Is ANYONE actually enjoying this season??

[SteveO 35]

Apparently either the world's going to end or we're playing the best football since Brazil in 1970. You're obviously not allowed to just be happy about some aspects and disappointed by others

No wonder they say football fans are fickle

Perhaps if the guy who set up the thread bothered to read the balanced views that a number of people gave, he wouldn't be getting his knickers in a twist. He's probably woke up from a bad dream that saw Usmanov take over the club

[DB10GOONER]

So this thread has turned into a moanathon then.

Standard.

Jesus, mate - take the blinkers off. The whole thread is full of positives and negatives. EVERY team has both and every set of fans experience both.

If you want only positive stuff, start a thread called "List your positives for this season here and nothing else you bastards". That should sort it for ya!

[SteveO 35]

The biggest positive of the lot is still to come of course

Ivan, put the fountain pen in that man's hand and get the signature on the contract !

[I Hate Hleb]

I don't think I enjoy any match until it's over and the three points are in the bag unless we've stream rolled our way through the game which has rarely happened this season, I'm usually a nervous wreck for 90 plus minutes, Cardiff at home was agony apart and thought we'd blown it but the sheer explosion of relief after we scored was unforgettable. Also in terms of how proud I am of the team, yes I am very.

We have a likeable bunch of players (minus the Great Dane) and for the first time for many years you see players out there who really care and want to do well for the club.

Sums up my feelings by and large. Although along with many I fear that we won't sustain it, I'm enjoying the fact that we're still up at the top, but not getting carried away with it.

I can't however in all honesty claim that I've enjoyed many of the performances at the time. Afterwards, if we've got the result, I feel happy but usually it's more relief than exultation. Still, I'd settle for that if it results in an end to our trophy-less run and/or a Top 2 finish.

[Henry Norris 1913]

there was a certain arrogance about how I felt about Arsenal from 2001-2005, if we scored I was certain we'd win; such was the character of the side and class of our players but now I don't think theres any limit to how badly we can play and who we can lose to, I agree that a win is only enjoyable until it's over. I can't think of many times this season when we were 3-0 up and coasting playing like champions, I suppose the norwich home match was the pinnacle of that but that should always be a home win anyway.
tell you what, maybe the napoli home and dortmund away matches remind me of some steely performances from the GG era but thats it

[TheCook]

Apparently either the world's going to end or we're playing the best football since Brazil in 1970. You're obviously not allowed to just be happy about some aspects and disappointed by others

No wonder they say football fans are fickle

Perhaps if the guy who set up the thread bothered to read the balanced views that a number of people gave, he wouldn't be getting his knickers in a twist. He's probably woke up from a bad dream that saw Usmanov take over the club

Let it go man, for fuck's sake ; that was years ago and in a very different time - stop living in the past. What were your thoughts in 2009?

[DB10GOONER]

Apparently either the world's going to end or we're playing the best football since Brazil in 1970. You're obviously not allowed to just be happy about some aspects and disappointed by others

No wonder they say football fans are fickle

Perhaps if the guy who set up the thread bothered to read the balanced views that a number of people gave, he wouldn't be getting his knickers in a twist. He's probably woke up from a bad dream that saw Usmanov take over the club

Let it go man, for fuck's sake ; that was years ago and in a very different time - stop living in the past. What were your thoughts in 2009?

Kind of agree with TheCook here. I think it has become almost compulsory to take the piss out of Red Action on here (and I agree they haven't always helped themselves) but I too was set against Jabba taking over given what I had read about him at that time. TBH, as much as I believe we need change at the top (Board and Manager) and we need someone to bankroll signing the best players, I'm still not too sure I'd be comfortable with Jabba being that person...

[augie]

WhY ? At the risk of opening a whole big can of worms again, why are people so against usmanov ? Please don't start throwing the unsubstantiated claims of a disgraced embassy worker as a proper reason

The question Gooners should be asking themselves right now is, can usmanov be any worse than wiggy ? We are nothing more than an investment for that American c*nt and he has no higher aspirations than that - I remember the stick the glaziers used to get in mancland but every single time their manager looked for cash to spend, then ensured he got it and that is all we want from an owner. Usmanov could buy this club with the loose change he has in his pocket and it wouldn't even dent his bank balance - he is a guy that has continually spoke about the need to invest in bringing in quality players to the club and was willing to put his hand in his pocket to do so but of course this was rejected by the board If memory serves me correctly, his share issue plan would have brought in 100m to put towards stadium debt and 100m to buy players and that, with the right manager, would put us on a par with anyone.

My gripe with redaction on the usmanov issue is where and how that protest was instigated - I don't think that anybody doubts that the idea originated within the club itself and that absolutely disgusts me tbh. I know that redaction have since admitted that they were given duff information by the club on this matter and that they regret holding the march but the damage was done then - I'm sure that people within the club probably felt that redaction's close working relationship could be used for things like this but at the end of the day it is redaction's image that has suffered as they will be considered to be in the clubs pocket until the day they actually publicly stand against the club on an issue.

[goonersid]

WhY ? At the risk of opening a whole big can of worms again, why are people so against usmanov ? Please don't start throwing the unsubstantiated claims of a disgraced embassy worker as a proper reason

The question Gooners should be asking themselves right now is, can usmanov be any worse than wiggy ? We are nothing more than an investment for that American c*nt and he has no higher aspirations than that - I remember the stick the glaziers used to get in mancland but every single time their manager looked for cash to spend, then ensured he got it and that is all we want from an owner. Usmanov could buy this club with the loose change he has in his pocket and it wouldn't even dent his bank balance - he is a guy that has continually spoke about the need to invest in bringing in quality players to the club and was willing to put his hand in his pocket to do so but of course this was rejected by the board If memory serves me correctly, his share issue plan would have brought in 100m to put towards stadium debt and 100m to buy players and that, with the right manager, would put us on a par with anyone.

My gripe with redaction on the usmanov issue is where and how that protest was instigated - I don't think that anybody doubts that the idea originated within the club itself and that absolutely disgusts me tbh. I know that redaction have since admitted that they were given duff information by the club on this matter and that they regret holding the march but the damage was done then - I'm sure that people within the club probably felt that redaction's close working relationship could be used for things like this but at the end of the day it is redaction's image that has suffered as they will be considered to be in the clubs pocket until the day they actually publicly stand against the club on an issue.

The problem is Augie, Usmanov needs to put up or shut up, yes he could buy the club with his loose change, the thing is I doubt he wants it bad enough.

[augie]

Absolutely agree with you sid - I have always favoured usmanov over kroenke and would still support him as our owner but the problem is that it is high time that he puts his money where his mouth is. If he really wants the club then make the necessary offer cos making comments in the media doesnt change nothing. At the moment having a second shareholder with that amount of shares, is doing fcuk all for the fans or the club itself - it isnt changing ideas, it isnt altering the direction or mentality of the club and it isnt stopping the absolute mismanagement of OUR CLUB so as far as I am concerned mr usmanov, either buy it or fork off

[I Hate Hleb]

Agree augie but to be able to buy the club it needs the current owner to want to sell. Unfortunately I don't think Kroenke is in any rush to as he realises he doesn't need to spend a penny more while watching his 'investment' keep going up in price. To truly tempt him would take an offer way, way beyond the true worth of the club and wouldn't make sense at any level - especially if, like Usmanov, you don't have the emotional attachment of the true life-long fan.

[northbank123]

Agree augie but to be able to buy the club it needs the current owner to want to sell. Unfortunately I don't think Kroenke is in any rush to as he realises he doesn't need to spend a penny more while watching his 'investment' keep going up in price. To truly tempt him would take an offer way, way beyond the true worth of the club and wouldn't make sense at any level - especially if, like Usmanov, you don't have the emotional attachment of the true life-long fan.

And that's the crux of it. Usmanov has quietened down recently but when he has been spouting off in the past it's difficult not to reach the conclusion that a bloke who talks as though he is a fan and just wants to see the club succeed won't buy the club because it doesn't make business sense.

As a (potential) owner you're either a fan or a businessman. He's said the former but proven the latter.

[MrT]

Genuinely haven't enjoyed a season in years because after a while you just know it's going to be groundhog season again. A few good results home and away make it bearable at times but knowing you have a tactically inept senile old goat in charge indefinitely kills any enjoyment I might have.

[g88ner]

WhY ? At the risk of opening a whole big can of worms again, why are people so against usmanov ?

I'm a football fan who is dead against sugar daddies changing the landscape of the game I love, so by default I'm against Usmanov.

I don't agree with it and I don't think it's in the spirit of sport; I think it sends the wrong message when well run clubs are leapfrogged by billionaire sugar daddies who want to add a football club to their "brand" (Etihad) or just have an excess of oil money they want to blow on a play thing (Abramovich) and I find it depressing that the governing bodies have allowed it to happen and the media and fans have gobbled it up.

So because I don't like it and certainly don't approve of this shortcut to success (what sort of message does that send anyway?) I can't say I want Usmanov at Arsenal. I don't want his money polluting our game. I don't want artificial meaningless success - I won't feel comfortable about it and I don't need hollow Arsenal victories to give my life meaning.

I want Arsenal to earn their place at the top table... and if we don't make it, so be it. I'm not blind to the problems we have at our club and I'm well aware we're hardly the fan friendly local club anymore, but still... I don't want to go down the route of Citeh and Chavs. I'd rather win less and choose the more difficult road to be honest.

[the playing mantis]

but g88ner, us having a sugar daddy wouldnt be leapfrogging others, we simply be on a more even footing with the other sugar daddies!

we ahve always been around the top 3 thanks to AW, and a sugar daddy wouldnt change that.

the game has changed like it or not, and sugar daddies for the mid term at least are the way it is. wonder if you will stick with your anti usmanov view when, and its a matter of when, the scum finally get sold to one.