From Alexander Tovey : good old-fashioned bottle job
Morning Myles,
Given that three of our competitors changed manager this summer you would think that Arsenal’s powers would consider this our biggest chance in ages to get back aboard the success train.
And yet, as I write, we are £2m up so far in the transfer window, with no signings of note, zero sign of progression and certainly no actions to support Gazidis’s grandioise claims early in the summer.
Why? Because we have bottled it.
The club don’t want to compete.
They want to sit in an artist’s studio meticulously working on their masterpiece without ever having to exhibit it, opening themselves to critiscm.
This season’s excuse is too much money available. Last season’s was that there were no ‘top top quality signings available’.
And on it goes. Hiding from judgement day. Accumulating money at the fans’ expense. Giving NOTHING in return.
It’s a good, old-fashioned bottle job
And it’s likely to continue for another four years.
From Clockendjim : Arsenal fans think club is immoral
The move to the Emirates was supposed to generate more money to keep improving the team.
Well the first bit has worked, but for reasons that mystify most Arsenal fans is why they have not fulfilled the second part and spent some of the huge reserves that have built up in AFC bank accounts.
If you added up all the money that has been wasted on the likes of Squillaci, Santos etc, then Wenger could actually have bought several top players, but he seems afraid to commit a large sum on an individual.
Therefore we have ended up with a huge squad of sub-standard players who are never going to win any trophies for you.
Well where do we go from here?
I only renewed my membership for next season ( £50 just for the honour of buying a ticket) on the promise of Wenger spending at least £70m – it has not happened yet.
As usual we are linked with so many good players that would make the difference; Higuain, Williams, Fellaini but don’t rush to the bookies to put money on them arriving.
I have supported Arsenal through thick and thin for over 50 years now so do want any traitor allegations levelled at me, it is just that instead of feeling part of the happy family that once was Arsenal Football Club, I now feel like a digit to have money extracted from.
From Colin C : immoral Arsenal board
I think this board is immoral for all the reasons that have been previosly stated.
Are we the dreamers though, who believe everything that comes out of the mouth of Wenger & Gazidis?
I personally expected this saga back in early June and am more convinced it is all to keep us off their backs, when there is no intention of making these so called big moves.
At the end they will say well, we tried to get the best players.
But it won’t wash because they aren’t trying to get the best ,are they?
From Ivan Helmer :can we talk about football?
If only because it’s too late to undo Russian privatisation robbery, but there is still time to buy a striker. And a centre back and a keeper.
But why a winger/midfielder?
I’m sure Bernard is top class, but paying £22 million for him looks suspiciously like a financial investment, not a footballing decision. (That’s how absurd prices are, £22 million might be a bargain!)
It’s impossible to judge from their playing against Asian strikers, but Sagna seemed excellent in the centre, and Miquel hopeless at left back (he was anyway only there because Monreal is still on holiday).
So let’s get down to the most important business – losing our heads over Zelalem! I don’t see how we can not to. Even in Asia. He’s more graceful than Ozil and makes more killing passes than Fabregas (at his age or at any age). A one trick pony, sure, but what a trick!
Of course, an English defender can always break his legs.
But even this will be difficult, because he never keeps the ball for more than a second…
Please agree!
From Arsenal-Steve : dictator
Wenger’s almost autistic inability to communicate with fans leaves him open to much criticism from the fans.
In recent months fans who uttered the sad mantra ‘in Wenger we trust’, have begun to realise that Wenger is a ‘control freak’ with OCD’ over money.
As ‘dictator’ at Arsenal he has one thing in common with all dictators, the refusal to give joy to his subjects.
So if the popular yearning is to buy Brazilian Bernard, Wenger would have to do something different.
How Arsenal allowed Wenger to become a tyrannical dictator is a question that will be answered in years to come
From Mark: immorality
I agree with this post, I know for a fact there are still payments on the Emirates stadium, you can also see the wool has been pulled over a lot of gooners eyes.
I have heard lies season after season, and if it was not for the fact I love Arsenal I would have walked away.
In every other area of your life you wouldn’t put up with this
From Dominic: morality
When people go on a rant about the price of Arsenal’s season tickets they seem to forget that 7 cup matches are included.
If you look at the Man Utd’s terms and condition you will find a very interesting one.
If you do not buy a ticket for a match in an earlier round, say the 4th seeded team in your group, Man Utd reserve to right to sell your seat on to someone else for a later match e.g. quarter-, semi-final.
Sounds like a bit of pressure being put on the punters to turn up or just pay the money.
From KLV : signings
Hi Myles,
Hope you enjoyed the Ashes.
I did,despite the fact that I had also enjoyed the great Australian teams of the 90s while I was there.
Cricket is quite a wonderful sport, if played well by two teams that want to win. I’d rather watch a good game of cricket than watch Arsenal play Fulham, or Aston Villa, or Stoke or even Liverpool. I have said it before – too much foreplay with no orgasm, that’s how Arsenal have been playing for the past half a dozen years.
Big summer signings? Dream on.
Jovetic, Higuan, Suarez, Rooney, Fellaini will all change clubs. The fans at their new clubs will get very excited with new additions, looking forward to a great season ahead. Meanwhile at Arsenal, we are still left with (someone said a “stingy, procrastinating and indecisive”) Wenger.
Better to watch the 3rd, 4th and 5th Tests and then the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th Tests.
From Kelvin Au : conspiracy theory
Myles,
I live in Singapore, and I can smell a rat from here.
We all know (including Wenger/Gazidis) that fans have been crying out to spend some money on marquee big-name quality signings. Wenger must feel the pressure from nearly missing out from last season’s fight for 4th place.
So, what do they do to appease the fans and keep the status quo?
They come out early before the start of the transfer window and tell everyone we have 70m quid to splash around.
They go for every big name who’s available on the market – especially those who are on the edge and are on possible moves this season: Higuain, Suarez, Mata…. these players get good media coverage, and everyone’s watching, and talking… (BTW: I’m not even sure they are REALLY the players we need?)
Hey look, Arsenal is bidding $35m for Suarez.. etc
My take is that W&G never intended to buy any of these players – and they will not get any of these players.
We will end up with that U20 French guy as our marquee signing for 2013/14..
W&G are in a way saying to the fans….
(1) We have the money, and we wanted to spend it..
(2) But clubs like Madrid and Liverpool are messing with us…
(3) And it’s ridiculous to spend these sorts of money, EVEN though we said we have it and could spend it….
So the fans can’t blame W&G, who will preserve this years P&L, get good bonuses from Kronke and the board, and fight for the BPL 4th place Cup, again.
It’s glaringly obvious.
From Jeremy : Peter – Arsenal
Peter,
I recall a conversation I once had with a well to do Highbury, East Stand Season Ticket holder some years back.
He occasionally got to play golf with George Graham and a few others when he was manager.
He told me that George used to joke that no player at the club would ever be paid more than him.
It was said tongue-in-cheek but the implication was clear as well as the fact that George didn’t like troublemakers.
In fact they were normally shipped or frozen out the minute they started to create.
Paul Davis was dropped for over a year to the detriment of the team and Brian Marwood only lasted two seasons because he became the club’s PFA Representative.
Fast-forward on twenty years or so and your opinion.
Well, pay has Sky-rocketed for all players since then but a manager who won’t put up with anyone questioning him at Arsenal?
Nothing new as far as I can see.
From Gerry Griffin: nobody bigger then Wenger
That’s why Arshavin did not fit.
He had his own center of balance and did not owe his career to Wenger.
And was left out in the cold.
