There is a suggestion that the reason Wenger has yet to name a Director of Football is because he’s reserving the seat for David Dein.
Personally, I am looking forward to the date Mr. Dein returns.
Every club needs a LEADER. Wenger is the leader of the TEAM. Dein is the leader of the CLUB.
The day when Mr. Dein finally returns, I firmly believe it will be the day Arsenal finally be able to establish themselves among the true elite clubs in Europe.
One thing I love about Dein is : he is a successful man, he is a rich man, but deep inside he is just like everyone of us - with Arsenal at his heart.
Heard that lot of clubs, including Spurs, had approached Dein after he left Arsenal, but he turned them down all.
And if you want a leader for the club, nobody better than a man who’s as hardcore an Arsenal fan as you and me.
Take over or not, David Dein is the man with vision, the man with ambition. He’s the man who appointed George Graham, he’s the man who appointed Arsene Wenger. And if anyone cares to study a bit of Arsenal history, WITHOUT Dein, Arsenal today could have been very different.
Football is in a changing time right now, and changing fast. Just like the beginning years of EPL/SKY/CL, if you missed the “money train”, chance is that you may never be able to catch it back again.
We need a true leader with the club at his heart to take the club forward. It’s amazing how people still been complaining of Wenger’s spending policy. Let’s face it - whether we sign one more player or not is NOT where the main problem is.
I always appreicate the Arsenal board’s sensible approach down the years. But in every sense, they are lucky that they have found a guy named Arsene Wenger to manage the club.
Had they not, given Arsenal’s traditional spending policy, we would be lucky to be qualified for UEFA Cup every year, let alone the Champions League.
But Wenger will not be at the club forever. What happens when he leaves one day? Is there really anyone out there who’s capable of make good use of 20 million pounds transfer budget each season and substain the team’s competitiveness on the pitch?
So far, it seems David Dein is the only man who has come out and said he hoped to lead Arsenal to among the ELITES. And I do believe he’s the one who’s capable of. We shall see how things developed.
58 Responses to “Looking forward to Dein’s return”
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August 31st, 2007 at 12:20 pm
I totally agree. I won’t deny foreign ownership is murky road, but when Wenger leaves Arsenal could slip down the ladder unless the club has the same financial muscle as its competitors.
Without David Dean, Arsenal would be nothing like the club it is today. He might have resisted the new stadium, but without his successful appointments of Graham and Wenger, Arsenal would never have never have been in the position to buy the Emirates Stadium at all.
You can say that you don’t want a Russian crook owning Arsenal, but all big business is dirty. Diamond merchants are running the club as it is, and the club is selling boxes to dodgy Russian businessmen already and coining in a fortune. So it’s double standards to say “we don’t need their sort”.
Make your mind up, what do you want? An Arsenal team with the chance to be one of the best in Europe for the rest of you natural life, or a team with no tangible investment, struggling to make the top 4 every year - or worse! It may be a bitter pill, but you’ll just have to swallow it - and swallowing it is a lot easier with Dein and Wenger running the show.
August 31st, 2007 at 12:23 pm
I was happy to let the stadium generate its own funds, but I now think when Wenger leaves Arsenal will need more than that if it still has a £200m debt dragging it down for 20 years, especially as so many clubs are now being taken over, it’s almost impossible to ignore the issue.
August 31st, 2007 at 1:16 pm
I dont like it. I dont like it one fucking bit. I’m sorry if I sound like an idiot but I DONT like it one bit.
I’m 100% with Fred on this. There is no doubt DD is AFC thru and thru but things change..situations change…PEOPLE change. I have no clue why DD has gone and sold it to this Russian c*nt who has a dubious prison record. On the first day he buys shares there’s a statement issued which “assures” us that he’s clean. if he was he wouldn’t have to issue it in the first place.
There is no gurantee whatsoever that DD is our knight in shining armor though it might look that way on the face of it. There is no gurantee that the 2 “new owners” wont kick DD, specially if he talks about vision and 5 year plans like times in the past. What’s to gurantee they don’t want their money back quickly? Whats to gurantee that we won’t fucking end up like ManU biting their fingernails for every year they go without a trophy on how they are going to service that astronomical debt? What’s to gurantee that AW will no longer have total control?
Nothing…all speculative.
Danny..what hypocrisy are you talking about? Because DF is a diamond merchant he is dirty? well maybe big businesses are dirty..agreed but that is no reason to get dirtier and get owned by a fucking nut with a prison record who has to “come clean” the first day after he buys shares.
“It may be a bitter pill, but you’ll just have to swallow it - and swallowing it is a lot easier with Dein and Wenger running the show.”
What bitter pill?? Swallow?? That we”re owned by a mafia group?? That’s much much more than a fucking pill. It’s a hit at the roots of your ethics. You’re willing to swallow it BECAUSE it’s guranteed success and because we’re already corrupt becasue we’re a big business. So it doesn’t matter how much more corrupt we get , how many more people are killed etc etc? Lets just be more successful..thats all that matters. Its easy to just isolate yourself and watch the football and probably once we get taken over we WILL forget about it when we win the league but that is just SAD IMHO.
If winning was all that mattered then Chelsea should be the club everyone support. Because AW chooses to play the game and respect the ROOTS of the game…playing football the right way….beautifully is what drew me to Arsenal.
what you’re saying effectively means… “The means don’t matter, just the end does” … there are 1 million ways to be successful but there’s probably only 10 which are right? Its a choice you make — which one is it? if you dont care how we become big…then I apologize and will not debate it further. If how we do it matters then I suggest you read what you wrote again.
I’ll repeat .. I trust DD .. and if he comes back I’m sure Arsenal will be successful but I don’t want that filthy Russian money soiling “MY” club. I’m usually very balanced ..anyone who reads this forum can testify to that — but I dont like this at all. Rant over…sorry if anyone feels I’m talking rubbish but I’m not.
August 31st, 2007 at 1:19 pm
I totally agree. I won’t deny foreign ownership is murky road, but when Wenger leaves Arsenal could slip down the ladder unless the club has the same financial muscle as its competitors.
You WERE NOT saying this a month ago. You believed we would compete long after AW left. Now you’re saying this? So which one is it Danny? Who’s the hypocrite? Just coz DD comes back you’re wiling to change how you think? Think again…you’re free obviously to say I’m talking rubbish….but I’m not…am I ?
August 31st, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Do we need a SIGNIFICANT influx of money, in excess of what current operations are generating, in order to remain as one of the top teams in the world?
The answer to that question is the key. I don’t know the answer. But I am leaning towards “No” because of something I saw yesterday… highlights of Arsenal’s 2005/2006 Champions League campaign.
We made it to the final of the most elite tournament in Europe and almost won the game with 10 men. Along the way beat Juventus, Real Madrid and guess who were key members of that team: Lehmann, Gilberto, Fab, Flamini, Hleb, RvP, Senderos, Toure, Eboue. Yes Henry, Freddy, etc. were there, but would you say that the current team is such a big drop off, if at all, from that team. Many on this site are comparing to the invicibles team, I look to the 05/06 Champions league team… isn’t that Wenger’s ultimate goal anyway?.. Champions League Trophy?
August 31st, 2007 at 3:20 pm
No-one is talking rubbish - I understand both sides. Personally I am unsure about it, but the FACT is, it’s going to happen. Whether you like it or not, it’s going to happen. Either you accept it or what will you do? I’m just saying, if it has to happen then at least Dein and Wenger are in it together.
Nobody in Russia makes money without being corrupt, and the same goes for any big business, including the diamond business. Fiszman and co might not have blood on their hands, but if you do your research you will discover the brutality that lies behind diamond mining etc. So really, it’s a bit hypocritical to
insult people from Russia and say “we don’t want your sort of ivnestor”, when a diamond merchant is taking their £100,00 a year or whatever.
Yes, I was against foreign ownership a few months ago, and I’m not entirely happy about it now. But since then more clubs have been taken over, it’s GOING TO HAPPEN, and when Wenger leaves we’re not going to be able to compete with teams around us unless we follow a similar path.
August 31st, 2007 at 3:33 pm
As with everything in life, I believe there are two sides of the coin on everything. Of the take over:
Football is very much about money today, and it’s a business. Like every company in the world, when you are doing well, inevitably someone else might want to bid for it and take over the company.
The way i see it, many people are against it simply because it’s a FOREIGN ownership. And it happens that they are Russian, immediately it got link to the word “dirty money”.
Having withnessed what happened at New Orleans, where they have been so much promises, so much “aid”, yet the state is still in a chao one year back. That kinda put me into perspective - that human nature is all the same, no matter u r black or white, no matter u r Yanks, Russian, Brits or Chinese.
The bottom line is - I know nothing about the other 2 owners with Red & White. But I do know a little bit of David Dein. And I know he LOVES Arsenal. If he thinks there are some problems with those 2 owners, I don’t think he would want to link up with them. Particularly when u consider he is really not short of choices.
The other side of the coin is - my main worry - I do not like owner who interfers with the manager’s job. Like Roman A. did buying a few players the Speical One himself would never buy himself.
The new stadium itself would allow us to be competitve in the future. But the stadium itself will not be able to win us anything. We need a LEADER on the board to take us forward. In David Dein, there is someone I TRUST. So even AW gone one day I believe Dein will still have the vision to name someone else who can do a good job.
Let’s shall not underestimate this aspect of the game - just look at Spurs, Newcastle, and Man City over the years. they are all the sleeping giants. they all have money to spend. but they had constantly underachieved because one simply reason - they always named the WRONG managers.
To sum it up - i don’t really care about a new ownership or not, but I want David Dein back. If he will only come back with a take over bid, then so be it.
August 31st, 2007 at 3:38 pm
“Whether you like it or not, it’s going to happen. Either you accept it or what will you do? I’m just saying, if it has to happen then at least Dein and Wenger are in it together.”
I agree. Like i said before, a take over is INEVITABLE. Arsenal can fight off any take over bid now, but they cannot fight it off forever. It’s the TIDE that we simply cannot resist. No one else can. What chance do the Arsenal board have if Man U and Liverpool, the two English powerhouse have also failed?
And let’s remember one thing - when a take over does happen, it may not necessary to be the Red and Whilte, it could be someone from middle east, or China, or anywhere else.
So I would rather to have David Dein n his Red & White. At least we know we would be in good hands of Mr. Dein, rather than someone unknown.
August 31st, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Jose Mourinho gives it the big hard man act, but at the end of the day when Abramovic was buying him players he could have turned around and said “goodbye”, a lot of other managers would.
First Dein would make it clear that Wenger would not allow it, and if Dein was got rid of then Wenger would walk, and if Dein and Wenger walked the fans would simply stop turning up to games. Don’t laugh, it’s happened before at many clubs. It’s the fans that pay the money, if they don’t like what’s going on, ultimately they have the power to change it.
August 31st, 2007 at 4:00 pm
“Jose Mourinho gives it the big hard man act, but at the end of the day when Abramovic was buying him players he could have turned around and said “goodbye”, a lot of other managers would.”
1000% agree. The man is awfully thick. He said it 2 years ago Chelsea never got any credit winning trophies as everyone thought they bought them, and threaten to quit. And last season when rumors that Roman was going to make his wish come true (sacking him), he came out and kept telling anyone who cares to listen that how he and Roman had kissed and made up, gave me an impression he was begging to stay.
August 31st, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Andez, it’s been 2 years since Katrina hit New Orleans. that was in 2005.
I said a couple of months ago that it appeared that increasing foreign ownership was inevitable, and I was politely called an idiot. I think Dein has our best interest in mind. Who loves Arsenal more than him?
The game and the rules are changing. We are Arsenal. We don’t have throw dumb money at a team that does play well together. At the same time, our board cannot bury their heads in the sand and pretend that things will continue on as they have.
I love the style of play that AW brings to the club. I will continue to be a supporter of the club regardless of who owns it.
August 31st, 2007 at 4:09 pm
edit. ooops. “that does NOT play well together”.
August 31st, 2007 at 4:34 pm
edit. ooops. “yet the states is still in a chao TWO years back”!! haha!! ; )
August 31st, 2007 at 5:58 pm
Football has to deal with this reality, whether we like it or not…I mean look at Leeds United. Big or small, clubs can be ruined by the wrong owners. Granted we don’t like foreign ownership…but let’s get off our high horse. It is the reality that investors will flock to the PL because of the high revenues via tv, merch, etc. We should be thankful that if this Russian guy comes that we have DD there to guide the direction…because as you have said, he LOVES the Arsenal. I don’t think he would screw the club over.
August 31st, 2007 at 6:02 pm
i will always be a 200 percent against this or any other takeover.
we are a massive cash cow so every cretin in the world wants us now. and as for new cash flow……no way that is going to happen. a new owner would just supply money that is already being generated by the club.
well i guess there is nothing i can do about it…..but the way arsenal is presently is what drew me to the club. i really, really dont want arsenal being some crooks plaything.
as for dein, his burning ambition is to be arsenal chairman, thats all. and he has a personal vendetta against the current board.
August 31st, 2007 at 6:07 pm
@ Andez: i think u are very hypocritical in your support for this. u are one of the most ardent haters of chelsea and mourinho always talking of how they buy the league and all. but the moment arsenal seems to be on the takeover path you are all excited and in full support.
i really dont see the moral justification in spending money that u have not generated.
August 31st, 2007 at 6:22 pm
Arsenal have signed Lassana Diarra from Chelsea. I think he is a very good player. Great defensive midfielder with thrust in the tackle.
August 31st, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Sorry Fred, did I get “EXCITED” of a take over rumor? I believe I merely pointed out it’s INEVITABLE.
Did u read a single word I wrote about how much cash we will get to spend if we get taken over?
I merely pointed out I wanted David Dein back to be the leader of the club to take us forward.
And most importantly, did u see I ever complained of AW didn’t sign who and who?
I respect folks like LDE resisting a prospect of taking over, as he never moaned about we don’t sign this and that.
But for those who had complained of AW’s lack of spending, now come to reject the idea of take over as well. I just hope next time around don’t take every chance u get and jump on Wenger when he does not buy anyone.
August 31st, 2007 at 6:36 pm
Yeah, just saw the Diarra news. For those of you who don’t like Flamini, I don’t think this signing bodes well for him. If Diarra pans out, HE will be Gilberto’s replacement. I think he is an upgrade on the squad- wonder how long before he makes the first team substitute’s bench. One of the player’s I thought made sense to sign..
August 31st, 2007 at 6:48 pm
And let’s face it Fred, even Arsenal does not get taken over by Dein’s Red and White group, the take over rumor WILL NEVER GO AWAY. The season is now one month old, we had already been linked to 3 different take-over attempts. God knows how many more will come.
It’s a money world now, and after Liverpool, chelsea, Man U, now we are the biggest attraction left in this take-over trend. Whether we like it or not, they will keep on coming.
In other words, the club and team will never be settled enough.
If it’s up to me, I would rather to have a take over happens tomorrow, so the whole issue will be rest and settled for good. Then the team can concentrate on doing what it truly matters - getting result on the pitch.
Fred, I know u have no time for David Dein. but the reality is - even if his Red and White group fails to take over the Gunners, chance is that we may end up on another corrupted-Russian’s hand as u put it, or someone from Middle East or China or anywhere else.
with Dein, at least we know he cares of the club, and he has guided Arsenal to success. With someone else,u never know what we are going to get.
August 31st, 2007 at 6:51 pm
On Diarra…… it just shows that what AW said on the press a few days ago that he wouldn’t sign any more player didn’t really mean that much did it?!
August 31st, 2007 at 6:57 pm
“as for dein, his burning ambition is to be arsenal chairman, thats all. and he has a personal vendetta against the current board.”
I agree with that 100%, Fred. Dein may be an Arsenal fan but he has his own agenda. He’s sold his stake to these Russian guys because he believes they will give him the best chance to be Arsenal chairman. He would have sold his shares to Sadaam or Hitler if he believed they could give him what he wants. It’s just like what Andez referred to concerning the very nature of man.
On a lighter note, congratulations to Arsenal for having signed Diarra. Like GunningSteve said, both he and Flamini won’t be able to stay here. Flamini’s done well so far this season but Diarra will also have to compete with Denilson. We’ll see how our new number 8 does.
Lastly, I’m not too excited about playing Portsmouth without Sagna in the side. Hoyte will have a long day against Utaka. If Portsmouth take the same attitude they had last week against Chelsea then we should take all three points. But if they have a go at us, it could be very dangerous ground.
August 31st, 2007 at 7:49 pm
“He would have sold his shares to Sadaam or Hitler if he believed they could give him what he wants.”
David Dein is Jews, he ain’t gonna sell NOTHING to Hitler.
If u r gonna talk about the game, talk about the game. The above statement is totally unnecessary.
August 31st, 2007 at 8:26 pm
I think you mean “Jewish”.
To be honest I would prefer ALL clubs avoided foreign ownership, but you can’t closer your eyes to what’s happening. I also think Dein has an agenda, of course he wants to be chairman and run the club, he loves the club and has worked damned hard at it for 20 years - it’s only normal.
I don’t like the takeover talk, it’s more to do with acceptance. You have to get round the fact that it’s going to happen and try and glean the positives out of it. Nobody is naive to believe the investors will pump hundreds of millions into buying new players, but the club will have a lot more disposable income when new markets and media rights start to open up - this is a big reason why foreign investors are coming into the game.
The Diarra signing is interesting, I bet Mourinho is fuming as the lad is very highly rated but the asshole just used him to stockpile players. Having said that, Arsenal are a little bit heavy on central midfielders if you ask me, this doesn’t bode well for Flamini or Denilson - to the delight of some no doubt.
August 31st, 2007 at 8:40 pm
despite loaded on CM, i think we do need a proper anchor man. Denilson, Diaby, Flamini the likes aren’t really a natural DM. Song is the only one we got but hasn’t been convicing, perhaps Diarra will fit the bill. heard that he can fill in the RB as well. so it’s another +.
on previous post, yeah i meant “Jewish”.
August 31st, 2007 at 8:53 pm
How much we spent on Diarra?
August 31st, 2007 at 8:56 pm
That’s why I love this signing. He’s a proper ankle-biter and he also has more skill on the ball than Denilson or Flamini. I love that sort of player. A disciplined, intelligent, energetic defensive midfielder but yet also has the ability to get himself out of a hole and knows when to attack. He has a bit of arrogance to him and a poker face which I like. He has that cold look about him whereas someone like Diaby doesn’t instill fear in anyone with his drooping shoulders, despite his size.
Great move by Wenger. Diaby, Flamini, and Denilson are all good players but no one really knows what their defining role is. They’re jack of all trades but not a master of any at the moment. Diarra is by no means flawless but his diamond seems a bit more polished than those three. He seems very sure of himself already at 22 while the others our still finding their feet.
August 31st, 2007 at 9:06 pm
“Diaby, Flamini, and Denilson are all good players but no one really knows what their defining role is. ”
I agree Mazza. I don’t know much of Diarra, but if he’s anchorman who sits in front of back 4, i think that suits us well. I like Diaby, but he’s more an attack-minded CM. Flamini lack of “presence” @ CM. Denilson seems like more similiar to Fabregas than Gilberto.
Anchormen are quite rare these days, at least the good one. Lot of DM is only DM by name, they like to drive forward. Even Vieira at his later career become more an attack minded CM than a typical DM. Someone has to cover for Gilberto.
August 31st, 2007 at 9:08 pm
You have to admit that this purchase is puzzling. Has Wenger given up on Senderos? Is he planning to play Gilberto at the back now? What happens to Diaby? How will Denilson get a game? Flamini is surely finished. Song?? Bye bye. Can players still go out on loan or be sold abroad or to lower division teams? I like the signing, but it’s going to stunt someone’s growth.
August 31st, 2007 at 9:27 pm
I think it will be Song. When AW signed him, I think he was hoping to make Song as Gilberto’s cover. but he rarely got a game since. So i don’t think AW got enough faith in him. I believe either Song will be transformed to be a CB, or he will be sold at the end of the season.
August 31st, 2007 at 9:28 pm
I think he is planning on grooming Gilberto as a centre back. Gilberto is nearly 31 and soon will not have the legs for the holding role. However Wenger appreciates him so much that he wants to keep him involved. He could be good as a centre-back. Nice and lean, and mobile. Unlike Senderos.
I think Wenger should have sent Denilson and Diaby on loan. It’s too late now, in terms of english clubs, and there’s not much point sending them to Spain or France when the English league is so different. One thing is for sure, Diarra has to be elevated to third choice midfielder. I can’t see why he would have come otherwise. In terms of numbers, Arsenal have more midfield players than Chelsea so Wenger must have given him assurances.
Diaby’s performance on Wednesday must have sealed the deal for Wenger. Injuries or not, Diaby was terrible and Wenger can’t bank on it being solely due to ring-rust.
August 31st, 2007 at 9:39 pm
Diarra is a strange signing - especially when we have Gilberto and Denilson already. Plus Flamini, Song and Djourou can both play defensive midfielder (though sub-optimal) when called upon. Diarra is a younger version of Makelele and lacks the height Arsenal so badly need in defensive situations. Don’t really know what Wenger is upto - he previously admitted that Arsenal was lacking width with the departure of Reyes but did not do anything about it in the transfer market. IMO, trying to convert Rosicky and Helb do not appear to be working Rosicky and Helb play cental attacking midfield role for their previous clubs and respective countries.
August 31st, 2007 at 10:51 pm
Players can still go out on loans to lower levels though the window may close for a brief period- Connolly went out last year in Oct for 6 weeks or so if I remember correctly. Perhaps Song will be willing. Clearly too many midfielders at the moment.
August 31st, 2007 at 10:58 pm
Say no to the oligarchy and the Mercedes Marxists, who with their insurmountable wealth propagate it.
Keep the club with the people! It’s already a world class club who needs the “blood money” to somehow prove the club is ‘more’ world class.
As for Dein, it seems he’ll crawl into the sack with anyone’s bag of money as long as he’s in control. So much for his integrity. He’s gone from Walmart to “Up against the Wall Mart”.
Just because things may change doesn’t mean I have to like it. I don’t like cameras surveilling me on every street corner either but there still there. My view on this is that we show them our “arse crack” as we walk away.
Then again what do I know, I’m just a fan, a Gooner, the term which the club is also trying to copyright or trademark. Don’t like that either! Notice they’re not trying to trademark the word ARSE :)~ (Just give it time).
When the revolution comes they’ll probably come after me first!
Keep the Arse crack clean!
August 31st, 2007 at 10:59 pm
it looks to me like the return of dein would be somewhat unlikely. why would he sell his shares in the club only to return to a position of power? if he did come back, what kind of message does that send? regardless, the signing of diarra is a decent one in my book. how could he possibly expect playing time while involved with chelsea? they collect players like franklin mint plates….
August 31st, 2007 at 11:23 pm
The Arsenal CM puzzle seems very convoluted to me. After Fab and Gilberto (he’s prob got 1-2 years left max), we are jammed, with Diaby, Denilson, Flamini, Song… dont forget Fran Merida (who I understand likes to play deeper than Fabregas) and now Diarra. Even Rosicky and Hleb are more CMs than wide guys.
Why is $2mm Diarra good enough for us but not good enough for Chelsea? It concerns me that we are reaching for Chelsea’s cast offs instead of getting guys that Chelsea would like to have. Is there really that much upside in 22 year old Diarra that Chelsea doesnt see? Obviously Essien and Mikel are of a totally different league than Diarra and that’s a concern if we are trying to build a team that can compete and surpass Chelsea.
Perhaps Diarra’s role will be backup for Sagna with Eboue and Hoyte on the way out.
August 31st, 2007 at 11:45 pm
I think he’s good enough for Chelsea, but he didn’t want to sign an extension, and his contract was running out. Either Chelsea sold him now or risk him to be free transfer.
Knowing AW for 10 years, his transfer policy is in fact very simple - get the players he wanted when they are AVAILABLE.
We probably don’t need a CM now. But apparently AW tracked this guy for years, now he’s available for cheap, it’s an opportunity we cannot miss.
Likewise, some say we need a winger. I believe AW did make an effort to find one, just that’s none available, at least within our budget. e.g. Gamst. I am sure one day when a winger become available or his value dropped inside our range, AW will buy one.
September 1st, 2007 at 12:06 am
The question that puzzles me the most is - why Usmanov and not Kroenke? If DD wanted to come back so desperately, he could have tied up with Kroenke, who is a confirmed sports fan. Maybe the Russians do have more money.
I just want Wenger to sign a new deal. That will settle the players as takeover rumours and boardroom battles are only going to get worse.
September 1st, 2007 at 12:13 am
As expected Wenger did sign a player, not one we expected and not even in the areas we expected - winger or CB. One more central midfielder cum right back. How many do we want? Someone’s got to give now. I fear it could be Gilberto. If he was being groomed as a CB, he would surely be captain ahead of Toure.
I think the lack of a winger is going to hurt us a lot unless Walcott really steps up. Can we do 3rd place or better with this squad? The early signs are good, but it will be close. I agree with Joshuad. I am wary of Pompey this weekend. With Kanu, Benjani and Utaka, they will be quite a handful.
September 1st, 2007 at 12:13 am
Mazza, Danny Murphy has joined Fulham from Spurs.
September 1st, 2007 at 12:34 am
I like your comments on Diarra Mazza. Gilberto to CB? Maybe that’s why Djourou went on loan. The change of Gilberto to CB may not be immediate more a transitionary thing.
Wenger oftens comments that he is always in the market to buy quality. Said so again in the last few days. He knows better than anyone that you can’t buy on demand you buy when they are available (I think you alluded to this Andez).
Diarra’s arrival puts the acid on a number of fringe squad members - that’s a good thing.
September 1st, 2007 at 12:46 am
Re the sale of Dein’s shares. Think of it this way…..
If Dein wasn’t involved in the Red & White deal how would you feel? Probably not too flash.
The ownership is the key - that’s the real transaction. Dein is chairman - but ultimately he’s nothing more than an employee. At this stage he may seem invaluable to a takeover - but that can change very quickly.
The way the thing has swung from Kroenke to Usmanov feels like prostitution. They’re soooo chalk and cheese.
Do I think we need foreign ownership to be a Big5 club - absolutely not. And read Wenger’s comments he agrees. So those suggesting that Dein & Wenger are hand-in-glove in this are wide of the mark.
September 1st, 2007 at 1:04 am
thank goodness for transfer news at last. i always welcome it….especially in place of this “tragic” dein stories.
however why is wenger stocking up CMs/RBs thats when our left side is practically empty. maybe diarra can play LM or maybe a shift to 4-3-3 is imminent.
September 1st, 2007 at 1:19 am
If Diaby can play left midfield, so can Diarra.
We have 11 midfielders, but Eboue is the only natural wide player we have. We are narrower than any other top 4 team and will continue to depend more on fullbacks to provide that width. This could expose our already weak-in-the-air defence.
I don’t like it. But Wenger knows best.
September 1st, 2007 at 4:19 am
Okay I agree…at some time or the other we’re probably going to be taken over. But I don’t like it..thats all I’m saying. Why Will we not be able to compete in 10 years time? If AW stays and we keep pinching players for free(cheap) and continuously get into the CL and remain competitive why do you need that extra money?
What does “being competitive” mean?
1.Does it mean..being in the markets for players all the time?
2.Does it mean…getting into bidding wars for “big players”?
3.Does it mean…marketing the Arsenal “brand” better and in the Arctic Ocean every pre season?
4.Does it mean…selling more stuff like Freddie Ljungberg underwear?
Guess what … we don’t even bother doing 1,2 and 3. And as for shirts and sales they will get sold as long as the team is successful.
The only reason why I feel we need a take over is if AW is going to drop a bomb on all of us and quit. Knowing how secretive he is and how he does the exact opposite of what we think he’ll do..I wouldn’t put it past him. I do NOT BELIEVE he will specially with the kids in this stage but he might..he’s unpredictable, unconventional and very very very smart. If he thinks that something is wrong..he’ll just quit like he did at Monaco.
That IS THE ONLY reason when we’ll need a takeover coz the new manager who comes in will spend money and do 1,2 and 3. As it stands if AW is happy and AW stays…WE DO NOT NEED IT. If he goes…it changes everything…drastically.
@Andez: I think that’s the first time I’ve disagreed with u on this forum
September 1st, 2007 at 4:31 am
As for Lasanna Diarra. Its weird..mighty weird. I thought Sagna was a weird signing but he’s shown why AW bought him. But that was atleast coz of the Eboue RW experiment. Why is LD8 coming? WHere is he going to play? CM??
CM: Gilberto,Cesc,Diaby,Denilson,Song,Flamini,Hleb,Rosicky and now Diarra? Something’s got to give somewhere.
We can safely say Hleb,Rosicky and Cesc are going nowhere. Gilberto has said he wants to finish his career here. That leaves DIaby, Denilson, Song and the Flamster. Denilson seems to be a preferred substitute.
So we are left with — Song, Diaby and Flam . Flam is in his last year of contract and probably wont resign. Song will never get a chance with so many above him. Whic leaves us with Abou.
He is the only confusing bit of this puzzle. What about him? Has his ankle injury damaged him “to an extent” where AW thinks he’s lost something and does not posess attributes to be as effective as he could have been? if Yes then it might mean the end of the new PV4. So next season we will see Song,Flamini n Diaby go out. Which means our CM is now:
This sounds logical. Djourou on loan to Birmingham means he will be sold soon and as Mazza said earlier Gilberto at the back with his height at set pieces also makes sense. Which means:
CB: Kolo,Gallas,Sendy,Gilberto(Sagna/Hoyte)
Pure CM: Gilberto,Cesc,Diarra,Denilson (Hleb/Mozart)
Diaby’s future does not look good…much to the delight of some here. Not me..I had high hopes for him
. Oh well…AW knows..I guess in the end. What else can I or anyone else say?
September 1st, 2007 at 5:16 am
Andez, my statement where I said Dein would sell to Hitler or Sadaam was necessary to prove a point. Those names prove that there’s no moral high ground in what he’s done regardless of what some may want to believe. Like you said, it’s the very nature of man.
Gerrard, you’re a freaking funny guy. We’ve got to get together and talk trash sometime. I need to come to Holland or you can come to Germany.
Bottom line is we didn’t need big money with Wenger to be successful but he’s not going to be the Arsenal manager forever. His replacement probably will need funds to bring the same success. You’ve got to respect that.
Chelsea have sold Diarra because they’re not interested in developing young players. Why would they do that when they can just go out and buy superstars? Diarra won’t just walk into this team though. Flamini and Denilson are playing well right now. But he will benefit greatly from having learned from two of the best in Makelele and now Gilberto.
With Diarra signing I’m beginning to believe Denilson will be more like Edu and Parlour were in the unbeaten season. Right now he’s the only one of our many midfield players who can EFFECTIVELY play anywhere in the midfield. He’s not as good as Edu and Parlour but his tackling and finishing will improve.
September 1st, 2007 at 5:27 am
Oh yeah, LDE, I don’t want to see Diaby leave. I just called him out on his poor vision. If his vision improves I believe he can truly become a world class player as it will enhance his all-around game. But if his vision doesn’t improve he’ll never be able to command a first team place at Arsenal. I know he’s exciting with clever turns and all but as a CM he needs more to his game than that.
September 1st, 2007 at 6:14 am
Andez - “with Dein, at least we know he cares of the club, and he has guided Arsenal to success. With someone else,u never know what we are going to get.”
But we know what we are going to get with the current board and many people are happy with that. There is another view of Dein, as espoused by, of all people, James Lawton:
“For some, anyway, the more he strikes an altruistic pose, the more he tells us about his life-long passion for the club, the less likely they are to forget that if he has done well for Arsenal, it is not half so well as he has done for himself.
Dein invested a little less than £300,000 in the club 24 years ago. This week he cashed in his chips to another passionate Arsenal fan, the Russian steel mogul Alisher Usmanov, for £75m.
No one, with the exception of Martin Edwards, whose stake in Manchester United came from his father Louis, has waxed fatter on England’s national game than Dein, though you could say that picking out the ability of Wenger meant rather more than Edwards’ own claim to fame at United, the stunning innovation of executive boxes.”
As he finishes his article, he says
“The late Jack Walker, the now disillusioned Hayward, and, still, Gibson, represent all those who have ever wanted to repay football for what it gave them in their youth and their spirit. They didn’t attach ties or clauses and they certainly were not looking to augment their fortunes. Men for whom football had a value that was beyond price. It is a distinction that David Dein, for all his understanding of the dynamics of the modern game, might ponder the next time he decides to lecture us on the way forward.”
I would go with Lawton’s view of Dein. For all his support, he has taken a huge profit. Others, like Gibson, Hayward and Walker took huges losses. That is a measure of their love for their club as it is a measure of Dein’s.
Dein, Kroenke, Usmanov? They want profit more than they want success.
September 1st, 2007 at 6:15 am
Signings! Always good. Maybe Gilberto’s future is at centre-back. Maybe himself and Flamini are in their last season and Wenger is buying as much for next season as this.
September 1st, 2007 at 7:04 am
IrishG, what I meant is - a take over looks INEVITABLE. Which means the current board will sell the club to someone sooner or later, be it Dein’s group or someone else.
I know many of u may have disagreed. But I can see it coming. Whether we like it or not, agree with it or not is irrelevant.
Anyway, Time will tell.
September 1st, 2007 at 9:26 am
“Dein, Kroenke, Usmanov? They want profit more than they want success.”
Profit comes with success, so that statement is nonsense. I don’t care what drives Dein, if it means success, which it has done for 20 years, then bring it on.
What about the players, don’t they want profit above success, maybe we should stop buying certain players if all they’re interested in is high wages.
I re-iterate, if Arsenal could compete with at the top level without foreign ownership AFTER Wenger, I would back that. But it looks like foreign ownership is now inevitable, so better with Dein than without.
September 1st, 2007 at 9:36 am
I’ll repeat what I said above Danny. take a look..Does it make sense? or NOT?
————-
What does “being competitive” mean?
1.Does it mean..being in the markets for players all the time?
2.Does it mean…getting into bidding wars for “big players”?
3.Does it mean…marketing the Arsenal “brand” better and in the Arctic Ocean every pre season?
4.Does it mean…selling more stuff like Freddie Ljungberg underwear?
Guess what … we don’t even bother doing 1,2 and 3. And as for shirts and sales they will get sold as long as the team is successful.
The only reason why I feel we need a take over is if AW is going to drop a bomb on all of us and quit. Knowing how secretive he is and how he does the exact opposite of what we think he’ll do..I wouldn’t put it past him. I do NOT BELIEVE he will specially with the kids in this stage but he might..he’s unpredictable, unconventional and very very very smart. If he thinks that something is wrong..he’ll just quit like he did at Monaco.
That IS THE ONLY reason when we’ll need a takeover coz the new manager who comes in will spend money and do 1,2 and 3. As it stands if AW is happy and AW stays…WE DO NOT NEED IT. If he goes…it changes everything…drastically.
———————-
September 1st, 2007 at 9:52 am
Well you’re saying exactly what I am, my worry is AFTER Wenger, because there isn’t another manager in world football that has done what he has with so much success - buying players on the cheap and turning them into world stars.
How long do you think Wenger will stick around for? It won’t be forever, so what difference if there is a takeover today, in 3 years or in 5 years? Man Utd was taken over and they didn’t even have debt! So debt is not even the whole issue, the issue is that Arsenal is an attractive business and prime takeover material. Any company that is stable, successful long term and an attractive investment, football or otherwise, is a takeover target. If Arsenal increased ALL their revenue streams, it would become an even more attractive takeover target - see what I’m getting at??
September 1st, 2007 at 10:59 am
I know Danny…and ur probably right but it hurts…thats all. And I dont want to see AW get pissed off and leave before he should.
September 1st, 2007 at 2:37 pm
This sense of inevitability is getting carried away.
The arguments are swinging on a penduleum…..we need big money to compete, then……we’re an irresistable investment proposition.
September 1st, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Danny T - “Dein, Kroenke, Usmanov? They want profit more than they want success. Profit comes with success, so that statement is nonsense.”
If you are interested in maximising profit, you bring high-profile players to the club who will sell shirts. You qualify for the Champions League every year and you play lots of exhibition matches in America and the Far East.
You don’t want young players who don’t sell shirts. You don’t care about long-term fans who have probably bought more than enough shirts. You only want new suckers to buy more and more replica gear.
Trophies are not the be all and end all. If you win a trophy there is increased profile but also players looking for improved contracts and bonuses. Membership of the elite is enough. You don’t need success for profits.
September 2nd, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Andez #23…Get over yourself