It will be false economy not to spend this month. If we don't make the Champions League next season who will want to sign for us then, not to mention players like RVP who will want to leave. It amazes me that Wenger and Gazidis cannot see this, we could be looking at our club going the way of Leeds if they don't do something and soon. BTW no sign of Piskie today.
I disagree with your last paragraph. At Highbury Wenger only ever spent a max of £20m per season on players. Our stadium debt was broken down into 2 parts, c£350m bond scheme for construction - £20m per year repayment - long term and £120m bank loan - ring fenced - the sale of the Highbury flats covered that loan. So the only fiscal handicap we had, according to my understanding, was £20m per year. Arsenal's gate receipts are approx £100m per year, compared to Spurs (36,000 seater), for example, of £28m per year. We can estimate that Highbury (38,000 seater) probably made us £30-40m max. We have more than doubled our income from gate receipts - this more than covers the interest payments and should've allowed Wenger to at least continue spending how he was at Highbury when he made us Invincibles !!!!
I recall only too well the questioning of Gazidis in the spring of 2011 by R5Live when it was put to him that in the absence of trophies or the possibility of winning them,, important players like Fabregas would leave. Gazidis seemed unmoved and continued insisting on his sustainable model. Fool's gold of a model. What would one expect from a fool? Piskie was around but larking instead and mildly off-topic on another of the stickied thread. One that was started by him of course. Seeking shelter from the storm when caught without a brolley springs to mind. Being caught unprepared of course is the question we keep asking of our club. Seems there are those who are happy with the way things are. " Glass Empty's " missing too. Big surprise that. At least we don't have to put up with all that drivel.
Hothead - and we are paying far too many no-hopers really good wages. Trim the staff and playing staff. Only buy Quality. Turn this stricken tanker around.
Too many languish in the squad - no prospect of first team, no action in the reserves - what motivation is there? Most start on 4 year contracts - deals with the devil. At 2 year stage they generally get another deal - and a wages hike. Still not performed for the club - merely do lots of short passing on the training ground. So what have we got - mediocre in depth - never having to deliver, comfortable money - big club reputation. The day comes when they have to do something - and they fall short. You have to ask 'why do we need these ridiculous numbers - hardly any run out across the white line' Its basically hoping one will turn out to be a first-team player worth £15m. However, we probably spend £20m every year on young guys who will never play for us. Its time to rethink the strategy - offload this nonsense and start buying ready made.
thats exactly what im saying , the board is not interested in football. they are only bothered about money
Although i appreciate we had outgoing players in the summer (fab+nas+clichy) we did also spend like £60-70 odd million didn't we? It's not like the club won't spend at all - they are happy to put up the money for the team. It's just a real reluctance to pay big big money on individual players. This i think is partly due to thinking they are over-valued and partly due to the risk of if the player flops - also part of it is if it is only a small upgrade to the team they find it hard to stomache the amount paid! This has changed a little recently with bids of 20-30 million rejected for players in Summer (M'villa etc). I think we will start to spend a little more on players - but only if the current team settle very well and we are back in the position of being a couple of players from really challenging. Otherwise it will be more stop gap players until the team is ready to challenge again. Personaly i think this team will do well and pull it together for a decent season finish. Summer may be more interesting than you think. But i think getting top 4 will be needed to encourage the correct type of spending. Finishing outside the top 4 i fear will lead to the wrong transfer targets and longer to get back to challenging for the title.
Love th way Jayram has already decided we have finished otuside the top 4 lol. You say things with such conviction even though they are very clearly not decided.
I don't know about that but i do know most times when our board said there was money they said "money CAN be MADE available" basically, yes we can spend 30 million, but it means another year and abit of not spending because it's adding extra debt
I think its probably a combination of a lot of things said on here. IO personally think the board are to blame more than Wenger. Id forgotten about the wage structure thing, but it was reported in the summer that the board would not let Wenger pay RVP any more or break the wage structure. That is a huge aspect of why we cant get top top players. I also think they must be holding on to money. If there really was near £200m in the bak surely they would have urged Wenger to spend some money on top players. I just dont believe its really available. Add to that, Gazidis does not seem to be able to negitiate his way out of a paper bag and we are in trouble. BRING BACK DAVID DEIN. The downfall of the club started when he left.
