Re: Hill-Wood: "Would be nice to finish in top 4, but not a disaster if we don't."

by 6unner Thu Jan 19, 2012 12:20 am

In regards to the quotes from Hill-Wood?

Do me a favour. He states it would be a financial blow to not be in the Champions League. But they are able to cope as they have a structure that doesn't solely rely on the Champions League cash.

Yea there is that selling of all our good players also. Just what are we going to do when RVP is gone.

by Jay29 Thu Jan 19, 2012 12:23 am

See, there's that "end of the world" attitude again. If van Persie goes, yet it's a blow but the club will get on with it and replace him like they have done with the other players that have left. It's that simple.

by aleumdance Thu Jan 19, 2012 12:39 am

GoonerJay29 wrote:See, there's that "end of the world" attitude again. If van Persie goes, yet it's a blow but the club will get on with it and replace him like they have done with the other players that have left. It's that simple.

you know, we have been saying that ever since and all it does is take us back

when ade,hleb and flamini left it took us back the next season.

not saying that a player is bigger than the club but when an important player leaves it affects, every team.. its another reason for our trophyless state

by Highburied Thu Jan 19, 2012 12:58 am

So much drama in this thread and arsenal section lately.

We can decide to be on Liverpool fans' shoes or Man Utd fans' shoes...

The formers have been in much worse situation for the past 20 years and they still sing that song LOUD and are proud of the club but they kicked out a couple owners , didnt they?

Now, I wouldnt trade my fellow fans for owners or some player who rejects 100k offers.

The only people who will remain at the club are the fans.

The rest can GTFO or get the job done because they are getting paid by the fans.

Gunners remind me like US Soldiers in Iraq when they fought for each others back and not for some individuals (President and co) who sent them for personal profits.

by Jay29 Thu Jan 19, 2012 1:02 am

Back, as in one place in the table. Since 2006 we've finished 4th, 3rd, 4th, 3rd, 4th, 3rd and 4th. Each years we've ended up losing a big player but we've managed to remain consistent, at the very least, even maintain a title challenge in the odd season. Of course you want to add to what you've got, not replace every year but there's undeiable proof that the club can cope losing its best players every season. It doesn't take us back, just sideways.

Incidentally, why are people making the assumption that we'd need to sell players if we finish outside the top four? Presumably, if the club can survive without Champions League money they wouldn't need to sell players to make up for the profit it'd miss out on.

by izzy Thu Jan 19, 2012 1:04 am

Yes. Time to troll back. Twisted Evil

LOL. Wrong comment at the wrong time. But what was actually wrong? All he really said is that they don't make the top 4 they are still in a strong finacial position.

Not like he said, 'we're aiming for a top half finish'.

by Raptorgunner Thu Jan 19, 2012 2:43 am

To Jay and Iceman you guys have good points and yes most of the fans are overreacting but the timing is just wrong, for Hill Wood to come out and say something like this.

If we had won last week and he said this I am sure not many of us would have bothered with this but after losing 2 games that we should have won and we hear this just makes us go mad.

The second thing is we are not signing anyone, we have so many injures and nothing has been done yet. Gibbs and Santos are good players but no way they will save our season, I dont know what Wenger is waiting for we have to sign a player.

by 6unner Thu Jan 19, 2012 6:43 pm

GoonerJay29 wrote:Back, as in one place in the table. Since 2006 we've finished 4th, 3rd, 4th, 3rd, 4th, 3rd and 4th. Each years we've ended up losing a big player but we've managed to remain consistent, at the very least, even maintain a title challenge in the odd season. Of course you want to add to what you've got, not replace every year but there's undeiable proof that the club can cope losing its best players every season. It doesn't take us back, just sideways.

Incidentally, why are people making the assumption that we'd need to sell players if we finish outside the top four? Presumably, if the club can survive without Champions League money they wouldn't need to sell players to make up for the profit it'd miss out on.

Well I think until this year we did move sideways. I had thought for the last several years we were always 2 maybe 3 players away from really competing for honors. This year is different in my opinion because even though we went through a period of good results this team is substantialy weaker than it has been in the past. Along with, in the past we were able to rely on special performances from special players to get us atleast to the top 4. We do not have those special players anymore and the players that we do have (with the exception of RVP) are not stepping up. For the last several years we all hoped we could win against manu and chelsea. This year although I think we can take chelsea we really are hoping that the manu’s bus crashes and injures several players so that we do not get embarrassed again. In the past we all knew that we could handle the teams at the bottom with the occasional loss. This year we sit back and hope for a 1-0 victory and to often we have been stuck with losses or ties against the fulham,swansia, blackburns and the other bottom half teams. Or the unspeakable game!

As for the assumptions on selling, we have all heard Wenger say that we have a “big squad” and in order to bring anyone in we are going to need to sell. So there really is no assumpition that we are going to need to sell to bring in. As for “NEEDING” to sell our best players. I am not really hearing anyone say that we are going to need to sell RVP so that AFC can make up for the loss of CL money.
What I think most of us are saying is that we are going to end up selling RVP because he probably only has a few years of top level football left in him. So for the same reson that Henry left when he did I think that the belief is that RVP could very easly want to leave now. With our current squad I think we are at the earliest 2 to 3 years away from competing for honors and without RVP even longer. And yes I know, ManU is out of CL football this year. Do you really think we have a chance of winning it though? After this weekend there is as good of a chance of us still being in 5th place as there is of us being in 7th place.
What upsets me and I think a lot of us is that we are AFC fans. We know and expect that AFC is a top club not only in the EPL but in CL and the world. Are we this year though? My opinion has been all year that more that any other time, we rely on one person more than ever before. If we had lost RVP to injury in the middle of our win streak . Again my opinion, but I believe that the chance of us batteling relegation is way to high for my comfort.

by RealGunner Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:09 pm

Only Champions League football is good enough for Arsène Wenger next season.

Arsenal have dined at Europe’s top table for the past 14 campaigns and the manager is loath to break that impressive sequence.

Earlier in the week, chairman Peter Hill-Wood had suggested in the national media that a failure to qualify “would not be a disaster”. As a result of the Club’s self-sustaining stance, that is correct on the financial side.

However, Wenger’s primary focus has always been more about clean sheets than balance sheets and, speaking at Friday’s press conference, he outlined his desire to reach the Champions League once more.

“For me it would be [a disaster] because I want to play with the best,” he said. “We want to be in there, in the top four, and to play in the Champions League. Anything else would not be good enough.”

Arsenal.com

by Eman Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:18 pm

RealGunner wrote:Only Champions League football is good enough for Arsène Wenger next season.

Arsenal have dined at Europe’s top table for the past 14 campaigns and the manager is loath to break that impressive sequence.

Earlier in the week, chairman Peter Hill-Wood had suggested in the national media that a failure to qualify “would not be a disaster”. As a result of the Club’s self-sustaining stance, that is correct on the financial side.

However, Wenger’s primary focus has always been more about clean sheets than balance sheets and, speaking at Friday’s press conference, he outlined his desire to reach the Champions League once more.

“For me it would be [a disaster] because I want to play with the best,” he said. “We want to be in there, in the top four, and to play in the Champions League. Anything else would not be good enough.”

Arsenal.com

Apparently Arsene read this thread and decided to set the record straight :bow:

by urbaNRoots Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:19 pm

RealGunner wrote:Only Champions League football is good enough for Arsène Wenger next season.

Arsenal have dined at Europe’s top table for the past 14 campaigns and the manager is loath to break that impressive sequence.

Earlier in the week, chairman Peter Hill-Wood had suggested in the national media that a failure to qualify “would not be a disaster”. As a result of the Club’s self-sustaining stance, that is correct on the financial side.

However, Wenger’s primary focus has always been more about clean sheets than balance sheets and, speaking at Friday’s press conference, he outlined his desire to reach the Champions League once more.

“For me it would be [a disaster] because I want to play with the best,” he said. “We want to be in there, in the top four, and to play in the Champions League. Anything else would not be good enough.”

Arsenal.com

by MJ Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:27 pm

ArseneMutherfrakkingWenger<3<3

by Raptorgunner Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:14 am

RealGunner wrote:Only Champions League football is good enough for Arsène Wenger next season.

Arsenal have dined at Europe’s top table for the past 14 campaigns and the manager is loath to break that impressive sequence.

Earlier in the week, chairman Peter Hill-Wood had suggested in the national media that a failure to qualify “would not be a disaster”. As a result of the Club’s self-sustaining stance, that is correct on the financial side.

However, Wenger’s primary focus has always been more about clean sheets than balance sheets and, speaking at Friday’s press conference, he outlined his desire to reach the Champions League once more.

“For me it would be [a disaster] because I want to play with the best,” he said. “We want to be in there, in the top four, and to play in the Champions League. Anything else would not be good enough.”

Arsenal.com

What a great post, thank RG.

Wenegr we love you, and what amazing words, Hill wood please never speak again.

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