Written by TotalArsenal
In the first TotalArsenal post for ‘ArsenalArsenal’, I focussed on the position of our manager and came to the conclusion we should let him complete his mission to turn us once again into the top team we all crave for. In the second TotalArsenal post, I focussed on the positives within our, young and quickly developing squad and why there is plenty to be upbeat about for next season. In this post, I will make a comparison between us and our competitors by focussing on the key areas of: squad, manager, transfer potential, and previous success/confidence levels. The comparisons below are of course not the pinnacle of scientific analysis, but should help to start a good debate about where we are compared to our competitors at this ‘early stage of the new season’.
Manchester United
Squad: New goalkeeper required and doubts about Ferdinand and RB position. Centre of midfield is also an issue. They have strong attacking options with some dependency on (injury prone) Rooney as the ‘main man’.
Manager: Safe pair of hands (health permitting), with success both in the past and most recently.
Transfer Potential (available cash & attractiveness): Medium to good. Decent funds are available and they have a medium to high attractiveness to foreign and British players.
Success in last season & confidence levels: Won the PL, but doubts about away form (only won 5 games). They have a fantastic home form which is likely to continue next season. Confidence will be medium to high.
Candidate to win PL title? Strong candidate to win title again, but squad needs further investment and changes will have to be successfully embedded. Away form needs to improve drastically.
Chelsea
Squad: Mature squad with strength in all areas, with the exception of creative central midfielders. Are former key players past their best (Terry, Lampard, Drogba, Essien)? Might need rejuvenating, which would take time to embed.
Manager: To be recruited. He will start with a clean sheet, but will need time to settle in, for which he will not have very long.
Transfer Potential (available cash & attractiveness): Good to great, depending on Abramovic’s desperation to splash the cash once again. Not all top players consider Chelsea as a ‘top club’.
Success in last season & confidence levels: Won nothing, but became 2nd in PL. Confidence is relatively low and new manager will have to do a big job in making the players believe they can win the major trophies.
Candidate to win PL title? Medium to strong candidate to win the title. Even when some top players are added to team, it might take time for the new manager to integrate them all into the team, and put his stamp on it.
Manchester City
Squad: Large squad with potential, but not yet top class. Likely to lose their talisman Tevez who will be difficult to replace. Strength in depth though with a good average age.
Manager: Made enough progress this season to be given another year. Jury’s still out though. They have had some decent recent successes to build on further, but Mancini will feel the pressure this season more than ever.
Transfer Potential (available cash & attractiveness): Medium to good. Endless funds, but struggling to attract top-top quality players, but qualification for CL might change this.
Success in last season & confidence levels: Enough success (3rd place & FA cup) to build up their confidence for next season. The next step for MC will be a lot bigger though, and expectations will be a lot higher next season.
Candidate to win PL title? Medium candidate. They will buy more players but has Mancini what it takes to make the final step up? Expectations will be high and the pressure will be more intense then ever for them.
Liverpool
Squad: Good squad with a possible need for more strength in depth (especially in defence).
Manager: Can he do it again after such a long absence in top management? Made great impact on team this season, but there was relatively little pressure on him.
Transfer Potential (available cash & attractiveness): Medium. New American owners are not regarded as big-big spenders. Liverpool has no CL so might find it difficult to attract top-top talent.
Success in last season & confidence levels: Won nothing, but had a good recovery and beat comprehensively both Chelsea and MU in recent months. Expectations will be high in Merseyside and they have it all to prove.
Candidate to win PL title? Low to medium candidate. Expectations will be high, but will they attract the right calibre of players, and has Dalglish what it takes to guide them to the title?
Tottenham Hotspur
Squad: Medium to good squad with some strength in depth, although question remains whether they have enough quality throughout the key areas.
Manager: Seems to over-deliver at small stage but under-deliver at the big one. The team has stagnated this year under his leadership (despite some success in CL).
Transfer Potential (available cash & attractiveness): Low to medium. No CL will make it difficult to attract top players and funds are not at top-level either.
Success in last season & confidence levels: Won nothing but did relatively well in CL on which they can build confidence.
Candidate to win PL title? Low. Seem a long way off to come anywhere near winning the PL and do not seem to have the funds to attract new quality players.
Arsenal
Squad: Good squad now that TV and Rambo have returned. We need to invest though in our strength of depth and to add some experience, both in defence and in attack (winger).
Manager: Safe pair of hands with successes in the past but not recently. Has been rebuilding the squad but team is struggling to make the final step to success under his leadership. Wenger will be under a lot of pressure again next season.
Transfer Potential (available cash & attractiveness): Medium. Funds should be better than previous seasons and Arsenal remain an attractive team for good-to-top players.
Success in last season & confidence levels: Won nothing and then there were the disastrous final month of last season, which have harmed confidence levels of the team. Wenger and coaching staff have a big job to do in preparing us mentally for next season.
Candidate to win PL title? Medium to strong. The basics are in place with a talented squad that keeps improving. The squad is expected to be strengthened with a few new additions, but expectations will be high and confidence will remain brittle until we win something.
I have translated the above comparisons into a points table (1-5: 1 = low and 5 = high):
| Team | Squad | Manager | Transfer Potential | Success & confidence | Total |
| MU | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 16 |
| Chelsea | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 12 |
| MC | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 12 |
| Liverpool | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 09 |
| Spurs | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 09 |
| Arsenal | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 13 |
To me the table shows we are in a decent-to-good position compared to our competitors at this stage of the season. Once again, MU will be our strongest competitor, but Chelsea and MC are equal threats. If we can get a few quality additions to the team, and Wenger and his staff can rebuild our brittle confidence levels again over the summer, we will be competing again for next year’s PL title.
TotalArsenal, 30 May 2011.
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Great analysis Total, I do think you give Chelski a bit too much credit. I think their whole team needs a shake up. New right back, Bosingwa is struggling to fulfill his early promise, new Centre back to replace Terry, New Wide attacking midfielder’s to replace Anelka, new central midfielders to replace Fat Frank (I’m not convinced by Ramires yet)new striker to replace the ageing Drog.
A lot of recruitment is required and whilst they have the money are the right players available?
WG
Agree WG, they have a big job to do in rejuvenating the squad to do and a new manager will also need time to settle in.
Hi TA and you WG, 🙂
Your summation of the clubs is hard to argue with, but I am sure we will find something to say!! 🙂
Referring to an earlier conversation re ‘cull de sac’, ‘cul’ is slang in French for ‘arse’ – sac means hence ‘arse bag’.
My money is on typical british humour, poking fun at the French and those British people who did not speak French and had ideas above their ‘station’ in life.
I hope that guess is right, it would increase my love of British wit! 🙂
‘sac means – bag’ above — sorry for the ommission
I live in a lovely sem-detached in the arse’s bag..
Me too! I never thought of it with such clarity before 🙂
WG
…the Arse’s bag I mean…. not anything else….I rarely think with clarity, this might be something to be celebrated.
WG
One hopes the Arse,s bag doesn’t read this, or his participation on this blog may well be short lived. 🙂
Very interesting post TA will give it some thought….. The post yesterday from the Swiss Rambler should have hopefully answered many questions for those who would have us spend a fortune.
DanDan, it is only a simple comparison but I hope it will help us to see things in perspective and not to navel-gaze too much. Our competitors have their own worries and we are in a better position than many of us think. At the start of the season, after the transfer window is closed, there are only three things left: squad, manager, confidence/believe, and there is plenty of time to improve on the first and the third components during this long summer-break.
Fine post TA. I enjoy posts that touch upon the problems away from THOF.
As you say, all our rivals have difficulties and I believe we are in a strong position. I expect to see City win the title next year. They will replace Tevez with top quality and with a side who have had a season together they will be very strong.
That said, with a little bit of tweaking, we will be there or thereabouts.
Bad news. Michael Owen has signed a contract extension at MU. 😉
Hi BR, not sure about MC winning the title next year under Mancini. I don’t think he’s got what it takes in the PL, but like you said, the side had a season together and the best might yet come. Tevez, if he is indeed leaving, is not easy to replace for them though (unless it somebody like C Ronaldo or W Sneijder..).
Let’s hope though they fail miserably next season, and that £500m+ on players does not buy them the PL title.
I agree on everything except the transfers part. Arsene will not spend big on proven names, as we all know. Expect samba, a left-back if clichy leaves and gervinho. Suggesting that we will be at the same level in the transfer market as MU, or even suggesting we will be higher than liverpool is, quite frankly, too much to expect.
How will the FFP effect the transfer potential of them all (Citeh and the Chavs in particular!)?
Hi Adi, it remains to be seen if MU still have the financial funds they once had. Looking back at recent seasons, MU seem to be spending at the same level as Arsenal. Liverpool will be different under new owners and they are not in the CL at the moment which turns a certain number of players off.
Hi AM, good question. I believe the impact of FFP will not be felt until the start of 2012-2013 season, but I am not an expert in this area.
Hi Andy Mack,
Citeh are in a bad way with their finances with regards to the FFP rules as their income is significantly less than the transfer funds and wages spent.
Chelski are in a better position, but are still vulnerable as the purchases of Luiz, Torres etc have had a big hit. They will need to sell players or earn more cash soon to offset the spending.
Both clubs should be ok, there is a few years until the proper sanctions come into play, we’re entering a “get used to the idea of it” period. That is if Citeh stop spending like loons and work on their income generation and sell some not needed personnel.
WG
WG. I am sure that with their financial clout MC will find some “Creative Accounting”. It is how the rich stay rich and poor saps like me stay poor. Such is the way of the world.
Hi TA,
you’ve been very generous with your over-all rating of both the squad and manager, especially if you’re judging AW from a footballing perspective. In terms of spending, SAF has never been afraid to spend big, as he proved when he spent £30m on Berbatov. If he wants a player, the money is there. There’s even a rumour that Ronaldo is unsettled in Madrid, and Man Utd would welcome him back like a shot. And if we pitch ourselves somewhere between the side that beat Chelsea, Barcelona and Man Utd, and the one that lost at OT in the FA Cup, at Bolton, Stoke, and at home against Villa, it is nowhere near good enough. Certainly not on a par with those of Chelsea’s or Man Utd’s. On form, their two strongest starting XI’s are superior to ours. You have us way ahead of Liverpool and Tottenham, yet we didn’t beat either in the league this season. I wouldn’t agree that our transfer potential is better than Liverpool’s either. We can offer CL football (hopefully), but Liverpool are a big draw for a lot of players, simply because of their history. Five European Cups puts them quite a bit above us.
It is so quiet on here that I can hear the grass grow! 🙂
If I was a French footballer, for example, and I had a choice of playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona would I pick Real Madrid because they have won the CL more times than the Catalans? Probably not.
Players that have a choice go to where they think they will be appreciated the most and that is usually reflected in the employment package.
As for the idea of if SAF wants a player the money is usually there: this is a dated idea, reflected the most poignantly by the loss of Tevez.
Manu have to take their turn in the cue for players in the same way that we do. Are they ahead of us? Just, but this is going to change.
Hi HCAA, I did not expect you to agree with me, but that’s ok of course. Maybe MU have the money to buy a couple of £30m+ players, but this has not been the case for a few seasons now. In fact, it looks like SAF copying the Wenger model nowadays with using worldwide scouts and buying promising but unproven players.
The Chelsea core team have been disappointing this season and quite a few players look way past their best. I argue that our best 11 against their best 11, is a close call. I think we would beat them 6/7 times out of 10 (at a neutral ground).
MU have an average to good squad, but will see some changes in defense with a new goalkeeper, and Ferdinand looks also past his best. If Vidic were to get injured (just like TV did this season), they would be vulnerable next season. We have TV back now and I also expect a lot of Ramsey next season. Without Scoles they miss the creative spark in the centre of midfield, and I believe that we were and are superior to MU in that area. Our best 11 against their best 11 on neutral ground, would be a close call again: I’d say 5/6 wins out of 10.
BR
I share your cynicism of the forth coming system but I don’t think that it is a slam dunk that clubs will find a way round it.
The Fair Play rules come into effect next year.
Clubs have up to 2 years to put their affairs in order, after the new regulations come in next year.
There are avenues open to non complying clubs to bring them into compliance, for example restructuring their balance sheets by converting their debts/director loans into issued share capital.
Watch them creative babies run!!
Hi HCAA, 🙂
TA’s Post is obviously subjective but it does have sound logic behind it.
I am not sure you are right about Manyoo’s ability to pay ‘big’ transfer fees. They probably will comply with the Fair Play rules, because they have such a brilliant revenue income (at lest twice as big as ours).
But their balance sheet shows huge debts and the interest payments on these is also horrendous.
I don’t know if you saw my recommendation, yesterday, but The Swiss Rambler had a wonderful Post published yesterday and I think you would be really interested in it, as it covers a lot of the subjects, financial and otherwise, that concern you.
Have a read. 🙂
Well can’t be arsed to talk to myself, so bye ’til tomorrow! 🙂
RA
If you are still around, do you have faith in the forthcoming system? Do you think it will work?
Interesting to look away from home TA, nice post.
I expect Spurs to fall further down the pecking order, Liverpool to come close to CL qualification. Dalglish will continue to recruit from within the club he proved this year they have a few youth players who have stepped up.
ManU are in the strongest position with past success but really need to strengthen that midfield as in did not look capable in the CL final. any long term injuries to Rooney (especially), Vidic, Ferdinand or Evra will see them struggle. That being said they should have a fit Fletcher returning.
Chelsea are as you say ageing but experience counts for a lot, Sturridge returning to replace Anelka and Machecran (spelling?) to get more games.
Us well we’ll just have to wait and see, another year under the belt and this end of season more than any has hopefully illustrated to the players where they need to improve.
I think the Fair PLay will work until one of the Billionaires decides to break rank. What happens if Real /MU/Bayern/Inter etc fail to get CL placings for a couple of seasons.?
We know the answer – they will totally disregard FFP and buy a better squad. Then take the legal battle which will ensue.
Cynical moi?
Cheers RA, if you and London are right about Man Utd, I’d expect us to be a lot closer competitively. I think they’ll spend big on a GK (which Ferguson hasn’t always got right), they’ve been linked with Sneijder at £25m for over a year, and if Ronaldo wanted to come back, I’m sure they’d find the resources. Benzema signing would make a massive statement of intent for us. On an unrelated topic, why is Blatter allowed anywhere near anything relating to football?
HCAA. Why do you think? (Blatter)
BR,
I don’t have a clue.
BR
I think the reason why I am a tad more optimistic about the rules than you is because I don’t think a legal battle can ensue: the FA run the show and what they say goes, there is no avenue available to the super rich to get their lawyers involved.
You broke the rules you are deducted five points, goodbye Champions League.
HCAA
I do expect us to compete closer with manu but then again I did last season after they lost Tevez and Ronaldo.
Sneijder is realistic but Ronaldo ran out of Manchester screaming, there is no way he is going back there.
Is it the FA that will be monitoring the scheme or is it UEFA? I can’t remember.
Whoever it is, it will make little difference.
Supersmart lawyers (perhaps a case for you, 26 May) will find loopholes. If they can get OJ Simspon & Michael J off, FIFA/UEFA/FA rules will be a walk in the park.
If you think otherwise, explain how Qatar won the WC?
Money talks.
Hahahaha
It has taken me a while to come up with this little bundle of fun.
Who is better Fabregas or Sneijder?
After his truly incredible season at RM, Ronaldo will be going nowhere. Not even MC could find the money for his transfer.
MU …. ? As much likelihood as my having an evening in with Shakira
BR
You would be right if lawyers could get involved but they can’t, this system is not subject to the normal legal world. There is no avenue for them to get involved, the FA or UEFA are the ultimate power.
I thought the election of Blatter showed just how the normal law doesn’t apply to football authorities.
Good ? London.
Fabreags, WC winner Euro winner, losing finalist in CL, only 24 y.o. Almost certain to become a World Superstar.
Shcneider. CL Winner, WC runner up, In UEFA team of 2010, 27 y.o. ALready a superstar.
Very difficult to choose between them. Both are great players and either would light up any side.
Both have lost playing time through injury. Both are the fulcrum of their teams. Schneider scores more, but Cesc has more assists.
Schneider has played in 3 countries and won the League with all three. Cesc as we know has yet to play outside the PL.
I would vote a FIT Cesc – better the devil you know!
OJ Simpson and Micheal Jackson are great examples of how loop holes can be found in the law that the citizens of the United States live under but those laws are not available to people who want to chalenge, the FA, UEFA and least of all FIFA.
I was hoping Rasp would take the bait on this one.
In my opinion there is not a lot in it so when it comes time for Barcelona to find a replacement for Xavi why wouldn’t they choose Sneijder?
BR I have this idea that Barcelona are not interested in Fabregas and it made me chuckle when I thought of a reason to add strength to my mini debate with Rasp.
London. I hear you but sadly my cynicism means that I cannot accept clubs in trouble will not flout the rules and then fight UEFA. We shall see.
The election of Blatter shows how the fear of the discovery of corruption corrupts.
Only Berlusconi, that North Korean fella and Blatter are above the law.
BR
As you say it would be interesting to get 26m’s view on it.
Rasp. Where are you?
London. You didn’t reply to my personal question. Are you still intending to cycle the Alps?
By the way how will they fight UEFA? They can’t do it in court, do you see what I mean? Normal legal avenues do not apply, lawyers cannot apply to the court to change the decisons of UEFA.
BR
I saw that question this morning, I am glad you are giving me another chance to answer it.
One day into the transfer season and I am already thinking that Arsenal should go into debt to buy 2 top quality players :-). Fortunately I go into my summer long Mugabe Lockdown in a couple of weeks.
London 8.36. What a top comment! LOL
As to law, this is totally outside of my limited area of knowledge. I just know that when push comes to shove lawyers can will find a way to bring the UEFA tenets into question. And they will question the legality of UEFA rules.
Hi GiE, I thought like you that Chelsea have a lot of experience and will get there in the end. But those two CL games against MU were very disappointing, and you could see that the likes of Terry, Lampard, Drogba are no longer the force they once were. They just could not turn it around and went out rather meekly. Once that happens, a team needs rejuvenating and that’s expensive and risky.
Mrs Raddy is calling. Perhaps it is time to retire for the night. Until tomorrow.
In preparation for my Chamonix – Nice trip which goes into the Italian Alps as well as the French, I am cycling 150 miles per week, so I went to Cambridge on Saturday, Brighton on Monday and around Hertfordshire this morning although today I was with people in their thirties so I must admit my pride was hurt as I got dropped a few times. Yes, I am looking forward to it although 535km in four days with an awful lot of climbing is very scary.
Wasn’t it Scotland that gave the world football. It was definitely a scotsman who set up our original league structure back in 1887, William McGregor, I think, who controlled Aston Villa. You’d think that the home of football should have the last word on how it is administrated, especially in view that it relies solely on paying customers who just want to see a fair fight.
Sneijder or Fabregas? Together, in front of a strong DM and behind Nasri, Theo, RvP, now then we would have a team at our disposal!
They are different players. Sneijder is super quick and efficient, and has a phenomenal long distance shot (for such a wee man) and will score a lot more goals in his career than Cesc. Cesc is far better defensively and a better passer. Cesc belongs in centre of midfield, next to a beast of a DM, where Sneijder is best suited for the hole or left midfield. He is too weak defensively, for central midfield role imo.
If Cesc were to go, but we would get Sneijder, we would be better off by playing him in the hole: more goals, as many assists, and Wilshere or Nasri could play next to Song in midfield in a 4-4-2.
Good luck with your cycling expedition London, that is some bike ride! Hope the weather stays good for you.
26May assured me (at the Tavern) the rules are very clever and don’t allow for loophole finding, at the end of the day FFP was drawn up by Deloittes a top accounting firm who make most of their money finding loopholes, you’d like to think one department was writing them whilst another had the sole objective of destroying them.
I feared the likes of Abramovich and the Sheikh would just put in place huge sponsorship deals from their other business vehicles but FFP calls for reasonable/fair values to be placed on sponsorship deals.
The difference between us and City or Chelsea is that they are allowed to go to £45m deficit over the time period (2 or 3 years) against incomes. Whereas we as self sufficient can only go to £5m.
I guess this also protects clubs from future liquidation.
Now here’s a question FFP stops teams competing in UEFA competition if they fall foul of it but does it stop teams competing in PL…is there anything to stop Sheikh Mk II buying a PL team say Newcastle and spending £500million in first year on youngest talent around hoping they develop in two years to compete in Europe by which time they would be within FFP rules as they wouldn’t have spent in next two years….which is the position City have got themselves into.
If Chelsea appoint Hiddink this summer, they’ll come back stonger next season. You’re right TA, about certain players in decline, Terry, Lampard, even Drogba, but Hiddink would fix that. I’ve always thought Ferdinand was over-rated, and he’s had plenty of shockers in his time, but Smalling will replace him. I would say we need a few, but at least two established world-class signings to keep up next season.
HCAA….a fair fight?
The only way that can happen is to adopt similar rules to NBA, NFL where (i understand) merchandise sales are distributed evenly among the teams competing, so Wigan would get a share of United shirt sale revenues.
GiE,
so why bother competing at all if eventually football’s big prizes are going to whoever throws the most money at it? The whole philosophy becomes lost and irrelevant.
HCAA, Hiddink is a bit overrated imo. At top level he has been ok but not great. It is a different Chelsea now from when he took over from A Grant last time. But, you could be right in saying he will again get the best out of the 30-plussers.
Smalling is a promising player, but not more than that. Next to Vidic he will probably be ok, but what if the Serb gets injured for a few months? Ferdinand is touch and go, and next season vd Sar is no longer there. So there is hope: the former strong triangle of Sar, Vidic, Ferdinand will no longer be there and they might start to struggle in this area next season.
Goota say TA….but for your own admissions i would never even guess that Englis wasnt your first language.
Even better still you use it to very good effect in presenting your argument, in a sharp and snappy style.
Finally(*) and perhaps most importantly, you’ve come up with a cracking idea for a post (in whatever language you like !!) and then executed it beautifully.
Fantastic work.
* Obviously not finally in terms of your construction, but you know what I mean.
Looking forward to catching up on the comments tomorrow.
Goota was supposed to be ‘gotta’ in case anyone thinks I was doing a Schteve McLaren in honour of our very own Dutch Master – TA
Nite
HCAA…….Which is I guess what FFP tries to prevent, the club supports itself the best (with revenues) will be in a stronger position or as strong as one backed by a major shareholder.
It’s just a question of how fair we are talking. Should the PL money be split evenly over twenty teams or should a prize structure exist, afterall without Wigan and Wolves we don’t have a PL but ManUre earn more. Should more of the TV money be filtered down to the football pyramid.
A League One side can go into administration for owing a hundredth of the PL prize pool, the prize pool that stopped kids supporting them and instead ManUre, Chelsea or Arsenal.
Would you be happier if we went back to a time when anyone could win the league, when Arsenal were not at the top table, if money was not thrown at our 30’s team (cough….illegal payments….cough) would Arsenal be the club they now are? You and I would probably support them through ancestry or childhood residence. Would Johnny from India, or Brian from Sweden?
London.
Best of luck with the big trip.
Oh and I also have to say….
YOU MUST BE STARK STARING MAD !!
Cheers Sharkey, you have the benefit of not having to listen to me, but only read ‘what I say’: it reads better than it sounds, believe you me!
TA,
Hiddink took over after Scolari was sacked, only suffered one league defeat, and won the FA Cup. He won the European Cup with PSV in 1988. I think he’d either off-load the 30-plusses or they’d be bit-part squad players. There’s always hope. This summer could define AW’s time in charge at Arsenal.
Hi GiE, as you might have guessed I am not a fan, as you call it, through ancestry of childhood residence, but through ‘pollination’. DB10 was my favourite (dutch) football player at the time and when he joined Arsenal, I started to take an interest in the club, which over the last 15 years has gradually become a small obsession.
FFP looks like a great way to get a bit more balance again in the PL. To answer your question: it would be great imo if any team could win the PL at the start of the season; when it all comes down to clever management, player development and recruitment etc. But that is utopia – the rich clubs will always find ways to stay in power. Hopefully FFP will curb them enough to make it all at least a bit fairer again.
HCAA, that is correct: he took over from Scolari and he did well. Of course I know about Hiddink’s ‘CL’ success with PSV, but he rode his luck and got PSV to the final on away goals through 0-0(H) – 1-1(A) a couple of times. He also did well with Holland during the US WC. He would fix Chelsea’s defense first, make them hard to beat, just like Mourinho did when he came. It would be a big test for Hiddink nevertheless.
GiE,
are we the same organic animal today that we were in the 30’s? You’re right of course, a big part of who we are was put in place by Chapman, floodlights, the white sleeves, re-naming the Tube station, and making our club a marketable brand. And he spent money to assemble a side capable of being the best in the land. Whilst I would never want that to be forgotten, I would advocate a more level playing-field, because when something starts becoming predictable the magic is gone, it becomes stale, and people switch off. Since the introduction of Sky’s Premier Lge package so many community-based clubs have faced liquidation. What is the point of a 92 club League structure if only an elite few continually claim the top few prizes. Look how insignificant the FA Cup has become with the all-encompassing suffocation of the CL. Football is in a bad way, and no-one cares enough about the lower=level league clubs to stop the rot. Football, like life is controlled by ruthless greed.
Is he a student from the ‘total-football school, TA?
No Hiddink isn’t HCCA. He is a tactician, knows all about the technical side of football and motivational theory etc. However, in Holland he is significantly less popular than in the rest of the world. I think he would struggle with Abramovic’s demands for ‘attractive-winning’ football.
So more pragmatic methodically getting the job done with minimum fuss type.
HCCA, M Neuer has signed for Bayern today so he is not coming to MU, that leaves Stekelenburg or Gea, if they can afford them…
Well put HCAA, which goes against the Dutch football DNA as you can imagine. Oh boy, did he have his sweet revenche on us when he strategically outsmarted Van Basten during the 2008 European Championship, whilst managing Russia.
I’d love to see Stekelenburg come to the Emirates, I’m sure I saw somewhere he would love to play for Arsenal. Don’t think we’ll buy a GK though. Anyway TA, always a pleasure chatting with you, and a cracking post that yielded plenty of good debate. I’m retiring for the night, so I bid you goodnight sir.
It is a pleasure indeed, goodnight.
HCAA….I like you long for a time of more level playing field but as a supporter of a club that has been in the top flight so long it probably sounds hollow to supporters of Grimsby or Luton.
Unfortunately those tines have gone I fear forever.
Altho Swansea reaching the PL and AFC Wimbledon completing their rise back from non league to football league are signs that perhaps all is not lost in the beautiful game.
I hope that for all our sakes it returns to a time when a good manager with a clever assistant/scout can take a side from the lower echelons to League winning glory….Cloughie style. Maybe FFP is the first step we have to wait and see.
TA for the record I have no objection to anyone supporting us wherever they are from especially not one who writes as interesting posts as yours. It just highlights how different the game is from as little as twenty years ago that we are supported so avidly throughout the globe. I suppose also a result of the media world we live in.
Just as a matter of interest (and without knowing your age) did you support a Dutch team before DB10 arrived?
GiE, my ancestry and childhood residence team is Roda JC – Dutch Top Division. I still follow them, but as I have been away from Holland now for the best part of 15 years, I have not been able to watch them a lot over recent years. I still take great pleasure when they win a game, but it has become a little bit more academic without being able to see them live/ om tv (except for ESPN’s weekly Dutch league summary, which is a real treat for me).
GiE, in addition to my last comment, I grew up during the oranje totalfootball years in the 70’s, followed by the dark years of Dutch football when we did not qualify for two world cups in succession (’82-’86).
Then Rijkaard, Gullit, Koeman and Van Basten, etc came along and there was new hope, but for me Bergkamp embodied something simalar to Cruijff in the 70’s: the almost naive desire to do beautiful things with a ball on a pitch, just because it is the best thing in the world. As you know, after Ajax he went to Inter and their football suffocated him. He wasn’t happy and came to Arsenal, and the real football spirit came once out once again. I never forget the genuine pleasure and admiration the fans and the media had for Dennis and it got me quickly hooked.
Excellent article TA
Sorry I haven’t been able to contribute to the debate. I’m on a work trip to LA and it’s a bit full-on.
I think your analysis was good, but you may have been a tad kind towards Arsenal and a tad harsh on some of our competitors. Time will tell.
TA it was hard not to be mesmerised by DB10.
And as legend has it the players at the time were in awe of him.
Heard Henry Winter on the radio talking about that era I think with Dixon. He said the journos were eyes wide open and jaws dropped as DB came out of the dressing room after training carrying a bunch of bananas and other fruit. How different the English game was then.
Thanks for the post I enjoyed it. I think the bindippers will do well next term. When you said “health permitting” where you trying to tenpt fate? 🙂
Morning all
A belated Happy Birthday to you gm.
TA – one of our regular writers irishgunner wrote a great post about DB10, i’ll get the link for you.
Morning Everyone….I’m so very tired today….and I’m out and about so not much posting from me 😦
Have a good ‘un
WG
Ohhhhh I remember that post by Irish…..top drawer.
WG – I was going to use your post today, shall I wait until tomorrow if you’re not around?
https://arsenalarsenal.wordpress.com/2010/06/16/dennis-bergkamp-would-you-fly-if-you-could-walk-on-water/
Morning London – when is your bike trip? Rasp was playing cricket last night so he didn’t get a chance to take your bait.
Thanks Peaches xx
Rasp – can you do the editing of GiE’s post please
Hi Peaches,
You can post it, I’ll try to get on when I can 🙂 Its not all about me anyway…for once 😛
WG
Ok, will do, have a nice day 🙂
Had a look peaches, graphics way too small, resolution lost too low I’m afraid
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