Tag Archives: Arsenal

Mansour’s millions the difference for Manchester City

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Looking at this mornings league table, Arsenal still sit top of the league. 2 points ahead of Chelsea, 3 points ahead of Manchester City. There is still plenty of reasons to be optimistic about our title chances.

Yes, we might have conceded 6 against Manchester City, but it was one of those freak games where every shot on target went in. There were 13 shots on target in the entire game, and 9 goals. City had a converted 6 of their 7 shots on target. It was a freak result.

City deserved to run out winners, despite Arsenal having 2 goals chalked off incorrectly and being denied a blatant penalty. To point to those 3 referring decision as the reason Arsenal lost would be in denial of the overall performance. City seemingly being able to go forward and score highlights why they are averaging over 4 goals a game at home and have now scored in 58 consecutive games at the Etihad Stadium. Their home form in the league this season reads: Played 8, Won 8, Scored 35, Conceded 5. That last one was Conceded 2 before yesterday. With home form like that, City have to be everyone’s favourites for the title.

The difference between the two sides could be seen on the substitutes bench. £129m worth of talent on the bench. Arsenal’s starting line up cost just £97m and cost of their entire match day squad £140. When you take into account that £42.5m of those totals was Mesut Ozil, it shows just how far behind we are in City. Yes, we have money to spend, and should be spending more than it, but City, with their now settled side and spending money like it is going out of fashion, we should not be too downhearted.

When it comes to finance, what Manchester City spend is staggering. They have a wage bill £60m more than Arsenal’s. The majority of their squad is on £100k+ a week. Arsenal meanwhile have just 3 players over this figure. With Arsenal having a reported £100m sitting in the bank, were we to try to compete with Manchester City in terms of wages and transfer fees, this money would not go very far at all. Last year, we made a profit of just £6.7m. A £60m blackhole in wages would see us start to run up massive losses. Manchester City, remember, lost £97m in 2011/12.

Last summer, having finished 2nd to Manchester United in the league, and having made horrendous losses, Manchester City went out and spent £90m. They spent more on defensive midfielder’s than we did on Mesut Ozil. It highlights the financial strength they have that they were able to go out and buy long-term Arsenal target Stevan Jovetic for £22m without really needing him. It was perhaps and example of them signing a player who they do not need just to ensure other Premier League sides signing him.

Now I do not have an issue with Manchester City’s grotesque spending. If a man has billions of plans, who are we to tell him how to spend it. Remember, we did not moan in the late 1990’s when Danny Fiszman was bank rolling us – albeit on a smaller scale – enabling us to build the 1998, and eventually the invincible sides. What the financial difference does show is how much of a challenge winning the Premier League is for Arsenal. With both Manchester City and Chelsea having an endless pot of gold. Arsenal could go and spend the £100m they have sitting their, but Chelsea and Manchester City would then respond by spending £150m. Do we keep chasing them? Do we spend the most we can and still finish 2nd/3rd and say ‘at least we tried’ or do we spend sensibly, on the right players, and hope things, at one point, will become fairer?

The last option is we Alisher Usmanov. He is supposedly willing to put in similar amounts of money into the club as Sheikh Mansour and Roman Abramovich. Do we move to demanding to be bank rolled by an oligarch, with a questionable background, or do we say ‘We are Arsenal, we do things in the right way’. Having a sole owner leaves us in a precarious position. Yes, they could be and Abaramovich or Mansour, but they could also change the name of the club, change the club’s colours, or do anything they want…People have differing opinions, both are valid.

A few final points, Per Mertesacker showing he is the real captain of the side bollocking Mesut Ozil. It is a none story and as Wenger was quoted as saying;

“That is the Germans, they will sort that out between themselves.”

They are probably sitting around Per’s house this morning sharing a bratwurst. The second point is the laughable banner in the Manchester City ground ‘Manchester thanks you Sheikh Mansour’. A sign, perhaps, of a club who’s fans have sold out to modern football.

After 3 games in 6 days, travelling to both Naples and Manchester, Arsenal now have a 9 day break before the Chelsea game. It is time to rest the legs, re group and ensure we come out fighting once more. A defeat to Chelsea could see us truly enter a downward spiral, and if Spurs win their next two games, the gap that looked so large just a few games ago will be down to just 2. Let’s back the time.

Keenos

Arsenal taking supporters for mugs with 3% ticket rise

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As I’m sure you’re aware, Arsenal have just announced that from next season, tickets will be 3% more expensive. This has angered many people, including me, but what has angered me more is the people seemingly justifying the hike.

I really feel like some people miss the point with this price increase. On my twitter feed, I saw various defences for Arsenal’s decision to up prices (above inflation), the most ridiculous being the argument that an extra £30 for a season ticket holder is equivalent to just two meals at Nandos. Now I feel there are two points to be made from this; firstly, trivialising a £30 increase doesn’t justify the lengths that some people go to in order to go see The Arsenal each year.

Many are already on the brink, and another £30 may cause some to a) be financially unable to continue paying for their season ticket and b) feel disillusioned with a club that they have loyally shelled out for year in year out, only to be rewarded with no trophies and another price increase. Some people may be privileged enough to ensure any increase in the cost of season tickets not make a dent in their wallet, but working class people who spend a large percentage of their cash on tickets may not laugh off £30 the same way.

And if we are going to dismiss this year’s hike, then where do we draw the line in the sand? If £30 is fine, then why not £50? Do we go up by £75 the year after, and then hit three figures next time round? The relative expense of paying to see Arsenal is always subjective and dependent on the individual, but it’s the principle that stands. Off the back of a lucrative TV deal, not to mention a new contract with Fly Emirates and an agreement with Puma, it seems particularly bullish to make people pay even more, especially in the face of a trophy-less era stretching what is now close to a decade.

I hear so often that football is now a business well enough, and I also get that Arsenal is based in one of the most affluent parts of the country. But to me, if you view Arsenal no differently to Tesco or Argos, you’re seeing football in a weird way. Arsenal should not be solely about money, it should be about entertaining its fans, serving its local community and looking after its own.

Arsenal do not deserve full criticism, as schemes such as £10 Junior tickets prove. But it doesn’t deter from the fact that many supporters are being taken for mugs. We’re top of the league and through to the knockouts in Europe but heavy handed stewarding and this 3% increase are taking the buzz away from the place. No doubt the majority will continue to pay up and support the team as they have done through thick and thin, and although 3% is nothing to some, the sheer cheek of Arsenal to up the prices shows the troubled way football is heading. Fans shouldn’t take this lightly.

Julius

The Arsenal and Me – Shane’s Story

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I was born in Hampstead to Irish parents, spent toddler years in Willesden & grew up in Northolt. My parents never watched or had interest in football. I myself only took an interest in secondary school when everyone’s’ question was who do you support. Lucky for me I had three sets of different cousins living in London who all supported Arsenal, Therefore I knew the name & regularly saw the cannon (probably because of players like Brady, Quinn & O’Leary may have been their reason). So my answer became I support Arsenal, but to be honest I didn’t take much interest for a while.

My first real Arsenal memory was watching the cup final in 1993 with my Mum & Dad, I can’t even remember which but I watched both & the replays. Funny thing is my first Arsenal shirt is from the 91/92 season (Adidas with ‘League Champions’ under the crest), Don’t remember how or who I got it from (probably Christmas). I also have a vague memory of disappointment when ‘Gazza’ scored a winner against us in a cup, don’t know which year.

My first match was when I was Fourteen, 6th November 1993 vs Aston Villa, I sat at the back on the top of the North Bank with a man I barely knew (my cousins’ girlfriends brother, but he loved the Arsenal & offered to bring me). I don’t remember the actual match but I remember how beautiful Highbury was from the North Bank to the tiles in the toilet. I was awe-struck with a feeling of amazement & a sense of belonging, A true love developed that day & has got stronger ever since. I’ve seen Arsenal live only about 35 times in 20 yrs. League, Champions League, Cup Winners Cup & Charity/Community Shield at Highbury, Emirates, Wembley, millenium Stadium, The Valley, Villa Park & The Riverside. Each match is very special to me whether we win, lose or draw.

I now reside in Ireland the last twelve years, but for the last four I see the Arsenal annually through my Red Membership (of 9yrs) with my nephew who loves Arsenal because of me (even though his uncles are Man Utd).

I have two boys & from the day they were born I am ensuring they are Arsenal too as it would literally break my heart if they were anything else. As soon as they are old enough they will be travelling with me to The Arsenal no matter where we are in the league, who our manager is or the cost.

To me Arsenal is the Fourth Most Important thing in my life & Generally my mood revolves around our results, Thanks to Mr. Wenger, I’m generally in a Good one.

‘Arsenal Forever in My Heart’

Thank You to anyone who reads this & Thanks to She Wore for the opportunity to express My Story.

Shane