Welcome Nacho.

Jack the Lad showing he is worth wearing the number on his jersey.
Good to see yu are here Debo, was worried you were in Amenas.

@Ed

What exactly is wrong with this?

I don't know how it works at other clubs, but the wages at Arsenal are decided in consultation between me and the board," Wenger said. "There is an amount of money that is dedicated to the wages every year. Within that budget, we try to come up with payments that are sensible and defensible.

Should wages be decided arbitrarily by someone without any empirical basis? should we not work to a budget and just spend only to later gnash our teeth when creditors come calling? aren't payments meant to be sensible and defensible?

Arsene was employed and paid by the board, it 'may' become expedient for them to sack him if we remain trophyless and fan support wanes but it remains to be seen and I do not believe such a move would have any drastic positive effect on our fortunes (Wolves, Blackburn and Liverpool are examples of clubs who've made managerial changes and either remained at the same level or retrogressed in recent times because there was no definite strategic change by those boards, only tactical managerial changes Liverpool aside who have now struck out in a different direction with the FSG takeover) Arsene Wenger is still Pound for Pound one of the best managers out there and if he wasn't at Arsenal, is the calibre of manager the club would be taking a punt on to turn things around so where is the logic in getting on his back? If there is to be any pressure at Arsenal (something I don't necessarily agree with as I go through Arsenal finances with a toothpick annually) it should be on the board.

In the midst of such dire financial straits, Arsenal has maintained its place among the football elite in Europe. I'd rather a manager who tried to make things work unsuccessfully than one who ups and leaves claiming there is no money as Martin O'Neill did at Aston Villa (who are a prime example of a club with a tired benefactor who has now gone back to the basics of a youth system and is paying dearly for it).

Arsenal's fortunes have dipped due to these 2 reasons:

1. Building the stadium
2. The influence of none football related money in the game

Those twin forces have created a pressure which has made us unable to keep the talent we've developed in the club but I'm glad that at least what we couldn't translate to trophies was translated into a war chest that will someday become very useful (as long as money is not taken out of the club which is not . I'm also glad that we had Arsene to lead us through that dangerous period. I shudder to think of what would have happened if we had a manager like Rafa Benitez.

There is a change afoot at Arsenal as our financial position grows stronger.
Arsenal is currently lampooned by the media because the 'Leadership' at Arsenal choose to stand by their principles of sustainability. Ownership might have evolved but the underpinning principle at Arsenal has remained the same. Arsenal will win and when we do, we would have done it in 'our' own way but not necessarily in 'our' own time.

@Ed

What exactly is wrong with this?

[Quote] I don't know how it works at other clubs, but the wages at Arsenal are decided in consultation between me and the board," Wenger said. "There is an amount of money that is dedicated to the wages every year. Within that budget, we try to come up with payments that are sensible and defensible. [/quote]

Should wages be decided arbitrarily by someone without any empirical basis? should we not work to a budget and just spend only to later gnash our teeth when creditors come calling? aren't payments meant to be sensible and defensible?

Arsene was employed and paid by the board, it 'may' become expedient for them to sack him if we remain trophyless and fan support wanes but it remains to be seen and I do not believe such a move would have any drastic positive effect on our fortunes (Wolves, Blackburn and Liverpool are examples of clubs who've made managerial changes and either remained at the same level or retrogressed in recent times because there was no definite strategic change by those boards, only tactical managerial changes Liverpool aside who have now struck out in a different direction with the FSG takeover) Arsene Wenger is still Pound for Pound one of the best managers out there and if he wasn't at Arsenal, is the calibre of manager the club would be taking a punt on to turn things around so where is the logic in getting on his back? If there is to be any pressure at Arsenal (something I don't necessarily agree with as I go through Arsenal finances with a toothpick annually) it should be on the board.

In the midst of such dire financial straits, Arsenal has maintained its place among the football elite in Europe. I'd rather a manager who tried to make things work unsuccessfully than one who ups and leaves claiming there is no money as Martin O'Neill did at Aston Villa (who are a prime example of a club with a tired benefactor who has now gone back to the basics of a youth system and is paying dearly for it).

Arsenal's fortunes have dipped due to these 2 reasons:

1. Building the stadium
2. The influence of none football related money in the game

Those twin forces have created a pressure which has made us unable to keep the talent we've developed in the club but I'm glad that at least what we couldn't translate to trophies was translated into a war chest that will someday become very useful (as long as money is not taken out of the club which is not . I'm also glad that we had Arsene to lead us through that dangerous period. I shudder to think of what would have happened if we had a manager like Rafa Benitez.

There is a change afoot at Arsenal as our financial position grows stronger.
Arsenal is currently lampooned by the media because the 'Leadership' at Arsenal choose to stand by their principles of sustainability. Ownership might have evolved but the underpinning principle at Arsenal has remained the same. Arsenal will win and when we do, we would have done it in 'our' own way but not necessarily in 'our' own time.

Happy New Year to all Gooners, I hope we all find even more positive ways to resolve the cognitive dissonance induced by the continuing trophyless state of our great club.

It is my prayer and hope that the embarrasing trophylesness that has bedevilled our club will be resolved this year and I sincerely hope that you will be able to persevere until this unfortunate and extremely painful but necessary phase in our history has passed.

Should you find the situation becoming unbearable as the year progresses, do not hesitate to give Dr. Dudu Esq a call toll free on 007-419-666, I guarantee that all your worries, real and imagined will be addressed promptly and treated with the utmost confidentiality on live radio.

I would also like to use this opportunity to inform you that we are running 'Goonerholic Anonymous' sessions all through the year on every Friday the 13th at Old Freddie's place on Elm Street, special guest Speaker is Jason. Kindly book early to prevent overcrowding and ensure you indicate your choice of weapon on the online form at www.i-still-got-swagger-despite-trophylessness.com. Please note that matchsticks and cigarette lighters are not allowed due to the potential for arson. However, anything else from double-blade razors to nuclear warheads are permitted.

Immediate entry will be granted if you turn up with any spuddie body part, please take note that we have a preference for legs, we've also got group discounts for groups of 10 if you turn up at the door with a Manure head and you will be granted life membership if you turn up with DK's unmentionables.

At any time during the new year, should you find yourself in North London in an 'Ajalanitis' (mindless wandering) state, or otherwise under the influence of alcohol, cannabis(or any other Class A drug), do not hesitate to drop me an email so I can join you on a trip to the emirates and a round-trip of the Holloway road pubs. An advance notice of about 6 weeks would be greatly appreciated.

I wish you a Happy New year once again. COYG.

dayokanu: Why I no go dance?

UEFA give us Asssanal.

We shall meet on the green grass. Yu might have started like a house on fire this season but this is not the first time Dortmund have reeled you in like a fish.
B'o le bi o le, Ipade di February.

edoyad:

Good policy shift, as long as we can attract real talent in the mold to Wilshere and not the Francis Jeffers kind

That was always the strategy, its the whole objective of the academy from the beginning to produce enof quality from within only that young english talent isnt cheap good thing the academy produced Gibbs and Jack, we got Ramsey very young and Jenkinson is an Arsenal nut. The only one with a major outlay was Chambo.
The likes of Freeman and Bartley also passed thru but only the very best is good enof for this club.
The mercenary generation of young players brought us money and no silverware (not totally their fault to be honest). It is my hope that this new generation delivers both.

Ibime:

Hey man, I revised that to 20 to make allowance for corners and freekicks. . . 9 goals left. . . half the season gone. . . he is on target to prove me wrong. . .

Halfway into the season, ojoro don start already? wait until april.

Santi and his Puffa jacket. They didnt make his size and it looked like agbada on him. I couldnt see his feet.

Ibime:

The £1.00 dividend Gazidis returns to him every year na im dey shack am. Infact he prefers not to sign players in January as long as his dividend increases to £1.25


How we see am? Make we dey count dey go. It ain't over till it's over!!!

Yees ke, I dey save am to buy y'all Pammy when yu come naija for festive period.
Plus I can complain where it matters if we ever get saddled with an unpopular manager unlike una where the decision on yur next manager is made in Roman's bedroom and yu cant even complain.

kay_pumpin:
Only that there was no WC in 1996.

I think he meant Atlanta 96. Seems I annoyed him.

debosky:

Nah, it's the fanshare nonsense that got to Dudu - his 0.00000001 shareholding in Arsenal has blinded him somewhat.

Debo mind yurself o. If I needed anything to give me 20/20 vision, it was the fanshare scheme. Arsenal will get out of these "dark times" its all about "when" and not "if". Mind yu, the AST guys like Tim Payton who started the fanshare scheme aint friends at present with the board after the black scarf movement shenanigans and the board at present is not willing to create more shares for the fanshare scheme as they believe a lot of the AST now see Usmanov as a viable alternative. The AISA seem to be the ones who have the boards ears at present.
The board and a lot of those in the know who arent just swallowing the media's tripe know the difficult task Arsene has hence why they come out en masse to back him whenever they feel the heat could get to him and make him walk.
I can give anyone on this board a guarantee that Arsene will be given an extension to his current deal early next season if we make top 4 again.
Until our financial straitjacket is loosened with the new deals, even if 4ller and his ilk strip themselves naked and go on hunger strike camping outside the emirates, the board will stick to Arsene and so will a lot of people who love this club.

4llerbuntu: Ur entitled yo ur opinion, just as everybody here.
And u do have dis absurd sense of entitlement n superiority that is as amusing as it is irritating.

Fyi I started following arsenal seriously around the 1996 world cup thereabouts wen my interest in football crystallized. Before that rothmans football on nta was showing prem n bundesliga. N I was not that young then. So if that qualifies me as a "new generation" fan, I guess I overrated ur intelligence.


Just because u prefer to kiss arsene's ar-se n blow the brighter tomorrow bugle does not mean we all have to toe that line. Even wenger himself would not expect that.

Ironically since the 2006 champions league final there has been one constant on this thread, u have always been wrong about all ur views, projections, n predictions. Since u started carping ur tripe this club has gotten worse, the football has regressed. But u think u have a right to yarn?

Wait till ur nirvana where FFP, youth policy, frugality etc wins a damn spoon before u mouth off hereabout. Muppet

Yup, my Nirvana awaits and I'm patiently awaiting it.
If it doesnt come after 2014, I wld be one of those chucking chairs at the Arsenal AGM. to do something about it but I'll wager with you that you wld likely have flung yurself off a highrise before then.

I hereby revoke the rights of some of these tykes like 4ller and coded guy to rejoice when Arsenal finally wins something. Anyway, some of you pansies will soon suddenly remember that you supported Bayern Munich all along like A-40.
How things change though, to think that Debo will be getting bashed over Arsenal and Arsene? I'll keep quiet over that one.

One thing I love about this club is the knee jerk reaction to everything by this "new generation" of fans. If you honestly took a look at the Arsenal squad at the beginning of the season and thought we could win the PL, you deserve a visit to a shrink, if yu were waiting for Arsene or the board to come and tell you that we didnt have a squad good enough yet to be fully in the race for the PL, you deserve to be completely sectioned and taken of the street for the safety of others and if yu're mad about our current position (losing to Bradford aside) then yu deserve to be shot and put out of a pathetic miserable existence.

Going thru some arsenal forums these days is like speaking to Juveniles. Some say Arsenal ticket prices are too high yet demand we pay Theo anything he asks to keep him (they said the same about RVP as well) yet cannot see the inherent contradiction in those 2 positions?

The time to judge Arsene fully will be 2014, until then it is unfair to have the 4th /5th largest wage bill and a -ve net transfer record in the league year on year and then strut about that you will win the league. Since when exactly did money start growing on trees?

@mojounited

Winning is one of the things that defines the status of a club but its not the 'only' thing.
history, fanbase, stability, facilities, staff, community engagement and reputation are also very important.
I'll give you 2 very good examples, Dortmund has beaten Munich to the Bundesliga in the last 2 years but they've not suddenly become bigger than Munich, City might win the next two PL seasons yet still be considered a smaller club than Manure.
In the same vein, despite all the silverware that Abramovic's money has brought to Chelsea, you would struggle to hear anyone describing it as being a bigger club than Arsenal in London. Infact, I doubt its bigger than Tottenham in terms of its fanbase in London hence why it struggles to fill a smaller stadium than Arsenal despite all of that silverware.

I don't think making such a statement was a good PR move though, but if anything it shows as some of us have always known that the issues at Arsenal is over and above the person of Arsene Wenger. Hence why some of us do not like him becoming a scapegoat.
Even the Black scarf movement who are protesting have made it clear that their protest isn't agains Arsene Wenger.

edoyad: dudu, dudu, duduoooo ! You on NL are slowly becoming like Eboue on Twitter , unpredictable.

Ed, I'm as constant as the Northern Star. Just decided to keep my head down for a while to achieve some goals.

Today our revival begins and I'm not talking about a white garment or pentecostal revival.
We've paid the price for resetting our team again with the forced sale of RVP and the rather confusing exit of Song but there are elements in this new Arsenal I find very interesting which I now think will start becoming obvious.

Respect to Debo for fighting the good fight, I can see that you're struggling to explain the hybrid of stochasticsm and determinism that is Arsenal to upstarts like 4llerbuntu who can't seem to grasp the concept of randomness. Personally I think he is just one of those masochistic arsenal fans who get off on being miserable. It might be better to send him a copy of Fifty shades of grey and some lingerie from Victoria's secrets as his christmas pressie cos Arsenal will soon stop giving him his regular fix.

The time to Arsenal becoming a force again is very near, the inconsistency in our team was expected and it wasn't helped by a very tough starting fixture list, not every team sells its best performers year on year and stay anywhere near the top 4, if you doubt this, go ask AC Milan who have already lost 6 matches this season.

Reasons for my positivity:

1. Once again, we replaced departing players in the transfer market and not through the youth program

2. We are the only club remaining in all competitions we started out with (City are out of 2, Chealsea and United from 1 each), one could argue we are already out of the race for the PL but it was always a long shot and depended a lot on how quickly the new players gelled.

3. At the end of the last financial year, Arsenal had 150m in the bank while Manure had 75m and this was prior to us selling RVP and Song and not factoring in the 12.5m we're expected to receive for the Property deal this financial year. In short, we are currently cash rich (before anyone starts shouting I told you so, I'd like to point out this was not always so and our cash position is due to the wisdom and parsimony of past seasons). The good news is that yes we are cash rich and our revenue stream is on an incline (something you can't say for a lot of other clubs) My personal projection is that within the next 2 - 3 years, Arsenal will also be in the > 300m pound per annum category depending on how our commercial department do on our secondary deals. In short, you can blame Arsene for a lot of things but you cannot blame him for mortgaging the future of this club.
Lest I bore you with financial details, what this means is that yes, there is money to rejig the team (if necessary) in January. I'd gladly take Adrian Lopez and a Diaby type MF.

For the mentally challenged Arsenal fans saying they want their Arsenal back, I'd like to know from the pic below, which Arsenal exactly they want back?

[img]http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/arsenal-top-division-league-table-record.jpg#.UMMOl1JuqSo[/img]

If its the one before Arsene Wenger they want back, then they can immediately go and start enriching uranium for all I care. If its the earlier half of Arsene Wenger's tenure they want back though, I believe they can have it back and having already waited 7 years for it, 2 more years should pass quickly. Arsenal's hopes of ever making it back to winning silverware consistently is hinged on a two pronged foundation, increasing our revenue base and FFP having its desired effect. We are a good way into realising one of them and the jury is still out on FFP. Some people have questioned the efficacy of FFP but if you can't already see its effects then you need to go to specsavers.

We are on track and for me, its a good time to be an Arsenal supporter 7 years famine period regardless. If the miserable sods like, let them start an #OccupyEmirates movement and set up tents around they Emirates, they will leave there in shame very soon. Our time will come when we finally get the balance between keeping our top players and adding to that quality from within or without. In the interim however, don't bet against us finally picking up something else along with a top 4 finish this year.

folahann:

I wonder what Wenger's assessment would be if this happened. Since "top 4 finish is more than a trophy"

Arsene was only being factual and giving fans a glimpse of the order of targets set for him by the board. A Top Four finish is in reality better than winning both the FA cup and Carling cup put together. If you doubt this, you only need look at the position of Liverpool in the league. They've won the UCL once and the FA and Carling cup multiple times since Arsenal last won the league.
In a poll conducted by Talksports (the most anti-arsenal radio station in the UK) amongst Arsenal fans earlier in the season, over 65% of Arsenal fans preferred a top 4 finish to winning the FA cup.
If Arsenal finishes outside the top 4 Arsene will walk. This is why some pathetic fans who feel we're better served by a new manager now seem to be happier when 'their' club is losing.

naijababe:


Yay!!!! Welcome back brother. Hugs baby........



All this time, still no hug smiley

Thanks mon cherie coco. missed you too.

debosky:

Oluwaduduspace. . . .welcome back son.

Thank you jare, because of this I won't say I told you so.
You know I've been strategising for the past 2 years how some of that 150m will make its way into my pocket.

4llerbuntu: Gradually the lies you have all been telling yourselves are unraveling

first off, the club announces a 150 million 5 year deal, 5 years!!

for one i don't understand the rationale behind a 5 year deal that will be undervalued in 2 years.
this was what y'all were citing as the problem caused by the one signed to fund the stadium. the deal was shabby and we were locked in for really long in the name of funding the stadium, and to break the deal would carry penalties too large to carry.

now they have done it again.

worse still is the fact that at 30 million a year this is NOT the best deal, especially BECAUSE it is so gaddem long.


so we have our excuse for another 10 trophy less years customized- "we cannot compete because we don't have money"

the naming rights are extended till 2028 on this same deal, even newcastle WILL MAKE more money from naming their damn stadium in that time frame selling it separately to the owner's business.

each time you see Emirates logo, thats your acronym for we don't have money

You too dey talk yama-yama. If anyone of the Emirate chaps who signed the deal see the nonsense you write about the club everyday, they wouldn't give the club eepini (hope your yoruba is good enof?). Maybe that is why that Emirates bloke in the photo shoot on the site was looking so miserable handing over the cheque.

Can we have our Arsenal back?

The Wii U is going to be a massive hit worldwide IMO. I've pre-ordered a premium version from Play to arrive for launch day bundled with Call of Duty Black Ops 2, FIFA 13, Batman Arkham Assylum (Armoured edition) and Zombi-U as I intend to be an early adopter of a system I believe will have an impact close to what the original Wii had.

Giroud opens his account. 1 - 0 Arsenal.

Jencejyde:
Ramsey on the other hand is an example of a young man who has also had his fare share of critism but look at how he is responding, and we all know that he is still used out wide rather than his preferred central role. This is a clear difference between a player that has it in him to want to step up and adjust to any situation whilst believing in his overall ability than one who sulks about not playing tru the middle. Does Alex not swith between CM and RM roles? i duff my hat to him cos amidst all the critism, he his really putting in decent shifts anytime he called upon in any ROLE.

What i believe he needs is a goal scoring trainer like Everton got for Yak back then. talk about composure in the box...i just shaked my head in disgust but i would still start him ahead of any in the front three presently.

I thought someone was babbling here sometime that Per has to be the worst cb ever but guess what, YOU are so DAMN WRONG! Slow he is and certainly not a ball playing CB, but intelligence and good positioning he has.I could not count the number of tru balls he thwarted from Silva, that is pure class. He reads the game ever so well and i once again remind you that getting over 75 caps for Germany is no mean feat.

Fine display from young Jenk, i have said it that the attitude this young man has will be his leverage unto greater tins, he may not possess the typical arsenal type flair, but his grit and passion to do the simple tins is unbelievable.. theo should take a cue from that. Arteta also astute as ever

Good attacking threats all around, wonderful composure to keep the balance between mid and defense and finally the right blend of youth and EXPERIENCE. would be a shame for this team not to win anything this season, but with the way they are playing at the moment, the ingredients for success are there. Not to mention we have some serious backup players coming back which will only increase healthy competition in the overall squad for first team starts.

What Per needs is a good screen in front of him so strikers dont get to run at him and Arteta gives him that just as the likes of Khedira give him for Germany.

I have never feared for Ramsey cos I saw him running a midfield as a 17 year old. Form may dip due to injury and confidence but class is permanent.

Theo can go to wherever he wants to go, if money has become that important to him instead of development. Let him go and play striker for a mid table club and get his goals then be finished as a footballer by the time he is 28. If he however wants to improve, let him go and watch Raheem Sterling on how to be pacy yet play footie. Some interesting youngsters coming up at 'pool by the way, I liked Suso's passing range despite the dodgy pass that led to Manure's goal. I reckon they have gone project youth as well and thats for the muppets who still think Arsenal's project youth was a failure. I'd have a failure worthy of being copied over a success that leaves no legacy any day of the year.

After too long a time, Arsene now has a deep squad and any player who fumbles get yanked off and when yu do get the opportunity to play, then you put on a show. Diaby and Ramsey as examples over the weekend.
Still holding my breath a bit but yes, it does look like happy days are back again and we're yet to see Jackie boy our new number 10.

Another examination well passed. The message is, this arsenal team aint faffing about.

Per has been brilliant and this is the Ramsey I knew before Shawcross.

Koscielny, wa sere.

seems we forgot how to play in that second half. worrying.

chuckdee4: WS1 did take a knock when he committed that blundeer against the Saints, go watch his reaction after the incident, remember it was a slight ankle injury

I doubt he was even fully fit. It is very possible he wanted to come back quickly so Mannone doesnt have time to take the gloves. They wanted to sub him out immediately after the goal.

JJCD as astute as usual, Arteta came out in an interview last season and said we were sucsceptible to counter attacks, due to the way we play, he then set out to solve that problem on his own by adapting how he plays. That is intelligence and true leadership. Not barking like a dog all over the pitch as some people expect. I wasnt surprised he was made vice captain.

I knew some people would get spanked at the Ems this season. RVP can shove his hattricks where the sun don't shine.

Shout out to Slim on pilgrimage to the spiritual home of all Gooners for today's match. Have a great day and hope the boiz make you proud on the pitch.

dayokanu:
So the onus is on you to show us the history, tradition and laurels of assanal FC

What happened to your browser? have you forgotten the URL for wikipedia? I stopped giving history lessons a while back.
Now answer the question. What kinda trade by Barter went on between you and A-40.