No sense, just sensibility

Again, we can read a commentator in an English paper basing a piece on rumours and hearsay, not on fact. Today it's the Independent's Sam Wallace who disappoints.

'There is now a feeling in football that … [Arsenal] have slipped far enough behind Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City that even for players from the second tier of clubs Arsenal are no longer a major draw.'

This feeling in football (!) isn't described in any more detail by Wallace. Whether it's about salaries, sign-on fees, trophies, European competitions or general status hangs in the air.

Instead Wallace uses Phil Jagielka as example. The centre back has been mentioned as an Arsenal target the past few years, and a concrete offer to Everton was said to have been rejected last year.

'... there are concerns that he will again reject the chance of a move to Arsenal.'

Oh, so maybe Arsenal will make a bid, and maybe Everton will accept it (even though Jagielka signed a four-year deal a few months ago), and maybe then, the player won't leave. And maybe that will be because Arsenal aren't a big enough club. I'm counting four maybes in this line of reasoning.

That's not making sense; that's akin to wetting your finger to gauge the wind, not feeling it, and instead guess where it's coming from.