I have long pointed out that our owners have a genius business model. Yet, given the events of the last transfer window, some things are hard to ignore.
It is unique for a top club to wave the white flag halfway through a title race. It has left Arsenal in a bizarre situation—having to compete with their hands tied behind their backs for the rest of the season, yet knowing their issues could have been avoided.
Very rarely does a team have such obvious limitations that those in power were aware of but have chosen to accept.
The majority of Gooners are hurt by our failure to add to our attack in January. Some do not understand how their manager could ask for help but be ignored. Some are confused about what possible reason there could be not to mend a bleeding wound. Others see it as confirmation of what they knew deep down—Arsenal do not have the ambition to win the highest honours.
The irony is that those same supporters are still expected to pay over the odds if they want to attend the Emirates.
When you see the prices for the second leg of our tie with PSV, you cannot ignore that we are being laughed at.
I almost admire the Kroenke family for being honest enough not even to pretend we matter. They know we are irrelevant, so why even fight it anymore?
Even if everyone were fit, the Gunners would not be favourites to lift the Champions League. Success would not have been guaranteed even if we had invested in the squad two months ago.
Yet, in cup football, you can still hope for that slice of luck, rely on one moment of magic out of nowhere, etc.
There has to be a serious level of neglect for supporters not even to be able to dream anymore.
Yet when a central midfielder is your first-choice forward, how—even in a fantasy world—can you picture success in Europe?
How can your imagination run wild when the offensive weapons are someone on loan who has lost his confidence and a teenager?
If our players do not believe, how can we be expected to?
Although it is not a shock that professional footballers would lose faith when bringing on left-backs is the solution off the bench if we need a goal.
We are Arsenal FC. We are meant to be a massive club. Yet, how many of our size would be run this way?
It is not because we are poor. It has nothing to do with breaching FFP rules. The club makes lots of money off me and you.
Outside of concessions for DA Members and Junior Gunners/Senior Members, for an adult to watch Arsenal vs PSV live on 12th March, you need to pay at least £74.30!
That is the cheapest option, with the prices ranging from £74.30 to £141.00.
Make that make sense to me. Billionaires own a company that makes millions yet cannot release the funds when their own coach insists we are short in a specific area.
Yet those who genuinely are struggling are expected to find £74.30 minimum. The average household in the UK would struggle to take the family to our stadium, and even if they could, it is hard to justify.
As I type this, I can hear the response: “No one forces anyone to go to the match.”
Isn’t that sad, though?
Isn’t that a horrible reflection of where the sport is, that you are right?
Because (barring a humiliation on Tuesday) our home will be packed in two weeks. Those successful in the ballot (do not get me started) or looking on Ticket Exchange will be dictated to by their hearts to find the cash from somewhere. For thousands, expenses will include travelling to London, taking time off work, etc.
It has not taken me over three decades to realise that football is no different to any business. The priority is to make as much money as possible. If 60,000 customers are willing to pay over £100 for a seat, it would be financially irresponsible to charge less based on principles.
That is why I agree with those who point out that this is an individual’s choice.
This is not the first fixture that has been priced highly, and it will not be the last.
So why now am I questioning the moral compass of the institution that insists it has values and will not tolerate those values being ignored?
Because we are in a period of our history where you cannot ignore the chuckles coming out of America.
The gap between what the fanbase is asked to take is huge compared to what those in charge are prepared to give.
This is bigger than the results.
I accept that no fan has a divine right to see their side victorious, no matter how much they spend. That is part of the journey you sign up for—one that has peaks and valleys, but an adventure where you should be able to travel believing in rainbows and unicorns.
We are their market; they are selling us a product. You rarely crush the spirit of your target audience while robbing them of their faith.
Yes, it is a business where the motivation is to make a profit, but there is a standard of quality they should be providing.
They are part of the entertainment industry. For 90 minutes in an afternoon or evening, thousands are paying for content where they can be distracted, comforted, and have smiles put on their faces.
If you pay to witness a theatre production, you expect to see the actors advertised.
You assume at the cinema that the surround sound will be working.
You would complain if, at a concert, the singing was dreadful.
When I authorise my yearly direct debit to maintain my membership, I do so on the provision that effort is being made.
Even though both parties are strangers to each other, they have an understanding.
So, the PSV game is a Category A fixture because it happens at the highest level UEFA has to offer.
Yet of the 16 who qualified from the group stages, we are the ones who do not look familiar from the version that advanced to third place.
In a restaurant, you do not go into the kitchen to double-check that the portion sizes are decent. As a human, you trust that what you pay for is what you get. The more expensive, the higher the quality you demand.
So £74.30–£141.00 should get you more than a midfielder playing out of position as your main source of goals. It should not be up to a 17-year-old to provide the value. While full-backs being attacking subs is the equivalent of finding no bacon in your BLT.
Since deadline day, Mikel Arteta has failed to find internal solutions in the final third in three out of four games. Meaning if we have a disadvantage after we visit Holland, we know our young team are crippled by anxiety because they equally do not know who will provide our threat to work a keeper.
Of course, we have been restricted by injuries, and I am not saying events should be priced based on who is on the sidelines or not. If Saka and Jesus had been ruled out for a lengthy period in March, I would not be writing this article. Then, we would have been victims of being unlucky.
Instead, what happened was those in charge gave up trying at the start of 2025. Not because they are struggling financially but because they do not care. The top four should be safe, guaranteeing revenue, while an added £16 million was made for getting to the knockout stages. The custodians of our club are satisfied with that for this campaign, so they had no reason to push for more.
Of course, that only works one way.
If the Champions League was a boxing match, they have thrown in the white towel, making the upcoming tie irrelevant. If inconsequential, though, should there not be a price reduction?
If a line has been put through the rest of the campaign, should that not be reflected in how much is being asked for?
In what other company can those with responsibility so openly cut back in terms of quality yet still demand the same numbers?
Should they not, in pre-season, have advertised that there was zero intention of trying to get to the final in Germany?
Where was the disclaimer when they released new merchandise in December that, in a few weeks, they were essentially closing up shop for the season?
My peers and I have been conned. In the short term, we cannot do anything.
Longer term, though, to make sure it does not keep happening, we have to at least point things out and have the discussion.
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
Revenue does not equal profit. Arsenal has not been turning a profit under the Kroenke stewardship.
That doesn’t justify asking fans to buy) renewal memberships / seasons tickets without tell them you would close up shop halfway through the season
Arsenal are not close to breaching FFP rules
It’s funny though how you worry about a Billionaire making a profit
Do you think when merchandise is priced he worries about your outgoings / savings?
You said that the ownership has a genius business model. Again, they do not have any profits from their time owning Arsenal.
I disagree. No billionaire will continue doing a business that they don’t get any single profit from.
Dangote and Daniel Ek have tried to buy Arsenal from Kroenke and he said Arsenal is not for sale.
So I choose not to believe that they don’t make profits.
SJ, so how do we explain the fact that Sir Jim Ratcliffe has poured money into manure and yet he’s having to lay off staff, increase ticket prices, stop concession tickets and warns of even more cutbacks?
Is he making any profit on the millions he put in?
He is probably mismanaging funds that they make and he has not adjusted well to the global inflation that is hitting almost every country.
So the global inflation has affected Mr Kronkie as well then?
However, we aren’t laying off staff, stopping season ticket concessions, delaying work on the stadium and paying out millions in compensation to managers etc etc
Perhaps we should think about the way the club is being run and accept that the Kronkie ownership is light years ahead of the Glaziers both on and off the pitch and stop knocking them?
They take a wage off the club lol
Who do you think the club’s value going up wont eventually benefit them ?
The ownership has put hundreds of millions of pounds into Arsenal and they have not taken hundreds of millions of pounds out of Arsenal, therefore they are currently running a deficit.
Since 2006 how much they have put in
Between buying the club, assuming debts, loaning money, and cash injections, the Kroenkes have spent somewhere north of 2 Billion Pounds on Arsenal. They have not gained money, they have lost money.
No
How much of their own money have they put in to the club
Buying the club doesn’t count as the value of the club going up if for them
I think your be shocked
The club is currently worth ~2.5 billion pounds. They have spent at least that much on the club, so far. And they have injected ~300 million pounds into the club. Not good business as of yet. Also, Stan Kroenke didn’t earn his original riches, he married a Walmart heiress and gained access to her money.
That’s what I thought …not billions then ….300 million.( I believe largely after Covid ) For someone who’s had serious power since 2011 !
He’s a billionaire
So in over a decade as the value has gone up and he’s taken a salary he’s invested only 300 million .
In my last post, I mentioned the most unusual thing about AFC are the bloated tickets and merchandise, while the usual result, usual tactics, usual boring boring endless passes (till some opponent infuses life in the game by snatching the ball), usual remarks in the press conference, usual statements by the apologists defending him and the usual optimism of how we can win the tie at the Netherlands.
As for Dan’s post, money is needed to finance lubricative wages for Gabby J, Kai and pay CFC huge amounts to tempt them to sell us their flops, buy GKs for a season or two, never ending LBs, pay for treatments for the perennially injured players and finally pay the manager increments for wining us the “Emirates Cup”. So quietly pay the ticket prices if you can afford or stay away if you cannot.
Dan Smith,
Very good article Now for my take on the subject.
For me it’s blatantly obvious that the club or it’s owners don’t care one jot about the fans. They go on and on about how they love the fans and that we feel so connected to them. What a load of hogwash.
Get some thing completely straight in your minds people. The only thing the owners and the club love about the fans is their money, and how soon they can part you with it.
The tickets are extortunate, the merchandise is way over priced to. Food and drinks inside the stadium are so expensive, in fact every aspect of your time spent at the club fans must leave the ground feeling like they’ve just been mugged half the time.
Have you seen the latest scam the club have come up with, there now selling China plates and cups amongst other China items with Arsenal emblems and patterns. And check out the prices🤦♂️.
Now I used to be a regular both at Highbury and the Emirates. But I always felt that I should have had some writing across my forehead with the word Mug written on it. Because lets face it that’s what we are, or I was until I finally woke up to how manipulated I was being treated by a club that professes to love the fans.
Now I know that there will be people who don’t mind paying the prices for whatever it is they buy. But please lets not get taken in for one minute that the club care about the fans, it clearly isn’t the case. As I said earlier, the only thing they care about is hearing the bleep of your cards as you swipe them for whatever it is that you purchase from them.
And until about 3 seasons ago, when I finally woke up to these fraudsters, and I include myself in this the saying goes, a fool and there money are soon parted.😉👍
Was going to mention the plates
Laugh if it wasn’t so sad
What’s sad Dan and Derek, is that you both mention it!!
My all time favourite car is the E type Jaguar – I’ve had a couple out for weekend drives, but can’t afford to buy, run or insure one, so guess what??
I also don’t need any China plates (and my wife wouldn’t let me buy one anyway) so guess what??
As a grown up adult, I have the choice to spend my money how I want on what I can afford – it sounds to me like you two need to be led around by the hand, in case your tempted to buy something you don’t need, want or can’t afford!! 😂😂😂
Ken1945,
I can’t speak for Dan, but I for one don’t need to be led around by the hand as you call it. And I wasn’t criticizing anyone who is willing to pay for whatever they buy.
All I was saying was that any fans who think that the club really have any connection to fans are kidding themselves. That’s all, and I decided to stop going because I decided I had enough of paying those kind of prices. But if you and the like are happy to part with your hard earned then more power to your elbow. 😉👍
I’m certainly connected to the club, both on and off the pitch.
Perhaps you don’t understand that, as you don’t go to the games anymore?
Things have changed at the Emirates – there is certainly a different atmosphere between the fans and the players / manager than when you were last there.
Those of us who are still lucky enough to go, do so because we want to, not because we’re mugs!!
Of course the club are looking for extra revenue, that’s the way of the world and if there are people out there who want to buy any merchandise, why do you see it as something to make fun of?
If they want to purchase items with The Arsenal emblem on it, more power to them I say.
It seems to me that you (and Dan unfortunately) are, at every opportunity, belittling the club, it’s manager, the players and the fans who don’t agree with you and what you’ve done.
You’ve made your decision, let the rest of us get on with supporting the club through thick and thin, without being called mugs etc etc 😊👍
Derek, the price of the food and drink on the concourse has nothing to do with the club, as it is Deleware North that has the contract. The club gets a small percentage of any profit Delaware North make.
The club gets 15% of the Adidas merchandise that they sell. So for the £80 adult football shirt, the club get the almighty sum of £12.
As for the price to watch The Arsenal, we’ve always been one of the dearest clubs ever since I started to go to Highbury in the mid 70’s.
You’ve already explained that to Derek HD, but it seems that he doesn’t go to the Emirates anyway.
I do understand his reluctance to buy at the prices charged when he did go however.
I make sure I have whatever refreshments I need before I set off for the match.
Ken, he’s either forgotten what I posted to him previously or he’s simply chosen to ignore it.
I can’t imagine what they’ll be asking when we make it to the semi’s😉.
I’ll make a deal
Get to the semi finals ….prices are fine ☺️
It will be a grade A, so the prices will be the same, PSV are not a grade A team, I would say it’s down to the fact we are in the last sixteen regardless of who we are playing, it could be Young Boys and the price will be the same, plus the allocation of cup games dropped as well, I had to fork out the money first, but it is what it is, and fans don’t like it, there are plenty who would take the tickets, football is a business. There use to be about sixteen of us in the 70’s all meeting up home and away games, now there are only three of us left. Football alas has changed and so have the new fans coming in
It will be a grade A, so the prices will be the same, PSV are not a grade A team, I would say it’s down to the fact we are in the last sixteen regardless of who we are playing, it could be Young Boys and the price will be the same, plus the allocation of cup games dropped as well, I had to fork out the money first, but it is what it is, and fans don’t like it, there are plenty who would take the tickets, football is a business. There use to be about sixteen of us in the 70’s all meeting up home and away games, now there are only three of us left. Football alas has changed and so have the new fans coming in
They just failed to mention at start of the season they wouldn’t try to do anything to win it
I completely agree, and I’ve refused to directly spend any money on the club for years because of it – to my mind, this attitude towards fans precedes the kroenkes takeover by a long distance, though (although I do think they were around when it really kicked in and so are a part of it). I started getting these vibes way back when they decided to move the stadium – they said it was to make us more competitive but it was always all about bringing in more money really.
If they could attract 60,000 millionaires to fill the stadium at £1000s per ticket, they obviously would. They don’t care about the longer term fans, unless they happen to have the money to pay for tickets.
Davi,
As you say we were sold the story of it would make us more competitive moving to a new stadium. But correct me if I’m wrong, as it’s turned out we were more competitive at Highbury. 😉👍
100%
Why do clubs invest in new stadia? To improve the reach of the brand.
I can say prices are extortionate
I can say merchandise is also extortionate
I can say that tv revenue is extortionate
I can say that wages are extortionate
I can also say that I hardly get to go and when I do, regardless of how much the seat costs, win, lose or draw I am filled with anticipation and a wonderful feeling of camaraderie. Singing North London Forever- together in the ground
I can say that my grandsons are now Gooners and at Christmas or for birthday presents I buy them the latest shirt or shorts. Money well spent to see their faces light up.
I’ve missed the boat in terms of actually living long enough to get anywhere near the top of the season ticket list. Even if I did could I justify the expense? Probably at the cost of not doing other things, so going regularly then becomes a matter of weighing up what matters most in amongst all the other life expenses. But if someone wants to invest in china plates then it’s their business. My boys had Arsenal pyjamas and duvet covers. Is there actually anything wrong with that?
Nobody is actually made me spend money this way. I chose to.
Nothing is wrong with that Sue
Just be nice of them to at least try and be successful
Dan, so being in the last 16 of the CL and second in the PL is “not trying” to be successful?
That’s, of course, with four first team attacking players out, two for the remainder of the season and the other two not ready until April!!
Not if your not trying to do anything more then nope
Here you go again – we’re not trying 😂
So how come we’re still second in the PL??
Have the other sixteen all given up as well?
Same with the CL – I wonder if those clubs we beat to be in the last sixteen think we’ve given up?
It seems only a certain faction of our own fanbase believe that… those who have a grudge against the owner or the manager!!
Depends
Did the other 15 clubs have injuries in attack ?
Have a manager ask for help and be ignored ?
And no being out of a title race in Feb is not successful
Dan, I suggest you look again at the table, as we’re not out of the race are we?
Depends if you generally think we are or not
I think 13 points in Feb with our attack is
being out of the title race
Bet you 500 pound we can’t win the league this season
That’s not what you said:. We are not out of the title race.
I’ll bet you £500 we’re not out of the title race.
Well no it’s opinions isn’t it ?
To be out of the title race means ( and I think you know this ) the moment where you can’t see Arsenal challenging
Reason you won’t take that bet is because we 13 points behind Liverpool and you know it’s too far , hence we are out of title race
As I said Dan, I’ll take the bet that we’re not out of the title race until we are out of the title race.
Until then, I’ll support the club 100% and wait till the end of the season to start analysing what happened.
Music to our owners ears mate lol
Let’s hope so Dan. That way, they’ll continue to pour money into the club and support the manager, whoever that might be come next season!!
‘ continue ‘ ?
Net spend is like 25 million in last three windows lol
Not talking just about nett spend on transfers Dan, what about Arteta’s contract, Havertz insane salary, the money spent on the stadium upkeep… you know mate, the extra money that you don’t want to highlight. Lol.
Not talking about transfers ?
That’s literally the one area we needed help with in January
I know you believe we are still in the title race ( only fan I heard say that ) but that literally cost us the season
Paying Arteta to be their yes man , paying wages to build a squad good enough for top 4 , improving the stadium.
Those three things don’t help in January like helping the attack would of
Indeed if we could have signed a guaranteed goal scorer who fitted into Arteta’s squad, that would have helped, hence the bid for Watkins once again.
But let’s say we put in a reported bid for any of the top strikers who were not available, but we wanted – would that be a PR stunt?
What would be the reaction if we bought a so so striker and he failed in the PL?
Can you imagine the stick that Arteta would get from that?
Out of interest Dan, what striker(s) are you talking about and what would you have paid for them, both in salary and signing on fees, as I can’t think of any single forward myself who fits the criteria you and I suggest.
I can only speak for me
I would have understood you can’t get a world class option in January ( said that at times ) so would have understood getting someone better then we have then Merino as a striker , Sterling and left backs as subs
That to be in that moment cost us the title
But what are the names of the players you believe the club could / should have signed and who were available?
What in January
Is that some kind of trick question?lol
Remember my approach is sign what is better then what we have
SueP,
I am absolutely shocked to here what you’ve done to your Grandsons. To expose there little minds to have to go and watch Arsenal.
I will be reporting this to the appropriate authority’s. 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😉👍
Yes, and my Gooner brother and I took them for a tour of the Emirates and they had the best day out of their Autumn break from school. They were 8 and 6 at the time so prime fodder to be brainwashed.
Not brainwashed SueP – educated to the highest level!!
Same with me. I no longer attend matches, buy merchandise or have subscriptions to TV channels that broadcast our games. I don’t even pay the .com to watch pre season friendlies. Arsenal receives none of my money these days.
I only have interest to be in Emirates stadium one day
Oh dear!!
The poor old manipulated fans who follow our club are so badly treated, unlike every other fan who follows a club.
What a load of hysterical nonsense this is.
Before I renew my season ticket each season, I make sure I can afford it, as most educated people would.
When I go to the ground, I decide if I want to buy any merchandise, a programme or food.
No one is forcing me to do any of the above, it’s my choice.
If it took you, Derek, up to three seasons ago before you realized that you were being asked to pay top dollar for any of the above, then more fool you!!
It’s nice to see Dan has included those who have discounted tickets as part of his article, but he fails to mention that the club doesn’t actually have to do that, as the spud and manure fans are finding out to their cost.
I wonder how Dan thinks the club will pay for the increased salary, say of Saliba, to keep him at the club? By reducing the prices of tickets, merchandising and food?
What about the cost of the world class striker he wants the club to invest in – we’re talking about a signing on fee of £85 million at least, plus a salary of at least £200,000 a week – I know, let’s reduce the amount the club charge for tickets etc that makes economic sense doesn’t it.
Trouble is, no other PL club seems to be doing that and, if we want to remain a “big club” we have to compete with the likes of city, pool, chelsea and manure.
The only way any fan is being “fleeced ” is if the club is, somehow, hiding the cost of it’s product and they are not.
We all know what the cost is for buying a ticket, shirt, programme or a hot dog – if one doesn’t want to buy it then don’t!!
Until any club has a stadium that can facilitate all it’s fans, there will always be a demand for tickets etc and people willing to pay over the odds – that’s not the Kronkies fault!!
Dan, if you were offered a season ticket tomorrow, would you buy it?
I should have added that the Kronkies are looking at increasing the capacity of the Emirates and the reported costs are enormous.
Do you see that as a good or bad thing Dan?
Maybe Ken1945,
If the owners didn’t pay our overhyped manger the third highest wages for finishing second and winning nothing, the club would have more money won’t they.
And you spout on about the cost of getting these top players, well that’s as maybe. But that being the case the club needs to be providing trophy winning teams if there charging the kind of money that they do.
It’s not “maybe” it’s a fact – one that you can’t seem to grasp.
You keep Spouting for top signings, yet gripe about the cost of tickets etc etc
Where do you think the money is coming from – the magic money tree?!
Of course Arteta shouldn’t have been given that ludicrous contract, just as Ozil, Aubameyang, Havertz and even Arsene in his last two seasons shouldn’t have, you’ll get no argument from me on that score.
Are we certain that Arteta hasn’t produced PL title winning teams? Let’s wait and see the outcome of city115 (130) charges shall we?
Of course Ken1945,
I forgot, you don’t mind the idea of getting the league by default if City get stripped of some of their titles.
If they’ve done wrong they deserve sanctions with out question. But I for one don’t want to get any titles by default. Win it on the pitch or not at all.
If someone has cheated, then it’s not by default because they broke the rules.
I would be of the same opinion if The Arsenal were found to have deliberately broken the rules, on or off the pitch.
But, of course, you deflected my point that, if city115 are found guilty, Arteta would have produced two title winning sides, only to have been cheated out of the title… would you not agree?
If city115 are found not guilty, then their record stands and Arteta would still be trophy less in the PL.
ken1945. You realize of course we just can’t have Arteta credited with being the manager of sides winning two league titles no matter what how or when. It would just somehow have to be one of the other PL clubs which finished above us – oh, wait.
Exactly BB – it will be interesting to see what punishment is received… If they are found guilty of course.
ken1945, I anticipate the lawyers and other shall we say financial interests will ultimately achieve only a relatively painless slap on the wrist of some type for city115 after exhausting appeals ending in 2029. I am hopeful for something much more substantive and of warning to other clubs though.
Our own club have a few skeletons in their closet, just because they haven’t been found out doesn’t mean the skeletons are not there.
Please enlighten me to what those skeletons are Derek, as you say we have a few in the closet.
We bought our way into the League originally. Some would say it’s unproven. Just because it’s not proven, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
Then there was the George Graham bung episode, now I know that he’s an individual, but the club we’re very secretive about the sacking of Graham. And I believe I’m right in saying that the club still did business with the dodgy Agent that was involved in the whole bung episode.
There are other’s no doubt, but if you want to look for them then go for it.
My point being really is, that yes if City are guilty of anything, then they should be dealt with in whichever way the authority’s see fit. I just say that before throwing stones at other clubs, look more closely at your own clubs history first.
Derek, there were two rumours about our promotion into Division 1. One was that, as you say, we bought are way in. The other is that we blackmailed our way in, regarding the match fixing by Man Utd and Liverpool. Neither were proved.
Regarding the club being secretive over the sacking of GG, The Arsenal, like other clubs, have a history of keeping stuff in-house.
Also, Man City have a bit of history when it comes to financial irregularities. In the first decade of the last century their manager was banned for life and most of their players were suspended for 6 months and banned from ever playing for City again.
So the two examples of “skeletons in the cupboard” are both well known to anyone who follows the club and it’s history Derek 😂😂
I was expecting something more than things that happened in the last century as well, to be honest – but did either of your “revelations” stop another club(s) from winning the league at the time?
I’m not the one who said there were skeletons in the cupboard mate, so why would I want to go searching for something that doesn’t exist? 😂
Totall agree, I have three tops, 1971 red and white, one signed by DB10 and the purple one which I still wear to games, I buy no programme, no food and no alcohol, I eat before the game with mates and a couple of beers after the game I put in the overtime to cover my ST, travel to some away games, not as much this season, this is the agreement I have with my girlfriend, none of it comes out of our budget, If I don’t go I have mates who always take them. I get offers from mates to buy my ST for the season, but I am never happy about that, if a mate of mine wants to take his kid I will happily give my ticket same as my mate next to me, it’s nice to see people get their first game.
What striker did it pay for in January ?
Our net spend in last 3 windows has barely been nothing
Dan, it didn’t pay for any striker in January, because no other club wanted to sell them?
Was that the Kronkies fault as well?
Of course, your tying to deviate from the fact that, if the club didn’t charge the prices you think are fleecing the fans, we wouldn’t have a cats chance in hell of signing any top players anyway would we?
But strikers / attackers did move in January ?
Not the top strikers we wanted though did they?
Didn’t need top strikers.
Just needed some help.
Players moved who are better then what we have
That’s why we bid £40,000,000 for Watkins, but villa wanted £60,000,000.
Then meet the valuation or move on to another target
Can I add Ken when you renewed your season ticket did they tell you they would give up half way through the season ?
No Dan, when did they tell you this?
I should have added, would you buy a season ticket if it was offered to you? one of my original questions that you failed to answer once again!!
Depends how much ?
If I knew they were giving up in January then no
For example , I have a red membership but if someone said to me a ticket is accessible for 70 pound I would say no
That’s one question answered, so when did the club tell YOU they had given up?
I believe actions speak a thousand words
If a manager asks for help and you know Saka and Jesus are out
And you do nothing …..then that’s giving up
So they didn’t tell you they’ve given up?!
At least we’ve got that one out of the way.
I assume your not going to any remaining matches (if you are able to) or even preparing to watch any then Dan?
That means you won’t be able to give a review or marks for the players as they’ve already given up in your opinion?
Never mind, I’ll try and cover for you, as I’ll be there.
Didn’t say the players or manager have given up
They have been so badly let down by the Owners and fans who defend them
Yeah enjoy mate , as long as your happy how this season is going fair play
Didn’t say I was happy, but I have said the opposite on a few occasions during the season.
What I haven’t done is blame the owner for not supporting the manager.
Nor have I claimed that the fans are being fleeced by the club.
Neither have I claimed that Arteta is / is not the reason for everything that is right or wrong at the club.
You said we are in the title race
Why would you not be happy ?
Some of the comments in this group = madness. If anyone had seen the latest financials they’d understand how important our stadium revenue is in comparison to our commercial dept. AND other rival clubs. Only United are above us. We’re also 7th in the Deloitte money league. Behind only United and City. We’ve spent close to 800 million since Arteta took over. Top players cost big fees and big wages. Our position before Arteta took over was so bad , that in 4 seasons since we could barely sell any of the squad at that time and had to let them go on a free or cancel their contracts. We were SINKING. Villa are currently at 96% revue/wage turnover atm. With PSR rules really affecting clubs spending, the only clubs that can are those who are run well and make enough money. We know City are cheating. United are the best example of not knowing how to spend it correctly. Liverpool have the best player in the world atm who’s also having his best season in 9 seasons. Fans saying we should have stayed at Highbury? Seriously? How do ya think the club would be doing at a stadium that a max capacity of 38,000? Think fans are just sore that we moved stadium and it coincided with the billionaire takeover of clubs with unlimited finances. Take away Chelsea and City and United/Pool would have been our main rivals over the years. Ifs and Buts but the talk of being at Highbury still and having £40 tickets is just nonsense. Football isn’t what it used to be. Make peace with that, get over it or move on.
All true Matt and look at the state of Old Trafford!!
The Kronkies have spent heavily on the Emirates, yet fans were moaning about that!!
“Ifs and Buts but the talk of being at Highbury still and having £40 tickets is just nonsense. Football isn’t what it used to be. Make peace with that, get over it or move on.”
In all honesty, you are absolutely correct. I’m liking the sport less and less over the years but it’s a global thing, not just an arsenal thing. The sport is extremely popular and demand for everything keeps increasing, players become more and more valuable, and therefore highly paid, and it has degraded the sport in my eyes. At some point I’m sure I will move on.
Aside from that, as an arsenal fan, you can surely criticise how they’ve chosen to spend the money they’ve taken in – silly contracts for less than brilliant players, buying out contracts, spending crazy money to build an unbalanced squad. I think there are reasonably criticisms to be made from that perspective. If they’re going to keep increasing the revenue, surely they could use it more effectively.
Ken, sorry if you feel I’m disrespecting you but your comments recently remind me of something Ancelotti said about Arsene Wegner while he was managing Chelsea, something along the lines that Wegner was always jealousy putting a telescope through other people’s windows rather than getting his own house in order. It probably got lost in translation, but similarly you appear overly obsessed with Manure. Yes, I dislike them as much as you do and am revelling in watching their current woes but I’m certain that they will come back and eventually haunt us Arsenal supporters once again. It’s up to those in charge at Arsenal that the club remains more than simply competitive. We have to win major trophies, hang on to our promising juniors and and remain or become a club that players will fight to join.
I think you will find it was Mourinho who made the remark about Wenger which lead to accusations of voyeurism, I may be wrong but pretty sure it was him.
Not obsessed at all Joe. S – just reminding folks how the mighty have fallen 😂
I’m one of those lucky one’s who lived through the Wenger / Ferguson era and watched how the latter had referees running scared of manure, so if it comes across as an obsession, then I apologise….but it probably is! 😂
I gave up my season ticket in 2015, had it since we moved to the Emirates, I couldn’t justify paying silly money every season just to get taken for a ride by the creepy Kroenke’s, I’d rather watch the football in the pub or at home than give my money to that lot.
Apparently there will be another increase in the ticket price for next season. This time by 3.7%
Herr Drier,
There’s a surprise. 🤦♂️
Its okay though we are mathematically in the title race
Well Dan, we will be 🙄
It won’t bother you though Derek, as you don’t go to games.
Herr Drier,
Very true. But it’s a lot of money to pay to keep watching them come up short though isn’t it.😉👍
Do you have a crystal ball Derek ?
Herr Drier,
No I don’t have a crystal Ball. I haven’t needed one for 5 years.
But if I did have one, I suppose Arteta would probably blame it for the defeat against Newcastle in the League Cup defeat. 🤣😂🤣😂🤣🤣😉👍
Yet here you are Derek, writing off the season 6 months before it’s even started 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
Herr Drier,
What are you talking about. What 6 months are you talking about. 🙄🤷♂️
The increase is for NEXT season, but you posted “it’s a lot of money to pay to keep watching them come up short”
Herr Drier,
My apologies, yes I know you are talking about next season. But what I meant was that the tickets have been expensive for some years now. And I was referring to the previous 5 years and more if we’re honest. Once again my apologies. 😉👍
Think owners making money and leaving us without a suitable attack bothers everyone?
Apart of course those happy to just be mathematically still in title race 😉
Dan,
I still think I know one of them that your referring to.😂👍
To be fair mate if someone said start of season by end of Feb Arsenal would be 13 points behind leaders would you have not been happy to be mathematically in the title race still ?
Dan,
My analogy is compared to a formula one race. You start the race and the leader is that quick he laps you, the only way you’d still be in that race is if the car in front had tire or engine problems. Other than that your out of that particular race.
That’s what were hoping happens to Liverpool, but I just can’t see there tire’s or engine blowing up anytime soon.
And in answer to your original question, no I wouldn’t be happy if by the end of Feb we were 13 points behind the leaders, certainly not. 😉👍
Are you saying that the club WON’T be buying a striker in the summer Dan ?
Of course , need to get in the top 4 for that CL revenue
Issue is this moment has passed us by
Manchester clubs and Chelsea and us start on 0 points
Who knows next time we will be in position where it’s only Liverpool to catch ?
But I posted about the increase for next season, but you’re going on about this season 🙄
Then I dont get your point
It would seem that you have a comprehension problem.
Think I did answer about next season though
So it’s a 3% rise for the Upper Tier and 5% for the Lower Tier.