New signings anytime now… Lust for Glory

Well Tevez is off to Juve so that obviously means………..

Yes it means nothing….!

The rumours are all still the same that they were a week ago but at least it seems the managerial merry go round has finished so does that mean the player merry go round is about to start? We will soon find out won’t we. It seems players are starting to return off their holidays pre-season is around the corner transfers are going to start to happen. Well we hope so. Onto todays post, Thanks Adam.

 

In the great movie Patton, Lust For Glory, George C. Scott, wearing the role of the American General he was born to play, reminds us of an ancient Roman saying.
“A slave stood behind the conqueror holding a golden crown and whispering in his ear a warning: that all glory is fleeting”

A little light research informs me that this seems most likely to have been a modern corruption of “Sic transit gloria mundi”or “Thus passes the glory of the world”.

It makes for memorable cinema and reminds  Patton that his personal quest for glory with honour on the battlefields of Europe in the Second World War is of the moment. But, as the wheels of time turn, the victory will become history and the obvious suggestion that lurks beneath is that there will always be a new battle around the corner. It will hopefully be less bloody but it will still need to be fought and the outcome could be just as significant.

It was of course true and the post war shape of Europe was decided for the next century as the politicians took over from the warriors and the oppression of millions and millions of people continued.

The football season has ended and a new one is round the corner. We are stuck in that limbo area between hope and expectation that is so familiar to most Arsenal supporters. But the propaganda that has been coming out of the club suggests that things will really change over the next few weeks. I can hear the cynics already raising their hand at the back of the class to suggest that we have heard it all before. This is true. The PR coming from Arsenal over the past few years has been an object lesson in how not to communicate with the fans. That we have been lied to with the usual platitudes of “Super players and super quality” is not in doubt and that Arsene himself has been culpable is certainly true. To me it feels as if a part of the club, presumably powered by the Kroenke dynasty and fronted by Gazidis has engaged in a period of deception.

This cannot be disputed surely. The equation was simple yet fiendishly complicated in its detail. In moving to the Emirates, Arsenal had metaphorically leapt from the financial precipice with but a solitary hope of landing without grievous injury. This was in the shape of the man whom, it seems, had strongly encouraged the move in the first place. Arsene must have had the detail laid out before him in stark detail. The move will seriously hamper our ability to compete financially for a significant period of time. Can we ensure that, through astute management and radical housekeeping, we do not fall so far behind the competition that, when we do have the liquidity, we are not languishing in the lower half of the PL, or even worse?

Of course the crucial element in this challenging balance of probability was and is Arsene Wenger and I believe that what he did for Arsenal Football Club was absolutely magnificent and that he was one of a group of perhaps two people who could have accomplished the feat-and the other one was not Mourinho. History will show that, in failing to surpass Arsenal,  during this vulnerable stage of their development and without anything like the constraints, Spurs have shown just what a truly visionless, shithouse club they are.

To keep Arsenal in a money-earning Champions League position while selling the best players was, in terms of the Emirates move at least, great enough – but let us not forget that, when all this was first mooted, there was no Financial doping in the form of the Russian or the Sheikh. The arrival of these people, as we are seeing throughout Europe now, is good only for the supporters of the clubs they have bought. For all other fans it is disastrous and has encouraged an atmosphere at the top level of European football that I believe, is positively poisonous. There are just too many dodgy deals being done as there always are where huge amounts of money lurks. I also believe that football is rife with corruption and that it exists here too.

But that is for another day when the subtleties of that corruption and just how far various vested interests can be subtly manipulated toward influencing results might become clear. For the time being the players are earning amounts of money that are really quite sickening when so many people are struggling to put food on the table.  But the powers that be and the journalists who really should be casting a suspicious eye over the game are all locked in a cosy relationship akin to the three monkeys. It is simply not in anyone’s interests to have a close look at things like agents, the allocation of specific referees for crucial games, fixture lists and even drug testing procedures as they are all “in it together”, lubricated by absurd wealth.

So, Arsenal have done brilliantly in many respects, but sadly took the view that their supporters should be fed disinformation while simultaneously being shafted for season tickets. The board must have felt that, if they levelled with the fans by saying that the move to The Emirates would severely impact the club’s ability to actually win anything then the fans would simply not accept that. So, they relied on Arsene and he has laid the golden egg for them. Whether they were right or wrong is essentially unimportant now.

What is crucial is what happens next. Yes, the cost of players is ludicrous and as far as I can see, the majority of them are just mercenaries who will mutter anything to get more money for themselves. Let us please not kid ourselves that most of them feel anything for the club. Some do, but money has a very loud voice as Van Persie showed. He was Arsenal through and through while it suited him but now he is Manchester United through and through. In a modern world where the concept of personal integrity and honour are virtually alien concepts it is hardly surprising.

We don’t have that luxury do we?

If and I admit it is a big IF, Wenger actually addresses the squad properly and buys the right players then we could do well next year. If he sets an agenda and an atmosphere of fierce competition and a winning mentality runs through the club then the supporters will get infected by it.

Then perhaps teams like MU, Chelsea and Man City will discover that “All Glory is (indeed) fleeting”.

0 thoughts on “New signings anytime now… Lust for Glory

  1. tsgh says:

    Another classic from Adam…

    Very good post.

    We shall all see if IG is a man to be trusted or not very shortly

  2. Kipmonster says:

    Whilst you drool over Wenger, he is responsible for wasted millions ( the excesses on those contracts total well over 100m) on bloated contracts given to average/mediocre players who failed to deliver. The ‘socialist style’ wage structure has been ridiculous & is why we lost star players & failed to attract star quality replacements.

  3. W.A.T.H says:

    Hi Scott, Ts, Brendan, welcome…

    Ts, can we hold Gazidis accountable for Wenger NOT spending…? What if AW keeps changing targets or changes his mind when a deal seems close, we’re told even by DD they he often needs pushing as he has doubts about players constantly..!

  4. tsgh says:

    Hi WATH, you have a valid point about AW changing his mind.. but on the other hand, IG should put his foot down and go ahead and buy as DD did on several occasions… albeit DD chose Theo over Bale and Jeffers but at least a decision was made.

    If AW is alllowed to deter on players then what is the point of having Dickie Law?

  5. W.A.T.H says:

    Wasn’t me Martin I normally just post a load of old rubbish about transfer gossip. The Post was by Adam….!

  6. W.A.T.H says:

    I agree Ts, at some stage IG needs to make the executive decision and say right Arsene we have the 3 players lined up that you wanted I am now signing them no 2nd thoughts no changing your mind it’s getting done…!

  7. W.A.T.H says:

    A classic part of the above post…..

    “Spurs have shown just what a truly visionless, shithouse club they are”

    Quality Adam just quality mate………….

  8. devilgunner says:

    Amazingly brilliant quality Adam.

    I enjoyed reading it more than once.

    And this comment hit the nail right on the head…… Arsenal have done brilliantly in many respects, but sadly took the view that their supporters should be fed disinformation while simultaneously being shafted for season tickets. The board must have felt that, if they levelled with the fans by saying that the move to The Emirates would severely impact the club’s ability to actually win anything then the fans would simply not accept that. So, they relied on Arsene and he has laid the golden egg for them. Whether they were right or wrong is essentially unimportant now…….

    Good Afternoon Sir and Gentlemen.

  9. W.A.T.H says:

    Afternoon Dev,

    Lets not forget here that the deceit from the club was set in stone quite a while before IG and the syrup came on board….!

  10. tsgh says:

    The dippers are quietly assembling a team… on the other hand if the carnivore moves they will need to replace a 30+ goals striker.

    With Gerrard on his last legs and with Sturridge injured, Coutinho and Iago would have to take over…

    c’mon AW and IG flex your muscles in the transfer market!

  11. Adam says:

    Thanks Wath.
    If the vision of that grubby little man Levy is to be realised and if he can prise enough money out of tax exile Joe Lewis (Spurs have been a sugar-daddy club for many years, but haven’t had the brains to exploit this), then they too will find themselves in a similar position.
    Unfortunately, as I have suggested before, we seem destined to be locked in a billionaire arms race where players barely able to construct a sentence become £1 million richer by the month so that an endless stream of pouting, full breasted bimbos can invest in even more handbags while they totter along on 8-inch heels in Dubai or Puerto Banus. Personally and speaking as a total hypocrite, I crave such women, but that’s another story.
    Projecting this scenario forward it is hard to see where it will end. FFP briefly fluttered her eyelashes and offered a modicum of hope and perhaps it still does. Ex Man United Chairman Gill has been put into a position of influence but it not charged with applying the principles so I sense that, further down the food chain, brown paper bags are being readied.
    It might be a “If you can’t beat ” ’em scenario. It does seem to me that sooner later, something has to give.

  12. tsgh says:

    So Suarez may move to unReal Madrid… where will Cavani move to then since $hitty have pulled out? Unless the chavs surprise us…

    Again I do not want to be negative but Manuel was the manager who trusted Higuain at RM, every minute the deal does not go through plays into the hands of Perez and his bank balance imo…

  13. W.A.T.H says:

    I think you have made very valid points there Adam, FFP is much vaunted but how can you deter or even control the brown paper bag mentality ? How is this policed..? It can’t be can it, the difference is all of a sudden we will have in excess of an extra 80 odd million a year to play with and spend just from two new commercial deals and the new TV deal if we secure secondary commercial deals you may be able to add another 10/15 million to that amount. That puts us right up there with the big boys and no sugar daddy money necessary to make us competitive the question then is will the manager be allowed to spend of will the owner take a dividend..?

  14. Jay says:

    Excellent post Adam,Also what we need to take into consideration is whether this is Wenger last season .Fabio Capello turned down the P.S.G job because he felt that he was only babysitting for a year because he knew that Wenger was going to take over next year.Are the club reluctant to let Wenger spend big if he has only one year at the reins? ,also Wenger seems nervy regarding buying high profile players this term.The merrygoround will start now that players are reporting back for pre season training ,we will find out soon enough.

  15. devilgunner says:

    Aye aye Sir of the house. AW and DD were and I think still are masters of deceit and spin. I wish that the club came clean and told everyone the truth. I feel that we would have been more accepting and less demanding.

  16. tsgh says:

    WATH… Ii am certain Suarez wants out of England… and I doubt the dippers will allow him to join an EPL ‘rival’ (in their dreams of course)

  17. W.A.T.H says:

    Jay, do you think given Wengers character and seemingly having the ego that comes across he’ll want to leave the club with a team that cannot win…? Don’t you think he’ll want to buy big, buy quality and build a team that brings in a trophy or two… Then he can leave saying the team are winners i have left a legacy and now i am off for a new challenge..!?!?

    I agree with you Dev, the Club took the opinion that bullshit would work where as I feel the truth would of been far better, yes a percentage of fans would of been unhappy but they would probably be the jcl’s in which case they could of gone and supported the chavs or citeh..! no loss there..!

  18. devilgunner says:

    I think that had the club been honest the supporters would have been more behind the players and encouraged them more.

    However what has been has been now and we cannot cry over spilt milk. We can only look forward.

    Hiya Ginge. Would you like Suarez at AFC? I do not. Never liked him and will never do so.

  19. Jay says:

    WATH I see where you are coming from but he hasnt shown that desire in recent years I still think that he hes bottled it with buying big.If the P.SG job is cut and dried for him next year Dont you think he might just tread water for the season

  20. tsgh says:

    Dev … you are right about DD and AW… listening to both men makes you think they went to the same finishing school as Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair and Bill Clinton…

    Are most managers not scared of big profile signings though apart from Capello and Ancellotti to name a few?
    It is a misconception that Rednose can handle big profile players… Cantona and RVP were not really big profile like Ibrahimovic and Zidane and the galaticos…

    Even Mauren-ho hardly buys high profile players… Drogba, Essien, Thiago silva were not high profile…

  21. devilgunner says:

    that is not a joke Ginge. Hoddle was a great player. I wish he came to Highbury and not to the spuddies.

  22. tsgh says:

    😀 Dev… Glenda was a great no.10 but still a looney spuddie… even though he talks sense and wears 80’s suits with shoulder pads…

  23. W.A.T.H says:

    You have a point Jay, the thing is I don’t think AW will go to PSG until he has made another winning team at Arsenal, yes he has made mistakes last few years and there has been money to spend but hasn’t been spent as to who that’s down to we can only guess, this is the first time though that the club has really gone out on a limb to say the money is there. I think AW will want to buy and add quality to make us winners before he walks away, his ego won’t want him walking away if we not competitive, just my thoughts mate..!

  24. devilgunner says:

    He would have had the same impact as DB10.

    Pity we had dinosaur coaches and managers before AW took over. Well at least GG started on the right foot, but then got too big for his boots.

  25. Adam says:

    I think we will see a lot more of Arsene unless the fans turn. Arsenal and The Emirates are his babies.
    To quote the eloquent Glenda,”I never said them fings”
    Moron!

  26. devilgunner says:

    I think that if he wins again at AFC and manages to make another winning team he will not manage anyone any more.

    I know that it will be impossible but I would like to see him spend his last few years as a coach with our youth academy and leave the running of the club to another man.

    Or make him a DOF.

  27. devilgunner says:

    Here is the word master himself. Well done mate.

    I really enjoy reading your scribblings and muses. More than once to be honest.

  28. W.A.T.H says:

    Can’t say I’d want him around as DOF Dev, far to much power and a new manager would always have him looking over his shoulder.

    When he goes he must go… clean sweep…!

    New manager new ideas new backroom staff the whole tooty..!

  29. devilgunner says:

    I would like to see someone who is not a player of bygone days. With all respects to Brady (who I liked) he played in a different era and was used to different methods. I would like to see someone from the INVINCIBLES or the great Milan side take over the youth sector. Someone who would revamp the youth sector and make it more technical on level with the spanish system. We are on that track but we need someone to push it a notch or two higher.

  30. tsgh says:

    Glenda use to carass the leather ball like he was massaging a crystal ball with his new age lady friend…

    I know we get frustrated with AW and his buys… I do too, especially when he plays Santos in defence instead of as an attacker… but I would rather he kept the money than went on a shopping spree like a WAG or Old Twitcher himself…

    Man $hitty bought for the sake of buying last summer with the likes of Maicon, Javi Garcia, Sinclair and Rodwell… that is a joke and a half but I guess those purchases filled some carnal joy for some fans so…

  31. devilgunner says:

    I would like to see us produce a Messi or a Xavi. An Essien or Beckham. A Hoddle or Bergkamp. An Owen or Inzaghi. A Piquet or Thiago Silva. A Petit or Vieira. A Henry or Wright.

  32. devilgunner says:

    Aye Aye Ginge.

    Shitty fans used to wank themselves at the same time they were shitting when they read the papers.

  33. devilgunner says:

    I heard that not so fast Speedy Gonzales will get the number 99 shirt at AFC. IMO he should have gone for the number 52 to show what a super striker should do instead of dicking around.

  34. tsgh says:

    You left out Fowler without the lines snorting behaviour… lol

    I am with you on the academy… David Court and Brady were abit too long in the teeth imho..

    The selection of staff for the academy was dire..

  35. Micko says:

    Nice post Adam, ‘we have heard it all before’
    Wath, good to see your still holding the fort !
    Any news on when that Argentinian sub from Real Madrid is coming over for his medical.
    Mario Gomes is available for 12 million…….
    But then there is always good old Darren Bent on a freebie.
    I gotta stop depressing myself.

  36. tsgh says:

    Hi Micko… are you offering Bent on a free?

    He is still under contract I believe… Villa want £10M for him I heard

  37. Jay says:

    Wath 3.14 ,Hope you are right mate,I guess after 8 years of purgatory and lies from the club I am just expecting more of the same .

  38. W.A.T.H says:

    I think no one person is irreplaceable Dev, been proved time and time again, the club would move on the important thing is that he is replaced with a top top quality manager who know’s where he plans to take the club and how he wants to do it with the fantastic foundations that have been laid..!

  39. W.A.T.H says:

    Jay, you and me both mate…. I’m open minded to giving the big talk one last leap of faith and waiting til Sep 2nd…! If it all turns out to be hot air then I shall be very very anti but until then I am hopeful that at long last the corner has been turned and wenger is clever enough to know now is the time he needs to deliver, time for talking the talk is over..!

  40. Micko says:

    Well, you know more than me tsgh, we’re a little bit behind the times over here matey, just humour me.

  41. tsgh says:

    I always do Micko… how are you buddy?

    We have not even replaced the director of academy, at least not publicly but we have already replaced a chairman who is just there to sign documents before it goes to the city or market… with another old head before the smell of PHW’s cigar smoke has cleared from his office.

    It shows the clubs priorities I guess…

  42. STV says:

    Hello all..
    Brilliant post.. so was the jibe against spuds.

    Higuain was’nt Argentinian sub.. you think benzema better than him ?.. They both were subs to each other

  43. Adam says:

    If we had Gomes and Giroud we would surely win the greatest quiff in the PL. Our former Quiff Of The Year was Lord Suker Of Ascot. Perhaps Stan could launch a new range of Super Syrups.

  44. devilgunner says:

    Arsenal just one step away from completing new striker signing.

    The universe is conspiring in favour of Arsenal as news emanating from other worlds is edging them closer to landing their primary transfer target Gonzalo Higuain. Real Madrid unveiled Carlo Ancelotti as their new manager yesterday and the Italian’s first move would be to rubber stamp a deal involving Higuain to either Arsenal or Juventus. However, Juventus have it appears agreed a deal in principle to sign Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez, which leaves the Gunners in pole position to land Real Madrid hitman, Gonzalo Higuain.

    Any volunteers to give the shove for them to make that first step???

    Dont fall over yourselves my friends.

  45. devilgunner says:

    Just a short note Adam.

    In ancient Rome, that phrase was uttered by an Emperor who was no longer what he once was. Since Ancient Rome was practically the whole world of that time one can say that Sic transit gloria mundi can also mean THERE GOES THE GLORY OF ROME……a phrase immortalised in the film Gladiator.

    And as you rightly pointed out………..All glory is fleeting.

  46. tsgh says:

    Dev… i think Manuel Pelligrini will have a word to say about the move… it can be said that he was not happy with AW stealing SC19 and Monreal from him last season… payback is a bitch… as the saying goes 😉

  47. tsgh says:

    £2m for Cygan was extortionate considering PV04 went for peanuts…

    I prefer the seedy Gladiators TV series …

  48. tsgh says:

    A londoner… he will do. Tall pacy and he keep Shitemak on the bench too…

    Talking about the smoking Berber, will he stay or will he go? I bet AW and the board are thinking we will only buy if he leaves. 🙂

  49. W.A.T.H says:

    Off for a bit have a very nice person taking me for drinks…….. I think mine will be a large GG 😉

    Behave you lot…! Especially you Lee….!

    AK will answer you later with last nights questions you sent my way..!

  50. allezkev says:

    Hey Ginge, don’t pick on Mick, he’s got a heart of gold ya know….

    God, I hate those arrogant cnuts that ride bikes….

    Right now, have we signed anyone, other than 16 year olds?

    Adam. That post was as tasty a fried haddock in The Ark. 😉

  51. bennybigschlong says:

    Just read the post after a midday nap, absolutely bloody brilliant and I’m sure I remember dissing one of your posts a while back, must of been in a bad mode that day

  52. tsgh says:

    😀 Ak… if you want to run over cyclist speak to Micko, he claims to be an expert in that field. He can even get you off going to court and all.

  53. W.A.T.H says:

    Djourou gone…………? Another one hits the exit door…! It’s looking at being a very good transfer window so far with regards to moving on the deadwood and the ones who not good enough.

    Now for Bendtner, Chamakh, Santos, Mannone, Gervinho and Park and we’re sorted….!

  54. W.A.T.H says:

    Seems your all off sleeping or watching the soapies so I’m off..!

    2moro is another day closer to us making some signings 😉

  55. allezkev says:

    What happened to the answer to my query then Wath???

    Hurry up back Rico… 🙄

    Where are all the Toads???

    Nighty night Gooners

  56. Lewis says:

    Only just got round to reading the post.

    Excellent effort Adam.

    Morning all. We signing anyone today?!

  57. W.A.T.H says:

    Morning Scott, Have we signed anyone…….? Well funny you should say that…!

    No is the answer but seems there are a few on their way out…!

  58. W.A.T.H says:

    Agreed mate…………..
    It’s all really quiet while we wait for news that isn’t forthcoming lol

  59. Adam says:

    Wath. I understand birthday greetings are in order. Your 21st apparently.
    Happy birthday mate. All my best wishes.

  60. W.A.T.H says:

    Thanx Adam much appreciated, No mate 22 this year 😉 That’s how many GG’s I’ll try and polish off today as well.

  61. NashuaGunners says:

    Good Morning to you All.

    Breaking News…
    Neymar on his way to Arsenal on a season loan from Barc. 😉

  62. W.A.T.H says:

    New Post up…!

    Wouldn’t want him Nash all he does is dive n cheat he worse than monkey boy at the swampies…!

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