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The Goon Thread - Officially Second In A One Horse Race

Arsenal have followed Manchester United in giving out highly misleading attendance figures that show their stadiums to be at capacity when in fact there were thousands of empty seats.

United announced a 71,000 near full house for their Champions League game against CFR Cluj when the Old Trafford crowd looked to be 20,000.

And the Emirates Stadium attendance for last Saturday’s match against West Brom was said to be 60,000 when it was obviously down by more than 10,000.

article-0-1669ABA6000005DC-190_468x342.jpg

Sparse support: The Emirates was far from full as Arsenal beat West Brom

Both clubs defend their policy by saying the figures are based on tickets sold — with United’s Champions League group games included in the season ticket price. A Premier League spokesman said: ‘Our attendances are up this season. This is not an issue for us.’

The apathy among Gunners fans, heightened by the Capital One Cup defeat at Bradford, was demonstrated by the paltry turn-out for the Arsenal Supporters Trust Christmas drinks with the club at the Emirates.

Fewer than 100 attended the function — half the number expected — even when they had the opportunity to vent their anger at chief executive Ivan Gazidis and commercial director Tom ‘brand defined by more than winning’ Fox.

Gazidis, who spent two hours talking to the hardcore fans, apologised for the Bradford result, saying it wasn’t good enough and that he was there to listen.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-2247270/Charles-Sale-Arsenal-figure-filling-Emirates-just-Manchester-United-Old-Trafford.html
 
Arsenal have followed Manchester United in giving out highly misleading attendance figures that show their stadiums to be at capacity when in fact there were thousands of empty seats.

United announced a 71,000 near full house for their Champions League game against CFR Cluj when the Old Trafford crowd looked to be 20,000.

And the Emirates Stadium attendance for last Saturday’s match against West Brom was said to be 60,000 when it was obviously down by more than 10,000.

article-0-1669ABA6000005DC-190_468x342.jpg

Sparse support: The Emirates was far from full as Arsenal beat West Brom

Both clubs defend their policy by saying the figures are based on tickets sold — with United’s Champions League group games included in the season ticket price. A Premier League spokesman said: ‘Our attendances are up this season. This is not an issue for us.’


Basically this is the club policy: As long as we get paid for all seats, we don't give a fook about half full stadiums with crap atmosphere.

Probably the same for us and most other PL clubs too, though.
 
'Torquay tougher than Arsenal'

Bradford City captain Gary Jones has said that League Two counterparts Torquay United provided a tougher test than Premier League side Arsenal.

Bradford, who ply their trade in England's fourth tier, claimed a memorable scalp of Arsenal in the Capital One Cup quarter-finals this week, triumphing 3-2 on penalties.

Speaking to the Guardian, Jones, 35, was delighted with the performance of his team-mates on Tuesday and expressed his belief that their 1-0 win over Torquay this season was more of a challenge.

"I think Torquay gave us a tougher game," Jones said. "It was like a role reversal against them. Torquay defended well against us and we defended really well against Arsenal. The lads were unbelievable."

When asked whether Arsenal should be embarrassed, Jones said: "Without a shadow of a doubt. No disrespect to us and our lads but they should be beating Bradford City. But team spirit means a lot and it can take a team a long way. We have a massive team spirit and we showed it.

"When we saw their team sheet, we couldn't believe it. Steve Parkin [the assistant manager] wrote their side down and at the bottom he wrote 'poor team', exclamation mark.

"I thought they would have a lot of youth players and a bit of experience but nothing like that turned up. They came here and it was probably the best chance of a trophy they'll have this year. I think it was Arsene Wenger's worst nightmare going to penalties. The lads were full of confidence and I think that showed."

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1261856/bradford-captain:-torquay-tougher-than-arsenal?cc=4716
 
Arsene Wenger said:
The gap [to the top] is big, but not big enough to think it's done.

The weekend results were quite interesting.

It shows that if you're consistent, you will be there at the end of the season.

From now on it is important for us to be consistent.

The Manchester derby was of a very good level and the draw would maybe have been the fair result,

Emirates Marketing Project came back - they started the game very strongly - but Man United have shown they are clinical up front.

This was before they played Bradford, but apparently the title is still on.
 
2004: "we don't need to buy players"

2012: "we need to buy players!"

Looking at Arsenal's current squad the only players they've produced from their own youth setup are Szczęsny, Wheelchair, Djourou and Gibbs.
So much for their hyped up youth policy.
 
Looking at Arsenal's current squad the only players they've produced from their own youth setup are Szczęsny, Wheelchair, Djourou and Gibbs.
So much for their hyped up youth policy.

So far during the 2012-13 season, the following nine players have featured in Tottenham's first team squads, all of whom are products from our Academy...

Steven Caulker
Jake Livermore
Tom Carroll
Andros Townsend
Adam Smith
Ryan Mason
Jon Obika
Harry Kane
Kevin Stewart
 
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepag...Arsene-Wenger-SLAMMED-by-ex-Arsenal-star.html


STEWART ROBSON has branded Arsene Wenger a ‘dictator’ who should have been sacked in 2008.


Robson has accused Wenger of signing players and making them WORSE.
The midfielder, who played 186 times for the Gunners, reckons the Frenchman is tactically poor but will not be sacked as he ‘runs the board’.
Robson, 48, said: “In my view, his time was up three or four years ago.
“He has got a massive ego because he’s a dictator when it comes to Arsenal. And he’s not allowing Steve Bould to do any work.
“He’s actually putting players backwards now.
“It’s no coincidence that when Cesc Fabregas goes to Barcelona, he says he is now learning about the tactics of the game.”
Robson, who played for the Gunners from 1981 to 1986, admits he was embarrassed by Wenger’s tactics during the Capital One Cup defeat to League Two Bradford on Tuesday.
He added: “Tactically, Phil Parkinson showed he was a better coach than Arsene Wenger.
“He will rant at the fourth official, linesman and referee but he needs to start doing some coaching both on the training pitch and during games.
“I’m not just talking about the Bradford defeat, I’m talking about the last five or six years.
“When the team are making mistakes he doesn’t rectify them as he doesn’t know what the mistakes are.”
Robson also insisted Wenger’s relationship with the Arsenal board is unhealthy.
He said: “He runs the board. Arsene is a dictator and I think he was even part of the appointment of Ivan Gazidis.
“Last year Arsene said the Press were brain- washing the public into believing there was a crisis. The only person brainwashing the public in recent years is Wenger.”



This has been said before, he has a plan A and that is all.
 
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepag...Arsene-Wenger-SLAMMED-by-ex-Arsenal-star.html


STEWART ROBSON has branded Arsene Wenger a ‘dictator’ who should have been sacked in 2008.


Robson has accused Wenger of signing players and making them WORSE.
The midfielder, who played 186 times for the Gunners, reckons the Frenchman is tactically poor but will not be sacked as he ‘runs the board’.
Robson, 48, said: “In my view, his time was up three or four years ago.
“He has got a massive ego because he’s a dictator when it comes to Arsenal. And he’s not allowing Steve Bould to do any work.
“He’s actually putting players backwards now.
“It’s no coincidence that when Cesc Fabregas goes to Barcelona, he says he is now learning about the tactics of the game.”
Robson, who played for the Gunners from 1981 to 1986, admits he was embarrassed by Wenger’s tactics during the Capital One Cup defeat to League Two Bradford on Tuesday.
He added: “Tactically, Phil Parkinson showed he was a better coach than Arsene Wenger.
“He will rant at the fourth official, linesman and referee but he needs to start doing some coaching both on the training pitch and during games.
“I’m not just talking about the Bradford defeat, I’m talking about the last five or six years.
“When the team are making mistakes he doesn’t rectify them as he doesn’t know what the mistakes are.”
Robson also insisted Wenger’s relationship with the Arsenal board is unhealthy.
He said: “He runs the board. Arsene is a dictator and I think he was even part of the appointment of Ivan Gazidis.
“Last year Arsene said the Press were brain- washing the public into believing there was a crisis. The only person brainwashing the public in recent years is Wenger.”



This has been said before, he has a plan A and that is all.

Thing about wenger is he got lucky when he took over because he had the best defence in the country and a knowledge of the french market no one else did so he had a jump on the rest of the league. Imagine if we had signed anelka, vieria, henry. Got lucky being in the right place at the right time and has lived off that for 15 years.
 
This has been a monster week for L'Arse hasn't it? I can't remember the last time such media spotlight was on Arsenal, Arsene and their failures. Even lots from the traditionally pro-Gooner press like the Guardian.

I've banked my fantasy league week on them giving Reading a hiding and Cazorla having rhe game of his life, to such the critics of his diving up.

It's why we really have to beat Swansea to keep a step ahead and make them feel they are still playing chase.
 
They are only 2 points behind us. But I feel better about that than the 13 points they were behind us last season.

But...they are only 2 points behind us..
 
They are only 2 points behind us. But I feel better about that than the 13 points they were behind us last season.

But...they are only 2 points behind us..

the thing this year though is that it looks like they could drop points at any moment. Whereas last year they did have RVP up front and he could single handedly win games.
 
the thing this year though is that it looks like they could drop points at any moment. Whereas last year they did have RVP up front and he could single handedly win games.

True about RVP; but for all the talk about Arsenal they have a better defensive record than us and they've lost less games. I constantly worry about our inability to pick up draws from some of our narrow defeats; Everton and Emirates Marketing Project in particular spring to mind (as does their correspoding results against those two..)
 
Er.. That makes pretty good sense.


Eight years ago they had one of the best sides around.


Now they don't.

Yes all bought in, but according to their deluded fans at the time all brought through the ranks and made into great players by wenger. They even slam us for spending money and Chelsea/ city for buying big.

Now they are the ones who want to buy big and seem to suggest that it's time for wenger "to start buying players." He has always bought players and needed to from the current evidence as he cannot get the best out of this mediocre bunch!
 
So far during the 2012-13 season, the following nine players have featured in Tottenham's first team squads, all of whom are products from our Academy...

Steven Caulker
Jake Livermore
Tom Carroll
Andros Townsend
Adam Smith
Ryan Mason
Jon Obika
Harry Kane
Kevin Stewart

Can only really judge that sort of this based on league games or other games where yo pick your first choice team. The last 5 realistically wouldnt get close to the matchday 18 for a league games unless we had a reasonable no of injuries
 
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