Owning and managing a football club is a “catch-22″. In order to have a good team on the pitch you have to spend money, but you have to have a good product on the pitch in order to make that money. It takes a lot of effort to balance the books while balancing the talent and LUFC is an example of a club that has NOT done well in this department. Their attempts to build a world-class club and win trophies came surprisingly close in the CL two years ago but now the debt is overwhelming. A “for sale” sign sale went out on the lawn at Leeds and the talent was sold-Ferdinand, Woodgate, Fowler, Keane, Bowyer, Mills and Dacourt.
The story of the club’s finances is a mirror to their horrors on the pitch. A year-end loss of 49.5 million pounds (single largest loss in English sporting history) and debt over 78 million equals 19th place. Attendance has dropped from 39k to 27k per match. Catch-22! TV income has now dropped 36% because the product on the pitch is not worth watching. Strangest of strange is that players wages have grown over last year. No wonder the club is in trouble.
One positive is that young Gunner, Jermaine Pennant, is getting a lot of experience on the Leeds right wing. On loan for 2 months, it has been extended for another month. Wenger has made it clear that he has no intention in playing the 20-year old this season and I would like to see Pennant get the much needed experience all year. It can only help the Gunners cause. Pennant has been instrumental in several of Leeds 9 goals scored.
9 for and 21 against is a formula for disaster. Smith and Viduka are capable forwards but with no midfield there to feed them the ball, it’s as if they are islands unto themselves. Defensively, they sold the best element of who they were.The weakness across the backline has wreaked havoc on poor Robison, who is immensely talented, but at the mercyl of point blank shooting.
Sorry to be so negative but I’d rather do that with the opponent. Leeds has shown very little to be excited over and this match has the potential of being like last season’s, 4-0. I truly don’t expect relegation out of Leeds, as they are a much stronger side than they have shown, but they will have to change quickly or dig themselves in too deep.
ArseAm predicts: In the words of the immortal Clubber Lange: “My prediction - Pain!” Arsenal should be able to force their will on this one. I’d like to see another youngster get some time, perhaps Aliadiere or one of the young backliners can get some time so that they are ready when Lauren has to sit.
13 Responses to “Leeds Preview”
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October 30th, 2003 at 12:42 pm
The reason the Man U players have not been punished is that they chose to fight the charges, while the Arsenal players took their lumps. I agree though - pretty harsh for Lauren. Hopefully they’ll recall Voltz to sub for him.
October 30th, 2003 at 1:09 pm
Well before I say anything about the players involved here I hope Arsenal fans around the world should forget about Soccernet. That site is not reporting football news but turn into an anti-arsenal site.
For the past 3 months all their headlines had an anti-arsenal feeling in it. I dont know why but it was even comfirm on sky web site by others.
I love football and if Man Utd are right I will stand up to them and say so even Sp*rs. But to have a web site like Soccernet just to be Anti-Arsenal is a joke. I hope they name it Utd Net and not soccernet
The FA and part of the Media were waiting to see Arsenal done. The big question is what will happen to S’ton vs B’burn and the Riogate. As a good man from Talk sports saidto me Arsenal is a High profile club compare to S’ton and B’burn.
Basically the media dont care what happen to S’ton or B’burn but when it come to Arsenal heads had to roll.
According to Arsenal.com, they might appeal to some of the bans. Luaren’s 4 match ban for pushing is a bit too much but Volz is coming back which is good. Arsenal have 24 hrs notice to recalled him back from Fulham where he had being playing great.
The only game I am scare of is against B’ham where the midfield is going to be bad.
October 30th, 2003 at 1:47 pm
We can surely overcome the bans…
with Volz for Lauren…. Keown is a sub/cover at the moment anyway… and one game without Viera and Romford Pele (Parlour) is not a big deal in my humble opinion…
United will probably escape unscathed except for fines and slaps on the wrists… after all… they weren’t even involved in the fracas… they are saints… and poor United got pushed around by the mighty bad Arsenal…
WHATEVER… its not that bad a punishment…
nothing we can’t overcome…
Soccernet…
well… its actually run by ESPN…
and… I find alot of info on Soccernet… I like the site… even if there is an anti-Arsenal bias on it…
I don’t really care…. there is on ESPN and
Fox Sports World as well… I still watch them…
bring them all on….. we can handle just about anything…
October 30th, 2003 at 2:18 pm
arsenal players get bans and the club find ?175,000 for little or nothing,the F.A. get find ?4,500 for a fight in the tunnel whitch was shown on tv,the english FA come down hard on arsenal as usuall, i think they are taking what rio forgot to give?
October 30th, 2003 at 2:38 pm
Think about this…
When the Team of Evil ™, i.e. Arsenal, win the Premiership, won’t this little diversion and injustice make that victory sweeter! Screw the FA’s disciplinary record!
October 31st, 2003 at 12:01 pm
And then Ferguson says we made a deal and got off light.
How can these people look at themselves in the mirror?
October 31st, 2003 at 2:26 pm
There’s no doubt that the punishment would have been lighter if Arsenal hadn’t been involved. However I don’t think there’s much point in appealing the decision so we may as well try to put it behind us.
One positive point is that the 3rd game after the ban starts is in the league cup so since Lauren and Keown wouldn’t play anyway the penalty for these 2 players is really only 3 games and 2 games.
Arsenal can handle it. It just makes victory all the sweeter.
October 31st, 2003 at 3:53 pm
We talking about Ferguson here. Please dont take notice of him. He is like Bill Oreilly, everyone is wrong less you suck to him.. Two big Hypo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!sss
Mr Wenger answered to his silly comments as a true Boss..
October 31st, 2003 at 8:48 pm
If the FA act as they should, then (a) it’ll be a first, and (b) they will throw the book at the old windbag. By making the allegations he made, he is impugning the integrity of the FA just as much as Arsenal’s.
One can only hope that the FA doesn’t miss that point, although I wouldn’t bet your house on it.
November 1st, 2003 at 4:32 am
1990-91 season our Leader (Tony Adams) imprisoned for three months, brawl at Old Trafford, huge fine and two points deducted.
WE STILL WON THE LEAGUE BY SEVEN POINTS.
We are The Arsenal, and we are the best,
We are The Arsenal, so fcuk all the rest
November 1st, 2003 at 12:34 pm
From alex Ferguson:
“I wouldn’t agree with that, I think Arsenal will be delighted with the decision, that’s without question.
‘I read that they did a deal before they went in there and I think that was the suspicion right throughout the country that a deal was being done. It’s disappointing to read that kind of thing.”
What planet does this man live on? I mean, we’ve all heard Fergusmoan whining about some complete shite before, but this really takes the taco, kids. Seriously.
But at least AW got his shots in during the end of the interview. Cheers, Arsene!
November 1st, 2003 at 8:31 pm
Hey, let’s thank Ferguson for his outburst and moanunitednet.com (soccernet) for the blaring headline about it. It can only p*ss the FA off because his comments are a shot at their integrity as much as Arsenal’s. Wouldn’t it be nice to see the FA do the right thing (which would be a first) and really throw the book at Ferguson (not to mention suing him for slander). One can dream, can’t one?
November 11th, 2003 at 2:35 pm
Well, connid, it looks like the FA *have* done the right thing in a blinding flash of common sense!
Fergie’s getting investigated for whinging!
One hopes we will be able to see Sir Al’s side show the character they have by challenging for the title “without any help” AND without a manager for a few more matches…