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1. Odd Andy

   Jun 17, 2012, 22:03 #23562

   Didn't David Stewart pen a song called 'Blind Leading The Blind'.......!!? I'm with you all the way Andrew Cohen....perhaps we should rename OGL 'Arson' Wenger....!

2. David Stewart

   Jun 16, 2012, 16:37 #23559

   Andrew Cohen – Firstly 49 goals conceded, 4-4 draw and a Spurs collapse have sod-all to do with the subject matter of which players “Wenger has destroyed”. I am very disappointed in the examples you choose to build your case upon. Denilson, Diaby, Vela & Bendtner were all developed and became the very players they are under Arsene Wenger. If a player doesn’t make it at Arsenal, that does not mean their career is destroyed. Just like Darren Gibson’s career hasn’t been destroyed because in left Man Utd. In fact Diaby, Vela & Bendtner have all gained international recognition whilst under Wenger’s tutelage. None of them are destroyed – not by any idiots definition of the word ‘destroyed’. I am not sure what argument you are trying to make with the Samir Nasri example – the guy moved on to a club that won the premier league. It happens. The fact that the premiership champions invested £25m in him suggests he had been anything but destroyed at Arsenal – if anything improved. Arshavin, to my mind, has not fulfilled the trust Arsene has placed in him (he has given him over 150 games) and in that time he has not delivered and sulked. You can argue that Arsene has played him out of position but watching the Euro’s he seems to play from exactly the same position for Russia as he has been for Arsenal ( I don’t know how they play him at Zenit). He picked up 27 Russian appearances whilst at Arsenal so that hardly supports the theory that his career was destroyed. And finally Fabregas – the most bizarre argument I think I have ever heard from an adult. Over 300 Arsenal appearances (many in the champions League) 58 appearances for Spain as an Arsenal player, club captain and a whole host of awards in recognition of his playing ability during his 8 seasons at Arsenal before a move to arguably the best club side in world football and you, Andrew Cohen, believe that that is evidence of a man whose career was destroyed by the very person who mentored, guided & developed him to such levels where he was recognised as the best midfield player in the Premiership! Come on, please…..

3. JOHN SMITH

   Jun 16, 2012, 16:01 #23558

   IM A ARSENAL FAN BUT ARSENAL WILL NOT WIN ANYTHING IN NEXT 5 YEARS IF WENGER AND IVAN THE FOOL IS STILL AT ARSENAL I WILL PUT MY HOUSE ON THAT THEY OUR JUST 100% DELUDED LIVING IN LALALA LAND WENGER WOULD HAVE GOT SACKED AT ANY OTHER BIG NAME CLUB NOT WINNING AT LEAST ONE TROPHY IN 8 YEARS WOW YOUR HAVING A LAUGH, RVP WILL LIKELY GO TRUST ME HIS GONE

4. Mandy Dodd

   Jun 16, 2012, 12:45 #23557

   Andrew Cohen, all the players you mention, with the exception of Cesc have recently been plying their trade with far lesser teams than Arsenal...Ok Flamini has warmed the bench at Milan for a few years. Not everyone can make it in a squad system. Diabys problems are not to do with coaching. Would liked to have kept Bendtner but clearly he wanted to be the main striker, RVP he is not, he chose to go, and for that matter, has done very little at Sunderland. Arshavin...just get the impression he is happier amongst his countrymen, he has been given plenty of chances at Arsenal but no longer seems up to it. You mention hiin conjunction with the defence, the problem with Arshavin, defending staarts up front, something Arshavin never really grasped, and something Russia seem to let him away with. Denilson -just had better players ahead of him and not the best work rate

5. Andrew Cohen

   Jun 16, 2012, 10:57 #23554

   Dear David Stewart, Let's start with Cesc Fabregas. Following years of struggle trying desperately, up to and including the point of a broken leg, to try and make something of the team by the force of his own personality, fulfiling both the creative and midfield destroying role, (Wenger lost Flamini, who was doing the dirty work spectacularly well, OOPS) left exhausted and depressed to join Barcelona, where Pep Guardiola ran a system which exploited the offensive part of the game like no team before or since, but which also recognised the importance of an adequately strong defence. Back to his former self. Then we move on to Arshavin, who arrived with promise and no lack of offensive bite, but who was quickly reduced by Wenger to apathy and inaction, mostly, I believe, out of a total lack of respect for the manager's amateur strategy and tactics. (4-4 draw at Liverpool? Score 4 goals and the "defence" let them score the same at the other end?) Did not do as others have done and try their hardest despite the circumstances. Went through the motions instead. Infuriating, but made his point, to me at least. Playing quite well now actually. Denilson. Creative midfield player. Thrown in to a defensive midfield role he was not up to. Crushed by it. Escaped to South America. Bendtner. Brought on in the last 10 minutes (or 5)of many games to save the manager's bacon, which he did on numerous occasions. Good at finding the right positions, but nobody in the Arsenal team can cross to exploit that. I wonder why they can't, year in year out? Wenger either doesn't think it important or can't make it happen. Currently on loan. Hopefully his escape from Stalag Wenger will be permanent soon for his sake. Doing ok. Carlos Vela. Why did he buy him if he didn't intend to play him? Talented player, given bit parts and no hope of progress. Diaby - needs badly to go to a coach who is capable of telling him to win the ball AND THEN PASS IT. No sign of escape any time soon - for him or us. Samir Nasri. Had the sense to clear out before he got swamped by pathetic project Wenger. Currently holding a Champions medal, which he would never have won under Wenger. It is getting worse every season. 49 goals conceded is not an accolade. A Spurs collapse one point worse than ours is not a winning game plan for the future. There are significant parts of the job that Wenger is not up to. It's very sad, I know that we all love him really as a person, but it's way way way over time for him to depart. Maybe sometime in the very distant future, when Wenger sorts out the midfield and the defence (he clearly needs more time), and can work out how to prosecute an attack efficiently, rather than wasting a huge percentage of opportunities and relying upon RVP or a 34 year old former striker to save his bacon, and after a few European Cups, or even a League Cup in fact, you can tell me with confidence (and justification) that I'm hopelessly misguided. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you had that opportunity. For the meantime however, we are going to have to disagree.

6. David Stewart

   Jun 15, 2012, 14:29 #23544

   Andrew Cohen – Ok, so you accept that you’ve gone from “Clearly Levy takes the view....” to admitting that you were merely guessing. Good. Can you now specify which players careers were destroyed by Wenger? Just 1 or 2 examples will suffice.

7. maguiresbridge gooner

   Jun 15, 2012, 13:01 #23542

   You're right about the media Mandy bigging their uncle arry up at every opportunity with their love in and their power shift in north london headlines where are they now ? its good they've been made to look like idiots again but feel sorry for them ?

8. Andrew Cohen

   Jun 15, 2012, 9:38 #23539

   Absolutely right. I don't know how the discussion with Harry went. I'm speculating. We'll see if Levy has a plan or not. Where I am not speculating is Wengers destruction of talent through mishandling. Our best players ( as well as some lesser talents) have left to save their sanity. It's a pity that they don't say so after they have gone, because one of the most unbearable things about Wenger's continuation in office is that he is sustained there by the myth of his former success, and those who believe in it. I wonder if by any chance, there might be confidentiality clauses in the agreements for player and club to part company? For the Wenger faithful however, empirical evidence and proof cut little mustard.

9. AnEssexGooner

   Jun 15, 2012, 9:13 #23538

   The fact some fans are so desperate to cosy up to Usmanov worries me, like he is some knight in white shining armour. I'd have very considerable worries about his character. Redaction had the former ambassador to Uzbekistan (a bit of a character) in the rocket a couple of years back when Usmanov first turned up and spoke of him in not too favourable terms.

10. Tony Evans

    Jun 15, 2012, 8:40 #23537

    Mandy - re Bendtner he may well be a better player than many of us thought but what chance did he have at Arsenal when your beloved Wenger played him as winger most of the time! It is actions like this that make so many of us despair of Wenger, coupled with his defensive blind spot which costs us so many points.

11. Joe S.

    Jun 15, 2012, 8:37 #23536

    Ah Mandy Dodd, crowing away at the misfortunes of the Spuds.I have this image of you as an injun - sorry Spurs hating Calamity Jane type hell raiser cussing and spitting with the best of them, with no time for soft bellied moaners who should be tarred and feathered and run out of The Grove.Under the bright lights of realstic analysis Arsenal stumbled into third place , a lot like the Australian ice skater who won gold after all the other contestants in the race fell arse over head. It sure did save Arsene a lot of blushes but totally underserved I would think.In contrast by ridding themselves of your nemasis Sir Arry Spurs are making themselves heard that NO 4th place is not really good enough, regardless. The two managers your unwittingly right off should not be underestimated. One has been putting toghether competitive teams on a shoe string for so long while the other made the Weng look tactically stupid a few months ago.At the moment all the serious teams are once again jostling and building for the future while at Arsenal things seem stuck in self deluded complacency.

12. Wombledin

    Jun 15, 2012, 4:39 #23535

    There's something wrong with the rules that Usamov can be such a major shareholder but not be able to get on the Board. He should be on the Board automatically with that many shares. Go figure.

13. Mandy Dodd

    Jun 14, 2012, 23:36 #23534

    So some are suggesting that blowing what looked like becoming a 13 point lead over the enemy, and in the process,being humiliated by us causing his teams implosion did not somewhat weaken redknapps case in his meeting with Levy? I am sure they had many reasons for losing redknapp, but bottling it against us will be in there somewhere and you guys know it. They say they need a manager to take the spuds to the next level....how on earth are moyes or Martinez going to do that ? It is the uk media I feel sorry for, desperate for wenger to lose his job, equally desperate to big up arry at every chance, bet some of them feel like muppets now. And to think they once went into a wankfest declaring a power shift in north London...a very silly bunch..

14. Mark Rice

    Jun 14, 2012, 22:53 #23533

    If David Dein loved Arsenal so much why doesn't he have a word with his son darren who seems on a mission to get his players away from Arsenal hmmm also lets not forget we would be playing at Wembley if he had got his way! Yes he signed Sol from the Spuds which we would never be able to do nowadays but in fairness that was before Russian mob money and the oil jockeys!

15. tpm

    Jun 14, 2012, 21:13 #23532

    gooner s, yet more rubbish from you. everyone with half a brain knows why the board dont want anything to do with usmanov, its not up to the gooner fanzine. the board dont want usmanov, as he will ruffle feathers, ask questions, and shake things up in the cosy little bump up the share price board club. he will question on field ambitions and why money has not been spent. the current board are not interested in on field matters, so long as we scrape into 4th everyyear, they wont queskion ogl and continuing making money that is never reinvested and bumping up the value of there shares when they eventually sell the club.

16. Gooner1711

    Jun 14, 2012, 19:39 #23530

    Mandy Dodd - as deluded as ever....seen off another Spurs manager? Where on earth did that come from?

17. AFCasap

    Jun 14, 2012, 19:05 #23529

    gazidis...aka wengers secretary....more deflections and time wasitng than lampard and drogba....if i had been you eliot i would have got up and left this pr stunt..."we're fully engaged" blah blah....yeah! so when are we married?....never!!! ever!!...yet again!!!, the biggect load of lies and smokescreen b*****ks!! while everyone at that club gets richer...the slow stadium payoff is the most lame...2 billionaires on the board who could pay for 2 stadiums each, without making a dent in their wallets a we! as a club must be finacially prudent....yeah pull the other one ivan...why don't you and your boss wenger cut your massively ott wages in half or better still just get lost....we are a joke club and the fans are being made to take up the A*SE

18. Boring!

    Jun 14, 2012, 18:41 #23528

    Online Gooner readers live in their own little bubble of spoilt-brattish negativity. Whatever happens to the club people with psuedonyms like 'Why can't the board f*ck off and let me run the club like we're playing with monopoly money' while chime in with their horrible little views. I used to read this when it was a fanzine in the good old days but this forum has gone to the dogs.

19. Ron

    Jun 14, 2012, 17:35 #23527

    North Bank to float - Spot on mate. The flotation is closer than we think i believe. Theyve little alternative, short of taking Usminov under their wing instead of excluding him.

20. North Bank to float ?

    Jun 14, 2012, 16:06 #23526

    current board and management are making out like bandits. hence they have circled the wagons and dont want anyone taking away their cash cow ! a stock mkt float is on the cards at some point and likely will follow man u in the usa. Stan's 3 year plan ? they will then all make an absolute fortune of money as will Wenger.

21. Bob

    Jun 14, 2012, 14:38 #23525

    Mandy, Wenger has not "seen off" Redknapp, Spurs have sacked him for wanting to stay longer than a year given that they finished a point and a place behind us. Had the positions been reversed, would we have acted as decisively?

22. Yanto

    Jun 14, 2012, 14:17 #23524

    Mandy Dodd: "Mandy Dodd 0:12am 14th Jun 2012 "It maybe fashionable to knock wenger these days" by Mandy Dodd. I would suggest that it isn't about being fashionable or following a trend - But it is about heartfelt opinion. Arsene Wenger once brought success, wonderful football and brilliant players to the club, but he no longer seems able to 'do that job', the evidence being the past 7 seasons, which is why so many Arsenal fans are calling for him to leave. He may say he understands our frustrations, but he has made some HUGE mistakes, and seems unwilling or unable to learn from them. He also has been part of the 'smoke and mirrors' that the board have been operating these past 7 seasons, they tell us one thing and the media another, till in the end we have no idea what the Truth is, can we afford to sign players, we are told the money is there, and yet Arsene Wenger seems reluctant to spend it - and bring in the help we need. It IS not only a frustrating situation but a sad one as Arsene is destroying all the good will he built in the first years of his tenure as manager.

23. Mandy Dodd

    Jun 14, 2012, 13:41 #23523

    Maybe right on Levy Andrew, but I am quite sure Sagnas goal played a role in the chain of events. Agree on Bendtner, I always thought he was better than people give him credit for, but who knows behind the scenes, maybe he had an unfortunate attitude or something - we may never know. And lets face it, he was not great at Sunderland, a team where I would imagine the first team are now over coached if anything. Much is said about Arshavins showing - to me he plays in the same position he had done for much of his time at Arsenal - with the difference - with Russia, he seems under no pressure to track back. Before you say anything, I know he is not the only one guily of not tracking back at Arsenal but guess he does not fit in with the future plans to play a pressing game...mainly because he cant, there may be others too. Coaching - fair point made by many, but hopefully this will be addressed by increasing the numbers of the 1st team coaching staff ie Banfield, then bringing in Steve Bould, anyone that thinks he will be a yes man has obviously never met him

24. David Stewart

    Jun 14, 2012, 13:35 #23522

    Andrew Cohen – You state “Levy clearly takes the view that Harry has taken the club as far as he can take it”. What evidence do you have to back that assertion up? It’s my understanding that Levy wanted to keep Redknapp and even offered him a contract to stay. The division was over the length of that contract. Secondly, you claim “Wenger ruins players”. I suggest just about everyone in football would disagree with that opinion. Wenger is universally recognised for his development of young players. Your eagerness to attack Wenger should at the very least start from a position of logic and not be based on unfounded speculation.

25. SilverGooner

    Jun 14, 2012, 9:08 #23521

    If ever Gazidis is out of work, he would do well to become a politician. Lots of smooth talking, but saying very little. He is paid a small fortune to run the club in the absence of its owner and is therefore acting in accordance with Kronke's wishes. A sorry state of affairs - and one which would not have happened had David Dein r

26. Andrew Cohen

    Jun 14, 2012, 8:52 #23520

    @Mandy. Levy clearly takes the view that Harry has taken the club as far as he can take it. I think that he is probably wrong but the chairman of that club wants to progress and improve.I note with interest that Bendtner, who it has become so fashionable to lambast that even the brainless pundits on tv are doing it, managed to score two more goals against decent international opposition. He does it regularly when amongst properly coached and talented colleagues. When I last looked it was generally considered to be harder to score an international goal than it was a domestic one. My point is that we will not improve until we get a proper coach. Mr Wenger ruins players and I am tired of seeing the sad procession of broken young men, leaving the club in the hope of some career salvation. I like Robin Van Persie and frankly, don't want to see him waste the rest of his career under Wenger. Fortunately, he is reasonably intelligent and he will walk.

27. Gooner S

    Jun 14, 2012, 7:53 #23519

    Gazidis is Kronke's 'mouthpiece' not Arsene Wenger's. It is Kronke that owns the club. They ALL work for him. Gazidis makes the effort to attend these session, he doesn't have to and it's somewhat naieve to think he is going to spill the beans on various business aspects past, present or future - it just doesn't work like that in any company. Seriously, the editorial you are responding to was one constant moan with no constructive alternatives put forward. At least you put forward the suggestion of David Dein coming back. As much as I like David Dein he has fallen out with the board - it isn't going to happen anytime soon. The board seem united - they do not want Usmanov on it! Why? Perhaps if the Gooner concentrated on answering that question things might be clearer.

28. Mandy Dodd

    Jun 14, 2012, 0:12 #23518

    Barca and Real not allowed in the champions league, as you say it will never happen. CHelsea and Man CIty on the other hand.....would they really be missed by the worldwide masses? It maybe fashionable to knock wenger these days, but if rumours and some reports are to be believed, he has seen off yer another Spuds manager, one that had developed the best team ever...if you believed the media hype... a manager described by some as superior to wenger in every way.Sure, this should not be the limit of the clubs ambition, but if it happens, worth a mention. Funny how some things turn out

29. Canterbury Gooner

    Jun 13, 2012, 22:11 #23516

    From what I can see Giroud is fundamentally a striker, I can't see him tracking back much as a winger, or even playing that well there. He drifts to the right sometimes but that's different, he'd be pretty much be the league's tallest winger! It's got me worried he's RvP's replacement tbh- if he's a back up then he might lose confidence. We need a proper defensive midfielder to go with Arteta and only have 4/5 viable defenders which isn't enough. I'm not an AMG but if we don't see some defensive targetting with signings I'm guessing we should declare Wenger's priorities as way off.

30. GoonerGoal!

    Jun 13, 2012, 19:43 #23514

    You want answers? Why? You can't handle the truth! The truth hurts. 3rd or 4th must remain the absolute limit of any football club that willingly acts as a feeder club to the big teams at home and across Europe. You want the truth? Today we signed Giroud. You think he wants to sign for us to act as a second string striker? No, it means that RVP is 100% leaving Arsenal. The only ones who don't know that already are us the Arsenal fans. Next year it will be Vermaelen or Wiltshire. Welcome to the future!

31. cj

    Jun 13, 2012, 19:17 #23513

    @Harold I totally agree. Only fools do same thing again and again and expect different results.

32. Peter Wain

    Jun 13, 2012, 19:06 #23512

    This is a very well argued article. I see little point in attending Gazidis Q&A when the answers are not answers but mouth platitudes by someone who is only saying what people want to hear. Of course we are not challenging for the title and of course the board are happy with this. If not why have they not told are manager to compete in the market for the top players and not buy young untried nobodies free transfers and loans. The management of this club is awful from the board down. I do not see why we have to put up with this Yank and his snake oil salesman. Get someone in who understands football and wants to see Arsenal competing for trophies rather than toothless clones and if that means speaking to the Russian then so be it.

33. Harold

    Jun 13, 2012, 17:30 #23511

    The Board have given Wenger lots of money to spend but he's squandered it on silly wages for rubbish players. Look who we're buying now, another forward from a one-season wonder French club, you would have thought The Nutty Professor would have learnt his lesson after the shocking Chamakh and the very average Gervinho but no, he never listens and never learns. And nothing changes.

34. Chrisy boy

    Jun 13, 2012, 16:58 #23510

    The current board / owner don't even seem to want to know what mr Usmanov has to offer Arsenal football club that to me is the most annoying thing with this saga. At least give Usmanov a platform to air his views and ideas. The current board however long they have been in power for have not moved with the times,, football has moved on at an alarming rate in the last 10 years it is time for our club to move with the times or be left further adrift than we already are

35. Ealing Gooner

    Jun 13, 2012, 16:30 #23508

    What makes me despair as an Arsenal fan is the staleness that hangs around the club, the move to the new ground was meant to catapult us into the Barca/Real/Milan/United league, but instead we're celebrating finishing 1 point ahead of a club who have a ground almost half our size and who haven't finished ahead of us since the mid-90s. Something needs to change, whether its in the dug-out or the boardroom. Gazidis, Kroenke and Wenger are pinning their hopes on FFP, but that won't be fully enforced for another 3 years, how far behind will we be by then? I also agree that it's plainly ridiculous to exclude one of the richest men in the world who owns almost a third of the club (and could probably write off our debt in one go) just to maintain the cosy Old Etonian atmosphere in our boardroom, yes Usmanov may have a dodgy past, but Henry Norris was no angel either, but without him, we would be just a small club in South London. It's not about trophies (though some would be nice!) it's about the club progressing and moving forward, sadly I don't see it happening any time soon.

36. Bard

    Jun 13, 2012, 16:25 #23507

    Good post although it didn't tell us anything we didn't know. The really tragic part of this is the way we fans are treated. Without us the club is nothing but they just don't give a s**t anymore Ivan's mealy mouthed responses implies we are all idiots unable to see the bigger picture. Not sure Dein is the answer, he cashed in years ago thanks very much.

37. DW Thomas

    Jun 13, 2012, 15:55 #23506

    Call them what you like. Snake oil salesmen, grifters, con men. Wenger, Gadzidis, PHW, must be laughing all the way to the bank. Wenger has only this summer to prove to me and the fans that this team is not a has been. I will continue my support of the players, but demand Wenger out if little to nothing is done this summer beyond Podolski. 3 things must happen. First, the defense must show signs of improvement in the first few games by having good results. Second, the squad must have been strengthened by the start of the season with no last minute buys. Third, the deadwood must have been cleared with a new type of wage bill structure implemented. Only then will I be convinced the manager has changed sufficiently and is returning this club to an elite. Oh, and RVP must stay. I think many fans do not see that selling him like Cesc last summer seriously demeans the club's reputation and shows a lack of desire to win things above all else. Sure we could replace him with another class striker, but history says if he leaves there is 0% chance of that happening. Since the Invincibles, our manager's ego has been our biggest flaw. If he doesn't change now he never will and the team will continue to either stagnate or more likely go backwards. Figure it out Arsene!

38. Lord Froth

    Jun 13, 2012, 15:44 #23505

    Elliot, you state "Even Ashley Cole wanted a reasonable £60,000 a week (he was and still is one of the best left backs in the world) yet the board decided to take a chance so he took that insult and left." Cole was apparently offered 55k per week which in light of recent reported wages of 200k by Man City and Chelsea seems like not a lot but remember that this was in a time where the world's top players may have been on 70k or thereabouts and at that time Cole wasn't in the bracket of Bergkamp, Henry, (Real) Ronaldo, Zidane and Ronaldinho. In hindsight it's easy to criticise the board over this but if it had been a verbal discussion about a possible salary then he (Cole) had no right to go off on his silly rant about swerving off the road when the actual salary was put in writing. you either accept it or you don't like at any job. Also bear in mind that Chelsea did a good job of tapping him up with offers of money that Arsenal couldn't match. Also you state "Can anyone see Barcelona or Real Madrid not being allowed to play in the Champions League? No, me neither. " Barca and Real Madrid need the Champions League more than it needs them. If they received a ban then their TV rights money would be hit as they can't just play each other every week and many of the other clubs wouldn't want to form a breakaway league as they are properly run such as Arsenal and Bayern Munich. If the FFP is properly implemented then we know that it won't be a magic wand for Arsenal to suddenly sweep all before them but it will certainly help level the playing field to an extent.

39. divingrooney

    Jun 13, 2012, 14:50 #23504

    Hahahahahaha The truth about lies is that if you repeat them a lot of times, they tend to become truth. Like Spuds have overtaken Arsenal. Arsenal have the worst sqaud ever. We finished above Chelsea for the first time in last 6 years. They spent over 100mn pounds this season, and still finished below us. Liverpool spent a lot and still..., and dont get me started about Spuds. So, life is not all doom and gloom. Why get bitter about something you cannot control. Don't buy the season ticket, if you hate Arsene-al that much. Thousands still love the club, at least those guys will go to stadium to cheer the team they care about. Unlike the absentee, Wenger haters and boo-ers. The stadium would much better place without YOU. Life will still go on...

40. johnnyhawletlovinggonner

    Jun 13, 2012, 14:41 #23503

    is this the david dein that sold his shares for a good profit? bit strong with the lying remarks,the board and manager really do think what they say. it may not make good reading but that is were the board and the manager stand. it way seem insane to us but it does not make them dishonest or liars.

41. Ron

    Jun 13, 2012, 13:29 #23501

    ........ but where would you shoehorn Dein in? Aint gonna happen mate. Some of us recall when Dein just wanted to rip the fans off too, with his bond scheme 20 odd years ago. Hes no Sir Gallahad either.

42. Theo Jensen

    Jun 13, 2012, 12:46 #23499

    we're about to sign Giroud- good to see but I'm worried that with the funds avaialable we're focusing on the wrong areas. You'd think a proper left back and holding midfielder are the most important positions since these are the only obvious weaknesses in the starting XI. Personally I hope we sell our middle of the road players like Ramsey, Walcott, Song and reinvest accordingly. We're getting quite excessive numbers of wingers and central midfielders as well now so that may not be unreasonable.

43. Tony Evans

    Jun 13, 2012, 12:26 #23498

    Arsenal resemble a Brian Rix farce at the moment and if Wenger's trousers fell down after kicking a water bottle away in anger I wouldn't be surprised! Seriously I think the majority of Gooners have been down right confused by the behaviour / decisions of both the board and Wenger over the last seven seasons and this confusion is rapidly turning to anger and frustration. Arsenal will always be my club but my heart is not in it any more and the thought of more of the same next season is really depressing.

44. maguiresbridge gooner

    Jun 13, 2012, 12:15 #23497

    Elliot i think it's fair to say not much more can be said that hasn't already in the piece gazidis believes in the fairies other than possibly thats why arsene employed him in the first place because he's a master spin doctor so you would think they would at least get their stories straight before a meeting/spin session.Its a disgrace the way contracts of our best players are allowed to run down for the sake of the dollar with the same old scenario every season but the cozy little cartel will hardly care their making plenty of dough.

45. I remember when the club really did care about its supporters

    Jun 13, 2012, 10:38 #23493

    I have been surprised at the lack of response to Ivan the terribles performance, for that is what it seemed, at the recent meeting. It really is an insult to the supporters of this great club to be patronised by an apologist for Alistair Campbell. Whilst acknowledging the skill of the P.R. approach to all answers given, it does not brush aside the fact that the basic arguments were false and nothing more than an attempt to say to the supporters that are crying out for the bread of success and trophies, or at least a realistic tilt at them, let them eat financial cake. As I have responded before , only when Arsenal supporters have a seat on the board will we find out the real situation within the club and be able to represent a viable alternative strategy, that really does prioritise the team on the field, rather than pretending it does. Please remember the people who are currently promogating the current messages are multi-millionaries from our high admission prices and they do have a pecunary interest. Ivan the terrible states all the board are emotional about the club. Our owner attended 2 matches all season, all I can say it is a good job he is emotional not apathetic, or he might not have attended any! Wake up and smell the coffee ,our pationate support is merely an opportunity to exploit our loyalty for the financial gain model. Do not believe there is not an alternative, the club can still operate within an effective financial model, which it should, and invest appropriately and wisely in the team . Ivan the terrible will continue to tell you this is not possible. Get supporters on the board and we will get transparency so we the supporters can make the judgement. If not expect groundhog day next year with the same patronising hyperbole from the club.

46. Brigham

    Jun 13, 2012, 10:15 #23492

    The trouble with liars is that they tell so many and forget what exactly they have lied about! Unless they have a very good memory they fall foul of their own lies. I hate Gazidis with a passion and the man is on par with all politicans, he is lying, greedy good for nothing bastard!

47. Gooner4life

    Jun 13, 2012, 10:09 #23491

    Totally agree with all of the above.I will add also that hill-wood is a complete hypocrite,why/how!,well he is on the board of Usmanov's steel competitor's that WHY hill-wood does not want him on board.Hill-wood and the board really think the joe public i.e us do not know whats going on!!!. All i will say is that,gazdis confirmed so called "deadwood" will be leaving!,lets see over the next 2mths, sounds like albeit media talk that we are buying Giroud, bendtner/chamakh out! we must keep RVP Arshavin out another skillfull winger replaced and then M'villa ¢erback. Then with wiltshire/diaby ready for start of season, will be up for it!.Last chance saloon with this board, they are lining there pockets with shares but NOT on the pitch, highest costing season ticket holders and fans deserve this.

48. Paul

    Jun 13, 2012, 9:35 #23490

    I agree with every word as do many fans. This is now a very cosy, comfortable board who individually have no incentive except to maintain the status-quo. As individuals why would they invite the challenge from Dein or Usmanov. The only way out of this continued behaviour is for Stan to sell his stake and prompt a takeover bid from Usmanov. Whether Arsenal fans can influence that I don't know. Americans don't like feeling unwelcome so perhaps when fans are getting on Wenger's back or the team they should aim that at the owner instead.