The View from Auchterchoochty – Part 1
Jan 28th, 2013 by 'holic
It is guest post time again, and not one but two offerings coming your way this week from the inimitable Bergkamp’s the Man. I should point out that the word flipping may have been substituted for something less family friendly. I hope that hasn’t watered down an integral part of the piece. I can also provide English translations for a small fee if you are not familiar with the style of Rabbie Burns! Take it away, BtM.
Mournipea winds out of Auchterchoochty, rising up past Jimmy Shand’s house, toward Glen Glassarts. Just before Pitmedden Forest appears, there’s a tumbledown style over a fence into Spoon Field. And right beside that is my favourite bench seat. From that lofty perch, the village is viewed at its best. The Howe spreads out to the foothills of the Lomonds. Fresh trout are clearly visible running freely in the Calsay Burn, which sparkles in the sun. And the occasional wild haggis can be glimpsed looking for l’amour with the female of the species twixt fragrant strands of heather. What better place on planet earth then, to ponder the ways of the universe, the solutions to world hunger, or Arsene Wenger and The Mighty Arsenal?
On the other side of the Lomonds, on the very fringe of the shire, lies Kirkcaldy Toon, the gateway to the rest of the world for Fife folks. And there in 1776, during Fife’s Enlightenment, a local choochter by the name of Adam Smith penned a fine wee story – An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. And of course nobody, not a single one in Auchterchoochty, could quite get his head around much of Auld Smith’s story (“There’s no monnie a guid laugh in yon thing, is there?”) But they were awfully proud nevertheless, because Smith liked to fish in the Calsay Burn and always rubbed shoulders with all of them over a pint in The Boars Head when he did. “A’ richt, Adam? Thon’s a braw story o’ yours, that Inquiry. A damned guid read so it is, and it fair puts me tae sleep at nicht.”
And I wonder. If Auld Smith were fishing in the Calsay right now, what would he be thinking about Deloitte’s recently published Football Money League and the challenges that confront his fellow economist, Arsene Wenger? No doubt he’d be disappointed to find that Kirkcaldy’s own, Raith Rovers, had been usurped in the revenue standings, by foreign pretenders. “Whit! Nae Rovers?”
Once he’d recovered from that shock though, he would conclude that:
- Modern day football economics are trickier even than keeping score in a Shove Ha’penny game in the Boars Head.
- Revenues, the mainstay of Deloitte’s story are only one small step in a much more complicated economics sword dance.
- The inextricable link between the product (football) and business economics is so complex as to render the millions of words of daily rhetoric to be as valuable as a Japanese Maple in a caber-tossing contest.
Real Madrid, we find, lead Deloitte’s league table with revenues of Euros 480M, followed closely by Barca (450M) and Manure (367M). Arsenal are fifth in the table (251M) sandwiched between Bayern (321M) and Chel$ki (250M). So that means Madrid must be the best run club, have the best business model, be willing when needed to “spend some flipping money”, speculate to accumulate and, our favourite, “be the best they can be.” Right? FACT!?
Wrong. Adam Smith would tell you it means no such thing. Total revenue is but one indicator, albeit an important one, that sits alone on the top line like Wojciech in a Spuds game.
If Farmer Brown sells one bag of spuds for revenue of 100 quid and Farmer White sells an equivalent bag for 50 quid does it mean that Brown is a two-times better businessman than White? If Brown’s costs are 101 quid a bag and White’s are only 49 quid, then White earns one pound sterling while Brown loses the same amount and, on this basis, Brown is the poorer businessman. “But it’s not about the business model – it’s about the product (in this case potatoes)” I hear you cry. Hold that thought, please.
Farmer White’s business dealings have a good, self-sustaining basis, Brown’s less so. Ah, so there’s that sustainability word again. And it appears that without information on spend (or costs), revenue numbers are pretty meaningless. Does that mean that Deloitte’s wee story is not fit for wiping The Arse? No, it’s worthy of a good Holic arse-wipe, but it is not the holy grail of headline fodder that many bloggers are making it out to be. Some good information can be gleaned from a quick scan. Some omissions are quickly evident too. For instance:
- Football revenues are made up of 1. Sponsorships 2. TV Broadcasts 3. Gate Money 4. Retail (Shirts, beer, burgers) pretty much in that order of importance.
- Champions League qualification and progression is a big ticket item worth 20-30M per season.
- Revenues don’t include player transfers out (thus, RvP’s sale proceeds would bridge Arsenal’s gap to Manure by 30M)
- Revenues don’t include “sugar daddy $$$” – Citeh and Chel$ki would rank higher if they did.
- The much scorned Europa League isn’t the financial basket case it is sometimes presented – finalists earn 15M AND have a 50:50 chance of winning a trophy.
Deloitte’s numbers shout loudly of some details of which we’re already aware. Arsenal competes well on gate revenues. Arsenal has done well on CL (a very important part of our revenue stream). BUT Arsenal trails badly behind the pacesetters in what Deloitte calls “Commercial” – i.e. Sponsorships (mainly). Manure earned 103M in this area, Arsenal only 51M. That difference of 52M is a primary contributor to Manure’s ability to trade with a small profit and still:
- Pay interest on their 480M Glazer-gifted debt (at 4% each year, this costs 20M; at 6% it’s 30M)
- Pay substantially higher wages (Percy @ 250kpw = 12M)
- Buy players like Percy (24M fee).
The question “But why doesn’t Arsenal spend some flipping money like United” or the insinuation that “Fergie has the ambition, Wenger doesn’t” is partially explicable by the sponsorship data point alone. (OK – I agree – it’s more complicated than that, but throw me a bone here or this will become Encyclopedia Britannica!).
So, apart from telling us stories and losing us in Scotch mist, what needs to be done about all of this? Well, that’s easy to see. It’s less easy to achieve. Arsenal MUST increase their commercial income. Industry fundamentals are favourable. Right now. Why?
- Football (soccer to “us Yanks”) is the world’s fastest growing spectator and participant sport.
- The market (global population) is growing rapidly and will increase by 1.5 billion by 2040 (The current population of China is 1.3 billion)
- Growth will be in developing markets (Indonesia, Africa) receptive to easy-participation sport
This market growth will spur a willingness to invest in great global brands that help manufacturers, financiers and service providers reach their target audiences through sponsorship. The more attractive and successful is Arsenal’s product, the more appealing will be the Arsenal brand to those potential investors.
But at this stage of the game, on a self-sustaining business model basis, the hen (cash income, i.e. good business) has to precede the egg (football) to help nurture a healthy young chicken (stronger table stakes for Arsenal) into the future. The new Emirates deal is a good start. The Adidas deal will add great flavor. Despite the protestations of some, the planned Indonesia and Nigeria tours make great sense but MUCH more is needed and at a growing pace.
Oh, and just by the way while I’m at it. It’s time to stop painting failure to qualify for the Champions League as the death head door-knocker on Ebineezer Scrooge’s front door. With the opportunity of an easier path to the final, a higher likelihood of actually winning the trophy AND a bottom line contribution of 15M, the Europa League might actually represent a BETTER proposition for Arsenal and its brand voltage next season.
Is there a silver bullet, a wild-card solution that could speed this whole process up and really get us on the fast track?
Yes, there is. But it has nothing to do with a pure, self-sustaining business model. It requires magnanimous, unfettered, previously undemonstrated “profligacy” on the part of our silent owner. Stan could put his hand deeply into the very deepest reaches of his financial empire and quite literally pull out a Llorente or a Villa. This would kick-start Arsenal’s continued development, while adding luster to our great brand.
Am I holding my breath? No, I’m pitching my brolly on a beach in Bali and waiting until Arsenal’s ship sails into port with Steve T and his brood waving from the prow. Hmmm – this ice cold Laphroaig is going down quite nicely in the meantime, thank you very much. Time to settle down and have another crack at The Wealth of Nations……….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
155 Responses to “The View from Auchterchoochty – Part 1”
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Let’s see the sub-editor get all pedantic on my arse with that then
I have not understand any words of that
CL place scramble..
Laphroig! … not for me try the Balvenie doublewood. …. great post.
Good stuff, Mr the Man. Not much to add to that, really.
Interesting post, and a nice little mention of my home country, Indonesia. I’ll try to respond when I wake up in a few hours.. 3 am already. Night holics.
Gotta say, I struggled with that first half, and both my parents are Scottish (though I was lucky enough to be brought up in London)!! Even carried on reading it in a brrrroad Scots accent, until you said “us Yanks”. Got a lot easier after that!
Not an Islay man myself, but so long as you’re staying off the blends (other than ‘Monkey Shoulder’, that stuff is excellent), I can respect that!
Ice cold?
Laphroaig…
Shakes head
Arsenal…..
Whisky……..
Fly Fishing……
And some Golf………….
Doesn’t get much better really BTM..!
Great post! Though the ancestors are from the Isle of Arran, I couldn’t follow half of that!
Ah well… Caol Ila if it’s around, barman. Cheers!
Was this post written in Scotch?
Nice post BtM,
Any insight into the non-voting but very un- silent Russian / Uzbek partner?
Saw an article today with him stating that Thierry Henry wants him to buy out Stan. He is using the media to try and drive a wedge deeper amongst the supporters. Nothing new but very shady. He supports AW but then wants full control.
Tabs,
It was written ON scotch.
It also reads better of read on scotch.
Indeed NorCal
Just sticking it through Goggle translate now!
Would have better luck putting it through Balvenie translate.
Mine’s a Lagavulin
I would avoid quoting post numbers tonight ladies and gents. It would appear one of London’s ‘special schools’ has left its computer classroom open.
I can’t quite zoom on those bullet points, so I’ll just keep imagining there are little cannons drawn inside.
Heh, ‘holic at 1 (I think I can quote that number all right
).
I’ve given up after one line, it’s all in Scottish dialect, right?
it’s a grand dram o’ holic’s finest, this piece. well done, btm.
‘holic, take the rod to the wee scunners, then.
mine’s an oban, sirpling with a drop of yon burn from a bonnie auld crystal…
A bit like the Arsenal these days, the second half was much easier to get into than the first
.
I still have a vague hope that we won’t deal with Adidas. Remind me that I still have to get this season’s shirt.
And will probably never buy any adidas product.
Brilliant BtM. Such a change from all the moaning and groaning and soul searching – and that’s just me!
Love your posts, BtM, especially when you wax eloquent about Fife. I went to uni in St Andrews, and my son was born in Kirkcaldy (we live in the US now), so you bring back fond memories of the Linoleum Capital of the World!
Wow – hats orf – rationale what attempts to demo how qualifying for the europey league over the champs league might be a good thing for our mighty club … Financial fair play to you.
Have we signed any new potatoes yet?
Scotch mist please barman! (Sorry, don’t know how to do the smiley thingies.)
While I’m here: the post I mentioned in the previous post’s drinks:
http://arseblog.com/2012/04/wolves-preview-the-fa-are-negligent-liars/
Now then Mr the Man.
Adam Smith died 1790.
Raith Rovers formed 1883.
Given the sequence of events, I suggest to the jury that it is totally illogical that he would be saying (or thinking) “Whit! Nae Rovers?”, unless in fact his name was, Snir.
WHERE IS SNIR?
Is he just resting in preparation for Thursday?
I will be gutted if Snir doesn’t turn up to do TDD.
TDD without Snir would be like The Tollie with no beer.
Raith Rovers Blog?
A year ago, TDD only meant Transfer Deadline Day.
Now I’ve learnt it meanst Time Division Duplex too.
Bah. Goodnight.
The hole doping era has left Arsenal unable to keep it’s top players – its been a net deficit year on year for 3,4 5 years now. At last though we have a position of stability with the future and now of this team signed up to long term contracts. As we saw with Wenger’s great teams time together breads growth, understanding and collective spirit. If you are cynical you might say we won’t lose top talents now because we have none – but in Wilshere we can build a team around and the recent signings of Cazorla, Podolski and Giroud are evidence that the manager can find value and quality in combination.
Why are funds unspent? In the past two or three seasons I feel its that the club don’t want a business model where spend > income. We have monies for fees but even pre 6 re-signed days the club loses money without player sales. Will that change and when? It already has I would say and with the Emirates deal we can now operate in profit without selling players. Another clump of money from new shirt deal will provide the spare cash and that’s when I see Arsenal flexing their muscle and using the monies available for fees when the wages can be sustained.
There is another point of course – inefficient spend. We ditch a whole heap of costs, lose the socialist wage structure and we are in business. Wenger doesn’t need to be level pegging to beat Fergie but he needs to be able to buy more £15m bargains like Cazorla.
Interesting article, big man. Lacking on firm conclusions but a good read.
The only problem with your logic I have is this bit: “It’s time to stop painting failure to qualify for the Champions League as the death head door-knocker on Ebineezer Scrooge’s front door. With the opportunity of an easier path to the final, a higher likelihood of actually winning the trophy AND a bottom line contribution of 15M, the Europa League might actually represent a BETTER proposition for Arsenal and its brand voltage next season.”
That’s really clutching at straws. Firstly, there’s absolutely no rpobability that you’d get to the final on current form and secondly, you forhget that, in terms of the brand value, noone outside Europe and the dedicated supporters of a participating club watches the Europa League. In most countries, its not even on the TV.
Just a small point.
Good luck. Mind the gap!
Ok BtM, having got out my dictionary, my thesaurus, my history books, my old Economics O’level paper, and a Bottle of Scotch, I think I’ve just about got the gist of it.
Agree with some, but not all. I agree with you that “Revenue” is overstated, and that it should not be confused with profit. I can also agree that Sponsorships and Tv money are also greater than gate money. They are not however more important. Both the commercial income and the TV money are entirely dependent upon Arsenal and other Clubs continuing to play to full houses. They feed off it. That is what they are paying for and that is what they want to be associated with. Gate money will always, therefore, be the most important, even if it is not the most lucrative, and the Club will do well to remember that.
Missing out on Champs League will never be a good thing. I cant think of of one single reason why it might be beneficial either to the present or the future. It will never be better for Arsenal not to qualify.
The money is there, or so we are constantly told. Stan doesn’t have to put his hand in his pocket. This squad can be improved. Nor would it take zillions to get an upgrade on Santos, Arshavin et al.
As you say, I hope the Club is making every effort to do so.
You are welcome to post Mr Mc, especially as you have done so reasonably fella, but the full name causes offence to many I know.
I know I am maybe poacher turned gamekeeper in that regard, but I have been persuaded by friends that that term is offensive.
Please respect that, thanks.
Holic @29 Haha
Really what lures most of you into writing? Very long boring and time-wasting piece.
Money and hack groupies.
Is Diaby related to the Haggis?
Unfortunately I think we’re more likely to spot a Haggis gambolling amongst the lush grass of North London than Diaby.
You didn’t understand it either then Tam. I suspect that says more about you than the writer.
*Applauds BtM and ‘Holic* even if i don’t understand some parts of the article because of the language used (I’m a Nigerian) i don’t need Google translate to tell me that it’s a top drawer post. Well done, sir the Man!
Have we bought anyone yet????????
Trev, if you are out there did you get my e mail?
Fine writing BtM. Auld Wallie Scott would be proud of you. Many points well made but as noted by the Demi-Jock Guvnor ICE CoLD! Ye’re corrupted by they Yanks laddie. Good nonetheless.
As my wee lad observes, the ‘siciist’ paystructure favoured by Saint Arsene does consume the £20m ECL income entirely and cod be put to better use than to make the ‘also rand’ in the squad feel better about themselves. I think that the great Adam Smith would agree with my wee laddie rather than with Saint Araene.
Meanwhile U bask in the afterglow of a second day if fine piste work in Monte Rosa and the tasting of the fruits of Springbank, Jura and Bruichladdich this evening
Slainte to all the fine denizens of this great establishment.
And get tae fuck this iPhone’s keyboard. I’m away back tae the cratur.
Nice one BtM.
I love you’re style of writing and all round positive attitude.
I look forward to picking holes in some of your points tomorrow (no time now)
PSED, Rev AL.
All you need to know about smileys and their ilk;
http://codex.wordpress.org/Using_Smilies
From previous.
Good stuff from TTG and very informative from Esso.
The coming together of the clans.
If only the Arse faithful could do the same.
Alas, forever there will be Campbells and Stewarts…
You’re = your.
What a plank.
Interesting stuff, BtM.
My thoughts are perfectly covered by Mc*** and Tabs, plus:
Saying it might be better for us to drop into the Europa League, seems the equivalent of those who say of their own teams that it might be better to get relegated to the Championship in order to come back stronger.
For reasons we all know, once you drop out of the top tier of competition, it can be a lot harder than expected to get back. Just ask Liverpool.
Astute chronology observation from Zico the Historian, too.
Steve T,
Haven’t checked the emails for a few days – not a huge fan.
I’ll have a look now …..
Fine article BtM, flows nicely like a pint of Guinness after a long walk in the desert. Like others, do not agree with your thoughts of the Europa league….always aim for top. Worthy of a wee dram of Bruichladdich Port Charlotte no less.
I’m here fellas, albeit only as a reader.
I’m swamped in school work, and that’s not something I can take lightly if I want to take over Ivan’s job
Nice one mon. There was a time (around a century ago) when the best professional footballers all came from Scotland. Now they’re more likely to come from places like Belgium, Argentina or Burkino Faso. Arsenal has had only three Scotties worth mentioning since George Graham, most notably the inimitable Charlie Nicholas.
But still lovely to know Scotland is still there, and inspiring our man BtM to ponder everything Arsenal while simultaneously enjoying such kilty pleasures as Laphroig – most likely icy on account of the weather, ‘holic, rather than heresy, or at least give him the benefit since his writings suggest an intelligent soul.
Personally I’m a cognac man and would have chosen the warm, sunlit fields of Segonzac to inspire my dreams, such as the one in which I am guiding AW in his quest for new red and white blood. Not that I’d be recommending rouge et blanc blood. PLEASE no more Frenchmen, Arsene. Westward Ho to the Belgic tribes where better quality and value are to be found. Until recently Poirot, Tintin, two tennis players and chocolate were the only things of note you could say about Belgium. But now there’s a steady stream of classy footballers. Don’t ask me why … just buy, Arsene. Fellaini for starters.
If it wasn’t yet midday here I too would drink to that. But I’m a Goonerholic not an alcoholic so will settle for coffee and an avocado, lettuce and tomato panini for lunch. Good grief, lunchtime already? Where did the morning go?? So much to do, so little time … that’s retirement for you!
Oskar
Snir,
When you get Ivan’s job, don’t forget about us little people.
I’d take any physio job you got. Ah shit, I’d take ANY job at Arsenal.
(Coming in late after evening out, and then I’m awa’ tae ma bed)
Interesting points in the blog. I see that a stranger, who I suspect to support a Middlesex-based team, has spotted the main flaw that I noticed.
Also, I was disappointed to see no speculation as to whether the current strategy of building from within was likely to succeed and what the viable alternative was, assuming that the Man from the East doesn’t choose to shower us with cash.
Night all.
Good effort BtM. Lots to mull over. I will wait for part 2 before contemplating a suitable response.
Part 2 on Thursday, Steve.
Bloody Liverpool
Scousers nicking a post?????? You don’t say.
BtM – I think we could accomplish more by maintaining our transfer and wage spending at the levels we currently do but using the money more effectively.
Wenger’s professed ‘socialist’ wage policy means that we have a significant number of journeymen on the books that are impossible to off load (we all know who they are) and they never contribute to the 1st team squad.
To be successful we need to recognize that the market rates for some positions such as top quality strikers are much higher than for defenders – we should accept this and structure our wage scales accordingly.
The whole managerial team appears stale and uninspired – other sides are finding good value players who would improve our squad that we miss (Michu for one).
WU,
Heard on radio today that all the top sides in Spain are lookng to sell players. Bargains to be had in the Michu mould ‘cos all the Spanish clubs bar Barca and R Madrid are broke.
Surprise, surprise.
Villa reports seem to be gaining steam.
Trev,
Villa reports gaining speed, but yet saw a report that said the club denied we were looking at him at all. And AW said himself that with OG and Theo we have good versatility at striker.
Oh, who to believe!!!!
Smoke and mirrors, NorCal.
Just as you’d expect. The details being reported seem to be getting very specific.
Three days max. to find out.
I hope it’s smoke and fire, not mirrors.
Hi BtM, Nice that you mentioned my country (Indonesia) a couple of times.
Regarding the sponsorship, if Arsenal commercial team is good at this field, they should be able to sign great sponsorship deals with some of the brands here.
We’re a country of 250 millions people, football is the number one sport here though we fucked up our league with vested interest from oligarchs and politicians.
Here we can watch every Premier League LIVE match for FREE on television, plus La Liga and Bundesliga. That’s because of the huge money paid by the sponsors here.
Our national stadium, the one to be played by the Gunners this coming July have a capacity of 80,000 seats and I’m sure it will be sold out for Arsenal pre-season tour match.
I hope Tom Fox and his team could walk the talk about improving our commercial deal and gain big income from this pre-season tour. Not just for the tour but also the long term partnership with local sponsors to help us competing with United on that front.
Hopefully the team might even spend one or two days in Bali, would be great for their soul as BtM himself has discovered.
Brilliant article. More of the same please.
BtM, That’s your most entertaining economics lesson yet.
Here is another cautionary tale of economic mismanagement woes from La Liga:
http://www.football365.com/spanish-thing/8448105/Debt-Ridden-Deportivo-Set-For-Drop...
On the bright side, it confirms the ascendancy of Galicia’s number one club, Celta Vigo.
Morning all.I
was about to ask for a translation from the depths of the whisky industry into something more recognisable to the rest of the drinking world, when I saw the offering from Oskar.Since I live
three or four minutes from Segonzac things came back into focus.T his village is at the heart of Grande Champagne, the best area for Cognac(Lots more available on wiki if required,,)
Btm raises again the issues of financial models, but there are so many successful types of clubs internationally that we cannot criticise our club for its overall approach. I am glad that we are beginning to recognise the world wide attraction of our club which I am sure the guvnor can verify by the spread of drinkers around the world, a nd can also be proved by those who watch is by satellite around the world (look at liveonsat.com on match days to get an idea – it tells me whether I have to stream or not)
On another
point, can anyone direct me to a good site for transfer updates, the beeb keep talking Villa which is surely to good to be true?)
Delightful read.
Man U have a huge fan base here in Asia(I’m in Malaysia) which grows with every new bundle of joy delivered. As in any sport, the team that dominates the headlines through victory will always have the ear of impressionable lads keen to impress. Therein lies the dilemma.
Though inroads can be made, in the foreseeable no team will usurp Man U in this part of the world. The goal must be to offer an elegant and successful alternative. When Chelsea emerged in recent years with trophies to admire, they captured more than a few young hearts. Last year Man City did the same. Certainly no match for the Red Devils popularity but progress nonetheless.
It would seem that Stan has an opportunity to establish Arsenal in the US, a market that offers many of the same attributes attached to the Asian region. New fans, hungry to be seen supporting the latest and greatest. The partnership with Nike has been disappointing. With the branding and media power they possess it should have been a potent combination: slick, modern football club with attractive branding; dominant US-based sports product manufacturer; major sports broadcaster(ESPN) entering the fray.
Someone has dropped the ball.
Did someone mention Indonesia?
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/arsenal-announce-details-of-indonesia-fixture
Heh Steve T @ 56!
Steve T. – you have mail.
Morning ‘Holic & ‘Holics.
Jock-tacular BtM! Looking forward to part 2 even if I’d like to but can’t agree on missing out on CL football.
Holics – A very good friend of mine is offering a block 105 seat i.e. North Bank Upper for The Mugsmashers game at £60. That’s well under face-value for Cat A. Please let me know if there are any takers, cheers.
Good Morning all……in other news the bbc have announced that the Iranians have sent a monkey into space. Worried spu*s supporters have inundated their website for further news and asking if Gareth Bale will be back in time for their next match.
Uply
Beware the wrath of The Sweeper, or his grapes, or something…
Trev @ #58
Wouldn’t it be nice if someone at the club would simply address the supporters with a brief and open statement as to why, from a purely football point of view, we have decided not to strengthen the team at a time when CL football and possibly even an FA Cup are up for grabs.
I am not surprised in the least at this situation, yet at the same time I am astonished.
UTA!
Super-dooper-top quality drafts from ‘Holic @ #s 17 & #45 which genuinely add depth to this blog.
Arsenal, please take note.
6. Andrey Arshavin
Arshavin’s situation at Arsenal has become rather absurd this season, with the Gunners paying the playmaker around £80,000 a week to pick splinters from his backside. It’s almost certain the 31-year-old will leave the Emirates at the end of the season, with a return to Russia on the cards. So far only Reading have been linked with a move to keep Arshavin in the Premier League (or England, at least) and he would certainly add quality to the Royals if they were to push through a transfer in January. Although Arshavin’s time at Arsenal has turned stale, he proved his talent with Russia at Euro 2012 and perhaps only needs a move to revive his form and appetite.
Anyone else laughed at the last bit?
Don’t think he’s lost it
The thing is Ollie, you have touched on an important point, IMO.
When things just aren’t working out, change is good. Change works.
This can apply to playing and coaching staff at all levels.
Celebrate what’s been achieved. Build on it. Make any necessary changes and move on. Miraculous things can happen.
TS @ 73,
Oh and Eboue was a Passmaster ! Infact the list is endless 
Might not be such a good idea when you consider they told us they sold VP for Footballing reasons
Agreed Chippy. Maybe I should have chosen my words more carefully and replaced ‘open’ with honest’.
Either way, it was wishful thinking in the extreme. More of a mini-rant really.
True TS @76.
Although I realise that in a way I have used the word True just before the word True.
Stammering.
TS….although the sweeper is of a certain vintage, I’m sure he doesn’t refer to them as grapes just yet
Whatever statement comes from the club in respect of transfers to me appears as words of obfuscation. Particularly Arsene’s pronouncements are so contradictory either he has lost the plot or it is a massive piss take out of the press. I’ve no idea which but hope it is the latter. Unfortunately us minions live on every word uttered and leave us with the collateral damage of confusion. Like many others I find it hard to believe there are no players available out there who would not improve the squad and therefore enhance our prospects of the 3rd / 4th place trophy ( with the associated financial benefits as the reward). Lets hope the silence does not mean they are not working in the background and they will give us something to cheer about on Thursday.
I have to stop myself typing ‘The’ in front of TTF every time I use it Ollie
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/-the-place-smelt-of-football-i-had-to-sign-
Good stuff
Uply
I genuinely admire your optimism regarding new recruits.
Like you, I firmly believe that there are many players better suited to our team than Squillaci, Santos (whom I absolutley and irrationally love), Mannone, Fabianski, Arshavin (whom I also love), Gervinho, etc.
I don’t think we’re short on offers. Even AW boasts that he gets called regularly by players (agents) offering their services.
The big cheers I hope for this week are the ones after each of the goals we put past The ‘Smashers tomorrow evening.
That’s simply a great post from start to finish BtM. It calls to mind another great work on the same topic (and which probably ‘borrowed’ a bit from the title), The Wealth and Poverty of Nations by David Landes.
This piece is accessible and succinct, and the analogy of the farmers was highly illuminating!
I won’t mention those ‘contributors’ beyond whose intellectual grasp this article lies by a good few furlongs, all I’ll say is: Kids, if you can even guess I’m talking about you, your parents have stiffed you! Go home and demand an education.
I wonder why TS has a love for fat, ‘lazy’ players
Ouch!!!
TS….in respect to transfers by Thursday, there is no ITK information to
gauge the likely outcome – on this basis I live in hope rather than expectation.
Smashing the “‘smashers” tomorrow night will do for me right now.
Following Ollie’s comments TS, you rather plumped for that one
Not even Snir, Ups?
If we’re doing this sort of jokes, transfer window is not over until the fat lady sings.
Lardy, lardy. Where’s Trev when you need him?
91 heh Ollie.
Snir s ITK seems based on an in depth study of twitter aligned to his own well founded intuition…unfortunately one counteracts the other
He is no doubt goonerholics “da man” come Thursday – hope he has booked the day whole day off from his studies.
Chubby Akpom could be a LANS?
(Fat) rolls the ball out from goal to the tubby meerkat taking a rest in his own penalty area who then lumps it upfield to Porkolski whilst counting the calories.
Porkolski XD that really cracked me up TS XD
Chips
Heh, perhaps it’s a good thing that Fat Rice is no longer on the playing staff… or the menu in the LC canteen.
Thinly disguised assist?
?
The Rev smashed it!
Ta TS – potatoes, fat, chips and smash – stodginess abounds.
… hard to swallow stuff
Carbo-loading perfectly defined by The Rev.
Enough starch to stiffen PHWs upper lip and more.
Well in Rev. Also props to TS as standing in for Trev as our pun striker – quality performance. Just shows the importance of squad depth
What a swell goal ! (One for the Merkans).
Fat chance of Santos scoring (for whom I did have a soft spot), even on his bloated salary.
He’s supercaloriefragelistic ………….
I am honoured to be considered as an adequate backup for Trevor van Versie.
I’ll now resume my main role as bench warmer as our star striker is back and thumping them in.
BTW, we seem to have a Creosote squad i.e. “it’s wafferrr thin” in places (sorry)
To long and drawn out just to tell us something we already know.Stick to Highland Dancing.
Fat-free finish, well in AL.
As ‘Arry would say…. cALor’triffic.
Too kind yous guys, too kind. Am always up for getting summat on the end of a chance – however slim …
To healthy squad options
dave dave, your contribution to the debate has enhanced our understanding of the issue.
Thank you so much.
It’s a team game TS – no stars in our socialist squad.
Great post BtM. Agreed with a lot of that and it certainly put a spring in my step this morning.
Wanted to post this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jan/29/wojciech-szczesny-arsenal-defence
Good interview with Woj. I reckon he’s having a good, solid season. Still makes the odd error, but saves us far more often than he lets us down. He’s also the type of personality this squad badly needs.
I hope he stays with us long term, because I think he has the potential to be the latest in a line of great Arsenal keepers, and because I think he’s got the right stuff.
Yes N7 – he’s definitely a keeper.
Is dave,dave really Goram,Goram
N7,
Good article thanks.
Interesting point he makes – again – about defending not only being the job of the back four, which we know well enough.
But it is one of the reasons why four very good individual players often appear not to work well as a unit.
Marking and challenging for high balls at set pieces is quite another matter though.
Afternoon all,
Good to see everyone chewing the fat.
Well in AL.
N7 – Cheers for that link mate, great interview. I guess that what with Amy doing the interview, Woj was always going to get a very sympathetic write up, but nevertheless he comes over ever so well.
Thought he was spot on in a lot of what he said too – the lack of protection given to the Defence by the midfield, the exposure we suffer when we lose the ball high up the pitch because of the Game we play, and the microscopic media analysis of our flaws.
Very impressed with what he had to say about dealing with pressure, shouldering responsibility and most of all his love for the Club. He has it in him to be one of the greats.
He is, as you say, made of the right stuff.
Spasiba comrade Trev.
Bowls of borscht (allegedly very low in fat) & a round of Wisniowka for all those who wish to toast (no butter) Sir Albert Sesley (copywright @ArsenalGent).
Do we really need a Training Pictures Special featuring Beckham on .con?
Hardly an Arsenal legend, is he?
I thought you’d appreciate dave, dave too, Andy
I see Trev got in there first though.
Sorry, I meant Chippy.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-21243965
heh
“I read an article saying we were never going to finish above Tottenham, and come the end of the season I see them playing Europa League again.”
Hard no to love Szczesny indeed!
Re: Lee Dixon saying the place smelt of football. I just hope the Ems does by now, rather than eau de prawn sandwiches or some such.
N7, cheers for that link. Like tabs says, he has it in him to be one of the greats. For some reason many still see him as this cocky bloke with an over-inflated sense of his abilities, but I honestly don’t understand where that comes from.
Afternoon all.
fat puns?
I can hardly weight.
Ollie @125,
Heh indeed.
He will probably have just enough sponsored Chevrolets nicked to kit out the whole family ………
Maybe Santos expects he can lard it over Gibbs without too much effort?
Interesting article about Woj (cheers N7G)
BTM, It’s been quite awhile since I have experienced such a visceral reaction to anything posted here. The last time I got this worked up was when (Joshua?) said (early last season) that he wanted Arsenal to play a more defensive style of football. I went berserk on him
My dear man, every year I think this will be the year Arsenal win the Champion’s League. I can’t tell you how much it means to me; the anticipation leading up to each encounter keeps me on a natural high…:) I’m really in a dither right now. On a more positive note, you have a delightful way of expressing yourself 
And I look forward to grading, no I mean reading 
your second installment.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/date-set-for-fa-cup-clash-against-blackburn
Normal 3pm ko for the Cup, nice.
HWSAY? :p
Hmm..did I miss something or is that really mad Jens walking besides Arsene in pre-Liverpool training pics?:D
Nope, baff, I believe we haven’t sold Arshavin yet.
It is, Eandy! Great stuff.
I see Rosicky got recalled to the national team, I hope they wrap him in cotton wool.
Don’t know if you saw my post the other day but I’d read your fellow countryman in Watford getting a rave review for some game.
Heh Rosicky recalled? I hope Bilek wont play him down to the ground.
And yeah, Vydra is on fire for Watford, scoring with ease lately, being 20 years old, first year in English football and firing in 18 goals already is quite remarkable. As I said before, if I wanted to see Arsene buy someone from lower division, it would be him instead of Zaha:P
Blackburn tickets on sale to Silver tomorrow, Reds on Thursday (which is also when Bayern tickets start selling, so expect the usual mayhem on the Online Box Office?
)
That Lee Dixon article on .con is very touching.
Good read Harsha. Cheers for the heads up.
“Pitching my brolly on a beach in Bali.”
A line with poetic possibilities.
*ahem* 83 *ahem*
Ollie as you know credit seldom goes to the one who deserves it.
Oh Dear, apologies Ollie
Heh, true bt8. No worries, tabs.
Villa are in deep shit. It’s a shame we played them just a little bit too early. Maybe it was just a ploy to get tabs on the Daily Heil though.
Interesting to see that Gouffran is the only one of the brand new signings starting for Newcastle.
Oops, sorry, I missed Sissoko in that line-up.
Generally speaking, Tabs deserves credit as much as anyone excepting Lars of course.
Heh.
Announcement: the Snir Show will be starting at 7pm on Thursday evening.
You’ve been warned
Ollie/ 8Ball – I too am beginning to suspect a conspiracy!
As of today, I have made peace with the fact we are signing no one this month.
I’ve been through the seven stages of loss. This is acceptance.
Roll on tomorrow night and then a day away from all TV screens and social media on Thursday.
COYG
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
After caviar, back to sausage, I am afraid…
Btm, sir, as I said before, great read, I thouroly enjoy your posts and your boundless optimism is refreshing and quite contagious. I do however, respectfuly disagree with some of your points.
I can’t for the life of me see how dropping out the CL can be anything other then bad, not just for the coffers, but for the whole image of the club as a whole.
I’ll start with the monetary side. I’m not sure how you got to the 15mill prize money for the Europa League, but I believe that that is incorrect.
This is from Uefa.com.(figures from 2011);
Europa League
Each team that qualifies for the Europa Leagues collects a €640,000 participation bonus and also a match bonus of €60,000 for each match that is played in the group stage. That makes the minimum amount earned for Europa League qualification €1m, but ever team receive €140,000 per win and €70,000 per draw in their group games onto of the first €1m.
If a team wins all their group matches, they earn a total of €1.84m, just from the group stage of the competition.
A team then receives €200,000 for reaching the round of 32, €300,000 for the round of 16, €400,000 for the quarter-finals and €700,000 for the semi-finals.
The prize money for the clubs that go all the way to the final will be €3m for the eventual winner and €2m for the runner-up.
Compared to;
Champions League
Teams who qualify for the Champions League receive a minimum amount of €7.2m.
Each clubs taking part in the group stage receive’s a participation bonus of €3.9m, plus a match bonus of €550,000 per group game played. On top of that, the following performance bonuses are paid: €800,000 for every win and €400,000 for every draw in the group stage.
There are additional payments made to teams that progress in the competition with €3m the reward for advancing to the round of 16, €3.3m for reaching the quarter-finals and €4.2m for a semi-final place. The winners collect a further €9m, with €5.6m going to the runners-up.
In addition, participating clubs are entitled to a share of the market pool based on the commercial value of their domestic television market, the number of UEFA Champions League matches played and their final position in the domestic league table last term.
Also each team in the play-offs receive €2.1m.
That’s quite a difference and will leave a massive hole in our war chest.
The off field implications would be even graver for our business model, Europa League is the club footed, semi retarded, drooling half cousin (twice removed) of the CL, the two can hardly even be compared so vast is the difference in prestige. CL matches are broadcasted live on major tv channels, the spotlight on the EL doesn’t burn so brightly, not over here anyway and I’m almost sure that that is the case world wide.
I also have difficulty agreeing with your opinion that the business has to proceed the football, the cart before the pony, hen before the egg analogy. I think that it’s a BIG mistake. I fully understand the concequences of moving to our brand shiny new stadium, I understand that belts had to be tightened, budgets adheared to and compromises made. However, under-investment in the team has brought us to the position we now find ourselves in and I would like a little bit of clarity from the club as to why this is. I’m not talking about marque signings, just basic weakness’ that we all can see, but have failed to be adressed, the super dooper quality that we can’t find to replace the likes of Two (belly) Saints, Squidy and Flappy.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, and I don’t care what Adam Smith, Adam Sandler, Adam & Eve or Adam and the Ants has to say about it; The business of Arsenal is Football, once we lose sight of that simple fact then we are headed in the wrong direction and our business will fail.
We can go to Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Africa, Mars or wherever, but without a winning product we are nothing. Don’t take my word for it, check out the post above, directly from the horses mouth so to speak;
66arsenalKL
Delightful read.
Man U have a huge fan base here in Asia(I’m in Malaysia) which grows with every new bundle of joy delivered. As in any sport, the team that dominates the headlines through victory will always have the ear of impressionable lads keen to impress. Therein lies the dilemma.
Though inroads can be made, in the foreseeable no team will usurp Man U in this part of the world. The goal must be to offer an elegant and successful alternative. When Chelsea emerged in recent years with trophies to admire, they captured more than a few young hearts. Last year Man City did the same. Certainly no match for the Red Devils popularity but progress nonetheless.
So, since we have moved, United have increased their popularity while the other Mancs and the Chavs have got a slice of the pie, which leaves us where exactly? Not a trophey to piss in or a title to throw it at, but not to threat because we have the prestige of being in the CL……………….!?!?!?!
Oh.
Let´s not forget that fan´s in the devolping markets are not like us, they have no geographical or ancesteral connection to the club, our history will count for little and none of them will be overly impressed with our self sustaining model and hoard of honest cash in the bank, they want to don the shirt of the Champions or the cup winners, nothing else really matters to them.
Sponsers also want to be part of a winning team, I´ve felt for a long time that we fall short when it comes to the comercial (business) side of the business. Yes we were locked into long contracts due to the stadium, but surely that didn´t stop us looking into other ways of increasing our revenues? Take a look at how many sponsers Man U have, they have literaly everything sponsered and a large list of companies throwing cash at them. Even their training kit is sponsered, why isn´t ours? Why can they have deals ranging from potato chips to motor cycles, from vodka to wine and telecom companies in different nations all over the globe and we can´t. Do you honestly believe that failure to qualify for the Cl will improve our situation?
As someone above stated, “we have dropped the ball.`
Ofcourse all is not lost, we are not sinking or on the brink of destruction, a better second half to the season and we may very well be laughing….
But, for a club that has such an intellegent manager and supposedly has the recources to be doing better then we are I find it hard to fathom how we let ourselves get to this point in the first place.
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