Watching our team get a bit of a pasting at the hands of the mighty Bayern Munich the other night was quite an enraging experience for me, but upon reflection in the morning I wondered why this was, as Bayern are a far superior team and pre-match I’d already decided the score line would read something like 1-3. It’s not like we all haven’t grown accustomed to the disappointments served up to us as fans on a weekly basis.
The fact of the matter is we are not even close to being the same level as this Bayern team, they are amongst the super elite clubs in Europe, clubs like Barca, Madrid and sad to say Utd. I think I got so annoyed because for me Bayern are everything that we as a club, should have been in these 8 barren years and should aspire to be in the coming years.
Like us, in 2005 Bayern made the ambitious move to a new state of the art stadium, compared to our move in 2006. Again like Arsenal they made this move to enable themselves to continue to compete both on the pitch and financially with the superpowers of European football.
Unfortunately this is about the only similarity in both clubs recent histories, since the move Bayern have continued to be a power house domestically, winning 3 bundesliga titles, 4 DFB Pokals (cup) and 1 DFB Ligapokal (league cup),and in this period have twice being unlucky runners up in the Champions league.
This is in stark contrast to Arsenals much reported,‘8 years with no trophy’.
So since Bayern have moved they have remained competitive and successful, how have they done this?!
There are a few reasons as far as I can see, firstly and probably the most important in today’s football is by keeping up with the super clubs in terms of finance.
Although they did move to the new stadium for this reason, I feel it worthy of note at this stage that, the capacity of the Allianz Arena is 71000, some 10,500 more than the Emirates, but they make considerably less income from match days. I believe this is called value for money, something we as fans do not get. I am no financial expert but I believe this article by the Swiss Ramble articulates fairly well where Bayern have excelled and we as a club have fallen short.
When that article was written, Bayerns wage budget was 158 million Euros and since then they have added some top talent in Dante, Martinez, Mandzukic and Shaqiri so a reasonable current wage estimate would be Approx. 175 million Euro (£151 million).
Our recent wage budget was estimated at £143 million, in comparing the two squads again we must ask ourselves, are we getting value for money?
There is a simple answer, No.
Bayern develop top top home grown talent, the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm, Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller and HolgerBadstuber and supplement this with massive signings as listed above.
After having a ‘disappointing’ season last year and finishing second to Dortmund, what do they do?
They go and spend £61 million on new players, that is what a top club that wants to win things does and look how it’s working out for them this year!
Also because of their success players do not want to leave and the value of the club continues to rise.
We on the other hand finish third (only because the teams around us happened to be a little bit rubbish), go and sell our two best players from that year (Song being considered that is up for debate) and buy sub-standard players as replacements.
We have been doing this every season for the last 7/8 so is it any wonder we are where we are at the moment?!
Buying top talented players IS the best way to be successful both on and off the pitch. We reportedly have the money to do this so why don’t we?
From a footballing perspective, there were times on Tuesday night that we did worry the opposition, but in reality they were never really that troubled by us. The main difference I see between us and them in this regard is that they defended as a team.
How many occasions early on did we break away dangerously and within seconds of us having a 2 on 2 situation Bayern had 5,6 or 7 players back behind the ball?
Or, how many times did we see our shots charged down by Bayern defenders split seconds after the shot is hit?
This to me reeks of, say it quietly, defensive coaching. They have a ‘defend the goal at all costs’ attitude, they work incredibly hard for their team mates and great teams have these qualities in abundance.
We have the opposite to this, we have players who do not defend as a team and who shy away from the responsibility to put their bodies on the line to defend the goal.
This for me all boils down to the point about defensive coaching, many reports state that there is a very low amount, if any emphasis on defending in training. This for me only does one thing, undermine the importance of defending to the team. Great teams attack well and defend well, we only do one of these and even the attacking part is debatable these days.
This all comes down to tactics, training and match preparation and until this changes we will forever be the Arsenal we see today.
Unfortunately I have to say this last point falls firmly at the manager’s feet, he prepares and trains the team but he is not getting the best out of them.
The manager being good enough has been debated endlessly on here so I won’t continue now, but leave you with my belief that for Arsenal FC to be successful once again we need to start being a lot more like Bayern Munich both in business model, transfer model and on the pitch.
Written by Lewis
Gossip has begun already and as usual, we are heavily involved. Defender/Full back Fernado Amorebieta of Athletico Bilbao is rumoured to be a possible signing for the summer. He has refused to sign a new contract in Spain and hopes for a move to England. His agent suggests that talks are ongoing with Arsenal!
Talksport are suggesting that we are also in talks with Barcelona to sign David Villa and their keeper Victor Valdes. This deal would cost £22 million according to reports. Well Barcelona probably owe us most of that amount!
In other stories, Wenger has his eyes on Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic, Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina, Borussia Dortmund attacker Mario Gotze and midfielders Victor Wanyama of Celtic and Toulouse’s Etienne Capoue.
One thing is for sure, and that’s the board still have faith in our manager and Stan will reinforce that today at a board meeting apparently, so it seems he’s going nowhere, unless he decides otherwise….
Morning all,
That’s the closest we’ll get to FFP Lewis:
Fab First Post 🙂
First of many I hope 🙂
Even a deaf person would be wise enough no to listen to talkshite… there a bollox of a website and radio station.. pure ANTI arsenal over that way… i hope we dont say Villa and instead go for Jovetic
Morning everyone. If we bought Jovetic, Valdes, Capoue and Götze then I would start believing. But all of the above mentioned players would cost us £100M+ so is it happening? No way. But a nice dream never the less..
Nice post, Lewis. good lad.
Bilbao’s two great assets were Martinez and Llorente … They went to Bayern & Juve respectively … Nobody thought about Amorebieta … who will soon be a free agent … Free being the optimum word …
So Fernado Amorebieta – What is the main reason we allegedly want him, because he’s good or because he’s free..?.
Couldn’t agree more about most of our players looking like they are reluctant to get stuck in and shut the opposition down.
In fact, take Wilshere out of the equation, who else truly closes down players at speed?
Regarding your final comment, I truly hope AW stays. I dread to think what would happen without him.. Please , please stop the bitter and twisted Stewart Robson and his ilk from spouting their rubbish.
SYG. They certainly breed ’em cynical in SY. I’ll have to get in touch with WYG and see if it’s the same in Braintree. 🙂
Great post Lewis….well done mate.
Guys, can anyone give me a rough answer here.
How much of the Arsenal budget has gone into the new stadium?
Please, i do not wish to hijack this great thread, but am interested as a mate just asked.
Rico, Ramsey does is best to shut his opponent down…sometimes too quickly for his own good though 🙂
What about Muniain? Fantastic young talent.. Also from Bilbao
As Lewis pointed out, the difference between us and Bayern is we both develop top talent, but we don’t bring in the world class lads to top up.
Arsenal DK @ 9:53
That would be a start
In one Syg, he’s free.
I think we do too Scott but they just don’t get their chance really. We just send them out somewhere else and hope they improve. They should be at the club undergoing robust training and coaching.
Adk, so would I…
I don’t think many do Matty, they are not known to speak the truth…
Sorry DK … I don’t know much about the lad Munain ….
Very nice post Lewis.
Morning young Adam …. Rico, Scott & Mattyboy
Refreshing post , The situation laid out and summed up without bile and invective. As we drove back Tuesday night I was not that upset, I had watched a better team beat us and from a footballing perspective that was it.It reminded me of Benfica at highbury when we firstlearned how far we were behind the best in Europe.
Munain looked great last year but the whole Bilbao thing has gone off the rails a bit hasn’t it? Perhaps he’s a bit lightweight for the PL? Lovely player to watch though.
I have found som stats about him. Not impressive, but his market value is £17,5M and hes only 20, that has to count for somenthing? Does anyone agree that Begovic would be a great signing?
….. Lots of shite floating about the net on how shite we are ….
Myles Palmer is hoping that Man Utd put a £30M bid in for Wilshire … I think Adam will have an exceptiona; “take” on that one …lol
Spot on. This team needs an overhaul. questions must be asked if some players in the current AFC squad really desrve to even be at AFC at all.
to put this into perspective, we need to ask if players like squillachi, ramsey, gervinho, diaby e.t.c can even feature in the Bayern squad. let alone the squads of top premier clubs.
If we truly want to compete with these clubs then we have to get the players who are as good as the ones of these clubs.
Statistics can be used and abused to suit a person or a papers itineray DK ….
…. If the guy looks the business, then that’s what it’s all about … Not how many of his sideways passes are successful or how many throwings he takes ….
I remember Benfica, Potter…. We had our shirts lifted at home and fell for the ‘egg under the hat trick’…. A massive learning curve …..
Morning Syg, I read the DM this morning, they have started with the ‘Jack set to leave to win trophies’.
What buffoons they are.. As is that idiot who plays for Barcelona who has been spouting in the press that they should sign Jack…
Syg, 30 million buys Jacks right leg 🙂
Rico, how funny is that.
It is the same Alves we are suddenly linked with.
Where does it come from?
Morning all.
Great post Lewis. I really hope we don’t get Valdes though. How he has had the gig at Barca for so long astounds me! Don’t want Reina either!
Any one read Stewart “I’m not a bitter man, honest” robson in the Sun today?! I particularly like Bob Wilson’s retort about him only saying all of this because he is bitter!
Anything on the money we have put into the stadium?
I promise NOT to comment on it….
Potter, your turn next for a post?? It’s long overdue 😉
Adk, I reckon there are 3/4 keepers in the PL who would be cracking signings in the summer. One of course would be enough, but I would complain at two. 😉
Rocky, who is this Robson dude again??
Its all made up Scott, but it gives us all a laugh…
Hi rocky, I read the Sir Bob reply too, good on him I say….
Scott – Just some old bitter and twisted (and recently unemployed by Arsenal) wankstain.
Good read Lewis, refreshing to read an Arsenal article without any vitriol.
Wenger out! 😉
Morning Rico. I know! Robson is a massive twat.
morning Rocky lad – do you have a link for Bob Wilson’s take on Robson?
Morning all.
Thanks for the kind comments.
Not the most thought provoking and probably a fairly obvious observation, but when I delved a little deeper into things it dawned on me we could and should have been competitive recently.
Maybe this is what gazidis is on about with his 2 year plan, will the purse strings finally be opened? Will the raw potential within this team finally be supplemented with world class talent?
As ever, Time will tell.
Rico, some Aussie keepers would do a job…
Lewis, top post and look forward to the next one.
Good night all, and remember…..Arsenal is OUR club.
He’s affordable rico 😉
What has happened to the Vermaelen who was in the team of the year in his first season? 🙁
you keep on trying to push Australian’s on us, Scott …
They’d all be in the boozer after training downing Foster’s and trying to wop it up any old Sheila ……
A bit like Merson, Parlour and Adams ….
Morning SYG. Woh’s tricks?
Read it earlier on here: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/437701/20130221/arsenal-news-arsene-wenger-future-robson-wilson.htm
sorry… spastic fingers this morning… that should have said “How’s” tricks?
sound mate ….
Morning Lewis…
I disagree, it is thought provoking, how can they get it so right but we can’t. They don’t charge as much as we do for ST’s and Tickets do they, and they don’t pay the players as much I don’t think….
Yet still we remain so far behind.
Thanks to Rico also for the grammatical corrections 😉
Night Scott, I can’t think of any 😉
Various different site report how much less their tickets are, some say they take as little as half as us on match days, that Swiss ramble article puts it a bit closer together. Regardless though, it is still less and they have 10000 more capacity. They went about things in a better way when they moved, no rash decisions made on sponsorship deals etc. that way they haven’t had to rinse the fans on match day.
My pleasure Lewis, but my grammar is not perfect either…
Where is Adam?
Hi Lee…
Bob Wilson is a gentleman … I think everyone feels the same, and because of how nice he is, I don’t think that you could really get a proper and insightful comment on the Arsenal setup at present … That’s not to say he is wrong about Robson …. I think that is dead right.
Both Robson and Niall Quinn have an agenda ….. One ruined his career by leaving too early and joing is boyhood idols in West Ham before returning and getting sacked ….. The other was just not good enough and got sold on … Both are bitter against the club ….
My favourite ever Arsenal match as a kid … I remember it vividly … we went top that day ..
Why do media outlets still give Robson a platform to spout from, baffles me. Even when he was still at the club who actually took any notice of his tactical analysis?!
Rico :- My forte is one liners, never been an essay writer. However Iwill thinkabout it whenI get this space bar sorted.
Morning Gooners
Morning Rico…
Great post Lewis….
Is that your debut post Lew?
Blimey it was like an episode of Home and Away on here earlier, where was Oz?
Lewis, I’m seriously at a loss mate. Why Robson? He must actively whore himself out to every media outlet possible, promising them exactly what they want…. an ex player who is going to slag us off at any opportunity. Another hugely shitty stick to beat Arsenal with.
😆 potter..
Lewis, its easy, lazy journalism. Fills the papers and they do little work…
Apparently Oscar Pistorius wanted a new bathroom door, but his missus was dead against it !
Cheers for that video SYG, awesome.
That pitch is something else! Reminds me of the pitches I play on every Saturday.
Ah just seen Ms Cava’s first comment….
Well done Lew…
Off to catch up on Home and Away….
Yep debut Kev. Thought it was about time I contributed, currently laid up with the man flu so I had the time.
Lee 🙂
Morning Ak
Talking of ex players, Nigel Winterburn backs Wenger, he says he needs to have a huge clear out and buy a few better quality players…
Sounds like what most of us think really, well, nearly….
Back in a bit, my chickens need feeding and cleaning out 😉
Oi Oi Ak 😆
John Grondona; you cannot stop Stewart ‘Bitter’ Robson, as we kinda live in a democracy, i think, but the secret John, is to not take any notice, and that turd for what he is….
A failed Coach.
A failed TV presenter.
A disruptive influence in the West Ham dressing room.
Basically a piece of shit…
Keep those thought’s Johnny G and you’ll be fine…
It works for me…
The biggest problem is that someone has to tell AW to concentrate solely on the team! Not poking his nose into all and sundry….
When/if that happens…..
Ricolicious 😆
Rico, i just love Nigel Winterburn, a true professional and a true Arsenal man….
Now i’d love him on our coaching staff….
He wears some terrible suits and shirt/tie combos on TV though Kev……
Not as bad as the highly suntanned ex-Hull manager Phil Brown, Rocky ….. can you remember that pink jumper which he had draped and knotted over his shoulders on that Sunday morning football round up …. Very gay ….
We all thought Steve Bould was the answer to our defence, Kev … a true Arsenal man …. MoM in the ECW final v’s Parma and the year after semi’s at home v’s Sampdoria, scoring a brace …. to mention just a couple ….
…. If a manager won’t let the coach, coach …. there’s always going to be a problem …
rico you first acknowledge that watching Bayern last night they clearly have better players then you want to blame the coach for not doing a good job preparing our scrubs to beat these same better players….. Is there a contradiction somewhere there?
If Arsenal sold Wilshire to Man Utd or anyone else then they may as well close the place or turn it into the Syrup Shopping Mall.
Why does anybody take any note of what Palmer says? He is the human equivalent of the all pervading smell that hits you when you walk into the Antelope House at the zoo on a hot day. He has written a ghastly book about Wenger apparently. I say “written” but that is not really the right word. He is so desperate to be considered ” in the know” that he hates it that everybody has discovered he is a complete and utter tosser. He cast himself as the intellectual face of football while unfortunately forgetting that the role demanded considerably more intelligence than he was able to muster. So, like so many morons of the past, he decides he will kill the thing he loves as that love is so obviously unrequited. These days, between psychotic bouts of name dropping, he consults (in his head) with Obama, Putin and Merkel, fixing the world economy while working out how to irritate Arsenal supporters. He has as much relevance to the world as a silent fart in the Namibian desert at 3.30 am.
https://twitter.com/natm_mag/status/304550685230395392
SYG, just been enjoying that match at Anfield in 1973….
It was my first visit to Anfield and remains one of my all time favourite games…
Big Johnny Radford. a Pontefract lad, scored my favourite Arsenal goal that day, on a mud heap of a pitch…
Great resilience in defence and Arsenal could have had 3 or 4 that day….
Should have won the league that season….
Should have won the Double that season….
Hi Rock, yeah, but then i’ve also seen Adam dressed up as well… 😉
Was he wearing a Zoot Suit the last time we met? 😀
Blimey SYG you’re right about Phil Brown….
Does he like sheep by any chance. 😉
Browns just a massive cleft. Hoddle has been wearing some howlers of late on TV too…. That brown affair he had on a few months back was a real shocker!
I remember reading the sports pages in the Daily Mirror that morning Kev … I was 8 years old … We were sweating on McNab being fit… Great days …. and you are right … we threw away both competitions … 0-1 away v’s bottom-placed WBA a week or so after… I nearly died when I saw the result …
Do you remember Richard Keyes multicoloured jackets?
I see that Denise van Outen’s new film.. “Run for your wife” has cleaned up at the box office!!
The burgundy thing he used to wear Potter….. that was bad. But I think the jackets were the least of his worries…. Those gorilla hands weren’t exactly doing him sny favours!
About £620 lee?! She’d get more that that by offering up her other unique talent……
Hoddle lost the plot some years ago Rocky ……
SYG. Last time I was in Sheffield all the “real” men had fake tans and pink jumpers worn a la mode, over their shoulders.
My abiding memories of Phil Brown was when he made up a pack of lies about Fabregas dressing in an aggressive style (presumably by not sporting a pink jumper) and was so stupid he couldn’t remember the story by the time the first interview came. Then him singing Delilah to the crowd and then and most delicious of all, his face, when he got the bullet from that other cretin whose name escapes me.
She was quite good in “Love, Honour and Obey”…..
mid 90’s SYG. ALthough his hair still suggests 1971…..
Heil everyone !
Shooting is too good for them. Anyone who dares to criticise our immaculate leader should be publicly flogged then hanged drawn and quartered !
Anyone who dares to mention the possible reasons for our defeats obviously has some hidden agenda, so in future anyone who pretends to be an Arsenal supporter must submit to thorough public examination of their past and must prove that all their friends and relatives are also ‘approved ‘ Arsenal supporters.
Lee. They must have drunk the place “dry” in the rush to see that one.
That is SO funny Adam …… I’m surprised you could type for laughing ….
Adam…. That goatee smeared across his smug chops just fills me with hatred towards him!
Lee @ 11:28
Lee. Your 10.54 🙂
Lee Bayern develop their players and play them. We develop them and sell them on…i.e Bartley and Lansbury spring to mind…
Bartley will win a cup and so will Lansbury when Forest come up
The pokey £2m we got for both them put into perspective…
Djourou vs Bartley (ah well keep djourou then loan him out)
Lansbury vs Diaby (Diaby is class but made of glass)
Steve – Not entirely sure where you’re coming from with those comments….
SYG. Gulp! What is that movie?
George – you missed the word “eventually” inbetween in your first paragraph. Wenger “Eventually” sells them on…. After dicking about sending them here and there on loan for years on end, keeping hold of the player for far too long!
Adam – Dogshit. That’s what it is.
“Love Honour and Obey” starring Ray Winstone, Johnny Lee Miller, Jude Law, Rhys Ifans and my favourite … Sean Pertwee …. A cracking, if not funny gangster film ….
… If you watch it … Watch out for “Fat Alan” the enforcer ….
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0199727/?ref_=sr_1
Rocky , your right eventually key word..
Was just wondering if I looked like a doorman , could I play in goal for Arsenal..
Better than Doorman Mannone or that other window cleaner Fabianski
Where have I said that Crispen??
Agree George…
I was thinking that Rico!!
George – I never actually realised that Chezzer looks like a doorman. More a doorman at a posh hotel that bruiser Mannone that looks like a doorman at a shabby nightclub!
And agree with you too rocky, and by the time we sell them on, the palyers have had their natural footballing brain coached out of them…
Just Hoyte springs to mind….
Scezny looks like half the Eastern Europeans who come in the gym … They are all very similar …. Polish and Lithuanian mainly …… And not one of the Lithuanians has ever heard of Tomas Danilvecius ….
I have never seen that film SYG, but if Ray Winstone is in it I bet he says “You slaaaaag” a few times.
Great minds rocky….
Adam – and a smattering of “you caaaaaaaaant!”
Rocky. Yes I believe that he perfected that phraseology while appearing as Henry VIII. Who could forget the famous line he delivered to Thomas Moore as he was about to send him to the Tower for not supporting his right of divorce. “Thomas” he growled “Get your arse over ‘ere, you slaaaaag”. It was, apparently, well researched and Henry VIII used to speak exactly like that.
Wonder how Fran Merida is getting on…
Another cheese on toast that shouldve been a Panini Deluxe..
SYG Danilevicius was probably another window clear back in Lithuania, being lanky n all no need for a ladder and no good at nothing else lol
Mike Reid was in the running for the Henry VIII part….the rest is history!
I had a gander at the Douglas Bader piece on wikipedia the other day Adam …. It states he was absolutely nothing like the actor Kenneth More’s portrayal of him …. Where as Kenneth More was all ‘jolly hockey sticks, arf arfing and tiffins’ …. Bader was a foul mouthed cnut ………
…. It never said anything about him sacking you either ….
Adam – I believe we have had this conversation, on here, many moons ago!!
I’m surprised you remembered him George ….. he hit a goal v’s Barcelona in a friendly and got secretly put on a train to Dunfermline never to be seen or heard of again …..
There was another – Andrejs Rubins – Twice as fast as Theo Walcott apparently … fast at what, I have know idea ….
SYG. If you come to London during the week and can give us a bit of notice then the HH Curry Club will convene in your honour and we can all meet up and have a meal and no doubt a lot of laughs. I will then tell you the whole sordid story of Bader and I. It is quite true.
Adam – It starts at about 4pm……
http://highbury-house.com/2012/06/26/nik-squillaci-seek-pastures-new-and-ramsey-to-fulham/
I fink so too Rocky my son.
George, I think Merida has not long switched clubs again. Barazite was another and to this day, I still wonder why Seb Larrson was allowed to leave….
And what about David Bentley…..
SYG – I bet Adam now feels cheated that he he has been omitted from the Wiki page. I may go in and edited it!
Good idea Adam – SYG, HH Curry Club can be called upon at a moments notice (well, we have to fit around Lee’s holidays that seem to be 2 weeks in every month……)!
Rocky. What a memory you have.
Rico, Bentley hasn’t really excelled anywhere he’s been either though…. Plus, apparently, he’s a massive douchebag.
Adam – It’s amazing what a quick google search can bring up!!
How on earth did you remember that rocky??
I’m a clever boy Rico…..!
Afternoon all.
Great memories of Big Raddy. How we could do with him now. Can’t imagine him rolling around protesting whenever he gets challenged a la Giroud! Glad nobody on here is advocating David Dein’s return. After the way his slimy agent son has helped rape the club over the last four years, Dein should remain persona non grata!
Dead funny Rocky lol
You have to remember actors are exactly that – Not real – and Ray Winstone is no different
My cousin is in “Shameless” ……. Her wedding had half the cast of Holby City in it …. False as hell …….Her husband is the character “Psycho Paul” – the nutter drug dealer…. He would have shit his pants if I’d given him a slap ..
Bob John ….. How are you …..?
I’ll try and get down Adam … Nice of you to ask ….
… I used to be down at 1 Great George Street every third Thursday of every month…
Who’s your cousin SYG?
The one who plays Kelly. My uncle Steve’s daughter …. She’s nice .. but not in the real world ….
But compare him to some of the duds we have since signed and paid for rocky.
Ahhh, I’m aware of her work. I don’t think many of the shameless cast are nice in real life!
true Rico.
You sure are rocky 😉
We need that man from Vodafone Bob, he’s a Gooner too…
Does anyone remember his name, he applied for DD’s job but Gazidis won the battle….
Rocky;Bentley is a doorhandle yes ..I saw him a last year giving it the biggy at Cuffley tennis courts with his bentley and a group of 16 year old girls in the cark park…
he is a cnut…wast eof football talent i must admit
Rico: Barazite merida, ah yes…wasters..Seb Larsson =a v good player
SYG: dunfermiline yes thats right …swapped the vodka for scotch
Wonder what the backhander on him was …Pal Lydersen deal …lol
I’ve never watched it Rocky ….. A bunch of pikey scroungers from up north doesn’t appeal to me !!! Bad enough knowing I got a son-in-law whose life runs exactly parallel with that show …
I tend to watch DVD’s as opposed to TV… TV is shite at the moment … Too much cheap and tawdry reality shite ….. Currently re-watching the first two series’ of “Dream On” ….
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098780/?ref_=sr_1
I forgot how funny it was …..
Belated honeymoon Rocky, I’ll have you know! How was Boston, Judith fucking Chalmers? 😉
Thank you Bob John.
Yes David Dein was very helpful from bringing Wenger in and been instrumental in buying very classy world class players.
But
They way his son made sure our best players left for either rivals or at the wrong time was a way to punish Arsenal and punished we were and we felt it.
If David D was not been utterly bitter and needed to show that we couldn’t win without hi guidance , yes he was right . We haven’t won since he left but Dein could have controlled his son and Fabregas, Nasri, Clichy, RVP just to mention a few were his client that left for Rivals.
So yes I am not really happy with him and all the other board members and money grabbers.
I’m not sure DD could control his son, some people will do anything for money, Dein jnr is obviously one of those kind of people SD…
George, I agree Bentley is a turd, but as a footballer goes, and compared to a few we have had, he’s not so bad….
You from around Cuffley then George? A few of my mates from Cheshunt know him…. Used to be ok apparently but then changed into a massive helmet.
You cheeky bastard Lee!! I have one, 5 day, holiday a year!! You’re galavanting alll over the place avery other week! I’m going to startcalling you Alan Whicker!
Lee – Belated honeymoon?! You’ve had about a million holidays since then haven’t you?!
Bentley is the example of having the lot, but not having the brains to put it to use ….
…As was said of him by the commentator when he scored v’s Boro in our 4-1 thumping of them in the FA Cup … He is “no shrinking violet”…
He thought Brand-Bentley was on par with Brand-Beckham …
He was wrong …. His ego was always going to be the problem ….
Multi-Millionaire Beckam lives with the pointy-Spice bird in Paris putting the finishing touches to a great career …………and Bentley he has been constantly loaned out as his parent club Spurs who have him on a stupid 5-year contract don’t want him …. and came on a sub for 2nd division Blackburn at the weekend after being re-re-re-loaned out by a Russian Club who nearly nobody has ever heard of who came 13th in their league …
Sad …
Rocky, yes I live in Cuffley , re Bentley alot of Cheshunt lads say the same thing money went to his head and he became a proper jonathan rosser.
SYG; loooooool Brand Bentley
He went to Rostov in Russia and probably got Roasted lol..
Real waste as was Aliadiere, albeit Jeremie was a gent when he left..
Rico: He was good , but the rumours going are Benik Afobe is the one to keep an eye out for…but I heard he isnt setting Bolton on fire
Hi All.
Well done Lewis. So many questions but few answers. I make no excuses for AW and the team in the pitch and the tactics being implemented but you have to work with what you have. How much Martinez cost BM? You want quality, you have to spend the dough.
When was the last time we spent 30m on a single player? If you want to drive Maserati you must prepare to spend to buy and spend to maintain it.
Just down the road from me then George… Been a Hoddesdon boy all my life!
I used to go out with a girl in Newgate Street Road back in the day, who knew the Adams’ (Their house basically faced oppisite the Adams’ road). Posh Spice wasn’t very Posh in those days!!
Right, off to the gym. Back in a couple of hours
All this guys ,Bently, Bartley, Larson and Lansbury , just to mention a few, all think they are better than they actually are.
Lansbury should have stayed and fight for his shirt but no , they get carried away because they think being English they should be the next Lampard or Rooney.
Larson was a talented player which i believe would have regretted leaving Arsenal. He would have fitted perfectly now, with Fabregas , Nasri , Gilberto all gone. But no he is playing for Sunderland who will not win anything and only have ambition to survive in the premier league.
Like the post Lewis.
Lots of people are going on about how far behind Bayern we are.
first half anyway,
How far behind us then is ……..Bradford and Blackburn
SYG,i love that movie- Love, Honour,and Obey — thanks for reminding me, i need to buy it on dvd. Great cast, but ray winstone is the man. Sexy Beast rules.
SYG,
Getting to the end of my playing day’s we played in sheffield and stayed up for the weekend
St Georges Swollow Hotel
In them day’s the Bass pitch I think was just next to Sheffield Utd Ground.
Is it still there mate.
Off to face the cold with Fido, laters…
George, Benik Afobe had a really nasty injury during pre-season 2011, missed the whole of the 2011-12 season.
Think it’s taking him a long time to recover 100%
I wouldn’t write him off yet, as with Ramsey, the mental scars often take longer than the physical ones…
That’s why i cut Frimpong a lot of slack, as he’s suffered two successive debilitating injuries…
Hiya Nige – Classic movie. I think you can get it on ebay brand new for under three quid…. “Sexy Beast” …. “Don Don” another classic … I love English gangster films …
…I can’t take Guy Ritchie seriously though – fed with a silver spoon all his life, but wants to rough it when it suits … You are, who you are is what my Grandma always said …
hiya Fred – Back in those days (Tony Currie etc) Sheff Utd used to be a 3-sided ground with a pitch / cricket pitch opposite …. All gone now ….
Guys another point u all seem 2 forget is, apart from both building stadias at the same time, the premier league also has money bags who can pump in as much cash as is needed, there exist no such situation in Germany, so bayern has no real competition when it comes to buying players or the clubs around them.
SYG, i remember going to Bramall Lane, about 1978, FACup, Arsenal won 5-0/5-1, MacDonald destroyed a very good Blades team…
Remember looking at the, then, new stand, and seeing the old cricket pavilion a hunded yards behind it, very strange indeed…
Woodward was the boy, could he take a corner kick, it used to come in like a V2
Bill Dearden, he was a great footballer, that was a very talented team…
I saw Mike Summerbee break is leg there in October 1973 … Dearden scored that day but Man City were too strong ….
Alan Woodward was a great player … never played for England, which was a shame
Who was the Scottish inside-forward who played in that side, maybe i’m mixing him up, but i’m sure he played for the Blades?
Eddie Coloqhoun played for them and he was Scottish …..
Your starter for 10….
Afternoon Goonerdom worshippers,
Rico take a look at a few sample templates that might inspire the New HH look. Everything is adaptable; colours (red&white), photos (Arsenal related), header logo (Highbury House), etcetera. Your website designer can customize it to your requirements.
It’s all just impressions on look, feel and navigation. What I’m aiming for is an amazing visual environment pleasantly catering to our daily posts/comments. Easy manageable editing, quickly shareable across the prominent social media platforms and incredibly inviting to stick around and return regularly.
From functional to the fantastical, highly responsive design. Dynamically enticing to emerge in daily Gooner chat.
You can click on anything within the samples, it will demonstrate functionality and response.
http://livedemo00.template-help.com/wordpress_41580/
http://livedemo00.template-help.com/drupal_41245/
http://livedemo00.template-help.com/wt_39454/index.html
http://livedemo00.template-help.com/wt_37772/index.html
http://livedemo00.template-help.com/wordpress_37119/ (ignore the sports depicted just check the layout/setup design)
The biggest problem for Arsenal is the way the team defends. There is much space given to the adversary, plenty of space and time to think about the opponent and run and plenty of space between defense and attack the middle. Then the power is on offense. What matters always have more possession if there is competence in the last third of the land?
In my opinion, this defect can not be solved by buying big names but first a tactical question. Then you buy, if necessary, players who best fit.
Sagna does not play Saturday
Just some more preview samples for look and feel. Everything is module, building blocks can be customized per section.
http://livedemo00.template-help.com/wordpress_37119/
http://osc4.template-help.com/wt_30421/index.html
http://osc4.template-help.com/drupal_30257/
Brrrrrr – it’s cold out and truing to snow. Again!!
Afternoon all,
A fine debut post Lewis.
A good topic especially as both clubs are referred to as the blueprint for how clubs are managed. However, imho, I think that is where the comaprison ends. FC Bayern have always been bigger than AFC. How was their move financed and how was ours? They have continuously paid over £25M for players (Ribery and Martinez) whilst our bigest transfer is probably SC19 in instalments.lol
They have not had an oiler and Oligarch skew the league either…
And the cost of living in Bavaria (or the whole of Germany) comapred to London is much lower even though the standard/quality of living is better…
SYG you can’t mention Tomas Danilvecius with mentioning Stepanovs and Luhzny… lol
Hi Dg, many many thanks re the links. Just waiting for the guy who said he will help to call me…
He said late Feb/early March
Afternoon Ginge ….
Just goes to show that anyone can look good if you play ’em the right video and pass ’em the right statistics
Bundesliga wage efficiency
Recently, I compared and contrasted the wage bill spending of Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund from 2004/05 to 2010/11, highlighting the superb efficiency of the BVB and the relative wastefulness of Bayern. In the online sports section of Germany’s weekly newspaper Die Zeit, I have now come across a similar calculation for all clubs during the Bundesliga season 2011/12.
Based on wage bill estimates (for first-team players only) from the reliable sports news agency sid, Die Zeit have calculated the wage cost of Bundesliga points won for each club. In the chart below, I have added an index (average=100) and the final league table position in brackets after the club name.
As expected, Bayern have not only spent the most money in absolute terms but also in relative terms calculated per point won. Finishing 2nd in the final league table despite such a considerable spending advantage must therefore count as a major disappointment—especially given that champions Dortmund have achieved their success with a spending ratio (68%) significantly below the Bundesliga average.
Volkswagen-funded VfL Wolfsburg have endured another poor season, coming 8th (after flirting with relegation for a while) and wasting a lot of money on wages. Similarly, Hamburg might have just avoided relegation but, given their much larger budget, should never have fallen so low. In general, traditionally big clubs such as the HSV, Bremen (who are usually more efficient), Stuttgart, Schalke and relegated Köln have all suffered from inefficiency compared to their Bundesliga rivals.
In contrast, SC Freiburg have pulled off an astonishing comeback to stay in the Bundesliga with an outstanding wage efficiency—just 45% of the average. The same applies to newly-promoted FC Augsburg. Borussia Mönchengladbach, which had barely escaped relegation in a tight play-off last season, improved its wage spending efficiency dramatically this season in order to reach 4th place and thus Champions League qualification.
Mid-table teams such as Nürnberg, Hannover and Mainz all did relatively well (as already last season), while performing better than the Bundesliga average was in the end not enough to save last-placed Lautern from relegation to the Zweite Liga. Hoffenheim, Leverkusen and Hertha all find themselves near the average.
On aggregate, in the long run, the absolute level of wage spending might determine the final league table position of most clubs most of the time. However, as the chart above demonstrates, some well-run clubs are able to punch significantly above their weight by spending their money smartly. And some badly-run clubs get punished for working inefficiently. Gratefully, therefore, not everything is pre-determined.
up until 2011-2012…
Ha ha ha…one of your fridge freezer comparisons?
6ft3
71 cap international – country’s top goalscorer
played in Serie A
Whilst in Belguim his club won everything domestically …..
After that, I’m stumped
Ts – and where is that post you promised me??? 😉
Jeez you never forget do you…lol
I am still working on a post befitting HH.lol
Is it Gilet SYG
🙂 I don’t Ts …..
Rico when your contact is ready I will support you as an advisor. In the mean time keep your eyes peeled for any website/blog setup that appeals to your wishes. Bookmark anything that you find inspiring. Search some sport magazine blogs. I will prepare a list of requirements on functionality, response and navigation.
Dg, would it be ok to email in the next few days about ‘stuff’ please ??
Afternoon everybody. Cold out there. Must be freezing in the country.
😀 you need to get in your ride and drive to Oxford road, Reading and get yourself something to reprogramme your memory… 😉
Make sure you go in wellies and your best farm gear because…;)
On a serious note, I am due a post. I have been busy a lil bit and thanks to you and are still not able to catch up with my work load. I have to sort a few things out before the financial year (March) then I will offer my best ever ‘AW out’ post.
Hi DG and Adam… is trly freezing
DG. Are you also a computer hardware expert?
TS. Hi. Just drove down your old neck of the woods again. Through Hoxton and out by the Geffrye Museum. So many people about down that way. Where are they all going?
Marketing guru for Dutch hardcore… lol
Luch time rave me think Adam… all the trendy folks with the bank of mom and dad open 24/7 365 days a year…
There are lots of offices and colleges around there now.
TS. No, that’s the Goonster. I reckon he’s a Dutch porn star working in the American business. 🙂
Of course Rico. Here for you architecting and building it brick by brick.
‘lunch’ even…
got to drive home. catch up later
Try me Adam. What’s your quest?
TS. That’s true. I remember when Hoxton amd Shreditch were very, very different. I had a mate who lived down in Pitfield Street and I used to walk down fom Highbury to see him. I drive (sort of) that way to the Emirates still. Round Hackney Wick (lovely place) and London Fields. You probably know that route.
It is Adam, it bloomin well is……
Afternoon all.
Good points TS, Its never as black and white as we first see it! I do feel we could follow their mantra a little though, our wage budgets are similar and by all accounts we could have a punt on some bigger names.
Thank you Dg, that’s really kind of you.
Hiya Ginge catch ya later. Drive safe.
Adam how may I help you? Hardware problems or …….
Scot from Oz The stadium project is much misunderstood.
You asked for the stadium finances to be explained, this is the best and easiest to understand article on the web. (Rico hope you will allow this it is a great read for all Arsenal fans):
http://www.theshortfuse.com/2012/9/27/3418558/arsenals-2012-finances-in-review-and-opinion
The eight years without a trophy mantra is stupid. It assumes we should build a stadium, redevelop Highbury and outspend the Russian, then the Arab and Megabrand United. The article comparing us to Bayern missed the point. Anyway, German football is self sufficient, it cannot be compared to the ridiculous rules we have here that allow a Russian and Arab owner to run up massive debts by poaching the best players and paying them obscene amounts of money.
RVP was given wages of around £1 million per month, yes £1 million a month – that is mental and obscene. Remember, Man Utd can pay that as they get a huge contribution through image rights, merchadinsing and sponsorship opportunities.
So when you moan about entrance fees for matches, remember where the bulk of our hard earned goes. Remember who it is pulling on that famous shirt. Remember who it is holding the club to ransom for more money, even though still under a contract they were once happy to sign. Remember who it is not performing on the pitch. Remember whos pockets the increased TV money is going into. At the end of the day, when the team wins the players get all the praise and the vultures start circling but when we lose it is the manager that gets the blame.
A very good player demands at least £100,000 per week, that is £5 million a year. That is why you have to stop the debt and make clubs self sufficient. Wages will have to drop, TV money will go to the clubs and we will be more competitive and hopefully ticket prices will fall and clubs will stop going bust.
😆 Dg, I do hope you are talking computers …..
DG. My iMac seems to be running much slower than normal. The BB speed seems fine but it is painful when surfing though ok when not using BB.
No probs at all Kj….
Rico. Behave. 🙂
Kj, it’s not about the ‘8 years without a trophy’ for me, it’s about the decline of our club over that time frame.
I can cope with losing, I can cope with winning no silverware, but it’s the way we lose, the way we give up so easy and the way that the club do very little to change that.
That’s what infuriates me.
We haven’t been able to keep up with the rich kids, but we could sure as heck been a club which looked like it was doing it’s damnedest to try to…..
I don’t know what you mean Adam…. 😳
Just seen this open letter to Stan from Henry Winter…http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/9884271/Arsenal-majority-shareholder-Stan-Kroenke-must-get-tough-with-manager-Arsene-Wenger-following-latest-loss.html
You know exactly what I mean Rico. 🙂
Exactly.
KJ 8 yrs without a trophy is stupid? WTF, if Van Persie’s sale was for footballing reasons, Wenger’s retention is for non-footballing reasons. Makes perfect sense.
Adam
Try clearing your temporary file storage.
If you are finding your browser slow try clearing the cache and deleting your history. In Safari you do this by going to the main menu and clicking Reset Safari, tick Clear History and Empty the Cache then Reset. In Firefox go to Preferences, Privacy and click the Clear Now button. For more tips on speeding up safari see: Safari Slow? – How To Speed it Up
Morning all.
Thank you Kevin.
DG. I do keep the history clear in Safari but I will look to empty the cache and will check Safari slow. Thanks for the tips.
Adam
There are several remedies, here’s a list of 17 possible non-expert solutions. Easy to perform and quick fixes in a flash.
My tip check: RAM memory and Clean log files/cache registry
http://www.chriswrites.com/2009/04/17-reasons-why-your-mac-is-so-unbelievably-slow/
Why would Henry Winter do that??
Hi Scott…
Off to eat now. Back shortly…
tott for the moment, out from europe :-)…
Lyon: when a tott has a ball 2 close him
DG. Thank you again. I shall try that later. 🙂
You’re welcome, no sweat involved. Hope it helps. Let me know if it fixes the clogging.
Sorry if someone has already mentioned this but the biggest difference between the two clubs is as far as i can remember is that the Bayern and Munich 1896? stadium was built for the world cup that was held in Germany so I don’t thick they had to pay for it.
So Bayern did not have the problem of having to folk out any monies on the stadium ok maybe rent.
http://www.chriswrites.com/2012/02/safari-running-slow-how-to-speed-it-up/
Adam you recently had hosting issues, so it might not be your Safari browser cluttering.
If page loading times seem to be consistently very slow even after following these guidelines, it’s also worth checking your Internet connection speed on a website such as speedtest.net, to rule out possible network issues that might be making Safari appear slow.
Bloomin henry, Eboue made it onto QoS this week in the football action 🙂
They still had to pay for the stadium though Gjoe…
Totts scored at 89.40 … 🙁
Lucky Totts….
But, could be good for us….
JM, could be enough to distract them from the PL though, AVB will want the Europa Cup I suspect….
Thats me done…
Night all, stay safe….
‘Til tomorrow…..
yes, but we want the Champions League too 😉
Hi Rico done some checking the stadium was funded by both clubs. It cost about £190 million almost half what Arsenal paid and a large percentage was paid by Allianz. Bayern purchased Munich1860’s 50% for €11 million in 2006 to become full owners of the stadium I get the impression that the actual cost of the stadium to Bayern was about €22 million. This means that Bayern got there stadium for a hell of a lot less than Arsenal.
Hi Rico. I know it’s frustrating, I feel the same way honest. I choose to blame the rich sugar daddy’s. Anyone can offer money they do not have to the best players. It really winds me up the way the Russian and Arabs can force up wages, which we all ultimately pay, yet clubs trying to operate properly get all the criticism. I prefer to support a club that does things the right way, as we have always done. I am proud to support the best Football Club in the World.
I support what we have done to try to compete. The future starts in 2014 thats when we have the money and I predict that we will look back at these eight years and think it was a sacrifice worth making.
I really do believe that.
Look at Liverpool and Spurs, so called big clubs, not a single Premier League title between them, mid table finishes and Spurs last finished top of the pile 52 years. And yet the press give us a hard time! It’s hilarious just our jealous of this great club people are. We even have bitter ex players, like that idiot Robson abusing us. Yet Liverpool ex players all are fervent Liverpool fans, same with Spurs, you rarely hear them having a go at their own clubs.
I do agree that we have made some strange signings and wasted money on some serious dross. but for me, the biggest mistake the club made was getting rid of David Dein.
Great that we all have our opinions buy as I said before, we need to stick together and not let the agitators set us against each other.
Goodnight.
Well said Kevin.
Gjoe, that explains a lot…
Too many strange signings Kj, but we can’t change that now I guess.
And far too many ‘I will be busy this window’ comments and ‘I am not afraid to spend big on a special player’ etc etc etc…
If things really are as simple as 2014 being our real time to compete then why not tell the fans that instead of feeding us spin and b****x all the time.
Everton have little money, fans know they have little money, Moyes knows they have little money and he tells the media the truth.
Why can’t we do the same?
How rude of me, morning all….
New Post up….