Official Arsenal FC Thread

[IronChef]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fwh_hWLX0o&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

I think Piers Morgan for once is absolutely correct here

Latest episode of Tuesday Club is out and first 20 minutes have been good

Haven't watched the video, but I refuse to believe Piers Morgan is correct.

[MaliBrah]

does anyone honestly see an end to this ? I really think its all going downhill as long as wenger and the board are in charge , wenger has accepted mediocrity in players and results and the board just cares about making money and profit.

Anyone see the vermaelen shocked that people are questioning wenger article? How about you sort out your play on the field you chump before talking to the media.

[MaliBrah]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013 ... CMP=twt_gu

And I hate this PR BullShxT by arsenal everytime the tough gets going they come out and say wenger has 70M to spend.. EVERY SINGLE TIME , i dont buy it anymore so tired FFS. I dont even trust wenger in spending that kinda money anymore as well , i'd rather buy two super quality 30 million dollar players then 6 mediocre players for 10 mill a pop. Hate that wenger philosophy.

[Redeemer]

i think its a bit of wenger's fault too. he has been pushing for FFP for years and if goes out and splashes 30 million on cavani or someone else, he's gonna look like a hypocrite. honestly its really hard to say.

[MaliBrah]

It's not even about signing a 30 million dollar player , how many times have we missed out on players over not closing deals over pennies , how many times have we not strengthened in january when we could have made title runs and got crippled by injury? How have we become so tactically unorganized from midfield to defence over the last two seasons when we have some really good individual players? doesn't make sense to me , replace SAF or Mourinho over the last 8 seasons with wenger and I swear we would never had this title drought and won a couple EPL titles and domestic titles when we were so close with the rvp+fabregas+nasri+adebayor core

Hell we might have even won something replacing sub standard almunia in net , that one decision alone proves wenger is way too stubborn another major example (diaby)

[Foye]

i think its a bit of wenger's fault too. he has been pushing for FFP for years and if goes out and splashes 30 million on cavani or someone else, he's gonna look like a hypocrite. honestly its really hard to say.

Cavani would probably cost twice that sum.

[IronChef]

I don't see how you could say he was a hypocrite if we spent 30M on a player, his whole stick has been sustainability and not spending more than you bring in. As long as Arsenal are on sound financial ground (they are), I don't see it as hypocritical at all.

Don't really see it going downhill from here, realistically the worst we're looking at is just more of the same. Problem starts at the top, IMO. Kroenke is bad for the club, IMO. Gazidis is garbage, we need David Dein back. He used to go out and get the players Wenger wanted, not sign crap like Park. It really pays to have someone in that directors position who is an Arsenal fan.

Arsenal have the money for the transfers, it's there to see in the accounts. 70+ Mil that can only be used for squad investment. It's been stockpiling, and now with the new sponsorship deals in place, we might be able to afford the wages that go with spending it. We'll see, I guess. Wenger says they have targets identified for the summer, and are now ready to spend.

Mourinho or SAF wouldn't have won without spending money, and we haven't been able to for years because of building the stadium. Now we can, theoretically, so it's time for them to put up or shut up. Doesn't matter what Wenger wants if the board are stingy.

[IronChef]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fwh_hWLX0o&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

I think Piers Morgan for once is absolutely correct here

Latest episode of Tuesday Club is out and first 20 minutes have been good

Haven't watched the video, but I refuse to believe Piers Morgan is correct.

Yeah, I watched it and I don't really agree. Wenger resigning right now so we can get a manager into to help us make the CL is ridiculous. Who would we get right now? Why does he say that Wengers streak of making the CL is pointless because we can't win it, and then say Wenger should resign so we have a chance of making the CL?

He wants to go back to Highbury, so we have less money to spend? We built the Emirates not to just have a nice stadium but so we could generate the revenue to compete long-term. It's meant tightening budgets over the short-term so long term we can compete financially, it makes sense.

I also disagree when he says it would be pretty easy to do better than Wenger, that's ridiculous.

As I've said before, if Wenger is really refusing to spend funds, because he's stubborn or because this is his ideal team than he should be sacked. Only the board really knows why, and it's up to them, but I have zero faith in the board. I just hope they'd have someone good in line to replace him, cause Wenger will get one of the top jobs in Europe.

[Massimo]

I also disagree when he says it would be pretty easy to do better than Wenger, that's ridiculous..

What is so ridiculous about this statement though? Arsene Wenger didn't win a cup for 8 years for Arsenal. Even if you bring the worst coach for Arsenal in the world , at the worst scenario, he would do the exactly same(not winning a cup for 8 years). I mean, what's so good about Arsene Wenger? I just don't get it.

[IronChef]

I don't subscribe to the 'second place is first loser' bit, plenty of managers around the world do worse every year. The worst scenario isn't actually not winning a cup.

[5DOM]

tbh I think at this point nostalgia and respect for what he had achieved in the past are the only things keeping him there. At any other club, he would have already gotten the sack. Not only have his recent purchases and sales been poor but his players seem to get outworked and outsmarted by the opposition as well. It's unacceptable that a club as big as Arsenal get knocked out of cup competitions by Bradford City and Blackburn in the same season.

I don't subscribe to the 'second place is first loser' bit, plenty of managers around the world do worse every year. The worst scenario isn't actually not winning a cup.

but we are talking about one of the biggest clubs in the world who also happen to the most expensive club to support. Expectation should be to win at least one trophy in 8 years.

[IronChef]

I agree to a point, but there is little in terms of reference to our actual situation, and so analysis like that seems superficial. We knew we were going into lean years to build the stadium, etc, so I don't think you can relate it to Sir Alex going 8 years without winning or something because United have had the massive stadium and such since long before he's been there. Arsene essentially built it.

I disagree that recent purchases are poor, I like Cazorla, Podolski, and Giroud. I'd say they were all good purchases, but not good enough. We have certainly made some poor purchases, but just about every manager has. We have a squad of generally good players, but not world class ones. Which is because we're shopping in the low end of the transfer pool. Again, if that's purely Wengers choice than yeah, board should sack him, but I'm not sure it is.

I wouldn't say they get out worked often, when they're on they're everywhere. But, they're inconsistent and mentally fragile, I would say.

100% agree about losing to Bradford and Blackburn. Blackburn was particularly frustrating because we put out a weakened side to rest players for a tie with Bayern we didn't really have a chance in. It's a tough one for me, cause I'm not sure another manager would do better with Gazidis, PHW, and Kroenke still there.

F*ck it, let's just get Fat Sam

[Massimo]

If you like Cazorla, Podolski and Giroud transfers, you already lowered your standards about Arsenal my man. I don't know what to say. Don't you ever think about how you guys were playing 10 years ago? You guys were unbeaten 49(something like that) games man. From Vieira, Bergkamp, Henry to Cazorla, Gervinho, Giroud.

Don't you understand? These are the players that Arsene Wenger wants. Why are you acting like the board makes the transfers? No. Arsene Wenger wants Giroud, Chakmah, Podolski and Gervinho. He is the only responsible person for those transfers. Blame him because he is the one who doesn't wanna use money. He is the one who has been making epic failures throughout the transfer seasons. What is so hard not to see it? Don't act like Arsene Wenger is the coach but the board says, well I like Gervinho let's get him. No. Arsene Wenger tells them to get the players that he would like to see. So, the board gets those players. If he doesn't want world class players, obviously you cannot have a world class team.

Listen, any average but any AVERAGE coach would do what Arsene Wenger has been doing for last 8 years. Not winning a cup for 8 years cannot get any worse for Arsenal. Any average coach would make Arsenal to get that fourth spot and get eleminated by top 16. It is not a big deal. Don't forget; a great sea captain is the one who is good at sailing when the sea has crazy waves. When the sea is quiet, every captain is good anyways.

[Slava]

I don't subscribe to the 'second place is first loser' bit, plenty of managers around the world do worse every year. The worst scenario isn't actually not winning a cup.

and only 3 teams have won the league in the premier league era until last season.

[Ted Lasso]

If you look into his signings over the past two seasons you'll immediately notice that he's abandoned his youth policy. And i don't believe he's the one being cheap. It's ownership. They're in it to make money. Wenger's fault is that he is humouring them.

Which is rather more puzzling because he's now signing mid-tier players at an advanced age with absolutely no potential for improvement. It just feels as if he doesn't want to get rejected by a player he helped build when another club comes in for them. Arteta and Podolski are good squad players when you have Fabregas and van Persie already in the team but they are not good enough to replace them.

Doesn't help that some players have been over-valued, like Walcott and some others have gone helplessly out of form like Sagna, Vermaelen and Arshavin after looking very good a few seasons ago.

Atleast Nacho & Cazorla are quality, so there's an upward trend there.

I think he's signing what his budget allows him to sign. I agree that there have been more than one or two poor ones in there but, overall, i don't believe Wenger is responsible for the amount that he spends. Why would he handcuff himself like that? He'd have to be crazy to refuse to spend money that has been made available to him.

[MaliBrah]

Its also about not adequately replacing players and not strengthening when needed , how many times have we went into the january window over the last 5-6 years where we could have used some depth and experience to finish off the season because we get murdered by injury? that ALONE might have been the difference.

The board also has no say on arsene wenger trusting players that should have no place in the side to have big roles for a long time (diaby and almunia). or continuously playing mediocrity and not cutting ties with losses quick and fast like other top clubs do.

besides with this 70 M or so , which top players are we really going to attract to this shxthole we've become , especially if we do not make 4th..

[IronChef]

If you like Cazorla, Podolski and Giroud transfers, you already lowered your standards about Arsenal my man. I don't know what to say. Don't you ever think about how you guys were playing 10 years ago? You guys were unbeaten 49(something like that) games man. From Vieira, Bergkamp, Henry to Cazorla, Gervinho, Giroud.

Don't you understand? These are the players that Arsene Wenger wants. Why are you acting like the board makes the transfers? No. Arsene Wenger wants Giroud, Chakmah, Podolski and Gervinho. He is the only responsible person for those transfers. Blame him because he is the one who doesn't wanna use money. He is the one who has been making epic failures throughout the transfer seasons. What is so hard not to see it? Don't act like Arsene Wenger is the coach but the board says, well I like Gervinho let's get him. No. Arsene Wenger tells them to get the players that he would like to see. So, the board gets those players. If he doesn't want world class players, obviously you cannot have a world class team.

Listen, any average but any AVERAGE coach would do what Arsene Wenger has been doing for last 8 years. Not winning a cup for 8 years cannot get any worse for Arsenal. Any average coach would make Arsenal to get that fourth spot and get eleminated by top 16. It is not a big deal. Don't forget; a great sea captain is the one who is good at sailing when the sea has crazy waves. When the sea is quiet, every captain is good anyways.

Guess you didn't read my post. As I said if this is his ideal team, the he should be sacked. But if he's working within a stricter budget, ie. not spending over 10 Mil on players, then those are pretty good players in that range. Obviously they're not as good as Vieira, Henry etc. but how expensive would those players be nowadays? We're not shopping at that end of transfer pool, unfortunately. If Gervinho is his ideal player, then yeah sack him.

[IronChef]

Its also about not adequately replacing players and not strengthening when needed , how many times have we went into the january window over the last 5-6 years where we could have used some depth and experience to finish off the season because we get murdered by injury? that ALONE might have been the difference.

The board also has no say on arsene wenger trusting players that should have no place in the side to have big roles for a long time (diaby and almunia). or continuously playing mediocrity and not cutting ties with losses quick and fast like other top clubs do.

besides with this 70 M or so , which top players are we really going to attract to this shxthole we've become , especially if we do not make 4th..

Diaby doesn't have a big role in the club, he plays a few games here and there between being injured for months. He hasn't played a big role since before he had his ankle snapped, and he was good then. He's still often good for us when he plays, i.e. the start of this season. We can't just terminate his contract because he's injury prone. And sticking with injury prone players has worked out for us before (RvP).

Almunia on the other hand was around for too long, agreed. He played a significant amount of games in 3 seasons, which is too many. Wengers confidence in him I didn't understand. He certainly showed flashes of brilliance (i.e. Barcelona in the CL) but was also insane.

Also, when I wikipedia'd Almunias career I found this gem:

"Almunia has not played international football. He has stated on more than one occasion his wish to play for England, only provided that he did not receive a call-up from Spain first. He has not been called up to Spain's national team"



As for your last point, players will come if you pay them, see Anzhi/St. Petersburg/Man City/Gala *cough*

[kdawg32086]

Mikael Silvestre signed with the Portland Timbers in MLS...

[MaliBrah]

fair enough , What I meant about diaby having a big role is us refusing to buy CM's because of him always being "like a new signing" boy i hate that saying, and he'd come back and play great then he'd be injured for months on end.

I just want someone to come out clean , i want wenger to come out and say the Board isnt backing me financially or I want the board to come out and say we give arsene the money but he refuses to spend it. Someone has to come out and then we can know what the issue is truly.