By Tony Attwood
There is a standard approach to transfers which virtually all journalists and their hangers on in the bloggettas agree to follow runs thus:
- Arsenal could sign this amazing player
- Arsenal seriously interested in this amazing player
- Negotiations ongoing concerning this amazing player
- This amazing player is not that amazing after all
- Besides the player who is no longer considered amazing would bring huge amount of baggage
- Player previously thought to be amazing player is not the player Arsenal need
- Other club ready to hijack Arsenal deal for player who is once more considered amazing
- Arsenal’s failure to sign amazing player down to dithering
- Arsenal’s failure to sign amazing player also down to unwillingness to spend
- Window closes but no one mentions that amazing player didn’t move anywhere. Rumours start that Arsenal are planning to sign amazing player.
The journey is unchanging, and with only three out of every 100 transfer stories actually resulting in the transfer happening, the journey from one to ten is vital if someone other than the journalists who invented the story, is going to be blamed for the story not happening. (And not getting the blame is a fundamental part of journalistic activity – which is why 97% of transfer rumours cite another media outlet as the source).
And apart from blaming someone else, the process has a further great benefit: it means that the same story can be used over and over and over. As long as the alleged sources (there are no sources of course it is all made up) are changed, the same story can just go round and round.
Of course occasionally other stories do pop up into the headlines such as the notion that Mesut Ozil is going to Oxford.
That clever headline comes from the Daily Mail, and the Oxford in question is the university thereof, and the story is the unlikely tale that Mesut has agreed to address the students’ union in English on a subject which is yet to be agreed. It seems unlikely not because Mesut is not a deep thinking and interesting man, which he seems to be, but rather because he is quite a private guy who doesn’t normally do this sort of public appearance, and rarely speaks publicly in English.
So, leaving aside the “Mesut to Oxford” tale, we are by and large left with a feeling that somehow it is the duty of the club to fulfil our hopes and dreams, and that the club is a failure when it does not do so. The club is no longer a football club but a fantasy fulfilment operation stuck in an endless loop of fantasy and failure to fulfil the fantasy.
This approach leads to the raising of all sorts of extraordinary expectations. I remember the correspondent a while back who claimed that it was perfectly reasonable to expect and indeed demand that Arsenal should be challenging to win the League up to the last few weeks of each season. And more recently we have seen the view put that it is quite reasonable for supporters not to waste their money going to Arsenal until Arsenal reach that sort of level.
These approaches to what is deemed reasonable are sustainable because they are accompanied by the notion propagated by the media and their hangers on that in order to achieve these lofty ideals, constant criticism is what the club needs and that only constant criticism will get the lazy sods who run the club off their overfed backsides and get them to take action to give Arsenal fans their reasonable expectations.
In short, Arsenal has stopped being a football club but has become a hub for the creation of and expression of dissatisfaction, upset and dismay in a way that is doomed to failure while maintaining the repetition of the aberrant behaviour.
The performances are not good enough, the wrong players are signed, the right players are not signed, and every other club does things right whereas only Arsenal gets it so wrong. We need to criticise this in order to make things right, and when that criticism has no effect we need to do it again, because it didn’t work last time.
This has now been going on for well over ten years (it was certainly in operation when Untold started ten years ago) and it has, as yet, had no effect other than keeping itself going. And this raises another issue.
If the club is a source of such distress to so many people, and if the constant complaining about it clearly doesn’t make things any better, either for the club or for the people who complain, why do people keep on complaining?
Now we have had the debate here about whether a definition of insanity is doing the something, seeing it not work, and then doing it again and again. We have even debated who first made the remark.
And we’ve shown that the process of doing the same thing over and over and seeing it fail each time before doing it again, is not a valid definition of insanity, but it is an extremely ineffective and wasteful way of operating. Yet still we see the practice continuing. Every day it seems people complain endlessly about the way Arsenal, its manager and its players are behaving, but none of this complaining makes things better.
Now it is true that sometimes complaining does have a purpose. I complain about the PGMO, the FA, Fifa, the false story of Arsenal having the most injuries, the leagues that have one or two teams that win most of the trophies most of the time, the franchising of the Abu Dhabi football brand across the world, the blaming of England’s footballing failures on having foreigners play in England and so on.
And over time there has been, I believe, a little bit of movement on some of these issues, with them getting a little bit more coverage in the media than before. Last year Parliament expressed no confidence in the FA – so there is some movement. Not much, but some.
But behind the attacks on Arsenal, the manager and the team, there lies a fantasy that suggests that remorseless criticism of the club by its “fans” will make a difference. Likewise, taking the transfer rumours seriously rather than poking a bit of gentle fun at them when 97% of them are shown to be untrue, is also a form of aberrant behaviour.
It has been created and is maintained by the media, which I guess shows just how low they will sink to keep an audience.
- The deal is done. Oh yes it is. Oh no it isn’t. You’re making it up. Oh no I’m not.
- Arsenal’s transfers only confused by the needy media seeking to be at the centre
- Arsenal establish themselves in the Division 1 amidst scandal, profiteering and strikes.
Poetic
One piece of ‘Real news’ as opposed to ‘Trump new’ and almost hidden from view on the BBC football web page is that Walcot has signed for Everton.
Sad to see him go. Sad that he didn’t quite make a regular first place in the team.
Thank you Theo, all the very best at Everton.
Will Arsenal accept a straight swap deal for our own Alexis to Man Utd that cost us £35m to sign in exchange for their Henrikh that cost them £26m to happen without getting a cash payment, say £10m in the deal for relinquishing Alexis to Man U who obviously is a better player than Henrikh is on current performance in this swap deal?
Tony,
reading you post, I’d say, and I have never considered it under this angle, Arsenal has become a ‘starlet’ in terms that its every moves and words are spied upon, kind of any singer or actor.
People want to know all about it, and truth is not the issue. The entertainment value is the issue, football or anything to do with it is not.
Thus these people, whose equivalent among those not interested in football will read magazines about the crowned elite or ‘people’, don’t care for football, they see this as their daily entertainment, like watching reruns of Dallas or following Dr Who.
Guess this always existed, but was taking place in pubs accross the country. Technology has given them an ever open pub and anonymity, and this changes everything.
Then, I must say, that reading the story on the Guardian : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jan/17/gary-speed-one-of-four-players-coached-by-barry-bennell-to-have-killed-themselves
makes this all seem very futile. And one wonders why these people do not turn their scorn, demands for transparency, and pressure capabilities on the corrupt clubs, organisations, individuals who have allowed such horrific things to happen.
For the record it was me who posted about Arsenal being the most expensive team to support in Europe.
I also posted about how arsenal have spent more nett over the past five seasons than Liverpool and spurs- last season excepted
I’ll add to that the fact that we have a far higher wage bill than the above.
You have indignantly dismissed all these points as ‘fake news’, but have failed to provide any evidence that proves otherwise. Can you?
Well written piece.
The thing with the media and the section of fans they mobilise, is they hedge their bets. They cleverly create a narrative that means they can’t lose. For example, last season they were claiming that if Arsenal sold Sanchez, we would prove we have no ambition and only care about money. Yet when we hang onto Sanchez and risk losing a decent transfer fee, Arsenal are criticised for keeping the player and losing out on the transfer fee!
This Weekend it was interesting that Arsenal had 5 English players in the team. Young players like Holding, Chambers & Maitland Niles had been promoted to the team due to injuries. None of this was mentioned. Yet earlier in the season the club was criticised for not having any English players in the starting 11.
It is this narrative and hypocrisy that proves how different our club is treated compared to others.
PS: One other thing that never gets a mention when the media are piling into Wenger, is the fact that no other manager in history has allowed a match to be replayed, due to a contentious decision (Sheffield United). The class and fair play of Arsene Wenger and Arsenal should shine as a beacon of light against the backdrop of cheats, greed and oil money.
I will not mind if Arsenal will do all the revamping in their first team this winter which they’ve already embarked upon that saw Coquelin and Walcott out of the Club already and likely to see Giroud and Welbeck to follow suit. But against all these outgoings, Mavropanos has come in already and Henrikh Mkhitaryan looks to be on the way coming in if negotiation went successfully to plan. While Aubameyang has increasingly by the day becomes a prospect that will come if Arsenal agreed to Dortmund overtures to take Giroud temporarily and collect a reduced transfer fee from Arsenal for their Auba to come to us. But why don’t Arsenal ask Dortmund to take Giroud on a permanent basis to future reduce the transfer fee for Auba? But is Evans to Arsenal very necessary as this window as we have Bellerin, Chambers, Holding, Maitland, Mustafi, BFG, Kolasinac, Koscielny and Monreal in the pecking order of current fitness. 9 defenders. Wow! But Le Boss knows best. If there is no any big hindrance stopping Le Boss to go after his target – Malcolm this winter, why don’t he redirect the funds he’ll use to sign Evans to the pursuance of Malcolm this window and signs him to rest during next summer window and become a spectator in the market but maybe sign only one target to replace a Gunner who may be leaving by then.
Looks like the “speculations” were all on track, that is if according to AW today, “things don’t break down”.
So “Sanchez-Mkhitaryan swap deal” and “Aubameyang to Arsenal”.
On another point, AW looks and sounds a little jaded to me. The tone of his voice sends out much resignation to my ears(maybe my old ears are not hearing to well now?).
Still, it looks like changes are afoot, changes that are maybe now “communicated” rather than “dictated” which in itself is a big change too.
Anyway, as in all things, i could be well off.
Fact is, the empty void inside many fans will not start to disappear again until, regardless of the changes, Arsenal again start to look like a competing team.
Excellent article.
It is a shame that the only people who will read it are those intelligent enough to visit this blog.
According to the Times today, not only is Sanchez seeking a signing on fee of £20m, but also a salary of £450k a week.
Why would anyone think they could justify being paid that amount for a maximum of 180 minutes running around a football pitch?
Unless he has undertaken to subsidise the Chilean national debt for the immediate future, am I the only person to regard this suggestion as utterly obscene?
Even if the reports that the players can’t wait for him to go are not true, even if it is only half true, they must all regard him as someone who lives in cloud cuckoo land.
And if Manure are foolish enough to pay it to him, then they are living there as well.
Maybe AW does not like what is going on but is powerless to stop it.
jjgsol
Maybe.
One bit of hope is that Alan Smith said his sources “close to the club” are suggesting that Mesut will sign a new deal.
I don’t normally take in much of what Smith says, but if this one turns out to be true, I might give him a bit more attention in future.
The_Ledge
I think Özil will stay as long as Arsenal gets the players that can use his passing skills to the extent needed.
Reason Özil has not been much greater than he is, is because we did not have many players up top that could take better advantage of Özil’s skill and foresight.
//
I just hope that the obvious restructuring going on at Arsenal is now signifying that Arsenal is taking the steps needed to start the club going forward again, and that they are preparing well for life after AW, which just may come sooner than we expect it to.
I do predict we will see many more changes at the end of the season, that is in the summer transfer window, as the rest of the season will now determine which other players at Arsenal has a future there.
Come on Arsenal, time to rise up now and be feared again.
//
On another matter, Arsenal situation is no different to other problems in the world, so people will complain, else they are signifying that they are happy with Arsenal’s momentary situation.
Arsenal is not exempt, and by no means should they be.
There’s a big article in the Telegraph about the presumed big money move to Man U of Sanchez. As always, I will wait till something is announced on Arsenal.com.
However, in the course of the article Ian Wright is quoted as suggesting Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang (excuse me if spelling is wrong) would both be panic buys for Arsenal.
Isn’t it time Ian rested on his laurels as a much loved former Arsenal striker and stopped making pronouncements in the press? Oh I forgot, that’s how he earns his money these days. What a come down!
No you did not. Your most recent post on expenditure said
It’s not just about money because we have spent recently, more than Liverpool and spurs, which for some reason you choose to ignore.
I took “recently” to mean the last main transfer window (last summer) and replied with a complete record of Liverpool and Arsenal’s expenditure.
If you cannot even quote yourself accurately then you surely cannot expect me to spend my time digging out the articles I have written in the past which cover all the points you make.
Wen haven’t spent more than Liverpool, United, City or Chelsea, net or gross I believe. I can’t be bothered to even evidence it, its common knowledge. Also we have the fourth highest wage bill in the premier league.
Our financial arrangement is second to none and we have one of the largest fan bases going in spite of the public enemy number 1 tag.
When you reach the top they want you gone. Especially when you are ethical about your approach! We go supernova, we prove the right way to do football is as we do and that reduces the opportunity for criminality.
Merson can’t even save £10 quid because he is bankrupt and Ian isn’t happoynthr game went multimillion after he was shipped, probably for wanting fees fo fuc I can’t do it!
Merson was a forward, I thought he was a Wldman Ramsey!
@ jjgsol,
As far as I am concerned, I have no problems with Sanchez earning whatever he wants.
He is not robbing anyone at gunpoint, he is doing his job and doing it well
The market is narrow, and he is has ‘premium’ qualities, so if he is able to sell them good for him.
The, the open question is going to be if Manure will really recoup their investment and if he is really worth it. I remember RVP who, agreed, got them one title, but then was ‘off’ yet had to be paid. I do have my doubts that he can be at the same level for many years.
You know, let the competition be bled to death by such salary packages. We cannot complain too much about Alexis. He played for us when he was not yet such a superstar, and did it well, so what AFC paid was ok.
I am more reluctant when the players start playing mind games and looking for ways to get out of a contract they signed, like RVP, Fabregas or Aubameyang. An attitude we did not see with Koz, Ozil, or Jack.
One observation, which may or not be valid,
Mikhtarian is Armenian and Ozil is of Turkish extraction. Is there maybe a risk of some antipathy there?
The last 5 years
Net Spends/League Position/League Titles/Fa Cups/League cups/Champions League/Europa Cup
Man City: £500 Million: 2nd,1st,2nd,4th,3rd – 2 titles – 0 FA Cups – 2 League Cups – 0 CL – 0 EL = 4 TROPHIES
Man Utd: £400 Million: 1st,7th,4th,5th,6th – 1 title – 1 FA Cup – 1 League Cup – 0 CL – 1 EL = 4 TROPHIES
Chelsea: £251 Million: 3rd,3rd,1st,10th,1st – 2 titles – 0 FA Cups – 1 League Cup – 0 CL – 1 EL = 4 TROPHIES
Arsenal: £184 Million: 4th,4th,3rd,2nd,5th – 0 titles – 3 FA Cups – 0 League Cups – 0 CL – 0 EL = 3 TROPHIES
Liverpool: £52 Million: 7th,2nd,6th,8th,4th – 0 titles – 0 FA Cups – 0 League Cups – 0 CL – 0 EL = ZERO TROPHIES
Spurs: £2 Million: 5th,6th,5th,3rd,2nd – 0 titles – 0 FA Cups – 0 League Cups – 0 CL – 0 EL = ZERO TROPHIES
ARSENAL
PL Finishes: 4th – 4th – 3rd – 2nd – 5th = 4 Champions league qualifications
Plus:
3 FA CUPS
Plus:
3 Community shields
SPURS
PL finishes: 5th – 6th – 5th – 3rd – 2nd = 1 CL Qualification.
Plus:
ZERO ANYTHING
LIVERPOOL
PL finishes: 7th – 2nd – 6th – 8th – 4th = 2 CL Qualifications.
Plus:
ZERO ANYTHING
As you can see from the above the winning of trophies almost directly correlates with net transfer spend
There is one anomaly though. Although both Liverpool and Spurs have won absolutely nothing over the last 5 years, in fact just a solitary League Cup each in the last 10 years to be precise, Liverpool should of had a better average League finishing position than Spurs, but as you can see they haven’t.
In fact, despite the obvious Liverpool love-in throughout the media, there performance over the last 5 years has been very poor, although you’d never believe it.
You can also see that Arsenal sit exactly where there financial status suggests they should. Behind the 3mega rich Clubs, but ahead of Liverpool and Spurs.
And despite the hysterical wailing of how bad we are, on 3 trophies we are just one trophy behind the 4 each won by City, Utd and Chelsea.
The fact Liverpool and Spurs have won NOTHING means we are INFINITELY better than those 2.
These statists show that over the last 5 years we have been much closer to the 3 mega rich teams in terms of trophies and league finishes, than either Spurs, or Liverpool in particular, have been to us.
But the way we get hammered on a day to day basis by, not only the media but our own fans, is totally out of context with the reality of what’s happening.
Yes we want to win the league, but 1, 2 or even all 3 of the mega rich clubs are always likely to be too powerful for us, as they are for Liverpool and Spurs.
The one season we did out perform the 3 mega rich clubs we had the freakish Leicester City show.
These are the stats. The money. The trophies. Non of it is lies. Non of it is exaggerated or made up.
And what they show is that Man city and Man Utd, with £500 and £400 Million net spends respectively are doing the minimum you would expect.
Chelsea, despite an impressive £250 Million net spend, have with 2 trophies, slightly over achieved.
Arsenal with 3 FA Cups and one runner-up spot have probably achieved par for the 4th biggest spend of £184 Million net.
Let me remind you that Liverpool and Spurs have won NOTHING. That is poor. Not even the non non trophy known as the league cup.
Especially Liverpool. They really do need to do better. Perhaps this year aye? But how many times have we heard that one?
Now for Spurs. We have people suggesting how well they are doing on the back of that. And yes, they have done better than Liverpool, but as I said, they have under achieved. But they haven’t won anything have they. And that’s what counts isn’t it.
Prior to the season we splashed out on Ozil we went 10 years with a net GAIN, and we were constantly called failures, where as we are supposed to believe Spurs are a success story.
Anyway, those are the stats and that is my take on it, you make up your own mind.
PS: If there are errors, please just point them out and don’t accuse me of lying.
I wonder if the scum and Liverpool net spend are a bit misleading if we take into account the vast sums they received for bale and suarez which they both spent possibly almost in its entirety.
That means they both bought in many players, a lot of whom were dies.
If you look at the Net spend of Spurs and Liverpool. You would have to argue that they have offset their spending with freakishly high transfers of key players. And you would also suggest that the disclosed income was generally reliant on additional contractual gains post sale.
As in the properties value of the transfers are somewhat fictitious and they have used the 3 year rolling debt accumulation liberally.
If I am correct in this assumption you will see both clubs hit the wall fairly soon. Barcelona can’t afford to spend what they did on Dembele and Coutinho and sign again in the summer, but will. This is why the deal for Coutinho was completed in January before the the end of the actual fiscal year, but after the accounting due date.
Where as Spurs have been more rigid in their use of the debt rule. levy has left a margin for error this is why the club are not active in the market as they are curbing their spending before hitting that wall.
In fact it is for this reason that, Cuty couldn’t as opposed to wouldn’t raise their bid for Alexis. £150+ million was spent on Walker, Mendy and Stones. And another £150m on Sane, Sterling and KDB, with little in the way of sales to offset that.
In order to make acquisitions they need to offload Aguerro, Silva, Kompany, what you then have is an even narrow squad.
And good on Jack Roswell for refusing to budge.
I haven’t even factored in Gundagan, with Fernandinho getting on as well and Otamendi due to be of little value at the end of his new contract.
Whilst Aguerro is looking to see out is contract and return to Argentina and Silva likely to do likewise.
PSG are in a similar position, whilst Bayern and Juventus are recovering from a similar close call with that wall, with little return of late, with Robert and Arjen also not of a high resale value, if of any value, similarly with Rivery.
Chiellini is a City target as Pep looks to combine youth with experience.
Where as Real have learned from their precious lessons some time ago, having delivered on the pitch and now scaling back and conserving to advantage themselves of their competitors weakness.
It’s the way you doddle the budget in football manager, which actually is incredibly reliable when considering contracts, wages, and even manages to replicate future transfers without the relatively new addition ignored loaded transfers via steam.
The reason for this Ian the contract the developers have withbthe leagues over rights.
But if you agree a fee of £50m over 24 a 36 months that works out at £25m a year. Which if you multiply it by 6 in the case of City, without factoring in, Gundagan, Otamendi, de Jesus, Ederson, you hit an average of £150m and have to wait for a year to repeat that feat and sign another 3 in a similar fashion, ensuring that you secure income that fits your forecast.
The current owners can sustain that for the duration of the sponsorship deal with the Abu Dhabi tourist board. But should that agreement be terminated and the club sold, City would be in trouble, similarly with PSG and potentially Chelsea, due to the political ramifications.
This was something FFP was specifically designed to combat.
United buck the trend, as what Wenger said today is true, they can afford it, but it’s not particularly good financial management, although I believe his suggestion that it was, was tongue in cheek.
The reason for this is the negative impact on the players mentality and the manager being on a position where the player has near total autonomy, if he wants to get drunk and play badly the next day. The only thing you might have at your disposal is a boot.
Something Jose is struggling with, the added aspect is, if you have to pay your Rooney’s to leave, players become aware that this model is one they can follow as it has been done before.
Something I worry about with Alexis, he’s a good guy and that should remain as such.
He will play on for us for 5-7 years if we go to that next level, he’s addicted and will take a similar approach to fitness as CR7, but he won’t win anything with Inited, become actually frustrated when the only player running with him is Rashford and o do not think he and Lukaku will get along. Whilst Lingaard will quickly realise he just laughed himself out of playing.
United are still two seasons away from being a force. Simply because the type of player, we and they and a lot of the big teams need is a kante.
Pay him £10 and you’ll get the sameness work ethic. Where as Alexis would but is a true a completely different stage in his career.
Nitram Spurs finishing in top 4 twice equals CLQ my friend.
But good point. Liverpool have managed to make the maximum of the change in manager, a rareity, but they also had a team that will buy into it. But their problem is, Can and Fiminio are likely to leave, they still need a new GK, LB and RB. Quite simply the fans are on side because they are happy to be competing after 200,000 years.
The standout performers are Spurs, but they are government assisted as with West Ham. Their problems come with the move as with the temporary move. Ans again when they need to make top four to meet there forecast. And the ambitions of the players and fans change with the expectations.
Spurs are unique, but Ali being sent off in a knockout stage game Ian likely, especially if they face seasoned veterans such as Barcelona, or Real who really weren’t bothered about finishing top as they expect to beat anyone and knew they couldn’t face Barcelona and we’re unlikely to get either PSG or City given the fact that 5 UK teams entered and 4 Spanish. It’s again maths. Equally they would have probably dispatched either if necessary, it’s how that team is. They play to the occasion. Big club, with loads of big personalities in every department. From Ramos to CR7, Marcelo to Carvajal. Even the manager. Personalities they are soon to lose, at least at their peak. Something Barcelona had to deal with. And will be affected by again after Iniesta and Macherano depart, followed by Pique.
Spurs are a dark horse and will up their game, but are one key injury away from being average. Similarly, City losing KDB, Otamendi, Aguerro or Sterling will feel.
Barcelona are still reliant on Messi where as Ramos is key to Real, with CR7 thinks about key games especially in CL and picks or unlocks himself with a discussion with Zizu who knows what being the best means.
Juventus are lying in wait, hoping to get workfare and pace into their attack whilst maintaining that solidity,. The old lady will rumble on, picking the attempts at CL, Naples challenge is short lived, that’s a one horse race, thenproblem is they don’t get enough challenges in the league and adjusting to the latter stages of CL is difficult.
Bayern and United are more of a threat to these clubs, as the Bavarians rely on teamwork and have the same bonus of that won’t break, 4 less games (something that needs addressing in the spirit of fair play) and also their own match winner in Robben.
Meanwhile if Jose can keep the momentum up with and get them grinding wins, they will realise that with a bit more work they could take a trophy in either FA Cup or CL, he actually is better with this format, inter, Porto as opposed to Chelsea or Real who benefitted from his foundations. They played to embarrass him afterwards.
Puta means bitch of your mothers pussy, not seen that physio again. And she fed Hazards ego to get him inside, when she should really have known to stay off the pitch. #MeToo, the one thing was he deserved it. So nobody states the obvious.
I know a girl who got a payout from sexual advances from her boss, yet her email is the name of a seducer.
The simple fact is, two teams are saving, 2 teams have a goal in mind and the rest have mostly shot their load.
There are a number of anomoloes, Real need what United need, personality, but have a wider pool to pick from given the climate and the draw of the city. United need personality, but money can’t buy that, hence the move for Alexis.
Spurs have a squad which needs more quality in wider areas and this is always where you attack an adversary.
Before I finish with the last anomaly team (saving the best for last) there are City and PSG who have climber higher than anyone and now have different problems. PSG have too many bodies on wages hardly anyone can afford. Whilst City need bodies who make up the numbers, because burnoout is coming this season let alone next. Still in four competitions and now beaten, last game.
Then you have Arsenal, the bare fabric of Elitism, woven into every aspect of its being.
Brilliant youth set up U16 league winners, U23 using U18’s and demolishing united. Without hella imports like City.
New additions backroom and clearly a difference has been made, just looking at the negotiations this January. That’s without AW as Spirting Director 😀 once he’s in charge ignoring negotiations, everyone can go die.
But on field, if w can hang on for 2 weeks, and get Aubamayang in.
First team: narrow 4-4-3
Aubamayang
ALEXIS OZIL TBC
Wilshere Xaka
Sead Koscielny TBC Bellerin
TBC
Bench Cech Lacazette Ramsey Iwobi Mustarfi TBC TBC
Alternative: wide 4-4-3
Aubamayang
Alexis TBC
Wilshere Ramsey
TBC
Sead Koscielny TBC Bellerin
Ozil instead of Ramsey on the bench; bring me the keys please.
Switch to a back 3 if we get a consummate CB
Rotation
Lacazette
Iwobi Wilshere Nelson/TBC
Xaka TBC/Wilshere/Ramsey
Cohen TBC Mustarfi Niles
Cech
And on and on and on.
Giroud for Aubamayang should go ahead, delay Alexis.
Then ask Mahrez a question, which says to any DM, CB or Reus let alone Meyer. Do you want to Ben the final jigsaw pieces.
And then you say Butland, wanna be Seaman for us.
Now be careful Arsene the Pap hacks are reading, but they know what Inwant them to know, when Iwant them to know and if they run repeat it, happy days, I want the targets to know and if not, as Arsene says radio silence is a wonderful thing.
Sign Henry mark II
Alexis doesn’t want to leave, he just wants enough money and a chance to win, we can’t win without reinforcements and we don’t need top four as this season proves. What we need is quality. 2 areas and I’d say right wing and CF wins us the Ruropa league especially if we take goals out of our closest rival for that crown.
CB would be helpful, but Intrust the new spartan to improve both Chambers and Holdong by simply existing.
DM and GK and Reus, that’s a CL assault and what you need are all the components at once, and what money can’t buy, heart.
If Aubamayang wants to fulfil that promise, not to say that that promise didn’t have semantics removed. They can have him at a profit in a 1.5 years.
I want the quad. Nobody has done the quad.
Aubamayang is a fire in the night, Alexis staying is a call to arms, Ozil, Jack spray at will, Ramsey arrive late, Xaka hit it we have cover. And Cohen and Niles you can take the minnows and LC and Minir FA Cup and Cech, daughters need time.
For glory.
Nice comment Nitram. It is very odd how the media are allowed to constantly criticise the club with factually incorrect nonsense while other clubs get away with murder.
Liverpool are still living in the 1980’s, having never won the Premier League – never mentioned.
Spurs last league title was in 1961, 56 years ago for heavens sake – again never mentioned.
Yet Arsenal go 10 years without one and the Sky falls in, despite any acknowledgement of the financial restraints from 2005 to 2013.
Very poor really.
AFC Nemisis
“Yet Arsenal go 10 years without one and the Sky falls in, despite any acknowledgement of the financial restraints from 2005 to 2013.”
Exactly.
This is our Net spend for each of those years:
04/05 = £1.6 Mil Loss
05/06 = £6.7 Mil Loss
06/07 = £17.0 Mil PROFIT
07/08 = £13.4 Mil Loss
08/09 = £3.55 Mil PROFIT
09/10 = £31.0 Mil PROFIT
10/11 = £6.8 Mil Loss
11/12 = £17.475 Mil PROFIT
12/13 = £8.6 Mil Loss
(Stats courtesy of Transferleague.com)
So over the 9 seasons of Austerity we went through, we had a Net spend of £31.925 Mil PROFIT. That’s PROFIT
And yet over the whole period we got nothing, and I mean nothing but grief. From the media, ex players, and a certain section of fans alike. (see above)
Yet Maureen spends £100’s of Millions and still whinges about not having enough money, and whatsmore gets sympathy from some sections of the media.
Oliver Holt in the Mail on Sunday wrote a big sympathetic piece. Also some numpty in the Sun (Neil Custis I think it was) wrote another piece full of sympathy and understanding..
And now according to some we’re supposed to stand in admiration because Spurs finally managed to finish above us and qualify for the CL. Just the once mind.
The second Wenger started to spend a bit more (but still much less than the big 3) we immediately won 3 FA Cups backed up by 3 Community shields and managed a runners up spot.
Ok, we did fall out of the top 4, just, but as I showed above, even with all their mega bucks 2 of the top 3 also did that(Man Utd did it 3 times in fact with a 5th, 6th and 7th placed finish and Chelsea once with a 10th placed finish)and the sky didn’t fall in for them apparently, as it did us.
Just imagine what Wenger could of achieved had he had a Net budget of between £30 and £50 Million per season as those 3 did over that period.
Over those nine years Liverpool had a Net annual spend of £20 Million plus. Spurs out spent us, as in fact did 75% of premiership teams.
Honestly, the way the media portray us, deride us, insult and abuse us, is shameful.
The way some of our own fans join in with it is frankly embarrassing.
It seems when you produce evidence in the form of statistics the snakes slither back under there rocks.