All the players Arsenal are going to sign this window

5 Replies to “All the players Arsenal are going to sign this window”

1. Sir Hardly

   “But spending money on players, it seems, leads to decline”.

   How many more times. NO IT DOESN’T.

   In fact as I have shown it is the complete opposite.

   Stopping spending money is what leads to decline.

   Yes, short term high spending, or a splurge as I like to call it, can indeed lead to a down turn, but history clearly shows continuous high spending, as advocated by just Arsenal, almost always leads to success.

   Even Man Utd, who have clearly fallen well short of what they would expect from all their spending, have won 3 trophies and been runners up in the PL in recent times. Yes, well short of what they would want but still better than Spurs and every other one of those that haven’t spent fortunes.

   And yes Everton, Villa and others who ‘splurged’ have declined, but this is not unusual as all 4 of Man City, Chelsea, Man Utd and Liverpool have all declined after a close-seasons splurge, but what got them to the top eventually was NOT STOPPING spending, but continuing to splurge year after year.

   It is true that even if we do spend more money we still may not win the league, but that’s because there are lots more teams spending lots of money, and they cant all win it.

   But one thing is for sure, history shows if we DON’T continue spending we definitely wont win the league, unless of course Arteta is a genius that can surpass even what Wenger could achieve without spending.

   And let me say again, I’m not suggesting we should spend what we haven’t got. Or spend for the sake of spending on players that won’t improve the squad. But if we have money, and Arteta wants the player, then yes, we should buy them, because continued investment in the squad, continually upping it’s quality, as much as our model allows, is our best and only hope of getting back to the top.

   If we haven’t got the money, fine, I can live with that, but I certainly do not subscribe to this notion that spending money doesn’t work, eventually, because that simply isn’t true, as I have shown with facts and figures many many times.

2. OK Nitram, I will settle for, “Last summer the six clubs that spent the most have either gone into decline or pretty much stayed where they were.” Which indicates to me that “as a short term measure, spending lots of money may be over rated.”

   And: “Short term is important,since most clubs are now run just for the short term. Remember Emery got around 18 months.”

3. OT Wolves 1 v Liverpool 2 – PGMOL rules OK. The officiating is so blatantly biased when Henderson should hsve had a yellow early doors. The selective vision continued all game with Oliver giving a masterful display of PGMOL officiating, even blowing the final whistle a little early while Wolves were in the ascendency.

4. Another way of looking at the value of spending, is to see it as part of financial resources in general. Even in the lean Wenger years, Arsenal’s wage bill was up with most. So to an extent Arsenal could attract and keep top players, despite not spending hugely. They couldn’t buy or keep the very best, but no-one can buy and keep all of the best.
   In the days before pay TV and foreign ownership, financial resources were closely linked to match day revenues. The big city teams with the biggest fan bases and biggest grounds had the most resources. In those days Villa and Sheffield Wednesday were big clubs with big grounds. Celtic and Rangers will always be the ‘biggest’ clubs in Scotland because they have the greatest fan base and greatest financial potential. Oil money disrupted the natural order of things for a while, and Rangers have had a financial hiatus, but come back in 10 or 20 years and Celtic and Rangers will still be winning mostly everything.
   So the clubs with the greatest financial resources spend the most on players and wages, on back-room staff, training etc. All are part of the success mix. Maybe it is cause and effect, as Nitram argues, maybe it is more success by association. But clubs with the most financial resources will naturally spend more on players, and because of this and other factors, the ones that spend the most will tend to win the trophies. Not spending big is an unnatural act for a rich club, and to do so would doom them to decline.

5. Dublin Gooner

   “But clubs with the most financial resources will naturally spend more on players, and because of this and other factors, the ones that spend the most will tend to win the trophies. Not spending big is an unnatural act for a rich club, and to do so would doom them to decline.”

   Exactly.

   I concede it isn’t a 100% nailed on fact that if you spend bucket loads you win the title, but that’s more to do with how many clubs are now spending extortionate amounts. As I said they cant all win it, and to take it to it’s logical conclusion if every club spent £100 Million 3 would actually get relegated.

   But you certainly have a much much greater chance if you do, and a virtually zero chance if you don’t.

   I concede that short term splurges rarely work, but if Villa, Everton and the rest continue to spend £100 Million a year for the next 5 years, history says that increases their chances of winning the PL massively. If they don’t, all last years investment is likely to be wasted.

   Similar to us. Personally I believe if we want to challange for the title we have to keep investing in the squad. If our self sustaining modal doesn’t allow it then fine. I can live with that. But if we have the opportunity to improve the squad (and that is important, spending for spending sakes is not what I’m advocating) and have the finances to do so, then I think we should.