FAO Abs

[Jairzinho]

Even troopz is if you can ignore all the bullshit slang.

 

But if Wiltshire was the only player who escaped criticism today they’re even more fucked than DT thinks.

 

He was fucking garbage.

He wasn't very good but at least he didn't shit his pants like Ramsey and Xhaka though. Those two might as well have not been on the pitch

 

Strange team, Arsenal. Like a softer, poor man's version of United. Quite a good collection of players. But a group seemingly bought almost randomly, unlike us, City, and Spurs, who have a semblance of balance, and you can at least understand why players were signed.

[Numero Veinticinco]

I've got a lot of time for people that love their clubs like that.

[lifetime fan]

He wasn't very good but at least he didn't shit his pants like Ramsey and Xhaka though. Those two might as well have not been on the pitch.

Second half, he loses the ball because he’s not strong enough, instead of trying to win it back he gets booked for clapping the ref.

 

The fact there were more shocking performances than his doesn’t absolve him of blame and says everything about arsenal.

[TheHowieLama]

Arsenal are built from the top down - every one, from Wenger down a soft lad.

[Jose Jones]

Arsenal are built from the top down - every one, from Wenger down a soft lad.

Wenger was excellent when he first went there though. Two physical specimens in midfield in Vieira and Petit, Bergkamp who was a great player, but also a dirty bastard up front, and then the skills of Henry and Pires around that.

When the defence got old he got Sol Campbell in and just won a lot of stuff.

 

The problem Arsenal have got is that Wenger is the only one at the club with any football literacy whatsoever - so he's been given sway over everything on the sporting side, and despite being obviously well past it for the last few years there's no culture at the club to keep it performing, or anyone with the ability to take the decision to replace Wenger.

 

The Mancs had the same problem when Ferguson left - American absentee owners with no knowledge of the game and money men in charge. No real structure at the club to do anything other than financial business. They've not fallen too far, but have spent hundreds of millions, cycled through managers and buy players without any real plan it seems. As the world's richest club by far they really should be doing better.

 

We could easily have the same problem when Klopp leaves, unless FSG improve the way they operate.

[TheHowieLama]

 

American absentee owners with no knowledge of the game 

 

 

This has to get a little tired as an excuse at some point -- 30 odd "football men" on any/all of the top teams payroll (including ours -- FOOTBALL MEN) - the majority English - and nobody with a set of balls? Nobody? Gosh darn Americans.

[Jose Jones]

 

 

American absentee owners with no knowledge of the game

 

 

This has to get a little tired as an excuse at some point -- 30 odd "football men" on any/all of the top teams payroll (including ours -- FOOTBALL MEN) - the majority English - and nobody with a set of balls? Nobody? Gosh darn Americans.

No need to get your patriotic knickers in a twist, it just so happens that a lot of bad sporting team owners are American.

They could be Indian absentee owners, or Uruguayan absentee owners or English absentee owners, the point would be the same. When the owners of the club just care about making money from their investment and appoint CEOs to help them make money from their investment, and the club doesn't try to keep those with sporting success and knowledge in influential positions, then the culture isn't their to maintain success. One or two key people leave - obviously the manager being the most pivotal, and it's obvious the house was built on sand.

 

It's the same for any business - when they become more concerned with making money, than with doing what the business does, then they will inevitably fail.

[TheHowieLama]

My knickers aren't in a twist pal -- the majority of owners of all the top grossing sports franchises in the world are American. NFL, EPL, NBA, NHL, MLB.

 

What the fuck do Americans know about hockey?

 

Some are good -some are bad. Some win, some lose.

 

That has nothing to do with the quality of the sporting infrastructure at our club does it?

The house is built on sand?? Was Heighway a chump? Steven Gerrrard -- does he know the game? 

Are those type mailing it in because of those Americans?

[Jose Jones]

My knickers aren't in a twist pal -- the majority of owners of all the top grossing sports franchises in the world are American. NFL, EPL, NBA, NHL, MLB.

 

What the fuck do Americans know about hockey?

 

Some are good -some are bad. Some win, some lose.

 

That has nothing to do with the quality of the sporting infrastructure at our club does it?

The house is built on sand?? Was Heighway a chump? Steven Gerrrard -- does he know the game?

Are those type mailing it in because of those Americans?

Yes the owners obviously have a massive say in the quality of the sporting infrastructure at a club. Arsenal have been lacking recently, Manchester United were lacking - both partly down to the gravity of their two long term managers, but also down to the nature of the ownership, where sporting matters were second. Again, while you are obviously getting the arse that they are Americans, let's just call that a coincidence - that both clubs are investment vehicles for absentee (in both terms of the word) ownership.

Heighway is a good example from our club - he was booted out, and then we chopped and changed how the youth team was run from one manager to the next. The main theme through all those was that we haven't had that long term infrastructure in place - no guiding values, and very little experience at all levels who have seen it and done it.

 

Gerrard has been in place for 5 minutes - it's a start in helping to groom people who have had playing success for the club into helping translate that into other areas, and it'll be a long road to get to the point where we have knowledgeable people throughout the organisation all working in the best interests of the club. At the moment Klopp is really the only one there and he's trying to build it up - it was the same under Rafa, and pretty much Houllier as well. As you saw when those managers lost their way, we fell a pretty long way - and most of the people they put in place ended up leaving reasonably soon afterwards. When Shankly left, Paisley became the most winning manager of all time, when he left Fagan won the league and European cup, when he left Kenny won the double. I know it's harking on about the old days, but other clubs are at the level where they can change managers and not really have to worry.

 

Man Utd weren't, and Arsenal aren't and I obviously think that the focus and method of ownership has a big part to play in the desire to set that long term sporting philosophy in - but you are of course free to disagree.

[razor]

I do think that Arsenal Fan TV is actually a part of the malaise that surrounds the club.

 

Ultimately the responsibility does lie with the players and manager, but the general negativity around the club contributes.

 

Long may it continue.

 

And hats off to Claude.  Yet again he shows more passion than his team do.  Week in week out.

 

Overall, all things considered, great telly.

[chrisbonnie]

That Ty is a proper head in the sand blert, Claude has it spot on.

I'd love to check Claudes blood pressure.

 

I reckon there's not a gauge in the world that can go that high [emoji38]

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Interesting little debate between JJ and Howie, that.

 

I wonder whether the appointment of Gerrard and the decision to bring Melwood and the Academy together are signs of improved long-term planning on the football side. I hope so.

 

(I'm probably guilty of cutting FSG too much slack, because I can't help thinking of them as new owners, still learning the ropes. What is it, 10 years now? Long-term planning is the least we should expect. )

[TheHowieLama]

Yes the owners obviously have a massive say in the quality of the sporting infrastructure at a club. Arsenal have been lacking recently, Manchester United were lacking - both partly down to the gravity of their two long term managers, but also down to the nature of the ownership, where sporting matters were second. Again, while you are obviously getting the arse that they are Americans, let's just call that a coincidence - that both clubs are investment vehicles for absentee (in both terms of the word) ownership.

Heighway is a good example from our club - he was booted out, and then we chopped and changed how the youth team was run from one manager to the next. The main theme through all those was that we haven't had that long term infrastructure in place - no guiding values, and very little experience at all levels who have seen it and done it.

 

Gerrard has been in place for 5 minutes - it's a start in helping to groom people who have had playing success for the club into helping translate that into other areas, and it'll be a long road to get to the point where we have knowledgeable people throughout the organisation all working in the best interests of the club. At the moment Klopp is really the only one there and he's trying to build it up - it was the same under Rafa, and pretty much Houllier as well. As you saw when those managers lost their way, we fell a pretty long way - and most of the people they put in place ended up leaving reasonably soon afterwards. When Shankly left, Paisley became the most winning manager of all time, when he left Fagan won the league and European cup, when he left Kenny won the double. I know it's harking on about the old days, but other clubs are at the level where they can change managers and not really have to worry.

 

Man Utd weren't, and Arsenal aren't and I obviously think that the focus and method of ownership has a big part to play in the desire to set that long term sporting philosophy in - but you are of course free to disagree.

 

 

Heighway retired -- who booted him out? Rafa? 

 

FSG brought him back to work on the Academy.

 

It sounds like you are pointing out a decades long weakness in the club.

 

And that I agree with - the caveat being this set is actually the best of the three owner/groups we are talking about in that sense - so seems strange to single them out.

[amli]

Doing the rounds, not sure if real.

Seems they all want out.

 

[Anubis]

Would've suited Bellarin better to have put in a bit of effort yesterday.

[TheHowieLama]

Yea - that and the man bun.

[manwiththestick]

That comment from Troopz made me laugh.

 

"I'm not singling Bellerin out because of what we said in midweek about us, I'm singling him out because he's fucking shite mate"

[lifetime fan]

That comment from Troopz made me laugh.

 

"I'm not singling Bellerin out because of what we said in midweek about us, I'm singling him out because he's fucking shite mate"

 

They were fucked off and referring to him giving a speech at the Oxford Union.

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

Hector Bellerout

[manwiththestick]

They were fucked off and referring to him giving a speech at the Oxford Union.

Yes, I knew what it was about but still made me laugh.

[amli]

[amli]

[amli]

[Bjornebye]

Fucking ski glasses

[Numero Veinticinco]

Jesus