Morning all,
What utter rubbish eh!
This kind of headline is how the press sell newspapers, it’s how mischief makers try so hard to destabilise OUR club, how that world out there tries to rip Arsenal to shreds at every opportunity and it stinks doesn’t it?
Just a few days ago I read this about Gareth Bale, written by Martin Keown:
Gareth Bale is an incredible talent. I watched Barcelona play this week and I thought how nicely he would fit into that team.
If he were playing for Arsenal there would be a lot of talk about: ‘Can they keep him?’
But it doesn’t apply in the same way at Spurs, where he’s on a long-term deal.
Well, I wish the twits like Arjen Robben, Dani Alves and anyone else who thinks they have an opinion to share about Jack and his future would take a long run off of a short pier!!
Our future captain loves Arsenal, he is the first guy on the team sheet, he is the player that all Academy players aspire to be and oh, he is tied down to a long-term contract.
He’s going nowhere, not soon, not later, not ever!!!
All he is doing is looking ahead:
We’re on quite a good run in the league. To keep that going, we have to forget about the disappointments we have had in the cup and in midweek and push on in the league now.
We have to keep this run going.
We’ve got a big game next weekend. It’s big for us, big for the fans and as a player, those are the games you want to be involved in. We know what we have to do and we have to step up.
Yes Jack, it’s a huge game and players like you, Gibbs and Jenks will know how big!
Not even Wenger would sell this player, no matter how much was offered…….
Anyway, this is the kind this story the press love to publish. They don’t care who suffers along the way either do they?
But Jack is no fool, he’ll soon be wearing the captains armband and lifting our next trophy….
Whether that is under Wenger or not, who knows. Arsenal are and always be Arsenal, regardless of who happens to be the manager.
One man the current manager loved and still does, is Thierry Henry, but then I don’t know a single Arsenal fan who doesn’t love our old boy.
The news about him, if true, is in my opinion a breath of fresh air. He’s coming home…….
Thierry has made it clear from the day he left us, he’s wants to return and come August this year, his current deal with MLS side Red Balls is up and that’s his playing days over.
That day will signify another special day in his career, as he’s coming home to the club that made him into the player he is today. Yep, that’s us!!
Well, Arsene Wenger really.
He was the man that took a chance on Henry, turned him into a top quality striker and allowed him to become the player we all know and love.
Henry always had what it takes, it just took the right manager, the right time and the right club…
When he joined us, he found all of that, but most importantly, he had freedom and quality players around him and that’s why he is what he is…….
I’m convinced that one day, he will be at the club to do for others, what Wenger once did for him….
Finally, Rohan, who pops on HH every now and again has set up his own blog, it’s called Ashburton-Arsenal.
Good luck, you must be mad!! 😉
That’s it for another day, have a good one…..
Morning all…….
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/lip-reading-did-steve-bould-say-how-many-times-behind-wengers-back-after-villa-scored-at-arsenal/?
Morning all.
Nice post Rico.
Jack should never be sold, I don’t think they could be that stupid. Could they? For me he has been the main positive for this season, always big question marks over players out for so long but he’s been immense. Shame we don’t have a few more like him!
Wonder what bouldy was referring to?
Hi guys.
Rico, Thierry and his mates must be advised asap to (a) keep away from nasty women, and (b) get to a doctor asap.
That Red Balls sounds like a nasty, albeit self inflicted ailment.
Jack….well, i honestly believe selling him would see a total black ban of all things Arsenal, including a totally empty Emirates stadium.
He is going nowhere.
I still want Dennis as manager….he is getting a brilliant education as we speak.
Thanks Lewis.
I don’t think Jack will ever be sold, unless we really go downhill and end up in the bottom half of the table, and then who would blame him for wanting out…
It seems Bould has been trying to tell AW about our sloppiness when defending…. But all has been falling on deaf ears it seems…
Hi Scott, so someone does read the post 😉
Bergkamp and Henry with a defensive coach would do me…
Can the Hammers stop Bale tonight??
Morning all …
Talking of the passion of English players in the Arsenal squad … check out Oxlade-Chamberlains “passion” when Carzorla made it 2-1 ….. the reaction was the exact opposite to that of Jenkinson ….
At times we have members of a so-called team that is pulling in different directions ..
Syg, check the last reply of yesterdays post mate….it puts that to rest for all of us.
So it was a test, hey Rico 🙂
Hi all,
I see Arteta says Cazorla should play on the left so where does that leave Pod? At least that means Wilshere in his favoured position.
Sorry Scott, I wasn’t on here yesterday ….. I left the blog at 1-1 Saturday !!!
Pod should rotate with Theo and Giroud in a striker partnership, imo.
Pod is our best finisher, and should be used as such.
Well, he was until the weekend lol
Morning all, nice one Rico.
Would we sell Jack, Gord i hope not, but just say we didn’t Qualify for Champions league and we lost our usual 30 million. and our form took a bigger dip than it has already. Empty seats in the stadium and season tickets holders didn’t renew, where does Arsenal get their revenue. Jack may be an Arsenal man but who else could muster the kind of money that we could lose. All i could say is never say never.
I can understand that Syg lol.
It was actually only posted in the last hour or so, and i think everyone was thinking the worse of a few of our boys…me included.
Steve, surely we would sell Squill first 🙂
https://twitter.com/johncrossmirror/status/305954342433869824
The problem is we all take what the papers say as gospel when really the stories are just made up or comments completely distorted to sell papers. I always used to take what the papers say to heart but gradually learnt that is all just rubbish.
Early one tonight……i expect to wake up to the news the
Spuds have been hammered, and Bale has torn a hammy attempting the triple pike with a twist.
Night all.
Scott, we can’t even give him away 🙂
Hi Syg.
I think that second photo was another bit of press naughtiness. Those at the game say that all the subs were up and cheering after we scored. I wouldn’t put it past the press to photoshop…. (think that’s the right thing)
442 and rotate TW, Pod and Giroud up front Brad…..
Hi Sp, don’t even go there 😉
I was going by the video Rico ….
Not photoshopped at all …
https://twitter.com/natm_mag/status/305988855612440576
As much as i like pod he is defo lazy ass even the bayern manager address that before we purchase him… Barely tracks back and supports the left back and when he does he just jogs back.
Not on your life. Not sure anyone truly believes what the press write, especially when it comes to football and Arsenal.
What the photo of the subs or the one you just posted Syg, I’m getting confused…. Not that it takes a lot….
Matty, I’m sure earlier in the season Podolski was always tracking back, not sure what has changed
No, Rico … The arsenal subs … Never saw a photo of that …
That one I twittered was Demba Ba and Javier Garcia from yesterdays sporting life ….
Dunno Rico he just comes across lazy…maybe its just me but im not overly impressed with him tbh not with his work rate anyways.
IMHO Wilshere would be crazy to leave AFC. Not because I like AFC(Far from it) but because the PL needs to keep its best and NOT allow the money cheats who are RM and the three Italian whores (and lately I am ashmed to say:Barca and some Russian clubs) who think thatr they can do anything and buy anyone.
What is the real joke is Platini and UEFA who never worried about money cheating clubs like the above (and Real M have cheated since the 50s while the Italians took a decade to catch on) UNTIL PL clubs who did likewise (MU/MC/Ch) started to dominate the CL.
It is a real joke to see the anglophobic Platini frothing at the mouth over MC & Ch while it was prefectly Okay when Juventus paid a small fortune for him when he played. Hypocrisy is obviously NOT in his vocabulary.
Ah..
Great result for us, if we can string a run of cracking results together, 3rd is still achievable…
I certainly think he’s struggling with the PL. I still wonder if he has a niggling injury.
Back in the summer many thought he’d hit the ground running, but he hasn’t. He has moments of brilliance, then moments of being so so quiet in a game. Bit like Cazorla really, and a few others.
Hi Will. I don’t think he’d leave us, certainly not for an overseas club…
But…… that’s just my view…
2nd place/runners-up is achievable, Rico. Beating Bayern in Munich is achievable. It is a question of whether or not the manager and team really want it or not …
Every game in the run-in is win-able .. Even v’s Utd …
We could do with a few more Wilsheres in our team..too many players not pulling their weight!
Come on you Hamsters!!
The difference in a good team and a very good team is not just character …
A great goalkeeper and a great striker more than not win you matches that you would otherwise get nothing from….
—–
Two matches at Anfield that spring to mind….
Last season we were literally taken apart at Anfield … two hoofed passes into the danger area and arguably the world’s top striker, Van Persie converts … 2-1
At Affield in 1990 we were being battered but Seaman, arguably Europe’s top goalkeeper kept them out …. 1-0
Think second is a bit too far away, I don’t think Utd have the PL sown up just yet, Citeh, with Yaya back could push them.
And I hope we help them by battering Fergie’s lot at The Ems….
But, never say never, we just need to win all of ours and see what others do….
Couldn’t agree more Lee…..
We have truly neglected the goalkeeping position for many seasons now.
That has to change in the summer. And I’d agree re the striker too. We don’t need a player who looks like he could be good, we need a player who has proved how good he is and knows where the net is and converts chances for fun…
Ok, we won’t get Falcao, but I’m sure there are many strikers out there who fit that criteria…..
2 Sat PL Tottenham A
9 Sat PL Everton H
16 Sat PL Swansea City A
30 Sat PL Reading H
April
6 Sat PL West Brom A
13 Sat PL Norwich City H
20 Sat PL Fulham A
27 Sat PL Manchester Utd H
May
4 Sat PL QPR A
12 Sun PL Wigan H
19 Sun PL Newcastle A
Some tricky games there….
Cavani
Jovetic
Isco
Capoue
Sakho
Hummels
Begovic
All of those fixtures were once considered to be three pointers, now, I fear for each one….
Can’t believe it’s 20 years ago that Bobby Moore left this world…..
That would be the perfect summer transfer window for us Lee…
Then the alarm clock goes off….it’s all a dream!
How you doing Rico?
Did you see the injury record of Diaby that DNA posted on here yesterday? Gotta get him fit and sell him asap.
I’m good thanks Lee… Trying to sort out a trip to the city 😉
I did and couldn’t agree more, he has to go this summer, and he’s not alone either…
A £50.m bid would send the Board up to their counting house to check their gold reserves! The right bid would buy Jack. You seem to forget we are a SELLING club, easy to roll over! Or at least that’s the impression we like to give.
I reckon that’s why we are not playing Rosicky, keeping him fit for sale…
Or saving him for the NLD?
Shame if that’s the case , although he did cut a lonely figure warming up for the best part of the second half on Saturday. SDhould have started instead of the great Diaby.
Disagree on Jack Wavy, it would really kick the fans off, and rightly so….
“We can make second”…..AW!
Potter with sicknote out AGAIN, he could get a start or two….
Ah yes, maybe… but he’ll hardly be match fit. Funny old games Wenger plays with some of these players….
Potter, you should start instead of the great Diaby 😉
40 years ago maybe , however one thing I can still do is cross a ball in the air and miss the first defender.
As a Spurs fan, I don’t know how appreciated my views will be on a gooner forum but…
Jack Wilshere may leave Arsenal, as may Bale at Spurs. Both clubs manage the right way and live within their means, but unfortunately in this day and age us fans rely on players we boost up week in week out (RVP, Modric, Song, Berbatov etc…) to do right by the fans and club, when they look at players like Wayne Bridge/Toure/Malouda who are on 20%+ more than them per week…. and want part of that culture.
I hope both players stay put, and we can have Spurs and Arsenal fighting for the title for the next ten years… but i fear unless an unknown oil-rich magnate takes over, we’ll be fearing the worst.
Potter, I reckon you’d be better than Diaby if you only had one decent leg…!
Probably better with one rubbish leg ,and the other to stand on.
Jennifer, you already have a sugar Daddy… his name is Joe Lewis….! He has put millions and millions into your club and has ceretainly put in miles more than any of the twats at our place have. Think yourself lucky as if it was not for him you would not even be where you are today or bought the players you have.
Morning all.
I think jack never leave this club this he can compelet is wishis in this club and welcome back henry good luck arsenl.
According to Wenger: “Abou is the first man of the team sheet in the French national side ……
“He is also a super athlete who doesn’t go boozing and smoking … ”
And at 26 years old, he is in his prime ….
He is valued at £3.5M – £4M
Cabaye, who is a year older is valued at between £14.5M – £16.5M
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/abou-diaby/profil/spieler_26763.html
As a fan I would hope Jack stays until he’s old and grey, however, with the bunch of septuagenarian bandits we have sitting in their oak walled pavilion, I fear with them in charge it is “all about the money” (in their pocketsisses,) not about the team’s performances!
Jennifer Evans says:
February 25, 2013 at 11:50 am
Nice that you can come on here and talk football Jennifer …
“septuagenarian bandit” = a parasitic soon-to-be carcass
W.A.T.H.
Sorry, but your reply to Jennifer is totally and utterly rubbish.
Lewis is a currency speculator and they are the lowest form of fiscal life and even beat oil oligarchs for that prize. You have two owners who have more desire to spend than Lewis and I wont dare say here what I think of him as an owner. Levy, for all of his Rorkes Drift transfer dealings is our backbone…just look at our finances before you post please
“currency speculator” = successful gambler
Great piece Rico ………Brilliant!!
This is what I have been talking about, the total garbage written about our club and some of the naive fans that choose to believe what is written, as if it is based on facts. We even have the press calling Gareth Bale the best player ever in the Premier league. It is a joke but we fall for it every time.
Someone on here, an Arsenal fan, said that maybe Wilshere would be sold if we started losing money due to not getting into Champions League. This is what I mean about lack of facts. Arsenal budgeted without Champions League it has no impact on the viability of the club. Yes it affects player attraction but nothing else, that was the strength of the financial plan they put together.
Sorry I am so vocal on this but having worked in finance all my life and having read and understood football finances and the Arsenal project, I get uptight about the nonsense written.
http://www.theshortfuse.com/2012/9/27/3418558/arsenals-2012-finances-in-review-and-opinion
http://swissramble.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/truth-about-debt-at-barcelona-and-real.html
If people can’t be asked to research the truth and instead choose to believe what the press and media say, not much can be done about that. But it destabilises the club and plays into the hands of the media and rival fans.
Really Will, sorry but think you should go look up where exactly Joe Lewis got his money from and what he does with it before you accuse me of talking rubbish…. He had/has hotel chains, brewery’s etc etc and has put plenty money into the swampies… Fact !! so think before you write rubbish..! Please !!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Lewis_(British_businessman)
Sorry, phone rang 😉
Was it for you hoo?
Are you an AFC fan Will??
spud Rico…
KD – you keep changing your name/email/ip, it sends you into moderation..
It was Lee, it was you know who who 😉
Rorke’s Drift? How has that become relevant to Levy’s transfer dealings?
Unless of course Levy slaughtered thousands of Zulus.
Ah, says a lot then Lee…
Hello Adam, have you just got out from under your duvet??
Not at all Rico. A strange woman rang me and had her way with me on the phone. 🙂
My thoughts exactly Adam …
….99 men, a concrete hut and an idiot vicar v’s 4000 Zulus …….. Levy’s transfer dealings?
——-
I was told my dad’s uncle was an “extra” in that film ….. Got it on DVD … but never saw him ….. One of the Welsh batallion – not Zulu’s !!!
SYG. Did he sing Men Of Harlech as he let them have the cold steel of his bayonet. I did.
Fire at Will…very apt then?!?!
I couldn’t really say he did that, Adam …..
….He’s a faith healer (of sorts) who lives with his French wife in Cleveland Square, Bayswater ….
…Not seen him in years, although we do exchange Christmas cards every year ….
He used to totally piss my dad off !
Our soldiers got wiped out because they couldn’t get the lids off their ammunition boxes…seems to ring a bell!
Hello everyone!
Get you Adam, I hope Mrs Adam wasn’t home….. 😉
Damn Gravatar. As soon as we get a Spurs fan on here, they start arguing or being abusive 🙂
Serge Aurier (Toulouse) – Arsenal ?
Rorkes Drift= a last stand (here implied on fransfer policy as it was pushed to the last minute…yes I know the movies and about eight books on the Zulu wars)) It was Isandawhana where the ammunition boxes wre a problem.
W.A.T.H. Polite answer so a polite reply:Sure Lewis started as you said but his billions are ALL currency trading profits and he ploughs all of his profits into this area to gain momentum for other takeovers.
It is the currency trading that has given him his huge boost: everything else is just the backbone for an investment source./ He is the kind of “shrewd” capitalist that milks the system for no useful productivity and this is why I have so much contempt for him.
He ONCE lent us 10mill but we sure had to pay it back and probably with interest. I don’t t hink that you are a PLC member and therefore do no see the accounts. I Ihave NO idea as to why there has been an AFC investment failure except that they expect Wenger to continue his magical powers but face it, everyone knowes the French production line (ask NU) exists and Chelsea and MC and MU are spending big on every classy 16-17yo in the world and AFC can no longer skim off the cream like they used to do. Wenger has spoilt your board and they still excpect it of him.( when he bought Henry and the other french stars I was quite familaer with them and wondered why a supposed italian failure made them poor players overnight but most clubs knew nothing of the France U21 squad in those days.
Part of the problem is that AFC have looked less and less within GB for juniors and this is now reflected in the recent matches but I doubt that it will continue so cheeer up. as AFC are too professional to screw up that way again.
Jennifer Evans Great post by the way, are you sure you come from the dark side 🙂
She was Rico but she was busy fulfilling her assigned duties for the day prior to serving my lunch in the outfit of a French maid. This afternoon I have allotted some down time before soaking the aged Basmati rice and massaging my big toe. 🙂
Never mind, Lewis will be dead soon.
Will If Arsenal look outside UK for youngsters please explain, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Wilshere, Walcott, Oxlade Chamberlain and the various young English (youth international) boys we have out on loan? At least when we get a young English boy he gets to play.
To be fair, young English players can come with problems like our clubbing/drink culture and they tend to cost more.So lots of clubs look outside the UK. Nothing is so simplistic.
Now we have finished our financial restructuring, built our Stadium and increased our revenue streams, your golden chance in the last 8 years has gone to compete with us. But thanks for visiting an Arsenal forum, always good to see how much we mean to you.
Kevin…as i was a shareholder (and still could be as I have one stashed away still which I refused to sell) I don’t think that you as an AFC fan or W.A.T.H. realise that he was totally wrong re the Lewis supposed “investments” that is what really annoyed me as it is a total untruth and is based upon his loan of 10million since repaid.
Lewis would make a “jock” seem a spendthrift.
WTF do you think that we cannot pay more than 20 millgbps for a player? Sugar daddy my A***!!.
Will, I know a few people up in the City who have dealings with him and his companies and am told that Lewis may well play the currency market now hence his Barbados offshore lifestyle allows him the tax haven status but these blokes are all ST holders over your place and all of them tell me if is wasn’t for his money you lot would never be able to afford the players you’ve bought over the years so no idea why he has a bad rap with you or where your info has come from but he most certainly did and does make huge money from his interests in the UK. I was also told he’s looking to sell up his UK assets and then also to sell his bit in your lot to a nice rich oil baron so things could indeed be looking up for you lot as well. Then you can build a nice big super stadium back in Middlesex. 😉
Could be Isandlwana, Lord Chelmsford at the helm…
😆 Lee… Certainly with our players shooting boots…
Hi JM…
Like bale I do NOT count Walcott and the Ox as AFC youth. They wre not purchased unil they had proven themselves at Southampton.
For decdades you have mad far more good young nplayers than us and I was amazed to see how the blamce has shifted. But for how long?
What is with you guys?
We get in front of you for once and perhaps temporarily and you behave like Ch fans (as oppsed to supporters). For once we have an advantage. Sounds like the real world and NOT the Ch/MC/MU idea of one. My point is that you all expect too much of Wenger and that it cannot be always cream.
Do I think that we wwill win at WHL?
I will wait until we beat WHU at hammerville first
Many years of cynical supporting have taught me well.
Why don’t you lot realise that despite 1919 and the usual shitstorm, that we have far more in COMMON than either of us like and in FA meets we even form a clique to try and control the parvenu upsttarts.
As a shareholder Will do you think your privy to all the backhanded stuff that goes on in the boardroom and who’s funding things under the table…? When you have a ground with your capacity how else do you think you spend miles more than us over the last ten years on transfers… Look a little deeper I would say it’s not all what’s on the surface.
Anyway enough about talking about your lot as I really can’t be arsed but least you wasn’t the normal troll that comes on here with blatant disregard for manners and fair play for that.
As for your Wenger comments Will I think we don’t expect to much from him at all, we expect a return on what the club makes is all we ask… chavs not expect as they can go spend 500 million we only expect us to invest what we have made the last few years, despite they spin the club has had money to spend the last three years yet it’s not been invested in the quality players we’ve needed, same story board or wenger, both are complicit in my view and am sure that also doesn’t concern u as a swampie but we not all delusional to expect the club to spend funds we don’t have.
W.A.T.H. they are wrong As a once large shareholdr i was privy to all accounts and I know how much that jock lent us and it wasn’t much Levy runs a budget that probably sells the washing machine lint as cotton wool and the sewerage as fertiliser. I was not happy with him coming but OMG he runs a tight ship and after some fools we sure needed it.
You are so lucky to have had TWO good manangers GG (whatever the crassness of his style , HE won!!!) and Wenger in one lifetime. I await the day that Ferguson retires and MU finally find reality.
Kevin Downton, Its good to hear we have an experienced money man on HH. Seeing how you know so much about Arsenals Finances and understand how everything is budgeted out in advance, perhaps you can explain to me why, with massive profits recorded for quite some years we have not brought more quality players. Perhaps you can explain why RVP was sold and not replaced with Quality of the same. I as you say have not researched our finances and so i am at a loss to why my team keeps plumiting but i would be very open to your explaination.
Again Will not that it would concern u but our current crop of youths and kids is predominantly made up of English kids… The cycle has gone round and now hopefully we won’t be relying on young foreigners with someone else’s DNA….. 🙂
Lee…. that is the correct spelling as I did not check.
JM – where did you see that one ??
You slave driver Adam, but you are a hoot 😉
Will, Were you on the Board and no i’m not being a smart arse or sarcastic…? How ever large your shareholding were you privy to stuff that went on at board level or what went on apart from what went through the books….? You should know your own club far better than I and am sure you do but these fella’s I know are pure money men and swampies so find it difficult to think they are wrong or way off base. What goes through the books in most businesses is what the board want you to see. Plenty goes on elsewhere as we all know.
“A swampie” and you lot had the hide to gypsy into our area?
But then I knew Woolwich as a child and I cannot balme you.
Have a look at the site prior to highbury…no don’t as it might upset you.
OK time to go…remember NO CLUB has a divine right to success and no mater how much money is thrown around, with that special manager, you are ……well work it out yrselves.
Personally I hate MU/Ch/LivP in that order and you lot are just locals with the same problems….ironic isn’t it? Bred to hate you but after Wenger and when you started to play our way I couldn;t help but love the football and I guess it erases hatred.
Shoud read “without that special manager”
W.A.T.H. I have said too much already and your mates can say what they please but my signature used to be one of those on the accounts and Will is NOT my real name. That is it.
Why do you think that I have so much contempt for Lewis?
Will you think Wath is my real name lol………….
As said people are very underhanded in biz and you may well be right but then again you may well not of known of back handers and under the table dealings. Maybe you were fed spin by someone else with an agenda…? Just a thought.
Don’t forget to turn on that black and white TV when you want to cheer yourself up and remember the good times….!
Again, fair play for the manners and the comments and being a swampie that makes a change.
As is all fair in love and war now to wish you all the very best for tonight and to hope you get trounced by the spammers..!
Afternoon all,
A positive and heart-felt post. Well done.
Nice comment Jennifer… who tricked you into supporting the wrong Nth London team? 😉
Kevin KJ, keep up with your positive and true comments. Its refreshing…
Will… it must be frustrating supporting a douche bag of a team…. 😉
Bale to pull a sick note soon.
Very controlled WATH….I’m impresswd mate!!
Very good question Sp, one I would love to know the truthful answer to…
Bit of Woy speak there….
Always polite me Lee you know that 😛
Stephen Palmer
Stephen, like I said you need to do the research yourself. I posted the links it explains everything and does open your eyes.
However, I can only talk about finances. I like you get frustrated at times about transfer dealings and the quality we have bought, however that is for Mr. Wenger to answer, not me.I happen to respect him for what he has achieved since he joined the club, the trophies, the invincibles and presiding over the building of the legacy. You are entitled to disagree.
Yes we were a selling club during the time we were financing the stadium, we didn’t have much choice we had to invest in the future. It didn’t help that at the same time the Russian (2005) and the Arab came here and started throwing their money around.
I can explain why we needed a 60,000 seater stadium and again why we needed to become debt free to be competitive. But again the links I posted explain all that better than I could. It also explains why we had to generate enough income to compete with Man Utd, Barca, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. (Chelsea and Man City do not generate that much income and are not debt free, the owners write of their debt which is why fair Play was being bought in). This is all very important. The more income you generate, the more sponsorship you attract, the less debt you ahve = the more money you have to spend. Simple maths.
As I said, I cannot tell you how Wenger thinks about player acquisitions and player sales. I cannot tell you what was behind the RVP deal and I am gutted he left BUT he moved for a four year contract worth wages of £1 million per week over four years. I happen to think that is obscene and the whole wages has got out of hand thanks to rich oligarchs. RVP said he wanted to guarantee trophies as he was at the end of his career. Agree or not that was the situation.
I cannot answer for some of the dross we have signed or the contracts they were given, that I think is very fair criticism.
Stephen, I have been a fan since the sixties and it pains me to read the bad press and hear fellow fans like you joining in the radio shows and the media slagging off the club i love. I listened to David Gold (WHU) and Cristian Purslow (L’pool) and David Dein praising the sacrifices Arsenal had made to build a legacy for the future. Purslow thought it was a miracle that we still managed Champions league and said compared to what every other club, apart from Man Utd, Chelsea and Man City had acheived in that period without the same financial restraints.Where were Liverpool and Spurs, when we were buying and selling to Chelsea and Man City?
Like I said, there is much to be criticised but I think everybody gets a bit carried away with the negativity and there is a tendancy to believe every criticism aimed at our club. It is easier to be negative than positive and it also sells more news.
Afternoon Dg and Ts…
If I had a hat on Wath, I’d tip it just for you 😉
tsGH Thanks much appreciated but I feel like an Island sometimes! Where are all my friends when i need them 🙂
rico If I had a hat I would hide in it 🙂
I didn’t think Steve was slagging the club off BUT just asking a question….
All hail the Wathster!
In a hundred years who will give a shit?
oops, Stephen I meant £1 million per month not week…. Even in todays world of football wages
Thanks for your reply Kevin. I have been a staunch supporter of Arsene Wenger since he came, I also have a lot of admiration for what he has done in the past, and realise that he has also been involved with many of the good things that we have now . But i am sorry i am not prepare to wait for the fruition of all his good work. * years is a long time in somebodys life to pay high prices for the returns we are recieving. Granted we needed changes but budgets should have been set for the most important part of the football club Quality players. The football is why supporters come not a stadium. supporters who do their shopping every week expect fresh food they do not expect to have stale bread . Customers only use shops who give out good products they dont live in the past and say that shop used to sell good food they go somewhere else. They don’t really care if the shop is going to be good in ten years they want it now and if they pay the price they deserve it. I understand what your saying but i want the goods now. The quality of the football will always be the important thing a comfy chair is nice but i would be just as happy standing up and watching us win.
One million £ per week? Are you sure
I was going to say that’s a £ behind Lee.
You wouldn’t get out of bed for that Adam…
Kevin – I think far too often you confuse negative with realism.
And right now the realism is that many things on the pitch are wrong. How many performances do you need to watch to convince you?
“One million £ per wseek? Are you sure”
Tut tut Adam do you want the grammar old bill on you??
As far as I can see football is a bloody madhouse and has become rich man’s plaything at the top level. Trying to talk sensible financing while paying Van Persie a million quid a month just doesn’t make sense at all. None of it. The problem we have is that our billionaire owner and ancient manager don’t have or don’t want to spend the kind of money that would make going to watch Arsenal fun again because at the moment it is really, really boring and predictable. Sod the fiscal viability or the financial plan, get that fat bloke Usmanov in, let him spend loads and loads of money paying stupid wages to players and get a bastard like Mourinho in to piss every off and wind the press up. Then it might be fun again.
Oh and pass me the crack.
Always thought the Zulu mauling was due to overheated single shot rifles fired in quick succession. As well as the scorching heat of the copper disk providing extreme conditions expanding metallurgy, hence the stuck lids on ammo boxes.
Indeed Lee, rings a bell. 😉
I have overdone the opiates this afternoon Lee. That lady who rang this morning got me all excited and overwrought.
Crystal meth Adam….much better hit.
??????
Feisty lady?
“?/’;:
Lee. My doctor said “Adam, you really must cut back on the crystal meth you supercilious bastard”. So I have.
A very feisty lady. Posh, but feisty. 🙂
Rico Sorry I take a different view from you and Stephen (yet again!!)but I do not think that means I confuse negativity with realism. I am a realist hence my belief that the eight years was an over achievement that we will look back at and acknowledge was essential for the future success of the club.
To say we will have to sell Wilshere if we do not get Champions League Football is negativity not realism.
No me, I’ll be ‘down under’ Adam…
Down under Adam? Steady on young lady. 🙂
Had to have a look before doing my real homework
As I wrote W.A.T.H. wth are you talking about?
I think that you have a problem and it isn’t THFC
I guess that you missed the point totally by the sneers, the sarcasm and the smart alec retorts and it just confirmed my view that hand of fellowship when offered to some of you via intelligent attemps at intercourse is doomed to only receive **** smears on that hand.
Your stories about our finances are total bull effluent but you are the self procalimed Emirates supporter who knows more about THFC than his own club..
Yes you have really pissed me off and I guess that I should have expected it, but you have to tr yto be reasonable to those lost souls
who believe their own delusional rubbish..
I actually admire the way that AFC runs the club but that does not disguise the fact that AFC have NEVER earned the right be play in Englands top league and have even admitted to cheating to so do.
I guess that I wasted my time but at least I saw how pathetic you could be.
Ah well live and learn.
As to your next match.
I really don’t care and that is honest as I escaped Schadenfreude’s clutches long ago.
Now MU and Chelski? that is another question.
Will. I firmly believe you to be the voice of reason in this matter.
I made an intelligent attempt at intercourse once but it never got me anywhere.
Err ummm!!!
Always lowering the tone Adam, wait for it they’ll be an image of a rower’s genitals plastered over the House! 😉
Will, if you have logged onto an Arsenal blog looking for friendship you are on the wrong page mate get back to your swamp. And tell them what a load of C—s we are. We dont like your club in fact they piss us right off, but you know that. you crafty swamper.
Arsenal today announced a pre-tax profit of £17.8million for the six months to November 30 last year but the figures revealed an ongoing reliance on player sales to balance the books.
The Gunners made £23.2m in player trading after selling stars including Robin van Persie (above) and Alex Song while acquiring Lukas Podolski, Oliver Giroud and Santi Cazorla and tying six first-team players including Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott to new deals. For accounting purposes, the cost of signing a player is spread out over the term of their contract.
Last year Arsenal announced a £49.5m profit for the six months to November 2011, thanks to selling Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy but the previous half-yearly figures showed a £2.5m loss as there were no major departures in the summer of 2010.
Today’s figures showed turnover fell by £7.4m to £106.1m due to there being four fewer home fixtures than the same period last year and the importance of turning a profit on transfers is underlined by the club’s operating profit falling to just £5m compared to the previous £15.2m figure.
Arsenal already have the fourth highest wage bill of clubs in the country and the full impact of new deals handed to Wilshere, Walcott, Aaron Ramsey, Carl Jenkinson, Kieran Gibbs and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will not be felt on the balance sheet until the next set of accounts later this year.
However, to offset that increase, several players on considerable salaries are expected to leave the club this summer, notably Andrey Arshavin, Marouane Chamakh, Andre Santos and Sebastien Squillaci among them.
And Arsenal believe they have reached something of a financial watershed. The club’s healthy cash balance, £123.3m according to the accounts, reflects the dividends yielded by the property development scheme at Highbury Square, where all but one flat is sold and that is expected to be retained for private use.
Instead of relying on player sales to boost their financial position, Arsenal will instead be able to use funds from the new Emirates sponsorship deal, worth £150m over five years. The payment structure is frontloaded, meaning the Gunners will receive £30m this summer which has been earmarked to spend on players.
The process of paying for Emirates Stadium has been slow with Arsenal usurped by cash-rich clubs Chelsea and Manchester City only too willing to spend beyond their means in the transfer market but they now believe their self-sustainable model will soon achieve results that enables them to compete.
Chairman Peter Hill-Wood said in the report: “While we have our sights set on a 16th straight season in the Champions League, our aims are higher; our ambition is to win trophies. No one is more focused on that than our manager Arsene Wenger, our majority shareholder Stan Kroenke and the board and it is what we work towards every day.”
He continued: “Our ability to compete at the top of the game here and in Europe is underpinned by our financial performance
“Let me be quite clear that our intention is to keep our best players and recruit new talent to make us stronger. Although we were disappointed to see Robin van Persie leave, we have taken steps to secure our best players going forward and have recently signed Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott, Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Carl Jenkinson to new long-term contracts.
“During this financial period we also invested £40.9m in the acquisition of new players, Lukas Podolski, Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud, and the extension of other player contracts. More recently we added Nacho Monreal to our ranks from Malaga. This is a strong indicator of our ambition to compete and win trophies.”
Arsenal are also confident of further boosting their position by announcing a new kit deal — possibly with adidas — to replace the Nike contract which expires in 2014.
It is expected that the contract would be similarly frontloaded as with Emirates to ensure Wenger is given immediate access to newly‑generated funds.
Ground I mean Adam, not off with Scott 😉
I disagree Kj, selling the way we have in the seasons gone by would suggest that if we run short of money, we could sell anyone.
Hopefully we have turned a financial corner and we will see evidence of that in the summer. Until then, it’s just more of the same old stuff I guess….
From the Evening Standard btw
Just read, BT have bought up ESPN’s UK and Ireland broadcasing tv channels. Hoo f…..ing rah! Still have pay extra, but at least not to the Disney chanel! With its cartoon commentators and dodgy analysers etc etc. BBC and Sky I cao cope with all the rest are just pony.
Lee. I too have a feeling that image will soon make an appearance. We haven’t seen it for a while. 🙂
That can be arranged Lee, it’s on my living room wall 😉
Steady on Sp, Will and Wath have been having a very polite and sensible conversation 🙂
Yes, the ESPN coverage is rather 70’s isn’t it? I wonder what moronic ex-players and commentators BT have lined up to let slip their pearls of wisdom. Stewart Robson? Stan “dogger”Collymore? Perhaps oxygen thief Adrian Durham will make the switch from radio to TV so we can witness at first hand how truly repulsive he is in the flesh.
Wenger has had money for ages and refused to spend it. The only thing that will make him change his mind is desperation.
Steve Palmer we want the same things and I know its been bloody painful and there is no doubt about it, some very odd decisions. I know we want everything now but that is okay for the Russian and The Arab but what next? Chelsea are going to be up the river without a paddle soon. If we dont spend monmey next season, now we have it, I will be joining you. But for now I am very positive.
Look on the bright side. Could have been supporting Spurs for the last fifty years…….!
Adam Was that with a man or a woman? 😉
Will
Go give princess palm and her five sisters a caber tossing fest. I’m sure you got some virgin pressed lubricant olive oil and a box of tissues next to your keyboard.
What a horrible thought Kevin!
Well, from reading that, all is rosy ahead then Lee….
I think BT will cover it well Adam.
Wouldn’t be surprised to see us get our own TV channel back with them either….
Would be a smart move….
Falco’s contract is being drawn up as wse speak….
Along with a few more…
Kev, I have started to take to you, 🙂 just keep the swampy comments down mate. 🙂
Kevin. Both actually. 🙂
I blame you Ricolicious, You could sense Wath was about to blow, he lasted a lot longer than i thought he would, dont i love that bloke.
Rico. I can only admire your optimism. As for Arsenal TV? It’s just too easy to be cynical these days I am afraid.
I used to be an optimist. 🙂 Do you remember when I first came on the site and told you all Arsene was God?
BT seldom get much wrong Adam, the only reason I have optimism…. We need the TV channel back, the website player thinghy is poop isn’t it….
Me Sp, you are a hard man 😉
Adam You are a disgrace 👿
Rico I give up 🙂 Feinights
Steve Wait ’til you have heard my jokes…… 🙂 And me you. Just get the damn samaritans off your speed dial 🙂 🙂
Adam “Oh and pass me the crack” Boy, you weren’t joking were you…..
https://twitter.com/LeGrove/status/306085156203159552
https://twitter.com/LeGrove/status/306085369735151617
https://twitter.com/LeGrove/status/306085746090061824
that lot just twittered within last 20 mins following London Evening Standard article
Cavani I was thinking Lee, he just has to sign now 😉
You suggesting Wenger was God Adam. I must have missed that comment. was it is 1998??
Staggering Syg, staggering. We have got some very highly paid crap on our books though haven’t we…..
.Syg ………..and most of that tut will be coming off at the end of the season, which will free up EVEN more cash for wages. I am telling you, there should be some big signings coming this way. I know some of you think I should be in a straight jacket but I truly believe great things are on their way to this fantastic club of ours.
Goodnight.
Many many assumptions Kevin KJ Downton….
I hope you’re right Kev
Rico Everything on here is about assumptions. That was the point I was trying to make! A load of rubbish gets relayed through the press and media that some fans ‘assume’ is true. then we get the usual suspects posting condemnnations, when in fact the story was either made up or twisted. I make no apologies for my own opinions even though my positveness seems to upset so many. I have enough negativity from the Mrs…….
Syg So do I…..!!!! 🙂
No, it’s about individuals opinions Kevin, and often they are based on evidence of what has gone on…
As and when we see change, fans opinion will change.
But as someone said earlier, the club has had money for a long time now, just either Kroenke and/or Wenger has chosen not to spend it.
And that stinks imho!!
….. Would YOU trust Wenger with £70 million?
Who would he buy?
1. Fancy Daninho – Fast paced Cameroonian winger with half a brain who plays in Ligue 1?
2. Shit Yu Not – an untried nuclear powered winger from Nagasaki Juniors?
3. Yao Useless Dick – 17 year old Fast paced winger from Senegal who plays in Ligue 2?
4 Layonyer Backyerbitch – 19 year old, 8 foot tall goalkeeper from Poland with size 3 feet ……wenger knows the shoe size of every player in world football
plus we get Bendtner, Djourou, denilson, Santos and Chamack back after having regular football…. plus Diaby will have a full preseason under him and he will be like a new signing….
There you have it. Four super class players, three of who can play centrally and all at the same time if needed and all our boys back ….
SYG. Can I have some time to consider those options?
… had a rubbish day … off to the curry house ….
Syg. Or perhaps, Nicolas Anelka, Patrick Vieira, Emanuel Petit, Freddie Ljungberg, Robert Pires, Gilberto Silva, Edu and the king himself, Thierry Henry……..
I agree he has also bought some dross but be fair.
😆 Syg – no….
Enjoy your curry….
🙂 Adam, do you really need time?
KJ, those kind of signings were a long long time ago. And that’s just what Wenger thinks he can survive on……
Off to get dinner, laters…
Kevin
You stitch yourself too tight, lighten up buddy. SYG only having a bit of banter.
Mornng all.
Great night has been had by all, i see…..bloody good entertainment.
Scott. It’s wavered between surreal and intense. I am firmly in the former camp. 🙂
DutchGooner10. So was I! Things only seem to work one way on here though, have to keep checking what forum I am on.
where’s Adrian Durham?
Kevin, you do have a few positive mates on here lol.
It is getting tougher by the week, but i can stick.
Adam, it was fantastic to wake up to!!
Who ever would have thought that classic “Zulu” would be a topic of conversation on an Arsenal forum…i congratulate you all.
Usuthu!
Kevin, mate
Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.
Sarcasm and cynicism have long toes though. But it takes two to tango. Not one sided at all. Here on HH nobody leads the ballroom while others being sidelined.
Kj, that is poppycock. Things don’t work ‘just one way’ on here, but you are trying to tell everyone what to think and how to be. That isn’t the way, not on HH…
Hi Scott….
In fact Hi to all 🙂
Evening Rico.
Evening Adam…
I have just eaten the most wonderful lentil and spinach curry 🙂
Homemade obviously.
😉
Evening all, Mrs L toiled over a hot stove to produce an exquisite moussaka…..right come on you Hammers!
Gonna roll a fat one and hopefully watch those wankers from up the road drop some points!!!
Rico, Curry is always better with beef, lamb etc,etc 🙂
Kevin, get past it mate honestly…..i tarted around different forums, and this is one of very, very few where you can have your say.
Plenty may disagree, especially with me lol, but you will never be banned for simply being for or against Wenger, as is the Case with some.
Do we want the spuds to be mashed or hammered….or both??
Lucky you Lee, good job Mrs Lee is feeling much better eh, otherwise ‘ping’ 😉
Don’t you start Scott!! Bless ya though re HH…. 🙂
Having listened to the big man talk about his teams tactics, it would seem that West Ham will be all about stopping Gareth Bale…..
Both Scott, and battered….
Unfortunately they haven’t stopped him…. 🙁
Oh no 🙁
Two things make Gareth Bale a shame.
One is the team he plays for
The other is the diving.
Suarez is another.
So much talent, but so much to piss you off as well.
Rico, i never mentioned chicken though 🙂
But the third thing about him makes him something quite special Scott…
Good man, you leave the chickens alone 😉
Sweet….
When he fell out of the ugly tree the fucker hit every branch! Just saying……
Evening All.
There I was thinking our swampie visitor was a cut above the rest of his neanderthal mates and he comes back to tell us how pissed off he is when he obviously lack a sense of humour seems they are the only ones that are allowed to be sarcastic and make sly digs but don’t like it when they perceive to get one back. Seems he can’t read either as I am sure I said at no point do i profess to know as much as him about his clubs finances and why would I as i really couldn’t give a rats arse…..
I think he missed the point totally actually if he thinks by merely putting his moniker on a piece of paper he knows all the ins and outs I think he is very much mistaken, my accountant signs off my books if he thinks that means he knows exactly what my biz does he’s in cuckoo land.
As you say SP if you want a friend ring the samaritans if you want a decent debate bring it on and I thought I praised him for being well mannered… Seems he missed that bit as well. Must be very sensitive after all these years living in our shadow.
Suppose it’s to be expected bottom line…………
I’m quite devastated, I thought we had stumbled across a swampie who wasn’t delusional….! I should of known better really.
Amazing how the papers don’t go on about the swampies being a one man team like they did with us last year and RVP…!
Ever been had Wath 😉
Nor the Dippers – without Suarez goals, they’d be facing a relegation battle….
I’ve had plenty bacon sandwiches Rico 😀
Thing is we had a team that was good enough to shut the press up by what they did on the pitch…..
That’s me for the day….
Nighty all, be good, stay safe, have a good evening or day, wherever you are – but above all…
Go Big Sam, batter that lot from down the lane…!!
‘Til tomorrow all…
😆 Wath, cruel, but funny….
We did Lee, once….
Done now, Corrie calls 😉
Night Rico…..
Score guys??
1-1
2-2
http://youtu.be/AlzXO5xK8iQ
Watching the spuds game, I can see why we ae still in with shout of 3rd, Tottenham are very average. Bale is a different class though, way too good for them. If we can keep him quiet, they are very beatable, defensively as bad as us.
AW trophy in doubt….
Well one thing is for sure, stop Bale and you stop them, everything absolutely everything goes through him….!
Did it finish 2-2?
Hiya … back from the Khyber …..
http://www.khyberindianrestaurant.co.uk/
the owner is a Man Utd fan, and khan the gay waiter is a Liverpool fan ..
terrible …. any HH blogger who’s up here phone me … you included Adam …. and i’ll treat you … a curryl that is …!
Our destiny is in our own hands … we do good and we get second …
Lee says:
February 25, 2013 at 9:37 pm
Alan Sunderland is from Mexborough …
I was born there – 15 Barker Street – and worked with a load of his mates …………….. he now lives in Malta
Graham Rix was born in Campsall near Doncaster …
Ditto …. I got told that a lot of lads at his school were jealous of him .. he has a house on Hartington Road in London…… ….
Brian Talbot was ace ….
If every player gave his all like Talbot we’d be No. 1 in the league….
No idea where he lives!
Off to watch Taken2 …. Goodnight !!!!
SYG.That is extremely decent of you. The farthest I ever get is Sheffield although I was in Crewe last October.
That late winner for Spurs is a complete bummer. But, as you say, it’s up to the team.
FIRST…….
When I first saw the name Will, I thought it our old Will, Arsenal Will, returned for a third time after going walkabout.
The I realised, to my suprise, that Will, was actually Totteringham Will…
Now why would a Spud, from Middlesex, want with an Arsenal blog???
It would never ever occur to me, to go on a Spud blog!!!
Why would I want to do that?!!!
Maybe Totteringham Will is into self-cyber flagulation?
Maybe Totteringham Will is a Spud, who really wished he was a Gooner?
Maybe Totteringham Will is lonely?
Or may it be that Spyd blogs are dull and boring???
Most probably because they are full of Spuds…
Answers on the head of a pin to;
Lee and Adams Ticket Agency
Highbury House
1212 Balls Pond Road.
Dalston N16…
Hi Kev. I too was thinking it was he, but no. It was Middlesex Hotspur supporter who was a major shareholder of Arsenal stock and an expert on the Zulu wars. It was a man who desired intelligent intercourse with Wath but whose friendship was sadly unrequited.
We may never see his like again.
Adam, you know, as well as me, that Wath takes ‘no shit’ from any Spud.
Such a shame that Stan wasn’t here to have a chat with Totteringham Will?
Then again…..
I just saw Bales last goal.
The biggest difference between him and every Arsenal players is the willingness to shoot from further than ten yards out.
Morning all.
Got to pop out first thing, post will be up around 9.30.
One man Spuds! Stop him and we can win!!
And be very good at it Scott!
One thing is certain, their over all team is no better than ours. Defensively they are also a shambles, they made west ham look decent. Bale is a hell of a player though, that second last night was an amazing goal and he keeps winning them games in the 90th. What a Cnut.
Rico Apologies, I was pretty wound up yesterday, I made the mistake of listening to Talksport and reading the sports pages.
It is a great forum and you do allow everybody to have their say, including an obsessed Spud (Will). Shame Bales mishit shot found the top corner………. Scott from Oz and tsGH 😉
Everyone all over the net and in the media are talking about the Sluds last minute, heroic victory.
They concede two goals.
We dominated a side for 90 minutes, and conceded one.
Yes, we only beat Villa, but West Ham are hardly top 4 contenders, are they?
Morning all.
Kevin, keep the chin up, and the faith strong mate!!
At last, new post is up…..
B**lshit isn’t it Scott. We have been crap this season and get crucified in the media. The spuds are only 4 points ahead and been just as inconsistent yet they are praised. Still if last night did anything it should have shown our lads they are very easy to score against.
No probs Kevin. Turn that station off 😉
Scott, Rosicky used to shoot from distance, good at it too wasn’t he. I am not sure Wenger likes us to play such a way….
Pass pass and walk the ball into the net…..
See you folks on the new one….