Arsenal Football Club

[AustrianAndyGull]

So 7 years without winning so much as a Salvation Army summer fete raffle and Arsene Wenger is determined to make it 8. They are 4 -0 down to Reading as i write in the league cup, one of the two competitons Arsenal are competent enough to win. Yet Wenger totally decimates his team replacing the regulars with dummies. I just don't get it. It would appear that securing fourth place in the premier league is now the be all and end all and is now a barometer of 'success' even though technically as you have finished fourth you have failed. Why spend all season dismissing cups in the pursuit of fourth place when Arsenal haven't a hope in hell of winning the Champions League once they're in it? There is only one reason,

MONEY

I used to like and respect Wenger but he is just a puppet in the game, he has been beaten into submission into believing what he is doing at Arsenal is the roof of his and their capabilities and trying to hoodwink the Arsenal fans into accepting this. The same Arsenal fans who pay the most in ticket prices for the privelege. It really sickens me the state the game at the top level is in now, make the Champions League just for Champions as it used to be, the UEFA Cup will then become more competetive and have some kudos, which is what it used to have and i'd introduce a third European competition for cup winning sides.

[stevegull]

Wenger sees it like this:

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foot ... 28480.html

[AustrianAndyGull]

Great stuff that Steve thanks mate, and i rest my case. It's really, really sad.

[stevegull]

Yeah sorry Andy, you do that great OP and I just chuck in a link!

In all seriousness the situation with Arsenal and Wenger reminds me of the Kaiser Chief's song 'Every day I love you less and less'. It's turning sour, very slowly.

[AustrianAndyGull]

It's ok mate. . It does bring me onto another question though about fans becoming disillusioned and disenfranchised. I've read stories about fans of the 'big' clubs not being able to afford to go anymore and even if they could the ground is sold out all the time and they get pushed out and marginalised and decide to ditch that club and go and support a lower league club. I don't mean fans who are unhappy with the regime that they support a phoenix club like FC United but a normal fan who who no longer feels part of the club he supports and wishes to support someone else lower down so that he can watch the games and not get ripped off. I wonder if any of us would get so fed up with the greed and go and do that because i certainly would.

[Plymouth Gull]

You were saying Andy?!

Unbelievable. Certainly beats our comeback vs Aldershot!!

[AustrianAndyGull]

Matters not Nick, the side he put out indicates that the league cup isn't a priority regardless of what happened tonight. I love Brian McDermott, he's a real decent bloke but he really needs a rocket up his arse for what happened tonight.

[Plymouth Gull]

I know. But at the same time, they got the result they desired. And filled their boots too.

[AustrianAndyGull]

So you're confident enough to put some money on them winning the cup then?

[stevegull]

I would like to rephrase my earlier comment.

Arsenal are a club on the rise, they just need time. <3

[Plymouth Gull]

They've got a chance, obviously!

I don't think you can blame them though - blame Sky Sports, blame all the bigwigs in the PL for making it what it is today. The fact you get more money for finishing 4th in the league than you do for winning a domestic cup says it all about our game today. Ridiculous.

But then I suppose it's like us and the JPT - I'm quite sure I remember you saying give the kids a run, so in theory.... we're just as bad, right?!

[AustrianAndyGull]

I like you Nick, you always respond to my rants with sensible insight ( God i hate that! ).

I suppose technically you are right but i would say that our (Torquay's ) aim is to get promoted into league 1 and if we achieve that it would be hailed as a success in footballing terms because we will have made progress as a club. So to play the kids in a JPT game to ensure continued success is an acceptable thing to do in my opinion. Arsenal on the other hand are not progressing as a club, they could try and win the league and champions league if they wanted to progress as a club but they don't want to as they don't want to spend vast amounts of cash ( which i agree with ) but also because they don't take the League Cup and Fa Cups seriously until the very latter stages and play weakened sides up until them ( which i don't agree with ). They are content with finishing 4th but that isn't success nor progress. The money earned from a Champions League place obliterates the pride and passion which players now have for the cups. The FA Cup used to be the greatest cup competition but the big clubs have totally destroyed it right in front of the watching eyes of the FA who have just let it happen. That is sad. It's all relative i suppose Nick, but if i were an Arsenal fan i would be far happier winning both cups each year than getting Champions League and failing plus finishing fourth behind the other big three. If you are an Arsenal moneyman though, that scenario is unthinkable. Money has extinguished the beautiful game.

[Plymouth Gull]

:P I like winding you up!

I see where you're coming from. And I agree entirely. What surprises me is teams like Southampton putting out reserve teams for it though. I mean, realistically they have zero chance of doing anything in the Prem unless they get taken over by some Arab billionaire like Man City have. I mean realistically these cups are a chance of European football. Yet they still can't be arsed with it, because it's better for them to ditch all cups and finish 17th in the PL. Which is insane.

I'm really starting to lose interest in the Premiership now, what with there being a racist claim every week now, all the cheating and the money makes me sick. Unfortunately it's slowly seeping to our level. It's not what it used to be.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Totally agree Nick.

[AustrianAndyGull]

What a surprise, Arsenal play top 4 club and lose. AGAIN, oh dear. Fourth place chase again then is it lads? Aim for the stars.