Nasri Sale Agreed, Where Do We Go From Here?

It's not done yet. Diaby could attempt to give him a farewell hug and snap his leg again. I think "where we go from here" is simple. Wenger needs to pull his thumb out and buy some effin players. Right now. There will not be bargains waiting for us as teams know we are in desperate straits and flush with money. That's what happens when we wait til the final ticks of the transfer window. Well done, Arsene, well done. I still believe he is the man to take us forward but my faith is wavering.

30 million in the transfer kitty, another 30+ from Cesc and 20+million from Nasri. More than £80M to spend. If we don't spend most of that money on quality players, then we're f***ed. Wenger will be f***ed. I'm actually struggling to believe that we won't spend lots of that lovely cash, but the longer this goes on the more likely it becomes.

We had little choice with Nasri refusing to sign a new contract. I say sell him to City (since they are willing to pay the stupid money) and now bullishly force the hand of teams with players that interest us. If we get beyond Udinese, all can be well again.

Your in trouble. Wilshire will be found out for the average ***** he is. You'll be battling it out for Europa... starting your season early June from now on. The sun has set on arsenals glory years.....

I have just tweeted the same sentiment Delta. We're going to have to pay over the odds for some players, but it's Wenger's fault for letting us get into this situation, he's going to have to swallow his pride this time and open that wallet extra wide. Arsenal fans have been stung by massive price hikes only to see the team capitulate and then sell most of our best players. If Wenger thinks simply saying "trust my judgment" is going to work then he has clearly lost it. In a weeks time if we haven't brought in proper quality, then this negative atmosphere he thinks Gooners have been creating is going to be nothing compared to the s*** storm heading his way.

The fact he's gone, fair enough, but it's unacceptable for it to happen at this moment. Reasonable commentators and bloggers say that we can't control all aspects of transfers as other parties introduce delays or move goalposts etc. This is ignoring a key fact - we haven't properly exerted our full influence on proceedings, because we do not have a clear and unified strategy apart from 'holding on'. It's really not good enough from a man of Wenger's intelligence to start with but he has been failed by the infrastructure around him too. With 2 key players hankering after a move, you need decisive and proactive action (which you can only take if you have a clear strategy). Arsene has done himself a disservice by waiting so long. He can say all he wants about being gazumped to players but if you move early and decisively things have a habit of happening for you and that's not been the case with us. The strategy for buying promising kids seems to work for us because its meticulous and decisive, and that's the approach we need for senior buys too. Where do we go... right now 4th would be perfect for me!

Naij it was obvious when Nasri would not sign a contract extension last winter that he would be going. In any well organized and well run club and yeas well run I say! Immediate work would have started on finding a replacement for Nasri and for that matter Cesc, replacements identified and purchased as soon as the window opened so they would be ready for the preseason and the obvious shortcomings in defense would also have been sorted at the same time. How anyone can now say that th club is well run and in good hands is beyond me. You simply do NOT sell your best players and not replace them or fix the problems that where already there and had been acknowledged by Wenger as being top priority. Where is the center half? Cahill Jagielka Samba Merts....are they all at the same level as Squid hence not a improvement?

Our site poll has changed drastically to the negative over the last hour or two.

What you all need to remember is that we will only buy super quality players. We look for value. If there were players better than what we have we would have bought them. So, by simple virtue of the fact we haven't bought anyone we know there was no one better than squillaci available. or gibbs. or anyone at all who can play as a creative central mid. Please think of the children, we don't want to kill the kids.

Relegation dogfight for Arsenal this season with this squad Im afraid.

Permission to panic wildly and scream ARSEGEDDON at the top of my lungs sir?

Permission granted Niko.

So let me get this straight - we were woefully lacking last year (punching above our weight and didn't show up in any of the so called 'BIG' games). We sell our Captain (and best midfielder in Europe on the cheap), our next most creative player in Nasri (because Wenger and Gazidis bungled his contract whilst securing Diaby, Denilson, Rosicky etc on lucrative long term deals) and our experienced left back to the same rivals who took Nasri and pipped us to 3rd place last season. (see this link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jul/12/arsenal-cesc-fabregas-samir-nasri-arsene-wenger). - and yet he tells us Alex Oxlade Chamberlain (36 caps for Soton who were 2 divisions below the Prem at the time), Campbell (Costa Rican first division who's biggest export was Paulo Wanchope), Gervinho (looked promising until getting sent off in his 1st game) and Ryo (straight out of college football in Japan) and Carl Jenkinson (8 caps at a League 1 club, and loans to lower tier clubs) are 'SUPER QUALITY', meanwhile 24 y/o WC winner and Spanish international Mata (13M when his buyout clause was active), Ashley Young (15M), Cahill (16M), Lukaku (13M rising to 17M) All this time he guffaws about the squad being 'too large' only to find himself throwing a debutant defensive midfielder against Liverpool's 80M midfield, watching him subsequently sent off leaving us with bare bones against Man Utd. So now he has a big pot of cash, no players, clearly desperate and other clubs holding us ransom on prices. Oh btw - if we go out of the ECL - we'll lose out on 20M (equivalent to the Nasri transfer) so that money is essentially 'wasted'. Good job Arsene and the board, everyone and their dog could see Cesc, Nasri and Clichy going before the summer, everyone could see Squillachi (not good enough) and Koscielny (not ready), Vermaelen (injured 95% of last season) and Djourou (inconsistent) that our defence was a shambles. Yet you WEAKEN before you STRENGTHEN. How does that make economic sense? Time to go. Thanks for everything up until 2005. When you FAILED to strengthen the Invincibles and instead broke it up and replaced quality with ***** you lost my faith, now - you've lost large swathes of the rest of the fanbase. Your decisions have been terrible, do the right thing and **** off

Heard Jose Mourinho is available. Will someone please call him.. Please.

NO. I'd take Hodgson over Mourinho. No I don't want Hodgson, I'm just sayin'.

Wenger thought the puppy eyes "one more year please lads" routine would work with both $amir and Cesc and they have mauled the poor kitty to death. What an abject failure this summer has been, from ticket price hikes to squad building it has been a complete disaster.

Frimpong merrily on high, the midfield balls need winning, frimpong merrily on high, the midfield balls need winning, Tra la la la la la, Tra la la la la la, Tra la la la la la, Tra la la Whose gonna get a round in?

Wenger: ‘We’ll replace (Cesc) internally. With Ramsey, Wilshere + new boys Chamberlain 18, Miyaichi, 18. We’re like the nursery of Europe’

GunnaBlazing - City tried to sign Nasri from Marseille when he was 18 years of age, alas they could not afford him and along came a club with deeper pockets called Arsenal F.C. and snapped him up.

What an incredibly depressing state of affairs!!!.Wenger promised at the tail end of last season when his team imploded so spectacularly that he was going to have "A Busy Summer".How accurate he was.We have proceeded this summer to lose probably the most creative attacking midfielder in Europe,a few average squad players who at least make up the numbers,and now possibly one of the most promising playmakers in Europe in $amir. My point is,Wenger and Gazidis must have had a reasonable clue all summer that they were fighting a losing war with our two best players and yet did absolutely sod all about it.Instead they kept telling the fans that this whole transfer wheeling and dealing was not at plain sailing as the Chavs and Mancs would make us believe.Fast forward to 8 days till the window closes and by my reckoning we are at least 5 quality experienced players short,lost to an average Pool side and have to endure a frankly unnecessary,anxious 90 minutes or more against a fired up Udinese side tomorrow night. Absolutely effing unacceptable That!!!!!!!!!!! I think its high time Wenger realised he's taken the paying fans for nincompoops for too long and started taking some responsibility,starting by getting into the CL proper AT ALL COSTS and signing Cahill,Hazard and Schweingsteigger and a real poacher for when RVP inevitably gets injured.All this in 7 days is cutting it a bit fine but The AFC board really have no choice if they want to avoid a MUTINY of sorts at our beloved club.

Welcome aboard GHgooner! Well I say welcome aboard but we've already lowered the lifeboats so you're the last man on deck along with the band, so at least it'll be a musical send off, ah I hear their mournful strains now in the cool night air, 'the wonder of you' if I'm not mistaken.

Lol Rocky, I despair.....this is some serious car crash stuff.

The Russian has no say in this smithdj74, it's stay away Stan that hold's all the cards. He, only few months ago invested hevely in the club and if he is not crapping him self when his investment is rapidly loosing value then I don't know what. I hope and pray that the Russian gets a few more shares to lift him above the 30% that way he can prevent the Yank from loading his own depth on the club.

Nikolaijns.Thanks mate.A bit of humour at such a depressing time can only make the situation slightly more bearable one suspects.

Just got fined 30k for the fracas at St James Pk.

if anybody asks if we are a big club they should state the criteria they wish to use to judge. How many european cups do we have as a football club? What are we valued at? I actually think this is good for the club in a way. If any player wants to jump ship, this is a good time, what are we left with when those who love the money are gone? Only players who want to stay at arsenal. SO let me ask you is that not what we desires as fans. to see a player give his absolute best on the pitch? A player who doesn't constantly court another club? We can not say the club has not re-invested into the club because there have been no marque signing. The last marque signing arsenal made was in 1995. So the question really boils down to tradition or trend which should we follow? as fans which would we accept? C'mon Arsenal!

i am totally convinced that there must be an underlying reason that the club has been so inactive in the transfer window, either money is a major problem,which is doubtfull ginen the fees recieved for our outgoing players or le prof is keeping us all in suspenders, and is waiting for the last day of the window to announce the signings of 2 world class midfielders, 2 world class defenders, and the shock transfer of messi just so he can say at the press conference " i told you all to trust me " whoops sorry, ive just wokenup and realised ive been sleep typing zzzzzzzzzzz

It looks things can only get worse, from here. Even IF Wenger brings in reinforcements (and thats a big IF), they will take time to settle in. We're talking about too many replacements. This season looks like the end of Champions League football for the club. I hope to be proven wrong, but I see very little action from the club and Wenger to rectify things. Trying hard is not a good enough explanation - if I said that in my job but did not show the results year after year, I'd be fired.

Difference being in your dark days there wasn't some numpty sheikh giving you untold millions he's given us almost as much as he has you lot lol, 72 million and counting. I know it looks like you're poaching our players and despite him being a mercenary ingrate judas he's the only player I regret selling you. Toure was over the hill, Adebyewhore a walking nightmare and clichy a perma accident waiting to happen. If what we are left with are the players that want to be at the club then that's a start. Nasri will stick around a year or two then agitate just as Tevez and any other player you flung silly money at that has no love for you will. You've paid 25 mill for a player that wanted to go to utd, you'll excuse me if rather pointless congrats aren't forthcoming.

In fact cityman call the sheikh and tell him let's round it up to a nice round 100 mill and we'll throw in Gunnersaurus.

As a selling club, how much for Wiltshire as Mancini says he wants one more?

LMFAO

Once again the timing could not have been worse. I struggle to imagine a more inept pair of transfer deals than we've just witnessed, and can only conclude there is a power struggle going on upstairs. Well have to see where we are when the smoke clears.

Hopefully the Fifa financial fair play, will stop the crazy development in wages and transfer fees, ruined by the likes of *****ty, Chelski and Circus Real.

My money is still on for you lot to get 4th again. Maybe i've got it wrong somewhere down the line but don't most ex-Arsenal players flop when they leave Arsenal?

Damiano-tomassi - that's not true at all. The majority of money coming into football clubs these days is from television rights, sponsorship and merchandising. The fans, even at huge (and hugely expensive) grounds like the Emirates make only a small contribution to the overall revenues of the clubs. And nerdkrap - £30m for Ferdinand, £30.5m for berbatov, £18m for DeGea - who started the circus mate? Enjoy your new £40m training kit sponsorship.

The circus of spending beyond your means? Not us mate ;) We spent big but we spent what we earned a massive contrast to the willy nilly care free spending of yourselves and Chelsea.

Thanks for the figures Amos, saves me looking them up! TFNo7 - United, right? - you spent what you earned a few years ago; nowadays you're spending the bank's money, aren't you (I'm asking, not telling)? Does the debt worry you at all? Or the FFP rules?

Then there's more sponsorships being announced which means more money* & I've never been for nor against them as we've still enjoyed massive success under them despite the debt*

Not a clue damiano_tommassi to be perfectly honest. What they do with the money is pure speculation, some reckon we're going to go on a mad spending spree, some reckon the Glazers will take the money and do what they want with it whilst other reckon they'll do the smart thing and clear the debt. By clearing they debt they can take some of the profits we generate each year without having to worry about paying back debt and then pump that into their NFL team, as long as they don't take crippling or excessive amounts that prevent the club developing I'm not too bothered. I share the same opinion as you when it comes to wealthy owners buying sports teams. You wouldn't catch me moaning though in the event the Qatari Royal Family do buy our club.

Bluedub, post FFP regulations are implemented, you can be sure of your ticket prices increasing as well. Your current stadium matchday collections are very low and can go only one way - up. City are fortunate to have a subsidy funded stadium and now a sugar daddy who sees the club as a vehicle to promote his country. Not all clubs are that 'lucky' so get off your high horse about ticket prices. We built our stadium through our own money, sponsorships and debt. We live in the real world unlike some clubs.

Delta, I do believe that it's you that is on a high horse when it comes to City. The game is a working man's game, these clubs would be nothing without the hard earned of the local communities making them what they are today. Arsenal's ticketing policy is a disgrace when this is taken into account. I can't believe you would try to defend this.

Have you looked at the revenue growth City have secured since the ADUG takeover Amos? It's set to grow and grow.

Fifthcolumn blue has a very valid point. Your meltdown is actully entirely down to yourselves. You have needed to strengthen with proven players for at least two years and not putting Nasri on a long term contract was just plain daft. Be fair the major issue is why you are not splashing cash on good players. You have had weeks to decide on Cahill or Danns or Jagielka but seem unable to make a decision. The majority of Gooners want signings to happen so it is a bit rich if you criticise City for doing what you all know you should be doing.

Errr...when exactly did anyone say that our current situation is City's doing. Thats just a way to divert attention from the topics under discussion because frankly you dont have much to say on the points I raised. Bluedub, our ticket prices are high and could do with reduction. Having said that, when a club has to take charge of its own finances because none are forthcoming from a benefactor. With our main sponsorship deals like kit sponsorship, shirt sponsor and stadium rights are on very low yield because of the fund requirement for our new stadium, the club will be forced to look into other avenues like matchday revenues. City obviously have no constraints there being used to getting either British public money or gulf petro dollars.

"ADUG is a private equity firm Delta. Etihad is the national airline of a state. Etihad is also not the only massive sponsorship deal that City have signed since ADUG took over."

ADUG is a Private Equity firm owned by Shaikh Mansour who in turn is the half brother of the ruler of not only Abu Dhabi but the UAE as well. A normal PE firm has a minority contribution from the fund manager of 2-5% of the corpus of the fund but the rest of the money is from external investors. In ADUG's case the money is from one client - the ruling family of UAE who own the natural resources of the state so in essence it is more a sovereign wealth fund than a PE firm. A PE firm chases return on investment obsessively while sovereign wealth funds can make 'strategic' investments to raise national prestige or protect national interests. The investment into Manchester City falls into the second category of raising national prestige for Abu Dhabi. Secondly, Etihad is the national airline not of a state (UAE) but an Emirate (Abu Dhabi). Also, Etihad is 100% owned by Sheikh Mansour's brother. Is a brother a related party? I dont know, you tell me.

Ha ha, get your knickers out of that twist Delta. Let's wait and see what UEFA has to say about it shall we? I suspect you're going to be a very disappointed boy.

I wont be dissapointed either way Bluedub and hey dont get your panties in a bunch worrying about the investigation either.

I'm not worried in the slightest considering City have consulted with UEFA every step of the way to ensure everything is above board. Not to mention the benchmarks out there, especially in Germany where there is conflicting interest examples in abundance as well as the likes of U*d getting more for their training top sponsor than what Arsenal have for their main shirt sponsor, I'm sorry but what the ***** were Arsenal thinking when they signed that deal with Emirates? Anyhoo, good luck tonight, genuinely do hope you go through.

Cheers Bluedub; we really need to get through tonight to turn things around quickly.

Well Bluedub some newly minted people do have 'let them eat cake' kind of attitude towards others so let me explain the Emirates deal. Emirates airline is not owned by the brother of our owner so the transaction was done according to the forces of demand and supply. In 2004, the football sponsorship market was nowhere as big as it was today and the deals were done with money coming per year and not in a lumpsum that we required for stadium construction. Emirates agreed to give a lumpsum of 100 million pounds (then a British record sum, now just the till 2021. Not in a position to generate competition with a rival sponsor who could contribute 100 million pounds in one go, we agreed. It may shock you but normal clubs who live by their own means tend to do things this way. Secondly, you did not "consult with UEFA every step of the way" before finalising the sponsorship deal otherwise they wouldn't even bother investigating the deal.

contrary to most of the views here, i believe we maybe heading towards the right direction. we had been dubbed the next best attacking team after barca for years & yet, what did we achieve? there were teams that built from the strength of their defense & they did quite well all these years compared to us, namely chelsea & mu. even inter won the cl through their defensive strength. remember how mourinho played 2 holding midfielders i.e. essien and makelele with lampard and let the natural wingers do the attacking job? if rumours were to be believed, there is a possibility that we could get m'vila who is a dm. then, we would have 3 dm rotating for 2 slots in 4-5-1 formation; song, frimpong & m'vila, playing with wilshere or ramsey or diaby. alternatively, both wilshere & ramsey or diaby could play with one holding dm. i definitely believe wilshere & ramsey are better defensively compared to fab, nasri, rosicky from the middle. with such formation, we would well be ditching our possession tactic & opt for a more efficient one and also rely more on quick counter attack through the flanks instead of being tippy tappy. didn't we demand for these in the last few years? perhaps if we get hazard, we are capable of some sexy football too and at the same time assured that there is a solid shield of 2 very strong dm sitting in front of the back four

Delta, we did consult with UEFA lawyers, probably not on exact figures but there was a consultation process. The fact that they said they are investigating is simply a measure to appease as it was clearly stated when the FFP regulations were published that deals of this nature would be investigated.

Anything to make the playing field more fair, even and sporting is welcome with me. I do wonder how the FFP rules will work when you consider the way that Real and Barca run their clubs...

Yes; yes I was. It doesn't seem right for different rules to exist in different countries in that way. And it wasn't "thanks to a loophole in the system could sign with Arsenal" - they could sign with any club in England (possible other countries too) - it's not an Arsenal deal! It's also illegal to tap-up players, but do we think it happens? Shall we ask Samir Nasri?

Ah, so if Uefa find nothing wrong with the Etihad spnsorship deal it will be because they lack integrity - not because the deal is acceptable. GRIEF!

Fifth, if it's investigated and cleared, then fair play. We've no reason to assume any impropriaty on UEFA's behalf - especially as they haven't even finished their investigation yet!

If it's investigated and cleared, then UEFA owe every club some clarity and will need to disclose the basis for reaching such a decision as there are a fair few clubs who are able circumvent the rules as well and only held back because they took those fellows more seriously. Like I said, I don't expect much to change because the Abu Dahbi group is very formidable politically and money still has power.

Lads if you do not think your team is in meltdown you are in denial. You haven't won anything for years, every time you get near silverware you choke (Carling Cup the most glaring example), you lose your best to players and your manager admits that if this were to happen you couldn't t regard yourself as a big club, your signings are average to say the least and do not address what evryone can see you need - an imposing centre half, another left back, a real goal scorer and a goalkeeper and no Samir has fone a creative midfielder. In addition your side is so dipirited it gets involved in melees, has two players sent off in two games and has a manager that is so arrogant that he repeatedly gets sent to the stand. Furthermore there appears to be n leaders in the Board room, in the administration or in the team. Finally you have only seven days to determine a transfer policy when to date you have shown a total inabilirt yo make decisions. And that is just for starters!! PS You might well go out of the Champions eague before the group stage because you failed to buy last year. Meltdown is a kind word for the malaise at Arsenal.

Your portrayal of your start to the season - now that is denial - and just think if you lose tonight it will be only two defeats all season!

Willy, you little troll, you probably started supporting City in the last year or two at the most. No way you every went to Maine Road or to Eastlands and you think you know our club? The other City fans here atleast can be heard out because they were here as supporters before your Sheikh elevated you from plain mediocrity but we dont have time for plastic mancs.

Oh yeah willy apt name that. Anyone can claim that they started supporting a club whenever, this is the internet and you are a keyboard warrior. What gives you away is that if you really started watching City even as a 10 year old in 1955 it would mean you are 66 years old now and for a geriatric old fart you are quite a troll. Less trolling and more viagra may keep you less frustrated.

lol willy you miserable old coffin dodger don't take it out on us cos the nurse shouted at you for fouling the bed again. @ markmcfc just cos we rip you blind (72 mill lol candy from Abu Dhabi pffft - maybe Mansour will offer 50 mill for Abou Diaby because well it sounds like Abu Dhabi and remind sheikh of great times in palatial motherland?) for our cast offs doesn't mean to say all clubs operate that way ye dig? We want hungry passionate footballers not bored avararicious millionaire oil wh0re puppets. Thanks for thinking of us though.

I hope we get them trams too bcm. Who's bragging btw? We're just enjoying the ride.:)

Santa Cruz was never popular DT. Vast majority of City fans were *****ed off by Hughes pursuit of him. Stephen Ireland let his one good season go to his head and didn't have the right work ethic, his falling out of favour at City was of his own doing, what has he done since? What quality players have had their career ruined by City?

I thought Ireland had come through the youth team, ended one season as player of the year, and was somehwere else the next season; as opposed to getting all 'big-time Charlie' - is that not how it happened? He's done nothing since, but how could he? It's like us flogging Ashley Cole to Watford after his first good season; not famous enough at the time for a big club to take him on, you need your home club to look after you. Runed careers? Obviously I use the word "ruined" playfully, but in some cases it's not far off the mark. people with big futures discarded in favour of big names. Wayne Bridge... SWP (second time around)... Micah Richards... Bellamy... Shay Given (seriously, ZERO appearances last year??)... Adebayor (thanks for that one, BTW!)... Corluka... Distin...

Watford are a decent club... hopefully no-one will get too upset! So did Ireland stay beyond pre-season, did he actual get to play for you 'properly' following his POTYear? Bridge - money, but still ruined. SWP - Chelsea definitely played the bigger part, yeah! Richards semeed to be the next big thing five years ago and go off the boil. Will he be your RB this year - is there anyone in front of him (with a foreign name and massive transfer fee)? Did Boateng go back to germany? bellamy always was a mouthy **************... People were whining just last night that we should have bought Given - as if he's any better than WS (Hehehe: Watford Villa...). Ade's another Bellamy... I think the best club for ruining footballers has to be Everton, historically - but Chelsea and City are getting there! i think it's down to the immediacy of money - clubs with money are expected, almost forced to keep buying. Left-back has a bad month? but another. nad it forces people to leave who might otherwise have got a chance. Akin to the old 'too many foreigners so young English players don't play' - isn't that what appened with Micah? First choice, Corluka turned up, and he had to wait for his chance again?

Ireland was still there for another season after his POTY, the season in which Mancini came in halfway through for Hughes, he had already fallen out of favour with Hughes (because of his attitude) before Mancini came in. Bridge his own doing surely, no? Micah featured regularly when Sven brought Corluka in, he was used at CB a bit that season too but he did seem to go off the boil when Hughes took over, since Mancini has come in he's got Richards back to his best. He will be first choice RB just as he was for the majority of last season and yes Boateng went to Bayern. Obviously some players are going to lose out when the club is in a position to bring in quality players to compete for places. All part of the transition which is more or less done now, this type of transfer activity won't continue now, well at least I don't believe it will.

That's what I'm hoping with City over the next 4-5 years that we will see the young players that are being brought into our Academy develop into first teamers. We seem to be buying a lot of foreign kids at the moment, something similar to Arsenal's model it seems. The Sheikh emphasised the importance of a good youth academy when he first took over so hopefully he stays true to his word because what we are doing now in the transfer Market is obviously not sustainable long term. I feel for Everton, they are a good club in a sorry situation but you're right they have produced some good youngsters over the past few years through necessity. I'd like them even more if they didn't keep taking all three points off us everytime we played them.

Recommend you go on the Man City official site and then press the city tv tab (its free - City look after their supporters) There are two interviews with that great player Samir Nasro who really pans the Arsenal fans and explains why he wants to join a club that will win things. A good watch is guarenteed you desperate Gooners.

I disagree we have bought class and it is Arsenal that can't buy class... that is your problem in a nutshell. By the way I am very classy as well.

Wayne Bridge? Big future? LMFAO! Perhaps as a backing singer in the Saturdays. SWP is just not good enough anymore sadly, and he has been given the option to leave if he wants to - but has also been given the option to stay. Micah Richards is our first choice RB, don't know how that's ruined his career? Bellamy's gob and dodgy knees ruined his career, why do you think the man has ever only stayed about 18months at any particular club? Shay Given chose to stay when he could have forced a move in January - Joe Hart (remember him? England's No1?) ruined his career, not us. I don't even need to mention Adebayor, as you have first hand experience of what a pratt he is. Corlucka? Nope, he ruined his own career by choosing to go to Spuds, home of the twelvty million mediocre right backs. Distin left for Pompey, his choice, not ours. So sorry mate, your argument falls flat on each and every one of the points you've tried to raise. Perhaps you'd like to suggest Michael Johnson (as one of your ever so knowledgeable posters on the forums has done) as an example of Big Bad City ruining people's careers, despite the fact that we retained him for over three seasons in which he suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament amongst other serious injuries. Can I ask a favour - if you are going to spout nonsense about other people's clubs, why don't you restrict yourself to Spurs? At least some of it might be true.

FCB I just love your comments hehehe

Wswilly3; who's desperate for what, now? Eh? "You in all lklihood will be bottom of the league" based on... not finsihing lower than fourth for a thousand years? "a manager that cannot bear to spend any money on established players" - like Ajax captain Vermaelen/Russia captain Arshavin/French league winner Gervinho? Not sure what you're getting at. There's a difference between 'telling the truth' and being deliberately obnoxious; for example, you could have said "have you read the nasri quotes?" without labelling all Arsenal fans desperate, as you did. That difference is class. It doesn't make it truth simply because you want to believ eit's true! I'm not desperate, concerned or fearful for this season; I can't wait to watch it all unfold. So it's not truth, mate, it's just a word you've thrown out there and applied to every Arsenal fan indiscriminately.

Cheers Willy.

Hoping for a good game on Sunday, whichever way it goes. And we have done better recently in the bigger games, so you never know...