By Tony Attwood
A nice stroll in the park, with a chance to update our views on the up and coming talent, and what do we find on the blogs?
Well, some quite creative ways of ignoring reality actually. I quite liked “Arsenal and Chelsea woes as defensive target signs new contract.” Clever because there has never been any confirmation that the player was on Arsenal’s list, nor any sign that even if he was, that the player was ever likely to transfer to Arsenal.
So there we are a complete circle. Arsenal have no interest in a player, the player signs for someone else or stays where he is, and then Arsenal can be blamed as incompetent and slow off the mark. “Woes” indeed. Whoever says “woe” these days? No one since Frankie Howerd as far as I know. [He was an extraordinarily amusing English comedian incidentally.]
A variation is “Arsenal miss out on another top target”. Again no sign at all from the club that there is any interest in the player concerned, but still through this headline a chance to knock Arsenal’s slowness when the deal doesn’t happen.
It reminds me of a comment that I saw here recently where the writer said that Arsenal were duplicitous and worse because they promise to spend big, then announce the renewal date for season tickets, and then don’t sign the players the correspondent wanted.
There are several problems here. About 12% of the transfer window has passed – there is lots of time left. The season ticket renewal process has proceeded at the same speed as always around the same date as always, and if Arsenal rushed in to sign anyone who could be signed before the transfer window got going, then the AAA would be saying we are just picking up anyone ready to sign straight off to get season ticket sales.
And that is before we consider the fact that if a season ticket holder really is worried about next season he/she can always put the season ticket on hold for a year, and have the right to claim it again next season (although not necessarily in the same seat). (And I know that because my pal did just that).
Apart from the fact that support is about support always – not support just because we’ve spent a lot of money this season.
Of course some of our existing players are likely to be leaving, as with this one from Talk Sport “Juventus interested in Arsenal forward…” Note that the incompetence is only with Arsenal – no attack on Juve’s own problems with the law. No “who in their right mind would go to a club so often associated with the shady side?” (Actually to answer my own question, Vieira, but then he wanted to come back to us. However that’s another story).
So it goes on. “What next for Wenger as top goalkeeping target opts for Napoli move?” Well, are we quite sure that Arsenal are bidding for the “top goalkeeping target”? We’ve had goalkeeping stories for about three years running now – always with the incompetence of management theme.
And where do all these stories come from? In part they are Vapour Transfers (see below). In part they are the result of staying a little too long in the bar on a Monday night. “Amid reports in the Spanish media” was the source quoted for one bizarre piece knocking Arsenal’s management the other day. Oh yes? Not even a mention of which newspaper. At least when I ran the “Park to Real Madrid” story I detailed which paper I read it in.
Amidst all this, there is little reflection on the youngsters on display yesterday. OK the opposition was weak, but surely the fact of Miquel playing the game, Akpom scoring, Oxlade-Chamberlain taking up what seems to be his new position, Martinez showing that he is stepping up to third keeper in the list, Wilshere not playing, Ryo not playing (back to the Netherlands on loan rumour?), Eisfeld scoring as he did last season (but at least we got a slight celebration this year), Olsson scoring…
I think this is make or break time for Miquel, and I also think Eisfeld is getting ready to move into the true first team squad. But that’s just my thoughts based on this game and last season…
But no, such matters are trivia because “Arsenal have been told by Liverpool to offer £40m for Luis Suarez before they will even consider selling their prized asset.” (the Mirror), and shock horror stupid Arsenal have only offered £35m. Perhaps they really don’t want him after all, and perhaps that pesky Argentinian is going to be told he can go to Arsenal if only he will ask for a transfer like a proper player.
“Arsenal are reviving interest in Sevilla midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia, who is also a target for Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester United, ” according to the Daily Mail – setting up a situation in which if he is not signed by Arsenal it can be another “Arsenal lose out” story. (Reviving interest is good – utterly untrue in the transfer market, but a way to run the same story twice without any extra research).
As for Cesc, the Mail is also saying Arsenal “are plotting” to bring him back. No much of a plot since everyone knows about it (plots are secret guys). My guess would be next year not this, but then as always, what do I know against all the things said by the luminaries at the Daily Mail, the paper that ran “No war this year” in 1939.
Want more? “Wonderkid Antonio Sanabria could be on his way to Arsenal” (could be, note, but it will be “missed out on target” soon if he doesn’t. “Arsenal keen on Al-Habsi” is also out there as is “Real Madrid to bid £36m for Arsenal target Arturo Vidal” (you get it now – these are all set up in order to be knocked down again so that you can get two stories out of one. Clever eh?
The Independent remain a little cooler (although somewhat behind the times in recent days) with “Brendan Rodgers in ‘constant contact’ with Luis Suarez and remains hopeful striker will remain at Liverpool” Well yes, if I was paying a member of my staff over £10m a year I think I would remain in constant contact as well.
Caughtoffside do actually give Arsenal credit occasionally for taking their own decisions as with “Arsenal pull-out of Julio Cesar move as Napoli prepare bid,” except who is to say there ever was a “move” on in the first place?
Oh and you remember Marouane Fellaini who we were going to sign. Apparently he fears Arsenal move is dead. (Don’t believe you read all in the press Marouane. Higuiain and Fellaini to Arsenal? Well…
But no, let us not get too excited because “Arsene Wenger suffers transfer blow as Greiner signs new deal at Lyon” – a blow? Really? Has no one ever told the papers about the way the Vapour Transfer market runs?
Seems not because “Arsenal target Ignazio Abate as Greiner hopes fizzle out”. Everyone is giving everyone else false leads guys. False leads to keep the rest of the pack off their tail while they tie up the deal.
“Arsenal preparing shock move for Cesc Fabregas.” That was the cooler Independent, using “shock” instead of “plot” but it is hardly a shock any more is it. The finances of the deal have been well explained (we get him on the cheap because of the way the sale was arranged), but it doesn’t have to be now.
All right, I’ll stop in a mo. But just before I do how about “Julio Cesar deal stalls as Arsenal eye up Tim Krul deal” (Metro). I like “eye”. It suggests that suddenly someone at Arsenal has noticed that there is this player out there and has looked at him. Bit late, since the season is over. But you know, that’s how it goes at Arsenal. A bit like “eyeing up a pretty lady”, when she’s actually left the party. Bit dumb really.
As is virtually all of it.
Still at least we now have some friendlies to watch. Oh and ESPN showed the Indonesian game.
15 July Anniversaries
- 15 July 1953: Freddie Cox sold to WBA for £3500
- 15 July 1979 John Hollins joined from QPR
- 15 July 1995: Stephen Hughes signed professional contract
Over 750 Arsenal anniversaries indexed
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 FC: crowd behaviour at the early matches
- Royal Arsenal: from the Common to the Manor. Coming next.
The sites from the same team…
- Referee Decisions – just what are the refs up to this season?
- The Arsenal History Blog from the AISA Arsenal History Society
Super piece! Worst part is how Arsenal fans are just lining up to believe, perpetuate and exagerate all the anti-Arsenal nonsense that gets printed.
Thanks for restoring my sanity every now and then =D
Vapour trails or not Arsenal cannot either win or even compete for trophies with this current squad.It makes perfect sense for a team to have any new signings ready to play as the new Season begins.This being the case pre-season tours and friendlies are best used to make sure that this happens.There is no great consensus amongst Arsenal supporters as to Wengers future with the club. (personally I believe that its time to go) but there IS agreement with regards squad reinforcements.Most would say that the “spine” needs strengthening-and has done for some time.A goalkeeper who can distribute the ball snd is less prone to mistakes; a centre back who can dominate his area of responsibility and doesnt look like he’s running in quicksand; a central midfielder with some steel who is capable of galvinising the team both offensively and defensively; and a forward capable of putting chances in the net!Players that will unfortunately come with hecty price tags and require competitive wages.Hopefully at some point soon Gazidas and Wenger might be able to make the necessary arrangements.Unfortunately, Im not particularly optimistic-One seems to live in a ten year old time bubble whilst the other is out of his depth! I would, however, love to be proved wrong!!
Phew… lenghty article!
What can we believe then?
So Tony do we need new players or are you happy with the current squad?
In this pile of shit article, never once talks about the fact is that we haven’t signed anybody to improve the squad, unlike most of the teams around us.
The fact that the window is “12%” open is also crap – you can sign players from end of the previous season, you just can’t register them with PL & FA. So the window is something like 85% closed.
Terribly complacent, smug article – everything that’s wrong with the current ownership and management of AFC.
You see! People like old Joel there have all the answers. I wonder why he doesn’t become the manager right now. Oh, perhaps because he has not even successfully managed a Sunday team.
I take my hat off to you Mr Attwood, I don’t know how you can trawl through all the rags and come out the other end sane?
Even if I just lay eyes on some rags, I can feel my IQ diminishing. Similar to reading some comments that appear on here.
I had a wee look on BBC and all I got was Suarez and £35 million. Got bored, turned it off. It amazes me that from one comment from Wenger (something about the quality of Rooney & Suarez) we get these stories, amazing.
According to Joel above we need a new spine to the team, disrupt the center backs and goalkeeper, find a new central midfielder and lose any opportunity at continuity for the coming season. And buy the best striker in the World?
We have a settled squad for the first time in a few years and most would agree that a few additions wouldn’t go amiss, but not at the cost of what is being built.
People, please remember, it’s not only how good they are individually but how good the collective group can become.
@LRV, how do you know Joel hasn’t managed a successful sunday team?
Nobody has all the answers, not Wenger, not you, not me but we’re allowed to voice our opinions, whether you like them or not.
Anyway according to reports we played a game yesterday in which we trounced some Indonesians. Some of our youngsters played well which is good news. Maybe the quality of the opposition wasn’t top notch but didn’t Manu lose a pre season game to some ordinary side? I really hope that this crop of youngsters has a bright future at our club.
Meanwhile the transfer rumours seem to escalate everyday. How boring it all is.
i think the main people who start this all are ex-players and managers, who have already been part of the game and know how things are run. When these guys say, “What’s the big deal, just give them the money they are asking for and done! How hard can it be to sign a player.” Idk who exactly said that but man i almost lost it.
We can blame the media, we can blame how they say ridiculous things over and OVER again without any repercussions. But how do we change? How can we start the end of this crazy-ness. Maybe i am asking too much. Sigh…
Love the article.
Its what I have been thinking all along but never said. I read an article this morning on another dite which linked a goalkeeper to Arsenal because his agent came out and said they had a bid from a Premiership club.
I have seen several rumours start this way-players agent wants a move a thus says an EPL club has approached or made an offer. Newspapers suddenly link the mentioned player to Arsenal.
Its sad to say but we find ignorant people, be they Arsenal fans or not who believe everything they read without even checking to see if the source is reliable or even reading the article properly.
I have a feeling that this season will be our turning point. Stadium debt is mostly paid off, no star players being sold, (although you can’t truelly say until the 1st Sept.)-meaning that we have kept the core of players that made us strong last season.
Wemger can’t change his entire squad, but he can add to what we have. That is a very good foundation to build on.
Its sad that people call for Wengers head when not a lot of managers could of did what he did on the budget he had.
Fans want one thing…..to win, and this current squad will not win anything. My position is simple “with a few shrewd moves we can at least go into the season with a chance to win.” So……we must improve. If fans are skeptical, can we really blame them? All we have to go on is recent history, and that does not bode well. The fans have done their part, they have supported the team and believed in a vision that has not come to pass. So it’s time to re-evaluate. Even some of the players in the rotation are weak. Ramsey has been given plenty of minutes and while he isn’t afraid to tackle, he gives the ball away frequently, same for Walcott, anyone who believes that a man who has issues with the most basic elements of the game, and who by the way was our leading scorer last season, will propel us to any kind of trophy will learn that this is not going to be the case. And based on comments of the faithful and selection by the manager these two are an integral part of what we do, we can’t seriously expect to contend. These two players alone, make Carzola, old man Arteta and Rosisky’s job so much more difficult, they are weak links and should be coming off the bench if they even deserve a place on the squad. Finally because someone would like to go a different route, or criticizes the club, is not an indictment of the fan, just merely espousing how they think the team could be improved, we are after all fans, the same as those who agree with the current direction.
@deano, it’s could HAVE done, not could OF did. And we have no idea what budget Wenger has or has had. ( Is this 70 million Gazidis talks about really there?)
We can’t blame the media for reporting rumours as facts because there is nothing else on football to write about.
We are in the period for signing players so if the clubs are not supplying information on their buying and selling of players then what can the media do but speculate.
We just have to live with it.
However the media could take this no match to report on period and write informative articles on the state of the game in the UK and in Europe looking how the leagues, cups, clubs and dear I say refereeing are run. However this wont happen as this requires work.
Much easier to scribble a few ideas for transfers on the computor and there you have it. A 200 word invention as fact.
I offer these so called journalists one for free.
‘Arsenal bid £50m million for Bale.’
Tony,
This is why I have no patience for the whole exercise in futility. I have always maintained that the purpose of the speculation/prediction game is solely to create opportunities to rant against Wenger.
Check out Joel above: he sets up extreme narratives and then proffer solutions to them based on his personal feelings. We have no idea what training, experience or achievement he has in the field of football management that give him this wisdom but hey, why let one of the best managers in the game do is job when we can all drink from the fountain of wisdom of the Internet commenter called Joel!
I like his last line though. We would all love for you to be proved wrong but more importantly, we would all love for you calm down.
Man City lost to 2-0 to a South African club, Man U lost to a Thai outfit not much different from the Indonesian we beat 7-0.
Just think about that for a moment. Then imagine the shit-storm if the scorelines are reversed for Arsenal and the Manchester clubs!
I don’t know how 2013/14 season is going to be for Arsenal but I am up for the ride all the way. I will continue to support:
– The team made up of ‘spineless’ ‘deadwoods’ who are seriously deficient in all aspects and areas of the game but still manage to qualify for champions’ league every year. Of course, who cares about the champions’ league when lesser teams are winning the FA and league cups! Trophies trump all.
– The ‘clueless’ ‘has-been’ of a manager who is incompetent at managing the team but is somehow powerful enough to have the board in his pockets. The same washout Frenchman who has qualified for 17 back to back champions’ league with utterly incompetent signings.
– The board who despite building the club a world class stadium are only there to line their own pockets. Instead of borrowing money to buy players and WIN TROPHIES, they would rather borrow money to build for the future of the club. Clueless old men.
I hope we win all the competitions we’ll be in this season, from Emirates cup to the Champions’ league but my faith in the players, manager and the board will not waiver even if we win nothing at all. My support for the club is based on values and in this respect, Arsenal have always made me proud!
I just want to know based on what do we need a GK or a CB, yes we might need quantity wise but come on what is wrong with ours now, why do we need a DM for, cant u read statistics, cant u analyze a game?, i would agree we may need a striker, a creative midfielder, but why shall we buy a whole new team? Some people just repeat what they reas, they dont want their brains to work…..
Fans want one thing…..to win, and this current squad will not win anything.
Problem is that is two statements of belief dressed up as facts. Yes of course I want Arsenal to win something again, but that is not all. If in order to achieve this we ended up playing like Bruce Rioch’s team, I am not so sure.
And the current squad won’t win anything. You never know. Saying it as a fact just doesn’t get anywhere.
we need reinforcements but i dont think we should be following the media speculation.
to be honest im excited to see who wenger brings in. hes pulled the rabbit out of the hat so many times, and now with a little extra money, and no first team players leaving…im interested to see where he feels we need the quality.
just because you havent heard of a player doesnt mean they arent brilliant…
@ Tony – I am not sure why it’s make or break for Iggy now. Why shouldn’t he have at least a season to prove himself?
@ bootoomee,
well said.
however, i do believe the singha all stars team that played united is stronger than the indonesian dream team we played. thailand has a very strong football culture and they now have a proper professional league, the TPL, and better structure and organization throughout the country in regards to youth and amateur leagues.
Ignore the past seasons, ignore all the current rumours.
Bottom line is we have serious money to spend which was a mistake to make public.
Now it’s upto Wenger, Gazidas & Co to deliver.
If they fail to make any major signings that fail to push us closer to the top 3 rather than a hare’s breath away from the team that finished 5th, then low & behold them. The only loyalists they’ll have will be a handful from here who may go to games & a few around the world who hero worship no matter what.
Arsenal FC have made their own statement. Now it’s Time to Change.
this squad can win things. especially if they get a good start, and can keep their confidence up. yes, a few key additions would be nice, but i trust wenger to that.
what i can speculate on is that we have possibly the most naturally improving squad in the league.
-we have alot of players in their second years; santi, giroud, podolski, monreal. so im hoping for individual improvement as they continue to settle to the league and area.
-we have a young british core that is and can be expected to improve; wilshere, ramsey, AOC, walcott, jenkinson, gibbs all have settled contracts, another season under the belt, further physical and mental development and should all be out to prove something this year before the world cup.
-for the first time in years we have a unified squad going into the season. all the questions marks remain over who we will get rather then the past couple years where we have been agonizing over who is leaving. i think out tactical play can be expected to improve immensely. it takes time to develop telepathic relationships, good movement, tactical understanding and trust within a squad. i believe we will see a much sharper and more fluid arsenal this year.
-the squad learnt how to grind out results last year. this should bode well for those times when things go against us.
-we have some really exciting young prospects that could just maybe be the next big thing….and we all love a wunderkid!
As for the Man U bid for Fabregas story, it smacks of Man U’s desperation to get up from under the Rooney saga. Which is threatening to eclipse Moyes who is already under pressure.
Have been hearing some serious vitriol from Man U fans after team suffering defeat to some part time players.
in my opinion Rooney is winning as Man U are left with the option to 1) offer him an improved contract, possibly with playing time written in too. 2) sell him to Chelsea 3) let him walk for free. The money men – Glazers will find it hard to justify wiping £30m of balance sheet and it won’t do their share price any good.
Ferguson left a mess behind.
I believe Cesc doesn’t even want to leave Barca, but Barca need to pay for the Neymar transfer. We will have to see if Cesc gets forced out.
@ John L – well said!
Goona Gal,
I’m interested to see what happens to the fear factor united had due to rudolph’s influence on refs and his overall success. How teams would just roll over at the sight of them. They’ve already changed in my eyes (not that I was afraid but they weren’t to be taken lightly, for one reason or another) and seem slightly wimpy. I wonder how much ferguson might actually be enjoying this. Letting people think how great it was with him at the helm and how no one could live up to what he achieved. Their fans do seem to be losing it a bit and I’m certainly enjoying watching all that plastic melt under the heat 🙂
I think the Daily Mail is one of the worst offenders at this. They just ran another article with this heading;
Wenger reassures fans a ‘spectacular’ signing is on the way(but is it Suarez?).
The article opens with this line “Arsene Wenger has moved to reassure agitated Arsenal supporters that the club are pressing ahead with plans to secure a ‘spectacular’ signing.”
Note: the choice of the words, ‘reassure agitated Arsenal supporters’ is not accidental here. Then when you read on, to try and see where this is coming from, you will find inside the article this is what they quote Wenger as saying, “‘You want me to announce a spectacular signing but I can’t,’ admitted Wenger, speaking on the Vietnamese leg of Arsenal’s Asia tour.”
I am struggling to understand how the DM came to this conclusion from this? It actually seems that what AW is saying here is to the contrary of what they are saying. Perhaps if AW had said ‘you want me to announce a spectacular signing but I don’t want to’, one could say that might be interpreted to mean a spectacular signing is on the way, but he just doesn’t want to talk about it. I’m not even a journalist but I can understand what AW is saying here. Surely can this statement be taken to as ‘reassuring’ anyone? Isn’t this mischief making on the part of the writer of this article? If you go on to read the comments below you just realise what these reporters are doing and why they do that; deliberately damaging AW’s credibility, with some fans are calling him all sorts of names. At the end of the day, these guys have to sell papers albeit using unscrupulous means. I blame the stupid moronic fan who swallows this hook, line and sinker. Honestly, if you cant see such a blatantly twisted and misleading article like this one then there’s no point getting into a discussion with you about anything football related. Even the most daft person should be able to see through this crap piece surely?
Have a feeling Utd more likely to get modric, this could be a smoke screen. But reports are saying the twenty five million sterling bid equates to what barca paid us for cesc, someone please tell me we did not let him go for that sort of fee, I thought it was nearer forty mil with add ons?
The critics will wage war if Utd get cesc
John L,
agree with that 100%. I recall hearing during our match with the Indonesian team yesterday one of the ESPN commentators saying our team dropped the least points in the second half of the season last season.
I didn’t try to verify that but if its true (no reason to think it isn’t) why then and where is all this negativity(from some of our fans) coming from? Reading some of the things these fans say you could be forgiven to think we had lost half of that team with no able replacements coming in. I have no doubt 99% of it stems from reading these incendiary articles Tony’s referring to.
Mandy
I might be wrong but I think we were paid(or the agreed upfront fee) £25m, but with add-ons such as if Barca winning titles/cups(heard we pocketed £2m with their la liga win) this would go up to £35m. The player also had to contribute something close to £1m each year from his salary for the initial length of his contract. But the thing I think is most interesting is Barca put in a buy-out clause of nearly £200m, so I think the only way he can leave is if Barcelona themselves want to sell. I think we will also be due a certain percentage of that fee, so in all it may not be so lucrative for Barcelona to sell. Again, if Barca want to sell, we would be given first refusal, making this whole thing tilt heavily in our favor. We will see.
Tony, for someone who knows that what papers write is rubbish you sure seems to be up to date with all the nonsense transfer gossip 😉 I will confess that I also have a look now and then, I guess we all need a little bit of hope. I’m curious about why we are being linked to big players all of a sudden. Wengers’s “war chest” har been mentioned in previous seasons but I don’t remember us being linked to 40M players. No smoke without fire perhaps?
@ iniez – me too, I won’t say this site can take full credit, but certainly, the ref’s are coming under a lot of scrutiny and the quality analysis produced by the Untold team has been enlightening to read. Webb didn’t get as many high profile Old Trafford gigs as normal last season and Man U’s man on the inside of the FA, David Gill has moved on to UEFA.
Basically what you’ve said in your post is what I believe AW was referring to, when he said the league would be more ‘open’. There are now more managers in the League who will be willing to give Man U a game. Yes Sir Fungus can do a bit of intimidating off the pitch, but it remains to be seen how effective that is.
John L (@6.40pm),
I confess to having no knowledge of Indonesian or Thai football. I know though that the same team we beat 7-0 lost to Holland by 3 second half goals. I don’t think any team that loses to Holland by that margin is utterly useless. About Singha, well, they are a club in Thailand but the last time I heard, Thai clubs are not entirely setting the Asian continent on fire are they?
I do have good knowledge of African football and Man City’s conquerors are not among the continent’s best.
My intention is not to denigrate these teams (even if I come across as such), I just want to point out the fact that buying players does not necessarily mean that you start beating everybody and winning trophies. And of course, if Arsenal had lost to the same teams, all hell would have been let loose.
Thanks for your observation though, I appreciate it.
Thanks Al, just hope we got the best we could!
As for Utd and the refs, it will be very very interesting, remember, fergie did not only control the refs, he was also in effect the league managers association shop steward, he had at least half the leagues managers as well, especially the home grown, the newly promoted and the ex Man U. The likes of tony pulis would not even try at OT, the likes of Phil brown would do anything for him, including lies about fergies then rivals captains to try and get them bans….I refer to cesc.
It’s so difficult to determine, when reading these comments, how knowledgeable are the authors of our national game.
Some clearly would never make it as manager, while others would bring even the most buoyant Sunday School club to instant ruin.
My own dear wife tends to offer regular opinion based on shirt colour co-ordination plus players’ hair styles and who is to say she’s wrong. Her evil eye has been cast on Rooney on hair alone (let alone her protection of all grandmothers) which surely warrants some respect for her opinion.
I’m also just tired of hearing in the comment sections over multiple blogs this useless debate that starts with something along the lines of “like it or not…” That then proceeds into a full on fifa management tutorial… I’m an Arsenal fan, like the squad full stop! (Give or take a few that have gone on to a better place for them). Great piece by the way sums this hit up!
its funny how when someone says things like “arsenal cant win with this squad”, or “arsennal keeps messing up in the transfer market” AKBs go “you dont know that for a fact… bla bla bla”. but when they wanna spout their mantra, refs hate us, fergie rules the world, our best players leave because of money yada yada yada, they dont say, “we dont know these things for a fact”. soon, walter’s gonna reply, “uk, if you dont know what dean has done, look at his precedence(then refer me to some of tony’s old articles). my reply? if you dont know why some of these things are saaid about arsenal, look at arsenal’s precedence.
Next, he will be looking for hair on the palm of his hand.
@ Adam , does he need wear glasses too ?
Just a query ,guys .If there were a competition for the most moronic fans ,would tha AAA win it hands down ?
I stay awake nights thinking about such things .Yeah right!
My apologies to the millions of morons whom I may have advertently offended !
Click LIKE here if you approve .
@ Adam , sice you mentioned sex – yes you did !-here’s today’s first joke .
Results of a recent research show that there are 7 kinds of sex.
The 1st kind of sex is called: Smurf Sex.
This kind of sex happens when you first meet someone, and you both have sex until you are blue in the face.
The 2nd kind of sex is called: Kitchen Sex.
This is when you have been with your partner for a short time, and you are so needy you will have sex anywhere, even in the kitchen.
The 3rd kind of sex is called: Bedroom Sex.
This is when you have been with your partner for a long time. Your sex has gotten routine, and you usually have sex only in your bedroom.
The 4th kind of sex is called: Hallway Sex
This is when you have been with your partner for too long. When you pass each other in the hallway you both say “screw you.”
The 5th kind of sex is called: Religious Sex.
Which means you get Nun in the morning, Nun in the afternoon and Nun at night.. (Very Popular)
The 6th kind is called Courtroom Sex.
This is when you cannot stand your wife any more. She takes you to court and screws you in front of everyone.
And, last, but not least:
The 7th kind of sex is called: Social Security Sex.
You get a little each month. But not enough to enjoy yourself.
The quick learner .
A medical joke , with sexual overtones .I think .
A young doctor had moved out to a small community to replace a doctor who was retiring.
The older doctor suggested that the young one accompany him on his rounds, so the community could become used to a new doctor.
At the first house a woman complains, “I’ve been a little sick to my stomach.”
The older doctor says, “Well, you’ve probably been overdoing the fresh fruit. Why not cut back on the amount you’ve been eating and see if that does the trick?”
As they left, the younger man said, “You didn’t even examine that woman? How’d you come to the diagnosis so quickly?”
“I didn’t have to. You noticed I dropped my stethoscope on the floor in there? When I bent over to pick it up, I noticed a half dozen banana peels in the trash. That was what probably was making her sick.”
The younger doctor said “Pretty clever. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll try that at the next house.”
Arriving at the next house, they spent several minutes talking with a younger woman. She said that she just didn’t have the energy she once did and said, “I’m feeling terribly run down lately.”
“You’ve probably been doing too much for the Church,” the younger doctor told her. “Perhaps you should cut back a bit and see if that helps.”
As they left, the elder doctor said, “I know that woman well. Your diagnosis is almost certainly correct,
she’s very active in the church, but how did you arrive at it?”
“I did what you did at the last house. I dropped my stethoscope and, when I bent down to retrieve it, I noticed the vicar under the bed.”
Another night of Arsenal, or more specifically, Wenger bashing on talkshite last night. Aligned to yet another Man Utd love in. And what triggered this? We bid 35 mil for Suarez. Utd bid 25 mil for Fab. What is it with this station? Look, everyone has the right to like or dislike who they want but this is just ridiculous. Every day, any excuse, Durham, Hawksby, Robson, basically anyone who ever appears on the station. If this station was a person surely it would be ‘sectioned’ on the grounds of being an obsessional stalker of dubious charracter and quistionable intent !!! As they say ‘there are more out than in’ and most of them seem to work at talkshite !!!!
I am listening to talkshite at the moment and Ray Parlour is on with Arsehole Brazil, who is having fun with the Fabregas to Man U rumour as well as Arsenal’s transfer void. You would like to think that a so called Arsenal legend like Parlour would stick up for the club with a vengeance but I am afraid to report that his apparent love for the club seems to take a back seat when he is on this awful radio station as if he has been told ‘this is the Arsenal line on here and you will follow it, if not there’s the door’. When the Arsenal insults start flying as they inevitably do instead of fighting back he just chuckles meekly, where’s his backbone gone.
@mick
he’s probably getting tired of defending arsenal, just the way players like rvp and fab got tired of carrying the team. it wears the soul out
I was asked above what I thought of the squad.
I thought that through the last 10 games or so the team was very good, and the issue is, could that be maintained through a season. I suspect not, so I would opt for a couple of players who could come in straight away and play in the first team.
I am mindful of the number of players who we have seen who take a year or two to reach top form (Henry, Pires, Bergkamp…) so that is a positive.
I’m also interested in a few of the youth players we are seeing coming through, and I would expect a couple of them to get some games and start working their way up the club’s ranking.
On Cesc, I believe that we have first refusal so if Man U and Barca were to agree a fee, we would then be offered Cesc at that price – but since it includes a sell-on clause, we would get a discount (or else pay ourselves the sell-on amount).
I do think two major purchases are in the pipe-line.
uk.
“it wears the soul out” Geeez it’s ingrates like you that wear the soul out. Please answer these 3 easy quistions.
Have you spotted the new Stadium? It’s quite big.
Who do you think has been paying the £460 Million pounds it cost to build over the last 8 years?(8 Years, Coincidence that)
Have you not noticed the 100’s of MILLIONS of pounds bestowed on the 2 Clubs(Yes just 2) that have passed us over the last 8 years?(8 Years, another mind numbingly obvious coincedence that as well)
If you can answer those 3 easy quistions then I asume you can figure out why perhaps we’ve been treading water these last 8 years( Oops there it is again, amazeing), although going on your post you’re not overly blessed on the common sense front.
@jamburg the fool,
well im sure parlour has tried that answer many times, it didnt hold up, so he’s probably run out of excuses with which to defend the club… soul wearied out
If we are in for jokes this is not a joke because its true, but I thought it funny.
To understand how I got away with this you need to know that my accent tells you I am English but not where I am from in England.
I was working in an electrical shop in a town in the West of England. One of my tasks was to insert batteries into watches for customers.
One day a man came in and asked for a new battery for the watch he handed to me.
Just below the 12 was a cockerel standing on a football. Below this were the capital letters ‘THFC’.
I looked up at the man with a feigned look of curiosity on my face and mouth open. I jumped my forehead and and shrugged my shoulders looked back down at the watch.
I repeated this action then looked up at him again and exclaimed: ‘Oh, I’ve got it!
T H F C. The horrible football club!’
Because I believe that supporting a football club is a disease of the lunacy type which we all share no matter who we support, I offered my hand for a friendly handshake, which he accepted.
We used to charge for the battery and for fitting the battery into the watch I of course charged for the battery but I forgot about the fitting charge.
@ Jambug – for the record, I don’t think your a fool. The only thing you might guilty of is conversing with one or two.
@goona gal
totally agree with you on that. such a shame, she’s a gal.
uk
So you could’nt answer ONE of the quistions then !
I’ll do it for you then.
1. I’m going to assume you’ve seen the stadium, though considering your apparant dislike of whats happening there I guess you have’nt troubled yourself to visit it and show your support, which is hardly a surprise as you don’t sound like you actually are a supporter.
2. Arsenal FC have been paying for it useing the income generated from attendances, TV money, marketing and sponsership. Or did you think the fairies where paying for it? I don’t know what you think to be honest as you would’nt answer.
3. Both City and Chelsea have a net financial loss of over £500 MILLION on transfers over the last 10 years. Surprised you missed that.
In summery: Over the last 8 years we have had a financial commitment to the stadium, training ground etc. well in excess of £500 MILLION. At the same time 2 Clubs have each been the recipients of over £500 MILLION in donations, and that’s a conservative estimate.
Know I know I’m a fool but by my maths thats a discrepancy between Arsenal and the 2 bank rolled clubs of available funds for transfers of over £1 BILLION.
Now if you can’t see how that would inpact on our squad strength and subsequently on our ability to compete at the very top thats your problem.
Over to you.
Contradict those figures if you can. (I doubt it as they are all freely available on the internet.)
Or spell out how, despite the massive golf between us in desposable income, you expect Arsenal and Wenger inparticular to have actually done more than he has?
This fool awaits with baited breath to be enlightened by your wisdom. I’ll tell you one thing, if you can convince me I’m snapping you up as my finacial adviser/accountant immediatly !!!!!!
Jambug,
Have you also factored in the cost of finance for Arsenal ie interest…?
Stuart.
Nope. In the great scheme of things, when all is said and done, the chasm in financial resources between Arsenal and those 2 is so vast as to render immaterial such trivialities as interest, the depressed housing market, the ressession, (all of which impacted on us), board members divedends or even managers saleries !!!
I find it beyond belief that people can’t see or even worse, chose to ignore, what is so patently obvious and there for all to see…….if you want to see it of course.
Saddly too many Gooners swallow, hook, line, and sinker, all the anti Arsenal propaganda peddled by a vast majority of our written media and worst of all talkshite !!!
Off subject slightly, God help us if we do get Suarez. A player with his history in an Arsenal shirt !!! Jeeeeez they still hav’nt layed of Pires for one dive !!! First incident I feel a lifetime ban comming on!!
Ok, just wondering, so Arsenal have infact spent more than your calculation.
@jamburg
you’re probably doing exactly what mr parlour has wearied himself doing. crying the we built a stadium cry. so what? whose fault? where you forced to? when you decided to move is that what you sold your fans? if you wanna cry about it thats fine, but dont expect the pundits to cry alongside you. also, in case you didnt know arsenal isnt the only club to have built a stadium recently. other clubs have done the same, we dont hear them blaming that fact for every problem. etihad stadium opened in 2002,swansea’s stadium 2005,sunderland’s 1999, fulham put in major money into craven cottage in 2004,having to decamp for 2years, we dont hear fulham fans blaming their loss at the europa league final to that event, bayern munich built a brand new stadium in 2005, we dont hear them blame their losses in 2010 &2012 champ league finals to that event. so, yea, nobody wants to hear your bullshit, except untolders.
and finally, being poor is not an excuse for underperformance, because the concept of assesment of performance already takes into account your advantages and disadvantages. man city came 2nd last year and their fans were disappointed, thats because the fans already know the assets at their disposal. 5years ago their fans would have celebrated 2nd place the way untolders celebrate 4th. so if the pundits think arsenal have underperformed, it means they think based on the funds and other assets available to the club, they arent pulling their weight. had we not built the stadium when we reached the champions league final? how much money did porto have when they won the tourney? is borussia dortmund not just recovering from bankruptcy? are they richer than arsenal? do we not outspend them comfortably? were galatasaray,birmingham,blackburn,bradford richer than us when they dumped us out of cup competitions? or do we build stadiums every year?