Tag Archives: Barcelona

Ticket Price Rises, Andre Villas Boas, Bayern Munich and Luis Suarez

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Ticket Price Rises

Arsenal announced before the weekend defeat against Manchester City that they were planning to rise tickets in line with the rate of inflation – a 3% rise. Now under normal circumstances, I would understand this. Costs go up every year, so all companies have to squeeze their prices up a little every year. Either that or find additional revenue elsewhere. And that is my problem, the new Premier League TV deal will increase clubs income by 71%. The new Champions League deal is expected to double a clubs income, and the new Puma kit deal is a 428% increase on the old Nike one.

By my rough maths, once these new deals kick in, Arsenal will be increasing their income by around £83 million (£25m extra in sponsorship, £25m extra in CL money, £35m extra in PL money). This will see our revenue increase to around £335m, or around a 38% increase.

So why, I ask, are prices going up with the justification that it is ‘inflation’ when our increased revenue from other area’s far outstrips the inflation increase? As I have explained before, the club could have decreased prices to just £21.25 and maintained the same revenue as now. Where is all this money going to end up? Will it go straight to the players pockets? Will the board give themselves pay rises and bonuses? Or will they start paying out a dividend.

All I know is that with this 3% increase, the club have taken us for mugs. Will I continue paying? Yes, because I am a mug.

Andre Villas Boas

Tottenham, the gift that just keeps on giving. Just over a week until Christmas and they have already handed out their presents. A 5-0 loss at home to Liverpool was followed up by the sacking of AVB. To think, he spent £100 million and managed to get Spurs fans to think that they were title contenders, before a ball was kicked. They have been in a negative spiral since they beat Arsenal in March.

No matter what you might currently think of Arsene Wenger, it must bring a smile of joy to you that he has seen off:

  1. Francis (1994–1997)
  2. Hughton (1997c)
  3. Gross (1997–1998)
  4. Pleat (1998c)
  5. Graham (1998–2001)
  6. Pleat (2001c)
  7. Hoddle (2001–2003)
  8. Pleat (2003–2004c)
  9. Santini (2004)
  10. Jol (2004–2007)
  11. Allen(2007c)
  12. Ramos (2007–08)
  13. Redknapp (2008–12)
  14. Villas-Boas (2012–13)

Bayern Munich

So after finishing 2nd, we knew we were in for a tough draw, and for the second season in a row, we have been drawn against Bayern Munich. For me, this draw brings happiness and sadness.

The happiness is we have proved they are beatable, having won 2-0 at their ground last year. For me, Munich hold no fear, as I am of the honest belief they have gone backwards this year. They spent over €60 million on just two players in the summer (Thiago & Mario Gotze), 2 players who they did not need due to the fact they had many other similar players already in their squad (Kroos, Ribery, Robben, Shaqiri, Muller). They also let go Luis Gustavo, who was a defensive rock for them last season, and Mario Gomez, their only proper striker.

Guardiola is trying to copy his Barcelona style of play, but there is a problem, he does not have Lionel Messi. They might be top of their league, unbeaten, having scored 42 goals in 16 games, but this is more of an indication to how poor and uncompetitive the Bundesliga is, than how good Bayern Munich are. It is certainly a league currently on a downward spiral, and you have to wonder whether Munich will struggle to get up for the game competitively after playing so many easy games in Germany.

If we take confidence from our win their last year, and put in a better performance at home, we could win the tie, comfortably.

Luis Suarez

17 goals in 11 league games this season. We offered £40,000,001 in the summer, we will have to offer a lot, lot more now. The controversy surrounding the deal is up for debate. In my opinion, we were under the opinion we could sign him for anything over £40,000,000, hence the bid of £1 extra. Why pay more when £1 was enough to trigger the deal. And offering £40,000,000 is certainly not a derisory offer like same pretend. You have to think, however, after having that offer knocked back, should we have pushed further. Told Liverpool to name their price? In hindsight, paying £60,000,000 for Luis Suarez in the summer would have been a good piece of business. But I can imagine the uproar had we signed him for that price, considering he was due to miss the first half dozen games.

What he has shown is the importance of having the something special upfront. The difference between Manchester City and Arsenal this season could be Sergio Aguero. The goal scorer who can turn a draw to a win on his own. We do not have that. Is there going to be someone available in January of sufficient quality? Who knows. But if Lewandowski or Suarez are available, we should be leading the race to sign them.

Keenos

The Arsenal and Me – Adam’s Story

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Well, Where to begin exactly, I come from a long line of Arsenal fans in my family I don’t know how it started or why it started but all I know is that my granddad is the reason for why me, my dad, my uncles, my cousins, etc etc are all arsenal fans, he was born and raised in Woolwich ( if any of you don’t know the history of Arsenal, it is where Arsenal was founded) we could have supported Charlton Athletic seeing as they are only down the road, but I for one am glad that I am a Gunner and I for one am proud to wear the red and white!!.

Nothing comes close to the love I have for Arsenal, I always said and I will always say that Arsenal will always be my first and only love.

I can’t exactly remember my first game (when we were still at highbury) but I’m glad my dad took me because I’m sure as a lot of others once you go through those turnstiles there was no turning back and I’m sure like a lot of other Gooners miss that place, an old friend. I sat in the north bank with my dad (when I could go) the north bank upper tier.

When we moved to the emirates and when I went to my first game there I was 13 or 14 I earned money just to buy a ticket, I remember it well it was against Portsmouth!! On a cold and dull day, absolutely freezing but I will never forget the feeling when I first walked out towards the seats and looking out onto the pitch, back in the north bank, but at the emirates I got this warm feeling inside. And the buzz was like nobody could take it I was feeling confident about this game!!

But over the years I have finally got a season ticket, and I have experienced
Some of the most emotional football anybody has seen, like Barcelona at home, it was like our cup final, we were strong enough, and we had bags full of confidence so we knew we could win at home and like I say that was our final, all I wanted was to beat Barca and we did, an Arshavin goal from a Nasri pass from the right!! And BANG. Hits the back of the net, the crowd went crazy and I could feel the emotional side coming out in me, we knew we wouldn’t beat them at the Nou Camp but knowing we can beat them proves the Barcelona team really are human!! And not jus a machine!!

I’ll never forget the two years on the trot of beating the scum 5-2 I was at both games, and boy was it great knowing we would be kicking them back down the seven sisters with a 5-2 loss on their mind!! TWO YEARS IN A ROW!!! Who could have ever of written that script aye?

There’s no doubt no regrets no nothing about me loving Arsenal, Arsenal is my life, no matter what happens, win or lose or draw I will always be proud of the lads, I will always be proud to be apart of the red and white army and no matter what happens, I will always wear my shirt with pride!! A legend once said once you are a Gooner you will always be a Gooner and you will always be in my heart forever!!!

Red and white army, up the arsenal

Adam

If you would like to tell your Arsenal story, click here

Nicklas Bendtner – Majestic Ninja or Toppled Turtle?

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Although the player is widely derided by most knowledgeable Arsenal fans, and probably rightly so, is it fair to knock a man for believing in himself, in his ability and his ambition?

Although eight years without a trophy at Arsenal cannot be blamed on the Ninja haired Dane alone, to quote another news article “the Danish international has been widely recognised as exactly the sort of player who has held the Gunners back.” And god knows Arsene Wenger has signed a few.

Now, true enough, he hasn’t quite set the premier league alight. He’s not really even been an average guff at a world farting competition. But he’s an established international and that must surely count for something right?

I admire anyone who has the guts and determination to strive to fulfil their full ambition and potential, but there can also be the dreamers who wish they could be the best and will never achieve their goal. We’ve all been over the park, pretending we’re Brady, Bergkamp, Henry or Wright. And there in that one sentence we get some sort of answer to the question. Nicklas Bendtner is NEVER going to be anywhere near any of the afore mentioned names. Donatello or Leonardo (The Turtle not the player) maybe, but never a world class player of their ilk.

We are always being told, and I quote Sir Ian Wright “If you believe in yourself and work hard enough, you’ll achieve your goal.” Now, that is easier said than done as surely you need to have the raw talent in the first place. I always believed that I would make it as a professional footballer. I believed I had what it takes, but in truth if I had trained 24/7/365 I would never have got so much as a sniff. I just never ever had the natural ability needed (Although I was probably better than the hapless Gus Caesar). Bendtner obviously had the minimum requirements otherwise he would not be a professional.

So who are we to mock the man’s ambition or self belief?

“How do you envisage continuing your career?” Bendtner was recently asked by Danish publication ‘Politiken’.

“At Real Madrid or Barcelona” came the instant answer. This despite being unable to find ANY club willing to pay him their ever so hard earned wonga to strut his self conceited stuff.

So I ask you all the question again, although I suspect I know the answer already. Is he a deluded Ninja-esque lunatic twat or should we just admire his egotistical self-aggrandizing?

You decide.

Wils