Arsenal Thread

[BobbyBox]

No, not quite a bit lower. I remember paying 88 pounds to see a match against Chelsea a couple of seasons ago.

I don't like to look at the shit, I look at facts.
Analyse the info in the Guardian link and you will see how the cheapest season ticket at Arsenal is more expensive than the top season ticket for Manchester United.

The scouting problem is something screaming at us. When we had so many problems to sort in the short term we sent out our main transfer guy to Costa Rica to sign Joel Campbell, a teenager who didn't play a single minute in our colours. And this process took 10 days during a much troubled tranfers window. We're not even getting our priorities right.

The thing about Gervinho is sad but true. He may have had good stats in Ligue 1, but how come nobody saw how he's so erratic, how he cannot kick a football.

Wenger's main strength was his knowledge of the French league. How could Newcastle unearth talent such as Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse and Yohan Cabaye right from under Wenger's nose?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting Arsenal to grab all the good players. But it's hard to take when all we've got recently from Ligue 1 was Chamakh, Park, Squilaci and Gervinho (I'm not judging Giroud just yet).

I don't have a "thing" about being proved right, I am more self-assured than that
It's just that I post some things that are laughed at or thoroughly rebuffed, only for it to appear later in more 'credible' sources.

Arseblog doesn't own the truth or anything. But they have access to privileged information - that's this guy's job after all - so he knows more than me and you.
Plus, we're talking about a blog that has an optimistic agenda overall. So if you start reading stuff like that over there, this is a sign that things aren't as good as you think.

There would have been cheaper tickets than £88, you paid it though? If people didn't pay then they wouldn't be at that price plain and simple.

Look I agree that the prices shouldn't be as high as they are, I disagree with how you are portraying it though.

The season ticket thing is another one, it would be interesting to see what each season ticket from each club includes. Because I think for instance Arsenal include 7 cup games in their season ticket (across the 3 cups?) I'm not sure if most other clubs do that? (Again not 100% sure, but I think a lot don't?)

The thing about our 'main transfer guy' going to get Joel Campbell as well, just is so simplistic. We have one 'main transfer guy'? we will have a few people that can finalise deals, talk to agents/players etc So I think this argument is just doesn't highlight much really. If he was the only signing we made that summer It may also have had some standing, but we signed many players in that transfer period, a lot of them on the last day, but if you think that had anything to do with the Joel Campbell situation, then I think you are being a bit too naive?

The reason nobody saw how erratic Gervinho was is because he wasn't when they saw him, he obviously played very well. If he played like he is playing for us now, then there would obviously be questions about it.

The Newcastle players play very well in Newcastles style of play, with the players at Newcastle etc etc Which has some luck to it (Quite a bit actually) because you simply do not know how a player will play in a different league and system, in a different country etc etc. I'm just repeating myself, but there is a lot more to it than our scouts simply being shit.

How does Arseblog have access to privileged information? that is a new one on me? he is a blogger, he talks to a lot of people that have opnions on Arsenal and he forms his own opinion based on stuff he reads and hears about, just like I do and everybody else. I don't think it makes him a step up regarding 'knowing' more about Arsenal. I have rarely heard him speak about things because he is 'in the know' he talks about what he feels and thinks on certain situations that is all.

I don't think an Arsenal blog has an optimistic agenda? it has an Arsenal agenda to speak about Arsenal and that is it, good and bad, which he does. The guy is very honest about his views, he is rational and is humorous which is why I also like reading his blog. But I disagree with him sometimes and don't think his opinion is any better than any body else really.

I don't think everything is great at Arsenal, there are some major problems of course, I just disagree in how you portray these problems and how you describe what you think is going on.

 

[Rantboy]

There would have been cheaper tickets than £88, you paid it though? If people didn't pay then they wouldn't be at that price plain and simple.

Look I agree that the prices shouldn't be as high as they are, I disagree with how you are portraying it though.

The season ticket thing is another one, it would be interesting to see what each season ticket from each club includes. Because I think for instance Arsenal include 7 cup games in their season ticket (across the 3 cups?) I'm not sure if most other clubs do that? (Again not 100% sure, but I think a lot don't?)

The thing about our 'main transfer guy' going to get Joel Campbell as well, just is so simplistic. We have one 'main transfer guy'? we will have a few people that can finalise deals, talk to agents/players etc So I think this argument is just doesn't highlight much really. If he was the only signing we made that summer It may also have had some standing, but we signed many players in that transfer period, a lot of them on the last day, but if you think that had anything to do with the Joel Campbell situation, then I think you are being a bit too naive?

The reason nobody saw how erratic Gervinho was is because he wasn't when they saw him, he obviously played very well. If he played like he is playing for us now, then there would obviously be questions about it.

The Newcastle players play very well in Newcastles style of play, with the players at Newcastle etc etc Which has some luck to it (Quite a bit actually) because you simply do not know how a player will play in a different league and system, in a different country etc etc. I'm just repeating myself, but there is a lot more to it than our scouts simply being shit.

How does Arseblog have access to privileged information? that is a new one on me? he is a blogger, he talks to a lot of people that have opnions on Arsenal and he forms his own opinion based on stuff he reads and hears about, just like I do and everybody else. I don't think it makes him a step up regarding 'knowing' more about Arsenal. I have rarely heard him speak about things because he is 'in the know' he talks about what he feels and thinks on certain situations that is all.

I don't think an Arsenal blog has an optimistic agenda? it has an Arsenal agenda to speak about Arsenal and that is it, good and bad, which he does. The guy is very honest about his views, he is rational and is humorous which is why I also like reading his blog. But I disagree with him sometimes and don't think his opinion is any better than any body else really.

I don't think everything is great at Arsenal, there are some major problems of course, I just disagree in how you portray these problems and how you describe what you think is going on.

The 88 quid ticket was an opportunity buy, I had a red membership back then and I wanted an A-class seat. I got it. We were battered 0-3 though

I don't know the ins and outs of our season ticket scheme either. But whatever it is I think it is not catering to real football fans anymore. Whatever they offer there in terms of hospitality, free booze, lobsters for dinner, a blowjob during halftime, I don't care... I just think it's wrong to charge your fans twice as much as United does. They were supposed to go there for the football after all.
I know there are people willing to pay for things, but then we would enter another discussion. I agree with you from the point of view of the club making more money, and I won't judge saying it is greedy. It's just how the market works.
But one thing is true: the hard core fans, the real salt of the earth people have been priced out of the Emirates.

As for the Joel Campbell thing, it was just an episode to illustrate how the club is doing things the wrong way.
What happened there is that Campbell and his people stood Arsenal up. And the person in charge just happened to be Richard Law. Yes, we do have a main transfer guy, and he is Richard Law: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/sep/23/arsenal-premierleague

As for Arseblog, he is much more in-the-know than us of course, regarding Arsenal matters and English football at the very least. He has that podcast of his and he has people like Amy Lawrence from the Guardian speaking very often as a guest.

As for what goes on outside the Premier League in terms of players and prospects, I'm not saying he knows. Bloody Alan Shearer didn't know who Ben Arfa was (another brilliant French playing for Newcastle). The media in the UK suffers from miopia and knows very little from continental European football.

All Arseblog and yours truly have been saying is that there is a string of flops coming from Ligue 1 to Arsenal, while other clubs with less resources snap up a bunch of excellent players from that league.

Of course there's the element of luck, of adaptation. But if we make 5 or 6 signings that don't work as they should, this cannot be coincidence.

 

[BobbyBox]

The 88 quid ticket was an opportunity buy, I had a red membership back then and I wanted an A-class seat. I got it. We were battered 0-3 though

I don't know the ins and outs of our season ticket scheme either. But whatever it is I think it is not catering to real football fans anymore. Whatever they offer there in terms of hospitality, free booze, lobsters for dinner, a blowjob during halftime, I don't care... I just think it's wrong to charge your fans twice as much as United does. They were supposed to go there for the football after all.
I know there are people willing to pay for things, but then we would enter another discussion. I agree with you from the point of view of the club making more money, and I won't judge saying it is greedy. It's just how the market works.
But one thing is true: the hard core fans, the real salt of the earth people have been priced out of the Emirates.

As for the Joel Campbell thing, it was just an episode to illustrate how the club is doing things the wrong way.
What happened there is that Campbell and his people stood Arsenal up. And the person in charge just happened to be Richard Law. Yes, we do have a main transfer guy, and he is Richard Law: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/sep/23/arsenal-premierleague

As for Arseblog, he is much more in-the-know than us of course, regarding Arsenal matters and English football at the very least. He has that podcast of his and he has people like Amy Lawrence from the Guardian speaking very often as a guest.

As for what goes on outside the Premier League in terms of players and prospects, I'm not saying he knows. Bloody Alan Shearer didn't know who Ben Arfa was (another brilliant French playing for Newcastle). The media in the UK suffers from miopia and knows very little from continental European football.

All Arseblog and yours truly have been saying is that there is a string of flops coming from Ligue 1 to Arsenal, while other clubs with less resources snap up a bunch of excellent players from that league.

Of course there's the element of luck, of adaptation. But if we make 5 or 6 signings that don't work as they should, this cannot be coincidence.

You could say the real salt of the earth people were priced out of football a long time ago.

Also your criticism of Wenger/Scouts not having the magic touch anymore in the french league. Demba Ba And Cisse came from German sides most recently(Ba was at West Ham Before Newcastle as well) your previous comment about Wenger missing them in the French league wasn't quite true? Cabaye yes he is a good player that was in the french league before he came to Newcastle.

Also who are the 5-6 signings that haven't worked out? Chamakh, Park, Schilaci and Gervinho? At least two of them were the best players in the French league arguably at the time, can you blame Arsene for buying them at the time? Park is questionable because he hasn't had a chance and Scillaci turned out shit granted but had a lot of experience and was only intended as back up anyway. He also got koscielny that has been a good signing from Ligue 1.

We have Richard Law but is he the only man that can talk to people and make things happen? I doubt it and you also don't mention anything I said about it having any effect on other signings? which was your main point I think? that we wasted time on Campbell to the detriment of signing other players?

Arseblog is more in the know because he talks to football Journalists on a podcast that we can all listen to? One, just because he talks to journalists (Journalists that are human and form opinions based on the same thing as non journalists), doesn't mean he knows more and secondly we can all hear the conversations on the podcasts, so we can do exactly what he does and take the information and form our own opinions based on it. your still not convincing me that he is more in the know?

Wenger has also made quite a few transfers that are working out, but you are dwelling on the ones that are not.

 

[Aboutreika18]

He just seems unable to properly assess the mentality of player he should bring in, which is why the likes of Arshavin and Chamakh have never recovered from going off the boil.

Watching the first team struggle to draw against Bradford, looking like a mess mentally and lacking any motivation calls into question Wenger's man management, which has never been his strongest point but at the moment is looking worse than ever.

 

[BobbyBox]

He just seems unable to properly assess the mentality of player he should bring in, which is why the likes of Arshavin and Chamakh have never recovered from going off the boil.

Watching the first team struggle to draw against Bradford, looking like a mess mentally and lacking any motivation calls into question Wenger's man management, which has never been his strongest point but at the moment is looking worse than ever.

Definitely there is something wrong and he needs to be firmer with the players, he has faults definitely they are plain to see. I feel there needs to be a change of formation and for him to be less stubborn on certain situations.

I just don't like it when things are brought up that I don't think are necessarily true imo.

To be honest we didn't turn up for 60 minutes or so for that match but after that we completely dominated that match. We struggled to score, but we had many chances to put the game to bed. Not excusing it at all, we should have battered a league 2 team with that side and there is something wrong, I don't think it is motivation to be honest, I definitely think it is mental and I don't know how that is going to get sorted....maybe the only way it will change is through a change of management? if good stuff doesn't happen soon, then I think we will all see that change.

The bottom line for me is that this team should be doing much better, if Wenger can no longer get the best out of the players we have, then obviously he needs to go.

 

[Damjan]

If Wenger wants to buy Ligue 1 players, he should really take a look at Alain Traoré from Lorient. Considering Arsenal and Lorient have a good bond, we could get him for less too I suppose.

 

[Rantboy]

Also who are the 5-6 signings that haven't worked out? Chamakh, Park, Schilaci and Gervinho? At least two of them were the best players in the French league arguably at the time, can you blame Arsene for buying them at the time? Park is questionable because he hasn't had a chance and Scillaci turned out shit granted but had a lot of experience and was only intended as back up anyway. He also got koscielny that has been a good signing from Ligue 1.

Yeah, I'd say those 4 in the current squad. He's insisting on Gervinho but I really think he lacks the necessary quality. Giroud is a good player, but not a replacement for RVP, not by any means.
The strange thing about Park is not even giving him a chance. He must have been really shite in the training ground. Who knows? It's really puzzling.

We have Richard Law but is he the only man that can talk to people and make things happen? I doubt it and you also don't mention anything I said about it having any effect on other signings? which was your main point I think? that we wasted time on Campbell to the detriment of signing other players?

Precisely. I'd send my fucking intern to take care of that signing
Law isn't the only one who can sign players, that's precisely my point. He should be on the big cases, shoudn't he? Why send your main guy on a 10 day mission to sign a teenager who will spend the next couple of years on loan anyway?
The impact it had? One can only wonder. He could have been chasing a proven player, or he could spend the days sitting in his office. In any case it doesn't bode well for a team crying out for reinforcements, does it?

Arseblog is more in the know because he talks to football Journalists on a podcast that we can all listen to? One, just because he talks to journalists (Journalists that are human and form opinions based on the same thing as non journalists), doesn't mean he knows more and secondly we can all hear the conversations on the podcasts, so we can do exactly what he does and take the information and form our own opinions based on it. your still not convincing me that he is more in the know?

Wenger has also made quite a few transfers that are working out, but you are dwelling on the ones that are not.

I don't know mate, if it's so easy to get hold of football correspondents from the Observer and The Guardian, then maybe we should all create our own websites and podcasts. Why didn't I think of it before?
All I'm saying is that Arseblog can be considered a credible source. The guy is running that thing for almost 10 years now, give him some credit.

If you really think his contact with journalists is limited to what we can actually listen in his published podcasts, then I think I have nothing to add to this conversation.

 

[BobbyBox]

Yeah, I'd say those 4 in the current squad. He's insisting on Gervinho but I really think he lacks the necessary quality. Giroud is a good player, but not a replacement for RVP, not by any means.
The strange thing about Park is not even giving him a chance. He must have been really shite in the training ground. Who knows? It's really puzzling.

So why did you say 5-6? this is what gets me and it is on the same lines as 'the most expensive tickets' line. It is to create a feeling of it being much worse than it actually is to prove a point? This is what gets on my nerves about some of the things you come out with.

Precisely. I'd send my fucking intern to take care of that signing
Law isn't the only one who can sign players, that's precisely my point. He should be on the big cases, shoudn't he? Why send your main guy on a 10 day mission to sign a teenager who will spend the next couple of years on loan anyway?
The impact it had? One can only wonder. He could have been chasing a proven player, or he could spend the days sitting in his office. In any case it doesn't bode well for a team crying out for reinforcements, does it?

The thing is we don't really know what happened? you have no clue what impact it had on anything? you are just assuming it had an impact with no proof of any impact it had? it just doesn't make sense to me? We got many reinforcements in that transfer period.

I don't know mate, if it's so easy to get hold of football correspondents from the Observer and The Guardian, then maybe we should all create our own websites and podcasts. Why didn't I think of it before?
All I'm saying is that Arseblog can be considered a credible source. The guy is running that thing for almost 10 years now, give him some credit.

Your reasoning really baffles me sometimes. The guy has worked on his blog for many years to get to this point. His blog isn't about predicting who we will sign and get it correct, or any other bold proclamations. He is a guy that has respect, because he speaks honestly, rationally and I think for the most part because of his humour. He is knowledgeable, but his blog is based on his opinions. Just because he has Journalists that he speaks to doesn't mean he has inside information? or am I missing something here? He never says he has inside information or any other type of information that the rest of us don't know?

What do you mean he is a credible source? a credible source for what? his own opinions? if yes then I agree. But a credible source for what else? I really don't get it?

I respect what he says, but I also disagree with him and just because he chats with Amy Lawrence every now and again doesn't make his opinion right or wrong, it is his opinion.

If you really think his contact with journalists is limited to what we can actually listen in his published podcasts, then I think I have nothing to add to this conversation.

So what do these magic, all knowing journalists know, that they would be telling Arseblog in secret? that he wouldn't put in his blog?! What do you mean by this statement?

You think because someone is a journalist, they automatically know all of the ins and outs and goings on at Arsenal? because that is what it seems like you are implying?

 

[jonneymendoza]

If Wenger wants to buy Ligue 1 players, he should really take a look at Alain Traoré from Lorient. Considering Arsenal and Lorient have a good bond, we could get him for less too I suppose.

i bet once he comes he'l turn shit.

Anyways let me derail this chat.

i have just blew £250 for two tickets to see arsenal vs City

So dispite the hight ticket price and our shambolic display over the past few weeks, ive gone and blew some big cash on this PL game in which we will probably get raped.

i am crazy

 

[BobbyBox]

i bet once he comes he'l turn shit.

Anyways let me derail this chat.

i have just blew £250 for two tickets to see arsenal vs City

So dispite the hight ticket price and our shambolic display over the past few weeks, ive gone and blew some big cash on this PL game in which we will probably get raped.

i am crazy

you are crazy!

 

[jonneymendoza]

indeed but i cant wait to see it!!!

U going?

 

[bebo]

Jonney in a derange awkward way you`re brilliant

 

[jonneymendoza]

hehe thanks

 

[BobbyBox]

I'm not going as I live in another country now, but I wouldn't pay £250 to go either, so kudos to you for that.......it's people like you that keep the prices so high

 

[bebo]

Rent n jonney`s rants are valid they pay high prices . I can`t wait to make the trip. I been to Highbury ,but never Emirates. How far is Cambridge from the Emirates? I have family that live near the airbase.

 

[beachryan]

Hey at least Wenger didn't buy a Portuguese division 3 player he'd never seen play for £7m.

 

[Rantboy]

So why did you say 5-6? this is what gets me and it is on the same lines as 'the most expensive tickets' line. It is to create a feeling of it being much worse than it actually is to prove a point? This is what gets on my nerves about some of the things you come out with.



The thing is we don't really know what happened? you have no clue what impact it had on anything? you are just assuming it had an impact with no proof of any impact it had? it just doesn't make sense to me? We got many reinforcements in that transfer period.



Your reasoning really baffles me sometimes. The guy has worked on his blog for many years to get to this point. His blog isn't about predicting who we will sign and get it correct, or any other bold proclamations. He is a guy that has respect, because he speaks honestly, rationally and I think for the most part because of his humour. He is knowledgeable, but his blog is based on his opinions. Just because he has Journalists that he speaks to doesn't mean he has inside information? or am I missing something here? He never says he has inside information or any other type of information that the rest of us don't know?

What do you mean he is a credible source? a credible source for what? his own opinions? if yes then I agree. But a credible source for what else? I really don't get it?

I respect what he says, but I also disagree with him and just because he chats with Amy Lawrence every now and again doesn't make his opinion right or wrong, it is his opinion.



So what do these magic, all knowing journalists know, that they would be telling Arseblog in secret? that he wouldn't put in his blog?! What do you mean by this statement?

You think because someone is a journalist, they automatically know all of the ins and outs and goings on at Arsenal? because that is what it seems like you are implying?

I really don't get you Bob. I present you with facts about the ticket prices and you still dispute that? It's widely known that Arsenal charges the most expensive ticket in the league. It isn't me, nor Arseblog saying it, it's the BBC coming out with it.
Look at Jonney being ripped off!

If I said 5, 6 or 4 players, this is not me trying to make things look worse than they are. It makes little difference. The problem stands.

Why do you must know the exact impact of Richard Law staying 10 days in Costa Rica trying to sign an unproven player? Can't you see the fact for itself, which is not a good sign at all?

The Arseblog thing I don't know if I should carry on. All I can say is that some things you hear there first.
I had been reading the blog on a daily basis and I don't even stand on the same side of the fence all the times.
But the point is that he probably hears a lot of true things beforehand. And I respect the fact that he probably filters a lot, as he doesn't publish mere rumours.

Everybody has their own opinion and, just as me, he must have had the same opinion about the scouts. The difference is that he only vented his frustrations about it after we were knocked out by Bradford. But the thought is always there in the back of our minds when you see exciting talent at other teams earning less than Squilaci.

Nobody in the press knows the ins and outs of what really goes on at Arsenal, but they know a hell of a lot more than us. These people cover the club, that's their job. They will have some opinions which you can question, but they will have facts too.

Do you only read news coming from Arsenal.com with their PR twist? Tell me where you get your fix of optimism from, because many fans like me need it!

I'm sorry if what I say is too negative or annoys you. I'm not trying to burst your bubble of optimism here, this is nothing personal.

I personally think the club needs a change, and needs it badly! The sign are becoming clearer and clearer.
And I'm afraid the central part of it is Arsene Wenger. If he cannot change himself, then he needs to be shifted.

What we have witnessed so far this season is too much to take.
Wasn't it Einstein who said "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result"?
Wenger needs to take a good look at himself. His time is almost up now.

 

[Rantboy]

Rent n jonney`s rants are valid they pay high prices . I can`t wait to make the trip. I been to Highbury ,but never Emirates. How far is Cambridge from the Emirates? I have family that live near the airbase.

Bebo you can get a 1 hour train from Cambridge to London King's Cross (which is very close to Highbury & Islington.

 

[jonneymendoza]

I'm not going as I live in another country now, but I wouldn't pay £250 to go either, so kudos to you for that.......it's people like you that keep the prices so high

Live life my friend. if u love arsenal and are able to afford and go then why not? u only live once!

Bebo you can get a 1 hour train from Cambridge to London King's Cross (which is very close to Highbury & Islington.

Rent do u regularly go and see arsenal play as well?

 

[Rantboy]

Rent do u regularly go and see arsenal play as well?

Yeah I go when I can. Well, not regularly because now I'm no longer a Red Member. But whenever it goes to general sale or someone offers it for face value(ish). But to be honest this season I only went to see us hammering Southampton 6-1 and that was it.

I'm less involved this year, but not less worried about the club!

I'm on holidays in Brazil now, but I'll be back in Jan and will be looking to go a few more times

 

[gerd]

Well Jonney i sincerely hope the match against City will be the turning point of the season for Arsenal...you deserve that.

Yesterday Football Weekly talked about Arsenal.

They said Wenger in English football is like England and the West-Indies in cricket. The English imported the game to the West-Indies and people there started to play it. Once they got the hang of it, they became better.

Wenger is an innovator in English football (dietary, preparation, training methods,...) but now the other teams have caught up with Arsenal and now it becomes clear that tactically Wenger isn't the big genius.

They also said that Arsenal have been overachieving for a couple of seasons and that Wenger is well aware of the fact that finishing fourth is well on par for the current Arsenal team. They are convinced that Arsenal will end up fourth...

This exactly reflects my own opinion. But like i also said: i wouldn't mind Arsenal competing for the title and win it, just like i want Liverpool to become competitive again (oh and Spurs of course).

 

[BobbyBox]

I really don't get you Bob. I present you with facts about the ticket prices and you still dispute that? It's widely known that Arsenal charges the most expensive ticket in the league. It isn't me, nor Arseblog saying it, it's the BBC coming out with it.
Look at Jonney being ripped off!

If I said 5, 6 or 4 players, this is not me trying to make things look worse than they are. It makes little difference. The problem stands.

Why do you must know the exact impact of Richard Law staying 10 days in Costa Rica trying to sign an unproven player? Can't you see the fact for itself, which is not a good sign at all?

The Arseblog thing I don't know if I should carry on. All I can say is that some things you hear there first.
I had been reading the blog on a daily basis and I don't even stand on the same side of the fence all the times.
But the point is that he probably hears a lot of true things beforehand. And I respect the fact that he probably filters a lot, as he doesn't publish mere rumours.

Everybody has their own opinion and, just as me, he must have had the same opinion about the scouts. The difference is that he only vented his frustrations about it after we were knocked out by Bradford. But the thought is always there in the back of our minds when you see exciting talent at other teams earning less than Squilaci.

Nobody in the press knows the ins and outs of what really goes on at Arsenal, but they know a hell of a lot more than us. These people cover the club, that's their job. They will have some opinions which you can question, but they will have facts too.

Do you only read news coming from Arsenal.com with their PR twist? Tell me where you get your fix of optimism from, because many fans like me need it!

I'm sorry if what I say is too negative or annoys you. I'm not trying to burst your bubble of optimism here, this is nothing personal.

I personally think the club needs a change, and needs it badly! The sign are becoming clearer and clearer.
And I'm afraid the central part of it is Arsene Wenger. If he cannot change himself, then he needs to be shifted.

What we have witnessed so far this season is too much to take.
Wasn't it Einstein who said "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result"?
Wenger needs to take a good look at himself. His time is almost up now.

We really don't get each other that is evident, because the points I am making you are totally missing.

The point about the tickets, which I have made over and over again is I' not disputing that we have the most expensive ticket, its the fact we have resonable priced tickets as well, we have a state of the art Stadium (One of the newest in the world), etc. I object to the fact you use the 'most expensive ticket' thing every time you have a rant. When there are many reasons why we have the most expensive ticket.

It's the point about the 5-6 players, you exaggerate it to make it sound worse. In my opinion 5-6 players is more than 4 which makes it sound worse. When you only get in a few players every season then adding another couple of Mysteriously failed players to the mix is quite a big difference imo and misleads people.

I don't need to know the exact reason why Richard Law spent 10 days on the Campbell transfer saga, nor I need to know the consequences of that. But you do. Before you post something with outrage, you should really know if it really is having the effect you think it is and not just posting it because Arseblog mentioned it. My point was you are just assuming that it caused a problem? tell me what it actually did? I'm interested, tell me what players we missed out on because of it? etc etc

What did you here on Arseblog first? I would be interested to know? because he reads through reports and blogs etc before he writes his blog. You say the word 'Probably' "he probably hears a lot of true things beforehand" so you don't know, you are assuming because he has a successful blog and he talks to Journalists, the same way you are assuming that Journalists know a great deal more than everybody else about Arsenal and how they would secretly tell Arseblog rather than the whole world. Because their jobs are to find information and then not tell the public, but in secret tell bloggers all that they know?

I get my information from many sources and then I form an opinion based on that. I read things and then I look into them and don't take a lot of things at face value and think about things a bit more rationally.

I get the impression you really don't, you think Journalists opinions and bloggers opinions are gospal and you are highly influenced by them in what you say.

My optimism comes from using my eyes and seeing the team at different stages and I use my knowledge to look at the club and ascertain where we need improvements. I don't just mark everything as shit like you do, because that is too simplistic to me, I can see we have a good set of players that can play much much better than they are doing and need help from a few more quality players so that they are not left tired and we have different options.

If you read my posts, I don't think everything is great, I just don't think the problems lie with the ticket prices and the scouts. I think it does have a lot to do with Wenger and the mentality he instills in players at the club, this is our foremost and major problem. If he doesn't sort it out then I agree that we need a change.

The funny thing is I agree on most things with you, I just don't agree with how you put things across and add things to your argument to prove your points.

The points you brought up recently, Why are Newcastle finding better players in ligue 1 than Arsenal? Demba Ba and Cisse played for German and English clubs before moving to Newcastle and Gervinho and Chamakh were star players when they were signed. These things are two major flaws in your argument imo.

The ticket pricing, you dismiss the fact that although we have the most expensive tickets there are many reasons behind this. New Stadium, facilities, season ticket holders get 7 cup games in that price, plus we have many 10's thousands of tickets between £25-35 for the majority of games. We charge much less for League Cup games etc It isn't as simple as we have the highest tickets. Again I don't agree with how high the tickets can be, I just disagree with how you use it in your arguments/points.

Scouting, Again we have also bought in many players that are doing well, but you concentrate on the 4 that haven't. Two of those players again, were two of the best players around at that moment in time in Europe, Chamakh was also doing well in European competition and Gervinho's scoring and assist stats were very good and comparable to other top players in Europe. But because they are not doing well now, our scouts are shit? Just doesn't make sense to me what you are saying.

These are just some of the things I disagree with you recently.

But I agree something needs to change soon, otherwise Arsene will have to go.

 

[bebo]

Well Jonney i sincerely hope the match against City will be the turning point of the season for Arsenal...you deserve that.

Yesterday Football Weekly talked about Arsenal.

They said Wenger in English football is like England and the West-Indies in cricket. The English imported the game to the West-Indies and people there started to play it. Once they got the hang of it, they became better.

Wenger is an innovator in English football (dietary, preparation, training methods,...) but now the other teams have caught up with Arsenal and now it becomes clear that tactically Wenger isn't the big genius.

They also said that Arsenal have been overachieving for a couple of seasons and that Wenger is well aware of the fact that finishing fourth is well on par for the current Arsenal team. They are convinced that Arsenal will end up fourth...

This exactly reflects my own opinion. But like i also said: i wouldn't mind Arsenal competing for the title and win it, just like i want Liverpool to become competitive again (oh and Spurs of course).

The difference in Wenger is he had to get older players and grooming them to his style of play is more difficult to achieve. I don`t think he`s been found out like the media/pundit claim . I think he hasn`t adapt the approach w/ ready made players. I see Arsenal failing in the final 3rd to lack of communication or no one knows where to pass the ball too.

RVP n Song played a few season together imo that is key! RVP at MUTD doesn`t have that connecting player that knows his game where they can pass the ball into that zone. Rvp is just a good player that scores.

 

[cfdh_edmundo]

Looks like, finally, there is a degree of pressure on Stan Kroenke. In today's Telegraph Ushmanov is talking about trying to get Henry back in a developmental role (he specifically cites Vieira at Man City as an example). He also says Wenger can do the job but needs to employ a better more challenging set of support staff than what he has at the moment.

More tellingly, the same article says that Nina Bracewell-Smith (a long term share holder who sold here shares 18 months ag) regrets selling here shares to Kroenke instead of Ushmanov. She said that the current state of affairs shows the board to be running a "pathetic business" and was even more scathing about Kroenke in particular, saying "Dissapointment would be an understatement, he shows he cares very little, why he wanted to be part of Arsenal I do not know. Football is about passion and SK (Kroenke) has no passion for Arsenal".

 

[Rantboy]

We really don't get each other that is evident, because the points I am making you are totally missing.

The point about the tickets, which I have made over and over again is I' not disputing that we have the most expensive ticket, its the fact we have resonable priced tickets as well, we have a state of the art Stadium (One of the newest in the world), etc. I object to the fact you use the 'most expensive ticket' thing every time you have a rant. When there are many reasons why we have the most expensive ticket.

It's the point about the 5-6 players, you exaggerate it to make it sound worse. In my opinion 5-6 players is more than 4 which makes it sound worse. When you only get in a few players every season then adding another couple of Mysteriously failed players to the mix is quite a big difference imo and misleads people.

I don't need to know the exact reason why Richard Law spent 10 days on the Campbell transfer saga, nor I need to know the consequences of that. But you do. Before you post something with outrage, you should really know if it really is having the effect you think it is and not just posting it because Arseblog mentioned it. My point was you are just assuming that it caused a problem? tell me what it actually did? I'm interested, tell me what players we missed out on because of it? etc etc

What did you here on Arseblog first? I would be interested to know? because he reads through reports and blogs etc before he writes his blog. You say the word 'Probably' "he probably hears a lot of true things beforehand" so you don't know, you are assuming because he has a successful blog and he talks to Journalists, the same way you are assuming that Journalists know a great deal more than everybody else about Arsenal and how they would secretly tell Arseblog rather than the whole world. Because their jobs are to find information and then not tell the public, but in secret tell bloggers all that they know?

I get my information from many sources and then I form an opinion based on that. I read things and then I look into them and don't take a lot of things at face value and think about things a bit more rationally.

I get the impression you really don't, you think Journalists opinions and bloggers opinions are gospal and you are highly influenced by them in what you say.

My optimism comes from using my eyes and seeing the team at different stages and I use my knowledge to look at the club and ascertain where we need improvements. I don't just mark everything as shit like you do, because that is too simplistic to me, I can see we have a good set of players that can play much much better than they are doing and need help from a few more quality players so that they are not left tired and we have different options.

If you read my posts, I don't think everything is great, I just don't think the problems lie with the ticket prices and the scouts. I think it does have a lot to do with Wenger and the mentality he instills in players at the club, this is our foremost and major problem. If he doesn't sort it out then I agree that we need a change.

The funny thing is I agree on most things with you, I just don't agree with how you put things across and add things to your argument to prove your points.

The points you brought up recently, Why are Newcastle finding better players in ligue 1 than Arsenal? Demba Ba and Cisse played for German and English clubs before moving to Newcastle and Gervinho and Chamakh were star players when they were signed. These things are two major flaws in your argument imo.

The ticket pricing, you dismiss the fact that although we have the most expensive tickets there are many reasons behind this. New Stadium, facilities, season ticket holders get 7 cup games in that price, plus we have many 10's thousands of tickets between £25-35 for the majority of games. We charge much less for League Cup games etc It isn't as simple as we have the highest tickets. Again I don't agree with how high the tickets can be, I just disagree with how you use it in your arguments/points.

Scouting, Again we have also bought in many players that are doing well, but you concentrate on the 4 that haven't. Two of those players again, were two of the best players around at that moment in time in Europe, Chamakh was also doing well in European competition and Gervinho's scoring and assist stats were very good and comparable to other top players in Europe. But because they are not doing well now, our scouts are shit? Just doesn't make sense to me what you are saying.

These are just some of the things I disagree with you recently.

But I agree something needs to change soon, otherwise Arsene will have to go.

What I said about 5-6 players wasn't deliberate to make it sound worse. Believe me, I don't have to do this in here.
I didn't think of each individual before saying that. Now that we have mentioned Chamakh, Squilaci, Park and Gervinho we can say 4. If Giroud doesn't pick up his scoring boots it could be 5. Chamakh started out really well, remember? But let's hope he doesn't end up like that.

Richard Law getting the run around from Campbell's people and taking 10 days to sign a kid who hasn't got a work permit and will complete his 2nd season on loan? At the very least this makes a mockery of Arsenal.
But other than that, having our chief contract negotiator stuck in the Caribbean may have contributed to us missing out on some of our targets indeed.
I don't know if you recall this, but Juan Mata was a target of ours during that summer. Now this would have been a high profile signing, we needed our best senior people on the case. But as we all know, Chelsea (who were probably not even scouting him) hijacked the deal right from under Wenger's nose.
At the time I read the news about Law being stood up to sign the kid and I thought 'WTF'. I kept it to myself, but this is not a good sign at all.
You said we brought in a lot of people that summer, making it look less bad. But let's have a look at the guys we brought in that deadline day: Mertesacker (good signing), Arteta (signed without a medical! Thank Lord for him though, but what a crazy thing to do), Park and Santos (I think I don't need to write much about those).
And those signings only came on the back of that 8-2 mauling, it must be said.
So it's fair to say the way we handled ourselves during that transfer window was a big mess, wasn't it?

As for Arseblog, I'm not here to defend it, I have nothing to do with them.
What we read there is mostly reaction, but the issue about Theo's contract was raised there first before it came to the fore at newspapers. I also remember reading about the possibility of Bould becoming assistant there first. And then it was everywhere else.
Those are the ones from the top of my head.

You're contradicting yourself if you're diminishing the role of journalists. If they know fuck all about the things they are supposed to cover, then why do people need them? Why read newspapers?
And most importantly, from which sources do you get your information from? If not from journalists, then what?

What I read on Arseblog or the Guardian or BBC is not dogma to me. I just happen to relate a lot to what was vented at Arseblog lately.

The thing about Demba Ba and Cisse, that was my bad. They didn't come from the French league. But if they're 'major flaws' in my argument it doesn't make it less true that other teams with less resources are outsmarting us in the transfer market. Anyways Arseblog's post had it covered, saying that we have scouts in Germany who deemed some players 'not good enough' for the Premier League.
You will probably say that we signed Podolski and Mertesacker from the Bundesliga
But let's not forget those guys are renowned internationals, both with a long standing career in the German National Team. So, where are those 'hidden gems'? Who else without a higher profile did we sign from the Bundesliga? Erm.... Amaury Bischoff

The same way you say I'm distorting facts about the ticket prices, I say you are doing the same, suggesting they are cheaper than they actually are. First of all there are no Premier League games costing £25. You may catch FA and Capital One fixtures for that price.
For £35 you can watch tier C games like I did (Sunderland for example) in some of the worst seats.

If you want decent seats you'd be looking at £50 (which is still ok) but for the top matches you can expect to spend up to 100 quid.

Which would be fine if we saw signs of investment in the footballing part of the product.
Arsenal moved to the Emirates in 2006. That will be 6 years and a half now. Since then the ticket prices rised exponentially. Fans put up with star players leaving and weaker sides at the expense of paying debts from the stadium.
But now we are over 6 years down the line. Where is this money going to? If it is still covering for stadium debt, it would have been said. But what does our board say? Gazidis said there is money available for the manager to spend. Really? Then why does the club breaks even in the transfer windows? Why are we unable to offer more than £100k a week to our star players? I'm not saying I agree with players salaries nowadays, but that's the market for you.

Are our scouts shit? Well, are you telling me our scouts are doing a great job? Are they as good as Everton's and Newcastle's and Fulham's? I have my doubts.

Arsenal does not put their money where their mouth is. Saying we can compete for major titles is becoming more clearly than ever a big lie. I'm angry because I see things falling apart really fast.

 

[BobbyBox]

What I said about 5-6 players wasn't deliberate to make it sound worse. Believe me, I don't have to do this in here.
I didn't think of each individual before saying that. Now that we have mentioned Chamakh, Squilaci, Park and Gervinho we can say 4. If Giroud doesn't pick up his scoring boots it could be 5. Chamakh started out really well, remember? But let's hope he doesn't end up like that.

You were mentioning the individuals before you said the 5-6. But I will take your word that it wasn't deliberate.

Richard Law getting the run around from Campbell's people and taking 10 days to sign a kid who hasn't got a work permit and will complete his 2nd season on loan? At the very least this makes a mockery of Arsenal.
But other than that, having our chief contract negotiator stuck in the Caribbean may have contributed to us missing out on some of our targets indeed.
I don't know if you recall this, but Juan Mata was a target of ours during that summer. Now this would have been a high profile signing, we needed our best senior people on the case. But as we all know, Chelsea (who were probably not even scouting him) hijacked the deal right from under Wenger's nose.
At the time I read the news about Law being stood up to sign the kid and I thought 'WTF'. I kept it to myself, but this is not a good sign at all.
You said we brought in a lot of people that summer, making it look less bad. But let's have a look at the guys we brought in that deadline day: Mertesacker (good signing), Arteta (signed without a medical! Thank Lord for him though, but what a crazy thing to do), Park and Santos (I think I don't need to write much about those).
And those signings only came on the back of that 8-2 mauling, it must be said.
So it's fair to say the way we handled ourselves during that transfer window was a big mess, wasn't it?

It may[b/] have contributed like you said and it could just have easily not. This is my point and you can keep rambling what you think, but that is it. It's not fact that we missed out on Mata because of Law taking longer than necessary to complete a deal for a promising young player. I never heard the news that we failed to get Mata because Dick Law spent 10 days trying to sign Campbell? My whole point on this is that you are saying it is a shambles, when it wasn't really. He went and the people messed him about, but we still wanted to sign him so he stayed and made sure it happened? What is shambolic about it? Just because you believe that it had a profound effect on our other business (which you do not have any evidence of) doesn't make it shambolic or mean that they don't know what they are doing.

We made a lot of transfers late that season, but a lot of the times negotiations take a while to do and many other clubs do not complete until the last day. It wasn't ideal, but again was it because Law was signing Campbell? None of us know and I highly doubt it, because I think Arsenal can talk to a number of different people because they don't just rely on Law to do transfers. How did we sign Mertesacker, Arteta, Park and Santos all on the last day? Was it just Law involved? or do we have many other people that can do it?

As for Arseblog, I'm not here to defend it, I have nothing to do with them.
What we read there is mostly reaction, but the issue about Theo's contract was raised there first before it came to the fore at newspapers. I also remember reading about the possibility of Bould becoming assistant there first. And then it was everywhere else.
Those are the ones from the top of my head.

You don't have to defend Arseblog, I'm not attacking Arseblog I am saying, just because he says something doesn't make it true. That is my point. Theos contract and Bould as Assistant I heard from other sources first, but I don't think they were in the know as much as anybody else, I just read it from those places first

You're contradicting yourself if you're diminishing the role of journalists. If they know fuck all about the things they are supposed to cover, then why do people need them? Why read newspapers?
And most importantly, from which sources do you get your information from? If not from journalists, then what?

What I read on Arseblog or the Guardian or BBC is not dogma to me. I just happen to relate a lot to what was vented at Arseblog lately.

How am I contradicting myself? I know the role of journalists, but do they tell Arseblog secret information that he keeps to himself? because that is what you are implying. For him to be more knowledgeable that is what has to happen. I think the Journalist print in their own papers what they know, then they talk with Arseblog and give their views, which he then shows on his blog.

Journalists give you the information they think is true (Or in a lot of cases what they know is not true, but just want a story), then you can make up your mind about a subject based on what they tell you and also what other people tell you.

I will say it again, just because someone is a journalist, doesn't mean they know everything and definitely doesn't mean they are telling the truth.

The thing about Demba Ba and Cisse, that was my bad. They didn'
t come from the French league. But if they're 'major flaws' in my argument it doesn't make it less true that other teams with less resources are outsmarting us in the transfer market. Anyways Arseblog's post had it covered, saying that we have scouts in Germany who deemed some players 'not good enough' for the Premier League.
You will probably say that we signed Podolski and Mertesacker from the Bundesliga
But let's not forget those guys are renowned internationals, both with a long standing career in the German National Team. So, where are those 'hidden gems'? Who else without a higher profile did we sign from the Bundesliga? Erm.... Amaury Bischoff

The point at the time is that Wenger was losing his touch in the one league that he should know about? this was your point. My two points show that that argument has a couple of major flaws, which I think I proved quite well.

Now you go onto the rest of the scouting system and Germany. Did our scouts really deem players not good enough for the 'Premier League' or not good enough to be at Arsenal? for whatever reason, style of play, attitude...whatever. Do you know why our scouts didn't recommend a player? do you even know if they did recommend a player but Arsene dismissed it? do you really know anything? my guess is no.

Give me the extensive list of these amazing players that 'lessor' teams have got from the German leagues? I would really like to see all of these players? Please list them for me, I don't mind being proved wrong.

The same way you say I'm distorting facts about the ticket prices, I say you are doing the same, suggesting they are cheaper than they actually are. First of all there are no Premier League games costing £25. You may catch FA and Capital One fixtures for that price.
For £35 you can watch tier C games like I did (Sunderland for example) in some of the worst seats.

If you want decent seats you'd be looking at £50 (which is still ok) but for the top matches you can expect to spend up to 100 quid.

I read something recently that said that the lower seats were £25-35, so that is why I said that, I will try and find it. Most of the seats are really good at the emirates, I have enjoyed all of my £30 odd tickets and had really good views of the pitch.

And I am not saying you are distorting facts, I am saying you are only mentioning a little part of it, the sensationalistic part. When there are many cheaper tickets that you have just said yourself.

Which would be fine if we saw signs of investment in the footballing part of the product.
Arsenal moved to the Emirates in 2006. That will be 6 years and a half now. Since then the ticket prices rised exponentially. Fans put up with star players leaving and weaker sides at the expense of paying debts from the stadium.
But now we are over 6 years down the line. Where is this money going to? If it is still covering for stadium debt, it would have been said. But what does our board say? Gazidis said there is money available for the manager to spend. Really? Then why does the club breaks even in the transfer windows? Why are we unable to offer more than £100k a week to our star players? I'm not saying I agree with players salaries nowadays, but that's the market for you.

Again I have been getting tickets for the emirates since it opened for around £33-£40 I would say maximum I have spent in the past. So it looks like they have stayed pretty much the same over that period, bar a couple of pound increase. Is that Exponentially?

Does Gazides say there is money to spend that is not related to the money we receive in from transfers? or does he just say there is money to spend?

Money is still going into the debt, do you think we are fully paid up now?

Are our scouts shit? Well, are you telling me our scouts are doing a great job? Are they as good as Everton's and Newcastle's and Fulham's? I have my doubts.

Arsenal does not put their money where their mouth is. Saying we can compete for major titles is becoming more clearly than ever a big lie. I'm angry because I see things falling apart really fast.

Have Fulham, Everton, Newcastle done any better than us over the last 7 years? Comparable, so honours, league placings etc? There has to be someway to measure how well they have really done? I know they are doing well for clubs with less money etc but is there any proof they would have done the same for us? or have they just shown they can do well with their respective clubs? there is no saying they would have done well at Arsenal, every club is different. The same way Bergkamp and Henry were not doing well at their previous clubs before they came to us. Just because somebody is a good player, doesn't mean they will be good at every club. This is what the scouts and management have to make decisions on and it is so much more complex than you are making it out to be.

 

[jonneymendoza]

Looks like, finally, there is a degree of pressure on Stan Kroenke. In today's Telegraph Ushmanov is talking about trying to get Henry back in a developmental role (he specifically cites Vieira at Man City as an example). He also says Wenger can do the job but needs to employ a better more challenging set of support staff than what he has at the moment.

More tellingly, the same article says that Nina Bracewell-Smith (a long term share holder who sold here shares 18 months ag) regrets selling here shares to Kroenke instead of Ushmanov. She said that the current state of affairs shows the board to be running a "pathetic business" and was even more scathing about Kroenke in particular, saying "Dissapointment would be an understatement, he shows he cares very little, why he wanted to be part of Arsenal I do not know. Football is about passion and SK (Kroenke) has no passion for Arsenal".

That is shocking if true!

 

[jonneymendoza]

The same way you say I'm distorting facts about the ticket prices, I say you are doing the same, suggesting they are cheaper than they actually are. First of all there are no Premier League games costing £25. You may catch FA and Capital One fixtures for that price.
For £35 you can watch tier C games like I did (Sunderland for example) in some of the worst seats.

If you want decent seats you'd be looking at £50 (which is still ok) but for the top matches you can expect to spend up to 100 quid.

Which would be fine if we saw signs of investment in the footballing part of the product.

Tickets for the shittest seats in a big game is 70+ mimimum. i checked when i booked the man city game.

mine cost £125 per ticket and its in the east stand, in the top tear, middle of the pitch.

Emirates aint cheap!

the cheapest i paid was around 30-40 for swansea game

 

[Rantboy]

You were mentioning the individuals before you said the 5-6. But I will take your word that it wasn't deliberate.



It may[b/] have contributed like you said and it could just have easily not. This is my point and you can keep rambling what you think, but that is it. It's not fact that we missed out on Mata because of Law taking longer than necessary to complete a deal for a promising young player. I never heard the news that we failed to get Mata because Dick Law spent 10 days trying to sign Campbell? My whole point on this is that you are saying it is a shambles, when it wasn't really. He went and the people messed him about, but we still wanted to sign him so he stayed and made sure it happened? What is shambolic about it? Just because you believe that it had a profound effect on our other business (which you do not have any evidence of) doesn't make it shambolic or mean that they don't know what they are doing.

We made a lot of transfers late that season, but a lot of the times negotiations take a while to do and many other clubs do not complete until the last day. It wasn't ideal, but again was it because Law was signing Campbell? None of us know and I highly doubt it, because I think Arsenal can talk to a number of different people because they don't just rely on Law to do transfers. How did we sign Mertesacker, Arteta, Park and Santos all on the last day? Was it just Law involved? or do we have many other people that can do it?




You don't have to defend Arseblog, I'm not attacking Arseblog I am saying, just because he says something doesn't make it true. That is my point. Theos contract and Bould as Assistant I heard from other sources first, but I don't think they were in the know as much as anybody else, I just read it from those places first



How am I contradicting myself? I know the role of journalists, but do they tell Arseblog secret information that he keeps to himself? because that is what you are implying. For him to be more knowledgeable that is what has to happen. I think the Journalist print in their own papers what they know, then they talk with Arseblog and give their views, which he then shows on his blog.

Journalists give you the information they think is true (Or in a lot of cases what they know is not true, but just want a story), then you can make up your mind about a subject based on what they tell you and also what other people tell you.

I will say it again, just because someone is a journalist, doesn't mean they know everything and definitely doesn't mean they are telling the truth.



The point at the time is that Wenger was losing his touch in the one league that he should know about? this was your point. My two points show that that argument has a couple of major flaws, which I think I proved quite well.

Now you go onto the rest of the scouting system and Germany. Did our scouts really deem players not good enough for the 'Premier League' or not good enough to be at Arsenal? for whatever reason, style of play, attitude...whatever. Do you know why our scouts didn't recommend a player? do you even know if they did recommend a player but Arsene dismissed it? do you really know anything? my guess is no.

Give me the extensive list of these amazing players that 'lessor' teams have got from the German leagues? I would really like to see all of these players? Please list them for me, I don't mind being proved wrong.




I read something recently that said that the lower seats were £25-35, so that is why I said that, I will try and find it. Most of the seats are really good at the emirates, I have enjoyed all of my £30 odd tickets and had really good views of the pitch.

And I am not saying you are distorting facts, I am saying you are only mentioning a little part of it, the sensationalistic part. When there are many cheaper tickets that you have just said yourself.




Again I have been getting tickets for the emirates since it opened for around £33-£40 I would say maximum I have spent in the past. So it looks like they have stayed pretty much the same over that period, bar a couple of pound increase. Is that Exponentially?

Does Gazides say there is money to spend that is not related to the money we receive in from transfers? or does he just say there is money to spend?

Money is still going into the debt, do you think we are fully paid up now?



Have Fulham, Everton, Newcastle done any better than us over the last 7 years? Comparable, so honours, league placings etc? There has to be someway to measure how well they have really done? I know they are doing well for clubs with less money etc but is there any proof they would have done the same for us? or have they just shown they can do well with their respective clubs? there is no saying they would have done well at Arsenal, every club is different. The same way Bergkamp and Henry were not doing well at their previous clubs before they came to us. Just because somebody is a good player, doesn't mean they will be good at every club. This is what the scouts and management have to make decisions on and it is so much more complex than you are making it out to be.

My whole point about the scouts isn't restricted to Ligue 1. If you had this impression, I may have given you a wrong one. It is about us being outsmarted in general in the transfer market by teams with less financial muscle. I wrote before about Shakhtar's Brazilians, or Chelsea's. How they're miles better than the likes of Botelho or Wellington Silva who can hardly hold a first XI spot in the teams they're loaned out to. The up and coming players we picked from Europe lately aren't as good as the ones we see at Everton, Fulham or Newcastle either. But I won't go any further in this because you will keep telling me that Moussa Dembele or Johan Cabaye might not have been good players for Arsenal and this can go on forever

As for the Mata saga, one can draw their own conclusions. I said maybe. The fact that Campbell was finally announced only in August, while Chelsea sealed the Mata deal in the same period is telling.
Anyway, Richard Law is not the only one in charge of these things, but as I said, he was appointed to do that. So it doesn't bode well that he spent precious time where wasn't our priority.

Arseblog and professional journalists will have views and opinions. The latter will have access to more than meets the eye. I'm not saying journalists in contact with Arseblog will share secrets that none will publish. Rumours aren't published. What they do publish is based on facts, so this angry reaction posted on Arseblog isn't made up. That stuff was well documented. It's not views based on rumours. Those things happened and the aftermath is exposed. That's all.

The ticket prices rised since the move from Highbury, that's what I meant. It got considerably more expensive. Prices were readjusted more times after that too.

The reality today is that you won't find Premier League tickets going for 25 pounds.

I wasn't telling the partial truth or being sensationalist. There ain't no two ways about it: our average ticket is more expensive. Take our cheapest ticket and it will be more expensive than the equivalent in other grounds. Take the mid tier of tickets, it's the same. And the most expensive ones, again the same.
What I'm doing is comparing like for like - not saying we have a 35 pound ticket that is cheaper than a Man United ticket from a different category. That isn't fair.
I'm also referring to that research in the Guardian and BBC links. When you take average of single ticket or season tickets, our prices are sky high compared to other clubs.

Since priced bumped up with the move to the Emirates, it's been 6 years. If we don't spend what we want to see in the transfer window, it would be easy for Gazidis to say the money is going to cover for stadium debt. But that is not the case. Why is he saying there is money available for the manager to spend? And if there is, why don't they spend. Not just for the sake of spending, but spending on the good targets we identified and missed out on (Mata, Hazard, etc).

When I speak to other fans I see many of them questioning the same things. People are getting really angry out there!

 

[Rantboy]

Tickets for the shittest seats in a big game is 70+ mimimum. i checked when i booked the man city game.

mine cost £125 per ticket and its in the east stand, in the top tear, middle of the pitch.

Emirates aint cheap!

the cheapest i paid was around 30-40 for swansea game

Yeah, those top games got more expensive. Can you imagine paying 70 quid to watch in the lower tear behind the goal?

Of course we can't have Silva, Aguero, Yaya Touré (not now anyway, our scouts sent the boy home when he trialed with us). But looking at our squad, we could be better with this kind of income.