Goooood morning Grovers! I went to the AST Christmas party last night, so my body is in regretful mood. The event was hosted in the WM club. I remember going to the opening of that and powering through the complimentary booze with Geoff. Thems were the days…
Last night the booze wasn’t complimentary, but access to the commercial team was. Ivan Gazidis, Mark Gonnella and Charles Allen mingled with the fans, answered questions and showed off their break dancing moves.
There was also the football. Gael Clichy was feeling festive and gifted us another year of holding onto that unbeaten record. His two bookings contributed to City’s first defeat of the season. Have that money and wealth… The team with integrity and honesty showed the way.
Good news is they’re without a first choice left back for Sunday as well. We also have that issue. Wenger’s worst decision of the season so far was to take our only fit left back to Greece and play him in a meaningless match. The Brazilian might not be an incredible defender but what he’s brought to the team offensively should not be underestimated. A massive loss.
Back to the party. I spoke to Charles Allen for a large chunk of the evening. He said the Emirates Cup wasn’t taking place next summer so it was true that we’re looking to go to Lagos for our next tour. A great move and a real tipped hat to the superb and totally crazy support the club have in Africa.
We also spoke about the statues. There are more coming. The first three were chosen for universal appeal, but others will follow. I have a feeling Dennis is next. That’s a bit like having a hunch Robin will play on Sunday, but it will be interesting to know who else they have up their sleeve.
We had a chat about success measurements. One of them for Charles was stadium fill. Real stadium fill. They want it full every game and they’re aware of the gaping holes around the ground. Arsenal are working on ticketing solutions that will make it easier for fans to sell their seats back to the club and they’re working on improving reporting systems to communicate fill. Ultimately, the dream would be for fans who are not going to opt out online and that ticket find its way back into the system, even if it’s heavily discounted. I think tech has to catch up first, but it can’t be far off.
I was introduced to Ivan, we shot the breeze about my trip to the Playboy Club, he asked who my favourite waitress was… Just kidding, he opened with, ‘You hate me’… Come on… That’s not true. I don’t hate anyone, bar the people who pull the emergency ripcord on the tube in the morning because they have a headache (3 days in a row on the central line, give it a rest people).
I didn’t really get much from the CEO, he’s a slick operator on and off the record. He spoke about how they were trying to open up the club to the fans and do more Gooner type things over the next few years. I asked whether he was going to spend some money in Jan and said I had some great Youtube videos to share if he needed ideas. He said they had some plans but it was hard to do business in January. Ok… I’ll take that as a positive. He definitely gave me the, ‘trust me Pedro, I love spending cash’ look.
That said, rumour has it Gotze is crocked again. Hello Diaby MKII! He’s torn something and could be out for the season. Jan Vertoghen is also sparking interest again, he’s one of the players we need to buy so I don’t have to keep writing his name. We need a left back, he can play there. Let’s snap him up before someone else in England does!
The evening was great success and a huge credit to the club. Not many other clubs in the elite of world football would give their fans uncensored access to the people running the show. It’s a real sign of class and a testament to them understanding that transparency is the only way to function when you have the privilege of running such a great institution. They do care about what the fans think and they do monitor what people say online, so keep it up people, your voices do matter.
The evening spilled out into the Metro, I had the chance to meet some new faces and some old. Regardless of people’s opinions on the club, it’s nice that when everyone is sitting round a table having a beer, all that matters is Arsenal and what’s best for the club. If you haven’t joined the AST, you should seriously consider it. The value I’ve had out of that membership this year has been amazing… and at the very least, it’s a great excuse for a Monday night booze up!
Right, that’s me done! See you in the comments…
excellent movie.
If I met IG one of the questions I would ask would be, why are you so fucking useless in the transfer market or why did you not buy the players 2-3-4 seasons ago to replace the players we were losing and we could all see we needed to kick on and win the title. Or why not spend the little extra needed on transfer fees instead of wasting it on the wages of fuckwits that we could all see were never going to make it. IG just wants to keep shareholders happy by lining there pockets.
Pedro you say they are trying to work out how to fill the empty seats??? Der! I hope you said win some fucking trophies.
how to fill the stadium? start filling the trophy cabinet first,cheaper tickets,deadwood to go (not on loan) Ambition to win pl and cl to replace 4th place trophy which a lot of you seem happy to settle for.
i must say reading some of the comments you would think we were back in 2004. we need top striker urgently,if VP gets injured all this confidence and positive outlook is fucked. another CM wouldnt go amiss either.
someone is playing for a transfer deal: prince poldi scores again. imagine having him and rvp in attack.
I think we should go for someone else. I think he is gonna flop like Arshavin.
Just a quick one. Just heard the chavs r willing to listen to offers of around 20 mill for torres! Daily mail! If true we shud snap him up still think he,s quality but wages wud be a stumbling block! £150,000 a week!
whats funny is Shava flopped like AW predicted he would, doesn’t have the mettle for the EPL.
If Podolski flopped, i doubt it’d be down to work rate – yes I know BM labeled him lazy but do we know what really went on?
RVP was branded arrogant and difficult…
“The situation, I must say, is a bit special. Economically the whole environment has changed and people suffer more. The clubs will suffer more financially and it’s much more difficult.
“Maybe we will have some opportunities because we are in a good financial situation.”
We have no reason not to spend now. Couple of seasons ago yeah one could understand having to pay off emirates debts and trying to establish a sustainable financial ground.
Arsenal can’t afford to be cheap the next transfer window, otherwise spuds, chavs and the mancs are going to set up shop and bulldoze their way up the epl table. Spuds are being linked with dangerous players and if we want to remain in the elite we gotta send a message of intent also by buying players like podolski and vertonghen/m’vila, maybe a loan deal for that milan fb taiwo or buy vdw from ajax and if we get benzema which is unlikely. Hazard and/or Goetze would be dream come true.
I would demand IG buy all these players lol. It’s good that arsenal going to Africa for the next tour. Great fan base I hear
Lurch- He is actually arrogant and difficult. He slapped Ballack coz Ballack asked him to up his work rate.
I personally think he is the best option considering he plays the positions we need cover for but…..
we need cover for song as well as LB and striker.frimmers and coquelin are great prospects, but showed in greece they cant cover for song who has improved again this season it would seem. though he still has the habit of slipping into the matrix and passing to people only he sees.
http://www.espnstar.com/football/premier-league/news/detail/item722277/Report:-Chelsea-ready-to-offload-flop-Torres/?mid=55210
Giving the injures, the ACN and the dross, this what we have left for the coming 3 months:
Keepers- CZSZ
CB- Vermaelen, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Miquel
LB- none (Gibbs you can’t count on if he ever gets fit again)
RB- none (Jenko, see Gibbs)
DM- Song, Coquelin
CM- Rambo, Arteta, Yossi
Wingers- Theo, AA23, OX
Strikers- Robin
Inured- Sagna, Santos, Jack, Jenko, Gibbs
ACN- Gervinho
Dross (I didn’t count them if they’re at ACN or injured, it doesn’t really matter, they’re shit anyhow)-
Keepers- Fabianski, Mannone, Almunia
Defenders- Squillaci, JD
Midfield- Diaby, Rosicky, Denilson
Forwards- Chamakh, Park
So it’s 15 squad members worth nothing or seriously injured….. only 14 adequate squad members, with only 1 keeper, 1 striker, no fullback at all …..
I’d say you need to splash the cash Arsene ….
Good morning,
Torres – 20 million, anyone?
Morning…
Torres 20 Mil – Yes
Torres 150K/week – Maybe not.
Torres??
Think 1 misfiring striker is more than enough…
Lads,we all know Chamakh is off to the ACN in January.So why are we not playing Park whenever we possibly can to get him some game time?Chamakh aint gonna be around during the busy January period.So its important Park does play on a regular basis(atleast as a sub).Arsene has said he might dip in and buy a striker if the right opportunity does arrive.And boy we do need a top class striker.Podolski would be awesome.Huntelaar is on fire at Schalke.Wish we had him.Lets hope we do bring in some top quality player/players in January.Fingers crossed.
Torres.. Why not.. Proven in the PL. But Ivan Gazidis has scored more than him this year! Hmmm..
Can he stay this shit or return to form? I think the latter. We know it’s in there, we can get it back out of him.
Pedro
As an AST member, you should tell that clown Gazidis as a shareholder you’d like some action
Bloody Arsenal should be removed from private hands
Even if we were willing to drop 20 mil on him.. I seriously doubt Chelsea would be willing to sell him to us. I feel they’ll be looking to sell him to some club in Europe.
i’d take torres in a heart beat, especially as he would have so much to prove, I’m not saying his the best, but for 20m he’s worth it.
Bade- Just goes to show we are only another injury or sending off away from disaster. Come on Wenger get the cheque book out.
Torres would be OK
aren’t vermaelan and Vortonghen good mates? That may be a plus re continuity
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