I think the reason that so many fans (bet they Arsenal affiliated or not) latched onto the Robin Van Persie story this summer because it was generally felt that his sale would confirm the club’s status as a ‘selling club’. After so many years at the top level, competing regularly for silverware, Arsenal’s inability to keep hold of their best players seemed to be taking its toll. For most, RVP’s sale would represent the final straw.
The disappointment when Arsenal sold the Dutchman was palpable. To compound the matter, Arsene Wenger allowed Alex Song to make a move to Barcelona. This was a particularly bemusing story as Song was tied down on a long term contract and the club, seemingly, had no real need to sell. But sell they did and as is the club’s general way of things, Arsenal ended up generating a profit this summer in terms of transfers.
I think Arsenal fairly good (though not exactly sparkling) start to the season has dampened the negative feeling, but I don’t think it should disappear entirely. It’s clear that the Gunners have a somewhat limited range of ambition. And that’s something that has got to hurt Arsenal fans.
Taking note of Arsene’s comments since this summer does little to improve the matter: “That Barcelona come look and buy our players can be seen as a compliment for us. Because it proves that our players are well-educated and also that our players are those that are most relevant to their style of game.” (Source: Goal.com)
If it’s such a great compliment and Arsenal’s players are so worthy, why aren’t the club doing more to keep hold of them? I can understand why Arsenal allowed Cesc to leave. That had been painted as an inevitability ever since he joined the club at a young age. But Alex Song was an entirely different matter.
The fact that Arsene gets some form of satisfaction out of his club’s role in aiding Barcelona seems to suggest that Arsenal are now something of ‘feeder club’, or a ‘selling club’. It’s clear that they can neither compete for the best talent nor keep hold of their best and brightest. Now that can’t bode too well for the future.
What’s your take? Should we take these comments with a pinch of salt, or is a worrying pattern developing at Arsenal?
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Fifty shades of twat
arsenal sells players gee wizz maybe 200000 a week had something to do with v p as for song arsenal has 8 or 10 mid field players at least 4 as good as song,the system is to coach players in their positions so that if one goes another knows the job and fits in, fab cant get games what chance song
I have never read such rubbish in all my life, suggest you stick to dominoes as that may not strain the thought process
seriously…gazidis wenger and every other son of a gunn working at arsenal surely have better things to do then to sit down and think about the club’s ” “status” as a feeder club or great club or whatever..it so seems like we are feeding other clubs..anyway is there such a thing as feeder club i am sure it is a media created term to create and sell variety of stories…seesshhhhh i wasted 5 minutes of my time here
Your comment… “The fact that Arsene gets some form of satisfaction out of his club’s role in aiding Barcelona”
The satisfaction Arsene gets is in actually ripping Barcelona OFF… contributing to their financial downfall by charging too much and laughing when they fail at arselona. other than Fabregas who’s currently sitting on the bench, has anyone actually succeeded at arcelona?
Song was not as good as you think he is. Indisciplined and lack of tactical awareness led to our defence being exposed. Good business.
I have wanted Song to go for the last 4 seasons and have said so every year on 1 site or another.
He was far to destructive and his charge forwards at the wrong time were responsible for many goals. To me he was the deal of the season ,well done AW
Feeder club my Arsenal …
Ha,ha. This is 3ull5h1t.com
Denial is a powerful thing. Just go through all the players that have left each season and ask yourself if they should have left or not. Most of them you would say no i would imagine. The only way arsenal can turn a profit at the moment is by selling our best players. The one year we didn’t turn a profit was the one year we made the elage cup final and had a chance at the league title. Then staright after Ivan came out and suggested that this is why they didn’t purchase anyone in January as some sort of justification. Then hey presto both Fab and Nasri leave the club makes a profit and we scrape 3rd place due to the awful seasons of the chavs and the spuds. Get a grip people we are being taken for a ride by a bunch of profit obessesed idiots in the board. Look I support the club and the squad but not the owner and not Ivan because they don’t give a sh*t about winning titles and the feelings of the fans. RVP still in our squad and we could win the league, what did we do rather then allow Usmanov to pay his wages which he offered we sold him to Man fing United and save there season instead. It like Apple selling the ipod patent to Microsoft, it doesni’t buisness sense or football sense. These peoplpe don’t know what there doing, AW is the only one we need from these muppets. kronke and Ivan have to go.
So dinlo, with the cost of new stadium and all what would you suggest, be debt ridden like the rest? We are making our way back and a lot of REAL gunners can see and feel it, just a shame there are alot like yourself still with your head stuck up your a*se, we should just carry on relying on one goal scorer to keep people like you happy, it was the same before Henry left he was being relied on to score the goals and now we are more dangerous and less predictable, but then i suppose you are also one of the so called supporters who keep calling for wenger to go, clueless.