From Benglian: a reply to “David Rakison: hope is all we have”
I take issue, Dave, with your assertion that everyone is unhappy.
“The club, it seems, is not fulfilling their part of the implicit bargain that fans make with whoever they support – you follow us religiously, and we will do everything we can to make our team the best it can be.”
What you meant to say, and what the club haven’t done is ‘…do everything we can to make our team the best it can be, right now, this year! The future be damned!’
Like Leeds did…like Portsmouth did…
Arsenal is doing ‘everything we can to make our team the best it can be.’ but I think that Arsenals plan is slightly more long term than the ‘now Now NOW!’ that you, and todays society, demand.
“How can a fan be committed to a club that isn\’t committed to anything but making money for the owners?”
No shareholders take any money from the club. Are you suggesting that fans should only support the opposite, ‘a club that is committed to on-field success and let the rest be damned!’ (see Leeds, or Portsmouth, or Malaga maybe…?) There are teams you can support that do that, do please be my guest.
“But I would bet there isn\’t an Arsenal fan out there who is currently happy with how things look for next season.”
You would lose your bet.
I am happy with the squad as it is, and looking forward to a good season.
Unlike previous seasons, I am excited by ALL the names that will appear on the teamsheet, and none worry me. Whose name, of the current playing squad (so leave out Chamakh, TGSTEL, and the Gerv), do you wince at when it’s read out?
“They are certainly making money every year, but how long before the lack of trophies translates into a lack of fans, particularly the younger generation who, once a team captures their heart, will stay with them for a lifetime?”
Football is entertainment, I watch Arsenal to be entertained, and because I identify with the ethos of the team.
Winning trophies is nice, but I wouldn’t sacrifice my principles for them. Glory hunters can go to ManUre, Chelski, and shitty…and good luck to them there. Join them, if you wish.
“At the start of every summer, I have hope. Hope that this time things will be different.”
I’m almost with you there, but only in so far as the results go. I want what we have, and how we play now to be successful. I don’t want to sell out to gain success…
“If this is to be the season of change, the team needs to be stronger on the first day of the season – or September 1st – than it was against Newcastle on the last day of the season.”
It already is. No key players have left. All of last seasons buys will be better this year, and you seem to have forgotten Sonogo 😉
I am not a sports fan.
I don’t want tennis, or cricket, didn’t see 1 minute of the Olympics, and have zero interest in watching golf, rugby or anything else.
I am not a football fan.
I don’t watch internationals, other leagues, or even other Premier League games.
I am an Arsenal fan.
I watch Arsenal play, and ,win or lose, I seek to be entertained.
I may not always be happy at the result, and of course I prefer when we win, but I don’t want to see us sell out to gain that elusive trophy.
I picture Suarez’s grinning face holding up the Premier lLague trophy, while clad in an Arsenal shirt, and that picture makes me very, very uncomfortable.
As I said, I don’t have an issue with your opinion, but I do take issue with you thinking that every Arsenal fan is so unhappy with the club, team, and manager.
We are not all glory-hunters like some fans seem to be.
Arsenal is bigger than that.
From Roman: hope v frustration
I find myself reading lots of articles about Arsenal, mainly tinged with the same ols sceptical views and frustration with only the glimmer of hope.
Fans say we are too slow and do t want to spend. We look at Man U and Chelsea how many big players have they signed? Schurle is two years in the making. The problem is rather than buy a Gervinho we are after player at big clubs and deals don’t happen quickly as they are also looking for replacements.
We could have got Higuain but going from 25 to 35 makes the deal look a lot less appealing, do you spend 35 on him or 40+ on guaranted Premier League goals?
We then have to deal with the sceptics that we are not trying hard enough, I don’t believe that at all.
The club have tried to achieve two things this summer. Remove deadwood which we have been highly successful and could remove over £600k pw of the wage bill by the end of it. The second is add two or three first team players which would make a massive difference.
We did on lose in the last 10 games regardless of the opposition that is a strong performance. We are not likely to lose a big player and we have a fully fit squad.
So add a Suarez, Fellani I believe you add at least 5-10pts to last season making us serious contenders. Add in a few squad players Cesar, Williams, Bernard and I don’t see why we can’t win the league.
The best bit about this is Arsenal could buy all these players with almost no net cost.
£100m over 5 years £20m (player amortisation)
Wages circa £375k pw
Wage Reduction up to £600k pw (Santos, Djourou, Squillaci, Mannone, Denilson, Arshavin, Bendtner, Park, Chamakh, Gervinho, Coquelln, 15 youths)
Player Amortisation Reduction around £9m (Santos, Gervinho, Arshavin, Squillaci)
Net £11m inc in amortisation countered by wage reduction.
The over-riding message is stay positive.
Next year should be even better with the deals kicking in revenue up to £300m wages at below 50%.