Was this the most important date in the recent history of Arsenal football club, it was two days after the defeat in the Champions League to Bayern Munich a game that saw Arsenal totally out played to an extent not seen before under Wenger’s reign as manager. Yes there had been heavier defeats and games against Barcelona where we were taken apart but to me this was different as we were watching a game where Arsenal and Wenger did not have an answer for the movement and work rate of a team. Wenger could not point to a weakened team through injury or suspensions this was a fully fit team that had players rested on the weekend before losing to Blackburn in the FA Cup.
Sitting in the stands that night was the silent one over for one of his few visits to London to see how his rather large investment was doing. Even if he does not know much about football (not the American kind) he would have picked up on what he had just seen and probably heard from some of the crowd. Skip forward to the Thursday when Wenger had a meeting with Mr Kroenke, now what was said is I am unsure of the newspapers report that Stan gave Wenger his backing, some in the media were saying these were “crunch talks” but I’m wondering if the “crunch talks” as they call them were not about Wenger’s future but the future of the way the clubs was being run.
Was this the meeting where Wenger was told that he could now do what he wanted with the club or perhaps he told Mr Kroenke what needed to be done, was this the moment that his hands which had now been mutually tied by the board and himself were free.
I have long had this thought that Arsenal, the board and Wenger was planning for 2014 the year the two shirt deals were to be renegotiated and the last of Wengers current contract. A ten year plan to get Arsenal back on its feet after nearly bankrupting themselves moving to Ashburton Grove a time where front loaded sponsorship deals were needed and financial prudence required. The spanner in the works was the financial input from the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City that made Arsenals and Wengers plan difficult to maintain. 2014 could not come quick enough and has in reality has not, but Mr Kroenke has I think looked at the situation and released the funds on the back of the announcement of the Emirates deal and the rumored Puma deal to Wenger and the club.
This Summers transfer activity could be interesting from an Arsenal point of view, Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and maybe another one or two big clubs with new managers trying to stamp their mark on their new clubs and Wenger with his buying hands free for the first time in a decade with full the support from Mr Kroenke.
Arsenal’s record since the meeting to the end of the season was played 13, won 10, drawn 2 and lost 1.
@Swales1968
Positively Arsenal 
Highly speculative, of course, but I can see the rationale which gains credence from the timings associated with Arsene’s fast expiring contract.
A great season could well see the great man re-sign and it’s easy to imagine it being very much in Kronke’s interests to facilitate this.
The summer will show.
Just one word of caution; there’s every chance any signings AW may make could just as easily be of unknown and unexpected individuals. The absence of headline-grabbers would continue AW’s splendid tradition of making rather than buying stars. Personally I’d have as much confidence in these guys delivering as anybody else he might sign.
But, from certain corners, a long summer of wailing and teeth-knashing may well await.
LikeLike
excellent review George and I think a fair reflection how most on here reflect on the last few years. ARSENE although now can spend more I think the ten fantastic stars a lot of fans want will not arrive. personally I don’t want rooney or his like but players can be assimilated into the red and white shirt and will be associated as ARSENAL players for many years to come.
LikeLike
Thanks, Swales.
I’m going with AA’s take on this article. I think the timing of SK’s visit may have been coincidental – he probably fancied seeing a big match. I would also think that it’s Gazidis rather than Kroenke who would have negotiated the front-loading. SK is kept informed, but IG does the day-to-day running of Arsenal Holdings. Arsenal have been planning and working on these commercial deals for a considerable time.
***
And spot on AA about transfer policy – we will soon have a lot more money but Arsenal have not thereby turned into Man City and AW is not Abramovich.
LikeLike
I find it difficult to believe that Arsene is not smart or brave enough to say to Stan.”If this goes on I will not be able to stay”
LikeLike
Something has killed the blog.Perhaps we should have a Summer break
LikeLike
Bank holiday, people are out and about George. (I’m still at Headingly watching the cricket).
Summer break’s not a bad idea …
LikeLike
This is much too speculative for me. Going by history, this upcoming transfer widow will be much like any other. The usual suspects will flex their financial muscle and pay over the odds to get their targets while Arsenal will shop carefully with a willingness to pay a little more than usual. I am not convinced otherwise.
LikeLike
It’s baffling to read stories about how Arsene is under pressure by the club to spend money. The most in-demand football manager in the world is entering the final year of his Arsenal contract. The only pressure is on the club to retain Arsene’s services.
LikeLike
Yes this is all speculation on my part but is it more speculative than any transfer rumor or what Usmaniov might do at the club.
LikeLike
Interesting but as folk have said, speculation. Nothing wrong with a bit of it tho’ and as you say, Swales, no more speculative than transfer rumours etc.
As has been said before George, don’t fear about the blog and poor rate of responses at any given time. Folk are indeed out an about, and in my case, a weekend in the garden/at garden centres. Now we are footballess for a while it is natural that things will ‘lull’.
On one of the negativista forum someone posted a link to an article that, as I type, has received no responses. It is possible that the article is something they don’t want to hear. While it’s a dig at the scum, it also, imo, makes fair and accurate comment about our situation too. So, if you fancy reading an opinion of an apparent Leeds (dirty leeds) fan, then I suggest this will bring a smile or two to your face. http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/rob-atkinson/spurs-whats-the-point_b_3331171.html?utm_hp_ref=uk
LikeLike
Interesting angle Stephen and you may have spotted what took place between Stan and Arsene and with the long term financial dynamics of the club.
My instinct is that not very much will change. Although we will see new funds come in that could potentially allow Arsene to bid for the top of the range players in the market the wages that would be tied to these deals would shatter anything that we have at the club at present, and he just wont do that.
Don’t concern yourself George – it is a dead week and we have a long old closed season to endure before the spark ignites our fervour in August.
If we have a genuine Arsenal focussed news event i.e. Cavani signs then fair enough but beating the dead horse over the transfer window is expecting too much of you.
I would miss B7’s weekly round-ups though – tell him he is not stood down
LikeLike
I hope we don’t have a summer break as I would miss being able to drop in to shoot the breeze with my virtual mates. I don’t expect daily articles, unless something sparks a thought in one of our writers, but I’m sure we’ll find enough to chit chat about until the first transfer or pre-season, whichever comes first. Once they’ve appeared smiling and holding up the red and white shirt on Arsenal.com it’s open season on the speculation about how and where they fit in the team. I wonder if any loanees will come back? Denilson would be my pick because he is the closest we have to Arteta who probably needs an understudy, but I fear that ship has sailed thanks to the anti-support.
LikeLike
Sorry, how rude of me not to thank Swales for his article! Speculative it may be, but it is plausible. The loosening of the purse strings was not due for another season, but I suspect the club realise the need to bring things forward as there is not a great deal of patience amongst a vocal minority of empty vessels who are making a lot of noise and undermining our image. Like Shotta, I don’t think the doomer dreams of half-a-dozen £40m players will come to pass, but hopefully Arsene will get the key pieces he needs to finish the jigsaw, which is already almost complete.
LikeLike
I like the article .It is pure speculation.But why not?
Swales is in no way trying to pass it of as fact.Its just an idea for us to consider.
Neither is he telling anyone what to think or how to go about their own business.
Passenal.The comments section will be open even if there has been no article for a while.
But I will endeavour to perceive.As that old Indian Chief said to Josey Wales.
LikeLike
Oh to be a fly on the wall at that meeting.
Of all the transfer targets we have be looking at / signing, I suspect an awful lot of red herrings.
LikeLike
@ LeoS May 27, 2013 at 2:13 pm
Bang on again.
@ Swales1968
Don’t be put off providing more articles, please. No-one’s having a go, as I hope you realise. It’s just your theory doesn’t strike me as plausible – bringing a large chunk of the money forward is quite a big thing to ask and arrange, so I suspect it would have been done earlier in the process rather than as a result of a particular game. but then that’s my guess. (insert banned smiley face)
Blimey. Nearly 8 weeks until the first pre-season game, 11 weeks until the Emirates Cup and 13 weeks until the season starts. And not even the Olympics to keep us going in between. Sigh.
LikeLike
Another good read Stephen, George,when the window opens the ball will start rolling again,they’ll be plenty for us to talk about even without new posts,chin up mate!
LikeLike
Football is 75% about opinions, I very seldomly say what I write is with 100% correct unless I am directly quoting a club official etc.
The media looked at the meeting between Wenger & Stan and looked at it from a negative point of view “crisis meeting” my point is that instead of a negative crisis meeting it could just if well been a positive ‘future of the club’ meeting. Looking at the actual quotes in the media my personal view is as feisable as the so called media experts.
LikeLike
@Swales1968 indeed it is.
Its a great article IMO.
LikeLike
Don’t be put off Swales, your article provides a good talking point for different opinions. and you clearly are not making any claim to this being factual as some bloggers might do despite the absence of any facts.
LikeLike
Euro U21s Fungunner – 5th June
We are saved
LikeLike
Oh yes, anicoll15 -how could I forget after the shenanigans with Jack and The Ox!
LikeLike
And the CONFEDERATION CUP in south America offers some good footy. In the latter stages. Anywho nice article but I think the meeting was preplanned and had nothing to do with the results of the previous two weeks.
As for this summer its my opinion that the new funds will NOT alter our approach and we will not bring in any players that cost in excess of 10-15 mill range. There will be extra effort made to bring in players that will fit and contribute and will not damage the existing harmony and team chemistry in place now .
We will see less players being loaned out and a first team and reserves team will be put together. The FA cup and league cup will be the sole responsiblity for the second team leaving the first team to consentrate on the league title and the champions league. There will be movment between the the first and the reserves in case of injury and/or any players coming into or going out of form. First on the bench and then installed in the team at appropriate time. That’s what I see happening. At most a couple of players in and possibly ones we have not heard of previously.
You know, players with unlimited potential and hungry to be part of THE ARSENAL. proud to wear the shirt and loyal as heck.
LikeLike
Wow .so sorry for the long post.
LikeLike
And don’t miss the confederations. Some of the game are a blast and we will be football starved by then.
By and by man shitty is planning to buy a franchise in the MLS here in the states. They are done messing with the EPL and now time to change landscapes elsewhere. Oh goody.
LikeLike
No more. I promise…..
LikeLike
Don’t apologise, goonerkam – that was a good read. I like the idea of the “two teams” policy, it would reduce fixture congestion in the second half of the season. AW tried it out a couple of seasons ago, didn’t quite work. But with a couple of additions and two or three of the youngsters, and if we can continue to keep injuries at bay…we’ve got the squad to pull it off. The 19-20 players AW has mainly used this last season have all proved themselves. So we’d be adding 5 or 6 more, of whom only two or three at most would be totally new to the club.
LikeLike
Denilson is an interesting one. I dread to think of the reaction from some fans if he was brought back into the squad for next season but it would make sense, given his similarity to Arteta and Ramsey – positioning, stamina, distribution. I can see him partnering either of them well. I don’t know how he has performed in Brazil but 65 games for Sao Paulo the season just gone suggests he’s an important player for them. And that he’s been injury free, which was the reason he lost his way at Arsenal in the first place.
It seems so long ago now that it’s easy to forget just how promising Denilson was. He made his breakthrough aged just 19, and played more minutes for us that season than anyone else. He managed 3 goals and 7 assists too. That’s how he earned the contract that many fans, with the benefit of hindsight, complain so bitterly about ever since. His injuries and the move from 4-4-2 curbed his progress, and then the boo-boys ran his confidence into the ground.
LikeLike
Arshavin will join Khazar Lankaran and will earn £400k a week becoming the highest paid footballer in the world. pic.twitter.com/COTwRUemjn
LikeLike
I always liked Denilson, weird thing with their contracts, Bendtner as well, is that their wages fall into the annulled category as they were signed before a certain date (cannot remember the cut off date), so don’t apply to the financial fair play rules.
Some useless info for you.
LikeLike
Thanks FUNGUNNER. I REMEMBER that experiment two years ago. One of the main reasons why AW abandoned it was due to pressure from some fans to take the cups seriously, such was their hunger for trophies. I think we should go back to it unless there is a very good reason not to. I can’t think of one.
I wouldn’t mind seeing DENI back and I would think he is a more well rounded player now than when he left. Does he want to come back and fight for his place??? And to heck with the boo boys. ARSENAL can’t conduct their bussiness properly if they have to change direction with every boo. They will shut up when success comes and I can’t think of anyone who will get us there quicker than AW. that is if they stick to our traditional ways and do things properly.
PG
that is good news regarding AA. I hope he will be happy. How come they didn’t come for him earlier???
LikeLike
*tumbleweed*
Is it August yet?
LikeLike
hi George im sure everyone would want to keep the chat going even if there isn’t a article everyday. how about just having a few more guest writers until the big hitters have had a well earned rest and return with their grey matter well and truly reinvigorated.
good luck to AA (Andrey not Andrew )
As far as the league cup is concerned we got to a final and several semis with b sides in the past and got knocked out with our first team so personally I rather blood as many youth players as possible
LikeLike
I honestly hope we revert to playing youth primarily in the League Cup. It was always mighty exciting to get a small glimpse of the future with our youngsters testing themselves in realistic conditions, because while watching them play other youth teams is nice and all, it’s obviously a step up to play against professional sides who are motivated by the chance of a giant killing and therefore ready to give it their all.
LikeLike
It wouldn’t surprise me a bit to see Denilson back, probably physically stronger, more confident; we will be looking for an additional midfielder I think anyway. I guess he would perform exceptionally with confident ball passer Santi and fully recovered action-man Aaron, passes everywhere, keeping the ball moving; in fact just as Arteta does.
But not entirely sure he would want this.
George, I propose (although I am both too busy and ignorant to volunteer myself) PosA might occupy itself in the off-season with a bit more
a) in-depth profile of the best of the young ‘uns most likely to be considered
b) a few trips down history lane never go amiss, and its amazing how quickly history is forgotten, just the last 7 or 8 years, some epic encounters and players
c) a look at the teams promoted to EPL, the future competition and any interesting news from other teams
d) a speculative look at the new top managers entering EPL
Just a thought mate. Keep the fire burning I say.
LikeLike
According to today’s reports Santos will be rejoining in July as Gremio are too tight to pay our smiling left back
LikeLike
I can’t believe Arteta is only 4th in player of the season on Arsenal.com. Santi will win no doubt, but after him Arteta was the most consistent presence in the team and did a great job for the team in his new role.
LikeLike
Passenal.Its voted for by the fans.So once again we see just how much they know.
LikeLike
Maybe PA here should have their own Arsenal Player of the season awards.
My top 3 is very easy – 1.Cazorla, 2.Arteta, 3.Mertesacker.
After that it gets a little tricky but two out of Koscielny, Ramsey and Theo would round up my top 5. Possibly in the order I’ve written.
LikeLike
1) MIKEL
2) SACKER
3) KOSHER
4) SANTIAGO
5) OG
not so much my MVP of the year but the first five I would pick to start any game. Ir is so difficult though. Aarons contrabution and Theo coming really of age. This was a TRUE team effort. I love how JETHRO has come along and NACHO MANS input when brought in.
Three players I would like to see step it up.
1) 3gs
2) TV
3) WOJO
and that’s only because I know how good they can be. COYG………
LikeLike
I would put Santi top, actually. Arteta was my player of the year last season. Santi has come to a new country and a new team, hit the ground running, displayed impeccable team spirit, humility, industry, versatility and topped the assist charts. Great role model for the younger players. But I am not fussed who wins this one – lots of candidates with compelling claims.
If you shut this blog down over the summer I will send the boys round, PG, martial arts expert or not.
@ goonerkam
that’s true about the fan pressure, but also not enough of the second-string played to their potential, I felt.
@ arse_or_brain May 28, 2013 at 2:58 pm and Evil May 28, 2013 at 4:05 pm
Hear hear re the kids in League Cup. It’s the Kids Cup as far as I’m concerned. However lower-league opponents are getting stronger so it’s more of a challenge to win games with actual kids, so I can understand going for it with the first team. On the other hand, if we’re playing Bradford with a young side, there’s less pressure on us (that’s what stifled us v Bradford and Blackburn, I think). The heyday of the kids was when we had Fabregas, Denilson, Diaby, Walcott, Song, or Wilshere, Ramsey, Bendtner, Vela etc in the same side. They were young, but in the first team, if not all first choice. I think we could do the same this year, field a young but experienced side (Wilshere/AOC/Ramsey in midfield, for example) with four or five of the u21s in the mix, some starting, some on the bench – who would have a massive incentive to do well playing in a senior competition and emulating players who are not much older than they are.
LikeLike