Arteta sack, Aluko sympathy and Ferdinand lamented in a busy old Mailbox

Mikel Arteta may be among the favourites for the sack if Arsenal don’t win the Champions League, while the Eni Aluko and Rio Ferdinand discourse continues.

Send your thoughts to theeditor@football365.com.

Art class
I noted some recent mailbox corres re Arteta being no better than, say, Maresca.

Now I don’t particularly care for Arteta or Arsenal at the best of times, but that’s a tad harsh.

You have to place what he has done at Arsenal in context. Before he arrived they were a pratfalling mess, not qualifying for the CL had become embedded at the club. At the very least he has put that right and made them top 4 mainstays. It is hard to see them dropping out any time soon.

That said – if he doesn’t win the CL this season, and I must say that looks highly unlikely after the semis 1st leg, then he really should be under a lot of pressure going into next season. IMO he should be towards the top of the market to be first to get sacked. Because unfortunately he does not look like he can finish what he has started.

His decision making in the transfer market has been suspect, and his record of stewarding Arsenal through the business end of the season is extremely patchy, for 4 seasons in a row now. Assuming they go trophyless again, then next season he simply must deliver, or there will be a growing feeling that he’s run out of road. Harsh? Probably. But that’s football.

The margins are fine – but when you’re continually on the wrong end of those margins, that usually indicates a problem.
Andy H, Swansea. 

VAR commentary
Following on from your piece about Amazon Prime’s commentary and VAR, I didn’t see the example you used, but I thought it was a bit harsh to say that VAR ‘seeks to sap all joy from football’s most basic and fundamental deliverer of joy’.

Surely this is a nasty side effect of VAR that we all have to suffer, and not its primary purpose!

It’s hard to stick up for VAR but I feel that I must on this occasion.
A, LFC, Montreal

How about ‘the var will look at that’ ? Yeah, that is what the var does, every single time a goal is scored. You don’t need to tell me, honest. You could say ‘so and so could be offside there’ or ‘did it touch his hand?’, just don’t tell us something we all already know. By telling us, it’s as if the var is doing something extraordinary.
Thomas, Tilburg

Eni luck?
Let me come back to Mat and his defence of Aluko. He asks, “What is unreasonable about what she said?” I’ll tell you. Aluko’s comment: “we need to be mindful that the space doesn’t get taken up by men” implies that male involvement in women’s football is a threat, even when it comes from someone like Wright, who has been an outspoken ally and advocate for the women’s game. That implication is exclusionary, and people are right to call it out.

There’s a double standard at play here. Aluko would never complain when a female pundit is on a men’s match broadcast. It’s celebrated as progress. But when a man like Wright appears on a women’s match panel, we’re suddenly being warned about the “space” being taken up?

That’s not fighting for equality. That’s gatekeeping. If the principle is equal representation, it has to go both ways. Otherwise, the message becomes: “Women should be part of men’s football, but men should tread carefully in ours.”

I also think you’re give her leeway that you wouldn’t give others. You describe her comment as “clumsy” and say that the backlash was a tabloid creation. But what she said was said deliberate and it deserved a challenge. I also think it’s wildly presumptuous if Ian to tell Ian Wright how he should speak to a “young black woman.” He was offended, and rightly so. Her colour had nothing to do with it.

I don’t blame him for not accepting the apology. Why should he? He has been an ambassador for the women’s game and yet was publicly criticised by someone he’s supported.
Mike, LFC, Dubai

My two cents worth on the Aluko and Ian Wright fall out and a bit on the awful punditry of Rio Ferdinand and others – if the editor wants this conversation to continue another day.

There was a mail yesterday asking why Aluko’s comments should cost her her career? I think the answer lies in the swell of public opinion and likability. Rightly or wrongly we form opinions on people we see on tv, what they say, how they act etc and we decide if people are likeable. Unfortunately for Aluko it appears as though a lot of people don’t find her very likeable – this may be unfair and down to how she is portrayed but it still counts. There are plenty of people in tv who have done far worse than what Aluko said but their likability sees them informally forgiven and they carry on their career.

In a similar vain Ferdinand doesn’t come across as genuine, I think the irritation people have with him and others is he’s trying too hard to be popular, or cool, or knowledgable, or he’s trying to create memes and soundbites instead of them being created organically.  Aluko found out the popularity of Ian Wright in the backlash to her comments, and I’ve seen plenty of fans of big rivals to Arsenal almost collectively say Wrighty is one of the good guys. He’s genuine. He speaks without agenda, without pre concocted narrative and his passion for the game comes across in spades, also he really seems to love what he does and realised the privilege it is to work in football – the thing he loves.

I would say the same set of comments for Ally McCoist – one of the best co comms for his knowledge, enthusiasm, and ability to make the viewer comfortable in his presence. So tired of pundits and commentators who focus on the negatives and baseless agenda driven drivel, and who sound like they’re not enjoying what they’re doing. You’d enjoy going for a pint with either of Wrighty and McCoist.

So, people aren’t stupid and are generally a good judge of character and are willing to forgive misdemeanours if you’re a good person and likeable and don’t demand intricate in depth analysis if you can bring likability, warmth, enthusiasm, humility, honesty and fairness to what you do. This extends beyond football punditry in to life in general.
Rich, AFC

MORE ENI ALUKO REACTION ON F365
👉 Wright opens up on ‘tough week’ as Aluko’s former team-mate backs ‘superhero’ Arsenal legend
👉 Eni Aluko’s future in ‘doubt’ as ITV deliver public verdict on beef with Arsenal icon Ian Wright
👉 Eni Aluko ‘traumatised and upset’ as she ‘faces axe’ amid ‘boss anger’ at feud with Ian Wright

Whether you agree with the point she was trying to make or not the issue Eni Aluko was raising has not been the story. The problem, in my view, is the reporter deliberately asking a question involving Ian Wright. I reckon she knew the narrative it would create. I know it’s not like Frost and Nixon but I bet she’s dining out on it as we speak.

It changed the story from what EA wanted to say into ‘Aluko vs Wright’ –  which elements of the media happily jumped all over, for reasons I’ll leave you to decide for yourself.

I wonder if Ian Wright refusing to accept the apology is because he doesn’t think she needs to apologise or/and doesn’t want to create another narrative stream. He just wants to move on from the whole sorry thing.

If the spotlight of shame should shine anywhere, it’s on Clare McDonnell.

While I’m here, the lameness of Rio Ferdinand’s commentary has started to make me wonder about his football abilities?

No doubt the critics are called ‘just haters ‘ by the people getting a tan from the sun that shines out of his ass but he really does seem to think ‘being Rio Ferdinand’ is actually a ‘talent’.

Let’s face it, he was in a superb team with the best manager and Nemanja Vidic to cover for all his mistakes.

We think of him as a ball player but compared to modern defenders?

I’m starting to think he’d struggle to make the bench for most prem teams in the modern era. You know what I mean?

Basically, Rio Ferdinand. Was he all that?

Happy Beltane to you all.
Hartley MCFC Somerset (I wish all the English teams maximum power and success in Europe. Come on Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea – smash ’em!)

His name is Rio and…
Re: Si, (proper old man gripes) LFC

I’ll be a proper old man with you – no, can’t stand Rio on comms.

Can’t generally stand many of the comms/co-comms around these days. The ex-players offer zero genuine insight, just telling us what we just saw. Shearer is actually better as co-comms than a pundit, yet it’s a low bar. I know Johnny Nic is in agreement.

I am surprised none of the BBC ‘main comms’ ( Guy Mowbray, Steve Wilson, Steve Bower, etc.) ever get the ‘bigger’ jobs. But 5-Live is where it’s really at.

And don’t get me started on the tired old pundits, chatting in an hour-long build-up on TNT Sports – sheesh, how much can you say about Forest or Newcastle? Rio sitting in a car chatting to Ola Aina… Jesus wept.

Been watching A LOT of snooker this week or two, I generally do this time of year, and the punditry and comms are so good. The ex-pros and current players actually tell you things you don’t know, talking about their new tips, how/why they achieved such cue ball control, break building, and their tactical play.

Anyway, Rio? Nah, not for me, Clive.
Paul

Si LFC asks if anyone out there actually likes Rio Ferdinand’s commentary. Well, I do actually know some people who do: my father in law and his partner.

A few weeks ago while staying with them we sat through an entirely forgettable lunchtime kickoff (I had to go back and check, it was Everton 1-1 Arsenal), which I can assure you was categorically not made more enjoyable by listening to two people in their 80s moaning variously about Lucy Ward and why there have to be women on television for men’s football in the first place. I thought Ward’s co-commentary was fine; conversational and a reasonable amount of insight. Certainly not a crime against broadcasting in the way Ferdinand’s “Ballon d’Or!” moment was, but mentioning him sparked a staunch defence of his commentary.

Each to their own, I guess, but in future it would probably be better if he went to their house to watch it with them and left the rest of us in peace.
Ed Quoththeraven

The Golden Generation
In years to come, I genuinely believe we’ll look back at this line-up and wonder how criminally under-rated they were:

Carragher
Redknapp
McMoist
Ferdinand

Remember that Barca-Inter game, when Ferdinand used the term ‘high-line’ about 50 times, and McMoist agreed heartily? Remember being able to watch a game of football without getting any meaningful insight over the 90 minutes?

Those were the days.

We are living in a golden generation of commentary, but we’re too blind to see it.

What a time to be alive.
Simon S, Cheshire

A disappointing XI of the season
In true F365 fashion, having named my TOTY can I now name my opposite.  Not a worst team of the year as this would be made up simply of players from the relegated sides and I’m sure there’s opta stats to do this, but a “disappointed team of the year”.

GK:  Emi Martinez.   Made one of the greatest saves ever v Forest but has had too many howlers for the self proclaimed “best keeper in the world”.  Onana, Sanchez, Vicario and Ramsdale in with a shout but then again they are Onana, Sanchez, Vicario and Ramsdale.

RB:  TAA.  Numbers and performances, his outrageous passes say different,  But he hasn’t done a U turn and still looks set to join the iluminati/spoilt children’s mob in Madrid, so in he goes.

CB: Christian Romero.  A World Cup winning thug who sometimes can’t be arsed and sometimes pops up as if trying to win a game all by himself.

CB: Unsure, Martinez would probably get in for all the same reasons as Romero but hasn’t played enough and I just don’t get him.  I’ll go for Tarkowski as his derby goal really disappointed me as did him getting away with his tackle in the reverse fixture.

LB:  Andy Robertson.  Always seemed to follow a poor performance with a reminder of how good he can be.  But if you go from being THE best LB to an ok one, that gets you in.

RM:  KDB.  Whilst Rodri’s absence is stated as the main reason for City’s poor (by their standards) season, when your standards are so high a drop off to “Pep’s left him on the bench” is telling.  Has had a bit of a swansong lately but too late to keep him out.

CM: Martin Odegaard.  No longer plays between the lines and has gone from being at the heart of everything good Arsenal do to a not quite as good as Kovacic/Jorginho/Carrick role.

READ MORE: Arsenal star slammed as 3/10 ‘real ghost’ with ‘wasteful’ Saka given harsh rating by French media

LM:  Phil Foden.  Have done a bit of a Southgate to shoehorn him in but going from POTY to a bench warmer and not being brought on when City need a goal is testament enough.  Gets his place ahead of Cole Palmer who’s second half of the season made him a candidate but also kept him out of TOTY.

RF:  Marcus Rashford.  The MUFC Rashford who clearly downed tools rather than the Aston Villa Rashford.

CF:  Rasmus Hojlund.  Accept he’s still young and playing in a team devoid of confidence (well most of them) but am sure UTD fans expected some improvement or if they think he has, then more improvement.

LF:  Darwin Nunez,  As in my Mo Salah selection, nuff said!

Here’s hoping next season’s team includes Fernandes, Haaland, Marmoush and Arsenal’s centre forward.
Howard (anyone leaving Odegaard out should not be published) Jones

Stewie is rumbled
Tin foil hat time, but I’m certain that “Joe”, from this morning’s mailbox, is actually Stewie Griffin’s alt.

It’s clear as day, if you think about it.  All this “Stewie out!  (Wenger out!) Stewie bad! (Arteta bad!)” stuff is actually a clever metacommentary designed to throw us off the scent.

Well played, Stew.  You almost had us.
Ian, LFC (back, and to the left) Hartford, CT USA

FFS, FA
The FA have decided to ban trans women from playing football at any level.  There aren’t any right now, but banned anyway.

In a country where credibly accused (and one convicted) rapists continue to earn big bucks, fronts for authoritarian buy clubs and ruin then, and one owner buys a club in order to destroy it and build flats on its ground, all under their supervision, it’s good to see they’ve got their eyes on the important issues.

F*** em.
Dan, Plastic LFC