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1. Goonhogday

   Feb 14, 2018, 20:14 #107141

   Has anyone Heard of statdna? It’s a US sports analytics company that Arsenal bought around 2012. Very similar set up to Billy Beanes moneyball analytics used with the Oakland athletics. There are numerous articles about it on google and how Arsenal used it to buy Gabriel Paulista purely based on his stats. Wenger out.

2. mbg

   Feb 14, 2018, 15:33 #107132

   Guernsey gunner, it was only a matter of time, fans like myself Ron, Arseneknewbest, Bard, Exeter, etc, etc, etc, were and have been telling, predicting, warning, everyone for years where we were going but it was never believed never listened to, we were slagged off laughed at, insulted, told to f**k off down the lane, now hear we are, and all those idiots who laughed and insulted (among other things)are very quiet indeed in fact not heard of for a long time, while we're still here, proved right, and predicting it's going to get a hell of a lot worse as long as this old parasite is about the place. We want wenger out.

3. Seven Kings Gooner1

   Feb 14, 2018, 11:46 #107124

   Exeter Ex: I have always felt that Highbury was the Avalon of English football.

4. Seven Kings Gooner1

   Feb 14, 2018, 11:16 #107123

   Cornish, Ron, Maf & Exeter Ex : Very good posts guys, in time everything does become clearer and Arsenal now just are hopelessly rudderless. Whatever people think of him, Dein was our fixer and without some one like him, on the board, we are just a southern Everton.

5. CORNISH GOONER

   Feb 14, 2018, 10:43 #107122

   Back to Markymarks earlier post - I totally agree that a Sponsor "revolt" is the likeliest way of removing Arthur. If that happens sooner than later, then I am far more optimistic about our future. It isn't realistic in today's world to expect to recover the old "DNA", whatever that was, but it is realistic for AFC to install a new modern management team, more in line with the big clubs across Europe & I do believe that process has already begun. We will be proud of our great Club again & sooner than I had hoped &, dare I say it, with a united fanbase again. Wish I could say the same about Brexit!!

6. Exeter Ex

   Feb 14, 2018, 10:38 #107121

   Interesting question, what would AFC's 'alternative history' have been had stayed at Highbury. Like many I was against the move at the time, wanted Highbury's capacity to be extended to whatever was possible within the confines - 10,000 or whatever less than Emirates, so be it, do as well as you can with that. What has happened since has proved me and others right. That unique stadium was crucial to the club's identity and the club has not progressed on the field and is now declining quite obviously. As for Wenger, I think he thinks he is the club's DNA. This is a man for whom AFC meant nothing until he was 46-47 years old remember, so why would its history. Just last season he said he 'built the club'.

7. MAF

   Feb 14, 2018, 10:06 #107120

   Ron im with you on this. Spurs are fortunate to build new Stadium on the same site. we know theyven been studying everything that is right and wrong about the emirates. the key for me is Daniel Levy. We lost David Dein our DNA man who linked early 1980's arsernal with Wenger's Arsenal. Dein got Graham from Millwall. Dein had fight + pride in him about Arsenal. Levy is same about Spurs and he is still there. Chelsea are now suffering on identity as Abramovic is embroiled in the russia/Putin/sanctions Troubles. he is not at the matches as much as he used to be and he cannot spend anymore. Arsenal Need to find a new managemer who can get our link back to our past, our history and culture. He would be smart to put 2-3 ex Players around him. Wenger is your classic Euro Manager, detached, aloof, has not got a clue about Arsenal culture, not a man of the People, lives in a bubble. Spurs have got it spot on with Pochetino in my view

8. Yes its Ron

   Feb 14, 2018, 9:52 #107119

   MAF - Ive often wondered what Arsenals fortunes would have been had we the means to create an 'alternative history' this last 12 years based on what would have occurred had we have never left Highbury? Moving home has certainly heralded a gradual decline each season since as the list of players above shows only too well. Im pretty sure it couldn't have been worse than the actual history. It s not just progress on the pitch thats been left behind but the Club has totally lost its proud DNA as you say. Im sure the new young fans wouldn't agree as many dont 'feel' or understand what that DNA was. The present owners dont either which is the nub of the problem. Does Wenger? Im sure he sort of does, but he was co opted into this regime by dint of the rewards it has given to him. As a football fan first and an Arsenal follower second, i genuinely hope that other Clubs, yes Even Spurs, learn from what Arsenal have done and ensure that they handle their own changes far better, for the sake of the supporters. Losing an identity is permanent. Once gone its never recoverable. Arsenal have lost many loyal fans since 2006 for sure.

9. MAF

   Feb 14, 2018, 8:26 #107118

   I cant wait to see the Ostersund match....poor old tottenham having to Slum it and go toe to toe with Juve in Turin while the whole world waits to tune into Arsenal's match on Thur night. ive come to the Point that i hope we get beaten and the real pain can start to end and the Revolution can begin

10. Guernsey gunner

    Feb 14, 2018, 2:47 #107117

    Let’s see how much this team fancy the ropey league as a get out of jail card for the old fraud. Minus 10 in ostersunds tonight and they won’t be fearing us and our abysmal away form. The really sad thing is my apathy around it all, spurs playing a thriller away to juve. Wenger has taken us to this 12 years after leaving Highbury. I guess this must be the next level is the next level is the next level. Wenger out now.

11. GoonerRon

    Feb 13, 2018, 22:44 #107116

    @ mbg - Ultimately the scouts watch the games, compile the reports and try to build relationships with the players, family and agents. For whatever reason I don’t think we’ve done that very successfully in some cases. Wenger may well be culpable (I’m assuming that was the reason for your barb) but I don’t know how culpable as I’m not sure how involved he is in the process of recruiting young players or the management of the scouting network.

12. mbg

    Feb 13, 2018, 21:56 #107115

    GoonerRon, so it's the scouts fault (that would be right)who employed them ? and kept/keeps faith in them, nice try no cigar. wenger out.

13. GoonerRon

    Feb 13, 2018, 21:37 #107114

    There is certainly some rubbish on that list, and many players that were given too much faith by Wenger for too long. It’s fair to say though that every club has hits and misses in the transfer market and there will be similar lists from other clubs with bigger wastes of fees and wages. As for youth development, I just don’t think the scouts have been picking up the best players for quite some time. I look at the youth players we’ve released or sold and can’t say too many could be considered regrets (except Gnabry, Ozyakup at a push and maybe McGuane will become the new Busquets).I think I heard a stat the other day that only 1% of academy players become professional footballers at all so it’s huge churn across all clubs. I think it’s also fair to other clubs (especially Chelsea and Citeh) have left us behind with their investment in young infrastructure. Hopefully our investment in upgrading Hale End, along with the new scouting and executive staff at the club and a new manager at some point in the next 18 months, this list will become a smorgasbord for top quality players combined with the best young talent around.

14. mbg

    Feb 13, 2018, 21:01 #107113

    Paulo75, top top qualittee mate. wenger out.

15. CORNISH GOONER

    Feb 13, 2018, 19:37 #107111

    It seems that, despite all the evidence to the contrary, there is at least a "nice" man inside AW & that alone justifies yet further opportunities to increase his wealth & bore us to death with his rambling platitudes. Guilty of putting too much faith in his players is, in fact, a complete condemnation of him as a manager & his approach in a ruthless industry. "Not up to the job" as Clement Atlee our best post war Prime Minister would have said.

16. markymark

    Feb 13, 2018, 19:09 #107110

    Without blowing trumpets I have in the past mentioned that a sponsor might kick off at some point. No Champions League means our future sponsors are apprehensive , which is making the board apprehensive which in turn is finally linking Wenger’s ineptness to real world financial decisioning. The Mail is saying tonight no Champions League —> no job ! Well we will see but I think odds are shortening on Wengo’s arse being kicked into touch. “Adidas and Nike both have a firm interest in taking over from Puma as Arsenal's kit supplier. But Sportsmail understands both firms have shown an apprehension in investing huge money due to the uncertainty over when they will be back in the Champions League.”

17. Seven Kings Gooner1

    Feb 13, 2018, 18:54 #107109

    Carragher is totally correct in his assessment of Arsenal but he is 10 years too late in saying it.

18. Goonhogday

    Feb 13, 2018, 17:30 #107108

    Still think we should’ve gone in for Alonso &/or Mascherano during this period. Love him or hate him, I’d of taken back Anelka too when he was at Bolton. Alas non, we don’t take back former players was one of his spindly quotes! Wenger out!

19. mbg

    Feb 13, 2018, 17:07 #107107

    markymark, I see the walking skeleton is still alive, rattling away, at least you'll not get done for murder. wenger out now.

20. mbg

    Feb 13, 2018, 16:44 #107106

    Goonhogday, and you can bet your last quid mate that odd occasion we spend/spent big wasn't wanted by wenger. wenger out.

21. MAF

    Feb 13, 2018, 16:02 #107105

    Ron - back in the day several of the Arsenal squad were on auto-Coaching. Adams dixon cole parlour winterburn keown all had tapes playing in their heads with George Graham's Military style tactics. thats why ive always said wenger got too much credit for Arsenal 1997-2005 because so Long as there was any of These guys still there plus david dein Walking the corridors, Arsenals old DNA was very much in tact. ALL wenger did was add a sprinkling of French Flair which he did very well indeed. BUT no sooner as Arsenal been left 100% to him and the past well and truly buried, the Problems begun and now we see the results

22. Paulo75

    Feb 13, 2018, 15:08 #107104

    The stubborn refusal to go that extra mile in the transfer market between say 2006-2014 on proven quality(Alonso, Higuain etc) was mind boggling when you see the huge sums wasted on utter dross over the same period.

23. Yes its Ron

    Feb 13, 2018, 14:36 #107103

    Rob - agree totally matey. He was a really strange player wasnt he. Bizarre even. Blockley came in about 1972. He was the great hope after Frank Mac and all things to all people. He had looked good at Coventry though. Disastrous for Arsenal but then so was the team really in his time. I can only recall Ure as a kid. LC v Swindon marked his career out, yet Man U bought him as a panic buy to try and halt their post 1968 rapid decline. Is he unfairly judged at Arsenal? Could be i suppose.

24. Rob1971

    Feb 13, 2018, 14:03 #107102

    Y i Ron, I will have to defer to you on Ure and Blockley, just slightly before my support began in earnest. The thing about Santos was that I cannot believe that Wenger ever saw him play, even on video....Santos was so bizarre and inept it defies even Wenger logic (with applicable 'accents' as required!)

25. Yes its Ron

    Feb 13, 2018, 13:53 #107101

    Rob1971 - i bet Jeff Blockley and Ian Ure wont rest easily anymore now youve threatened that Santos is challenging them for that dubious award! There are many, many candidates though and not all signed by Wenger of course.

26. BigDaveTheGooner

    Feb 13, 2018, 13:42 #107100

    You would certainly have trouble picking your worst 11 out of that lot. There really is some dross amongst them!!!!

27. Rob1971

    Feb 13, 2018, 13:35 #107099

    Bard, Andre Arshavin was a totally class player....Wegner turned on him for whatever petty reason and effectively ended his career....a total disgrace. And yes Andre Santos was the worst signing in Arsenal history...panic buy after the 2-8 Manu debacle.

28. Goonhogday

    Feb 13, 2018, 13:25 #107098

    It’s easy to see why Arsenal are reputedly the 6th richest club in the world when you look at the players on this list. Arguably, we must have the richest football manager in the world to boot too! On the odd occasion we spend big on one player and then panic & lock the cheque book up back in the safe. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the club haven’t even tapped into the new TV contract money whatsoever yet. Their just banking it in hope FFP kicks in. Wenger out

29. Yes its Ron

    Feb 13, 2018, 13:23 #107097

    MAF - Hes guilty of trusting his players too much and putting too much faith in them. Back in his early days he had players who he could do that with and AW has never stopped putting faith in his players whatever their personality. Those Coaches you mention have however have all had players challenge them and their methods. I agree though in that a more modern Coach would perhaps get far more mileage from the present squad. This is the issue really for me. Arsene has been in my view for a good few yrs a man of a bygone time both in terms of coaching and man management it seems to me. I think lesser players require more rigid management styles than do the more gifted. Same as in any workplace. AW seems to have faith in mankind really and its often his undoing. I think hes quite exasperated by human failings (certainly in a football context), which is surprising given the yrs hes done his job. Any organisation at some stage needs a change at the helm, even if the present incumbents are still very capable people. The biggest human frailty is that people take others for granted. AWs longevity has made him more subject it than others. Hes fighting it by insisting that he doesn't have change his methods but i don't see it as battle he can win. He is who he is and wont ever be a bullish man, overpowering other personalities in players.

30. MAF

    Feb 13, 2018, 12:06 #107096

    Ron ist also to do with Wenger. As Mikt has just said, wenger is such a nice man compared to Mourinho... WHAT ??? do you want to try to NICE a Group of guys into being a competitive Team in any Sport ? WHAT ?? Forget it Forget it. Do Pep Klopp Poch Jose Conte Dyke look like the type of coaches you muck around with ? does Wenger ? frail old intellectual pompous frenchman? you and I could put wenger around our Little finger - just Play to his ego and give him a sob Story and he will believe you.... that for me is the route of the whole Problem. Players dont get reprimanded, discplined or dropped. I am cast iron certain one of These other coaches could get better results from the current squad. Wenger is the core Problem here

31. RobG

    Feb 13, 2018, 10:10 #107095

    "Think about the vast amount of wages that "Mr Economics Degree" squandered on that dross". THIS ! Some of the fees payed weren't much, if anything but given that a lot of these would have been on £50K plus, a week, the squandering is mind boggling - and especially so when whinging that we can't compete financially with the likes of City and Chelsea.

32. Yes its Ron

    Feb 13, 2018, 9:58 #107094

    MAF - Yes, he s right to a large extent. Im not a big Carragher fan really as he exemplifies the SKY desire to blow everything up to far bigger levels than they really are. Asl have looked like cowards for years but i think really its more to do with the type of players, their physicality, the lack of physical players in the team and the sheer imbalance in the teams that has been there for years that makes us as we are. I definitely agree though, we do and have seen instances of frightened players over the years. Koschielny being the main offender in my humble view this last few Seasons. The thing is, if a coach preaches physicality isnt the done thing in his steam, the culture of the team picks up on it. Arsenals main failing is too many players who lack mental desire as i see it. A player needs that before he ll show no fear of opponents.

33. markymark

    Feb 13, 2018, 9:30 #107092

    Yes it’s Ron - I’m ok with the Arshavin was lazy..... but Wenger made it very clear he didn’t want him. I think genuinely one of the great performances of a single player for any team anywhere ( Arshavin v Liverpool ) to see it undone by clueless Wengo defending. I’d have lost heart and thought stuff it. Wenger has spent the last decade screwing his players up.

34. John F

    Feb 13, 2018, 9:14 #107091

    Hard to disagree with JC MAF just wish he could summon some courage to raise these points with Wenger in after match interviews instead of pandering to him.

35. MAF

    Feb 13, 2018, 8:43 #107090

    amie Carragher has launched a withering attack on Arsenal - describing their players as "cowards" and suggesting that a top-four finish is "virtually impossible". Speaking on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football programme, Carragher ripped into Arsene Wenger's team and described their away form, which has yielded 26 points from 26 matches, as an "embarrassment". Carragher, a Telegraph Sport columnist, said: "I’ve always questioned Arsenal’s mentality but you’ve always felt they were good enough. I still question their mentality but they aren’t good enough now. Arsenal are actually getting worse, they aren’t getting better. "If you go back to Crystal Palace last season, I called them "cowards" and sometimes when you look back you can think it’s a bit strong. But those (away form) stats back me up. "Twenty-six points from 26 away games is an embarrassment for a team that are supposedly one of the top teams in the country. "I think (top four) is virtually impossible for them. They are not catching Manchester United. It's very difficult to catch Liverpool because of the points gap. "Tottenham, who are seven points clear of them, are the best team in the league in the second half of the season and ultimately (Arsenal) aren’t good enough. "They’ve got a points deficit and they are not as good as any of those sides. They have to prioritise the Europa League because they won’t be getting the top four." Arsenal's record goalscorer Thierry Henry agreed with his fellow pundit's assessment, and said: "Realistically the competition that they can achieve the most is winning the Europa League. "I see that happening more than finishing in the top four. Something incredible might happen but it is unlikely''

36. TonyEvans

    Feb 13, 2018, 8:35 #107089

    On the face of it some of those names make me shudder, but you can't help but wonder if any quality that was there was quickly extinguished rather than enhanced by the clueless one.

37. mbg

    Feb 13, 2018, 1:00 #107087

    SKG1, and TOF used to cry and complain about money, and other teams spending and buying big, and is still doing it today while paying mediocre players massive wages, wally a good example, just another excuse in the long line of excuses for his failure, and his AKB wengerites fell for it and still are, wenger out now.

38. Paulward

    Feb 12, 2018, 23:34 #107086

    Some good players and some garbage on that list, but our defensive frailties are less about personnel and more about the tactical and organisational limitations of the manager.

39. mbg

    Feb 12, 2018, 22:26 #107080

    Bard, yes great article, what a list of pure crap assembled, it tears all his supposedly top top qualitte claims to shreds, it really is damming of wenger and shows him up in big style for what he really is, a fraud who hadn't and hasn't a fooking clue, it tears his reputation to shreds also (not that he ever had one) and not an ABK wengerite anywhere on the page trying to defend their messiah, no fooking argument that just says it all, no doubt they'll slither along later as usual when everyone else has gone to bed. we want wenger out.

40. Arseneknewbest

    Feb 12, 2018, 21:22 #107075

    Reasons to be cheerful, part 1. About this time of year, every year, since about 2007, we've been handed our arseholes in the most degrading fashion by bayern, barca, Milan etc etc. That cannot happen this year because we're playing a bunch of scandawegian part-timers in a greatly inferior competition. Oh, wait a minute...

41. John F

    Feb 12, 2018, 19:30 #107069

    Ron I thought Arshavin was class but Wenger played him on the left wing which affected his confidence and he just gave up.Auba next in line for the out wide treatment.

42. Seven Kings Gooner1

    Feb 12, 2018, 19:23 #107068

    Just thinking of the wages paid out to this X list of football lightweights. Andre Sanchez was the biggest pub player amongst that lot - isn't he the one who asked for RVP shirt at half time away to Man Utd. Can you imagine what proper former Arsenal captains would have done to that excuse for a footballer. Again though to be fair, we cannot tell how good these some of these players could have been because none of them had proper coaching or played in a team with any plan on or off the field.

43. RobG

    Feb 12, 2018, 19:18 #107067

    What seems particularly damning is the level of youth development which is wretched. Wenger’s endless boasts of recruiting and developing talent is nonsense compared to Southampton or Burnley, let alone who we are supposed to match. Bayern - anyone ? It is further overwhelming evidence that we need a fresh start with anew man under a revamped system. I won’t be the only livid Gooner if they don’t act swiftly in May.

44. John F

    Feb 12, 2018, 18:56 #107065

    A few cynical attempts to tap into the Asian fan base in that list.Signed Korean and Japanese players but rarely played them. Out of so many poor players on the list I would vote Sanogoals as the worst.

45. Offside

    Feb 12, 2018, 18:52 #107064

    Think about the vast amount of wages that "Mr Economics Degree" squandered on that dross.

46. Perryashburtongroves

    Feb 12, 2018, 17:53 #107059

    I think you're being generous putting Cech and Mertesacker in capitals. The only place they should have gone is the transfer list. What's laughable is the amount of free transfers we've had. For a supposed big club, that's just ****ing pathetic.

47. mbg

    Feb 12, 2018, 17:37 #107058

    Squillaci pictured with the smiling weasel, (and all the rest)top top qualittee ? my God what more needs to be said about this waste of space of a manager, and light bulb head Gervinho ? Jesus h, and of course TOF was believed and fans got excited, and their still doing it, you couldn't make it up. Like someone has already said they fooking deserve him, unfortunately real, proper fans don't. Go now wenger your not welcome here.

48. Goonhogday

    Feb 12, 2018, 15:03 #107054

    A decades worth of dithering on his “special kind of players” Wenger out

49. mbg

    Feb 12, 2018, 14:53 #107052

    Bard, every transfer window under this old has been is the same, the so called top top qualitee, (the excitement by some that the newbies are going to make the difference forgetting who the manager is of course) the new dawn, we're good to go, it's our year, by the usual devotees and wengerites who still believe and want to believe, but it still always ends up the same (as they're always warned and told at the time) another false dawn, so called top top qualittee being shyte, ruined, or get out from under the clutches of the old failure when they have realised, and get/have the chance. We want wenger out.

50. The Man From UNCLE

    Feb 12, 2018, 14:26 #107050

    Looking at some of those names it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out why we finished where we did in the league. Why not set up a list for the players we were linked with who didn't get here too.

51. Exeter Ex

    Feb 12, 2018, 13:46 #107046

    Pretty damning when you see it laid out like that, and a reminder of just how long this has been going on for. I do think however that you could give 2018 Wenger the 11 best players in the world and he'd still be hanging around the lower reaches of the top 6.

52. Redshirtwhitesleeves

    Feb 12, 2018, 13:45 #107045

    Basically you could have been a Gooner in a coma for 10 years and not missed anything.The list shows how bad the managers judgement is. As Ron says, hard to argue there's a top class name in there. Certainly nobody to compare to Bergkanp, Henry, Pires, Vieira etc. As long as this parasite remains in charge nothing will change. Wenger out

53. Goonhogday

    Feb 12, 2018, 13:25 #107043

    Ha ha ha, this is great Bard. Out of the players listed above, I wonder how many were signed on transfer deadline day in a blind panic buying spree! The 2011/12 August window springs to mind ... Wenger out

54. Guernsey gunner

    Feb 12, 2018, 12:51 #107042

    Jesus wept, some of those names. I watched a game at Bolton a couple of years back and Wellington boot played. How he ever got near The Arsenal is a mystery. A midget and a coward to boot, I’m sure he got hooked after 60 mins but he had none of that typical hard South American about him. 6 years on our pay roll sums up wengers eye for a player over the last 10 years. Clueless.

55. Yes its Ron

    Feb 12, 2018, 12:45 #107041

    All fair comment. So many borderline cases to argue about who was or wasn't decent class. Personally, im not totally sure there s a name there who would indisputably be considered truly top class. Sanchez was excellent on his day and had many really good days, but his overall contribution to the Club has nt in my view bracketed him as such. He got close though. I think Arshavin was top class when he signed but he was lazy and soon became aware that he could get away with so much under AW and in the end he was his own worst enemy, equally as much as he admittedly never used to his maximum effect by AW as i saw it. He contributed yo his severe and quick decline i think.