Match Reaction - Farmer Giles and the Gang 1-1 Arsenal

[Letters]

Whatever you think about Chelsea and City their owners prioritise football and success first and then worked on the assumption that profitability would follow due to increased popularity around the world.

Bull. Shit.
They didn't care about profit in the long term, they were just having fun because they could.
Rich people don't buy yachts or expensive cars because they think long term it'll make them money, they're just having fun. This is the same on a much larger scale.

[IBK]

Bull. Shit.
They didn't care about profit in the long term, they were just having fun because they could.
Rich people don't buy yachts or expensive cars because they think long term it'll make them money, they're just having fun. This is the same on a much larger scale.

Recent times suggest otherwise. Anyways having fun wasn't the priority of Abramovich - 'respectability' and profile was - not to mention making him too high a profile target for a Russian assassin. As for Abu Dhabi - it was a hard-nosed investment decision to sink oil money into a pretty much gilt-edged investment.

[Kano]

Bull. Shit.
They didn't care about profit in the long term, they were just having fun because they could.
Rich people don't buy yachts or expensive cars because they think long term it'll make them money, they're just having fun. This is the same on a much larger scale.

Yes and no. They definitely care about money and return in the long run. They are Arab. Money is in their blood. It also works as the perfect investment point that allows the owner - UAE prime minister - to get closer to the UK government and buddy up the two countries even further.

[IBK]

I think the reason why Chelsea and City owners have had no option but to concentrate on success primarily before making money is because of the lack of modern prestige associated with the clubs. They both needed lifting out of the duldrums and a new history created for them, rather than relying on trophies won fifty years and players only popular in the domestic game.

Whereas for Arsenal, we already had a worldwide rep, making us perfect fodder for a couple of billionaires to come along, invest nothing and sit back to collect far sooner than the oil barons will be able to.

...and had is the important word here. It may be a side-effect of the massive investment elsewhere, but we are kidding ourselves if our fading star sees our reputation anything like it once was. Years ago on here I wondered whether we might end up something like the mighty Ajax - and I don't think its such a stupid question to ask.

[Letters]

Didn't Citeh make a profit in the last financial year, so doing things the "right" way.

Even if they did, I don't think they deserve much credit for that having previously spent half a billion quid to buy a few trophies.
Agree about our wage bill, we have wasted far too much money on average players.
It's too simplistic to say "Its not all about money though otherwise Citeh or Chelsea would win every game", if that were so you'd never get a cup shock, you'd never see us losing to West Brom or drawing with Norwich. Football isn't as simple as that but over a season if you've bought a squad with a lot of top quality players, outbid rivals so they can't get stronger and have a squad good enough to withstand an even Arsenalesque injury list, you have a massive advantage.
Yes, Fergie managed to best both of them but he was the GOAT, IMO.
I do agree we should have won more in the last decade but we've made some improvement in the last couple of years. I think we're now in a position to challenge. If injuries or the lack of top striker stop us properly competing this year then Wenger should be sacked. We're in the mix so far though, despite our wobbles.

[selassie]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...erious-6935246

Reports saying the injury isn't that bad.

Maybe Wenger has asked Sanchez how he feels again.

[Özim]

Agree with all that. It might be a shame that football has become so cynical, but like everything else - and most big sport - these days success overrides doing the right thing every time, and Wenger is swimming against the tide.

One question I have asked myself a lot recently is which top European side would employ Wenger as manager - and I'm not sure any would - at least those clubs with any ambition. If the question was which venture capitalist would employ Wenger - then I think he may truly be the most sought after manager on earth.

Football has changed a lot,but you have to move with the times and adapt.

I think he'd find another job, as some people still seem to have to rose-tinted view of him outside Arsenal, let's not forget Benitez is now at Real and his CV is hardly glowing these days, I'm not sure he would deserve one at a top club however as I just don't think he can deliver at the top level anymore.

[Kano]

...and had is the important word here. It may be a side-effect of the massive investment elsewhere, but we are kidding ourselves if our fading star sees our reputation anything like it once was. Years ago on here I wondered whether we might end up something like the mighty Ajax - and I don't think its such a stupid question to ask.

I'm actually convinced it is the other way. In this modern, consumerist world, marketing is king, and our marketing is far more aggressive around the world than it ever has been. We wouldn't be marked down as one of the richest in the world if our merchandise, sales and marketing teams weren't being successful. We had the 5/6th highest shirt sales a couple of years back I believe. What helps us far more than someone like Ajax is the marketing of the PL too, set alongside our own efforts it ensures we can remain an attractive prospect and retain the focus on our recent and more historic success. All horrible, disgusting words of course, as marketing deserves no place in our world, let alone football but it is what it is now.

[Özim]

Bull. Shit.
They didn't care about profit in the long term, they were just having fun because they could.
Rich people don't buy yachts or expensive cars because they think long term it'll make them money, they're just having fun. This is the same on a much larger scale.

I don't think anyone however rich just throws money at something without a long term plan to recoup some of it at least, rich people don't get mega rich without being attached to money.

There's other reasons of course, but ultimately making money out of it has to be the goal, I saw something about City being worth 4 times as much as they were when they were bought due to the Chinese investment.

[Özim]

I'm actually convinced it is the other way. In this modern, consumerist world, marketing is king, and our marketing is far more aggressive around the world than it ever has been. We wouldn't be marked down as one of the richest in the world if our merchandise, sales and marketing teams weren't being successful. We had the 5/6th highest shirt sales a couple of years back I believe. What helps us far more than someone like Ajax is the marketing of the PL too, set alongside our own efforts it ensures we can remain an attractive prospect and retain the focus on our recent and more historic success. All horrible, disgusting words of course, as marketing deserves no place in our world, let alone football but it is what it is now.

I'm not convinced about our marketing, our commercial deals have been poor in the past and even though they are better now there's a number of club who have trumped us since we signed them.

In addition we don't seem to be exploring the emerging markets as much as we should, China being the biggest surely. Ultimately though, without success we won't have anywhere near the same appeal, you get more fans though success, people wanted to be associated with winning teams and that's what will attract fans from Asian markets the most, our lack of success won't help us in that regard, nor will it help us with sponsorship, big brands want to be associated with winners, not so much people or teams who come 4th.