The Arsenal Thread

[iArsenal]

Now that some time has passed on the ending of another Premier League season there are a couple things I just want to say.

1) It is pretty much one of the greatest feelings in the world knowing Tottenham finishes another season below us in the table and seeing the faces on their supporters when they got trolled hard was hilarious.

2) It is great seeing us finish in the top 4 once again for the 16th season in a row and I know some people are going to blast our players with how they celebrated a "top 4 trophy". In the past two seasons you can see a huge difference in morale. Last year we celebrated but not with as much enthusiasm as we had this season.

3) Now that the season is over we need to get the transfers done and dusted early. Higuain, Jovetic or Villa were all dependant on Champions League football and now that we have it I say let's get them done with. Bring in Corchia unless Sagna signs a new contract and buy a good defensive midfielder.

4) Finally, Happy St. Totteringham's Day everyone.

 

[CJACKO11]

2 things of note here

1. Giroud is hilarious, I want that as my avatar
2. Ox is RIPPED

Just my thoughts on this but if i was an Arsenal fan i'd find this picture absolutely cringe worthy. Celebrating 4th spot like a trophy win, it's quite depressing seeing your players accepting 4th as a trophy win and it's no wonder you are on a trophy drought. Fantastic achievement and obviously better then finishing 5th but this is far too much for me.

 

[iArsenal]

A month ago Chelsea fans were saying they would rather finish in the top 4 than win the Europa League. While I do agree we have to be better at the end of the day we finished above Spurs. I'd say finishing in the top 4 for the past 16 seasons is a good achievement as well especially with all we have gone through the past three seasons.

 

[Montanaro]

sold best players, invested little back into team, years of not winning to sulk about, 10th place mid-year, all teams above us outspend us like crazy.

yet we still end up in 4th and beat Bayern on the road.

I'm just glad to have a team that fights for each other and can celebrate earning a champions league spot over our rivals.

If you want to poo-poo on that and try to stir the pot in this thread, I'll just report you.

 

[Montanaro]

 

[Mike]

Just my thoughts on this but if i was an Arsenal fan i'd find this picture absolutely cringe worthy. Celebrating 4th spot like a trophy win, it's quite depressing seeing your players accepting 4th as a trophy win and it's no wonder you are on a trophy drought. Fantastic achievement and obviously better then finishing 5th but this is far too much for me.

It's not just the fact that we got the final Champions League spot -

1. Of course, because we secured fourth place, and Champions League > Europa League.
2. As pointed out by Montanaro, half a season ago we were halfway down the Premier League table; to come back from a ***** start like that is worth celebrating I think.
3. It was between us and our main rivals, so you could really see this picture as celebrating a win vs. Tottenham.
4. Final day emotions, what more can you say really.
5. I can only imagine that most teams would have a little celebrate in the dressing room to toast the season, only not to this scale and we're only pointed out because we got fourth ahead of Tottenham.

But I can see where you're coming from, celebrating fourth place proves that as a club we've slipped recently. I'd like to say it's not good enough (obviously it isn't), but I'm content with another Champions League place, especially after such a drab start.

Oh and,

6. Here's a camera, there's a bunch of football players, they're bound to pose and do stupid stuff lol

 

[Mike]

This was shocking, though; seriously Alex? Why would he want to lift the trophy with you? I mean come on!

 

[Quasit]

Heard the PHW is to step down as a Chairman now. Also Uzmanov is really close to owning 30% of the shares.

I really hope we get real football people on board now and not just puppets.

 

[CJACKO11]

A month ago Chelsea fans were saying they would rather finish in the top 4 than win the Europa League. While I do agree we have to be better at the end of the day we finished above Spurs. I'd say finishing in the top 4 for the past 16 seasons is a good achievement as well especially with all we have gone through the past three seasons.

I agree if i had a choice i would have taken CL football next season over the Europa cup. But if we did get that i wouldn't have celebrated half as much or expected my teams players too. Its almost as if your whole club has accepted 4th is your limit, don't you think thats depressing.

sold best players, invested little back into team, years of not winning to sulk about, 10th place mid-year, all teams above us outspend us like crazy.

yet we still end up in 4th and beat Bayern on the road.

I'm just glad to have a team that fights for each other and can celebrate earning a champions league spot over our rivals.

If you want to poo-poo on that and try to stir the pot in this thread, I'll just report you.

Haha have a word with yourself mate please, i was putting my opinion out there i'm only "stirring stuff" if you receive it that way.

It's not just the fact that we got the final Champions League spot -

1. Of course, because we secured fourth place, and Champions League > Europa League.
2. As pointed out by Montanaro, half a season ago we were halfway down the Premier League table; to come back from a ***** start like that is worth celebrating I think.
3. It was between us and our main rivals, so you could really see this picture as celebrating a win vs. Tottenham.
4. Final day emotions, what more can you say really.
5. I can only imagine that most teams would have a little celebrate in the dressing room to toast the season, only not to this scale and we're only pointed out because we got fourth ahead of Tottenham.

But I can see where you're coming from, celebrating fourth place proves that as a club we've slipped recently. I'd like to say it's not good enough (obviously it isn't), but I'm content with another Champions League place, especially after such a drab start.

Oh and,

6. Here's a camera, there's a bunch of football players, they're bound to pose and do stupid stuff lol

All of your points made then i totally agree with mate and would expect some celebrations because of them stuff listed. Me personally just looking at the picture in general just makes me cringe. The one worry i'd have as an Arsenal fan is that the club see this as an achievement and feel that they won't have to spend AGAIN. I think finishing 5th would in the long run been more beneficial to you if that makes sense.

 

[rephlex]

Agree with that Cjacko, as an Arsenal fan you get this feeling that every season has a horrible familiarity. The problem with buying cheap is you have to buy twice. If we put the money we threw away on Bendtner, Park, Chamakh, Giroud (though he hasn't been bad and I expect more from him next season) we could have a proper replacement for RVP and actually be challenging for trophies. The same is true for many other positions. I sincerely hope the new sponsorship deals actually encourage people to go out there, do some scouting and actually buy players of the quality we should be buying, rather than even letting teams like Stoke and Sunderland outspend us.

 

[Quasit]

I agree if i had a choice i would have taken CL football next season over the Europa cup. But if we did get that i wouldn't have celebrated half as much or expected my teams players too. Its almost as if your whole club has accepted 4th is your limit, don't you think thats depressing.

Look at Milan players struggling to win already relegated team and then managing 3rd which in Serie A is last CL spot. They celebrated it as much as Arsenal players celebrated our 4th. Who would have thought either team would qualify for CL after horrible starts for season? I think players are allowed to celebrate after that feat and I only hope now we can go on and bring this end of season form into next season along with couple new players.

 

[Quasit]

I agree on that this isn't good enough. BUT there are lot of good things to take out from this season
1) We got really good core in place
2) We got more points this season compared to last (+3) and had 2nd best defensive record in league after City
3) Koscielny and Mertesacker are becoming real quality CB pairing and arguably the best in league since we played Spurs at WHL. After that we haven't conceded a goal from open play.

 

[Montanaro]

If I played and finished 12th, I'd still celebrate my luck in having another season in the league.

also, a lot of arsenal fans showed up (something that hasn't always happened at home this season) and to not celebrate and thank the fans would be disrespectful.

This only furthers team unity and improves morale for next season.

 

[LgsLord26]

2 things of note here

1. Giroud is hilarious, I want that as my avatar
2. Ox is RIPPED

Ox has nothing on Sagna's Physique!

 

[Tyton]

Agree with that Cjacko, as an Arsenal fan you get this feeling that every season has a horrible familiarity. The problem with buying cheap is you have to buy twice.

Always trying to buy cheap seems pointless when you still have one of the highest wages in the Prem, and all the deadwood in the squad ends up staying forever on their inflated contrats.

 

[Quasit]

Always trying to buy cheap seems pointless when you still have one of the highest wages in the Prem, and all the deadwood in the squad ends up staying forever on their inflated contrats.

Yeap. Never been fan of the equality we show towards players in their wages. Good thing is lot of that deadwood is clearing this summer so we can offer bigger wages to new players.

 

[CJACKO11]

Agree with that Cjacko, as an Arsenal fan you get this feeling that every season has a horrible familiarity. The problem with buying cheap is you have to buy twice. If we put the money we threw away on Bendtner, Park, Chamakh, Giroud (though he hasn't been bad and I expect more from him next season) we could have a proper replacement for RVP and actually be challenging for trophies. The same is true for many other positions. I sincerely hope the new sponsorship deals actually encourage people to go out there, do some scouting and actually buy players of the quality we should be buying, rather than even letting teams like Stoke and Sunderland outspend us.

Don't get me wrong i love Arsenal not doing the right things for obvious reasons but i just look at it this way. You signed Podolski for around 12 million from what i have seen. He has done okay in his first season, not set the stage alight as many predicted but has been okay. That 12 million could have been spent on trying to keep RVP a proven premier league goal scorer paying him wages which match his ability. In fact you could have paid RVP 180 grand a week and got 2 million change instead of signing Podolski, RVP would have also enhanced your chances of winning or taking you further in competitions or higher in the league which also brings in more revenue. I just think Arsenal make so many poor calls in transfer dealings.

 

[GodCubed]

Don't get me wrong i love Arsenal not doing the right things for obvious reasons but i just look at it this way. You signed Podolski for around 12 million from what i have seen. He has done okay in his first season, not set the stage alight as many predicted but has been okay. That 12 million could have been spent on trying to keep RVP a proven premier league goal scorer paying him wages which match his ability. In fact you could have paid RVP 180 grand a week and got 2 million change instead of signing Podolski, RVP would have also enhanced your chances of winning or taking you further in competitions or higher in the league which also brings in more revenue. I just think Arsenal make so many poor calls in transfer dealings.

RVP wouldn't have been persuaded by higher wages. He's 29 years old, at the kind of age where he wants to win trophies. RVP leaving was pretty much inevitable.

That said, Arsenal's wage structure is totally ****** up. They overpay youngsters and underpay key players massively.

 

[Mike.]

Don't get me wrong i love Arsenal not doing the right things for obvious reasons but i just look at it this way. You signed Podolski for around 12 million from what i have seen. He has done okay in his first season, not set the stage alight as many predicted but has been okay. That 12 million could have been spent on trying to keep RVP a proven premier league goal scorer paying him wages which match his ability. In fact you could have paid RVP 180 grand a week and got 2 million change instead of signing Podolski, RVP would have also enhanced your chances of winning or taking you further in competitions or higher in the league which also brings in more revenue. I just think Arsenal make so many poor calls in transfer dealings.

Despite what many Gunners try to comfort themselves with, RVP didnt want money (the fact that he turned down 300k a week at City is a testament to that). He wanted to be a serial winner.

Not sure many predicted he would set the scene alight, this is Podolski's 2nd best season in his career.

 

[Tyton]

I think Arsenal had the right idea about how to run a financially stable club, its just that this idea seems to be very 2005. If they'd invest just a little bit more into the club, the TV money, sponsorship deals and all the things that come with popularity, would likely balance the books anyway.

Right now its going to be pretty hard competing for trophies from 4th place, when 3rd and 2nd are teams with rich sugar daddy, and 1st one is 2.4 bilion behemoth.