ARSENAL SEASON-TICKET HOLDER ISSUES HIS OWN PRESS STATEMENT
By Fishpie
Following the news that Arsene Wenger has signed for two more seasons and in response to the statements issued by Mr. Keonke, Mr Gazidis and by Mr Wenger, an Arsenal fan has issued his own statement to the press:
“I view the Club statements issued earlier this week by Arsenal FC as representing a new line in the sand.
The Club has stated afresh its aim to challenge for the Premier League title and top European honours.
This stated objective is now out there. It is unequivocal.
I fully support this aim.
However, in order for the next two years to be successful, the Club has to realise that issuing words and statements are not enough. The majority shareholder, the Board and the Manager must understand Arsenal fans have heard similar statements over many years in the past and, forgive me, but I remain sceptical.
I want to see action, the kind of action that proves the Club really means it. The kind of action that genuinely increases our chances of becoming Premier League Champions.
In order for me to be convinced by the Club statements, I believe the Club has to:
- work significantly harder at maximising all sources of income and investment monies
- be prepared, this summer especially, to spend significantly more money in order to keep and acquire the very best players,
- be speedier and more decisive in the transfer market,
- demand the kind of commitment and drive the players exhibited in the FA Cup Final against Chelsea, throughout the whole season,
- improve the off-the ball and defensive aspects of its game (the 3 man defence is a promising start), and
- unlike last season, it needs to be 120% ready from the very start of the season.
If the club takes these actions, starting this summer, this fan’s faith in the people who run the Club I love, can be restored.
For my part, if the club walks the walk, starting this summer and continuing over the two years of Mr Wenger’s contract, I will, regardless of results, promise to support the club in each and every game, I will commit to help creating a fully positive atmosphere at the Emirates, I will continue not to join those who march, carry banners and hire planes of protest, and I will condemn those who do protest against the Club, or worse, abuse the Manager.
Some may say that’s what a real fan should be doing anyway to support his Club. I would say, what I am asking the Club to do is simply to do what a truly top club should be doing anyway to be respectful to its supporters who give their loyalty, time and significant amounts of money for the cause.
It is time for a reconciliation between the fans and the Club. Both parties need to restate their vows to each other. I view this as an unwritten contract.
I will do as Mr Wenger asks, to get behind him and the team, BUT THE CLUB MUST LIVE UP TO ITS WORDS, IT MUST TAKE ACTION TO CHANGE AND IMPROVE THE WAY IT DOES THINGS.”
-End of statement-
It is understood this Arsenal fan is a moderate chap who recognises that Arsene Wenger has created another fantastic record in winning yet another FA Cup in a stunning final but, in his own way, wants to encourage the Club to be deadly serious in pursuing its ambitions.
Footnote on comments: we are resetting the software relating to comments today. If your comment unexpectedly goes into moderation please be patient – it is nothing personal. If your comment doesn’t appear at all and doesn’t go into moderation please email Tony@schools.co.uk
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I think the club was ready at the beginning of the last season. I also think there were no delays at all concerning the players targeted: Rob Holding & Granit Xhaka. AW never really wanted any other striker than Griezmann. It is my opinion that he bought Perez due to pressures from several quarters. To my mind, his plan was to convert Sanchez to a number 9. My own take on what happened to us is that two things combined together. First is the loss of Cazorla- exactly as it happened the previous season. Next is the uncertainty about some key players and AW himself. Mostly psychological.
We hope for the best next season.
You are correct man.
Arsenal fc needs to be more serious in its dealings
An eloquent and accurate sentiment of most season ticket holders I think. I hope the club actually notice it, but the distance of top brass at Arsenal from we paying supporters has always been part of the problem. Fingers crossed.
If it wasn’t for all those other pesky clubs who also wan’t to win things and who sometimes have even more (dubiously garnered) money with which to do it.
Great Blog..One of the best on untold.And Lanz no the club weren’t ready at the start of last season..
Always love a press statement that is so very committed and passionate that the author is prepared to go that extra mile and remain anonymous …
Minesy
A bit like most of us on here really, including your good self.
Not at all Leon … Tony and the Untold team have my email address and this is a comments section of a website, not an public open letter … my full name is also on the banner page … this one doesn’t even give a user name, (unless I missed the fact it’s from Fishpie) …
It isn’t speeding big that was the problem with Le Prof last season but spending right. Le Prof spent big on behalf of Arsenal in the region of £90m on 5 new players recruitment last season 3 of whom were said to cost around £87m according to report.
It’s widely expected in the Gooners quarters Arsenal will up their spendings in the transfer market to reinforced this summer beyond what they spent on reinforcements last season. But if Le Prof repeats the mistake he did last season by not buying the right quality player who can lift Arsenal in it’s titles bid next season in all competitions in conjunction with his colleagues: Sanchez, Giroud and Walcott who were the top scorers for Arsenal in the PL last season, but buy wrongly or panic buy again to pacify the discontented Arsenal supporters when he took a gamble to sign Lucas Perez for a reported £17m instead of him to have signed a player like Sadio Mane who turned out to be productive for the Liverpool team that pipped us to the 4th spot in the table last season. Or better still, the signing of the 25 PL goalscorer last season – Romelu Lukaka would have been a more proffered option.
This press statement/email (if true) expresses in a much more polite way the feeling of a lot of us arsenal fans. Change is needed. Quickly.
Wenger has signed for another 2 years – but he needs to change much of what he does. Will he?
So far the omens are poor – same pronouncements in the press – ‘3 players short’. We are unfortunately about 5-6 players short of top 4, let alone title.
We’ve had so far, ‘the kids’, ‘the british core’, ‘can’t find top top players’ – none of which has worked.
He needs to focus on 4 great players, sign them and then churn the absolute dross in the team.
I love it. Here is another wonder expecting a coin toss to always fall on heads.
It has always been the intention to win every game ‘one game at a time’. Wenger has never intended to lose a match. Where in this world do we find these brain boxes that choose the team, work faster than Wenger & have not been able to rub to pennies together. Truly if you believe your ideas are so good please send them by post with £100 to Arsenal Football Club. It may suddenly poke your pocket or an area close to it to understand how difficult it is to decide when millions depend on each match.
I am amused by the idiots who remind us of a 10 – 2 scoreline without explaining the cheating & unsporting culture of the two matches & also the monopoly of the club concerned. It is the same idiots or similar who talk bollocks on Arsenal TV to another idiot who wouldn’t know how to bounce a ball let alone kick it. These same idiots question the ability of Wenger who is without doubt the most successful Arsenal manager in history. He should be awarded the highest accolades rather than the disrespectful abuse that these fatherless prats dish out.
correction -‘rub two pennies’
Untolders…here’s a great article from PA. https://positivelyarsenal.com/2017/06/05/no-it-was-not-wengers-worst-season/comment-page-1/#comment-93012
What a load of old twigs. Six concepts which basically comprise Football Club Management 101…find me a PL team which doesn’t aim for those targets every season and I’ll show you a club in the Ryman League. I’d love to see us sign £150m of top class talent the first week of the transfer window and employ the same system Chelsea won the league with – if we don’t get back in the CL with that what will the doom-merchants cling on to then? In that instance I’d say get Wenger out and hold a lottery for next Arsenal manager, see if all the anti-Wenger brigade buy a ticket and show us how it should be done. Same 8 mill a year salary to sweeten the deal.
So Menace, just so I understand correctly, are you saying that the sole reason for the 10-2 scoreline was “cheating and unsporting culture”???
I think we can all agree that the club has to change its approach and the direction it takes in the next few years,unless all you want is the odd cup win and no sustained challenge for the top silverware.The club the last few years and especially last year were moving further away than ever from winning the premier league and champions league trophys and fans have now realised that things must change.The manager has been given one last chance to prove that he can sustain a challenge and will be given all the help needed from the club.
Saint I know you think that. In fact I suspect all regular readers know you think that. But time and time again, no matter how many times you write under which guise, you don’t give any data to back up your claims. Let’s try a couple.
What is the evidence that a change of direction will help?
Arsenal have won three FA Cups in four years. What evidence is there that this will decline to the “odd cup”.
You state that
“.The club the last few years and especially last year were moving further away than ever from winning the premier league ”
But in 2015 Arsenal were third, in 2016 second. Was that not an improvement. Or if you don’t like that one, in 2016 Arsenal got 71 points, this season just finished 75 points.
This season just ended Arsenal scored more goals than in any league season since 2010. Is that not progress.
As always, as a mind reader you are absolutely rubbish, yet you endlessly make assumptions about what people think, using claims that cannot be verified.
Menace
It gets better. Many of these self declared genius’ and experts who cant muster the footballs required to help identify why the national team can’t beat Iceland or Costa Rica had the Juve manager down as their anointed and blessed heir.
Yes. That’s correct. The same Juventus who we’re lucky to only lose the final 1-4. Heh. Heh. Heh.
The same Juventus who spent spent spent quite a lot of money on the fleeting and ephemeral Higuain-Bozo particle (is it a wave? Is it a particle? Is it an overweight and overpaid indulgence?) so beloved by flat track bullies, third party agents and last but certainly not least their gullible hangers on who believe what they read in the funny papers.
The same Juventus who, you know, Calcopiloi and all that jazz. Which could never happen in a superior civilisation such as dear old Blighty. Unless you’re talking about the cricket. Or cycling. Or any other sport. Including lower league football. And footballers who go to Australia. But not at the top of the game where all the wonga is; its clean! Trust me. Please?
But to be fair to all I suppose Allegri was a step up from Owen Coyle. Or David Moyes (whose career highlight was awarding his mate Rooneh a 300k p/w contract after he’d already retired).
I blame Vengarrrrrghhh for all that is wrong with modern football. Including my receding hairline. And I most certainly don’t have the courage to admit to myself why it is that the club that sacked GG for taking a bung, the spend half the Petroclub rate whilst being lauded by the likes of Lord Sugar for “knowing the market” would have such a successful relationship with the current manager. Did they not think of replacing him with Malky Mackay? I bet the Cardiff fans felt dumb after they were so badly (& comically) trolled and led on by the footy hacks…can we same the same for others?
All these demands just to support your club…
I demand one thing, and that is everyone at the club do all they can to make arsenal better, to help us win each and every match, which I am sure nearly all involved do anyway… I say nearly all as although is ridiculous and shouldn’t and wouldnt happen, but Kroenke could give the club all his money for players and building the club can more…
3 FA Cups and a 4th, 3rd, and 2nd place finish in 4 years… Oh the sheer indignity and humiliation, oh how I struggle to get up in the mornings…
And as for the 5 or 6 players needed to be a top 4 team… No comment…
Ken – don’t fall in the trap. It was two matches. Each one had a similar fate with similar behaviour. Nothing in a football match can be solely down to one thing unless there was a plane crash. The diving culture (particularly of Robben) & the officiating falling for it partially lead to the issue. Removal of a potent threat by foul or unsporting means is partially the cause of an unusual result.
Cheating in football is rife. Thankfully Taylor in his wisdom yellow carded Moses for his cheating dive. Quite honestly the FA should revisit the event & give him a large fine & further ban for bringing the game into disrepute. The FA cup is a showcase of English football & should be seen to lead the game for the world to follow. All of Taylor’s decisions were not correct but this one was. Arsenals first goal could have been incorrectly called for handball. Handball must be deliberately bringing the ball under control using the hand(s).
Being within striking distance of first place, or actually being in first place at some point doesn’t constitute a challenge?
the unnamed fan demands things which he/she does not understand and cannot assess (because no one, except the all-knowing oracles from media, can), and threatens to not support the club if those elusive conditions are not met
it is a bit like petitioning G-d, and frankly is rather embarrassing
F**k me, what a patronizing load of codswallop.
What’s wrong with just supporting the team.
I’ve just caught up with the comments you’ve all posted on my piece and I can see it’s not going down well. I assumed the Untolders generally would not agree with it but your reactions are worse than that. Quite scathing in fact: “patronising”, ”embarrassing’ and “codswallop” are not good. All’s fair in love.
Benjamin hits on what I was trying to do. I’d noticed a few guys at AST and The Gooner and even Arseblog criticise the club statements as being more of the same. They all remain highly sceptical of Arsenal’s sincerity in its stated objectives. And I understand their cynicism. I share, to an extent, that cynicism. But rather than just moan at the Club or sigh in exasperation or fade away quietly in apathy, it struck me that a way for cynical fans like me to try and re-enage would be to offer a kind of quid pro quo restatement of vows in a way that people who have had their faith badly knocked find an acceptable way back. You may still think the piece stinks which of course is fair enough but I was trying to find a middle ground. Better than marches and the like. Perhaps I set the piece up wrong by not referencing the fan reaction to the Club’s statements or may be its just a bad piece all round.
Anyway for what its worth that was my thinking. Never mind. I know you disagree with it but thanks for publishing it Tony.
I suppose it could be worse Fishpie. They could say flounderswallop, or mackerelswallop or tunaswallop. 🙂
Sorry, I can’t sing. But I can carry a tuna (a small one).
Fishpie, glad you’ve taken the feedback with open mind
as for criticizing club statement i couldn’t agree less
personally i haven’t heard a better pr statement from any club, and i follow a lot of clubs
that’s just the way pr statements are
people who criticize pr from the club they claim to support earn no respect from me and deserve no attention
This says it all:
“get behind him and the team, BUT THE CLUB MUST LIVE UP TO ITS WORDS, IT MUST TAKE ACTION TO CHANGE AND IMPROVE THE WAY IT DOES THINGS.””
From what i have read and heard, its clear every arsenal fan, maybe general public and the all knowing TV presenters and sports journalist, yes all of them believe arsenal can do better and achieve greater things especially with Arsene Wenger, on top of all the great things Arsenal have already achieved. (Invincibles, FA Cup record, Players with extraordinary talents, The best manager ever, Amazing stadium,rival clubs and fans etc)
Surely that is the reason why everyone and this particular Arsenal Fan is demanding more, Apart from him having the basic support and love the club.
But can anyone demand such expectations? or Just support the club? I love watching Arsenal play football, so much and nothing else matters. Of course a defeat is disappointing and not winning a trophy too. so what, football will still be played and watched.