Do players never realise that continual moaning endears them to precisely no-one?
Case one. Jeremie Aliadiere. For years he’s been a squad player at Arsenal, showing flashes of potential interspersed with a lot of inadequacy. In short, he could look the part, but only once in a while. After many years and many chances, injuries meant he played a large chunk of first team football last season.
It only served to highlight his deficiencies. Even playing alongside the clumsiest Brazilian to ever walk to planet couldn’t help disguise his failings. So, he was shipped off to Middlesbrough, at which point most Gooners wished him luck. He’d always tried, after all, he just didn’t quite cut it.
And then it all went wrong.
Suddenly he started to moan that he didn’t get the chances, that he did fine but never had extended opportunities, etc. Now, if he were English, the media would be running with this, claiming that Wenger refuses to give home grown players a chance. In fact, his moaning puts me in mind of one Jay Bothroyd (remember him?).
Back in 2000, Bothroyd was shepherded out of the door after a combination of his poor performances and even poorer attitude. He had this to say:
“Arsenal want to buy success but Coventry are bringing up the youth.”
“The first team are not interested in youth at Arsenal.”
“The manager’s job is always on the line. He needs success now.”
Wenger now has some of the finest young players at his disposal, and it sometimes even criticised for concentrating on youth. Bothroyd, who claimed his nationality held him back amongst the foreign legion, moved to Coventry, then Perugia, then Blackburn, where he showed his stupid side, then Charlton and finally Wolves.
He has never settled and never regularly scored goals. I wonder if he still thinks he was good enough to make it at Arsenal. And I wonder if Aliadiere will two years from now.
Case two – William Gallas, who is already demanding Wenger brings players in, claiming he will request talks with the boss to find out what’s going on.
Point 1 – There are eight weeks left in the transfer window.
Point 2 – Wenger does not report to Gallas, no matter how much the defender calls himself an uncontested leader.
Gallas is finding himself getting more unpopular with fans, as he hasn’t performed on the field in a way that allows him to be this candid with the media. Henry was getting restless, but through his performances and love for the club had partially earned that right. Gallas has done nothing for Arsenal yet, apart from play far below his best and moan.
I would not be adverse to Wenger making a disciplinary stance and moving him on if he could find a replacement. Yes, Gallas is an excellent centre back at his best, but he is also a major pain in the backside. Chelsea have a siege mentality, how can we have the same if players like Gallas continue to bang on like this?
More than anything, it is disrespectful to the current players. He is essentially saying that they aren’t good enough, and that is absolutely out of order.
Grow up Bill.
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