I think we made the wrong decisions after 2007/08. Arguably that season held our best team since the invincibles. Before that season our business: Out: Muamba Henry Aliadiere Ljungberg Reyes In: Fabianski Sagna Eduardo Diarra Diarra was sold by January. Out: Lehmann Flamini Hleb Gilberto Effectively we lost Rosicky and Eduardo too. So in the course of two years we lost: Henry Ljungberg Aliadiere Reyes Lehmann Muamba Diarra Flamini Hleb Eduardo Rosicky Gilberto And gained: Fabianski Sagna Nasri Ramsey Vela Arshavin. We had opportunities to get players like Xabi Alonso but we didn't get him. We were close to buying him, but Wenger decided he was too expensive. We put faith in Denilson. Imagine a combination of Alonso and Fabregas in a 4-4-2. Lethal. Even better than Flamini/Cesc. Our midfield could have literally been: Nasri--Fabregas--Alonso--Walcott Imagine that today. Practically mouthwatering. When it became clear last summer that Nasri was off we could have got Mata. Mata---------Walcott ----Xabi-Arteta------ ------Song--------- We could have had that. Again that prospect is very attractive. Especially reuniting Alonso and Arteta. We had enough money in the bank and, knowing the amount City were stumping up, we should have bought him at a £5m profit. In 2008 David Villa practically gave a "come get me" plea to Arsenal. "I watch the Premier League a lot and the team I'm most attracted to is definitely Arsenal. "Their brilliant one and two-touch football and the whole style of rapid counter-attack which dominates the top level of the Premier League now is the one that suits my game best of all." His words. So after knowing Adebayor wanted out, we could have sold him early, and invest the money straight into this great striker. Partner him with RVP, or play him alone up front when RVP is injured it makes no difference. We should have done this: -----------Villa---RVP--- Nasri--Fabregas-Xabi--Walcott But no. We get to have £100m+ in the bank and a team that's not good enough. Could we have bought these kinds of players without going into further debt? Yes, at each opportunity we had cash coming in. Only with Alonso did we not have a direct like-for-like situation. However we had the sale of Henry the year before which we could have used. Could we attract Villa, Alonso and Mata today? Probably not. Football is about timing. In the past Wenger got this spot on. The way players followed on was obvious: Overmars-Pires-Hleb-Nasri Wright-Anelka-Henry-Adebayor(not in their league but a replacement nonetheless) Bergkamp-RVP Dixon-Lauren-Eboue-Sagna Ljungberg-Rosicky Vieira-Fabregas Adams-Campbell Toure-Vermaelen Winterburn-Cole-Clichy But he's made too many mistakes. Too many loose ends: Fabregas- Ramsey? Nasri- Gervinho? Eboue- Jenkinson? Clichy- Gibbs? They're not of the same level. And I know that most of the great players weren't world beaters when we got them but they weren't unknown. Fabregas was U-17 WC golden player. Nasri was highly rated, try playing FIFA 08, he reaches 90+ within a few seasons. It's not just behind the scenes. It's not just defensive coaches, awful execs and the rest of it. It's simply transfer policy. We could have done it so much better.
Couldn't agree more. The transfer policy and decisions have been bad. I listened to an interview with Stewart Robson if I recall correctly that several players were lined up only for teh transfers not to materialise. Xabi Alonso was mentioned, Juan Mata and I think Villa as well perhaps. The decision making in this area also grinds along at a snail's pace so players then make their own plans in the absence of ours. Transfers though are a part of the problem since there isn't the right input I feel, to bring the best or get out of the players. I recall that away match a year ago when we trailed at HT only for Arsene to ' really motivate ' the players during the break which resulted in a victory for us. That we give away goals too cheaply is often referred to by Arsene but what evidence is there that he does something or anything that is adequate about it? We make the same mistakes match after match but these do not appear to be rectified. If we go on like that there will be problems in every department and it will be out of control and more difficult to put right.
I agree with our learned friend from Kingston upon Thames. Messrs Kroenke and Gazidis need to find new pastures to play out their grand schemes. Preferably on another planet.
Very impressive article. The sad thing is that I cannot see a change in direction in the horizon with Stan and Gaz at the helm... I also cannot see them relinquishing control of the club to Mr Usmanov. So we have to steady ourselves for desperate times at the Emirates, at least I was there during the successful Wenger era and will hold on to those memories. We have gone to needing a couple of players to see us challenging to needing 7 quality players. Gone are the days of seeing us replace quality with quality. If the rumours are to be believed that RVP. Walcott and Song have less than 2yrs on their contracts then things are more serious than I thought. As it is one thing failing to attract big players, it is another keeping hold of your big players!
My less-than-informed opinion was that Stan would quietly be attempting to increase the clubs marketing etc. behind the scenes - exploit foreign markets and such like. I think that can only be a positive thing. The money is there, I don't want to see Usmanov in control, and I don't want to see Kroenke dipping into his own pocket to buy players. I'm hopeful that the FFP rules will make the league a much more level playing field in the years to come, and over-spending now is a bad move. Gazidis was heralded for his negotiation skills when he first came to the job. He came with good pedigree, and quickly signed up decent players to long-term contracts. I'm slowly, very very slowly, starting to think that Wenger may, after all, be part of the problem. And that worries me, a lot, as I've always been a staunch supporter of his in the past.
It was a grave mistake to have allowed Stan to acquire those shares. I hope we do not have to pay in the long run. When a football club changes it's focus and forgets about success on the pitch even in the short term, what then is left? Alex Flynn may yet have to add further chapters to his book.
If I hear about this FFP rules again I will eat my laptop! The FFP is not a magic wand, we have issues in house that the FFP will not solve.... The way we are headed, I doubt we will be able to generate enough revenue to pay our players! We seriously need to get our house in order and not keep going on about some frigging FFP Rule, that clubs will circumvent.....
he (Stan) sure is a quiet partner. Comatose even. I hope Usmanov offers him a £billion and buys the club - else we drift to the plughole. Wenger will continue to 'I believe' until we are relegated.
Ooh...inspirational quotes time To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift (Steve Prefontaine) I hated every minute of training, but I thought, work hard now, and live the rest of your life a champion (Muhammed Ali) Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later the man who wins, is the man who thinks he can (Bruce Lee) Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail (Ralph Emerson)
