Are we buying anyone else yes or no?

[Belfast Boy]

Too many fans on here - not enough supporters!

That is very unfair, Belfast Boy. Just because not all of us see things through Arsene tinted-glasses or are as optimistic as you are about the coming season, doesn't mean we are not supporters or any less of a fan.
The mere fact that we're worried shows we care, because like supporters of all teams, we want to see the best for our club.

Fecking hell!! Has this forum become Arsenal.com all of a sudden? I know you are not allowed to disagree with club policy on there but I thought we were allowed to have differing opinions on here?

The whole reason The Gooner fanzine started off in the first place was to allow fans a voice because you weren't allowed to write anything seen as remotely critical of the club or team in the Match Day programme. Now we have another opportunity to express our thoughts and concerns via the internet.

Yet even on here it's becoming common for anyone that doesn't swallow the Arsenal party line in it's totality, or is mildly critical of what is happening at our club, to face accusations of not being a true supporter!!

Well, to those people I say this: I will happily put my credentials as a true Arsenal fan/supporter up against any of you!! Don't dare to presume that because I have a different opinion to you or Arsenal Football Club plc. with regards to how the club are doing things, that somehow it makes me less of a supporter!!

I resent that kind of talk because it's akin to trying to keep people quiet for fear of being labelled un-loyal or not a 'real' fan. I, for one, will not be silenced by those tactics!! Not now, not ever!!

ECD I am not here to insult anyone nor am I an apologist for AFC but considering we have punched well above our weight for years and just built the best stadium in Europe without a sell out, the significance of which should be obvious, even if the benefits are not immediate, to me proves that there are very few, if any, clubs are run better than ours, can you name one perhaps???
I firmly believe that AW has deliberately chosen this route, which is trying your patience, for one very simple reason - he knows full well that money is gonna be tight until the completion of Highbury Square add to that, the fact that genuine quality players are like rocking horse shit which is creating the silly prices that we have all laughed at and if that wasn't bad enough we're bidding against the two richest clubs in the world and newly taken over clubs with very eager investors flush with borrowed money, to make sure they stay in the Prem!
I'm also well aware that this is a debate forum and in a recent epic debate I had with Augie I even stated that this place would be completely pointless if everyone agreed but it's my position that some of the criticism leveled at the people who run Arsenal is also unfair, and for no other reason than the vast majority of it is total garbage that does not stand close scrutiny, hardly showing support IMHO, and I also think we are not finished buying in the transfer market, and there could yet be a nice surpise from Le Boss!

[augie]

Hey hey Belfast Boy, keep poor Augie out of this "debate". I am keeping my head down at the mo after, as you called it, some epic battles on here lately.

Saying all that I do agree with ECD as I too hate being "labelled" because I refuse to believe the shite propaganda the board talk when the evidence in front of me contradicts it.

I hope some of you notice my new concerted effort into inserting paragraphs in my postings after I had my knuckles well and truely rapped.

[U.F.G Anfield '89]

don't be so hasty augie, some of the most interesting stuff on the forum was the clash of the titans between you and belfast boy, the long and complex game of argumentary table tennis between you too was more entertaining and informative than many of the mass debates we have seen.

i mean every part of the above statement, but your old friend U.F.G is a simple fellow at heart and every time someone uses the word debate he just has to crowbar in a joke about wanking.

sorry.

[Eboue Can't Defend]

Belfast Boy,

Sorry if I came across as overly aggressive but it felt like you were having a pop at those of us that have real concerns about the coming season by the 'fans not supporters' comment.

It was as if you were accusing me/us of somehow being fickle for being fearful that we might not be as competitive as we should be and once were in the very recent past. I just felt that those comments were not in keeping with the general thrust of the debate.

The debate on this particular thread was whether we thought there were going to be any more signings at Arsenal. Some fans, like yourself, think there will be, while others like me fear there will not. Especially if we take Arsene's own recent words as an indication of his intentions.

I agree with all that you have written above about Arsenal punching above our weight, the great work done on the stadium by Arsene and the Board, over-inflated transfer fees and Arsene's preference for not spending above a certain price on a player, and the competition being tougher now more than ever.

And on that last point, surely that is a reason why we should be trying to strengthen the team and squad. We face a real threat to our position among the top 4 this season, never mind worrying about whether we'll win the league or not.

Even if Arsene doesn't have as massive a transfer budget as other competitors, there is nothing stopping him spending the alleged £20 million he was promised by the Board and any funds garnered from all the transfer sales this summer. We are still well in profit as far as those transactions are concerned and we don't need to wait until the Highbury Square Flats are sold off to be able to spend it.

Finally, I really hope you are proven right about Arsenal making another signing or two in due course. As I have made clear numerous times on this forum, I'm a massive supporter of Arsene Wenger and truely hope he can pull this off. If anyone can, he can. I just happen to believe it would be an easier thing to do if he added a couple more quality players to the squad. Doesn't make me any less of a fan - or is that supposed to be supporter? Don't think there is too much difference between the two myself!!

[WengerKnows]

Read a few more reports today , about us signing Angel DI Maria . apparantly the deal is almost complete . But after the recent hoaxes i just dont know what to believe .

Also on the BBC 606 forums , a few people are saying that bookies have suspended betting on RVP being top scorer , anyone know if there is any tuth in that ? and if so why ?

[All_Arsenal_1886]

Also on the BBC 606 forums , a few people are saying that bookies have suspended betting on RVP being top scorer , anyone know if there is any tuth in that ? and if so why ?

Because they know he will and don't want to lose thier money

[lowerwest]

Isnt that signing another loan back to Spain job though? Likely never to seen again.

[Cockerill's chin]

we have punched well above our weight for years

What's our weight then Belfast Boy

[U.F.G Anfield '89]

fly-heavy-super-feather-welter weight, hope that helps

[green gooner]

we have punched well above our weight for years

What's our weight then Belfast Boy

A bloody long WAIT for the super, super players to arrive

[thegrovegooner]

basically we are goona buy. but don't expect big!

[Belfast Boy]

we have punched well above our weight for years

What's our weight then Belfast Boy

Well what is it that you don't understand, it's actually a quote that I took directly from the Gooner where it has been used many times in the past, and unless I'm mistaken you know exactly what our weight is, considering that everyone knows that money is EVERYTHING in modern football and we took 3 titles and four FA cups despite having one of the smallest gates in the country, and especially the Mancs whose cash flow from merchandising and sponsorship deals is frightenin and a gate that was nearly twice the size of ours!
Of only four clubs ever to have won the Prem, every single one EXCEPT ours has spent an absolute fortune, Jack Walker ploughed most of his personal wealth into Blackburn something in the region of 70M if I remember correctly which is still big money in todays crazy market nevermind 15 yrs ago and they still only won it once it in 94/95 and even went on to be relegated, and as previously mentioned we have the ever present Mancs and now we have someone in RA who in cash terms makes Bill Gates look poor!
I still would like to know your motives for asking that cos everybody knows that if it wasn't for DD and his appointment of AW we could be one the so called "sleeping giants" suffering mid-table mediocrity just like Villa, Everton, City and Newcastle or what about the Mickey Mousers there's a club with an enviable history and an enormous fanbase and they've never even had a sniff of the Prem and in fact have had to sell out cos they realised they were never goin to either and their fans knew it too cos for all their precious history we haven't heard a peep from them!

[donaldo]

i agree with Belfast Boy

Can you imagine where we would be without the genius that is Arsene Wenger.His vision and signings have saved the club millions.There is no way we can ever compete with the Evil Empire since Abramovich bought them how can we compete with a multi-billionaire?.Thoses fans who think we can compete on and off the pitch with Chelski are kidding themselves.off course we have been punching above our weight.We can never spend £30m on a player like Chelski and Manure.the problem is without backing from a certain American billionaire the gap is going to get bigger and bigger.Any success we achieve is down to Arsene and not our board

[All_Arsenal_1886]

i agree with Belfast Boy

Can you imagine where we would be without the genius that is Arsene Wenger.His vision and signings have saved the club millions.There is no way we can ever compete with the Evil Empire since Abramovich bought them how can we compete with a multi-billionaire?.Thoses fans who think we can compete on and off the pitch with Chelski are kidding themselves.off course we have been punching above our weight.We can never spend £30m on a player like Chelski and Manure.the problem is without backing from a certain American billionaire the gap is going to get bigger and bigger.Any success we achieve is down to Arsene and not our board

We may not be able to compete off the field but we certainly can on it, and i think that really pisses Jose of still thats why he hasn't spent so much this year

[REB]

the reason we moved 2 the grove was so we can compete off the pitch as well as on.. first year was alwas goin 2 be tough wit the repayments and the club had 2 see wat revenue was goin 2 come in every second sat.. now we hav 3rd our 4th biggest turnover in the game its time the board changed there stance and said right,, now we will becom the best team,, ye mightnt agree but i feel its time 4 this board 2 mov on and let someone else take us 2 the nxt step.. WE R THE ARSENAL AND WE R THE BEST WE R THE ARSENAL SO FECK ALL THE REST