JACK IS BACK

by .

Mikel Arteta continued to progress his charm offensive on the fan base.

Jack Wilshere is now officially training with us.

“He wants to do his coaching badges again and we are prepared to fulfil all the needs that he wants. That is basically the idea and it is no further than that.

“He is going to be training sometimes with us, he is going to be around the place, he is going to be continuing his coaching badges that he is very interested in, try to get him fit, try to get his experiences across to our players, our young players, our academy and I think it is great influence to have around.”

No two ways about it, this is a very sharp piece of manoeuvring from the backroom team.

  1. Fans love the player. Being the club that lifts up an exPro when they are at a low is just a feel-good story and it makes us all feel warm and fuzzy inside. Far better than feeling like a toxic demon is living on your gut feasting on good vibes.
  2. We have the youngest starting 11 in the Premier League. Jack Wilshere is in his late twenties. He has tasted highs like being the best player on the pitch against the best Barcelona team ever. He’s also tasted some pretty dreadful lows. Both of those experiences are extremely relevant to players finding their feet in new careers.
  3. The Hale-Enders, without doubt, will have had a poster up in the changing rooms and maybe even their bedrooms. Jack was a major, major name when they were plotting their routes to the top. Having him at the training ground will be special.

I suspect Arteta sees a bit of himself in the Jack situation. His injury issues weren’t ever as bad as the one’s Jack has dealt with, but he was a miserable shit during his last season with Arsenal and he’ll know exactly what his mental state is like right now. When Mikel was on the physio table, what was he doing? Plotting coaching moves. It’s interesting that Jack is leaning on the club to help him there.

I love the move. Could there be a fairytale at the end of it? Who knows. But for now. Let’s wish Jack Wilshere the best of luck with his rehab.

Newcastle United are selling out to Saudi Royalty. Slagging off another club just got a little bit riskier. Why is the deal going through? Because they solved for… illegal streaming. Can you believe it? The thing holding up the deal was piracy, not all the other delightful things their rulers get up to. Grim, grim, grim.

Newcastle fans won’t give a shit. They are about to be elevated into the stratosphere when it comes to money. The group running the show will invest in the City, the arts, the schools, they’ll invest in the club facilities, and they’ll spend an absolute shit tonne of money to make the team competitive.

Am I worried? Not really.

The Premier League should be viewed a little like a property market. If you got into New York property in the 70s as a rich man, you’re making a killing. Go there now with a billion and you are not making the same margins.

The first movers were Chelsea and City. Outside that, billionaire owners haven’t really made much of a dent. You need to be smart to succeed in the richest league in the world. Maybe Newcastle United will be that, but there are no guarantees.

Even in the world of petrodollars, Liverpool beat City to the title and still compete at the highest level.

We’ve seen Spurs in a Champions League final.

We’ve seen Lyon and Leipzig make Champions League semis.

There’s a diminishing return on being mega-rich. Just look at the state of Everton to confirm that.

Newcastle can’t stockpile the best players like Chelsea did in the 2000s.

Even when you can stockpile players, it doesn’t mean you’ll succeed.

United has spent as much as City since Ferguson left. What do they have to show for it?

PSG bought every elite free transfer this summer. They spent £80m on a right back. They were beaten by Rennes at the weekend. A club with a wage bill two-thirds of what Lionel Messi earns. They haven’t won the Champions League yet.

Even City, who do things properly, can’t win in Europe.

Mike Skinner, a UK garage/hip hop artist from when I was very young, once said that being around famous people at awards ceremonies took him right back to being bang average… because everyone in the bar equalised out. It was better to seek out ladies in Colchester Hippodrome. That’s how I feel about this move. Standing out in a bar when everyone is wearing a Rolex is tougher.

… but hey, who the fuck knows.

What we do know is the Premier League has absolutely no shame and as fans we’ll soon forget what it all stands for. No one asks how the sausage is made if it tastes nice… a metaphor that could work for bloggers if we’re not careful.

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englandsbest

Had a Jensen back then. The electrix (the fan) never worked efficiently. It would overheat in a traffic jam and stall. But on an open road it was heaven. World’s fastest production car (or so they said).

Ernest Reed

Just because Newcastle have rich owners does not necessarily mean that the money will be well spent. If they don’t invest into a solid and sound infrastructure first, then the rest wont matter as it will be akin to throwing money into a bottomless pit. Going to be interesting to see how this one plays out. For now Newcastle are only a threat to themselves.

Barney75

Unless the Saudis suddenly make the North-East an attractive place to live for the global elite (which is what top footballers are) I just don’t see them suddenly attracting the world’s best talent. London, Manchester and Liverpool are all cultural hubs in a way that Newcastle just isn’t and no surprise their clubs can attract the best players. This is if of course completely hypothetical but if Liverpool or Man City offered me £300k a week and Newcastle offered me £400k a week, I pretty sure I’d be heading up the M5/M6 rather than the M1/A1. Geography and location matter… Read more »

Ishola70

This talk of players wanting to live in a glittering metropolis is nonsense.

Is Liverpool a glittering metropolis compared to London?

Newcastle is not on Mars. It’s one of the biggest cities in the whole of England.

The main point here is the passion for football in the said city.

There is the passion for the game in Liverpool as well as in Newcastle.

Barney75

Having spent a lot of time in Liverpool, it’s a great city.

As I said, geography matters. The influx of money into the game in the last 30 yrs cannot explain why Newcastle as well as Sunderland and Middlesborough have by and large been shit for the last century.

Ishola70

lol football players and high culture.

If the players Newcastle sign get bored and want high culture in the city of Newcastle the Saudis will build an opera house for them to go to during weekdays off and get in the best tenors to entertain them.

Graham62

Any soul that Football had left, has gone for good.

Kris

Heard Mino Raiola is looking at villas at the Tyneside.
Any truth in that?

Ishola70

Barney

Liverpool was a working class dump for much of the past but a proud working class dump.

It’s only been the last few decades that it has been gentrified.

So what.

Most of England has been gentrified in the lasr decades including Newcastle.

Even the biggest shitholes in England have had some sort of gentrification.

Ishola70

Lots of players will love Newcastle.

Young men going out with young women falling at their feet in bars and clubs.

Yes the fat ugly ones as well.

I wanna de adored? Stone Roses. The Newcastle public will adore you.

They won’t need the opera house.

CG

ER

“”””Just because Newcastle have rich owners does not necessarily mean that the money will be well spent.”””””

Chelsea, Man City and PSG don’ t always spend the money well, they still win though.

When you have as much money as this lot, you always win in the end.

A. Wenger was right all along- Financial Doping , he called it.

Newcastle Utd have not won the league for 96 years. They are stating, they want to win in before the 100 years are up

Barney75

Having an Opera house is a pretty narrow definition of culture, but anyway, let’s see how it all pans out.

Ishola70

As long as these young men can party they will be fine and you can party in Newcastle.

Such is the human condition and nature.

There were sex and drugs orgies at the Nuremburg trials inbetween sittings. Something as sombre as that had the entertainment on offer if it was wanted.

Humans will always find entertainment if they really want to.

Fabregoat

Newcastle will be a top 4 team in about 3 seasons.

So Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd and Newcastle will be competing it out.

We’re out.

Barney75

Wonder what the Saudis thought when they saw those Geordies jumping up and down outside their newly acquired stadium yesterday chucking beer all over themselves….the very definition of juxtaposition. Interesting times ahead

Guns of Hackney

Stop dissing Newcastle, Peter. They can absolutely crush the league if they buy right. No guarantees of course but they have a shot. As for recruitment, players will go anywhere for the cash. Look at the players who went to China, most of them were in their prime. Dollar. I think we are jealous. In fact, I know we are. We shat ourselves when Chelsea got rich and the rest is history. I’m really happy for the geordies. I’ll never forget after we beat them in the fa cup finals, some of the best fans you could meet. No trouble,… Read more »

Graham62

CG AW was right about “financial doping” If only he’d tried that bit harder when it came to our own financial irregularities, his legacy would have been so much better. To be honest, I think we all saw this coming. If the governing bodies break the rules of financial fair play, how can we expect the game to remain unaffected. Our problem is that we have a wealthy owner who is clueless and uses the club as a personal banking system to help fund his many business concerns. We then have a board who basically sit on their arses nodding… Read more »

Barney75

If Newcastles only manages to attract the calibre of player that has so far gone off to China I’d be quite happy. Anything above that, then that would be a problem.

Ishola70

Steve Bruce is already packing his bags lol.

But he said he doesn’t mind because he is a Newcastle fan himself and wants what’s best for the club.

Elmo

“Newcastle will be a top 4 team in about 3 seasons.So Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd and Newcastle will be competing it out.We’re out.” Is this the catalyst for the European Super League? It fell before because the big English teams got cold feet and pulled out, because they had least to gain financially (enough cash from PL + existing Europe). If you add another deep pocketed competitor, meaning 3 of 4 CL qualification spots are sewn up every year (City / Chelsea / Newcastle), do the traditional cultural powerhouses of English football (Liverpool + United) change their position… Read more »

raptora

Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo has won Premier League Player of the Month, while Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been named Manager of the Month for September.

Laughable stuff really. So undeserved. Someone in the FA must be taking the piss.

NORG

Can you imagine Vinai having to answer to Amanda – she stands up to piss and wouldnt stand for his meek and mild offering.

englandsbest

Elmo

The European Super League failed because the Yankee owners wanted exclusivity ansd permanence.

But it will return in a revised form that will embrace ALL the top Clubs of Europe. Why? Because the top clubs of Europe (apart from the financially-doped one) need the dough.

Jamie

“Wonder what the Saudis thought when they saw those Geordies jumping up and down outside their newly acquired stadium yesterday chucking beer all over themselves”

Wealthy Middle Easterners absolutely love Westerners with loose morals. Trust me.

Ishola70

Jamie

“Wealthy Middle Easterners absolutely love Westerners with loose morals. Trust me.”

Absolutely. Who will be holding the biggest parties in Newcastle now? The Saudis themselves. And Newcastle players very welcome to attend as well of course.

Dissenter

Financial doping?
That’s hogwash
Why isn’t our £160 million summer splurge considered “financial doping”?
It certainly wasn’t money earned from football since COVID devastated the clubs finances.

Ishola70

European Super League is so boring. What is still much more exciting is if Rangers and Celtic joined the EPL from Scotland. But as soon as Rangers and Celtic joined the EPL they would become super clubs almost instantly because they are massive clubs in their own right and they would get taken over by heavy investors as well. But in terms of British football that is more appealing than a Europan Super League. It’s been talked about for years the Celtic and Rangers joining EPL.. Still waiting. Just rename it the British Super League. If Cardiff City can play… Read more »

Habesha Gooner

If NUFC are serious, they are going to recruit top young players. Then they can take it from there. It won’t be as easy as city and Chelsea did it. Back then Liverpool were in shambles. There was Arsenal and United to compete with. Now NUFC have to compete with an youthful Arsenal side, a top class Chelsea,Liverpool and Mancity sides, and a Man United team full of world class players waiting for the right manager. There is also Tottenham. So I don’t think it will be easy unless they are willing to pay extortionate wages.

Ishola70

Habesha

“Now NUFC have to compete with an youthful Arsenal side”

lol

The Bard

I dont think the Newcastle situation affects us very much because despite the PR we are second tier club with very little ambition and have been for a decade or so. I do think it will affect transfer values as the top clubs fight it out for signings, the prices will go up.

Sid

“”””Can you imagine Vinai having to answer to Amanda – she stands up to piss and wouldnt stand for his meek and mild offering”””””

Vinai is into dominatrix

Leftside

Bard,

That’s just it, we’re not in Newcastle’s sights. In the league it will be Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea and potentially Man United. Where they are headed they won’t be able to see Mikel riding in 8th place playing passive, defensive football scared to really go at sides.

They will probably get into Europe in not too distant future and be competing for trophies while we are still here waiting for Arsenal’s process to come into fruition.

Ishola70

Leftside

“They will probably get into Europe in not too distant future and be competing for trophies while we are still here waiting for Arsenal’s process to come into fruition.”

Rest assured. England’s Best has already told us we are two years ahead of Newcastle in the process and this despite the Saudi take over there.

Funny that because I’m sure there have been noises on here that really the real process for Arsenal only started a few weeks ago.

So the Saudis will have to overcome a few weeks deficit in relation to Arsenal.

Habesha Gooner

Is hola
There is nothing to Laugh out loud about it. I think our coach is the problem. Our players are fantastic. We need some more quality in some positions but we are in the right direction with the quality of the squad. And I give arteta some credit for the recruitment. I just don’t think he can set them up to win.

Matt

Hebesha

‘So I don’t think it will be easy unless they are willing to pay extortionate wages.’

Do you honestly think the richest owners in world football ae going to scrimp on wages?

Ishola70

Habesha

It may not be me laughing regarding Arsenal but rather you not realising the possible advancement the Saudis can make with Newcastle.

As the saying goes the world is their oyster now.

It may not happen without fail but past history with takeovers of this magnitude and with those involved tell us that there may be a very high chance of it happening.

Leftside

Ishola,

I tend to not read his comments as he (putting it politely) isn’t in touch with reality.

That being said, this project is not in it’s infancy, no matter what Arteta’s devoted fans will say. He has been in a role for almost two years, won an FA Cup early on, overseen two 8th place finishes, has the players he wants. Whatever the process is meant to be currently, and whatever the end goal is anyone’s guess.

Ishola70

Leftside

“He has been in a role for almost two years”

Well yeah that’s where Engand’s Best got his two years ahead of Newcastle idea from.

As soon as Arteta walked into that Arsenal door on his first day at the club as coach/manager we were naturally at an advantage over other clubs instantly.

Ishola70

Ah well at least Jack is Back!

Habesha Gooner

Is hola I am not saying they won’t succeed. Eventually they will. But it is going to be a lot harder because Chelsea, United and City already pay ridiculous wages. And players will look at the here and now if they have enough wages. These clubs are in a good position already and are going to win sooner than later. When city and Chelsea did it, it was only Man United that could match them. Now there is at least 3 clubs Vying to match them on wages. And I don’t think they will be a pull anytime soon for… Read more »

englandsbest

I imagine a plan – a process, if you like – has already been decided by the new owners of NUFC – after all they have had ample time while FA dithered. It’s just the details which need to be filled in – the manager, the players. No doubt they have a top manager in mind, tho’ they are likely to keep Steve Bruce on, at least till Xmas. My guess is that they will bring in experienced players. People they know can hold the fort until the new manager arrives and the big spend starts. A guy like Auba… Read more »

The Bard

My worry is less that we won’t be competing any time soon but that some of our fantastic kids will get picked off. Does anyone really believe that if someone is willing to pay Saka £300000 a week and offer £100m in transfer fees we won’t sell ?Welcome to our new world as a satellite club for the big boys.

NORG

EB
Amanda has stated two things – they will copy the City model and the priority will be a DOF.

If they get the right DOF he will have Carte Blanche to carry out the rebuild of the first team. The whole new structure of the club will be massive – they will be raiding other clubs academies during the ‘catch up’ program.. It will cost a fortune – something they have.

englandsbest

NORG

Yeah, I agree – they prefer pronto, But it’s September, difficult to find what you want, all the best guys are employed. And Jan is a hard window in which to find what you want. And the Saudis, despite their wealth, will not want overpay. Better to wait a while.

Tom

“I am not worried about Newcastle as a competitor, in fact I’m pleased, a welcome change from Chelsea, Man U, Liverpool. The way things are shaping, Arsenal will be a match for any Club, here or in Europe.“ Englandsbest, so you telling us when Arteta fails to break into top four you won’t be using Newcastle as another excuse as in the whole landscape of the PL changed and we just couldn’t compete? Call me a cynic but I find it hard to believe. MBS payed more for a single “ fake” da Vinci canvas than the Newcastle FC ,… Read more »

englandsbest

The Bard

Yeah, it’s a worry, and you can betcha life an offer will come of that nature for Saka. But my hope is that Arteta’s pull will be greater. And looking at the upside, £100 mill, well spent, can buy a load of talent.

Sid

MBS has bigger balls than Josh Kroenke

You can take this to the bank!

Karsa

Newcastle will have to spend in January, otherwise they’ll be in the Championship next season.

englandsbest

Tom

I don’t make excuses. I give explanations.So clearly if Arsenal came fifth and Newcastle came fourth, that explains why Arsenal weren’t in the top 4.

Nobody is less inclined to give money away than the very wealthy. I guess that makes me a cynic.

Lastly, there’s a huge difference between overpaying for a da Vinci (real or fake) and pissing away money to make your footballl club competitive. You got it! The guy who owned the da Vinci is not a competitor.

Tom

Any Arsenal fan happy the league is getting tougher to compete in because of another prospect of unlimited funds being thrown around at players’ wages and transfers, at a time when Arsenal are actively lowering their wage bill, must be off his/her rocker.

Sid

Boys would argue over which master was wealthier and had a bigger house.

Fredrick Douglass

Tom

“I don’t make excuses. I give explanations.So clearly if Arsenal came fifth and Newcastle came fourth, that explains why Arsenal weren’t in the top 4.“

No it doesn’t. All you did was read the table.

Moe

Really naive to think that Players offered gazillions won’t be running to Newcastle because of a lack of “culture”. How laughable!

raptora

Man City also were a joke in the years before 2008 when Abu Dhabi bought them.
You won’t see many players say no to Man City now, right?

If Newcastle’s owners want to win trophies, they will.

englandsbest

Tom Remind me. How much was Arsenal paying Ozil? £17m pa? Wasn’t that the highest wage in PL? You seem to have forgotten, Arsenal had a reputation for paying ridiculously high wages. Arsene’s doing. Ostensibly for ‘socialist’ principles, but in reality,the only way to keep players or attract players to a Club that was a pale shadow of what it had once been. That is the culture Arteta inherited. And it’s taken a while to clear up the mess. Yes, I know about Willian and Luiz, but they were expedients measures while he sorted out the mess. Auba on £300K… Read more »

TR7

A terror supporting regime which kills women and men for even trivial matters taking over a football club is being celebrated in some corners. Club football has no soul left. It’s all about ownership and money now, no values or loyalty or fair competition. Falling out of love with club football, I find international football fair, ethical and genuinely competitive – no financial doping, genuine competition and the feeling of loyalty to respective nations in most cases.

Graham62

englandsbest

Hold it, didn’t Arteta approve the Aubameyang deal?

Am I missing something here?

Graham62

TR7

I’m with you on this.

Matt B

You prefer international football to club football?

Explains a lot…

Ishola70

This is why it was always said that having a process that lasts for several years and not even guaranteed at that any real success at the end of that process is folly in the EPL. There could be another club that gets taken over next season with serious investment. Not to the extent of the Saudis but enough investment. You can’t stand still in the EPL if you are serious. You have to compete for the here and now not dream about some hoped for success in the long term. Dreamers in the EPL will get taken over and… Read more »

Ishola70

Arsenal should not have given up after Emery.

The whole landscape now could change very sharply in what constitutes as success for Arsenal FC in the future.

Samir

I think we all know deep down Arsenal will be a 5th-15th placed team from now on. Even with investment from KSE I can’t see us challenging the top 4.

We don’t even have 1 world class player at the club.
Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea have a few, mixed with very good players.

Ishola70

No wonder the club jumped in on the European Super League.

They saw the writing on the wall as far as the EPL was concerned.

As another poster hinted at if Arsenal want to compete at the real highest levels again getting in that European Super League was the way to do it but it was just so alien to so many English fans.

Ishola70

Who knows Arsenal may be taken over themselves in the near future.

Only one team in London has had the serious investment that being Chelsea.

For the whole of London there is space for another club to be heavily invested in.

If it’s not Arsenal it will be another London club.

Ernest Reed

“ I find international football fair, ethical and genuinely competitive – no financial doping, genuine competition and the feeling of loyalty to respective nations in most cases.”

Under the watchful eyes of UEFA and FIFA, you sure about that? Two of the most corrupted organizations period.

Professional sport sold its soul decades ago. You either are onboard with it or you relish watching local children playing sports in playgrounds.

Graham62

Matt B

I’m with TR7.

International football is becoming more appealing. You can even see it in the players, who seem to be up for it now more than ever before. In fact I would go as far as to say the players prefer playing for their national teams, than their club teams.

Graham62

Ishola70

Millwall!!

Graham62

Imagine Millwall being taken over by the Saudis.

Ishola70

You hope it is Millwall?

Because another serious take over of another London club in the EPL will of course have again serious repercussions for Arsenal.

One of Arsenal, Spurs or West Ham would be the serious contenders to be the next club in London to be taken over with serious investment.

Matt B

Graham62: Arsenal over England for me

LoveSausage

Ishola,

More takeovers might be a good thing for us in the end. KSE have spent a lot of money but haven’t shown a real intent to achieve success on the field. They seem content with mediocrity as long as it doesn’t seriously impact the value of the asset.

More clubs being taken over by rich owners will start impacting the asset value and might force them to shit or get off the pot.

Sid

Milwall have won me several bets(draw) this season, i like them.

Pierre

It’s a pity many Arsenal fans didn’t use the intelligence they were born with to recognise how difficult it is to compete with the financially doped clubs, instead like fools they first blamed Wenger and then abused him and now look where we are. 300 million spent and languishing in mid table and if the Wenger obsessives were honest with themselves, they would they would love to turn the clock back 5 years when we were thrashing villa in the fa cup final playing beautiful sublime football. Also qualifying through the group stages of the champions league with ease but… Read more »

China1

I don’t think arsenal would’ve necessarily improved much in a super league Firstly the moment you give all the teams 250m a season or whatever player transfers inflate accordingly. You sign Tomi for 60m rather than 20m because that’s the new equivalent. Ben white costs you 150m etc Secondly the super league would’ve given the non English and non doping teams a huge boost too like the Italians. It’s not like we alone would’ve been flush with cash. Suddenly Milan could afford to throw 80m on single players of the wanted to. It becomes harder to justify why to choose… Read more »

LoveSausage

Pierre,

Look at our net spend over the last 10 years. City and United are way ahead of us. Chelsea is slightly ahead but we’re definitely in the same league. Our player salaries have been completely out of control.

So yes, financial doping is a factor. But incompetence seems to be the bigger factor.

AFC Forever

Chuffed about Jack. Great player and a proper Gooner. Someone for the young players to learn from. That moment when he chanted the Tottenham song will never be forgotten, that’s the passion we all want. The one thing our club has failed to do since KSE has arrived is show proper respect to our former players. This is a great decision.

AFC Forever

With you Matt B, Arsenal over England every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

You would need a large shoe horn and a gallon of lube to extract the commentators and the media journalist’s heads from Harry Kanes arse. It’s ten times worse than the Rooney adulation.

It’s far too sycophantic to be enjoyable.

Pierre

LS “Look at our net spend over the last 10 years. City and United are way ahead of us. Chelsea is slightly ahead but we’re definitely in the same league.” To me, looking at the figures below , city , chelsea and united were in a completely different league to us. Net spend 2003 to 2018 1 Manchester City £1073. 2 Chelsea £704. 3 Man united £688 5 Arsenal £331 4 Liverpool £328 6 Aston Villa £329 10 Everton £303 I’m sure if i took it from when wenger first joined Arsenal , the margin would be even wider, but… Read more »

LoveSausage

Pierre,

I guess it depends on how you interpret what’s going on. There’s no denying that the sugar daddy clubs all did a massive initial splurge after take over. And I think that’s probably the difference between 15 years and 10 years (Chelsea €500M, Arsenal €470M).

The question is whether you think that what happened 2003-2008 explains the difference between the clubs today. I think it’s only one part of the story. The other part is that Chelsea have been extremely professionally run. Transfers, contract management, loanees, hiring/firing managers etc. Everything we’ve been poor at.

Graham62

Pierre Out of respect to you, I will not harp back to Wenger but I will point out here that what frustrated me most about the second part of his reign was his stubborn refusal to act on our brittleness by not purchasing a few key players who would have made a massive difference at the time. I’m convinced that if he’d gone out and bought players like Samba, Cahill, and a couple of midfield enforcers to protect our talented playmakers, we’d have won a title or two. I think we priced Samba at £8m, whilst Blackburn wanted £10m. It… Read more »

Tom

Englandsbest, your getting all confused and sidetracked there buddy, so let’s keep it simple. The Newcastle takeover is a bad thing for Arsenal. They’re not buying our Xhaka’s or Kola’s to keep their fan base excited until ……… Billionaires do piss money up the wall for various reasons and sportswashing is one. Giving one player ( Ozil) ridiculous wage packet to save face while Sanchez and Ox were jumping ship in a quite public manner was ill advised but not the norm you seem to think. Arteta put more players on ridiculous wages in his first year than Wenger on… Read more »

Graham62

Two of my best friends are MC and Chelski supporters ( extreme hardcore).

They both realise that without the substantial investment put in by their owners, they would not have had the success they have had.

They also were always on my case in respect to Arsenal’s visible failings over the past twelve years or so. They admitted that Wenger’s failings to adapt and act on the visible weaknesses, went against us big time.

What I do know is that FFP is an utter joke.

Davi

From a distance you could think arsenal stopped competing because mega rich clubs just outspent us and bought all the best players but all you have to do is look a little closer and see all the obvious mistakes and refusals to address those mistakes that caused our decline. The move away from “pace, power, technique” to “let’s try to copy Barcelona”, stacking our team with creative midfielders but never dealing with the defence and defensive midfield positions. I think the big thing Chelsea and City did gain from their money is much better infrastructure and improved the quality of… Read more »

LoveSausage

Davi,

Agreed. I was reluctantly impressed by City’s infrastructure and management team after watching All Or Nothing.

If we could replace Vinai with Marina, we’d be a different club in a year.

Graham62

Yes, teams gained a financial advantage but they were also run far better than us.
We fell back on bullshit values and all that crap. From the day we moved from Highbury, Arsenal got lost up their own backside and unfortunately many of our fans bought into it.

Ernest Reed

“From a distance you could think arsenal stopped competing because mega rich clubs just outspent us and bought all the best players but all you have to do is look a little closer and see all the obvious mistakes and refusals to address those mistakes that caused our decline” You mean like that still growing list of players that Arsene Wenger proclaims as his “I could have signed him”? That too goes a long way in explaining the stagnation of progression at Arsenal when the manager of the time failed to sign top talent, despite claiming that he “could have”… Read more »

Up 4 grabs now

Evening all, The toon will go big just like city did. The Dof and manager positions will be the most important signings. All it takes is one big name player and they all start to flock. It’s doubtful but could you imagine they were to get haaland. 68 million buy out so they can’t even be outbid. There’s the number nine shirt lad. Then they put a call into mbappe, 500000 a week he’s on a free anyway. We just signed haaland want to join him. It’s a snowball rolling down the hill, all it takes is that first big… Read more »

Up 4 grabs now

Graham, Wenger tightness on the transfer fee was down to him thinking he new the value of players and wouldn’t over pay for them. When David dein was around and handled that Wenger wasn’t involved until the part where he need to promote the club and his plans. We lost out on samba and Cahill, because we wouldn’t pay over 6 million because he was available for free on a bosman six months later, Chelsea didn’t care, paid the extra 3 million and did the deal.do you remember xabi Alonso losing out because we wouldn’t pay the extra 2 million.… Read more »

Tom

Newcastle are about 10 £40-£60 million type players away from a title challenge.
Before they can even talk players they need a manager who will be a draw enough to attract top level talent, a Mancini type.
Then there’s the FFP to consider, however toothless it’s been.
This isn’t the repeat of Chelsea circa 2003-04 where they had the entire transfer landscape all to themselves.
The finite talent pool for top players and a number of sugar daddy clubs around means the Newcastle surge to the top might take longer than some anticipate.

Up 4 grabs now

Tom they don’t need a title challenging team they just need one that can get 4th so they can get champions league football.

Leicester just missed out the last two seasons and didn’t exactly blow 200 million doing it.

G8

Its a shame that the uk authorities continue to bend over to the corrupt petrodollar sheikhs and oligarchs .
Money laundering becomes legit if you buy a football club
Money talks is the new slogan for any successful election campaign
Capitalism is just as bloody as socialism
Dont talk to me about justice, values and human rights anymore
I hope everytime the Saudi magpies play, the opposition supporters hold banners of blooded chainsaws as a protest
Its the least we can do

Tom

Up 4 grabs now
Leicester didn’t start from the Newcastle level though.
Who’s on Newcastle that you see the new regime building the team around,….Saint-Maximin?

Then you factor the premium each club will put on their players as soon they realize Newcastle are interested….. the City premium will, pale in comparison.

Habesha Gooner

Tom
That is what I have been saying. It will take a bit longer than Chelsea and Man city’s route to the top. But eventually they will get there. Ridiculous investments and ruthless leadership is why they will succeed like the ones before them.

I am worried for Arsenal. If we don’t get the right coach and management in place that can help us compete as Liverpool did then we are going to be a Europa league team at best for the foreseeable future.

Up 4 grabs now

Tom,
maybe not the same level, but it won’t take much to get to there level with a good manager in place. And 200 million.

I could actually see the likes of Brendan Rodgers ending up there, if they can’t get a big name like Conte.

MD-Gunner

EnglandsBest or better EnglandsWorst
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Emirate Stroller or better Erroneous Stroller
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Rich or better Poor
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Nothing worthwhile to read in those posts just major waffle par excellence..

Oh thank you Raps, Tom, TR7, Dissenter, Tony, Ish & the Grahams finally some posts that make sense.

Tom

It took Chelsea around £270m in transfer spending over two years to go from fourth to first in 2004/05 season when the league was a three horse race.

It took City around £470m in transfer spending and four years to go from 9th to 1st in 2011-12 season when the league was a four horse race.

What will it take for Newcastle in money and time to go from 19th to 1st in a five horse race league, assuming they’re one of them horses?

englandsbest

‘Long-term, long-term, long-term’ that is Amanda Staveley’s message, and I love it. Arteta’s message. No doubt some NUFC supporters will show impatience, just like some Arsenal supporters. And she’ll have to take short-term expedient measures, just like Arteta.

Fortunately, Arteta is two years ahead and, despite the money, it will take maybe three years for NUFC to catch up. By then, Arsenal should be firmly entrenched in the elite.

raptora

I like how you say Arteta but should say Arsenal. Like it’s the same. Says quite a lot.

JayJay

“He makes less mistakes, he’s faster, he can pass, and apparently, he’s very good in the air.”

Can you prove it wanler?

Zacharse

Tom how much did leicester pay to go from 17th to 1st in a six horse race lol?