Morning all.
Arsene Wenger has been awarded the Manager Of The Month award for October which is hardly surprising really as we had a great month in the Premier League, winning all four fixtures.
October kicked off with a superb display against Man Utd, a game which saw us batter one of our league title rivals within an outstanding twenty minutes of football. That was followed by a professional defensive display until the final whistle blew. Finally, we’d beaten a Utd team in the league!
Then we travelled to Watford and again scored three goals, conceded none and came away with all the points.
Next up was Everton – not such a convincing victory as far as the 2-1 scoreline goes but we were far better than the result suggests.
The month ended with a trip to Swansea to face a side which had beaten us both home and away last season. 3-0 and normality restored.
We were pretty good in the Champions League during October too, although the 2-0 victory over Bayern isn’t taken into account for this award, neither thankfully, is the 3-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday in the Capital One Cup.
Jamie Vardy picked up the Player Of The Month award. No surprise there either as he’s been in superb form for Leicester, although I don’t think he’ll be there this time next season as it’s highly likely one of the so called ‘bigger clubs’ will snap him up if his form continues. Perhaps Arsene Wenger will be interested…..
Talking of signings or rather lack of them at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger has been talking to L’Equipe’s Sport and Style Magazine and The Mirror have printed part of his interview.
I’ll give myself merit for one thing: I’ve always treated Arsenal as if it belonged to me. I have sometimes been criticised for it — because I am not enough of a spender, not carefree enough.
I credit myself for having had the courage to apply my ideas and fight for them. Aside from that, I can understand why people might not agree.
My great pride will be to be able to say the day that I leave, that I am leaving behind a good team, a healthy situation and a club capable of performing in the future.
I could have said to myself: ‘I am here for four or five years, we win everything’, [then] I leave and leave the club on the verge of bankruptcy. For me, consistency at the highest level is the true sign of great clubs.
‘We don’t want to do a Leeds’ – a comment I’ve read many many times on football blogs over the years. I used to smile because Leeds, back in the days of David O’Leary in charge, spent money like it was going out of fashion but where did it get them? No Premier League title, no Champions League title and I think I’m right in saying they didn’t win a domestic cup either so they are perhaps the best example of how not to spend money. The best example, or rather excuse of why not to spend money..
But Arsene Wenger isn’t David O’Leary, he’s a much better manger and back in his heyday, he was probably the smartest manager when it came to spotting players, bringing them to Arsenal and encouraging them to become greats. I would say turn them into greats, but I don’t think the manager would agree with that.
I doubt there are many fans who’d expect Arsene Wenger to spend the entire £200 million widely reported to be in the Arsenal bank and I for one, truly believe that he doesn’t need to, not to make us a top top club. As we stand right now, just a couple of players in January would be massive boost.
They’d give the squad a lift, inject some new blood and enthusiasm and might just help us win the league.
Then have the much needed overhaul in the summer when even more money should be available for transfers.
That certainly wouldn’t bankrupt Arsene FC Arsenal FC…
Finally, Joel Campbell has been talking to the official site and he was asked whether or not he’s looking to leave any time soon:
No, I’m an Arsenal player and I’m very happy here. I’m fighting to achieve my aims and hope to stay here for a long time.
Have a good day guys, only eleven days to go until we play again…..
Good post…
That L’equipe article showcases for me the selflesness of AW…; people forget that the £200m is there in the first place because of savings made in previous years by AW.I gather the usual references will be made with regards to the Denilson’s and co. of this world… 😉
“So called bigger clubs” are so called because they are bigger clubs than leicester
Nice post, Rico, and a well deserved monthly award.
Adam made a comment yesterday (or the day before) on Arsene that was brilliant.
Wenger could easily be capable heading FIFA or similar at some point, and could there be anyone better?
One thing we all must agree with is he puts the game above all else, and there can be no better trait in a man of that position.
Morning all.
I don’t forget Ts.. 😉
D98 – I always use ‘so called bigger clubs’ as I never want to be disrespectful to others..
Very well deserved Scott. I bet Mesut ran Vardy close too with his assists…
I thought D’OL was doing ok at least he was finishing 3rd before Gerald Houlier took over at the bin-dippers. He also took Leeds with Nigel Martyn, Bowyer, Radebe, Alan Smith, Dubbery,injury prone woodgate, Scott’s brothers Harry kewell and Vaduka to the UCL semi’s losing to then previous La liga champions valencia
Rico, Mesut has been simply sensational so far this season.
🙂 Rico.
Vardy is a late bloomer. A Drogba or Lambert in the making? lol
I thought I had to mention Robbie Keane name with regards to leeds top players before Micko, Joe and Mg gave me the 3rd degree.. lol
I still can’t get my head around how the likes of Pablo Aimar and Gaizka Mendieta got so lost in football…
Mendieta fell so far from grace he could not even make it a Middesborough…; gone are te days.
But he still didn’t win anything Ts..
Sure is Scott, long may his form continue too. Just need TW, Bellerin and Ramsey back asap…
You are right there Rico…; not disputing that at all
Peter Risdale was the biggest spendthrift at that time followed by old Harry and Mandaric…
@tsgh
How do you think Arsenal got this £200 million? Do you think it should have been invested in the team so the fans who were handing it over would see better quality and a greater chance of success? Who actualyy owns this £200 million? What could happen to it? What do you think will happen to this £200 million?
Rico- no mention of Jackie boy? Or have you given up on him?
I think Tommy La Mozart will inject the right energy into the squad when he returns imho…
Morning all. Dry and windy here.
A mate of mine who supports the ‘foxes’ assures me that they are cash rich, oily owners I think, who have no need to sell. Well, not for cash reasons. The only way their stars will leave is if they consider manure or the spuds a bigger club than L City. Given that they are currently equal top that scenario seems a little unlikely. Better a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond, if you get my drift.
Still we’ll see. I like Vardy, quich, direct and lethal, what more do you want in a striker? But at 28 I do t think he’ll be one of ours and I think he’d be a fool to move on, but I thought the same when he was playing for Fleetwood at Highbury!
With Wenger when he has money in his pocket he doesn’t let it burn a hole he just suffers the scorching and keeps it there, for a rainy day!
lol Wavy..
Have you seen Aw’s GQ fashion shots? Ladies Love Kool Wenger (LL Kool Wenger) must be his rap monika… 🙂
Given up on him this season Ts…
Wavy- The foxes have money reason they were able to bring Cambiasso there for a year on £4m ayear contract…
Not sure owner is into oil as he is Thai…Think he owns King Power LCFC’s sponsors…
Rico- the only thing missing from that photo is you.. 😉
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/managers/arsene-wenger/11980843/Arsenal-manager-Arsene-Wenger-turns-model-ahead-of-north-London-derby.html?frame=3494443
Wavy, if i was Vardy I’d move. CL footie and all that….
Welcome Tj…
The short jeans with the turn-ups is a look only Kev can carry off. Nice shoes in the bar shots though.
Thank you Rico.
Interesting headlines this morning from Arsenes Equipe interview… Interesting that some fans think it’s a good thing that the manager acts like he owns the club and is proud of it. Hopefully our childrens children will reap the rewards of our investment!
But my feeling is that it will be the children of Stan that will see the rewards! Highest ticket prices in Europe for a decade to watch the bank balance rise
I can bring myself to look Ts…
I think the point he was making is that he takes as much care with it as if it were his.
Tj, I admire him for a lot, but he sure as heck angers me for being so tight in the transfer market. But I lump some blame on Kroenke too for allowing him to ru the club as if it’s his own…
Adam 🙂
Rico- it suits Kroenke down to the ground- an major asset in London appreciating by the day that pays him £3million per year in ‘consultancy services’ fee, while he has Junior spying on the Board
AFC forgot about its fans the day Kroenke walked through the door. It’s now about business. £200 million taken from the fans in the bank. For whom? We became fans of a business, and quite a predictable one. Exciting stuff
I think that’s what he’s saying too Adam and I think everyone would accept that if the club spent a bit more each year to ensure we have a deeper squad..
Saying what he has after last summer irks…
Tj, I think so too… The more money his toy are making the better it is for him…
Back in a bit…
The picture of Arsene, sitting at the table was interesting…
Penny for your thoughts Arsene?
“Schneiderlin or Flamini, mon dieu, decisions decisions”….
Loved the blue jacket…
I can imagine Wath with a bootle of GG staggering around Camden with that look plus a leather jacket…
Kev- Morgan turned us down; I am sure ‘the book’ will say it all when AW retires…
If I had spent as much as Kroenke I would want a return too.
Good Afternoon Rico and All.
Good read.
We’re very lucky for the interlude, with all the injuries we are facing right now. No excuses from me for AW not buy players. If he wanted to treat the money in the bank as if it belongs to him then it SK and the Board that tolerate such nonsense. If he’s keeping the money in the bank for the next manager, I can see where he’s coming from, but still unacceptable.
Borussia Dormund is a selling club, he should have get player like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang when we can’t get player like Lewandowski. We been in need of a lethal striker in front of goal-post, since the day he bought Ozil.
That’s telling Adam. If I had the money to own a club like Arsenal, a club I used to love, I wouldn’t see it or treat it as an investment. It’s a shame that’s what Arsenal have become- a well managed successful investment, financially speaking. In fact when you take the value of the club into account, not including the £200 million banked, Stan actually spent nothing. The fans are paying for Stan’s investment
TJ- Imho its easier said than done… ilets do the maths.
If you were worth 1.5 billion dollars and you bought Chelsea and had spent the same as Roman has since 2003/2004 you will be broke…
How many millionaires have taken over clubs like wolves, portsmouth etc and realised it is a dark bottomless pit…
Even The City owners are looking for an investment…
Hi Ng.But PEA is African and will be going away in Jan/feb every other year. 😉
TJ. If that’s the case then you should have bought the club. After all it would have cost you nothing and you might still love it.
Tj- not picking on you btw but reading but did you really intent to say ”if I had the money to own a club like Arsenal, a club I used to love,… ”?
If you did then I can bet my salary you wont spent more than Kreonke if you were in his shoes… 🙂
Adam. I would have but I didn’t have the security to put up against the loans to buy the shares, so I couldn’t. When you grow up you’ll find out that financial institutions who lend tend to look for things like that
tsgh
If you can bet your salary on something so stupid then you really couldn’t be earning too much
Rich or should I say wealthy folks do not become rich by giving their money away.. I would hazard a guess from my lowly position that 99.9% of rich folks make the money from the new slaves… as Kanye would say. 😉
Even the Middle easten/ Russian oilers exploit the Philipines or Thai or Sub-african or South Asia immigrant to mine the so called ‘fossil’ oils to enrich them…
I wonder how many dinosaurs must have died for us to get our abiogenic oils.. lol
I read how Walmart or one of the big mega consumerism brands got their staff on circa $12ph to provide food and other stuff from their own pockets towards charity boxes placed in front on their work places whilst the shareholders squeezed the staff for every minute they can spare to work for free…
🙂 lol Tj- I know i dont earn that much so I am not dreaming about buying a club I use to love… 😛
Tj- maybe you can start small. be a philanthropist for your local club.. I am sure you have one in your area… lol. deutshe bank or warren Buffet may read about you and give you a grant so big you could buy Arsenal by making Stan an offer he can’t refuse… lol
I’m not dreaming about it either. In fact when it was suggested that I should have bought it I dismissed it as an impossibility. I’ve woken up to the fact that the sporting institution I used to love is now merely a rich mans investment, a business who’s main ambition is to fleece as much as possible from the consumer while investing as little as possible, but just enough to keep the sheep on board
TJ. That’s a very unkind remark.
Its the kind of response that facetiousness deserves
Thanks Adam… I can only laugh at that remark though though.
Tj- I bet you use to own 3 season tickets and attended every single game before you stopped loving the club…
TS. They come and go. I really can’t be bothered. 🙂
Afternoon guys…
Tj, you were welcomed here with open arms but your 3.30 is bang out of order. That’s not what we do on HH. This is a decent place where jibes like ‘when you grow up’ are really not welcomed. I suggest you have a rethink and apologise, or that’s to remain the way you comment, then I don’t think HH is the right place for you…
Just as I was constructing a robust defence too Rico. 🙂
Nice day Rico?
🙂 Indeed Adam
My 3.30 was in response to
“If that’s the case then you should have bought the club. After all it would have cost you nothing and you might still love it.”
Are jibes welcomed from some but not from others? If that is so youre correct, HH is not the place for me. It like a certain Untrue where only those who agree are welcome?
TS. 🙂
Hi Ts.
Agreed, but we still have TW and OG 12 to make up for his absent. How many times during the the past seasons TW been injured? We can’t rely on just him and OG12 if we want to make up the grades.
Tj – this place is nothing like Untold – HH welcomes debate and all differing opinions are welcome but ‘the growing up’ comment is just not needed.
Adam, any response is best left to me thanks…
Tj
What I don’t get is how you think Kroenke has spent nothing?
How come Arsenal are a club you used to love? Yet you still clearly support them…
Rico
So it’s ok to ask why I didn’t buy the club, but not ok to ask the person who asked it to grow up for asking the question?
Naturally Rico. 🙂
I guess that’s because you said buying the club cost Kroenke nothing TJ, when we all know he spent many millions to get his shares….
Ng- I rate PEA… what I am alluding to is that, when he became available post St Ettienne most Arsenal fans would not have tolerated a player similar to Gervinho… imho.
Even Klopp hinted to that when PEA was signedld have signed him…
Gervinho’s slow move to ROma also affected his signing. If Gervinho had left 3 or 4 weeks before he did then AW would have signed him.
Maybe AW was hesitatnt because he failed to make it at Milan, lyon and only flourished at a so called smaller club…
Howdy people how soon is theo due back?? Great post as always.
We need him back ASAP. we would have gotten something off that bayern game and definitely smashed the scums from down the lane. Not complaining but like kev said last night I ll rather be tailgating the leaders right now than be at the summit. The league is ours this year. It’s in the stars. Come on you gunners.
Morning ts what’s good with you?
Chill Tj- I think we all have to develop thick skin when we decide to blog especially on football matters…
Your comments such as ‘I can’t be earning much to want to bet that on something so stupid in response to me saying you wouldn’t spend much more than stan if you were in his shoes” or someone had to grow up… made no sense imho since you claim to have can stopped loving Arsenal because we merely finish 3rd or 4th…
Then again …
I am good G
Hi Ng by the way… 😉
Hiya ts 😀 it’s me you Muppet 😀 where have you been my man?? Am coming to Europe this year maybe we ll finally hook up this year 😀 what do you say to that pal?? We could spend all day talking about dortmund 😀 am sure rico won’t mind.
Ts. I see your point. But the often comments that ‘there were no player available’ irked me.
If not because of the so-called Home Grown, many of the English players in Arsenal either lack the qualities or not putting some serious efforts. Some of them are not even better than Gervinho.
Howdy rico
Lol rico it’s me 😀 Gemini my ass. Lol lol lol
Hi Goonster….
Are you mad at me mama bear 😀 lol
Hi Rico. I thought for a second that you been ignoring me. My thought was, I might have said something out of line. -:)
I sussed it was you Goonie… Are you a zodiac freak now?
When are you coming over? You should get my details from Rico…
I hear you Ng…
Goonster
Gemini or Goonster. Stop confusing us. Sneaking in …
Adamant 😀
I realised Goonie, but too late you bad bugger…. 😉
Ts stop fronting my man. You didn’t know it was me 😀
Never Ng 🙂
Ng- if Pierre had opted to play for Italy or France he would be playing for us imho…; sometimes it timing… I think AW after Gervinho and the AFCON foolishness has made a stratregic decision not to sign players who have opted to play for their african heritages…
I hope Iwobi wil get to shine as he is a bit special but then again not much beter than Aneke etc who were kicked to the curb so…
Oh. Is Stan also Gemini? Doh
Nasher 😀 I love being sneaky sometimes. So sorry I couldn’t blog all the while. Been working my ass off. Guys this is my summary of the season so far. We are good to win the league. Keep santi ozil sanchez rambo theo kozzer bellems and cech fit and we ll rip it. Secondly folks always talk about how we always fold at the second part of the season but that’s a myth. As a matter of fact we ve been doing well the second half of the season for a few seasons now. We ve always started poorly hence the reason we re always far behind during the dying months of the season. Thirdly shitty don’t look great without aguero or silva. If those 2 are out for a considerable amount of time we could sneak the league off them. It’s in our hands guys. We can do this. Come on you gunners 😀
better* even
Adam 😀 fooled you didn’t i?
I love how we fought for that point over the weekend. I celebrated like it was a win. See what fresh leg brings to a team. The introduction of gibbo and the flamster took us to another level. All of a sudden we re winning every ball and tackle. We looked up for it. That point could be the reason we win the league at the end of the season. Great 25 minutes from the lads. Am really proud.
Goonie, you have a new positive lease of life…. 😉
Lol rico always positive. You ve got me confused with ssomeone else 😀
rico
AFC was a risk free investment. If Kroenke sold his investment tomorrow he would double his money. That’s not including the £200 million cash reserves which I have no idea what will happen to. Do you happen to know what could happen to it, hypothetically?
For me the biggest travesty of all though is that over 10 years while the club banked £200 million and the team often struggled to 4th, the fans paid the highest ticket price in world football, and continue to do so. It was so frustrating to see us just one or two players short of challenging, and while I realise that buying would not have assured success, it certainly would have given us a better chance and at least shown thaat we were trying or best. Take the summer gone for instance- what possible justification can there be for not strengthening our outfield players?
To answer your other question, I still follow Arsenal closely but I am no longer a fan and certainly not a supporter. When I see who is employed to replace Wenger I will review the situation.
? Goonie, I don’t think so….
Tj.
But Kroenke hasn’t sold his shares so at this moment in time, he’s spent a lot of money for £6 million return (I think that’s all he’s taken)
Hypothetically- a new manager might arrive soon and spend a big chunk of the £200m IF he makes that money available but I honestly don’t know.
I get all the stuff about ticket prices etc but the £200m has come from the recent sponsorship deals and TV money hasn’t it?
I’d imagine that ticket prices, food income etc etc goes towards paying the mortgage and the hundreds of staff employed…
Thats just my thought, not fact..
Gee rico 😀 are you serious??? Are you calling me a moaner 😀 I only ever complain about arsene and sometimes sanchez. I championed ozil here even when he was getting stick from everyone else. I and Scott was raving about rambo a few years ago whoever ts attacks chambo I fought his corner 😀 seriously maam you got me confused with the next man 😀 am no moaner. Am like scotty oz on prozac 😀
As I see it should Kroenke sell his leaving will have no bearing on the club’s finances. He is a shareholder pure and simple , the board is tasked with running the club and the money would stay in the club unless they roll over and give it away.
Pulling your leg Goonie… Lol
Gemini seemed like a very friendly and decent man so I obviously knew it was you Stan. 🙂
I see it that way too Potter. Whatever is in the clubs bank, isn’t Kroenkes money, it’s the clubs. The only money he’ll make is on his shares..
Which, by the way, I wish he’d sell….
Hahahahahahah adam me decent???? Tell that to the manager at the tulip hotel in Arnhem adam. Lol.
Stan. That’s how I know what a young blonde God you are. Your Wanted poster at The Tulip hotel bar.
Evening All
Whose been having a go at our ‘stat man’.?
Mick will be on here in a minute, he’ll sort it all out….
Hi Adam, how’s things…?
Hey Stan, have you got a split personality?
Good old Micko Kev… 😉
Hey Kev.
I think everyone has gone to bed Adam…. Lol
I’m here Rico
Me too Kev, just… 😉
However, I’m off now…
Night Kev and all….
Night Rico….
Sorry Kev, it’s with a heavy heart I for one won’t be commenting on HH anymore until the bigots have been sin binned !
Can’t help thinking that I have missed something , bigotry is most unusual here.
Interestingly enough it turns out that, after looking it up, bigotry has a different original meaning to what I thought. Seems as though time has flavoured its definition and leant it a different perspective.
Off to google :- Intrigued.
So originally a mere prejudice
TJ did you used to go to Highbury/ Emirates?
What fucks me off is people moaning about ticket prices that have actually not stepped foot in the stadium!
Potter. Yes. Milder than I thought.
Evening Brudder. Another keyboard warrior. 🙂
Night all.
Micko.
Be assured, after the 5.07 confession, the sin-bin came into action. Well, rather the spam folder.
Morning all…
Morning Rico and all. 🙂
Morning Adam..
It’s a dull dull day here Rico and I have to visit a luthier in Canterbury. I’d rather lie in bed with a fried egg sandwich and a cuppa. Still, every day brings our injured a step closer to return. 🙂
My comment box has reappeared as well.
Morning guys.
I like TJ.
Well, I’d like to have had a crack at him.
I do lack a certain eloquence some possess, but I’m sure he’d have got the message lol.
Morning all.
It’s quite pleasant here Adam, breezy but bright… Big storms heading in tomorrow evening though…
Mine too re the comment box. I spent most of yesterday commenting via the dashboard. The adverts have been removed again so I guess I’ll have to find another way to make my millions…. 😉
Morning Scott. You could have savaged him like a possum. 🙂
🙂 Scott.
Hard to believe that any fan would pick and choose when they support a club… Idiot eh…
What’s a dashboard Rico?
Admin Adam..
How can you just switch your love of a club on and off?
Incredible stuff.
I’d have gone all Great Whte Whark on him, Adam 🙂
I’m glad I wasn’t around else I’d have ended up binned, hey Rico lol.
Morning all. Calm and quite bright here today. So far hurrah!
All my doings’s on the site have returned too. I thought the latest Apple iPad update had destroyed my blogging days! But as you can see normal service has been resumed!
Bigotry, I’m good at bigotry when I’ve got my dander up!! Sadly I’ve got nothing to rail against just now, but I’ll find something later…….perhaps!
🙂 Scott. Just why it’s not worth getting involved. I catch up with them in the end although sometimes I can be a bit slow… lol
My school reports always said I need to keep up more…. lol
Sorry Wavy, it was the darn adverts mucking things up…
Lol Rico.
My school reports always said “talks too much in class”.
True story…unsurprisingly to you all, no doubt.
I showed tremendous restraint Scott. I knew Rico would return from her afternoon walk and see what was happening. TS maintained a holding pattern of detached lightheartedness before Rico bought her full administrative powers to bear.
Silly really because new folks are welcomed nicely here.
Wavy, since I did the ios9 update my device has never been the same. I have to sign in again with every comment.
Scott. I, for one, am shocked. But then again, they never saw you in a Curry House off the Whitechapel Road as I did. 🙂
Hahahahahaha.
That was one hell of a meal, Adam, and one hell of a good night.
An absolute highlight of my trip.
Meeting Ginge for a few pints was a fantastic afternoon, also.
Rico and Wath left the country once they heard I was coming over, but I’ll sneak in next home 🙂
So I’m not the only one that must sign in each time……..doesn’t make me feel any better, but at least I know I haven’t buggered it up lol
It was a good night for sure. 🙂
Scott. That update has been a disaster for me.
I a surprised Scott… 😉
Just mowed the grass here, lazy way to pick up the leaves…. lol
I mowed mine yesterday Rico. 🙂
With a besom.
Ha ha Scott… You had us sussed… lol
🙂 Adam
I’m blessed to have a wife who adores mowing lawns.
Hey, she married me so it’s no surprise she is not all there lol
Rico. In the light of the doping scandals and the corruption that has become evident in the higher echelons of the footballing world, do you think that doping is present in the PL?
I wonder if the WC will be removed from Russia after recent revelations and the culprits banned. Looking at the announcement ceremony on TV the other evening, there was well-known face celebrating after being part of the the Russian World Cup bid team.
From tiny acorns and all that….
🙂 Scott.
Adam. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if there was doping in the PL.. I often wonder if there was more to the story when Rio missed his test.. Could ask the same of Kolo too..
Who was the well know face?
New post is up now…