A guest post by Seebs @arse_or_brain
Apparently, according to many ARSENAL fans on twitter, our 3-0 win away at Villa was just a blip and we will soon be back to losing ways. Quite how despondent people can be after a good win to a team having only conceded one goal in a good start to their season amazes me and so I thought about what really is their logic.
In 2004 we won the league without losing a game, a considerable feat, the year after we won the F.A. cup and then in 2006 were unlucky to lose the final of the Champions’ League after having a player sent off at the start of the game and only conceding at the end of the game.
I believe it was around this time Arsene lost his mind and lost all football knowledge.
So 2007 until now we have been failures, the story goes, but how many fans and teams have bettered us and how many would switch places?
Well in that time we’ve won one cup, come close in the league a few times and been consistent in qualifying for the Champions’ League. So the only teams domestically that have done better than us are Chelski and the two Manc clubs. All three massively funded beyond our capability and so you would expect them to do better unless they were underperforming by a large margin, considering it cannot be us that has overachieved.
We have built and self-funded a new stadium. This has not been achieved by any other club in this time and so any arguments about how much money we have is largely dispelled as this handicap, along with the arrival of the sugar-daddies makes the spending argument largely irrelevant as whatever we forked out, the other clubs would still be able to find more.
In these failure years the likes of Alex Ferguson have said ARSENAL would have won the league if it wasn’t for injuries; so that blows the ‘tactics falling out Arsene’s head’ theory out of the window. I’m pretty sure even the most ardent wobs would admit you can’t win the league without tactical knowledge. This is backed up by the great Johan Cruyff who thinks Arsene is a great tactician, although the critics do have Piers Morgan in their corner.
This brings us to those injuries. Again, Arsene’s fault apparently, as his training methods are to blame. Incidentally these are same methods that brought us the doubles and invincibles, although we still do well at the end of games and seasons, so fitness can’t be a problem, surely a more logical reason would be the style of play we use draws more fouls both punished and unpunished and a build-up of these leads to injuries. This is just an assumption of course but then no one knows the reason behind the larger than usual amount of injuries we suffer.
- So in summary only 3 clubs have bettered us in the failure years.
- All three clubs can outspend us on the pitch and behind the scenes
- We are still servicing a debt and the fund comparison with the other clubs makes the argument about our cash reserves irrelevant.
- Injuries have impacted on our success.
- All of the above makes the tactics argument a myth
- I haven’t mentioned we consistently played the best football in the league
So what are people groaning about? Well could we have achieved better in the last few years? Maybe.
Could we have bought better? Maybe.
Could we have set up better in some games and even made better subs and tactical switches? Maybe.
But all those are assumptions and even if they were correct, would that make our manager a lunatic or our club a joke?
Quite clearly not.
But it does call into question the metal astuteness of anyone who suggests this is the case.
Positively Arsenal 
if diaby can stay fit ( please god keep hIm fit ) he is clearly our best in the middle. his talent and potential has no limit. i never liked him as a DM but he played that role superbly last night. he must be the reason wenger didnt want to spend a fortune on anyone who will eventually be redundant once abou is fit and ready.
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another thing i notice last night was that campbell is a great talent with potentials to become a world class. but wenger may be right not to play him yet because he hasnt adjust to the rigours of the league. just like sanogo when he arrived, wenger needs time to build him up to the required level. and when that is done, he’ll be a great asset to the club.
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Thanks for the reviews as I only managed the final half hour on the Radio with the excruciating Alan Green, who was obviously watching a different match. From what you say Saints did well though and we can’t complain.
Pity to lose the COC as a proving ground for the youngsters. Beyond that not a concern. As I said Monday big games coming at us thick and fast, Spuds, Gala and a trip to SB all in the next eleven days.
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It was really wonderful to see Diaby on the pitch. He got such a massive cheer when he was announced and a hearty ovation, with everyone in my section standing up, when he was coming off. That was great support!
I thought he looked quite good in the first half sitting deep. His passing and decisions were understandably a little slow. Second half he faded a bit, as did the team–and he can’t be really match fit after being out so long. If he stays fit, he ‘ll come further into form and be a great help to the team.
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I’m sad we are out of the League Cup as it provides a very affordable chance, as tickets are readily available, to see the Arsenal. The crowd was young, diverse, boisterous. But hopefully the positive will be that we husband our squad to do well in the remaining three.
Incidentally, I do hope Notoverthehill does get back about Arsenal Broadband (and that his info and analysis are comprehensible to me!) A few years ago, I indicated some concern that this company would be a vehicle for taking money generated by the club out into KSE hands. As I understood it then, it was a separate company jointly owned by KSE/Kroenke and AFC which sold Arsenal game highlights and content, the stuff you see on Arsenal Player, abroad. The revenues for this are expanding, it seems, but the real potential is when/if clubs can sell their live stream of matches themselves in some fashion. Apparently KSE has received 3 million pounds in consulting fees from Arsenal Broadband, according to a Guardian article. I hope it isn’t a prelude to further draining away of resources generated by the club. It is legally allowable but not a preferable practice, as far as a supporter point of view. Seeking some further understanding of this situation, Notoverthehill.
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I think your concerns may be a little misplaced LSG
“The ultimate parent undertaking and controlling party is KSE UK Inc., which owns 66.8% of the share capital of Arsenal Holdings PLC. KSE UK Inc. is incorporated in the State of Delaware, USA, and is wholly-owned and controlled by Mr E.S. Kroenke.”
KSE therefore owns 66.8% of Arsenal Football Club, and Stan Kroenke owns KSE Inc. If KSE owns Arsenal Football Club it also owns AFC’s stake in Arsenal Broadband.
If Stan wants to take £3 million out of Arsenal football club via a fee arrangement to his US business (which may actually relate to services rendered I dunno), or £13 million, or £30 million, he can do so by picking up a telephone any day of the week. As I am relentlessly reminded we have £8trillion in spare liquid cash sitting in the current account.
And Stan could have done so on any day since May 2011 when he became de facto owner of the club.
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Thanks for the match review Passenal
Against confident PL players Hayden looked just as good as Ian told us here on PA that he would go on to be! Thanks for heads up. Nerves for Bellerin at times I thought, unlucky with that slip, but he can use his pace and strength to recover against many and most, so he looked good to me! In fact Arsenal’s two young English CBs looked better then say, Man Utd’s, going by recent scores! Coquelin decent too. Only problem with result is the lack of minutes to come for some juniors and Diaby, not the best night for one or two seniors.
But what about Diaby eh? Opposite Schneiderlan and Davies, they played in the shadow of player making his first start (played in May too) in a long long time, before he tired and came off.
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I thought in general we played reasonably well. Although I hate to lose or go out of any competition I actually think there were more positives than negatives last night. The young back four proved we have good back up if needed this season, with Hayden again looking assured and unfazed by anything thrown at him. Remember at his time at Arsenal GK is just about the only position he hasn’t played and in fact he may have filled in the after a sending off if memory serves me right. We have a very good no 2 keeper in Ospina and his kicks are massive. TR7 and Jack looked like they were trying to hard being to aware they were the senior members of the side and holding on to the ball to long. I too think Chuba would have worried the saints back line more than poldi and JC and I would have also liked the subs on earlier. Anyway when we look back on this game in may it could prove a winner
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Unleash the Akpom! Play the Chuba!
I’ll get me coat…
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Bellerin has had quite a week
First big game debut in Dortmund and we get turned over
Back to the Ems in front of 60,000 and on the wrong end again
Third time lucky son
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Bellerin and Hayden have removed my fears of being short in defence.
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Checking in guys. Been under the weather.
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Get well soon Shotta.
Everyone has been criticising Podolski and Rosicky.
Podolski seems to have lost his lethal edge. Dont know if it is because of confidence. Since last season, I notice how he drops deep and is usually left behind in attacks when our midfielders win the ball and stream forward. I would like to see him play a good few games on the left, considering how well he paired with Giroud, but that is looking unlikely this season.
At times Rosicky looked frustrated with himself and everything else, but he never stopped trying. Despite a bad game, he did sparkle a few times with some lovely through balls. Just not his usual world-class standard.
Oh and George I agree with you on twitter. While Alexis has been brilliant and his work rate is a huge asset, he seems to be playing by himself. He needs to integrate more with the team.
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I’m thrilled for Diaby. If anyone needs a bit of luck it’s our Abou. I’m also glad that Le Coq had a good game. He reminds me of a young Flamini. He can play all over the back line and the middle, but he can also pass it about.
I hear very little mention of Campbell, which only means he was not that good.
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Gains, Campbell came into the game in the second half. He retained possession during some tricky breakaways. He took on some defenders at pace. Looked like he needed some work from Wenger.
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New post is up http://wp.me/37nXa
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Gains, Campbell was okay, but I agree with Sensational Arsenal – he needs more work. He did some good things and some not so good, but I would not want to judge him yet until he has had more chances to show what he can do.
SA, I agree that Rosicky was maybe trying too hard because it was his first start of the season and also because he was captain on the night. And Sanchez does sometimes try to do too much on his own, but he’s not the only one. Jack and Hector were both guilty of holding onto the ball too long at times. Hector is a promising right back, but he is not yet smart defensively. Fortunately for him, he is very fast and that got him out of trouble a couple of times. But recognising that he is on a learning curve, I would not criticise him for that.
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Yeah,
Rosicky almost had to much energy, or, was trying to hard out there. He just wanted to do to much – hence the penalty, which was, well, juuuuust a penalty. Even before that I thought Southampton looked dangrous. But it was a defining moment. ONly thing is that it’s a shame for the youngsters not to get more chances. And Rosicky will always be my favorite…Podolski was not very involved, but he created the pass before the pass for the biggest chance in the 2nd half. He is that kind of player.
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