A Prediction: How The 2010/2011 Season Will Go
It’s the same old story every single season, so to make things easier, here’s a check-list of what will happen next season:
- The club tell us Arsene has money to spend.
- In the summer, we will sell 4 players, bring in 2 and be ’stronger’.
- We are told by Arsene Wenger that Arsenal will mount a real title challenge this season, as our squad is more experienced and stronger.
- The club are happy that we’ve made a profit.
- After a positive start, we will lose a big player to injury before Xmas.
- We don’t need to sign anyone, as players returning from injury are just like ‘new signings’.
- We don’t bring in anyone in the January Transfer Window.
- We throw away the FA Cup.
- We’re told that challenging for the league is better than any FA Cup.
- Our form suffers and we’re out of the title race by Spring.
- We’re told a Top Three finish is better than any FA Cup.
- We get to the Quarter/Semi Finals (delete as appropriate) of the Champions League, but go out.
- We’re told a Top Four finish is better than any FA Cup.
- ‘Real’ Arsenal fans tell us that we should be grateful for a Top Four position and all these expectations are unrealistic, we don’t really support the club and we’re spoilt, despite Number 3.
- Arsene Wenger tells us finishing in the Top Four is like winning trophies.
- Lather, rinse and repeat.
See you next season.
February 8th, 2010 at 7:33 pm
It would be funny if it wasn’t true.
February 8th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
The club are in a healthy financial position,they don’t want to jeapordise that by buying ready made players jheez what do we want that sort at the club for.
February 8th, 2010 at 7:39 pm
What a shame we have been reduced to this, when will stop it’s ground-hog day with Wenger.. or Del Boy this time next season we will be champions. Wenger has more spin than the MP’s in Parliament and it’s getting f..king boring
February 8th, 2010 at 7:40 pm
man you are soooooooo cool and right i totally agreeeeeeee with you sack the scum i think he’s a spurs fan in disguise.
February 8th, 2010 at 7:45 pm
You don’t remember 17 years of hurt. Sick of the Wenger detractors. Fab WILL probably go to Barca, BUT we’ll have Wilshere, if you think Cesc is good, JUST YOU WAIT, thank Wenger . NO other club in the Premiership has our financial stability, NO title contending club can enjoy the freedom from whimsical speculators and oligarchs which we enjoy, thank Hill - Wood. Just be THANKFUL.
The moaners are ALL Johnny Come Latelies, NOT REAL Arsenal supporters .
February 8th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
Nice one old gunner, that was number 14.
February 8th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
You forgot all the knee-jerk reactions of the clueless, spoiled so-called fans and bloggers. In fact, what’s really sad is that if the opposite of everything you list came true, and a title did not happen, you and your ilk would continue to vent, moan, pout, cry, and wave your arms in the air.
February 8th, 2010 at 8:05 pm
That is absolutely perfectly SPOT ON!!! All my frustration put into 16 lines. This is the most HONEST thing I have heard related with Arsenal all season!
February 8th, 2010 at 8:13 pm
@ old gunner - NO other club in the Premiership has our financial stability.
And that helps us win trophies how exactly?
The bus prade with Wenger waving copies of the bank statements will be really something.
February 8th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
you forget to add:
Wenger will say judge me in May
Fans will call for patience
Playing the best football is better than winning
We’ll get spanked by Man united
we could work in Arsenal’s PR team
February 8th, 2010 at 8:25 pm
But getting in the top four is better than the F.A Cup/Carling Cup… Surely you can see that? If we won the Carling Cup and came 5th, people could justifiably ask Wenger a few questions. As it is, people really can’t.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA how much money Wenger has had to spend. YOU HAVE NO IDEA who he tried to sign or how close he came to getting them. YOU BELIEVE EVERYTHING you read in the papers and decide that “we should sign Huntelaar/Traore” just becase you read somewhere we might be in for them and watched some YouTube videos.
With regards to point 7 - Wenger does usually buy in the window -Arshavin, Walcott, Diaby, Adebayor, Reyes.
Point 6 - Wenger didn’t actually say that this year. Please show me a quote which proves otherwise.
And finally, what would you do to rectify the situation? Don’t just say sack Wenger. I want a detailed plan. You obviously have access to our financial records etc so should be able to map out a 10 point plan to success, starting with who we appoint if we sack Wenger, who by the way would be number one candidate for every big job going and would probably come back to haunt us.
February 8th, 2010 at 8:38 pm
great post mate you hit the jackpot ….chavski fans are irritated by the moanings of wenger and to some extent they have a point but what about us that we have to go through his gibberish and lies every saintly week
February 8th, 2010 at 8:44 pm
@ GoonerC
being a limited company Arsenal have to file their accounts. they are public record. http://www.arsenaltrust.org/accounts.php
it is estimate that there is between £35-£80 million in accounts. unless of course the board are taking dividends
point 6.
talking at the 2009 anual shareholder meeting “we will win a trophy this year”. he is convinced of it
http://www.arsenaltrust.org/recent-news.php?article=252
replacing wenger. there are pleanty of mangers out there. i don’t believe for 1 second that Wenger is the only person capable of running the club.
February 8th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
I don’t believe Wenger would have his choice of club anymore.
He’s turned Real down to many times, and most people in England can see he’s a one trick pony. When did we ever have a plan B?
He’s done great GREAT things for us, but aren’t sportsmen supposed to have ambition, drive, desire?! Don’t see much of that at Arsenal.
I’m not a “johnny come lately” but even if I was why would my opinion be any worse than yours? I have a season ticket, replica shirts, go European away games and I expect, no, DEMAND a little effort from the coached to the players!
If YOU can’t see that’s why people are frustrated I pity you and your myopic,elitist attitude.
Cmon you Gunners!
February 8th, 2010 at 9:32 pm
Mourinho anyone?
He won the CL and UEFA Cup with Porto without spending any serious money.
February 8th, 2010 at 9:33 pm
Thats it. Sack Wenger what an inspirational forward thinking idea. Sounds like something from the other end of the Seven Sisters.
Who should manage when Arsene’s gone?
Its not just about this team/that team, this player/that player. So what if Cesc/Robin/Andre/Theo leave. Thanks and Good luck to them. They know where the grass is greener?
Its about the Club and the long term aspirations to be top.
All you detractors couldnt see it if slapped you in the face a said ‘I have a cunning plan’
Patience
February 8th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
We haven’t won a trophy in 6 years, and we don’t look like it. I don’t see why it is so stupid to bag Wenger.. in fact that is what has got us into this mess, he has been made untouchable.
Here’s a crazy idea…why don’t we try to win the FA Cup AND go for a top 4 spot?
This article is spot on, this season feels like deja vu, I have had faith in Arsene in the past but I feel that his time is up. The need to spend in January was blindingly obvious. So many faults of late, we need a fresh start.
And to the person who said we will be fine if we lose Cesc, have we been watching the same team?
February 8th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
I am obviously frustrated too but honestly think Wenger is the best person to take us forward. Still don’t see anyone coming back with any options for a new manager. Mourinho would never come to us and is a total tool who has disrespected Arsenal time and time again in the past and I would feel physically sick if we got rid of Wenger for that arsehole.
I really hope you are proven wrong although I doubt you feel the same.
February 8th, 2010 at 9:51 pm
I think Arsenal fans are morons. I can’t imagine you being content with not winning any trophy for like 5yrs yet you make much noise of financial position. This is nonsense. I think the power is in us the fans to get Wenger out. Enough of this bullshit. Enough of emotion-less fans like Wenger… I remain gooner for life…
February 8th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
GoonerC - I do agree that if wenger was to be sacked it would not be a befitting end to his career at arsenal.
but you have to admit that he has failed, its unfair to say he has failed for 6 years because some of that time was rebuilding the team. but he has failed for the last lets say 3 years to add the required strength to the team.
the sad thing is he probably still wouldn’t add those extra few players even if we gave him another 10 years.
I don’t think Mourinho would come, I think he would want a crazy transfer budget. and besides I didn’t like him when he was at chelsea so would feel a bit unclean shall we say if i had to like him because he became our manager
Personally I would like one of the following.
pep guardiola (first choice - similar style of football)
martin o’neil has done a top job at villa
phil scolari
some people want viera, adams or bergkamp but I would prefer someone with proven management experience over a former player.
February 8th, 2010 at 10:09 pm
So what do we know now?
We know several things
1) We have at least and probably over 100 million pounds at the club’s disposal
2) We know it has been acquired incrementally over the past four years or so
3) We know little if any of it really has been spent
4) We know that our new wage structure is a bottom-weighted wage structure paying unproven players more than it should and proven players far less than it should
5) We know this new wage structure is in direct contrast to the wage structure in place right up to 2005 or so, which was top-weighted and in place throughout the most competitively successful period in our history since before WW II
6) We know since the transition from the old wage structure which took place from 2006-2008 to the new one we have won absolutely nothing and that appears likely to continue one more season at least
7) We know the wages and the wage structure are decided by the Arsenal Board, and we know this because of their handling of the Ashley Cole contract negotiations in 2005-2006.
8) We know the bottom-weighted wage structure removes us from contention for most if not all top Arsenal-quality players available to buy and sign as we will not sign them without shattering the current structure, no matter what level of it they may fit on. You can’t buy anyone if you won’t pay them what they want and often have earned no matter how much money you have
9) We know this saves our club money both in wages and in transfer fees significantly
10) We know this also allows the Board to claim repeatedly there is money to spend without actually proving it by actually spending it and no one has made them have to prove it yet
11) We know this leads to increased profits and decreased debt all of which increases the club’s value and the value of its stock shares
12) We know this means that much larger a profit for its major shareholders if or when the club is sold or dividends are paid out
13) We know the club is likely being sold right now or immently
February 8th, 2010 at 10:41 pm
GoonerC, how much does it cost to teach basic defending? I don’t give a shit about buying big players but when it comes to basics which could change our season then it’s frustrating. A draw against both United and Chelsea really would have been different to our season. As it stands, we’re well out of it because we can’t defend. Wenger is too stubborn to rely on someone else to help our defensive situation.
I honestly believe Wenger could achieve great things now, but he’s too stubborn to accept help. If we sorted out our defence and could defend as a unit then we’d be a good 10/12 points better off.
February 8th, 2010 at 10:49 pm
You are so damn right mate, Arsene Wenger tell Arsenal fans very single season that Arsenal will win something, but we fail HE LIES TO THE FANS AND IM DINE WITH HIS LIES
February 9th, 2010 at 12:40 am
fabregas is suposedly leaving……..bye dude nice knowing u….
THE FORMULA FOR ARSENAL TO WIN THE TREBLE
1.USE 85 MILLION POUNDS(FROM CESC,WHORE N KOLOS TRANSFER FEES)
2.BUY DAVIDVILLA,(CHAMAKH IS COMING)-40 MILLION POUNDS
3.SELL ALMUNIA,DENILSON.
4.BUY AKINFEEV,SORENSEN,BUFFON-25 MILLION
5.BUY HLEB…SUPERB PLAYER
6.BUY FLAMINI…’SUPERB PLAYER
February 9th, 2010 at 3:27 am
I am at a loss to see how Arsene Wenger is the best person to take the club forward. He has actually taken us backwards over the last 5 years and has filled the squad with second rate players who are just not and will never be good enough, Denilson, Almunia, Vela, Merida, Bendtner, Traore - the list goes on and on!
He considers himself to be untouchable and in my opinion is doing the job that David Dein did before he parted company with the club. He is stubborn and is convinced his plan of filling the team with youngsters and midgets will work, when it can clearly be seen that it won’t.
It is Wengers job to manage the team and bring trophy’s to the club. It is NOT his job to balance the books, that is why we have a new Chief Executive and a board of Directors.
He did not replace Greedybayor when he sold him to our competitors (how many other top managers would do that?), and when RVP was injured in October, there should have been a replacement identified for January 1st!!
I for one (a season ticket holder for 40 years-not a johnny come lately) am sick of hearing the same spin-our players coming back from injury will be like new signings, we had all the possession and were the better team, they consistently fouled us, long throws should be banned etc, etc. IT IS ALL BOLLOCKS!!!
Either the board have to get a grip and demand that his strategy changes or he has to be replaced. There is no other top club in Europe that would stand for season after season with no silverware and Real Madrid, Barcelona, the Milan clubs etc would not pander to his stubborn attitude regarding a team full of kids!!!
February 9th, 2010 at 8:42 am
i think that the name of the main problem arsenal have is WENGER.
he tries to be famous as a manager that promotes new talents in football, but where the results are?! definitly on the board’s pockets.
just spend some!
February 9th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Im not an Arsenall fan but id be interested in what you would like your team to look like come the start of next season
February 9th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
Most important is a new defensive coach.
New Goalkeeper
Sagna Gallas Vermaelen Gibbs
Diaby Fab Song
Rosicky/Nasri RvP Ashavin
Bench: Fabianski, Clichy, New CB over 6 feet tall with physical presence, although Sol might be ok for another season, Eboue, Ramsey, Bendtner, New Striker over six feet tall with physical presence.
I don’t think Eduardo, Walcott and Denilson are pulling their weight.
I’d sell Eduardo and Denilson. Give Walcott and Vela another season to make or break.
Let Wenger finish his contract and say goodbye.
February 9th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
fucking a!
February 9th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
The reason why Arsenal are stuggling this season is their players are always coming back from injury. Diaby, Rosicky, Denilson, Nasri, Ramsey, Walcott, Bendtner, Van Persie, Vela, Eduardo, Clichy and Sagna. It takes a least 5 games to start playing you A game, none of these player has strung five games together all season without getting injured again.
This means that most of the team is playing without any form, which mean they have no confidence and they can’t play with the freedom required for Arsenal to perform at there best.
February 9th, 2010 at 3:08 pm
What we need is to stop bringing in 2nd rate players. When is AW gonna realise we don’t need 2nd rate rejects like TH14 failed AC player, Viera failed AC player or DB10 inter reject. We need proper players like Villa, Messi, Kaka, Ronaldo, Xavi, Casillas and Robinho. Come on Gooners get a grip from heros to zeros. We lost ’cause we shipped in 5 easy goals, down to shoddy defending. We need to improve that first, don’t matter who we got up top we’ll still lose. It robs all momentum/belief of us, first things first make damn hard for someone to score against you.
February 9th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
@ GoonerLad: what the HELL are you on?????? “we don’t need 2nd rate rejects like TH14 failed AC player, Viera failed AC player or DB10 inter reject” what does that even mean????
February 9th, 2010 at 5:17 pm
Really good “Spoilt” Article!
Come on Mate, get a grip and understand what current football in this country is all about.
Chelsea and Man U and Man city have spent over 1billion pounds putting together their squads….over the last 5 years.
Arsenal have spent only £87million….
What do you expect?
Its a miracle what Wenger has done with the money he has spent and if you think we have millions in the coffers YOU ARE WRONG!!!
I agree, we need another Goalie, and another Striker but it costs alot to buy these players……
Regards
Pez
February 9th, 2010 at 5:35 pm
Man,
You are obsolutely right
February 9th, 2010 at 6:58 pm
What do I expect?
I expect that with the most expensive ST in the world and full stadium, that we have money to spend
I expect that selling/losing players like Bergkamp, Pires, Henry, Ljungberg, Hleb, Campbell, Vieira, Toure, Adebeyor, Lehman and NOT REPLACING THEM has swelled the coffers further whilst reducing the wage bill significantly (until the socialist inside AW decided to reward mediocrity with massive renewed contracts to the extent we have a much smaller squad than ManUtd, won nothing to their cupboard full, and have a similar wage bill).
I expect Wenger to SEE deficiencies and address them (be it through buying, different coaching or man management) BEFORE they spiral out of control. e.g. ‘we have 3 World Class GK’s’ when we had Lehman - sorry but Fabianski and Almunia are less than Championship level. Wojszezny (sp?) is the most promising GK at the club.
I expect him to stop purchasing skillfull midgets (and then playing 5 in midfield to try and accommodate half of them)
I expect him to see that Silvestre cannot cut it, Senderos is traumatized and that only the best of fortunes could see a club challenging for 4 honours ride through a season on 2 decent central defenders without getting injured.
I expect after years of getting spanked by the other top 4 teams, and the divide between us and them getting larger, for him to realize that playing 5ft7″ Arshavin alone up front against ManUtd’s 3rd choice CB pairing was a fucking mistake, and not try the same inane tactic against Chelsea’s 1st choice CB pairing of Terry and Carvalho
I expect him to see Clichy is woefully short of form and pull him out
I expect him to address the lack-of-striker problem in Dec, and have purchase lined up for 1st week in Jan - and not rummage bargain bins on the last day of the window after supper.
I expect him to reinforce with like-for-like OR BETTER when he sells players (e.g. he knew he was going to sell Henry (16M), and Torres was available for 26M the same summer… )
I expect him to TRAIN A F*CKING DEFENCE, and if he can’t (and he CAN’T) then get a specialist like Keown (a la our ECL run) or Adams in to do it for him