Welldone mate for keeping it real!

“But I think it is valid that these days we can be heard.”
No question – diverse voices (if they speak out of integrity) have to be a good thing. And the informality and instantaneousness of debate on blogsites are a big plus.

Having read the article I now see that half of the PL clubs are overseas owned. I heard last night that if that number increases to 14( and we are 5 to 2 favorites to be the next)The 14 clubs can break away as the original G14.

I have never heard anything like that, but I imagine the EPL constitution has a get out clause. I did read today that Celtic are so anxious to leave the SPL that they are thinking of applying for a place in League 2.

And I do agree that the internet is far worse than the printed media in terms of printing gibberish. Indeed I set up this site to try and counteract some of that. But I think it is valid that these days we can be heard.

100 years ago Norris (owner of Arsenal) was frustrated by the way the press treated him, so he bought his own magazine, wrote most of the Fulham programme (he owned Fulham too) and worked like mad to get articles in the local press.

He could do that with power and money – us mere mortals have to work to get our voices heard, but the internet helps.

Meanwhile there’s a new article on http://www.blog.woolwicharsenal.co.uk which relates to the first bit of evidence I found that the conventional history of Arsenal was actually wrong – and where that led me.

If you are reading the history blog, I hope you are enjoying it

Tony

The constant stream of garbage spouted by much of the sports media is annoying,frustrating, and sometimes potentially damaging. However, as supporters, we perhaps need to remind ourselves that we were right about our team and they were wrong.

Excellent article, by the way. Stu.

The media keep giving conflicting reports on these financial matters. Which one does one now believes?

I think your criticisms of the integrity of the paper press are valid in many cases, but unfortunately, the virtual press is 10 times as bad – it’s all about hits. At least a journalist in newspaper identifies himself/herself, gives the reader an opportunity to evaluate their reliability and track record, and ideally, is paid to do proper research. (I did say “ideally”! ) Whereas anyone can set up a website to peddle lies and misinformation without being held accountable or even being identifiable.

What you describe is the last thrashing, twitches and involuntary jerks of a dying beast. I, and many others I’m sure, have stopped buying ANY newspaper simply because of the tiresome falsehoods that they continually repeat. IF you discover lies reported in one subject..(for example Cesc) you question what they write on another subject, (for example Civil conflict in Sri Lanka) and then you realise that what they write bares no relation to what you know. And so there is no point. Is this new? Or is it current desperation?

If they pulled the plug on the revenue which Premiership teams get, half of the teams would slip into administration. They depend on the revenue from the media which empowers the media moguls.

Having read the article I now see that half of the PL clubs are overseas owned. I heard last night that if that number increases to 14( and we are 5 to 2 favorites to be the next)The 14 clubs can break away as the original G14.

Can you shed any light on that.

Another interesting fact is that the Internet now attracts more advertising than TV or the tabloids, so maybe that is why the Sports Editors of the tabloids are forever making up more incredible stories to gain readership.

One interesting quote yesterday was that Pompey now have as many points as owners this season.

In a way it is down to us people tho see the difference between lies and the thruth. Everyone can make his own decision on that by telling yourself which source is realiable or not. For me that is Arsenal.com that tells the truth in relation to transfer news. As long as Arsenal.com doesn’t tell us “A is sold to club B” or “Arsenal have bought player C”, I don’t believe anything written in the press or blogs. One of the reasons I hesitated so much in putting the name of “Mats Rits” in my article.
If the title would have been: “Rits would choose Arsenal”, then with in a few days some journalist would have picked it up and made a real transfer saga of it telling: “a source in Belgium bla bla bla’.
Ore some other blogger, short of copy, would take it up and so we would have another hoax in the interner concerning Arsenal.
So when people ask me my opinion on those rumours I always tell them: look at arsenal.com and wait. Must admit the wait is long sometimes.
I’ve maid it a rule for me that I almost never mention silly transfer rumours on the benelux site ore use it just as an example to show how silly the press is.

There is good and bad in it (I suppose as with all walks of life)

The instant ‘analysis’ resulting in the we are brilliant or shit.

The constant rehashing of so called ‘basic’ requirements for a football team,ie. size, defensive bullying midfielder/centre back (both of which seem to come undone when looking at Barcelona or Spain) and other such homilies.

The considered opinion that gives insight into tactics

The alternative view and the bigger picture sites

Sites that drum up support

So called supporter sites that only seem to support when we are winning and manage to manufacture snide comments and asides even then.

With so many diverse views it does lead to a somewhat watered down fan view as the real power brokers point to this or that view to support their particular power play ( see jabba the movs recent share issue)

thanks for a really interesting article Tony ( as always) all the best Dave

Over here in the eastern side of the world, we are also very disgusted by the fact that the media chose liverpool and chelski sides over arsenal. I’m guessing the guys who do the selection never watched the game themselves. It’s a no-brainer of which game would they pick had they watched the game. On the plus side, since the games are airing at 3am in the morning, its a nice cure for insomnia. Thank you, media.