Annus Horribilis 2011/2012 .............................

[Enter the Pitbull]

Remember all those embarrassing threads about a "Combined NL Team" which was basically 10 of ours + Van Persie.

Surely that means Arsenal on paper are even worse?

 

[Wriggly]

We should at least try. There's no harm in it.

 

[tommysvr]

Remember all those embarrassing threads about a "Combined NL Team" which was basically 10 of ours + Van Persie.

Surely that means Arsenal on paper are even worse?

Arsenal and United are pretty weak on paper, but football is a lot more than that. There's a reason why they're always up there and it's because they have the two best managers of their generation. Take Ferguson or Wenger away and I'm confident neither would finish in the top 4.

 

[liquid_football]

World class strikers always make the difference.ManU has Rooney,Arsenal has Van Persie and City have Aguero(and Tevez,Dzeko,Balotelli who are all atleast as good Adebayor).Chelsea have been absolutely dogbrick by their standards this season,but when Drogba worked his magic he made the difference in all their important games(Valencia,Napoli,Barca,Us and Liverpool in the FA cup).

We need to spend big this summer and get somebody who can truly make the difference for us and then presuming everybody stays at the club,we can hope for a realistic title challenge.

 

[Naughton16]

The point about Liverpool's situation was that there weren't adequate rules in place to deal with CL winners finishing outside qualifying places. The rule that lowest ranked domestic place goes to CL winners was Uefas solution. There wont be any legal challenge because that's the rule plain and simple.

 

[markysimmo]

We should at least try. There's no harm in it.

No point, the rules are clear, if we appealed we would look pathetic, if it happens it happens, we take our medicine and move on

Levy should rather investigate how we fudged up a 13 point lead on 4th rather than the main story

 

[liquid_football]

There is always the possibility that some club will get banned and some new team will take their place- just like Trabzonspor took I think Fenerbahce's place in the CL last season

 

[Naughton16]

6th

On paper, that is where we should finish

You may not like it, but that is a FACT

If we finish 4th than we have massively overachieved

Teams that should finished above us:

CITY - Sugar
UNITED - Biggest club in the world
CHELSEA - Sugar
ARSENAL - Wages and Revenue
LIVERPOOL - Wages and Revenue

For me this just highlights how strategically important 3rd was. To lock out Arsenal and potentially reduce the gap in the superior wages and revenues you mention would have been massive.

 

[Sheikh Ma Nuggets]

For me this just highlights how strategically important 3rd was. To lock out Arsenal and potentially reduce the gap in the superior wages and revenues you mention would have been massive.

Nah, rubbish.

The way to lock-out Arsenal, and any other team, is to increase your fixed revenue streams - because they're the only guaranteed source of income. No business worth its salt budgets based on, what is in effect 'bonus money'. To my knowledge, Arsenal don't budget to be in the CL, so - with that in mind - whether they were in the CL or not is largely irrelevant.

We have to grow our business by investing in bricks and mortar, and that means the stadium with its fixed revenue streams. That's the long-term strategic position. Even if I took your point about 'reducing the gap; wages and revenues' - that gap is only closed, until such time as we have to commit ourselves to significant financial pressure with the stadium build.

The rule of thumb is: stop worrying about what Arsenal are doing - fudge um. Our priorities are a lot more closer to home.

 

[Yiddo]

There is always the possibility that some club will get banned and some new team will take their place- just like Trabzonspor took I think Fenerbahce's place in the CL last season

When was the last time that happened before the situation you mentioned?

 

[yiddo2786]

Am I the only won who thinks winning the CL shouldn't give you CL qualification? I don't care about getting to defend the trophy; sorry Chelsea, you weren't good enough over 38 games. I would feel this way if it were the other way around as well. Chelsea are currently in the bizarre position where the most important thing about winning the Champions League on Sunday is that they'll get to compete in it again next year.

 

[Hootnow]

No, I think the winner and holder should always get a chance to defend their trophy.

 

[Naughton16]

The guaranteed source of income from CL is the group stage. Minimum 6 matches of CL football just like we get 38 PL matches. That revenue is guaranteed for Arsenal next season.

 

[camspur]

No, I think the winner and holder should always get a chance to defend their trophy.

Winner yes, holder (and I assume you mean host as in the stadium where it is being held) NO!, why should a club get a free ticket just because they have a stadium deemed good enough to play the final in.

 

[yiddo2786]

Winner yes, holder (and I assume you mean host as in the stadium where it is being held) NO!, why should a club get a free ticket just because they have a stadium deemed good enough to play the final in.

By holder he surely means winner, as in holder of the trophy

 

[camspur]

By holder he surely means winner, as in holder of the trophy

The surely he's saying the "winner and winner" should go through , which is why I tried to clarify what he said.

 

[Hootnow]

Yep, I mean just the winner, who are also the holders.

 

[scaramanga]

Nah, rubbish.

The way to lock-out Arsenal, and any other team, is to increase your fixed revenue streams - because they're the only guaranteed source of income. No business worth its salt budgets based on, what is in effect 'bonus money'. To my knowledge, Arsenal don't budget to be in the CL, so - with that in mind - whether they were in the CL or not is largely irrelevant.

We have to grow our business by investing in bricks and mortar, and that means the stadium with its fixed revenue streams. That's the long-term strategic position. Even if I took your point about 'reducing the gap; wages and revenues' - that gap is only closed, until such time as we have to commit ourselves to significant financial pressure with the stadium build.

The rule of thumb is: stop worrying about what Arsenal are doing - fudge um. Our priorities are a lot more closer to home.

They budget to be in the CL 8 out of every 10 years (at least until the stadium is paid off) - it was in an article with their chairman a year or two ago.

Beating them to 3rd may have been half way to ruining them.

 

[fabman]

if we qualify for the playoffs

so , we are all hoping bayern stuff cheat$ki next week , if they do which teams are we likely to face in the qualifiers ? is there seeding ? if so will we be seeded ?

 

[harryhotspur]

3 points lost at home against Norwich
2 points lost away to Villa
3 points lost away to gooners when we were 2-0 up
2 points lost away to chelsea when we out played them

10 points lost and arsenal being 13 points behind us.