Half a league, half a league, half a league of debts onwards

I reported that Roma have been put up for sale even though they came second in Italy – and that they have loads of debts. Now I find (in an article on Italian-Calcio Blog) the Italian football federation has announced that Serie B side Ancona and 20 Lega Pro sides have been kicked out of …

Zarg 6 Arsenal 13; Stewart Robson speaks odd, JET, Nordtveit, Nasri star

By Tony Attwood, at the computer, Great Oakley. So there it was, there you have it, makes you think, this is it. It wouldn’t have surprised me if Stewart Robson, co-commentator extraordinary had said any of that.  He is a man who although he was a fine footballer, has never quite mastered the finer points …

This season’s team: the amazing midfield

Midfielders: Diaby, Wilshere, Fabregas, Rosicky, Nasri, Denilson, Ramsey, Song By Tony Attwood This article continues in the format established earlier in a review of the forward line.  Also at the end is an update on which of the reserve players are not at the summer camp, and whether that means much… So, onto the midfield… …

Football remains in the stone age

By Walter Broeckx Tomorrow the IFAB (International Football Association Board),  the committee that is deciding upon the rules in football will have a meeting on Wednesday. The meeting will be held in Cardiff. And on the agenda of the meeting is only one item. And this item is to study and eventually approve the demand …

I’m so excited I am going to be a clock ender

By Walter Broeckx What a great day this was. When I came home from work and went on the internet and saw the Arsenal website I read some great news. It said over there that from this season on I am going to be a Clockender. Ever since we come over with the Arsenal Benelux …

Why football accounting is so crazy, and why it is hard to believe the Tottenham figures

Our review of the finances of Tottenham Hotspur was read by more people than any other articles we have published.  With such interest Phil Gregory has taken a further look at Tottenham, the finances of football and the conclusions we can draw. A big issue for fans and clubs is one of knowledge. Anyone needs …

Sky reveal exclusively Arsenal will sign at least six more first team players

According to Sky with its story, “Wenger steps up preparations” Arsenal are going to have to sell players to make space in the squad, because of the 25 player rule. They say, Meanwhile, Wenger has hinted that he may look to move a few players on this summer, with new Premier League regulations stipulating that …

Why Gooners have so much to be proud of

Why us gooners have much to be proud of Aria Khani The recent world cup final was contested between a technically gifted Spanish side and a very hard working and talented Holland. The Spanish victory was hailed by Alan Hansen and co, as a good result for football. They marvelled over the passing game and …

Who is lying and why? Cesc interview and translation.

By Walter Broeckx On this site and on many occasions we have showed you how careful you have to be when you read something about Arsenal. Only a few hours ago I saw this with my own eyes. On Goonernews there was a link to an article on Skysport. And it said: Cesc stands by …

Was the Cesc saga engineered by Arsenal FC, together with Arsene and Cesc himself?

Emmanuel Egbuka Has anyone ever considered the idea that the whole story of Cesc requesting that his future be decided before the world cup was engineered by Arsenal FC, together with Arsene and Cesc? The aim would be to put an end to the media’s never ending stories of Cesc going to Barcelona before almost …

The day the Youth Project was crowned in all its magnificent glory.

Jack Wilshere joined Arsenal aged 9, JET joined Arsenal aged 9, Jay Simpson joined Arsenal aged 9 Henri Lansbury joined Arsenal aged 9, Emmanuel Frimpong, joined Arsenal aged 11 (we were a bit late there, but to be fair he had just come from Ghana) Craig Eastmond joined Arsenal aged 11 (ditto – must be  …

It’s the Frimpong-Wilshere show: Barnet 4 Arsenal 21

Same format as last year – all change at half time, but this time the reserves and the first team were more mixed. No Almunia though, which maybe says something – we saw the second, third and fourth choice keepers but not Big Al.  No Denilson – he’s injured.  No world cup players – they …

Next season’s Arsenal team in detail: the front line

Forwards: Arshavin, van Persie, Bendtner,  Chamakh, Eduardo, Walcott, Vela. By Tony Attwood By way of explanation I should add that Vela and Walcott have been listed by Arsenal as forwards and Arshavin as a midfielder.  I’ve just made an arbitary decision and called them all forwards. And what do we find… Overall we have never …

False profits – a look at the finances and spin of the Spurs

Tottenham’s finances part two By Phil Gregory Obviously it is a good idea to have read part one first – if you didn’t here it is. Prospects for future growth: Attendances account for 99% of capacity at Tottenham, and their matchday revenue is dwarfed by the sides at the top of the table that they …

False profits. Revealed: how Tottenham cooked the books and conned us all

False profits  – a look at the finances and spin of the Spurs This is the first of a two part report on one of the most bent and disreputable forms of accounting ever seen in English football. by Phil Gregory Next up in the Premier League financial review is Tottenham Hotspur. Given they are …

Barca on the edge of defaulting on their debts: new figures

By Tony Attwood Until recently I had the feeling that the mass media was going to pretend forever that Barce-loan-us was a well run, well organised football club who have every right to take any players they want from any club they want.  They are, after all, God’s team. Although the news that they could …

Cesc: the reality and the truth. (Thanks Puyol and Picque)

By Walter Broeckx Cesc has just had the “privilege” of spending some two months in the Spanish team during the world cup and its preparation. And in this period he has kept his mouth shut about his future and if he said something it was in fact saying nothing. But we must keep in mind …

What’s going to happen in the coming season? The answer before we start (it’s hardly worth going is it?)

By Billy The Dog McGraw, landlord of the Toppled Bollard and Rampager of the Northern Hordes. Continuing the unique and specialised services offered to you by Untold, and having indulged in a bottle of apple and mango juice to celebrate the new season,  I present my first column of the 2010/11: to wit and viz, …

The philosophy of Arsène Wenger and how the North Koreans don’t get it

By Tony Attwood The members of the North Korean branch of the Arsenal supporters club tend to consider Arsène Wenger a renegade running dog who can’t admit his mistakes, who clings to power when all the world that victory is inevitably theirs. Their world view is a simple world view. First, they set up a …

The world cup final: being bald does not make you into a good ref

By Walter Broeckx Finally the world cup is over. Time to start looking ahead and think about real football, club football and Arsenal. But just a final word from my point of view on the refs in the world cup. We all have seen the big mistakes some refs made and I am going to …

Let the football begin: Arsenal back in action on saturday

By Tony Attwood It seems like forever since we had any real football, but there’s only five days to go before we start again – as usual at Barnet. Last season the game was curious: we had two different teams out for the two halves (that’s fairly normal) but with some of them playing out …

Arsenal’s First Team 2010-11; the complete run down

By Tony Attwood If you ever care to meander out of the present day to the dim and distant past you might have noticed that on the Woolwich Arsenal site we are running a series on the players who started the first match of the 1910/11 season for Arsenal. Which made we want to think …

Arsenal back in the reserve league, after major concessions

Having pulled out of the reserve league structure Arsenal have agreed to return, having won a number of concessions from the league. The key change is that during the winter months when the pitch at Barnet can get rather rough and bumpy, Arsenal has the right to play its reserve matches behind closed doors at …