Morning all.
Happy Birthday to Mesut Ozil who is 26 years old today. Not that I’m sure it will be all that happy for him…..
I once saw a sign etched into the bar in a public house. It read ‘Free Beer Tomorrow’…
Ivan Gazidisย on Arsenal, where it is now and where it will be..
Commercial deals:
Itโs the fuel to provide what we need for our ambitions on the field. We want to win and we want this club to be one of the great clubs in the world. Thatโs what this entire journey has been about.
How do we take Arsenal, which is a wonderful, historic football club based in a wonderful but slightly antiquated Highbury stadium, and really surge it forward so that it can compete with the biggest football clubs in the world?
Spending some of the vast amounts of money which sits in the AFC bank would help, having a squad which is strong and deep enough to compete, really compete, not one which goes to places like Dortmund and gets blown away with ease. A squad which can cope with injuries when they occur and as we know, at Arsenal, they always occur!
Where are we:
Weโre not there yet – this is a long-term journey that weโre on. That consumes us every single day in our ownership, our board, me, our staff, our football manager and itโs important the players feel that as well. We want this football club to be at the top of the worldโs game.
The reason we talk about a healthy business is because thatโs what we need behind it. Itโs easy to talk about ambition, anyone can use flowery words about what they want to be, but youโve got to actually deliver. Thatโs what is so important and thatโs why the stadium move was so important. Thatโs why the last five years of unlocking our international and our commercial revenues is so important for the club.
‘Flowery words’ – isn’t that what Arsenal fans have had to listen to for many seasons now? Flowery, or empty words? And all the time, the fans get stung over ticket prices, for what?
It allows us to go out and, if the manager believes in someone like Mesut Ozil, he can buy him. Itโs the same with Alexis Sanchez. Underneath that tip of the iceberg, those star signings that we talk a lot about, thereโs an awful lot else going on.
Weโre signing some fantastic young talent and weโre keeping our players now, unlike the situation two or three years ago when we were really financially challenged and were losing our top players, weโre signing our top players to long-term contracts. Guys like Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey, I could go on. Underneath that you have all of this other stuff this football club is about.
Go on, tell us more, otherwise it’s simply empty words and ‘free beer tomorrow’! Signing players like Ozil, Sanchez etc is of course great to see but we needed just two or three more like that in the summer. I don’t mean big money signings, but players who really can make a difference on their day.
And again:
Where we are currently is off the shoulder of the worldโs top teams. I think the best teams in the world are in Europe and you think about the great names in world football like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich – I donโt think weโre at that level yet but thatโs where weโre aiming to get to. Itโs one thing to say that and itโs another thing to be able to deliver it.
Off the shoulder of the top teams in Europe is a bit of an over estimation of where we are right now in my opinion, in fact I’d say we are about as far behind the likes of Bayern, Barca and co as Merts would be if he raced Theo Walcott over 100 metres…
When it comes to Arsenal right now and for the last few seasons, we have been told that things will get better, we’ll have more money, we’ll sign proper players and yes, we’ll be a club which can not only compete with the best, but beat the best and be the best!
But no, that day and that golden transfer window which would all but ensure a successful season never arrives does it….
Maybe it will in January, maybe we’ll have to wait until next summer…..
Or maybe, it’ll always be ‘tomorrow’….
On that miserable note, have a good day all….
Arsenal give something away for free…………….. I knew it couldn’t be true………!
Tomorrow Wath, tomorrow…..
Free beer yesterday?
Ah 2moro you say…………….. Right in that case I’ll go put me feet up and wait…………..
I’d exhale now WATH!
I’d pop out and get your own Wath….
You’d be lucky to get the steam off their…………
Morning all.
Ivan should be a politician.
Ivan’s interview was actually very good.
There will be those that dissect his every word, those that say it’s pure PR bullshit.
If you look at his body language he seems to be pretty genuine in his responses, he doesn’t paper over the fact we are still nowhere near the top echelon of footballing super powers and of course he says we are on their shoulder but he’s hardly going to say we’re miles behind but closing the gap is he..?
I think what must be taken into account is what he says about wanting to do things and then balances that by saying anyone can talk about it….. Is that a dig at someone within the club…? Is that pointing out that some talk and some act and that “ALL” must act and be on the same page to take the club forward..?
His words or Wenger are very much about what he has help build and the foundations for the future not really about how successful he has been…? Does that mean the foundations are for the next manager to reap the rewards. Does Wenger see keeping things consistent the next few years as his sole aim and sole responsibility as he doesn’t want to risk being the one to spend the riches on the wrong players, is he the one scared to take us over the final hurdle to make us compete….
Think Ivan leaves us with far more questions than answers but then don’t all good spin doctors or is Ivan a frustrated man who actually does want us to be the very best but we being held back by certain other individuals within the club….?
I think Ivan means well – possibly one of a few who does…
Sanchez Welbeck Walcott now that’s a lively attack!
No Kos, Chambers, Arteta, Debuchy – leaves a dodgy defence….
With Diaby to supply them I take it Lee….?
Is Diaby fit?
Or is that a silly question….
Silly silly silly question……………. Don’t be silly…..!
Silly me….
He is fit, by Diaby standards.
Can he make a cuppa Scott..?
i’m excited. I’ve paid full price for up in the heavens seats to watch youth/reserves woooo.
Morning all lol
DIABY will produce another ‘limp’ excuse for not turning out this weekend!
Top of the morning to you all!
When will the straw arrive that finally breaks the back of the loyal supporters? Soon, I think, very, very soon.
You’re never satisfied sometimes Nickie, I’ll pay my usual for a few pints of grey goose and watch it down the pub…!
Kos could be fit to play at the weekend. I believe the Achilles problem is a minor one.
Morning All
๐ Nickie…
Wavy, not a ‘hip’ excuse?
“Big teams” have been really disappointing in these qualifier matches. Imagine Netherlands defeated by Iceland 2-0,Germany drew Ireland. Germany has no leader in this current team. Most of their players are quite young
Xr’s, I wouldn’t be all doom and gloom if he wasn’t fit, might mean Hayden gets a chance…
It will be typical of Wenger Rico that he won’t play Hayden but will rather play Monreal out of position at centre back with Per instead…. You know it’s gonna happen.
Afternoon All,
Nice package, rico…
I think we’ll see Hayden this weekend unless Kos recovers on time. Although Wenger may not fancy two rookies(Belerin and Heyden) at the heart of defence in an EPL game. Without Arteta, Ramsey, Ozil, Rosicky…the midfield should rather be the real concern. Or, did somebody say Diaby will show?
lol Wavy, don’t worry, we’ll be having a few before and after the game followed by some jamesons and gingers to finish us off
There is that of course Wath, nothing like adding another midget to the central defence…
Thanks Tai…
I honestly don’t think AW needs to worry too much about Hayden, he’ll have more positional sense than Monreal, and more height. I hope he plays if Kos isn’t fit.
Re Bellerin, if AW plays him, then stick a guy in front of him who will track back. Brings me to Joel Campbell…
Nipping off out with Fido now the rain has stopped…
I want my free beer now, Nickie, Jamesons and ginger make mine a double….
Afternoon all….
Bt what’s going on mate?
Lee, very little mate, just drifting about as usual, yourself?
Good old Metro. They report we are after Hummels… ๐
Bt, you’ll have to wait like all of us… lol
Rico, it’ll be a long wait and an expensive one if i have to buy the beer as well…lol
Bt, it sure will… ๐
Dentist for me now… ๐
Ouch, in the pocket sense…..
Diaby has forgotten how to play football now.
He is a joke , fix it Wenger that what you are paid to do.
VIDEO: @AbouVDIABY on why he likes being @Yayasanogoal22’s mentor: http://arsn.al/NSLFEN
I have not watched this yet but you really couldn’t make it up… I wonder if he likes being his mentor as he keeps him company in the medical suite the most…?
Just trying to fool them at work that I know what I’m doing…… apart from that sweet f.a!
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-star-mesut-ozil-accused-4442201
Looks like Mesut has had other things on his mind……
Arsenal are ready to play fit-again Theo Walcott in two games in two days as he steps up his recovery from a serious knee injury.
Walcott returned to first-team training this week after missing the last nine months with a knee ligament problem โ and Arsene Wenger is ready to throw him right back into the action.
According to the Telegraph, Walcott will play an hour for the Gunnersโ Under-21 team against Blackburn Rovers on Friday, to gain sharpness so he can be involved with the senior side the next day.
Arsenal play Hull 24 hours later and Wenger wants to be able to name Walcott on the bench, with a view to him coming on as an impact substitute.
Lee, keep up the good work….
Afternoon again all, darn rain!!
An hour on Friday and then on the bench the following day?
Surely not…..
โฦ starting eleven,either kos is fit or not,he should be rested:
………………………WS01…………………….
..Bellerin……PM04……….Hayden……Gibbs
………………..Diaby/useless flamini…..carzola………….
Campell/OX………….rosicky………………..alexie…..
……………………….Danny boy……………………….
4-2-3-1?if Wenger play 4-1-4-1 with โ ฬฅัis our injury crisis then he’s finished
I don’t think Theo will be on โ ฬฅัฦบ field on Saturday,he has to get some games with โ ฬฅัฦบ youth team
Rosicky injured Sukky…
Afternoon Rico and all. Just started raining here.
Fed up with it. ๐
we can’t forget we have another game next wednesday.
Rosicky is injured.
Time for Podolsky?
Afternoon Adam – its been doing that most of the day here… ๐
The good old CL JM, the one we’ll never win….
Have you all gone?
Gone to the moon, Rico…
Night then all….
Hello moon man…..
I am off though, night Bt…..
Night Rico…..inter-dull…..tsk.
Morning All…
Morning Rico…
That was a fantastic post Rico, thoroughly enjoyed it, absolutely one of your best (was that a tad OTT? )….
(Busy tomorrow, so I thought I’d get in early) ๐
Night All
Night, Psycho Killer…..
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2794307/mesut-ozil-heard-crack-left-knee-against-chelsea-reveals-arsene-wenger.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
Morning Lee and all..
Beggars belief, what other club would allow a player to continue after that….
Off out this morning. New post will be up at 10.30..
Morning all.
Bloody Wenger….the more he speaks, the more difficult he makes it for me to even attempt a defence lol
Scott he’s a super intelligent man but why the fuck doesn’t he engage brain before he opens his mouth?
I have no idea mate, I really don’t.
That comment makes him look sillier than anything I’ve ever heard from him.