Highbury Harold is calling . . .a time for Action?

[marcengels]

Well it seems I have ruffled a few feathers however my comments are aimed at those who want Wenger out now.

On a few forums I have heard things like 'I hope we get hammered so Wenger will do something about it' & 'Why can't we get a manager who will spend £30-40m on one player, screw the consequences'

Arsene Wenger is a genius and it his running of the club, which puts us in a very strong financial situation, ensures that 'our' club will be there to watch in years to come. I also am desperate for trophies that I have got so used to winning, but not so desperate that the club gets into further debt and certainly not desperate enough just to appease the callings from 'experts' and rag top hacks. I trust Wengers judgement over theirs every time.

Any 'group' set up to get him out can go f**k itself as far as I am concerned.

Wenger is NOT the clubs financial advisor - he is the manager.
Like i said before the board have fed us a LIE - the move to the new stadium despite the debt was supposed to have no effect on transfer finances for the manager according to them.
Just remember one thing as well, No person no matter who they are is bigger than Arsenal Football Club.

Yes, he is not the financial advisor but he does have a financial responsibility.

Look at Harry Redknapp at Pompey, he ran the clubs wage bill at 95% of turnover, won them the FA Cup then did a slippery one out the door.

No matter how much we spend we will never be able to compete for players with Chelsea, Man City, Barca & Real because they have no financial restraints.

So if you cannot compete what do you do? You get the best young players and make them into a team which can compete, at that point you make 1-2 signings a year which improve the team.

The only other thing you can do is sell out to an Uzbekistan Baby-boiling murderer and lose the very soul of the one thing that is bigger than everything else.....the club.

It is quite a complex issue broox, but this is the nub...we have money from sales, and we didn't use it to strengthen areas of the team which are believed to be weak.

[GoonerJim]

Besides which the soul of the lcub was lost a long time ago. No-one is asking for mega money signings, just players who can come in and do a job.

[djhdjh]

Well it seems I have ruffled a few feathers however my comments are aimed at those who want Wenger out now.

On a few forums I have heard things like 'I hope we get hammered so Wenger will do something about it' & 'Why can't we get a manager who will spend £30-40m on one player, screw the consequences'

Arsene Wenger is a genius and it his running of the club, which puts us in a very strong financial situation, ensures that 'our' club will be there to watch in years to come. I also am desperate for trophies that I have got so used to winning, but not so desperate that the club gets into further debt and certainly not desperate enough just to appease the callings from 'experts' and rag top hacks. I trust Wengers judgement over theirs every time.

Any 'group' set up to get him out can go f**k itself as far as I am concerned.

Here we go. Another load of straw men. No Football League club has gone bust in the last 20 years. Certainly none of our rivals are going to any time soon. So to say that Wenger is a genius because he's stopped the club going bust is a pile of crap.

We are in a very strong financial position which is largely down to his management over 10 years or so but we are failing to convert that into a very strong footballing position now due not just to his failings in bringing in the right players but also his inability to coach the team to defend and his desire for a team of young midgets where we once had a team of experienced giants.

Turning to the issue in the transfer market. Arsenal fans bar a very few (none on this board) are realistic enough to know that we can't go out and get one player for £30m. However there are glaring weaknesses in the squad which do not require £30m on one player to solve. These aren't being addressed because of Wenger's faith in certain players who aren't up to the level required.

And another thing. You say that the only way to get new players is to put the club further into debt. It's not. Try spending some money we make through transfers. Even if we accept that we paid for Arshavin out of the summer budget we made £15m transfer profit (leaving aside sell-ons which make it nearer £20m). That could have been used. Instead it went on new contracts for players that are yet to earn them - getting rid of those players and/or not paying them such high wages could also make the required money. So I'm sorry but Wenger's refusal to spend in the transfer market is myopic purely down to misplaced faith in players we currently have.

Wenger said judge me in May. I will, CL Final and proper title challenge or he should go for failure to strengthen properly in the transfer market, for relying on a team too young and too small and for failing to coach the defence properly. Were he to fail and stay, not a disaster as we will make the top 4 as long as he is here.

[Kiwi Gooner]

Well it seems I have ruffled a few feathers however my comments are aimed at those who want Wenger out now.

On a few forums I have heard things like 'I hope we get hammered so Wenger will do something about it' & 'Why can't we get a manager who will spend £30-40m on one player, screw the consequences'

Arsene Wenger is a genius and it his running of the club, which puts us in a very strong financial situation, ensures that 'our' club will be there to watch in years to come. I also am desperate for trophies that I have got so used to winning, but not so desperate that the club gets into further debt and certainly not desperate enough just to appease the callings from 'experts' and rag top hacks. I trust Wengers judgement over theirs every time.

Any 'group' set up to get him out can go f**k itself as far as I am concerned.

Well said, Block91Broox .
My sentiments, too.
The thing to remember is: We're all on here because we love Arsenal.

[Reg Niseth]

The thing to remember is: We're all on here because we love Arsenal.

that is very true, but it seems that those that criticise are deemed not to love the club. That's certainly not the case.

[SteveO 35]

The thing to remember is: We're all on here because we love Arsenal.

that is very true, but it seems that those that criticise are deemed not to love the club. That's certainly not the case.

Quite Reg.....in many ways I think the opposite could be true. Most of those who oppose the way the club is running are folk that have supported the club through thick and thin for many years (I would hold my own time & money wasted record up against anyone's !). Most of those that oppose them venemously seem to be late 90s Wengerites that believe that one man is bigger than a club with well over a 100 years of glorious history. Yes, there really was a successful football club called Arsenal before Wenger and the commercial non-entities that currently front the club came along

That should not mean that we can not criticise a club that is being woefully mismanaged by the likes of Gazidis - imposters in the running of a modern football club.

[Reg Niseth]

The thing to remember is: We're all on here because we love Arsenal.

that is very true, but it seems that those that criticise are deemed not to love the club. That's certainly not the case.

Quite Reg.....in many ways I think the opposite could be true. Most of those who oppose the way the club is running are folk that have supported the club through thick and thin for many years (I would hold my own time & money wasted record up against anyone's !). Most of those that oppose them venemously seem to be late 90s Wengerites that believe that one man is bigger than a club with well over a 100 years of glorious history. Yes, there really was a successful football club called Arsenal before Wenger and the commercial non-entities that currently front the club came along

That should not mean that we can not criticise a club that is being woefully mismanaged by the likes of Gazidis - imposters in the running of a modern football club.

[Vlad III]

The thing to remember is: We're all on here because we love Arsenal.

that is very true, but it seems that those that criticise are deemed not to love the club. That's certainly not the case.

Quite Reg.....in many ways I think the opposite could be true. Most of those who oppose the way the club is running are folk that have supported the club through thick and thin for many years (I would hold my own time & money wasted record up against anyone's !). Most of those that oppose them venemously seem to be late 90s Wengerites that believe that one man is bigger than a club with well over a 100 years of glorious history. Yes, there really was a successful football club called Arsenal before Wenger and the commercial non-entities that currently front the club came along

That should not mean that we can not criticise a club that is being woefully mismanaged by the likes of Gazidis - imposters in the running of a modern football club.

Bollocks!

No one is saying you can't criticise the club, but there is a massive difference between criticising and just being unecissarily negative and going completely over the top. At the moment the club is 3rd in the league, with a chance of winning it and they are still in the champions league. Now fair enough, after a performance like tonight come on here and slag the team. They were awful. There are many things that I would like to change about the team and the club, BUT I also know that in the real world being 3rd and still in the champions league is a fucking good achievement. You may laugh at this, but as I keep saying, there are 100's of clubs that would kill to be where we are! We do not have a divine right to win anything. With another manager we could quite easily get relegated. We could also quite easily win the title. Nobody knows, but I for one am not prepared to forget what Wenger has done for this club and am also not ready to believe he has just lost it overnight. Maybe I am over zealous in my loyalty to the man, but after all the enjoyment he has brought to me as an Arsenal fan, I think he deserves more time and more respect than he gets from some.

[GoonerJim]

The thing to remember is: We're all on here because we love Arsenal.

that is very true, but it seems that those that criticise are deemed not to love the club. That's certainly not the case.

Quite Reg.....in many ways I think the opposite could be true. Most of those who oppose the way the club is running are folk that have supported the club through thick and thin for many years (I would hold my own time & money wasted record up against anyone's !). Most of those that oppose them venemously seem to be late 90s Wengerites that believe that one man is bigger than a club with well over a 100 years of glorious history. Yes, there really was a successful football club called Arsenal before Wenger and the commercial non-entities that currently front the club came along

That should not mean that we can not criticise a club that is being woefully mismanaged by the likes of Gazidis - imposters in the running of a modern football club.

Bollocks!

No one is saying you can't criticise the club, but there is a massive difference between criticising and just being unecissarily negative and going completely over the top. At the moment the club is 3rd in the league, with a chance of winning it and they are still in the champions league. Now fair enough, after a performance like tonight come on here and slag the team. They were awful. There are many things that I would like to change about the team and the club, BUT I also know that in the real world being 3rd and still in the champions league is a fucking good achievement. You may laugh at this, but as I keep saying, there are 100's of clubs that would kill to be where we are! We do not have a divine right to win anything. With another manager we could quite easily get relegated. We could also quite easily win the title. Nobody knows, but I for one am not prepared to forget what Wenger has done for this club and am also not ready to believe he has just lost it overnight. Maybe I am over zealous in my loyalty to the man, but after all the enjoyment he has brought to me as an Arsenal fan, I think he deserves more time and more respect than he gets from some.

He is hardly helping his own cause when he refuses to bring in signings for areas of the squad where it is glaringly obvious we need them. Like i say Wenger's success is a double edged sword - he produced results that made us massively popular and as a result ticket prices have rose to the point where they are the most expensive in western europe, as a result the fans want to see more for their money (which they are perfectly entitled to do so)

[Reg Niseth]

The thing to remember is: We're all on here because we love Arsenal.

that is very true, but it seems that those that criticise are deemed not to love the club. That's certainly not the case.

Quite Reg.....in many ways I think the opposite could be true. Most of those who oppose the way the club is running are folk that have supported the club through thick and thin for many years (I would hold my own time & money wasted record up against anyone's !). Most of those that oppose them venemously seem to be late 90s Wengerites that believe that one man is bigger than a club with well over a 100 years of glorious history. Yes, there really was a successful football club called Arsenal before Wenger and the commercial non-entities that currently front the club came along

That should not mean that we can not criticise a club that is being woefully mismanaged by the likes of Gazidis - imposters in the running of a modern football club.

Bollocks!

No one is saying you can't criticise the club, but there is a massive difference between criticising and just being unecissarily negative and going completely over the top. At the moment the club is 3rd in the league, with a chance of winning it and they are still in the champions league. Now fair enough, after a performance like tonight come on here and slag the team. They were awful. There are many things that I would like to change about the team and the club, BUT I also know that in the real world being 3rd and still in the champions league is a fucking good achievement. You may laugh at this, but as I keep saying, there are 100's of clubs that would kill to be where we are! We do not have a divine right to win anything. With another manager we could quite easily get relegated. We could also quite easily win the title. Nobody knows, but I for one am not prepared to forget what Wenger has done for this club and am also not ready to believe he has just lost it overnight. Maybe I am over zealous in my loyalty to the man, but after all the enjoyment he has brought to me as an Arsenal fan, I think he deserves more time and more respect than he gets from some.

this isn't just about AW. It's about being lied to by the board as to why we had to move etc. We're paying top dollar to watch players that the board deemed were only worthy of £10 admission a couple of seasons ago.

Personally I want everyone that pulls on a red shirt to be better than the one they are replacing. But this lot aren't. I can stomach watching crap and winning nothing. God knows I've seem soome shit in my 40 years of going over The Arsenal. But I will not be lied to.

If your happy with that, fine, that's your choice. Some of us aren't. It doesn't mean we don't appreciate what Aw has done.

But answer me this, how long will you give it before you ask for questions to be answered by the board and AW if nothing changes?

[Kiwi Gooner]

Vlad III
[/quote]
At the moment the club is 3rd in the league, with a chance of winning it and they are still in the champions league. Now fair enough, after a performance like tonight come on here and slag the team. They were awful. There are many things that I would like to change about the team and the club, BUT I also know that in the real world being 3rd and still in the champions league is a fucking good achievement. You may laugh at this, but as I keep saying, there are 100's of clubs that would kill to be where we are! We do not have a divine right to win anything. With another manager we could quite easily get relegated. We could also quite easily win the title. Nobody knows, but I for one am not prepared to forget what Wenger has done for this club and am also not ready to believe he has just lost it overnight. Maybe I am over zealous in my loyalty to the man, but after all the enjoyment he has brought to me as an Arsenal fan, I think he deserves more time and more respect than he gets from some.[/quote]

What Vlad III says is closest to my position, too.
Sure, there are some things that we don't understand (ie: Almunia).
But we're not privy to what's happening behind the scenes. We can only speculate.
I, too, believe what Arsene has done for our club has earned him our belief, loyalty and patience.
The man has won us two Doubles and an unprecedented "Invincibles" season for chrissakes.

[marcengels]

Arsene Wenger sets himself standards of performance himself I'm sure that are above what he has achieved recently.

If one cannot ask questions about our situation, the when should we start asking questions - who sets the time limit?

And we are not playing 100's of other teams - we are competing with a narrow band of teams in this country (only a handful in the preier league) and in Europe, who are of comparable size, and/or with access to funds. It is Arsene Wenger who wanted to move stadium, it is the club who followed this vision with a view to generating funds to compete. They are setting aspriations high - should we now believe that all is well, as long as we're not a bad as Stockport?

[Vlad III]

When do fans questions ever get answered mate?

That's the nature of the beast these days. Our loyalty and money are taken for granted. That's why so many people have turned away from it and I don't blame them. It's very sad.

The ticket pricing is an issue and I understand that's why fans are pissed off. They want to know where the money is going and why we arent buying anyone. In a perfect world the board would answer these questions, but in reality we just get fobbed off and have to settle for rumours and gossip.

I honestly don't know if we have the money to spend on players, which is why I will vehemently defend Wenger. We have lost some of the best players of the last 10 years since 2005 and he still manages to keep us competitive, without spending any money. I don't see any managers that can do what he has done and replacing him in my opinion would be a mistake.

[Reg Niseth]

What Vlad III says is closest to my position, too.
Sure, there are some things that we don't understand (ie: Almunia).
But we're not privy to what's happening behind the scenes. We can only speculate.
I, too, believe what Arsene has done for our club has earned him our belief, loyalty and patience.
The man has won us two Doubles and an unprecedented "Invincibles" season for chrissakes.

you're right we're not privvy and speculation is not good for anyone that is why questions need to be asked about where all the money has gone etc.

We raised £40m for selling to citeh and apart from £10m on tommy we've not used it. However, stories doing the rounds are that 18 players have been given improved contracts and that is where the money has gone.

Now i don't know about anyone else but in my world people are rewarded for success. Where does a player like JET get the fire to achieve more when he drives around in a £100k Maclaren when he's only played one game for us.

is AW signing them up to sell on at a huge profit in the future with sell on clauses. It seems the only people benefitting from our move are some average players and the board whose share value has increased immensely.

Aw has earned our patience for all he has acheived and I'll ask my question again but more simplyu. 'when does the patience run out?'

[Vlad III]

Arsene Wenger sets himself standards of performance himself I'm sure that are above what he has achieved recently.

If one cannot ask questions about our situation, the when should we start asking questions - who sets the time limit?

And we are not playing 100's of other teams - we are competing with a narrow band of teams in this country (only a handful in the preier league) and in Europe, who are of comparable size, and/or with access to funds. It is Arsene Wenger who wanted to move stadium, it is the club who followed this vision with a view to generating funds to compete. They are setting aspriations high - should we now believe that all is well, as long as we're not a bad as Stockport?

Yes we are playing 100's of other teams! We could easily go down the same route as Leeds or Portsmouth. I really don't get what's so hard to understand about that. Do you honestly believe that just because we are Arsenal that is an impossibility? The expectations have been built up to such a level that you can't even see that the club is actually doing extremely well!