by Tony Attwood
When I fist started watching football back in the Bronze Age, we didn’t have a transfer window. Clubs could transfer whomsoever they liked, as long as they were British or Irish, whenever they liked, all the way up to around six weeks before the end of the season. You couldn’t buy players at the end of the season for fear that clubs might try and buy themselves out of trouble, or buy the champiionship.
The date never seemed quite fixed, and I’ve never been able to find out how it was organised, although a pal who was a bit of an insider at the Football League once told me it was adjusted depending on when Easter fell. to give clubs a chance to buy in new players after the traditional broken leg weekend of three games in four days.
Now of course we are much more civilised. We buy players in a rush on the last day of August or first day of September, then finish off the deals a bit later, and then play make believe from the very next day. And we can buy them from anywhere in the EU.
(Of course in the old days, we didn’t want foreigners in the club because they were all girlies and would fall over every time they got tapped on the head). (Unless they were Irish, because we had a no-passport agreement with Ireland so you could travel back and forth at will.) (Actually I have always wondered why we get films in the UK of people who have illegally got into the EU all trying to cross the channel at Calais. Why don’t they go to Dublin, and head north across the open border?) (Perhaps I shouldn’t have said that). (Hello?)
[Back to football Tony] Tony
[OK Tony] Tony
Hello Dr Billy the Dog McGraw here, senior psychologist at the University Hospital of the North Circular Road. Tony, has just popped out for a moment with some of my colleagues to have a personality re-unification procedure – a minor operation that generally takes only a few seconds and involves vigorous swings of a cricket bat at about head height, and I’ve been asked to pick up the tale.
So did you know that “Real Madrid will not rule out the sale of Arsenal target Alvaro Arbeloa in the January window.” Apparently so. I read it on a web site.
Actually it is not all fantasy, for Steve McDermott who’s interesting life we’ve covered on the Arsenal History Society blog has returned to Arsenal as a scout.
And some of it seems moderately possible. Joachim Löw the Germany manager did an interview on Sport1 which translates roughly as, “Mesut is on the right track, he had recently really strong performances for Arsenal.” As for Podolski, he said, “It is not easy, but he will master it – I’m quite sure.”
I think those quotes probably are something he said, they sound roughly right. But back in fantasy land, “Real Madrid star Sami Khedira is desperate to secure a cut-price January switch to Arsenal.” That is according to the Daily Star, who also “revealed” that the player has finally “agreed personal terms with the Gunners over a move to the Emirates Stadium.”
I would have thought a nice house in Hampstead would have been more his style but still, whatever turns you on. Oh but hang on, “Arsenal are yet to agree a fee with Madrid for the 27-year-old midfielder,” so cue some “Wenger dithering” headlines soon. (Although I am busy dealing with any bishops I find lurking around to see if they can ask his holiness (that’s the pope, not Tony) to fix up another football match as the window closes so we can be sure of doing a surprise deal.)
But “Khedira has entered the final year of his contract at the Bernabeu and would be able to leave the Spanish giants on a free transfer next summer,” as one blog helpfully reminds us.
“Madrid president Florentino Perez is keen to avoid losing Khedira for absolutely nothing in nine months time and is prepared to do business in the new year.” So its Arsene dithering again then is it?
Hope springs eternal however… “Fresh reports in Spain claim that Khedira is hopeful Arsenal and Madrid will be able to negotiate a package that will allow him to complete a switch to join Arsene Wenger & co in north London.” That is north London mark you, not Middlesex or Buckinghamshire where other London clubs might be in a year or two.
And just as you get one potential signing, several come along all at once. “Arsenal target and outstanding Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi will listen to offers for his signature, according to the Fichajes.net website.”
And “The in-demand Argentine striker is one of the games hottest properties and is showing the kind of ability he has this season for the Italian side.”
However, “there are a number of top clubs looking at possibly taking him away from Serie A In January or the summer window, and that means he could leave if the right offer comes in.”
So another striker just as we are going to get Giroud back and already have Danny. Hmmm.
But whoooooo…. hold your horses, we ain’t done the Daily Express yes. While endlessly pressing for the UK to leave the EU (which would rather scupper quite a few of these transfer deals, what with everyone else becoming Johnny Foreigner again, and us only able to sign British and Irish players like the old days, the Excess, sorry Express gets all worked up over “Fresh reports have claimed Arsenal are trying to lure PSG star Edinson Cavani to the Premier League.”
And yes, “Arsenal are lining up an ambitious move for Barcelona left-back Jordi Alba,” as “The former Sevilla man has been the subject of transfer talk since the summer window, as there is talk that he is no longer happy at the Camp Nou.”
Which only leaves the Daily Star which says “the Gunners are eyeing up a potential deal, as Arsene Wenger looks to add a world-class left back to his squad”
So there we are. It is all go. Meanwhile, have you noticed, we might have Theo on the bench for the Hull game?
Why does Untold support Mr Wenger?
Why do we write about other clubs (clue: its in our banner headline on the home page)
Tony is now in recovery and will be back with us shortly.
Thank you Tony, it’s a welcome dose of refreshment after the hangover from two days ago. I just gave one question: Illusory as SK’s transfer is at this moment, do you know who his agent is? Hopefully not the infamous Mendes. Just thinking that is a usually overlooked element that makes a difference more often than not.
Garbage
Very instructive BB, you must be used to that word. Why don’t you go to Le Grove, a place better suited to your finesse.
Instructive? Oh dear. In future try using words you understand
My concern is we win all our next 5 Barclays Premier games to bounce back into title contention. We are at the moment on 10 points out of a total 21 points in 7 games played. The boss should please take note that we cannot afford anymore slip up. Otherwise we might find ourselves in the position where we shouldn’t be.
A nice lighthearted tongue in cheek view of the latest transfer speculation.
Only the insidious twits from the most brain dead branch of the AAAA could find something to complain about.
A little tweaking needed to return to the near top of the League.
1. Czszesny to lower his overconfidence a tad. He must remember Bendtner.
2.Gibbs must be reminded that the use of his right boot isn’t against the law. Our attack is diminished every time he cuts inside but has to keep the ball on his left foot.
3.Backroom staff slipped up badly last Sunday by not warning Szczesny that Hazard tends to hit penalties low to the goalie’s left.
4.We were badly out-muscled by Chelsea’s defence throughout the game. Coaches must address this problem because it’s going to occur again and again this season.
Bjt. Its a wonder you didnt ask him to ban me. I think youre the biggest girls blouse cowardly little shit ive ever come across on thr internet. I would give anything to meet you for 5 minutes for a brief ‘discussion you pathetic excuse for a man
BS sorry BB
Looks like you have self categorized as a member of the most brain dead branch of the AAAA – hence your comment at 10.58 am.
Also looks like you like to dish out nasty comments, but can’t take it when under return fire.
So you want to threaten me physically – what a silly prat you are – you immediately jump to a physical threat simply because you have no argument.
Just be careful what you wish for!!
No threat of anything physical. I just want yo look into the eyes of a snide coward
And by the way this aaaaaa thing is as real as santa and the tooth fairy, made up by a clever man to suck in gullible twits that are searching for something lacking in their life-like you.
I believe half the posters on here are the same person. Its uncanny how the same 3 or 4 (you, Al, Mick) come out to shout down any dissenters in the same tone. Besides, no 3 people could be that stupid. As for brickfield launcelot gobbo gooner. There is no way anyone with a medical degree would spend half his time pasting internet jokes online. Again its uncanny how he appears when someone raises a point that cannot be answered and does not fit the agenda here.
Bjt and BB, hey guys cut out. Let’s get back to the real subject of discussion, the love of our lives…. Arsenal!
Bang on Stan…BB do not react to the self appointed untold police who to a man quite regularly insult those they perceive as not fitting the agenda. Put your real names against your posts and where you regularly sit in the stadium then re think what you are going to say.
In the league, the only top team we have enjoyed some success against, is Liverpool. We haven’t beaten Man United at Old Trafford since Adebayors toe poke in 2007, I believe the last time we beat them at all, was 1-0 in 2011 thanks to Ramsey’s late goal. I think the last time we beat City in the league was when Nasri scored for us!! In a three nil away win when Boyota was sent off early for a foul on Chamahk. Prior to the past two years, we actually enjoyed some good results over Chelsea, however we haven’t beaten them in about 5 matches in all competitions since. The last time we knocked a European heavy weight out of Europe, was AC Milan in 2008, only to throw it away against Liverpool in the quarter finals. As for our title challenges, well we have been their about, but when did we ever go into the final 2-3 weeks either top, or within 3 points of top? We threw away the league cup against Birmingham, and almost did it with the FA Cup against Hull. Wenger threw away a chance of FA Cup glory in 2009, when against Chelsea he benched Arshavin who was our best player at the time, and instead played Diaby on the left (oh that left midfield of ours and the square pegs that Wenger tries to push through despite the round holes). 2010 we got a free pass to the CL semi finals with Porto and Roma as our opponents int he last 16 and final 8, but against Man United, Almunia who was never good enough, was beaten by 40 yards by Ronaldo ending any hope. It was also Almunia who spilled Kevin Phillips weak header over the line, to concede a win to Birmingham, prompting Gallas’s sit in in 2008. All these moments, these definitive moments where we have been on the cusp of winning – Wenger never got us over the line. Inability to win. Cut it any way you like, but you cant argue with history.
Dear me , is someone upset ? I would take some interest if I was bothered .
Anyway if someone would like to check it up , in must be in the vaults of Mysore University – candidate no 1920 -1983 ,MBBS , from Kasturba Medical College , Manipal , South Kanara ,Karnataka state , South India .
Malaysian Medical Association , life member (since 1984) no: 009073 .
My e-mail ans Bank account are ……damn ! I almost fell for that !
Please do tell us your UB20 or dole/ welfare number and the street corner you frequent !
So. Someone purporting to be an MD in the US uses words like ‘dole’ and knows about a UB20? Well done for exposing yourself and your Launcelot Gobbo character Tony. I always suspected but you just confirmed it you fake
Never had you down as the untold police brickfields lol
Andy. Research is one of my strong points and I am very very close to an expose. Watch this space
You know what ? Since my humour is not appreciated here , I going to turn to my dark , depressive and full of it sewer rat side and start posting on team tactics and selection ; team formation and match day positions ( minute to minute ) ; advice AW on latest transfer buys and availability ; teaching our medical staff hoe to reduce the injuries and getting them back into shape pronto: informing billionaire shareholders on how best to spend OUR money and such.
Andy. I dont know if you are aware but Shakespeare regularly introduced characters in his plays that contributed nothing but poor attempts at light hearted humour when the going got tough. You see where this is going….
Andrew and Bb:Many of us, me inc have said for a long time theres a case for Wenger to be phased out. If you read theirs and my posts any thing but selectively, you would know that ive long had the opinion that both Wenger and the Club are in harmony on that point, that AW wont see out the full 3 years of his contract and that he and the Club want a seamless transition in which Wenger might/might not play a part in shaping. The big issue that i take up is with those who want him gone NOW. Its not going to happen. Shouldn’t happen and that it wont is because there’s simply no justification for it. I agree that my view is just a theory but its shaped by the transfer policy we have, by what Wenger says and does and by what the Board do and say. Its a reading between the lines if you like. Essentially Arsenal in my opinion want the Club is calmer waters financially before they invite in a new Coach. I believe they do want a top calibre man to replace Arsene and will secure a top man but to have that top man, they dont want to invite him in and ask him to work with one arm up his back as AW has had to do for so long. Its called business planning. Arsenal are lucky and privileged to have the time to do it. They’ve earned the time as Arsene Wenger has managed us superbly and not allowed the team to crumble to the disarray that Ferguson did at Utd, hes kept us viable commercially by our exploits on the pitch. Hes kept us top 4 which has enabled us to attract the business sponsorship deals that we didn’t negotiate first time around when understandably mistakes were made by the then commercial director. Those who would sack a man at this point in time, who has steered the ship through that minefield are mindless fools who have no business sense and who blindly undervalue what we ve got and where we are and all because a few defeats were bad ones and we ve missed out on a few extra Cups. The last 10 years have been about managing change, not winning Cups for idiot fans who can see no further than mere footballing credibility. The league is full of Clubs who’ve moved stadium and then disappeared down a footballing and financial black hole. Arsenal and Wenger should be congratulated for doing what we ve done and for nearly completing the process on our terms. The Coach and the Board deserve a bit more respect than the loons on here are prepared to give who want a man sacked for doing little wrong. You can have a go at me for lambasting some posters on here for being clearly the types who dont run businesses as much as you want. Its water off a ducks back, but its a view shaped by the ill informed rubbish i see posted by many who wouldn’t know how to manage cash flow and capital expenditure if it was spelled out in braille and stuck up their arses. Wenger, whether you like it or not is a key member of staff. Hes that way because hes had to live with the pitfalls of cash constraint and understand it. Such people do not get treated like dogs in a large, small or medium sized business, UNLESS they make massive irreparable mistakes.AW hasn’t done that. Only in the eyes of fools who see football as it was 30, even 20 years ago as detached from commercial realities has he fallen short. When i go to that ground to see our very flawed but decent team i thank them for not bowing to the mindless few such as many on here who would have the Club in a mess, all for a bit of short term glory. If some of you cant see this go and join and follow a board games Club where money has no value and failure has no cost. Arsenal arent failing and neither is Wenger. Im proud of the Club, even when are getting tonked in the odd insignificant 90 mins, in the greater scheme of things. Grow up and stop talking like spoiled kids. Success will come, its coming. Look deeper, remove your anti Wenger blinkers and you can see it
@Stan in that short post you hit the nail on the head. This fictitious AAAA will soon have more As than alcoholics with broken down cars. Only one thing unites all Arsenal fans…that is the club, the principles of the club. Nothing else. Managers come and go, players come and go, staff come and go and board/chairman/owners come and go. By nature of personal preferences and opinions, not everyone agrees on everything. Those who want Wenger to leave are just as entitled to an opinion as most posters here who support Wenger doesn’t matter where they are from and whether they are a regular at the Emirates or not. Wenger has made decisions that divide fans, be that team selection, formation, transfer policy. The same is true of the players, the criticisms of Ozil are perhaps too commonplace in the media and may be destructive but the criticisms themselves are not unfounded. Some fans prefer the players who are perceived to work hard on the pitch whether they have the quality or not and others believe he has not influenced big games as you would expect from a player from Real Madrid and for one of the highest British transfer fees, that doesn’t make them wrong. Players are regularly criticised/abused on and off the pitch but own and opposition fans, they are in general mentally tough enough to deal with it, the criticism of Ozil should spur him on to prove them wrong. The same is true at every club though. It is one of the beauties of football, we can debate both club-to-club but also with fellow fans. Those who “troll” are never welcome we can all agree. It is about time certain posters on this website understood this and welcomed opposing perspectives about players and the manager rather than devaluing them and shutting them down as this (A)AAA lot. A sense of balance is often a good thing, it would make this website a better read and more credible rather than this boring biased refs and agenda against Arsenal in every post (mainly comments).
Regards to this post. The transfer speculation always intrigues and indeed Arsenal are linked to more players than most (waiting for the traditional Huntelaar speculation…it’s coming!). The majority of reputable media “gossip columns” are based on some truth though. Clubs identify targets and enquire to their availability and/or make offers. It is probably then the agents which know about this, fuel the media coverage and columns in an attempt to intensify interest and get a higher transfer which means more agents fees for them. They are the scourge of football to many, force transfers, force higher contracts, fuel rubbish speculation stories etc.
Didn’t the English band get its name from a particular unemployment bureau form ? ” Red , red wine … “and all that ?
I was thinking of including welfare checks and food stamps too , just in case some of the AAAA were from America ,but then I realised there are none there. They are all AKBs over there !
@BB – you may disagree with people but you don’t have to slate them from the off…your first comment was unnecessary…why? just leave it. You are inviting people to draw the conclusion that you are trolling.
InitialsBB
October 7, 2014 at 8:56 am · Edit
Garbage
In general it is our policy to not allow such comments. They add nothing to the subject. They are not based on facts.
Now it might be that this is your opinion on the article. Fine. But then you might do the trouble to say why it is garbage.
But just putting down one word reminds me of a certain website where they do this. First, second, third, damned and such fine comments.
More so such a comment can cause bad feelings with other more regular readers who don’t like such comments. As they have been banned from said website for trying to use more than the usual 3 words they can spout.
2 of them being Wenger Out of course.
Now if of course you were mistaken and you wanted to talk about garbage I will link you to a more appropriate website https://www.london.ca/residents/Garbage-Recycling/Garbage/Pages/Garbage%20FAQs.aspx
Stan the man. Surely if you really love Arsenal you would allow and even encourage critique of the person that makes the vital decisions at the club?
This site does not.
MD ? US ?
We’s a from Malaysia , you ignoramus !
We’s a got the fine education and speaks in the many tongues , but never with ze forked tongue !
Bricks, I had no idea you were Tony!What should I do if someone gets bitten by a snake?
wink wink!:)
And Brickfields being Tony…. LOL that sure made me LOL.
Walter. I apologise for the needless garbage comment.
I am waiting in tension to see BB proving that Tony = Brickfields.
I haven’t laughed that hard in days to be honest. 🙂 🙂
Before you know it people will say that Tony = Walter. And the other way round. 🙂
Nah, I reckon that Walter is bjt! 🙂
Walter, you couldn’t be mistaken for Tony a it is quite obvious from your articles that English is not your first language
Hear, hear hear Hector.
Next thing is that someone will probably say Hector = Tony. Or Brickfields. But that should be the same
I know BB, that is how I could unmask the foul play from Le Grove at the time. 🙂
I always thought myself as Galahad type – seeking/hoping/awaiting the elusive Arsenal Holy Grail (that’ll be the EPL , FA Cup, the Champions League AND stay unbeaten once again !).
You may call me a dreamer , but I ‘m not the only one…
Ahhh ! The joy of being an unabashed and unrepentant AKB !
Why would anyone choose to be anything else but ?
Kenneth Widmerpool -October 7, 2014 at 1:00 pm – Unlike Tony , my knees and wine belly would never allow me to jive and glide seemlessly over the dance floor. Bet I can drink him under the table if its wine !
What’s with the winking – the AAAA may suspect that we may be in cahoots !
And just to clarify I really don’t if the is a town/city in the UK called Cahoots .
And talking about snakebites….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLg5fOZ2S4I
Hey Brickfields, I had an inkling you were Malaysian re Brickfields. I am too. Miss those banana leaf rice. Alas I currently reside in UK so my palate will have to be satisfied by other means…food I mean.
Bricks,anything else on snakebites? 🙂
This blog on The Forbes site is worth a little reflection:
“If you’ve ever managed an online community, a blog, or a brand’s Facebook page, you have encountered the dreaded “troll.” These community members can be provocative and rude, and are known for creating posts for the sole purpose of agitating their fellow members. Trolls add inflammatory comments not because they hope to inform or convince others, but because they know they’ll spark an avalanche of negativity.
Left unchecked, trolls can destroy communities. Helpful members tire of the conflict and eventually leave. Trolls present a challenge to community managers not just because of their toxic behavior, but because they don’t always overtly break community rules. Many people make comments that prove to be inflammatory, often unintentionally. Trollish behavior is evident only after a pattern of such comments emerges.
Conventional wisdom says that the anonymity of the Internet lets people behave in ways they never would in real life, or online if their identity was known. But, if you think that means that trolls are normally nice people who only act out in their online persona, think again. New research shows that internet trolls are, in real life, narcissists, psychopaths, and sadists.
The paper’s title, Trolls Just Want To Have Fun, is amusing, but the findings are anything but funny. Canadian researchers surveyed more than a thousand internet users about their commenting behavior. They then administered a personality test designed to measure, among other things, what’s known as the Dark Tetrad. That’s a measure of negative traits: sadism, psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism.
The correlation between these negative traits and trollish behavior was striking. No other kind of community participation showed such a relationship.
The research validates what most community managers have always believed: trolls are awful people in real life, too.
These results may not be of much use in curbing trolls online, but it does suggest that trying to stop the behavior by gentle coaching is doomed to fail most of the time. That, too, won’t surprise experienced community operators. In my years of community building, I’ve seen a few trolls that actually tried to mend their ways but inevitably reverted to their old ways.
Since trolls actually derive pleasure from the suffering of others, engaging with them at all can be counter-productive. Instead, follow the simple maxim of experienced community leaders: “Don’t feed the trolls.”
Hector. I cannot disagree with anything in your post.
As you make perfect sense, could you shed some light on the possible reasons why Arsene has not put the PGMO under the microscope publically?
Initials BB,
I think the last time he did we went to Newcastle…. and got learned a lesson: you will not mess with us (= PGMOL)
In ancient times healers used leeches to suck the poisons out of humans , but found that the leeches actually became smarter or stupider (depending on the suckor !).
In recent times it was noted that many football fans (especially the infamous AAAAs) reversed the roles and sucked furiously and often happily on leeches ( of the species also known as pundits , bloggers, commentators and barfly jurnos !) and became filled not with knowledge but unadulterated crap .
That in my humble opinion is where the term , ” You’re sure full of it ,today !”, often used by the majestic AKBs on this site , originated .
In a future post I ‘ll discuss vampires and other suckees, as I ‘m sure the thought must have occurred to
you.
Some fair and reasonable points there GBP but I’m always curious to know why the stadium build is portrayed as such a financial liability for so long when in fact the increased revenues generated far more money than the costs on an annual basis after just a few short years? As for the property development sure they didn’t realise the sums originally expected BUT they certainly did generate significant income nontheless, hardly dark days in any respect. Arsene didn’t perform any miracles, based on our financial performance and taking into account artificial investment in other clubs Arsene has typically taken us to where you would expect to be. Par for the course you could say, no more no less. As for our dear BoD their contempt has been plain for years. Thanks for your interest in our affairs indeed, in any other business these people wouldn’t have a single customer left, let alone a long waiting list for their ‘product’. –
I have no problem acknowledging what he has done. The question is stick or twist. Your view is that the twist is in progress but its pure speculation. What weakens your argument is that you make all sorts of assumptions about the posters. They know nothing of business finance but presumably you do. This is variation on the you haven’t worked a day in football argument. In the end mate sorry it descends in to a rant. i have read nothing in your post that addresses transfers, tactics, inability to beat anyone on the top 4, ticket prices, wage bills etc etc.
@Gunner6 -October 7, 2014 at 1:20 pm – I gathered as much from an earlier post of yours .
Was born and bred in Brickfields but have been living in the town of ‘heavenly peace’ , where the raindrops keep falling on my head, daily , for the last 30 years.
I think you should still be able to get banana leaf meals in Brickfields .A lot has changed .
Cheers , and do keep the faith! Welcome to the AKB club.
Also don’t feed the trolls and fuck the AAAA , really ,any chance you get , ‘hantam’ them !
AAA Support Team has the following requirements:
We would like to encourage more “networking” among team members through getting to know one another. This is done by just taking some free time and stopping by the chat cafe and let loose. Everyone is welcome! Lets build a nice family vibe again 🙂
@ Hector
“hes kept us viable commercially by our exploits on the pitch. Hes kept us top 4 which has enabled us to attract the business sponsorship deals that we didn’t negotiate first time around when understandably mistakes were made by the then commercial director.”
I’ve never believed that those early deals were ‘mistakes’. If you go back to the financial conditions at those times it is clear that the deals were frontloaded in order that we had our funds in the undertaking to achieve best interest rates and manageable covenants. If you get the money up front it is going to have an impact on the total deal over the length of the contract. At the time these actions and building The Emirates were roundly ridiculed by the like of Mihir Bose, Sp*rs through and through, and the negativity persisted throughout the whole project – how ironic, eh? It’s obvious that the project has been a great success – just look at Wembley, the debt, the delays and the finacial impact it has on the FA and will have for many, many years.
Vincent…Yes, ive ran my business for 30 odd years and through some pretty lousy times too. Nothing to the scale of AFC of course. I know nor have any angle on how they set ticket prices and as for wage bills, ive never constructed a wage structure for such as PL footballers!! I also think that nobody on here has either and knows equally as little. I cd take a stab at understanding and comment on it but to what purpose?As for the failure to beat top 4 teams. Its quite simple. They’ve been consistently better than us for 5 or 6 years. Whats more, the likelihood is that it isnt going to change in the short term. You lads say we are only looking to stay top 4. I think youre right. Where we differ is that i can accept it for now as ive accepted it for 10 years. Well informed people said to me back in 1999/2000 time when plans were hatched to move that Arsenal could fall to depths lower than we could or would want to imagine. Others said forget trophies for 15-20 years and then were even blacker at the time Dein declared Chelsea had parked their tanks on our lawn etc etc. Whats more there was a mindset within the Club among some that the Club were plummeting (2005/06 time). Real concerns that were only worsened when the property market collapsed and credit crunch arrived in 2008. The Clubs plan to reach recovery has been curtailed for roughly 4 years to my albeit limited knowledge yet here we are, the debt spiraling down and still top 4 (yes, certainly we ve winged it to stay there but we ve done it nontheless. Arsenes done it. Im happy to let the Board manage change and respect what they’ve done. As a business bloke i think its amazing what theyve done in such a short time. Ive only had to manage small lock stock and barrel business movements to other premises and even on my humble scale, its a bloody nightmare. With my fans hat on, i get annoyed and exasperated as you do, but in the wider picture for Arsenal, we re doing great right now. Not where we want to be but we re OK. They ll have my backing for the short to medium term. I cant promise they ll keep it, but now isn’t the time for the lynch mobs and scapegoating demonstrated on here every day. Its disgusting to be honest. The Club should level with fans more. They should give a better understanding. Theyve not managed fans very well at all. Theyve been scared to in my view. Theyve ran with their ball and hoped fans would stay calm. For those with no agendas but what they see on the pitch, they’ve been disrespectful in my view. Youve said as much. Theyve not wanted to display anything but confidence in their plan. I can understand thatand its fine for normal business to do that. For a football Club though where your customer invests lives and emotional attachments to the business, its the wrong way and in years to come i think AFC will look back and admit they havent managed expectations very well, hence the angst you see on here.
As I ‘m not from the UK ( really !)and apparently don’t speak the lingo ( innit !) could somebody explain this advert to one who is obviously from a remote former colony .
Is it kosher ? What product is this ? Isn’t there a Department of Sense and Sensibility to look into and vet these ads ? Did it make you open mouthed ?
http://youtu.be/fEgj6gpphn8?list=UUTdKZ9WPcvY5W16hxUqmOoQ
@Hector – an excellent sense of perspective displayed there. The bigger picture taken into account, whilst acknowledging the frustrations we all share and the way the club has handled the fans’ expectations poorly. (In fact, selling them a dream, when brutal, honest, economic realism would be more appropriate and respectful.)
Seeing as you are on a roll, could you please explain precisely what it is about the club’s transfer policy and what Wenger and the club are saying and doing that has enabled you to read between the lines and surmise that Wenger will not be seeing out the full 3 years of his contract, as I was under the assumption that the club had entered calmer financial waters long before Wenger signed his new deal. I need to read some comforting words in these dark days, and your expertise could provide them
Brickfields, Manipal??…
I live close by. Udupi. If you remember.
Now I know why I like your jokes so much.
And I confess, I do cut and paste your jokes. I don’t care what others think, I laugh and want others to laugh with me…
Why have we ….You sod ha. The transfer policy is a surgical one as read it. As oppose to a wholesale one. Some might say, they stick plaster on where a bandage is needed and worse, avoid surgery where they can when really the knife is needed. I think fans are right to say it lacks intent and ambition at times. We balance books when we buy. Look at the net effect of the Ozil and Sanchez buys. We broke it out evenly when sales and wages off the bill have been balanced vis the cost of the purchases. It’s the only way where there’s a sizeable debt to service at the same time. Some say it lacks ambition. I say it makes sense to limit the ambition for now. From a business view as the debt falls the share value goes up.
There will be a flotation soon enough on the wider markets at Arsenal and to raise real funding they ll need it. Even if they dont go that way, they still need a clean debit column to attract investment or to attract future buyers with bigger pockets and bigger ambitions. This is why we aren’t going to pop out and do what Man U are doing and even in their case, their purchases are as wedded to eternal commercial ambitions as much as they are to re building Fergies tired old squad. AFC dont have that business culture or the need to do that. AFC want that stadium paid off mate. Whatever they’ve stocked in cash reserves isn’t going to go on players to any great extent.
Such has been the fine lines they’ve trodden for so long there esp during the recession, they need ‘rainy day’ cash. Wages are spiralling, costs of business are massive and profits of the Club have fallen in the last 2 years so the fabled 170 Million there isnt really a lot of money. The 3 year contract of Wenger’s is window dressing as i see it. It’s an outward display of faith and stability that looks good, while the agenda is to ease Arsene aside in that period seamlessly. A short contract we have given a message that he’s not there for long. You, who’ve lost faith in the notion that players sign for him as much as Arsenal are wrong. They do sign to work under AW and a 3 year contract looks good to potential players but more importantly to sponsors who can make or break a Club these days. The best company want a stable look to the business they’re putting cash into. This is why your Toons and Co take sponsorships from fly by night backers. They can’t convince the better ones to touch them with a bargepole. Its keeping Pardew in a job for e.g.! I can’t soothe you ha. You pays your money and makes your choice. I’ve made mine. I’d love some real glory but accept its not coming just yet.
Kenneth @ 1.04 pm.
I like that comment, very witty, however, Walter is much more polite to the trolls and AAAA than I am!
In general –
Over the duration of my career I have come across some of the most horrid things that man has inflicted on man (and indeed women).
Part of the reaction to that is I enjoy those moments when people are happy, or do things to others intended to increase the state of well being, or generally improve the lot of the recipient.
However, when supporting the best football club in the land, a club that makes an effort to do things the right way, a club that employs the best manager who embodies a wonderful ethos, a club that struggles with unfair refereeing and a biased media, I do feel it is a bit much for the less than perfect doom mongers to continually attack the club and also this blog – which unreservedly supports the positive features of Arsenal.
Therefore naysayers/doom mongers, including BB, your card is marked, come out with stupid comments like “garbage” and you can expect some return fire!
@ ARSENAL 13 -October 7, 2014 at 2:03 pm –
Daane ? ( if I remember my Thullu !)My Kannada is all rusty and when old friends meet up its always , Udugi becka ?” or ” Gallatha madu bedah !”
I remember Udupi well , it was the only place for us to get a proper meal , UB beers and movies .I still remember the Royal Treasure beer – ohhhhh ! really great stuff !
Was there from 1976 to 1984 . Miss the chicken bryani ! Often think of Malpe beach – regret never really took the time to explore the area .
During our time there were no TVs then ,but I recall that the people of Udupi would come up to Manipal to watch the crazy Malaysians and South Africans medical collage students play football.
Some of your older family members may recollect the popular Malaysian North-South games which was at the tail end of the monsoon season (Malaysian independence day is 31st August ).
Football was played often pratically on a paddy field and was often full of fights and frequent stoppages .The locals loved this and would watch it , unmindful of the pouring rain .
Brickfields
Yes, my friends back home still tempt me with pictures of delicacy back home of which I can’t help but salivate. The next I am back, I will definitely look you up. But it will be awhile as financial constraints does not permit me to. Come on AirAsia, start flying again!
As for “hantam-ing” the AAAs, as you said, stop feeding the trolls. Maybe they like to be punished, sado-m type. But they won’t get it from me. I guess I am at an age where Arsenal takes second to family. Still painful to see them lose, but not the end of the world. Delirious of course when they win. Frustrated sometimes but understand, or try to, some of the limitations we have at the moment.
But at least I can sleep well, from an Arsenal perspective, that our future does not live and die with one individual.
Selamat malam.
Gunner6 October 7, 2014 at 2:43 pm – Thank you , and Selamat Malam to you too . Its always fun to kick some AAAA ass ! Try it , you’ll luv’ it too .
Here’s a nice one from an e-mail that I received .
THE MAGIC BANK ACCOUNT
The Author is not known. This was found in the billfold of Coach Paul Bear Bryant of Alabama after he died in 1982.
THE MAGIC BANK ACCOUNT
Imagine that you had won the following *PRIZE* in a contest: Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400 in your private account for your use. However, this prize has rules:
The set of rules:
1. Everything that you didn’t spend during each day would be take away from you.
2. You may not simply transfer money into some other account.
3. You may only spend it.
4. Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400 for that day.
5. The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say,“Game Over!” It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.
What would you personally do?
You would buy anything and everything you wanted right? Not only for yourself, but for all the people you love and care for.
Even for people you don’t know, because you couldn’t possibly spend it all on yourself, right?
You would try to spend every penny, and use it all, because you knew it would be replenished in the morning, right?
ACTUALLY, This GAME is REAL …
Shocked ??? YES!
Each of us is already a winner of this *PRIZE*. We just can’t seem to see it.
The PRIZE is *TIME*
1. Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life.
2. And when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is Not credited to us.
3. What we haven’t used up that day is forever lost.
4. Yesterday is forever gone.
5. Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve
your account at any time WITHOUT WARNING…
SO, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?
Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars.
Think about it and remember to enjoy every SECOND, of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.
So take care of yourself, be happy, love deeply and enjoy life!
Here’s wishing you a wonderful and beautiful day. Start “spending”….
“DON’T COMPLAIN ABOUT GROWING OLD!
SOME PEOPLE DON’T GET THE PRIVILEGE!!”
Now I understand why people get confused as to my origins when I post on here .
Then again there were the AAAA of the old who screwed it all up for us . Bloody rotters !
6 And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
—Genesis 11:4–9[2]
The Same Things in Other Languages.
From….
http://www.ba-bamail.com/Content.aspx?emailid=12329&memberid=763708
@Brickfields
Fully agree with your 2.55 pm post and enjoyed all the others!
@ bjtgooner – thanks – you rock you know !We have decided to vote you El Grande Presidante del la AKB in the next election . You know for all the services rendered above and beyond the call of duty ,and stuff !
@ Kenneth Widmerpool -October 7, 2014 at 1:24 pm
” Bricks,anything else on snakebites? :)”, well what do you know , I did indeed find another snakebite clip from my archives .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2_eBuhHF5s&feature=youtu.be
Bricks–LMFAO! I cannot suck out the poison of the AAA!I knew you could find a clip! 🙂
As for El Grande Presidente- Vive la Revolution! 🙂
Citzen Ken
I was tying to find an old clip of ‘sucking out the poison’ on The Benny Hill where Benny plays Rolf Harris.
Plays here means ‘acting as ‘ and not …well you know !
Just had to that clarify as there has been some ‘playing around’ and people have been jailed and a libel suit may not be what Tony may want here on UA.
Especially as my last cheque bounced . OOOPPPPS !
Any way in this skit ‘Rolf , blows out a tune on an Australian didgridoo and then shows his skill on an Abroginal blowpipe ,whose dart then hits a very comely sheila on her butt .
‘Rolf’ then claims that it is poisonous and that the poison must be sucked out ! By him of course ! And he chases her around .
But then we all know that this scene is pure fiction as we all know that Rolf prefers them much younger !
Did that sound really dirty and distasteful ?
Cor ! Thanks !
Does anyone have the clip ? We may need it as evidence !
I suppose there is another bank account that has deposits of 604800 every week? There was some GPS format that was weekly, so I kept seeing 604800 in data. According to the all knowing wikipedia, Brickfields is on the outskirts of KL. And from the write up, I guess many people there have the name of “Yap”. That would be a surname?
—
To the topic at hand, I find it disappointing that the transfer window hardly even closes, and some people immediately start churning out crap for the next one. There should be a rule, no transfer speculation more than 3 weeks before the opening of the next transfer window.
Well, perhaps with an exception.
I would like to transfer Mike Riley 😈 to Hofsjökull (largest active volcano in Iceland) via one of the big guns of the USS Wisconsin. But since that ship is permanently decommissioned, I can’t do that. But it is on the east coast of the USA, and closest to where Mike Riley 😈 calls home.
@ Gord – that would be the decendants of Yap Al Loy , the Kapitan China and founder of ‘modern’ Kuala Lumpur.
http://www.geni.com/people/Ah-Loy-Yap/6000000014532648138
Brickfields was on the 15th mile stone .
Probably no Yaps still residing there . And most probably the common names would be Ravi , Rama , Raja and other names of Hindu dieties as its residents are mostly O\of Indian origin .
It is after all the Little India of KL.
For someone click on there would have found this and thus the confusion . Not that he may have been really confused to begin with . Or not too bright . Or downright stupid .
http://www.brickfields.org.uk/
Gord
Yap – Yup (no pun intended), that would be a typical cantonese surname.
Brickfields – It is on the outskirts of KL. Nightmare traffic (but then again, can easily say the same for most of KL and surrounding areas). If you somehow manage to find a parking or double park, the indian food in that area is excellent.
I miss Malaysian food….
@ Gord – when were you in Malaysia ?
Ooopss ,sorry -Gord ! Miss read Gunner6 ‘s post . And apologies for only giving only half the number for UB 40.
” Wise man say ..only fools rush in…”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajp0Uaw4rqo
We hear a lot as to how bad we perform against the top clubs but how do we compare. If we take the top clubs as being Man U, Man City, Chelsea, then how do the TOtts, Liverpool, Everton get on against those teams. We hear a lot about how we lost to Liverpool and Everton and how their managers outfoxed Arsene, but according to my memory(fingers crossed) we beat Liverpool twice last season, once in the league and once in the Cup, likewise Everton, as for the Totts, three times. Not saying we could not do better but perhaps a bit of perspective is required.Incidently,I thought Ozil had quite a good game on Sunday in fact all the Arsenal team played well,but we lost.
Am still awaiting that turd’s expose on how exactly
Brickfields = Tony !
Would it be like the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon ?
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/08/tech/web/kevin-bacon-six-degrees-sxsw/
Let me try –
1) Alphabet mish-mash
( In the beginning was the Word .)
2) Primordial slime
(And the darkness was upon the waters.)
3) Spam stirrer
(… and let it divide the waters from the waters…)
4) Pig swill
(…cattle, and creeping thing)
5) Prime ham
(… to you it shall be for meat.)
6) Bacon , Kevin .
( and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day…)
That was easy ! The answers were all in a good book !
Any other entries ? Come on do your worst !
@NuttnTiddy
This is how you compared last season in points.
Arsenal
5/18 against fellow top 4
12/30 against top 6 (including D1 L1 vs Everton)
26/54 against top 10
Liverpool
6/18 against fellow top 4
16/30 against top 6
35/54 against top 10
Everton
8/24 against top 4
9/30 against top 6
28/54 against top 10
Spurs
1/24 against top 4
5/30 against top 6
24/54 against top 10
Against Man U, Man C, Chelsea:
Spurs: 5/18
Arsenal: 3/18
Liverpool: 9/18
Everton: 9/18
Brickfields.
Yedde (am good). If you remember TULU.
You should see manipal now. They have a beautiful football ground too.
I liked the Forbes article information posted by Percy above. I will try to contribute to the subject of trolls as well.
An ode to ye trolls. I see you are flooding Untold at present, so be pleased and read from mine link provided: http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Sam%27s_Rhyme_of_the_Troll
Troll sat alone on his seat of stone,
And munched and mumbled a bare old bone;
For many a year he had gnawed it near,
For meat was hard to come by.
Come on trolls, sing along. We don’t want to talk to you trolls. Just sing along and then be on your merry way.
During my young days in physiotherapy treatment, I had a theory about injuries. Impact injuries aside, almost all injuries are started by emotional breakdown rather than physical breakdown. Anger and stress will lead to injuries. Our body produces cholesterol immediately once we are stressful. It will then lead to lack of oxygen to the body, so the normally superfit athletes become less effective than they thought they are. A lot of American athletes do yoga to overcome this. They channel the anger into intensity as a platform to push themselves to the limit without total damage. Wonder why Usain Bolt keep performing better if after 10 years without any major injuries or drug enhancement. If opponents keep the intent to kick Arsenal even without actually touching them, injuries will continue. Stress free, Gunners! Oh yeah, I guess the AAA should stop stressing them too.
Micheal Ram, I was talking to my partner about this yesterday at great length, especially re Diaby.I’m surprised this hasn’t been something that’s been touched on before.I think it will in the future, if it does,the impact on football culture will be vast(agree about the AAA and have done especially for the last three seasons ),but it will take a long time for some people to understand the linked between negativity and injury, perhaps the next Wenger type will come along and revolutionise the system again.
Really interesting point.Somebody should write an article for UA about this and perhaps something on the AAA scapegoating players.
COYG! etc
@Andrew – the last time Arsenal have beaten Manchester City in the league Arteta scored a wonderful goal in a game that should have ended 5:0 for us. At some point our former captain Tommy V. prevented another former captain to score the opener. They were totally outplayed by our team that was – in terms of individual quality – the worst during Wenger’s tenure but still managed to win the third spot. Still, thanks to Manure’s slips against Wigan and Everton respectively, Oilers won the title that term.
A CHILD’S PRAYER …
A father put his 3 year old daughter to bed, told her a story and listened to her prayers which ended by saying: “God bless Mommy, God bless Daddy, God bless Grandma and good-bye Grandpa.”
The father asked, ‘Why did you say good-bye Grandpa?’
The little girl said, “I don’t know daddy, it just seemed like the thing to do.”
The next day grandpa died. The father thought it was a strange coincidence.
A few months later the father put the girl to bed and listened to her prayers which went like this: “God bless Mommy, God Bless Daddy and good-bye Grandma.”
The next day the grandmother died.
“Holy cow” thought the father, “this kid is in contact with the other side.”
Several weeks later when the girl was going to bed the dad heard her say: “God bless Mommy and good-bye Daddy.”
He practically went into shock. He couldn’t sleep all night and got up at the crack of dawn to go to his office.
He was nervous as a cat all day, had
lunch and watched the clock. He figured if he could get by until midnight he would be okay. He felt safe in the office, so instead of going home at the end of the day he stayed there, drinking coffee, looking at his watch and jumping at every sound. Finally, midnight arrived, he breathed a sigh of relief and went home.
When he got home his wife said “I’ve never seen you work so late. What’s the matter?”
He said “I don’t want to talk about it, I’ve just spent the worst day of my life.”
She said, “You think you had a bad day, you’ll never believe what happened to me. This morning my golf pro dropped dead in the middle of my lesson!”
( You AKBs bloody well know that tonight I’m going bid farewell to the AAAA in my prayers ! RIP !)
@ Gunner6 – more on Brickfields .
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/opinion/haresh-deol/article/brickfields-big-in-history