Written by Akhil from Houslow on Monday, 27 September 2010 11:17

After my rant the other day, I thought I should take a different route. The general view on world football is very negative at the moment. When people talk about our beautiful game, they often talk about money. Transfer fee’s and wages are often the debating point in many conversations in pubs and clubs.

When we speak and think about Arsenal, we do not concentrate on the money so much but instead on the potential of the squad and where this team can go.

In 2005, When Patrick Vieira left, the team seemed to start a re-building process and due to the new stadium, there was always going to be financial constrains. Match-day revenue may have increased; however, debts have also risen which has meant Arsenal
are not as active as others in the transfer market. So Mr Wenger turned to younger players such as Nasri, Walcott, Van Persie, and Fabregas along with many others. When he first turned to them, they were very young but now they have matured and
have bags of experience in terms of first team games. They have been together for a while and having gone a few years without a trophy, it seems like this could be the season where it all changes.

It’s now time to deliver and as Mr Wenger admitted the other day, there are ‘no more excuses’ now.

When the new stadium was built, Mr Wenger had one of the biggest challenges of his career. He had to try and balance finances with success. It was vital Arsenal did not fall out of the Top 4 which they didn’t. They coped with every situation that was
thrown at them and for that, they deserve some credit. Every year they developed further and their understanding of each other’s play and movements have become stronger. He did have problems in between, players like Flamini and Hleb, who were
vital for Arsenal chose to leave the club and Mr Wenger had to adapt, but he did it, in fact, he did it very well. Look at the way Alex Song has developed in that holding role. Mr Wenger has done wonders for the club.

Some of Mr Wenger’s signings have really been fantastic. Most of his signings are good and well thought out; however, some must have been even better then what he must have thought. You look at how much top clubs have spent for strikers and
we got Chamakh on a free! There were rumours that Arsenal was in for Joe Cole and that did interest me but the way Jack Wilshire has developed has shown me there was no need to buy. Joe Cole is a classy player who would fit into the way
Arsenal play but why would you want to sign him when you have an 18 year old named Jack Wilshire? The best bit about that is, Wilshire came through the youth system and has come up the ranks and has Arsenal in his blood which always helps.

You look at how much other teams have spent compared to what we have spent and you really see how remarkable the achievement of staying at the top is. The debts collected by other teams from transfer fee’s and wages make me see how well Mr
Wenger has done. Many of these foreign owners that have come in and spent big, but what if one day, they decide they have spent to much of their fortune or get involved in other interests? They could walk away and leave the club in major debt which can
lead to selling assets which in football is players. My biggest fear would be turning out like Leeds or Portsmouth, where the club is not managed in the right way. You look at Man City and Chelsea who rely on their owners, Manchester United seem heavily in Debt, Liverpool are struggling to pay off their debt, Real Madrid would have debts after all their spending and Barcelona just do not seem to have much money. Arsenal seems to be in a much better position, we do have debts because of the new stadium but apart from that, there is not much. We must not forget that we also built a new training ground in 1999 too.

Uefa have approved a new rule which if all goes to plan will be in place from the season 2012/2013. This will mean that clubs can only spend what they earn. The revenue a club earns can be spent and this leaves Arsenal in a good position as
Arsenal have a massive turnover due to the new stadium. The main aim of this rule is to curb billionaire owners from throwing money in a club for new players. Another aim of this new rule is to ensure clubs do not go out of business or into administration
as often as clubs are now.

So football, to some, may be going the wrong way but for Arsenal football club the future is bright, but having said that, success must come as this really is the time.

Time to put the horror of the weekend behind us and get another 3 points in the Champions tomorrow and we are set up for ‘that’ game at the Bridge.

Let’s get behind the team as always. Come on Arsenal!

Feel free to follow me on twitter: www.twitter.com/10akhil

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Comments (10)

• 27-Sep-2010 11:49 | | ****r
  

  Sorry, but we are going the wrong way. you contrast finance to buy ready made players with development of our young talent. This is not the problem so lets stop kidding ourselves.
  
  Our main problem for the last few years has simply been our defence. It is a known fact that Arsene does not coach defence. To be successful we must be resolute at the back, which we havent been for many years now.
  
  We have many individual defenders but not a unit. If we could learn to defend as a team, trophies will come.
  
  Perhaps it may even prevent Almunia being so exposed all the time.

• 27-Sep-2010 12:27 | | Anonymous
  

  I cant believe you really think buying Cole was not necessary.Have you forgotten that Wenger wanted to give Wishire rest?..so he played Eboue and Diaby instead?..and then what happened?we were rubbish and lost because our backup is awful.A midfield of Eboue,Song and Diaby?Wait a second..are you kidding me?where is the creative power.Lets call a spade a spade.I cant believe some of us really think this team can win the EPL or CL.
  Aint gonna happen with a bunch of overrated players (for most part-not all the players are rubbish).
  I like the fact that you mentioned the UEFA rule.This could very much work in Arsenal's favor.I am all smiles because of this rule-clubs get to spend only what they earn..but no wait...Arsenal aren't exactly crazy about spending just about enough money to sign World class players.Ouch!!!
  I have often been thought of as a villain when it comes to our beloved club but its only because I like to keep my feet on the ground and be a realist especially when we are winning.Dont get me wrong,I dont think this club is far away from Glory but some things have to change
  1.Our spending habits have to change:too many fringe players qualifying as first teamers for Arsenal
  2.Our mentality need an overhaul.We are too much about pretty football and not grinding out results as champions have to do-except to complain that other teams are anti-soccer but guess what you cant change that so suck it up and show you are the Arsenal.
  3. Defensive Shambles have to be righted..attack as a team defend as a team principle will be a good point to start...Arshavin has to be given a front row seat during that training.he makes Clichy over-exposed.
  4.and for the Love of God stop over passing the ball in the 18 yard box..some one shoot sometimes..it will surprise them.they know Arsenal does not do that.
  AND FINALLY, LONG LIVE THE ARSENAL!

• 27-Sep-2010 12:49 | | jenaldo
  

  I can understand we are a dont have money---but failing to buy Mark Schwarzer for 4 or 5 million pounds was stretching the situation a bit. What happened to all the money we made on teh Adebayor & Toure sale to Man City.Surely we could have bought 1 or 2 decent experinced players to strengthen the team. Its all we are asking for as paying fans of Arsenal----just decent signing to make us compete . We are not asking Wenger and the board to compete with MAn City , Chelsea, REal MAdrid , MANU , Barce etc in the transfer market.
  
  This thing of priding ourselves on being the "best financiallY run club" in europe is just hollow when we go for many years without winning anything. If at all less success on the pitch will catch up with us soon whne we failt to make the champions and make money Wenger & Co like to boast about. Fans are not fools and will not continue to flock to the Emirates to fund the successful business model when this is not matched by success on the field. The directors and shareholders are busy lining their pockets. they are not demanding results on the pitch from wenger coz he delivering on the money side despite than he is killing the team and morale of the funs. As long as the status quo remains, Arsenal will miss on the opportunity to become a big global club......For starters all big star players dont mention Arsenal when they are talking fo moving to England. We sell our best players year in year out. we havent won anything for 5 years. Its really sad that these guys continue to beat their chest about being a well run club. A well run club should be able to attract and not sell the best talent and win trophies consistently . Arsenal is not close to any of this.

• 27-Sep-2010 13:49 | | danish gooner
  

  Wenger better get back at his drawing board and he better be drawing picturexs of some new players otherwise this Arsenal team will sink without a trace like the Titanic did in 1912.

• 27-Sep-2010 13:53 | | Anonymous
  

  Its no good signing good out field players and having two clowns in goal.It beggars belief.Its like buying a Ferrari without an engine
  
  There is not one Gooner who didnt believe we needed a quality keeper brought in during the summer.But Wenger put all his eggs in the Schwarzer basket and when that failed we were left with the two clowns who have ****ed up for the last 3 years
  
  Anyone who thinks Joe Cole is not better than Dumb(Diaby) and Dumber(Eboue) is deluded
  
  We are not going to win anything with two clowns in goal and back up players like Eboue,Diaby and Vela.But who cares we are £52m in profit

• 27-Sep-2010 14:35 | | Anonymous
  

  I would rather go £10m in debt to buy a world class keeper than have faith in two keepers who will make mistakes that will cost us any hope of winning anything.Remember George Graham in 1990 he replaced a very good keeper Lukic with a great one Seaman.Wenger replaces one clown with another.What other top class club in Europe would have two clown goalkeepers that we have.Madness by Wenger just madness

• 27-Sep-2010 22:31 | | jacob
  

  You have to laugh at just how deluded some Arsenal fans are? People are actually complaining about back-up players of the quality of Vela, Eboue and Diaby?? Where were you when Glen Helder, John Jensen and chris Kiwomya were actually starting for Arsenal? Why didn't you top yourselves then? How many teams in the world have players of the quality of Van Persie, Cesc and vermaelen out and still be expected to win matches. How many teams can do that having spent what we spent? I'll give you a hint... NONE! But these clown think that Arsenal is Real Madrid... they want us to spend millions on players who'd sit on our bench! As for complaining about Shwartzer... how many rickets has he made for Fulham this season? All some fans and bloggers do is whine, moan and bellyache... no wonder we are acquiring a deserved reputation for having some of the most stupid fans and bloggers in football...
  
  Arsenal's problem is the glory hunting muppets who mouth off on stupid, puerile and unintelligent blogs run by dim witted narcissists with barely two brain cells to rub together; people who think that having a blog gives them the right to spout half- baked, ill- informed nonsense... apparently an expert from Denmark has to gumption to tell us that our club will sink like the Titanic... do you even know where The Grove is? Why don't go and support some one else and spread your poison on there blogs? Clown.

• 28-Sep-2010 13:28 | | Akhil from Hounslow
  

  thanks all for comments.
  
  As for Joe Cole, your the first person i have heard say they still wanted him. Getting him would have pushed Wilshire and ramsey further down the packing order. Right now, becaues of injuries we are a bit short. Once Cesc is back,we have Cesc, Diaby,Song,Nasri,Rosicky, AA23, Walcott, Vela, Wilshire, Ramsey (when his back),Frimpong(when his back). What happens when we have less injuries, we then have many midfielders and having Cole would push Wilshire down and that could even cause Wilshire to want to move as he wants to play.
  
  Going 10m in debt to buy a keeper is a fair point and i respect your opinion.
  
  But over-spending for 1 player has more of a long term consisquence. Then clubs see that Mr Wenger is changing and the next player he goes for, they may try and put the price up.
  
  I dont think Schwarzer as the answer having watched him this season but a goal keeper is needed. Almunia did make a huge mistake for 2 of the goals but so did others. The shot was not blocked down quick enough and 1 through ball and WBA were through our defence.
  
  Even when Graham got Seaman there was stick. Seaman got stick in his first season too.
  
  Jacob, cant agree more. well said. I do remember the back ups we had in the late 90s! Personally i think our players are developing very well.
  
  thanks all for your comments. All about opinions.

• 28-Sep-2010 14:05 | | jeromet
  

  Forget about spending quality players even we have $50 million. The back four of Clichy, Sagna, two French CBs have not the mental strength to cope with the pressure of attacks from new promoted sides. No eye contacts and communications between them. Wenger will always say: "And where are my clowns ...Send in the clowns ..Don't bother they're here Almunia and Fab"

• 06-Oct-2010 12:47 | | charlie  - Arsenal
  

  I dont get wenger ,I understad ,what he does for the club ,but you dont need to break the bank ,in buying ,in to or three players ,we make more revenue than chelsea but spen ten times less .that aint right ! we need stronger players that can push back ,when getting pushed by drogba and his thugs

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