Morning all.
It’s all looking far too familiar, isn’t it? The new season is upon us and yet here we are with a squad which not only looks unbalanced, but under strength too. Not only do we have the contract fiasco for a few players going on but if Wenger is planning to add to the squad further, then he and the club are making a right old hash of it, just as they so often have. Yes there’s still time, plenty of time to make further additions but why not get them done before now. Take Thomas Lemar, if he really is one of the players at the top of Wenger’s transfer list, why isn’t he an Arsenal player by now? Why didn’t the club get in quick, make the right offer and bag their man? No, they’ve sat around twiddling their thumbs whilst other clubs have picked off the players they want from Monaco and now the French club can do one of two things. Either flatly say no, he’s not for sale, or knowing how desperate we might be, rip us off good and proper.
Wenger’s stance on Alexis and Oxlade-Chamberlain remains the same, both will be Arsenal players when the transfer window slams shut. Lucas Perez could be to as at the weekend, the Frenchman suggested the man he barely looked twice at last season, remains part of his plans. Or something similar. Newcastle want the Spaniard according to the media, me, I hope he stays. Finally this summer, Mesut Ozil has hit the transfer rumour headlines, Barcelona are reported to be interested and if they don’t get Coutinho, they’ll make an offer to Arsenal for the German. £50 million plus apparently, tempting?
As said before, if all those listed above end up leaving us before the transfer window closes, we are going to be in the mire and heading for another disappointing season. In fact, I’m not expecting anything different this coming season in any case, not judging on the defensive frailties witnessed in pre-season and certainly at the weekend. Better teams than Sevilla will punish us good and hard if Wenger doesn’t do something about the way our midfield players/defenders work together as a unit. I’m sure I’m not alone in expecting work to have been done on the defensive side of our game during pre-season but as yet, little seems to have changed. Signing a out an out defensive midfielder might help, but then so would grabbing one of our many midfield players by the scruff of the neck and telling him not to venture past the half-way line might too! A bit extreme I know but I suspect you get where I’m coming from. Arsene Wenger loves the attacking game and it seems most of our players do too.
Talking of attacking players, one of our best is back today. He’s left Chile and is on his way to London via Paris. The Mirror, cough, have a picture of him travelling with a guy deemed to be his lawyer with suggestions that both stopped off in Paris. Or maybe they just jetted out from Paris, or maybe they’ve done neither..
But I bet that slant on his return will fuel speculation that they have been in France to secure a move to PSG, especially once The Metro get hold of it. Although Man City is his much wanted destination isn’t it? Too bad, he’s staying in London for at least one more season…
I’ve waffled on too much. Basically, I can’t see a very good season ahead for Arsenal….
Arsene has us perfectly poised for a tilt at the title.
We’ve lost nobody we want to keep, have brought in two guns and may well finally be free of our diving Prima Donna, who will almost certainly go to PSG, leaving us with a happy squad so it’s all good.
Build that side around our best player, Ozil-Lacazette was a great start-and we will be fine.
Bring it in!
No chance of the league this season whilst we have such a porous defence and an out of date manager i respect Wenger but i see no signs of change with him to make me optimistic I’m afraid .
We were woeful late last season, and especially in the FA cup final.
Same here Wsg. The squad has been reasonable for the last two seasons, certainly good enough to win the league, especially the year before last. But, Wenger just doesn’t have it in him imo.
Scott, you are clearly trying to be funny. Any more and you’ll be gone again. It’s childish.
WSG. I agree, especially where the defence is concerned. Under Wenger the club has never really had a defensive culture, except perhaps in the early days. If you don’t concede many, you won’t lose many games and over a long season any team is going to need to defend to preserve the points.
The club has had both extremes when it comes to defending. The ever so organised and tight defence under George Graham which Arsene Wenger benefited from during the early days, to now, the total opposite where we concede goals for fun…
Rico. It’s for sure that the right balance has eluded us thus far.
Morning all.
Bit of a doom and gloom post to brighten my morning up, however i agree with most of it. The transfers thing annoys me most though, before the season had even finished us fans already knew who we would like and what we would do. I appreciate it will not be as simple as us fans perhaps think it is/can be, but i don’t understand how Lemar (if as said was a top priority) hasn’t been dealt with yet.
The defense worries me, Elneny playing at CB in pre season is an odd choice and while i thought he did pretty well on the whole i think it still shows Wenger doesn’t really know how best to set up our defensive unit.
While we have some good players capable of playing to the level we need, we never seem to find a system that suits them all and brings out the best, hence we are usually found out by some smaller clubs and drop those unnecessary points that cost us so dear every season. Its frustrating to say the least.
Strange though Adam, as that would be the first thing I’d have thought a top manger would have sorted.
Rico, so we weren’t great at the back late last season??
You all know we were.
We weren’t fantastic in the Cup final?
Yes, we were.
Of course I was speaking tongue in cheek, but the comments on here about our defence appear to ignore these facts.
Why is it nobody else will acknowledge the fact we haven’t even had close to our best 11 on the pitch at one time in our friendlies, yet are prepared to write the season off?
I agree Rico. In the PL you need to be dogged at times. I would still like to see a big, bastard CB. Virgil should be ours really but it looks like Liverpool will get him. Proper defenders are exceedingly rare these days.
Unreal that it is a re-run of last year, the year before, the year before…Not quite sure what goes on in AW’s head but it must be freaky strange and in glorious technicolour! All that aside, I don’t think we should keep Sanchez as he is an irritant and a sulky twat! Ox however – sign him immediately. Last thing – tell Monaco to do one. Greedy.
This will cheer you up rico, The Ashes are back on. The stand off between the Oz Establishment & the Badge Kissers appears resolved.
Can anyone honestly say we’ve had a near top strength line up in any of our pre season matches?
Equally, would anyone say we’ve lost any of our better defenders?
I doubt anyone would complain about our defence last last season, so why suddenly would we be weak at the back-if anything, we will be better after signing the beast, Kolasinac.
Even Merts looked better than ever in the 3 at the back system after not playing for most of the season.
Where is the weakness?
It’s ok to all say it, but based on what?
Of course, we need to show the Kat season form wasn’t a fluke, but not a single sign points that way.
People wanted change, Arsene made a change and it worked, so why not give credit?
Scott, you miss the point, without Sanchez we would have been mid table.
The weakness is that Arsene Wenger gets gazzumped in the mind games more often than not.
Andrew,
Have we been any better since he joined?
I can’t see it.
GG, I apologise if I can’t the relevance in that reply to my comment.
I was talking about the defence.
Scott
The only time Arsene Wenger got one over a top rank gaffer last season was when Alexis scored.
Arsenal needs a manager who can pull off a cunning stunt when he’s playing the top ranked teams, instead he acts like a stunning…………….well you know what I mean?
Scott. In case you have forgotten we all have acknowledged that we were much better towards the end of the season. Against sides who were playing for little I hasten to add and yes, we were superb in the FA Cup Final. However, we have added two players, when in fact we have a midfield which is terribly average and as a unit, the defence looks all over the place.
If that doesn’t bother you then fine, it jolly well does me…
Bumba, 10.29 – agree re the formation, certainly when it comes to the defence.
Morning Rico and HH.
May I start with heart-felt thanks to Lee, Gnarley9, and obviously your good self.
If I visited HH for an argument with you, Scott, I would tell you. In fact I addressed you on a point about Celtic in a recent post, but such is your petulance you only respond to my comments if you think there’s an opportunity to make me look silly.
It’s okay to disagree, it says so at the top of the page.
But it’s how people behave in disagreeing more than the disagreement itself.
You post many things I don’t agree with, Scott, but I don’t feel it necessary to jump onto HH to try and belittle or ridicule your opinion. In fact, I don’t even put an argument up against it.
Mostly because I know how belligerent you like being and a simple disagreement would descend quickly into senseless name-calling because that’s who you are.
If you really have 100% faith in Wenger, then put up an intelligent thesis to support your view so that people can offer genuine debate. I’m sure Rico would welcome a Post on the subject.
Show some maturity and conviction in your stance, open the debate up.
I wonder how much you know about Arsenal between 1886 – 1996, because the club have a rich history, and were a big club long before the arrival of Wenger.
Rico, we haven’t played our best 11…..the 11 we hadn’t in the FA cup final where you admit we were superb.
Good to hear that Gg…
The weakness in my mind is central in front of the defensive line . The same problem with picking runners appears to be there. We may have not played our top combination there so far but with the injuries we are still carrying from last season , everyone that can play has and they still leave gaps and don’t think. Witness the Nzonzi goal against Sevilla, where was the marking ? , who closed him down and who served him the brandy and lit his cigar ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4aHq6ZZcvM
On the subject of Corbyn and Kroenke , he’s got this one wrong as well.:- his quote that “if Kroenke wants to stay in sport , then he’s should stick to football” is 100 miles wide of the mark . He should get out of football altogether , Starting at The Arsenal !!!
Scott, yes we were better at the back end of last season, however i only count 5 games where we actually started to look halfway decent (The Utd game onwards after we were spanked by Spurs and that 2-0 could have been a lot worse if they had taken some of their chances)
I agree that signing Kola will help, and i believe we can be better than what we have shown in preseason, but i can understand why some fans (myself included) are worried that we are going to leak too many goals to be a real threat.
If you don’t understand what I’m getting at Scott, then there’s little point. You clearly believe Wenger is some kind of genius, things have changed and we’ll have a great season.
Fine, others don’t and I’m one who certainly doesn’t.
Morning Herb.
That was exactly my point yesterday. It’s not what we say to each other, it’s how we say it. Or write it in this case.
Rico, you’re right, I don’t understand.
What I do understand is you waving the admin power at me, then talking to me like I’m an idiot.
Well played.
Herb, I’ll do everything you ask if you do one thing-give me evidence to support your theory that Arsenes arrogance was behind the scoring system for the Emirates cup.
Not rhetoric or opinion, actual evidence.
As for your labelling me petulant and belligerent,, well, I am sure you’ll receive the same stern warning I received!!!!!
We don’t press teams well enough to much space between the midfield and defence don’t pass it quick enough and we only press when we’re losing the game ?all on Wenger being the jack of all trades master of none .
Where’s Spectrum when you need him?
In Arsene we rust
Scott
I didn’t say whose arrogance was responsible for Arsenal claiming a cup they didn’t deserve, if you read back, you’ll notice that I said it was arrogant of the club.
As Rico said yesterday, the concept originates from a mini-tournament that Arsenal were involved in with Ajax in Amsterdam, and was designed to reward attacking football.
You could legitimately argue that Arsenal scored 5 past Benfica and stayed true to this attacking ethos, but equally,the competition is structured in a way that didn’t allow for Sevilla to play Benfica, and when we played Sevilla, they out-scored us.
Mr Allezkev. Good morning. 🙂
I’m not waving the admin power at you at all Scott, just asking you to stop being rude to others with whose opinion/comment you don’t like.
Had Herb jumped on here suggesting you are petulant this morning without having read you reply to him yesterday, yes, I would have asked him to refrain, but the reality is, you started it, you take what you get back.
Afternoon Rico n All
Maybe it’s an age thing, maybe I’m turning into a grumpy old geezer, like a few of my friends, but I cannot work up any enthusiasm for this season.
It started so well with the early signing of Sead and Lacazette, but instead of pressing home the advantage and getting Lemar in Wenger has returned to type and is penny pinching.
As far as sales are concerned, I reckon we’ll move most of them on in the final week of the window.
A very good morning to you Mr Adam.
Er, good afternoon I mean. ☺️
I think lemar will happen just a case of when still think we need someone else next to xhaka Ramsey is not consistent enough for me .
Rico, so why did you defend Lee then?
I was merely responding to him.
Afternoon Kev. Spot on imo.
All Lee did was ask you re question Scott. It’s funny really, others on here like Lc and Meerkat, Obi etc can often disagree with others, yet you are the only one who gets embroiled in an argument…
To be honest the season will tell us if the big change has worked.
I can’t see any change,it looks the same old approach to games.
how can anyone think we have turned the corner.
Even if we signed Messi and Ronny it still looks flaky all round.
Good to see The Syrup getting his arse spanked.
Anybody think that we need another cm ?
Rico, I’m sure everyrhing is my fault.
Call me Arsene hahahah
Scott
This is an Arsenal football blog, covering all things Arsenal across a very broad age range, not about massaging your bruised ego.
Perhaps if you were more pleasant and polite towards people, we wouldn’t keep having this circular problem of you trying to defend your poor attitude.
If you want serious football debate, go for it, but leave out the bad manners.
Neither can I Fred. Two good additions, but the same old football..
I do Swg, a bloody strong and quick one who can do what Gilberto used to do.
Scott, no, not everything but I’m sure if you thought long and hard about the way you sometimes respond to people on here, you’d see how aggressive and challenging your comments come across.
WSG. I reckon we do. Ramsey only works in a free role and Xhaka is decent but very one-paced (slow). Neither can really hold a position.
Who would u have in mind Adam,Rico although i read somewhere Wenger see’s lemar as potentially a partner for xhaka ???
A shame that the syrup doesn’t need to sell his Arsenal shares in order to pay for his murderous, blood lusting killing channel! We would be well shot, (of him!) and so should he be.
I hope the anti hunting group get after him and make his time in the UK an absolute misery.
PHW, as it turns out was absolutely right in his assessment of Kronke, “we don’t want his sort around here.” We didn’t then and we don’t now, nor into the future.
Fancy being associated with a killer!
Kronke out!
Afternoon all. Bright sunny intervals chez nous, but a chilly wind.
Sure Fred , wiggy needs all the pressure from wherever it can be dug up , make his life in the u.k miserable and he might go.
There was talk of Carvalho Wsg…
What possessed Kroenke to have that kind of tv channel beggars belief. What a ghastly man.
WSG. I don’t know really but someone a bit like Matic perhaps. Certainly a powerhouse who makes the play as well as break it up. We never really replaced Gilberto with a similar player. Lemar looks a bit lightweight for me in that position.
I suppose it shows what type of callous person he is.
Herb, constant Wenger bashing hardly equates to a serious football debate, but I’m sure you’re right lol
Stan is evil.
I’ve said that for years.
He doesn’t care about anyone, or anything.
Money is his driving force.
He’s the cancer at our club, no question, imo.
Good morning Rico and all.
I have stayed away from all blogs but the fanbase is splitting more and more.
This social wage project is really backfiring.We overpay squad players and leave it to the last minute to try and keep the one or two really good players.
We have already tried to sell Jenkinson, Gibbs twice, Ospina that we know of , Sanogo and debuchy can leave the latter a bad piece of buying at 12 million 3 years ago,Elneny is another who may go, Gabriel is rubbish..no one wants Ozil at his wages but luxury player or not he is an integral part of the team and with Sanchez scored the majority of our goals last season.Sanchez would give 100% if we kept him for another year and lose the transfer fee, but can you see the club doing that.
The there is jack, on 90K a week, his legs are gone so what happens to him.
Mertesacker may have a dozen games left and I doubt the much missed Santi will ever recover,he has age against him.Ramsey looks sharper with granit need to form a good partnership and what about Chambers.12 playes out of contract in 10 months,you couldn’t make it up.
Kos is 33 next birthday. The Ox wants out because of Wenger not talking to him for weeks on end.
ospina is not good enough and cech is over the top.
The club is in a mess from top to bottom but old Wally bags a grace against a crap Benfica side and he’s wonderwoman.
Now this “Arsenal’s majority shareholder, Stan Kroenke, has come under fire for launching a new bloodsports television channel that was unveiled in the United Kingdom over the weekend that will show regular hunting programmes that includes killing elephants, lions and other vulnerable African species.” will win him fewer friends
.
We have a new fitness coach from Sky team, 4 additional
l scouts and lehmann but they have been added to the wage bill instead of being replacements.
The whole business side of he club stinks.AW is too old, too predictable and dithers
.
What bothers me is the way we played in the Cup Final as great but how often in the entire season did you see a commitment by all players on the pitch.
All the leading newspaper journalists had a poll last week and put Arsenal to finish 6th or 7th.I hope they are wrong,I love my club but it’s not the same as it was only a few years ago.
Watching The Emirates Cup it’s more for fitness but every combination we tried at the back looked mighty vunerable.
Anyway a lot to sort out, nt sure time will allow it.
Kelsey, you do make some very fair and valid points, but I’m taking some hope from the fact we played very well leading up to, and including the Cup final.
Looking for positives-I always am lol.
Still, there’s time for deals to be done so what can we do other than hope Wenger brings some more quality in?
Got to agree with all of that Kelsey , looks like we are in for another year of De ja vu . All over again
Potter/Kelsey…..I really didn’t see that coming?☹️
West Sussex gooner, when I heard Arsenal were interested in Lemar , I immediately thought he would be a replacement for Santi. When he plays CM for both club and country he’s a load to deal with because of his range of passing and dribbling skills. He’s a very good winger but I think CM is his best position. Monaco had Silva so that pushed him to the wing most of the time. That could also be the reason PSG don’t want to sell since Silva is at City now.
Scott, you may be right with your optimism, but it could be ill placed.. The reason is that aside from City, no team has in the top 6 has improved except for City imho. Lukaku replaces Zlatan and Zlatan is way better, Morata replaces Costa and Costa is also way better. Totts haven’t done anything and Liverpool only signed Sturridge….lol. But the top 6 to 10 teams has all improved so the margins of error for Arsenal is very small. Which is the reason we need to sign Lemar, Siri, CM and yes keep Sanchez.
You have a better chance of Sanchez signing with Arsenal if you keep him, because he will be 1 year older and many top team will not give him a 4 year deal at 29-30 y.o. So if he’s not sold by January he stays.
Obi i just feel he’s a bit lightweight for central midfield just my opinion ?
Santi isn’t exactly a colossus if that’s where he is to play, If Cazorla taught us one thing it’s to be a midfield general you don’t have to be built like Vieira , Cesc , Xavi , Iniesta are examples of where work rate and skill outweighs size.
Oh I forgot Welbeck.Looks great, has good speed, good control, good head but a powder puff shot.No guarantee he will score you a dozen goals a year.We have been far too reliant on Sanchez in the goal dept but the worst year for ages for goals scored and goals conceded.Giroud definitely has a place in the squad.Lacazette has a lot to live up o, I hope he does it.he spent his whole career at one club in the french league.Too early to judge but to me he is a fox in the box hopefully.
Many may find my criticism harsh but when you are top or near the top for 2 3 of the last five years only to fall away it’s unbearable.
if we were a mid table club our objectives would be different.
There are also consequences with this new acquisition of Kroenke. How will our sponsors react.?The trip to China was madness in the heat and smog and in all probability most shirt sales will be knock offs from the country that started it.Even in Australia we played two moderate teams,the games were well attended but the tickets went on sale three months ago and only sold out on the last day.I know this from pals who live out there.Again our PR dept is also a joke, it all makes me mad.
Where is the club I grew up which oused class.
Looks like the gloves are off now the seasons about
to start,from most of the opinions to-day on here
we nearly all agree..Nothing has changed.
Still all the season ticket money is in the bank now
and guess what the spin from the club has sort of
vanished into thin air.
Just goner have a re-run of the Fa Cup Final again.
Leicester (h)
Stoke (a)
Liverpool (a)
I reckon 2 points from that lot, 7 points dropped and out of the title race before September.
Enjoy ?
Evening Rico and the House.
Our U23’s are away to Leyton Orient tonight and after 15 mins are winning 2-0
Scorers Bielik and Akpom.
Team is Macey, Debuchy, Bielik, Plegue, Jenkinson,Jeff, Toral, Bramall, Nketiah, Mavididi, Akpom
Evening all and thank`s Rico.
Kroenke wearing a Goldilocks syrup and getting arse raped by The Three Bears is the new bedtime story my wife reads to me !………………………………………Classiest club with the slimiest owner !……………………….he makes my blood boil !
Brilliant goal from Mavididi makes it 3-0 at H/T.
Akpom off injured replaced by Malan
Jeff having a good game (at last)
I dread to think what will happen when our lovely goonettes meet Napoleons £500m team of giants.
Pogba will relish playing with his mate Lukaku and will start scoring.
Le Prof is not stupid, regardless of what some fans think, he must see trouble ahead, and with Pires, Jens and Bould there to give their opinions, he will get his act together. Lemar plus a n other in defence will do us.
Our main opponents (Everton, Liverpool, West ham and Totts) are still active in the market, but they are historically, ‘selling’ clubs. We’re not.
I cannot accept that the TM is over for us. I haven’t heard the fat lady sing yet.
Evening Rick, guys.. nice to see the rain again. Not!
Hi Kelsey, I too struggle to disagree with most of your first comment…
Big season for Welbeck I think. He needs to stay injury free and start scoring, otherwise he should be off next summer. If Walcott can get 19 from the wing, Welbeck should be getting close to that tally too…
West Sussex gooner @4:32, most always refer to Claude Makelele as the ideal DM, and now most are raving about Kante’ (overrated, imho) both of them are little dudes, and as Potter said so is Santi. Athletically, Lemar is more suited than Kante or Santi to play the role. Pairing him with Xhaka in 3 back system will be ideal, especially if Xhaka can regain his stamina.
Is Lemar that good Obi, I’ve never seen him play so I’ve no idea..
Hi Rico
Its turning out to be a good day for the academy
Jenkinson has made it 4-0 and the U18’s have won 5-0 at luton .
Kelsey, the stadium in Sydney seats somewhere in the vicinity of the high 80 thousands.
I purchased my tickets about 10 months before the game, so they were on sale longer than 3 months.
In fact, 3 months out, there’d already been app. 135,000 sold between the two games.
Neither game actually sold out, either, and I live here 🙂
Your info is way off.
The two sides Arsenal played are mediocre in terms of PL clubs, no question, and we’re in an even earlier stage of their preseason than Arsenal, so it’s obvious the club came out as a PR excercise, as they couldn’t expect top quality competition, but as a PR excercise, it was a massive success.
It was also a chance for a hell of a lot of people to take their family to see The Arsenal, as plenty will never be fortunate enough to see them in North London.
The China part of the tour must make them plenty of cash as you wouldn’t send players out in that heat and humidity to gain anything but dehydration lol.
Still, the club is acknowledging the fans around the world and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Liverpool are beating Bayern 2-0… ?
Obi, don’t mistake my optimism with false hope lol
I’m optimistic we will do more business in the TW but we need to.
We not only need to improve our squad quality because of our 5th finish, but because most clubs around us have.
Scott, but then we are still counting on Wenger doing good with who he has, can we honestly count on that? After all, this is a guy who simply refused to play Perez enough.
Rico @9:18, imho, in terms of overall skills set and work rate he’s better than any one on our team right now, except Alexis, Santi and Perez….
Finished 5-1 Eddie with no 5.
2,006 watched the game with over 200 gooners.
Night All.
Thanks Obi, if your view is on the money, then I hope we get him then..
Perez, if he gets sold, well a massive mistake imo….
Night Rick, good result..
Scott, 3 months or 10 month we didn’t sell out.
Possibly we will make more purchases but invariably these days they aren’t up to standard or/and played out of position.
I wonfer if CL is an issue as our record is awful under AW. I think we don’t negotiate well when buying and maybe some players don’t want to play for AW. Don’t rule that out.
Kroenke may have shot kimself in the foot.Sponsors may pull out and yet pulbcity will be damaging.It was already reprted on the BBC news tonight.
Hill Wood was right. ” we don’t want your kinfd here” if only he meant it. one mistake after another these past 1o or so years from top to bottom.
As I said where is the class were is our Proper Arsenal. (gone out of the window)
Oh ow major shareholder at Everton and is investing and will consider to do so.perex, looking at a 5 million loss in one season, as gazidis intereferred with the purchase,AW didn’t like the interference so hardly played him.Herr Wenger is now an arrogant dictator and not fit to manager our great football club.One bad season and he will be out by Xmas or the end of the season.something that should have happebed conservatively 3 years ago and each season we will further behinfd and take longer to get back amongst the elite
I have always stated Kroenke is the long term problem and cannot put any feasable ideas for him to sell
Usmanov fofered him 22K a share when they were 15.5K per share.He refused. Now usmanov’s mate sold his Arsenal shared to usmanv, and is investing heavily at Everton.
Kroenke has made himself look a right git.. I long for the day he’s out of our club…
Kelsey, Sydney is one unique city when it comes to sport because it’s got more choices of top class sport than maybe any city in the world, and that’s not an exaggeration.
The Arsenal game (can’t remember which of the two) drew the second highest crowd at that stadium since it had its capacity reduced several years ago.
If it were in Melbourne, the MCG would have been filled and it holds over 100,000.
Melbourne fans truly love their sport, and attend accordingly.
Sydney people, generally speaking, are just not massive attendees of live sport, but also have such a range of options, so it was a massive success to get 80k play to both games.
Our State of Origin League games have only attracted more fans once, and that’s almost the highlight of the Sydney sporting calendar, so don’t be misled as to how brilliant the crowds were.
Not sure where your mates live, but if they’re In Sydney, and have lived here for a fair amount of time, they’ll no doubt agree.
Rico, Arsene had us ticking over late last season so why can’t he keep that form going?
Time will tell.
Wenger has said a few times Perez is staying-another one will up in the air then lol
Who brought Stan to the club?
Bad, bad move that one.
Scott. He may have had us ticking, but do you not think other managers will be moving to the next smart tactic?
How long did it actually take Wenger to try something new? It too Conte just one game, the game against us….
The sell out crowds in Oz, just like the sell out crowds in other parts of the world. Great for the fans, but even better for the club… I’d love to know how much that earns the club…
No wonder Austria is not longer attractive….
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4750916/Arsenal-owner-Stan-Kroenke-fire-TV-channel.html
Oh dear. Makes you proud doesn’t it? Our illustrious owner.
ps. Lemar is playing now on BT3 for Monaco V PSG. Knowing our luck he will get injured;-)
If he does, Wenger might get him cheap Meerkat… 😉
Bed time, night guys.
I just read a stat that goes a long way to explaining by set against Alexis.
Last season, he made 433 misplaced passes, the most in the league.
427 was second-James Milner.
Next was 381, then 379.
Now I can handle errors, everyone makes them, but Alexis makes more mistakes than anyone, yet abuses his team mates as soon as they err.
That’s over 11 a game.
If Ramsey made 4, Arsenal fans would be, and are, all over him.
Funny that.
Think of the pressure he puts on his own team mates due to poor decision making, and taking on too many players.
You’d think our best player could pass a ball.
How bad are the rest of them 🙂
Rico, you know I’ve never said Wenger was a great tactical manager.
Whether or not another man would do a better job just doesn’t matter ATM because we have Arsene, so we all should be hoping he does well.
*Arsenal clear-out delayed with players refusing pay cuts to join new clubs *
Real Sociedad has said an EPL club are after their Spanish international defender, Inigo Martinez. Could it be us?????
*Hmmnn, quelle surprise!!
many a true word spoken in jest, rico;-)
It has happened before too!
Passing stats are unreliable.Remember Denilson great numbers rarely more than 5yards and mostly sideways. Another player trying thread needles to static partners may not succeed as often but who contributes more?
Scott, in the interest of balance, how many successful passes did Sanchez make and how many goal assist did he provide?
I have no idea but it was more than a few, I’m sure.
As an aside, I couldn’t really care less whether he stays or goes. Top player though he is, if he’s not committed then he’s not an asset, more of a liability.
Wavy, I’m not criticising his ability, I’m criticising his abuse of other players for making an error after he’s made plenty.
His attitude is what I don’t like, but his talent is undeniable.
Scott, misplaced passes are misleading. Many times players like Theo, Ramsey, Ox etc are out of position and do not follow through on play and anticipation. Thus the reason Sanchez and Ozil always are looking for each other. Thats half the reason for Sanchez’s antics and Ozil’ s body language.
Obi, that’s true, but you can’t deny that Alexis is often guilty of failing to take an easy option with a pass, takes on too many players and gets himself into trouble, so his pass can be forced.
He’s also dispossessed more than most.
Maybe it’s because he doesn’t trust his team mates, but it doesn’t change the fact he abuses them for doing exactly what he does.
Hopefully, Lacazette will give him and Ozil a target.
I’m positive we will now see the very best of Ozil.
Obi, I agree. I said in another post, that I have never rated Ox and that is the reason. No football brain, just brawn. Theo is similar in that respect, but sometimes his speed helps him get away with it.
It must be so frustrating for team-mates, having to carry these type of players.
They should all be able to see the bigger picture, and anticipate play at this level, not just head down and run.
Exactly Scott. Unless you are 100% accurate yourself, you shouldn’t criticise others.
what’s that saying? “Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone”.
The dressing room is the place to have it all out, not spit your dummy out on the pitch, during the game. You see heads drop when that happens.
There will be a few arses kicked by Jens at half-times;-))
Meerkat, a champion team will always beat a team of champions-I’m not suggesting we have either lol
Just saying, surely a happy squad is better than a group of individuals.
Morning all.
I know most want Wenger gone as do I,…………………….question though !…………………..has anyone (apart from Wenger) ever said a nice word about Kroenke ?…………………….does anyone (apart from Wenger) or have you heard of any Gooners who actually like him ?…………..fcuked if I know of anyone !
I`d like to see us go back to the days of dark arts or atleast incorporate some of it within the laws of the game !……………Henry Norris…..George Graham and even Wenger early on when we had record amount of Red Cards etc`…….we need to be nasty !
It comes easy to some of us, only the other day my son who is 24 kept on going on about how bigger and stronger than me he is now with his weight trainning and bulking up, so I offered to arm wrestle him !……………..straight in for the kill, as soon as we gripped hands I painfully squeazed his fingers together and put his arm down as he yelped !…………………..I then refused to arm wrestle again as I knew he would beat me next time, so retired champion of my household !…………………………….you see, I will go to any lengths of cheating to win, basically I will go lower than your great grannies nipples ! hahaha
Alexis is still taking a hammering then…
I wonder if he’d have signed a new contract by now, he’d still be knocked the way he has been is still is.
A sulker? Well he certainly wears his heart on his sleeve but when it comes to sulking, we had one of the best in Thierry Henry. He scoffed and moaned each time a pass went astray, he was widely believed to be one of the reason Reyes wanted to leave and yet he is up there with being one of the best, if not the best player this club has had.
Alexis is the way he is, just as we are all the way we are, but over years he’s been with us, without his goals, we’d have drifted further and further down the table. Be grateful he’s staying another year, be hopeful he’ll stay longer because if he gets sold, goodness only knows who the old man will replace him with, if at all.
Morning…
LC, Wenger has done so much good for the club, yet gets abused.
Stan has done nothing positive at all, yet until he decides to open a hunting TV channel, escapes largely untouched-go figure lol
Rico, Alexis scores plenty and we we finished 5th.
Surely that shows football isn’t a one man band.
Even with all the shit players we’ve had over the years, we finished top 4, yet Alexis scores a heap and we still fail.
Surely that tells us something.
Finally we reach Wenger’s last hurrah , he knows that Alaexis wants out and he knows a large proportion of British based Arsenal fans want him gone. He will keep Alexis and hope to qualify for his Holy Grail in what should be his last season at the club . If he succeeds he will stay even longer but should he fail there will be nowhere for him to go . You could make comparisons to Custer’s last stand or the siege of Mafeking . One was lost one was won. Which way for Wenger ?
Morning Rico and All
Only the very top players have a vision 2 steps on,
they can see what will happen 2 passes on.
Not a lot of players or fans know that.
sorry scott disagree again.
Actually Scott, the Stan hunting thing will be a slow burner in this country. There are already petitions being raised to remove him from the club and mainstream media is writing articles on the subject. Of course it is being hi-jacked by politicians with Corbyn and Khan being photographed in bar scarves outside the stadium and voicing their disapproval. It will run but just how far remains to be seen. It is typical of many Britains to be blind to things which happen outside of their personal bubble but rest assured the chatterers in the Islington coffee houses will be fully behind their man when the next election comes round.
It does Scott, sign better players to work and around Alexis, or set the team up around him, with more pace and movement off the ball.. Sometimes it’s not all about who the players are but the way they are expected/asked to play…
Morning Fred. Agree, Dennis was living proof of that something which many ex players during his time have alluded to.
Morning Rico. This whole Wenger/ Kroenke / Alexis thing rolls on and on I see.
Potter, Some of us have been saying for years the guys scum, yet plenty are just seeing it now.
Slow burner alright but it is a joke that politicians jump on it.
Fred, Alexis won’t pass to certain players, and he loses the ball several times a game because he takes too many opponents on.
Not sure how that’s great vision.
Ozil-now there’s a player with the very best vision.
Rico, do you think Alexis is asked to be selfish, petulant and error ridden?
That’s why I see in him, amongst the obvious flashes of brilliance.
Dennis-now there’s a player who was just superb, had brilliant vision and played for the team.
Good morning all…. In my honest opinion, I think despite all the errors stated above concerning Sanchez, he is still our best player with a very high winning mentality . He makes mistakes no doubt but is always trying to win. I’ve never seen Sanchez drop his game even when we are many goals down(bournemouth comes to mind). He surely needs to improve on certain areas but by a long mile, he still our best shot at getting into top four.
Evening all,
What about Alexis to Monaco & Mbappe to The Arse, plus cash to the Principauté
Monaco are in the CL?
In a team of Mr Nice guys, I think someone like Sanchez is needed to even things up.
Potter. Lost.
Morning Adam. I guess it will until they’ve all gone. The sad thing is had Wenger gone in the summer, perhaps Alexis, Ox and even Szczesny might have wanted/want to stay….
Scott, do people in life who have anger issues, addictions, etc etc, ask to have them? Many, and in all walks of life are simply born the way they are…
I didn’t ask to have a nut allergy, but I do, it’s in my makeup…
But then I don’t see Alexis as being the kind of person you suggest he is. I see him as having a competitive attitude, wants to win and at any cost…
Bondex, I can’t speak for other who criticise Alexis, but I’ve never said he’s not a terrific player, and I don’t condemn any player for making errors, but why do we forgive him for making so many, yet tear into others when they make one or two?
Also, why should we support him and his abuse of other players while he makes so many mistakes?
That’s not passion, imo.
It’s not will to win, either.
If he extends and starts playing as a member of the team, I’ll be the happiest Arsenal fan alive.
Rico. That’s an interesting point that could provoke an interminable debate.
Scott
How do you know these things about Alexis?
Hahahaha LMAO……. Barce has informed PSG that they will report them for breaching financial fair play after they met Neymar 193m buy out. That is the funniest thing I have heard in years. They should be reporting themselves and Real M.
If Arsene left, who’s to say Lacazette signs or Ozil stays?
If Arsene left 5 years ago, even Alexis wouldn’t have arrived.
If Arsene never managed us, we’d never have signed Thierry, Pires and plenty of others, have no Invincibles, a lot fewer FA Cups and probably be mid table for ever and a day.
Well, we might be, might not be but it doesn’t really matter lol
Trouble is Adam, I base my suggestion on what I read in the press and we all know they can misquote footballers and stray from the truth.
There’s certainly been plenty written about how it’s ‘Alexis stays if Wenger goes’, or ‘Szczesny refusing to return to Arsenal if Wenger stays as manager’ – I’m sure some stuff was written about Ozil, but I’m not fussed if he stays or goes.
We have too many in the squad who are Wenger’s pets imo and instead of having to fight for a place on match day, they know they’ll be in regardless…
Scott
The Arsenal turned down Sir Alex Ferguson, apparently. What if?
Rico, the fact I said “imo” suggests it’s merely my opinion.
Scott ….Sanchez is a class apart
if you look at the neg of his game its because he
wants and trys to do much.
Ozil is a maker not taker,Sanchez is both.
Exactly my point, Rico.
Talking about hypotheticals is irrelevant, really.
GG, we may have been relegated-who knows lol.
Obi, that’s sensational.
Poor little Barca hahahaha
Morning all
I don’t care if Sanchez is moody as I actually thinks he gets angry that he hasn’t got more quality around him and as for stats about loose passing they can be read every way you want.If he goes we need three good players.He give 110% even when not at his best,has an engine like no other I have seen for many years.
How many of our present squad would automatically get in the Manchester clubs or Chelsea.?
How many would get in the Spurs or Liverpool squad.?
I tend to agree with Rico about Sanchez.,You all must have read it’s not the money as whatever he earns he wants to share with the people from his home town village.
I am sure that Kroenke’s new venture will eventually have a long term effect.We will lose money,something he hates.The timing was again a wonderful bit of PR
He has no interest in our club only the money it makes.AW was against the far east tour and will blame fatigue if we start off badly
It’s not healthy that AW controls most things but there is conflict growing between AW.Gazidis and Kroenke.let’s hope it all blows up.
Scott, I bet you Sanchez will pass the ball to Lemar…lol.
On Lemar. If we sign him at 21 y.o. he will be worth about 70+m at 25. Right now he will be the best dead ball taker on the team. The best crosser of the ball with Sead 2nd. The best passer/ range of passing 2nd only to Santi. He will be challenging Ozil as the best assist man on the on team. And his athletic ability will be 2nd only to the Ox.
The kid is that good, and this highlights the reason i mainly blame AW for Arsenal’s demise and not Stan, all of us will agree that SK is not a football man but a businessman. Obviously AW wants the Lemar, why does he keep insisting on 45m, even I sitting in my living room can see the value of the kid…. it doesn’t matter if Monaco only paid 3.5m gor hom. Why penny pinched when you just got
25-30m player, Sead, on a free transfer.
I wonder if Barca will be tempted to get Alexis back if they can’t get Coutinho….
Obi, why Arsene dithers over transfer fees is something I’ll never get-you’d swear it was his own cash lol
Then, why a club allows the manager to have the only say on these matters is also something I’ll never get.
Rico, especially if Neymar is actually gone-you could be right.
Maybe the reason Arsene dithers over transfers Scott, is because he is Stan’s book keeper.
Kelsey , I think there were two factions on the board throughout the period before Wenger signed up . I also believe that Wenger ambushed them by meeting with Kroenke before the meeting to discuss his fate. I am not sure exactly how the split goes but I am sure that it is there. We can only hope that something seismic will force the split into the open.
Maybe that’s how Arsene keeps his job Scott?
Agree on Alexis Kelsey.
Good points made Obi. Just get the deal done if that’s who Wenger really wants. If Monaco have named their price, no point in haggling really.
Lol GG, could be.
Gg, I wouldn’t bet against it…
Anyway, If Arsene can lift the trophy, again, I will be satisfied. If he doesn’t he will have a low torch fired at him. But he will need Alexis to win it ?
Rico, one thing I’ve always criticised Wenger on is his unwillingness to budge on a transfer fee.
It’s not what the market says a players worth, it’s what that player is worth to us that should count.
Fergie saw a need, and just bought the bast player to fulfil it.
Wenger still seems stuck in budget mode which should have been cast aside a few years back.
Blow*
Barca have confirmed Neymar wants out and has left the club to sort his future out..
Neymar must be leaving to win trophies.
I wonder if he will take a pay cut lol
Apparently, Neymar is leaving so he can go on to be the best player in the world. He wants the World player of the year award and believes he’ll only be able to achieve that away from Barca..
Rico, I’m not sure what to think.
On one hand, it’s admirable he’s taking a step back to prove himself, but it could also be said he’s making it all about himself.
Strange but same that’s a lot of money for a footballer.
When the guy explained it on SS’s, it made total sense to me…
It’s about Brazil too, the people and the WC.
I’ll Bet he cops a pay rise lol
I expect most players do when they move to Arsenal too…
Yep, but it’s a factor most Arsenal fans ignore when players leave us.
Players only seem to leave us over ambition lol
Disagree there, we all know the money is a big factor..
Rico. The French league is so mediocre that no footballer with that sort of ambition would want to go there surely.
Players used to come to Arsenal for our ethos and footballing quality. No more.
Adam, The Spanish league isn’t much stronger though is it? 😉
I think it is Rico but that’s only because I watch more of it perhaps. Most teams in the Spanish top division have technically gifted players. But it is completely dominated by the big 2 for sure.
I’d agree, the football is better on the eye, but I don’t think any other league is a competitive as the PL. Although mostly, the football is dross… lol
https://twitter.com/Football__Tweet/status/892445074583310336
Rico. That’s perhaps because of the huge money in the PL these days.
😆 Lc.
Must be Adam.
https://twitter.com/Footy_Wankers/status/889598467064160258
Rico and Scott, on Neymar.
Apparently a reported 650k a week, tax free, salary doesn’t hurt neither…. It’s ironic that you mention the Brazil thing, but last season Neymar came close to putting in a transfer request to MU because he didn’t want to be in the Argentine shadow and definitely not Uruguayan. He and Suarez are not the best of friends supposedly.
Too many overblown egos at the Camp Nou methinks…
PSG vs Barca in the CL would be a peach…
Obi, you’d never guess by the way they all play together…
Nice salary, I wouldn’t mind a month at that rate… 😉
Afternoon all…
I’m sure UEFA could organise that Kev….
##WARNING##………………………Journalists of a nervous disposition please do not look on newsnow as there are quite frightning photos of Alexis Sanchez back at Arsenal…………training and laughing with team mates and ……..smiling with Arsene Wenger !……………………………..I know !…………..it`s sad and contradicting to your professional expertise !
Well UEFA are banjaxed this season Rico, I mean, what on earth are they going to do now that they can’t fix the draw and stitch Arsenal up with Barca and Bayern?
Maybe Barca and Bayern will finish 3rd in their groups and drop into the UEFA Cup just so they can stuff Arsenal again..?
Alexis needs to be told this, Kev` !…………………….. he will sign a new contract just to play them !
Love someone from UEFA to explain to me in van driver terms how PSG get around FFP with this expected transfer !……………………………………..I will then tell them in van driver terms exactly what I think of them……………………it will involve lots of sign language ! hahaha
I see that Victor Moses isn’t suspended for the Charity Shield but for Chelsea’s first league game so I wonder if the same applies to Koscielny?
Ha ha Lc, and there was me thinking he be snapped looking miserable and sulky….
Good point Kev, life must be a breeze for them when the draw comes around…
PSG must be ready to sell a few to get some of their money back. Get in the Wenger!
Matuidi Is meant to be good isn’t he?
Cocker, I think that Alexis will stay
Mutuidi is 30 Rico going on 31, Wenger missed out on him years ago, as only Wenger can.
Tongue in cheek Kev, weren’t we linked with him every summer for a while? ?
What about Julian Draxler from PSG then Rico?
Not sure he’s what we need Kev. How about Krychowiak, or both? We wouldn’t be far off then would we? Although Vvd would be nice but can’t see it…
With PSG buying Neymar for £200M excluding wages, there`s no way they can now buy Alexis aswell !……………………they couldn`t even afford Sanogo for a fiver now !
I bet the excellant journo`s probably think Barca will want Alexis back to cover Neymar……………..years after he was sold because he wasn`t good enough for them !
http://news.arseblog.com/2017/08/laurent-koscielny-available-for-community-shield/
Anyone going to this ?………………………………………..you`ll be able to watch Alexis sulking live ! hahaha
https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/892783804506492929
Emi Martinez has joined Getafe on loan for the 2017/18 season.and there was I thinking he should be No:2 and three weeks ago Ospino was off.Wrong move IMO
The training session will be live on Arsenal.com @11:25 am tomorrow !………………..again I shall be working and miss the chance to watch Alexis sulking ! hahaha
If he looks happy it`s probably because Kroenke has kidnapped Atom and Humber and threatened to have them killed live on Syrup Bastard TV unless he makes out he is happy !…………………………….the reason Dodo`s, Mammoths and Unicorns are extinct is because of Kroenke`s bastard ancestors !………………………….probably said it before but his family tree is a Cactus Tree……………….they`re all pricks !
Rico @ 4:36, how about Verratti, now that’s a baller, that’s the type of player we need at Arsenal… if am Barce am demanding that Verratti comes the other way……
That’s bit of a shock Kelsey… like you, I thought ospina was off and Martinez our number two.
Obi, to be fair, there’s a few who would improve us…
Night guys…
Emi Martinez is out of contract next summer, so Arsenal have loaned him out without sorting a new contract and that kinda makes me think that it’s adios Emi…
Night Rico
“Cocker, I think that Alexis will stay”
🙂
Oh well, with 200m on hand I guess Mbappe for 150m to replace Neymar is a foregone conclusion….. at lease AW tried. Now Arsene spend some of that 100m you offered for him.
There’s a few at PSG Wenger should be after, Rabiot and Matuidi spring to mind but I think Wenger thinks the midfield is ok. Ramsey has been bang average and him partnered with Xhaka is not good imho. We know how his favourites get shoe horned into the team, don’t we?
Ho hum!
Barca after coutinho and hazard apparently shame it’s not Ozil….
Seems the Martinez contract was sorted in November 2016.
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/arsenal-confirm-new-long-term-contract-goalkeeper-emiliano-martinez-1593355
Morning all.
I reckon our midfield is our weakest area in the squad. If Wenger doesn’t address it and I think he can only do so by signing someone, we’ll leak goals for fun again this season…
Morning Rico. Would you sell Ozil to Barcelona for £40-50 million? 🙂
Morning Adam. I think I would, but only if the money was reinvested..
Or Ramsey, £50 million…
The PR department at Arsenal need to be shot with the badly timed announcement of Kroenke’s latest venture to be now launched in the UK one of the most loving animal countries in the world.Fox hunting has been tried to be banned for several decades.Will it effect our sponsors who definitely will not like the idea of the link to our club regardless what the club say.
Finally transfers with Neymar going for 198 million to PSG and the average Swansea player in Sigurðsson can go to Everton for 50 million, where does that leave us ? More than likely a swap of Aquero and Sanchez, just what we don’t want and with an owner who will purchase anything like a ranch for 500 million but never dips into his own pocket how can we compete.I am not suggesting the we should pay exhorbitant fees but soon there will only be about 4 clubs in Europe who can pay these ridiculous prices.
I can’t see how the big transfer fees can continue for much longer, I really can’t. There’s only so much money in the world. The Neymar deal should really be looked at because it has to breach FFP however flimsy those rules are these days.
Unless Psg sell a few players now though…
As for Kroenke, the blokes ghastly and the day he leaves the club will be a good day, nearly as good as when Wenger leaves… ?
Yeah I’d sell Ramsey and Ozil for the right price as long as we re invested the money….
Qatar are practically paying for the Neymar deal.PSG contract with them has been extended at a new rate as of this season,as the old one ran out,
estimated at between 150 to 175 million pounds for the term of the contract.
As far as the money goes I see the future as football, especially in London, Liverpool or Manchester, as being just another entertainment attraction like a night out at the theatre. Personally I have watched as older supporters, who grew up with and stayed with the club through thick and thin, began to lose interest. They simply don’t recognise Arsenal anymore. This is to be expected as the country and probably the world changes and everybody becomes a tourist regarded purely as a source of income. Judged purely by their per capita spend on whatever crap the club produce.
Glance around the Emirates crowd on match day and you will see very few locals cheering these days. What you will see are lots of people, visiting these shores, carrying their merchandise bags while taking selfies or texting throughout the game. I’m not knocking it as it is what has become known as progress. Love for the club? Affection for the club? Having Arsenal as part of your heritage and DNA? No, not really. Not anymore.
Massive money from Qatar or some other oil-rich place will drive the game and turn it into mere entertainment, seven days a week, if you can get a ticket.
When I look at Arsenal and their development over the past decade I wonder what has happened, but then again I imagine fans across the country, especially of the bigger clubs are feeling the same. The world of football belongs to blokes like Kroenke, Abramovich, The Glazers and middle eastern gentlemen, who were lucky enough to be born into collosal wealth, and end up shovelling billions into football as a business or hobby. The soul is being ripped out of football and just about everything else as we drown in a sea of reality TV and talentless people taking their clothes off for the cameras.
The manic efforts to “go global” might have attracted these vast sums into the game. Whether it has improved things for the average fan, I doubt.
Does it matter? You’ll have to be the judge of that.
You should have emailed that comment to me Adam… 😉
Well said..
One day, probably a long time from now, these rich blokes who own football cubs will possibly get bored, or target another money making sport, leaving football in a right old mess.
Rugby is just waiting for the first multi millionaire to buy a club I’d have thought…
Our midfield misses one hard fekker and that’s all-unless Arsene unleashes Xhaka as he had that mongrel in him we need.
Funny, but most Arsenal fans complain about our backs, keepers, strikers-well, everything bar the midfield.
Today it’s our weak point?
Morning all.
Yes, you’ve confused me again but that’s not hard hahahaha
Ramsey and Xhaka will remain fantastic together as they were late last season.
It’s no coincidence that when they had a run of games, we succeeded.
Can’t wait to get Santi back.
Nah, our midfield is our strongest point.
Evening all,
Well said Adam!
Without Santi, our midfield is the weakest link on the pitch imo. A strong midfield protects the defence – a strong midfield can turn defence into attack quickly. Ours does neither a lot of the time.
As Potter pointed out last weekend, how easy was it for N’nonzi, no-one closed him down and unless Wenger sorts that, better teams will take advantage.
Adam, your comment is brilliant, but it also opens up a can of worms.
The problem as I see it is this, if all born and bred Arsenal supporters want no tourists at games, and continue to show us international fans the contempt plenty do, the club would be a small, local club that couldn’t afford top talent from overseas-and as we’ve all seen, the locals can’t provide any decent talent any more-so we’d all be supporting a side in the championship, at best bouncing between relegation and promotion-yes, even some of us tourists would still support them but I wonder how many locals would, because it seems plenty can’t support them when they finish a lowly 5th!!!!
It’s fine for North London fans to complain about we tourists, moan about why Arsenal dare venture to far fetched places like Australia to tour, yet to then to bitch about why Arsene won’t spend 50-60 million a week later is the ultimate hypocrisy.
Without us blow in tourists, the money wouldn’t be there in the first place.
What do you all want?
A side that competes for the PL, or a side only locals who peel out of the local pub ten minutes before kick off watch?
I’ve been an Arsenal supporter since 1977 but am still a tourist and you know, that’s fine because I NEVER stop supporting the club, EVER.
How many of you EVER show the “tourists” any respect or appreciation?
New post up.
Scott, your interpretation of tourist is different to many of us imo. And who is moaning about Arsenal travelling far and wide in pre-season?
Respect?? That’s an odd one..
Spot on Adam. The working man’s release of pent up tensions, on a match day are long gone. Historically I think the costs rose exponentially after the Hillsborough disaster. The rush to all seater stadiums effectively priced out the standing man on the terraces.
I think I paid 2s6d to stand on the North Bank (circa 1963/4), whereas to sit in the East Stand cost 10s. In those days quite expensive and equally, fairly empty! I think the average wage at that time was about £7.50-£10.00 per week. Happy to be corrected on that. Nowadays in our aging monolith of an arena, if a seat, the cheap seats are available, sitting close to God will cost a minimum of £40.00, I think. Or if the punters can afford a ring side seat £150.00 will just about cover it! Only the middle class rich or the dodgy dealers can afford these inflated prices on a regular basis. The average man in the street certainly can not! So the club attracts tourists as they will pay silly money, just for the experience. As said, like going to the theatre or opera. The crowd are me melt on lookers not “fans”.
Football has lost its soul, its meaning, its accessibility.
What is happening to this sport presently is, perhaps the beginning of the end of soccer as we know it. I’ve no idea of what it will morph into, or what will replace it but, something will emerge that will appeal to the populace and football will find itself dumped. The bubble will have burst.
Kev, I have a ticket for the Charity Shield, going with my son. Never been before so it’ll be a first as will the visit to the new Wembley. I have to say though, as a mostly armchair supporter, I’m not over enthusiastic about the experience. The cost will be, not inconsiderable, although the ticket is a freeby! (I believe, corporate stuff, I reckon) and, hurrah for the corporations who support such events!?
For all my cynicism, I shall be supporting the Arsenal 100%. Win, lose or draw, they are still where my footballing passion lies!
Morning all. It’s stopped raining, at last, and the sun has got its hat on! Hip, hip, hip, hurrah!