If you believe as I do that it is the intention of Arsene and the club to improve the first choice eleven then I suggest that is no easy job.
If any purchases have to be of a standard that displaces one of our current best eleven, then the pool of players that are available is quite small. Those players have to be of exceptional quality AND be for sale.
If we have learned anything from recent seasons it is that it’s incredibly difficult and expensive to prise a player from a reluctant seller. Cesc, Judas and Nasri all took an age before we finally ceded.
As far as I am aware, we know that a bid has been made for Suarez. Even then we only know because Liverpool chose to go public. Like it or not – and I do – Arsenal conduct their business in total secrecy.
We know nothing of bids or targets. Our “knowledge” is based purely on hearsay, ITK’s, Sky Sports News, TalkShite and the word of third-rate hacks.
In reality, we can not be said to have missed a target unless we aimed for it in the first place.
I think Marouane Fellaini has a release clause of £25 million, or there about. Now if he was seen as a priority I am sure we could have offered Everton that fee and met his wage demands. If we haven’t, it’s either because we don’t want him, or another reason that we know nothing about.
Perhaps he wants to go to United? Or maybe we are looking at a better player. We just don’t know, do we?
I accept that there are many players who would improve the squad. But is that really what we are all hoping for ?
The melt down on twitter and blogs is quite frankly pathetic.
You might well think we had no good players at the club. We have players of the quality of Jack, AOC and Podolski who can not always command a First Team start. For new players to improve our first team they not only have to be better than those three, but better than the first team incumbents keeping them out.
The simple reality is we have no choice but wait and trust the club. What else can we do? Bin bags on seats? Stickers on statues? Stay away from the ground for the Emerates Cup? Boo and chant some childish drivel about spending f***ing money?
We will get who we get when – and if – the club do the deals.
Patience is not an option. It’s a necessity.
Positively Arsenal 
There does seem to be a genuine belief amongst many who choose to make themselves heard that buying anyone – provided that they are sufficiently expensive – Is an appropriate strategy for improving the squad.
There is also a belief amongst some, which appears to be genuine, that paying however much the seller asks is the only acceptable means of negotiation.
LikeLike
The level of hysteria, and that is just the word, ratchets up day to day as normally sane individuals trudge down the stairs each morning to find that Father Christmas has not visited again. The shrieking abuse Santa and his elves is getting since the return from Asia is defeating.
STFU I say, the matter is in hand, either we will sign some players or players or we won’t – it won’t make much difference. That we start well against Villa and sort the CL games out are the important obstacles to tackle.
LikeLike
And the great thing about the 24/7 demented obsession with the transfer market and the ‘OhMyGodwhowegonnabuytodayitsgottabetoday’ is that last season , when the club were happily shopping and buying good players they could not give a fuck. Last Summer was one incessant moan about ‘OhMyGodRobinpleasedontgoyouJudascu*t’ and not a bloody word about transfers.
LikeLike
This is so true.. Really refreshing to read a post that makes so much sense.
I’m sure everything is in hand. There is no way the squad would be left with gaps in depth.
Even if it comes down to the last day of the transfer window we will sign someone.
LikeLike
I understand everyone’s frustration, but think of it like this. Transfers don’t happen overnight, and most transfers happen fairly secretly (not just at Arsenal). Take Jovetic for example. We were linked with him by the papers for a long time in Feb/March, and then it all went quiet. I suspect that was because he was contacted by Man City and decided that was where he wanted to go – and it then took several weeks for them to finalise the deal. It is entirely likely that we are in a similar position with a long-term target.
For a deal to be done both clubs must want it to happen and the player must want it to happen. It is not normally in the interest of anyone involved to talk about it to the papers. An awful lot of the players we are linked with are pure speculation on the behalf of the press and fans. An exception is in a case like Bale where the intense media frenzy benefits Tottenham by increasing the price and making it seem to their fans as if they are doing their best to keep him.
Arsenal will sign at least three players (probably four) before Sept 2nd. At least two of those will be ones we hadn’t thought we were in for. At least one of the four will really thrive and be a success. At least one of the four will end up as a disappointing purchase. That is the nature of transfers. We will also promote a couple from the youth squad to become part of the senior squad. I expect Gnabry will be one of those and it is quite possible he might become exceptional.
I think it is also quite reasonable given their age and situation to expect the following players to have far more productive seasons this year than they did last. Jenkinson. Oxlade. Podolski. Walcott, Wilshere. I would like to add Giroud to that list but I genuinely can’t make up my mind about him: I think he might have a similar sort of season to be honest. Ramsey will become our most important player.
And it is also easy to forget that Cazorla is now back with the squad, and that is certainly a reason to be cheerful.
So don’t get fed up, remember that supporting a club involves both good and bad times, take lots of photos and enjoy the journey.
LikeLike
Hear hear George, well said. Will post this on twitter in the hope it gets through to some… I didn’t think I followed many doomers, but many seem to be cracking, getting more hysterical by the day. As Nr Nicoll says, (great comments by the way) STFU!! Thanks George, I’m very glad I found you.
LikeLike
I see spell check changed the word describing the abuse from ‘deafening’ to ‘defeating’ in my first rant
It knows something I reckon !
Ps Ta Jane
LikeLike
Thanks again PG. A very calm and sensible post.
It’s seems like the old Woolwich Arsenal was raided and everybody is launching mortars at each other out there….
I repeat a question also asked by PG in his piece today. Can anyone name a player, who is available, that will make a significant improvement to this squad?
Now I am of the opinion that we do need some stellar signings but who are they? It seems to me they have all been bought by the gangster and dictator funded clubs…
LikeLike
STFU?
LikeLike
I don’t understand the logic behind this massive impatient moaning midway through the transfer window anyway.
We are signing players for the five next seasons, not for the Emirates cup, not the the first two or three games of this season are we ? Why does it matter if we bring them in late ?
Our current -unchanged- squad is on a 11 unbeaten run, they will undoubtedly hit the ground running.
No reason to panic, at all. We already have a good squad, with players like Podolski, Wilshere, Chamberlain not even certain to start.
Yeah, I don’t understand.
LikeLike
Great article but I am slightly suspicious it was written by Ivan or Arsene
LikeLike
I suppose trying to remind people that however much fun the “I am Gooner” moment was the months of negotiation (as in months, maybe four, maybe five, maybe six- AWs blushes in a press conference after the Euro’s were a bit of a giveaway if truth be told!) were best forgotten, would probably get me labelled an extremist or an apologist for the corporatist leeches at AFC who by their actions over the past decade and a half and not their words have exposed the genuine Vampires in the game today. Not themselves then. (Contrary to the idiots charter that does not mean that none can be critical – it’s just that you can get a better view with some perspective, at least that is what all the great artists have taught me. Optics. The Scientific Method, a concept rooted in the origins of the word “Arsenal”. That kind of rubbish).
So whilst those happy to ignore the obvious scream for someone else to spend some wonga by paying someone else and their agents and ensembles some serious wonga, it has been announced that former Arsenal and England player Kenny Samson has been found homeless, penniless and not in a good way. I wish him and his family well. Perhaps the club could…or maybe that would be inappropriate. Who knows. Not me. To deny as many do that football is different now, for better or worse is absurd. The game is different on and off the pitch.
On the aching desire in many hearts to join the big spenders which to a degree (and only that) was always going to happen I can only quote a US senator who recently spoke before congress on another matter:
“It is an irony you(we) cannot overcome”
LikeLike
Arsenal Transfers have always been emotional roller-coaster experience; it is bound to be “love it” or “hate it” situations
At this moment, the frustration at arsenal is simply a combination of these events
— man $ity have done good business ( on paper ); backed by 5-3 result against milan
[ positive news for man city = negative news for arsenal ]
— spurs will get more money for 1 player than we got for 3 quality players over 3 seaons ; they have grabbed headlines for being close to sign top rated spanish striker.
[ positive news for spurs = negative news for arsenal ]
— fabregas “might” go to man utd
[ positive news for man utd = negative news for arsenal ]
+ deja vu = arsenal wont sign anyone [ purely based on past 8 years experience]
so, lets count ; negative x negative x negative x negative = negative^4.
( simply multiply “negative^4” by another “negative” each time we miss signing someone / direct competitors sign someone / we play badly in emirates cup / friendly against man $ity)
there is only ONE way to solve / destroy this negative energy = win matches comfortably / consistently irrespective of whom we sign / dont sign!
+ remember =
quality signings may or may not win us anything!
not signing anyone may or may not win us anything
( one may argue; try and fail!)
’nuff said!
LikeLike
I totally agree, George. To bring in players to improve the squad is a fairly tall order. While I don’t agree with how many supporters go about registering their complaints, I do have some sympathy for the fan who pays top dollar to see the club every week. Without knowing exactly what’s available, we do know that Arsenal have accumulated a substantial cash reserve. I do feel that the regular attendees have a right to expect the club to use the resources available. The resources that regular Joe and Jane have worked their jobs for.
LikeLike
@pilkin79
I don’t know of a compliment which could please George more.
I wish somebody said that when I write it’s like Ivan or Arsène wrote it.
High praise indeed.
LikeLike
Is there evidence that the club is not trying to use the resources available ?
A £40M bid, and surely other targets are discussed as we speak, what reason is there to be afraid the club wants to site on their cash reserve? 🙂
LikeLike
“But I was more often than not frustrated. I tried to sign Frank Arnesen, Michel Platini, Preben Elkjaer and even Diego Maradona, and a lot of work went into them, but in the end they came to nothing.” Terry Neil (http://is.gd/1A5kTL)
Now that is a very interesting quote from a past manager of Arsenal. I wonder what the armchair warriors and brilliant businessmen have to say about that?
LikeLike
In my opinion this is an outstanding piece by Alastair Brookshaw at Arsenal Vision.
http://is.gd/REg2z0
LikeLike
eltamatrox August 1, 2013 at 11:18 am
havent you heard? Arsenal always goes for the big guns…traditionally speaking…. 🙂
the lack of galactico signings has sent the arsenal fan into a spiral of hysteria…
we were promised world class signings damn it!!! None of this working with what we have and promoting youth…we want the finished article pronto! enough with the waiting….we demand…we are fans/shareholders/directors/managers….we decide… 🙂
LikeLike
georgaki i thank you for the arsenal vision link….i guess when foreigners say the same things they are racists and attacking the country…lmao…good to see a national being honest about how shit and outdated english football is….
if england ever wins a major international title with wenger;s players i will personally go to some wenger bashing idiots and slap them like vieira slapped anelka. its what they deserve.
LikeLike
And basically thats what wenger is up against…all these years and centuries of pulis-like doctrines…..and some still cant see english refs punishing arsenal on the pitch due to the CHANGE wenger has brought to their game
they refuse to accpet that Wenger is right and knows more than them. Winning the title undefeated with foreign players and foreign ideas was a bitter pill to swallow. Here was Wenger pissing all over them and their “get stuck in” – “football is a contact sport” philosophies….long may it continue theyll learn one day
LikeLike
I usually remain cyberly silent during the close season but have been motivated to dip my toe into the interweb today, concerned by the amount of Arsenal transfer window anxiety tweets or TWAT being spewed by the uberfans and bloggers.
Remember TWAT should be avoided at all costs, don’t feed TWAT, don’t smell TWAT, don’t encourage TWAT and for all that is good, holy and noble don’t retweet TWAT. R
Arsenal like many others clubs in what has been a pretty slow transfer window are playing poker at the moment, yes the game can drag on but the tables don’t close until the end of the month.
LikeLike
True hunter13, he lasted despite hostile environment, he could have joined the Bundesliga or la Liga where he would be worshiped by fans and media.
LikeLike
eltamatrox he sure lasted and will last even further …proof we have good owners who know what is good for the club. kept him and supported him…big shame that he has to face hostility even from arsenal fans now. in fact embarassing. i guess the moaners are all them outdated wankers Alastair Brookshaw refers to in his excellent piece.
LikeLike
anicoll5 August 1, 2013 at 9:05 am
love your sarcastic tone !!1 when we win the league with walcott and gibbs i will ask you for a mighty favour.
LikeLike
hunter13 it is embarrassing, they even make up stories now.
Last time it was the Bould/Wenger story when both didn’t talk to each other or never got along in the first place and Wenger was forbidding Bould to improve the team/do his job.
Now he’s supposedly a moron again, taking orders from the squad, acting “strangely around the training ground” and everything.
And of course every time there’s a theory out there, every ‘itk’ and every journalist jumps on it and acts like it’s really plausible. Now what, Bob Wilson has to speak up again to tells us it’s all rubbish ?
I’m tired of this.
LikeLike
Always good to hear your thoughts BRF.
I too am not much of a fan of the verse written by lawyers and as I get older I’m starting to have a sneaking suspicion of who or what inspired Vogon poetry in the Hitchhikers Guide.
LikeLike
Newsflash!!!!
In the Sport today the Ozzies put ’em up.We could hopefully have a contest (he writes before the inevitable collapse).
Georgaki, thanks for the AV link: quality post.
The funny thing is that there was a regressive culture in English cricket too, you can hear M.Vaughan talk about it on the radio every week at the moment. It’s available on the BBC IPlayer if anyone out there has trouble accepting that. Have a listen!
Better coaching, smarter coaching, more coaches and less arseholes in the coaching staff, it makes a difference in the professional era. However much we enjoy and love the amateur game and it’s charms, it is long in the past. “Bumble” dedicated a few years getting Flintoff out the pub and into a training session, watching videos of how the greats would grip a ball etc., talking to the greats himself. Paid off in the end but there were perhaps more injuries then there should have been, & by his own admission Flintoff knows that better then most.
In Cricket even Goochy gets jip for his fancy dan new techniques (using computers!) inspired by the great Bob Woolmer (the AW of the cricket world, tragically lost before he could return and have a bash with England), but Cook is his protege. And not even Thorpe was so impressive so young (different styles, I know!). Critiques rooted in tradition of the modern coaches and modern coaching techniques are out of touch in a world where even Big Sam will give acupuncture a go at his clubs.
LikeLike
I sense a good season in the air – for Arsenal, for football Hunter
However it may be too hot for drinking a glass of red this evening – phewwwww
LikeLike
anicoll
Are you going to the Emirates Cup? Is anybody on here going? I would like to meet up and put a face to the gravatars…
LikeLike
eltamatrox i am more annoyed with all them peasants who havent even kicked a football in their lives or even won a title in FM ( without cheating) thinking they can judge the manager and his philosophies. the best is when losers demand that wenger loses his job if arsenal dont win trophies. utter shit.
georgaki i might go if i get my ticket in time…i mean ive paid for it but still waiting for the friend to collect since in its his name…hehe.. he got tired of waiting and wasnt going to renew till i told him off ! now he wants one too but ive told him to forget it…he rolled the dice and lost..its mine now…when is the cup starting? and that epic from Alistair..ive read it like 6 times already..gets better every time..so spot on… one day the blind will see.
LikeLike
pedantic george i have a serious question for you, is there a good kung fu school in london you know of or that you collaborate with?
LikeLike
Well hunter I’ll be in London, probably tomorrow evening at my mothers place in Hornsey. I’m going to take the W3 to Finsbury Park and walk to the Grove. I’ll be with my sister-in-law. What are your plans?
LikeLike
I am sorry to say I am not G
Sunday is my 55th so it is cake and candles !
Most of the rest of August I am hols but we can def met up one of the Sept home games
LikeLike
We have George!
We have George!
We have George!
Fuck all the Twitter ITKs and those whoring for followers.
Spineless, impatient, self-indulgent phonies.
Arise George and expose them as crap.
Yep, we have George!
OK, I will get me coat. Have to run.
LikeLike
same here anicol, mind you i dont know what ill do if we land it. i think ill start swearing at everyone at the ground and giving them the finger and screaming “eat it bitch” ( eat the humble pie i mean) to anyone that i suspect is a doomer and a moaning git. i might even flirt with the authorities lighting up flares balcan style ….pyrotechnics is no crime.
LikeLike
oh its this saturday? so fast…i better get my ticket then and will come back with details
shotta where? i want to see george taking scalps
LikeLike
Hunter ,I dont do Kung Fu.
Do you want to learn Martial Arts,Self Defence or how to fight? They are 3 complately different things
LikeLike
PG
Brilliant post.
You have once again identified the fucking ovbious that most other so called (non PA) fans seem to have missed: our first XI are fucking brilliant and on a good day can beat the UCL winners in their home arena, of course that never or couldn’t happen according to some ‘fans’.
Our second XI ain’t too shabby either.Best league defense in 2013 too.
And your point about who is our there available in the market is important, we got Podolski, Santi, Nacho completely under the radar.
why the fucking panic out there?
LikeLike
hey george thnks for clarifying , actually i want to do something to keep fitness…i used to play football three times a week back home but here i dont know anyone yet so i thought a bit of karate and overall exercise combined with discipline would be good. the purpose is fitness, no fighting. gyms suck big time…waste of money….id rather do martial arts or boxing…but striclty fitness so i dont rot…
georgaki i just found out that season tickets dont count for emirates cup games………what a cruel business this damn arsenal…making money in anyway they can..hahaaaaa…. i dont know yet what ill do ….
LikeLike
Hunter
Never mind. So I won’t be able to inform our fellow positivistas about whether you are as scary looking as you are scary sounding!
LikeLike
Anicoll,
Thanks for that Geoff Lawson reference, just caught up with the interview. Great stuff. That was a glorious era before my time. Not a better or worse era as some may allege when people talk of different era’s in sport, just different. In football people are too precious about protecting the sacred values described so well in that Arsenal Vision post.
I now know that probably the two scariest bowlers of all time, Lawson and Roberts were quiet ones when playing. The odd stare no doubt. Maybe a terrifying smile or two. Makes perfect sense to me. When a batsman is in the process of soiling himself there is not much need to comment.
Moving on from smelly messes, but not too far, here is a link re the demented Dortmund meme that a bitter Arse has trying his best to propagate. I got bored of highlighting the information that is written in here a long time ago, that many if not most football fans are aware of (e.g. the investment in coaches in Germany etc.) Another top article from PIMP:
http://poznaninmypants.com/2013/07/31/if-dortmund-played-in-the-premier-league/
LikeLike
Andy Roberts Fins – absolutely superb controlled aggression – a fast bowler among fast bowlers – relaxed action but capable of parting a batsman’s hair from just short of a length – I had the massive pleasure in the early 70s to go down to Hampshire where he was playing with the county, alongside Gordon Greenidge and Barry Richards, and watch them in action.
And then the Windies – not content with Roberts tearing us apart added Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Colin Croft to the starting 11
Had they no pity ?
LikeLike
I seriously believe most of these whingers are not clever enough to articulate an argument when rival fans bate them, they therefore get frustrated and this is made worse when the various forms of media stoke the fires. They then turn inward and slag three people they know very little about.
It is a shame our greatest ever manager is slighted in this way but genius in their own lifetimes and all that I suppose, it honestly worries me about the sanity of society and how easily led they are.
LikeLike
Arsene Wenger says some very sensible things about transfers today.
…and the moanfest continues.
it’s amazing the hypo-crazy, Gerv is nearly out the door and after giving him two years of abuse they are now complaining that Arsenal shouldn’t sell him as the squad is too light.
Its beyond the bleedin’ obvious that the Club will be getting 2 or 3 new players.
There are plenty of players available, and Wenger usually leaves things late. Some won’t come unless AFC are certain of being in the Champions League proper – a big score in the first leg should confirm that sooner.
I really doubt though Wenger is looking for a new spine in the team i.e GK, CB & DM that’s too big a change from the current set up. We don’t need it either.
We don’t seem to need full backs, we have lots of quality in Midfield so maybe new wingers as most of our attackers want to play inside.
As George said – who do we buy that would become an automatic choice in the first XI? And if AW doesn’t get these ‘galaticos’ the monafest will continue – squad players wouldn’t be good enough for the likes of Ian Wright – what a fuckwit.
I suppose that’s to be expected working for Murdoch’s empire.
Come on Arsenal – let’s win the Emirates Cup, and watch out famous people!! Arron Ramsey is coming for you like the grim reaper.
LikeLike
No mercy Anicoll.
Each one different from the next. Evil combinations. I respect the people who batted against the fast bowlers of that era without helmets (uncovered pitches too). If it was me batting I’d have needed a nappy (not for my head).
Has there been anything else like it? Courtney & Curtly I did see when I was young, Ian Bishop before a bad injury made them a three at times, the two W’s were lethal with a top spinner in tow, similar to the Australian attack in their great team.
But a full on Pace Battery? The closest outside the Windies is probably the England team in the Summer of ’05, there may have been others that i can’t recall. Hoggard an honoury member, not really quick but very good in Home conditions. And Simon Jones with his Waqar-ish action, great fun to watch and tragically taken by the injury gods, the bastards (in truth i blame Weng). I think that was one reason that series was so enjoyable. Top top bowling.
LikeLike
I would guess that this wicket at Old Trafford (the cricket ground, the original OT) is not a favourite for the seamers.
LikeLike
Ambrose and Walsh were ridiculous. In one of their matches, Walsh went through the first 7 Australian wickets for 5 runs and Ambrose has a complimentary record for 5 wickets for 7 runs (against Australia. who else?).
For a very very brief time, the modern day West Indies had a lethal pace attack of similar potential in Fidel Edwards, Jerome Taylor and Kemar Roach. Wonder what happened to them.
Pakistan had a similar small window of lethal trio in Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shohaib Akthar. As though that wasnt enough to fuck any team up, they would be followed by Saqulain Mustaq.
Flintoff from 2005 was unbelievable. The 2005 English Ashes team will probably be one of a kind for England for a long time. That was the starting point of England becoming a strong force in cricket once again. I think that happened because the ECB decided to focus on English cricket in the grassroot level.
LikeLike
sorry to break into the cricket love in.
this post from another blog:
“I don’t care if Sanogo scores 40 goals this season, he can fuck right off with his free transfer. I would rather have a striker that scores 10 goals and costs 50million pounds so we can at least spend some fucking money! Why do we have all this money and not spend it? Its pissing me off”
I didn’t make that up, this is the level of understanding some of our so called supporters have. or it’s a spud trolling us.
There is football today, and the transfer saga’s crawl along.
LikeLike
DC, where did you find this genius? I cannot decide if I should ignore him or accuse him of being a shame to the human race. Entire nations are being plundered, innocent lives are being screwed over and this imbecile is pissed about this??
LikeLike