Friday 2 January 2009

The Arsenal contradictions keep on coming!

Its great in this day and age that a football club as big as Arsenal is run sensibly amid all the uncertainty of having a billionaire owner who really doesn't give two shits about the club.

However, what isn't so great is that we Gooners are forever being fed untruths by our club and even more disappointingly, our own manager.

What is going on at Arsenal? People keep on contradicting themselves at the club. One moment we are being told there is no money to spend, the next we are told there is.

Saying this, at the back of my mind I'm hoping that all this talk of having no money is just a bluffer. The transfer market is very over-inflated at the moment and maybe it is a ploy by the club to try to keep prices for any transfer targets down.

Whatever the case, we need to qualify for the Champions League. We Gooners want to see Arsenal play in the Premier European tournament and the board need the money that comes with it.

Bearing in mind how much Arsenal money stand to lose if qualification for the Champions League is not achieved then I'd argue it would be worth spending some money now to help make sure we do.

It would be a disaster for Arsenal if we didn't qualify for the Champions League. We seem to be selling players every year regardless of qualification, we would probably have to sell the whole squad if we didn't!

Another worrying aspect the club need to consider is the fact that Gooners pay a huge amount of money to watch the club. Things are very tight in the current financial climate and it is hard to afford these prices.

Will Gooners still pay the asking price if Arsenal are in the UEFA Cup? I don't think they will and who could blame them?

I think that Arsenal could buy better and more experienced players than what we have and it wouldn't cost a fortune. Every club is suffering financially. Take advantage of it.

Keep it Goonerish............

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well said mate!

Anonymous said...

Wrighty7.

Dear oh dear oh dear

Seems like you have joined the ranks of the doomers on Le Grove.

What are you talking about ?

Arsene couldn't have been more clear in his press conference. If you didn't see his press conference, let me list some of his points:

i) Yes.. there are some restrictions due to stadium expenditure. He accepted that when he renewed his contract last year.

ii) We cannot rush out and spend £30, £40 million like Man U and Chelsea.

iii) Chelsea lose £100 million a year and they have no stadium

iv) We have a budget and a mindset where we concentrate on the development of the team, especially the youngsters.

v) The credit crunch will impact football.

Which part of his conference didn't you understand Wrighty7 ??

Anonymous said...

To be fair, I don't think anyone at Arsenal has been inconsistent in their statements, but media outlets reporting those statements tend to put their preferred slants on things - and it is these interpretations tend to vary. What I think the manager and Board have said pretty consistently over the past few meonths is:

1. There IS some money in the bank, and it will be spent if the manager wants a player and thinks the price is reasonable.

2. On the whole, the manager would prefer to implement his strategy of developing young players at the club, though he's not averse to spending on special talents if he can get them.

3. We have no intention of telling the world how much is in the transfer kitty.

4. The kitty isn't limitless, though it's pretty subtantial.

If you look again carefully at the things that AW, Hill-Wood and Danny Fiszman have said in recent months, I think you'll see that they are all consistent with these four points.

Wrighty7 said...

I not saying rush out and spend £30m or £40m.

We could spend far less and improve the team.

We concentrate on the development of a young team, right?

Wouldn't it be better if we signed a couple of players this young team could look up too for inspiration in difficult times?

Like we are facing now?

I accept we are never going to spend money like Chelsea or Man Utd but the truth is we need to spend.

Whats the point of having a lovely shiny new stadium and a team that doesn't reflect that?

Wrighty7 said...

For the record, I don't think its all doom and gloom.

This team doesn't need major surgery, only minor.

Anonymous said...

where was the contradiction?? unless you are talking about the headline on a trashy newspaper and what representatives of the club actually said? you and your like (le grove) are the worst kind of Arsenal supporters. I sometimes wonder if you prefer Arsenal to fail to prove yourself correct.

Anonymous said...

Wrighty7,

Ok, you are entitled to your opinion that we need minor surgery, but as the post after mine pointed out, it is the media slant on what has been said that has caused confusion, leading to what you believe are contradictions.

It's very early in the window, so let's not panic at this stage, and from Arsene's final comment, it looks like we are in negotiations to buy Arshavin.

Anonymous said...

Make you 100% right, wrighty 7 we do need to strengthen

Wrighty7 said...

Irishgoon,

I think that saying me and Le Grove are the worst kind of Gooners is below the belt.

We care about Arsenal the same as any blog and any other Gooner. Maybe we just have different opinions on Arsenal.

As for saying I want Arsenal to fail? Words escape me to react to that.

The contradictions made by the club have been apparent for a long time.

We are constantly fed different information from one interview to the next. I just dont have my head buried in the sand.

Anonymous said...

The point and title of your article is that the club and Arsene tells lies. It is a theme you and several other people have been on for a while. It's disgusting that you regard conflicting media reports as lies from Arsenal. You really need to look in the mirror and ask yourself what your agenda is. None of us mind criticism, but this is not criticism. It's slander and libel. And your own untruths.

Unknown said...

Well said Wrighty.

I am an Arsenal man born in Islington and in pain from watching the club I love implode. Wenger needs to wake up from his dream. How about this you spend years developing players that are not good enough so you sell them. Now you’re years behind and other teams are buying players that slot straight into their team now they are stronger and we are weaker.

Look at Villa, Everton for example. We were lucky to beat Man U and your luck can’t last forever.

It’s plain to see that the new breeds coming through are not as good as past players. I think three years is long enough time to see if a player can break through and become consistent. Wenger been ruthless with the wrong players. Pires, Gilberto, were good Arsenal pros for young players to learn from. Song, Eboue are never going to be world class and it doesn’t matter how much coaching. I pay a lot of money ever year to watch Arsenal and membership fees and I want value for my money. I want it invested in players!

If we don't invest and Villa and Everton buy players I fear the worst. Also why was Fabregas doing a tackle that a holding midfielder should have made? Because he has to do someone else’s work. Fabregas must be sitting at home thinking what this crap, Helb, Flamini jumped ship maybe I should.


However, maybe Wenger can pull a rabbit out of the hat! lets see what happens during transfer window.

Wrighty7 said...

Well said Ray

Wrighty7 said...

I really have no agenda.

I'm gettin fed up with hearing one thing said and then another completely different thing next time!

Look, I love Arsenal and want the club to achieve success.

Anonymous said...

4:45am on your 'Do we Believe Wenger' post I told you who is a done deal. You'll believe on Tuesday.

Anonymous said...

Well it is about time the board came out and stated there ambition.
Where has all the money gone perhaps we have overlooked the fact the profit made on transfers even this Jan we have an extra 5 million from the Diarra sell on
We where told there was 37 million to spend so add the 5 million makes 42 million
It is time to spend it
We are 5 players short of a great team
1.goalkeeper who commands his area
2.Defender who can head the ball
3.Holding Midfielder who tracks back
4.Winger with some pace
5.Striker who can hit the back of the net (Unlike that lazy african)

Anonymous said...

I agree that there's a lot of contradictions - in the late Summer Fiszman said he WOULD give Wenger £30m to spend on one player if he asked for it. It was already clear then that a recession was coming.

So what's changed?

If Wenger really doesn't think there are better players around than there are currently at the club then he's off his rocker. Are you telling me there are no players better than Song, Eboue, Denilson or Diaby in world football. What a joke.

Anonymous said...

Organizations hundreds of times bigger than Arsenal have been economical with the truth about their finances in 2008.

Look at the state of our squad. Now draw your own conclusions about the transfer budget.

People are losing the ability to think for themselves!!

Anonymous said...

Probably been asked before but.... Why are u Wrighty7 and not Wrighty8?

Wrighty7 said...

Ha ha,

My surnames Wright, my nicknames Wrighty and I like the number 7!

Anonymous said...

Wrighty,

Listening to Arsenal these days is frustrating. It's so hard to know what is really happening.

But then it's very understandable.If every Newspaper and blogger is making up stories about Arsenal, it makes it harder for the club to do what Wenger does best; Pull out quality players at a bargain.

If everyone believes Arsenal have to buy, then they'll think they have the bargaining power, and the prices will be higher. Easy stuff really.

Advice to Arsenal fans is to take all transfer stories with a pinch of salt until it shows up on Arsenal.com.

You know, the old fashioned Arsenal way.

Anonymous said...

Ridiculous comments like 'Are you telling me there are no players better than Song, Eboue, Denilson or Diaby in world football?" is the epitome of the idiot fan. Why stop there you mug? Aren't there better players in the world than Sagna, RVP and Fab? Sure, then lets go out and buy Denthe, Torres and Kaka!

Flavour of the month is Aston Villa right? oooh look at them, how brilliant they are, and full of English bulldogs. Well, we've had our worst ever start to the Prem and they've had they're best ever start. So our very worst is basically on par with they're very best.

Maybe because the author on this site writes like a Sunday Sport journalist, it attracts Sunday Sport-type readers.

Wrighty7 said...

Ole Gunner,

Your comment couldn't be more true mate!

Anonymous said...

i apologise for suggesting you want Arsenal to fail. I had just read Le Groves daily negative piece and then had the misfortune to see your negative headline.

I understand the fears and hopes of Arsenal fans, believe me.. I have the same fears and hopes. But I honestly believe the doom mongers at sites like Le Grove have a negative impact on the atmosphere at the emirates. I have an idiot who sits behind me and every game he complains from the first minute to the 75th when he leaves.. every match. no matter how we are playing.. bitches and moans, continuously .. for 75 minutes. My head is wrecked from him.

And then i see blogs like Le Grove and comments from so called supporters who do nothing but complain and seem to get some masochistic pleasure from it, making ridiculous statements about wanting the likes of David Villa bought in Jan window. David Villa ??? FFS.

And those who say get rid of Arsene .. dont start me on that.

I agree we need some surgery .. minor, as you say yourself. I also believe we will buy Arshavin in the Jan window. I dont necessarily agree we should buy him .. but I think we will. IMO our No1 priority should be a DM. Heres hoping.

Happy New year to you yours!

Arsenal for life.

Anonymous said...

Personally I totally agree with what Wrighty is saying. Some people go over the top on how bad some of arsenals players and things are Wrightys just sayin wat he feels and i tend to agree with him. Im not sayin we should go out and spend £30 mil on 1 player im sayin we should go out and spend a reasonable some on 2-3 top quality players e.g. Arshavin, Alonso and Hangeland or players of that type of quality and experience. Many people critisise our players far to much. I personally feel Denilson is a highly underrated player if anything with his goals and assists he has been in better form than Cesc this season, the key thing is though hes NOT a CDM or a winger but hes being asked to play there for the team so cut him some slack! Denilson is rele a Cesc replacement or a player to play alongside cesc in a 4-5-1 formation.

Unknown said...

I don't read the Sunday Sport and I like reading Wrighty 7.

Lets keep it real.

Having Song in midfield
Having Addy strolling around the pitch
Dane Bent foot cant hit a barn door.
Gallas strop
Toure off form and not the same player since African cup.
Throwing away winning leads.
Fab out
Walcott out
Not replacing Helb and Flam.

I remember the dark days in the 80s
You have to be blind if you cant see that the The dark clouds are decending.

Anonymous said...

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great site for arsenal highlights !!

Anonymous said...

I think the contradictions and the sceptisism come from our antics in the summer. Keith Edleman said we had £50 million to spend and everyone we enquired about their price increased, and by all accounts wenger went spare, we promised signings that didnt materialise. I just wish we went back to the old way say fuck all just deliver the players. I along with many of my mates are now fed up. The standard of football is declining at the emirates and that is down to the young players not being good enough in my opinion. How many of our current first team would get in the invincibles side? only three in my opinion Cesc, Sagna and Clichy. Im not calling for Wengers head but the club is not progressing and something should be done we cant afford to miss out on Champions League.

As a footnote the one thing we all have in common is our love of Arsenal we dont all have to agree but Pedro and Geoff over at Le Grove but we should respect their opinions as we all want the same thing in the end Arsenal to be winning trophies.

Wrighty7 said...

IrishGoon,

I accept the apology mate.

Every Arsenal site has a different opinion and you may disagree with some and not others.

I think that Le Grove is a great site and I think the same as Al.

Pedro and Geoff's opinion needs to be respected the same as ANY Gooners does.

We all want the same thing, Arsenal to be successful.

Anonymous said...

I want archavin.who make differ team us.

Anonymous said...

Wrighty7, I think you're OK but you need to ensure that you're not driven to panic by the doom mongers. Football is business. Unfortunately there is no way of sending a message to prospective sellers of players and another to FANS. I know it's hard to take but AFC has lied to you in the past and they will lie to you in future. What do you think happens whenever there is the perception that a club has money to spend? Answer: Players like Arshavin begin to cost 20M+.

There is no need to criticise until Feb 1. Let's allow them do business the way they know how

Anonymous said...

To the whole Arsene knows brigade,picture this.We are fifth no cl and no money.To cover that giant hole ticket prices soar 15 percent to keep Arsenal from collapsing financially.Yes,that is the scenario and a nightmarish one and not unlikely i am afraid you can all wave goodye to any strengthning of the squad.

Anonymous said...

So what if Wenger has a degree in economics. I have 2 Masters incl a MBA and a PHD in economics.

Hill-Wood is completely wrong. We do not have high profile players anymore. Without that we will not attract any of the dwindling marketing budgets of companies.

Frankly why would Emirates want to increase the sponsorship when we have ZERO high profile players and win nothing. We are not even favourites to qualify for CL.

No exposure no sponsorship. Its a massive negative spiral. So we have to spend. And the idiots who own us better supply the money or we will be in serious problems.

Anonymous said...

Danish Gooner;

You know what?: Maybe IF we did finish 5th (no chance BTW) it might ridd the club of effin glory hunters like you?

As for ASWrighty's post today? I can fully understand nhisn sentiments, Ive been a completen schizo this season due to the erratic form of the team and the fact thesquad wasn't added to adequately in the summer.

The decision to bring thru youth is an admirable one,l but will only be succesful to a certain degree as even the most talented youth players don't always develop as well as hoped for, just look at vSenderos!

The comments about Le Grove are a bit misplaced IMO as I don't think the doom mongering comes from Pedro or even Geoff, but from a regular minority of complete dicks who spend their whole lives slating Wenger and the team and club.

We need signings in the transfer window and it seems the transfer warchest doesnt exist! Oh how that one must effin grate with some of those plastics slating Wenger for not spunking millions!

Anonymous said...

No, we need major surgery.