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 
Watched it on the box pass and I thought it was a cast iron stone penalty
Szcz went for the ball and got there late – upended the Turk and that w as that – he had to go and he knew it
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What a fantastic night–unbelievable atmosphere from Arsenal fans. The family section was filled with young children and parents but also teenage lads-30 or 40 behind me who did not stop chanting for a second. We didn’t always have a great view from the clock end, what with some incredibly talk young fellas in the rows ahead, so I didn’t even see WS foul or receive the red card. We all stood most of the game and happily 3 of our 4 goals were right in front of us. The Galata supporters had little to cheer until the penalty. Wonderful call and response with the North Bank and the funniest time was late in the second half the loud lads behind started chanting “shoes off for the Arsenal” and most of the section complied. Managed to get a one Arsene Wenger chant going for a little while to boot. Wonderful night–little Limestone is completely hooked now!
I wanted the lineup we got and boy did they perform. I don’t think Galata are that bad but they sure could not stop us. Like Gains, I hope they do better against Dortmund since Anderlecht did us no favours. Onwards and upwards after a great night.
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It was certainly much easier to observe the match from the upper tier but the lower tier had a great spirit tonight.
Galata supporters were very aggressive marching around before the match and being profane, but the flares on the pitch was pretty infantile a display at 2-0; what was funny was how quickly after we made it 3-0! That was rather pleasant!
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Terrific stuff from the team, but yet again the game made much harder due to a terrible decision. We should have been able to coast through the game against 10 men but as it happened had to scrap a bit for the last 30 minutes. Saw it all on TV,(albeit a bit late due to my daughter’s netball practice – the same daughter and team that caused me to miss the Cup final no less) and apart from the tour de force by dat guy Welbz (I am so achingly modern these days) the best bit was the look of utter joy on the faces of Ozil and Alexis after they combined for the third goal. Lets hope it is the first of many.
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tony gale is a real clown of a pundit, only matched by paul merson,
gale going on about how poor Ozil was playing, these idiots turn up at the game with a predetermined view on who to slag, all the soundbites already learnt off and ready to use, regardless of what actually happens.
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Well, that was an immensely enjoyable night.
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Limestone – I’d love to touch base sometime, only just got home to read the comments so missed your earlier one. Maybe next time – terrific you are having such a good time at the stadium and that your lad is buying into it all!
NOTH – I think you are mixing Passenal with Anicoll (Andrew) who was very rude (as usual) the other day when I copy and pasted the recent Arsenal financial summary for 2013-14. Passenal’s never rude, only wise.
I’m now planning an entire week’s worth of financials the week of the shareholders meeting btw.
Hope that helps everybody.
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For a manager who doesn’t really spend the money these days it was good to see Cazorla, Ozil, Alexis, Chambers, Ospina and Welbeck (all bought in the last 3 summer windows) playing so nicely tonight.
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Pedro’s blog followers are what they are, he lets them post that stuff. If it wasn’t for that fact I’d give him the time of day.
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AA we want a powerpoint show!
Except George who needs an A4 printout.
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DC – imagine, Anicoll would be livid!
We’d be one banned smiley thing from a full-scale PA meltdown.
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Santi was insanely good today.
The Emirates was vandalized. It all feels a bit dirty.
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its like fans like to blame szcz this days in other to protect some other players. just as he was blamed on saturday for a fault which was clearly and remotely not his, he was also being blamed for the goal we conceded last night. he was right to come out for the ball as that is his style. his only fault is pulling back at the last moment. if he had gone fully, he would have got the ball as his timing was right.
and as wenger said, the fault is from sanchez who gave the ball away in the middle giving no chance for the defenders.
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over the years what i have learnt of arsene’s signings is that the price tag matters the least. infact big price tags have and can sometimes hinder performance of certain players. and this season, chambers and welbs have again shown that most fans know nothing about transfer and player’s worth. fans like super stars. wenger will likely give them one a season while still going out to buy players that the team actually needs.
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chamber is too talented to know his best position. like luis said of messi, he can even be a very good center forward if tried in that position. he played the central defence as if thats his prefered position. but the way he played the right back inthe last two games, i dont know if thats where he will end up.
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cant see my comments!
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I don’t know about vandalized, but it was a burst of pique from supporters unhappy to be down so soon by two goals. Early Guy Fawkes celebration?
Andrew–would enjoy connecting. My hope is to catch 2-3 league home matches and above all an away match at some point. An FA cup fixture. Another European night–these really feel special. Maybe a league or FA cup match are the best for meeting up on a weekend before or after. Oo to, Oo to be, Oo to be a s.t. holdah!
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I agree Santi was really outstanding. Unlucky not to get our fifth in extra time. That would have punctuated a fantastic drubbing.
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Good point Layks – it was a very slick bit of passing by Gala on the edge of our box to go straight through on Szcz – deserved a goal.
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I saw a quip on Twitter last night about the painful Tony Gale, and his current managerial job as supremo at the mighty Walton Casuals, a team firmly rooted to the foot of the Ryman Southern League with 5 points from 12 games.
Seven tiers down in the English League system I have no idea where relegation would take them.
And this clown was yapping at Wenger and Prandelli last night.
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Good plan Limestone – certainly weekend fixtures are best for catching people as there’s generally more time available compared to week nights.
Press are predictably all over Arsenal this morning (in a good way) but Liverpool are getting it in the neck, including from their own. But take out two key players (one permanently) and throw in a top European competition mixed with a big dollop of potent high expectation, and at some point the wheels may well come off. Watch as an entire summer of buy, buy, buy curdles into an autumn of bye, bye, bye and a rotten Xmas.
Look and learn, Goners, look and learn.
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Credit where credit’s due, Amy Lawrence wrote this more than decent piece in The Grauniad about last night. I particularly like her Santi Cazorla observation, and not altogether surprisingly the comments section seems to have attracted a more measured response than those that typify some of the more strident blog sites.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/oct/01/arsenal-danny-welbeck-mesut-ozil-alexis-sanchez
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if players bought by wenger over the years have proved anything, it is that price tag has nothing to do with how well you perform of fit into our style of play. infact, to the contrary, the price might have inhabited some of them. what arsenal fans want is just for us to sign super stars just to prove we are ambitious or a big club. wenger has found a way to make them happy by giving them one every season while still going out to buy players we really need regardless of their status. chambers and welbeck are the signing of the season for me.
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chambers is so talented that it is difficult to know his best position. he is not your regular utility player who is jack of all trade. he is just so good that i think he can be a good center forward if he chooses to. he is just excited to play every position at the moment.
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anicoll, i like proactive goalkeepers. i hate it when they dont flow with the game. when the play as if their duty is just within the six yard. that’s why jens is still my favourite. remember we were told some years back that all arsenal goalkeepers are bad. but now three of those goalkeepers are regular first choice in the league. and the best of the three as you know is the one with us at the moment. but the media and pundits will always find something wrong about our goalkeeper. unfortunately arsenal fans will never learn.
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Currently 22 minutes and counting processing a credit card transaction for my Burnley ticket
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It does ask me to be patient admittedly
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Best part of 25 minutes to elbow my way to the front of the queue to buy the ticket
And the same again to “process the transaction” is quite a lot of patience to be honest
About half a game of football in fact
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There will however come a moment when I tell then to stick their ticket up their arse
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no – still no movement
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Thats it – transaction cancelled
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the team is clicking and clicking well. welbeck is a monster and i have no shame in admitting he has humbled me already..when they bought falcao and we welbeck, i was slightly disappointed..how wrong was i?! premier league experience definitely counts, he really young and that pace ..oh my god that pace!! its just electric as arsene puts it.
common arsenal shred chelsea now!!
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Hello Mills, welcome to PA!
In the spirit of fairness I note that Keown was on the Bleeb last night. Had a listen to his post game comments at breakfast. I’m not the only one who has noticed that at times he has to restrain himself from throttling the hacks he is sat with (on more then one occasion!), veins have been heard popping. But he loves the game and his teams’ so much that he keeps his focus on the football and it’s always great to hear him on an Arsenal or England game.
I can’t believe the Bleeb promoted that failed coach and monotic bore Neville Neville Jnr. during the WC over Keown. Well, actually, i can believe it. Makes perfect sense!
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That was nice though, eh?
A front three of Welbeck, Alexis and Chamberlain who was also outstanding. Özil feeding them like some kind of evil pusher.
Blimey.
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It’s a real shame to lose the tactical variations provided by Giroud. That would really mess up the opposition if the runners weren’t finding the spaces, or if you were playing, say, Dortmund away! We’ll just have to make do with, I don’t know, Sanchez, Walcott or some others if thatguyWelbz needs a breather/rest at some point. Terrible. Isn’t it?
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18 years of Arsene Wenger and he is certainly as good as ever. Cautiously optimistic about Sunday. If we can lesson the number of self-inflicted wounds we should have enough talent upfront to win.
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Sorry about your ticket travails Andy Nic. The failure of proper video analysis of Red Ticket membership sales was highlighted yesterday. I am hoping that nearer the day the fact that it is “only Bolton” and the last weekend of Half Term will mean more than a few Season Ticket holders release seats on to the ticket exchange.
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Now the English media are experts at telling Wenger who to play and where. Amy Lawrence and Jeremy Wilson are the latest examples.Few days ago they were criticizing Wenger for not having a physically dominating defensive midfielder. Now we have the greatest midfielders since slice bread. Called blowing with the wind. A pox on most of the.
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Tackle on Sanchez:
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Kos 6 amongst the flames:
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According to those in the know, £70 odd million wasted, innit?:
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Is the ref thinking: Pity Melo didn’t break his fking ankle?
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It seems quite a long time ago already but I vividly remember seeing Welbeck start for United in their ill-fated MK Dons tie and thinking how mobile he seemed and how hard he tried when the game was turning against them. I also thought how fed up he must have felt then, being just a young man and already deemed surplus to requirements. When I first heard we were interested I was seriously excited, and spent the latter part of September 1st in a state of complete agitation until the deal was finally done. That large parts of the fanbase were openly hostile to his move only made me more confident that he was just what we were looking for, especially as he soon broadcast his abilities with an International brace. Last night was special for him and let’s hope he remains special for us for some time
I am also very pleased that just as he is coming onto the scene we have given a new contract to that most under-rated of strikers, Olivier Giroud. Electric Welbz can learn a few tricks from him, and should the two of them ever play together it will make life interesting for the opposition centre backs. Who knows, we might even score from a corner! Giroud is a fine player and one I wish a speedy recovery to.
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Hi Fins, I love your posts over at UA, and you and Gord are great on hunting down the bs of the BBC!It was funny to see that guy Ash79 get whipped this week!
I also love Ranettas posts at UA, great pics thanks for posting them here,the one of Kos is excellent.
Good to see a lot of UA/PA ers here and there.Im not sure how many UAers know of PA, I think they would like it. If I wanted to submit and article for posting on PA to whom can I send it?
I’ll spread the word as best I can.And massive respect to Pedantic George for verbally goosing the hell out of the AAA!
Great game yesterday,a tonic for our times. I think the lads and Wenger will be up for Chelsea, this might be the one…
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Outrageous tackle from Melo – straight red – no messing about – pity he was booked because he could have been punished retrospectively
And you will all no doubt be pleased to hear that having ranted long and hard at the ticket office, and eventually told them to fuck the Burnley ticket and I would not bother, I go back on line to find my transaction confirmed.
The little scallywags
Peter at the George breathed a sigh of relief I know
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I know its Spursday Thursday but I might just watch Besiktas at the Lane tonight – if the Turks play like they did against us, and don’t go all suicidal at the back, they will give Spuds a hard match.
One of the pleasures in life really – watching the Hotspurs fail at home
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Mills, If you like I can Email my Email to the address you post here on. Or follow me on twitter and message me and I’ll DM it to you @Blackburngeorge
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Thanks Mills. I try my best to keep my groaning about the referees and hacking (ankle stomps are this season’s flavour) on Untold. Don’t want to be upsetting Anicoll…(insert banned smiley face).
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FH
Amy seems surprised to see Carzola in CM. I think she must’ve forgotten the game at Fulham last season which was a stand out performance early last season for the midfield. Obviously Fulham were in trouble, but Jol was still drooling over the Arsenal midfield in his pressed after that game. The trio in the centre were Ramsey, Rosicky and Cazorla. I think the latter two played behind Cazorla on the team sheet, but in truth Rozza and Santi were all over the place which is why Jol was so impressed, with Ramsey playing a deeper role that he might go on to play in the future (I have no idea!).
Cazorla played all over the park for Pellegrini, but it’s true that in his younger years he played more often as a wide midfielder. It’s a natural and much observed progession to see such players play a little bit more in the centre every now and again especially as they get older, as Cazrola has done since moving to the Arsenal.
I suppose a hacks job is to invent narratives. They have to keep on churning through that sludge in order to produce the finest cheese.
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Thanks Pedantic George,if you could email your email address to my email address as Im not on twitter-I’ll send it over when it gets done.
Cheers!
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