The Football Thread - Page 2097

**Meini Again** · January 19th, 2018, 03:39 AM

Arsenal ?

Lehmann
Cole
Campbell
Touré
Lauren
Ljungberg
Silva
Vieira
Pirès
Bergkamp
Henry

And the 'Invincibles' ?

Now selling their best player to a bitter rival and hoping that Giroud would move as a make-weight in another deal....

Whatever happened to Arsenal ?

**pierrelm** · January 19th, 2018, 05:39 AM

(Quote function not working

)

Arsenal suffered from a bad case of conceited complacency, getting to the point where simply being Arsenal was enough. It became don't worry about the results and the displays, we are Arsenal, look at the records, look at the books.

The focus went from being a football club to being a successful brand, when the board changed. There's too many business men and not enough football people at the club, and they've taken for granted that as far as the team goes, Wenger was near infallible, only to witness one of the most prolonged cases of denial known to footballkind.

Pep Gardiola was a long time admirer of Wenger's approach to running a football club - they missed a big trick not securing PG's services once he'd left Bayern and was ready to return. If they had done that and moved Wenger upstairs to graceful semi retirement, they would probably have a had a CL trophy win to their name by now.

Instead they trusted a man who signs potential but is utterly incapable of coaching individuals and compounds this by being conceited enough to think that anyone he deems good enough to wear a red shirt will be succesful. Failure to win is now a conspiracy by everyone and anyone else, especially match officials. In the meantime, their rivals are moving on and the top players know that Arsenal are now destined to be also-rans.

They've perfected the art of consistently managing to underachieve whilst avoiding outright failure.

**victor meldrew** · January 19th, 2018, 07:29 AM

This is not the longest period without a trophy for the Gooners 1953 to 1969 and in that period they entered the records books for the lowest attendance in a league game, before finally nabbing the Inter Cities fairs Cup in 1969.

Having had two family members who were Gooners and being told stories of the glory days as a young lad I was often bemused at some of the sides that they turned out at our place in my early days of watching football.

**Old Jud** · January 19th, 2018, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meini Again

................

Now selling their best player to a bitter rival.......

Whatever happened to Arsenal ?

You could also ask the question 'What happened to United?'.

We are so desperate for players that we offer a good transfer fee and a player for Sanchez, yet if we waited until the summer we'd get him for nowt......Oh wait a minute, if we waited then a club with more ambitious directors would snap him up.

**Roger Allott** · January 19th, 2018, 10:21 AM

Arsenal hold the record as the opposition team involved in more of the record high attendance matches against the current 92 English PL & EFL clubs at their home grounds than anyone else.

The 9 teams (and years at stadiums) of record attendances are: Manchester United (1948 @ Maine Road because OT had WWII damage), Chelsea (1935 @ Stamford Bridge), Huddersfield Town (1932 @ Leeds Road), West Bromwich Albion (1937 @ The Hawthorns), Cardiff City (1953 @ Ninian Park), Stoke City (1937 @ Victoria Ground), Preston North End (1938 @ Deepdale), Swansea City (1968 @ Vetch Field), Swindon Town (1972 @ County Ground).

Next best are Man U and Derby County, being the opposition for 5 clubs' record home attendances. Liverpool, Preston North End, Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves are all on 4.

.

**buttsie** · January 19th, 2018, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meini Again

Arsenal ?

Lehmann
Cole
Campbell
Touré
Lauren
Ljungberg
Silva
Vieira
Pirès
Bergkamp
Henry

And the 'Invincibles' ?

Now selling their best player to a bitter rival and hoping that Giroud would move as a make-weight in another deal....

Whatever happened to Arsenal ?

Arsenal are like so many inventions that burned brightly for a moment
but failed to keep an eye on the future

Their model of buy young & develop got bypassed by the incoming billionaire owners

Arsenal has lost an entire team to the cashed up clubs

In desperation they get discarded players like Ozil & Sanchez
The moment they show any serious form its a wages war to keep them

Cash is now king because most players are little more than narcissistic mercenaries
on the hunt for personal glory & wealth.

Club loyalty and winning trophies for the fans sounds like pure spin better suited to politics

**ultimatewarlord** · January 19th, 2018, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by victor meldrew

This is not the longest period without a trophy for the Gooners 1953 to 1969 and in that period they entered the records books for the lowest attendance in a league game, before finally nabbing the Inter Cities fairs Cup in 1969.

Having had two family members who were Gooners and being told stories of the glory days as a young lad I was often bemused at some of the sides that they turned out at our place in my early days of watching football.

Course it isn't. We won the FA Cup last year. Eek, eight whole months without silverware. Another 10 years like this and we'll turn into the Spuds.

**mitchspur** · January 19th, 2018, 10:34 PM

Already turned into Spurs!!! Desperately chasing the League Cup and the Crapropa League!!!

**buttsie** · January 20th, 2018, 02:34 PM

Theo Walcott makes Everton debut

25 mins

Everton 0-1 West Brom

Everton's forward players are still getting to know each other, like business executives on an awkward bonding weekend. Cenk Tosun plays what would have been a neat pass towards the corner flag, had any of his team-mates made an overlapping run. None did.

If this were an episode of The Apprentice, they would all now be on their mobiles shouting at each other.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/42323652

**Meini Again** · January 21st, 2018, 09:45 AM

Blimey....

Quote:

Watford have sacked manager Marco Silva, blaming Everton's approach for the Portuguese earlier this season as the "catalyst for this decision".

New Excuse...

January 19th, 2018, 03:39 AM	#20961
Meini Again Vintage Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: North Wales Posts: 3,637 Thanks: 32,358 Thanked 31,826 Times in 3,566 Posts	Whatever Happened to....? Arsenal ? Lehmann Cole Campbell Touré Lauren Ljungberg Silva Vieira Pirès Bergkamp Henry And the 'Invincibles' ? Now selling their best player to a bitter rival and hoping that Giroud would move as a make-weight in another deal.... Whatever happened to Arsenal ?

January 19th, 2018, 10:21 AM	#20965
Roger Allott Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 7,937 Thanks: 10,958 Thanked 155,879 Times in 8,000 Posts	Arsenal hold the record as the opposition team involved in more of the record high attendance matches against the current 92 English PL & EFL clubs at their home grounds than anyone else. The 9 teams (and years at stadiums) of record attendances are: Manchester United (1948 @ Maine Road because OT had WWII damage), Chelsea (1935 @ Stamford Bridge), Huddersfield Town (1932 @ Leeds Road), West Bromwich Albion (1937 @ The Hawthorns), Cardiff City (1953 @ Ninian Park), Stoke City (1937 @ Victoria Ground), Preston North End (1938 @ Deepdale), Swansea City (1968 @ Vetch Field), Swindon Town (1972 @ County Ground). Next best are Man U and Derby County, being the opposition for 5 clubs' record home attendances. Liverpool, Preston North End, Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves are all on 4. . __________________ *If you don't want your beliefs ridiculed, don't have ridiculous beliefs.*

January 20th, 2018, 02:34 PM	#20969
buttsie Porn Archeologist Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: earth Posts: 12,714 Thanks: 92,252 Thanked 241,299 Times in 12,746 Posts	Onwards and....... Theo Walcott makes Everton debut 25 mins Everton 0-1 West Brom Everton's forward players are still getting to know each other, like business executives on an awkward bonding weekend. Cenk Tosun plays what would have been a neat pass towards the corner flag, had any of his team-mates made an overlapping run. None did. If this were an episode of The Apprentice, they would all now be on their mobiles shouting at each other. http://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/42323652

January 19th, 2018, 05:39 AM	#20962
pierrelm Vintage Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Midst the fen mists Posts: 5,450 Thanks: 55,798 Thanked 72,920 Times in 5,422 Posts	(Quote function not working ) Arsenal suffered from a bad case of conceited complacency, getting to the point where simply being Arsenal was enough. It became don't worry about the results and the displays, we are Arsenal, look at the records, look at the books. The focus went from being a football club to being a successful brand, when the board changed. There's too many business men and not enough football people at the club, and they've taken for granted that as far as the team goes, Wenger was near infallible, only to witness one of the most prolonged cases of denial known to footballkind. Pep Gardiola was a long time admirer of Wenger's approach to running a football club - they missed a big trick not securing PG's services once he'd left Bayern and was ready to return. If they had done that and moved Wenger upstairs to graceful semi retirement, they would probably have a had a CL trophy win to their name by now. Instead they trusted a man who signs potential but is utterly incapable of coaching individuals and compounds this by being conceited enough to think that anyone he deems good enough to wear a red shirt will be succesful. Failure to win is now a conspiracy by everyone and anyone else, especially match officials. In the meantime, their rivals are moving on and the top players know that Arsenal are now destined to be also-rans. They've perfected the art of consistently managing to underachieve whilst avoiding outright failure.

January 19th, 2018, 07:29 AM	#20963
victor meldrew Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: At the bottom of an empty glass Posts: 15,778 Thanks: 531,920 Thanked 179,996 Times in 15,766 Posts	This is not the longest period without a trophy for the Gooners 1953 to 1969 and in that period they entered the records books for the lowest attendance in a league game, before finally nabbing the Inter Cities fairs Cup in 1969. Having had two family members who were Gooners and being told stories of the glory days as a young lad I was often bemused at some of the sides that they turned out at our place in my early days of watching football.

January 19th, 2018, 10:34 PM	#20968
mitchspur Vintage Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 5,659 Thanks: 10,164 Thanked 87,379 Times in 5,774 Posts	Already turned into Spurs!!! Desperately chasing the League Cup and the Crapropa League!!!