Written by London
Clichy to City, I am flabbergasted, why would a club with unlimited funds, a club who could afford any left back in the world want to sign an error prone, erratic crosser? So convinced was I that this wouldn’t happen I think I went as far as saying that I would eat my red and white scarf if the deal went ahead (and I like my scarf).
This comes as a huge shock to my self esteem especially as you all know I am usually right about everything, lol. It just goes to show that there just is no accounting for bad taste.
Incredible, still, I also said that if he did go it would be with Wenger’s agreement and it has to be seen as exactly that. There is no way Wenger could not have kept him if he really wanted to, that being the case we have to assume that Wenger wanted the change and has alternatives in mind. So Clichy has gone to join that Sky Blue grave yard along with Adebayor and Toure in the North, well, well, well.
What other predictions did I make that are now inevitably starting to look a little less credible: there is no way Nasri is going to leave, hmmmm. We will not buy a new CB, I am not saying we shouldn’t I am just predicting that it won’t happen. Bendtner will leave and we will buy Gervinho this idea lifts my spirit, a powerful attacker coming in from the left capable of scoring goals is just what the doctor ordered.
And talking of spirits being lifted, the other thing that I am starting to notice is the return of an optimistic feeling about winning the league. When asked shortly after the end of the season I think I answered that for the first time in years I would be taking my seat at the start of the season not expecting to win the league, the reason I gave was that I expected the club would wait until the financial fair play rules came into play before really going for it again.
But recently I have started to ask myself if Arsenal aren’t going to win the league who else will – Chelsea? The task ahead for that new manager is enormous the changes needed to the squad are daunting, the pressure will be intense and all in all it is not beyond the realms of possibility that there is a dressing room melt down before Christmas.
Mancity: they have just brought Clichy how can anyone now take them seriously?
Manu: They have been running around trying to buy every available decent young player in the EPL in an attempt to add some youth to their aging squad; they were lucky last year but as I have said before they cannot defy gravity for ever.
It’s time for the mighty red and white of Arsenal to take their natural place again at the top of the league.
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Tevez – “It is with great regret that I have to inform Manchester City of my wish to leave the club”
Says what he thinks about the signing 😀 (ok I may have taken the quote out of context but thats allowed right?
Top post London. You are right about Chelsea and Man U.
You’re craaaazy!!!!
And we need more bloggers like you!
Hiya London, I did remember your promise to eat the scarf, just didn’t want to rub it in 🙂
My hat off to you, I can seldom admit to being wrong 🙂
I was actually pleased to see Clichy go, for more than one reason. As you rightly said, he is error prone and second reason being that at long last it will give the media something to talk about! They may actually lay off Cesc and Nasri for a bit.
I said last week that we are in a better position to win the league than anybody else and I stand by it. If we could just get a couple strong, exprienced, motivated players, any position really, we will win, defo
Clichy was now 3rd choice at Arsenal after his defenceive mistakes las season. Wenger said the defence had to be improved. With Arshavin being a attacking winger. Arsenal do not need a attacking left back He is behind Kieran Gibbs & Armand Traore. He was told he was not going to make the 25 man squad next season. He was also on higher wages than Gibbs & Traore. Who are both younger. Wenger has all ways known when players are starting to get past there best, & it was time to sell for both partys. He has served Arsenal well for the last 8 seasons. He did not want to play just league cup games. If he can get 1st team games at Man City good luck to him. Thanks for what you have done for the Arsenal nin the past but its time to move on.
Haha, nice one London.
I notice that Clichy hasn’t got a number on his shirt. Don’t suppose he’ll need one if he doesn’t make the bench.
How are you thinking of preparing your scarf?
Nice article London, you’re mirroring some of my thoughts this morning.
I am reasonably pleased Clichy has gone, whilst I wish we got more cash for him, it is very much better than nothing and I expect him to make the same splash for Citeh as the amazing Adebayor and Toure did.
The news about Tevez is a cracker, I was chuckling all the way to work this morning.
WG
Do you take ketchup with your scarf London? 😆
Seriously though, I hope Clichy is not demonised by Arsenal supporters, I shall applaud him when he comes to the Ems, and smile inwardly when I see the huge defensive gaps created when he goes missing. He always gave his best and although he was unquestionably error prone, I believe he was a good honest servant to the club.
In my mind either AW is planning to move TV to LB or he must replace Clichy – Gibbs and Traore are not at the level (yet) to be first choice.
@ Rasp
I really think Arsene won’t move TV but he also will not purchase anyone at this point to replace Clichy.
I can see the quotes now, “If I buy Enrique or Baines I will kill Gibbs, at some point you have to give your players a chance”
WG
You’re probably right WG, but (once again) AW has stated that it is the defence that needs to be strengthened, so I would see it as a mistake not to replace Clichy. Enrique is in the last year of his contract at toon and would cost about what we sold Clichy for, he is better than Gibbs and Traore.
Morning evonne, I frequently admit that other bloggers are wrong 😕
I like your post London. The anticipation of a lovely scarf baguette avec mayo is making you all positive about the future, and that for someone who must be still recovering from a sore ‘cycling’ arse 😆
I wonder what sort of deal Arsenal did with the ‘just a sh*t club with money’:
1. £7m + £0.5m for every time Gael stays on the bench and £1m if he does not make the bench?
2. £7m + £3m for every season he plays more than 10 games?
3. £7m + £10m if he scores against the mighty Arse and does a pitch long run to the away fans?
4. A combination of 1, 2 and 3!
Tous est possible!
Is Enrique really good enough? I don’t put him in the same class as Baines, Cole, Evra etc.
Do we really need someone that can do a job or someone that can take us to the next level?
WG
TA
Based on Clichy’s goal-scoring record I doubt we’d have asked for any clauses based on that 😛
WG
London,
Excellent post and most humble m’lord. I doff my biggest hat.
“There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating – people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing” and I should know 🙂
Hi WG,
I think Enrique is better than what we’ve been left with, Cole and Evra are not available and Baines (my preference too) is likely to be £15m+ so I’m guessing Arsenal would not pay that kind of money for a LB, hence Enrique?
Yes,
The Tevez story is excellent, and I for one, titter at the thought of Clichy doing a Shaun Wright-Philipps.
Hi Micky, I hope Gael can appreciate the irony that on the day he leaves Arsenal in ‘pursuit of trophies’, their best player says he’s leaving – wouldn’t it be wonderful if we kept our best player and kept them out of the CL next year.
Rasp, I was merely highlighting Cole and Evra as the level of player that we should be looking at.
There has to be players of that quality across Europe that would be up for a transfer for sufficient funds.
However, I do feel Arsene will stick with what he has until pre-season is over.
WG
London,
Like you, I find it staggering that City have gone for Clichy, when they could by pretty much grab anyone. It really only leaves me with the conclusion that Clichy has gone as a squad player, hence the S W-P analogy. Borderline tragic.
WG, Rasp, I don’t expect us to buy another LB. Gibbsy will get a chance, and we have the option to move Koz (I know, he is not left footed, but neither was Flamini) or TV in there if it all goes wrong. If that would happen, we would probably buy an LB during the January TW. Like you guys, would love to see Baines coming to us. He’s got something about him!
Rasp,
I am with you all the way on that one.
I wonder how much closer to his children Tevez will end up moving?
TA,
I am no expert on this, but is Baines good defensively. I know about his attacking strengths.
WG & TA
I hope you are wrong and Clichy is replaced, (although I suspect you are spot on!) if not with Baines (very unlikely), hopefully AW has his sights on a Sagna-type on the quiet that we are all currently unaware of.
Not replacing Clichy and using Koz a-la-Flamini would not send out a good message to the rest of the squad unless we’re about to lash out £18m on Cahill and it would be the only way to get Koz on the pitch.
Summer scarf recipe- flambeed with cointreau and chargrilled pineapple! 😉
Can’t bring myself to comment on comings and goings- need something to justify my faith at the moment! I loved the optimistic end of the post London. I hope my own optimism re-kindles soon- pilot light went out but haven’t attempted to relight it yet as it’s still “the silly season”!
Micky, I rate him in all departments: he is tenacious, hard working, intelligent, and a kuiten-bijter as we say in Holland (a carf-biter).
Almost like London, the scarf-biter 😆
Rasp, I would eat London’s new scarf if we do not buy another CB this season, and it might well be Cahill.
Carlito,
The great thing about now is that we can still dream and anything is possible. I am with Rasp on the LB as I cannot believe AW will not relace him, but wow, I had almost forgotten about the immediate impact the unknown Sagna made. Whoever it is must be a leftie.
TA, I’d be delighted with cahill and kozzer as LB – that’s a terrific prospect, compared to Gibbs and no Cahill.
Apparently Coyle is getting frustrated with all the speculation surrounding Cahill and yet with no offers on the table.
….. the idea of Nik being a make-weight on the Cahill deal is ludicrous.
I think the replacement should be a defender first like Winterburn and to a lesser extent Cole after him. Sagna has the same attributes as Dixon defensively but slightly more going forward, if only we could find the same at Left Back.
That is why Evra will always be ahead of Clichy for France defend first, attack second (when needed). Gaels default was attack and come back when needed.
Clichy’s stats on SSN were quite interesting. Well in the lead for tackles made, over 30 more than Cole ( who was in 2nd place), though they didn’t say how many of those were last-ditch recovering tackles as a consequence of being out of position. 🙂
Clichy also topped the passes made category for left back with Enrique 2nd, only narrowly behind.
I was amused by the SSN clips for Modric. They showed at least 4 goals. Must have gone back to 2009. 🙂
Jenkinson played left back for Charlton although there seems to be contradiction over his preferred foot.
And Miquel is a leftie too.
Chas he was top in all passing stats, could find no crossing stats though when I looked, bet his stats for shots are nowhere!
I am getting quite optimistic over a CB and here’s why. There is no reason why any transfer of a Prem. based player could not have been tied up by July 1. Also, AW rarely signs anyone we have been “linked” with, which makes me think I could get my hard middle European after all. Who? Don’t know, but so long as his name ends with an “ic” then I’ll be happy.
What I always liked about Clichy- especially a couple of seasons ago- was the way he often seemed to drive the team forward. He seemed to have that “English mentality”- aggression and a desire to get the ball forward quickly. The way the team evolved with a high line and a lot of sideways tippy tappy football did the man no favours at all. I would not be surprised if we saw a rather better Gael Clichy at Man City next season than we saw at Arsenal last season…
Rasp, agreed! Sagna(Eboue), Cahill/Djourou/TV, Koz(Gibbs) would be solid as granite, and a great base for 4-4-2.
I just love Koz, a player with so much hunger, enthusiasm, skill and energy always needs to play but can he play together with TV in the centre??? Not enough height, and therfore too vulnerable and chaotic imo. LB would therefore an intersting trial, or maybe as others have suggested previously, as DM.
I did see some crossing stats somewhere, GIE.
It was a comparison between him and Baines, haven’t got a clue where though.
As usual stats can be misleading, Sagna and Clichy crossing to our invisible centre forward will always produce poor percentages. No disrespect to Robin, but, oh for a player like Tim Cahill who seems to attack every ball.
Ahhhh Tim Cahill, the last player we had like that was probably David Platt.
I fear we will never see the like at Arsenal while AW is in charge as they don’t do enough other jobs for the team.
I always remember Graham Taylor talking about why Platt was important. He simply said “he scores goals” he is not picked to defend, pass etc he is picked because he scores goals, like I say I think Wenger needs more from a centre midfielder.
What I always liked about clichy was that he was french, fitted in so well 🙂
Now he has joined The Foreign Legion.
No lose there, glad he has gone. It’s not sour grapes as I have been banging this drum for a while now, he can’t defend, can’t score the occasional goal, and CERTAINLY can’t cross.
Hope my plan is coming to fruition………
back line of Sagna….Samba….Cahill…..Vermaelen. SWEEEEEEET
Take a look at that ManUre/Chels£a/Shity/Scousers/Yids.
Any unusual movements on the continent “K”?
This guy we’ve been linked with sounds much more like an AW LB purchase……
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aly_Cissokho
Ahh folks , it´s such a breath of fresh air coming here and reading – feeling even – all the optimism and the humour – particularly after reading some of the absolute tosh and dross on many of the other blogs . I know I should´nt read them but I can´t help myself . Probably sounds a bit silly but this blog (and one other) really give me a lift – we do need a bit of a lift at the moment , no ?
It´s only July 5th and we´ve had a weekend in there too (do they take weekends off ?) so what in all honesty do we as gooners expect to have been done reference transfers ? Arsene does it his way . We know that . I don´t like it much but it´s how it is . I am really optimistic for the transfers and the season ahead . No idea why – I just am .
Great article London , really put a smile on me .
Have we signed anyone yet ? No ? Didn’t think so. Wake me up when we’re serious about winning the league.
Oh, before I go back to sleep – we need a quality defender like Gary Cahill. He is the kind of player Wenger himself has targeted. Yet we have not even PUT IN A BID for him !!!! Anyone care to explain why we haven’t ?
welcome to desperation city..)to slag of Our players ? clichy was a good player for The Arsenal and i think he will do well for citeh,he didnt fit in with wengers fancy pansy way of playing but if you look back clichy was a very good player when we played 4-4-2…..
its feckin time we wake up…time to get rid of wenger and the board…we are being ripped off…
wenger is a shame for The Arsenal..and gazidis the deal maker is feckin rubbish..
Apologies to everyone for the un-AA like comments that I have just cleansed from the site.
I would remind everyone that wants to come on that this is a pro Arsenal site and we do not entertain insults or abusive comments.
Welcome spanishgooner,
I appreciate your comment. We try to maintain a sensible approach to transfers and in general, as the extreme views are well catered for elsewhere.
Arse and finger @12:40 – I agree. Our board and manager have made us a laughing stock. You can see it, I can see it, but there are still quite a few who simply can’t / won’t .
SPECTRUM, tomstoned,
I hear what you are both saying, but you cannot deny that there are weeks of the transfer window ahead and Arsenal’s level of business is about the same as most other clubs.
I hope we do buy Cahill, but if there have been no bids it means that the other clubs who are apparently eager to sign him haven’t tabled an offer either.
Its a process, a tedious, frustrating process that can only be avoided to some extent by the teams with mega rich owners.
Don’t believe most of what you read and take a deep breath before you jump to easy conclusions and release a tirade at our club.
Well said Rasp: ‘take a deep breath before you jump to easy conclusions’ (however attractive it is).
Being an Arsenal fan is to understand the animal that is Arsenal. Part of that understanding is needing the patience of a saint.
We rarely sign players before pre-season begins because Arsene wants to see his players and analyse them before he goes out and
buys in replacements/additions.
Whilst I am naturally frustrated that other teams are doing their business in a showbiz, razmatazz, sign everyone for lots of money way, that’s not the Arsenal way and that’s the only thing I am truly interested in.
Tunnel vision in the summer holidays is the only way to survive.
WG
It is worth remembering that Arsene is a scientist/alchemist/economist at heart and needs to analyse everything about the team.
He spends his summer trolling through team data from fitness, mentality, growth since last season, suitability and eligibility for next season, financial viability.
All of these things go towards him deciding who to sign. It cannot be rushed or you end up with Juan Sebastian Veron or Massimo Taibi.
WG
@ Rasp 12:04
Cissokho was pretty decent last season, he’s not a shortie either (about 6ft if I remember).
Pretty quick too, I agree that he fits the template of a Arsene signing.
WG
Rasp@1:02 – You’re missing the point. Wouldn’t you agree that after the season we’ve just had ( not to mention the five before that ) Wenger should be being aggressively pro active in the transfer market ? That he should have identified his targets before the end of last season, gotten in EARLY, and have signed at least three by now ? In fact, he himself said he would do his transfer business early in the window this year. So what are we to make of this ?
Instead he says ” All the other clubs are standing still. We’ll WAIT till the end of July, then we’ll strengthen.” End of JULY ?
We all know defence is a top priority. Cahill is the type of player we need. Wenger also said that. Yet we haven’t even PUT IN A BID ? Why not ? Just because no one else has ? Or because ( more likely ) he doesn’t want to pay the going price ? ( nothing new there ) .
Given the urgency, and the pressure mounting on him to win something and show we actually DO have some “ambition” ( an ugly word to some of you ), he hasn’t even MADE A BID ! That’s disgraceful. And it is misleading the fans.Something we have come to expect from him.
Another point ; Wouldn’t a prudent manager have made sure he had a replacement signing lined up, before selling any of his first team players ? Doesn’t that indicate neglect ?
Also, why would a half decent manager, allow the contracts of two of his first teamers to run down ( Nasri and Clichy ) ? Two of the players he wants and has TRIED DESPERATELY , to keep ?
Why does he place youth players on large salaries before they have proved themselves, thus inflating our wage bill ? Why is it that no clubs seem willing to buy our deadwood off us, yet Wenger has played them regularly over the years ? Why is it that top players seem reluctant to join us ( no transfers in )?
Why is it that two players have gone public with their dissatisfaction – i.e. Nasri wanting “to win things”, and Fabregas saying the club “needs to decide if it wants to develop youth, or win trophies” ?
None of this raises questions with you about his competence and judgement ? Think, for God’s sake. The man is in decline.
Afternoon all, thanks for the good wishes yesterday. A couple quotes from Arry down at the lane,
Following the tragic death of the Human Cannonball at the Old Kent Road Show, Arry said “We’ll struggle to get another man of the same calibre.”
To make it worse the chairman told him he had been talking to a proper Gunner about a replacement, Arry exploded, sod that Bleeding Wenger he said,cant you see he just loves aving me over a barrel.Then it got worse he went home to take it out on the Mrs. took her to bed, reached for his liquid Viagra and accidentally swigged from a bottle of Tipex he keeps there. He woke up this morning with a huge correction.
..DanDan….Thank you for lightening the mood in your consummate style 🙂
WG
Spectrum,
Without wanting to sound disrespectful, are you asking us if we agree with you or are you telling us that’s how it is?
Arsene has stated several times in the media in the last few days that he is very active in the transfer market and very busy on the phone.
To quote Arsene further “Its not like a supermarket” .. players aren’t lined up on shelves to buy. you have to do research first on your own team to see if you still have the deficiences you identified pre-summer, or have certain players grown/matured/trained over the summer to get better.
You can’t make those decisions without seeing your players.
The players returned to training on Monday, with certain players having an extra three days with special dispensation.
In this instance Spectrum I would suggest you look to the old wartime saying “keep calm and carry on”. There is plenty of weeks left in the transfer market and looking around Europe there isn’t a whole lot going on.
Noone will sell us a player unless they themselves have a replacement. Therefore the merry-go-round needs to start somewhere and not necessarily with Arsenal.
WG
😆 dandan
SPECTRUM, I’m really not missing the point you are making and if we were living in a fantasy world where we got everything we wanted then I too might reach the conclusion that AW is not doing his job properly.
As it is, we simply don’t know what is going on behind the scenes. AW may well have secured a replacement for Clichy before he was sold.
What we do know is that we don’t have a limitless budget and that the Club, not just the manager, have estalished a sustainable business model that they will not depart from.
If you don’t like that, then OK, it’s your choice, but what you see as ‘the problem’ is not the fault of other supporters who believe differently and wouldn’t be rectified if you converted every one of them to your way of thinking.
AW will not remain manager forever and one day, we will find out how another manager will fare under the same circumstances.
Seems like I’ve missed some fun 😦
Rasp My Wife actually knew Arry as a lad, he lived in Thomas Road Limehouse just round the corner from her.
I am considering getting her sloshed on the champers she has now grown accustomed to, debriefing her and writing an expose to be published on here.
You will of course be expected to pick up the tab for the expense incurred getting this mega feature, which will I have no doubt raise your blogs profile to sit alongside,other top publications like OK magazine and the Spuds Match day programme
Please let me know if you see any problem with this remarkable offer
OK dandan, I’ll sink all my lottery winnings into the project, You can get 2 bottles of Cava for £10 at Tesco.
DanDan,
Are you suggesting ‘Arry “I’m not a wheeler-dealer” Redknapp might have dodgy dealings that you could expose?
Surely the alleged tax-dodging, bargain-bin hunting(not alleged), shite hart lane hero cannot have anything but a completely innocent childhood?
😀
WG
I jest not my friends, my lady wife did indeed know him in his teenage years.
Rasp – (quote ) “and that the Club, not just the manager, have established a sustainable business model that they will not depart from.” It’s this “sustainable business model” that’s constraining the club on the field. It’s why we aren’t able to compete with other clubs in the transfer market to obtain the best players. It’s all very well being financially responsible, but when this takes PRIORITY over ambition and pride in the club’s traditions of success, it’s going too far, and for TOO LONG. Six seasons too long ( and counting ).
Remember that Wenger HAS been given a decent transfer budget for the last two seasons, yet he has stuck too rigidly to the “business model” ( and his own obsessively frugal nature ). He WON’T SPEND even when he NEEDS to ( like now ). Let the board take care of the finances, that’s their role. Wenger’s job is, and should, be to manage the footballing side. The reality is that as long as the board and Wenger put commercial success and profits ahead of silverware, the only cups we’ll see are the ones you dip your teabags in.
If you’re true, passionate Arsenal fans, as you say you are, then you should be rebelling against this philosophy. It’s led to complacency and apathy. Yet you are quite content to “keep the faith” that this situation will all magically change by itself ? This board and management are playing you for suckers, and you just don’t see it.
Good God Spectrum, you still around, I was so sure you would despite all our calming words last week, self combust. Still you patently haven’t. So well done Rasp for having the patience of a Saint. 🙂
Hi Spectrum,
It is in the interest of the board to grow Arsenal globally in the most sustainable way possible, without that their investment will lose considerable value. So no I do not think they “are playing us for suckers”, because it is also imperative to them that the team is successful.
The present owners do not want to throw their own cash around like Chelski and Citeh, although that may happen if they see it as the only way to protect their investment. The aim is to try to match the marketing power of ManUre and I am sure that they are more than aware that success on the pitch is paramount, together with playing style and integrity.
At present they see Arsene as the man to do that and I am happy to go along with that.
Spectrum,
As you are obviously more involved in the inner financial workings and budgets at Arsenal I’m more than pleased to have you putting me straight.
Are you able to tell me to what the actual transfer budget was last season and what was left after the transfers and wages of Koscielny, Chamakh and Squillaci?
Also of course the contract renewals and ridiculous signing on fees?
I’d love to know those numbers, it will really help me understand your point.
Many thanks
WG
Here’s a snippet from an article on goal.com, that supports my points ; “As one boardroom source points out: “If we paid [Abou] Diaby £30,000-a-week rather than £60,000-a-week, then we might be able to give Nasri what he feels he deserves.” Wenger’s willingness in handing out such generous contracts to Diaby and others, like Manuel Almunia, on £50,000-a-week, and Denilson, who is also on £60,000-a-week, has skewed the wage bill in favour of players who have failed to cut the mustard at the expense of those who have.
Furthermore, there are strong doubts within the club whether a single player among the 16 who went out on loan last season will eventually become a regular first-teamer, which, according to the source, “means a third of the wage bill are unproductive”.
Full story here : in handing out such generous contracts to Diaby and others, like Manuel Almunia, on £50,000-a-week, and Denilson, who is also on £60,000-a-week, has skewed the wage bill in favour of players who have failed to cut the mustard at the expense of those who have.
Furthermore, there are strong doubts within the club whether a single player among the 16 who went out on loan last season will eventually become a regular first-teamer, which, according to the source, “means a third of the wage bill are unproductive”.
Is this good management ? Full story here : http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/07/05/2561333/the-arsenal-exodus-why-nasri-clichy-could-be-a-sign-of-things-to-
Excellent post London – particularly the bit where you turned the spotlight away from us and on to our rivals. I hadn’t been thinking of it that way and it was a healthy corrective to be forced to do so.
As you say, the Chavs could face real problems. They came close to meltdown last season and only managed to pull themselves round by force of habit. But the old players are another year older and they could struggle.
Manure were the poorest team to win the EPL since Blackburn and, as you say, they cannot keep defying gravity for ever. Losing Giggs will hurt them (and has Scholes retired too?).
Dandan
“Following the tragic death of the Human Cannonball at the Old Kent Road Show, Arry said “We’ll struggle to get another man of the same calibre.”
I am now wiping the tea off my keyboard, as I had the misfortune to have a mouthful of it when I read that line. Brilliant.
SPECTRUM,
I’m pretty sure that when the Board have come out in the past and said there is money for transfers if the manager wants it, this has been for three reasons,
1. It is good PR
2. They are showing that they support the manager
3. Behind the scenes, they have let him know that they’d rather he didn’t spend it.
London
Going back to the point about our rivals, I would not be surprised to see Citeh win the EPL next season.
We will have a serious chance if we can resolve the mental problems.
Spectrum, of course our sustainable business model constrains us, otherwise it would not be sustainable. What do you want us to do: spent like Chelsea and MC, and don’t care about our financial position? More to the point: what is your proof that being financially responsible means we are not ambitious and have no pride in the club’s tradition of success. What is your proof that we are not active in the transfer market when we have more than 50 days to go? Do you know our manager, does he talk to you? What is your proof that Wenger was given a decent transfer budget over the last two years? What is your proof that Wenger and BoD are complacent and apathetic? You are just a willing victim of the media: believing everything negative you hear, because you want to hear it, because you have said it all along, have you not?
Our strategy has been to both develop talent and buy ‘ready to roll players’ who will also further develop. Every year we have been making progress, in terms of growing this team. We are not there yet, but not far away either. We don’t need to buy top-top players at the moment, we need to add cleverly two or three players in key positions to make the final push. You might not disagree with this, and that is fine. Clearly Wenger believes so and I have no doubt about his qualities, vision, ambition and desire to get us there again. He is not faultless, but he is still the best man for the job.
Take a deep breath and don’t jump to conclusions you are not privileged to make at this stage. If the situation is unchanged at the end of the transfer window, by all means come back and call those of us with an open mind ‘suckers’ again, and tell us you told us so all along. In the meantime, there are plenty of blogs out there where you can feel at home, where it is black and gloomy, cold and bitter, where you can express your hatred of Wenger and the BoD, and everybody will agree with you. By all means keep visiting AA as well, but just substantiate your claims with fact rather than pure gut feelings, and show some respect to other bloggers (in your tone of writing). You could start by answering the questions above.
SPECTRUM @ 3:31
I’m afraid I give no credence whatsoever to any offering from goal.com. Every headline is sensational hitmongering, I would be surprised if one in 20 stories had any truth to them.
Wigan Gooner@3.08 – Glad you asked. See my post at 3.31. That is not from me, but a board member himself. The gist of it is that if we reduced our wage bill by paying the youth and deadwood on their ACTUAL value instead of their POTENTIAL value, we would have more wages available to spend on the big name QUALITY signings ( Cahill, anyone ? ) that you A.K.B.’s are so frightened will “bankrupt” the club.
Anything else I can do for you, Wigan Gooner ? Perhaps remind you of the 6.5% ticket increase that may not have been necessary, had a certain Monsieur Wenger been more efficient at handling contract negotiations ?
Sorry, can’t be bothered to join in the back-and-forth with Spectrum. Fair play to him for fighting his corner without being rude, but I’m still coming down from holiday mode and not in the mood for conflict…
On Clichy replacements, I’m surprised that Bridge was never mooted as part of the deal. I know he has his critics, but he’s no less reliable than Clichy.
Hi Rocky,
It must have been some holiday! Did you go fishing for Marlin – or was it just Rum consumption?
SPECTRUM,
Rocky is right, it’s time to agree to disagree – life’s too short!
No fishing Rasp.
Rum, margaritas, pina coladas, wine and beer!
Then I really went for it on day Two.
Rocky
I agree with you about city but it didn’t seem right to give them a pat on the back in a headline post, I also agree with you about our chances, getting the heads right is certainly key.
The second someone refers to Goal.com as a serious point of reference all credibility is lost and when I say lost I mean forever.
A little boy wanted £100.00 very badly and prayed for weeks, but nothing happened .
He then decided to write a letter to God requesting the £100.
When the postal authorities received the letter addressed to God, England they decided to send it to Prime Minister David Cameron
Cameron was so amused that he instructed his secretary to send the little boy a £5 note. He thought this would appear to be a lot of money to a little boy.
The little boy was delighted with the £5 and sat down to write a thank-you note to God, which read:
Dear God: Thank you very much for sending the money.. However, I noticed that for some reason you sent it through 10 Downing Street and that lousy bastard took £95 in taxes
I was just going to mention using goal .com etc. Thanks london.
I am trying to get Red Arse out of his hiding, he likes a joke or two
Regarding the Wenger bashing thats going on some blogs , fellow fans keep saying that Arsenal is not about Wenger and still they have to bash him in almost each and every post .Isn’t that contradictory?
The bashing is used as a form of debate
Players wages …… No one except the player, the agent, the Arsenal Board, Arsene and payroll clerk know the truth.
Apparently Clichy was on less than £40k a week, Diaby on £60k doesn’t ring true.
If anyone can find me a report from a named source that documents these wages I’d be interested to see it.
Spectrum one question…..do you remember what happened to Leeds? I’ll take sustainability thanks.
@ Spectrum 15:44
My sincerest apologies Spectrum, but it appears that like any good politician without an answer you haven’t actually answered my question at all. You have merely deflected it by suggesting it is up to a board member to answer.
Considering how frugal Arsenal are in the transfer market, I agree there are over-inflated wages for certain personnel. This is a protection method to retain players who Arsene feels are valuable to the team.
Do you argue that we should then not offer Nasri 90k a week?
You have to pay over the odds sometimes to retain talent that you hope will blossom, that’s the risk you take when trying to tie down a squad for 5 years whilst you move stadium.
I’m sorry you are so disenfranchised with Arsenal FC. It must be a joyless existence for you to see only negatives. That leads to depression and eventually suicide. In your case I hope you see the light.
WG
The oficial site have just released the first pictures from the training ground.
All the usual suspects are there including Almunia,Traore,Bendtner Eboue, but no sign of Nasri or Cesc (although he was reported as being there)
Then how is it that this other particular blog claims to know what Diaby,Denilson & Walcott earn and then keeps roundly criticizing them saying that they don’t deserve those wages?
@ Spectrum 15:44 – addendum..
Also, you suggest that Arsene should have been more frugal in his contract negotiations. Surely it isn’t his job to do the negotiating? That is one of Ivan Gazidis’s jobs.
You can’t criticise a man for not doing a great job when it isn’t his job.
It’s like criticising bullets for killing people. Edelman didn’t get involved in player contracts because he didn’t know football or player values. He is a businessman who helped orchestrate the financing of the Emirates.
If I’m being honest, perhaps Arsene was too soft in giving out contracts of certain values, but a manager will always be more invested in a player than a Board member and will always give in to make the player happy because he feels he needs him.
WG
@ Spectrum – in conclusion
I’m not an “Arsene knows best” either. I am a loyal Arsenal fan and I love the club and will do until I die.
I can’t show you the love, it just is.
WG
Spectrum minor point but Nasri has said its not about the money so your posting an article from goal is pointless and actually not the best source of info
WiganGooner @4:42pm
Another thing to add to your comment , for foreign youth players to come into another country , they need that extra incentive to make sure that they are doing the right thing by leaving the comfort of their home country to move into England. English player are over hyped and overpaid. Their true class shows when they play in the national teams. Partly the reason why Wenger chooses to get players from outside and also carefully selects players . I read somewhere on the brilliant YoungGuns blog that we have some rule which does not allow us to sign players if they are not within 90 minutes of travel time for training unlike Spain for example where its clubs can get players from anywhere within the country as well as outside.
Wigan !!!!!!!!! “It must be a joyless existence for you to see only negatives. That leads to depression and eventually suicide. In your case I hope you see the light.”
Micky, what’s the number for Samaritans?
Evonne 🙂 I’m sorry, I was being over-dramatic 😀
Its the closet actor in me 🙂 hehehhe
WG
Pssshhhh….I am the drama queen 🙂
The Tevez story gets thicker and thicker. The only reason I care is our Club, without Tevez City are stuffed and the League is ours
I don’t get ‘fans’ like Spectrum. Do you own a season ticket or pay to go to games (if not what does 6.5% mean to you anyway)? I don’t get why a REAL Arsenal fan would come on a blog and slag off the team he SUPPORTS. I’m a true fan. I get upset with various things, but at the end of the day I’ll support Arsenal til I die no matter who the manager is or who is playing for the team…. within reason!
@ Sid,
Hear hear, totally agree
WG
Top comment Sid
Very well played London, no sheepish hideaway comments at 3.00am for your admission. Straight in with a headline post.
Carlito – “the way he often seemed to drive the team forward” & “aggression and a desire”. You’ve got to love Gael for both of those reasons, and whilst I honestly do, I’m not sorry to see him go. As others have alluded to – we need a left back who has a sleepless night for letting a cross in from his side.
Wigan Gooner – That’s the problem. What makes anyone on here think I’m any less of an Arsenal, REPEAT, ARSENAL supporter, simply because I don’t approve of the manager, his style, methods and character flaws ? And voice my honest feelings and views about him ? ( Oh, and the board, also ). And not think I appreciate what he did for us in the past ? Emphasise ; THE PAST.
A.K.B.’s consider Wenger to BE the club. And anyone who thinks or claims differently is a heretic. A disloyal traitor. A Spuds supporter, e.t.c. They’re so hypnotised by him, that they have lost all sense of perspective. They can’t recall life at the club BEFORE him, or conceive of life AFTER him. It’s become a cult of worship for them.
I am an objective independent thinking person. I make my own assessments. Draw my own conclusions. And therefore, I won’t be bullied into accepting lack of ambition, mismanagement, and complacency by the board and Wenger. We are a big club, and a proud club. But that won’t be the case much longer, until change occurs.
“In Arsene we rust.”
Guys,
If we accept that we’re all Arsenal supporters, then the reason for the different approaches is simply down to the kind of people we are …. I blame the parents 🙄
SPECTRUM,
No-one on here is trying to bully you. We don’t like cheap tags – AKB, In Arsene we rust etc etc.
I think it is clear that you are the more bullish of the bloggers in this debate, we are just calmly explaining why we don’t agree with all you say.
As I said before, time to agree to differ
That’s not a bad comment apart from the last line which is so childish.
Not you Rasp, Spectrum, lol
Rasp mate..
being calm an polite is very well,but i think you should appreciate that a growing horde of Gooners are getting sick and tired of the way The Arsenal are being run at the moment..after all most Gooners wants a succesful and ambitious Arsenal team…that You think all is dandy at The Arsenal..well thats Your opinion..which You are entitiled to of course…
but be aware of the fact that wenger and the board are loosing the fans rapidly…
and me well im just a simple man Rasp,still im a Gooner for life nomatter what, that however doesnt mean im very happy at the moment…in fact i am very angry with the way wenger and hilly woody has run Our Beloved Arsenal lately…and gazidis is in my humble opinion a joke …what have that man proved..?? tying up contracts is surely not his strong point..
for me there is inly one solution and that is like a member(former) of the Board stated…get rid of em all…and wenger well your time is up…in my opinion You have no trust whatsoever…
and when a part of Your players have stopped trusting you too,well its over wenger…get out and please never come back..
.
London – My catchphrase is merely a statement of how I feel about the club under the current administration. It’s a bold declaration I’m making. It’s not intended to be “funny”, or witty e.t.c.
I could use “In Arsene we stagnate”, if you prefer. Means the same thing. Why do I keep using it ? Because I believe it to be true, and it is being proved more and more relevant with the passing of each season.
“In Arsene we rust.”
Hi tomstoned,
I completely appreciate that there are a lot of unhappy supporters out there (I’m far from happy about a few things)and you are well aware of the site that indulges their fervour.
Blogs are used as an outlet for frustration as much as anything, so you have a choice of going on a site where everyone will agree and you can be as extreme as you like, or you can come on here and accept that you will get a different kind of response.
tomstoned @6;20 – Thankyou. And well said.
“In Arsene wwe rust.”
SPECTRUM,
Why do you persist in the ridiculous catch line when we have all told you it detracts from your the gravity of your comments?
At 5:53 I explained that we don’t appreciate cheap tags. The fact that you persist suggests to me that you are here because you enjoy the conflict otherwise you would be offering your opinions to a more receptive audience.
Rasp mate..
agreed every Gooner are entitled to their own opinion,have a great evening…
and as i said earlier my reason for commenting today was simple..dont slag off clichy, who was a world class defender when we played 4-4-2,so i do think citeh actually bought what could easily be a fantastic player for them playing the way they are under mancini…
i rate clichy as a top class defender but lately have played for a team that didnt suit him very well..
and Rasp..how badly do we miss The Arsenal playing 4-4-2 with players who stood up for a fight…and never caved in…my oh my
.
Spectrum, I didn’t say you weren’t a fan I just said I don’t get ‘fans’ who just slag off their team. Personally I think the club is being run well. We may have lost 3 cup finals in the last 6 years, but to me that shows we are close. Unlucky some might say. Your whole mantra that Wenger is ruining the club just does not ring true from a rational perpective. From the perspective of a tabloid headline maybe… In the real world Arsenal are a very well run club with very good prospects no matter what the Sun (or Goal.com.. ha) might say. I guess in this situation you have two options to get over your disillusionment: a) stop watching football b) support another team. No disrespect, I just think that would be easier than hating the thing you’re meant to love.
Thanks tomstoned,
I’d really like to see us try 4:4:2 again (against the right opposition) but it is unlikely unless we are going to have a change of ethos as well as personnel.
Rasp – have you read my post at 6;24 ? If so, then why do you allow a simple catchphrase to affect you so much ? With respect – you must have a short attention span. Why let it distract you from the issues, and the points I put forward ?
If you chose to use a catchphrase like “In Arsene we trust.” or even “In Arsene we lust.”, I wouldn’t agree with it, but it wouldn’t get to me. Chill out, please.
Sid26;43 – Read my earlier post again. I DON’T hate the thing I love ( the club, I presume you mean ).
I have lost respect ( I actually once had ) for the people who are running it. And to a lesser extent the CURRENT team that plays for it . Separate the two. Can you do that ?
“In Arsene we rust.”
To diffuse the tension somewhat….has anyone else been watching England v Japan in the WWC?
Bardsley the English ‘keeper is awesome, we should sign her for the mens team, tenacious, excellent at punching crosses…..really really good player.
Women to be able to play in the mens game…..discuss…:D
WG
@ Spectrum 7:05
My last comment on the matter but it seems your respect for the Board is rather fickle, aren’t you appreciative of their efforts in building and moving Arsenal to the Emirates?
Arsenal do not have a god-given right to win the league every season, even if we had the best 11 players in the world it’s not guaranteed.
Thank you for your debate though, its refreshing to see someone as stubborn as I am 😀
WG
Hey Spectrum, so you decided not to respond to my comment @3.39. No surprise there at all. You’re full of air, just love to rant and listen to your own ‘voice’. That’s fine with me mate, I will not have anything to do with you anymore.
WiganGooner@7;08 – My last post, too. Of course I’m appreciative. But the move was made (supposedly) so we could compete in the transfer market, wasn’t it ? So why didn’t we last season, and so far this ? Why haven’t we even made a bid for Cahill ? It’s about profits. Finishing in the top 4. That’s not success, that’s complacency.
We don’t have a god given right, no. But we could, and should, be making a proper attempt at it, shouldn’t we ? The evidence says otherwise.
Fair play to you too. Thankyou and cheers.
“In Arsene we rust.”
Spectrum it’s really not worth wasting my time with you. I think you’re a spurs fan deep down. It’s all just sour grapes. Up the Arsenal!
Graham Hunter on 5 live is saying that so disgruntled is Cesc, with Arsenal he just wants out but Barca cannot afford him.
Therefor do not be surprised if he goes to city or Madrid anywhere that will pay the fee. AW has said he can go and named his fee and will stick to it, who ever pays it can have him.
In Arsene we rust…………are you 12 years old?
He says he is training on his own and has told people in Spain that though he wants Barca, if they wont pay the fee he will go to someone who will, he just wants away, if its true very sad.
London you summed up Spectrum completely on I think Saturday, have not bothered to talk with him since. Sad fellow that he is.
Graham Hunter was one of the two who said this time last year that Cesc will definitely be leaving. I can only assume he works the percentages: if he says every close season that Cesc is leaving then one day he will get it right. In the mean time most people think of him as a fat bald tosser which is probably fair.
London dont mince your words say what you mean please. 🙂
TotalArsenal@7.15 – It’s early morning here ( 2.43 a.m. ) in Australia. Time for some shuteye. I’ll take up your challenge on another day.
“In Arsene we rust.”
I despair when people target Arsene as the cause of all the problems at Arsenal. The players under-performed at crucial points of the season, Arsene can’t stop that. The board putting the prices up, Arsene can’t stop that. Maybe there is a club-related reason why Arsene waits so long in the summer.
Perhaps they don’t release the transfer funds until they get their Sky money for next season?
There is so much that we don’t know and that is why I can’t get negative about Arsene because I can see him working hard to get it right.
He has made mistakes, but he has also got a whole lot right.
WG
And with “fans” like you we are definitely bust
Dan Dan…top form today. Many thanks
“Please let me know if you see any problem with this remarkable offer” 🙂
Might of guessed he was a disillusioned Aussie. Any one who has visited there, of employed a number of them and I have done both, would know that it has become an increasingly common trait among some, (not all of course) young Aussies under 35.
No doubt some of our other Aussie contributers would confirm that.
One wonders London why he is so hung up on a season ticket increase 🙂 perhaps he pops over for the odd game.
I do wish you’d fuck right off with that shite Spectrum, I really do.
You seem to think its annoying because we’re all blinkered pro Wengerites with our heads stuck in the sand.
No its just that any dull phrase repeated enough soon starts to only serves to bemuse and confuse, then annoy, then generate anger.
We’re now in the ‘generate anger’ phase.
If I ended every single post with ‘cmon you rip roaring gunners’ most people would start to question my sanity. Today you start off not using it, then revert to type seemingly just to get a more volatile reaction. That’s pretty odd.
Maybe you’re trolling. I’d be happy to know you were, cos otherwise it just doesn’t make sense that you can sit up til 3am typing what you do, without realising how unwelcome you are becoming. I say ‘becoming’, but for me its a done deal.
Nasri comes back tomorrow. Cesc still has a hamstring problem so won’t be training. 😉
So Spectrum you are an armchair fan from a distant time zone. Nice one.
DanDan,
I suppose if you add that 6.5% increase with the odd £1500 return flight it does become a bit expensive…..
😀
WG
Sid – “I don’t get why a REAL Arsenal fan would come on a blog and slag off the team he SUPPORTS”
How do I do a salute icon..??
Wigan: No doubt he has not recovered from the Ashes 🙂
Fair enough Spectrum – I would appreciate that 🙂
Well Spectrum has some explaining to do… 😉
Rasp, Peaches, any news from RA?
Redders
If you’re out there can you put up a comment.
We haven’t heard from you since 9.58am on Saturday and we’re getting a bit worried.
Not to me he doesn’t TA.
Fingers crossed he’ll not be back, cos I just can’t see how he can transform into a useful contributor based on everything I know of him so far.
Sharkey, I can only assume he is on hols or on a work project or something in Australia, otherwise he has made himself look very silly.
Sharkey @ 8pm – 🙂 🙂 you!!
In Arsene trust we must 🙂 that’s my new signature
Nice to see you
to see you nice
Is it safe to come in?
NO, the war is on! Spectrum vs Arsenal fans, the score so far 0:8 (Sharkey had a hat trick)
Shit, forgot to sign my last comment
‘In Arsene trust we must’.
‘Because of Evonne, we won’ 😉
I’m worried about Song. I read that he’s been arrested for maliscious wounding. That is a very serious offence and can be a prison sentence even for a first offence. Has anyone read anything from a reputable xource?
It’s the way I tell em
You said it yourself TA, we’ve had a few new ‘faces’ come on in the last few days, and pretty much everyone receives a warm welcome, and all we ask is for a bit of common courtesy back.
Its really not too complicated or difficult.
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing many new faces here, and nearly all are regarded as friends now. Its odd cos I never thought I’d have cyber friends
Alright ETL
Your signature is a little bemusing and confusing at the moment. 😉
I’m wondering if it will soon start to annoy me, if overused..??
In time it might even start to generate some anger from me.
And I deffo never thought I’d have cybers friends that I’d go a little out of my way to actually meet in person.
I think theres’ around ten that I’ve met now, mostly all on the same day, bar Rasp and Peaches whom I’d also met once before.
I’m in love with Peaches
Sharkey – ha ha ha, tough, I like it 🙂
‘In Arsene trust we must’.
GM. I read that it was a scuffle that his bodyguards have put down as them ‘protecting their employer’. Its a dead case from what I can tell.
Its annoying me a little now ETL.
At this point you should probably start telling me why I shouldn’t find that statement (or you) annoying.
I think thats how it usually works.
Sharkey, it is a funny thing cyber friends. The more we correspond with each other the more we develop a picture of the other person, including what somebody looks like, even though in most cases we have not even seen a photograph of that person.
The picture in our head is of course almost definitely incorrect, but somehow my brain needs an image, however vague it is.
See, now you have said you are in love with Peaches, I somehow get a picture of a Olivia Newton John wrapped in a pink and soft-orange jogging outfit, working the garden of a new house. It is your fault Sharkey! 😆
Thanks Sharkey. Someone I know shot the pictures of the new kit for nike and said Song was really laid back so It did seem a bit weird.
TA
Peaches is far more sexier than that. And I’ve nmet both of them. 🙂
Wow GM, then you are a lucky man 🙄 !
Second that gm!
…er, not that I’ve met Olivia Neutron Bomb, but I did see the Grease movie…
“Arse is the word,
It’s the word that you heard,
It’s got groove it’s got meaning…”
Peaches, Rasp
I’ve put a post in drafts.
Rocky
I haven’t really met her but she signed an autograph for me and I put my hand on her waist (I was 14!) That was when she was a country singer.
Rocky 🙂
Do you ever watch any Canadian footy? I have heard somewhere that Aaron Winter (once a player for Ajax, Dutch national team) is the manager of Toronto FC??
Steady on GM. That is quite a claim to fame though.
TA
Have been to see Toronto FC a few times.
Good atmos but the footy is about League One standard.
When you’re used to caviar (Arsenal), sardines are hard to take…
I’m off now. See you all later
Hi Rocky, now you are based up there, I guess you have little choice but to get used to the taste of tinned Sardines. It will only make the caviar taste better if and when you can see the mighty Arse live.
I was thinking of googling “Red Arse” in the hope he has posted elsewhere since Saturday but then i realised the search results might not be exactly what i was expecting…….I had visions of revisiting 1man1jar.
Maybe I’ll get the last word of the night.
The fact is that I am in total disagreement with Spectrum.
I am oldest poster on this site, I’ve seen more games than any of you and experienced more ups and downs – none of which makes me better – but most certainly more knowledgeable,
Because of my diverse opinions, and the way in which state them, I am not particularly well liked by the incumbents. Which in turn causes me no loss of sleep.
However the reason for my discontent tonight is all wrapped up in the way you all treat Spectrum.
You see when a new poster appears with opinions that are radically different from the site “ethos” then the newbie gets the “old boy’s treatment” and is berated and belittled in an attempt to get him to change his posting style to agree with the “ethos”
Folks; Spectrum has an opinion which he believes to be right, I totally disagree with his opinion, but I am not so disagreeable that I would treat him with the pompus disdain that he has experienced.
AA needs to learn that it is not always right and that not all of us enjoy a “peaches and cream“ Sunday school conservation – you see some of us like to tell it like it is and not how you would like it to sound.
Life is not a bowl of cherry`s – unfortunately it`s also full of Spuds – if you get my drift…………..
In Arsene I believe
In Spectrum I say lighten up a little
In AA’s Old Brigade I say watch out for the rust it can erode your site away…………………….
Incoming flak expected……………..
Gunner 5 I am not far behind you age wise and because of your time abroad have quite possibly seen more of the Arsenal live than you have. Neither of which makes my opinion worth more than anybody else’s.
Yes of course people are allowed their own opinion. But it is the aggressive manner that some people like Spectrum and dare I say it “you” adopt, that causes the dissent. Remember freedom is only freedom until it is abused. We are all capable of being contentious, aggressive, self seeking and god elp us boring. Hobby horses like Spectrum’s should be left in the nursery, unfortunately that rarely happens.
Your picture of yourself as the arbiter and a bastion of free speech, is about as convincing and IMHO insulting, as our red tops spouting public interest, whilst printing abject nonsense or worse still hacking the private mail boxes of individuals for salacious tit bits.
In other words 5 lighten up, stop tarring us all with the same brush and accept that there are sites that do feed on contentious bull shit and aggressive abusive disagreements, thankfully this is not one of them. Neither is it cartel for self congratulatory yes men as you regularly intimate. But a forum for Arsenal fans of diverse opinion but common respect for each other. Which incidentally embraced you and your senior status immediately when you first joined us
Oh and in passing I have not met any of the posters in person, only just like you, spoken to a couple on the phone and by private E mail.
Two superb comments, unsurprisingly I suspect I fall behind the latter.
(The site) Which incidentally embraced you and your senior status immediately when you first joined us.
This is so true.
It certainly embraced me, I spend more time here than on my own website
WG
😀 WG
Morning all.
I kept off the site yesterday except to mention who was and who was not at training, but everyone seemed to be engulfed with Spectrum.
I think Rasp and others were extremely patient with him, as the only objection was not his views but his repeated signing off sentence.he was at the same time doing exactly the same thing at the same time on ACLF.
GunnerN5, my friend there is no inner circle on here I assure you.Go onto any other site and post a comment and usually one will be totally ignored or worse still told to feck off.
We couldn’t be more liberal than we are and encourage good debate a bit of fun but above all respect and curtesy for one another.
if one doesn’t like a comment the easy option is to ignore it.
It’s not easy running a site with having to put up a new post every day especially at the moment when rumours and gossip about Arsenal are giving the media a field day, every day.
I have no control as to what is published or not but if I or any of the other moderators see a comment that is disrespectful or not in keeping with the ethos of the site,it will be removed.
I hope this clarifies things.
Chas – chicken 🙂 I know how you feel, I wish I could push the words back into my mouth as soon as they come out 🙂
Thanks, K.
Evonne, I had 1 over the 8 last night. I’m not usually that childish…..ok, maybe I am. 🙂
These pics of AW made me laugh. Absolutely perfect for the haters, but revealing that DD is there. (If the photos are current, of course).
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3679274/Is-Arsene-Wenger-splashing-out-in-Europe.html#comment-rig
evonne – I’ll lend you my trash button shall I 🙂
Morning all
How are we today ……………..
Morning all
The story about Real Madrid stepping up the race to sign Cesc are beginning to annoy me. Why would Real even try to sign Fabregas?? Hasn’t anyone told them that his boyhood dream was to play for Barca, not Barca’s biggest rivals??
Surely a footballer has a final say, they are not commodities that go to a higher bidder. I guess this is just another invention from the idle journos
Peaches – you KNOW what I am like, God forgot to give me instructions how to live Iife 😦
You sound perky this morning 🙂
London – thankyou for your very enjoyable post, if you eat the scarf you won’t be able to swing from it so I’d suggest marinade it and stick it on the bbq 😆
I’m feeling quite optimistic, peaches. Haven’t got a clue why. I suppose each new season we start afresh and no-one knows what might happen. That element of following a football team always excites me.
I felt soooooo ill yesterday and basically dragged myself around doing all the things that were necessary but today I feel fine so probably a bit too exuberant 😛
I’ll tell you why chas …………… it’s a very small seven days until we can watch our team play again …………….. next Wednesday is the game against Malaysia ………….. I know I know it means nothing but I’ve really missed them
Could RA have gone on a restorative little holiday break without announcing it?
Did you see the pic of Eboue and Miyaichi at training? That made me smile too.
Thanks for that , peaches. Didn’t realise it was so soon. Feel even better. The Malaysia game is on Arsenal player isn’t it? Our season tickets are in my brother’s names. Can I get in using membership number and password?
Chas – me too. I think I already told the story how I went to the first game of the season 2007 some 4 hours early, because I couldn’t wait. First game (v Fulham), first minute and Lehmann’s famous howler nearly killed me. All the summer I was waiting for that game and he has done that to me!!
I believe the Malaysia game is on at 1.00 AM english time.
Hi chas – yes membership no and password. Arsenal player runs all the time so you could have a try at it whenever you fancy. There’s some great footage on there – worth a dip in at any time.
I loved that pic of Eboue and Miyachi too. Whatever we think of Eboue as a footballer he’s a great character isn’t he ………
Have I said something wrong 🙂
Hello kelsey – I didn’t know if you were still about. No, you definitely haven’t said anything wrong on the contrary you have said absolutely the right thing and dandan too. Thankyou to you both xx
Chas – those pictures of Arsene on holidays – is it David Dein on the last one with Wenger???
Morning Kelsey xx
kelsey – what’s the mood in the Spanish press about Cesc possibly being snapped up by Real Madrid?
Rubbish peaches, I believe he will be at barca within a week.
I hope I am wrong but I wouldn’t put it past AW to put Vermaelen at left back(where he played for Ajax) and then only buy one central defender and have Gibbs as reserve.
I have a lot to say about why the media are linking nearly all our good players with a move,something I have never seen before in one Summer. It can’t all be idle gossip or headline articles just for hits.Why is Kroenke deafening by his silence.Many more questions I feel need answering but I still maintain that Wenger is the mouthpiece for the BoD and that there is unrest in the camp as never before.
This is my opinion and my opinion only
Thanks peaches. Tried it and it works so I’m all set. 🙂
Yes, Evonne, that’s DD. Perhaps Kelsey has secret info regarding has AW’s holiday schedule inc. travelling companions. 🙂
looks like Arsene have read Rocky’s post about vacation.
https://arsenalarsenal.wordpress.com/2011/04/26/wenger-should-go-%E2%80%93-and-here%E2%80%99s-where-to%E2%80%A6/
that explain why our transfer rate is as slow as Almunia’s departure.
chas, Dein was with Wenger on holiday, I know no more but of course Daniel dein is cesc’s agent.All a bit too cosy for my liking.
Well remembered johnQ 🙂
Where are the pics of AW and DD on holiday?
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