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Are there any positives at Arsenal at this moment?

27/3/2013

A blog by @Swales1968

I suppose it depends on how you define positive, I could sit here and type a list of things that I think are good at Arsenal today. In doing this though I would be leaving myself open to the ranting of people with a negative view of Arsenal.

It is easier to find the negative in something rather than to look for the positive’s and this is where blogs twitter and forums excel. You put up a post about a player and you will soon find over two thirds finding something wrong with what he is doing.

When we post something seen as positive are we posting that everything in the Arsenal garden is rosy or are we saying yes there are problems but we can see the bigger picture in all this and the positives outweigh the negatives.

The positives are there but are either shouted down with the same overused quotes or the responses get personal. It is rare to get a reply to a positive point without one of these two things happening. You can go onto certain football forums put something positive on there and be verbally abused within 2 posts.

Why is there such a split within the Arsenal fan base? How can people see the same football club in totally different ways? It would be easy for me to blame forums, fanzines, blogs etc. For their views carry a lot of weight amongst the fan base. Could this be down to the Arsenal fans wanting some answers? Or is it a change of attitude from Arsenal supporters going from hoping to win a trophy to demanding they win a trophy?

But what answers to what questions, what do Arsenal fans really want? The quote most trotted out by the negatives is "no trophy for eight years" this is of course true but is that the be all and end all of supporting a football club? If so why do fans go to watch Barnet every week that is not for the trophies so why is it a benchmark at Arsenal?

"The players are rubbish" are they? If the players are that bad why are Arsenal sitting in 5th position in the supposed hardest league in the world?

"Wenger has lost it" again sitting 5th in the premier league with three of the richest club teams in the world above us.
"The board have no ambition" have they not? What do they want from the club then, to be like Stoke, Villa or Everton? Do you not think they would not want to win a trophy?

"Ivan Gazidis what the f*** do you do" was the call from the BSM walk before the Swansea game. Well what does he do and what has he done wrong. Everybody and his dog is now an expert on running a multi million pound football club, the sponsorship experts seem to be in all walks of life. There must be some well sponsored groups, clubs out in the world if the knowledge spouted by some is to be believed. Again when you push for an answer about what is wrong the reply is normally "oh that's just wrong a club like Arsenal should be doing better”

I read forums and hear snippets of radio shows and hear the same tired arguments about Wenger, the board, the players but what I don't get are answers. Get Wenger out, but when asked who to take over you get Jose or anybody but Wenger. Get rid of Stan is another call but when asked what then you get "get Usmaniov in" well what evidence is there that he would do anything different. The Russian has said he would
keep Wenger as manager so that won't change; he has spoken of investing in the club but only by a share option. He is as far as I can see not going to be an Abramovic or Sheikh Mansour and put loads of his own personal money into the club.

Back to the original question are there any positives at Arsenal?

To me there are positives, The players Wilshere, Gibbs, Jenkinson, Cazorla, Giroud etc. The youth set up
The stadium
The change in sponsorship policy
The change in wages policy
Wenger
The sound business practice

And as I said these positives are easy to knock and I expect them to
be because what I see is many Arsenal fans looking at the negatives
rather than looking at the positives.

52 Comments

International Watch

23/3/2013

2 Comments

A blog by @dazzledChica10

Majority of our first team players are representing their countries during the international matches whether they are friendlies or world cup qualifiers.

Woj, Per, Vermaelen, Nacho, Cazorla, Ramsey, Rosicky, Ox, Theo, Koscielny, Podolski and Giroud were just some of the players called up to represent their club.

It is an honour for Arsenal to have so many of their world class players picked to play for their countries however there can be consequences for the club also.

International matches are squeezed in between Premier League schedules and games for other tournaments also.

During the football season the English teams have tight schedules as it is where clubs could be competing in up to 3 trophies as well as playing in the Premier League. This puts a lot of pressure on players as there are so many games to play and concentrate on.

At this point in the season if Arsenal were still in the Champions League and FA cup we would still have a lot of games coming up and not just the few League games we have left. Would our players need these extra international games added on top now?

The international games add more pressure to the players.

Should international matches be played between seasons?

If all the players that have gone to play for their countries during this international break come back injured Arsenal would be fielding the reserves and how would this affect our chances of finishing 4th in the Premiership?

Theo has already come back from the England camp with a hip/ groin injury, initial reports suggest it’s a minor injury but nothing is certain yet. This means while he’s injured Arsenal are losing a key attacking player who is vital in scoring goals.

There are also the psychological effects of playing in international world cup qualifiers that could lose the players focus on their domestic club. If the player’s country has lost a key qualifier match which they played in and that puts them in a slump this could be reflected in their club games.

With the current position Arsenal are in, we don’t need our players doubting their abilities or their confidence dipping we need them 200% on top of their game with their sole focus being finishing 4th or above.

However on the flip side it could be argued that a good result for the country could up the player’s confidence and improve their form with their club, I am sincerely hoping this is the case for our captain.

Giroud, Ramsey and Ox have all scored for their countries during this international break, here’s hoping this comes through for their Arsenal performances and helps us get the points we need from our remaining games in order to finish 4th.

The international break can have its benefits but also it can be quite detrimental.

Would it be so difficult to move international games to the season break?

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What's It All About??

15/3/2013

64 Comments

By our guest blogger @Swales1968

Trophies that’s what we want and we want one as soon as possible and if not before, we don’t care how we get one we just want one. We pay the highest prices in the world to watch football and we deserve more than we are getting. Stan just sits in his ivory tower watching (or not as the case may be) down on us plebes paying through the nose to keep him in a fashion he has become accustomed to.

You probably get where I am going to on this, in fact you could
probably open up many a blog or Arsenal forum and read words to this effect on most if not all of them. Well, I am going to stop you right there, what are Arsenal doing wrong, what is silent Stan doing wrong, why in 2013 are Arsenal in the position they are.

Let’s take a step back and look at the bigger picture, football as most of us know it has changed so much in the recent past. When I started watching I stood on the old North Bank of the Arsenal Stadium, the peanut seller would walk past and to get a drink well it was some little hut up the back somewhere. The football was average at best and the crowds apart from the London derby’s and the odd Manchester United or Liverpool game were sparse to say the least. What did we look forward to a good cup run and beating Spurs that was it Arsenal’s
season in a nutshell.

Then in 1992 a monster arrived and changed football forever, money was the new thing and lots of it. At first football clubs thought they could just plod along as they have been, but as the years past clubs had to change. The more money came in the more money went out through wages, transfer fees and agents some clubs realised the need for change. The Arsenal was one of these clubs then with the help of a spectacled Frenchman they looked to the future they saw that The
Arsenal Stadium was not big enough and the income they gained from it was not enough to sustain the club. So, ambitiously they decided to move, not far but move they did. The world was in an economic boom house prices were high and so were land prices, but by some good dealing with the banks Arsenal finally got the finances together.

To help, Arsenal decided to build flats at the Arsenal Stadium the money they hoped would help cover the shortage in funds for the playing staff, but as we all know the crash happened and Arsenal were lucky to come out with a profit. The new stadium opened to a fanfare but all was not as it seemed the sponsorship deals were loaded in favour of the sponsors due to the Arsenals need for upfront cash. Arsenal for all intense and purposes were broke belts needed to be tightened and kept tight.

Prudence was needed; buy to sell was the mantra live within your means, which would have been fine except another dark cloud popping its head over the horizon. The money was coming bigger and larger than was ever seen before and it swept most away. The wages grew; the transfer price grew could Arsenal keep up with the belt that tight just by the skin of their teeth they did. With all things something had to give the buying to sell began to flounder the quality was not there to replace the quality leaving and time is against the young
learning their trade.

So, where this leading you ask and what has this got to do with the bigger picture. Well, here’s the thing Arsenal have a new (ish) stadium state of the art it holds 60,000 (ish) fans every other week. There are clubs in the League that would cut their right hands off for that. Look down the road what do they need more than ever to keep up,take a look up in Liverpool, Everton a biggish club unable to move,can't redevelop stuck. If they do move to a new 50,000 seated stadium they will make £4 million a year extra, in the grand scheme of things that is peanuts (roasted peanuts). That is where Arsenal could be at this very moment still at The Arsenal Stadium looking over our shoulders at what could have been.

Yes, but I hear you shout we might have this new stadium, but we are paying the highest prices for tickets and have very little to show for it and a board that does not put a penny towards the club. The incoming of the mega owner has I think twisted the way fans look at what a board should do. Back in the day all they had to do was spend some money on a player, higher or fire the manager the cost to themselves was small and affordable to them. Now with the Russian and Middle Eastern money being pumped into clubs the general thought is that every owner board member etc. Should put huge chunks of money into their teams, but how many really do and how would they get their money back.

The cost of tickets is high, but how many teams in Arsenal's position would not do the same would Spurs not have high ticket prices to fund a new ground (their ticket prices are not that far behind at the moment) the only way Everton could make more money from the move to a new ground would be to charge more. Liverpool has announced an average 6% rise in ticket prices next season and I would expect more clubs to
go the same way. As much as some do not like it football is a business and as such needs to be run as one, some seem to think all clubs can run like Chelsea or Manchester City.

The cost has been high to you me and the club, but I see the club moving forward in 2014 both shirt deals were due to be up, the Emirates deal has been extended at roughly double the deal Arsenal had before if the same can be done with Nike or Adidas then Arsenal will be in a good position. 2014 is also the end of Mr Wenger’s contract is this a coincidence two major sponsorship deals and the manager's contract up in the same year or have Arsenal been playing the long game giving Wenger the task of keeping Arsenal in a champions league place while keeping the club afloat and raising the cash levels to a height that would secure the club for the future.

Two things can happen in 2014 Wenger can stay and carry one with rebuilding his side or a new manager will be signed and will be given a large sum of money to spend on players. A sum of money that without the work that Wenger and the rest of the club have done in the past years would not be there. Tom Fox & Ivan Gazidis are looking at changing the way Arsenal run as a business looking to cut real wages, but increasing the personal sponsorship deals they are also looking at building a bigger sponsorship portfolio for the club along the lines of Manchester United. This is where Stan is doing his job changing Arsenal from the inside changing them from a club that needed the money in quick to a club with long-term planning, looking to the future and not the here and now. To do this though is taking time strategies have to be put in place and lessons have to learnt.

So, where are Arsenal now well to me at least they are where they should be a team fighting for the last Champions League position. Should they be higher maybe with a bit more quality but the position that Arsenal have found themselves in its difficult. Arsenal is in the position of buying that slightly unproven player or the player that needs training on where as Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea can pay for the fully fledged article. Yes we and the other clubs fighting for that 4th position can go out and pick up that one great player, but not the two or three it will take to get you fighting for the top positions. So, you have to do what Arsenal have done pick up the emerging talent and hope they can come on leaps and
bounds or watch as they fall flat on their faces and disappear never to be seen again. Both of these scenarios can be seen in Wenger's reign. The problem with the emerging talent route is the wages you have to pay for promise and if that promise does not pay off then you are left with a high wage for no football on the pitch.

This scenario also leaves Arsenal with another problem of keeping their best players when you are up against clubs like Chelsea and Manchester City who do not really have the time or patience to bring on youth players and want the best no matter how much it costs in wages, transfer fees or agent’s fees it leaves Arsenal as a prime target. Clubs know Arsenal need and want to balance their books.

For me Arsenal, its board and its manager have been looking to the future they took a step back and thought about how the new money in football would affect them and the club. They took a long-term strategy one that was full of danger, one that could have quite easily seen them in an Aston Villa situation but to this point have made it work for them under the guidance of Mr Wenger and the rest of the board. I think they may move the goal posts this summer and spend some
money to keep themselves in the 4th or 5th position but the situation is not as bleak as many self-proclaimed experts suggest.

64 Comments

Give The Lads A Cheer

13/3/2013

1 Comment

By our Chief Blogger @DazzledChica10

The boys have got a tough challenge tonight at Bayern; the odds are stacked against them.

Wilshere and Podolski are out whilst Szczesny is being rested.

We are down 3-1; the players are going to need our support and belief more than ever!!

Tonight is not about slagging the team off or campaigning for Wenger to leave.

Tonight is about cheering on the team you love and supporting the players 200%!!!

Regardless of the result hold your heads up and be proud of THE ARSENAL!!!

All Gooners should have sore throats on Thursday!!!

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The Pros and cons of Arsenal’s financial statement

9/3/2013

1 Comment

A guest blog by @yommys01

Arsenal’s 8 year trophy drought has been well documented. Amongst the plethora of reasons, the main reason why silverware seems to have eluded the Gunners in recent seasons has been the inability of the club to keep their best legs and also splash out cash on the stars in the market. In the 8 years of Arsenal’s trophylessness, there has been the rise of moneybags who have bought over struggling clubs and have turned them into title challengers; Chelsea and Manchester City are in this category.

This season seems to be the last straw that has broken the camels back with the Gunners enduring their worst ever campaign under Wenger, the chances of winning silverware fast disappearing into thin air and even a top 4 finish and UEFA Champions League qualification is currently under humongous threat. Reasons for a dismal season aren’t far-fetched, the summer sales of Van Persie and Alex Song and the failure of the club to adequately replace them. Apparently, it is time for a change of approach.

The financial restrictions at Arsenal are of two kinds; not been able to make marquee signings and rigid wage structure. While things aren’t so positive on the field, they are looking quite good on the financial aspect.

The recent financial report shows that Arsenal just posted a profit and has over 120million Pounds in the bank the revenue from the champion’s league and the money accruable to the club for whatever position it finishes in the premier league in the current season. The 120 million in the bank does not take into account the new TV money and the 30 million yearly from the new Emirates deal. Also, there is set to be a major reduction in the club’s wage bill owing to the expiration of the contract of some players earning big but contributing little or nothing to the success of the club on the field. Besides, the significant reduction in the stadium loan means Arsenal for the first time in a long time can really afford to splash the clash.

One of the problems at Arsenal is the socialist wage structure. Unlike at the other top clubs, the difference between the top earner at Arsenal and the least paid isn’t so much. This doesn’t encourage some top players to go the whole hog at the club. At Manchester united, Rooney and Van Persie are the highest paid on over 200k pounds per week while at the same Old Trafford club, some players earn 30k and 40k Pounds. Wages is dependent on productivity.

How about at Manchester City, the highest earner is Yaya Toure who earns over 200k Pounds per week and at the same club, some players earn less than 50k Pounds per week. This isn’t discrimination; it’s just recognition of excellence. An incentive which motivates players to improve and do more if they want to move up on the wage ladder.

This is something that isn’t available at Arsenal. Currently, the top earners at Arsenal are Podolski and Walcott on 110k pounds and 90k Pounds respectively ( figures may be wrong, only quoting what I have read in the papers and on the social media ) but not far from them are Arshavin, Gervinho, Chamakh, Bendtner, Squilacci and Djourou. Players that are not contributing to the success of the club on the pitch. How many league matches has Arshavin started this season, how about Squilacci? These players earn decently (50k Pounds per week or more) when their productivity is nothing and in actual fact by offering these players high wages, the club is been shot in the leg because it makes it difficult to offload them when they are deemed surplus to requirements. Arsenal has been trying to sell Arshavin, Squilacci and Chamakh for a while now but they keep meeting stumbling block in their wake owing to the bogus wages these players are enjoying at the cub. Some other midget clubs are ready to take them on but certainly not with the wages they are receiving at Arsenal and instead of these players to move on and salvage their football career, they are more interested in the money on offer at the Emirates and would rather stay put whether or not they play provided they still receive their handsome wages.

But the good thing is that we have some of them whose contract would be expiring in the summer (Squilacci, Bendtner, Chamakh, and Arshavin) and their exit would certainly reduce the club’s wage bill and allow the club to spend on more productive players without making the wage bill unsustainable. If our dream of having top notch players at the club in the summer must be a reality, we must be able to dangle an enticing carrot before them. The likes of Jovetic, Gotze, Amorboieta wouldn’t be interested in a move that doesn’t offer good financial incentive considering the fierce battle for the signature of the former duo and the Bossman availability of the latter.

Another issue is that of transfer market activity. Wenger has been for a long time an object of scorn for his refusal to spend big in the transfer market. While the shrewd Frenchman is not one to fritter cash, he has insisted that he is ever willing to spend big on the right players who have the extra-ordinary quality to improve the Gunners. He once admitted he would not shy away from signing Cristiano Ronaldo when quizzed if he would have sanctioned the move if he were the Real Madrid boss. If that is true, it stands to reason that Wenger’s refusal to splash the cash all these years has been due to financial constraint placed on him by the switch from Highbury to the Emirates.

But now that the Emirates debt has hugely reduced to and with Arsenal credited with enough money in the bank and with the media reporting that the Arsenal boss would be given a massive war chest of 70million Pounds. Firstly, I want to say that 70 million Pounds isn’t massive, how about a transfer war chest of 100million pounds. For a club that haven’t been buying but selling big, 100million pounds is what is required to turn the average Arsenal team to a true European challenger.

Wenger needs to beef up the squad from the goalkeeping section to the defence, the defensive midfield, on the wings and in the striking position. If the war chest is well spent and with a flexible wage structure which can accommodate marquee signings, I don’t see why Arsenal cannot move for either Cavani or Jovetic for the striking position ( I understand it may be difficult to get Cavani but we should be able to get Jovetic for 25m), a good Winger, a top notch defensive midfielder and 2 quality centre backs ( Hummels and Subotic would be good candidates for that role), an exceptional right back to replace Sagna and be a good tutor to upcoming star Jenkinson. Even for the goalkeeping position, Begovic and Migolet would be available for as little as 10M.

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North London Derby...Thoughts

6/3/2013

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So it’s taken me 2 days to be able to write this.

I knew before the game on Sunday that I would do a piece on the result regardless of the outcome, however if I had written this straight after the game it probably would’ve included plotting murder.

Though I must say that during my dark phase the thought ‘Wenger Out’ never once crossed my mind.

However after much consideration I am ready to write.

Numb, was what I felt straight after the game. I didn’t feel like speaking so was glad that I didn’t get any messages from the few Tottenham fans that I know.

I was angry and upset that we’d lost to Tottenham, because let’s face it there is nothing worse than Spurs gloating over how they beat us but also winning a north London derby is a matter of pride.

When I had calmed down I remembered that yes we have lost 2-1 which is upsetting, but let’s not forget the result of the NLD in November earlier on in the season.

We won 5-2!!! Not only did we beat them however we humiliated them.

My improved mood also brought with it the clarity of what has come out of the game for us.

Jenkinson. I will admit that last season I didn’t really like our young Carl much.

My opinion of Carl has changed during this season and on Sunday he surprised me a lot. His performance was strong and passionate. He is still young and he can only get better and guess what….he is ours for the long term!

I am officially Team Jenkinson!!!

We also have 10 games left to play, that’s 30 points up for grabs! The season is far from over and we still have everything to play for.

Do I believe that we can qualify for the Champions League next season?

Yes I do. I believe that we can pull through this and get the points we need.

Don’t get me wrong I know the team has issues; our central defenders were abysmal on Sunday and cost us the game. The defense needs to sort their issues out ASAP, because most points dropped this season have been due to the mistakes they’ve made.

Giroud should’ve done better finishing his chances but then so should have Walcott and Ramsey. Fact is the players need to work on their finishing….I am more than happy to step in and give them a hand!

Another questionable player that I have is Szczesny, he can have kick arse amazing games where he’s our saviour and then he has games where he makes the biggest howlers ever.

We’ve all seen Wojciech run off his line and we’ve all screamed “what the hell are you doing?!” The questions that I have are:

1. Are his performances suffering due to his lack of experience?

2. Are the performances being affected by the defense?

I have a theory that seeing as our defenders can’t be trusted to do their jobs properly; Szczesny panics and reacts erratically because he hasn’t got the faith in the defenders that a goalkeeper should. Can anyone blame him?

To fix this, someone qualified should coach Szczesny on how to have faith in his own abilities regardless of the defenders. He should stick to what he knows best and if that means standing on his line facing a striker running straight at him because the defenders have failed to stop them so be it.

We have a difficult 10 games ahead, it will not be easy and the team are going to need the fans behind them 200%.

Booing and jeering at matches is not going to help us. Plus we aren’t traitorous Chelsea fans we actually have some class!

We have to show our players that we believe in them.

We also have Jack, Theo, Santi, Podolski and Jenkinson among others.

Combined these players are a force to be reckoned with; they just need to believe in themselves.

North London is still red; one result is not going to change this!

Tottenham can come back to us when they finish above us in the League 17 years running and can win the League title!

Tottenham can chant all day that they are better than us…fact is they have 1 player that holds their team together. We have a whole range of players; some who make silly mistakes….that doesn’t make them better than us.

It makes them delusional!

I have found a great cure for frustrating football results…..baking. Nothing relaxes me better than putting an apple pie or a gorgeous cake together.

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North London is RED

3/3/2013

2 Comments

It’s that time of the season again….the epic North London Derby. It is not only a football match but a battle for North London.

It is more important than beating any other team in the league….beating Man United is pretty close because they’re arrogant and RVP moved to them!

Winning the NLD is a matter of pride, losing it hurts more than any other game throughout the season….though some results have come close this season (I won’t mention Blackburn or Bradford).

A NLD can bring a fan to tears or give them the greatest joy and satisfaction a sport can bring.

Arsenal and Tottenham first met in a League match on December 4th 1909 whilst both teams were in the First Division. Arsenal won 1-0.

This should made Tottenham that they were fighting a losing battle with the superior Arsenal.

The ‘North London’ rivalry began when Arsenal moved to Highbury in 1913 however what most Spurs fans forget is that at that point Tottenham came under Middlesex. Tottenham were not part of Greater London until 1965….and they call us the outsiders?

Arsenal have had more victories over Tottenham in every competition and scored more goals.

The Gooners’ have beaten Spurs 64 times in the League itself scoring 250 goals compared to Tottenham’s abysmal 214 goals. We’ve knocked them out the FA and League Cups more times than they could’ve dreamed of beating us.

Overall Arsenal has scored 276 goals against Tottenham and I know Gooners all over cheered as if we’d won the Champions League each time!!

The Highbury Trophy cabinet also saw 25 trophies added to it, White Hart Lane has seen 14….this says it all.

Saturday 23rd November 2012 was the first leg of the NLD at the Emirates this season. Which has got to the best game I have ever been to and I relished the sore throat the next day.

Adebayour scored the opener at said game and bragged like the imbocile that he is only to be shown a red card not long after which turned the game on its head and resulted in utter humiliation for Spurs all over. The away fans did not even stay to the end of the game.

A 5-2 hammering was too much for them to handle.

As for the upcoming NLD, regardless of recent form I think Arsenal will step up to the challenge; the players are aware of what is at stake. If they aren’t aware they had catch up pretty quick.

Tottenham have one good player Bale….one man team comes to mind.

Arsenal has got Jack Wilshere who is Arsenal through and through. However we also have Podolski, Santi, Giroud, Theo and Arteta. Together they can bring it and win this derby. We just need our defense to focus and not mess it up.

I’m confident that the players will not let themselves or the fans down.

On a final note:

Arsenal will always reign over North London!!!

2 Comments

Are there any positives at Arsenal at this moment?

A blog by @Swales1968

International Watch

A blog by @dazzledChica10

What's It All About??

By our guest blogger @Swales1968

Give The Lads A Cheer

By our Chief Blogger @DazzledChica10

The Pros and cons of Arsenal’s financial statement

North London Derby...Thoughts

North London is RED

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