Re: Official WOB thread.

[urbaNRoots]

Both Kroenke and Usmanov are crap owners - both have their faults and Usmanov becoming owner will not change anything really. You're delusional if you believe Usmanov will decrease ticket prices, invest his own money on transfers, not take money out of the club, that he will sack Wenger when it is needed etc...

[Raptorgunner]

Both Kroenke and Usmanov are crap owners - both have their faults and Usmanov becoming owner will not change anything really. You're delusional if you believe Usmanov will decrease ticket prices, invest his own money on transfers, not take money out of the club, that he will sack Wenger when it is needed etc...

I agree,Arsenal needs better owner and we can see how ruthless Stan is. I am just happy Usmanov is calling them out and maybe putting some pressure on Wenger to change. Getting rid of Wenger wont solve much as long as Satan and Donkey running Arsenal.

[6unner]

It's awesome how this guys comes out from under his rock when ever things are not going well. And people actually feed off his hands like pigeons. I can't even bring myself to laugh at this any more.

Actually it is rather easy to understand why it is that we only hear from him when things are going poor.
It is when the press want to hear from him. So they search him out to get his point of view. Since he is a partial owner of the team he is allowed an opinion.

The more nefarious portion of the season to me is how is is that Stan can continue to sit back not having anything to say? Where is is that our buddy Gazidis disappeared to? How come the entire Arsenal board go into hiding when things start to go bad. They going to sit back and wait for some miraculous 4th place trophy or possibly some little cup to come out of hiding again?

[6unner]

Silence is golden where ignorance is bliss.

Or,
Stan is ok with mediocrity look at the rest of his professional franchises. As long as there is no depreciation in his asset he is fine. As long as he knows that he will be able to sell at a profit he will not do anything.

[Sri]

Both Kroenke and Usmanov are crap owners - both have their faults and Usmanov becoming owner will not change anything really. You're delusional if you believe Usmanov will decrease ticket prices, invest his own money on transfers, not take money out of the club, that he will sack Wenger when it is needed etc...

Word. Exactly my point.

Silence is golden where ignorance is bliss.

Or,
Stan is ok with mediocrity look at the rest of his professional franchises. As long as there is no depreciation in his asset he is fine. As long as he knows that he will be able to sell at a profit he will not do anything.

I talk of the ignorance of fans who think Usmanov is a knight in a shining armour. Where have I defended Kroenke? I hate him as an owner. But he is still a lesser evil.

And everything depreciates. An asset won't depreciate if you keep adding value to it. Which means there has to be success - for a football club, that is trophies.

Also, as a business researcher, I find it amusing how people assume that the institutional and business environment of one franchise in one sport in one country are equally applicable for any other franchise in another sport in another country, just because they share ownership and possibly management styles. I could write a journal article on this, but where ignorance is bliss................. you know.

To reiterate - I find both owners disgusting. I find the way Wenger runs this club to be unappealing. I already wrote down my woes earlier in the thread. Without making a lengthy discourse, I just see an appalling lack of rationality and esteem when we have this now-annual Usmanov-inspired load of bollocks.

The press don't have to seek him out. He has enough money to make an article appear on the first page of every English daily in circulation. Oh and that is how journalism works today, by the way. Papers need to sell. News channels need their TRPs. Websites need their clicks. And what better way than to ignite well oiled fuses. The fact that Goal.com is still a widely visited website should tell you that story all too well.

[urbaNRoots]

"I personally feel that there’s a very strong bond inside the team and the club, and that this team will have a very strong season. I am ready to bet with you on that"



On the current result crisis: "When you've been so long at the club you forget what crisis means, I must get the dictionary and look at it again"



On the current injury crisis: "I think it is a good opportunity to show how strong we are"



On the game against Man Utd: "We don't deny that it was hugely disappointing to lose but we can take a lot of positives from the game against Man Utd."

"I'm long enough in the game to know: you play well, you lose the game and you get flooded with critics but when you play bad and win everyone tells you how great you are"



Unbelievable... Wenger has become a loser when he used to be such a winner, remember when he used to say that he thinks his team can go unbeaten and actually do it? Or those times when he just hated to lose against his rivals (SAF) and had a good record against them aswell? Nowadays his notion of "finishing strong" is getting 4th and pissed on by rival clubs while talking crap like "solidarity is important" and "we have a great strong squad, I question myself everyday"...

We need a winner to coach these players, even Ramsey I just listened said that when we have injuries you can see how strong our squad is and crap like that. Even our players are hearing what he says and growing to be losers...

[6unner]

Neither I nor do I believe that anyone is stating that Usamov would be any sort of "Knight in shinning armour". In my mind it really comes down to what we know we have and what we know we have is nothing more than Kronke. We have a majority owner that has in my opinion done nothing to show that he is willing to do what it takes to win. I do not even think that he has even shown that he is passionate about the team or history.

Everything depreciates? As as business researcher I would hope that you really do not believe that. Is the land value alone of which the Emirates is built upon depreciating? How much less is the stadium worth today than it was when it was built? I would contend that every EPL team has dramatically appreciated over the last 5 to 10 years irregardless of any titles solely based on the internationalization of the league. Do to the dramatic increase in television and other marketing revenue.

If you can not look at the running of one sports franchise in one country and equate it to how the same owner will run a different sports franchise in another country. Is it nothing more than idle conjecture on how a business person would run one company in one country and how he might run a different company or a sports franchise in another?

"I talk of the ignorance of fans who think Usmanov is a knight in a shining armour. Where have I defended Kroenke? I hate him as an owner. But he is still a lesser evil."


Discussing the "ignorance" of fans is what was actually initially offensive to me. After taking 24 hours and thinking about it though.

Ignorance : adjective - lacking knowledge or information as to a particular subject or fact.

Well you are correct, we are all suffering from ignorance as it pertains to the difference between how it is that Kronke and Usamov would run the club. What we know is that Kronke is a tremendously uninspiring owner. For myself and others he seems to completely lack the passion and determination necessary to bring Arsenal back to the days long gone in which we were able to win or challenge for major honors. With Usamov we do not have knowledge on how it is or is not that he would run the team. All we can do is assume that he might run it this way or that.

[Raptorgunner]

Gazidis is nobody at Arsenal, Wenger hasn't had a boss in over 8 years. No one else at Arsenal knows anything about football and this makes Wenger bigger than Arsenal.

I am glad usmanov went at Wenger, it was about time someone stood up for Arsenal fans.

[MJ]

Wenger on Usmanov criticism: "This is something you say face to face, not in the newspapers."

Bang on. I don't like these publicized stunts, that's all they are.

[Hapless_Hans]

Bump.

Now that everyone agrees Wenger has to go ASAP, with RG finally on board , let's talk specifics.

How are Arsenal best going to go about this? What do fans need to do?
They've done a first step imo already by taking a stand, putting this banner up politely asking Wenger to leave.
That's a good start.
But this isn't going to be eough. Demonstrations? Boycott? Writing emails? What's your thoughts?

Who's going to take over? Arsenal could wait until summer to sack Arsene and see who's available, but then since it's established you won't improve and get anywhere anymore with him, maybe the quicker the better?
Pulis is available if I'm not mistaken, as is Tuchel.

What do you say?

[Peccadillo]

[MJ]

Scared to look on the other sections of GL and find that Hans is doing this everywhere.

[Hapless_Hans]

doing what?

[urbaNRoots]

Trolling with total impunity?

[Twoism]

More like being bored out of his mind because his team already won the league and probably will win every single year with Pep in charge, gotta get a kick out of other sections.

[Hapless_Hans]

It's meant to be therapeutic trolling though.

Get you guys to reflect on your emotions anticyclically to help you cope with your situation.

[Raptorgunner]

More like being bored out of his mind because his team already won the league and probably will win every single year with Pep in charge, gotta get a kick out of other sections.

Well Pep is coming to Arsenal next year, so they should be looking for new manager soon.

I heard they have been after Wenger for 20 years and he is finally available.

[Jay29]

So, let's consider replacements:

Should we try and tempt De Boer from Ajax?

Wait and see if Klopp fancies a new challenge if Dortmund have a rubbish season?

Give Roberto Martinez a shot?

Promote from within and go with Bould or Jonker?

Hell, I've got a pretty good FM CV. Maybe I should apply.

[Twoism]

Yes to De Boer & Berkhamp combo but it will be hard to lure them in, CL spot is crucial to do so.

Klopp less so, I did want him in the past but then there were too much of change at once if he comes unlike the Dutch duo. Completely different style which obviously comes with whole new set of players, there are quite a few 1st team players in our team just couldnt cut it with his demand for work rate.

There is also Rudi Garcia but asking him to leave Roma now would be really difficult

Martinez only if those other options are unavailable and Bould must be given full control of defense.

[RealGunner]

I liked martinez. But my everton friend says he is a bit clueless at times. I am worried now lol.

De Boer + bergkamp seems quite tempting tbh. But who knows how they will do in PL

Bould no thanks. He doesn't inspire any confidence. Rather have Martin Keown.

Wish we could tempt Pep man. Would love him.

Henry could be a wild card

[Chumlum]

If he's gettable by the spring, Klopp would be my #1 choice of anyone remotely feasible. Probably most people's #1 choice, no?

I'd be very happy to see De Boer (& Bergkamp) given a shot, although with him we'd have to be clear what we're getting into. He's a 'system' manager with a vision, a plan. What happens if it takes a while to transition the squad to that vision? Our very own AVB fiasco. I'm not saying anything bad about FDB as a manager. Just a little reluctance about the prospect of him moving to a club with more resources than Ajax, which has recently re-emerged as a bit of a contender for those much sought-after "marquee" names in the transfer market. He'd have to adapt--not denounce, but adapt--his own philosophy a bit.

I have a lot of respect for Martinez but I'm not certain he'll be able to make the jump up. Not the world's worst gamble, but I'd be less enthusiastic if he came around now than last summer.

Lots of hype about Paul Clement too, a little while back, right?

[Jay29]

De Boer, or should I say Ajax's, philosophy isn't too different from ours. They perhaps have a greater emphasis on young players, but the short passing, extended periods of possession and fluid positioning is something we've been doing to varying degrees of success for a while now.

Comparatively, Villas Boas was trying to instill a completely new philosophy at Spurs in too short a period of time. Once they lost Bale they decided to overhaul the squad, too, which didn't help. I don't De Boer would have that issues with us - I'm sure he could find a use for Wilshere, Ramsey, Ozil, Cazorla etc.

Klopp would require a sharp transition in style but I think players like Wilshere, Ramsey, Alexis, Welbeck and Chamberlain would work really well in that sort of style.

One thing that would need serious consideration is a Director of Football. Ajax has Marc Overmars as their DoF. Likewise Dortmund has one as well. It might be a difficult transition for coaches who are used to working under a DoF to start working without one if Arsenal feel they don't need one, and this would apply to a lot of coaches working in Europe.

[Twoism]

If Wenger ever leaves & Arsenal consider DOF position, Wenger will be right back in.

[El Gunner]

Klopp is my number one reasonable choice.
Pep is my number one wish. But can't see that being more than just a dream.

[urbaNRoots]

Yeah if Klopp is available he'd be my no 1. Our players are suited to counter attacking football better than possession so he would ideal. My second choice and this is a long shot but I'd love to get Rudi Garcia here however there's no reason for him to leave Roma for Arsenal unless he's after money. De Boer is the more realistic pick for us but I'd be happy to give him a chance with our squad.

[MJ]

None of this is happening before the summer anyway, especially not Wenger leaving let alone convincing any of these managers to leave mid-season. Even then, no matter where we finish, I'm not sure Wenger would leave before his three years are up.

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