City Are In Another League To Us Right Now
Nov 5th, 2017 by 'holic
I was doing my usual write-up as the match progressed but decided at the end of the game to delete everything and consider a little further what I had just seen.
The manager surprised many with his formation and selection for the trip to free-scoring Manchester City. With Per Mertesacker ruled out by illness and Rob Holding injured the manager put Francis Coquelin in the centre of the back three. Presumably Mohamed Elneny was unavailable too? Alex Iwobi was drafted in to convert the midfield to a five with leading goalscorer Alex Lacazette dropped to the bench.
The Gunners started on the front foot, forcing a string of early corners, although from the first of those we got a glimpse of City’s power and pace on the break when Alexis surrendered possession, not for the last time. Thankfully Aguero blasted his effort wide of the near post. It was a warning of how the match would pan out.
That opening few minutes were not the only spell in which we achieved a degree of control and attacking menace. However the difference in quality between the two sides was marked. When City knocked it around it was with the foremost thought of getting the ball forward quickly and accurately. They play the way we did a decade ago, and why not, for they have spent a small fortune on buying some of the best players assembled at a Premier League club. There is no point in bemoaning that. It is what it is.
They took the lead when De Bruyne played a one-two with Fernandinho through a static Gunners midfield and drilled a shot between Laurent Koscielny’s legs and into the far corner. If City had demonstrated their attacking threat then at least we did try to fashion a response, but all too often that came to nought as Alexis is not a lone attacker. He simply cannot win the ball in the air and his distribution today was often the trigger for another City counter-attack.
When we did get support up to him we did threaten. In the opening half Alexis himself, Mesut Ozil, Iwobi and Aaron Ramsey had efforts on goal but we lacked the clinical finish that De Bruyne had displayed. At half-time we had to concede the scoreline was about right but we were far from out of the contest.
It didn’t take long though before we had a second-half mountain to climb. The best way to describe how the second goal came about is to borrow from the BBC website.
How accurate was that? Sterling got in behind Nacho Monreal, got across him, slowed down and tumbled to ground following the inevitable coming together. Nacho might have been a bit naive, and I think I would have screamed for a penalty if it had happened at the other end, but it is one of those decisions that will not always be given. Aguero’s penalty found the net via the inside of Petr Cech’s left-hand goalpost.
The travelling Gooners, or rather those that reached the ground despite Network Rail’s best efforts to leave them stranded, were in no doubt what should happen and chants of “Super Jack Wilshere” boomed out from the away section. Personally I would have preferred to get Lacazette into the action as well, and as the hour approached the manager finally sent him on, withdrew Coquelin, and reverted to a 4-4-2.
Was it too little, too late? Perhaps not. Lacazette did what Lacazette does and scored to bring us back into the match, thus making a mockery of the decision not to start him. We had a head of steam again and City survived some serious pressure, but with a quarter of an hour left we were finally beaten by a controversial third for City.
Silva ran in behind the Arsenal defence, one of two City players in an offside position, and we stopped awaiting a flag that never came. Silva crossed for Jesus to sweep the ball beyond Cech. Hopefully we have learned the oldest lesson in football as a result. Always, always, play to the whistle. We didn’t lose because of the assistant referees incompetence, however. City were deserving winners without that.
We ended up with some displays of petulance. Granit Xhaka, Alexis, and Ozil picked up late yellow cards and the latter was fortunate not to receive a second. It’s good that they were hurting, but that is not the way to show it.
So to the feelings two hours later. We are twelve points behind City having lost four out of six matches on the road. We are a million miles behind at least City right now. We are ahead of Burnley on goal difference. This isn’t what we moved to a bigger stadium for.
We go into yet another international break on a downer. Who is up next? The manager will have to get his selection right for the visit of the neighbours. Losing to a team as superior as City clearly are at the moment is one thing. Get it wrong against Tottenham and the reaction does not bear thinking about.
77 Responses to “City Are In Another League To Us Right Now”
It would be rude not too?
Guardiola would win the league with the current Arsenal squad under Arsene Wenger’s charge and “coaching/man-management” brilliance! I’ll take a bet with anyone on that claim; and of course using some of my offshore funds for tax purposes! Godspeed Chaps!
A sobering but very fair report. The better team won on the day. I wasn’t optimistic going into the game and wasn’t overly disappointed by the outcome. The Soccernomics dictume that ‘the team with most money to spend eventually wins all that it wants’ is, as you say, what it is. We saw it with Chel$ki and we’re seeing it now with Citeh. Even Yanited, with the squillions they’ve spent aren’t cutting it.
Our midfield isn’t up to winning the league. Neither defensively nor creatively nor ‘gutsomely’. Watching Cesc and Kante outplay Yanited today was a pleasure that brought back some wonderful memories of our former Catalan, captain and Number 4. A favourite topic of-course, Holic…..and I’m hoping we’ll continue the discussion pre and post the upcoming encounter with the Spuds.
Something to look forward to.
An excellent contribution from Desi around 55 in the last drinks btw.
@2 – not a chance. Midfield squad isn’t good enough. Don’t waste your money betting on the hypothetical.
@4,
You mean like the “Mega-bucks” big boys of Leicester in the EPL, Atletco Madrid in La Liga, and Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga? Hmmmm….?
Fine report, Guvna. Quite right BtM. Midfield improvement has to be the summer priority. LJW’s cameo was encouraging but we need an upgrade at DMF. Facile and incorrect comparisons Dan.
From previous drinks
Conversely I really wish we could have seen a season of Arsene with the kind of Goodies Pep has at his disposal – an embarrassment of riches almost…
We have spent £50m on a striker who our esteemed manager has left out of the starting line up against Liverpool and Man City, and we’ve lost both matches.
Whatever rocks your boat too, Bathgooner.
Only a maximum of 19 more months left, Gents! ?
There will always be upsets and exceptions, Dan, which is what keeps it interesting. But go back and look at the data in all three of the leagues you mention, add in Italy and France if you like, where you omitted PSG from your list (Hmmmmm…) and you’ll spot the obvious.
If you’re still in betting mode, this might be a year to put money on Borussia to break Bayern’s long, money-fueled run of supremacy in Germany (Yaaawwwn). Having watched yesterday’s match in Dortmund, I’ll predict that you’ll lose your dough on that one too. Don’t even think about Leicester or Athletico, their 15 minutes of fame has come and gone……unless, of-course, they’re acquired by an oil rich nation or a Russian ‘very honest businessman’.
And keep smiling and using that hair Pomade 🙂
I have only rushed through highlights of the game which I didn’t see live.
I didn’t respond to Holic’s preview because I was certain we would lose and didn’t want to piss on everyones’ chips. I sense my position is very close to that of Trev and Steve T and heartbreakingly with Kroenke in charge it won’t ever get much better. Wenger is a spent force but Guardiola wouldn’t win the league working for Kroenke. Desi’gner Gooner , in the last drinks produced two excellent posts which I thought were spot- on.
Today is Coquelin really all we had to fal, back on. I saw Debuchy pla6 120 minute’s two weeks ago and he is at least a class better than Coquelin especially at centre back. Wenger is increasingly playing people out of position – Elneny, AMN, Nelson and now Coquelin. I think he reckons in a three it is easier to play CB- not against Citeh it isn’t. When I saw the side I though we would play 4-5-1 and flood midfield. Dropping Lacazette against the two best teams we have played is utter folly. It seems to me that Wenger doesn’t fully trust him as he has only played once for ninety minutes.
Apart from that we were very unlucky with the last two goals. The penalty was a pathetic decision and Silva was offside. Did we deserve a draw? No but we could have got one with a better referee.
Next up in the league, the Totts. A very difficult game and one we dare not lose . We will probably drop Lacazette again then.
BtM,
For the EPL, I’ll just wait until AW has departed in less than 19 months’ time, then I’ll bet on the Arse to challenge and to win the EPL within 1-2 terms of attendance! ??
Any “modern and dynamically astute head-coach” overseeing the squad that Arsene Wenger has had under his charge over the past 4 seasons, would’ve won the league at least once. Guess what; Leicester did it on one of those seasons! Strange that isn’t it!
Not being one of the top ten richest soccer clubs in the world (a title which Arsenal has had for many a season under Professeur Wenger) “little-bucks” Leicester had little capacity of keeping their “engine room” when one of the top-ten came a knocking. However, one of their “Champions” did turn another top ten club down when they came a calling. Hmmm…Who was that and who did he turn down for 20 Million?
Regarding French Ligue 1, let me add-in Monaco to fill in that small oversight. ?
Aren’t Burnley (yet again) doing rather well in the EPL, Valencia in La Liga, and Freisberg in the Bundesliga, Gents?! 11 men vs 11 men in any given match-day, and each with a pair of lower limbs to employ! Must be the “quality of their midfield” that does it?! ?
TTG,
Wenger has “decimated” Debuchy’s once promising International Career. Has he also done that with any other “promisings”? Hmmm…?
This is… interesting
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41878954
Fair and a bit dispiriting, Holic.
My own thoughts closer to the final whistle, and reading in the previous bar (cut off) were –
*
A very sober, objective couple of comments by ‘desi’gner.
The spending of Man City is, of course, key.
The fact that they have been allowed to get away with it, as were Chelsea and now PSG, amongst others, while FFP was flouted, ignored and seemingly abandoned, has killed the game as a true competition.
That, and the attitude to the clubs supporters by the current owners and board, have all but killed my interest and certainly my passion.
*
Sorry, but there it is.
I hope we are not going to get two weeks of whingeing and moaning negativity. Lest anyone forget, we have a manager who has led us to two Doubles, the invincible season, twenty years of CL qualification, a few other FA Cup trophies, and just to prove it is not just ancient history, three FA Cup trophies in the last four years. We lost today against a better team, in great form, aided by some dubious refereeing decisions, a team bought for hundreds of millions of pounds, which will no doubt have hundreds of millions more spent on it every transfer window. We can’t compete with that unless we get our own free spending oligarch, which, personally, I hope will never happen. In my opinion, no club should be bankrolled in that way. I’m proud of the fact that Arsenal’s spending is commensurate to its income, a model for all clubs. It means we are unlikely to be able to challenge effectively for the title while things are the way they are, probably for several years to come. Spending power will see it restricted it to City, United and possibly Chelsea, as long as Abramovitch is happy to keep bankrolling them. Still, it seems to be what the Premier League and the Media want.
Incidentally, injuries finished Debuchy’s international career. Nothing else.
Devon stu, hear hear.
@ Devon Stu.. stop making excuses men. I don’t want to whine, cos I am tired of whining. Please stop making excuses for this past sale date manager. He is done. He was great years ago, its time to go. We have two billionaires as owners. Why don’t you want them to spend money on the club? is it your money? you don’t want people to whine, then stop making excuses for Wenger. We are shit/rotten as a club from the top to the bottom. Tactics/team selection is rubbish, and is that the owners fault? or referee’s fault?
Guardiola’s team’s are arguably “more” respected and renowned for “what they do when they don’t have the football”; not what they do when they have it. That doesn’t need you to spend a small fortune on it! Or does it? “Defending” properly requires “good coaching” and “personal discipline”. It’s called “character and professionalism”. ??
Who is meant to “instill character and professionalism” in your defending? Hmmm….?
Nice write up H. I’ve not seen any of the game yet but will catch up with the highlights shortly.
Funny how things can change. It’s not that long ago we were being told in the bar that FFP would be our saviour, and the fact that Pep had joined Citeh meant that we had dodged yet another bullet.
It’s a funny old world.
Still can’t get my head around our formation with the players who were available. Surely 4 3 3 would have been a better bet with Lacazette instead of either Iwobi or Ozil.
Thank’s Holic for your resume of the game. I particularly concur with the comment ” surrendered possession “, everyone was at it particularly in the early stages of the game where we looked very nervous. We are devoid of confidence at the moment and the away fans did not help the cause this afternoon. I won’t repeat the sort of songs being sung but I know you will get my drift.
We struggled to impose ourselves on the game and were out played in just about every area on the park, no one had a good game apart from Cech who made a couple of really good saves.
You have to question Arsene’s decision to leave a 50m+ striker on the bench and his reluctance to give Jack more than 15minutes. The Ref didn’t help our cause but only 10 days ago we had the benefit of 3 significant decisions going in our favour in the Norwich game.
My fellow Norfolk Gooners made the day enjoyable and we ran into some friendly Citi fans in a quaint pub “The Bridge” on the canal.
Perhaps Ozil was saving himself for Friday night at Wembley ?
COYR
PS
Should have said that the said pub served best bitter at £2.60 a pint !!
Having just watched the brief motd highlights there is little to add to what has already been said. Soft as it was, it was a penalty in my opinion. We would certainly have been screaming if it was at our end. The third shouldn’t have stood.
I really don’t get all of this moaning about how much Citeh have spent and how unfair it all is. We can moan all day about FFP but no one should be surprised at its lack of impact. We have had money to spend. We either haven’t bothered or we have, on the whole, just wasted it.
In recent years the players we have spent our hard earned cash on include Ozil, Sanchez, Chambers, Welbeck, Gabriel, Debuchy, Ospina, Bielik, Cech, Elneny, Xhaka, Mustafi, Perez, Holding, Asano and Lacazette. The total spend is estimated to be around £330 million. How many of those would you class as good signings? How many have are likely to take us to the next level? We’ve paid £50 million for a striker in the summer and he’s only been allowed to complete 90 once. Add that to the fact that there is massive possibility that we could lose Sanchez, Jack and Ozil for free in the summer and the whole situation just smacks of ineptitude and miss management.
FFP matters not a jot if you to going to waste what you are prepared to spend and you are prepared to let your prize assets walk away for nothing.
Time for a reality check people.
Delia, sounds like budget ale was the highlight of the day?
For a minute there, up to kick-off, I thought AW had reverted to 4 at the back (at last). But no, he was simply continuing with his tried (and failed) ploy of playing people out of position. This time it was Coq. One of our players most likely to see red given the job of guarding the penalty area.
Not that the rest of the starting XI filled me with joy. Ozil Gummidge and Iwobbly has to be the least creative midfield duo in generations (true to form Iwobi ‘s first attempt on goal looked more like a rugby league drop goal sailing high over the bar). I though we’d given up on Alexis as lone striker, but no, there he was again in no-man’s land like a a navy destroyer surrounded by battleships.
Anyway, it’s all been said already. Forget the pen which could have gone either way and the off-side goal, we were well beaten by a better side employing better tactics and could have lost by six again.
Had we started with the XI we finished with it might have been closer, but AW thinks otherwise and he remains in charge. Sadly. Consequently I am losing interest in the Prem comp and looking at the cup team as our only hope currently. And they need to buck their ideas up as well. 🙁
This is not a good time to be a gooner (if still far better than being anything else of course)
Playing to the whistle could have prevented their third, right Kos? Standing there waving your arms about instead of cutting off the cross to Jesus was just not in the Adams and Keown tradition.
That’s the tenth loss (and just one win) from the last 18 on the road against the rest of the top 6. How long till we drop out of the top 6?
Regarding the Monreal on $terling penalty debate; arguably, Michael Oliver squared-up his first-half penalty miss and red card error of Koala’s foul on $terling just as he was about to tap-in to an empty net.
If Arsene Wenger ever wants to consistently compete and to realistically be able to beat our top 6 rivals ever again within the time that’s now left within his current tenure, then he has to come up with a way to drill-in a better “without-the-ball”, defensive strategy into that “team”. Pep does it, and it’s all about territory and compressing the game to the force mistakes from having little time on the ball! Arsene Wenger wouldn’t do too badly to watch how Guardiola’s teams do it?! And that shouldn’t require you to spend Millions of Squids, to be able to coach it to a bunch of Pro-athletes. Many a coach with far less resources and athletic man-power, has managed to achieve it. The 50+ Million players are merely icing on the cake at that point. The desert after the main course.
The Arsenal attempt at a collective high-pressing defensive game, was unconvincing – it looked amateurish!
Liverpool’s effort earlier in the term at the $tihad before Saido Mané was sent off, was the way to do it. Liverpool were well on top in that match with Klopp’s burgeoning Gegenpressing. Does one have to be quite intelligent and hard working to play it well? Or does one have to worth 50-100+ Million Squids? Hmmm….?
I stand by my comments that Pep would probably win the league or at the very least do much better than Wenger with our current squad. Not trying to slate Wenger, it is just my assessment.
City had to buy a lot of players this season as their past squad was full of older players that needed to be moved on or relegated to the bench. Our squad, however, is shaping up nicely on paper. Ozil and Alexis both in his prime, Lacazette, Giroud and Welbeck worthy options for striking position, and even Theo can score goals too. Would Theo be a better player under Pep, like how Sterling developed this season? Mayb, but if not he would probably already be moved on.
Our midfield is a bit light due to injuries to Cazorla, and persistently Jack. But we still have Ramsey, Elneny, our expensive Xhaka, and Coq as our specialist DM. Look how Fernandinho performed under Pep? And Ozil at the tip of our kidfield was one of the world’s best number 10 when he joined us.
I would also say our defense on paper is better than City. Would you rather have Kos, Mustafi, Holding, Per, Bellerin, Nacho and Kola or City’s backline? Otamendi, Stones, and aging Kompany…?
Bottomline is, would Pep make our team perform better? Play better football? Win more matches? I would say yes. And our achievements this season is below par – look at Spurs and how they played so far this season? Did they spend as much as City?
The FA cup wins in recent years have been enjoyable and I credit Wenger for that. But the PL looks past him at the moment. Winning the Fa cup last season against Chelsea and City suggests that this team should be doing more than we are now. Just my 2 cents.
What Derrick said @ 29
You don’t need millions to coach discipline and territorial marking this should be any common standard in today’s coaching regime.
You also need players who are 100% committed to the cause, it’s true Alexis didn’t have a great game. However when we pressed higher up the pitch as usual he waved his hands to push up. It looked to me as if our team is out of sync at times only few players followed his commands the rest weren’t sure what to do hence made it comical to watch. It’s either everyone is doing the chasing or no one because it just makes look like a right plonker.
The marshman are coming, coming after You
Wenger’s Sterling comments are a bit strange. Especially considering he was meant to be part of Sanchez deal in the summer?
Let’s hope Sterling gets the
hump Steve T and refuses to join
us ever.
Very well argued posts from
Desi G and Derrick I thought.
I found myself nodding along
with both.
Thanks for report as always
Guvnor – as you say beating
the Spuds is important for
morale as well as an enjoyable
duty of course.
We will finish 7/8th this season. No, not based on yesterday but based on a couple of years of seeing the set of players plying their trade for us. This group is just average, mid table and so shall be shown.
The team selection was poor. Coquelin cannot play europa league properly and he was selected to play against city. Ramsey for all his industry and talent is poor positionally and decision making leaves a lot to be desired. Xhaka was alright but then after his card a week days, he has become too subdued and totally off the pace.
Alexis and Ozil played like the way they wanted to- let us go. We should.
Arsenal are nowhere close to any of the top teams and it is Wenger’s fault to a large extent as well for us to land at this stage. The great man just does not want to accept that his methodology is long gone and we are far behind in almost everything.
Dreading the spurs game but then nowadays nothing truly affects, not even a loss against anyone.
Cusop, you old tart, how’s things? Enjoy your brief view of the sun. The shadow begins to close in a fortnight hence. ?
Wenger’s Sterling comments are a bit strange. Especially considering he was meant to be part of Sanchez deal in the summer?
He may be a diving cunt*, but he’d have been OUR diving cunt.
*That wasn’t a dive anyway. Yesterday.
If you compare the Chelski away game with the game yesterday we were well below par! This is why it’s so frustrating.
On top of that our 1st eleven had not played a game for a whole week they did and were better prepared either way. Then you bench your 50mil striker so go figure what do I know.
Steve T,
Fair points made above about our having spent a lot of money.
It’s true that many of them have not proved to be top players and much of that money appears to have been wasted.
I still feel the failure of FFP has a lot to do with that for these reasons –
Firstly, Wenger cannot, whatever he says, buy top top quality simply because if he tries to, he will be outbid by the likes of Man City, PSG, Chelsea, Barcelona, Madrid, Man United, Bayern, now Inter and even Monaco not so long ago paid £65 million for Falcao.
I accept that some of those clubs have huge commercial incomes but some , were it not for sheiks, oligarchs and investment corporations, would not.
Wenger is left, therefore, to buy players from the second and third tiers of internationals.
We could try to concentrate our investment into, say, six £60 million players, instead of twelve £30 million players. That strategy would also fail though because the “financially doped” clubs would simply offer players two or three times more in wages than we could, even if we agreed to pay the transfer fees.
So I do think FFP is, or rather would have been, important.
What I don’t understand is why anyone would go to Man City, knowing that their only weakness is in defence, and play their tiny left winger at centre forward, leave their best playmaker out on the right and their newly and expensively acquired best striker on the bench.
Hardly seems the best way to attack a side, does it ?
Your having a laugh @11, Dan.
In December 2011, Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev bought a majority share in AS Monaco. They were bottom of Ligue 2 at the time. Appointment of ‘dynamic young coach’ Claudio Ranieri and a healthy injection of Russian money saw them win promotion to back to Ligue 1 in 2012-13. Using Rybolovlev’s funds, Monaco were one of the biggest spenders in Europe in 2013, spending roughly £140 million, including a club-record £50 million for Radamel Falcao. So your reference supports my point wonderfully.
Monaco’s ability to compete for the Ligue 1 title over the long term will depend entirely on their billionaire’s ability to outspend Qatar’s billions at PSG. And both will have to compete with City’s Abu Dhabi billions. Money talks and over the long term, rich clubs win.
As for Burnley, Valencia and Freisberg doing “rather well”. What have they won? How many times in the past 20 years have they been top 4, or played in their national or CL final? Are they the standard you’re aspiring to? Go for it.
Gorgeous George will always be THE manager for me.
He chuckles before talking about his love of gardening and how he once duped a journalist into writing that he planted his bulbs in formation with four at the back
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/nov/06/george-graham-mourinho-arsenal-anfield-1989-interview
BtM,
Rather excellently detailing my point @38.
A constructive debate post the Emptihad disappointment. Re Wenger while I always admire loyalty and find it a quality in diminishing supply these days I can’t agree with Devon Stu on him. Yes he was the best manager in Europe once – in 2004- but he hasn’t evolved and his stubbornness and unwillingness to freshen his confidantes has seen the team stagnate as other teams have caught up and passed us. Tactically I’ve never been particularly impressed but I did love the first ten years of Wengerball when it was a delight to watch us play. There was a new and refreshing approach to passing football with the emphasis on attacking . Defensively , his recent teams have often looked a shambles against better teams.
Since then we’ve dropped out of title contention and make embarrassing exits from European competition at the QF stage. At best we’ve plateaued and we’ve slipped down the league accordingly. I put us down to finish sixth this season and would be astonished if we finish higher
( or lower. )
Trev’s point re the financial resources of the owners kicks in here. Kroenke doesn’t care enough about winning to invest his hard earned cash in competing with oil rich sheikhs and oligarchs, he just wants us to maximise revenue by crossing the CL threshold if possible . Wenger is almost the perfect manager because he is deeply honourable and loyal and absorbs flak that could be deflected on. But Wenger is given a free enough rein to enable him to be able to put his imprimatur on the team . He is naturally financially conservative and always tends to underresource the team. Many of us can’t see that changing and many of us feel rather used by an owner that hasn’t got any intention of competing with the teams at the top of the tree.
Trev’s point re the financial resources of the owners kicks in here
I think we need to look more at what we’ve spent and who we’ve bought rather than not being able to outspend clubs like City.
We have been pissing money up the wall on some pretty dire players even before the market went nuts this summer. Whodecided Mustafi was worth that fee, or Xakha was worth £35m, or Chambers nearly £20m?
Does Wenger really fancy his one big signing of the summer, if he doesn’t pick him for our most important games and gives him the hook when he DOES start?
The money is not really all that relevant in terms of competing, it is how you use what you do spend, and we’ve fallen way short on that score.
The money we’ve spent for the return is very poor, and I know we’ve recovered a fair bit as well but have we actually sold anyone who mattered in the last three or four years? We’ve not a single player who was vital to us IMO
In the last four years we’ve spent something like £200m more than we’ve recouped, I think. It’s not been spent wisely.
not sold*
Cynic, the damage was done pre-2013. When we were 2 or 3 players short of a title winning squad. The neglect of transfer window upon transfer window was bordering on criminal (to borrow ‘Holic’s words after the opening day home defeat to Aston Villa in 2012-13 ish). Then once we inevitably lost Cesc, Nasri and RVP there was no way back.
Trev. I hear what you say but for me FFP was never destined to work. If a club can afford to spend te best part of £200 million on one player then they can afford to pay decent accountants and lawyers.
There was talk amongst many here about how we were just waiting for FFP to kick in. Some used it to explain our lack of activity in the transfer market. Not only would FFP make us really competitive but we could all expect a reduction in ticket prices???
I get what you say about not being able to compete with the likes of those listed but we have always been in the same, or very similar position. We have never been bigger hitters thstbthe likes of Man U, Barca, Real, Bayern etc. Of course others through their new backers have crashed the party but that shouldn’t mean we have to feed off scraps.
Bo’B above is spot on. We lost quality players and never replaced them. If we had reinvested the money we received for Cesc, RvP, Nasri etc then we would be in a far healthier position than we are now.
Since the demise of The Invisibles we have always been at least 3 players short. Then it was 4, then 5, and so on. We have been the masters of our own downfall and it has now come back to kick us very hard in the Charlie’s.
When we did decide to spend money we have done nothing but play catch up. We have let others overtake us. We have watched the TV money add a zero to the end of almost every transfer fee. Players wages have spiralled out of control and we are now sat playing catch up whilst moaning at those with ridiculous financial backers.
Our transfer dealings in recent years have largely bern shocking. That goes hand in hand with our contract negotiations. How several players have still Ben at n the payroll for as long as they have is simply baffling.
Whilst we will never compete with the oil clubs and the like that still shouldn’t mean that we can’t be competitive. But we have a clueless board whose only aim is to make enough money to build Stanley his new ranch and new American Football stadium.
We can moan and try and blame who we want for our current situation but the truth is that we should look a lot closer to home first. Let us not forget that it’s not that long ago that Citeh gave us what was then, a ridiculous sum for the players sold. We had ample opportunity to reinvest that cash in replacements but quite simply didn’t. No one forced us to buy the players we did. We have been linked with numerous names over the years that for some reason have all resulted in dodged bullets, irrespective of what they have gone on to achieve. Consider that and then look at what we have spent money on. Then decide if we maybe could have done just a little bit better?
Ok BtM, lets see where this goes…..?
Since you’ve rather conveniently decided to omit what has now happened to Monaco’s modus operandi in the transfer market since Dmitry Rybolovlev took his stake in the club, and since they’ve been under the Head-Coaching and Man-Management acumen of Leonardo Jardim (i.e. Rybolovlev’s not followed the same madhouse, big-spending strategy of the previous regime that resulted in Monaco’s fines/bans/relegation), tell me what happened to Monaco last season when they managed to win the Ligue 1 yet again over PSG, and then reached the Semis of the CL with a young and far cheaper squad than Arsenal’s and most of the other “money-bags” superclubs in Europe? Oh yeah, that’s right; their new policy to buy low and sell high the likes of Martial, Mbappe, etc. has proved to be rather successful, thus far!
Monaco now another spanner in that seemingly lazy observers’ and “gurus’ analysis of “what’s needed to win things” in the modern game of Association Football! Perish the thought that actual “good” coaching and tactics, have been largely to account for it all via a “humble & non-pig-headedly stubborn” head-coach and man-manager. A mere mortal human-being that appreciates his “real” strengths and weaknesses, and “still” knows how to get the best out of the talent that he has at his disposal against his rivals with much bigger bucks?!
Finally, and just as a belt to the braces, as of this 2017-18 season already, aren’t AS Monaco currently the 3rd or 4th highest goalscorers in the whole of European Football; and that’s after losing, Mbappe, B Silva, Mendy and Bakayoko? Perhaps it’s because of their retention of the services of that “past-it at ManU and Chelsea” 60 Million flop called Falcaó that’s done it? Or is it because they retained the services of Thomas Lemar after Professeur Arsene Wenger bid 90 Million Squids for him on the last day of Tranfer Valhalla in the Summer? No wait, perhaps it’s cause they actually “do” have a head-coach that “appears to know what he’s doing”, like most of the other big European Clubs (and even the lesser ones) demand and expect from their employee?! Hmmm…..? But hey, what do I know anyway?! I’m just a fan! ??
As this cyclical hypothesising shall never end, we’ll all just have to wait and see what happens tangibly once a new bloke (or lady) has a go at it all in less than 19 months time. QED! ??
“Time, thankfully, does not expire like Milk.” And the Milk of Arsene Wenger that so many have enjoyed drinking, has finally expired. It’s turning into yoghurt now – and not the micro-biotic one – but clearly there are some who care to risk Gastroenteritis with its continued consumption?! Bon appétit! ?
AFCOF! NAWF!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkWE19QoUBc
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGOEUo_sLxY
and
FIRST prize in the best essay competition
goes to –
[FOR EXCELLENCE IN LONG POSTS]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj1lpr5Ypvw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUC72cAWnsM
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pull yerselves the gether ya verbose nyammmers
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sorry
MASSIVE MISTAKE
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbnXASVV–M
varieties™
https://youtu.be/bzl_l5gC5is ?⚕️?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqhi3O25Xv0
anyhoo .
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.
bla
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/james-mcclean-describes-cowards-who-threw-bottles-coins-and-lighters-during-game-1.3280657
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?
Devon Stu, thumbs up. Take cover, knives are flying. Wanted: dubious oligarch with a shady past willing to spend a billion or two.
we already have one who owns a club or two
A golfer is he, cba?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lROruo8G7Yo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ej_X2_SggQ
Thought Pep was the golfer, his
club selection is excellent.
DDC, I want nothing from that twat’s YouTube channel in the drinks please.
Thank you.
gedo,
Other than the odd comment I
don’t really see the knives out
for AW. On this blog anyway.
Part of the problem with owners
is that they’re nearly all ultra-rich
and ethically iffy. It honestly
doesn’t seem to matter much
which one we have. Personally, I
want the German model for the
PL but want doesn’t get
unfortunately.
*wonders who “that twat” is* 😉
This would never have happened with Emma Byrne in goal
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41893604
Cynic, Me too 🙂
Cracking shot.
? Boss ,holic!
AFCOF! NAWF!
Which “twat” is that by the way ‘holic? Joe or Jack Black? ?
The twat who shares initials with the President who believes when a white guy shoots up a church full of people it’s a mental health problem, not a gun problem.
Now I see which “twat” you mean Guv! Both are indeed “monumental”. The US one arguably more psychopathic and more deranged than the other! ? ? ?
But it’s a close call….
life is good finally winning at Wembley, managed to loosen that anchor from around our necks.
you guys have been there and done that trick
I have come back to the UK for good, therefore able to attend more games. Shall be at the Emirates for the Liverpool game as my wife is guest of some wealthy goons. your next game is a big one, we are in better form away from wembley. but the clash of the usurpers and the marsh men is always fun. That arse tv fellow is a bit of donkey .. wat wat!
Ah, right… got you, boss…
There’s so many twats I get confused over which one is which.
Blud.
Or do I mean Fam?
It’s going to be a very long interlull 🙁
George Graham is clearly not very impressed with our current Board
http://www.thesportsbank.net/football/arsenal-2/there-is-no-board-at-arsenal-says-former-gunners-manager-george-graham/
Sorry I won’t be at Liverpool now , cus. I am long overdue sipping a large malt courtesy of your largesse!
89 review up now, all. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
okay dokey