Written by Mean Lean on Friday, 24 September 2010 12:56

We're in the money, so come on honey etc etc

Arsenal have announced that they are currently super rich, but we already knew that didn't we? Pre-tax profits of roughly £56 million is the result of prudent work in the transfer market, a long term strategy and continuously playing at the top level with a young and modestly assembled squad.

This may not be good enough for some and ultimately the club want to also win trophies but I am sure that even the most pessimistic and frustrated Gooner can finally agree that the squad is improving and look closer to winning trophies than ever before.

Many have been annoyed that the club have publicly stated that the move to the Emirates would allow us to compete financially with the biggest clubs in world football. To me that statement remains true. No timeframe was ever given but it has been assumed that large spending would happen overnight.

The debt is being paid off rapidly and the more that is being paid off, the more money we will have available to spend. This does not mean that we should and will be wasting money on players and paying more than they are worth. Looking at our three signings so far you would have to say that as things stand, we have done the best work in the transfer window this summer. If not the best, then very close.

Like I mentioned yesterday, I am sure many of the big clubs would happily swap places with us as the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United scratch around for spare money to give to their managers to go shopping while their store cards have reached their limit. The sneering from others outside of our club will soon be converted to humble pie.

To be honest we may not get the full praise that we deserve until we start winning silverware, once that happens and happens on a regular basis then the doubters will have no choice but to admit defeat and god forbid write something actually praising Arsene Wenger for his truly magnificent work since Patrick Vieira side stepped the Leicester City goalkeeper to score the second goal in a 2-1 victory at Highbury to finish an unbeaten league winning season.

I was reading an interesting discussion on another blog about what actually constitutes success, there was most certainly a split camp. I think we have been successful minus trophies considering all the obstacles and disadvantages we have had to face. Don't get me wrong, I want us to finish the season in 1st place as much as any Gooner and I mean that sincerely. I want us to win the Champions League for the first time in our history and be the first London club to do it.

A few FA Cup's along the way would have been nice, the Carling Cup at some point would have made me jig up and down for a little bit but moving into a new stadium, dismantling the old guard and rebuilding the squad with young and up and coming players whilst keeping our place in the Champions League and challenging for the title in at least two of our seasons as well has having built fantastic foundations that is likely to keep Arsenal in position to challenge for honours every year for the foreseeable future is certainly a form of success. Well in my eyes at least.

If Blackpool manage to avoid relegation then they are not a failure for not winning a trophy, success is dependant on the situation. Our situation has not been the same as Manchester United, Chelsea and other clubs who have won trophies in the last few years.

Well now that we have been successful in moving our club forward, the next point of success are those silver shiny things that everyone including myself would like.

Arsene Wenger says that our lack of trophies is not down to the move to the Emirates but then said that it is difficult to move stadium and win trophies which is pretty much the same thing. We should have won it in 07/08 and will be close again this year if the good signs continue.

And finally the new boy Sebastien Squillaci believes that the best is still to come from him even the tender age of 30. I have been impressed with what I have seen so far. In fact I have been impressed with both our new center backs. It will be interesting to see what Arsene does when Thomas Vermaelen is fully fit and back up to speed

It is likely to be a very difficult decision for the manager but one that he would rather take than have to throw in Mikel Silvestre.

Back tomorrow with some pre match thoughts.

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Comments (14)

• 24-Sep-2010 13:20 | | Kevin  - Do not be so certain...
  

  Sorry to say this Mean Lean but the following is not necessarily true:
  "I am sure that even the most pessimistic and frustrated Gooner can finally agree that the squad is improving and look closer to winning trophies than ever before."
  Some of the most pessimistic will still ignore any success and will say that the team is not good enough because
  (1) the team is not the Invincibles;
  (2) the hate figures are still playing or in the squad (e.g., Clichy, Denilson; Almunia; Fabianski, etc.);
  (3) Wenger is still in charge; or
  (4) Arsenal have not contacted them personally to get their opinion.

• 24-Sep-2010 13:29 | | Bala
  

  Good One ML. I think our Youth development policy has come to an end as we see the likes of Jack,Gibbsy,JET and Lans statrting to come on age.So,if we diidn't win anything this season,surely it will happen within the next two season but just like Arsene said the whole team is built around a guy called CESC and its our top priority that we keep him as long as we can,atlest until Jack and Rambo are completely ready.Speaking abt Jack,he seems to be Tweeting a lot.If you have not visited it yet,I recommend you do because he answers a hell lot of questions put over there.Lovely guy!

• 24-Sep-2010 13:31 | | D
  

  We've achieved success...but not glory. The consistency of our champions league record and top 4 finishes are no mean feat and do keep us up there, but I think the supporters now want glory and to feel that we're back on top and competing with the best teams in Europe to the end. We're probably only 3 changes of personnel away from being right up there in my opinion. Season's great so far, keep it up lads.
  Up the gunners!!

• 24-Sep-2010 13:56 | | RedandDread  - Hate figures
  

  @Kevin
  
  Wasn't so long ago that Song & Diaby & Eboue fitted into that category, so if I were you I would drop that line of ignorant hypothesis. Some fans find the need for hate figure-cannot understand their motives personally.

• 24-Sep-2010 14:03 | | Man United Killa  - Exactly my point
  

  Glad to see a few thoughts similar to mine...
  Like i have always said,this team is good but not yet great..we still need tweaking to both the squad and player mentality..and then BINGO....as it stands we are still a little off...this might be another cup-less season for us.

• 24-Sep-2010 14:18 | | double dapper  - the most successful team to never win a trophie
  

  Love the format of the new site ml!
  We have to face it that gooners that have only supported us since the invincebles will not think we are successful until we better that and win every game in the season. In my mind in financial terms wenger is by far the most successful manager of our money grabbing era of football but he has also created a style of football that is impossible to not love even if you work for talk sh1te radio. He has been successful and won his trophies and his long game is paying off big time. Not only do we have a better net proffit in the trancefur market then a team like birmingham but we also have possibly the most valuable squad in the league due to age and pottential. I think we are now ready to challenge in all trophies and with a bit of luck with injuries... we will win something this year.

• 24-Sep-2010 14:23 | | Jekyll  - Too early to say
  

  Too early to say if we're getting closer to success or not. It's been said before over the last few years. New signings are looking good but injuries loom as worryingly as ever, and we know what impact they've had on our season before.
  
  The elephant in the room of the GK has also still not addressed, may hurt us as well.
  
  Given the enormous overall profits made, it seems there is now no reason for Wenger to make an profit on player trading so he can afford to go 'in the red' in this regard and get us a GK befitting of our top 8 UEFA status.

• 24-Sep-2010 14:25 | | TrueGooner  - Like the new site design
  

  ML, Just wanted to say I really like the new site design. Looks grown. Good to know the flats brought in some loot. Hope this could cover us until we start making profit from the actual sporting side if things. Good decision to convert the old pitch into housing for sale.

• 24-Sep-2010 14:29 | | orville  - A believer
  

  For once I would like everybody to put their biases aside and give credit where it is due. Arsene is the best manager in England, the teams that have won the title over the past years have done so by spending more than earn, while Arsene has built his team and is setting an example for all to follow, calling for everyone to live within their means and for football to be played in the right. I can't believe all the other managers aren't joining force to stamp out bad, 'violent' tackles out of the game. The FA should be ashamed. Bad tackles should never go unpunished. Continue speaking out Mr Wenger -'the one 'voice in the Wilderness'

• 24-Sep-2010 15:42 | | Lele(le)  - Previous post didn't seem to send
  

  Interesting blog.
  
  In light of Arsenal's positive financial results, and the shrewd management that they were born out of, what would fans think if Liverpool fans received their wish and were bought out by cashed up owners who are able to immediately eradicate the club's debt.
  
  For me, Liverpool fans are being hypocritical in hoping for this to transpire. If the owners are held accountable - as they are by Liverpool fans - for irresponsibly mismanaging their club in to a poor financial position, then the new managers should be responsible for managing the club back in to a more palatable position using responsible, prudent, and sustainable methods.
  
  For me the questions around Liverpool at the moment are twofold:
  
  1. Have the financial indiscretions of the Americans had any tangible effect on the PLAYING side of affairs? While funds have certainly been more limited then they could possibly have been, Liverpool's spending has been comfortably higher than Arsenal's over the last 4-5 years, encompassing Benetiz's reign etc. They made a net profit in this transfer window, but their spending (more than 20 million) was still above Arsenal and most other clubs, including Man United. It's not as if funding has been neglible, with nothing made available for the managers - it just could have been a lot better.
  
  They rumoured exodus of quality players in the summer transfer window never eventuated. Riera was mediocre and they swapped Benayoun for a younger player of similar quality and price tag. Mascherano was their only loss (and his abilities, particularly his passing ability, are questionable), in a season they missed champs league qualification, were elimited very early in every cup comp, and had a manager sacked. So nothing out of the ordinary there.
  
  2. Will Liverpool ever pay for incurring such obscene levels of debt? For me, no they won't. But they should. They're operating in a totally unsustainable way, and have levels of debt which in order to pay off they should be realistically considering selling some of their assets (ie players). But for me they'll probably be bought out by owners who immediately rescue the situation.
  
  I just find it immensely frustrating to see the level of irresponsibility at Liverpool and Man United and know at the same time that these clubs will not face any real consequences for their actions. Hodgson was saying the other day how he hopes new owners will come in and fix everything - as if years of financial mismanagement should be completely eradicated without further consequence.
  
  If you've ever read RAWK you'll know they blame the owners for almost literally everything. I understand their annoyance at the perceived cause, I just wish there was a more demonstrable effect (not out of spite for 'pool or their fans, but because their incomptent management needs tangible punishment, not condemnation from RAWK users).
  

• 24-Sep-2010 15:44 | | Lele(le)  - Hmm...
  

  Do paragraphs work on this new blog?
  
  *Cough*
  
  

• 24-Sep-2010 16:15 | | dkgooner  - Words of wisdom from SAF
  

  You've got to hand it to the guy. He really understands the ins and outs of the game. I see he has now said that "whoever is going to win the Premiership this season will have to finish above Chelsea".
  How does he do it?

• 24-Sep-2010 21:33 | | MeanLean
  

  Lele(le),
  
  Paragraphs are not working as yet. We are on the case (not actually sure why I am spacing this out in the message box)

• 25-Sep-2010 09:42 | | rosicknote  - layout of the blog
  

  is fantastic! easier on the eye. always loved your writing but always been put off by how much my eyes hurt to read your blog.
  
  expect me to come regularly!

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