Arsenal Football Club

[AustrianAndyGull]

Over 10,000 empty seats at the Emirates today. Thorough and total respect to those absent for refusing to pay through the nose to watch losers.

[happytorq]

I think Wenger could be gone pretty soon.

No, listen. I know that sounds stupid but, consider; Arsenal's business plan is predicated not on winning trophies, but on qualifying for the Champions League every year (whether or not you think this is right is another debate). Even though Arsenal have won sod all for 7 years, they have always qualified for the knockout stages of the CL, which means mucho £. But this year they would do very well to qualify; even though they're only 5 points behind, they've struggled all season.

Come january, if that gap is any bigger, I wouldn't be surprised to see Wenger leave - probably not by choice. The board have been very understanding with him but as soon as they see a pattern of fans staying away, they'll panic; they cant afford the Emirates not to be full. Any new guy will need to have funds to bring in new players, and that can only happen in January if they still have hopes of making the CL.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Agree with most things in that post happy. The key one you mentioned was about the stay aways and if fans continue to stay away or even more choose not to go to the Emirates then it would impact on the club's income. As the people running the club are obsessed with money they aren't going to like that one bit. Wenger is a yes man and that suits the money men down to the ground and so long as he is generating the income by doing well in the CL then Wenger will not be sacked. He is so weak that those that run the club couldn't have a better man to help make them money. Wenger won't leave either as he is too stubborn, gets hundreds of thousands of pounds for failing and a great salary. He just looks so withdrawn, and tired that he is a sad sight to see. How he inspires his players is beyond me now. His magic has totally evaporated because he has failed to spot that he is being mugged off. The only time the Arsenal board would consider getting rid of Arsene is if he fails to qualify for the CL or attendances drop to ridiculously embarrassing levels. I urge Arsenal fans to stay away en masse just for a while until he is forced out , then you might get your club back.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Agree with most things in that post happy. The key one you mentioned was about the stay aways and if fans continue to stay away or even more choose not to go to the Emirates then it would impact on the club's income. As the people running the club are obsessed with money they aren't going to like that one bit. Wenger is a yes man and that suits the money men down to the ground and so long as he is generating the income by doing well in the CL then Wenger will not be sacked. He is so weak that those that run the club couldn't have a better man to help make them money. Wenger won't leave either as he is too stubborn, gets hundreds of thousands of pounds for failing and a great salary. He just looks so withdrawn, and tired that he is a sad sight to see. How he inspires his players is beyond me now. His magic has totally evaporated because he has failed to spot that he is being mugged off. The only time the Arsenal board would consider getting rid of Arsene is if he fails to qualify for the CL or attendances drop to ridiculously embarrassing levels. I urge Arsenal fans to stay away en masse just for a while until he is forced out , then you might get your club back.

[Alpine Joe]

happytorq

Come january, if that gap is any bigger, I wouldn't be surprised to see Wenger leave - probably not by choice. The board have been very understanding with him but as soon as they see a pattern of fans staying away, they'll panic; they cant afford the Emirates not to be full

I really can't see Wenger being sacked mid-season. His frugality in the transfer market over many years while still bringing in the Champions League money season after season has gone a long way to helping towards the costs of a new stadium, the state of the art new training facilities etc. The club has virtually been 'Project Wenger' for the past 16 years. He's come in and changed the playing style totally, designed the new training complex the way he wants it, kept playing the youngsters he's developed despite plenty wanting to see the club take another route. Wenger addresses the shareholders ever year, pretty much runs the club the way he wants and I'd expect him to have the major say on who his successor will be (Guardiola would surely be perfect? )

Personally I view Wenger as the exact opposite of the 'yes man' that Andy labels him, and I'm certain he would have left long ago if he hadn't been left alone to do the job in exactly the way he wanted. If things really were going disastrously wrong then maybe Wenger would step down sooner than anticipated, but I can't imagine Arsenal sacking him, and definitely not during a season.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Gunners currently 1-0 up in Greece against Olympiakos. Trust them to be winning a game that means f*ck all!

I gauge how far down a club has fallen from grace by looking at the fixtures when i selecting my bets. Liverpool in the past two seasons have become a club you cannot now risk putting down in any football bet with the 'assumption' that because they are playing an inferior side they will probably win. Unlike a Man Utd or a Man City who you can generally trust to do the business, Liverpool haven't been able to for the last couple of seasons. They are not now a big club.

Arsenal have now become the latest Liverpool and no matter who they play now , even at the Emirates, they simply cannot be relied upon to get you the win. Even if they were playing QPR you would think twice about picking them.

Losers!

Tell me about it! If it wasn't for Cheltenham letting in a late Hereford equaliser then Arsenal would have been the only ones to cock up my bets ( as they usually do ). Phew! Thankyou Hereford for sparing this thread some more Arsenal hatred vitriol from me!

[AustrianAndyGull]

hahaha! No sooner had i posted that and Olympiakos equalise! TOTAL LOSERS!!

[AustrianAndyGull]

As much as i hate Arsenal, the Bradford fans p*ssed me off on saturday so i hope Bradford get walloped tonight. Come on you Gunners!!

[ferrarilover]

Just had a text from a Gooner mate, reckons tonight's Arsenal lineup is pretty much their strongest XI. I got 5/1 on Arsenal winning 155-0, I thought I'd robbed the bookie!

Matt.

[stevegull]

Arsenal one down!!!

[OllieGull]

I think this means Torquay are better than Arsenal eh, a 1-0 loss with 10 men against a 1-0 loss with 11 men?

[OllieGull]

I think this means Torquay are better than Arsenal eh, a 1-0 loss with 10 men against a 1-0 loss with 11 men?

Wow could not have posted this with any worse timing, 1-1

[happytorq]

Just had a text from a Gooner mate, reckons tonight's Arsenal lineup is pretty much their strongest XI. I got 5/1 on Arsenal winning 155-0, I thought I'd robbed the bookie!

Matt The n00b.

155-0?

Bet the bookie laughed his cods off when you made that bet.

And even more so when it done after half an hour.

[Plymouth Gull]

Incredible!!!!

[tktufc91]

Fantastic result and well deserved too. Wenger surely must be on borrowed time now after this?

UP THE LOWER LEAGUES!