Category Archives: Arsenal

JW Diaries: From Dover to Lisbon

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Following a weekend in Dover for the Supporters Club annual Legends meal in the company of Pat Rice & Eddie Kelly, I made a mad dash to Waterloo to watch our Women play Chelsea at their Kingsmeadow ground, what a game it was, we beat them 5-0 which was an extraordinary result as Chelsea haven’t been beaten at home for nearly 2 years and are current Women’s Super League Champions! 

Next up on the Arsenal tour was a drunken weekend in Offenbach for a German Gooners 50th Birthday which was only possible due to our Monday night fixture against Leicester City at the Emirates in which we won a hard fought match 3-1.

Next up was a 3 day trip to the beautiful City of Lisbon, it was meant to be low key as I took my other half and her sister – wrong! 

Drinking with the usual crowd ensured that a 5am finish on the first night in a number of bars up in the hills and there was no hold up on the match day. I won’t go over the match as we all know we won 1-0 in an uninspiring game against a well drilled Sporting side.

Another climb up the hills and a not so late 3am finished ensued our last day was spent on flat land sightseeing and having a lovely meal with a couple of glasses of excellent Port.

Having got home at 2am on the Saturday due to a late flight and an M25 closure, I managed to get up at 9am to watch our U16s beat Lincoln City 2-1 in a close match at Hale End.

Sunday I was out by 9am for our trip to Selhurst Park where I had the full prawn sandwich experience with seats in the Directors Box. From what I can remember and watching the highlights the following day, I thought a combination of some poor performances, blatant cheating and crazy refereeing saw us draw 1-1. A diplomatic result from my point of view as my host was a Palace fan.

After being the last out about 5pm, a cab journey to meet up with the usual suspects at London Bridge ensured that another journey home with no recollection of how I got there! 

JW

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Manchester City €2.7bn doping – and why it is good for football

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Many will disagree with me, but I have no real issue with Sheikh Mansour pumping his billions into Manchester City.

It is his money, he has legally earn it. Why should be restricted as to how he spends it?

The important thing for me is that once he has given the money to Manchester City – whether it be through gifts or sponsorship – that money then becomes Manchester City’s.

Manchester City are very different to Chelsea. They have zero debt. Sheikh Mansour has financed them and does not seemingly want the money back .He has not loaned them, the club does not sit with £2.7bn debt owed to the owner. Chelsea, meanwhile, currently owe Roman Abramovich £1bn.

This means if Roman was to ever leave, the club would be forced to pay off his huge loan, or the new owner be forced to take it on.

A lot of people are pointing out that Sheikh Mansour’s funding of the club infringes UEFA’s Financial Fair Play laws. This is a justified argument, but only works if you think that FFP was legitimate in the first place.

I have had problems with FFP since the day it was proposed.

The theory behind FFP was understandable. It agreed to in principle in September 2009. The aim was to prevent football clubs spending more than they earn in the pursuit of success and in doing so getting into financial problems which might threaten their long-term survival.

But this was just the tagline the clubs already at the top of the tree put towards.

The truth is FFP was invented to stop the likes of Chelsea (and future clubs who get bought by billionaires) breaking the dominance of the established big boys.

UEFA Member Clubs feared that there could be a Chelsea in Spain, Italy and Germany. Clubs with little to no history being bought out by a super rich Russian or Arab who was happy to bank roll that club to success. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Liverpool, Juventus and Bayern Munich led the way for FFP. They were frightened that their monopoly on success could be ruined.

It is the old money / new money that you often see in Kensington when the super rich move in and decide to build an iceberg basement.

Those currently living on the street are against the basements works, even though they have already spent millions on their own one. Once they have their own basement in place, they do not want a new guy moving next doors, building his own one, disturbing the street.

It is the same in football.

The likes of Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid because they were the richest clubs of the time period. The had the owners who bankrolled them to the success that made them a big club. Whether it be TV companies (Sky with Manchester United); Dictators (General Franco and Real Madrid) or companies (Littlewoods Pools and Liverpool).

All of these clubs had, at some point, a wealthy benefactor that has enabled them to become the self-sufficient giants that they now are.

By introducing FFP, they were basically saying “we have had our wealthy benefactor who financed us to the top, we are now going to ban you from doing the same”.

The argument was that a Roman Abramovich or Sheikh Mansour created an unfair playing field, but the truth is the opposite.

By banning these characters putting money into a club, it mean that the already-rich would stay at the top, unchallenged by the not yet rich (Leicester City aside is a one season in a 100 thing). Elite clubs in Europe were basically solidifying their place at the top table but restricting what other clubs could spend.

Whilst Manchester City ran away with the league last season, the Premier League is the most competitive in Europe’s top 4 (I do not count France as a top league).

There have been 4 different winners of the Premier League in the last 6 years; Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City & Leicester City. There have also been 5 different sides to finish 2nd in those 6 years (Man U, Tottenham, Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool).

Prior to Chelsea being bought out by Roman Abramovich, just 2 clubs had won league titles in the preceding 6 years (Arsenal & Manchester United). The money that came in to Chelsea made the league more competitive. It stopped it being a 2 horse league.

A 2 horse league like La Liga – where Real Madrid or Barcelona have won 13 of the last 14 league titles. They also monopolise second place; with 12 2nd place finished in 14 years shared between the two of them. Only twice since 1950 have one of Barcelona or Real Madrid not made the top 2.

FFP was designed to keep Real Madrid and Barcelona at the top. To restrict a Chelsea (or later Manchester City) rising in Spain like they did in England. La Liga is now a boring and predictable league. A two team league. The Sunny SPL.

It would be a lot better if a super rich owner came in, bought a mid size club, and smashed the Barcelona / Madrid monopoly.

Italy is similar.

I remember the glory days of Seria A being a highly competitive league. Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Roma, Lazio all won the league over a 7 year period. Juventus have now one the last 7 titles. How boring and predictable is that?

And the Bundesliga is no better, with Bayern Munich having won the last 6 titles.

This is what FFP does. It keeps the current establishment at the top by restricting what lesser clubs can spend.

Europe’s elite are basically saying “we have had decades of being the richest club, spending the most. We have had our benefactors come in and spend millions, now we are going to stop you.”

A final thought on this.

FFP was bought in to stop clubs going into huge debt. Manchester United, Juventus, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool – 5 of the clubs who drove for FFP – have combined debts of nearly £2bn.

Billionaire owners are good for leagues. They break up the establishment. As long as they pump money in and do not expect it to be repaid; then they are a positive.

UEFA’s elite clubs used FFP to try and solidify their place at the top table. The same way they are proposing a European Super League where its founders are immune from relegation.

FFP is working in Spain, Italy and Germany as it is stopping other clubs becoming competitive. It is ensuring the old guard continue to win titles.

The Premier League is the most exciting, competitive in the world. And the only league where we have a mixture of old guard (Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal) and new money (Manchester City & Chelsea)

Keenos

Pride and togetherness back at Arsenal

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Anyone at Fulham who was in the away end singing ‘We’ve got our Arsenal back’ would have felt that tingle. Been years since I felt like that. Certainly will be one of my favourite moments of the season.

Are we back though? What does it actually mean?

For me, it’s two things, pride and togetherness.  

That was The Arsenal I fell in love with. The Arsenal who I felt proud of, regardless. Being with people, different from me, but together with them for the most important thing in the world for 90 minutes.  An Arsenal who fought, a team that no one fancied playing and a club whose rich history and standards would always shine through.  

Versus Blackpool I sat in the West Stand for the first time, near the bench. Unai was on his feet the whole game. Stamping his feet, looking angry at times, and gave Guendouzi a glare I’ve seen before by George.  It made me smile. 

I spent the week worrying about the Liverpool game. It wasn’t the losing, it was more the fear of the disappointment that maybe it has all been a honeymoon period, maybe I had been kidding myself?   I needn’t have worried. We did everything we needed to do. Started fast and with intent and played for 90 minutes. We matched them in every area.  You know you’ve had a good day when Klopp, with 10 mins to go was happy with the draw. We have gaps, we have areas to improve, but we are further forward than I thought if I’m honest. It seems Unai certainly does know. 

A good manager gets the best out of what he’s got. Players, who I would inwardly groan at when I heard their name called out, now have become a sense of relief for me when they start. Iwobi is the main example, how he has been transformed in such little time is astounding. Solid, offensive, tough and playing with the confidence he’s always needed. Wonderful to see.

The biggest impact has been, we have become a team. No superstars, no one man carrying the team. A proper team of hard working grafters, led by a man who won’t accept anything less.  Players who will stick their foot in and will recover a lost pass. 

It’s so nice to talk about football again and not the business or the board. This is what we’ve got back, a common purpose, a passion and an excitement for every game. 

We will have some moments of despair, but I’m very confident we will pick ourselves straight up. Anything less with not be acceptable to Mr Emery. No shame in losing when you’ve left everything on the pitch. 

Results are what matters in football, but for our team,  who were so damaged and fractured we need to repair first and build some strength again.  

Yes, we have our Arsenal back. 

*JD*

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