(This blog is partially inspired by the 160,000+ Australian fans who showed their love for The Arsenal over two games in Sydney this past week. True love is based on shared values.)
Believe it or not football fans, July 1st is the official start of the new football year, at least in Europe. As of June 30th the books were closed on the old year. The turning of the calendar is the start of new beginnings. Players’ contracts expired or advanced one more year. So it did for many administrators and staff who survived the twists and turns of the previous season. Some may have already been collateral damage as owners engaged in the obligatory sacking of managers and their staff mid-season while others had to endure the pain of relegation knowing full well they would not survive the changed economic circumstances of their club.
In such a ruthless economic climate it is a wonder so many fans retain year-in, year out, that undying, innocent, enduring love of their professional football club. It seems to me that as of July 1st, most fans forget the pain, disappointments and frustrations of the past year and begin to look forward to a new year of hope and opportunity, in most cases, somewhat naively in my humble opinion. That is unless you are a bitter Wenger-outer who foresees a dark, bleak world until the Professor is sacked and a bright, new shiny manager is appointed who will immediately outspend United, City and Chelsea and lead Arsenal to a glorious, golden future of unchallenged success in both Premier and Champion’s Leagues.
Apart from such nonsensical delusions by the Wenger-haters, the vast majority of Arsenal fans remain proverbial optimists, ever hopeful that the club will challenge for the title next season. I happen to be among them despite cultivating the image (successfully I hope) of a cold, dispassionate analyst who despairs at our falling possession stats, lack of chances created from midfield, etc.
During my recent vacation, when I finally emerged from the 9-month football bubble that is the Premier League season, I discovered that such optimism is not shared by the average non-Arsenal football fan. In fact, those who are aware of my voluntarily writing a weekly blog for PA think, if not mad then I am clearly delusional. Why should someone in their right mind express such overt support for a football club that came 5th in the League even if they won the FA cup. These same persons by the way, particularly United supporters, are oblivious of the irony that the Red Devils came 6th in the League and only sneaked into the Champions League via UEFA’s consolation prize (Europa title) in one of (Ed.) the dullest finals in football history.
As for being delusional I must admit that, like most of my readers, I am a bit of an obsessive-compulsive. How else do you explain such devotion to a sport and a football club year-round.
I suspect only amateur psychologists would consider the mumbo-jumbo above sufficient explanation for our enduring love and optimism for club. If being an obsessive-compulsive was the underlying reason for the love of our marital partner or significant-other, then how does that explain our neglect of them during the football season. Evidently that obsession must be very fleeting or transient, i.e. anti-obsessive.
Like love of any type, supporting a football club is surely very personal and due to complex reasons. I initially fell in love with the club 13-years ago because Arsenal played beautiful football. Like sex it was not always orgasmic and to be frank there were many, too many, poor games over the years. But the club was always genuinely committed to playing football the right way, even when it had to break-up The Invincibles and sell off several great players to pay for the new stadium. Over time I learnt that the manager had a deep and abiding commitment to beautiful football. In his own words:
“Football is an art, like dancing is an art – but only when it’s well done does it become an art.”
I am convinced that the key to Wenger’s longevity at Arsenal, despite the haters, despite the many disappointments, despite the failure to win a title in 13 years, is his commitment to football as an art. Playing the “Arsenal way” is now a commonly accepted part of football lexicon. Supporters of the club have deep, divisive debates as to whether so and so is an “Arsenal player”. How many other clubs dare hold such discussions and not hold themselves to contempt and rididicule? Can you imagine a United supporter proudly advocating the “Mourinho way”? Or fiercely arging that a 6 foot plus mountain of a man with the first touch of concrete is an ideal “United player”?
While it is easy to disparage him for the recent lack of titles, even though to date he has made Arsenal the 2nd most successful club in the Premier League, it is readily apparent to those who have two neurons and working synapse that Arsene Wenger is building a foundation and a philosophy of playing that will outlast by generations, if not ages. His legacy is in sharp contrast to the the transient work of the many cheque book managers who win titles but contribute nothing to the sustainable future of the football club with which they were entrusted.
Going back to the metaphor of enduring relationships, Arsenal may not flash the most bling, not be the biggest spenders, have the most attractive bod, but it certainly has class and values that can sustain a relationship with its supporters. How else do you explain over 160,000 fans packing one of the largest stadiums in Australia in the recently ended tour of Sydney, to support the club over two games playing against League One level opponents?
Isn’t this demonstration that the values of the club are universally appreciated the wind in our sails as we embark on a new campaign? Players come and go, no matter how famous (note to Alexis Sanchez), strategy and tactics change, but the club stands for something beyond merely winning games. In the words of Arsene:
“I believe that despite all the money a club is about identity. Identity is about values and values have been carried through the generations through somebody. Is it the chairman, is it the manager, is it some players who stay for a long period at the club? I hope it will always be the case. It’s not only about spending money or sacking the manager.
“Football has to be a bit bigger than that. That’s why I believe the big clubs worry about values and identity. We have to be conscious that that is important as well.”
Naught more needs to be said.
Positively Arsenal 
either that or we actually play Martinez, Macey, Illiev, keto, virgiana or crean
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Typical Wenger. Only plays kids. Can’t handle big egos.
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Wow. Only a minute out. I don’t sit here hitting refresh every 10 seconds. Promise.
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disgraceful headline from a so called Arsenal blog
“Arsenal youth player jailed for drug possession”
I have not read the story, but I’m sure its a rip off of a redtop story earlier in the week and it concerns a former Arsenal schoolboy player, he left AFC when he was 12 or 13, and played longer for Wimbledon FC than he did for AFC. We expect little more form the redtops than to sully the name of AFC at every chance, but for a so called Arsenal blog to stoop to these levels beggars belief, shame on Daily Cannon.
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Juventus confirm that Szczesny has passed a medical with them. Completion of his move is very close.
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I wonder why AFC Bournemouth are not trying to sign Jack Wilshere, after having him on loan for a season.
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The most important takeaway from that Wenger interview: “We are still in th market.” Over 6 weeks to go with most deals happening in the last week of the window. I am still hopeful of seeing Thomas Lemar lured to the Emirates despite dogged resistance by Monaco. They just can’t match the wages we can offer and anything close to €50 million is something the owner may find difficult to resist. Watch this space.
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shotta
But we’re told it’s fact that Monaco have no need to sell and would not want to lose any more players. Somehow they’ve avoided a selling club tag.
Personally, I think Wenger’s ‘we’re still in the market’ interview suggests a slight change of tack. Remember we’re on tour, and the idea of that beyond the marketing is to get the team to focus ahead and work on things in training.
Meanwhile we’ll also be looking to sell some players. Szczesny is one. Gibbs and Perez might be others seeing as they were left behind. Some rumours around Chambers though I can only imagine we’ll sell him because we’re looking to promote Bielik (who skipped his holiday to be on tour)
If we’re exploring all options in the market, wouldn’t we like to know a) if any of the youngsters are ready to step up, and b) what our budget is like depending on sales? I know I would. As such I wouldn’t expect any new signing before we sell some players, and Wenger’s had more time (and pre season games) to assess the youngsters. (There’s also contracts to be negotiated which will impact the budgets)
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very important to sell some players before we commit to buying any more, after all if we bring in all our targets and by so doing have ten or more players too many for the 25 man squad, any buying club will have us over a barrel, as we will have players on big wages that we can not include in our squad, several of whom have only one year left on their contracts. So we need to sell first and actually have room for any new buys.
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Arsenal v Bayern Munich today is not on Arsenal player, we don’t have the rights to it.
Probably a stream out there somewhere
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David Squires at his excellent best on Roman Abramovich and the birth of CFC
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I’m going to make a blind and wild stab into the ineffable darkness and speculate that Monaco are not maliciously targeted by the business partners of the super agents in the funny papers as they like to line the bulletproof vests of the SuperAgents (and their various genres of business partners).
Or it might be because said buisiness partners describe AFC as a shambles.
Which could it be?
I’ll have to put my thinking cap on and observe the last two decades of constant reportage in order to avoid making any rational understanding that AFC have and do operate in a different market since before AW arrived at the club. We can only reasonably and fairly assume that the uber blaggers completely and constantly swerve this record because: they are idiots or liars.
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Shard/Eduardo: Arsenal have to sell to buy?
This is inconsistent with the publicly reported financial resources and our increased spending capacity. Since 2014-15 AFC have spent over £200 million on new players including £90 million last year. So far this summer the club reportedly spent approx £45 million on on one player and another on a free. The trend is clear; the club has more money and it is spending. As for the selling side; given the prices being quoted for those players left at home for the Asian tour and who are clearly being flogged on the market, it would be a foolhardy person to expect anything substantial to seriously go after a better quality player to strengthen our existing squad. In my opinion the primary goal of selling these players is to reduce an already bloated squad and to get there not inconsiderable wages off the books.
For all the reasons above and others, I take Wenger seriously; we in the market with or without any player sales.
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Anyone know the score?
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Fins: The Russian who owns Monaco is now acting in a perfectly rational fashion. Initially he went on a huge spending binge, a la Abramovich, but discovered he was losing his shirt being a small club in a modestly-sized market relative to England. He abandoned the sugar-daddy model and by definition the super-agents. He is content to bring in young talent in on the cheap, develop them without the pressure of huge expectations, hope they will sparkle in the French league and in Europe, and eventually sell-on for a huge profit. Last season he hit the jackpot. But reality is Monaco is a selling club by virtue of size and resources. No way can they pay the wages and the much larger stage to perform that the top-top clubs can offer. This, for example, was the reason United could not hold onto Ronaldo when Madrid came calling. Sooner or later Monaco will sell Mbappe, Lemar, Mendy and Fabinho. Already Silva and Bakayoko were sold. In such a scenario the role of the super-agent is limited. The Russian doesn’t need Raiola or Mendez as over-priced pimps whoring out his players. They legitimately sell themselves.
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shotta
Need? No, of course not. Would like to? Yes.
Getting their wages off the books determines budgets too. Not sure where Arsenal currently stand or how far they are prepared to go, but as a general practice Arsenal wanted to keep their wages to turnover ratio at around 55%, certainly below 60%. Last I saw we were at 55%.
Getting a few players like Gibbs, Debuchy, Jenkinson, Wlshere Chambers and Perez off the books could result in something like 50m in transfer fees and maybe 300-400k per week in wages. A not insubstantial amount. And this could be the difference between buying a (e.g) Naby Keita or Lemar instead of a less desirable and cheaper alternative.
Plus, the point about young players and assessing them stands. Maitland-Niles is now officially a member of the first team. Pretty sure him being on tour contributed towards that and this will mean we won’t buy young potential in his position. Similarly, Nelson and Bielik’s performances could determine our other business (including selling Chambers)
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Arsenal FCVerified account @Arsenal 52m52 minutes ago
Our team to play @FCBayern: Cech, Bielik, Mertesacker, Monreal, Maitland-Niles, Coquelin, Xhaka, Kolasinac, Ozil, Welbeck, Lacazette
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shotta I’m not saying we have to sell before we buy cos we need the money, all I’m saying is that we are around 10 players too many over the age of 21, so it would not be a bad idea to sell a good number of them before we buy more. especially those with only one year left on their contracts that we want rid of. So that buying clubs can not drive down the fee due to our need to get them off the pay roll.
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late change to the starting 11, Per is ill so Elneny come in for him
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http://firstrow1uk.eu/soccer/bayern-munich-arsenal-frsc4302?l=2997345528
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per out ill, kos seemingly out with a worry over his achilles, and giroud not in sub according to reports
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looks like lacazette up front with welbeck wide left
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diving cunt is giving a penalty
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1-0 to BM
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ozil volley straight at the goalie
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bayern with a goal wrongly ruled out for offside
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goalie saves one on one with lacazette
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HT: Arsenal 0-1 Bayern Munich
lew from a very dodgy penalty, bm have had a goal wrongly ruled out, and they have mostly dominated the game, far sharper in most aspects of the game, AFC passing is off, and there seems a lack of energy, per went down sick before the game, and its suggested that Kolasinac was taken off just before half time with illness too. Maybe more of them with the bug too.
ozil and lacazette came very close to scoring for Arsenal, but cech has kept us in the game with a lot of good saves. its something like 13 shot to 3 in favor of bm
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Szczesny has joined Juventus, this makes me sad.
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although fcb have had several, but we had two glorious chances we failed to convert. their goal was from a penalty that shouldnt have been given. cech has been great. and i like bielik even though he made some errors. kolasinac will be important for us this season.
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bramall, willock, walcott and iwobi on for the second half
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i guess wenger didnt give him clear view of the future beyond this season. since he is also likely to play on the bench for juventus but for this season only.
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these officials are woeful
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Can it be they study how we are refereed beforehand?
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the ref is a joke, totally out of his depth
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ramsey on for xhaka
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martinez on for cech
nketiah on for welbeck
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iwobiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii 1-1 late in stoppage time
iwobi with a bursting run from midfield, he played it out to ramsey who crossed it back in for iwobi to head home
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I know I should not have celebrated that goal so hard,because it’s only Pre-Season , but…!
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FT: 1-1
seemingly its going to penalties
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Martinez saves the first one
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Ramsey scores
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bayern score their second pen
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elneny has his penalty saved, it was at a good height for the keeper 1-1
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bayern score, martinez got close
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monreal scores, powered into top corner 2-2
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renato sanches hits the bar
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