Vital Eboue

http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?id=635304993#/album.php?aid=59309&id=635304993 (my own hero worship)

He is totally symbolic of the malaise in quality that has swept through our team since the invincibles (although part of it, not integral) and the lack of investment in top quality talent this club has suffered from. Although a useful squad player and fairly handy to have around, that is about it and I for one prefer more from the players at my club. Feel free to slaughter me for it, I’m used to it on here now but that is my opinion and until we get players like Diaby, Denilson, Eboue and several others replaced with actual talent that has achieved something already or has some semblance of winning and experience we will continue to rely on the top teams slipping up to grab hold of their coat tails. Make no mistake, none of the above would get anywhere near Liverpool, Man Utd or Chelsea’s first 11 yet they are all over ours and we continue to be paying the highest of all in terms of tickets etc. When will we start getting treated with a little respect by the club? Wenger thinks we are foolish enough to be swayed by the media opinion (Not me sir) and I find it insulting as do many others that go to home games/season ticket holders that he thinks we are gullible/stupid enough to allow down market rags to dictate what we think.

Will people be happy t pay £1200 to watch a team of youngsters acting as our first 11 next season if we don't win anything again? Personally I don't care if we win or don't I will go regardless, but it isn't people like me the club care about........People will get tired of paying £8 for burger and chips or whatever it is and as you mentioned shewore, we will see a slight down turn in our attendances due to the lack of team investment and extortionate prices.

Will they take the VAT off next years tickets and any that will be sold afte rthe decrease this year?

I know overall it makes no difference or little difference to us financially as fans, but the gesture would mean an awful lot more. Funnily enough Im surprised that ANY club has done it!!!

I don't know Amos, but that is what Wenger said yesterday evening? IN his pre match interview. A truly strange thing for the manager to say and fairly condescending also towards our fans if he thinks that is their simple mentality...

LOL took the words out of my mouth mate.....!

No, I think you OR I may of got the wrong end of the stick. From what I gather he said "you the media must take some of the blame for the treatment that Eboue received"? (in other words) Let me go and find it and have a read again.

These are challenging times for the club and Arsene – It’s all about getting the balance right and at the moment that just isn’t happening. True supporters will never turn their back on the club, yet the club should never even seem to be turning its back on true supporters! ---- Prophetic words from another gooners article.

It always seems the same to me. Guys come on here and speak a lot of sense, but there were 10,000+ people at the ground on Saturday who were a disgrace. Unfortunately I feel these are the ones who will be renewing their ST and more and more proper supporters will not. Whether this is a financial thing or a disillusion (with football and its supporters) thing. I'm not sure how many more seasons I can put up with it. At least a few more, but who knows.

That article confirms your comments. The one I read this morning in the Metro on my way to work said he "blamed" the media for causing this situation.......? Which to me shows either shoddy reporting or poor use of the English language! Which is why I thought he blamed the media? lol I wondered what the hell you were talking about Amos?

ChaosTeaCup - Denilson and Eboue definatly not. Where would Diaby play also mate? I agree with you Liverpool are over rated. But then Wenger has been pulling that same trick about us for years. When will he see we are not stupid, we can see this team is not up to scratch. He even had the cheek to call us Arsenal fans "lucky" yesterday. Lucky for what? Supporting a big club currently steeped in mediocrity. Yes, yes I know we weren't that great (football wise) before him, but we won shed loads of trophies before he came along and if entertaining football means we are "lucky" then id rather win playing ****** and not have to pay premier prices for the privilege!

Also, arent Arsenal the only club to include Home cup games in their season tickets? I think you'll find we are. Not saying that our Season tickets aren't ridiculously expensive, but we get more games than other ST holders.

The media hasn't influenced the way I view the team the seat I sit in and my eyes have formulated that view and I’m sure most of the 40,000 or how ever many that were in there paying for the "privilege" to watch Wenger's youngsters will have formulated their own views also. To think that has anything to do with the media I think is a bit insulting to people’s ability to form their own opinions. That’s how I see it those comments. Irony or ironies discussing a media quote whilst denying media has an influence lol

Chaos, we get 6 free tickets (last count anyway) so it isn't too bad, but then you have to think well, only Spurs and Chelsea come close to us for prices. Including that it still doesn't make us cheap or averagely priced still mate.

Personally, after each embarrising mistake our players make I make various loud noises that include multiple swear words. I do not, and have never, booed the player though. It is a shame that it happened, but then it's also a shame our squad hasn't been strong enough to carry the clubs lofty expectations.

Gunnerman - Don't also forget it is Wenger that has helped those lofty expectations by claiming this squad is ready to win, but then asks for patience............go figure eh?

LG, today there are 2 or 3 articles on the official site quoting AW on various issues, incl. the whole Eboue incident, fans' current mood, etc. He does praise the media for supporting Eboue. On another point you raised re the inadequacy of our players (some of them at least) and how they wouldn't get into any of the top sides... for me the worry and frustration is that, unlike you, I DO think these kids (again, some of them at least) can become world class one day. I don't think AW is wrong in believing in their talents and skills. You seem to believe they just don't have the quality and ability. I don't agree. My criticism is that these kids are not learning and developing alongside senior, experienced players. My other criticism is that AW seems intent on building a team without a strong, commanding leader or leaders. AW says he's afraid of killing the young players if he goes out and buys experienced players -- but my fear is that by rushing these kids out too soon against the tough, demanding 38-game season of the PL, with no wiser heads playing alongside them who can guide them and discipline them, AW is doing exactly what he says he doesn't want to do: "kill" them. I wonder if Cesc would've matured into the brilliant midfielder he is today had he not learned alongside Vieira, Henry, Lauren, Ljunberg, etc. For me this is the great flaw in AW's project. I'm not saying it's impossible for these kids to somehow gel and grow up and find that grit and heart and form that they need, or improve their skills and football intelligence into eventual champions -- I'm saying that it's a huge, HUGE expectation that has given them, fraught with all kinds of risk and the very real possibility that it will fail. It's something that will take a lot longer to bear fruit than we all hoped, much longer than if he'd not shorn the team of experience. It's also highly dependent on these young players sticking around long enuf to mature into a world-beating unit. And that's the ultimate question -- will they stick around once they come good?

only true fans are on this site

Jaelle, I think the kids have quality and potential, but the players above them don't have enough. Diaby, Bendtner, Song, Denilson, Eboue, Almunia these are the palyers I mean wouldn't get any where near a decent teams starting 11, but they are all over ours jaelle?

Now back into the corner with you Johnny-Come-Lately and try and avoid sharp objects, there's a good boy eh........

that shut up Jt on ur bike kid