16 Jul 2019 13:15:17
If the lack of finances was purely down to performances on the pitch, then fair enough let us spend the money we produce. However we are in the position we are in because of failings off the pitch, allowing contracts to run down signing players on too higher wages that they are difficult to move on. The coaching team and fans shouldn't be held responsible and suffer with lack of quality players and performances because of errors at boardroom level, if errors are at that level then those responsible should pay for the mistakes e. g. Stan has to put his hand in his pocket.
16 Jul 2019 17:16:38
And how about Mustafi Xhaka and Mesut who cost us over 100 million and are now worth 35 million if we're lucky, that's not the boards fualt because they stumped up the money in oder to back the manager and coaches choices who to sign then watch them coach them into players worth much much less of the clubs money than we paid out.
What's the board suppose to say " never mind here's another 100 million to take us ever further backwards '?
I genuinely don't think anyone is blameless for where we are not the managers coaches board or the fans who resisted change for so long out of loyalty.
We got into this mess together and it's only together we can ever hope to get out of it.
16 Jul 2019 17:29:08
I think so much of our success 15-20 years ago was about balance. Balance in spending and development. Age and youth. Offence and defence. Sound financial management and knowing when and how to spend.
Yes, ownership is tight-fisted, but this isn’t anything new. It’s been like this since. 2002? Yes, it’s frustrating that we were promised to be financially competitive following our move to the Grove (and it hurts to see Spurs buying flashy new furnishing for their flashy new stadium) , but you don’t need to spend the most to compete (again, Spurs, Sevilla, Ajax) .
What I want is balance. And balance requires structure, which there doesn’t seem to be. Solid plans for recruitment, player development. I want to be proven wrong. I want to be shown that Freddie will develop players, that we’re going to be able to clear atrocious wages off the books, that we’ll employ systems that maximize our talents and play to our strengths. I want to believe that Calum chambers can still be the player he looked to be when we bought him (and I thought, “Finally, a CB we can trust. †. those days seem long gone) . I want to see us buying Van Dijk from Celtic, not Southampton, Dembele from Celtic, not Lyon, Tierney from. Celtic. but just to know that we can have a system that identifies developing talent, purchases reasonably and then compliments with flash. Balanced acquisitions stemming from a solid structure at the club that develops its players and cultivates finances to compliment what we have.
I don’t see that right now. So I don’t care about Stan spending. I care about the sloppiness, the laziness, the apparent lack of direction. I care about neglect.
But hope springs eternal.
16 Jul 2019 18:03:32
Brilliant Alex, top top reply mate.
16 Jul 2019 20:12:16
I agree but the board ultimately make the decisions that allow these things to happen. It is not an isolated incident that they have got wrong and have not invested any money. I am simply saying that it wouldn't hurt Stan to say sorry for allowing these contracts to run down, poor investment, lack of youth development and decrease in coaching quality by investing something.
It seems Stan has sat in America and watched two of his biggest assets at arsenal go for nothing (Sanchez and Ramsey) and signed an inconsistent asset for a huge long term contract, this is poor basic business practice and even with his little knowledge of the game should have stepped in and sold Sanchez and Ramsey when that had a year left, he should have kept an eye on investmens such as Mustafa and xhaka and asked why they weren't performing.
16 Jul 2019 20:46:07
In fairness Ben, Stan sat in America and watched the value of his NFL franchise double to $3b US. So at least you know he’s sitting comfortably.
16 Jul 2019 21:22:30
But if Stan had interfered and not allowed Arsene to extend the contracts of Artetta Caz Mertesacker and others when it was obvious they wouldn't be available for the vast majority of the season because of injury age or both people would have slated Stan for that.
If he'd stepped in and taken control of the Sanchez situation above Arsenes head he'd have been slated, if he'd said no to Mesuts demands of 350k a week he'd have been slated and if he'd had gone above Emerys head and give in to Ramsey demands he'd have been slated.
What about if he'd said no to Xhaka and Mustafi transfers because he didn't think them wise? what if he'd said no to Jack and Theo pay rises and contract extentions against Arsenes wishes to keep them at all costs?
Seems to me if Stan backs the managers choices he's wrong and if he doesn't back his manager he's wrong too.
I'm not saying Stan and the club are completely blameless but I 100% think they far to often get the blame for the failings of others including the fans who paid for planes to fly over and carried banners demanding Arsene was allowed to continue when it was obvious he'd lost his way.
16 Jul 2019 21:24:07
I for sure agree that we are performing worse and worse each season in large part due to money invested as opposed to it being vice versa where we’re losing finances because were getting crapper.
But there are also other factors like bad signings, too many prima donnas, general mentality lack of leaders etc.
And that’s just within the team not getting started on the club as a whole as I plan to be in bed by 11.
17 Jul 2019 09:29:58
Great post Arsenalalex.