Arsène Wenger: Same Old Class

[Makingtrax]

They actually do! But they give them to less fortunate friends or friends of... It's not their fault that even the less fortunate can't be arsed!

Didn't understand one word of that post. Could have been written in Swahili.

It's beyond imagination not wanting to go and see Arsenal play. Been too busy lately but can't wait to see them on Sunday. Maybe a bite and a pint in the Coronet first. Lovely stuff.

 

[Jury]

Didn't understand one word of that post. Could have been written in Swahili.

What didn't you understand about it?

 

[Makingtrax]

What didn't you understand about it?

Supporter speak doesn't mention getting free tickets and can't be arsed in the same paragraph.

 

[Jury]

Supporter speak doesn't mention getting free tickets and can't be arsed in the same paragraph.

Oh, right. We're living in the 70's again. Remind me to grab some flares when I nip down to British Home Stores next.

 

[rich 1990]

Says the man who posted about helping a pensioner with Alzheimer's get home one night.

Taken me 3 seasons to see through your BS.

First of all, I didn't post it in here, I posted it in general chat where it belongs. 2, I didn't use it to brow beat people with. People pay silly prices for tickets at Arsenal. It's up to them what they do with their money. Thirdly, I posted that at least 18 months ago, how desperate are you? Now bog off, squad cost boy.

 

[Makingtrax]

Oh, right. We're living in the 70's again. Remind me to grab some flares when I nip down to British Home Stores next.

Arsenal league position in the 70s . . . at one stage we were 10th, 16th, 17th, 8th, 7th.

I bet people didn't stay away and sulk.

 

[IslingtonBornandbred]

No disrespect @Makingtrax but as someone who is a season ticket holder x 3, I don't quite understand and this isn't directly related to you, but the sort of **** measuring that goes on here about supporters who do or don't go to games or season ticket holders who don't go to games, or supporters who get offered free tickets and don't go.

I know a massive "supporter" who was a ST holder from the 80's to around 2008 and now he sells his ST every year, spends matchdays usually working as a cabbie and I couldn't pay him to go to a game. When I'm scraping the barrel to move the ticket on if I can't go I can't even give it to him for free. He's just not that interested but he'll go home at 11pm and watch the game back on the TV.

There's was another post a while back from someone else slagging off fans for not going to the game and the stadium being empty vs City from a fella in a different country. I didn't see him jumping on a flight to get to the stadium and buy a cut price ticket. It doesn't make him less or more of a fan but apparently those who didn't go are a "disgrace".

There are fans that will pay over the odds to go to some games and others who won't take the ticket for free due to other commitments. It's a little bit of a pissing contest for me when you start getting into who goes or doesn't go or who does what etc etc.

And for what it's worth, I've got a afternoon barbeque to go to this Sunday where there is going to be loads of meat (none of that vegan nonsense round here) and another 6 or so ST holders will also be there.....it's just the way it is!

 

[Jury]

Arsenal league position in the 70s . . . at one stage we were 10th, 16th, 17th, 8th, 7th.

I bet people didn't stay away and sulk.

They had nothing else to do. Beer was cheap, pubs were great and there was Arsenal. Paradise.

 

[IslingtonBornandbred]

Arsenal league position in the 70s . . . at one stage we were 10th, 16th, 17th, 8th, 7th.

I bet people didn't stay away and sulk.

Bet they did. How much were tickets again?

Different era. You can't compare them! In 1966, 4554 supporters turned up to watch Arsenal vs Leeds. Leeds won 3-0. Arsenal finished 14th in the league. In 1935, the highest attendance ever recorded at Highbury was 73,295.....

Even those moaners in 1966 stayed at home and sulked!

 

[Jury]

When the **** is standing coming back to PL grounds anyway? What what kept people coming back when things were sh!t was the camaraderie, atmosphere, banter and songs on the terraces. That's a massive void that can't be filled without it. Brilliant when things are good, and still worth going for when things were sh1t.

 

[IslingtonBornandbred]

When the **** is standing coming back to PL grounds anyway? What what kept people coming back when things were sh!t was the camaraderie, atmosphere, banter and songs on the terraces. That's a massive void that can't be filled without it. Brilliant when things are good, and still worth going for when things were sh1t.

Big part of it. I've noticed this phenomenon where quite a lot of "geezas" around where I sit actually leave their seat about 10 minutes before half-time during most games just to get onto the concourse and get the beers in. They aren't interested in 88% pass ratios or reverse regista trequartista midfielders, they just want to enjoy themselves and have a good time!

Emirates will never be the same as Highbury anyway for me, not even close!

 

[Toby]

When the **** is standing coming back to PL grounds anyway? What what kept people coming back when things were sh!t was the camaraderie, atmosphere, banter and songs on the terraces. That's a massive void that can't be filled without it. Brilliant when things are good, and still worth going for when things were sh1t.

Big downside of going to a stadium in England. I know the atmosphere from a couple of BL stadiums, and the home and away stands are brilliant mostly throughout. You saw it with Cologne at the Emirates. No home stands take away so much from the overall atmosphere and experience. It kinda sanitizes the in-stadium fanculture and takes away a bit of the involvement.

Why was it actually banished?

 

[Jury]

Big downside of going to a stadium in England. I know the atmosphere from a couple of BL stadiums, and the home and away stands are brilliant mostly throughout. You saw it with Cologne at the Emirates. No home stands take away so much from the overall atmosphere and experience. It kinda sanitizes the in-stadium fanculture and takes away a bit of the involvement.

Why was it actually banished?

The Hillsborough disaster and subsequent banning of standing room.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/happened-hillsborough-1989/

In short, ****ty policing.

 

[Toby]

The Hillsborough disaster and subsequent banning of standing room.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/happened-hillsborough-1989/

Cheers, that's somewhat understandable. I thought I remembered a bit in a german football show from years ago that it was down to getting hooligans under control. But Hillsborough makes sense.

 

[Preacher]

It's Gazidis and other suits job to attract people to watch Arsenal games, and they failed to do that job at least a couple of past seasons.

You just need to look at the last couple AGM meetings and it'll show what is what.

 

[Jury]

Cheers, that's somewhat understandable. I thought I remembered a bit in a german football show from years ago that it was down to getting hooligans under control. But Hillsborough makes sense.

If it wasn't for terrible policing on the day, nobody would have died and we'd still be standing in stadiums today. In hindsight, it was a * reason to ban standing. It was a ruling based on the understanding that the fans caused it. As soon as the police were basically found guilty of causing the tragedy, standing should have returned.

 

[Toby]

If it wasn't for terrible policing on the day, nobody would have died and we'd still be standing in stadiums today. In hindsight, it was a * reason to ban standing. It was a ruling based on the understanding that the fans caused it. As soon as the police were basically found guilty of causing the tragedy, standing should have returned.

Thanks for the info. I don't see any downside to standing and regarding things like what happened at Hillsborough there's no problems at all in Germany. Comparing the sometimes rather tame atmosphere of english stadiums to that it's a bit sad. Anfield did a good job this week against City, but when I watch it's mostly very quiet. Introducing standing again could really kick off a dormant part of fan culture again.

We've got more of a thing with stuff like what happened to the City bus this week, that's sadly pretty common. And hooliganism and racism in some stadiums in general. Had a prof at Uni who said he's a big fan of Dynamo Dresden and he'd love to go with his granddaughter a bit more, but there's too much aggression, racism and antisocial behaviour going on in their fandom.

 

[Gunners4life]

Say what you want but even our half empty stadium has better atmosphere than Old Trafford.

 

[Mark Tobias]

I get the point: Arsenal sign a guy for 35m and he's worse than what other teams sign for 35m, more resembling a signing someone else could've made for 20m, creating the impression Arsenal get less value for money than other teams.

I just don't necessarilly agree. Especially over the last couple of years. Özil, Sanchez, Elneny, Mustafi, Xhaka, etc. were all rather rational market value fees; I don't think Arsenal overpaid, I think Arsenal paid about market value and I don't think other teams got, in direct comparison including e.g. which transfer window (cause the business changes that fast) significantly better value out of transfers in similar price brackets.

Even if you look closely at one of the most criticized transfer here: Xhaka. Captain of his club and national side. 23 years old. One of the best CMs in the Bundesliga, linked to Bayern. A guy like that just costs you 35m in 2016. No way anyone would've gotten him cheaper than that. Now has he somewhat underperformed at Arsenal? Following different arguments, he has. But is it cause of his lack of quality, meaning he isn't a 35m player? I don't think so, especially as quality isn't the only factor creating a player's market value. It's much more that Xhaka doesn't completely fit what Arsenal actually needed in that position for the system played - and that's down to either Wenger not profiling clearly enough what he wanted, and/or the scouts inability to find that.

Could Arsenal have signed someone for 20m whose overall value is lower for whatever reasons, but fit the needed profile better? Sure. But that doesn't really fit the "Arsenal always overpay for dodgy quality while other teams don't" narrative too cleanly. It's rather sometimes Arsenal actually doesn't know what kind of players it buys, and them underperforming creates the impression Arsenal overpay for mediocre players, while other teams seem more adept at identifying what they need and getting that in for whatever money needed. And that's directly tied to the transfer fee nitpicking and trying to be clever in the market.

Great response. Apologies, you well and truly got the point

 

[Mark Tobias]

Say what you want but even our half empty stadium has better atmosphere than Old Trafford.

Well imagine screaming attack and watching them sit in their own box for 88 minutes