Feature: Ambrose James Quashie - 'The trials and tribulations of a disaffected Arsenal fan'

I was asked by the venerable Faisal Khan to put down a few thoughts about my beloved Arsenal and when I started I couldn’t stop, so here goes…

The first Arsenal match I went to was ironically George Graham's last as manager - a soporific 1-1 draw against Leicester at Highbury where Ian Selley broke his leg. Those were the days when you could get a ticket as a Junior Gunner for £5 (more on ticket pricing later).
 
Those were also the days when Arsenal were as parsimonious in the transfer market as they are now: refusing to pay Chris Sutton £10k a week before he ended up at Blackburn; losing out on the likes of Andy Sinton (probably no big loss); and going further back, Tony Cottee.  So financial caution at the ‘Bank of England club’ is certainly not a phenomenon confined to the Wenger era.
 
However, I am by no means a Wenger apologist.  I believe the man has flaws that mean the option of sacking him should be very firmly on the table just like it was for the Monaco board in 1994.
 
And let's look at Wenger's time at Monaco. He took charge of a team that was to be in the shadow of a powerhouse in Marseille, which boasted great players in the shape of Boli, Deschamps and Desailly, and won the Champions League in 1993, the first and only French side to do so (ok, under nefarious circumstances, thanks to Monsieur Tapie, I accept).

Wenger was adept at bringing in high calibre players such as Weah, Hoddle, Hateley and Klinsmann, and giving them the platform to perform at the highest level. The zenith of this philosophy was a French title in his first season in charge (1988), a French Cup and a Champions League semi final.  Then Monaco’s fortunes declined seeing them drop to 9^th place in the 1993/94 Ligue 1 standings, after finishing runners up in each of the previous three seasons.  Sound familiar?  Wenger was sacked by Monaco (and, no, I don’t think that sacking Wenger would eventually lead to Arsenal being relegated to the Championship as Monaco have been to Ligue 2), moved to Japan before ending up a club in North London, and the rest is history.
 
Or is it?  The fact is that in the here and now, despite his fantastic achievements (which I by no means wish to denigrate), Wenger is presiding over the decline, on the playing side at least, of a great club.
 
Gone are the quality players that drove us to unprecedented success in the late 90s and early 00s, replaced by players developed in the petri dish that is the Colney Crèche (shout out to Myles Palmer for that phrase).
 
Wenger had a dream like MLK.  But while MLK dreamt of a society of racial and social equality, Wenger's dream was a football world of financial equality (albeit in an Orwellian Animal Farm sense) free from the 'financial doping' of Russian oligarchs and Arab sheikhs.  But, alas as we've seen over the past few years and weeks, both society and the football world remain very much unequal.  
 
Wenger's response to this increasing football inequality, a response which was also largely influenced by the financial pressures of moving to the Emirates, was to adopt a philosophy to pluck young players from clubs all over the world and indoctrinate them into the Arsenal way.  This, according to the theory, would help them to develop a strong love for the club ensuring commitment lasting throughout the best years of their careers.  As the past few summers have shown it hasn't quite worked out that way with players jumping ship before they'd reached their peak, most brutally illustrated last year by Messrs Fabregas and Nasri.
 
So why has this happened? Why has the Wenger philosophy, in my opinion, proven to be fatally flawed? 

Well, firstly because most of these players had no inherent love or desire to play for Arsenal in the first place. They were attracted to the club due to the fact they were paid more than any club at that time would have been prepared to offer them and there was the promise of a fast track to first team football.  However, like most footballers, they were driven by a desire for success, the type of success that isn't demonstrated by finishing in the top four every season but by winning trophies.  So is it any surprise that when the so called bigger clubs come calling the factors that motivated them to leave, in many cases, their home town clubs to come to Arsenal are the same factors that motivate their desire to leave the club?  Any love they may have developed for Arsenal is greatly overridden by these factors.
 
Secondly, because of a significant lack of experience in certain areas of the team.  The young players haven’t been given the right platform to express themselves due to there not being enough experienced players to guide them through tough moments in games and seasons.  Done away with were the likes of Vieira, Pires, Henry, Campbell and Gilberto before their time had come; players who knew what it took to live up to the expectations of playing for Arsenal (taught to them by the likes of Adams, Bould, Keown et al.) and could have imparted their considerable experience on our young players.
 
Alan Hansen once famously opined that you never win anything with kids, in reference to the Man Utd title winning side of 1995/96.  And you know what, he was absolutely right.  Because while that team had young players like Beckham, Scholes, Giggs et al., they also had experienced warriors like Cantona, Pallister, Bruce, Irwin and Schmeichel.
 
Wenger clearly didn't learn this lesson.  But to compound his error he over invested in remunerating these young players, before they’d proven themselves, so we're now in a situation where the likes of (the perennially injured) Diaby and (the perennially underachieving) Walcott are earning £60k a week, further limiting our ability to be competitive in the transfer market.
 
So when I see our team shorn of its experienced quality, replaced by handsomely rewarded and pampered youngsters who show no sign of delivering the goods, I despair.
 
I also despair because there was another dream.  A dream that the move to a new stadium would give Arsenal the financial clout to buy the very best players, thereby putting us in the upper echelon of world football.  But the reality has been very different.  Continuous bargain basement shopping (Park and Chamakh spring to mind) while Arsenal charge Harrods ticket prices.  And that's the difference between the old and new age Arsenal parsimony.  In the old age, the fans were not as financially fleeced (going back to my £5 Junior Gunner ticket price, approximately £8 in today’s money) as they are in the new age (to maintain the comparison, Junior Gunner tickets now cost at least £14).
 
Last summer was the final straw for me. Ticket prices went up by 6.5%, significantly above both CPI and RPI inflation, and we sold arguably our two best players for circa £60m with no commensurate re-investment in the squad.
 
So my response is to vote with my feet.  I refuse to pay money to watch Arsenal (ok, I still pay my Sky subscription) or purchase any merchandise.  And this boycott will continue until I see investment on a level that befits a club of our status.  Does that make me a 'fair weather' supporter as some people would claim?  No, I reject that charge ferociously.  I'm simply a long standing supporter who loves his club, still a Junior Gunner at heart, but has become disillusioned with the direction my club is taking and feel that this stance is the only way I can make my little voice heard.

I could write more about what (and who) exactly needs to change but I think I’ve gone on for long enough, so that’s a debate that will need to be deferred to another time (another blog, perhaps).

Anyway, it's been a blast doing this guest blog and I hope my views hold some resonance with some of you. If not, I still thank you for taking the time to read my, probably, incoherent ramblings.  Peace out.

It's time to face the music...

There’s a lot on my mind today so I’m diving straight in:

Swansea…

As predicted, a very tough game. Perhaps one we could have taken a point from but ultimately, we got what we deserved and were beaten by the better side on the day. Nevertheless, it’s hard not to analyse our own shortcomings. RVP (who else) put us ahead after just five minutes with a super finish. A great start which should have seen us kick on and step up the gears. Instead, we were harshly penalised when Ramsey was caught by Dyer in our box. At 1-1, we had chances but yet again our inability to take chances and kill off games came back to haunt us as Swansea took the lead. A misplaced pass from the knackered Ramsey picked up by Dyer who smashed in from just outside the box. All of a sudden the Swans grew in confidence, passed the ball about magnificently and bossed possession. Somehow we got ourselves back in the game at 2-2 with Walcott finishing like we know he can (frustrating that he’s so inconsistent), only to shoot ourselves in the foot immediately after. 45 seconds from the restart, Graham was played into a huge gap down our left side and he coolly slotted home to beat the onrushing Szczesny. Game over. Arsene was refreshingly honest in his post-match interview, not blaming the pitch or the weather – he was graceful in defeat and was clearly annoyed with our lack of concentration and killer instinct. In fairness, it’s hard not to be annoyed by the penalty decision but this is football.

Injuries and Squad Depth…

It is almost unbelievable that we are missing all four full-backs (Gibbs, Santos, Sagna & Jenkinson) and both of the makeshift full-backs (Vermaelen & Coquelin) all at the same time. Some fans are blaming Arsene (how, why, I don’t know) and are also annoyed that he’s not buying replacements. Premier League rules stipulate that we can have only a 25-man squad – which doesn’t really allow for more than 4 full-backs and what do we do if they’re all fit (Gibbs excluded!)? Incidentally, the absence of our regular full-backs have no doubt had a detrimental impact on our game. It’s no coincidence that Theo, Gervinho and Arshavin have looked ineffective on the flanks as the threat they pose depends firmly on the ability of our full-backs driving up the pitch as support mechanisms. This just hasn’t happened with Coquelin, Vermaelen and Miquel (who looks a good player every time I see him), leaving our wingers to play much deeper and thus less productive.

Looking at the squad as a whole, I can’t help but think (with the beauty of hindsight) that it’s obviously not a championship winning squad but for the first time this season, may struggle for a top-4 finish. There are several players who simply won’t/can’t play, for whatever reason; Almunia, Mannone, Squillaci, Chamakh, Park, Rosicky, Benayoun, Diaby & Arshavin. Nine players taking up valuable places in the 25-man squad who have 15 Premier League starts this season between them. Consequently, there has been clear over-reliance on the 15-16 remaining players leading to fatigue, both mentally and physically. An example of this would be Aaron Ramsey. I’ve heard some scathing criticism of his form and it upsets me. The boy is 21 years old, in his first full season since his horrific leg-break and is clearly knackered. With Mikel Arteta now out and Jack Wilshere yet to kick a ball, it doesn’t look like Rambo will get his much-needed rest anytime soon.

So, what now? It’s obvious that our first team could do with a little tweak here and there (nothing drastic) but having thought carefully of the ‘deadwood’ above, you can’t help but wish for some investment in our squad. Which brings me quite nicely on to Finances…

£££’s…

If I had a pound for every time I’ve heard an Arsenal fan ask, ‘why don’t we spend some fucking money’, I would have bought White Hart Lane and had it destroyed by now. I suppose I’m fortunate enough to be an Accountant, so perhaps I understand the financial statements a little better than most but let me explain a few things to those who don’t:

• According to the club’s official ‘Statement of Accounts and Annual Report 2010/11’, we reported a net debt of £97.8m in 2011, down from £135.6m in 2010.
• Arsenal FC has a healthy cash balance, but cash balances and cash to spend are not the same thing.
• People point to Arsenal’s net transfer profit in recent seasons, claiming it’s bad to do so while our rivals continue to make transfer losses. This is both stupid and irrelevant – there is money to spend on transfers and wages but our wage bill is HUGE, the fourth largest in the Premier League in fact. If anything is worth criticizing, it’s this.. our insane wages for a squad with only one or two true superstars.
• Fans forget we do actually buy players; Gervinho, The Ox, Arteta, Mertesacker, Park – though you would be forgiven for questioning why we didn’t address our problem areas sufficiently.
• Match-day revenue which includes all those over-priced, yet delicious, pies, was £93.1m whilst wages for the same period came in at £124.4m (i.e. we spend more than we make excluding sponsorship and player transfers) and the gap will only get bigger as wages increase year on year.
• Profits from our property venture have been lower than forecasted due to the adverse economic climate.

Basically, what I’m trying to tell you, is that the money just isn’t there. We need to balance the books and Arsene can only spend within his means. There is no point asking for an overhaul or endlessly seeking that super-star who we (including Arsene) all crave. We have reduced our debt substantially since the move from Highbury and we will reap the rewards very soon.

United…

And finally, looking forward to Sunday (or not in my case). Of course, I’m excited that the Champions are coming to town and that on paper, it’s a mouth-watering clash. Memories of Vieira/Keane, Wright/Schmeichel, Keown/Van Nistelrooy, Henry/Bartez, and Wiltord at OT fill my mind with joy. The prospect of Nani/Rooney/ Valencia & co attacking a team crippled by injuries, low in confidence and on the back of two straight defeats fills me with fear. Heart says 2-1 home win, head says 3-1 MUFC.

Whatever happens, and it all boils down to this, get behind your fucking team on Sunday. Show the players and the rest of the world how much it means to wear that cannon on your chest. Arsenal Barcelona, Arsenal Chelsea, Arsenal Manchester United – we were there. Ultimately, any number of bad results or lazy performances will never take that away from us. We support our club because that is what we were born to do, and the shitter we get, the louder we must sing. (in X-Factor man’s voice)… ‘’It’s time… to face… the music’’.

A very happy new year to you all.

I’ve been a busy boy over the festive period. Lots of partying, copious amounts of meat (and the subsequent sweats), rounds of TopGolf, epic sleeps and endless trashy movies. Oh, and I turned 31 on the 31^st. Happy Birthday me. Nice.

In my last blog I had hoped for 13 points from a possible 15. Turns out we have 7 from 12 with Swansea away to play. Naturally, I would love for us to win this game but I suspect it could be a tight draw. Credit must be paid to their manager, Brendan Rogers, who has done a terrific job. Having had a successful spell as Chelsea reserve-team manager under Jose Mourinho, he opted for a crack at management. His ‘fascination with tactics’ and hard-work has propelled Swansea into the Premier League and they lie 12^th in the table, boasting the joint-best home defensive record. To put this into context, Manchester United have conceded almost 4 times as many goals at home this season.

Back to le Arse. What a couple of weeks it’s been. In fact, what a crazy season it’s been. From the big-name departures last summer to the frenzy on transfer deadline day, from being mauled 8-2 at OT to smashing Chelsea 5-3 at The Bridge and now, the return of the King, Thierry Henry…

Those of you who know me well, will only be too aware of how difficult it is to shut me up. FK is very rarely left speechless. But, when he stripped off on the touchline and his number went up to replace Chamakh (taxi!), I couldn’t control my emotions and was left star-struck. Tears had filled my eyes. 68 minutes into a dire cup tie, the announcer shouted his name, he took to the floodlit arena and was welcomed by a deafening roar. Immediately there was a buzz. High energy and great expectation filled the Emirates air. Despite rusty first touches, two offside decisions and a clumsy fall, you could sense the presence of greatness. The team had suddenly become galvanised.

And the moment we had been waiting for came with 12 minutes left as Henry gathered Song's pass in his stride before sparking scenes of ecstasy on and off the pitch with a perfect finish to set up a fourth-round tie at home against Aston Villa. Thierry’s celebration was raw, visceral. From sheer delight to chest thumping, from crowd waving to an embrace with Arsene – it’s a moment nobody will forget.

I’ve been to a lot of games in my time, I have experienced some amazing moments but that night tops it all off. It was perfect; we needed a goal, a legend came on and banged in the winner. He lifted his arms to the heavens in relief and elation at the final whistle, then spoke humbly about how he now knew what it felt like, and what it meant, to score such a goal as an Arsenal fan rather than as a player. Made me also realise how blessed I am to have seen him live in his heyday.

As for the future, who knows? I expect him to be on the bench against Swansea and play cameo roles in various games. Incidentally, his last game looks like it will be Spurs at the Emirates. Tasty.

You’d be forgiven for forgetting that we’re almost mid-way through the January transfer window. Not much has happened thus far apart from Harry Redneck declaring interest in pretty much everyone. The sooner this mug gets sent to jail for fraud, the better. We’re in need of some full-back coverage and agents have done their best to link all sorts to our club. From Wayne Bridge to Eric Abidal. Neither of these two look likely though one option according to the tabloids is Aly Cissokho from Lyon. Personally, I would prefer a move for Leighton Baines and not just because he has wonderful hair.

And finally, some thoughts on the Manchester Derby. What a great advert for the Europa League. It was an electric game which ultimately saw City being dumped out of another cup that Samir Nasri went there to win. I must admit I didn’t think Kompany deserved his red at first but with hindsight and some educated debate, I’m now convinced it was a sending off. We also saw Paul Scholes make his first appearance since coming out of retirement to rescue United. A class act, my favourite non-Arsenal Premier League player of all time in fact. He came on after the hour mark and made 71 passes (97% complete) – more than any City player in the entire game. That my friends, and what we’ve seen from Thierry Henry proves, that form is temporary, class is permanent.

Until next time… au revoir!

xx