How hard can it be?
Come on Arsene, just spend the money!
You’d think from the views of some that this should be the easiest thing in football. But interesting recent remarks from ‘Swing’ in the PA comments section regarding Chelsea’s former defender David Luiz made me think further on the subject. Swing eloquently highlighted how Luiz appears to be thriving since departing these shores from a team (or a team set-up/manager) that was evidently ill-suited to him.
One of the more almost endearingly simplistic traits of our Goner friends is the tendency to hop from player to player in a kind of footballing flavour-of-the-month perpetual merry-go-round of helpful suggestions of those who might strengthen our squad and whom Arsene has clearly, albeit inexplicably, so far not spotted. Trouble is, it’s a bit of a kiss of death as a disproportionately high number of these ‘helpful suggestions’ go on to see their careers dip and in some cases dry up altogether in the months and seasons that follow.
There are two reasons I found Swing’s comments particularly interesting.
Firstly, in how they might apply to our own Lukas Podolski, a lovely guy with first class PR and disposition, 118 caps and 47 goals for Germany since 2004 but who carries a faint aura of disappointment around with him when it comes to his AFC career (55 appearances/19 as sub and 28 goals) since 2012. Very roughly, he’s appeared in approximately half of the games played and scored in half of those.
It’s not really for me to judge how successful Lukas has been – certainly not a disaster for Arsenal (not to mention a Germany mainstay) – but the frequency of his 70th minute substitutions only contribute to the vision of a player who appears past his ‘bedding in’ period but who is still not slotting in seamlessly to the squad. Could Lukas, like Luiz burst more fully into footballing life in the ranks of another club?
Secondly, and using LP as a very crude example, this is precisely why AW can conclude a summer’s transfer window with apparent gaps in the squad – Arsene knows he could well have picked up x, y, or z player – we had the funds, clearly, although it’s by no means a given that all potential buys would want to come to the club given the appalling reputation our own fans have earned for themselves. So Arsene might have adopted a robust buying policy but what if he had not had the confidence all the newbies would slot in in the way that, say, Chambers and Debuchy have?
Players may well grow on trees and the buying process might indeed be very simple (as we are repeatedly told by the ‘just do it’ brigade) but make the wrong purchase and you will have a player on your hands who will sit somewhere on the spectrum defined by the Chelsea version Luiz at one end (laughing stock) and Arsenal’s Lukas at the other (decent but ‘enigmatic’).
Start to fill your squad with such purchases and the resulting mixture can give you a team on a second spectrum defined, perhaps, by Newcastle – ‘laughing stock’ – and, say, Spurs, theoretically challenging for honours but always falling well short of their targets (and laughing stock). We’ve seen time and again what happens to teams attempting to stuff themselves with new players – Liverpool and Man u being current examples following on from 2013’s epic big spenders, Tottenham. The Suarez swag, like the Bale bundle before it, has proven to be a double edged sword. An ephemeral cash weapon which, in the wrong hands can prove to be a blunt – and potentially ineffective one – at that.
So, Arsene – just spend the money (but go easy with it, eh?).
***
So on to tonight – and on the exact 18th anniversary of the start of Arsenal’s golden era with Arsene celebrating in his usual low-key fashion, a tough game awaits us against a Turkish side likely to be very well supported and also in urgent need of three points.
As well as reeling from the loss of Ramsey and Arteta, but with the safe squad return of Jack, Arsene knows the Turks’ main threat may well come from Burak Yilmaz breaking on the counter. This will be no walk in the park for either team but should prove one of the more watchable – and enjoyable – of the week’s European encounters after yesterday’s dull affairs involving Chelsea and the misfiring City.
Up, as they say, The Arsenal – and congratulations, Arsene!
18 years to the day of outstanding service and so many incredible achievements.
Here’s to many more.
Positively Arsenal 
“One of the more almost endearingly simplistic traits of our Goner friends is the tendency to hop from player to player in a kind of footballing flavour-of-the-month perpetual merry-go-round of helpful suggestions of those who might strengthen our squad and whom Arsene has clearly, albeit inexplicably, so far not spotted. ”
I read that sentence twice – It deserves blog all of its own, and in fact an award.
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Lucas is like my little sweetheart Andrey, a great player who doesn’t quite fit he team. Of course he is several levels below Andrey but then who isn’t ?
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Some would say, well they did say that playing alongside Silva or Marquinhos as opposed to Terry makes Lui7 look a better player. Brazil’s system didn’t suit the player either, but then again if you have the temperament of a spoiled toddler and your brain turns to mush during the most important game of your career and you play like a buffoon it doesn’t matter what how well you can play or how good your technique is when not undergoing a public meltdown due to an inability to handle the pressure
As for Plodders: he is what he Was when AFC signed him. A great finisher who hadn’t developed certain parts of his game, a player whose brain doesn’t really seem to work unless he has the ball at his feet and a thought of goal and an assist. A footballing version of Homer Simpson, I like him. The player had already lost the wide left position for Germany to players who had the younger legs before he moved to the Arsenal, to Shirley and Goetze. Which is why it was a shame that the major hammy he suffered deprived him of the minutes needed to prove he could or might be able to play or adapt to play as a lone striker for both club or country.
Plodders only cost ten million plus some cunning accounting conducted through the friendly games which of course the Groaning AAA completely edit out of their genuinely genuine attacks on the likes of Gazidas and the club etc.
For me there is no enigma with Plodders. He was brought in to help the rebuild after losing two seriously good players (again we note that the Expert Groaners never even acknowledged that there was a rebuild under way…please refer to Tottenham and Liverpool). The club stayed up there in the league and won a cup: job done. Plodders is not a part of the core group built around the hub of Rambo and Jacko now that the club can afford the likes of Alexis and Ozil who are only 25!
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U19s CL on the Arsenalplayer
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Zelalem gives Arsenal U19s the lead
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2-0
Hinds
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5-0 to the young guns!
Hopefully the seniors will match the juniors later tonight
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Yeah, David Luiz was majestic last night despite PSG conceding two. By the way, I saw that game and the PSG CB who was halfway decent was Marquinhos. Let’s be honest, Sideshow Bob is not worth fifty million pounds.
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Fin, Maribor are going to be a lot harder to break down than Sporting. And depending how well they do on their trip over there, it will determine if they’ll risk Costa like they did last night.
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Im really shocked at the devilish hell that Le Grove.Those guys really vent spleen and dont even know what theyre saying, I managed to avoid it until this week except a couple of vile outings in past years.On there today I read that Arsène is a cancer to AFC, and read every player we have being slagged into the ground, especially Ramsey, the even the early Wenger years were being destroyed.Strange how they talk about “debate”, the irony being, that if anyone counters the anti Wenger poison, that they haul out the Gambon monster from the deepest hells and he calls everyone a Kh*nt and that they should leave. A psychologist would have a field day with them! Those guys are so frightened,you have to feel a bit sorry for them?Nah…
I enjoyed watching one of their members trying to stirs things up at UA this week though he got pooped and then the devils ran back to LG and congratulated each other and typically slagged of the UA ers, called them a cult and some expletives and then a few toughies then stormed over to UA as a gang turned over a few tables and threatened everyone then went back to the lower regions of LG and called everyone names again.Honestly is so daft is fascinating.
This is my first time here today, but I know Fins from UA, a good man with an eye on the BBC anti Arsenal stance.
It would be a good though to get all the positive websites and fans linked up as the seem relatively separated,and unity can be a good thing, especially if dealing with LG and the negativity which seems to float easily to the grimy surface of the media .Either that or get a candle and a bell!
COYG!
Cheers PA, thanks for trying to do something again the pubescent negativity around our club.
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Great thought provoking post Andrew. Lets hope that this anniversary is more successful than the last one we ‘celebrated’! Forget the milestone and focus on the game in hand.
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Great atmosphere in the ground. Mostly the Galata supporters though. Come on Arsenal–as, my son said, arsenal will beat them so bad and make them cry! Here’s hoping we score early and often and keep them quiet!
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ARsenal Andrew, are you at the ground? Would love to say hello–we are in the famed “family section” located close to the away section in the clock end. Close to where I sat for an excellent 3-0 Arsrnal home victory v. villa. Hope it is lucky!
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Another quality piece from AA, thanks.
Mills,
We expect you visit on a daily basis!
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ArsenalAndrew, you have not upset dear Passenal. Well done!
As for Limestonegunner, he will now appreciate that a stadium viewpoint is far superior to a televised viewpoint.
IF, I may make a suggestion, LG should always download the EPL Handbook for the season. The basic information is all there, the fixtures, the key personnel, the basic forms etc.
Without the basic information that is so easily available, IMHO there can be no reasonable debate?
COTG
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been watching a grainy stream just realized its on the box
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GET IN THERE WELBECK
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Danny Welbeck!
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Get int there!!!!!!!Will do George! Im not sure I can report on the lower hells of LG though…
COYG!
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WELBECK AGAIN theres no stopping this lad
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get in there!!!!!!!!!
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Danny Welbeck again!
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love the way he gives it the Theiry lean
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Sanchez!!!!!!
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get in there!!!!
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two added minutes! after game stopped for flares on the pitch, this ref must want to home early
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ARSENAL 3-0 up but this ref is shit how far do you have to jump off the ground with both feet before getting sent off
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Galatasaray are dizzy.
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Philipe Melo eh ?
I am enjoying a game in which our tiny midfield lads are absolutely tearing them to shreds – just beautiful
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didnt get a chance to watch the u19s earflier got to say im gutted they play in the afternoons the same day as the first team game means im missing them all this year. brilliant to see them doing well though and looks like theres another bunch off lads to follow Bellerin, Chuba, Hayden etc. Dan Crowley, Chris Willock to add to players already playing in the U19s and 21s last year Moore; Maitland-Niles, Zelalem, O’Connorand Iwobi.
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Danny, Danny Welbeck!
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four! WELBECK three
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Three great finishes from our boy Danny!
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chelsea match cannot come soon enough!!!
we are playing the heavenly football today.
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Silly boy
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PG, Arshavin is now a No.10. He was on as a sub as late as the 88th minute.
Zenit are unbeaten and lead the Russian League at this moment.
There is a nice clip of Arshavin, at the theatre and conducting?
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Very poor from Wojciech Szczęsny
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Ospina had a lively half hour – good lad
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Ospina was very good!
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Great stuff.COYG! Night lads, see you tomorrow.
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I think Danny is enjoying himself.
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Sweet dreams Mills
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Good night’s work and I enjoyed all of that – good performances all over the pitch. Danny obviously the man of the match but Sanchez stood out too
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gutted for Szcz though hes being playing well lately then he makes a gaff like that. gotta say Santi in the quater-back role is absolutley excellent
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I hope Galatasaray isn’t as naive against Dortmund.
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Great game of football. Bit daft of Szczesny to dive in and give the pelanty (& get sent off). Might have been only a yellow if he dived in with both feet off the ground though.
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wenger is a prat for not spending all the money, rob green, chris samba, junior hoilett, scotty parker, 1 goal in 20 FAPL games Balotelli, all should have been signed in the last few years, all well worth wasting money on, I know this cos the idiots on le grove wanted all these signed and them boys know their football, they know almost as much as myles palmer, and we all know he is well of football knowledge and all things Arsenal.
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So was it a genuine penalty then? I was sitting almost in line with it (an unusual foray into the lower tier) it looked a bit like a late and rather melodramatic over reaction to me. Fortunately it didn’t hurt us too much it the end other than making the last 30 minutes of the match more difficult than they needed to be.
NOTH , I don’t understand why you are goading me? I think you must have me mixed up with someone else as I don’t recall exchanging any conversation with you about club finances or anything else for that matter. If you have something to say to me, just say it, or desist from your cryptic referencing of me in your posts. Thank you and goodnight.
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I trust UEFA will take action on the flares – a match or two played at home in an empty statement might cool them.off
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Statement ?
Stadium
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