By Walter Broeckx
We should have spend the fucking money. Now if we look at the current Champions league this looks to be a bit strange.
Manchester United has spend a lot of money and for the moment it seems to work for them. Both in the league and in the CL. He who’s name we will not mention is fit and we can only wait for the moment when he falls in to his old habits of being out for half a season or so. I would like it to happen on February 1.
Chelsea has spent an enormous amount of money. In such a way that it looks as if financial fair play is only a wild dream that will have no effect in the next seasons. And in the Premier League it seems to work out mostly fine for the moment. We still have to see how Hazard and Oscar react when the season enters the hard winter weeks and see if they can keep it up as they do now.
But in the Champions League it is another story. We are not happy with 6 points of a possible 9. Mostly because the football was rather poor. But Chelsea a team that has no injuries at all and is playing in a group that has one (with all respect before angry Nordsjaelland supporters attack me) rather easy game. In our group we have a team of what could be the best league in the world for the moment (Yes the Bundesliga I mean) and two teams that won the title last season.
But despite spending all the money Chelsea has only 4 points so far. So spending the money can help but it isn’t the solution completely it seems.
And if we look at the new rich boys it is rather shocking. Manchester City have only 1 point after 3 games. I know they are in the most difficult group of the CL with 3 real top teams. Real Madrid is a spending-money machine. As is City of course. Dortmund is a sensible spending-the-money team. Working with a lot of own youth team players and a few players bought on the cheap. And selling their best players every season. I’ve heard that before I think.
But the 4th team in that group is Ajax. Great history, great youth academy. But well the Dutch league is not the most famous in the world. In fact maybe it should be because the football that is on display is not just high quality most of the time but it is one of the leagues where most teams play an open and attacking game most of the time. A manager that does this (parking the bus) more than 3 times in a season gets crucified by the media, I think.
But Ajax is one of the better teams in the Dutch league. In fact they are only 4th in the league some 5 points behind the leaders Twente. And Ajax is having severe financial troubles and has to sell their best players to keep their head above water. And they always find another youth player coming through to fill the gap. It is amazing in fact and I think something that Wenger is working on. But those things don’t come easy and it takes at least 10 years if not more to get that far.
So when Manchester City, the champions of England go to Ajax it is to take the 3 points home. Manchester City one of the the richest teams on earth against a team struggling to survive financially. So no big names to buy. Just youth players from their own academy and a returning well known player like Babel.
And yet they won against Manchester City and leave City last in the group with only 1 point. And with Dortmund on top of the group and Real Madrid in second place it looks that the best thing Manchester City can hope is to join the Europa league.
And that with spending all the money they have spend over the last season? With all the players sitting on the bench being paid loads of money. For teams like City and Chelsea even having 8 or 9 players out is no excuse. For Arsenal it is because we live in a different world financially. But they have hardly injuries and certainly Manchester City looks close to the exit door of the CL. Once again. If Real Madrid and Dortmund draw their game with City they are in fact out of it.
Of course this doesn’t justify us playing badly. But it should ring a bell and make people realise that there is no “easy” solution. The easy solution “spending” big is no guarantee for success.
And if you say that we should have kept our best players like Cesc, Nasri and he who’s name we will not mention… it was their will to leave us. It was them wanting to get out. For the money, for the whatever reason you can say. It was them not signing the contracts Arsenal proposed. Or even wanting out despite having years on the contract.
Arsenal was forced to sell them for various reasons. Not because we really wanted them out the door.
Life goes in cycles. So does the life of a football club. Certainly a football club that is being ran in the way we do it. In a cautious way so as not to bring our long term future in danger. If we like this way or not, it is the way it is for the moment. Unless you have money like an oil or gas baron there is nothing you can do about it.
Yes it can help spending money. But for the moment Chelsea and Manchester City are not really good advertising boards for this way of running a football club. Well not in the Champions League so far.
Just imagine… Manchester City not even qualifying for the Europa League. Well the thought of it can even bring a little smile to my face. Just for a short moment it takes away the sour taste of our own defeat.
Maybe it is time for Man City to try a different type of football game like the ones on offer at Ladbrokes casino online. They might have more chance of winning a game of Soccer Safari that winning a Champions League match at the minute.
The books…
- Woolwich Arsenal: The club that changed football – Arsenal’s early years
- Making the Arsenal – how the modern Arsenal was born in 1910
- “The Crowd at Woolwich Arsenal”: crowd behaviour at the early matches
The sites…
- Referee Decisions – just what are the refs up to this season?
- The weight loss programme: The only guaranteed wayto stay fit
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- For all your football betting try these Bookmakers with free bets.
The current series: What do Fifa Agents Do?
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part 3: FIFA Agents from the good to the child trafficking.
Good question. Ask sir Alex.
I think I’m right in saying that one of the problems that besets the whole of Dutch football is that they have have never, for one reason or another, beeen able to push up ticket prices to the sort of levels that would have alleviated their financial problems. They may have a highly attractive product to sell but can’t get a good enough return for it. Hence they have to sell players and replace internally which is not, as we know, always ideal.
The spending of money alone is simply not enough.
Success breeds success, so we must start from what sort of history has the club in relation to success.
Then, the compatibility within the dressing room.
The quality of the coaching staff and facilities.
Is the manager open to change, new ideas and tactics and has he the vital free hand.
Player selection and game plan should be subject to change per match and per situation. A Plan B is essential.
Only when the capabilities of individual players are assessed and have been completed, should the availibility of spending money be considered.
No you are right spending does not guarentee sucess but one thing is for sure not spending guarentees no success!
Also rather a stupid thing to say that the CL tables at this point reflect the true state of affairs.Lets wait and see after the 6 games. As things stand Arsenal have won their two home games and lost the one away.Whose to say that you wont loose your last home game and the two away games?
Mike T … it is rather stupid to believe we have ” won both home games and lost the away game.” Best stick to netball.
just OT,
I remember last season Sir Alex told something like…..Manchester clubs playing in the final(europa) would be a game to watch out for…….the thing that never happened.
I dont understand these supporters who bark at the clubs doors. If RVP, Nasri, Cesc, Clichy, Flamini, Helb, …….all wanted to leave us. How the hell are we going to stop them????….Ah yes win trophies. BUT who is supposed to deliver that…..the board????
Since 2005 we had these brilliant players….who went on to win things is other colors….BUT as a unit they failed. They just dint work hard enough.
Spending money wont give us success BUT what we spend it on will. I feel ARSENAL is on the right track and if not this in the coming years we will be celebrating the arrival of silverwares.
FACTS :
1. Mike Dean – referee, in 2010, after Manchester United’s defeat to Chelsea, was demoted to the Championship.
2. Mike Dean, referee, when Blackburn beat Manchester United 3-2 and hasn’t refereed a Manchester United game since.
3. Alan Wiley, called “fat and unfit” by Alex after Manchester United’s draw with Sunderland,” agreed to retire” that season.
4. Mark Clattenburg refereed Manchester United’s 6-1 defeat to Manchester City, hasn’t refereed a single Manchester United game after that Manchester derby. (has acted as 4th official in 3)
5. Martin Atkinson -Involved in Manchester United’s defeat to Chelsea, criticized by Alex, hasn’t refereed Manchester United game since.
6. Ex referee Jeff Winter openly stating that he hadn’t been given a Manchester United game for 2 years after sending Roy Keane off.
7. Howard Webb has been Manchester United’s most used referee since the defeat to Manchester City.
8. More than 18% of the penalties Webb has awarded in his 8 year career have been to Manchester United.
9. Manchester United’s CEO is on the board of The FA(David Gill).
10. Alex Ferguson not happy with Chris Foy after 2-3 defeat against Spurs, Foy appointed to a League Two game. Something he hasn’t done since the 2001-02 season
Some food for thought ahead of the weekend.
This is copy and paste so I am not entirely sure about accuracy, but it looks right on first glance at least, here goes:
A Bit inside:- No. of penalties Webb has awarded Manu: 9 in 32 games. No. of penalties Webb has awarded Arsenal,Chelsea and Pool: Only 10 in 100 games.- In 2008, after a cup loss to Portsmouth, here is what Fergie said: “I don’t think he’s doing his job properly and he needs to be assessed.” , Hackett retired just months after that heavy criticism from Ferguson. “Coincidence”. Again.- In the season 2011/11, Manu lost 2-1 to Wolves.The ref, Milchael Oliver was not given another Manu game to referee for one whole year.- Michael Oliver refereed 2 games for Manu since their loss against Wolves (a year after) . Here is what happened in those 2 games:Michael Oliver gave United a penalty for a shocking dive by Danny Welbeck in the home win against Wigan.Oliver refused to give Fulham a clear penalty late in the game.United won 1-0.A game came right at the end of the title race.- Remember in 2010/11,when Arsenal beat Manu 1-0.Chris Foy was the referee then.He wasn’t assigned for a United game for an entire year after that.- Foy did refereed 2 games for United (all cup games) in between that. Here is what happened in those games:1) he first was in the CC against Cyrstal Palace.He awarded United a penalty but still lost.2)The second was at City in the FA Cup. United got a penalty and Kompany was sent off early in the game.- Mike Jones refereed Manu vs Newcastle in 2011/12 season. Game ended 1-1. Jones was not given ANY game for an entire month. Couple of months later Mike Jones did get to referee a United game. It was against Stoke and they won 2-0. And guess what? Both penalties.
Arsenal , the reason they failed as a unit is because of poor depth, if we had mertesacker 2 years ago when we played squillachi 40 times maybe, or Arteta when cesc needed some help. THe reason we have failed is because of not filling out the gaps in the squad. unfortuntate but very very true. EVen now we havent learned, a normal team would have giroud for a year before making him our only striker, but we get rid of the best striker in the world and sign one more and guess what, we play gervinho upfront. Wengers insistance on any player playing any position is admirable but flawed. Ramsey will never ever be a winger eg
FACTS :
1. Mike Dean – referee, in 2010, after Manchester United’s defeat to Chelsea, was demoted to the Championship.
2. Mike Dean, referee, when Blackburn beat Manchester United 3-2 and hasn’t refereed a Manchester United game since.
3. Alan Wiley, called “fat and unfit” by Alex after Manchester United’s draw with Sunderland,” agreed to retire” that season.
4. Mark Clattenburg refereed Manchester United’s 6-1 defeat to Manchester City, hasn’t refereed a single Manchester United game after that Manchester derby. (has acted as 4th official in 3)
5. Martin Atkinson -Involved in Manchester United’s defeat to Chelsea, criticized by Alex, hasn’t refereed Manchester United game since.
6. Ex referee Jeff Winter openly stating that he hadn’t been given a Manchester United game for 2 years after sending Roy Keane off.
7. Howard Webb has been Manchester United’s most used referee since the defeat to Manchester City.
8. More than 18% of the penalties Webb has awarded in his 8 year career have been to Manchester United.
9. Manchester United’s CEO is on the board of The FA(David Gill).
10. Alex Ferguson not happy with Chris Foy after 2-3 defeat against Spurs, Foy appointed to a League Two game. Something he hasn’t done since the 2001-02 season
Some food for thought ahead of the weekend
but we dont NEED to spend big, just suplment the squad as and when it needs it, and if you think we have done that over the last 3 years, you are frankly wrong. If we had bought mertesacker a year earlier, arteta to compliment cesc, ah if only. The problem is we have developed great player s and played them alongside dross like squillachi. We would not have had to spend wildly or compromise our values, just a little WHEN we need it. thERE is NO DOUBT sqaud depth not quality is the reason for the trophy drought
I also have to ask what is the point of scouting a player like Mata only to lose out on him for the sake of 5 mil??? that makes NO sense in a business way. He wanted us, but we couldnt seee the value, but we can see it now. SEe spending big is not the problem for us, spending more than bolton et al is. If we had mata and cazorla and wilshere and arteta, wowowo! but no we gamble on diaby, that is negligence surely?? does wenger even care about winning anymore, because if he doesnt then what hope for the players.
Song and VP represent where it all goes wrong, song esp. we develop him for 7 years and sell him for as much as his wages would have cost us, to a team that hasnt even paid us yet…
Wengers problem is that he hates having to many good players to chose from and he hates buying established players unless they are flawed (gerv/pod) so he can do his magic and take some credit. Cazorla was an anomoly as we got him super cut price ( something to take credit for).. I lOve wenger but these last two seasons have been inexplicable. What is he really waiting for? the collapse of the spanish teams?? problem is we are losing our brand season by season, we are in danger of losing it all and for what? not spending the smallesy amount more than we “think”we should. THat is not business its suicide
WillyBilly
So we up our bid for Mata by £5m and what, Chelsea just sit back and say ok, take him? No, they up their bid! Then what do we do? Keep trying to outbid a team with a bottomless pit of cash? Never gonna happen. Pretty simple really isn’t it?
Chris from Cambridge
Ok I typed things the wrong way around but my point is that Arsenal have played two games at home and one away.
Wait till the 6 games and then you will know also to be very very fair to Man City they realld do have a difficult group and I am not sure MAn U , Aresnal or indeed Chelsea would be in a better position than them
When the ‘new vision football’ was brought in to replace the ‘Invincibles’ We were to see youth, skill and fast entertaining football.
We saw this but it was tamed by ‘thug football’ and poor refereeing and at the same beginning with Chelski the coming of billionaire sponsored clubs that could persuade the best of the young talent to leave. Ashely Cole being the first example of this. The vision became a nightmare for us Arsenal supporters.
The vision has been abandoned (so it would appear) but the problems remain that were beyond the club’s control.
The future says with the financial controls that are be brought in, the Chelskis will be limited in their spending powers. The knew commercial deals coming to Arsenal will enable the club to spend more on transfers and wages and thus compete for better ready made players. However will these changes provide us with winning team?
It is not true to argue that Wenger does not buy ready made players. He does. Arsene showed himself to be a supporter of Arsenal long before he became Arsenal. At Monaco he bought two ready made English players of international ability, Mark Hately and a certain Glenn Hoddle.
At Wet spam the ‘new vision’ was seen in it glory but the glory has turned back into despair!
When Arsene arrived at Arsene I remember the manure man saying ‘What does a French man from Japan know about English football?’
Arsene came with an approach to football that wasn’t English it was French or Japanese it ‘professionalism.’ English football was caught cold.
When Arsene arrived his approach to the game over came the poor refereeing and thuggery that ruins skill and ability and thus ruins football in England but no more. Now of course we have the ‘Chelski factor’ So we have the top three followed by (up to last season) Arsenal, the best of the rest. What happens to Arsenal if another club becomes a billionaire’s toy?
What happens to the fans who see little chance of Arsenal winning trophies again? Do they stay or do they go away?
I for one will stay but then I was harden by the O’Neill years! So I am made of sterner stuff! What about you?
Before we all succumb to paranoia, I think we all should remember this
FERGUSON IS ONLY MORTAL…:lol:
Nicky is that a threat? or do you know his doctor?
nicky
Ferguson may be mortal, but the system that upholds his power is not dependent on his survival. If it were, he wouldn’t have come close to losing his job when he took on the Irish racehorse magnates. Whatever you may think of Ferguson, the rottenness doesn’t stem from him. He’s just the most visible and entrenched part of it. It’ll continue even when he goes away. There are plenty successors champing at their bits to preside over the same, and ‘earn’ the same plaudits.
How much money does one has to spend to guarantee constant success? – Depends on the going rate for “sponsorship” of the refs association…
Just out of interest why is no-one monitoring the ref’s radio channel?
So is there a correlation between big spending and success. If you define sucess as where the team is at the moment in the CL qroup stage the data seems to indicate that there is no correlation. But let’s look at who won CL and EPL in the last 10 years.
CL
2012 – Chelsea
2011 – Barcelona
2010 – Inter
2009 – Barcelona
2008 – Manchester United
2007 – Milan
2006 – Barcelona
2005 – Liverpool
2004 – Porto
2003 – Milan
EPL
2012 – Manchester City
2011 – Manchester United
2010 – Chelsea
2009 – Manchester United
2008 – Manchester United
2007 – Manchester United
2006 – Chelsea
2005 – Chelsea
2004 – Arsenal
2003 – Manchester United
Quite a few big spenders here. In fact the last “sensibly” spending CL winner was Porto in 2004 and Arsenal in 2003.
A couple more observations. First, in early in 2000s italian teams did really well in CL. Their success in this competition dried out after leading Italian clubs started experiencing financial difficulties. Secondly, the first Chelsea EPL title in 2005 came shortly after beginning of Abramovich era. It was their first domestic title since 1955. The story repeated itself with City few years later with Manchester club winning their first domestic title since 1968.
But “correlation does not imply causation”…
P.S. Correction: Arsenal wast the last “sensibly” spending EPL winner in 2004.