Football Thread (formally Soccer Thread)

[Wandarah]

What do you mean 'wtf'? We can't compete financially. We're not bankrolled by a Russian billionaire.

[JuDgE MenTaL]

Granted, but you surely you don't need to be to keep your best player bar none, I'm sure there's a post earlier in this thread that says Arsenal spend more than anyone.... Wenger said, the club cannot afford to lose RVP, nek minnut.
 Yes there's the wider issue of 'future plans' (or lack of) which RVP clearly doesn't like, but I do not accept that you can fill Emirates every week and not afford to show enough ambition to a player that clearly doesn't want to leave.

[Wandarah]

Ugh, there's so much bizarreness in your post I can't be titted.

Let's just say we've shown 'ambition' by signing a couple of decent players already. If 'ambition' is directly related to RvP's paycheque, then we simply can't compete. I won't go into the glaringly fucking obvious results of paying one playing in the squad double, or triple, what the others are getting.

[JuDgE MenTaL]

Bizarre? hmm ok, so base it on his statement, which isn't about money (he says).

 I don't know what he doesn't like about the future plans hence the quotes but yes I agree, 2 good signings for undisclosed amounts, Podolski and Giroud (the latter apparently snubbing us for Wenger not wonga <-- see what I did?). Rightly or wrongly it does usually come down to money though, maybe RVP's different but probably not (going by him saying 'As soon as Mr Gazidis is back from his two-week holiday in America further meetings will follow and I will update you if and when there are more developments.') does imply that he can be bought.

I'm just saying I disagree that you can't afford it, hardly bizarre. Arsenal just don't want to spend like City and Chelsea not can't, which is different, and may be seen by some as a lack of ambition or commitment. Having the fortitude to behave like 'we don't work like that and won't be held to ransom by any player' is admirable but you can't argue that decent players are walking out the door.

I have no idea what Arsenal players are on, but if you need to pay him double or triple what someone else is on then something else is up.

[JuDgE MenTaL]

Haha found a quote from Spork about AVB...

2 Years? You're avvin a laugh, if he lasts 6 months I'll be surprised.

[Wandarah]

It is can't.

[JuDgE MenTaL]

What do you mean 'wtf'? We can't compete financially. We're not bankrolled by a Russian billionaire.

Ulisher Asminov (30% shareholder) is .....a Russian billionaire.  Maybe ask him?

Won't!

"The club made an operating profit (excluding player transfers) of £72m in the year ending 31 May 2010, from a turnover of £379.9m.[5] In April 2009, business magazine Forbes ranked Arsenal as third most valuable football team in the world, after Manchester United and Real Madrid, valuing the club at $1.2bn (£605m), excluding debt.[6] Accountants Deloitte rate Arsenal fifth in the 2011 Deloitte Football Money League, a ranking of the world's football clubs in terms of revenue, with the club earning £274.1m in the 2009–10 season."

Won't......

Just sayin'.

[R3DM@N]

The difference between Man Citeh's ethics and Chelseas are totally different.

Chelsea were in huge financial strife before Bramo came. Man City were a mid table team with a huge investor who threw money left, right and centre.

PS : Cya later RVP - hope he plans for Man Citeh. Be awesome!

[Wandarah]

Ulisher Asminov (30% shareholder) is .....a Russian billionaire.  Maybe ask him?

Won't!

"The club made an operating profit (excluding player transfers) of £72m in the year ending 31 May 2010, from a turnover of £379.9m.[5] In April 2009, business magazine Forbes ranked Arsenal as third most valuable football team in the world, after Manchester United and Real Madrid, valuing the club at $1.2bn (£605m), excluding debt.[6] Accountants Deloitte rate Arsenal fifth in the 2011 Deloitte Football Money League, a ranking of the world's football clubs in terms of revenue, with the club earning £274.1m in the 2009–10 season."

Won't......

Just sayin'.

I don't mean to be a dick here - but you have absolutely no idea about the financials of Arsenal Football Club. If you're actually interested, I recommend The Swiss Ramble blog for some actual raw data and some analysis about the restrictions that AFC are currently operating under.

Arsenal are in a relatively healthy financial situation, using a self-sustainable model. A model which wouldn't be feasible if we started paying players, what, well, people who aren't obligated to use such a model can pay them. Arsenal also aren't generating the revenue they really should be, this is directly related, yes - but unfortunately not able to be changed to accommodate the posturing of Robin Van Purse.

Manchester United for example, may well be valuable but suggesting this is a measure of them being able to pay top wage, constantly, is a bizarre claim after the last couple of days. Not to mention the last season.

If you're suggesting that Arsenal *could* sacrifice certain financial idealogies, weaken the squad at large, and do so to offer a single player a large raise then yes, yes they could. It'd mean the end of a relatively equitable wage structure, for one.

I could sell my house and buy a very nice car.

I won't though, because that's fucking stupid.

[Wandarah]

The difference between Man Citeh's ethics and Chelseas are totally different.

Chelsea were in huge financial strife before Bramo came. Man City were a mid table team with a huge investor who threw money left, right and centre.

PS : Cya later RVP - hope he plans for Man Citeh. Be awesome!

The ethics are exactly the same. The expenditure is different.

[JuDgE MenTaL]

So angry Wandarah...(I do hear what your saying though)

Fine, wave goodbye to RVP and Walcott from your warm house built on moral high ground in sleepy Midtableton.

Your Russian Billionaire isn't happy about it though.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/9378492/Robin-van-Persies-decision-not-to-renew-contract-gives-Alisher-Usmanov-opportunity-to-attack-Arsenal-board.html

I know that when the bubble bursts at Chelsea (because of course it will), you'll be able to laugh and point too but up will step the next tax evading billionaire and so it will continue.

[Wandarah]

Yes, the type of person send a letter like that at this particular moment, containing those particular words is exactly the type of individual I want involved in the day to day running of the club. He's a really, really dodgy cunt.

Also, why would we suddenly be mid-table? Every said that last year, and the year before, and the year before that. The club continues.

I am so, definitely, no way, not at all, shitting myself. No sir.

[JuDgE MenTaL]

Dodgy, look who he mixes with, how could he possibly be dodgy?



but yea......the club continues...to win fk all.

I'm not suggesting you should be kacking your pants, of course not.

Fk the Olympics, bring it on!!

[Wandarah]

Lot's of clubs win fuck all. We've won more than most. We've won more than Chelsea. It's harder when the playing field ain't level.

It's these sorts of thing I'll console myself with when we get relegated.

[JuDgE MenTaL]

Haha, I think you're a long way from relegation, who knows maybe 'The Pod' will make RVP look like Shevchenko did at Chelsea.

[Spork]

Haha found a quote from Spork about AVB...

Should've placed some money on it.

[JuDgE MenTaL]

we all should have to be fair.

[Spork]

Will he do better with the scum?

I think he could, most people seem to think he will as he won't have JT and the funky (aged) bunch to mess with his game now.

[Wandarah]

Congratulations to John Terry for his outstanding win at Wimbledon today.

[R3DM@N]

I said I hope AVB does well..and I think Tottenham is the place for him.

We have Di Matteo.

[JuDgE MenTaL]

Congtratulations to John Terry for his outstanding patience in what was a 5 day waste of time and money and months of totally ridiculous speculation.

Terry might be a meathead yob but even he can see Anton Ferdinand is as much white as he is black.

[R3DM@N]

I dont believe Terry would of been racist when his team mates around him are black? Mikel was basically right next to him when he said it?

[Wandarah]

Because he's a fucking tool. Mikel is one of the few who didn't sign a statement defending him too. Just saying.

[JuDgE MenTaL]

Cole was even closer and he did.

Granted that JT is a bit of a tool... In this case I'll believe him though.

Speaking of Cole

[JuDgE MenTaL]

Manchester City makes £250 million bid for Arsenal's history
23-07-12

PREMIER League champions Manchester City have tabled an offer to buy up Arsenal’s entire roll-call of honours for an estimated £250 million, plus Adam Johnson.



This could all un-happen

If accepted, the offer would see City retrospectively crowned league double winners in 1970-71, 1997-98 and 2001-2002, first division champions three seasons running between 1933 and 1935 as well as last-gasp victors in 1989 when they went to Anfield and snatched the title from Liverpool.

The transfer of history would also mean that the 1939 film The Arsenal Stadium Mystery, to which City’s owners have acquired all rights, would be renamed The Etihad Stadium Mystery.

Furthermore, copies of Nick Hornby’s Fever Pitch are set to be recalled and a new edition written, culminating in Manchester City’s thrilling Division Two play-off victory in 1999 when they upset the odds to beat Gillingham.

Insiders say that the money would be used to strengthen Arsenals squad, with £1.5 million of it put towards a bid for Laurent Ouidy,  the injury-prone French winger whose three goals for FC Pantalon almost saved them from relegation last season.

The rest would be used to service the debt on the Emirates stadium, reupholster the executive restaurant dining lounge and as lavatory paper for the club’s shareholders.

Nathan Muir, senior accountant at Arsenal FC, said, “I know fans think trophies are what count – trust me, they’re not. Have you seen the Inter Cities Fairs Cup? You take that mantelpiece bauble down to a car boot sale and trust me, you’ll be driving the bugger home.”

Professor Henry Brubaker of the Institute For Studies said, “Clubs trading each others’ histories is nothing new. Deals like this have been commonplace in football for years.

“Take Manchester United – a nothing team until 1980, when they came into cash and did exactly the same thing as City. Nowadays, no one remembers it was originally Port Vale who beat Benfica to win the 1968 European Cup.