Tonights AST end of season review

[LDG]

Come july the 1st a press conference will be called and Wenger will announce the signings of 3 players none of us had thought we were after, mark my words.

Wierdly i think we might go back for Hangelaand and go after Jack Rodwell plus a couple of more experienced signings

Oh I think he'll spend this summer, and I think he'll be ruthless too. It was pretty clear how frustrated and gutted he was as we limped towards the end of the season.

I think the players, such as Bendy / Denilson etc all got their excuses ready early....he didn't play 'em much, and I think he'd already made up his mind the current crop couldn't be trusted to deliver, well before the end of the season.

He's been ruthless in the past when players haven't performed (see lehmann) or when they're on there last knockings (Petit, Overmars, Lauren etc). But I think he knows this is crunch time....we won't hear much from him before the start of the season, but I think we'll see a lot of moving and shaking.

[Flavs]

No, he's never had to fear for his job the board have always been 100% behind him and have said so consistently.

You assume that what the board say and what the board does go hand in hand then

[Coney]

Gazidis: No I do not fear for the brand because we've achieved 70% market penetration in North America, and the size of the market there means we are well situated to exploit the commercial opportunities open to us in that country. Moreover, with our tour of South East Asia this summer, we have another great opportunity to open up new markets, and with our world class marketing and strategy teams, we expect to achieve 44.34% penetration in the next 4 years in that region. By releasing a new shirt every season, and hiking ticket prices I expect the income stream to remain healthy, and despite consumer confidence at a 10 year low, I expect brand loyalty will mean many long term customers will maintain their relationship with the company, and keep paying for the product despite the straightened economic conditions.

So we are going to be relying on the Asian clique? Bugger.

[Özim]

You assume that what the board say and what the board does go hand in hand then

When it comes to Wenger it seems pretty clear it does, they are always praising him and he's been allowed to do as he wishes for a long time now.

[Coney]

When it comes to Wenger it seems pretty clear it does, they are always praising him and he's been allowed to do as he wishes for a long time now.

How do you know that? As they have already said, disagreements are kept behind closed doors and they show a solid face to the outside world. Wenger and the board are too professional to air dirty linen in public. Gazidis was quite specific about this and Wenger has said the same kind of thing in the past about what he does and does not say to the players.

[LDG]

So we are going to be relying on the Asian clique? Bugger.

Well, they do sew together the shirts so well. And on the cheap.

TEG

[Cripps_orig]

Q. Who is Arsene accountable to. IG: ultimately the fans who can make it unsustainable for him to stay. But doesn't think at that stage yet

We're closer to it than he thinks.

[Toronto Gooner]

I think the players, such as Bendy / Denilson etc all got their excuses ready early....he didn't play 'em much, and I think he'd already made up his mind the current crop couldn't be trusted to deliver, well before the end of the season.

Whether they spoke the truth or used excuses, at least Bendtner and Denilson make their positions clear, public and early, unlike two of the top players who are using the media, agents and opposition players to try to create an atmosphere which (they hope) forces Arsenal to sell them. Thereby enabling them to say "It was not my fault, Arsenal sold me".

[LDG]

Whether they spoke the truth or used excuses, at least Bendtner and Denilson make their positions clear, public and early, unlike two of the top players who are using the media, agents and opposition players to try to create an atmosphere which (they hope) forces Arsenal to sell them. Thereby enabling them to say "It was not my fault, Arsenal sold me".

Well, if they knew they were being dropped / sold, it wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility that in order to make up for their own, quite obvious, shortcomings last year, they should state publically their desire to leave and join a club with bigger aspirations....so I fully expect bender to join someone like Villa and Denilson will go to some shite Italian outfit and fade to obscurity.

With regards Nasri, he's after more dosh and pay parity with the biggest earners. Agents will do what they can to make that happen, therefore not suprising. We would never sell to Utd in a million years unless they spunked millions at us. Therefore I would assume that it's a way to hold the club, to a degree, to ransom. I suspect he wants to continue at Arsenal, but money speaks volumes, therefore, if we don't match it, he's off.

And Cesc?? Come on. You know better than that.

[Toronto Gooner]

And Cesc?? Come on. You know better than that.

Better than what? DO you seriously believe that everything that has happened over the last two years has not been approved and orchestrated by Fabregas? The past two years could have been avoided by Fabregas doing one of two things:
(a) Publicly saying that he wanted to stay at Arsenal; or
(b) Putting in an official transfer request.

He does not do the latter because it will hurt him financially. So he plays the outside pressure game using others to talk about his Barcelona DNA, etc.