Ok, ok… so is it time to start getting angry on Twitter?
Should I be at the Kroenke out protest?
Should I strap a camera to my face and VENT for the good people of Youtube?
I think it’s nearly that time.
We are a week away from preseason, we haven’t sold a notable flop, we haven’t purchased the 8 players I was SURE we’d bring in. I don’t even have a slick new haircut from Theo Walcott to excite me.
We’re basically rolling into preseason like this was peak-Wenger 2012.
I’m half expecting Emery to roll in with a French accent and say something like, ‘we look for maybe one special talent, but we will not pay over the odds.’
I still remember 2008 when Wenger told us he’d surprise us with a signing, then dropped Silvestre! Good times.
There’s certainly a disorder with Arsenal fans that we picked up from the halcyon days of ‘WENGER KNOWS’ and I call it retroactive intellectualism. It’s where you find sense in chaos. It’s a comfort blanket to project a plan where there is none.
I’m rolling with that today…
Raul must know that what he’s being served up under Emery is flatulent and unlikely to move us to where we need to be. I know from speaking to people in and around the club that things aren’t going well. I think our exec leadership will know this as well unless they aren’t talking to people. Which come to think of it isn’t beyond the pale… surely if someone walked down to the training ground and saw the bus driver giving the team speech, they’d say something?
I digress…
So, is it possible that we’re writing off this season as an inexpensive transition moment? We blood the kids, keep our powder dry and wait for the arrival of Edu to whom all responsibility for success will lie?
That could be the plan.
Alternatively, we could just be witnessing a botched attempt at a summer because we have zero leverage in the market. We have a severe cashflow issue, a bloated wage bill, expensive players no one wants, and too little money to bring in the players we do want.
As Arsenal fans nervously await the outcome of this summer’s transfer window, I thought it might be interesting to look at why the club is facing more financial challenges these days. Some thoughts in the following thread #afcb
— Swiss Ramble (@SwissRamble) July 1, 2019
The money side of things is utterly staggering. But it all comes down to so many people at the club being ok with coasting back in the day. We didn’t make hay when the Champions League was giving us a monster advantage. We let great managers pass us by. We were dominated by the presence of yesteryear. Now we are paying the price because we are starting from scratch.
That said, as I’m writing this, I feel very depressed. Arsenal has spent the last 15 years bemoaning what they DON’T have instead of working out how to make the most of what they DO have.
You work with the tools you are handed. You find an edge. You hire people that are cunning. You find market disruptors who find value under the rocks that no one is looking under. In my job, can I pay the best wages? No. Can I hire the greatest creative talent on earth? No. Do I moan? Yes. But I find a way because if I don’t, there’s no job for me. That’s the same in EVERY industry. Just fucking get on with it and find a way. There are enough talented players to go around. Technology is BOOMING. Incredible people are there for the taking. We need a driving force at the club that cares about one thing, and one thing only… making Arsenal the best they can be.
Who do we have doing that at the moment?
We’re competing in the second tier of experienced players by the looks of things. Carrasco, Zaha… instead of hunting out elite young players with a couple of seasons under their belts like BVB. To be fair, Tierney would fit that mould, but we should be bringing in 5 like that.
I felt like Sven Mislintat was our explorer. Someone that’d do things differently. Something that’d attempt to restructure the way we find advantages with talent. We’ve lost that hustle, and the worrying thing is it’s because Raul doesn’t believe in that approach.
We’re hunting for rebirths in a network of dodgy agents. I hate that. We’re trying to make a marquee signing of Wilfried Zaha. Good player, but really?
The industry of football is moving towards intelligence and we’re anchoring ourselves in the cigar smoke-filled world of the contacts game.
It. Is. Sad.
But hey, maybe we’ll sign Pepe today and I will come CRAWLING back on my hands and knees begging for your future clicks.
We’ll see. Hope is all we have. And each other. I love you guys.
xx
1
2
3
Trofee
1st?
Nope 🙁
“So its perfectly acceptable to throw the season away early like Wenger, play the last two months with nothing at stake, than compete and fall short in the end” Classic case of ‘quick, Emery is getting criticised throw some Wenger stuff out there’. I’m not sure how you land at it being “acceptable”, the man was sacked you fucking melon. “Beat Brighton and we finish top four, Xhaka pulls a man down for a penalty, but you will not have a bad word said about him” Really, I won’t? Called him a donut a few times the past season, but… Read more »
Pedro
What’s your take on Sky Sauces saying we’re talking to Brahimi formerly of Porto?
Shrewd? or Smelling like Emery is going for next season and fuck the vision? or both?
Fifth. The new fourth
Play the young’uns Nelson, Willock Nketiah and buy some more – Tierney, Saliba, Sangare, Ocampos. Go all in with youth I say
I felt like Sven Mislintat was our explorer. Someone that’d do things differently
Of the 7 players he was responsible for signing he bought 3 players he had previously worked with and Lichtsteiner. Sven Mislintat gets far too much credit than he deserves.
Genuinely thought last summer was a sign of things to come in terms of player recruitment and planning for the season ahead.
It’s eerily quiet at the minute.
I’d rather we play youth than go out wasting money on journeymen over 25s
1.4 MILLION A MONTH -OZIL.
The guys got his money he should be moving on.?
And at least try and show some pride at another club.
1.4 MILLION FOR A goldfish with no tail.
Im livid.
Also, if you want to analyse that particular dull Xhaka moment how about you include the full picture of Mkhi missing a bread and butter pass to put Licht in behind which left Xhaka having to sprint half the length of the pitch to deal with a counter. You sure you called him a donut last season. Seems like another example of an excuse for poor auld Xhaka. Had to sprint half the length of the field oh the poor petal perhaps if he wasn’t so stupid to get continually caught out of position. Even still the actual challenge that… Read more »
Marko,
Maybe Scen was overrated but at the time Torreira and Guendouzi were pretty left field for Arsenal signings. And Leno was our first decent (young) goalkeeper signing in years…..
Leno was not a mystery to anyone
Some on here actually questioned that signing
Marko Where’s the excuse? Literally called it a “dull moment”. But if you, or anyone else, cares to offer that up as a reason for us losing points then offer up the whole image and not just the bit you want to give the glory to. Do we concede a pen without the Xhaka challenge? no. Do we concede without the failed Mkhi pass? no. Do we concede without geriatric Licht overlapping as per our ‘tactics’? no. …and again, this occurred in the 59th minute of the game, so explain how Emery couldn’t deliver a goal in 30 minutes? I’ll… Read more »
Pedro,
I feel that at the start of the summer, the best we could hope for was Project European Youth.
What it looks like now is Project Arsenal Youth, with the bulk of “new” players being promoted from the Under 23s and returning loanees.
Receding,
Leno may not have been a mystery to anyone, but at least he was an actual signing!
Wolves just signed Dendoncker for about 10 million after his loan. We really need to be open to these types of signings going forward. Lyon got Ndombele after a loan. Maybe we could look at something like that going forward. Maybe Florentino Luis at Benfica or Sander Berge.
I propose that we re-label “Project Youth 2.0” to “Project Skint”.
Emery couldn’t deliver a goal in 30 minutes said with a straight face yet jumps to Aubameyang’s defense when it was pointed out he missed a penalty (in a match Emery managed exceptionally well and we should have won) or that same player fluffed a chance from a few yards out, a simple cushion and side foot and he attempted a volley.
Real football is now playstation, the manager has a controller at hand and should deliver a goal. Wonder why Auba gets 200k a week then
Swiss Ramble is brilliant at what he does and that includes pushing me to the depths of depression my fluoxetine has no chance of reversing.
It’s ‘Project Un-Fucking the Club’
Oh wait Auba won the golden boot so gets a pass
Xhaka has been called a donut gets a pass
the manager in his first season in the league makes 70 points and competes for a champions league place till the very end (he does not get a pass because i wanted a different appointment)
Words absolutely agree. Of his signings Guendouzi and Torreira were very good examples of forward thinking on his part. Leno wasn’t a surprise we were linked with him for years but the rest were really just safe somewhat thoughtless signings on his part. I tend to think Mhiki, Sokratis and Lichtsteiner in particular were huge red flags. Basically I don’t think I’d hold him in such high regard after those three
That guy Turkish from AFTV organised a Kroenke Out protest at the kit launch, seems only around 40 people attended
Wasn’t his first signing at Division 2 Stuttgart a former BvB player as well?
Good to see Pedro in such a positive mood.
On a serious note I still think bitching about Zaha is a colossal waste of time I cannot see us signing him. If we have that sort of money then the problems aren’t half as bad as we keep talking about – unless of course it includes selling Auba to another PL club.
Cesc,
Hate to say it, but once you’re fucked you can’t be un-fucked…..
so explain how Emery couldn’t deliver a goal in 30 minutes? I’ll tell you why as I see it, insipid manager.
I know man what a useless fucker he couldn’t orchestrate a goal with who was on the pitch. Disgraceful puppeteering if ever I saw it
Project Unberleedable!
Receding I didn’t leap to Auba defence, I stated quite simply that when a team fails the first person held responsible is the manager – and this is the norm across all football clubs. I laughed that you, in an attempt to avoid Emery getting criticised, offered up Auba as a reason we failed to reach top 4. The premier league joint golden boot winner was responsible for our failures haha. I said he was a net positive for the season, and the same cannot be said for Emery. Now it’s apparently a foreign concept to expect a manager to… Read more »
Cesc,
Operation Restore Hymen?
WOAB
Love it.
Print it on tshirts.
Maybe ‘Once Fucked Never Again’.
Guys I expected most here to come to terms on our present situation.
The Brahimis is the way we may go for sometime before we get up on our feet. With our reported budget were you expecting g us to be spending like sugar daddies?
Juve like to sign freebies and they do sign quality ones as well.
Brahimi, n one knows what he’ll be.
Anyway, love that new home kits
Not a foreign concept if your “net positive” for the season misses a sitter from a few yards out Charles, enough with the laughing Emoji you are a man in your forties i believe
As for Emery not being a net positive…you and your ilk are taking it for granted that the lowest we could have done last season was finish on 70 points and compete for top four, that we could not have gone lower than that no matter who the manager was, that line of thought is a joke and why i do not take you seriously….
This really ought to be the make or break season with the Kroenke out starting to gain more momentum.Wenger & gazidis The two frontmen are gone.No protection from the fan base anymore .The vitriol will slowly creep up getting interesting especially with a non existent transfer window unwinding.
I also can’t believe he couldn’t muster a win with Lacazette, Aubameyang, Ozil, Kolasinac, Iwobi on for the last 30 mins. And with Nketiah on the bench… what a disaster.
Receding
Well if you believe it, it must be true eh..
Emery being a net positive or not isn’t deduced solely through points returned but the managerial applications witnessed throughout the season, tactics, rotation, player performances etc. From that pov it’s a very debatable case of Emery being a net positive.
But I’m suggesting such a thing to someone that’s spent months on end behaving like Emery’s guard dog, so it’s obviously not a point that will bear any fruit, or thought, with you.
Man… that post didn’t bode well for us.
😶😶😶
But I’m suggesting such a thing to someone that’s spent months on end behaving like Emery’s guard dog
Oh that’s good coming from you. You spent years acting like Arsene’s gerbil that escaped from Richard Gere’s house
Someone tell Charles again what a mess we were in prior to last season
He seems to believe Arsenal’s issue starting last season with the appointment of Unai Emery, he wants to talk tactics, rotation and player performances, we apparently amassed 70 points in the league without any of this being applied, go figure.
Give us more laughing emoji’s Charles
Guns
Are you of the right age to be using emojis mate?
Run it by Receding, he’s keeper of the list it seems.
“Someone tell Charles again what a mess we were in prior to last season”
Count me out.
I’m on his “boring list” for repeatedly telling him the same thing.
That fact will never percolate through, it seems.
It all started when we first heard ‘good ebening”
Marko he still wouldn’t have a word of criticism said towards Arsene but he already has names like “gaping arse” for the new coach.
Such a respectful lad our Charles
“He seems to believe Arsenal’s issue starting last season with the appointment of Unai Emery, he wants to talk tactics, rotation and player performances, we apparently amassed 70 points in the league without any of this being applied, go figure.” Is that another one of them beliefs that YOU have, so they somehow become “true”? I was one of few that said the squad we had last summer was good enough to compete for top 4, and what do you know… We also amassed 63 points the year prior and it was an abomination of discontent around the club, not… Read more »
PedRo “””””I know from speaking to people in and around the club that things aren’t going well. “”””””” So why in Gods name dont Raul and Vinny do their bloody jobs and resolve these problems. Sacking Useless. And getting a proper coach in Demanding Edu arrives this week or dont bother. And get some quality in. And cutting the real dross …. Jenks,Elneny. If this Algerian bald winger comes aboard. (Mahrez yes – this dope No) We might as well all commit harakari It comes to something that Derby County from the Championship are appointing a manager better than what… Read more »
I mean give someone like gambon credit at least he’s being objective. But Charles if he was about 10% even a measly 10% as critical of the previous manager as he is of the current one you could take some of what he says seriously instead of it appearing as butthurt or jilted really. Anyway doesn’t really matter does it he has about as much sway as that poor gerbil
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
More emojis please!!!
The architects of failure – Kroenke, Wenger and Gazidis. Two have gone. Only Kroenke is still standing.
All sensible suggestions about how we remove the last stain on our club are welcome.
#AFC keen on Zaha but any move would depend on the player forcing #CPFC hand; Nabil Fekir has been offered to Arsenal & would cost £30m; club have held talks with Brahimi’s agent over a free transfer; 2 bids rejected for Tierney but deal could be done [via @johncrossmirror]
.@Dzdzfoot who are followed by a number of Algerian national team players *claim* Brahimi should complete his #AFC move after the ACON.
Nabil Fekir for 30m seems a tasty offer. Still only 25
Seems Benitez is Carrasco’s new manager
“Rafa Benitez has agreed to become the new manager of Chinese club Dalian Yifang, SSN understands.
We’re told the Spaniard could be introduced as the club’s new boss as early tomorrow, following the resignation of South Choi Kang Hee on Monday.
Benitez’s Newcastle United contract came to an end on Sunday. He’s set to more than double his £6m salary at St James’ Park. “
Preseason turn-out will be very scanty
Too many players were busy in the summer with national team call-ups.
25 million a season I hear for Benitez. Bet he’ll still complain about the transfer budget though
Marko and dissenter There is a reason why Emery couldn’t get his team to muster a goal in the last half hour …..have a look at what happens when an Emery side is chasing a game when they need a goal. And I will tell you that in not one of these games when we needed to score a goal did we manage that in the last 30 minutes of these games since December. Southampton away 2-3.. Spurs home 0-2 Brighton away 1-1 West ham away 0-1 Man Utd home. 1-3 Man city away1-3 Bate..away. 0-1 Rennes away 1-3 Everton… Read more »
BREAKING NEWS
Arsenal have today made a £40m bid for Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha,Sky Sports News understands.
Marko
You’re disregarding what I say, irrespective of what’s being said, because of some falsehood nonsense you’re desperate to push time after time.
Says a lot more about you than me. In your little world there has to be sides, and previous roles as fans. You’re forever assigning context, even when there isn’t any to begin with. Weird way of going about it.
Reading between the lines the Ray Parlour interview
live this morning would suggest that the Torreador will
be transferred his immediate family are really unhappy
with life in the UK.
Oh FFS, Sky are taking the piss at this point surely?
Who’s let the fucking summer interns loose on the computers today…
Come on Sky, surely this is a wind up?
Kovacic (pointless player) just went for 40m, no way in hell is Palace accepting 40m from us for Zaha …and that’s about what he is worth at a stretch
Fekir at 30m is a tasty offer
The betting angle to transfers have made silly season sillier
Sky have sold their soul for some betting money
Only way we’ve bid £40 million for Zaha is if we’ve found out there’s a buy out clause.
Don’t believe it for a second.
Receding
It’s crazy – the company that’s claiming to be a neutral source of information has a financial interest in whipping up false rumours.
Can we not take Zaha on an elaborate loan until his contract expires and avoid the 25% sell on fee. Palace can get their money, we get Zaha, United get shafted?
because of some falsehood nonsense you’re desperate to push time after time. I’m not pushing any falsehoods with regards to you. It’s plain to see for everyone where you come from what you say and how objective you were in the past. You’re forever assigning context, even when there isn’t any to begin with. Weird way of going about it. Odd giving when I commented on you wanting Antonio Valencia signed you started harping on about context. Again Charles it’s not a falsehood to say that you only discovered the ability to criticize the manager in the summer of 2018.… Read more »
“Arsenal are interested in Hakim Ziyech, but there aren’t negotiations at the moment. He turned down an offer from Sevilla FC. (Calciomercato) #AFC”
I am interested in a lot of things i am not negotiating for at the moment too, print that
40 million is about right for him. Nothing more
Receding Hairline
“Emery couldn’t deliver a goal in 30 minutes said with a straight face ”
no doubt Charlie did have a straight face because Emery failed to deliver a goal in the last 30 minutes in nearly every game that we needed one .
‘ZAHA’S DREAM TO PLAY FOR ARSENAL’ Following the news of Arsenal’s £40m bid for the Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, his brother Judicael has told Sky Sports News: “Wilfried will always hold Crystal Palace and their fans in the highest regard and all the support they have given means the world to him. “It’s my brother’s dream though, to play for Arsenal,” he added. “Given all that Wilfried has given to Crystal Palace to help them remain a Premier League club, I hope Palace will be able to see their way to agreeing a deal with Arsenal that allows Wilfried… Read more »
Marko You’re offering nonsense that I didn’t criticise Wenger even 10% of how I criticise Emery. That’s complete bollocks, but you’re set in your ways of talking pish as ‘truth’. that’s well documented on here. So right away there’s little point arguing on the matter. I’m not talking actual context if you weren’t aware, I said you assign imaginary context to situations and draw incorrect assumptions as a result. That’s not the same as me including the context of discussing Antonio Valencia as a free agent, and how he’d offer much more than Licht if we were to go that… Read more »
That’s the only way this deal works, the player making it clear he wants out. Zaha cannot watch Bissaka make a move to a top six club and Palace expect him to stay put. It’s either now or probably never for him.
I support this transfer though 100%, no adaptation nonsense.
This brahimi signing is banter, bringing in 29 Yr old wingers when we have Nelson coming back in. Buying in the next gen of cloggers is not the way forward.
Maybe we’re banking on Zaha kicking up a fuss and handing in a transfer request. His brother already has started..
40 million add in Chambers tell them he’s worth 20 million and add in Nketiah on loan
On the thread of banter we get moments forgot the fact he completely papered over the fact he failed to strengthen the squad in 2013 bar flamimi then played it cool lost the opener to villa and then shit himself into the ozil purchase, and slapped on a that was my plan all along line. Given ozil at the time was the daddy most bought it
Marko
“I also can’t believe he couldn’t muster a win with Lacazette, Aubameyang, Ozil, Kolasinac, Iwobi on for the last 30 mins. And with Nketiah on the bench… what a disaster.”
He did fail against
Southampton ,Brighton,spurs,West ham , .man Utd man city, Bate, Rennes, Everton, Brighton home , Leicester.
Now that is a disaster , to have a manager who can’t motivate his team to score one goal in the last half hour of those games.
uffff, I expect a retraction/denial of those words by later tonight. Either that or Zaha is game for playing slimy to get out from the Crystal Palace grip, and won’t do a Mahrez.
If there’s one pretty golden rule in football at clubs that size, there’s nothing to gain with holding a player against his wishes. Take the money and run. Maybe the links to Balde, Brahimi are Arsenal driven to tell palace we’re not desperate.
Here comes Sanllehi’s tricks
Arsenal willing to include 1 or 2 players in the deal
Pre season around the corner, still haven’t shifted Xhaka, Mustafi and all the other dross. The defence needs an over haul but Arsenal make a derisory bid for Zaha. What a clusterfuck this club has become…
That’s complete bollocks
That’s not though. Anyone who’s argued with you even a little bit in that know that you’ve offered us excuses rather than criticisms. But now all of a sudden it’s gaping assholes and the like with regards to the manager. Look I’m not trying to change who you are I’m just commenting on how “objective” you are. Continue as you see fit I don’t care. Well document indeed.
“Now that is a disaster , to have a manager who can’t motivate his team to score one goal in the last half hour of those games.”
disastrous indeed
Wonder who motivated them to score the 73 they did last season in the league, probably Wenger over the phone
So they want 80 million and we offer 40 million. Are we sure Wenger has actually left Arsenal? Is Emery, Wenger in a mask lol.
P.s Zaha is ok but nothing special
Or better still they outscored Spurs and Chelsea through the spirit of Ozil
Thank you and goodnight nothing special about any player in the Arsenal squad either, very few are ok even
@Receding
Yeah your not wrong my friend
TYAGN Zaha may not be special but he’s more than okay, he’s a very, very good player and he brings something we have absolutely none of in the team, a wide threat, a dribbler, someone who will take defenders on and plays the dirty side of the game. Zaha and Aubameyang as part of a front line will absolutely terrify teams. As for the offer, we’re not privy to the internal workings of this deal. Sounds as if Arsenal are in contact with Zaha and this might be the start of Zaha publicly pushing for the exit. It may be… Read more »
Marko If Wenger was 3rd with 6 games left and lost top 4 on the same run-in you’d have screamed bottle job. Saying that about Emery for doing just that IS being objective. Making some bogus claim that I didn’t criticise Wenger as much as I have Emery can be filed under erroneous – I lambasted our big 6 tactics, the type of midfielder we went for, having Coquelin in the side (which I was lambasted for because “pashun”), not having a plan B, not being numerous players I considered top grade (Higuain, another I was argued on)…so spare me… Read more »
£40m bid in for Zaha, about right where we should be for that type of player, but Palace fans think we are taking the piss
Why do ‘t we just remortgage the Emirates just to get Zaha?
Is he that good or have people lost their collective minds?
He’s not worth anything over 35-40 million.
Champagne, i will have you know that Coq had corpus amounts of pashun
Receding Hairline
Does it not concern you that in the games we were behind since December , Emery wasn’t able to motivate the team to score one goal in the last half hour of all those matches to give the watching fans a semblance of hope.
It actually tells me all I need to know about his capabilities as a manager.
I’d loan them Reiss Nelson plus the £40m reported we bid….we’ll talk add ons and possible selling them another player next season….£50m should be our max
If Wenger was 3rd with 6 games left and lost top 4 on the same run-in you’d have screamed bottle job. Ah but context though brother context. Guy 22 years in the job bottles it with a squad of his making compared to manager one year into the job with a squad he inherited isn’t remotely the same it’s not being objective. And it’s worth noting neither last summer or the summer before that were you on here on a daily basis cursing at the season that Arsene just served up? Fuck no. But sure like I said at the… Read more »
I figure Mahrez a better plaer than Zaha and they are looking fr similar money, what are they smoking over there at selhurst park?