Arsene Wenger: Footballs biggest hypocrite? Double defensive deal eyed?

Morning all.

Todays post has been written by Ricky.

No, that goes to Jose Mourinho – the walking cliché. But there’s definitely a case to say Wenger is guilty of a level of hypocrisy usually only usually reserved for corrupt and crooked politicians, or say, bankers.

I’m a 26 years old Arsenal fan and Arsene Wenger is the only manager I have ever really known. I’m a proud Arsenal fan too and we all have much to be proud about: a fantastic stadium, a couple of really world class players, and a record that even the world’s humblest man, Mr Mourinho, must applaud. What I and thousands of other Gooners despair however, is the lack of a winning attitude displayed by the manager, chief executive and owner, when looking to recruit new players.

When Manchester United confirmed the record breaking deal for French midfielder Paul Pogba, at a cost of £89 million, Arsene Wenger led the criticism at the ‘mad’ world of football, and he was not alone. Whilst Wenger said the valuation of the player was “completely crazy” Klopp went further, saying, “the day this is football, I’m not in a job anymore.” Except this is football now, Jurgen. The deal went through, Klopp didn’t resign and Wenger seemingly spent most of the summer transfer window talking about the ‘world of football’ rather than looking for players to improve his squad. De ja vu anyone?

You might agree with both Arsene and Jurgen, the world of football has gone mad, because it has. Isn’t it amazing though that this criticism should come from a man who is a part of the footballing world and has been for over thirty years? A man who is complicit in the mad world of football in every single way? A man who has taken from the game more than most managers can ever dream of? Wenger is no fool, he is a highly educated man with a degree in Economics from Strasbourg University.

When he says the world of football has gone mad, shakes his head in mock-disbelief and sighs as if he truly despairs at the direction the game is going in, he is lying. Rather, he is steepling his long bony fingers and muttering “Excellent” in his low, sinister voice. He is much like a banker who admits that the state-funded bank that they run has performed poorly, before signing off their own six-figure performance related bonus. Because that is exactly what Arsene Wenger is doing, continuing to take his huge yearly salary whilst excusing his own poor performances, “It’s not my fault we didn’t win the league, it’s because the football world has gone mad”. Not this time Mr Wenger, we don’t believe you (wags finger).

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Arsene Wenger, as the fourth best paid football coach in the world, earns £8.30m a year. After tax, Arsene earns £16,959.87 a day, £84,799.37 a week, or to make it more relatable to those of us with salaried jobs, a mere £367,463.93 a month. The UK national average wage last year was £27,600 a year, before tax.

Taking into consideration tax contributions, someone on the national average wage would have to work for over two hundred years to earn what Arsene earns in just one year. Wouldn’t you say that this disparity in pay is…madness? Of course, for a man worth over £40 million this doesn’t take into account earnings outside of football, through sponsorship or a modelling career…

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The point is however that Wenger has profited hugely from the mad world of football. A world that pays him sums of money that normal people can only dream of or fantasise over; a world that Wenger does not shun when it comes to deciding how much he should earn for doing his job, “£8 million a year? No thank you, £27,600 will suffice.”

Caught up in football’s world of madness however are the Arsenal fans, charged with paying the highest prices in the league to watch their team. The cheapest season ticket at The Emirates this year is £1,014 and the most expensive £2,013. Taking the average national wage, minus tax deductions, a season ticket at Arsenal can cost a fan over 9% of their annual wage. The most expensive match day ticket is £97. Absolutely ludicrous cost in a world of sporting craziness, especially when the cost of season tickets at some of the world’s most successful clubs is taken into consideration: Barcelona (£634), Real Madrid (£1460), Bayern Munich (£559), Athletico Madrid (£963), Borussia Dortmund (£823), and even Mourinho’s Manchester United (£950).

The objection for most Arsenal fans therefore is that when they are asked to pay a crazy price to watch their team, and the manager is paid a maddening amount of money to manage the team, why is the club, and manager, not willing to pay a crazy amount of money to improve the team?

We are told that the club has the finances to compete with the largest clubs in the world and their match day income is more than almost every other professional football club in the world. If Wenger and the club do not want to improve the first team and have no ambitions on again being truly successful on the pitch, then they should not partake in the crazy world of football at all. The cost of season tickets and match day tickets must come down and the manager should take a pay cut. However, much like an episode of the Simpsons where Monty Burns abates the safety inspector’s concerns with ambiguity and charm, or where a banking crash is blamed on an individual’s greed and selfishness rather than on inadequate regulation and recklessness from those at the top, Wenger will paper over the cracks from now until the end of the transfer window. Of course, this will invariably involve interminable complaining about the crazy amounts of money being spent by other clubs and the mad, mad world of the transfer market!

Transfer Gossip:

The Star – Juventus are weighing up a second offer for Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez, amid claims the Gunners turned down a £43m bid from the Italian giants earlier this summer.

France Football – Arsenal have identified Fabian Schar and Marcel Tisserand defensive options. Maybe that’s because Liverpool, according to other reports, are now in talks with Valencia to sign Mustafi. Just have to hope the player wants to join Arsenal and not that lot up north if this story has legs to it.

The Express – Arsenal have enquired about Fenerbahce’s Denmark international defender Simon Kjaer, who is rated at £13m by the Turkish side.

The Mail – Arsenal have opened negotiations with Atletico Madrid over centre-back Jose Gimenez as Arsene Wenger steps up his pursuit of defensive reinforcements.

Still, it’s good to know the club have alternatives lined up eh!! Plan, what plan?

Hope Laurent Koscielny is fighting fit and ready to go on Saturday because we are sure going to need him…

286 thoughts on “Arsene Wenger: Footballs biggest hypocrite? Double defensive deal eyed?

  1. steve A says:

    As an OAP my season ticket in the top section at Old Trafford costs £ 380 & has done for the past 5 seasons !

  2. Lee says:

    On signing a new defender

    “It was important before the game. You do not sign players because you think it’s very important or not. I think it’s very difficult to find players and identify them. That’s why everyone is on the market for the same players and the deals.”

    ———————————————

    On the reaction from the fans

    “I’m not surprised by anything any more.
    “I can understand it. They are disappointed, I’m disappointed. Obviously it’s part of our job. Fans are more demanding, more intelligent, better informed, stronger opinions. That just means when you have responsibilities today, you have to be stronger. It’s more important to make the right decisions.

    “We are professional people. We have 55 games in the season. If for one game we cannot play football, we are in the wrong job. It’s about how we bounce back. It’s still only one game.

    ————————————————–

    Will he spend big?

    “Before you pay over the odds you have to be convinced by the player. Can he strengthen your squad? Then you must have the money available to pay, because we already invested at a very high price. And we will do so again.

    “We work very hard and I cannot tell you much more. What I fight against is to tell the only way is to buy. It is right when you buy. We are not scared to spend the money. It is about the quality.

    “I think this club has been built on that. The main thing on building the club is based on the transfer policy. I know everyone questions that because we’ve not done as much as they wish.

    I’ve done over 400 transfers, and I now every transfer is written. You are not the only person to decide on [them].”

    Wenger’s presser…

  3. Joseph says:

    Typical wenger. Just get your cheque book out. We are a laughing stock at the minute. Listen to his interview, you are a joke. Wenger out

  4. Adam says:

    He had the tools last season to get the job done and had a clear run to the title. I can’t see how buying him better tools will make much difference.

  5. scottfromoz says:

    The worst post I’ve ever read on HH.
    Written by a fan who grew up on the Invincibles, who no doubt suddenly became an Arsenal fan then, when we were winning plenty.
    A truly low point.
    Beautifully written, but so disrespectful and missing anything original, hardly worth the effort.
    You make Arsene out to be all that’s bad about football, yet it’s plastics, player agents and arsehole managers like Jose that make football what it is today!
    Seriously, how low can we go?
    Plenty, probably most, will disagree with me out lot, but deep down, I guarantee most will agree with my comments, if they can be honest.
    Is this what Arsenal has become??

  6. Len Williamson says:

    When you read about our Stan you realise he is the sane one and we are the insane. He is clear profit is his only motivation. What do we do if we the fans want trophies for our troubles but support a club owned by someone who says trophies are not important? The only time he went for the most expensive in the world was in Aspen….read on.

    In February 2016 he made a big move into Texas when he bought the Waggoner Ranch, which spans nearly 800 square miles near the Oklahoma border. Said to be bigger than New York City and Los Angeles combined, it features 30,000 acres of farmland and more than 1,000 productive oil wells. The ranch was listed for $725 million.

    Forbes self made score definition (1 is made nothing of inheritance and 10 is made it all from nothing) 6: Hired or hands-off investor who didn’t create the business:

    At $8bn he is the 148th in the USA billionaire list.
    Kroenke is also the largest shareholder of English football club Arsenal He has made profits a priority for his sports businesses, which frustrates the fan base.

    On a ski trip to Aspen, Colorado, Kroenke met his future wife, Ann Walton, a Wal-Mart heiress. They married in 1974.[6] Already wealthy from real estate, he accrued significant additional wealth when he and Ann inherited a stake in Wal-Mart Stores Inc. upon the 1995 death of her father, James Walton. As of September 2015, that stake is worth $4.8 billion.[8]

    “I didn’t buy Arsenal stake to win trophies.”[

    Forbes estimated the worth of the RAMS team in 2015 as $1.45 billion, which would make it the 28th most valuable NFL team and 44th most valuable sports team in the world.[67] However, after relocating back to Los Angeles, it was reported by CBS Sports that the Rams’ value shot up to $2.9 billion (doubling in value) placing them third in the NFL (only behind the Dallas Cowboys and theNew England Patriots).[68]

    In the 20 years of Kroenke owning the RAMS they have won nothing but increased in value 10 times over, doubling in the move back to LA and all the property development going with it!!!

  7. RickyI says:

    Scottfromoz

    I am unsure that the article makes Arsene out to be everything that is bad about football. I agree that football has gone mad, agents are the devil and the sums of money that are being spent in football is crazy, but the point being made by the article is that Wenger is hypocritical about all of these things when his own salary is so meteorically higher than anything that is achievable by the normal person. We all moan about how much footballers earn, but he earns just as much as them.

    Regarding aspirations and becoming an Arsenal fan, I was thirteen when The Invincibles won the league, I had already been an Arsenal fan long before this and in the number of seasons since we won the league, I have remained an Arsenal fan. Purely based on age however, it was bound to be around this time when I was to become a fan of any team! This is sport anyhow, you play sport to win and if you support a team, you want them to win. I don’t think any of us advocate the sort of spending spree that say Mourinho goes on, but simply signings that will improve the team and make us competitive against the teams around us who have improved significantly this season. I don’t think that is too much to ask for!

  8. Joseph says:

    The problem is wenger and the board dont want to miss out on there big bonus. Spend the money or fuck off, sick every year of hearing the same weve got the money but we will only spend if it strengths us. So is wenger trying to say mustafi wouldnt be better than what we have at the minute, he is deluded. If we didnt do are job properly or arent up to scratch we would have our p45 in the post. Wenger is well past his sell buy date. Kronke do the right thing and give him is p45.

  9. Lee says:

    I seriously think you could add two top players and we’d come up short, Wenger is past his sell by date and needs to be moved on!

    Good read Rickyl and welcome.

  10. Adam says:

    Ricky. I think so. I can see the argument for an owner to be engaged in the football side of things but can also see the other side. My view is that we must base our thoughts (rather than our emotional feelings) on what we see rather than filling in the gaps to make points that may have no basis in fact. The evidence of our recent achievements is there for all to see.
    If enough fans really wanted to make a change inevitable, they could.

  11. Wavy says:

    This was the opening para from the BBC Sportsday website. The phrase, “laughing stock,” comes to mind:

    Arsene Wenger news conference
    Leicester v Arsenal (Sat, 17:30 BST)

    Arsenal
    Posted at
    08:57
    That’s all from Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe for now – next up is Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

    We’re expecting him in about five minutes’ time, but presumably he’ll be busy signing all those players and that could be delayed.
    Share
    Share this post on
    Twitter
    Facebook
    Read more about these links.

    And the old white haired one comes out with more antiquated, history of what he has done in the past, with the promise of present day attempts. Note this has yet to culminate in ANY action.

    Inertia rules, doesn’t it Arsene?

  12. scottfromoz says:

    Rickyl, of course, sports is played to win, but at the same time, it’s pretty clear Stan owns a club purely to make money, so why is it you take the popular path and discuss ONLY Wenger?
    I’ve checked again and can not see a mention of Stan.
    You know you’ll get applause when abusing or criticising Wenger but only that is not showing any imagination at all, merely relaying what plenty of others say, and have said for years.
    Len offered facts, you offered repeats of others opinions.
    Len’s facts offered more insight into the issues at the club…you raise the same points all of Wengers critics have, yet very few based on fact.
    Joseph…just get his cheque book out-brilliant comment.
    MG…once again I ask where all of your “guaranteed” signings are?
    Who are we signing this time??
    Hilarious.
    Adam, how did he have the tools last season when every one of us, you and I included, said he didn’t??
    Yes, he left us short, but now saying he had the tools is incorrect.
    So many posts written with passion, but no logic.
    Yes, I blame Arsene for that, but I blame Stan even more.
    That’s not popular though, so I’m wrong lol

  13. RickyI says:

    Of course, an owner can choose to run his club however he wishes. I don’t necessarily advocate an owner being hands-on on the football side of things, but his ideology maybe differs greatly from that of the regular Arsenal fan.

    Regarding basing our thoughts on what we see, I think most of us are doing that? A team that was underprepared for the first game of the season, poor long and medium term planning, which left us with a centre back who had never played in the Premier League before and a second place finish last season to a Leicester team that played out of their skins, but was beatable (as we evidenced twice) and should not have beaten us to the league title. I just think Arsenal fans have been ready for a while now to strive for a little bit more.

  14. Ruel Carvey says:

    I would wonder why someone would say that this article was being disrespectful and who is it being disrespectful to, i assume the information provided in this article is true, so i do not see it has been disrespectful to Mr. Wenger. My question is has Mr. Wenger been respectful to us the Arsenal fans or is is more like DECEITFUL

    dishonest, untruthful, lying, mendacious, insincere, false, deceiving, dissembling, disingenuous, untrustworthy, unscrupulous, unprincipled, two-faced, duplicitous, double-dealing, cheating, underhand, crafty, cunning, sly, guileful, scheming, calculating, conniving, designing, hypocritical, perfidious, treacherous, Machiavellian, Janus-faced;

  15. scottfromoz says:

    Ruel, what part is true?
    I said it’s based on opinion, and what’s popular amongst Arsenal fans.
    That is fact.
    Your post shows how people let passion get in front of the truth.

  16. RickyI says:

    Scottfromoz

    I don’t mention Stan by name, you are right. I make mention of “the owner”. But this was not the main point of the article. The point of the article is not to blame Wenger, or blame anyone necessarily, it is to highlight the hypocrisy of what Wenger says regarding transfer fees and wages etc.

  17. RickyI says:

    Of course it is my opinion, it is written in first person, I don’t attempt to make anyone believe that my opinion is fact. There are very clear facts in there though. If you can deny Wenger’s wages, his net worth, the national average wage, that that is up to you, but I am not sure which statistic or fact that you query?

  18. kelsey says:

    Scott it’s not my blog but IMO it’s very disrespectful to write as you did to the young man Ricky.

    I am nearly 70 and like others of a similar age have had a roller coaster ride following The Arsenal and in all probability it will continue.

    Maybe the younger suporters are more clued up than us old uns with heat maps, tactical drawings, twitter and social media and anyone can spread false rumours about anything and within minutes its half way round the world and then people put their own interprations, on it but to get back to the post.

    Can these crazy transfer fees and wages be maintained ? Most probably by the very elite clubs in the world who have a world wide fan base.

    Beckham waspaid for by Real Madrid within two days of shirt sales and the same will apply to Pogba,

    We are in the second tier and I assure you that AW earns more like 10/12 million with all the bonuses he receives.He is in fact a guardian of Kroenke’s money and as we all can see through frustration and anger AW has lost it.

    Fans were fighting each other last Subday, the plyers/Wenger were booed off the pitch, the very first hHome game of the season and the outlook looks bleak.Season tickets are currently sold out so attendence doesn’t reflect the money taken except Away support which can vary from club to club to see the actual attendence,but it’s a minimum amount of the 3 million we take as receipts for Home games.

    In the last 3 to 4 years how many world class players have we signed ? 3 at the most, and we all know who they are.

    When Abramovich took over Chelsea it was said Chelsea would be dominant for the next ten years at least, same with Cty and in both cases it hasn’t worked out like that.

    Spending ridiculous amounts of money to revamp a team does not necessarilly equal success.

    Who kows a Chinese consortium (as an example) may buy Southampton and it’s feasable within a short time they could be amongst the elite.

    We are steeped in history but unfortuately now have a manager well passed his sell by date and a majority shareholder who is just counting the money.To a true fan it’s a bloody disaster,wish I knew the long term answer.

  19. Lee says:

    Man for man we had a better squad than Leicester last season, Wenger failed big time! He should of gone after that debacle….

  20. scottfromoz says:

    Kelsey, it’s amazing so many Gooners wil accept insults and disrespect shown towards Wenger and the club, yet heaven forbid we do the same to a fellow Gooner-especially one insulting or disrespecting Wenger lol.
    Adam, Fair enough……id never accuse you of NOT saying what you believe, even when we disagree 🙂
    Rickyl, I’m trying to work out what the average wage has to do with Wengers salary.
    I’ve stated for years ON HERE that wages In football are ridiculous, but even more ridiculous is when people say a player is worth 200k a week, yet the man running the club shouldn’t earn 160k, and lest face it, football isn’t the real world.
    A manager can make or break a club, where a player simply is in and out of form…….
    I respect the fact that you wrote a post, as plenty who criticise heavily never will leave themselves so exposed, but I can’t agree with the theme of it.

  21. scottfromoz says:

    Lee, man for man, Citeh and Chelski had better squads……….what’s on paper doesn’t mean squat.
    Arsene did more damage before the season started than he did during it, IMO.

  22. RickyI says:

    Kelsey – I agree completely, as a fan it is a disaster. I don’t think that anyone really advocates the Football Manager style spending sprees that some clubs go on, but a couple of well thought out signings in a couple of key areas, areas we can all easily identify, so that we have a team that is competitive and ready to challenge and one we can all get behind, because we will get behind it. We are lead to believe that the money to be able to do that is there, which is why I did not focus on Kroenke in the original piece.

  23. Adam says:

    Kelsey. Last Sunday’s game did leave a lot of unrest around (and in) the stadium for sure and that is never going to be acceptable. It is also completely counter-productive for a club trying to achieve greatness. But there is also a deep complacency, a kind of shrug-of-the-shoulders attitude amongst those of us who aren’t interested in slugging it out physically with those whose opinions we may not agree with. But I think they are the silent majority.

  24. Lee says:

    Scott but Wenger brings this upon himself, the bloke just needs to leave!

    How can you defend him of late, he’s lost the plot!

  25. RickyI says:

    Scott, my point about national average salary was to highlight that because Wenger’s salary is already meteorically higher than at least 90% of society’s wages, he is already a part of the mad world of football. It is then, therefore, hypocritical to use ‘the mad world of football’ as an excuse to not sign a player.

  26. scottfromoz says:

    Lee, you missed my point…..I said he did the damepage before the season started….his lack of transfers.
    I’m not defending his tactics or transfer negotiations, and I haven’t for years.
    Adam, the worst thing that could happen, IMO, is people not caring any more, and that’s what will happen, if it isn’t already…..Stan MUST know it’s happening.
    Again, I said Arsene should’ve left aft the ’14 cup final and I stand by that, but I don’t get why everyone blames him for still being at the club.

  27. kelsey says:

    Scott one will always get more negative comments than positive ones when you find the position Arsenal are at this moment of time and it’s being building up for a number of seasons.

    We are all entitled to our opinions and sometimes there are real facts that are mixed into a comment as opposed to what people think.

    Two very famous Arsenal players of the double 71 team are still my friends,they came to my wedding and though they no longer have any influence at the club they get an insight and information about what is being proposed and what isn’t.

    I wasn’t being rude to you but at least Rico deemed on reflection that Ricky’s post should be published.

    I can give you loads of examples of what people earn and what they are actually worth,but it’s not relevent to this topic.

  28. RickyI says:

    I think we can all agree that football is not the real world, and the money spent on transfers and wages is ludicrous, blood-boiling even, but then Wenger cannot use this as an excuse to not sign a player when he himself is taking a slice of the pie that the game offers him.

  29. Lee says:

    But I don’t support Citeh or Chelsea and couldn’t give a flying fuck where they finish. Wenger fucked it massively last season, Arsenal should of won the PL his actions (or lack of them) and dated tactics blew it.

    Wenger is finished and has been for a few seasons, time to go!

  30. Eoin says:

    Hi I’m a United fan and just wanted to say that Arsenal have a great history and are a great club but right now I believe, like the Glazers with Ferguson, Arsenal’s share holder billionaires are using Wenger who is making excuses for them. No doubt like Ferguson Wenger will step down in the no so distant future and they will then go through the transition period much like Man U have done. Arsenal’s current squad though are underachiever’s, highlighted last season when they were tipped by many United fans (believe it or not) to win last years title. That was before Chelsea UNited and City were all drifting way behind Arsenal coming to the new year. Yet even with United City and Chelsea not challenging last season they still failed to mount a challenge to Leicester. Don’t get me wrong it was quite a feat by the foxes but what other seasons would they have won the title with the equivalent points tally? once I believe in the Premiership’s history. Which basically and mathematically means that which ever way you look at it Arsenal’s best chance of winning the title was last season. This season you can expect United City and Chelsea to be competing at the summit and the West Hams and Leicester’s of this world will be sniffing about somewhere 5th to mid table. On another note It’s intriguing how many Arsenal fans are continually ripping into United for their expenditure appointment of Mourinho etc. reminds me when Ferguson was in charge and all the other teams couldn’t help but comment on United’s affairs, keep it up 😀

  31. scottfromoz says:

    Ricky’l,
    As I said, he earns less than plenty of players, yet his position is much, much more instrumental in the running of a club, as well as its future, so relatively speaking, he’s not overpaid, IMO.
    Especially when, as everyone says, he runs the whole club, and doesn’t just manage.

  32. RickyI says:

    Scott, that is fine. I don’t actually refer to whether I think he is underpaid or overpaid – only that it is hypocritical to earn what he does and then use money as an excuse to not sign players, especially when the fans pay so much to watch his team. The fact is though, on £8million a year, he earns much more than plenty of other players, and managers…

  33. scottfromoz says:

    Kelsey, as I clearly said, I respect the fact Rickyl had the balls to post his thoughts, because plenty comment, abuse and criticise, yet won’t expose themselves.
    That doesn’t mean I must agree with his thoughts, and nor does it mean I’m correct in my assessment, but as you said, we are all entitled to our opinions.
    Lee, no, he’s not finished.
    Like it or not, he’s still there.
    Rickyl, he runs nearly an entire club.
    He’s outlaid massive money for Ozil, Sanchez and Xhaka.
    Sorry, but your point is incorrect.

  34. Lee says:

    You can’t blame Stan for that pathetic showing in PL last season, Wenger is 100% to blame so criticism of him is fair imo.

  35. scottfromoz says:

    Lee, yes I do.
    You keep focusing on one thing I say, while ignoring another.
    He should’ve strengthened last season.
    I’ve said that dozens of times, and a few times in the last 30 minutes.
    Keep asking me, but why?
    He fukked up and I’ve never said otherwise!!

  36. scottfromoz says:

    Rickyl, your argument of earning good money is absolutely irrelevant to transfers.
    Wenger puts a value on a player on wont deviate from that.
    It doesn’t make him right, but your argument is totally off track.

  37. RickyI says:

    I think it slightly naïve to run with this ‘he runs a whole club’ thing. If running the whole club detracts from his job as being a manager and coach, then him, or someone else at the club, must strategise to relieve him of some of his lesser responsibilities so that he can focus on the important bit. He is a very talented man, a very intelligent man, but that does not mean he must stretch his responsibilities so widely. Pay him £8million, make him the best paid manager at the club, the world even, but then put in place a set of expectations to match that.

  38. Lee says:

    “Lee, no, he’s not finished.”

    How can anyone like him being there?

    In fact he was finished after the FA Cup win, he’s stale past it and needs moving on. He is holding Arsenal back.

  39. rico says:

    Morning again all..

    Thanks for the post Ricky, it’s a good one and the first of many I hope…

    Welcome to HH by the way… What kept you… 😉

  40. RickyI says:

    You are right Scott, the man who keeps hiring him is to blame, of course he is! If an employee does not meet expectations, you work with them to achieve it, or relieve them and find a replacement. The problem comes from the top down. The point is still that Wenger’s comments have long been hypocritical though

  41. Lee says:

    The bloke who employs him lets him have a massive salary bill, but Wenger uses it terribly!

    Stan should just fuck him off he’s holding the club back!

    He didn’t strengthen and fucked up in the PL…..what’s he doing different this season?

  42. scottfromoz says:

    Lee, I repeat, he should’ve gone after the ’14 cup final.
    My comment…you’ve clearly and intentional taken it out of context.
    He’s not finished because Stan, the man you won’t hold accountable, says he’s not.
    He should be, but Stan says he isn’t.
    That ain’t my fault.
    Rickyl, NAIVE.
    Shit, EVERYONE says he runs the whole club!!!
    Stan and Ivan haven’t got the balls to do the job so leave it to Arsene, yet everyone blames Wenger!!
    It defies alls logic.

  43. scottfromoz says:

    Rickyl, yes, Arsene contradicts himself, and should shut the hell up, I agree totally.
    Lee, Arsene is doing nothing differently so Stan will keep him employed, and probably offer an extension.

  44. RickyI says:

    I didn’t say he didn’t run the whole club (whatever that means) but this is clearly an example of a poorly working model then. We can conclude from this model of running a club that the manager should not run the ‘whole club’ because it does not result in winning titles.

  45. RickyI says:

    Thinking about it from another perspective, why is Wenger happy to work for an owner that has no aspirations on winning anything?

  46. Adam says:

    As we see on this and other Arsenal sites on a daily basis, things are getting worse. The next home game is shaping up to be an interesting experience.

  47. Lee says:

    But he is doing things differently, he didn’t buy a single outfield player last season and had a golden opportunity to win the league and blew it…. I seriously think he’s ill>

  48. scottfromoz says:

    Rickyl, Wenger honestly believes he’s helping the club.
    All things successful start at the top.
    What, or who, is at the top of Arsenal??
    What chance does Stan give us??

  49. rico says:

    Which makes him quite arrogant if he does Scott because the league table each season should tell him he’s not. As should watching the football each week whilst sitting in his comfy seat… He should get himself a pipe and a pair of slippers for match days…..

  50. Lee says:

    Wenger has all the tools at his disposal to win things but he doesn’t because he’s finished as a manager….

  51. scottfromoz says:

    Rico, yet again, I say if Wenger doesn’t recognise he’s failing, why is nobody above him doing anything about it??
    Can anyone name me a successful business that is NOT run by someone with the balls to make hard calls????

  52. Lee says:

    Shouldn’t Wenger care???? He gets paid to manage Arsenal fc but he’s failing miserably!

    He obviously has zero self respect..

  53. rico says:

    Scott, probably because those above him no fook all about football….

    Yes, the board and owner have to accept some of the blame but the reality is, Wenger is the manager, the coach, the guy who decides which players stay, go and join. Only he is responsible for the tactics and every other thing to do with the actual game.

  54. kelsey says:

    There I agree with you Scot.AW should have resigned after the 2014 Cup Final.he dithered and only signed after we won.

    Scott, who is above him.Gazidis was appointed by Wenger and as long as our finances keep going up Kroenke is happy. Winning trophies or actually investing himself is alien to kroenke as provd time and time again with all his Franchises.

    Pity he didn’t invest more into Walmart but they don’t ned his money.

  55. potter says:

    Firstly the only thing you can blame Kroenke for is not setting Wenger a target to win the league after that the spending and tactics are down to the manager.

    Eoin :- your premise about billionaires at The Arsenal is a commonly held misconception. We have to major shareholders Kroenke 66% and Usmanov 32 % unfortunately and it is one of the major stumbling blocks Usmanov has no say or anything to do with the club other than own shares. Kroenke has the board of directors tied up to his bandwagon and despite only having 2/3rds of the club gets his way all the time. It is a crying shame that their is no democracy in the club . Usmanov should have input and his voice should be listened to but it isn’t.
    Going back to the post , Ricky is quite right to say that Wenger can’t blame the escalating price of football when he is riding the same gravy train. If he wants to stand against the money being wasted then he should have the courage of his convictions and work for the same as the average man , otherwise it’s just hot air and white noise. He is a master of double talk and contradiction but as with all people that talk in riddles to try and baffle their audience unless they have great powers of recall eventually they get caught out.

  56. scottfromoz says:

    Rico, I truly am amazed people can not see why Stan and Ivan are responsible.
    Actually, I can….people don’t want to,
    Why though??
    If Wenger is failing, why blame him for carrying on?
    Blame him for failing, fine, but why is it his fault he remains employed??
    It’s absolute rubbish that fans criticise him for keeping his job.

  57. Lee says:

    Well it looks like Inspector Clueless will not win the league or CL this season so if he has a thread of decency he’ll piss off and we’ll get a new dynamic manager the polar opposite of the current dinosaur.

  58. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Good Afternoon Lovelies and Hunkies.

    Are you still grumbling you rain soaked miserable lot???? And you have every right to feel so. Had it not been for a good post by Ricky I would be grumbling like you all. But well done Ricky….you gave me a reason to smile since I enjoyed reading your post.

    And then Wath goes on to produce a table which at first glance makes you cringe….seeing ARsenal 2nd from bottom.

    But when you realise that only Chavs, Manure and Shitty (+Leicester’s last year fluke) have won the league in the last ten years then imagine how the spuddies and the dippers must be feeling seeing that they made it to the top 4 without winning anything.

  59. scottfromoz says:

    Circles, Lee……
    If Stan or Ivan had the balls, they sack him.
    What is it…..rinse, repeat 🙂
    Stan remains-we tread water, no matter who is “in charge”.

  60. rico says:

    Scott, they aren’t responsible for what goes on the pitch though, surely you can see that? Yes, the board and owner are toothless but i’s Wenger who picks the team and plays the way we do…. No one else.

  61. Lee says:

    I’m amazed that people don’t blame Wenger, truly amazed it’s like he has some sort of hold over people…..

  62. Ifckyistikhar's Barmy Army says:

    I think dis Ricky geezer has hit the nail bang on his head. Top posting Ricky. Top man.

  63. Adam says:

    If Wenger had the squad to win the title last year and if Stan has never refused him a penny to strengthen then one must ask how Kroenke is responsible for the failure and more recently, defeat against Liverpool.
    Kroenke is not a football manager but he is responsible for the continued employment of Wenger for sure. Whether Usmanov or another owner will be any better is nothing less than conjecture.

  64. RickyI says:

    Simply a manager who wants to win? And will be knocking on Stan’s door to ask for an extra £15 million to sign the defender he wants/needs?

  65. Lee says:

    Wenger goes and we’ll see that he’s the one holding Arsenal back….. Stan isn’t going anywhere soon, Wenger is hanging himself by fucking up repeatedly!

  66. Wath says:

    Dev, the problem with that table is apart from the sugar daddy money it shows one thing that we lack…. Ambition to spend to want to be competitive…!

    I see Wenger going on about the same old drivel of not being able to spend like others… Excuse me but who’s asking you to spend what we don’t have Arsene…???? All we want and expect is for you to spend what we do have and what we the fans have put into the clubs accounts…!

  67. rico says:

    Exactly Adam. I don’t think anyone would deny that Kroenke and the board are naive to keep Wenger on, but as for everything else, only Wenger is to blame…

  68. scottfromoz says:

    Some of you absolutely ignore what’s written, and focus on one or two lines because that’s suits the argument.
    WHERE THE HELL HAVE I STATED WENGER IS NOT AT FAULT?
    Shit, I don’t know how many times I can say it in plain English, though that’s not getting through!
    Some of you don’t actually want a debate, you want an argument.

  69. kelsey says:

    After a rebuff by two leicester players this is our manager’s latest quote.IMO It think it would be better if he just kept quiet instead of stating the bleeding obvious whivh in all probability isn’t exactly the truth.It’s too late,every single club knows our position and therefore if we don’t pay what is considered a premier he will go down the bargain basement route as before Sanogo as an example ..
    ——————————————————————————–
    “I can reassure people we’re ready to spend the money we have,” Wenger said. “It is dangerous. English clubs suffocate themselves by buying players at a high price with high wages, if it goes wrong you are left with players with high wages.

    “The identity of the buyer multiplies transfers by two or three or even 10 times more. It’s important to spend money but more important to spend it the right way.

    “There are two markets, one for English clubs, one for the rest of Europe.”

    When asked about the protracted deal to sign Valencia defender Shkodran Mustafi, Wenger added: “I believe it is better I don’t talk about any individual player. We are ready to spend the money we have. It’s not my money. It’s important to spend money the right way.

    “It was important before the game [to sign a defender]. You do not sign players because you think it’s very important or not.

    “I think it’s very difficult to find players and identify them. That’s why everyone is on the market for the same players and the deals.”

  70. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Ricky….you have been labelled a Geezer. lol

    I lay the blame of everything on Kroenke….for caring a fuck all, on Gazidis….for being a puppet and on Wenger….for being Stubborn in doing it his own way………when we all know that all three are failing.

  71. Adam says:

    Kelsey. We could spend at least two minutes in agreeing that this is the usual Wenger spiel and as such should be disregarded.
    For a manager of Arsene’s experience to say those things seems to answer so many questions about where we are and why we have ended up there.

  72. scottfromoz says:

    Devil, remember a few nights back when I said you say something, nobody says boo, yet I say the same thing…..all hell breaks loose….
    Well, you have just blamed all 3, as I do, so see what happens.
    Heaven forbid you even mentioned Stan lol
    Rico, maybe capital letters is what it takes for people to actually read something, though I doubt it.

  73. Lee says:

    I don’t post 100 times a day so it would be difficult, you say the same shit blaming Stan every fucking day. That’s a fucking joke!

    You’re the one that comes on here aggressively, not me so wind your neck in.

  74. Wath says:

    Dev, Stan runs a successful business, Gazidis runs………… hmmm maybe around his office a lot but his problem is dealing with a board that’s totally useless and merely doing the bare minimum in keeping the finances turning over handsomely..! Gazidis hands are tied, is he one of the good or bad guys we’re not quite sure because he has one foot in each camp..!
    As for Mr Stubborn enough been said about him and he just gives my arse a headache so not gonna even bother discussing the man, he just winds me up.

  75. Hell Raising Devil says:

    be honest digger…..if I came and offered to buy your wifi-less, primitive mud hut and offered just $100 for it. AW comes on the scene and offers to buy it for $1 million. Who would you sell it to?? Not me for sure. Would I blame you….or blame my missus for not giving me more to buy your mud hut of character. 😛

  76. Kk says:

    Who the f ..is this fella from Oz. .
    Been splitting hairs and having a tantrum on anyone who criticise the lord wenger!

    I don’t care how long you been on this blog where all agree and you the only one who disagree..
    It isn’t consistency or being champion that you throw your toys at anybody who dare to question wenger.

    Yes it’s fair to criticise him and call him all sort of names…afterall he doesn’t give a rat ass and doesn’t write on this blog unlike your fellow gooners.

    I am convinced that wenger has become the most hypocrite and deceiving manager in the world of football. Either he does that on purpose or has become a demented delluded senile arrogant know it all has been.
    Either ways he must go.

    Don’t bother to answer me coz I know you would say where did I say this or that and you always say wenger should go…
    Give it a rest and stop splitting hairs. .

    Excellent site and very wise sensible arsenal people on here..keep up the good work

  77. scottfromoz says:

    Lee, where do I defend him?
    Blaming Stan Makes sense to me….that is no defence of Wenger.
    Business success starts at the very top.
    Always has, and always will.
    Stan takes no responsibility, but that doesn’t meant he should bear no accountability.
    No, it doesn’t mean Wenger shouldn’t, either, and I never said otherwise.

  78. Adam says:

    Rico. I think something that hasn’t so far been distorted is the time factor. Some of us would like to believe that, in the same situation, we would endeavour to have identified what and who we needed about a year ago. Yet, here we are and it seems as though whoever makes the call is only making up his mind on targets a couple of weeks before the window closes and that a process of transfer attrition runs the club’s thinking.

  79. ScottfromOz says:

    So you admit I know Fukk all Lee?
    At least you concede know something so I’ll take that hahahahaha
    Devil-no electricity so no wifi, sorry 🙂

  80. Hell Raising Devil says:

    I only hope that Kev does not manage to come here and put an offer which betters mine as I know he is partial to mud-huts.

    Besides Kroenke, Gazidis and AW I also blame all of you rain soaked miserable lot……in the Ems you are over 50K……and can easily overpower a 100 stewards…..so if you begin banging the drum against AW make sure you put the stewards in their right place.

  81. Adam says:

    Rico. Bearing in mind that I said it didn’t really matter who Wenger signed earlier you note how I tread both sides of the argument with relaxed hypocrisy. 🙂

  82. ScottfromOz says:

    Adam, I am now of the belief Wenger doesn’t know what the right calls are, who the right players are.
    He’s making very, very poor decisions and that’s why the clubs future must be taken out of his hands, imo.

  83. Hell Raising Devil says:

    use a damned car battery Scott…wifi works on that as well.

    Its as Scott says mates…..the club is run from the top. If Kroenke demands success AW has to deliver….otherwise if SK keeps mum it means either he is and uncaring wanker or is scared that AW might spill the beans on something.

    But it all comes down from the top.

  84. ScottfromOz says:

    Lee, not one single, solitary time have I even suggest Stan is at fault for the issues, but he is ultimately responsible.
    Well, he should be.

  85. kelsey says:

    Does Wenger really think we are just dumb idiots.Yet more fatuous waffle. When you’ve identified players you want and they can reportedly be bought for a price why, when you have the resources we have, do you try and save the odd million or two and end up losing out. Irresponsible and negligent from AW and the board. Interesting he added, as he has many times before, “we don’t spend money we don’t have”, yet they are reported to have in excess of £100 m to spend which is more than enough to have bought Mustafi and Lacazette and probably Mahrez, plus the savings already made after the departures of Arteta, Rosicky, Flamini and others. Disgraceful mismanagement yet again.

  86. Wath says:

    Dev, problem is there are over 900 stewards and fans are also encouraged to “grass up” fellow fans if they think they are mis-behaving… The bigger picture problem is the club then take your season ticket away from you if they see fit to do so….!

  87. ScottfromOz says:

    Wath, I don’t agree with fans protesting at games, but I do agree with their right to.
    The club is being precious on that count.

  88. Lee says:

    So Wenger has a) good squad b) £100m transfer kitty c) huge fan base d) wonderful stadium e) a salary bill of nearly £200m f) great training facilities etc

    Stan looks like a real terrible boss on paper

    So with all that at his disposal why are we also rans? Wenger maybe?

  89. Wath says:

    So where do you suggest they protest then Scott, Hyde Park Corner won’t work mate, it’s a dbl edges sword, outside has zero effect zero PR inside the ground affect the players yes but also people get their point across that they not happy… Maybe any protest should be from the 89th minute then doesn’t affect the team but does get the point over to Wenger and the board…?

  90. kelsey says:

    Rico,do you remember those Le Grove days,must be 7 or 8 years ago ? Well the posters have come and gone but actually for all the abuse Geoff and Pedro gave Wenger has proved to be right.

  91. ScottfromOz says:

    Wath, i would never protest while guys are busting their arse for the club.
    As I said, they should have the right to, regardless.

  92. Wath says:

    Problem is Scott many don’t bust a gut yet another problem and as i’ve said numerous times if they did the fans react to that, they know who puts in a shift and who don’t…!

  93. Wath says:

    The club don’t do discontent Scott, they paper over that like our manager papers over the weaknesses of the team, fuck I wasn’t gonna mention him was I…..

  94. Adam says:

    Rico. As long as the absentees didn’t put their tickets on the exchange so others could buy them and earn the club another cut out of reselling them. You’re right though. A half empty stadium would be huge sports news round the world and would possibly result in change.

  95. Wath says:

    Problem is Adam empty won’t happen will it, will you now not go having paid for your ST..? most will still go and even if you don’t “they” still have the money in the bank. If they trying to sell ST’s still though shows all is not well and they not all sold out at all like they are saying, yet more porkies being told….

  96. Lee says:

    Wenger scoffs at the price of some players yet keeps absolute wankers on the payroll at Arsenal…………… Wengerlogic?!?!

  97. Adam says:

    I see what you are saying Wath but, when enough people want it, I think it could happen. Actually, it is happening but on a small scale. I can think of only one Wenger supporter sitting near me. The confidence and faith of the others has gone. They and myself go these days because they love the club and not what is happening there. It’s in their heart and that’s not for messing with.

  98. Adam says:

    I don’t know about that Rico. Towards the end of last season we had some shockingly bad attendances at the ground and it built pressure. But football fans have short memories. Including me. I was mightily pissed off last Sunday evening but am now able to see it in better context.
    Still pissed off though. 🙂

  99. Wath says:

    Very true Adam it’s the head over the heart but when they both meet in the middle then the club is going to have a mega problem to deal with…….. If this transfer windows ends it tears as I fear then I cannot see it being long before head and heart meet on neutral ground and action is decisive..!

  100. Herb's Army says:

    Afternoon Rico and the House
    In a period of wholesale negativity surrounding The Arsenal, we are oft guilty of repeating our opinions, which doesn’t make for enjoyable or inspiring reading. But we are merely a mirror reflecting the club’s strange behaviour, and most of us are lost, attempting to understand it.
    Our problems are easily identified, resolving them is quite a different issue.
    It is incredible that Wenger gets such a free-ride as though our media are scared to disect his management style and ask him why for a man with his vast knowledge and experience keeps making the same mistakes over and over again. Why is your philosophy so flawed Arsene, and isn’t the time long overdue to try something different, or just accept that you can’t adapt and for the good of the club, just go?
    Stan is a major problem because he is absent and because he has no interest in football, doesn’t set Wenger any targets or expectations, so the whole Arsenal identity revolves around Wenger. Gazidis has no power, Wenger interviewed him for the CEO position, so there is literally no-one at Arsenal who has the status to sack Wenger.
    Everything at Arsenal is solely Wenger’s responsibility. There’s a separate debate about Kroenke taking money out of the club he refuses to help finance, but Wenger has all the resources he could ever wish for to put Arsenal among the elite. There are managers out there who would strolled the PL last season with that Arsenal squad.
    His blue-print for success at Highbury, whilst containing the odd glitch, was exhilirating, admired globally, and often terrorised opponents. Arsenal were on the cusp of conquering Europe.
    The bigger question has to be what happened to that blue-print during the stadium move, and why has Wenger not been able to recreate it?
    Essentially, Wenger has been dining on ‘The invincibles’ and the stadium move, and firmly believes we owe him a debt of gratitude.
    Well done, Ricky, a fine effort for a debut Post.

  101. rico says:

    Afternoon Herb. Good comment…

    All the time nothing changes, our views will remain the same. Roll on the day we have something different to talk about. Perhaps something more exciting….

  102. Lewis says:

    Good day all.

    Great post Ricky.

    Agreed, he is a total hypocrite. The sadness is he will likely get a pay rise and another 3 years. You have to laugh otherwise you’ll cry……or start in other arsenal fans, there’s always that.

  103. Herb's Army says:

    It’s a crazy situation that no other serious football club would tolerate.
    I’ve long since regarded Wenger as the ‘Marie-Antoinette’ of football managers, someone aloof and who has no spiritual affinity or connection with Arsenal supporters.

  104. Meerkat says:

    SK must have sat AW down and spelled out his financial expectations. He is not interested in results as long as the club shows good profits, and it always will. That’s because of its fans.
    AW shook hands with the devil and agreed a pact, in return for a ridiculous £8.5 mill a year.
    AW criticises the money involved in transfers etc, but ensures he has a large slice of it.
    The players will stop giving their all, will have no respect for AW, and it will all end in tears, which is so sad, because in the early days we were so proud to have him.
    He already looks a pathetic figure on the bench, players must already be sick of it. No wonder Sanchez and Ozil want away.

  105. Wavy says:

    The real trouble is that Wenger is French! A Gallic shrug and whatever his problem it is resolved, not answered or addressed but ‘dealt with”.

    That remark is not remotely racist bit merely my observation of how a situation is dealt with, en francais!

  106. Obi says:

    I think the points that Ricky made in the blog are more than valid. One AW continuously complain about the money in the game and how much teams wants over the odds for players yet his salary is over the odds when compared to other more successful managers – hypocrite; Stan doesn’t complain about player evaluations, at least not publicly.Two, AW goes on and on about how there are no quaities out there that would improve this team, clearly that’s a lie. Three the point in time where one becomes a fan is irrelevant. All that matters is that regardless of history, every fan want their team to win or at the very least compete. At this moment Arsenal is not doing that and that one making all the excuses is AW, not Stan. Fourth Wenger himself has said that Stan has always made funds available for him and that money is not an issue. So given these points Ricky is being objective.

  107. TT says:

    Hi All

    Very good post Ricky and nothing disrespectful about it at all IMO.

    Few points I would like to highlight and comment on.

    First this notion that Stan is the main culprit or one of them. Can anyone give me any proof that Stan is holding the club back? By this I mean by restricting transfers and withholding funds. This has actually been knocked down by Wenger him self on more than one occasion. Stan is a real estate mogul first and foremost. the sport franchises fit well into his portfolio. He has never taken any money to speak of out of the club. I don’t count £6 million as much over the time period he took over.

    There has always been a budget there for transfers and Stan has him self been known to man the phones to oil the process and get it over the line (Ozil). What Arsenal has done under Wenger since Stan took over is to keep the club in profit and increase its value in a risk free manner and that’s were Wenger’s lack of skills is so damaging to our chances of winning anything. The point is we don’t have to spend money like United or at least not yet. our squad was that much better in the spring. they are however closing that gap fast. All we needed was 2 or 3 good signings. We got 1 and that was that. Come to tactics and preparations things get even worse.

    If Arsenal had a manager that knew what he was doing and was good at it how different could things be! With the unspent budget from last year and this 2 or 3 players and we are right in the mix. With a good manager and the revenue this club generates by it self it can always be at the top or there about, but Stan wont care as the club is run in profit and is increasing in value. Silverware to him is something the fans like and if they get it then good for them if not he don’t care.

    Therefore Wenger will not go unless its by his own accord as long as he keeps adding to the bottom line. Only way that I see to break the cycle is to get rid of him and fast. this is were the fans come in and I’m afraid it will meen protests and then more protests. Stop going to games, leave at half time and have an half full stadium. All this will be picked up on by the press and if its relentless the most important people in the money making machine that PL is to day will get itchy feet, namely the sponsors.

    None of this has to be confrontational or violent, infarct that could be counter productive in some corners. Get Wenger out and get a younger and hungry manager in that doe’s not pretend he knows everything and there is absolutely no reason why we will not do a Atletico Madrid and put the biggest spenders under constant pressure.

  108. rico says:

    With you there TT, give this squad to a young and dynamic manager and he’d do more. Especially as he’d no doubt get the much needed striker and defender through the door…

  109. Bob John says:

    Hi all
    What I can’t work out with all this transfer bollox is why we have a budget that we can’t go beyond. This from a club who speculated massively to build a new stadium. The club that historically has broken transfer records from David Jack to Malcolm Macdonald. Surely a mega signing would mean more income in merch sales and hopefully, success. We know that Arsene has always tried to find bargains but surely even he realises that market has been infiltrated by everyone else. It has to be Kroenke behind it all. Hillwood was right about him all along.

  110. Micko says:

    It’s really very simple, sometimes in life all we need is a break in a beautiful place to figure things out, the sooner Arsene fcuks off back to his little house in Strasbourg the better !

    Nice post Ricky, welcome to the fun factory.

    Lee, your better off saving your breath to cool your coffee lol.

    Afternoon all.

  111. Obi says:

    Smh at some of the contradictions here. We alredy have established that as a businessman Stan only cares about profits and I don’t fault him for that. So why would he fire AW if he’s making him money. But as a manager AW should care about winning games and that starts with the right personnel, tactics, selection and motivation. Which he has failed at miserably for 10 yrs.

  112. Wath says:

    Micko, I’d imagine it’s not such a little house in Strasbourg or you reckon he’s got a small little 1 bedroom flat he got at a bargain price..?

  113. Micko says:

    Big or little Wath I bet it comes with coin operated boxes for the electricity and gas.

    The reluctance to spend the money is baffling.

  114. Joseph says:

    Sick of the whole board to management saying we are going to do this and then doing the total opposite fuck all. Its about time wenger grows a set of balls and stand up for the fans and marches to stans office and say back me this window with a world class centre half and world class striker and whatever it takes. Wont be holding my breathe.

  115. Le Coq Monster says:

    Evening all………………………bloody hell !………to many comments to take in !……….I`ve been driving around Cornwall scouting for Arsene all day !. hahaha
    I sympathise with him as I haven`t found one decent striker !………..defenders !……ten a penny around Delabole !.

    Right !……….5-a-side…………………….were shit aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

  116. allezkev says:

    Evening All

    London Bridge Station has a certain feel about it at this time of the day…

    Well it’s certainly been a lively old day on good old Highbury House today.
    A thought provoking post, controversial debate, back and forth, good points made by all. And Mick…

    How much more can one person need..?

  117. Tsgh says:

    Wath…rare to see you about this late? Now where is Micko with one of his puns…
    Did anyone see vermalen’s debut red card?

  118. Micko says:

    I don’t do puns Tsgh, all I’ll say is Arsene couldn’t find France on a map of France if his life depended on it these days !

    Are you on your hols matey ? Didn’t you say you were off to Greece shortly.

  119. pat_97 says:

    True to form, today again poor Rick had to put up with the obnoxious, offensive behaviour of Scott,
    “The worst post I,ve ever read on HH “etc,etc. I mean that was just disrespectful, there,s no excuse. Your 10.27 to me was a classic example of antagonistic, confrontational behaviour that seems to be your intention. By all means make your point, but there are subtle, tactile ways to do it.
    One would wonder, If that was Rico,s post put up this morning, would that same sentence of been said, probably not.
    Just says a lot about you as a person……

  120. ScottfromOz says:

    Pat, you may well have read on, but no.
    You decided to stop as soon as you had a chance to criticise.
    Is that all you can add to the debate, and if you had read on, you’d have seen we had a decent discussion.
    I’m yet to see you partake in one, so go on, prove me wrong!
    Oh, and Ricky has made HH look average by having his article posted elsewhere, but I guess you’re ok with that?
    That, I guess, says plenty about you 🙂
    When will you actually get off your high horse and offer us an opinion on the actual topic at hand, as your lot seems to be merely attacking me…..
    Join the end of the line champ, as it’s a long one bahahaha

  121. ScottfromOz says:

    Oh, and Rico, as well as other regulars, know that, though I may get plenty wrong, I am always honest, so until you spend more than 5 minutes here, how about you wait before making such calls, else you’ll end up looking ordinary.
    Still, i would rather be honest and wrong than dishonest but popular.
    You don’t have to agree we with me, but Ricky defends his opinions very well and I at least have respect for him.
    You, on the other hand…….

  122. pat_97 says:

    actually My opinion aligns with most on here, but true, i do fear it would most probably be trolled by you, because you are the type of person that thrives on disagreement and conflict for its own sake. just another one of those people who will start arguments for the sole purpose of creating a tense, adversarial atmosphere.
    What will my post add to this site during topics, nothing at the moment, hence Wengers lack of ambition, but I,m sure after one or two , it will no doubt conform to your narrative that Kroenke should be the ultimate blame for the clubs current adversities, god forbid others have an opinion, to which they lay the blame at Wenger,s door.

  123. ScottfromOz says:

    Pat, I blame Wenger for transfers and tactics, but you conveniently ignore that.
    I blame Stan for the clubs lack of ambition, and I stand by that.
    Because you agree with most, it doesn’t mean you’re right, though, nor does it mean your wrong.
    Keep the trolling jibes aside because, though you’re trying to play the victim, you’re the instigators, here.
    I mean, saying I start the arguments is rich, seeing as though you’ve called me out several times of late.
    I’m sure you miss the irony.
    Stop targeting me and I won’t have a need to respond, simple.
    Peace.

  124. scottfromoz says:

    Having a look at Just Arsenal-if the post was copied off HH, it’d have the authors name as Rickyl, but it’s just Ricky, so I dare say they’ve not stolen the article.

  125. kelsey says:

    Crystal Palace have reached an agreement with Liverpool to sign Belgium striker Christian Benteke for an initial £27m fee.plus addons. (I had to read that twice)

    Our record for a CF is 16 million for Giroud, will we beat that this window.

  126. kelsey says:

    Ricky Iftikhar

    Is the author so one assume it’s the same person.

    Regardless it’s Rico’s choice to publish a ost or not and maybe its plagiarism or not it doesn’t really matter.

    Scott I have learnt over the years not to jump in with two feet, even though I had to learn that lesson.You can say what you like but your opening sentence was disrespectful to Rico, HH and the author.However if Rico made the decision to publish it so be it and move on.

    I find these days,especially when feelings are running high it might be best to back off than actually comment in the way your opening paragraph read.
    If one is contraversial all the time it will lead to others taking umbrage but actually having read all your recent posts you seem to agree wih a lot that others are saying.

    Perhaps a deep breath next time 🙂

  127. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Good Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.

    Scott…..the article on Just Arsenal is word by word the one posted above. Ricky has his full name……Ricky plus his surname begins with an ‘I’

    Plausible to say that the answer is one of the two following…….

    a) either Ricky gave the article to Rico and also to Just Arsenal himself.
    b) Just Arsenal copied and pasted it without acknowledging HH as the original source.

    I doubt that its answer b. I don’t think Just Arsenal are this idiotic.

  128. scottfromoz says:

    Kelsey, not for one second did I suggest Rico had done the wrong thing here.
    There is absolutely no way this post would’ve been posted knowing it was being posted elsewhere, so don’t for a second think that was my opinion.
    I hated the post and stated why….it offered absolutely nothing we don’t read on here every single day, so what was the point?
    Ricky did offer some terrific points during the discussions later, and all credit to him.
    I’ve had plenty criticise my posts and I don’t cry about it, and nor did Ricky-he explained his opinions and we agreed to disagreed, but it seems a few of you have taken it upon yourself to defend him after he’s already done it.
    I wonder just how many will have a crack at Pat for targeting me again?
    I bet it’s a big, fat zero.
    On to my opinions, it’s absolutely laughable how many label me an AKB because they read a single line I post, while ignoring another 10.
    I’ve copped that for years and I really just expect it now, because though I am called out for being argumentative, I’m consistent in my opinions-plenty of others are not, and plenty of others like to start an argument, then, when I reply, they suddenly get weak at the knees and play the victim.
    I’ve stated a few times lately how Devil often says EXACTLY the same thing I do, and nobody says boo, yet abuse me.
    Just goes to show how many play the man, and not the ball…..again, it’s expected now, though it’s also petty.

  129. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Scott…..the fact that I side with you should be enough. I know that you and I……I and you….say the same thing over and over again. I do it with ‘charm’…..must be the Italian blood in me mate. Sweeping women off their feet comes naturally to us…….so we always use charm. 😛 Maybe down there they don’t teach you charm? Ahhh well….mud hut dwellers with no electricity lol 😛

    I do not agree with what Pat said and the way it was said as well.

    And in no word or sentence have you suggested that Rico did the wrong thing. I read all your posts, sentences, words and letters and punctuations and I understand you immediately. But not everyone manages to put themselves in your shoes and think the way you do.

    and calm down dinkum ……take a deep breath, laugh it off and be happy that you are who you are.

  130. ScottfromOz says:

    I’m calm mate, serenity now 🙂
    Yes, I’m as subtle as an sledgehammer-I can’t help it lol.

  131. ScottfromOz says:

    All good Kelsey, and NO, not bloody yet!
    Why are signings so damn hard to come by for one club, and one club, only???
    Not many more painful moments for us fans than reading rumours, then hearing we missed out etc etc
    It just shouldn’t be this hard.

  132. rico says:

    Morning Kelsey,Scott, Devil and all.

    I strongly suspect Ricky sent his article to both websites, in hope that one of us would post it. No probs as HH’s went up first.. 🙂

  133. Lee says:

    “I strongly suspect Ricky sent his article to both websites, in hope that one of us would post it. No probs as HH’s went up first.. ”

    This is what happened imho.

    Thank fuck Benteke signed for Palace, I wouldn’t touch him with Scott’s barge poll….

  134. Lee says:

    Lacazette and Musthafabeer will be the signings………….feeling positive today!

    Happy Japanese Aviation Day to everyone too!

  135. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Just saw that Danny Welbeck will be back end of December. Just like a fekking new signing. Could not have invented something better myself.

    Had to check whether today is 1st April or 19th August.

  136. Lee says:

    This why we are fucked, Klopp sells Benteke, Ibe and Allen recouping nearly £50m, Wenger won’t sell his underperforming babies…….

    Tough decisions need to be made about Walcott, Chamberlain,Gibbs, Wilshere and a few more, freeing up more cash to re-invest in the squad!

    Unfortunately this won’t happen under Wenger’s reign.

  137. Hell Raising Devil says:

    So Danny will be back end of December……he will play a match behind closed doors. Then he will be introduced ‘gradually’ during the games throughout January…..5 minutes here, 5 minutes there. Then he will begin playing a full game in the first week of February……and will break down at around the 50th minute……and he will go back to the treatment room till the end of the season

  138. ScottfromOz says:

    Rico,
    I never meant to suggest you’d done this knowingly, so hope you didn’t think that.
    Lee, fair enough and I know there’s better around, but will we get one of them 🙂

  139. Lee says:

    Devil, Danny is a grafter (I do like him) but he’s not exactly the prolific striker we currently require is he?

  140. ScottfromOz says:

    Is keep Gibbs because he’s more than adequate back up for Nacho, but the rest-GOOOOONE, though I am hoping Ox comes good.

  141. Lee says:

    The options are dwindling Scott, this is what winds me up about Wenger.

    Why sit on your hands for so long? Can’t be the extra interest as rates are so low maybe saving on the players wages?

    Fuck knows but it’s really baffling….

  142. Adam says:

    Morning Rico and all. Very poor authoring to have the HH post also showing up on another site.
    There’s a rather unpleasant undertone running through so much of the Arsenal blogosphere at the moment. More divides us than unites us it seems.

  143. Wath says:

    See, touchy as well another similar trait………….. lol 😉

    There’s a rather large Zulu Warrior…. next request…?

  144. Hell Raising Devil says:

    I know Lee…..and I like him as well.

    But my comment was regarding him coming 4 months before schedule. 4 MONTHS. I had the same injury as Danny…..and believe me it took me over 9 months after the op….and I am fitness conscious.

    and to cap it all……AW said end of December…..just before the January TW.

    Like a new signing he will say.

  145. bradster says:

    Morning all,

    On a striker, I’d like to see Swansea’s Lorente play this weekend. He looked really good for someone new to the league. Another Wenger can say he almost signed.

    I was always saying we could get Benteke for cheap but I guess that boat has sailed.

  146. Adam says:

    Hi Rico. It was but HH, as you say, published first and ‘first rights’ should be ensured by anyone who contributes a post. The internet is much more informal abviously.

  147. potter says:

    Dead bear in Camden Lee ?
    There used to be a statue of a bear on the top of a pub in Camden Town.

    just saying

  148. Lee says:

    Potter you’ll be my phone a friend, if I’m on any quiz shows!

    Brudder, spookily enough I asked about getting a date in the diary for HHCC Christmas lunch only yesterday…. great minds and all that!

  149. potter says:

    I think the pub was “the old mother red cap ” but I was at Primary school then and that’s a long time ago.

  150. ScottfromOz says:

    It’s ridiculous that we get to the stage where we’d be happy with any striker signing-we are almost there.
    Let’s hope Lacazette is still a possibility, but even if Wenger gets Draxler with the intention of making him a striker, so be it, and least he’s trying.
    The kid really can play as well, which helps.
    Lee, as Wath said, agreeing with me isn’t good, mate 🙂

  151. Adam says:

    I am going up in a few weeks. I will make a reservation and try it for sure. I will restrict Mrs A to a single bottle of sparkle. 🙂

  152. Lee says:

    It’ll be lively drive back if Mrs A has her standard issue “brace of sparkle” a single bottle is definitely the way forward my friend!

    Just think boat show….

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