As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
The only top stars I can remember him signing were Suker and Campbell - and they were both free transfers. I believe he is afraid to spend big because of Reyes, Jeffers, Wright etc.
To say he can't handle the big names is unfair (and I hear a lot of this crap from work colleagues who watch their football on Sky and read The Sun) as they don't get much bigger than Dennis, Vieira and Henry - they all love the guy.
I think we must spen big this Summer, especially with ticket prices likely to go up - the fans need to see some investment to go the extra mile and collect some silverware next year.
It is no coincidence, for me, that we tend to win Championship's following a Summer where a few players are added, thereby putting the incumbents on their toes and making them less assured of their place in the starting line-up. (How long was that sentence?)
To say he can't handle the big names is unfair (and I hear a lot of this crap from work colleagues who watch their football on Sky and read The Sun) as they don't get much bigger than Dennis, Vieira and Henry - they all love the guy.
Read the post again and you'll see that nobody said he cannot handle big names. Two of the three players you mention are those that he developed and the other is probably the most humble person you'll ever meet. My point was could he handle an established star coming in. Nobody knows the answer to that as it hasn't happened.
It would be logical to think that certain spending has been cut be it on salaries of players or transfers.
Arsenal FC are multi banked and the restructure of the loan would most likely have been syndicated. If this is the case monthly/quarterly management accounts vs budget would most likely need to be submitted to one or all the banks involved on a regular basis. Football clubs are generally regarded as high risk, so if AFC have negotiated a more flexible repayment for the stadium, the banks would make sure the club is financially sound before authorising large expenditure.
I just have a feeling there are some restrictions on the spending rights of the club at present and while funds may well be available, the release of those funds are subjected to certain targets being met on the income side.
AW prefers to build a team like the successful Ajax teams of the seventies - young, technical and with pace, only he does it as cheaply as possible.
I know this frustrates the hell out of a lot you, but it is the Arsene way.
Saying all that I think we will spend in the summer but only to replace those that leave.
I tend to agree with AFC 49’er that there are probably more financial restrictions as far as our transfer budget is concerned than a lot of us seem to think.
Hate to be a prick and burst everybody's bubble(s) but I think the £69m Edelman said is available is perhaps a little bit misleading (or at least has been misinterpreted). I could be wrong but I remember reading that any transfer budget that Wenger has been allocated in the past is usually required to cover not only transfer fees but also the incoming players’ wages for the length of their contract - and also new contracts to/for current squad members.
If that is actually the case then £69m is not really that much money at all relatively speaking. If Flamini was to stay, for example, and was paid the £70k per week he’s allegedly asking for that would equate to around £17.5m over a 5-year contract taken from that £69m, leaving £51.5m.
If we went out and got David Villa as a lot of people (myself included) would love to see that would likely cost a minimum of £20m in terms of a transfer fee. And he’d most likely want/expect at least the £70k per week that Flamini would be on so that would be another £17.5m.
All of which would leave a pretty measly £14m with which we’d need to go out and get the world class goalkeeper, centre-back and winger that we desperately need.
As I say I could easily be wrong - I hope to god that I am - but I’m just not sure it’s quite as straight-forward as being a case of us being flush with cash but Wenger just not wanting to spend big.
Thanks 'Its Up 4 Grabs Now' , if your theory is right (and it most probably is) then it is going to be one hell of a long slow and torturous summer with very little to get excited about in the transfer market
dvbrisgooner1 wrote:
It is no coincidence, for me, that we tend to win Championship's following a Summer where a few players are added, thereby putting the incumbents on their toes and making them less assured of their place in the starting line-up. (How long was that sentence?)
we never win the league in the season after a wold cup or euro championship since 1991 and that year we had fuck all players at the world cup in 1990
,, nothing in93' 95'97'99'01'03'05'07
AFC 49'er wrote:It would be logical to think that certain spending has been cut be it on salaries of players or transfers.
Arsenal FC are multi banked and the restructure of the loan would most likely have been syndicated. If this is the case monthly/quarterly management accounts vs budget would most likely need to be submitted to one or all the banks involved on a regular basis. Football clubs are generally regarded as high risk, so if AFC have negotiated a more flexible repayment for the stadium, the banks would make sure the club is financially sound before authorising large expenditure.
I just have a feeling there are some restrictions on the spending rights of the club at present and while funds may well be available, the release of those funds are subjected to certain targets being met on the income side.
AW prefers to build a team like the successful Ajax teams of the seventies - young, technical and with pace, only he does it as cheaply as possible.
I know this frustrates the hell out of a lot you, but it is the Arsene way.
Saying all that I think we will spend in the summer but only to replace those that leave.
Yes but the ajax way doesnt work anymore and this can be verified by the lady who polishes the trophies at ajax - rumours have it that she is now going part time with the very real threat of redundancy hanging over her
Whilst I don't think he is necessarily afraid to sign established stars I think he feels he cannot re-mould them to a new dynamic of play. A lot of the main established players will have been used to playing their football in a certain way and may struggle having to adapt to new ideas and styles. Heaven knows there are many examples of this, Has A.Cole been as good at Chelsea as he was at Arsenal in a new system, has Shevchenko adapted well from Milan to Chelsea, is Henry the same force at Barcelona he was with us, hell has Gallas been as good at Arsenal as he was at Chelsea?
Wenger likes to take young talent and mould it to his unique brand of football, never wanting to deliberately surrender possession. With players like Cesc, Clichy, Adebayor he sees them as a blank canvas, ready to be shaped under his guidance and as they develop into established players he can still handle them. When he has taken a punt with large fee's it has generally been with young expensive players that fit this mould. If he spent as big on the big names he'd need them to unlearn what they have already learned and submit to how he wants them to develop. This is possibly where the ego will come into play.
Any larger transfers for established players (Say £5mil and over?) are mainly geared around already technically gifted players, such as Rosicky, Hleb from the current crop and previously Pires, Overmars who wouldn't need much re-training as were all what he would search for in a teenage talent.
I think this thread alone is quality - Ive never seen anthing as good on the offical CAK site so im pleased i joined up now.....
2. The board lie. The money is not available and like any good manager Arsene closes rank with them, supports their policies and generates an excuse similar to point number 1.
1. Big money players are not worth it: Yup, I think he does think big name players are, more often than not, a waste. And there are plenty of examples to back that view, even though spending big on a judicious basis is this summer's challenge.
2. The board lie: I used to think not, especially since Wenger spending some money would actually reduce the pressure on the Board. But I'm coming round to the view that the message we've been given has either been spun or exaggerated. Wenger's comment the other day about not being able to afford Ronaldinho points to a much more constrained financial position than we've been told previously - after all, Edelman said last year Wenger had £70million to spend - if that's true, and Wenger wanted Ronaldinho, that would definitely be enough. So why would Wenger say he couldn't afford him?
3. His vision is really long term: Like option 1, I think there's a lot in this. Rightly, he takes pride in finding players like Toure, Fabregas, Anelka and Clichy. And there's the added benefit of building a strong team ethic and understanding around players brought to the club very early in their careers.
4. He's scared to spend: Nope, don't believe this one at all. He's spent in the past (e.g., £14million on Wiltord, which no-one, not even Wenger, thought was a fair price).
5. Protecting himself: Again, this seems wrong. He can certainly be accused of stubborness and even arrogance, but Wenger plainly wants to win. I see no basis to accuse him of hiding behind the glorious losers tag. As augie points out, Wenger's under more pressure now, not less.
I know the collapse in form in the run-in (even with our lack of luck with decisions and injuries) has been depressing and annoying, but Wenger's proved a lot of points this year - he's assembled a great squad that could do a lot of good stuff in the next few years. BUT TO GET THE BEST OUT OF THE SIDE, HE NEEDS TO SPEND SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF MONEY THIS SUMMER.
, if your theory is right (and it most probably is) then it is going to be one hell of a long slow and torturous summer with very little to get excited about in the transfer market 
