Without elaborating and fannying about too much I thought I would put the question to you guys? Numerous reasons have been given since time immemorial about why people leave. I wanted to write what it means for someone to stay at Arsenal.
Staying at Arsenal means you get treated with class and care. Where the club goes out of its way to ensure that you are fully comfortable with your housing, education and wages.
Staying at Arsenal means you get a very good salary obviously incomparable to what the giants offer, but an excellent one all the same.
Staying at Arsenal means you have the support of a wonderful manager and staff who will always always stand up for you in public irrespective of how many people are baying for your blood. Someone who will trust in your skills if you are good and give you the freedom to express yourself. Someone who will be patient if you fall and hurt yourself.
Staying at Arsenal means playing a wonderful brand of attractive football no matter what. Look back to all the AW teams , they all played wonderful football of different styles - from the high speed counterattacking style to the laidback possession approach - they all were wonderful to watch.
Staying at Arsenal means you get to learn at a very young age when you’re the most receptive to newer ideas. It means you do not develop set beliefs and are willing to change the bad qualities you have. And you’re not on the bench till 22 coming on in 85″ to fill up time. You start EPL games, CL games…at 17 ..something unheard of anywhere.
Staying at Arsenal means you get the benefit of working with an incredibly talented generation mostly of your own age - which can hence lead to the building of a fantastic chemistry in the entire squad and will eventually lead to titles.
Staying at Arsenal invariably means, the longer you stay the better you get paid and when you do have to leave Arsenal will not stand in your way and flog you to the highest bidder. They will try and do what is best for both - and even let you go on a free so you can get more wages.
Staying at Arsenal means a highly supportive and appreciative fan base who will come and watch and cheer you even if you are not successful all the time (obviously there are people though who think otherwise) and be patient with you.
Staying at Arsenal means consistently competing for titles and glory and playing in a wonderful stadium with numerous facilities every single year. Sure we dont win every year..who does? Haven’t Chelsea and Liverpool failed miserably this year?
To sum it all up, really staying at Arsenal isn’t really a poison pill as people here sometimes make it out to be. Yeah, maybe I’m a bit disconnected from the realities sitting 5000 miles away…but from whatever football I know and understand in the last 7ish years.. I know that all of the above is definitely true. As I said…the weaknesses have been thrashed out numerous numerous times…so a post to smell the roses before skydiving into the poison ivy as we all will — might be apt.
47 Responses to “What does it mean to play for Arsenal?”
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July 1st, 2008 at 5:31 am
All true LDE.
July 1st, 2008 at 5:37 am
You forgot the one…..
Staying at Arsenal invariably means there is lots of company in the treatment room
July 1st, 2008 at 6:19 am
And the other one…..
Staying at Arsenal invariably means listening to Wenger’s flipflop……
On the 10th of May Wenger outlined his plans…..
‘I know what I want and I am very confident,’ he said.
‘I hope to turn that around in the next two or three weeks. They (fans) should be re-assured by what they see.’
‘It would be better to buy someone who has played in England because they are less risky, but it costs more money if they are from the Premier League,’ Wenger said.
‘Maybe I will try to do both.’
‘I think the big core of the team is ready to come back and fight, and that all of them are determined to come back and win.’
Feeling reassured?
When he referred to the big core coming back for a fight was he referring to Ade and Hleb wanting a transfer?
July 1st, 2008 at 6:29 am
I dont think he would be out to screw all of us. Do you? Why take anything he says in the public domain seriously at all? When was the last time he said something about transfers publicly? And anyway…all this has already been trhashed about numerous times — the point of this article was precisely for that reason — There are lots of good things about Arsenal as well apart from all those frustratingly irritating things. So chill
July 1st, 2008 at 6:42 am
I relapsed LDE
Must have been triggered by reading of Amaury Bischoff’s pending signing.
July 1st, 2008 at 7:04 am
He’s not coming dont worry - its just a smokescreen
You can send back that ambulance you just called for.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:41 am
Bischoff is not coming. This report was triggered by Bischoff himself, not even from a grubby, self centered Agent. Remember Milligan from Australia? It’s the same scenario.
Wake up and smell the roses. Wait until we start playing before you start getting heart palpitations (LOL).
July 1st, 2008 at 7:12 am
I’m guessing Robin and Tomas are getting bored in the treatment room, so Wenger’s signing Amaury to spice things up. One website suggested he’s being signed for body parts….that’s possible too.
Either way it makes a lot of sense. Together with Ramsey this should reasure the fans and players who are worried that Wenger isn’t serious. He clearly is.
July 1st, 2008 at 7:20 am
You need to go and get some rest…you’re getting way too worked up on this
. Why wouldnt wenger be serious anyway? Its not exactly football manager 456 he’s playing at..is he?
July 1st, 2008 at 7:30 am
I know I know we’re not allowed to question what he says and we’re not allowed to question what he does…..
July 1st, 2008 at 7:42 am
Who said that? You’re overreacting to the whole thing…thats all I’m saying.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:38 am
I disagree with one thing in your post. Arsenal does pay extremely well. It’s just their top players may not earn as much as the stars from other clubs. Also, remember, Robinho is just on 30 K at Real Madrid.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:46 am
Very true . I just said that looking at the silly amounts being bandied about these days. Football is going to rival oil for exorbitance very soon if it continues this way..kidding obviously but you get the gist
July 1st, 2008 at 9:35 am
LDE, to question what he says and does is sacreligious to MANY … on this site and elsewhere.
He deserves all the props he gets, he’s a great manager…
but how many years and counting without a trophy…??
Are we getting closer or further away.
yes, so that above comment should set off the “Wenger-Police” who do not dare criticize or allow for criticism of “the man”.
I don’t want a new manager, I want Arsene, but its time for Arsene to actually bring in the necessary talent to make a BIG challenge and push for trophies.
Losing Flamini, and possibly Hleb and Ade… would NOT be bringing us closer.
That much is for sure.
What he brings in… might.
but additional KIDS is not the immediate answer… and at some point, its tiring to wait for the future that MIGHT BE great.
It doesn’t mean MUCH to play for Arsenal these days… or any team really, as Wenger stated, its a different world in Football now, its the players game, with the teams holding almost none of the cards.
I think players realize what they have (had) at Arsenal AFTER they’ve left… and Wenger never brings people back, so its too late for them then!
July 1st, 2008 at 9:35 am
Playing for Arsenal means being adulated throughout the four corners of the world for playing the best football of any club side since the glory days of Ajax.
July 1st, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Lately, playing for Arsenal has also meant winning no trophies.
July 1st, 2008 at 12:38 pm
The amount of negativity on this site is absolutely unbelievable. All I hear anytime is “honest” feedback about the team performance. The trophies thing has been regurgitated so many times over and over again that I’ve lost count of it. This thread was not meant to be YET ANOTHER shortcoming discussion. It was just an attempt to try and appreciate what we have as well and how lucky we are to have those things.
But No… all people can see here is lack,shortcomings,lack of perfection,no trophies,useless youth,poor transfers policies, a stingy board etc etc etc. There’s very little that is appreciated these days ON THIS SITE.
Hell I’m not asking for your signature on a “Wenger is the greatest faultless technician” petition. All I’m asking is for you to also appreciate the things we have. I wanted to maybe evoke a debate about why inspite of having these things our youth choose to leave. But No - All we ever hear like a broken gramophone record is the same moaning again and again and again.
One attempt at a slightly positive post and its shot down faster than a RVN tapin with sarcastic jibes throughout. And don’t even start on the Wenger apologist bit…thats hardly what I’m advocating.
Obviously this is just what I feel again and as I can see few feel even inclined to discuss those points or anything else we can feel grateful for. We’re spoilt…to the core…spoilt. Rant on.
There’s a line from a famous Savge Garden song I heard in college. — I believe you dont know what you’ve got until you say goodbye. Let Usmanov come in - I’d like to see how all you “realists” feel then.
July 1st, 2008 at 12:48 pm
LDE, that’s the third time you’ve quoted that line from that Savage Garden song LOL.
Arsenal mark III may very well ‘crash and burn’ soon. The Wenger apologists won’t like that.
July 1st, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Its true…I keep repeating it as much as you keep repeating your stuff about Hleb.
“The Wenger apologists won’t like that.”
U’d be quite happy if Crash and Burn happens I suspect .. its a shame really unless you’re a troll.
July 1st, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Troll, yeah alright. You have the gall to question the veracity of my support of Arsenal and yet you openly admit that if Wenger leaves Arsenal and we start playing agricultural football, you will have trouble continuing to the support the club.
Classic.
July 1st, 2008 at 1:27 pm
LDE - it was a valiant attempt. People rarely appreciate what they have.
July 1st, 2008 at 2:42 pm
@LDE …Don’t worry…you can add one more to the list of people who are still positive about Arsenal’s chances
I’ve decided to cut down a bit on my posting ..till the games actually start ..so atleast then we can let the team do the talking.
And regarding the negativity…it’s not only a feature on this site…you can see it all over Arsenal fan sites. Sometimes I wonder why..and one possible conclusion is that by being negative or ‘realistic’ as people prefer to call it..you can have the best of both worlds ….
If the team loses ..then you can choose to lambast the manager..the team…and all people who were optimistic about the team’s chances
And if the team wins..hey..aren’t all of us Arsenal fans after all so what if we were wrong
A lot of people confuse negativity with ‘realism’ …why can’t being positive also be realistic?
Cheers,
July 1st, 2008 at 2:52 pm
I am not trying to say we do not have a fair share of negativism here, as we do have quite a few pessimists on this site, but if you were to look on some of the European blogs you would be astounded by the negativism, cussing and slandering of Arsenal players, Arsene, coaches, and the Board.
Some of the comments make me ashamed to be associated with these Arsenal fans and they have even resorted to racial slurs. Ignorance may be bliss, but it just goes to show the vast amount of uneducated, Neanderthals who are still in existence.
Next time I come across one of these rants I’ll post the link for all to see.
July 1st, 2008 at 2:59 pm
@CaribKid
I agree…i guess anyone who has a habit of reading Arsenal related blogs..who have come across the one’s you are talking about.I don’t consider those people football fans at all..leave alone Arsenal fans.
One of the things in favour of AA though….Inspite of the large doses of ‘realism’ we get here…this is still one of my favourite sites to have a good discussion on football ..and the only site where I still post
July 1st, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Granted, reality can often be treated as negativity, because we all have positives and negatives in our life. If we did not, we would be perfect, and we all know that there is no such thing as perfection.
In my estimation, negativity and positivity are judged by balance. Some people find it difficult to say anything unless it is negative, others find it difficult to say anything unless it is positive, and again there are those who try to balance the situation and can see both the positive and negative in any situation.
All three types of personalities in this equation are good in that it stirs thoughts and discussion, and ultimately that’s means we can have a stimulating blog. My only trepidation is when people start to insult others with differing opinions, because there should be no place for that in a so called, intellectually advanced society.
Remember, we can all AGREE to DISAGREE without the slurs.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:25 pm
@ LDE: I understand you saying we shouldnt go over board with the negativity. But I cant understand you saying lets not be negative at all - at this point in time when no one has come in and we are bleeding players.
Last season we didnt have our players being involved in a LONG drawn transfer duel - apart from Henry. And even then we didnt lose numbers overall last summer.
Right now, we dont even have the money to buy a 10 million Nasri UNLESS we sell first. That is a bit deflating.
Ofcourse this all could change before the season starts - but for now, it is very normal to be a bit worried.
July 1st, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Perfectly fine. I agree its deflating. All I’m saying is - lets also look at what else which is good that we have with us and appreciate them. The debates can then continue as they usually do - I’m cool with that.
July 1st, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Agree CaribKid.
Let’s stop this ‘us and them’ stuff, negative and positive, loyal and betrayal. It’s kinda ridiculous.
We all post because we love the club and enjoy sharing opinions.
It’s is absolutely healthy to observe and comment on the things that you see. It is healthy to say we admire Wenger and all he has achieved but……. It’s not treason.
I tell you this. The time we all start following the ‘party line’ is the time this site dries up.
July 1st, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Cheers Kiwi thats fair enough. For the last time — I did not want you to stop talking. I only wanted people to appreciate the good things ALSO in this thread without the not so positive comments. See I didnt say negative
. The rest is quite fine and this site is still oneo fthe best with all the neg…ummm 
July 1st, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Flamini and Lehmann have left, Ramsey has signed. Six English kids have signed professional contracts. Nasri has announced on his site that he is joining Arsenal, then it got taken down. The Premier League fixtures are out. Those are the facts.
The rest, much and all as it may come true, is speculation. Is it the Adebayor and Hleb stuff the same as we read about Vieira for three summers or is it the same as Henry last season. Why worry too much? Is the world about to end and all our best players leave or is Wenger going to sign the new Maradona on the cheap? Neither, I would guess, probably somewehere in between and will become clear over the next few weeks.
Adebayor’s behaviour looks bizarre, Hleb’s looks devious, but neither have gone yet. Over 90 players have been linked with Arsenal. Much too early to say we are doomed, much too early to say we are going to win everything.
No point in posting for a few more weeks.
July 1st, 2008 at 8:55 pm
LDE, you will never walk alone. will be there with u all the way.
wish we got a song like that. though even if we do have one, i doubt how many SUPPORTERS here had the cheek to sing it.
When you walk through a storm
hold your head up high
And don’t be afraid of the dark.
At the end of a storm is a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain,
Tho’ your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone,
You’ll never, ever walk alone.
Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone,
You’ll never, ever walk alone.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:23 pm
I do not envy Liverpool’s big money purchase Torres… do not envy Roman A.’s thick pocket…. do not envy Man Utd’s shinning double trophies…. but i m so so envy this song Liverpool and Celtic have on their terraces.
The song maybe theirs, but the spirit is universal.
July 1st, 2008 at 10:34 pm
To response to ur title question LDE, personally, i believe it’s written in our old club crest - Victory Through Harmony.
@ Arsenal, the concept of TEAM spirit, team football is more important than anything else. And it has always been that case. Back in the GG era it’s the same.
In short, if anyone believes he’s bigger than the team. Or the TEAM is not good enough to match his own ability or ambition, I wish him all the best to go find greener glass elsewhere.
As without HARMONY, we don’t even have a TEAM, let alone VICTORY.
July 1st, 2008 at 11:32 pm
I never knew our crest meant that - Thanks Andez. And yeah u got to envy Liverpool just for their support. Too good.
July 1st, 2008 at 11:29 pm
@Mazza: Sadly the nested comments stopped after 4 as nipuna said once. Hence I reply here. You were the one who mentioned ppl wudn’t be happy when Arsenal Mk 3 Crashed and Burned. What do you expect me to get out of that? Obviously that u wudnt really be unhappy if that happened. So if Arsenal lose and you dont give a damn you’re either neutral and just watch it for the football which is perfectly fine or ur a troll. If its the former then please accept my apologies. If its the latter which u denied satirically well I dont know…
As for me admitting my problem with not so good football after AW its very true. My whole support for Arsenal was because they attempted to play football the right way…doing things teh right way, because their ideals matched a bit with what I think in life(to an extent). I personally know how hard it is to develop skills while doing a job as well at the same time hence I appreciate Arsenal all the more. However its the brand of football which brought me to watch Arsenal in the first place. Tomorrow if Sam Allardyce joins Arsenal as coach and we become Bolton Mk 2 in a decade but win trophies..How can I continue to support something I have blatantly criticized in my short life as a football fan? It would be the biggest act of hypocrisy one could commit. I will never ever condone our players for playing that way … though it probably will not happen. IF IT HAPPENS THOUGH….Yes I WILL HAVE TROUBLE supporting Arsenal. Its not as easy as a flick of the switch though as you might believe.
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:04 am
LDE, i never been in Anfield before. over the years, i read that Vieira, Pires and Henry all said before they loved playing at Anfield, the atmosphere in Anfield at times made their hair stand.
imagine that - with thousands supporters singing that “You will never walk alone” alongside you (if we were at the stand), it would be an really inspiring experience.
i cant understand why today there are so many FANS want to act like the NEUTRALS? is it fun to be a neutral? I watched the EURO 2008, it’s fun to watch, but just never be able to get that thrill i had with watching Arsenal play. Missing that - roller coaster experience as every die hard fan would experience.
personally, i think football is not a game for neturals. or should i say, a neutral would never be able to experience the turly BEAUTIFUL part of football - the emotional up and down, the nail biting. Thousand times more exciting than a roller coaster ride in the theme park.
so to me it’s always all or nothing. you either go all out supporting ur team, and experience the joy with them when they win, and go to hell with them when they fall. That’s the BEST part of it being a fan, IMO.
July 2nd, 2008 at 8:15 am
Playing for Arsenal means that even if you don’t meet our standard (technical, moral, or age-wise) you can still have a football career in the BPL, Championship, La Liga, Eredivisie, or Serie A.
My, my, my it now time for Adebayor to eat some humble pie:http://www.goal.com/en-US/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=760120.
Just like Hleb’s agent, Adebayor’s is now trying to do ‘we have a right to ask for more “respect” (read money) dance and Adebayor is still loyal to the club, blah, blah, blah. First there were two (AC Milan and Barcelona) and now there are none. Agents just got their balls shredded and now their clients have to win back the supporters in this up coming season.
How big an ass is Aulas, the Lyon GM in trying to renege on Ben Arfa’s completed deal. Nasri any moment now.
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Since we’re supposed to be talking about good stuff in this article, here’s some really good news.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article1365673.ece
Eduardo is supposed to be back at the end of July/beginning of August. Even with that horrible injury he’s going to be back before Rosicky.
July 2nd, 2008 at 1:38 pm
I haven’t read all these responses, so this may have already been covered. Everything stated in original post is certainly true. But even if you loved your present job and were treated really well by your employer, wouldn’t you think hard about another offer from elsewhere raising your salary by 50% (or more)? I think you would. The days of a Tony Adams anchoring the Arsenal defense for over a decade are gone. Even at Arsenal we are going to see significant player moves each season and total team changes over three seasons.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Paul, the flipside of that is that it’s not like players are going from $20,000 up to $30,000 a year. You can’t really compare them to what you or I would do - they live in a different world. How much is enough? These guys already make more than 99% of the world population. Do they really need that extra to make them happy? How many BMWs does a person need?
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:15 am
On Rosicky, I think I personally should put in my mind that he would ready for 2009-2010 season instead of next season. This guy is too injury prone.
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Seattlegooner
It’s nice to see a happy Eduardo. The photos of his leg raise some questions in my mind.
1. Is he walking w/ a limp?
2. Will the deformed medial malleolus limit the ankle flexibility. Will he have the flexibility to ’shape’ a shot on goal, make a pass w/ the outside of his boot. The video of him working w/ the physio was nice but he was volleying w/ his ankle locked.
3. There is a suggestion of the lost of muscle mass in the calf and thigh. This would be expected given the nature of the injury. How long will it take for him to regain that?
I can hear Wenger now saying, ” he is not quite ready yet” in Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:13 am
ctpa, when it comes to certain injuries ie dudu’s injury, I would prefer AW to rule him out completely for instance say ” He will be out until January 09 or even Feb 09″ instead of coming out and say ” he is not quite ready yet” in Sept and then in Oct and then again the following months. It just puts our hope hight thinking dudu will be ready for our new season where as he is not.
July 2nd, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I’m happy at my job, proud of what I do, and the company I work for.
So if I do move, it’s about money, but that doesn’t mean I’m not loyal, because I’ve given 10 years of my career to help my company achieve success.
Now, when Thierry Henry left, we were sad, but we all respected his decision. He was coming to the end of his career and he’s tried 9 LONG years with Arsenal to try to win the Champions League and we failed, and so for someone that’s won everything in his career (league titles, FA Cups, WC98, Euro2000) the only missing piece was CL. Fine, Barca gave him one last big contract so he can try to fulfill his dream with Barca, as they were more likely to challenge in the final 4 of the CL year in year out moreso than at Arsenal.
Enter our current situation. Diarra hasn’t even warmed up his seat on the bench and left. Flamini left after 2 years and just when he become a fixture in our 1st team. Now Ade is talking about leaving after 1 year of success and Hleb is doing the same. These players have done their job for us but that’s that - they’re mercenaries and if we treat them as such it will be easier on all of us.
The only players that I can see from out existing squad that would give as a good 5-7 years of service before leaving would be Cesc, Toure, Clichy, Walcott, and even Sagna who’s just joined us last season. I could very well be wrong but these players’ character and their honest approach to their careers would indicate they’re more likely to make reasonable decisions compared to the “clowns” that have left us too soon or about to leave.
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:13 am
Diarra’s the worst prick I have seen. No patience at all.
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:03 am
btw, remember AW came out publicly questioned Arsgavin’s “stamina” a few days ago? I read that with interest…. as very rarely AW would publicly questioned a player’s ability. Even the like Carrick, M.Richards, Reo-Coker whenever being asked about the opinions of them, Wenger always said they were good players, and he’s an admirer of them. the next day, immediately those players were linked to Aresnal. of course, AW never really went after them.
so when he came out and “doubt” a player, what does that mean?……
today, i came across with a story like below. now maybe the Suns made it up. anyway, it’s an interesting story….
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article1373133.ece
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:19 am
I just can’t see Arshavin coming to Arsenal based on the current squad makeup, even without Hleib. This would surely cut into the playing time of Walcott, Vela and Nasri in the mid field, limit RVP and Eduardo’s time when we moved to 4-5-1 and stunt the development of upcoming stars like Merida, Barazite, Wilshere and Ramsey just to name a few.