Usually when I wake up in the morning my first thought is what I’m going to write about on the blog. Sometimes it’s very clear, there may be an obvious theme or topic dictated by events or happenings or, you know, the football. Other times not so much but I hug the Big German Shepherd, have some coffee, and it will come to me as I stare at my screen.
This morning, perhaps fueled by yesterday’s wine consumption (hot day in Ireland + chilled white wine = delicious), I awoke with the thought: Hey, remember when people said we should sign Charlie Austin.
He played for QPR under Harry Redknapp, I think, and scored some quite excellent goals. And because he did that, people said we should buy him. The last I heard of him someone else was trying to buy him but they couldn’t because someone said he has no cartilage or ligament in his knee. So, I looked him up this morning.
Seems like he scored 11 goals in 23 appearances last season for QPR but looks to have missed chunks of games, I assume through injury. Probably because he has no knee left or something. I don’t particularly know why I’m mentioning it. It was just in my head. And sometimes I have to get what’s in my head out so it doesn’t bother me all day.
Update: Turns out he joined Southampton in January, and has scored 1 goal.
So there you go. Remember when people said we should sign Charlie Austin. You may now proceed with your own riposte to that. Here are some helpful suggestions:
- Yeah, still better than Giroud though.
- Yeah, would have done more than Walcott.
- Yeah, at least Charlie Austin wasn’t injured all season like Welbeck
- If Charlie Austin fell into a gorilla enclosure we should SHOOT WENGER
And so on. If you’re really bored today, you can make up your own version of this but replace ‘Charlie Austin’ with some other name of some player who is now scratching a living in the Macedonian 4th division or something.
Also, while I absolutely hold my hands up and admit that on both Arseblog and Arseblog News we have posted some absolute nonsense down the years, doesn’t the fact that almost every single newspaper website and football focused website has posted an actual story about Aaron Ramsey’s hair say a lot about how quantity of content is far more important than quality these days?
I mean, you expect it from the usual suspects, those sites with the word ‘bible’ in the name, FootyLadzBibleBantz.com and all that, but Sky Sports? I know there’s an element of keeping up with the Joneses and all that, but it’s such a non-story. Nevertheless, they’ve all published an actual article about a man changing his hair colour as if it’s in any way relevant to football or sport.
I get that the minutiae of people’s lives now become ‘content’ because of social media and the pictures people put up, but still. Where is the line?
RAMSEY WALKS DOG IN PARK
RAMSEY SAVES BABY FROM STARVING BY GIVING IT SOME FOOD
RAMSEY SHAVES BEARD
RAMSEY BREATHES THROUGHOUT THE DAY
I’m now wondering if even pointing out how facile these kind of stories are isn’t somehow falling into the same trap? And as I’ve said, we post some daft stuff but it’s usually because a) it amuses us and b) we think it might amuse readers (but it is mostly a and that’s one of the beauties of having your own platform – naked self-indulgence!).
It just feels like with the obvious issues the publishing world has with moving from physical to digital, there’s a desperation that will ultimately prove counter-productive. If you will publish any old shite, then doesn’t that do reputational damage to your publication? Can you remain believed or authoritative in other areas when you’re spewing out stuff about a man using hair dye, as if this makes him unique in some way?
I suspect things will get worse before they get better. In the meantime, we can discuss the real pressing issues of the day such as … erm … and … er … well, this is a bit awkward. Hey, I hear Giroud has been using some excellent new beard balm to keep his face fuzz soft like the hair on a puppy’s ears.
Anyway, since I’m on the subject of publishing shite, yesterday was the 5th birthday of Arseblog News. From humble beginning it’s now grown into something slightly less humble, so thank you to you for reading (even the nonsense), and thanks as well to Andrew Allen, Jeorge Bird, Tim from 7amkickoff, Tim Stillman and all the others for helping it along the way down the years.
We do have some new stuff and features planned but I can’t tell you what they are yet because they are top secret. It’s definitely not because I haven’t planned them and I have no idea what they are.
In the world of Arsenal there’s not a lot happening to be quite honest. Hector Bellerin got himself an assist for Spain in a game against South Korea. Typically hard working stuff from Hector, who spoke to the Spanish press about how Mikel Arteta basically adopted him when he first arrived, making it easier to settle into life in England.
Also, some interesting stuff from Andries Jonker, Arsenal’s Academy head, talking about the role they have in instilling the identity of the club on the young players. There’s also been a significant development of the facilities which should have an impact too. Worth a read.
Finally, a rather excellent goal from Tomas Rosicky that made me somewhat wistful. Gotta love that empty stadium vibe too.
Right, that’s that. Tim Stillman will be here with his column later (which I’m assuming isn’t about hair colour). More from me tomorrow.
Until then.
