The SNH Football thread

[jazzamataz]

Manchester United fans (Like Liverpool fans) crying about the money spent by other teams is laughable.

Exactly. Take a long walk off a short pier. We've been dealing with
it at Arsenal for nearly a decade.

Saints have just called up four of their youth team players to full team, Wenger's probably saving up to pay over the odds for them in the January window

you're probably right...














In all seriousness - the board have been listening to the fans
more and more. They're really going to make an effort to
restructure the wages at Arsenal over the next set of contracts
+ our stadium rights deal and sponsorships are up at the end of
this season, so we shall be renegotiating those. I just hope too
much damage hasn't been done over the last decade with our
inability to win anything.
They're realised that "group harmony" is great in theory, but
it just doesn't work. (Which everyone told them, but c'est la vie.)


In perspective, Barca are getting £35m a season from Nike
and Utd are getting £25m a season while we get £5m a season
from our necessity to frontload the contracts due to the Emirates
move.

We've remained "competitive" at least, so that's something in
our favour, but honestly - with the major contracts we signed
coming to an end, soon enough we will be in a better position
RE: sponsorship deals and hence Transfer/wage kitties.

[jazzamataz]

Also, Gazidis confirmed last night that Cesc refused to take
to the pitch after his last game for us. He would not play
unless we sold him to Barca (which is what fucked us in
the transfer deal) A load of shit has finally been flung his way.


I always thought he was a c**t for the way he handled the
whole situation. This just sort of proved my hypothesis. Barca
look to put us over a barrel and pull our pants down every chance
they get.

[scspkr99]

Also, Gazidis confirmed last night that Cesc refused to take
to the pitch after his last game for us. He would not play
unless we sold him to Barca (which is what fucked us in
the transfer deal) A load of shit has finally been flung his way.


I always thought he was a c**t for the way he handled the
whole situation. This just sort of proved my hypothesis. Barca
look to put us over a barrel and pull our pants down every chance
they get.

Given just how you recruited him from Barcelona I think you've got as much cause for complaint as Manchester United fans and Liverpool fans crying over the money spent by City and Chelsea

[murky21]

Wenger's probably saving up to pay over the odds for them in the January window

Do people seriously think Walcott and Ox were over the odds?
Have you seen the state of the current transfer market?

Walcott - £12m for an england international, still with 6 years to go before he reaches his peak? 11 goals, 13 assists in 11-12 season
Chamberlain - £15m for one of Englands most exciting prospects, already broken into the England team, 11 years to go before peak?
In today's markets - absolute bargains

[scspkr99]

Do people seriously think Walcott and Ox were over the odds?
Have you seen the state of the current transfer market?

Walcott - £12m for an england international, still with 6 years to go before he reaches his peak? 11 goals, 13 assists in 11-12 season
Chamberlain - £15m for one of Englands most exciting prospects, already broken into the England team, 11 years to go before peak?
In today's markets - absolute bargains

He paid 10m for Francis Jeffers 10 years before he was due to hit his peak as well.

I think Walcott probably was a little high but will still end up as good value for money but Oxlade Chamberlain looks the real deal.

He was brilliant in the center against Pirlo and Ambrosini in that game they didn't play in.

[jazzamataz]

Also, Gazidis confirmed last night that Cesc refused to take
to the pitch after his last game for us. He would not play
unless we sold him to Barca (which is what fucked us in
the transfer deal) A load of shit has finally been flung his way.


I always thought he was a c**t for the way he handled the
whole situation. This just sort of proved my hypothesis. Barca
look to put us over a barrel and pull our pants down every chance
they get.

Given just how you recruited him from Barcelona I think you've got as much cause for complaint as Manchester United fans and Liverpool fans crying over the money spent by City and Chelsea

Just a little something about Cesc:

He could have stayed at Barca. We signed him at 16 with
a promise of playing in the first team and gaining exposure.
We held up our end of the bargain. He was close to being
released by Barcelona in fact. It wasn't like we kidnapped the
fucker (like the media portray).

And, to put this in some perspective, no player is at their peak
age 16 bar a relative few. He still had growing to do and he
learned finishing touches from Vieria, Gilberto, Bergkamp and
co. at Arsenal, under Wenger. He played 240 first team games for
us. He played a total of 0 at Barcelona before he signed for us.
When the time came for his second contract in 2006 (before becoming
captain and signing a new contract until 2014) he could have walked
away. In fact I distinctly remember him putting feelers out to
see if Barca wanted him back but they said no because they
were happy with the midfield they had at the time. He would have
also gone back to being a bench warmer.

Signing a 16 year old player who was somewhat out of favour with the
academy he came from with little chance of breaking into the first team
despite his immense tactical ability and awareness is not the same as
spunking £35m on Andy Caroll (Liverpool) or buying the title a la Utd,
Chelsea & now Citeh.

1998 - Utd spend £27.75m & win title.
2002 - Utd spend 33m & win title + (£57m the season before)
2005 - Chelsea spend £88m & win title + (£121m the season before)
2006 - Chelsea spend £63.4m & win title
2007 - Utd spend £54m & win title + (£18m the season before)
2009 - Utd spend £46.75m & win title.

[jazzamataz]

Wenger's probably saving up to pay over the odds for them in the January window

Do people seriously think Walcott and Ox were over the odds?
Have you seen the state of the current transfer market?

Walcott - £12m for an england international, still with 6 years to go before he reaches his peak? 11 goals, 13 assists in 11-12 season
Chamberlain - £15m for one of Englands most exciting prospects, already broken into the England team, 11 years to go before peak?
In today's markets - absolute bargains

I think we need to retain Theo and shift him to the middle.

Banking on us keeping RvP too, I think it's time for us to move to a
4-4-2/4-2-3-1 variation with RvP playing in the hole and Walcott
breaking off the last man.

Gerv needs to be moved back to the right, Poldi on the left,
RvP in the middle and Walcott breaking off that last man will
be deadly.
Oxo I can see playing in the hole also because he likes to run
at defenders and pull them in, which is great for attackers looking
to break in the middle, behind the back line.

[scspkr99]

You threw loads of money at him at a time when Barcelona couldn't. It's part of Wengers policy, we support our teams but lets not be blinkered here he was a star of that Barce academy but Spanish clubs can't offer professional contracts till the age of 17 and you knew and exploited that.

Which is fine obviously but you can't really start complaining when he wants to leave.

[jazzamataz]

You threw loads of money at him at a time when Barcelona couldn't. It's part of Wengers policy, we support our teams but lets not be blinkered here he was a star of that Barce academy but Spanish clubs can't offer professional contracts till the age of 17 and you knew and exploited that.

Which is fine obviously but you can't really start complaining when he wants to leave.

Relatively, at the time, it wasn't even a lot of money. It was
the opportunity to come and play first team football under
Wenger, post-Invincibles.

However, when a 24 year old player who signed a contract wants to
throw a bitch fit and proclaims he won't play for the club again
because he sees all his mates win everything (and let's face it,
he's not even in Aragones'/Del Bosques' first choice Spain Squad - which
is 3/4 of the Barca team) - knowing full well he'll go back to being
a benchwarmer there, just collecting trophies, does what he does
and practically colludes with the other team in the transfer to force
our hand - we didn't have many other choices.

If I were Wenger, I would have benched the fucker for a season
personally. No player is ever bigger than a club.

[wub]

Wenger's probably saving up to pay over the odds for them in the January window

Do people seriously think Walcott and Ox were over the odds?

At the time he bought them, yes.

[Forum]

Think they'll boo Oxo at St Marys next season?

[wub]

Think they'll boo Oxo at St Marys next season?

No chance...selling him and Walcott is largely what got us b2b promotions.

[scspkr99]

Relatively, at the time, it wasn't even a lot of money. It was
the opportunity to come and play first team football under
Wenger, post-Invincibles.

However, when a 24 year old player who signed a contract wants to
throw a bitch fit and proclaims he won't play for the club again
because he sees all his mates win everything (and let's face it,
he's not even in Aragones'/Del Bosques' first choice Spain Squad - which
is 3/4 of the Barca team) - knowing full well he'll go back to being
a benchwarmer there, just collecting trophies, does what he does
and practically colludes with the other team in the transfer to force
our hand - we didn't have many other choices.

If I were Wenger, I would have benched the fucker for a season
personally. No player is ever bigger than a club.

Fabregas has 48 appearances for Barcelona and 15 goals, he played more football last season than he has since the 2006-2007 season and has played more matches than in all seasons for Arsenal but two and the last trophy he won with Arsenal was the 2005 FA cup. It's ludicrous that Arsenal fans are so critical of his move without accepting they exploited the spanish academy system that prevents players from signing professional contracts till they are 17.

Like you're an Arsenal fan I get that you support your team but you have to accept that the strategy you have around salaries will be exploited by other clubs and players.

[jazzamataz]

Relatively, at the time, it wasn't even a lot of money. It was
the opportunity to come and play first team football under
Wenger, post-Invincibles.

However, when a 24 year old player who signed a contract wants to
throw a bitch fit and proclaims he won't play for the club again
because he sees all his mates win everything (and let's face it,
he's not even in Aragones'/Del Bosques' first choice Spain Squad - which
is 3/4 of the Barca team) - knowing full well he'll go back to being
a benchwarmer there, just collecting trophies, does what he does
and practically colludes with the other team in the transfer to force
our hand - we didn't have many other choices.

If I were Wenger, I would have benched the fucker for a season
personally. No player is ever bigger than a club.

Fabregas has 48 appearances for Barcelona and 15 goals, he played more football last season than he has since the 2006-2007 season and has played more matches than in all seasons for Arsenal but two and the last trophy he won with Arsenal was the 2005 FA cup. It's ludicrous that Arsenal fans are so critical of his move without accepting they exploited the spanish academy system that prevents players from signing professional contracts till they are 17.

Like you're an Arsenal fan I get that you support your team but you have to accept that the strategy you have around salaries will be exploited by other clubs and players.

I would agree with you IF it wasn't for the fact that Barca were
looking to release him eventually anyway. If they had stated they
were going to promote him he would have stayed with Barca.
It's six of one and half a dozen of the other in that regard, and
as you say I'll always look at it from Arsenal's POV.


Yeah of course it would! This is why I'm so happy that we as a club
are seeing the end of a long struggle coming to a head soon. I under
stand the need for it too because of the desire to play in a 60K
state of the art stadium. It's been a long hard slog and although I don't
agree with some of Wenger's tactical mistakes, I respect the man for
what he's done with the circumstances he's been presented with.
I'm glad that the board room have started making headway with becoming
more competitive with player salaries and are looking to off load the
dead weight of certain players.

[scspkr99]

I'll be honest I wasn't aware of that I was aware through an Arsenal supporting mate that he believed Fabregas was the real deal from the off so I'm surprised to hear it.

We had the same thing with Mascherano he refused to play against Manchester City and architectured a move to Barcelona but I think as fans we have to accept some of this. Players will always look after their own interests and I'm not sure I see much wrong given just how quickly clubs will look to shift players. There's Liverpool fans still critical of Gerrard because he courted Chelsea in 2005/2006 despite him being the best Liverpool player over the last 20 years.

Wenger has looked reluctant to spend money though and it's been said there's money there. I do think he manages to get more out of his players than he ought I tend to think the Arsenal team is kind of ordinary with the exception of RvP but Wenger gets you playing decent football. You definitely need some investment to push on and you need to keep RvP if at all possible.

[jazzamataz]

There's Liverpool fans still critical of Gerrard because he courted Chelsea in 2005/2006 despite him being the best Liverpool player over the last 20 years.

Hmmm... Have to remember, Gerrard guided you guys to a
Champions League (which btw, was a fucking corker of a game.)
Cesc guided us to sweet FA. Cometh the hour, Cometh the man
kind of thing.
The thing about him was Vieria & Edu got injured so he was thrown into
the first team pretty much straight away for us. He didn't get a buffer
period where was introduced to the team - he was just chucked in
the deep end. There were games where he looked completely out of
his depth and like a journey-man to begin with.
The real bitch for Liverpool was losing Mascherano and Alonso together.


Wenger really hasn't had any money to spend. The AST meeting at
the beginning of last season highlighted that - It was a massive wake
up call for a lot of fans. We run at break-even - that surprised even
myself and changed my stance on Wenger a lot. Honestly in my opinion,
we need a solid LB, a disciplined DM, and MAYBE another striker/winger
and our starting XI is complete (along with RvP and Walcott signing again).

I'm looking forward to the development and progress of some of our
younger players. Wilshire, Coquelin, Frimpong, Yennaris, Miquel, Oxo,
Afobe, Lansbury and Ryo - they're all exciting prospects.

[TooMuch]

Euros have officially kicked off. First game has been pretty decent. Goals, controversy and mistakes galore. Football is gonna be good for the next few weeks!

[Forum]

Hope Wenger doesn't get any ideas about letting Arshavin back into the team, he's never played like that for Arsenal

[AxeD]

It's about to get down, ya'll got 30 mins to dust off your orange hats!

Expecting at least a decent match against Denmark, interesting to see how Willems and Vlaar will do.

[capo ultra]

the group of death is going down!