Morning all.
Determined not to write about the Alexis saga knowing it’s hard not to, I had to grin after seeing the photos of our man whilst training over the last couple of days. All smiles he was, no tantrums like Neymar, Gibson or a few other players who are clearly trying to force a move away from their respective clubs. No, the man with a so called bad attitude just carried on from where he left off and I bet the Press hate it. Having to include happy smiley photographs within their, ‘Alexis, who still wants to leave Arsenal’ articles must hurt! He’s even in with a chance to feature in the Community Shield, or whatever it’s called, this weekend against Chelsea….. Yes, he could yet leave but at least he’s not forcing a move, not publicly anyway. Bored?
Talking of moves, Neymar Jr has done well hasn’t he? He’s secured a nice wage packet too and good luck to him. €650 a week, we’ll I’d love some of that and if this mad world of football that we live in is able to pay such amounts, then who are we to knock it? After all, if an employer offered you double your money elsewhere, wouldn’t you jump at the chance, I would, certainly if I knew my future was a secure as Neymar’s will be for the next five years. Although just where FFP hs gone is anyone’s guess. PSG might have to sell a few players now which if I was Arsene Wenger, I’d be seriously keeping an eye on as there’s a few in the French side who’d make us a stronger team/squad.
Anyway, back to Arsenal. No such transfer activity going on for us, not that I’d expect us to stump up such a big transfer fee as Neymar but you just never know, Kylian Mbappe is yet to move this summer and we know Arsene Wenger is a fan of his. Mind you, with all that money burning a hole in Barca’s pocket, they’ll be out to replace Neymar with a big money signing. Could be Mbappe, Coutinho or even our very own Mesut Ozil. Or could they be tempted to give Alexis another go, after all, he was more prolific in front of goal last season than the player they have just sold.
The talk about Thomas Lemar rolls on daily and perhaps there’s a little fresh hope that this deal could yet go through as late yesterday afternoon, Monaco announced the signing of Adama Diakhaby, a player similar to Lemar apparently. Hopefully Lemar only wants to sign for us because if we are to believe the back pages, other clubs are interested in the Frenchman too.
The Express reckon Borussia Dortmund have rejected a bid from Arsenal for Ousmane Dembele but having read the article, there’s no substance to it at all. Just another made up piece of garbage.
Anyway, enough ramblings from me, time will tell if Arsene Wenger has a few transfer rabbits to pull out of the hat. I sure hope he has.
He has to……
Good morning all – Good post Rico, i do like a gamble occasionally too 😉
The numbers being bandied around for Neymar are staggering, i agree that FFP seems to have flown out the window!
I hadnt seen the Dembele rumour, it would in my opinion be a wonderful signing but i cannot see us going for him.
I just want some actual news, something with some foundation, LC’s favorite Ornstein to say something….to get us all a bit more positive again, but it just doesnt seem to be coming and certainly not in time to be in the squad for the start of the season.
Thanks Bumba, I steer well clear… 😉
I think we’re all itching for some good news in the transfer window. Many other clubs are busy, yet it’s all a bit slow for us..
Rico. It just ‘seems’ that way.
I remember talking to tsgh and devil about the coach and horses about to drive through ffp.It was foolish of the club to put their faith in it. Sometimes you wonder how steet savvy our financial wizards are.
Morning All
Morning Rico
Morning Wavy, just read your comment, you have a great day mate, the facilities at the New Wembley are in sharp contrast to the Old Wembley. The old girl had the history and I loved visiting her but she was a tired out old crumbling edifice that had suffered from underinvestment and some TLC.
Be prepared to be ripped off Wavy if you want to buy food or drink inside, and if you’re near the back take some binoculars. ?
I’ve been to the new stadium twice, Wigan s/f and Man City last season, so I’ve got a 100% success rate – no pressure Wavy ?.
Or even Street savvy.
I saw the Arsenal vs Man Utd Charity Shield in 1979, Ian Wright missed a penalty, that’s the only time I’ve done that game.
Adam, what way?
Morning Kev.
Rico. 🙂
I wrote this for the last post in response to Adam’s piece. I’m not sure it’s too relevant to today’s post but I’ll put it up anyway.
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!
Ps the sun is still shining!
Good quirky post rico,
Scott
I’m going to be a tourist soon. Just like their cricket team & Barmy Army when I’m back ?
Morning Adam, I have a lot of sympathy with your view regarding the direction of the club but it’s not the Arsenal we knew, the Highbury vintage, that ended in 2006 and it’s gone forever.
This is the Americanised version, a money making machine of enormous proportions, but what else can the club do if it wants to compete?
Yes, I know, compete, that’s a moot point, and will remain so under the present regime. The subject just gives me a headache.
I was going to go to the Leyton Orient vs Arsenal XI friendly on Tuesday, but I needed to work, I have other priorities so football isn’t at the top anymore.
I still love it, always will, but it’s different now…
Rico, just read the post, if you fancy a flutter log into percycircuscasinos.com, they’ll remove everything from your wallet and purse asap. ?
Wavy – Wonderful piece on rising costs in today’s game.
I too will be at Wembley on Sunday, a birthday present to myself seeing as its one of the only tickets i could get! Ill be there is full support of The Arsenal but will be sitting on my todd as all the people i am going with have seats spread far and wide!
To follow Adam & Wavy’s comments re ‘tourists’
Down here what got us into pommy footie, well a good many of us, was the atmosphere at the grounds. We picked a team, most picked Liverpool, but I chose The Arsenal after Charlie George hit the winner in ’71.
But now watching The Arsenal home games, there doesn’t seem to be much atmosphere at all. It sounds sterile until, for instance, the team are behind with say 10 minutes or so to go. Those 4 flags that get waved after a home goal looks contrived. I guess it’s because the real fans have been replaced by ‘tourists’ like Adam said.
Nice one Wavy. Have a great day at Wembley, just don’t expect a win… 😉
Thanks George..
🙂 Kev.
Spooky Gg, same here re Charlie George. I was very young at the time… 😉
Win, lose or draw! A win would be ideal except, who ever wins the Shield never wins the EPL ! It’s nearly a fact!
A draw would be ok but where would it lead us…..in May, aka Wenger’s judgement day or not.
A loss, a demoralising start to a new season from which we may not recover this year!
Doom, we’re all doomed!
As for food I’ll eat on the train down and on the train back. Virgin trains….a wonderful franchised institution. It’s the Yankee way!
But no matter what it costs I’ll enjoy the occasion even if the result is not quite right?
Morning all.
GG, though I’ve supported the clubs since 1977,
I’m a tourist, yet a kid born in ’94 is a regular.
That’s it in a nutshell, as far as plenty of true Arsenal fans are concerned.
Of course, without the tourists money, Arsenal could well be a Millwall or Luton.
The owners a tourist, our best ever manager is a tourist, the sponsors are as well.
Hell, even our very, very best players have been tourists yet still, we are often treated as outsiders?
Some North Londoners would have us believe Dennis and Thierry were born within 2 miles of Highbury.
GG. My comment was an observation of the changing face of football in general and Arsenal in particular. It means different things to all of us. None more relevant or important than the other. It’s in our hearts.
Afternoon Rico and All
Monaco have sold 3 main players and
brought in like for like type,so maybe
the balance is now right to sell Lemar
this friday..Will see.
Adam /Wavy
That is how it is now,the passion we see
in the ground/grounds home and away
is just not the same any more.
I can remember friday nights saying I’m not
going up north tomorrow,then waking up on
the train the next day.
I only have a silver now in case I want to go,
but 9 times out of 10 I would only want to join
up with the away gooners..Good lot.
1971,Wembley,I was directly in line with the angle that Heighway beat Wilson at the near post.All of us could see it coming and all of us were screaming at him to get back. The Arsenal crowd were very noisy that day and totally out sang the kop choir.Arsenal,Arsenal,Arsenal.
Afternoon Fred. I agree. Times change. 🙂
Yep, that’s where I was, in line with the penalty area, I’ll never forget the bedlam when Charlie scored.
It softened the pain from 1968 and 1969.
Born is the king of Highbury
Poor old La Liga, PSG picking off its talent just as Barca love to do.
I wonder if Don Balon and Marca will headline that transfer?
Afternoon Fred, all.
Just managed to dodge the rain on my walk. That’s if anyone is interested… 😉
I wish I’d been at Wembley in 1971, but I was still in my pram… 😉
It’s very windy here but dry so far Rico.
Wind and sun here, still!
La Ligament reject €198m from Neymar’s lawyers. Shock horror! Apparently the player has to pay his own buyout cash, not a third party! You just couldn’t make this up, could you. “Neymar” ITV’s new soap opera also on Canal+!
I wonder who’s laughing all the way to the bank?
It changes by the minute here Adam/Wavy. Very off summer we’re having…
odd, not off… doh!
Apparently what La Liga are saying is illegal…
I hope it goes to Court
Perez is definitely leaving then, Wenger confirmed it apparently…
Apparently UEFA will over rule Lila Liga what a shame Barca are being Barca’d! The irony! ?
That’s funny and I’m not surprised…
Usually on the “buy out” the player submits papers to the league since the league is the overall owner of all player contracts thats why they approve the contract. The money for the buy out “technially” must be from the player or loan to the player by the agent or bank. When the player becomes the player of the new team, “technically” the buy out is accepted and paid back by the new team. I got this from Bein Sport.
According to Bein Sports, a La Liga player, I forgot the name, earlier during the TW, paid his own buy out by borrowing the money from the bank, but the new team didn’t have the money to repay. So the old team bought back the player and did a new contract with a lower buy out. So it it legal for Liga to refuse PSG based on technicality.
That’s all double dutch to me Obi.
I know… with crooks playing with monopoly money……………….
Potter and others like myself those are the real memories,the double in 71, being at WHL with 40K inside and about 50K outside. The fairs Cup the year before was our first trophy in 17 years.We grew up as the big underdogs in North London. one could talk to the players,some even travelled with you on the tube,Peter Simpson (best of our players never to play for England) would come onto the pitch after half time,stubbing his fag out 🙂 We Identified with our great club, a club with class.
89 was the pinnacle for the younger generation and the doubles and trophies under Wenger in the first ten years of his tenure was the highlight for those of about 25.
Different generations but fond memories.
It will never come back.Club and fan grow more apart each season.
Will we ever see another Testimonial.Maybe Wonderwoman Walcott;)
Abramovich changed football as we knew it.A club that was days away from going out of business thanks to Ken Bates.
I will always love my club but the passion is gone for so many reasons.
Who knows maybe another Arab or Russian or even Chinese will buy up another club,Newcastle being a very attractive proposition or whoever.
We are stuck with a majority shareholder who has his fingers in many pies,never invests but actually takes expenses and we have a board of yes men, non footballing men and I hate to say it a manager who has turned into a dictator,but he makes money for Kroenke.
You can have as many banners and planes flying past, don’t buy the merchandise,but none of this will have any impact.
The club is in a mess from top to bottom and all we can do is hope that consistenty returns, injuries lessen and every player gives 100% every game and the manager picks players on form not his favourites and they respond
A big ask,the odds are stacked against us but miracles do happen.
Afternoon all and thanks Rico.
Warning to anyone going to Wembley on Sunday, there will be a protest march by journalists for the complete utter disgust they have for seeing photos of Alexis Sanchez laughing and smiling at the Emirates today !………..a hand(job)full of Journalists even committed suicide when a photo of Alexis kissing the Arsenal badge was released !
Afternoon all.
Let’s hope there are a few more positive photo’s around on Sunday evening.
I’m gutted that throughout the TW thus far, we have not gone and bought anyone who interests us, apart from Lacazette, and the jury is still out on him. Still no Lemar, no news re VVD from Southampton, and Mbappe was just a pipe dream apparently.
Who is really responsible for lack of signings? I know everyone seems of the opinion that Le Prof rules the roost, but I’m not so sure that he is when it comes to spending money.
Chelsea have been similarly cautious, but their one big signing (Morata) is excellent, and beats Lukaku hands down, imo.
I’m surprised Lukaku has linked up with Napoleon again, there was no love lost when he was sold by Chelsea to Everton.
Brilliant observation from Adam earlier in his post, sad but true.
Love someone to explain what a “tourist” is compared to a fan ?
Hope and cant see it as a dig at fans like our Aussie boys !………….they are as much fanatics as anyone born in N5.
I`ll take it a “tourist” is someone like a friend of mine who is an Argyle fan, who when competing in the Barcalona Half Marrathon took the opportunity to watch a game at the Nou Camp as it fell on the same weekend as a Barca game !……………….so I take it tourists in London even if not Arsenal fans will just go to watch a game in the same vein as if they were going to Madame Tussauds or to West End theatres etc`………………….as “tourists”
Wtf !!!…………………………………according to BBC, Neymar has paid Barcalona his own buy out clause of 222M Euro`s !…………………………..probably the most dodgy thing I`ve heard since Jimmy Savile trying to become the Patron Saint of the NSPCC !
Brown paper bag ?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40814854
Wouldn’t it be a good idea to have the transfer window
for just the month of July then thats that.
It can’t be right that a player plays a couple of games
then get a transfer to a rival can it?
I agree fred.Or just for the closed season, june and July. Anyone who can’t get their team sorted by the start of the new season, has no excuse really. It’s ridiculous.
Say we were going for Mahrez at Leicester, and we play them next week. Would he be playing against us? And scoring?
LC, I guess everyone has their own idea of what constitutes a tourist.
The thing is, all the big clubs stadiums are now filled with tourists.
When at Stamford Bridge a few years back, I asked a Chav fan why the crowd was so quiet, especially when 6-0 winners, and he said of 35,000, probably 15-20,000 were tourists there for the day just so they could say they’d been to a Chelsea game.
That’s a tourist, imo, not someone born and/or living overseas, but nobody should think for a second Arsenal is the only club that’s catering for their type of supporter-all the larger clubs do.
A ST holder will go to a game, pub before and afterwards, maybe have a feed at the ground.
A day tripper (maybe that’s what we should call them) will buy a shirt, scarf, cap, food and drink and pay more for their ticket.
If any of us were running a business, and unfortunately, football is purely a business, we’d cater for them, as well.
None of the big clubs will ever go back to the old days, and while I think it’s a shame, it’s the reality.
We can’t expect high price players to come In without a compromise, unfortunately.
Brilliant suggestion, Fred.
Get rid of the January TW while we’re at it.
I have seen a man on the north bank with a 3 year old. Approx 5 carrier bags from the Armoury arrived 10 minutes after the start,leave at half time and not come back.In my eyes that’s a tourist.
Potter, unfortunately, Stan cares more about him than he does the regulars.
Spot on Fred. Transfer windows should not be open when football is being played, start the season with a squad and that’s that. Not a hat a January transfer window benefits us much…
Shame about England women getting knocked out. Perhaps Sampson will be less vocal when the next tournament comes around…
Afternoon HH ers
Loved the memories about ’71, etc. That is a big reason why I blog to read the stories of days gone by, as well as get opinions from The Arsenal ‘front line/coalface’. Keep up the good work.
Oz footie Sheilas just beat Brasil 6-1, having beaten Japan 4-2 & USA 1-0 in some tournament the USA. They are doing ok!
LC says:
“Hope and cant see it as a dig at fans like our Aussie boys !………….they are as much fanatics as anyone born in N5.”
There you go Scott, looks like we might be in 🙂 I will definitely play the tourist down in Cornwall though, except in Launceston. If I’m asked where I’m from, I’ll just tell’em ……………..Launceston ha haaa!!
Morning Rico and all.
Yes, unfortunately England lost to a better side in the Dutch last night.
Morning Adam and all.
They saved their worst performance for last night sadly, but the Dutch were pretty good..
Rico. I watched all the England games and was surprised how much higher the standard is these days. Lots of character shown by the team though.
Ditto Adam. I’ve watched a lot too and the womens game has got much quicker and a lot more technical. There are some very talented players in the womens game, strong, physical players too.
Did you see much of Spain? The skills on show at times was very very good… They were really unlucky not to beat England..
I agree Rico. Spain were very technical with good individual skills. I do like Millie Bright though. She’s a fighter and doesn’t take crap from anyone.
Houghton too Adam. Love the little Arsenal striker up front too, she chases down everything..
GG, the Aussies girls have demolished some of the very best sides in world football this past week or two.
I’m not sure what’s happened but they’re really at the peak of their powers at present.
New post up now.