- Who is going to get done by the Profit and Sustainabilty Rules? Here’s our first nomination Here’s the first nomination.
- Day 1 Aftermath: what have we learned so far?
By Tony Attwood
I know I was lucky – but I will always point out there was some work involved. I have a front row seat in the east upper tier looking across the edge of the penalty box at the north bank end. Obviously I pay for it each year, and it doesn’t come cheap, but I got that seat as a gesture from Arsenal thanking me for coming up with the plan for the statues outside the ground. I’ve always thought it was a great gesture from the club.
Except now I have a complaint, for looking from my seat across the pitch to the scoreboard (and remember I am in the front row) it is utterly impossible to read the players’ names. And although I do actually know what the Arsenal team look like, I do also like to know who’s who in the away team who obviously I don’t know so well.
But the new design of the big screen means that is impossible – not just for me, but for everyone in the upper tier east stand.
Of course, you may say, well what are you bleating about, at least you have a superb seat for every game, and yes that is true – but changing the design of what is on the screen and THEN NOT TESTING THAT THE RESULT IS READABLE really is appallingly, pathetically stupid of the Arsenal staff involved, all of whom should be sacked now for gross incompetence.
I mean, in my company, before I retired, had around 35 staff – a tiny fraction of Arsenal’s staff number, and we’d test every sales letter before we sent it out. And we had a turnover of a tiny weeny fraction of what Arsenal must take on a single match. Yet we didn’t make a mistake one-thousandth the size of this cock up.
HOW COULD ARSENAL BE THAT INEPT?
I think this is the real question to ask, because if a company is so silly when putting up a sign, how can we be sure they are going to get anything else right?
OK, of course Arsenal do get things right. Despite the ceaseless whinging, whining and moaning from the media and some supporters, (And yes I know that now it is me whining).
Like for example Havertz. The Telegraph says, “Havertz’s transformation from an uncertain midfielder into a top-class striker has been one of the most important developments of Arsenal’s 2024. The German looks so much more comfortable in this position, and he and Saka led the way for Arsenal throughout this sun-soaked afternoon.”
Although of course the newspaper always blamed the fans with headlines like “Kai Havertz is the first victim of Arsenal’s increased expectations” and “Only three Premier League matches into his career at the Emirates the German is already proving to be a divisive figure among the fans.” Etc etc.
But now it is, “Early Kai Havertz impact shows why Arsenal are already better this season than last.” Which is quite a change from “Mikel Arteta must solve the puzzle that is Kai Havertz.”
The point about Arteta is of course that three Chelsea managers couldn’t get much out of Havertz and all the old plodding nomads joined in with headlines like Alan Shearer explains what Arsenal must do to win Premier League title this season.
You can guess what it said, “Mikel Arteta must sign a striker for Arsenal to win the Premier League title, so says Alan Shearer.” (Sports Management magazine call Shearer a “respected football pundit.” Oh for God’s sake.)
How utterly wrong can one man be? And yet seemingly he still has the nerve to draw a salary!
But now the media move on and proclaim there is still a problem because. “Arsenal get the striker transfer answer that Mikel Arteta wanted but will split the fanbase.” That’s Football London.
How these scribblers must hate the fact that we can now go back and look at what they wrote last week, without having to keep piles of newsprint in the spare room!
And yet although the media has got it all utterly wrong so far, they are still trying. For example, “Arsenal could resign Wojciech Szczesny” according to Football Fancast
TBR however have, Arsenal are closing in on the signing of Mikel Merino having agreed a fee with Real Sociedad over the last couple of days.” He’s a midfielder – not the striker they all said we needed.
Personally, I wouldn’t bet my house on it. But even if a new player turned up, I’d still like
a) that ruddy big screen to be fixed
b) to hear the excuse as to how Arsenal could make such a cock up as to make the screen unreadable
c) a statement to say that EVERYONE involved in the big screen cock up has been politely requested to hand their fee back to the club with the resultant money donated to a suitable charity.
Where I usually sit (well on those rare occasions I get a ticket from our supporters club) is under the screen on the Clock end. So I have to turn my head to see who is who. But from that position it is easy ro read. But when they show replays of an action I can’t use the screen on the North Bank as it is halfway blocked by the roof from where we sit. So we have to turn our heads away from the field. Something I just don’t like to do. Maybe having the screens in the middle of the norht bank and clock end could fix part of the problem. And make the font big enough to read it for everyone.
“Havertz signing is genius”
Indeed it is, and what makes it all the nicer is how the media and Chelsea fans laughed when we bought him, much as they did when we signed Jorginho, both who have been unmitigated successes.
–Simon Jordan has fired a “pointless” dig at Havertz as Chelsea “must have laughed” after Arsenal gave them their “money back” for the under-fire Gunner. “Havertz should be on that TV show Pointless,” Jordan said on talkSPORT. “I don’t understand, that must be a tax write-off for some reason or another.
Or
–Graeme Souness meanwhile cannot understand why Arsenal bought Havertz as he is “timid and not aggressive enough”. “I don’t understand why they’re buying him,” Souness added. “He can only be buying him because he thinks he can improve him. “You’re not spending £65million of your club’s money on someone on the performances he’s shown at Chelsea. “Forget about playing in this position or that position and which is best for him, he’s timid, he’s not aggressive enough, the top strikers through the history of the game take a blow to score a goal, I’m not sure if he’ll be that man.
Or
–Frank Leboeuf has taken aim at Kai Havertz as he suggested his most effective position at Arsenal is “on the bench” as he struggles to adapt to life at the Emirates.
Egg on their faces. Humble pie. Eat those badly chosen words.
Take your pick.
But, credit where credit is due. The following from Paul Merson:
–Merson admits Havertz flattered to deceive last season as Chelsea finished just 12th in the Premier League but is nevertheless adamant the German will thrive at his former club Arsenal. He wrote on Twitter: ‘Although he didn’t have his greatest season last year, believe me Kai Havertz will make Arsenal a better team. Good signing.’
The thing about Havertz is his all round play:
-He holds the ball so well and brings others into play.
-He has a very good touch for a tall man. Reminds me of Giroud.
-His work rate is phenomenal.
-His rate of scoring in the second half of last season makes him a 20 plus a season player. A very decent return for a forward that contributes so much more than just goals.
Once his confidence really sores I have no doubt that little lack of composure that has seen him miss some chances will come. I can only see his goals return getting better and better.
I have said it many times. We do not NEED another striker to score the goals we need to win the title.
Man City has a striker that’s very hungry at scoring GOALS!!! With Kai Harvetz as the striker…. This season ARSENAL won’t win a spoon
That’s an inteesting comparison Washingtpon when we look at lasst season and see how many goals Arsenal scored compared with M City. The difference was not that great was it.
Washington
“With Kai Harvetz as the striker…. This season ARSENAL won’t win a spoon”
Well, whatever ‘spoon’ may or may not mean, I can only assume it is not complimentary, and I assume the assertion being made is that Arsenal will indeed only win ‘spoon’ with Havertz as our striker because we won’t score enough goals? The following statistics suggest otherwise.
In the first half of the season, when Havertz played in midfield, we scored 35 goals.
In the second half of the season, when Havertz moved to centre forward, we scored 56 goals.
That is a 50% increase in goals scored. That is an enormous increase and an enormous return over all. If you extrapolate that across a whole season we would of scored 112 goals against the 96 goals scored by Man City.
Irrespective of who actually scored the goals or against who, those numbers suggest that when Havertz plays as a centre forward we score lots and lots of goals.
In fact, we played so well from the moment Havertz moved up front (following our winter ‘blip’ that saw us drop 11 points from 15), we accumulated one more point than Man City from there on in until the end of the season. Alas we had already dropped too many points over Christmas and New Year.
On that basis I’m afraid it looks like your ‘spoon’ theory has been well and truly Uri Geller’d
Nitram,
Correct on every point.
Uri Geller reference
PRICELESS!
goonersince 72
Thank you for that, although I do think it rather gives away my age…….again!!!
On the subject of Havertz second half of last season, I don’t know if you have seen it but arsenal.com have done a rather nice piece on his form from the point I’ve been referencing at the turn of the year.
You can find it here: https://www.arsenal.com/news/red-hot-havertz-leads-european-rivals-goal-stat
And if our Mr Washington is still around maybe he might like to take a look.