If they stay top 4, do you really think that money will go into better players? The activities of Arsenal FC make me think otherwise. The money goes in but does not go back out.
Wenger is missing the point. Is he part of a corporation which aims at profit, or of a football club which aims at sportive results??? Some of the big teams of the world are stucked in huge debts. But debts are part of the process, as long as the club is able to manage them. Arsenal needs to wake up now. The problem is not the sudden enrichment of Chelsea and Man City, but Arsenal management itself.
Do you know how clubs are managing their debt? Billionaires or corruption. Which do you suggest we look into?
Am I the only one that is perplexed by what is happening at my beloved club. I know I couldn't do a better job than Wenger because I know nothing about how to manage a football club or the board because I know nothing about managing a businesses but am I right in thinking that the club is in dire straits in footballing terms and nobody knows the answer. If I am what the hell are we going to do?
Shaktar Donetsk coach confirms that Arsenal have been given permission to talk to 27 year old Attacking Midfielder Jadson. ( Scoring the Winning Goal in Extra Time in the UEFA Cup Final qualifies any player for the benefit of the doubt from the fans, I would hope... )
Spurs are closing in on Lass Diarra... I rate him on the field, but man what a mercenary he is! Where are the Twitter followers at? I saw tons of talk yesterday about Jagielka sightings. Haven't seen any mainstream news movement on that front though.
Actually, yes. 1 - Each team fields the exact same number of players, they even change the direction of play at half time, and each team plays every other team both home and away. Each team does transfer dealings, each team has scouts, youth teams, etc. A consistent winning season every year is mathematical proof that you know what you are doing. 2 - During the period of time I have followed Arsenal, I have also followed Middlesbrough, who had winning seasons in the Premiership and reached the UEFA Cup Final. Then they let their successful manager leave, the first of a series of foolish moves that led to relegation, and almost a second relegation from the Championship. So, I have a good idea of what does not work. I have seen Leeds and Portsmouth go bankrupt, and today Everton's bankers have (paraphrase) announced that they need to sell players this month. So, it is clear to me what does not work. 3 - Every top player at Arsenal originally produced a "Who ??" reaction from fans when signed, including Thierry Henry, Fabregas, Vieira, Van Persie, and Toure. Wenger only paid over 10M for two players - Wiltord and Arshavin - neither of whom has proved to be worth more than similar unknown players Wenger has signed. So, the actual record demonstrates that Wenger does know what he is doing. Failing to come out on top over 19 other teams who are trying equally hard, and some of whom also know what they are doing (Sir Alex), is not failure.
No, not me. I'm totally calm and even-headed about this. It's always been true that money buys success in football. With regards to transfers, the only signings we're gonna get a sniff at are those that filter and trickle down from the Ultra-rich clubs. We're like those tiny mammals competing with the dinosaurs - we just have to tough it out, make the most out of what we can and hope the Fairplay gods smash their unholy monuments to football financial doping with fire and brimstone. Only then can Arsenal rise from the ashes like a phoenix. I'm not really all that surprised at our policies or our results. This will be a tough, anxious season to sit through but I am really excited about our new signings - just not for this season.
Wenger is the f'n man. When fully fit, I think our team last year was good enough to beat anyone in the world. We beat City, Chelsea, Man U, and Barcelona. I can get behind that. People harp on trophies, but often times winning them is a matter of luck. Getting the right breaks at the right time. Having good health and good form at key moments. Unless you're paying through the nose like Barca or Real, you can't expect to win things every year. All you can do is hope to field a competitive team that has a chance to win things. And we've done that every season. Arsene has made some questionable moves (Chamakh? Squillaci?), but for the most part his staff does a tremendous job of identifying elite talent. I actually think this is a very exciting time to be a fan of this team. I can't wait to see how we respond to the losses of Cesc and Nasri, and who we might bring in to replace them. If all you care about is hardware and following a team that will spend recklessly until it wins something, I'd point you towards the Chelsea and Man City boards.
But what makes a 35 Million Pound player ? People like Arsene Wenger (ask FC Barcelona). Clubs like Man City and Chelsea use their money to avoid having to develop players, they let people like Arsene find players like Anelka, develop them, and then they buy them. So, you either have to have money, or you have to have an eye for talent, and a succesful method for developing the talent. BTW, I would always rather buy four 10 Million Pound players than one 40 Million Pound player - because a) the one player can end up breaking his leg and you have nothing, and b) four players who have reached that level of valuation means that you have four players capable of being that 40 Million Pound player in the future. Spending big money just means that you get what you want today and you don't have to wait patiently or do so much work on the training pitch...
While this is true, depth and mental strength are also major factors in surviving a long campaign across a number of fronts. Unlucky is RVP getting tossed at Nou Camp. The way we finished the Prem campaign is mental weakness, which I believe is do to inexperience in large part. Drawing or losing to teams like Albion, Sunderland, Blackburn, Fulham, need I mention the Newcastle debacle? The youth project makes sense to the extent that you give players opportunities in big situations early on to expose them to pressures they will learn to withstand in a few years time. But when the battle-tested leave right when they hit their prime, you're back at square one with a new batch of inexperience. With the exodus, we're going to be hurting for depth. Because injuries will surely continue as always. We could always use a bit of luck to go our way, but even last year's squad when fit needed some more mental strength, that killer instinct we lack.
In the early 1900s, a lot of Afro-Caribbean people migrated to Central America for work, specifically Costa Rica. They kept their name, history, and culture. Their are towns in Costa Rica that still speak English, Campbell is from one.
Maybe a stupid question - but his forename pronounced like most Anglos would prodounce it? Or is it "Ho - el", with the Spanish "j"?
So, evidently we are on verge of signing a player! He's Andy Polo, 16 year old Peruvian. Yeah, that's right. During this desperate time in which we should be buying 1st teamers who can realistically contribute and help us STAY IN THE TOP 4 (forget the title, that's unrealistic as all hell) we are buying teenagers. I'm all for buying youthful players but at some point it has to stop. It's a joke. We are losing our best players and yet Wenger buys unproven nobodies. Yes, yes I know the players we've bought before were nobodies but you know what? I don't give a flying ********k. At this time we need at least some sort of proven players. Signing nobodies has given us profit but what have we won? Nothing. Yeah, you can sit there and tell me to go support another team but the truth of the matter is I want this team to win. I want Arsenal to win. I've been a supporter for more than half my life and I will be a fan till the day I die but this is getting ridiculous.