Money is not the problem at Arsenal by Big Gun
There is no denying anymore that something is rotten within our club. The writing has been on the wall for some time now, some of us knew all along, others knew but rather out of respect for what Arsene has accomplished for the club, supported him for as long as possible. The rest who continue to support him after the absolute humiliation we have suffered this season (and the last few seasons to be honest) simply need their heads checked.
I read a comment from someone stating that our players simply are not to the calibre of teams like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid etc and this is why, coupled with a weak mentality we are unable to win these types of games. Spot on. But this raises an even more important question. Why do we not have quality players like them? It’s a pretty good question considering the following facts.
1.) Arsenal are rated the 7th richest club in the world, and according to Forbes the 5th most valuable. I don’t care what anyone says, if you want consistent trophies and success, you need to have the financial clout, which we certainly do have. Our squad wage bill is incredibly high. As of 2016/2017, each week it equates to 1,955,000 pounds. Believe it or not, as a comparison, Chelsea’s is 1,921,000 pounds per week, 34,000 less than Arsenal’s. These figures could have changed in the new season slightly, but the point still stands. An even more astonishing figure is that Bayern Munich’s wage bill per week, after doing the Euro to Pound conversion equates to 1,883,002 pounds, again LESS than Arsenal. Before I researched these figures, my guess would have been Arsenal would be a few hundred thousand less than both these clubs. Eye opening to say the least. If you would like to double check these figures, have a look at http://www.totalsportek.com/money/arsenal-player-salaries
2.) We were told by our beloved CEO Ivan Gazidis a few seasons ago, that by this time we would be able to go toe to toe with the best. Our new stadium and facilites would be a platform and catalyst to achieve greatness. Arsenal also charge the highest prices for tickets in England.
Taking these facts above into consideration, we should be seeing a squad BETTER than the Invincibles and we should actually be expecting silverware and top honours each season and at the very minimum achieving a semifinal in the CL and not crashing out every year in humiliation. I understand the football industry has taken unprecedented turns, and the premier league has become more competitive, but that still is no excuse. For the type of money we have backing our club, we should have the type of players that not only are on the level of the Bayern’s, Chelsea’s, Barcas etc, we should be witnessing a team that is passionate enough to FIGHT from the first whistle to the last. What I have seen the past couple of season, is the absolute opposite. Right now, Arsenal is full of overpaid, under achieving players. The performance and results speak for themselves.
So if we have all this money, why do we have such a medicore, spineless inconsistent squad? I am generalizing a bit, and to be fair there are a few players who are worth their wages. But the majority of our squad are simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH. So where is the problem then? It is no secret, Arsene Wenger is responsbile for most things Arsenal, especially squad management. He buys and sells the players, team selection, decides on tactics and formation etc etc. Since 2005, our squad has changed a lot. We have seen new players come and go. But there is one common denominator, and that is the manager. This is why the blame MUST be laid at his feet.
The only excuse Wenger can have, is that the board are not allocating him the funds to purchase top players. I think we can all agree this is absurd, because many times Gazidis has come out and stated publicly that we do have the money to buy the big names. Arsenal financials are no secret either. But yet every transfer window, we see top players who would make a welcome addition to our squad, joining other clubs and going on to win silverware. Wenger’s excuse is always ‘when the right player is available.’ I for one am sick and tired of this. For five years, we relied on a player like Giroud as our main goal scorer. No offense to the guy, he is ok, but not the type of goal scorer we have missed since RVP’s departure. Wenger has been plastering over the cracks for years.
Ultimately, Arsenal are MASSIVE club and financially CAN compete with the best clubs in the world. It is not a money issue. The issue is not even the owner or the board. Stan Kroenke might not be emotionally connected to the club like many other clubs owners, and I can see how that is a problem for us fans, but the bottom line is that every transfer season, Wenger has the finances to bring in more than one top player. In fact he has had several YEARS of being able to sign at least two world class players each year. Just imagine if since 2012 he had done so. We would actually have a squad capable of winning the premier league and CL. But here we are still sitting in 2017 with a club that has become an absolute joke to the rest of the world. You know the manager is finished when the other clubs are chanting ‘We want Wenger to stay’….
Big Gun