Is it the game that’s funny, the fans or Arsenal’s cash flow?
I was chatting to someone during the game last night who made the point that in the 1960’s and ’70’s we hardly knew who was running the club beyond the Manager. Relatively little was really known about Bertie Mee, even, let alone the Assistant Manager, Physio, the Board, majority or minority shareholders. Attention was fixed on the players pretty much exclusively and, happily, on the wider stage, the ‘culture’ of the game was sufficiently slow and violent to exclude most referees from too much scrutiny. Probably helped that there was next to no football on tv compared to the modern game.
The idea that the ordinary, unbriefed fan might be making judgements about the cash flow of the club in that era would have been completely laughable.
As many are aware, a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.
But this has been one of the biggest gifts of the online age; it’s ability to throw up wave after wave of those willing to be exposed as having noticeably thin scraps of expertise loosely dressed up as ‘knowledge’ propagated on a platform with almost infinite reach. This indiscriminate dissemination of half-formed views is as efficient as the ability it offers the unwary to dash their own personal reputation on the rock of flimsy logic and foolish conjecture. Sharing their views, fleetingly presented as ‘the facts’ until the white horse of truth gallops in from the wings to save us all.
So, another very decent article from Trader Chris on PA yesterday highlighted that few habits are as potentially risky to one’s credibility as making wild and largely unsubstantiated claims about the club’s accounts whilst possessing next to no understanding of the mechanics of cash flow or the importance of budgeting.
Such people – and this probably applies to 99% of fans – really should just concentrate on the football.
Especially those at the back.
Talking of the football, a decent result last night against a magnificently supported German outfit, none of whose supporters, to my knowledge, appeared to be discussing depreciating assets or waving hi-end A4 “Klopp Out” banners. Someone tweeted me that this is linked to the price of their tickets although I don’t recall seeing similar scenes on the terraces in the lower and presumably cheaper echelons of the English league. But, we are told, the downward pressure on morale caused by having to pay for the ‘most expensive tickets in the game’ is now one of the keys to understanding the mindset of the typical Arsenal supporter.
To me, Arsenal’s German Quarter just looked like 3,000 fans taking pride in themselves as much as their team and they are a credit to their club, regardless of any debate on ticketing prices.
Give yourselves a hand …
For Arsenal, the result was pleasing both in the score and in the manner of the way a team that is still badly fractured by injury went about it’s business.
Some have heralded the significance of the return to form of Aaron Ramsey who has himself recently alluded to the fine-tuning going on at squad-level in training and on the pitch.
The loss to any side of players with the outstanding form of midfielder Aaron Ramsey alongside the injuries to key contributors in attack and defence such as Theo and Kos would have had huge consequences.
That the winner of our Champions’ League group is still in the balance not to mention our place in the English league, is little short of a miracle given the vital importance of these three players alone. Factor in the rest of the injuries and we can see that actually, although not all results have gone our way and in-game finishing and defending errors have clearly been made, what we have here could yet prove to be our strongest squad in many, many years.
That the three of Kos, Theo and Ramsey are about to be reunited is of huge significance both for the Premier League and our future progress in the Champions’ League.
Now if people were to stop wrestling with transfer budgets and get to grips with the realities of the season, they might just begin to appreciate all this.
Sadly, as evidenced last night at least, the joy of an Arsenal win is rarely as heartily celebrated on Twitter or the Blogosphere as are the setbacks, so in certain quarters I suspect the ‘expert’ focus of some may lie elsewhere, for now, at least.
Funny old things, fans.
Positively Arsenal 
Santi’s best game for a while, and it just shows what a skilful intelligent player his is.
Giro and Welly worked well together, and despite a nerve wracking last 10 minutes the defence looked sound and the whole team defended well overall. Loved it.
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I suppose Monreal has been added to the growing injury roster?
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4 easy days coming up.
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I see Benik Afobe has scored a hat-trick for MK Dons. I’m not one of those who think he’s the answer to our prayers – actually think he may have found his level – but it’s good to see him getting a run of games and some success at last.
Didn’t catch today’s game – just happy with the result. Two “straight” wins, begorra.
Bring on So’ton. Let’s burst their bubble (even it doesn’t get burst tomorrow).
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“if it doesn’t get burst tomorrow” that should have been.
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difficult to know about benik because hes not had a clear run without injury, I think he can definitley play higher than this level but wheather its with us or not remains to be seen. I think actually Chuba has more potential though
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I was very pleased with Steve MacManaman’s response to that disgusting sign….
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Well done those two Irish lads….
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Good, solid performance, I thought, we should get stronger…..looking forward to Debuchy returning….
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I’d take a hard fought 1-0 away win any time!
Well done to the team,
Infuriating that a hand full of total bollixes have to push the agenda back onto themselves again.
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Wednesday’s Southampton game is a massive 6 pointer for us.
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Just what the doctor ordered.
3 points
Clean sheet
Koscielny back
Santi MOM
Welbzz scored
Rambo energetic
Ox rested and fresh for S’oton.
Let the season roll on.
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Monreal, Gibbs and Ox all injured today, Wenger says he will know more when they are assessed on Monday.
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I see Fresh Arsenal have totally distorted what Wenger said about signing in January. They make it out that he said “we will sign at least one player in January”, when in fact Wenger said “we will, of course try to add one body”. A very sly little trick by Fresh Arsenal,
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It seems the bannerwankers and/or their mates are upset that GeoffArsenal tweeted his opinion on the banner,
it seems their complaints are hollow about how it was wrong for Arsenal stewards to not allow them to show the banner at the Emirates as its an infringement of their rights to free speech (as the banner is only their opinion), seeing as they are so annoyed at GeoffArsenal for expressing his opinion of them. The laughable thing is that some of their followers say it was wrong of Geoff cos he has a massive following.
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Cazorla had a very good game against Dortmund too. Incredible control of the BFGs fast pass followed by the inch perfect pass forward for Sanchez and the second goal.
Brilliant leap by Welbeck for the goal today, brilliant goal.
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Looks like we could be without a proper left-back for Wednesday.
Wenger Aht! Why didn’t he buy another 3 back in the summer – he should’ve known this would happen.
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eduardo, the banner wankers need to accept that if it’s okay for them to publicly express their opinion, others will have the right to publicly express their opinion too. Apparently they are upset that their identities have been revealed on Twitter. They are a classic example of what is wrong with the internet generation – they are happy to give forth anonymously online, but ask them to stand behind their opinion and they quickly fade away.
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The last two quick goals scored set
up by passes out from the back, today’s goal following from the opposition goal kick, Wednesdays second a break after Ramsey D/CM’d about the place
Don’t care what the bannerwankers have to say, most football fans are laughing at them. It’s going to be a long three years for those Arsenal Holes. Forget all the rest – what we have here is the phenomenon of the AAAA protesting against staying in the top four after losing the two key players , rebuilding in short they are protesting against winning the FA Cup. That is the simplest summary.
“Acute Dysphoria”?
Saw it after the last 5pur2s game.
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Good morning positivistas and George,
There is a new post on GunnersoreArse… it is Sunday after all. Just for a laugh, you understand, anyone who is a fan of Silent Stan, please don’t be offended. It’s titled, Silence of the Stans……… Certificate PG, so perhaps Fins should talk to his mum and dad before reading it http://wp.me/p4FeF9-ni
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Thanks for that fh – I missed the game too and have only seen the goal on TV news.
I think we’ve all been noticing Santi’s and Aaron’s returns to form, although I admit I hadn’t spotted the weight loss in Santi’s case. Martinez has indeed been something of a revelation. Very encouraging all round.
I said before the Dortmund game that two wins could put a different feel on things – wins breed more wins and another one on Wednesday would give us a lot of momentum for the trip to Stoke. The injury issue is quite a big concern again – just as we were welcoming players back, we lose some others.
Szczesny, Ospina, Monreal?, Gibbs?, Debuchy, Arteta, Wilshire, Diaby, Özil, Walcott, Sanogo. If you imagine Ospina as a CB for a moment, that’s a whole team.
On the other hand, we had Campbell, Podolski, Rosicky and Bellerin on the bench yesterday, and Akpom champing at the bit in the wings, so all is not doom and gloom. Still some depth there.
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New post (well newish) http://wp.me/p37nXa-18m
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