‘fans’, protests are planed against the ownership of the Kroenke Family, we have lost our status as being one of the most entertaining sides to watch, and for the first time since 1995 we will have zero European Football.
With the current mess we are in, it’s hard enough watching live every week.
What I don’t need is a reminder in the form of a Documentary to be broadcast to the world.
Yet that’s what happening, with Arsenal confirming they are the next side to be involved in Amazon’s All or Nothing Series.
Remember how we mocked Spurs for reviewing a season where they achieved nothing? Well that’s exactly what we are doing.
These projects rarely benefit those involved. The exception perhaps being Man City but that’s because viewers were generally fascinated to see how Pep Guardiola works.
The idea of a behind the scenes access to Mikel Arteta struggling to finish in the top 8 isn’t fun.
It’s hard to believe the Spaniard is in favour of this.
With pressure already on him to the start the season well, does he need the circus of camera crews in training?
For a man who spoke about being our values back and not accepting a lack of standards, this makes him look weak.
Maybe he feels he can’t argue with the club gaining extra revenue streams having lost the income of European Football? I just couldn’t imagine Mr Wenger agreeing to something that simply humiliates the club by airing our dirty laundry to the public.
It won’t even be entertaining in a car crash point of view like the brilliant Sunderland Till I Die.
It’s not like we are going to get footage of Stan Kroenke in his office on transfer deadline day, is it?
It’s actually a potent reflection of the American’s running of the club.
He makes a decision purely based on making at the expense of what’s best for the team.
He then sits in the US while everyone else suffers.
As we are being laughed at, he’s got 10 million in the bank.
Second only to City, that’s the most any Football team has been paid by a streaming service for access.
For that price, Amazon will be allowed to film without too many restrictions.
So we get to see awkward team talks with our manager playing to the camera.
Training ground rows will no longer be private.
There will be cameos from AFTV.
Maybe we can go to Xhaka’s house and hear some of the vile threats he’s received in North London?
There will be a player picked on every episode. Probably Bellerin.
Then, at a time he needs protecting from the spotlight, Saka will be one of the faces of the show.
Being in round 2 of the Carabao Cup is humbling enough without Amazon filming it.
Our peers used to call us ‘The Arsenal’ because we had a reputation of doing things the right way. We acted with class.
Mr Wenger suggested that we were in danger of losing our values.
When supporting Daniel Ek’s bid to buy the club, Henry, Viera and Bergkamp spoke about us losing our DNA.
We should be embarrassed how far we have fallen, mortified, upset.
We should be having a meeting to ensure it never happens again. Instead we are inviting cameras into our house to film the carnage.
On the week Man United sign Sancho, we make 10 million.
Not based on our success on the pitch.
No.
Amazon are not paying us millions because we a good team.
It’s because Arsenal the brand sells no matter what.
That’s Arsenal in 2021…
Be Kind in The Comments
Dan
I agree Dan, whatever happened to the saying that whatever happens in the dressing stays in the dressing room. The spurs series was car crash tv at times and oh how we laughed, but now we will be the ones being laughed at.
we’re being laughed at no matter what. if we want the laughing to stop we’d need new owners.
Arsenal agree on the deal because of the money and the global publicity. It’s not a humiliation and I’d love to watch it
I think i have to agree with you&that means that you’ve finally got an idea
I have always had ideas
Well DAN you have certainly made a strong case for the prosecution but I for one do not buy it, AS A WHOLE, one bit.
Yes, there are some well chosen and deliberately emotive cases in which you put your case , as I would expect from a writer with your talent. But as to balance in your article, I saw none whatsoever and for that reason I cannot give your one sided article any true credit. Because the real truth is that there are pros and there are cons. You have mentioned most of the cons but put none at all of the pros!
Why not Dan? Did that not suit your agenda!
Your own phrase “its because Arsenal the brand sells no matter what” that betrays you! Do you seriously imagine that the only benefactor will be Kroenke; if so your thinking is lacking. AND I DO NOT THINK YOU LACK ANY INTELLECT, QUITE THE OPPOSITE , SO AM BOUND TO CONCLUDE THAT YOU ARE DELIBERATELY SHOWING YOUR PERSONAL BIAS at the expence of balance.
By your own admission we are a world brand and millions wil be watching this Amazon doc and there are bound to be many new Gooners “created” as a direct result.
I have said many damning things about Kroenke over the years and stand by every word. BUT I have never thought him a financial fool. To think THAT about a multi billionaire would be laughable.
So yes, Kroenke will benefit from this documentary but so, and MASSIVELY, will our club. I see that clearly . I am also certain that you too see that clearly, even though you chose to omit to mention it.
PERSPECTIVE AND CONTEXT THEN DAN ! THAT IS AT LEAST FAR NEARER THE REAL TRUTH THAN YOUR STRANGELY AND UNUSUALLY ONE SIDED ARTICLE!
excellent debunk of a pathetic anti arsenal article Well written and to the point. Fed up reading all the usual medias bias against a team/club obviously in transition and genuinely moving in the right direction
Can I ask how we are moving in the right direction ?
Just saying words doesn’t make it true
What have you seen so far to suggest we are moving in the right direction ?
FOXY You would sell your soul to the devil. this is about ARSENAL fuck all to do with Stan it is the club and the club is BIGGER than Stan Remember that please
TOWNY. What a thoroughly stupid reply. Had you read my post properly you would have seen I said much the same as you yourself. But to claim it is NOTHING to do with our owner is nonsense as he would have to agree the Amazon deal without a doubt . Which makes it a lot to do with him! Doesn’t it!!!
And of course the club is way bigger than Kroenke. Which is what I have been regularly telling all on JA for many years past. I cannot abide Kroenke. So you are being a very silly boy young towny, Aren’t you!
Jon
A majority of time I do agree with a lot of the things you say. Don’t always agree 9n how you word it though.
This Time I cannot see how you can justify this
Kronke is a financially astute business billionaire . He has wealth beyond our dreams But to get to this level you create a world of make belief of where he is the only.person is right and too hell with everyone else.
He has done this not for money as he doesn’t need 10m. That is a mere drop in the ocean for him. He has done this to enhance his own reputation and profile. The problem is it will have an detrimental effect on the club, players, manger and staff.
We laughed at the spuds when they done this and we are still laughing about it now.
We are going though a period of change and trying to fix the problems.
Why would you want to highlight this to the world now.. later when they are fixed but not now
This won’t make us this will break us and then you will be saying what the heck.
Stan will be in his ivory tower unmoved and untouched by this
Doesn’t make sense to me and truely could be embarrassing
Alanball I am at a loss to understand the point you are clearly trying to make. You seem to be under the quaint impression that my post supports Kroenke, but it does nothing of the kind. It merely says he is an astute financial man. Being a multi billionaire that is hardly debatable, I’d suggest to you!
Your strange and untrue sentence “But to get to this level you create a world of make belief where he is the only person right and too hell with everyone else ” is arrant nonsense. I did NOT say that, nor anything remotely like it. I detest Kroenke and all he stands for and always have , always will He is dirt to me and I DESPERATELY WANT HIMOUT OF OUR CLUB.
I challenge you to point out where in my post I said differently and if you can, I will pay you a thousand pounds directly into your bank account.
But you will not be able to do so! You are being very silly and how you can so massively misunderstand my post, which was crystal clear, astounds me.
What also astounds me is why you, a bright and intelligent fan, cannot see how many more fans worldwide there are bound to be once the publicity of this Amazon doc is shown than right now. All advertising works and this documentary is simply advertising. I say this even though I realise there will be certain embarrassing situations shown.
You are chosing to see all the negatives in Dans article, some of which I agree with , some I do not . But you choose to ignore the massive plus and publicity boost this doc will be to our club worldwide. And on that important omission I say you are very wrong!
I did say that there are both pros and cons, so why did you not see that?
Great reposte Jon and I agree 100% with your thoughts.
K
Dan, always read your excellent articles, as you know, and normally agree… not on this though.
I never watched the spuds or city programmes, as they didn’t interest me in the slightest but this is our club in the headlights and I can’t wait to watch it.
We have moaned about being kept in the dark, so let’s all just sit back and see how it all unfolds.
Have a quick look on catch up Ken, it’s enlightening on more than one level. Good stuff but lots and lots of warts.
👍👍
Ken watch the spurs one and and you will.see how nothing good comes from this
The only pro is we make 10 million which I mentioned
Can you name me others ?
Why have all the posts so far vanished Ad PAT?
The vanished posts have now mysteriously returned but what is going on with this site? Slow to take up posts and other technical problems. Why ? Anyone know?
Also you do realize it’s meant to give the fans an overview of the daily dealings of the club since you fans whine about being left in the dark right?
The anti-Arsenal rhetoric from some ‘supporters’ is really starting to grate on me. It is obvious that Arsenal are making significant efforts to turn around the steady decline of the past decade and a half.
Regarding this particular article, publicity is great for the club, any perceived negatives pale into insignificance against the positives of exposure.
I suggest some of the more negative on here take a look in the dictionary at the word ‘support’ and then take a look in the mirror. Before I get mauled by the anti MA brigade, I suggest you take a look at the stats from the second half of the season… second only to ManC … and no, that does not make a successful season, but it strongly indicates progress in the right direction.
My first post… enjoy and support our historic and incredible club which gives us so much!
@Jon Fox – I salute your positivity and balanced analysis!
Agree with you Dan, we don’t need to be involved in projects like this, the Arsenal brand and name is known all over the world as it is.
Arsenal will make a considerable amount on this show and it will give us the chance to see things that we could only dream of and it will also be mind opener to a lot of fans.
This show is a god send to Arsenal fans.
Don’t remember many saying about that.about Spurs ?
Arsenal fans: WTF is going on behind the scenes? The club needs to be open with the fans.
Club: Cool, let’s agree to a documentary that can give everyone a sneak peek of what goes on behind the scenes.
Arsenal fans: WTF are you doing. Now everyone is going to see what goes on behind the scenes.
I watched AFTv last night and that’s the feeling I got. Most arsenal fans mourn about not having information from the club, always choose to believe the most negative information possible even when there’s no reason to, and choose to believe false positives that the club probably isn’t responsible for, just so they can later say the club lied.
I see this documentary as an opportunity to know whether a player is on the bench for a justified reason or the coach’s ego. Whether a player is on loan because he’s not ready, or because he ate the coach’s breakfast and made a meme of him on TikTok. I for one am tired of fans assuming the worst at all times. As a filmmaker myself, I know some things’ll to be deleted, but if someone follows you around with a camera all year, we’re going to get a good idea of what kind of person you really are. Also, as a filmmaker, I know not the whole of this thing can be acted so don’t bring that up.
Good point. The film will finally show El Pulis for a Franco he really is. Or it will show him as a great professional. Either way, we might be able to measure the enormity of either his ego or his professionalism.
I agree. Arsenal is very secret with how things work behind-the-scenes so this is a pretty interesting opportunity. I only saw half of the Spurs one, and it was a lot of open than I thought it would be initially, so hopefully we do get some real insight. I wonder if fan frustrations with the owners will be mentioned. I expect Stan will like the pretend he gives a crap in the doc as well and show up at the training ground for the first time ever 😂
For all the great optimism and the high hopes for the new season among the fierce loyalists of our club visiting JA, this documentary must be considered as an opportunity to show the world that we are still a great club. Why must the club shy away, when most JA visitors among us truly believe that everything is going in the right direction so far?
Is it ?
We are yet to do anything ?
Is it WHAT???
“We are yet to do anything ?” Is that a question?
Is it going in the right direction ?
Just by looking at the positive comments from many JA visitors in the past couple of days, especially after our first summer signing was officially announced, it appears to be heading in the right direction.
p.s: Not bringing any speculations into the equation.
We are heading in the right direction because some fans say we are ?
“We are heading in the right direction because some fans say we are ?”
Well, if it is right enough for the fans, it must be right for the club. After all, the fans maketh the club.
Well no
Fans saying we are going in the right direction has zero bearings on that happening
Rewind 12 months ago , many gooners were positive …..we still finished 8th
“Well no
Fans saying we are going in the right direction has zero bearings on that happening”
Try telling that to all those optimistic fans, among whom some happens to be authors in JA.
I have lol
This time last season there were articles that we could challenge for title
That Arteta was better then Pep
That Niles was better then Kante
That positively had zero bearings on our season.
You no what would ?
Investment
Amazon paid for Tavares. It’s not like kranky would pay for anything. He probably doesn’t pay his plane tickets to fly to London.
So it’s bad because Arsenal has become a reality show but it’s good because it funds the transfers (I hope).
Kardashians Reload Arsenal Show📸🎥🍾Kroenke Milking the Fans😉😉😉we heard you we listened #Kroenkeout 🤔
Stan just sack arteta and appiont a good and experienced coach like zidane.
After all zidane doesn’t manage a club let’s go for him and sack arteta.
Yawn
I don’t usually conment on things, because truth be told like some have pointed out name dropping Joe Allyson, out fan base is toxic not because I think people can’t have an opinion different from mine far from it but because like he said they seem to want to take any arsenal news or soundbite and squeeze the negative out of it. Short from winning the league which would still have our own fans saying we was lucky or something along then lines, we as a fan base are always so miserable and negative. This is the real reason we are a joke to other fan bases this is why AFTV a joke of programme can thrive. I don’t expect many to hear it understand my sentiment but I felt moved enough to post.
Well said indeed!
More sensible posts like this one please, Long time fan🖕🖕🖕
😂 That emoji Ken
I hope it is a mistype
Haha 🤗
HH woops it was supposed to be a thumbs up!!!!!
Why would you two encourage someone, who clearly threw a bunch of words into a bucket then poured them on blank piece of paper, to potentially contribute more in the future…”well said” and “sensible” indeed…the only thing this poster should be praised for is the ability to use a keyboard in the dark with their toes
btw my previous post was directed towards Pat and Ken
Perhaps because I like reading the views of a fan who tells it like it is – not some pompous twit who thinks he’s the bees knees!!!
At least he starts each sentence with a capital letter and how’s that article progressing?
Been some three months since you revealed it was just about fiinished 😂😅🤣
Ah RVL, I feel another one of your conspiracy theories coming on. Come on enlighten the other readers please….
I tHouGht I wAs raTheR coMplimEntarY, coNsideRinG…bTw KEn, OnLy a tRue bLue PomPouS tWit wOuLd UtTer thE pHraSe “bEes kNees”, aS I’m sUre yOu rEaliZe bY nOw…aS fOr yOuR ConSpiRacY tHeoRieS cOmMenT pAt, wHatEveR dO yoU mEaN?1?!
Talk about pot and kettle.Jeez.
I wish I could say I’m surprised you didn’t understand the point, but your commitment to keeping things as simple as humanly possible is unmatched…remain ever vigilant though, as there are several posters who are clearly coming for your unenviable title
Why do it TRVL?
You can write intelligently but my God you can be so bloody superior at times
To Sue below re: TRVL4, 👇 yes not only superior but why use a few words to make your point when you can use 50 words and make no sense at all.
SueP, I was simply replying in kind…keep in mind. it was he not I who opened the door to a cutting rebuttal when he couldn’t resist making his presence be known in a back-and-forth that had nothing whatsoever to do with him…furthermore, much like our trip-over-your-dick club, the bar on this site needed some considerable raising, some time back, of which I can only hope I played a minor role in achieving this ends…don’t you think?
TRVL
Replying doesn’t have to be so attritional.
I grant you that Long time fan’s post wasn’t easy to follow due to lack of punctuation at times but once I got over that, I respected and agreed with the essence of his post, as did the others.
I couldn’t bring myself to watch the spuds, did watch City though, and I will be engrossed in this, can’t wait! The banter has already started…
I guess the people who aren’t keen won’t be tuning in then…
This article got me, then I realized even the best clubs in the world has problems and why can’t Arsenal go for it. This show shall be gold, there is no hiding place. MA is biased, favoured older players more than the newer generations, Martinelli should play centrally instead of Auba, why is he not playing Saliba, what is MA and Edu thinking? and so many complains shall be brought to light and so many unanswered questions shall be exposed, we want an exclusive on happenings at the club, here is our chance. Arsenal are down, we have so much more to lose if things are not set right, I believe this show would make everyone sit tight because nobody wants to be a scape goat and draws the ire of the fans. Like John said, there are pros and cons to it, this article is about the cons. I want the writer to make an article on the PROS of the show so that we could iron it out.
Pros – make 10 million
Name me others
I can’t see what all the objections are about, and I too found it a very one-sided article – emphasising the relatively minor downside whilst totally ignoring the positives, such as:
1 we constantly complain about not being told what is going on at Arsenal. Of course not all will come out, but a great deal will. Many opinions will be changed based on fact rather than rumour.
2 I will get to live inside my club and with my heroes on a weekly basis.!
3 We get £10m – these days that’s a new player
4 We will gain supporters and profile worldwide. Contrary to Dan’s comments that we all laughed at Spurs. No – Arsenal fans laughed at Spurs, but we always have and always will
What are people so afraid of?
We are in the modern media age – maintaining secrecy about Arsenal may be the Arsenal “tradition” but it’s no longer a badge of class, just a sign of being behind the times.
People say we will lose support. I will just say did the Kardashians become less popular, despite being abhorrent?
That embarrassing events will be shown? Can’t be any worse than the rumours that float around now about the state of Arsenal. I have a feeling that the truth will be far less troublesome and controversial than the rubbish that is out there.
That we will have a poor season? So what. That goes in the record books anyway – how will filming it make it any worse?
We have an amazing club – the ground, training facilities etc are very impressive. Our young players are mostly a credit to the game. It is a shame that a section of support is embarrassed to show this off. I for one am excited and proud, and not concerned that the truth be shown.
guy, What a fabulous post full of true context and putting the healthy case for the defence of our club- in stark contrast to DANS SURPRISING AND DISTINCTLY ODD ONE SIDED CASE – where he chose(quite deliberately too IMO) – to see ONLY the negatives, while choosing to ignore the many positives that you guy. rightly put forward.
In this social media age, where nothing our club ever does can possibly stem the torrent of ignorant fan abuse, the case for opening up the hitherto secrecy of how so much internally works is an overwhelming one. I will be watching with interest and wonder, as will millions of others.
And among those millions of others will be very many who will become new fans. Why some fail to see that outcome can only be put down to either obstinacy or lack of foresight, with the latter being the more common fault
What a thoroughly sensible post guy, full of proper thought and ability to see the undoubted many positives that are bound to benefit our club once shown. Millions of fans worldwide will tune in and many, many new football lovers will be bound to become new Gooners. You rightly negate many of Dans negatives as being overblown and irrelevant!
Why DAN chose not to mention ANY of the positives is strange and I thought – unlike Dans usual balanced articles – this article lacked any balance and so I rightly criticised its clear lack of positives. I am very glad that you mentioned them so well and put them so clearly for all to read. Well done!
Finally, I would point out the bl…ing obvious; advertising works, otherwise companies would not spend so much on it. We are GETTING PAID ten million to let Amazon Prime market our club.
Seems like a great deal to my logical thinking mind.
Because only positive is 10 million
Rather we buy some players
Deliberate lack of foresight, due to obstinacy DAN, rather than lack of being able to see the clear positives. THAT is what I make of your reply. But for what its worth, I strongly suspect the comments, a goodly number of them, that disagree with you and say your SHOULD have put BOTH sides of the case, will make you think twice before not being more balanced next time.
Yeah that’s fine
Still waiting for your list of positives ?
I love to eat British sausage (bangers), so I will never visit the factory to see the sausage-making process. For the same reason, I love Arsenal and have no interest in seeing All or Nothing, even for free.
No doubt, more time-off in the future for the budding movie stars in the squad, (Auba and HB for example), to work on their costumes. I predict the star performer will be our captain and future legend, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, sporting the latest version of his black panther mask.
On a more serious note, this year – more than ever – we need to limit distractions and keep our head in the game!
Be kind in the comments after such a negative article? Look why don’t you go support another club? Supporters support, fans like yourself are there only when things are going well. This is my club win lose or draw. We won before Wenger, Emery and Arteta and we will again. Until then, I support.
Well said Semaj!
I wrote on here for a while and things are not going well
I organised a prediction game during our worst ever season ?
So I don’t see how I’m only there when things are going well ?
Being a fan doesn’t mean saying everything is fantastic
You can support the team and still be honest
We are no where near competing and this doc won’t help
There’s no point thinking just saying everything is fine it means it’s fine
I don’t think things at Arsenal are that bad as some have tried to make believe they are. Nor are they dire to warrant a firebrigade intervention despite our 8th placed PL finish last season and us out of European football next season for the 1st time in more than 2 decades.
Certainly Arsenal need to improved on their consecutive 8th placed PL finish in the last two seasons next season. And finish in the top-four places and possibly win the League title itself. But if the new team squad Gunners fight to seize the opportunity to win i and win it.
To improved on their 8th placed Pl finish of last season and finish in the top- four places next so as to play in the CL the following season. And also win the title next season too are the two main reasons behind Arteta, Edu and the head of football at Arsenal embarking at doings a major overhaul of the club’s first team squad this summer transfer window. So as to have a strong formidable team in place next season that will successfully compete with their elite PL club sides for honours at the top level of the domestic game and win them.
No they won’t
Since we dont have European football, this is the bargaining chip we can offer big players who wanna come to arsenal, to be immortalized on a tv show 😂😂
@TRVL Did you type that answer with your toes in the dark? If so, it seems extremely pointless to me, but that is quite an achievement so well done!
Don’t hide in the weeds Pat…why must I send out a search party to find your 2 cents worth…as for my gobbledygook post, I just figured you guys might enjoy a more informal approach to posting, especially considering the manner in which you fawned over that grammatically-challenged “long time” post…Cheers
Grammatically challenged eh? Are you the new grammar policeman now. His post was honest and thoughtful and recognises that Arsenal fans will be miserable whatever he says.
And you proved him right!
AdPat
Why oh why did my post get removed?😢. Not a hint of a swear word. Nothing untoward, I thought
I was only having a go because it seemed so unusual that your reply was so far removed from our previous interactions…agree to disagree with you on the intent and/or merits of the post in question…btw I’m far from miserable when it comes to most things, but this club finds a way to ratchet up my most cynical inclinations…have a good one
Arsenal paid £10 million for free advertising and an opportunity for supporters/fans (and detractors) to see the “hidden” workings of the Club. This should quieten down those who say the Club should be more open.
Good enough for Manchester City, why not good enough for Arsenal?
As they say in the entertainment world (what is football?), there is no such thing as bad publicity. Time will tell.
So now the grammar police have returned, on top of all the ‘I’m older than you’ codswallop, sad to say it’s putting a real dampener on the whole JA experience… ☹
Yes Sue, he is treading on thin ice (AGAIN!)
I think sue is talking about some of the older fans that seem to have a massive problem with some of the younger generations opinions ,even though no one even knows anyone else’s age .
To be reminded every time you post that you don’t have as much life experience as others so your opinion means nothing starts to grate on me and it seems others to .