La La La La, I Can’t Hear You
Feb 3rd, 2016 by 'holic
As my preview suggested, I knew I would be writing 24 hours after the event and would try giving something of a flavour of the evening rather than a conventional review of the match. You by now will have seen what transpired and if the drinks and social media platforms are anything to go by I am glad to have made that call, although touching on some of the issues when briefly covering the ninety and not quite six minutes of football will be unavoidable, I fear.
I’m not a lover of midweek matches as there is a frantic rush to get back to the West Country by underground and rail. I should have been warned off by the discovery yesterday morning that the final leg of my homeward journey would be by coach rather than having a through train service. Nonetheless I was en route at just before two in the afternoon.
A couple of hours later I emerged into the misleading glorious sunshine on Holloway Road. This is the first decision point. Invariably, being weak of will and fond of Liffy water, I head straight for the pub of choice. For once though a rare strike of common sense caught me amidships. A full tank in freezing weather isn’t a great idea, particularly when wearing several layers of clothing.
Not only that but I had skipped breakfast, and the magnetic pull of Piebury Corner is strong. A ‘Geordie Armstrong’ with mash and gravy made a perfect foundation for what would normally follow. Nourished I thought I would go walkabout around spots that are ingrained in the memory from over half a century of following the magnificent institution that is the Arsenal.
The walk across Highbury Fields, a fortnightly stroll in my formative years, still evokes powerful memories, as does the ensuing amble past the Highbury Barn before turning left, then right, and grabbing that first view from the top of Avenell RoadΒ of Highbury. There are ghosts in and around the old girl, not all football related.
Of course there is time for a couple of pints before the match. As ever the pub is packed with friendly faces, and friends old and new (thank you Jane and Richard) share tales and more sombre news. The sun has been replaced by the cloak of dusk, but outside in the beer garden the chill is not unpleasant given those layers of clothing are doing their job.
I get to walk to the stadium with two lovely people I don’t see enough of, so by the time I have been searched for weapons of mass destruction (a little joke, thank you security for providing essential checks) and taken my seat early I am completely mellow and anticipating the 3-1 win my pound had been invested in.
There followed a couple of hours which we have seen before. That wonderful ball from Alexis to Mesut Ozil and the latter’s instant control will live in the memory a long time. The finish hopefully won’t. How on earth the same player was denied by Forster I will never know. From sixty yards away it was a save that bears comparison with Gordon Banks against Brazil and David Seaman against Sheffield United.
A little lift was provided by the former ‘mine host’ of the Spanish Pats by Chapel Market, one Eddie Kelly, a star of the Arsenal side that broke a seventeen year trophy drought with the European Fairs Cup in 1970 and our first double a year later. It was great to see him looking so well in his pitch side interview with Nigel Mitchell.
We had no problem creating chances all night, but the combination of poor finishing and good goalkeeping had been established. I will just emphasise here that we are solely to blame for squandering a number of chances, twenty to be precise, half of which were created by Ozil, because I also have to mention the other talking point of the night.
I have had cause to say before that teams that are set up to pressurise us, as Southampton were, should escape criticism for rotationally fouling and eating up the clock. We cannot expect teams to come and roll over at the Grove just because we are the Arsenal. If they are prepared to push the boundaries of fair play there is an arbiter in place to call them to task and punish them when required for such transgressions.
Southampton did the job they were given last night, with bags of enthusiasm and spite in equal measure. They were given free reign to do so. Lee Mason has drawn the ire of the Arsenal crowd before and sparked fury last night on many occasions. I’ll leave it there other than to reiterate, before I get the usual lazy ‘blame the referee’ accusation, that his performance was only a contributory factor and we should have rendered it pointless by finishing the chances that we created.
The crowd spewed out into the freezing dark of a North London Tuesday night and it’s fair to say the reactions I overheard on the march back to Highbury and Islington were as divided as those I have seen online since. I have no intention of adding to the virtual disagreements now. On a day when others had every reason to worry about far more important things than a home draw against Southampton I couldn’t contribute to the repetitious cacophony. Doubtless my views will be dragged out of me by Kate and the boys on the A Bergkamp WonderlandΒ podcast on Thursday night, so do give that a listen.
The train portion of the journey put me in the presence of Saints fans, happy and surprised by their point in equal measure. It helps to remember sometimes there was another team out there who were drilled to frustrate us, and brother, didn’t they do just that.
156 Responses to “La La La La, I Can’t Hear You”
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Lovely piece, Holic – you conjure up the match day walk brilliantly.
B-B-Bastard
no 1 was mine !
(look over yer S-S-Shoulder)
Here’s one for you, Cba:
http://youtu.be/9xmRt_2Aia0
Well done BB.
Thanks N7. π
cba, lovely to see you, ya big bollix.
Whilst I most wholeheartedly agree that we are solely to blame for our own inability to finish the chances we created (Ozil is the best!), and that we must definitely look into rectifying this issue should we want to make it easier for ourselves to win the league (or any other competition for that matter..),.. the ref is still a C…!
Up The Arse!
π
My apologies @CBA.. next one is yours for sure!
π
I must have just missed you at Piebury Corner. Dang! It was your shout as I recall π
I enjoyed the walk to the ground much more than the trudge back to Finsbury Park – although the latter was enhanced greatly by a peck on the cheek from the beautiful Snowy before the off and then the great pleasure and super-sensible perspective of True Storey all the way to the station.
Yep, we had enough chances to sink the Saints deelpy in Southampton harbour. The fact that some of the most highly paid sportsemen on the planet were unable to do so is quite simply the reason we didn’t win.
“It was all Wenger’s fault yada yada yada….” and “We should have spent gazillions in the summer/window”………..what a yawn.
I trust 4pm was much earlier than your supper, BtM.
I may repeat before Barca. In hindsight it was much more sensible than getting ratarsed when wearing seven layers. π
Great stuff mate, big cheers for that.
Not the best night in our illustrious history which spans well over a 100 years. But there will be plenty more that are better. And as long as I’m still drawing breath I will enjoy them when they arrive. Instead of cutting off me own cock to spite me balls.
Up The ARSE!
At every game we don’t win, there are some people attempting this : http://i.imgur.com/pZk5zQb.gifv
π
Leicester doesn’t have Mesut, Alexis, Santi… and they doesn’t even have Arsene.
How come they are where they are?…and it’s February.
What is going on?
Nice write up H.
My thoughts on a thoroughly disappointing even are documented in the previous drinks. I won’t duplicate them here.
We need to sharpen up in front of goal. Others need to step up to the plate and take some responsibility.
Some big weeks ahead. God knows what will happen?
Broadband regained in time to read your mellow mellifluous musings, Maestro.
Sounds frustrating in the extreme.
Need to sort it out chaps.
Still think we’ve got a great shot at the title: I thought that when we beat City 2-1 before Xmas and everyone (including those idiots McNulty and Savage) were suddenly making us odds-on favourites for the league, and I do now even though everyone’s writing us off on the back of this poor run of form.
There are still 14 games to go (that’s nearly 40% of the league programme) and there will be peaks and troughs for all the top sides. I saw some promising signs yesterday, on another day we’d have won 1-0 or 2-0 against a pretty decent side, and we’ve suddenly got real options again in the squad. I’m confident we’ll put Bournemouth and Leicester to the sword in the next two games, and if that happens, lo and behold everyone will be waxing lyrical on the various forums. As long as we keep most of our key players fit between now and May, I’m nigh on certain we’ll be at least top 2….
Consistently inconsistent.
It’s been our problem all of this season and many before that.
We’ve no god-given right to be consistent. Football doesn’t work like that – particularly in a tough championship like the Premier League with an ever-increasing treadmill of hard matches against moneyed, aspirational sides.
I judge consistency on where we finish at the end of the season, and where we finish commensurate with our expectations. If our 38 games are a mixture of runs of 10 unbeaten games followed by 3-4 without a win, then so be it. Until we finish outside the top 4 (our barometer), I won’t be complaining. If you want consistency, watch Barcelona or Bayern Munich chew up their domestic leagues on a regular basis.
Consistency is earned. It comes with ability and hard work.
Controversial but perhaps we are not as good as some may have us believe?
Fuelled by a glass of malt that I missed last night I will say I haven’t mentioned the selection last night.
For a reason.
I thought the manager is is taking considerable flack today, which I understand, but he was let down by players who are capable of better.
But the balance of that side was wrong, no? The selection of Flamini to start when Coquelin appears fit was mystifying, wasn’t it? If Francis started and tired in the second-half as a result of recent inactivity fair enough, send on the planet-saver.
It’s a small point though. The boss deserved better from those he put out there.
Top stuff H.
My preferred option of your after match posts,shown here in all it’s nuances.
My hopes for an early goal to settle the nerves,and let the players relax more, did not eventuate,and i do think that the chances later in the game,were snatched at,rather than measured.
This happens unfortunately when the stakes are so high and we were desperate for a goal.
Let’s hope the players keep their heads up after a series of disappointing results.
Let’s also hope a bracing visit to the seaside on Sunday,revives the spirits,and allows some sunshine to filter into this rather dark and gloomy bar.
With one or two honorable exceptions of course. !!
BTM i am looking at you.
Pass on my best to True Storey next time you see him.
He among others,is missed in the Bar.
Time to do a spot of painting.
Lovely write up Guvna, you had a smashing day and that cushions the impact of such a frustrating match. Sometimes you just feel we are going to score and on others it’s not your day. When Theo and then Koscielny went do close I felt it was the latter.
Never mind Gregoire has a sensible perspective. I’ve just had dinner with among others a Spud season ticket – holder on our Biard and he us trying to ‘ hold it together’ because they have a chance of the title. Well they only have the same points total as us. We need to click back into form and when we do we can beat anybody in this league as we have shown earlier in the season. But we need to start now. We need a better midfield balance with Coq holding and Ramsey box to box but we also need Santi back.
But let’s not get too despondent. Leicester might lose the next two games and be behind us or we may beat them after they’ve beaten Citeh and we are above Citeh and right behind them. But we really must win on March 5th!
H, the board have let the boss down. AW is the figurehead. The one man in the spotlight. I highlighted in the last round of drinks how I believe our recent transfer dealings overall have been poor. Another window of opportunity passes us by and fans look for a scapegoat. Sadly, That was always going to be the manager.
You think it’s bad now? Best hope that nothing happens to Ollie G? Can you imagine playing the last 14 games without a recognised striker?
A lovely evocative piece, ‘holic, which made me question whether I made the right decision leaving England in ’67. Too many things involved to make that a real question, but for years I missed those bi-weekly trips to Highbury to stand (not sit of course) crushed up against the barriers playing sixpence a corner with total strangers in a Dantean atmosphere of tobacco smoke and firey tribal taunting. On my only visit to the Ems (in 2011) I have to say it seemed quite civilised by comparison!
Oskar
228 can’t be arsed
when is a homosexual cake
not a homosexual cake ?
When it’s a mince pie.
Or an answer cleverer than that…
By the way, H, you clearly need a little flat in town so you can stay overnight when it’s a midweek game.
…or, my dream, a houseboat in Little Venice.
Oskar
Have just backread the rest of last nights offerings and it was a good read.
Think most of us are agreed.
We can’t finish for toffee at the moment π
A London bolt-hole would be wonderful, but Camelot are proving untrustworthy…
Lovely piece, Guv’nor. Makes us far-flungs very envious — and nostalgic for younger days.
As you say we had the chances to win but couldn’t bury them. Their keeper had one of those nights when everything went right for him. Had even one of those gone in we’d all be praising the team for ‘winning ugly’.
Was surprised, too, that Le Coq didn’t start. As mentioned in previous drinks, Flamini and Ramsey are less than the sum of their parts when they are used as the double pivot. Plus they pull Alexis and Ozil deeper than is optimal and put the triangles with Bellerin and Monreal out of kilter.
We’ll all chip in for the finest cardboard box we can find for you, ‘Holic. π
Holic,
A very nice descriptive piece evoking the atmosphere around the old ground on a match day. It did though leave me a bit puzzled in terms of a match report.
Reason, balance, perspective ? Sure, but he can’t really be so accepting of a performance like that, can he ?
And then your @19 fills in the blanks.
I couldn’t understand that central midfield selection at all. Against Liverpool, Stoke and Chelsea the centre of our defence has been hopelessly exposed as Monsieur Flamini has shouted and pointed everyone to their respective stations except, unfortunately, himself.
He has done a decent job for us on several occasions over the last two seasons but more recently appears to have lost the plot.
One wondered why, having recognised the need for reinforcements in the prolonged absence of Coquelin, and actually made a timely signing, our new recruit failed to even make the bench.
Coquelin was fit enough to make the squad, so why not play him ?
If players are fit, start them. If not, keep them well away. There is surely more chance of a player being re-injured chasing a game in the final, desperate twenty minutes, than playing their natural game from the start.
Theo Walcott was not the only one to disappoint last night but I will risk the wrath of Oskar and Cynic by “picking on him” here.
Not because I have an anti Theo agenda but in part because it was him, as usual, who appeared in the evening papers telling all and sundry what we did wrong in the away fixture at Southampton, and what the players needed to do to put it right last night – and how essential it was to do just that.
On the pitch, however, it was a different story. Every time the ball approached his area of the pitch, he stepped away and hid among the defenders, rarely (as I don’t want to say ‘never’) showing for the ball. If he ever did, his start position seemed to be a 45 degree lean, ready to go down at the slightest challenge.
I can remember one decent square pass and a shot straight at the keeper as his contribution in his 30 minutes on the pitch. Other players had off nights too but not through lack of effort. Theo’s performance last night was pathetic. Where is that player who flattered to decieve so brilliantly against Man Utd ?
We will unfortunately find it nigh on impossible to move him on at however much over Β£100,000 a week it is that he is paid. At the moment he is conning us all.
Yes, there are 14 games left. As things stand, our striking options are a very tired and battered looking Olivier Giroud, a still unfit Danny Welbeck and a non-performing Theo Walcott.
That title dream is looking a very faint possibility – again.
Outside the Spanish Patriots, two young bucks converse…
Cheers Holic, a measured offering seemingly mellowed by a fine malt ( or two ).
Simplistically we are back to firing blanks again and the sooner we find our mojo the better for retaining our lingering hopes for a successful season. Self inflicted of course, there are no other options than those currently on duty, so we can only live in hope for our strikers to well….strike!
I do despair from time to time at some AW’s team selections and transfer activities but in the main he is overwhelmingly more right than wrong. However the persistence of the Flam-Ram axis remains a mystery now alternatives are now available. Hopefully he will consider Le Coq suitable for a start from now onwards. A good run over the next few games and we will be well in contention again.
Holic, thanks for the touch of nostalgia. On my sporadic forays to the NHOF, I wander around the area pre drinks / match with a warm glow inside, especially walking via the old ground which evokes wonderful memories of a by gone era.
H….the grainy photo – looks like Eddie Kelly in the jumper, the other dude in the jacket is ??
A very young ‘holic, Uply…
19 year old midfield dynamo for the Arsenal Supporters Club, in fact.
If anyone is still wondering what the hell Naija was going on about in previous drinks, when slaughtering Walcott and claiming Dele ‘not Pele’ Alli had already scored more Premier League goals than him, he or she was obviously talking complete cobblers.
Dele Alli has scored more Premier League goals than Jack Wilshere has, in 92 fewer games.
Quite why that matters anyway is a mystery as they are completely different. Wilshere plays football, Alli plays for Spurs.
And actually I am also talking bollocks. He hasn’t scored more goals than Wilshere either, he’s scored the same number. But in 92 fewer games.
So double balls to the “point” anyway
Cheers H – thought it might be you. A fine follower of fashion I see there π
Indeed Cynic, I addressed Najia’s rather erroneous post at 223 in the previous drinks. Ridiculous to say the least.
Barca slapped away Gary Neville’s Valencia 7 – 0. This management thing ain’t so easy now Mr. Neville. Sitting in a studio talking astutely or commentating is a completely different world.
On the other hand, we have to bring our A+ game in order to have a chance against this Barca team. Suarez has already scored 35 goals in all competitions.
You can say what you like about Theo as far as I’m concerned, Trev, I’m losing the will to live defending him all the time. As for Saturday, in one third the time most played he did lay on two assists, which were shunned, and did have two shots on target, which is more than others managed.
Which had me looking at the player ratings where I found opinions of his performance surprisingly divisive … Arseblog readers’ rating him worst on the pitch with a 2, to one of the best in the game with ratings only bettered by Γzil and Alexis in a couple of dailies.
I agree his recent performances have been poor, but until we sign better I fail to see anyone on the bench better qualified to sub for OG at CF or fill the RW spot. Occasional flashes from JC and Ox haven’t impressed me nearly as much as some, and the longing for Danny’s return can only be wishful thinking by others who have patently forgotten what a miserable failure he was in front of goal for all his manic running up and down the wing.
I think that whatever AW promised Theo when negotiating his latest deal could be half the problem. If, as rumoured, he was promised some sort of alternating CF role with OG, then perhaps he’s put out about having to play LW with Alexis out, seeing JC make a fair fist of RW and in consequence ending up as sub to JC with Alexis back … and no real go upfront for ages.
But I’m speculating. I just wish the fucker would start scoring goals again so we can all move on. And Arsenal up.
Oskar
i love this bar
slainte
proper fuckin gooduns
proper fuckin jumpers
aaaaaahhhhhhhh
ps
(moooooooo)
cheers n7
40 years near since
3chords4leatherjackets
TAKE IT DEE DEE !!!!!!!!
1
2
3
4
and
calling me names won’t make me go away ‘holic
ya big farty shite knocker !
Great measured malted post `Holic.
@BB/11: Lol
Also isn’t it funny to read the slaughtering of TW despite the team playing significantly better after his introduction? Or Flamini/Ramsey who controlled midfield more than they have all season?
Foster and luck cost us the draw more than any of our players did. In this blame-slinging era it’s hard to admit even when the opposition manager does.
If Le Coq was not fit enough to start then why not play Elneny? I’ve heard nothing to say he was not available but he could not even make the bench??
I agree his recent performances have been poor
He needs to have a word with himself and grow some balls. Put himself about a bit and take the regular place in this team that he hasn’t managed to grab in ten years, though admittedly he’s been injured a lot which makes that difficult.
But he should be, after ten years, one of the first names on the team sheet. Sadly he’s the sort of guy who is either on a hot streak or so poor he might as well go and work in a pub and be somewhere where he can be useful to someone. Although when he’s bad, he’s so bad he’d only be useful for collecting glasses…
He has managed to put together runs where he scores when he starts, but (in general) if he has a quiet opening ten or fifteen minutes, you can pretty much guarantee that’s him gone for the rest of the game. It’s not good enough and he should be monstering teams every week. He should be the “new Henry”, yet he lets other players with far less about them push him aside and take his place in the team.
I am big fan of Theo but we can do a lot better and if we do get rid, he only has himself to blame.
By the way, I say all that but he is light years ahead of Campbell, who seems to get loads of praise for being able to look like he might make a tackle, and Ox, who has gone so far backwards as a player he should be starring in a British version of Arrested Development.
I’ve been too depressed to post this week. The joy has been taken away not just by the slough of despond the team have fallen into but by the attitude of some of my fellow travelling Gooners who made the journey home on Tuesday night a thoroughly unpleasant experience.
Fear not I will raise my spirits and will make the first train on the 14th hoping for better things but until the MF duo is sorted and our attackers start to find the back of the net my frustrations will prevail.
COYRs
Cynic, Oskar –
Cheers fellas, for two very good and very reasonable posts.
I expected a lot of grief for my words about Theo but they are borne of frustration and nothing else.
Nuff said. ??
Slightly off topic – but found post 47 rather depressing – we should never feel uncomfortable amongst our own no matter what has happened to the team on the pitch.
Always found 99% of Arsenal fans to be above behaving like that even after the worst results.
On the plus side : Nice to see some other Piebury customers here !
COYG
Cheers H. Good report.
Bugger. We drew. Koscielny the one that should’ve been… Oh well.
I’ve got this whispering idea that we are getting a few poor results out of our system before putting a run of form together just when it counts.
We have problems at times. But we are still very good at times. I am really excited to see how this set of players performs now that the pressure starts to build. I have a lot of faith in them to do good things. I don’t know whether this will be enough for trophies but I am, as usual, optimistic and, rather less usually, quietly confident that this team will find its own way, and win.
I wish them well.
BMBD
I’d probably take Theo ahead of Joel and AOC in the right wing slot, just because goals win games and he’s far ahead of those two in that currency. He offers less in other areas, but if the 7 players behind him are on their mettle and Theo’s showing the greater defensive responsibility that he has in recent weeks, then I’d take him. His finishing can be erratic, but he does have that “Billy’s Boots” feel about him where he always seems to get chances.
That said, when all our central midfielders are fit, playing Ramsey wide to accomodate Coquelin and Cazorla could well happen, and I think Welbeck’s a real option playing wide-left or wide-right – creates a lot of havoc and chances for others, would probably score at a similar-ish rate to Theo too. For a short window last season in Jan and Feb, we had Sanchez, Giroud and Welbeck playing in tandom in a front 3 and it was very, very dynamic: they’re all good on the physical parts of the game, good team players, good headers of the ball, and Welbeck and Alexis’ pace around the fulcrum of Giroud worked well. Throw Theo on as a game-changing option and we do have good options going forward. As long as the platform behind remains solid….
Loved that post, H.
Had a really nostalgic walk around Highbury and all the old haunts the season before last, myself, following a defeat to Man City.
Results are transient.
The memories and The Arsenal will last forever.
Drink of the day @ 43 π
I’m assuming that we signed the two Nigerian lads aka the new Vieira and the new Garrincha but have to wait for the appropriate documentation from the Foreign Office before we can announce them?
Does Ned or anyone else know what’s happening ?
Or are they both already injured? ?
Ttg. If only the Nigerians had been Rwandans, Trev or one of the lesser punning lights could have pulled out the Tutsi / Tootsie puns. But alas AW is not yet on a Tutsi signing roll. I hope the Nigerians have legs like hardwood tree trunks and will provide many an oppo player a difficult, as in to say moderately to extremely painful, afternoon. π
It’s an unhappy TTG who has been told that despite having two season tickets with an unexpired credit I will have to pay nearly a Β£22 surplus on each ticket to watch Barcelona.
I don’t care if it’s a Category A game that’s taking the piss. It wouldn’t hurt them to keep prices at normal levels to show a bit of loyalty to the fans, Still we must fund Mr. Kroenke’s consultancy fee somehow
Lovely piece of writing indeed H. It almost had a poetic ring of perspective amidst all the analysis.
Superb logic again on Theo Trev @ 31.
Can anybody recall when the practice of charging different prices for different “categories” of games was introduced?
And what is the reasoning behind that?
Does it mean that we are obliged to perform better or, dare say it, even win when we charge more?
By the same logic, should season ticket holders expect a partial refund when we underperform?
Keynes has a lot to answer for – John, not Milton.
UTA.
Copied from the arses on this issue:
htag
February 4, 2016
Am I missing something here? A season ticket includes 19 home premier league games and the FIRST SEVEN cup ties. I would urge season ticket holders to look into this because contractually that does not seem in order. Incredible that this club thinks that categorisation of matches should apply to season ticket holders who pay out in full weeks before the start of the season. This club regularly markets itself as a pioneer in the football world, but lets face it, that is drifting with the introduction of Kroenke and cheap tricks like this.
Ttg@54: My guess would be that both the Nigerians would have difficulty meeting the criteria for a UK work permit as neither is a regular full international. If signed, they will probably have to be loaned to a club in a country where visa-qualifications are less stringent — possibly Holland — until a UK work permit can be obtained, probably under the Special Talent provisions intended for youth players.
Thanks Ned@60
Thanks bt8.
I shall waste my time challenging Gazidis on this liberty
@55. An approximation of the hardwood tree trunk legs envisioned.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6f/d9/1b/6fd91b9062482756b2afda80cabe6605.jpg
Oppo players who kick those might just mosey on down to check themselves into hospital for treatment of their shin injuries.
Nwakali’s legs may not be planted quite as firmly as tree trunks but the musculature quotient appears sufficient. π
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jan/29/arsenal-sign-nigeria-kelechi-nwakali-samuel-chukwueze#img-1
Just had the e mail about the extra I have to pay for my Barca ticket. What an absolute disgrace. I will write to the box office later to complain. Not that it will do any good.
Do you ever wonder why I get so frustrated with those that run this great club of ours? A complete and utter piss take. In an ideal world all season ticket holders would tell the club to poke it and the crowd would be less than 30,000. Agsin, we all know that will not happen.
This is why we have become customers and are not fans anymore.
Really really unhappy.
Stomach-turning capitalism, disgusting #GetbehindClaude
I’ve had time to digest the news of the ticket price increase for the Barca game and I’m very much with TTG. By the time the game kicks off, my ticket will effectively have been purchased 8 months prior. For 8 months the club would have had the ticket money from 44,000 season ticket holders.
The recent figures released by Deloittes show that the only table we are able to top with any regularity these days is the one for match day revenue. Fans are constantly forced to accept game changes at short notice to satisfy the TV companies. The club is more than happy to accept the vast sums of money that the TV companies provide. The change to the Leicester kick off date and time mean that this is now a game that I will miss. Is it really necessary for the club to charge extra for a cup credit that we have already paid for?
I read a lot on here, and in all forms of the media/press about the opinions of fans. An indifferent result will always attract various viewpoints from all corners. Fans do have expectation levels. It’s not like the good old days. Those days are long gone.
Barcelona are one of the top 3 sides in the world. This Arsenal side has turned in performances that can be as different or as changeable as the weather. We all know that if Barca turn up and play and we turn in one of our far too many lesser performances then it could be total carnage. God forbid that that’s the case then I would suggest that those who have been charged extra might be a tad less forgiving????
I despair sometimes at those who run this club and the decisions that they make. This is very much one of those occasions. All of those at the club will get exactly what they deserve as a result of this massive own goal.
Customers. That’s all we are. Don’t ever forget it.
Just when you think the Massive PR Blunders of the past may not be repeated, they come out with this corker ! Would be very surprised if it was even lawful – Cannot get my head round why they would fuck of the fanbase over such a paltry amount of cash when they are sitting on over 200 million – Just Bizarre
Sadly it’s a money grabbing exercise at its worst. We are already the highest match day revenue in world football – it seems that’s not enough to sate their appetite.
Another rumour that’s come to light is that every December the club would send a Β£10 food/drink voucher to the Away Travelling Club members as a token of their appreciation of the superb support the away fans give. Apparently not done this season – perhaps Snowy could confirm. If true what a mean spirited gesture.
takes something of the shine off our “classy” tag
Id advise they look for a new consultancy firm as it seems they are not getting the best advice – Oh Wait π
Thinking more on the above does that mean season ticket holders have actually contributed to the consultancy firms dividend Ie (3 million a Year)and then been stung for more money by the consultancy firm advising this increase, Id be asking for my money back Lol What a Head Fuck π
Chippy and CBA are spot on above. Pure greed and a total lack of class. The kind of attitude that I would expect from the likes of The Chavs or Citeh. All quite embarrassing really.
I must say that I have questioned more than once my season ticket renewal for next season. I’m getting very close indeed to just walking away from the place. I hate all of the money and greed in football and this is just another nail in the coffin.
Further to my enquiry @ 58 as to when category grading of games came into effect, a rummage through Google suggests that it was some years before Kroenke even became involved at the Arse.
I don’t have strong opinions either way about the bloke and I sympathise with those who find football increasingly unaffordable but it hardly seems fair to malign him for a practice that he didn’t introduce in the first place.
Whose idea was it originally and were there howls of protest at the time? I don’t seem to recall much fuss being made about it then.
Any historians out there?
UTA.
Steve T et others pissed off by the Barca gaffe
I’ve received a communication by AISA who are appealing this. As time goes by I’m getting angrier and angrier over this and at present I’m inclined to boycott the game because what they are doing is wrong on every level. No wonder there is cynicism towards the club when they pull stunts like these
Noosa. I think you are missing the point. As season ticket holders we get 7 cup games. That can include Bayern and it can include Burnley. The Barca game is one of those credits but they have decided to charge season ticket holders a premium just because they have made the game a Cat A match. I certainly don’t remember ever being offered a discount for less attractive fixtures.
The catagorisation of fixtures has been around for years. It affects those who pay match by match. The cost to season ticket holders has always remained the same.
I think this added surcharge is symptomatic of a venal and grasping culture emanating from the Board that views the fans as income fodder without any other option. I share the views of TTG and Steve T and am close to ditching my two season tickets this summer. This further eight leaves me utterly unforgiving to the club and hence the team. Should they fail to deliver a result in keeping with my financial investment, I will explore redress.
Meanwhe fuck off Stan. You’re not my kind of person.
Can only agree that this Barca tickets scam is a shit-show of the highest order, and reflects terribly on the club.
It also doesn’t sound all that lawful on the face of it. I’d be interested to see how they’ve expressed within the season ticket TCs what sounds very much like a unilateral right to vary pricing.
gutted, just ripped up, by news of Tomas this morning. what. a. waste.
heal quickly, little Mozart!
TTG.
Thank you. I will be interested in the outcome.
Bath for president. That’s what I say.
It’s the Mail but the surcharge story has caught the attention of the press.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3433301/Arsenal-told-fans-season-ticket-prices-frozen-adding-extra-charge-tie-against-Barcelona.html
I have to say the reactions I have seen from a number of people whose opinions I value leaves me questioning my initial view that whilst it is undoubtedly a PR gaffe of the highest order I would have expected to pay grade A price for Barca. Because the surcharge isn’t being applied to club level (I paid a premium a year in advance for worse facilities) I do feel that gold members are being unfairly treated. The loudest vessels however appear to be silver members. What category would they have made it were it their business?
If we were playing some side that no one had ever heard of from the arsehole of Europe and made the game a Cat C then would we have got a refund? If our home FA cup ties had been against second division sides and we had played the kids would we get a refund? These are questions the club should be asking themselves and I’m sure we all know the answer.
If we had used up our credits prior to the Barca game and they make it a Cat A then I see no real problem. The fact is that the game IS one of the 7 and therefore the actions of the club are in my opinion disgraceful.
Surely it is time for the season ticket to be league matches only, and for season ticket holders to then be given priority to apply for their own seat for cup games, as at most other clubs?
I agree totally Countryman. Then they can stick their bollocks cup ties up their arse.
Steve, you may not know the answer. We had a rebate when renewing this season for the mix of cup cats last season.
Spot on at 82, Steve.
I think one of our lawyers should send the club a letter questioning the act.
… And agree here too Countryman.
It will be interesting to see how many return their seat for Barca, as all can.
Bath, I have read it is legal because they offer an opt out. I don’t disagree it is shabby, but I’m not missing Barca for the sake of Β£18.
H. I will check again but I certainly don’t remember any rebate from cup games on my renewal. We get a rebate if we do not use all of our credits but I’m guessing that was not the case?
The point you make about people not turning up for the Barca game is more than valid. I can’t see many staying away for a match like that. Let’s be honest, it might be the last one in the Champions League for awhile. That said I’ve already had to sack the Leicester ticket. I am now going to get shot of my ticket for both Swansea and Palace. Hull may soon follow. Norwich has also gone but that’s because I’m away anyway.
Totally bored of the greed machine.
Agree about the drip, drip, drip, of changes Steve. Last season the seventh cup tie was deemed a cat C and we had a rebate my lessee informed me. I’m happy to be corrected.
and there it is ‘holic 88
the “pr gaffe” has gotten fans backs up
but said fans are addicts
so – 20 quid through gritted teeth will be forthcoming
it will have zero impact
on the cannon fodder
the suits know are rowing up in the wings
wallets akimbo
That is correct H. Came as a shock to me.
Just checked, I paid nearly Β£14 less.
Too right cba @ 91. Fodder feeding the nobs as ever.
I was driving today and had a unique experience….I found myself agreeing with Adrian Durham in his rant against Arsenal. Wenger has aggravated the situation ( particularly for Steve T!) by claiming that ticket prices have to go up because of the cost of players. That is of course if you buy any ! Arsenal can’t claim that they are ploughing money back into players when they have the highest match day revenue in the world and in the last three windows combined have spent less than any of the major clubs in the Premier League. Their money might be going on paying Jack Wilshere Β£130 k a week for not playing but this is a PR gaffe of monumental proportions.
Nobody I know has a problem in finding the extra cash but it’s the principle that sickens them . This is a sad sign of the Kroenke regime- a man who has not put a penny into the club since he bought it and seen the value rise massively by around Β£250 million. Peter Hill- Wood was correct …..we don’t want his sort at Arsenal.
I will stand corrected if that’s the case. My renewal was minus some from ticket exchange so I really don’t remember. I will check again when I get home.
Time for cup credits to be history. The club will love that. Can you imagine how many would turn up for some of the “lesser” early cup games? That is what they will be frightened of.
Nobs gorging on fodder? The boardroom is alive and kicking.
Which do you care more to have?
Having the best league in the world, or maintaining more local control? If the answer is the latter changes have to be made.
The timing of this announcement is lousy I agree. I’ve checked my renewal for 2015/16 and I was refunded just over Β£14 on the basis that one of the 2014/15 cup games was category C rather than category B.
TTG. Using Arsene’s logic the club should be paying me to go to games???
?
Bang……. Get in.
And it was free…,,
Club just announced it won’t be charging extra
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20160205/season-ticket-cup-tie-credits-update
Steve T: self-assist surcharge – Β£14, payable to the Holic bar communal account, please.
Well in Steve. Holic, all moral codes have been torn up in Arsenal related activities. Dog eat dog now in it?
Fair play to Arsenal for pulling the plug on a decision that was proving divisive. Suspect they feared an atmosphere at home games that might add to the current malaise in form?
Now let’s win some silverware! π
Well said, Holic and well done to the club on making the right decision.
Now for three points on Sunday; any which way will do.
COYG
Money deposited N7. It’s a fair cop.
Whilst I applaud the decision made the whole unsavoury episode has left a bad taste. Someone at the club has deemed the initial surcharge acceptable. That bothers me. I hope that they learn from their mistakes.
In fairness – it now looks like a communications cock up. We got money back last year and we didn’t realise (like Steve mine was all mixed up with Ticket Exchange credits for some games i couldn’t attend). Somebody is very bad at telling season ticket holders what is going on. So I absolve the club from what I called them last night (grasping greedy cunts) and simply say please design a simple, understandable, open and transparent system and ask someone who is good with words to communicate it (how about ‘holic?). I still say let’s separate the Cup games from the league games.
Right. How about winning some games?
What N7 said @105. Right decision Arsenal. Let’s have some. More consideration for the folks who make you who you are.
Yes I’m pleased they have made the right decision but sorry that they thought it was the right thing to do in the first place. I think if you buy a season ticket you should get seven cup ties whoever they are against.
I will try to communicate this to them and I suspect most supporters wold prefer this system.If you pay fully n advance I think there is even more reason for doing this.
Anyway let’s get behind the team on Sunday. It’s a very big weekend with Citeh playing Leicester and the Spuds at home to Watford. This is just the sort of game they have stuffed up in previous years and it would be great to see them do it again. If they win convincingly they will be building momentum.
Apparently Welbeck played for an hour today and hopefully he will have no ill- effects because Giroud needs some relief and not the sort he sought before the Crystal Palace game a couple of years ago. ?
Ahhhmmm …
… no comment …
… sukkahhhs …
… ahhhmmm – customahhhs …
I think that’s entirely right TTG. The rebate last year was meaningless and unnoticed by many. However a surcharge is a red rag a month after trumpeting frozen prices. I do think there is a crass exploitative culture in the board room now and an assption that the gravy train will continue. However the disconnect financially between football and the punters who pay to watch is such that it will take very little for many of their ‘cash cows’ to walk away. I do suspect that the depth of fan reaction has frightened them that ST renew rates might indeed be plummeting again this year. Hence the unusually sympathetic reaction. However, well done Arsenal for finally doing the right thing by your most loyal fans.
USTA!
SOZ!
Glad the club has seen sense and cancelled the additional charge. No doubt the upsurge of angst from loyal supporters ( sorry customers) has made them rethink their policy. I suspect Bath is correct and the fear of losing good paying customers with season ticket renewals coming ever closer has concentrated their greedy minds.
Surely the simple solution for all parties is to make the 7 cup games non categorised for season tickets holders and its pot luck whether there are lots of Bayern, Barca, Manure or Lokomotive Moscow, Bolton , Yeovil type fixtures – everyone takes the rough with the smooth.
Simples π
Lovely to see an old friend under another guise… π
https://youtu.be/ycnuyo3MLbw
One of the best, in fact π
Stories of Ozil having a longstanding foot injury that is being carefully managed by Arsenal. As far as I know the Spuds have two injuries
I moved to the US 15 years ago and I still can’t stand the never ending stream of extra costs for anything and everything. I’m glad it’s not coming to Arsenal!
Manchester is the new Spain: http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/
Please please gift them with another epic meltdown π
My heads still fucked working out whether season ticket holders contributed to the consultation fee that introduced the extra charge,it’s now gotta work out if said consultants earned said money by scraping said fee π I need more wine and a mystery bus to solve this one. π
Fair play the club doing the right thing
Up The Arse,
The consultants advised the club to scrap the fee, and next season they will increase ticket prices Β£100 in order to pay the consultants for the advice to cancel the Β£22 fee.
π
“We will commit ourselves to communicating very clearly to our fans going forward so that there is no such confusion in the future. Work has already started to address this.”
add another 50 quid , cynic
for the wee man with the plan
they’ve headhunted for this
Was just musing, what with the extra TV money about to come in and all that…
just a bit of simple arithmetic…. approx 40,000 season tickets….
a gesture of goodwill… a Β£200 pp season ticket reduction…
equals just Β£8,000,000? Peanuts to The Arsenal IMO
The boost to morale amongst supporters / STH from a gesture like that, maybe with a half hearted apology for not performing as well as they had hoped we’d be in the position to be in some 10 years after arriving at our new home… well.
I say.
Mark the Spark is clearly very, very drunk.
hic π
The price of potatoes has just gone up at the supermarket.
I blame Stan.
Mark the Spark for Chairman. Goodbye Chips.
Are you suggesting we’ve had our Chips, Bath?
Sadly been too busy to get involved in the discussion about season ticket surcharges.
There were, though, some excellent contributions from Steve T, bath, and particularly one from TTG.
It is the principle, rather than the amount, that is so damaging. The fact that the club views it’s loyal season ticket holders, who are paying months in advance for their entrance, as ripe for an extra grab when a top game happens along.
I can’t say I noticed the rebate for last season’s low category cup games, but I’m more than happy to believe those that say we had one, but how much interest had the club already earned on my Β£2,199 from the season before, by the time that under utilised subscription had expired ?
I can’t say ‘credit’ to the club for reversing a terrible decision they should never have made, but I’m glad they have.
They could, of course, have made the extra Β£500,000 the surcharge would have raised, by reducing the Β£3,000,000 Kroenke took as a consultation fee to a mere Β£2,500,000.
Seems like his advice was hardly worthy of the fee anyway.
Cyclops,
If I chance along to the supermarket and find the price of potatoes has gone up, I will happily pay it or go to another supermarket.
If I have a contract, and have paid in advance, with the supermarket to supply me with potatoes for the next nine months and I walk in one day to find them demanding more, I will not be very happy at all.
The whole situation is a gamble on both sides. If the spot price for potatoes goes down during my contract, I lose. If the spot price goes up, the supermarket loses. That’s the way a long term contract works.
I don’t blame Stan for the increase in the price of potatoes.
I do blame him for trying to wriggle out of my contract.
Come to think of it, that is one hell of a good reason not to buy your potatoes from Walmart.
?
Speaking of which.. are Leicester still small potatoes?
π
Not any more, BB,
they are the new Blue Belles, the new Challengers, of the Premier League.
Their form is Majestic, ask their mascot, the Lady Rosetta.
Did you know there is also a variety called Arsenal, and Gabriel ?
I kid you not. ?
One wonders if Cyclops makes sure to only buy potatoes with one eyeβ¦
I know this is wrong to say aloud, but I really would LUV IT if Leicester won the league.
Ah Trev,
Those pesky contracts with all their fancy terms and conditions. In the case of general season tickets I believe that clause #4.5 (a) is the relevant one whereby they can ask you for more. I have cast my eye over it and it seems pretty solid.
As for Spuds, let’s hope we can mash them good in a couple of weeks.
I’m off now to the land of the blind to cook for my subjects – we’re having a stew but cannot afford the potatoes.
I blame Stan.
Ah, section 4.5(a) of the small print. Of course.
First place I look when I shell out Β£2,000+ each season.
Bollocks whichever way you look at it.
Leicester is for real, folks.
3-0 whoa Leicester
We cannot afford to lose to them next week. Whoa fucking unbelievable….
Daresay..if we do not show up against Leicester.. maybe it’s time to cash in the ‘chips!
π
Leicester 8 points ahead of us and 6 off second placed City as of now and clear favorites for the title. Need a response from us tomorrow if we are to have a chance.
Lose or draw tommorrow and we are done. I don’t care how many games left to play. Leicester don’t seem to be slowing down at all.
If we played with half the intensity that leceister do regularly, we’d be top. And more importantly, leceister is well balanced, disciplined, and organized, all attributes we lack at least occasionally and actually quite often.
La La La Leicester, I can’t hear ’em….
It is not just that they beat City, it is the way they ripped them apart. Look forward to our game against them which should be a ripper.
Leicester have gone a very much easier run of games after us…
We have got to win there to put a stop to their momentum!
Very much looking forward to that match!
Of course ..do the job tomorrow first..
Leceister stripping away all of the financial excuses we’ve heard over the last decade plus.
They are better at scouting, better at closing deals, better at managing payroll, better at tactics, better energy, better at managing injuries.
Leceister buys Vardy; we buy Sanogo, which says it all really.
@Matt
Leicester also have less games than us…
Not that that is an excuse but am sure it does play a part in terms of fitness, injuries, cohesion ..etc!
Speaking of which.. we need fresher players who will actually close down play.. rotate rotate rotate!
And maybe a 4-4-2, here and there sometimes would help!
Preview of the match : http://i.imgur.com/HSqSH49.webm
π
Fuck, Spuds keep winning. Results went against us, draws at Etihad and WHL would have been great.
How the run in looks like from here on
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/leicester-win-premier-league-see-7321699
We have a very tough run in away from home where we have not won for five games. Our home games are probably the ones we would choose. We simply have to win our next two matches otherwise we will find it very difficult to win the league this season
Always nice to beat the sweaties; tiddly winks, darts, egg chasing, don’t give a fuck really.
Lake Monster Brewing Company
Untethered Sour Brown
Absolutely delicious, drunk last evening at the brewery/taproom which celebrated its grand opening nine weeks ago. So good I brought some home for later consumption. Not too much later though.
(Prepares to raise a glass to the Arsenal player who scores the winning goal tomorrow at Bournemouth.)
Sorry for the lateness of the preview. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>