SUMMER IS AWFUL … but but but, that Adidas video though

by .

I feel like this summer, more than many that have passed before, is feeling like one of the worst.

14 years of neglect have hit us very hard.

We have regressed.

Our nearest rivals have progressed.

If we were looking at a graph, it’d be the saddest graph in the world.

5 years ago, Spurs and Liverpool were behind us in the league. Now they are Champions League finalists with monster transfer budgets. Both clubs invested in elite coaches with big ideas. Both clubs are now attracting the very best in the game. At the same time, Arsenal fans were purring at the idea of Wenger being given big money to spend.

£350m later… we’ve managed to make things worse.

Arsenal didn’t make hay while the sun was shining.

Many people are complaining that Spurs are spending after a stadium move. That’s because their frugal strategy of prioritising youth, smart buy and great coaching is reaping bigly in Europe. They had a coach that took them to the Champions League final after spending zero pounds last summer.

Arsenal’s issue, for all the bluster, is that we were never really that future-facing.

We hoarded Champions League money when elite players were adding 50%+ year on year. Remember when we baulked at £32m for Higuain? Remember when we fucked up Suarez? There are so many times we didn’t pull the trigger because leadership at Arsenal hid under the comfort blanket of Wenger’s perceived view of value.

Arsenal didn’t recognize the clear patterns that were emerging in football.

They didn’t preempt what the uplift in TV money would mean for agent expectations with contracts. Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Alexis would still be at Arsenal on £180k a week if we’d given them proper money when most major clubs were bumping salaries. At the very worst, we’d have sold them. We waited until it was too late and lost two for fuck all and had to keep the third on outrageous cash because of Ivan’s ego.

We never paid a premium when it made sense.

We didn’t take chances.

We didn’t refresh our talent, ideas or thinking.

We invested too much in players that were good for a culture of meekness. Too little in players that could have taken us to the next level.

Now we’re in a situation where we’re in danger of being gazumped by Spurs for Saliba, we’re being hardballed by Celtic with Tierney, and we’re seriously contemplating selling Auba to fund a move for a 27 year old winger who scored 15 goals last year.

Edu is having a week off after the Copa America according to Ornstein.

What a mess.

Still, Adidas is our kit sponsor, so who cares?

Thoughts on the leaked advert (someone in deep shit over that mishap):

This is a great spot.

I love the humour. The respect for the local area and the texture. I like the mix of old and new. I love that Wrighty is in it. I like that Adidas are massaging our egos pretending that we still run North London.

There’s a lot of hope in there.

It’s so great to have a proper sportswear brand backing us.

Mustafi is going to look about x4 better sliding into the back of Harry Kane next season.

Bring it on. Being shit with good clobber. Bit like me playing in goal with silver mercurials back in the day.

‘All the gear, no idea’ my friends teammates used to say to me.

See you in the comments. x

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Bob N16

We’re not strictly speaking skint. What we pay in wages is top table. We’ve been mismanaged but that can obviously be turned around. Self -sustaining model will mean it’ll take time. If we have a vision and we can sell that vision to young,aspiring hot shots, we’ll turn it around. Must admit I feel Emery is not quite the inspirational coach that will accelerate our return to glory.

Cesc Appeal

Holding to miss the start of the season.

I would say on the form of defenders over last season when they played Holding, Bellerin and Sokratis were our most important defenders.

Missing two of them for the start of the season.

Not exactly ideal when your defence is already pretty shit.

englandsbest

I don’t blame Stan for no big spending now, but I do blame him for not allowing small spending in the past. Right now it would take a huge amount of money to compete in the transfer market for top players. And with no guarantee of success. Man U is a prime example, The Glazers have been throwing money at Man U to no avail. Back then, when we moved to the Emirates, it would have taken a relatively small amount to keep Arsenal at the top. We suffered years of second-rate keepers and CBs, when £10-£20m would have been… Read more »

Bob N16

Particularly like your last paragraph englandsbest. We are still the biggest club in London, we can get it together…..

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Describe

I though holding was being to nice to rashford.

It was a cunt of a shove.

A pro doing that to a pro…wrong

What goes around hopefully many utter cunt.

HillWood

Bob
I admire your optimism
Good luck wth the management thing

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Bob

I’m afraid we ain’t the biggest…
We could be again.

I& your a young kid looking who to support …
It ain’t arsenal.

Sadly.

Bob N16

Biggest by most definitions of the word…..

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

The cure on Sunday….

Sadly not Arsenal’s cure

Mr Serge

Guns of hackney you are a grade a clown you must be trolling mate sell Auba and Lacs for 90m wow
Also only Chinese students watch arsenal wow that comment is down there with the worst of all time
Stop supporting us please

alex cutter

“Marc with a c…”

You understand that there’s nothing clever about this when it’s typed instead of spoken?

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

I long for the days when we had youngsters like Kevin Campbell.

His goals 9 I think in second part of 91 season really helped

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Give youth a chance

Throw them all in sink or swim.

Marko

but I do blame him for not allowing small spending in the past.

This is not accurate. Arsene had money to spend he either spent poorly didn’t spend enough and occasionally none at all.

Leedsgunner

As for the ad, it’s genius.

Was I the only one who had a lump in my throat when they paid tribute to Rocky? Never forgotten indeed.

I also loved the line, “When you put on our shirt you turn and face… you never hide.” If Özil is still here, someone should remind him of that every time he plays. Like I mean, every time.

Leedsgunner

I’d love to be wrong in this but forget all the links to Zaha.

Palace don’t need to sell to us and it has all the hallmarks of a classic diversion tactic, just so they can say that they TRIED to sign X, Y, Z at least… give us credit for trying blah, blah, blah.

The problem is that they forget we were forced to live with these excuses for at least 10 years…

As for the lack of Champions League football? Man Utd just dropped £50m on a full back… where’s our intent?

gnarleygeorge9

Even though Ebenezer Scrooge Kroenke doesn’t appear in the new Arsenal kit video, I know he uses London lingo when he talks about The Arsenal. For instance, when it comes to the fans wanting him to put his short arms into his deep pockets to actually invest in the club, he just replies with “Bah Humbug”.

WengerEagle

Well deserved that for Chile. Var is getting ridiculous at this stage, have lost count of how many goals have been disallowed in this Copa America.

Better team went through. Nice scoring the winning PK for Alexis too who continues to have a very good tournament.

Gentlebris

When does Zaha come through the door? I can hardly wait!

Gentlebris

PEA. Laca

Zaha Ndidi Torreira Nelson

Tierney Holding Socratis Bellerin

Leno

Gentlebris

Sell:

Ozil, Xhaka, Mustafi.
Leave the rest as subs.

Gentlebris

Tick Tock……

Cheney10

I believe we have more money than we all think. FFP always relates to balancing three years of books. If we, as we seem to be, are rebalancing the books in terms of wages, we will in fact have more money to spend in terms of raw transfer fees. We have cut wages by as much as 20+m a year but our revenue has increased meaning we are making the 20+m still( as we are Self sustaining) and have in fact improved our income (sponsorship, TV money etc). As raw transfer fees are spread over time (even if you use… Read more »

Gentlebris

The new ad is spot on really.

A line could be re-arranged though.

‘If you stay real and you come correct…….’

Better like this in my view:

If you come correct and you stay real……

Leedsgunner

We have a brilliant youth academy… supplement our first team squad with youngsters so that our first team is fit and ready for the EPL

Nketiah, Bielik, W.illock, Nelson, Smith-Rowe are all ready to make the step up and be squad players.

John-Jules, Amaechi, Medley, Saka, Trae Coyle,Medley and Ballard should be given loans or cup appearances…

Give youth a chance!

Leedsgunner

Why are we being spooked into giving Lucas Torreria a new contract? If he lasts the length of the new season fair enough but I thought he faded away in the second half.

Mkhitaryan, Özil and Mustafi are three players that we are having trouble shifting because of their wages… do we want to repeat that mistake?

terraloon

Cheney. As detailed on previous occasions it’s not the money coming in that’s the problem because as has been pointed out before it’s the best part of £100 million charge that is added to the expense side of the accounts in relation to past transfers that is the issue. We don’t know as yet what the wage costs in the year ending 31/5/2019 were.. I know a lot are expecting the wage bill to drop significantly in the current year which may be so but the likes of Cech will still feature in the current year maybe not past the… Read more »

Graham62

Irrespective of what happens from now on, Kroenke has to be made aware that he is culpable for what has been allowed to happen at the club over the past few years. There is an element of negative thought on here towards “not bothering’ to give up your season tickets or, not bothering to go to matches, or not bothering to buy merchandise or not bothering to cause a fuss…………..This is typical Arsenal supporters mentality. “Oh what’s the point of upsetting the old applecart, look at all the great things Mr Wenger gave us” what a defeatist load of tossers… Read more »

Bob N16

Graham, you represent one view of how to be a supporter. Sitting there on the South Coast with your keyboard being ‘radical’ with your views. Having a go at people who are happy to admit that they love Arsenal no matter what. Sometimes it seems the most virulent ‘activists’ are those who use to attend matches and now ‘push forward’ others to do their dirty work. Put aside your apparent bitterness at not now regularly going to games and be respectful of those fans who support through thick and thin. Stay in your black and white world if you want,… Read more »

terraloon

Leeds Sorry but I think your wildly over estimating the readiness of many those you name from the academy as being ready. Reiss Nelson maybe. Bielik needs to be tested for a season at Championship level. He did well at charlton but the gap from league one to PL is massive after all how likely is it a player would be bought in on a transfer from a Div 1 club? Nketiah and Willock needs to go out in loan to get a full seasons experience playing at senior level. The odd appearance here and there hasn’t helped their development.… Read more »

Bob N16

Graham,

Bayern, Juve, Real, Barcelona – dominant clubs in their respective leagues. Fans happy with success

Chelsea, Man City financially steroided over the last 10 years. Fans happy with success.

Man U….are their supporters happy. The Glazers have financially raped their club….are their supporters up in arms?

Maybe scousers were up in arms against Gillette et al …can’t remember.

But dear old South coast Graham wants Arsenal to get all radical…….
Start making banners Graham….think Yarrow and begin your march….

Pierre

Leeds “Why are we being spooked into giving Lucas Torreria a new contract? If he lasts the length of the new season fair enough but I thought he faded away in the second half.” Arsenal have never quite got the contract and wage thing right have they. Arsenal have sort of got caught between the river and the deep blue sea in that when Chelsea and City came on to the scene with their astronomical wages , we lost players because wenger /Arsenal believe that the players would be loyal to the club but sadly they were attracted by the… Read more »

Graham62

Bob N16

Thanks Bob.

You don’t get it do you? Who said anything about being radical? As long as we have a mindset surrounding the club who feel we owe so much, we’ll always be fudged.

You’re a bit of a weasel on here. Sneak in for a quick sniff around. Make a snide little comment and disappear again. As I highlighted, Arsenal has evolved in all the wrong ways.

Thanks for proving my point.

Danny

On Holding:
“The Gunners didn’t lose a single one of the 16 games the 23-year-old played in before his injury at Old Trafford on December 5.”
I never realized that.

Ishola70

Got some time for Holding but maybe his influence on the side is being a little over-rated.

Arsenal had a very nice away run of fixtures after Chelsea away up to Man United away and it wasn’t even if the defence was water tight in that unbeaten run.

So while there is hope with Holding his absence from the side and the time it happened may be elevating him a little higher than he actually is.

englandsbest

marko

Are you kidding or is this another of your jokes?

After the austerity period, both Gazidis and Wenger admitted that they had no net money to spend. It’s on record.

For eight years Arsenal had the lowest net spend of ANY PL Club. Again, it’s on record.

Samesong

Ishola

Totally agree with you assessment on Holding. Can’t rely on a youngster like that although he has shown potential to be quite a good player.

Graham and Bob enjoy the day it’s already a scorcher.

Graham62

englandsbest

Marko is correct.

It was the misuse of available funds and in particular the gross negligence in respect to players contracts/wages where we fell apart.

It all boiled down to balancing the books and working within your means. If, way back in medieval times, you’re prepared to give players of the ilk of Denilson and Bendtner £3m + /annum, you know that eventually it’ll come back to kick you in the teeth.

Yes, there were budgetary constraints but if you’re naive in dishing out the available funds, you’re basically screwed.

Welcome to Arsenal Football Club.

Graham62

englandsbest

Oh yeah, one other thing.

“Both Gazidis and Wenger admitted”

Lol!!!!!

BacaryisGod

Still not sure why so many of you are convinced Auba is staying. Raul made it absolutely clear that the club won’t allow a player to run down their contract with two years or less to go. So consider the facts: 1) Auba has two years to go on his deal 2) He just retweeted an ‘Emery is a Puppet’ comment 3) Next summer he’ll be a 31 year old with one year left on his contract. How much value will he be then? He could always run his deal down and leave for nothing as a free agent. It… Read more »

Cesc Appeal

Fenerbahce can only afford a loan Mustafi and that is what they are trying to get Arsenal to agree to…called it. Arsenal want £25 Million for him which is very, very ambitious. The loan is fine if it comes with an obligation to buy, still don’t think you get £25 Million. An obligation to buy at £15 Million and I would be happy. Mkhitaryan and Ozil has been offered around and made available…absolutely no real interest in either. Those 3 account for £30 Million a year on the wage bill and there is no interest in them. The incompetency for… Read more »

CG

Bacary is God “””””Raul made it absolutely clear that the club won’t allow a player to run down their contract with two years or less to go.”””” Exactly and he made it PUBLICLY! ……Why???? Every player and every decision is different and should made on its merits (eg players fitness, attitude, motivation etc) And at a stroke – telling the whole world – from other clubs to other agents, It will off course- lead to us receiving lower fees for our players ( which naturally affects FFP) or offering more ridiculous contracts to our players ( which naturally affects FFP)… Read more »

Gentlebris

‘Mkhitaryan and Ozil has been offered around and made available…absolutely no real interest in either.Those 3 account for £30 Million a year on the wage bill and there is no interest in them. CA Take Mikki and Ozil to China, get them decorated with flowers and send a guitar man ahead of them making sweet music. Do anything to attract some interest. Seems the only way to get them off. We can reach a compromise on Mikki and make him a permanent sub man, but Ozil has to go. ‘The incompetency for years at this club is staggering.’ Staggering? Understatement… Read more »

Bob N16

Graham , you callme a weasl for popping in and out of the blog. Didn’t realise there was an appropriate amount of times to post.

I read Legrove daily and only post when I’ ve got something to contribute or occasionally to react to individual comments.

You appear to feel the need to start the day with a post or two fair enough, even if you rarely have anything new to offer. Today you made a snide remark, indirectly accusing supporters who blindly love Arsenal as part of the problem. I felt my defense was reasonable.

Nelson

I would offer Auba one year extension to the current contract with a 2% increase in salary or another performance incentive. If he refuses then trade him.

Dream10

Very worrying that Arsenal believe someone like Torreira is the future of the club. He’s a decent player. But, he should not be a centrepiece of the team in the long run.

Gentlebris

Sky reporting that Arsenal have sent scout to watch Monaco’s Balde at the AFCON. They also have this to say: ‘Balde spent last season on loan at Inter Milan, scoring five goals in 24 Serie A appearances, but the Italian side are not taking up their option to sign him on a permanent deal.’ So Balde performed so well in serie A that the serie A club is apparently not interested in his services for the coming season. And his ligue 1 parent club doesn’t seem over the moon about him either. And so Sky figures Arsenal must be his… Read more »

englandsbest

Graham 62 You are wrong and so is marko. We are talking about the years at the time of the move to the Emirates. It is plain nonsense to believe that Wenger could spend as much as he wanted but chose not to. This is the same man who wasted £43m on Ozil, £35m on Xhaka, £30m on Mustafi, £19m on Chambers…. I am not waving the flag for Wenger or Gazidis. They lied to the fans. They didn’t have the gutz to tell us there was no net money to spend. And no wonder, given the ticket prices! Listen,… Read more »

Cesc Appeal

Gentlebris I will never be able to get my head around offering Ozil that £350 000 a week deal. You basically wrote off £17 Million a year for 4 years with that one decision. When you look at our highest earners, you’ve got £550 000 a week being wasted on 2 CAMs who are not fit for purpose. You then have about £400 000 a week on 2 players who, whilst quality, play in the same position in an environment where 2 up top is seldom played and Arsenal certainly are not equipped to play it. You add in players… Read more »

Gentlebris

****Bob N16

Nelson

How come Arsenal keeps looking for players whose value have just gone up. Rumor is that Arsenal has submitted a bid valued at around £18m for Armando Izzo, while Torino has acquired him for £8.1m last summer.

andy1886

Can’t afford Zaha so looking at Balde? Has all the hallmarks of a classic Arsenal story a la Gervinho over investing in Hazard. May as well throw £25m in the fire because we’d be letting him go for peanuts in a couple of years, do they ever learn? Would rather we kept our money in the bank than waste it on another mediocre nobody.

Gentlebris

‘You add in players like Mustafi who are just trash taking up £100 000 a week, you have players like Elneny and Chambers who could easily have their places taken by youth prospects on £50 000 a week, Jenkinson on £45 000 a week which is laughable.’ You just wanna be sure you sour up the day for me, don’t you mate. As if is not enough asking myself how I could have actually dreamed in my sleep early this morning that the Pep G becomes Arsenal manager. I’m seated here trying to figure if I have a fever and… Read more »

James.wood

Holding set to miss the start of the season.
Just hope he can come back to the type of form
he was in.?
Trouble being players rarely recover their true form after
such traumatic injuries.
Wiltshire being one.

Gentlebris

‘Can’t afford Zaha so looking at Balde? Has all the hallmarks of a classic Arsenal story a la Gervinho over investing in Hazard. May as well throw £25m in the fire because we’d be letting him go for peanuts in a couple of years, do they ever learn? Would rather we kept our money in the bank than waste it on another mediocre nobody.’ There were two saboteurs seeing to it that the club would become a thing of joke. We got at one, but obviously that’s not enough. We have to hold the other by the skirt and drag… Read more »

Marko

Englandsbest your original comment on Stan setting the budget and the targets over the years is wrong.

Marko

I wouldn’t mind Keita Balde. Could probably get him a bit cheap given his last couple seasons but there’s still a very capable player in there and if you can get him back to his Lazio days we’d be delighted. Rumour is it’s both not an either or situation. I have a feeling that there’s some confidence in getting rid of some players now.

Pierre

Cesc appeal
“Mkhitaryan and Ozil has been offered around and made available…absolutely no real interest in either.”

And you know that for certain do you.

Personally I would find it strange that our new sponsors would produce a new video with one of those players at the forefront of the video if he has been ” offered about and made available”…..

Adidas are a much too professional outfit to make such an elementary error.

David Smith

Gazidis probably saw the writing on the wall, Kroenke and Wenger might be the most guilty, but Ivan’s prints are all over everything they have done, and more, such as Ozils salary for starters. I remain amazed so much incompetence has been allowed to exist in one club, these are successful men, at least in some guises, or in the past, what on Earth happened to them and this club? They have created a culture that allowed idiots to rise the top, and stay there unchallenged for years, protected in a bubble of ineptitude. Wenger has gone, his legacy and… Read more »

Cesc Appeal

Marko

Rumour is it’s both? Who?

There are some noises around at the moment that Arsenal are considering selling some players they maybe don’t want to. Hard choices might have to be made because we cannot shift Ozil and some of the other overpaid dross. Players like Chambers, Kozz etc we should be able to find a market for.

Seems as if the best offer on the table for our £35 Million, £100 000 a week CB is a loan to Fenerbahce.

Paulie

Graham 62 well said. You are spot on and Bob is just another one of them deluded clowns who cant ever see anything wrong at arsenal

Marko

CA I’ve read that we’re looking at Keita Balde as well as Zaha not if we don’t get Zaha. They probably feel that they need both and that Balde can be gotten cheap possibly on loan. As for Pierre they can easily just edit out Ozil if he is in the video that hasn’t officially been released. Probably a bit of face saving if they can’t actually get rid of him. But it’s total denial if you think they’re not trying to actively get rid of such a nothing player. I wouldn’t have put him in the video but he… Read more »

Pierre

Paulie
Bob knows exactly what’s wrong at Arsenal , he’s just not a wenger obsessive ( who have turned into Ozil obsessives) like many on here

Bob N16

No Paulie I recognise many things that are wrong with AFC and how it’s been run. I object to so called fans accusing peole who turn up to support their team as being complicit with the regime, utter bullsh*t.

Cesc Appeal

Marko

They’re not wrong about needing both. If we land Zaha you still have to think about that other wide position. Who do you put there? The pussy? Mkhitaryan? Iwobi? Do you play Nelson who I think at very best is going to be an impact player in certain games? I don’t want to see Aubameyang shunted into a wide position.

I wonder if, given some of the little rumblings, Arsenal are indeed considering selling one of their larger assets that they don’t want to, basically meaning Lacazette or Aubameyang.

Marko

CA I’ve been hearing for a while now about how easy it should be to get rid of the likes of Mustafi they even cite being able to sell Walcott as an example of how easy it is but in reality it’s very hard seemingly to get rid of Mustafi for example when there’s better and cheaper out there. The wages are an obvious obstacle

Pierre

Marko
Maybe Adidas have stipulated that they want Ozil to stay otherwise it could possibly be a case of shooting themselves in the foot if they release a promotional video with Ozil at the forefront and then it is reported that he is available and being offered about ( according to Cesc appeal)

Fucking joke of a club. Even shite players don’t want to sign for us. Thank you kroenke,gazidis and Wenger. Top 15 here we come.

Marko

CA we’re not selling Auba to United. It’s an absolutely ridiculous rumour started by a guest on talksport that took off. In fact all the rumours surrounding our players leaving thankfully the ones we don’t want are now dying down. Torreira has said that he is happy and Milan have said they were never interested and I believe I read some quotes from Auba about how he can’t wait to get back to Arsenal or something. I would say behind the scenes recently they’ve probably gotten a lot more confident of selling some players but I don’t think it’s going… Read more »

Cesc Appeal

Marko

It’s easier if an EPL club wants to buy because they sort of expect those wages, but in Europe paying £100 000 for a CB like Mustafi is a hard sell. The problem of course is that no EPL club will want to touch him if they have to pay actual money for him and no low level EPL club will want a £100 000 a week CB like him.

Cesc Appeal

Marko

I’ve always said I would sell Lacazette over Aubameyang if it meant producing a balanced attack with actual wingers.

Nothing against Lacazette, I just think Aubameyang is the better ST and we can’t have 2 of them and nothing at RW/RM and LW/LM.

Marko

Maybe Adidas have stipulated that they want Ozil to stay otherwise Yeah I dunno if it’s willful ignorance or stupidity or both but that’s a bit of a stretch and like I said they can easily edit him out of the promotional stuff anyway. I remember one season we had Van Persie in all the photos and then he was sold to United. Bale’s in the promotional stuff at Madrid and they’re dying to get rid of him too. Also worth noting that Ozil’s Adidas deal is up next summer and he’s in such an obvious decline that I highly… Read more »

Marko

Nothing really about on Lacazette though. Unless something comes on a left field or Felix decides to stay another season at Benfica and Atletico come in for him. PSG maybe?

englandsbest

marko

I make you right on this one.

Kroenke set the financial constraints (bottom-line policy) and allowed Wenger to decide on the budget (how the money was spent).

It’s like telling your wife, ‘Sorry, no housekeeping money, but you can sell off the jewellery, and spend however you want.’

Gentlebris

‘I’ve read that we’re looking at Keita Balde as well as Zaha not if we don’t get Zaha. They probably feel that they need both and that Balde can be gotten cheap possibly on loan.’ Marko, You read that on one of these irrelevant blogs? Sky is the biggest outfit reporting Arsenal’s Balde interest as at now, and they have this to say: ‘Arsenal are monitoring Monaco’s Keita Balde as they continue to search for a new winger, Sky Sports News understands.’ A new winger! Not two new wingers. That’s an either or situation as far as I can interpret.… Read more »

Alexanderhenry

David Smith

It’s not a lost cause.
If arsenal continue to decline I believe the club will also start to lose money. Also, the bad press will be overwhelming.

That is because on a global level arsenal fc is Kroenke’s highest profile franchise– higher than the Rams.

Unlike his other franchises, our club won’t just quietly recede into mediocrity.
It’s still The Arsenal.

I’m hoping the combination of shrinking value and relentlessly negative press will make him want to sell.

Gentlebris

And no one is selling Auba nor Laca.

You don’t think even Raul would be so daft as to dry up one of the sources of our goals just to get a winger?

Marko

Kroenke set the financial constraints Again no. Self sufficient is self sufficient. He’s a vacant owner who left the club in other people’s hands and who neither set financial constraints or helped out financially for that matter. I think it was fizman or whoever who came out years ago and said Arsene spends what he wants to spend and the implication was that for a few years there when the net was either zero or when he was buying 10-15 players (usually just the one) that there was more that money went unspent. Arsene has pretty much admitted to that… Read more »

Jamie

In Pierre’s limited capacity, he thinks it’s possible for Adidas to demand Arsenal FC keeps Ozil on the books for ‘marketing purposes’.

China comes in with a £40m bid in August, but Arsenal has to turn it down or Adidas will somehow withdraw a signed 5-year sponsorship package.

Ok mate.

Marko

That’s an either or situation as far as I can interpret.

It depends on how you want to interpret it I guess depends on how optimistic/miserable you are. Cause in the same article they say:

“Balde is also of interest to Arsenal, and the 24-year-old is keen on moving to the Premier League.”

Also to me sounds like also as in I’ll have that coffee and also this delicious danish

Marko

And why do you think that a much slower serie fucking A reject could be the solution to a problem in one of the biggest clubs in much more faster premier league?

Oh I think that we need two pacy wingers brought in always have. I like it if they were two worldies but I can see us having just the one marquee signing in that area and getting creative with another signing. Keita Balde on loan could be very smart. Could also be bullshit and Edu has something else in mind.

Dream10

Marko

Hope we steer clear of Keita Balde. He’s better off at Lazio/Sampdoria/Torino.
Seems to be a high variance type of player.
We might get four goals or eighteen.

One of the wide guys I like is Guedes of Valencia. He’s got speed, can be aggressive with his runs off the ball and a great shot. Only thing is, he doesn’t get into shooting positions often enough.

David Smith

Maybe, hope you are right AH

englandsbest

marko

You are splitting hairs, blind-sided by your dislike of Wenger.

T

Marko

Englandsbest you are reimagining things blindsided by your dislike of Kroenke and love for Wenger

Micheal

Marko – “Basically you’re wrong to suggest that there was ever financial constraints or budgets set by Kroenke. ”

What parallel universe do you live in ?

Kroenke owns Arsenal 100%. He is chairman and employs and pays the wages of Emery, Rual, the finance director, players, coaches, scouts, kitchen staff, groundstaff, programme sellers, laundry staff, etc. etc. That is not in question.

But somehow the man with ownership and control does not set budgets ?

Do you have any idea how business works ?

Marko

Michael I believe you’re another one of those people infatuated with blaming Kroenke so I’ll leave you to it. No he doesn’t set the budgets we do that ourselves with our own money. We’re self sufficient you see

Guns of Brixton

Juve set to get Rabiot

We rightly give Juve there measure of praise for the way they do their transfer business here but wow they still amaze me each window .

They ve landed Ramsey and Rabiot ,2 very competent midfielders for free.

Amazing stuff.

Micheal

Marko:
So the owner and employer has no control over the operational finances of his own business ? This would be the first time this has happened in around 500 years of capialism. Congratulations Marko.

You are embarrassing yourself.

Guns of Brixton

For @ micheal. Copy nd pasted of gambons comment. 😁😁😁😁 In recent years, we’ve seen Xhaka, Mustafi, Perez, Asano and Elneny signed for £100m. We’ve seen the club go and buy 2 £50m strikers within 6 months while the team was crying out for a winger or CB. We’ve seen the club spend £16m each on Chambers and Welbeck, who contribute nothing. Yet, apparently the answer to our dreadful transfer strategy is just to spend more money. Maybe we should have paid £60m for Mustafi, £23m for Asano, and Ozil should be on £550k per week. Owner investment is not… Read more »

Micheal

*capitalism

Dream10

Guns of Brixton

Yep. They’re a smart club. Will make a nice profit on Ramsey when he returns to Arsenal or another PL club in another two years

Marko

So the owner and employer has no control over the operational finances of his own business He could but there’s absolutely no indication whatsoever that he does which is why when people such as yourself say that he puts financial constraints on the club it doesn’t seem plausible. Where’s the constraint? Prove it. Pretty easy to prove we’re self sufficient. Fizman and others comments over the years on top of quotes from Arsenal suggest that not only was Arsene left to his own accord in the transfer market but that there was in fact times that he left money unspent.… Read more »

Micheal

Gus:

I totally agree that mismanagement of our finances by Wenger, Gazidis, etc has been a colossal problem and we see the awful effects of this mismanagement right up to now.

But the financial budgets and operational plan for any business is set by the owner, whose orders and instructions are carried out by the employees such as Wenger, Gazidis, etc. We know they fucked up. But Kroenke allowed them to fuck up.

Gambon is wrong.

Marko

The Aubameyang stuff is such a joke. So apparently our asking price is 56 million. That’s one million more than what we paid for him. An extra one million after he scored 32 goals in 49 premier league games. He scored 30 goals last season ffs.

Micheal

Marko. With respect, but you clearly do not understand how business operates.

The self-sufficient model set by Fizman, etc was operated by the previous owners under the instructions of the previous owners – including Fizman. If there is a self-sufficiency plan under Kroenke today, that plan is set by Kroenke – not Rual, Emery, the groundstaff, players, coaches, etc.

The idea that Wenger-Gazidis or Raul-Emery can operate outside the control of the owner Kroenke is totally absurd.

Marko

So Michael you can’t actually prove there were any financial constraints outside of a generic remark. Well I’ve been swayed

Leedsgunner

Guns of Brixton @ 1404

When I checked a few days ago they also had sold £55m of their surplus players to fellow Serie A clubs, as well installing a new manager.

I have no doubt were we without a manager like they were at the beginning of the window, that would be used as an excuse for inactivity.

Wonder why they can afford De Ligt? Despite his monstrous price tag?

They pick up smart free buys like Rabiot and Ramsey and sell off their deadwood promptly. They do so, year after year.

Marko

Michael literally everything you just said is jargon or codswallop if you like. Self sufficient is self sufficient. Again you haven’t really proved anything to be honest. Which is strange I’m starting to think that you can’t actually prove financial constraints.

The idea that Wenger-Gazidis or Raul-Emery can operate outside the control of the owner Kroenke is totally absurd.

You’ll probably have to look up vacant owner or absentee owner at this point.

CG

Well Said Guns Of Brixton Juventus who were gormless and clueless not that such a long time ago- are the best run club in the world. Absolute masters . Total respect and Kudos ( shame about their match fixing history- but aside from that) Snapping up Quality free transfers. ( rambo/rabot/etc) Investing in Quality when its comes available. (ronaldo) SACKING MANAGERS when they fall even slightly short of their targets, (allegri) having Italian managers and predominately Italian players at the heart of the team- so they have important personnel who know their domestic arena. Owners who spend EVERY DAY in… Read more »