They all reached that magical age of 30!
We had Keown, Winterburn, Dixon, Adams, Bergkamp, and Ian Wright, all played well into their 30’s and I have to say playing their best football, look at Maldini and Zidane.
The only reason Wenger wants youngsters is so they can dominate for ten years, then they’d be what? 30!
Trouble is they get to 24 and sod off, so the experiment is shite, it doesn’t work, look at those that have left, Anelka, Flamini, Hleb, Overmars, Reyes and now Ade.
And those that don”t even get to 24 Aliadiere, Sidwell, Muamba, Larsson, Stokes, I’m not saying they were great, but they all ate away at the wage structure and all came with high hopes.
Change the script Arsene, it’s not working.
Yes you get them cheap, but you pay them top wages to come, so with all the kids we have our wage bill is huge, so are they really cheap? I think not, then after years of watching them fumble their way around a pitch, they bugger off (Flamini) or go to the Olympics (Song) the last time a player did that by the way (Brazil game) was Edu, then he rarely played again until he went on a free, because you had the hump with him.
Then when players near the magical age they get thrown out, we need the experience, but we throw them out, unless of course they are French (Gallas) the point here is when they get to 27, they see their last chance for a payday because they know they only have 3 years left before Arsenal dump them.
Look at those we lost, Pires, Henry, Viera, Campbell, Ralph and now Gilberto, when you’re chasing trophies, it helps to have an experienced head, what have we left now? A sulky bastard that when the going gets tough, sits on the pitch and throws wobblies.
I wish I had an answer for why you are obsessed with youth, we know it’s not money because when they get good you have to pay them and those you buy young aren’t that cheap, Theo was £12mil (revised because the Saints got into trouble so don’t claim that one) and Ramsey was £5 mil, plus all the hundreds of £3 mil kids knocking around, it all adds up.
Finally how many of these kids make it? How many FA Youth cups do we win? Are these kids that good?
On that note a big thank you to Gilberto, one of my favourites and a great example of my experience bitch. You’ll be missed!
I don’t mean to sound negative but I can remember when the team was a little older and we probably had a much lower wage bill, so give it some thought, at least we won the odd trophy!
Barry is now back at the Villa skulking around no doubt and feeling a little humble, so the stage could be set to bring him to Arsenal, maybe add Santa Cruz or Huntelaar and get rid of the Togo twat, either that or bung him in the stiffs and sell him in the January transfer window.
He made it clear he’s only bothered about himself, so we should return the compliment, send a message to the rest of the team too, oh and junk Hleb the same way.
Radical? I know, but it’s time to make a stand Arsene, time to stand up to the pay packet bullies!
Way over 550 comments Grovers, what happens when we start playing football eh?
July 16, 2008 at 9:07 am
1st?
July 16, 2008 at 9:07 am
1
July 16, 2008 at 9:07 am
1st?
July 16, 2008 at 9:07 am
8th !
July 16, 2008 at 9:08 am
4th!
July 16, 2008 at 9:08 am
(2nd) 1st !!
July 16, 2008 at 9:08 am
oh fark, missed it just
July 16, 2008 at 9:08 am
Joint first……… that does me !!!!
July 16, 2008 at 9:08 am
Sorry chaps… McDonalds WiFi let me down…
July 16, 2008 at 9:08 am
Arrggh, damn you 53rd 1st then
July 16, 2008 at 9:08 am
Now let me read it
July 16, 2008 at 9:08 am
With you there Bud
July 16, 2008 at 9:09 am
This is quite sad really……….. has anyone caught on, we get up to 240 odd posts jostling for first spot before we start the days debating or even read the blog !!!!!!
July 16, 2008 at 9:09 am
Now read the post… it’s a good’un!
July 16, 2008 at 9:10 am
1st
July 16, 2008 at 9:11 am
A ha first is first 2nd is nowhere!
Reading on SSN were in for alonso now? Lol
July 16, 2008 at 9:14 am
I recall saying this when someone mentioned making an example of a player and Iwas trying to think of a manager who’d done that recently.
I’d like it to be Wenger but you know what he’ll say when another of our prodigies has his customary 1 good season after 2 crap seasons…” he wants to further his career and if he wants to leave you have to respect that”
July 16, 2008 at 9:15 am
the youth does not cost us that much. We also get a lot for the players we sell on.
We got money for Muamba, twice now, Pennant, Bentley, Sidwell etc.
There is talk that James Harper’s move to Boro is being delayed as we are due half of the fee, plus this will be the same for Bentley’s 17 mill move to Spurs or Villa.
The bigggest problem is when players leave on a free like Campbell, Wiltord, Edu and now Flamini.
Transfer fees may be a thing of the past soon, with all of the money going to the “slave” player and not the club.
July 16, 2008 at 9:16 am
Shiver me timbers, and Rodger the cabin boy!
The reason why we don’t win any FA Yoof cups is because all the youth players are playing in the first fucking team, welcome to el cheapo productions aka Arsenal FC.
July 16, 2008 at 9:17 am
Exactamundo Geoff!! AW’s experiment is fucked, and he should stop dragging us on it. He can go manage the reserves if he’s all into youngsters.
July 16, 2008 at 9:19 am
We make make the odd few million when we sell them, but don’t forget we buy them in the first place and pay them huge wages, when you multiply that against 20 odd kids, that’s a lot of money.
July 16, 2008 at 9:20 am
Mark C - Don’t you believe it fella, there’s so many of them that the percentage figure of our total wage bill allotted to youth and junior players si astronomical. Mainly because we’ve got so many of the fuckers, but also because we pay more than any other club at that stage of their careers, fucking insane!
July 16, 2008 at 9:21 am
Nice post pedro….perfect there.
i still dont get the reason of selling gilberto… you will be missed berto
‘Lost In Transition’ is what i would call.
I doubt if we will ever come out of this transition, wenger buy kids, kids perform well, we miss out on torphies, clubs come calling to buy are players (once a kid), we sell them and buy new kids……… and it goes on
and the next season is gonna be ours…
July 16, 2008 at 9:22 am
Hell, defending our shit performance with - ‘we got a young team’ was fashionable two seasons ago, now its a pathetic excuse. And this is a football club, not a property company.
July 16, 2008 at 9:23 am
Mark C……….
just 1 question?
what is Arsenal Fc?
a football club or a business entity?
July 16, 2008 at 9:26 am
God I hate it when Wenger says “We lacked maturity” - well you (and your over 30’s policy) flogged off all the players who had any, WTF do you expect ?!
July 16, 2008 at 9:27 am
Geoff what you say makes sense and the more mature players know their shelf life is shorter -maybe had a few knocks mentally as well as physically and know the world doesnt owe them a living or a guaranteed position in a team .This isnt just about money though its experience and maturity Its like the old joke about the old and young bull standing at the top of the hill and the young bull says lets run down the hill and fuck one of those cows at the bottom of the hill .The old bull says why dont we just stroll down the hill and fuck the lot of them .
Good post for a pre season debate Geoff
July 16, 2008 at 9:28 am
Exactly Slimshady - why on earth is a football club pretending to be an estate agency - or the yanks call it “Realtor” or something. If you loose your focus then you sow the seeds of your own demise.
July 16, 2008 at 9:29 am
Hey everyone, it’s Mike! welcome back Mike, tell me more about the cows!!!
July 16, 2008 at 9:30 am
The youth policy got us Fab4, RvP and TW14 admitedly. But its gonna land Dkembe Dkembe, pay him 10k p/w, then we’ll be in some shit.
And the argument about Ade being as good as RvP based on stats- crap. Anyone who’s seen Robin play will tell you he’s actually more class than Torres. Or at least I’ve seen so.
July 16, 2008 at 9:31 am
Welcome back Mike…!
Morning everyone!
Good post Geoff… I understand your concerns.
Gilberto may not have had the edge last year, but it is hard when you’ve been dethroned and you only get the odd ten minutes at the end of a game.
He may not have been able to run as far as eboue, but at least he knew how to close off a game… how to win a trophy type of thing.
There are no leaders in the team anymore… we really do need to make a purchase now.
July 16, 2008 at 9:31 am
geoff Bullocks !
July 16, 2008 at 9:32 am
I’d have Alonso if we don’t get Barry, but we need one now, we lost Diarra, Flamini and Gilberto with none in.
July 16, 2008 at 9:32 am
Slim… spot on. RvP is an amazing player and if he can string together 10 games, he’ll show his worth.
I wouldn’t say the youth system was responsible for RvP and Theo though… they were purchases past 16.
We have feyenoord and Southamption to thank for those two gems!
July 16, 2008 at 9:33 am
you can change the practice if we get a diamond merchant pumping 100 millions every year…. i don’t want any diamond merchant anywhere near this club.
July 16, 2008 at 9:33 am
Hey slimshady you mutha fucka, i’m worth every penny, in fact i’ll only be on your cheap arse payroll for 2 or 3 years before i piss off for more lovely lolly to buy more goats……….
July 16, 2008 at 9:34 am
A HEARTY THANKS TO GILBERTO.
heard he snubbed a move to everton to avoid having to face the club he loves. A true gunner. Wish the other lads had the same loyalty as Bert. Wish him all the best.
July 16, 2008 at 9:34 am
I agree with the post to a certain extent but slimshady what shit performance are you talking about? And Miraj it’s a business they all stopped being football clubs years ago. BUt imo a business is better than some crook’s toy. We do need some older players but on the other hand some of our younger players are already quite experienced
July 16, 2008 at 9:35 am
Mike - Tell me more about these cows!!
July 16, 2008 at 9:35 am
slimshady.. its not about looking the part… its walking the walk and rvp is never fit enough….
there is a big “if” on him…
July 16, 2008 at 9:36 am
Michael Diamond dealers are hardly whiter than white!
I understand your point though…
July 16, 2008 at 9:37 am
O.k Pedro. Thank God for feyenoord and southampton.
July 16, 2008 at 9:38 am
Our wages are based on a bonus scheme, which is as good as any, there is no more than three players earning top wages, that’s why the players are leaving. The policy which you say does not work has only been going on 4 years now.
We won the title then Chelsea became billionaires we had to do something. The next year we finished second with enough points to have won the league in most years. Hats off to Chelsea they won the highest point score ever. The following year we fell off the ball, with utd and Chelsea in the strong positions they were in and our change of squad this was bound to happen, the following year we changed stadium no one does well the first year in a new stadium. This year we were 4 points behind, had we won at trafford like we were good enough to do then you would not dream of questioning the club policy in fact i bet you would be praising it.
Lets see what happens this year, think what has been spent in the years since we last won the title, we simply could not compete with that.
July 16, 2008 at 9:39 am
I don’t know fizman’s background but he doesn’t run the club like it’s his plaything like chavski or man shitty or heaven forbid hearts what afucking mess that is!
July 16, 2008 at 9:39 am
Couple of questions:
1. do any of you work for the club?
2. Do any of you know any of the players that we have recently signed?
I am guessin that the answer to that is probably no right.
In that case how do you know that they are on “Big” wages?
There is another blog called young guns that reports on the youngsters that we bring in and most of them actually come for very little money because of the ruling inn many European countries that they cannot sign their youth players to Pro contacts until they are 17 or 18, thus meaning that we can offer them professional or scolarship deals when they are 16. This means that we only have to pay nominal compensation and not actually big transfer fees. Just cos they get a pro contract when they are young does not mean that they will be on a lot of money. I would guess that many would actually on be on reserve team wages until they break into the first team.
This seams to me to be a speculative article, unless you can post links to the place where it says that the likes of Randall or Gibbs are on big money i will fail to believe it!
July 16, 2008 at 9:40 am
Good post. I think Benitez had a jibe at Arsene a fortnight ago on a similar vein. Don’t agree entirely with what you’ve said:
Agree with the point we possibly pay too much for them on the wage front when we have the current magnet of coaching in AW.
If we don’t get them in early we can’t ensure they have all the skills necessary by the age at which their ability to grasp those talents falls off; they also learn to play the Arsenal way so introduction to the team is relatively seemless.
Who’s Ralph?
July 16, 2008 at 9:43 am
Did Benitez have a jibe at Arsenal? I missed that. Fucking wanker.
July 16, 2008 at 9:43 am
Im talking about our 06/07 season Michael.
Mandingo, i’m not a hater, matter of fact, i also like goats. I just dont like AFC players who like goats.
July 16, 2008 at 9:43 am
M A D D funny youve picked up on cows -this cow thing is a problem I went to the Docs
I said -Doctor, doctor, I feel like a cow
Doctor: Hmm, tell me more
I responded :Well, I’ve been mooing a lot, and I can’t stop eating grass
Doctor: Any udder symptoms
July 16, 2008 at 9:44 am
Clacko, we pay the third highest wages in the premiership, yet all our senior players complain we don’t pay enough, so where does it go? do the math.
July 16, 2008 at 9:45 am
Also Clacko I’m a shareholder so I get the accounts, I’m guessing you don’t - right?
July 16, 2008 at 9:46 am
hey mike , good to see you
July 16, 2008 at 9:47 am
kudos Gilberto.I like the way u handled your transfer to Pana.That was class.
July 16, 2008 at 9:47 am
Patrick7 - Ralp might mean Lauren - our long lost right back.
July 16, 2008 at 9:48 am
I thought this article would flush out the AKB’s it hasn’t, I’ve had 4, 3 were from the same person and one was from the pervert that has the hookers site in Thailand or somewhere, they must all be at school today.
July 16, 2008 at 9:49 am
Ouch! Mike fore shame on you!
July 16, 2008 at 9:49 am
Patrick, Ralph is Lauren, sorry mate, it’s his nick-name!
July 16, 2008 at 9:49 am
Are the quoted Top 4 wages for the whole club or player’s only? Bit of a difference.
July 16, 2008 at 9:49 am
It’s a shame Sol Campbell left for Portsmouth, he would have been a great help at the Arsenal, he has given them two very good seasons but all experienced players know that their careers could be cuts short to make way for the new generation. Pires left for Villareal because he said he knew they wanted him,
Pires stated: “I was very disappointed. When I saw my number on the fourth official’s board to be substituted, I couldn’t believe it. It was my last game after six years at the Club, a Champions League Final in front of all my family in Paris where I became World Cup champion and it lasted just 12 minutes. That was very hard to take.”
Arsenal.com
At the end of that season Pires left North London and headed to Spain. The mercurial Frenchman did not deserve his departure 12 minutes into the Champions League Final, his final game, following Jens Lehmann’s red card. It wasn’t right, but needs must.
Pires and Campbell are great examples of players who, if they can pass a demanding fitness test, are two of the best players in their positions. Everyday we get a little wiser with age, do you remember this time last year, all the experiences you’ve had and how much more you know now. These players are multiple trophy winners, they have footballing intelligence acquired at the highest level and are proven achievers, it is wasteful to shrug your shoulders and watch them go.
There is a youth argument to counter this opinion but it still doesn’t over-ride the fact that these players needn’t have had to be concerned about limited playing opportunities due to their age.
A very good post Pedro, a point that needs to be made and considered, we’re always fed the line that Arsenal always choose players on merit above all other factors, but once players have earnt their stripes they’re not always given the opportunities to enjoy them despite being perfectly capable of playing at the level required.
July 16, 2008 at 9:49 am
what does akb s?tand for
July 16, 2008 at 9:50 am
Thanks Charybdis (where does that name come from) - Have never heard Lauren’s first name, even in the AFC player listing he was just Lauren if I remember rightly!
July 16, 2008 at 9:52 am
By all our senior players you mean Van persie, Adebayor and possibly Gallas!
Van @Persie has been injured for some time so why he should be complaining i have no idea. Adebayor has had one good season so he should just shut the fuk up or fuk off cos he is seriously doin my head in lol! And i heard a rumor that Gallas was on £80,000 a week so what he has to complain about i don’t know.
Fabregas doesn’t complain, Clichy has been given a new deal, as has Sagna but a lot of our first team don’t actually complain so i would guess that they are on pretty tidy sums. Has anyone forgot that we paid Henry in the region of £120,000 a week for the last year that he was here.
In all honestly we have no idea what players are being paid so for all we know Fab could be on £100,000 a week.
Aw sayin he won’t break our structure may just mean that we have a budget that we are close to so can’t offer current players big contracts cos there wouldn’t be enough left for bringing in new players (well IF we bring in new players).
I do agree that the youths probably do take up a proportion of the wage as we have so many but i doubt that any of them alone are on big money.
Only thing that annoys me is that we pay them for say 3 years whilst they are 16-19 then Aw or whoever decides they are not goo enough so we look to sell them.
why does it take 3 years to deide some one is shit, if they can spot talent early on why can’t they tell after 1 year that they are shit and won’t make it and get rid of them at that point!
July 16, 2008 at 9:52 am
Lauren Etame Mayer is his name, i had to check as i couldnt remember, still doesnt look familiar,
July 16, 2008 at 9:54 am
Goonerman it’s all their wages. Michael - Arsene knows brigade!
July 16, 2008 at 9:54 am
You’ve got to laugh - only at AFC do you have a situation like this: You;re expected DM is late returning for the beginnig of the season so an underachiever fills his place, the latter over performs, keeps the former out of the team and then leaves on a free, by which time the first choice DM is flogged off ‘cos he’s too old.
Great planning/thinking there guys ! Heads should have rolled for that debacle !
July 16, 2008 at 9:54 am
7.2 million for lauren looking back that was a lot of money in 2000
July 16, 2008 at 9:55 am
Yeah geoff. where does it all go? Guys need to get that your post isnt talking about Randall getting 50k a week, its 30 Dkembe’s getting 10k. And the sad thing is they’ll run off once they hit 1 good season, seeing as we don’t pay good wages, and they’ve got no loyalty. I hope Vela proves us otherwise this season.
July 16, 2008 at 9:59 am
I may need some counselling. I think generally he does know but obviously not everything otherwise he’d have Eboue assassinated. Problem is that he definitely has a plan to win the league by bringing young players through. Unfortunately there’s a fairly good chance (although not odds on) that it will fail and we are the ones who have to suffer.
July 16, 2008 at 9:59 am
No matter how many articles you write like this criticising they way he does things, it will not change a thing. Arsene has his physiology and he will stick to it cos that’s what he believes in. Im sure being an arsenal fan you would realised this by now?….or maybe not it seems. Its not way he does things, Im 90% sure we wont be buying players like Barry & Villa.
July 16, 2008 at 9:59 am
As much as like to have some experience in the squad i love the way those young fellas display talant with so much vigour.its amazing isnt it? example the way theo sprinted in Lpool and in milan past so called experienced players.the way we outplayed the chavs in the CC final smtyime back.WHo would honestly say they were not impressed.However we should combine the two.Get an experienced midfielder like Barry and a good CB.A world class GK and The ajax klas in striking.
July 16, 2008 at 10:00 am
TA6 isnumber 3 in all time AFC greats. So that will mean number 2 is DB10 and number 1 will be TH14.
Not my choice for the top 2
July 16, 2008 at 10:02 am
chary66 - You’re also forgetting the debacle that was signing then selling of Diarra, And, i know hindsight is a wonderful thing, but anyone could see that Flamini was keeping his options open rather than signing a new deal. So, why didn’t someone with managerial balls, say righto while you’re fucking us about may i introduce you to the substitutes bench, and Diarra you’re on son, fucking easy isn’t it.
July 16, 2008 at 10:03 am
ikon .. the diamond merchant is Fiszman ..
Usmanov deals in commodities, steel, etc ..
btw, heard from people who went to the Euros that they saw Wenger hanging out all the time with David Dein ..
July 16, 2008 at 10:03 am
Charybdis - not completely correct. Bert came back several weeks into the season. Flam was exceeding expectations match after match giving us what we had lacked the year before. He isn’t leaving on a free: it’s £2-3M and I don’t think its because he’s too old, he’s too slow (as great as the fella was for us)!
July 16, 2008 at 10:04 am
TA6 retired at what 35? there’s my point and DB10 at 36.
Stevie if I didn’t write articles like this, we would not be debating it, I may as well just have a headline like this…Arsene is great, and we signed Ramsey.
Be a bit boring wouldn’t it, what would I write tomorrow…Arsene is great, and Tony Adams came 3 in our poll.
July 16, 2008 at 10:05 am
Go on DB10, numero uno baby!
July 16, 2008 at 10:07 am
Just relax. Enjoy the football. Arsene has done wonderful things at our club. By being sensible financially the board are making sure we can support our beloved club for years to come in the top league in the world. Trophies are great and we have won more than our fair share over the last few years and missed out on many more by a fracton, so we usually get a run for our money. To top it all off we get to watch one of the most amazing football teams ever play in our colours or indeed England. After watching so many barren years since the 60’s I appreciate what Arsene has done. He has revolutionised football, recognised how the game should really be played and adapted many players to his style of thinking. He did all this without a bad word in anger and although he has fired a few retalitory broadsides, he has remained a gentleman throughout. He is a genius and we are lucky to have him. So let’s not hastily dismiss his efforts and like true supporters get right behind his every descision and soak up the glory of having the fortune for what ever reason to be a gooner and to be witness to what we have seen in the last ten years. Because if you had been around 20 odd years ago you would have never thought it possible. I love it!
July 16, 2008 at 10:07 am
Dennis it wasn’t hindsight we were saying this all December and before the transfer window, don’t sell Diarra!
We even suggested loaning him out or making Flamini sign or play Diarra instead if he didn’t.
He should have done the same in the CL final, made Cole sign a new 5 year deal or play Flamini instead, he didn’t and we lost them both as a result.
Madness!
July 16, 2008 at 10:09 am
AKB’s alert? spot em yourselves people, im out. HAVE A GOOD ONE!
83rd (1st)
July 16, 2008 at 10:09 am
Willo 20 years ago we were about to win the league on Mersyside. What exactly do you mean.
July 16, 2008 at 10:10 am
DB 10 for no 1.TH14 should be no 3 after TA 6
July 16, 2008 at 10:10 am
Patrick7, Berto arrived late into the season because of Brazil duties and I didn’t say he was going on a free I said he was “flogged” (i.e sold for cash) although admittedly he was too slow for DM, so why not try him at centre half before we tell a world cup winner and 2 times premier league chgampion to go forth and multiply ?
July 16, 2008 at 10:12 am
Hi Chris -I have been dipping in and out but not contributing as I am re-engineering my garden which is .75 acres .Bit hungover this morning so am using any excuse not to start work -nearly 3 bottles of Montana Marlborough sauvignon Blanc Reserve -very gluggable for sure .Will participate more when nights satr drawing in and season starts
Clacko -well said mate very good points
July 16, 2008 at 10:14 am
TH14 scored most goals but DB10 was probably the greatest player and big Tone was probably the most loyal, but you can’t give it to someone who’s been in prison for drink driving, I’m no angel but when he flipped his car smashed out of his brains, he could have hit someone’s kid, the problem with alcoholics is they always think they’re the victims.
Sorry Tone I loved you, but for that reason you couldn’t be first.
July 16, 2008 at 10:14 am
i think we should start a count down for “arsenals not so greats”
1.Eboue
2.cygan
3.?????
July 16, 2008 at 10:15 am
Kenya, I agree that the price of developing young players is sacrificing points and experienced players, i’m just as impressed as you are with what Arsene has achieved with players such as Fabregas and Clichy, we need the dynamism and hunger of youth but we also need trophy winners to set an example to Arsenal youth, not Portsmouth or Villareal youth, we know how difficult life is at the top of the Premier League, if you’re successful the pressure on your shoulders is cranked up to the max, so a little of help from our experienced players wouldn’t go amiss, Campbell and Pires are battle hardened, most of your young players have yet to acquire this trait, and while they’re in the process of doing so they will falter more often than they need to because of a lack of experienced guidance on the pitch.
July 16, 2008 at 10:16 am
Kenyangooner - well said; don’t agree on Huntelaar and as Geoff said Manuel will do for Seaman, so he’ll do for me! I’m not going to question his judgement either. Having said that I still want him to claim those crosses better and improve his distribution.
DDM - I thought Diarra was a good buy at the time but apart from one performance didn’t think he excelled for us so when he wanted out having slagged off AW in the media and probably upsetting the squad as a result of his spouting why not get rid. Ade’s doing the same and everybody wants him gone; perhaps we’re doing the hindsight thing again and only fancying Dolphinhead/slagging off AW cos he performed for Portsmouth and we now need more DMFs now. He’s still too erratic for a 24 year old!
July 16, 2008 at 10:16 am
Easy on Eboue, he was good at RB, sucked at right wing….should not have been made to play there. Im happy to have him in the squad if Sagna gets injured.
July 16, 2008 at 10:16 am
HI Its been a bit of time since iv been on Been working hard keeping the Airport safe Not long now counting the days off on the calendar yes i know im SAD
On RvP He is a great player but i wish he would trap the ball when he receives it. It seems to bounce off his legs all the time the he spends the next few seconds trying to controle it lets hope he stays fit for the season he could make the differance
Most Diamonds have flaws: We’v seen the chaves leader launder his dodgey mafia money through the club We dont need Diamond money Lets get the players to Sparkle instead
And BIG THANK YOU to the ledgend who is GILBERTO
July 16, 2008 at 10:17 am
loyalty is what makes me give DB10 no 1.plus the skill.TH14 u fucked us over.
July 16, 2008 at 10:17 am
I reckon Bert has asked Wenger “how many games do you think I am going to get this year?” and Wenger has said “not many” So Bertie has asked to leave..
Arsenal have kept his transfer fee down to a million so he can get better wages.
Respect from both sides…
Diarra refused to go on loan!!
July 16, 2008 at 10:17 am
Gotta say DB10 in the top 3 is right by my reckoning.
Would love him to be number 1!
Also would love him to come back as a technical coach, get all of our players doing the same skill he did to score that amazing goal against Newcastle!
DB10 = Legend forever!!!
July 16, 2008 at 10:18 am
Geoff, i was being sarcastic towards our management mate, i totally agree with you. Myself, my bruv and all the gooner si know were saying exactly the same thing around Nov/Dec time……….
July 16, 2008 at 10:22 am
Tony Adams spent his entire career at Arsenal…I’ll have no argument if DB is no.1, but for me it has to be Big Tone. He was Arsenal through and through.
July 16, 2008 at 10:22 am
big mac coke and fries for dinner, you beauty!
no signings today i gather, only outs?
July 16, 2008 at 10:22 am
On setanta:
Barcelona have confirmed that Arsenal star Alexander Hleb will arrive in Catalunya on Wednesday to undergo a medical, with the La Liga giants expecting to wrap up the signing within 24 hours.
Good riddance.
July 16, 2008 at 10:23 am
DB10 should be number 1, we will never have a player like him again.
July 16, 2008 at 10:23 am
Charybdis -You’re right about the ‘free’; I’ve just re-read it. Don’t think Bert favours the CB position but still I’d say he was too slow and too short and maybe too light. He had difficulty in MF at times not being shrugged off the ball. If he’s to go to CB are you seriously going to drop our other most experienced players or do you fancy Toure in MF?
July 16, 2008 at 10:23 am
When Bergkamp arrived it wasn’t just the player it was his stature that attracted top players to Arsenal..
It may have influenced Arsene coming to Arsenal, would you like to manage a team with DB10 in it who could resist?..
July 16, 2008 at 10:25 am
“I can remember when the squad was much older and we probably had a lower wage bill”
Football has changed quite a bit since then! Bigger squads and higher wages now. No point comparing now to ten years ago. Better off comparing our wage bill to that of an older squad like Chelsea or AC Milan… Obviously ours will be smaller
July 16, 2008 at 10:27 am
Chipo I was talking about 2004!
July 16, 2008 at 10:27 am
Just think that under Wenger Arsenal would never have seen Ian Wright or Dennis Bergkamp. We’d also never have seen such an awesome defence as Dixon, Winterburn, Adams, Bould, O’leary & then Keown!!
Yeah he gets the team playing great football at times, but if he bought some better quality players we’d play even better football & could actually be dominant!! It won’t happen though!!
July 16, 2008 at 10:29 am
DB10 for me also - pure class and got the extra years for it: loyalty both ways to the end and you never know he may be back as a coach.
July 16, 2008 at 10:31 am
DB10 for me, I think he was the making of Henry.
So now that it looks almost certain that Gilberto & Hleb will be confirmed as having left Arsenal by tomorrow at latest does anyone expect to see a new arrival this week??
July 16, 2008 at 10:32 am
evening all….so henry will probably be no.1 then?
July 16, 2008 at 10:32 am
Morning All -
Only got five minutes - be back later
Hleb having medical as I write ………… Hoorah, soon to be sorted SAGA
July 16, 2008 at 10:32 am
If the wage bill is for the entire company, we now have a bigger stadium, employ more people and the wages in London must be nearly double those of Manchester or Scouser land..
Does it include the staff who run the corperate suites that are used in the week, Arsenal are a 365 day club I don’t think others are to such an extent..
July 16, 2008 at 10:32 am
pierre.at some point i thot Van persie was going to fill DB10 shoes.Hope he will next season!!
July 16, 2008 at 10:33 am
Patience GMR. RVP, Cesc, Nasri, Sagna, Clichy, Eduardo…….have only started developing their skills.
July 16, 2008 at 10:33 am
Sorry GMR - just seen you have updated re the medical, SSN’s confirm also
July 16, 2008 at 10:33 am
Exactly. About to! The Graham era was about to kick in and we started to become consistantly challenging for trophies. Was a great period and Arsene has continued it on at a higher level.
(Thanks going to Rioch for Dennis).
Some drab years have been had with some of those years really bad. There were not many fairweather fans then. But times have changed.
Is it the internet or is a fact of life now fans slag their own? In my day and indeed now, you just don’t rubbish your team. If I hear someone in the pub slagging their own team, it ain’t really their team, they don’t know.
How most of you lot can slag our club now is laughable, harden up.
July 16, 2008 at 10:35 am
In this particular post, I think the criticism of Arsene Wenger is seemingly on the high side. I want to believe that there are certain decision he took that are limited to what he has power to do. Methinks he is too conspicuous in the “bashing” anytime this blog discuss Arsenal policy. Does that mean he is the only one taking all the decisions alone? As regards all you have opined above, does it mean he can have his say on all the above policy? Isn’t there other people who also partake in some of this policy? And by the way, does anyone disagreeing with this blog’s position on Wenger’s policy an AKB? I dont think so. I am not saying ARSENE KNOWS in this case, all am saying is Arsene alone cannot be taking the ‘bashing’ everytime.
July 16, 2008 at 10:36 am
Rico, its on the Barcelona website, hleb should be arriving at 1pm for a medical.
Patrick7, what are you on about patience??
July 16, 2008 at 10:37 am
Mates i think we should sign another striker i have this gut feeling that ade is going to be sh*t next season.
July 16, 2008 at 10:37 am
GMR - Bloody SSN’s -
Would it not be funny if he failed his medical!! ?
July 16, 2008 at 10:38 am
David,
did you see this bit of info on line, not sure if its true but intertesting
“Things started well with the summer signings of David Platt and Dennis Bergkamp, although Dein signed the latter without Rioch’s knowledge on the recommendation of… Arsene Wenger”
July 16, 2008 at 10:38 am
if Hleb has to give a urine sample it will end up on the floor, great dribbler, not so good at hitting the target!!
July 16, 2008 at 10:39 am
People that think their team or manager is beyond criticism obviously don’t care enough about the club to actually worry about the going’s on!!
July 16, 2008 at 10:39 am
quite frankly, i dont agree wt d writer of d article, first, Anelka, Flamini, Hleb, Overmars, Reyes and now Ade all have diff reasons 4 leavin n at diff ages too. i’ll like to ponit out that d so called young n inexperienced took us to the champions league final, wenger has a plan dt requires patience and i think we’ll see it hatch this season
July 16, 2008 at 10:39 am
Got to dash
July 16, 2008 at 10:39 am
Patrick7, while it’s obvious Berto has lost his pace he’s not too short to be a CB as both of our current first choice CB’s are smaller than him anyway(Toure/Gallas).
I also wasn’t thinking of him as dispalcing aforesaid short CB’s - more as back up as I don’t think Djorou is quite good enough and enough people have noted Senderos’s mistakes, although personally I think Swiss Tony has all the qualtities to excel even though his chances are running out.
July 16, 2008 at 10:39 am
Not really Rico, it would mean we’re stuck with a player who doesn’t want to play for Arsenal anymore.
July 16, 2008 at 10:46 am
I’m saying those players have the skills and providing we hang on to them they will develop into a CLASS unit such as the undefeated; we only lost 3 games last year.
Willo - Well said. You’re versing points I’ve made over the last weeks. They’ve never had it so good and they don’t recognise it in front of their eyes - Eboue & possibly Senderos & Cygan apart. AND we DO need our defence sorted!
July 16, 2008 at 10:46 am
Chris, I hadn’t read that..
If true:
Isn’t that similar to Abramavich signing players behind Maureens back?
July 16, 2008 at 10:49 am
ARTICLE OF THE FUCKING YEAR !
WELL DONE !
Any plonker who has a problem with me … READ IT understand it !!!
because i couldnt say it any better myself ….
if it was written by the author im sure its REALITY not fantasy !
if he see’s it as well as i do ! YOUR THE FUCKING PROBLEM NOT ME !!!
FUCK YA !….
July 16, 2008 at 10:50 am
Didee - Well said & that was a fine snippet Chris AW responsible for DB10!
July 16, 2008 at 10:51 am
Just been on the arsenal site to buy tickets for amsterdam
It takes ages then tells me I’ve been on the site too long it’s been cancelled
go back on
this time it’s quicker
tells me you can’t buy tickets because you’ve bought too many
July 16, 2008 at 10:52 am
Ethangunner - i’m totally with you on that one mate !!
July 16, 2008 at 10:53 am
That really wasn’t aimed at anyone specific , but i know there are watchers out there !
I will also add it human nature to change jobs nowadays , adding more fuel to why these young players will alway be destined to leave … they fall into 2 baskets
1 . they are so good they cannot and will not say there whole career at arsenal and want to taste spain - italy etc ..
or
2. they are so crap they end up moving to lesser teams in the EPL ..
the system is fatally flawed and ive said it since the beginning !
PS: yes everyone hates ade now .. my job is done .. get over it !!
July 16, 2008 at 10:54 am
Patrick, I’d rather have lost more games & won more than losing only a few by playing for draws rather than going for victories. The team doesn’t look anything like developing into a class unit like the so called invincibles!!
I think its so pathetic that anyone questioning the club is classed a fairweather fan!! The trouble is too many people accept mediocrity, then go along with their 9-5 job because its been drummed into them, they never aim any higher because they lack ambition & translates to the rest of their lives. Maybe if those people got some ambition then they’d understand what others of us want to see!!
July 16, 2008 at 10:55 am
cheers mark !
did you like it ?!
July 16, 2008 at 10:57 am
SKY SPORTS says alonso linked with Arsenal.
according to his agent its upto liverpool now to sell him.
what do you guys think about this rumor?
i beleive alonso would be a better signing then barry, if we are really after either of these playas.
July 16, 2008 at 10:58 am
GMR I agree but I think it is developing into a class unit just not the same class as the invincibles. But definitely not mediocrity. That’s what the spuds do!!
July 16, 2008 at 10:58 am
Charybdis - His pace would get found out but that would also put him on the bench most of the time. Nordveldt has apparently come on bundles and may be a better option in the less forceful games but like you I’d rather buy a real quality CB and give WG and Toure some real competition. They’re not getting younger and they didn’t perform for me in the second half of the season maybe cos the cover in front of them wasn’t good enough!
July 16, 2008 at 10:59 am
Thanks Ethan, we’ve had a few borderline AKB’s on here today, but I’m keeping my eye on them!
July 16, 2008 at 11:00 am
I would have either of them niraj they both have a wicked shot and can tackle well.
July 16, 2008 at 11:02 am
i did mate !! i don’t comment much but read everyday, it makes my blood boil when people can say i’m not a true fan, because i don’t agree whole heartedly with how the clubs run , and the policies that we’ve adopted.
Personally if the kids are as good as Arsene makes out, bang them all in the squad, finish 15th in the league, learn our lesson, get rid of them all, and start buying players of true quality , that are proven on the world stage
July 16, 2008 at 11:02 am
Geoff, can i make a suggestion that from now on all comments with 1st etc are wiped & that whoever posts first has to actually make a comment about the days article. You & Pedro have the decency to put the work in & at first it was a laugh but its got boring now with comment after comment saying 1st, 2nd & 3rd etc!!
July 16, 2008 at 11:03 am
how old is alonzo?
July 16, 2008 at 11:03 am
Alonso yes, him and fabregas would be the best midfield pairing in the prem!
July 16, 2008 at 11:03 am
If we did get Alonso that would free up liverpools money to buy Barry and A Villa get Hoyte.. Three way deal..
July 16, 2008 at 11:05 am
GMR
good call. you described half the population ..
‘the scraping by’ attitude ..
they look at the club they way they do there mortgage ..
one day ill own my own home .. ill be patient until that day ..
Owning your own home and running a business is 2 totally different kettles of fish !
In business you take risks you try to be the best, tooundercut the opposition to be number one !
and by being the market leader you then become successful, a global brand..
fan bases rise , shirt sales rise .. it all snowballs ..
being safe in the business world is like paying off your mortgage slowly ..
you always have income you live safely , but you never reach any accolades !
And if PHW or these other fools continue to run AFC they need to start thinking out of the box , or we will never beat the manU’s and chevskis of this world !
chevski are rumored to get robinho for 40 mil !
can you see arsenal taking that risk ???
NEVER !
July 16, 2008 at 11:06 am
Patrick7, most CB’s don’t have bags of pace and it’s their job t oread the oppo’s attacks through the middle and cut out the aeriel threat, both things I believe Berto could have done in a back up capacity if he was found seriously wanting as a DM; when he got a run of games towards the tail end of the season he looked better- in any case he’s gone I just feel we could have made better use of his experience as we’re loosing experience and a winning mentality hand over fist.
As an aside I don’t want to belittle Wenger’s achievements but I do feel this coming season will define him - he’ll either fail by repeating his mistakes of last year or he’ll bring us on another notch.
July 16, 2008 at 11:06 am
Sorry for this, but in no particular order is my Top Ten Gooner Numpty’s, that should bring a shiver to all Gooner spines, and for all the wrong reasons;
Eboue
Cygan
Stepanovs
Senderos
Helder
Diawara
Chapman
Ceasar
Hillier
Adebyor - coz he’s just a cunt
July 16, 2008 at 11:08 am
GMR I’ll pass that on to Pedro, he does all the hard stuff, I’m just a journo! Ethan, what’s a mortgage?
July 16, 2008 at 11:08 am
we won’t think about bringing anybody else in till Hleb’s gone later this week, I think we might get some news on friday like last week, then we got nasri, this week we get rid of hleb. then its alonso/barry in, then TTer out and Santa Cruz + Arshavin in. Still need a centreback tho….
July 16, 2008 at 11:08 am
You want to get rid of Hleb and Ade but are sick of Arsenal letting go of players over the age of 24? I’m afraid you can’t have it both ways.
Of the players you list that we lost, Pires, Campbell, Henry, Vieira, Campbell, Ralph and now Gilberto, how many do you think we should of hold onto? Campbell had lost his mind, while Henry, Vieira, Ralph and Gilberto were alll past their peak. Only Super Rob I would have kept, and he missed almost his entire first season at Villareal anyway.
Of the ones over the age of 24 you list, we sold Anelka but replaced him with a new training ground and a certain Mr Henry, we sold Overmars for silly money and he went on to flop at Barcelona, Reyes and Hleb couldn’t hack it, while Flamini and Ade just wanted more money. All had to go.
As for the young players that left us,we got £4 mill for Muamba (plus an extra £300,000 from his sale to Bolton), £2 mill for Stokes, an initial £2 mill for Aliadiere, £1 mill for Larsson, Sidwell for an undisclosed fee believed to be an initial £75,000. Thats £9.375 mill in total. Obviously you take a risk with youth players, but I don’t think thats a bad figure to recoup for the players that failed to make it.
July 16, 2008 at 11:09 am
GMR,
the “first thing” on some sites is banned , but as this is a fun site and there is twenty people buzzing from it first thing when they come to work, i say leave it even though i dont participate,
July 16, 2008 at 11:09 am
GMR - Absolutely. I said that on here a few days ago: Manure won the EPL cos they gambled for wins. We didn’t do that in the latter part maybe again cos we were nacked from too short a squad due to the injury situation.
I definitely don’t fall into your 2nd para. I share many of your opinions but have always looked at a ‘target’ and put things in place to move towards that or do my darnedest to get there: in my case a World Championship. I just failed but got a bronze and a Euro with many other medals and international weekend wins and also got close in another sport.
I try always though to keep spirits up and look for the positives and constructive criticism rather than knocking for the sake of it. I appreciate very much your contribution and obvious expertise in AFC on this site.
July 16, 2008 at 11:10 am
What about Zapata for centerback?
Dennis what about that Argie forward we had yonks ago under Wenger, went to Scotland afterwards shit! and Mendes and Wrey!
July 16, 2008 at 11:11 am
So why are we skint arsenist?
July 16, 2008 at 11:12 am
Can I add that I don’t understand why you put the quote from Little Dutch as your AKB comment of the week. It doesn’t seem to reference Wenger in any way. It’s actually just a criticism of your site, which if it is true, is I think an incredibly valid one. Is any one who makes a legitimate criticism of le-grove an AKB now? Or do you just want to try and embarrass people who don’t agree with you?
July 16, 2008 at 11:12 am
Yes i agree GMR
the 1st 2nd thing makes pedro- geoffs site look like a bunch of school kids are the regulars !
ive got to say i think if for some reason you can ban me , (FOR NOTHING! )
you should put a stop to that .. i love a joke but now its just lame !
July 16, 2008 at 11:13 am
We want to get rid of Ade and Hleb because they’re disloyal cunts, is there a problem with that? or do we have to like disloyal ungrateful wantaway cunts?
July 16, 2008 at 11:14 am
If we sign 26 27 year olds on a 4 or 5 year deals, we have more chance of winning things because they are proven players and they should be more loyal because they have tried other clubs and they might get to like winning trophies..
But a mixture of youth learning from those players is good too..
July 16, 2008 at 11:14 am
Arsenist - Ade and Hleb have sounded out that they want to leave the club, therefor if a player doesn’t want to be there - Cash in. If they hadn’t stated their desire to leave then they’d be staying.
I think we should of held onto all the players listed, how many trophies have we won since they started to leave ???????
July 16, 2008 at 11:14 am
Arsenist, yes.
July 16, 2008 at 11:15 am
Sorry guys he’’s a Trojan horse AKB and he’s now gone.
July 16, 2008 at 11:17 am
Geoff - i like the look of Chiellini as CB - he was quality against Spain in Euro 2008, cloased both Torres and Villa out .
July 16, 2008 at 11:17 am
Charybdis - Amen to all of that!
July 16, 2008 at 11:18 am
Who does he play for Mark?
July 16, 2008 at 11:19 am
Arsenal regret the Pires situation as stated in his tribute, the Sol Campbell situation was also brought about by rumours that Sol wanted to seek a challenge abroad, but it all boils down to this….certain players once they’ve reached an age where they’re expected to provide the club with approximately two years of peak service are replaced by players that are good but don’t compare. Where do you draw the line? Loyalty works both ways, if a player has proved their ability on a consistent basis and is still capable of playing, what sort of reqard is it to be told that your playing opportunities will be limited for someone elses benefit? How is the club to instill a mentality of unquestionable loyalty to senior players when it is not reciprocated, chances are not always given to those who deserve them most. Is keeping a player in a constant state of anxiety regarding their place in the team once they’ve unquestionably proven that they’re fit and ready to do the job they’re contracted to do appropriate?
I don’t slag the club off in any way shape or form, I feel i need to make this statement because allegations of people doing so coud be attributed to anyone who posts here, i respect Wenger’s philosophy and as I’ve stated many a time, we need to trust a man to do his job, we need to give credit where it’s due and we need to acknowledge that each of us would make decisions slightly differently (perhaps completely) however feedback is necessary and this particular issue is a sticking point with many fans, that a player is sometimes pushed aside not because he’s not good enough, but because they’re nearing retirement age.
In hindsight Arsene has stated that we need one or two experienced players to add to the team, therefore I look forward to them joining Arsenal in this transfer window and that players such as Pires who have earnt their stripes will not be discarded again. Pires frequently reminisces the good times he had at Arsenal, lets try to find a better solution should such a situation occur again, Pires had to pay the price and ultimately so did the club because it’s 6th best ever player was lost and it could have been avoided.
Roll on the 08/09 season, as I’ve stated before we’re capable of winning trophies this season, lets take the next step and do a little better than last season and go back and win.
Gunner 4 life.
July 16, 2008 at 11:20 am
He’s Italian, plays for Juve - he’s only 23 , Very good prospect
July 16, 2008 at 11:22 am
A bit of a rant this one!!! Although i agree with the majority of the post, some of us remember the houston/rioch era and the george graham bung scandal et al.. Thing’s weren’t too rosey then… Fact is we’ve been spoilt by Wenger a bit and now the going get’s tough and the expectations are sky high, some Arsenal FANS (lol) have started to have a go..
Wenger will get a centre midfielder in now after Gilberto leaves.. Nothing but admiration for Bert as he’s been a excellent professional and great servent to the club..
We do have a lot of youngsters in the squad, but it is something Wenger has always done.. Remember Wreh, Boa Morte, Diawara, Hughes etc when Vieira, Henry & Pires we’re at the club.. Some just DO NOT make it… Simple… But they do go on to play for decent teams after getting an Arsenal education.. I’d rather only the best got to play for my club…
It’s only this season where Wenger seems to be going for less experience in terms of age BUT the fact is the so called youngsters Walcott, Cesc, Clichy, Diaby, Eboue, Senderos etc already have years playing at the club at the highest level (the champions league) So tell me then, what is the point of buying a 28 year old with no experience at the highest level (who regardless of whether or not having played in England) will need time to adapt?
I’ll stick with Wenger and support WHOEVER is wearing an Arsenal shirt representing the club on the pitch. Yes that includes Senderos and Eboue.. What is the point of slagging them off all the time? It doesn’t help matters… There are teams alot worse off and sing when their players aren’t having a good day and are getting thrahed 4-0 every week… Too many arsenal fans these days are corperate middle class i-want -it-now muppets!!! And No i am not aiming it at Geoff… It’s just the sense of doom eminating from various boards and forums… They aren’t my kind of Arsenal fans, just plastic whingers… Those who voted Anelka and Ashley Cole in arsenal’s top 50 poll are another example…. Kids with no idea whatsoever….
This is the best arsenal forum on the web, just calm down a bit things will be alright… Although, the prices we pay is starting to get ridiculous… At least spend some of the ticket money on decent signings boss!!!
On a lighter note… Hleb is in Barca for a medical.. Good riddance!!!
Adebayor will go to barca with the Ronaldinho cash (Please God!).. I don’t want mercenaries anywhere near us… They’ll be No swap deals and it’ll be about 18-24m just so we can wash our hands of it.. Anyone expecting 30m is delusional.. I know berbatov (coff *shite*) is being mooted at 30m, but if Man U want to let the spuds fleese them, fine….
I still think Huntelaar and Veluso will be the ones.. Then it’ll be spending over… Many cry out for a centre back, but that’ll be in January if at anytime….
Keep up the good work guys!
July 16, 2008 at 11:23 am
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/44180/Villa-tell-Barry-Get-fit-so-we-can-flog-you/
July 16, 2008 at 11:24 am
MarkB - unfortunately they’d probably be additions to our sick list upping our wage bill still further. We just missed out last season and nearly had the CL the year before. This season’s the one (we ALL hope)!
July 16, 2008 at 11:28 am
I can understand wanting to get rid of Ade and Hleb, they’ve pissed me off too, but Ade wants to