via @Arsenal Instagram
Gooood morning you sexy beasts. How are we today? It’s a roll-neck-jumper-no-hair-product kind of day for me. I’m in business mode. I’m gonna invest £63 in the stock market and tell my cat I bought in the dip. I’m gonna put meeting notes in my girlfriend’s digital calendar to discuss her poor performance when I’m on Zoom calls. This is not a day to trifle with Pedro Buffet.
In the news, we’re really lacking out here. It’s Oxford Street on lockdown right now. If news were a person, it’s just been caught by the feds going out for a Mars bar for the SECOND time in the day. It’s rarer than… ok, you get the point. I’m padding this blogs word count like Mesut pads his stats.
We made a podcast last night and questioned what’s going on with the Edu and Raul transfer strategy. Watching the stats guys drop out of the club is a worrying Twist. As Alex correctly asserts, Sven was the data guy, Raul was the contacts guy. The yin to the yang. Sven finds the gems, Raul brings them in. That model with a strong CEO overseeing the show should have been a dreamy combo. As it turned out, it wasn’t so dreamy. Now we seem to have shifted heavily into the contacts world of sport.
How often has that worked out? What does the future of Arsenal look like when it comes to deals? You can look at the speculation, which has us competing for Walce, Jonathan David and Odsonne Edouard. That ‘seems’ like a roster of players you’d hanker after.
… but then you see the reality. Cedric Soares and Pablo Mari. Willian this summer. Top corner contacts scouting.
Where are we heading? Hopefully, it’s more Saliba’s, Tierney’s and Martinelli’s… because I really would be sad to see us hoover up a load of favors that never seem to be returned. We’ll see though.
In a very interesting twist, the Premier League clubs are asking the PFA to accept a motion for clubs to defer payments of up to 50%. A huge sum of money, but one that makes total sense when you consider the entire world is shut down with thousands of people losing their jobs. Footballers earn more in a week than most do in a year, they should be able to handle a temporary cut, especially if it’s to save the clubs they work for. It’s already happening in Germany, Hans-Joachim Watzke calling the play “a valuable sign of solidarity.”
Talking of the PFA, it’s believed that the players are not happy about the notion of returning to action behind closed doors.
‘Players do have concerns and understandably so. It would not be our preferred option but everything has to be considered at the moment.’
I think this is a fair worry. Conflicting messages have been a key theme in politics. I’m not sure that telling the UK they can’t go out to buy a second packet of sausages because of social distancing quite works if you’re letting 22 guys on a pitch play sport. People are also easily led astray. You know that fans would go and hang around outside the ground just because it’s more interesting than eating another bag of spicy Wotsits.
… but, on the other side of things, maybe a bit of well-regulated sport is what we need right now? I can’t decide.
I think the big thing to watch for is how the TV firms deal with this. If they pressure the Premier League or ask for a rebate, that could spell trouble for negotiations for the next deal. Bezos, Cook and Hastings might be waiting in the wings with their extremely deep pockets ready to offer a far sweeter deal. There will no doubt be a strong relationship with Sky, so we’ll see how they play it. Now is not the time to be overly aggressive. What a nightmare though, the TV execs have to protect shareholder value without pissing off one of the most valuable prizes in world football.
NOW LISTEN TO OUR LATEST PODCAST x
This week we talk about the Premier League, what social distancing will do to future crowds, and we speculate heavily on the summer or autumn transfer window. I’m on with Alex, give him a follow here.
Been a while, hope everyone keeping safe
2
Someone wanna nick it?
4
There you go
trophy CL place
Lol, DM. I finally got you. Hope all is well with you and your loved ones.
ahh shit
Upstate
Nice one, but I did say – someone wanna nick it? Lol.. I knew someone would be lurking, just cba to wait.
Keep well mate
Top 10
Pedro
I wouldn’t get too concerned about players we’re linked with at the moment – there’s fuck all happening in the world and lots of people are looking for something to keep them occupied / amused. It’s the perfect environment for click bait to explode.
I’ve seen a few articles by Fabregas confirming that he contacted arsenal first about coming back, and heard absolutely nothing for a week, before Chelsea then approached him. Nice one Arsene, put your stupid pride before the club. Fabregas also says Xabi Alonso was begging to come to Arsenal. Was calling him every day in the summer for an update. Arsenal didn’t bother. It sickens me knowing the team we could have had, and the titles and silverware it would have brought. Where we are now was building up for years and years. Still baffles me why people were so… Read more »
Wenger completely lost it towards the end. Very egotistical man.
Boom boom boom i wanna hear u say wayo
Lolz. A pay cut…mmnnnn. Why? Look, only the other day you had Pogba saying he would donate £25,000 to something or other to make a £50,000 target. £25,000? For someone who is earning close to ten times that a week? He could donate a months wages and not bat an eye. Not buy that £200,000 Lamborghini etc. Footballers, like the rest of us are greedy pigs. I find it hard to believe that the league will, just like that, give up billions. Football does not bring people together, it is the ultimate fuck you to poor people. Nothing quite says… Read more »
Pedro
One stanza you attack Raul and his contracts scouting and the next you hope to bring in players similar to the ones who were literally bought in by the same man. I mean come on.
Everyone
If you havent yet , you have to check out the Arseblog podcast with Cesc. Its a Gem . So many points to discuss.
Key being-
-The lack of ambition showed by his colleagues leading to Cesc’s departure.
– Arsene not having as much power in the TW as it was/is showcased.
Also the respect Cesc had for Arsene.
Ornstein saying Nulling the season is completely off the table at least for the Premier League.
Also in the Cesc podcast
-Alonso was begging to come to Arsenal but our hierarchy couldn’t push the transfer through.
Xabi Alonso *
Top 30
Wasi
There’s nothing new. Wenger was rarely ruthless in the transfer market.
We saw it with Suarez, we saw it with Higuain.
If Wenger was in Ferguson’s place, he wouldn’t buy RVP at the price United bought him.
Wasi, overall, our recruitment has been poor under Raul. I’m hoping it gets better.
Pedro
Can you please approve a different email? I’m trying to use a different email address to comment.
Test
Spain buys medical equipment worth €432M from China – absolutely terrific stuff from China.You got to marvel at their expertise in chicanery.
Olumide The lack of ambition was showed by his teammates not by Arsene. Cesc pointed out that Arsene didnt have as big a say in transfers like people paint a picture. Sure we may have missed out on some due to him being stubborn but this lil chat with Cesc brings to light that it was not all.his fault we missed out on so many good players . Pedro I think Raul’s rep among fans have dropped only and only because of Pepe not working out as everyone had hoped. It was Raul’s statement signing and he didn’t produce the… Read more »
Sorry, but I don’t buy what Cesc is saying. In the end, it’s only him who knows why he really left, and the truth about Xabi Alonso’s rumors of wanting to join us. At the time, we still had RvP, Nasri, Rosicky, Arshavin, Walcott, Wilshere, Ramsey, Sagna, Clichy, Koscielny, Vermaelen, etc… – not a bad squad to build around. Yet, he pushed for a transfer, just like RvP did a year or two later. The boy with Barca DNA got his wish and joined his boyhood club, only to be dumped by them a couple of years after; and the… Read more »
Pepe will come good next season.. This was his first ffs..
Who brought cesc in the first place.. He didn’t get him second time because he’d just got ozil..
But call it pride if it makes you feel better
Olumide “There’s nothing new. Wenger was rarely ruthless in the transfer market. We saw it with Suarez, we saw it with Higuain. If Wenger was in Ferguson’s place, he wouldn’t buy RVP at the price United bought him.” It is easier to be ruthless with a bottomless pit of money With regard to cesc, if you look at it from a managers point of view , we had cazorla, Ozil , wilshere, Ramsey , rosicky, diaby , Arteta in midfield at the time cesc left Barcelona. The previous season, Ramsey had scored 16 goals from midfield so I presume wenger… Read more »
Arsenal were right to pass on Fabregas. Remember how he went to watch his mate Alonso on the final day of the season, whilst still under contract and being the club’s captain?
Cesc came to Arsenal when we has world beaters all around the squad and the goal was to win the biggest trophies in the land.
He saw Wenger sell off the invisibles and fail to replace them with quality players. Wenged didn’t get a defensive midfielder after Gilberto Silva and kept a shambolic goalie for far too long.
At some point he had to move to protect his career While he was at Arsenal, he gave everything possible. Anyone that argues otherwise [i.e SUGA3] is just peddling silliness.
*we had
Emiratestroller.
In hindsight do you think the Emirates stadium is money well spent.?
And on reflection would we have been better spending the extra money
and designing a Stadia like Spurs have.?
Or To have stayed at Highbury.😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃.
“And on reflection would we have been better spending the extra money
and designing a Stadia like Spurs have.?”
Yeah that £400 million over budget was money well spent. As I commented earlier we’ve hosted concerts at the Emirates before, we have much better transport links and I’m not convinced the American Football matches will bring in enough revenue to cover the over spend.
Marc at the time the Emirates was built I’m sure we would have come in
with a substantial drop on that 400 Million for the same thing.
The technology was there.
The Emirates was not thought out.?
James
What are you suggesting we should have added?
Well the sliding pitch and the revenue that is going to bring in for one.
James
How much revenue? You’re not thinking this through.
They had 2 NFL games booked the revenue they made from the game last year
was very good the bars sold out fans came from all over Europe for that game.
2 Guns and roses concerts have been booked.
A Capital summer shindig booked.
The next Joshua fight.
A lady Gaga concert.
England vs Australia rugby.
Please don’ t tell me spurs are putting all that on for the benefit of their health?
I’m thinking it through as Spurs have.
The design and comfort of the stadiium internally leaves the Emirates standing.?
James There are only 3 events in that list we couldn’t put on at the Emirates if we wanted to. The 2 NFL matches and the Rugby, we’ve hosted concerts before so if we want to do it we can. London now has a ridiculous over capacity for music concerts it’s not a case of there being s shortage of venues. The Spud’s are desperate for money no doubt but the idea that they can host concerts and make hundreds of millions is wrong. It’s also a royal pain in the arse to get to compared to the Emirates. Do… Read more »
Marc Spurs have a 10 year deal with the NFL. Spurs took a million pounds at their bars alone that’s without Food and merchandise they get a fixed sum for each game they host from the NFL.? The Germans and Dutch flocked to that game 60 thousand at both games. And will continue to do so subject to this fugging virus disappearing.? My son has a friend who is on the first team staff, he said he has never seen such enthusiasm at a game that the supporters bought and that it have far exceeded the clubs expectations revenue wise.… Read more »
Oh Marc if only you knew.
I lived a walk away from Holloway.
And yes I know there is a glut of other venues.
BUT we are talking about what Spurs new ground
gives that the Emirates does not
You are moving the the goalposts.
I would think I have seen several hundred games at Highbury
the Emirates and White hart lane if not more yes I know Spurs is particularly
difficult to get to.
James
We’ve been hosting concerts for years, we are however limited by the local council to the number of non football events we’re allowed to host. With that in mind it’s irrelevant.
The Spud’s can’t sell out football matches so it’s quite amusing they can get a full house for American Football. How many NFL matches are they contracted to hold because I thought Wembley was contracted to host some as well.
James
I’m not moving the goal posts it’s a fact that the more venues are chasing “gigs” the less money the hosting venue will make.
Also be careful buying into the hype the Spud’s put out about how successful it’s being – what do you think they’re going to say “ARGH WE’RE FUCKED!”
At best, Spurs will bank a couple million for every NFL (or other external event) they host. At that rate, their overspend will take them half a century to repay.
Besides, NFL teams/box office bands will still want to book Wembley because it seats 25k more spectators, and Spurs don’t take any of the ticket sales.
They overspent big time, no amount of Beyonce concerts will mitigate that.
*Spurs don’t make any revenue from NFL ticket sales at WHL.
Marc
Don’t you think that this corona pandemic has been devastating for Spuds in particular?
They are really going to have problems paying for that stadium.
It’s looking grim the future init lads…
Willian… no.
Fraser … no
Not sure where we can go future wise… the club has dealt itself a bum deal.
Have a bit of faith in art., but it’s upstairs where we can’t trust the mother fuckers…
A fat Spanish Thomas the tank tank engine controller.
Look the new season could start in march next year and we still won’t be ready…
It’s fucking grim at the club right now…
Dissenter
Mate you don’t think the only reason I’m not dancing a jig and laughing my arse off is because of the larger picture on this.
If they miss out on CL as well which on form was looking likely (fuck knows now) then they are in trouble.
Marc
I agree with James Wood, we built a very basic stadium. I’m not even sure they built it to be adaptable to non-footballing activities.
I see many college stadiums in the states better than the Emirates
If we bring in William, then we can all agree that we are no longer a big club.
We have become the car park for soon-to-retire Chelski players.
Marc .
At the end of day it’s a continuous revenue Spurs are receiving
that we are not.
Jamie
You are right as I stated the bar alone took a million pounds at both NFL
games and run out of beer the first time.
This is without the merchandise and food sales.
Spurs also receive a fixed amount from the NFL for each game for the next
10 years..
James wood.
Our stadium look very tired already
We should have replicated a stadium in the style of Highbury.
Instead we bough an off the shelf design from the Aussie olympics.
Again it’s another more dismal outlook from the club..
The Emirates bar looks like a large bar at a Pontins holiday camp.
Spurs have built in luxury.
We fucked up.
The only thing I don’t want is their TROPHY room.
Prince Charles is isolating at Windsor with Covid-19
Prince Andrew is isolating at Windsor with Jennifer aged 14.🙈
James… Quite frankly I couldn’t give a fuck wether Charles or any other royal has it, That mob are a waste of space. They are parasites onthe British public. They reside in land that wax stolen, income tax was started by them to fight the civil war with the scots. First sign of trouble they are out of London to somewhere safe. Why o why the public have a fasciaition with them is beyond me. All I’m looking forward to Is when Phil goes two day bank holiday ,, When the queen goes, that’s the biggie… a week of mourning… Read more »
The concourse at the Emirates is like a 6ypth form comb room with a dpshitbsnack bar.
Club should take this extended pre season to freshen up the dump.
6th form common room
Supporters of the Royals are flag waving muppets obsessed with patriotism and Brexit.
RSPC..Arsenal.
Touché.
There was a joke in there somewhere.🥴
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0jH9tYE0QY&feature=share
Enjoy
James are you a royalist…
“Prince Charles is isolating at Windsor with Covid-19
Prince Andrew is isolating at Windsor with Jennifer aged 14”
That’s funny
“Marc .
At the end of day it’s a continuous revenue Spurs are receiving
that we are not.”
Yes but at what cost? “I spent £100 million to earn £10 million” isn’t great business sense.
“I spent £100 million to earn £10 million”
Not if you earn 10 million yearly for 10 years from non-footballing events
Diss well said
Good point
Im also of the mind that Cesc gave us everything when he wore our shirt.
Sure his going to Barca was something that was the worst kept secret.
He still has affinity for the club. Unlike RVP.
RVP left when he blossomed into the best striker in EPL.
I dont hate him… at the time, the fans and players were scratching their heads at Wengers penny pinching ways. No world class was being brought in…
Time and time again.
RVP was smart to leave.. just the way he did it was painful
I always felt good or secure when Cesc had the ball…when being pressed by teams, etc. He hardly lost control of it and was composed all the time.
We could have had a great run..
Cesc TR7 Hleb Nasri Song Arshavin
All ruined by Wenger Gazidis and the inept board
Sell sell sell
Fuck wenger. gazidis the rat
any of the Royals support Arsenal?
Trump son likes Arsenal.
James Wood I was stating what was Arsenal’s viewpoint when building the stadium. From a commercial perspective in might have been better to build it as a multi sports or activity facility. Some might also argue that we should have also included a retractable roof. Personally I don’t dislike the Emirates Stadium albeit that it does lack atmosphere. The seats are comfortable and you have good vision wherever you sit in stadium. The one major criticism is that escalators and/or more lifts should have been incorporated into design. Spurs Stadium is of course newer than ours and they have been… Read more »
Two other factors need also to be considered.
1. Danny Fiszman wanted to keep Arsenal’s new stadium in Islington so that
it retained its fanbase.
2. Arsenal in contrast to other major clubs were forced to buy a new site and as
we know land prices in Central London are significantly higher than elsewhere in the country. Spurs were able to build on their existing site with
only minimal additional land cost.
Spurs have signed a deal with the NFL that will generate them money. However the requirement for the NFL, changing rooms, warm-upbarea, medical facilities, media room, creches, etc significantly increased the cost of their stadium. The contract only guarantee 2 games per season, but Spurs were hoping to get 2 additional games that Wembley is hosting. Unfortunately (for them) the NFL is now chasing games in France and Germany. Once that happen Spurs may not even fill the stadium for those two games. A lot of people flew from Germany to attend those games: regular German fans but also a… Read more »
Tbh my primary concern for the Emirates is to make it feel more like a home. I know they had the arsenalisation project which has helped but there’s no substitute for history. We need to win a few more trophies and achieve more to make the place feel better Personally I don’t mind if the Emirates becomes rough and worn around the edges. Places like the San Siro are incredible places to play inspire being that old. Even the camp nou looks absolutely hideous from the outside. It isn’t important. What matters most is to make the place feel special… Read more »
Arsenalisation is now about Xhakalson being captain, selling superstars for peanuts, awarding deadwood saucy contracts,
In short you are not using the term correctly!
You heard it here 1st!
“Currents events may turn that stadium into a noose around their financial ability.“
Amen to that. Hard to find a positive in the world at the moment but that is a big one to me.
Sid
Spot on! More like Analisation!!!!!!
RSPCArsenal
Me a royalist could not be further from the truth.
Although I did like Diana.👄
Emirates.
Arsenals debt will be cleared before Spurs.
Well I would hope so..
I detect a bit of well that’s what we have got,so be it.?
Cutting costs like escalators.
Cutting costs like comfort.
Cutting costs like not installing a moving second pitch.
Not looking forward.
Just being Arsenal a cold inhospitable ground.
I stopped going many years ago my son is a STH
I love my Arsenal.
But they fucked up on the move in so many respects.
Valentin 57.01
Nice Article putting a different slant on the NF L
I know Spurs have signed a ten year deal.
One would have thought that with global lockdown, more people than ever would be posting…quite the opposite.
I guess this means lots of people were abusing their work internet privileges.
Tut tut tut.
James,
When you read all the requirements the NFL impose on new stadium to host games, the mind boggles.
https://footballstadiumdigest.com/2019/10/a-new-era-in-nfl-facilities-tottenham-hotspur-stadium/
The thing that really made me laugh was the crèche and the size of the media seat (it is not the article linked above). Who impose a stadium to have a crèche? Spurs seat are slightly smaller than Emirates ones, but I read that on top of having a completely separate larger press -conference room the seats for the media people are larger and comfier.
Let’s be realistic Spurs have a brand new stadium so it is the “flavour of month”
In due course it will be superseded by the one that Chelsea will build.
You have in London plenty of stadiums with 60K+ capacity already available with Olympic [West Ham], Emirates, Wembley an Twickenham.
London has already overcapacity for such large outdoor stadia.
What the capital is currently short of is open space and playing fields and not
stadia.
Un “Sf You really think Wenger wanted to lose Cesc, nasri RvP and hleb? Come on?” You can add Adebayor, Cliche, Song, vermaelen and Toure to that list. City and Barca decimated the Arsenal team/squad during that period. At that time, If we had an owner who was willing to put his hand in his pocket and do the necessary to keep those players, like pay them top wages and give the manager the finances to go out and add real quality to the squad and showed ambition(key word) then I am convinced that the majority of those player would… Read more »
Emirates stadium pretty bland to be honest.a carbon copy of Benficas( which I’ve been to)designed by same architect I understand.big mistake in having seats so far back.restrictions still in place on capacity.naming rights( because we were strapped) a noose around our neck.cheapened our identity.as some one pointed out.The stadium needs to become an intimidating fortress.but this only happens with titles & European trophies I’m afraid as it has no history to fall back on.
Upamencano available? But you just know the Catalan bandits will snatch him cos we’ll go cheap on ……………..yep Chris Smalling.another Manure reject.so f****ng depressing.😞
Chris Smalling linked to Arsenal.
I’m sure there will be many up in arms at the thought of Smalling joining Arsenal.
I for one would welcome the signing as I think he is exactly what we need at the club, a very underrated defender in my opinion.
We need defenders who’s first priority is to defend.
Smalling is excellent in the air , is a good organiser and I believe has a bit of the Martin Keown about him in his marking and tackling and refusal to let the attacker get the better of him.
Uwot
“The stadium needs to become an intimidating fortress.but this only happens with titles & European trophies I’m afraid as it has no history to fall back on.”
I think you’ll find that Arsenal’s home form has been up there with the best since moving to the Emirates.
It all fell apart at home this season under Emery didn’t it.
Upamecamo looks a player , the only way we can have a chance of signing him is to sell some defenders to finance the deal.
Mavropanos, Holding, kolasinac, Mustafi and sokratis would fetch a tidy sum .
The invincible team used to blitz team rather strangle them into submission. The number of time it was 2-0 or 3-0 after 25 minutes of play and the game pretty much over. In the later year it has been more strangling team into submission rather than blitzing them. Bar this season Emery’s aberration, Arsenal’s home form have been good at the Emirates. The sheer size of the stadium and the pitch tend to awe people rather than intimidate them. However because of the size of the pitch we tend to tire opponents and overcome them. Also a lot of so… Read more »
Uwot
The stadium may be bland and characterless, but let’s be honest most people come to the stadium for the football i.e. maximum 120 minutes.
There are plenty of pubs in the surrounding district where people can congregate to discuss football, enjoy a pint or even have a decent plate of grub.
The current imperative is to start producing entertaining football AND some
decent results and of course win trophies.
It is the lack of ambition and quality of management in recent years which needs to be sorted.
What justifies Arsenal having the most expensive match day ticket.
Not the football of late.
Nice from Leeds:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52048216
And the flip-side from that cunt Mike Ashley:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52040579
Pierre You make the same point that I have posted in recent months. We have EIGHT CBs on books. Realistically we don’t need more than FOUR or FIVE providing they are the right ones. The game changer at Liverpool was the recruitment of Van Dijk. The club paid a record transfer fee to secure his services and he provides the “cement and leadership” which was missing there. Arsenal need to find a similar class of player and pay whatever it costs. My view is that Upamecano is such a player based on what I have seen when watching Leipzig. He… Read more »
‘One would have thought that with global lockdown, more people than ever would be posting…quite the opposite. I guess this means lots of people were abusing their work internet privileges.’
The fan passion is suspended with sport.
Then unless you are an employee, chitchat is the last thing on your mind now. You can’t be here talking football 24hrs while your business is in trouble or about to be in trouble.
Wouldn’t disagree with you Pierre on Smalling abilities.But surely upemencano would be the economic & better long term bet.a potential partnership with Saliba for the next decade.Also still think there’s plenty of improvements that could be done with stadium.But with an absentee landlord only interested in his Yankee franchise theirs little hope other than a sale down the line.
“”””””We left our home for this? Suarez and Ceballos on loan
Mari and Soares??”””””””
Yep.