Wenger makes the type of comments we all want to hear

I think Bendtner is set for a big seasonHello again and a happy Wednesday to you all.

I’ll get straight into things with some comments from Arsene Wenger about the state of his current squad. Speaking yesterday our manager stressed his desire to keep the current squad together as well as delivering a clear indication that he wants to bring in one or two more players before next season. Sooner rather than later, too. In his own words he said:

“We don’t want to have to rebuild again, so I want to keep all the players together for next season. I don’t want to lose anyone. I want to add to the squad and have identified one or two targets. Ideally I would like to bring everybody in before we start back in pre-season training in July. I don’t want to leave it until the end of August.”

They are the sort of comments that every Arsenal supporter wants to hear because (a) he’s obviously identified that there are weaknesses in the squad (b) he wants to bring in players to fix those weaknesses and  (c) he wants to bring them in quickly to ensure they are given sufficient time to adapt before the new season starts up. It’s a clear sign that Wenger means business this off season and coupled with the very early signing of Thomas Vermaelen bodes very well for the club and the fans.

His comment with regards to not wanting anyone to leave is an interesting one. The absence of Emmanuel Adebayor from the last two fixtures of last season did a lot to suggest he will be on his way but if Wenger is to believed in these comments, it now seems like there is a good chance that he’ll stay. As I’ve said time and time before, if Adebayor gets his head right then I’d absolutely love him to stay because I think he’s a class player.

However it could just be that Wenger is saying he does not want to lose anyone to ensure that any bids for our players are as high as the club can get. I think it’s fairly common knowledge that Kolo Toure is attracting interest from Manchester City as well as Adebayor from various clubs and if certain players minds are made up about leaving then it’s in Wenger’s best interests to ensure that Arsenal receive good money for the transfers. If not it means we’ll have the same squad as last season as a base and one or two astute signings in the right areas would see us in a very good position going into next season.

In other news the manager has talked up the talents of Nicklas Bendtner, stating that he has “made big improvements” and “become an important player for the club”.

I have to say that I wholeheartedly agree and am expecting a lot from Bendtner next season. He notched 15 goals last season and I think that, given the right opportunities and support from the manager and fans, he can get that up to 20 or even 25 this time around. I think it’s going to be an exciting year personally for Bendtner – particularly if Adebayor goes and no replacement is brought in – and I think he’s got exactly the right personality to take that sort of opportunity by the scruff of the neck.

I don’t want to put too much pressure on the lad but I get the feeling he’s going to make a great step up in 2009/10. His workrate is excellent and he uses his body well, all he needs is a little more refinement of his finishing and touches around the box and he’ll become an extremely effective player.

Anyway, I’m going to leave it there for today. Just a quick one before I go to say thank-you to everybody who stood up for me in yesterday’s post, it was thoroughly appreciated. 

Enjoy yourselves.

Have your say on Wenger’s plans for the squad or Nicklas Bendtner by leaving a comment.

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Comments

  1. Good post, personally I think that bendtner has the potentiol to be one of the best strikers in the world.

  2. When you realize that the likes of Berbatov only hit 10 goals, Tevez just 16 (despite all his expereince at this level and his mature age), and even Rooney… after playing all those games and even after having played as a starter for almost 5-6 seasons… he still only got 5 more goals than someone who came off the bench for us and is still 21. I have very high hopes for Nick and I hope we get off his back and give him the push to excel. He is FAR FAR FAR better than Adebayor and in terms of potential I can’t see anyone better in his age range (except of course… Messi).

  3. Tel wenger 2 allow ade 2 stay he is a very gud player.just 4 d guy 2 work hard he wil com gud

  4. I love bendtner,he’s movement is nice.when he moves with the ball,esp from the flanks,full backs tend to backpedal.but he needs to be fast in his decision making with the ball,and he should learn how to glue the ball to his legs when he collects a (strong) pass.also,he must learn hw to finish with his legs in front of goal.however,to be 21 and score 15 goals(no penalties) as a sub player is gud for him.unlike rvp who cant convert simple chips and tap-ins.he scored 20 awkward goals(4 penalties inclusive),but adebayor scored 16 and missed lot of games,yet he’s the one who gets the blame.i blame rvp 4 our 4 straight 0-0 draws,go back and watch highligts

  5. The only comment I want to hear Wenger make is that he is going to get rid of that poser Adebayour

  6. Good to see some support for Bendtner. He’s certainly changed the opinions of quite a few people in the last year, which is great to see.

  7. I am not too sure about the level of confidence earlier writers have about Bendtner. I think he still lacks ball control, which at the crucial moment, can be the difference betw a top top striker and a normal striker. Just look at TH14. His ball control is one of the best, hence he is a great striker. Bendtner, like Ade, is clumsy at times, but hopefully, Bendtner can improve next season, and deliver his 20 goals quota by Feb 2010!

  8. I think Wenger may well be looking to up Ade value. If we have another summer of him changing his mind I say we boot him out.

    I agree about his talent, however, he is not that good that he can hold US to ransom. We are the ARSENAL.

    In addition, I believe this will be a good year for Bendtner.

    COME ON THE GUNNERS

  9. I would like wenger to get a world class striker and central midfilder because the strikers we have are those you just put to help an already established striker like we had Henry alongside Persey or adebayor. we need areal striker and central midfielder to compite for anything next season not.

  10. Nice to see some positive thinking from you guys. I can’t say I share your confidencein Mr Bendtner. Yes, he improved greatly last term, especially his movement and positioning, and I totally agree that his workrate is excellent. He’s a great prospect at 21, and he will doubtlessly improve further. However, his first touch is still awful (Castano’s comment about the ball needing to stick to his legs more is very relevant) and he still has absolutely no composure in front of goal. These are not bad faults in one so young, but if Wenger sells Ade and heaps the full responsibility on Bendtner to be the main leader of the line then we’re in trouble.

    Chelsea will have Drogba or Anelka, Man U will have Rooney or Berbatov, Liverpool will have Torres: we’ll have Bendtner. Come on guys, I’m afraid there’s no comparison. At any of those other 3 clubs, a player like Bendtner would be slowly getting his education in Carling games and games when we’re 3 up with 20 mins to go.

    Bendtner impressed me with his progress last term, but he’s a long, long way from being the finished article.

    If Ade goes, we need an experienced replacement.

  11. we shuld try all posible best to keep every body even ade,i want to belive that keeping them will do us much good

  12. Good coment by wenger,i think adebayor should leave and 4 nicklas d sky is d limit.

  13. Bendtner is class. He’ll improve, I’m sure.
    As for Adebayor, I’ll be glad to see the day when he is chucked out for good. And a good replacement bought.

  14. SF,
    We will all join hands to see we become the next allrounder best next season.

  15. Positive comments from the boss but im still convinced that Ade is leaving. His angent’s comments suggest that he is desperate, we cant keep a desperate player at the club. I say we should sell him to “Beyonce” and replace him with a Huntelaar or a Dzeko.

  16. Very odd to see a couple of posts there about Bendter having a poor first touch. Personally, i think it’s one of his plus’s! I made a point of watching him on and off the ball a lot last year and his first touch and ball control is, in the most part, superb! The fact is, his finishing isn’t quite up to scratch. That’s really his only downfall. Hopefully, that’ll come good tho. As is often the way, especially for a striker, he just needs games and experience to fine tune it.

    Considering he has the reputation of a poor finisher, he still finished with 15 goals (I think Ade only bagged 16) so i’d say he has indeed got a massive season ahead of him. Imagine just how good he could be with the fans behind him and a few more games under his belt….? At least i hope so, for all our sakes 😉

  17. I think everyone has to take into account the fact that he is just 21 years of age. He can be an outstanding impact sub and has, without any doubt, the best leap of any striker in the premiership. Let us not forget that he is our third/fourth choice centre forward. With that in mind, he is coming along very nicely and will only improve each season. And considering his goals tally this term, that has to be a very good thing.

  18. based on AW comments,i see the building process is finally coming to an end,things are looking up.i expect a very good season ahead.every member of the arsenal family is already up and wants to be counted.i hope no body goes and injuries, fair on us this time around.we need everybody if that is what it takes.football is massive in nigeria,i can’t afford another season with no troghy

  19. Bendy is a good player, he runs his socks off and his positioning is spot on. When he gets his finishing right he’ll be a top class striker.

  20. I was just thinking of how most of you guys were talking about players like Bendner being world class (and spoken in the same breath as messi) as being the usual empty boasting and then there was a voice of reason(Fatboy) is he the only one apart from me who is prepared to admit our failings.It is true that Bendner has improved but to talk of getting rid of Ade so that Bendner could take his place is ridiculous he is not half the player Ade is,more importantly we need to be holding on to our players not getting rid of them.

  21. gunnerrealist, the Ade debate i’m sure we could write pages and pages on. God knows i have my issues with bendter but to say he is not half the player Ade is?? that’s harsh. 15 goals vs 16 goals? hardly “half” the player.

    Ade has had 1 good season. a lot to prove yet before he can be considered world class. Again, i hope he does but consideriong he’s already publicly admitted he ONLY plays for the money, nothing else…. tsch….

  22. Keep Ade. or buy a top class Striker.bse much as Ade. is not that good he has adapted to arse squad, experienced and for now is better than Bentner. A top class striker as he tries to adopt to Arse environment will be at the level of ade.as the seasons progresses and Bentner would be sloted in as No. 1 substitute.

  23. The abuse of Bendtner has a always had a touch of insanity about it in as much as the only Arsenal player in the past 30 years who was better at that age and knocking goals in regularly was sulky Nic – and look what happened to him – strikers very rarely get into their stride until they are fully physically developed at 23-24-25 years old.

    I would also gently remind my fellow correspondents thatwe should enjoy a fully fit Eduardo this season. I have a feeling he could be THE MAN and chip in with 15-20 goals.

    Did I hear the words Fox in the Box ?????????????? 🙂

  24. Thats a good sense of managing a club like ours. dont let anybody go and fill in a few blanks or have subs as good asa having two first elevens we had that kind of a team whwn we won the championship unbeaten. We can break our own record, not a bad thing

  25. the margin betwwen winning and losing is very small in the Premiership,the gap between Manu,Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal is even smaller.the difference is taking your chances in front of goal!The others did it we didn’t.Why? because the others had strikers who wanted to play for their teams, who were committed every game,who concentrated for the entire game.If the title was awarded for attractive attacking football then Arsenal would have won it!It’s not, it’s on points won and that means Goals and committed players who want to be at Arsenal! we all know who should go Ade is top of the list.Bendtners effort and committent can not be faulted he should be given the chance to play as the main striker with either rvp, eduardo or arsharvin as his partner.

  26. While I agree that Bendtner has improved tremendously by the end of the season, I do not beleive that he is as yet a top striker capable of leading the line. His decision making on the ball is still way too suspect and damn too slow. However, at the rate that he is going, I have no doubt that he will get there sooner rather than later. He has the hunger and the desire at the moment to do it mainly to prove to Adebayor that he can be as good if not better. Anyone who notices the way Adebayor treated him last season will understand why Nicky Boy as been working so hard this season just past to prove his worth.

    As for Adebayor, the boy has overrated himself. He now erroneously firmly beleive that he is in the same class as Henry, etc. What a prat. He should be honing his skills to equate the likes of Henry, Torres, Villa, etc instead of prancing about. Since he got the raise he was after, he couldn’t care less any more. He is heading for a fall because the whole world is watching him and he does not seem to realise it. He is far too much of a diruptive influence; the same reason he was expelled from the Togolese team. Once before, the Togolese sacked a good manager because of him. They were not willing to do so again. At least the other disruptive influence in the Arsenal team has calm down; he needs to as well. Besides, I am not too sure that he wants to play for the Arsenal, hence his lazy, couldn’t-care-less attitude through out the season. So it may not be a bad idea to let him go if he wants to. After moving around a bit like Anelka, I am sure that the realisation will hit him; I hope not too late though.

  27. Waw . .thats really fantastic and am sure if it goes how it planned,then we’ll have fantastic season

  28. Good debate. Would love Bendtner to have a good season. He’s thick skinned and he’d need to be with some of the abuse he’s had. Still, if he can grow in confidence and compusure he could be great. Also worth keeping to put pressure on the other strikers to deliver. RVP also needs more composure as often he is about power rather than accuracy. I’d also like to see more from Vela. Expected lost more from him last season and although he showed glimpses of class, he is often anonymous in games. Needs a big season .. if he stays that is.

  29. @ Steviej – you say ‘the difference is taking your chances in front of goal!The others did it we didn’t.’

    Arsenal, manure and Chelski all scored a total of 68 league goals. Only Liverpool scored more. But guess who conceded the most out of the top 4? Thass right. By quite a margin. That’s why AW says we need to fix the defence. Nothing wrong with our goal scorers.

  30. Firstly, I hope Ade and Sendy are the only ones to leave. Apparently AW have offered Ade to AC and Inter. I am very happy Wenger has spotted the weaknesses and I dont think any fan will not be happy with his comments. 2 new signings, in the next month and very few players leaving. I believe Wenger is happy with the def now and he will now try to get a Central Midfield by signing 2 cms or sign 1 and then a striker. But it shows he means business and that he really wants to get the squad focused and gelled for next season. I have also heard that AW refused to put Bendter in the offer for Vermaelen which I am happy about. Very few fans from other clubs rate Bendtner at all, but he had a great season and steadily improved. Very poor game v Burnley (CC) and some shockin misses made me hate him, but goals against Kyiv, Chelsea, Bolton and Newcastle, along with so much effort won me over and I now have a soft spot for him. When my mates say how Deni and Diaby are rubbish, i tend not to say anything, and thid was the same about Bendtner but I say something now. I like him alot along with Carlos Vela. We were expecting big things from Walcott this season and he is now a fully fledged Arsenal and England starter. Although Bendtner starts for Denmark, he isnt a starter for us all the time and if Ade leaves and Arsha is preferred on the wing then Bendy has a great chance to stake a claim in the starting line-up. Big Nick is good!

  31. in my opinion bendtner at this moment in time is nothing more than an impact sub yeah he got 15 goals last season and has improved but anyone who things he,s ready to lead the line now if ade is sold is talking shite. i said it at the end of last season and will say it again… with the anc in jan and the amount of long term injuries we had last season we should be adding 2 or 3 players to what we have at present and stop this ade should go crap i keep reading, we are all arsenal supporters and should support every player that pulls on that arsenal shirt at all times.

  32. hahahaha.N’way Bendtner will be a good player.The kinda player that is criticized a lot but will score@crucial and decisive moments.Wait til u see his 89th min goal take us 2 the finals of a certain game.(dont wanna mention which game)

  33. First all i wnt to tk u 4 gud job u aving bin doing,mor gres to ur elbow.about arsene, i think dis what we wnt to hear frm him.i think with gud players coming in & non going.we r wining 1 or 2 cups dis coming season.guners til i die

  34. @hey nonny mouse-you have a point well made,yes we do need to sort out the defence, but we can not afford to field Ade on current performance levels,if we are to progress. I do not think we have the resources to buy another top class striker, cash in on Ade while he’s still worth selling.

  35. I too have sneaking suspicion that Bendtner is poised for a big year. The time is now. He’s had two solid years coming off the bench. This should be the year he really cranks it up.

    Also I’m begging to think Ade isn’t going anywhere. In the end I think Wenger won’t feel he will get what he deserves for the big man after his less than stellar season. I think he’s staying.

    Toure is a different story. This is a buisness after all, and selling Toure for huge money to Citeh…. well Wenger can never resist a bargain except this time it will be in reverse.

    Personally I’d be ok with everyone staying and adding another central midfielder. I think it’s best if Big Phil moves on because there isn’t any room for him. Especially since we won’t be able to get rid of Silvestre.

  36. I know foresight is easier than hindsight but I was never a Bendtner boo boy at any stage the season past. I dispute that Adebayor is a class player (goalscorer yes, great footballer no) and I don’t believe that Adebayor has the football nous to link with Arshavin properly.

    Of course you don’t need to ask me, you could ask Andrey yourself. He said his favourite player to link up with at Arsenal was Bendtner and I thought some of their exchanges of passes was delightful last season. My point is I’d be more than comfortable to see Ade sold and strike options of RVP and Nick tho please Arsene, Nick is not a right sided attacker and is the best header of the ball at this club, get him in a central position!

  37. I meant hindsight easier than foresight. I’ll just crawl back to where I came from…

  38. Yeah stevie J would love to see bendtner with arsharvin up front as they both are fighters for the ball and track back when they lose it but ade just pulls a stropy face and throw his hands in the air (well all know the pose)
    The lad has also shown commitment to the club and his father/agent has stated heaps of times that he has turned down loan moves and transfers to other clubs to fight for a place in the 1st team. He at least deserves another season to prove the point he is good enough and I can’t wait to see him do it.

  39. I can’t believe everyone is ignoring Eduardo! In my opinion he’s our very best striker!

    He only played 2 games this season – but got 3 goals!

    So many people are saying that we should sell Adebayor and buy a replacement. I disagree… We should definitely sell Adebayor, but why buy a replacement? I’d rather see us use all the money we get for selling him, to buy a CDM.
    After all, it seems that we might play 4-3-3 next season, and with all the offensive fantastic players we have in the squad, I don’t see the need to buy another striker. We already have van Persie and Eduardo, and also Bendtner, Vela and Walcott (he prefers a role as a striker) who can play in that position!

    I’m sure this season will be massive for Eduardo. He’s by far my favourite Arsenal player, and I can’t wait to see him banging in goal after goal again!

    And one other thing… I see (not today, but in the last few days) that people are saying that if we get a 10 Mio. offer for Toure, we can’t afford not to sell him?!? What kind of bollox is that?
    We bought Vermaelen for approx. 10 Mio., how will it helps us selling Toure for the same amount? We wont gain a cent – just replace one defender with another!?
    If you had said €20 Mio., then I MIGHT have agreed… But all in all, I really don’t want to see us selling Toure. He’s Arsenal through and through, he’s the only player left from the fantastic unbeaten season..!

  40. all i want to say, that if adebayo wants to live or toure,then wegwr should try and put a big price tag

  41. @ stevie j- hey nonny’s argument is sport on.we scored as many goals as manure,chelsea did but conceded a basket of goals which made the big difference.if we add a good DM (we have added tomas already) we will ok wether ade goes or not (though i prefer he stays)

  42. I think Ade needs to leave in order for this tem to fulfil the potential- he seems like the outcast – a bit henry-esqu when he was in his last season – big baby sulk!

  43. Adebayor really needs to do a case study on one Jose Antonio Reyes! a player who had(has?) more talent and potential than he does.turning down a chance to blossom under the tutorage of Wenger for a few extra grands is not only myopic, its plain stupid to me.wenger has also hinted at a formation change next season.i hope he goes for the 4-3-3, it would best accomodate and harness the existing abandunce of offensive talent at the emerites!

  44. I think selling Ade could only help Arsenal next season. If Rosicky looks healthy in pre-season, that leaves Walcott free to push up into more of a striking role (especially in a 4-3-3). I’m very comfortable with Eduardo, RVP, Bendy, Arsha, Walcott and Vela filling Arsenal’s front line. With the extra money from the sale of Ade and possibly Denilson, AW could afford to buy a Yaya type player.

  45. Denilson is a lot technically better and stronger than most Arsenal fans are willing to give him credit for. Arsene will most certainly not sell him.

    To bring down our wage bill, the 2 Ss (Silvestre & Sanderos), as well as Adebayor (If he doesn’t want to stay and change his attitude), should be sold ASAP. The money generated can be added to his transfer kitty.

  46. me gusto tu nota, espero que el arsenal mantenga la base y fiche a felipe melo es el jugador ideal para el arsenal. tambien me hubiera gustado que fiche a lescott es un defensor que tubo una regularidad a lo largo de tres año, en un nivel muy elevado.

  47. Can anyone please comment on Walcott’s fluidity of movement on the left? He seem to have scored most of his great goals from that position.

  48. @ mariano alcalde

    No eres el unico por aqui que habla español, pero es un blog en ingles, asi que ENGLISH PLEASE.

  49. steviej | June 24, 2009, 8:29 pm,
    Steve Rider, I really must disagree. As I have mentioned before, I am at work, without all my reference books by me, but I am going to stick my neck out and say that Arsenal were within a goal or two of at least two of the other three teams in the top 4 in the EPL

    Maybe someone can check this for me – and if I am horribly wrong I will eat mountains of humble pie. But from memory I am saying that 3 of the top 4 scored around 66 goals in the EPL.

    If I am right, how can you possibly argue…

    “…the gap between Manu,Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal is even smaller.the difference is taking your chances in front of goal!The others did it we didn’t.Why? because the others had strikers who wanted to play for their teams, who were committed every game,who concentrated for the entire game.”

    Tony

    PS From an earlier post, I saw Bischoff play twice live and thought he was terrific each time. If he is going, I am sorry about that.

  50. hang on found it: Manchester 68 For, 24 Against
    Liverpool 77 For, 27 Against
    Chelsea 68 For 24 Against
    Arsenal 68 For 37 Against

    Pretty obvious where the problem lay.

  51. Spanish…

    i think Bedner is good off the bench..he brings impact…but as a constant starter i dont rate him. Maybe for a mid table team but not for a top 4 side. His touch is very poor.

    He works hard and gets into good position sometimes, so thats why he is a good player off the bench. but i wouldnt start him week in week out.

  52. U.s.a beat spain 2-0 what do you think those odds would of been? At least cesc didn’t get injured again.

  53. Bendtner is RUBBISH. I’ve been a gooner for 40+ years and this lad does not have it. He’s scored 15 goals in more appearances than any other foward last year and for every goal he has scored he has squandered multiple opportunities and has repeatedly dribbled himself both out of scoring position and contact from supporting players in and around the 18 yard box.
    I think all that aside what makes him most distasteful is the boastful and self-agrandizing prattle that he has in no way lived up to as of yet. It’s true that Adebayor (like Hleb) is too much of an intriguer but talent-wise Nick can’t hold his jock.

  54. dont know about ade…. ye if he wants to go then cash in but we deffo cant rely on bendtner. i like him a lot and he has a great future ahead of him no doubt but we need a 25+ goals a season playa… ade can be that, if eduardo stays fit then so can he but the raw power of ade will help bring theo, arshavin and cesc into play and that is where i think we will be at our attacking best. no matter what city offer we need to keep toure! rvp is due a good season aswell. at the end of last season i thought we needed a cb who would b strong and thats it. our attack is 1 of the best around and if vermaelen settles in then our defence will be aswell… goon till i die!!!

  55. AW should mean that he wants to add not replace his squad. I think 08 summer tot him a valuable lsson: Arsenal – Hleb, Flamini, Gilberto, Lehmann = big problem. He couldnt find repalcements in time and look what happen in the beggining, we struggled.

    AW MUST keep Ade coz when he gets his head fixed, boy, he name strikes fear into the oppisitions.

    SO AW KEEP TOURE EBOUE AND ADE!!!

  56. bendtener is lazy at fighting after losing the ball so to mi he must be use as substitute at the twenty minutes.

  57. Give Eboue,Toure and Ade chance they are good players equally but all we need is to give them support.They are dedicated to duty and have proved so inthe recent past season.Toure has been outstandig in defence so is been Eboue my favourite player so far at Arsenal.Let’s see Thomas V,what he has to offer to the Gunners’fansin this coming exciting season.Exciting in the sense tha most teams in the premier league have new players that they think are the best and also loosing the best to different clubs.Goodlucky Gunners.
    Patrick.

  58. Arsenal should make recruitment on the defensive mid field so that fabregas can express himself up front. Philip Melo is the answer. Having this done then we will smile back to our trophy room with one or more. Gunners! 4 life

  59. I am against the view some people have that Bendtner is better than Ade. Frunkly speaking, no one can fail to see some biaseness here. I am of a view that, Ade is better than Bentner by far.

  60. it is a great relief theat wenger has decided to bring in new players.He must understand that qualiy players are required.A goal poacher,not just a striker is what arsenal need to convert all the numerous chances created in game.A defensive midfielder to do the dirty job is needed too and finally a left back in the mould of Glen johnson.This guy can over lap and even score goals.Its a pity that wenger never thought of him.Liverpool have an asset in him.Arsenal should look into a probable move for Lucio,David silver,benzema,Aron lenon because he is a beter winger than walcot, sentiments apart,avi alonso,yaya toure and never ignore a stephen taylor.The man is better than waht we have there presetly.This is my opinion.I hope mr wenger will oblige us time to read our views and consider them.Frankly,his project of leting boys do mens job is frightening and has failed.That is why they almost lost 4th spot.if care is not taken,mancity and even aston villa could be thereArsenal need to start hinking of winning trophies.My view is that mr wenger should be made to understand that there i no more room for falures.He feels his job is assured for as long as he wants.That is dangerous.He ends up breaking hearts.

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