The SNH Football thread

[LA_Boxers]

Not to burst any bubbles, but the CL playoffs are unseeded this year. Hopefully Arsenal will draw one of the big guns and get knocked out. Definitely celebrating far too much for finishing fourth. If thats all they've got to aspire for each year I dont blame all the players for wanting to leave.


1 week today I'll probably be in pub warming up nicely for the playoffs. Come on the eeeeagles.

[Forum]

don't buy all the criticism for the level of celebrations from Arsenal

Shearer was just bitter because he predited all season Tottenham would finish above us

[scspkr99]

I'd have been firmly in the camp that celebrating 4th is poor but having been out of the Champions League for 4 years I kinda get it. There's something different about European football and while it should be about the trophies the fact is CL football is an incredible thing to look forward to.

[murky21]

celebrating because
-at March this year it was looking unlikely
-remarkable turn around
-minimum of 30m extra cash
-being able to offer champ league football & attract the best players in a summer with our biggest spending budget for nearly a decade

seems like reason enough to celebrate to me. Its celebrating giving ourselves the best chance to challenge next season

[TopManLurka]

Yeah really didn't understand Shearer on motd last night, c*nt sounded like he lost a bet.

But lol @ wanting us to not qualify for CL just because of yesterdays celebrations, that just shows the level of bitterness from some fans imo. Still happy man, yesterday was 5*. The day will be matched when Bale leaves and the Spuds squirm over what to do next.

[scspkr99]

celebrating because
-at March this year it was looking unlikely
-remarkable turn around
-minimum of 30m extra cash
-being able to offer champ league football & attract the best players in a summer with our biggest spending budget for nearly a decade

seems like reason enough to celebrate to me. Its celebrating giving ourselves the best chance to challenge next season

So I understand all of this as well but think it's far less compelling than European football nights being great when a part of them and pretty shit when you aren't

[TopManLurka]

celebrating because
-at March this year it was looking unlikely
-remarkable turn around
-minimum of 30m extra cash
-being able to offer champ league football & attract the best players in a summer with our biggest spending budget for nearly a decade

seems like reason enough to celebrate to me. Its celebrating giving ourselves the best chance to challenge next season

finishing above the spuds was the main reason doe. whoever spread that rumour around the lane that we were losing



madness.

[wub]

Reminds me of all those Mind The Gap photoshops from a couple of seasons ago.

[Forum]

The tension in the last 10 minutes of that game was intense, the only time i can remember anything like it was at home to Madrid the season we went all the way to the final.

There was always going to be celebrations at the end

[magma]

Not to burst any bubbles, but the CL playoffs are unseeded this year. Hopefully Arsenal will draw one of the big guns and get knocked out. Definitely celebrating far too much for finishing fourth. If thats all they've got to aspire for each year I dont blame all the players for wanting to leave.

I think you've missed the point of why this one was important. Arsenal have had their purse strings glued shut for the best part of a decade whilst everyone around them (with the semi-exception of Man Utd) have bought their way into the top 4 - sometimes only taking a season or two to win a title. Chelsea were nobody when Arsenal won their last league title, Manchester City weren't even in the top flight - Arsenal have managed to maintain Champions League football every single year whilst building (and actually, like, paying for) their new stadium... with that now out of the way, they're in an incredibly strong position to spend cash and hopefully give Wenger one more shot at the big time before he leaves... if they'd missed out on the CL this year, it would've limited the options for spending money over the summer... and this summer is THE summer to spend money; assuming there are people to buy, that is.

So yeah, it's not a trophy... but CL football for 11 years on the trot whilst hemorrhaging heroes and setting the club up for long-term financial stability? That's pretty impressive. There's also a fair slice of relief - this thread would've grown a lot more than a single page since yesterday if Spurs had grabbed fourth. Arsenal could finish above them for another 17 years on the trot and we'd still be hearing about the Lilywhite Lions of 2013.

In Wenger We Trust. The most screwed-on head in football.

[scspkr99]

Magma I think that's all fair but there have been stories doing the rounds for years that Wenger's had access to money he hasn't wanted to spend?

[Forum]

Even if we draw Milan or Schalke in the playoffs, we'll hopefully have already done our transfer business by them

[murky21]

WORD magma
you say much better what I am thinking

Football support seems to be so short-term focussed nowadays. I'm happy to take into account the long game. Arsenal are in a great shape for decades to come, and when the trophies start rolling in, maybe we will have this 8 trophyless years/ stadium move/ frugal transition period to thank for it.
ALSO I'm still fucking grateful and happy that I had a chance to witness seasons and greatness like 03/04...I'm not going to forget that in a hurry. Most fans never get to witness that kind of stuff, and I'm not gonna start slating the club that did it just cos of a dry stretch.
AND whilst we havent won anything with it, im glad I get to watch a largely beautiful, exciting, attacking and expansive style of football, that also makes up for the lack of trophies

Also the people that say aFC are just a token inclusion in the champions league:
2011/12 UEFA Champions League Round of 16
2010/11 UEFA Champions League Round of 16
2009/10 UEFA Champions League Quarter-finals
2008/09 UEFA Champions League Semi-finals
2007/08 UEFA Champions League Quarter-finals
2006/07 UEFA Champions League Round of 16
2005/06 UEFA Champions League Final

...in the years since the FA cup was won, progressed from every single group stage, including one final and one semi final.....aint a bad effort

[hubb]

Also with Ferguson out next season Arsenal might be the most stable and consistent top four club with all the others switching managers and trying on new things.

[magma]

Magma I think that's all fair but there have been stories doing the rounds for years that Wenger's had access to money he hasn't wanted to spend?

I've never seen any actual numbers, but for the last 10 years they've been seemingly desperately trying to convince the fans that they have a "substantial transfer budget" going into each window, but then not really spending anything. Given how much money they've plugged into the stadium and the fact that they've just signed a pretty lucrative new kits deal, the budget for this end-of-season must be a lot bigger than they've had access to for quite a while... a perfect financial storm like this isn't coincidence, it's the result of a ridiculously well run organisation.

[murky21]

the fact that they've just signed a pretty lucrative new kits deal, .

yep its mainly this. first new deal since 06 + its in the top 10 biggest ever sponsorship deals in football

[scspkr99]

I think that's a pretty good attitude to take but I'd be wanting to see some real investment this season.

[mIrReN]

I know it's not the UK but

Allez les MAUVES

[TopManLurka]

Perhaps next season we won't have so many anti-Wenger heads too. I blame the BSM for this seasons antics.

[Forum]

the fact that they've just signed a pretty lucrative new kits deal, .

yep its mainly this. first new deal since 06 + its in the top 10 biggest ever sponsorship deals in football

Plus the advance we got on the new Emirates deal and the increased TV money.

We've finally got rid of Arshavin and Squillaci