Former Arsenal Players Thread: Page 127 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Former Arsenal Players Thread

Sicario2

Qwiss Leno, Bellerin, Saka and Laca for me

Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert

Pepe was aiight.

Burnwinter

Qwiss Speaking of which, I think we might've recently reached our lowest level of dickheads in a long time.

Our coaches are probably worse dickheads than our players. This is good fortune (old Chinese proverb).

Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/jul/19/literature-changed-my-life-arsenal-hector-bellerin-arsenal

lorddulaarsenal

Comes across as too much of a try hard on the fashion front. He’s not effortlessly cool.

JazzG

He annoyed the hell out me as a player, absolute garbage defender and post injury couldn't get forward for shit either. Otherwise seemed alright.

Speedster

JazzG

He was physically as strong as the lettuce he was eating.

Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert

Became stiff as a broom alright.

Don Pacifico

Good on him for trying to broaden his horizons. Plenty of time for Bellerin. Seems a really decent human being and was a pretty decent player to pre-injury.

Coombs

Breaking news: human in their early thirties reads fiction

Don Pacifico

Coombs in all fairness, how many footballers do you hear about having a serious interest in literature?

Sicario2

Don Pacifico Eric Cantona says hi

Klaus

Don Pacifico In all honesty it's only male footballers that are thick as pigshit. You ask the ladies and I reckon that 90% have read a book (that wasn't an audio book) in the last year. Think it mirrors the general population trend.

Good on Bellerin anyway, he always seemed like a decent sort. Probably had no business being a footballer past the age of 23 though. His entire lifestyle was geared towards anything but focusing on football.

lorddulaarsenal

His foul throws were ridiculous

flobaba

lorddulaarsenal my goodness they were exasperating. He had like a 1 in 3 throw in success rate.

Don Pacifico

Sicario2 so one player in the last 30 years.

Even if you were to add in Senderos and Le Saux, the point is it's a rarity.

Mirth

Klaus Yep, it's not surprising given how players are basically asked to focus on football at the exclusion of everything else from the age of 14 that they don't even try to explore other things that could interest them. Although tbf I know there's a good number that are interested in music.

Qwiss

Klaus womens football is a lot less working class than mens football. Its a reason why the womens game is less diverse too.

Anyway I think people are being a bit snobby in general. Do you think Saka doesn't read? Guys incredibly smart. I bet you loads of them read, they spend weeks in the summer by the pool I'm sure they are reading something.

Don Pacifico

Qwiss I don't know about you but when I've been on holiday, I'd say most blokes I've seen at the beach in their 20s aren't reading.

Also, I think footballers (like Saka) can be intelligent without being interested in literature - the two things aren't mutually inclusive.

Speedster

Qwiss

The professional womens footballers were sound a few years back, they're mostly knobheads now like the lads.

A couple of them I know are in a relationship and they're both fuming because they wanted a 3some with foden but he didn't write back.

Qwiss

Don Pacifico They have a lot of down time, a lot of travel, etc I'm sure plenty of them read quite a bit. Its usually the more performative ones who love attention that go on about it. Bellerin I have always liked but his "I'm into real fashion. I'm into real literature", etc is a certain type of person. I remember Joey Barton trying this at one stage too and he absolutely craves attention. Most probably read their books and say nothing. Although maybe stuff some would turn their noses up at. Probably a lot read sports biographies.

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