On a night like tonight, it is hard to look at what happened in the Emirates Stadium and dismiss the thought that we might be witnessing the unfolding of something truly spectacular.
Mikel Arteta won’t be having any of that sort of thinking, and nor should he. However, us fans are free to dream. And scream. Oh yes. I watched on the TV, and there was indeed plenty of screaming. Although not as much as in the ground!
Right. Let’s dive right in.
Arsenal did exactly that themselves, winning the ball immediately and getting it close to Gabi in the penalty area in the first few seconds. Martin Atkinson rightly waved away a penalty appeal.
On six minutes KT3 blocked a cross only to have the Wolves player’s follow through hit him in the goolies. The replay made me wince. Even the Scot went down in a heap under that sort of treatment.
However, he got up and headed the resulting corner away, only for Wolves to flick the returning cross into the net. Fortunately, it was ruled out for offside, but if the run had been timed better we didn’t look fully awake to the danger.
We failed to heed the warning and were behind three minutes later. Gabriel has rightly taken a lot of plaudits for his performances this season, but he started slowly today, giving the ball away sloppily twice in the opening minutes before his short back pass left a stranded Ramsdale to flail as Hwang Hee Chan rounded him and slotted in coolly from a tight angle.
This was a real gift. Wolves did not create much and we made our night much harder work than it could have been by giving an excellent defence something to hold on to.
Wolves had a decent five minutes and then we began to take charge and boss the play. Xhaka overplayed a through ball for Saka, but it was one of few mistakes he made in an excellent performance. I would be very happy if he can play another 14 matches like today’s to see out the season, and, with any luck, his Arsenal career.
White played the classy Saka in over the top with a great ball but, after a run looped back to stay onside showed his growing maturity, he reminded us there is still room for improvement as he delayed his right-footed shot until a defender got back to block it.
Sa missed a cross, and Tierney played it back to Laca whose snapshot was blocked at point-blank range. He was working his socks off, geeing up the crowd, and getting fouled by Wolves players who knew they were immune from punishment.
I must spare a few words for Martin Atkinson, the performance artist who has, in a savage lampooning of the lawmakers in western society and the very democracy they claim to protect, spent the last eighteen years pretending to be a Premier League referee. This is truly one of the most ambitious installation pieces any artist has ever undertaken, and the dedication which he has shown in his relentless effort to highlight the nepotism and lack of accountability in one of the United Kingdom’s most world-renowned institutions is, frankly, breath-taking.
I do occasionally wonder whether he has gone native, a spy so long undercover that he has lost himself and become his own legend. But then I see some of his decisions, and I can only smile at a subversive innovator at the height of his powers.
On 38 minutes, he positioned himself in the way of Thomas Partey, physically blocking him from making a vital tackle, only to book Bukayo Saka for making the covering foul his own bodycheck on Partey had made necessary. Only the myopic would look at this and see a shit referee who does not know what he is up to. Myself, I saw a genius at work, and I doff my cap to that man.
I assume tonight that he had a side project on the go to see how many minutes of time-wasting he could allow in a single game without penalising anyone. Unfortunately for him, a combination of Lage, Jimenez and the fourth official contrived a farce so ludicrous that, even after all these years, he feared his cover might have been blown if he did not administer an 88th minute card to the man an entire stadium was pleased to see return after his horrible injury, and again pleased to see leave without anything to show for his efforts.
Lage later apologised for the miscommunication over this issue. He looks to be a decent bloke and a top coach in the making and I expect more tough nights against his teams in the future.
We continued to create and spurn chances. Laca did brilliantly to set up Gabi but his effort was just over and wide. Odegaard played a sublime scooped ball to Saka only to see the impressive (but time-wastey) Sa make a good save.
Jimenez had a decent chance before half-time, sending a header wide of Ramsdale to remind us to be vigilant. As the whistle blew, frustration held sway. We had dominated them, had about 17 shots, although only 2 on target, and given away a goal to go into the dressing room behind.
At the start of the second half Hwang had a decent chance before we again asserted our dominance. Partey is growing game by game and looking like a top player. Cedric has found a happily good seem of form in Tomi’s absence, even if he is clearly not as good a player as the Japanese tyro. White was solid, defending well and passing the ball about with skill. Gabigol looked sharp, dangerous, skilful and he is nowhere near his ceiling. That kid is going to be some player.
Just before the hour, Semedo went down with what looked like a hamstring injury. He then took three and a half minutes to get subbed off the pitch, which looked to be yet another example of the away team milking every moment of time they could possibly waste. After the game, I was unimpressed by the interviewing journo who tried to lure Lage into condemning us for playing on.
For the record, we should have played on (it was not a head injury) and, when the ball fell to a Wolves player immediately after Semedo pulled up, he played the ball upfield instead of hoofing it off the pitch. If Wolves play on themselves why on earth should we stop for them? I very much like the steely streak we are developing.
It came in useful as we kept our heads up when previous incarnations would have let them drop. The crowd were magnificent again, but they felt the nerves as we got into the last half an hour, and the players could easily have dropped their level as a tentative note struck in the fanbase for the first time all evening.
Arteta played a blinder. He kept on Lacazette (who looked knackered and yours truly would have subbed off) and brought on Pepe for Gabi. Then he brought on Eddie for Cedric. Make no mistake: these substitutions won us the game.
Odegaard, a brilliant footballer who is just so elegant, determined and effective, played a glorious chipped ball over the top which Eddie retrieved with a textbook run. He did well to turn it back to somewhere behind Pepe. The Ivorian swivelled, pulled the ball across and behind his body, before firing it in the only available space past Sa. That was sheer class. Pure instinct, skill and composure. If he gets his scoring boots on in this run-in then we will be just fine.
Tavares came on for KT, who seemed to have an injury. Mind you, he is the anti-Jimenez. The Mexican faffed for ages and did not even go off; KT was off the pitch before his number came up.
There were only 6 minutes of injury time (personally, I thought 8 would have been stingy, but the visionary Atkinson was satirising the impact of the arbitrary decision-making of non-elected officials in the capitalist economic system, so, hey-ho) but they were all we needed. Saka had a shot saved, Pepe recycled it, the interchange between Odegaard and Laca was excellent, as it had been all game. Pepe then played a peach, slide-rule pass – his second moment of match-changing quality in 15 minutes – into Lacazette and our captain’s shot deflected off the defender, the keeper, and into the net.
The stadium erupted. I shouted loudly.
I then looked in panic to see if VAR was getting involved – because that is now part of celebrating a goal – but when it looked safe I breathed a sigh of relief. And shouted some more.
Tonight we got exactly the same tune we get every time from our French maestro ‘La Cassette’ (cheers Las!) He worked so, so hard. He led the team. He got the crowd going. He was dead after 70 minutes but he found energy from somewhere in that last twenty minutes plus six. And, of course, even when we thought he had actually scored, it was taken off him. Classic stuff.
Oh well. It takes nothing away from his performance. He has been a player I have been thoroughly proud to watch in our colours and I hope he has a run of goals to match his performances before the season is over.
I loved Wolves desperately trying to play the ball forwards as it was them running out of time to get anything from the game. What goes around, comes around. And, as Nelson would say (Muntz, not Admiral) ‘Ha ha!’.
I’ll end by pointing out what we all know: this type of win builds belief and momentum like nothing else. It was a scary ride but that result, and, as the gaffer noted in his post-game interview, the manner of the result, is the sort of thing that builds something special.
Watch this space.
And, as ever, have a good one ‘holics.
Cheers, GSD !
A strange night but a brilliant ending. I actually thought Xhaka was poor in the first half – often badly out of position and really struggling to get back and help defend. He did improve second half and played a number of decent forward passes and filled space quite well. He chanced his arm by manhandling Jiminez towards the touchline in the substitution farce – right under Atkinson’s nose, but even that faux referee couldn’t book him in preference to the Wolves man.
I also thought Lacazette worked very hard to little effect in the first half but, hey, he kept going and deserved his late, great winner – even though he then had it nicked off him for a proper spoil sport deflection. It was his goal really – we all know that.
Pepe again came on to change the game, just as he did at the business end of last season. I like him. He is unpredictable but has a habit of making things happen just when you need them. Maybe better as an impact sub than a starter, but could prove vital in our CL push.
Atkinson could have been worse in fairness. He let Wolves get away with far too much shithousery, but his in play decisions were better than I had expected in all honesty. Apart from the Saka booking, of course.
Fourteen games to go. It couldn’t, could it …?
shhhhhhhhhh, trev, at the last.
great report, gsd, makes me want to watch the game asap!
Bravo, GSD. So few recognise the surrealistic performances of Atkinson for the tour de force that they are. He looks like just an awful referee. Only cognoscenti, like yourself, see him for what he is.
Great report GSD . You captured the atmosphere of the match beautifully and the scales fell from my eyes about Atkinson. I was in the ‘ he’s so poor it’s unbelievable ‘ camp but I now see a master of irony holding up a mirror to mock the footballing authorities . Thank you for the revelation. Who will you unmask next in PGMOL ? They’ve got a great body of work going on in there !
I saw a very similar game . We were ponderous in defence partly because Wolves pressed so intelligently but I agree with Trev re Xhaka. He kept failing to pick up Podence and most of their danger came through the inside right channel all night . He had a better second half largely because they dropped deep to defend their lead . Odegaard apparently ran over 12 km, the most by an Arsenal player this season. He is a terrific player but my MOTM notwithstanding the efforts of Laca would have to be Pepe. He took the first goal beautifully and set up Laca really well for the winner . Is someone really trying to claim that wasn’t Laca’s goal? The game has gone mad.
I also agree about Partey who impressed me on Saturday and who had an effective game today . He and Odegaard would get 8s from me.
I liked the Lage interview with the shit-stirring Amazon reporter. He replied with dignity and tact. There goes the next Tottnumb manager . I jest but that would be worrying .
Watching football on TV in my Covid cell is a bit inhibiting but tonight took a lot of the discomfort away. Good work GSD
The actor who plays Phil Mitchell lived near me for a while. I used to think he was a fat bald guy who couldn’t act trying to act but he is another in the great tradition of Atkinson. A faux imposter whose genius is to create an illusion that you believe to be reality. The bastard cut me up at the lights once too
Thanks GSD for a great report on a great win that didn’t look like it was going to happen until it did. Each team played just about to their potential for about 75 minutes but the difference was that Arsenal’s lull was at the start but Wolves’ at the finish. Persistence paid off big time.
I thought Odegaard had a terrific game, and Partey is starting to look the part. He is understated, but has that invaluable quality of taking the ball under pressure, making a half turn and then finding himself in clear water. Xhaka also looks better playing father forward.
Thanks GSD. I couldn’t watch a minute of this game as I was a) in Egypt, b) celebrating my wife’s birthday by generously taking her out to a restaurant at the all inclusive beach side resort we are staying at (I know, I spoil that girl) and c) slightly dodgy Wi-Fi that is good enough for keeping up but not good enough for live streaming. Around midnight I could learn the terrific result and celebrate with others. But I was waiting anxiously for the blog match report. This morning I have it and what a fine report it is, painting a word picture of this gutsy, commited team. My son tells me the North Bank was rocking last night. No wonder. Another ten day wait before our next game! Ah well, another chance
For small knocks to heal and energy levels recharged. The table is a glorious thing again this morning.
Great stuff, thanks GSD.
Fantastic way to win, everyone buzzing and a dangerous rival gutted for the second time this month.
Thought Gabriel made up for his error after we equalized with a good block on Neto’s shot, and then got away with the corner too.
GSD,
Superb report, Sir.
TTG,
I hope that managed to cheer you up, stuck in the Kent gulag.
C100,
I hope the missus fully appreciates th3 sacrifice yo7 made.
Final comment – “ I must spare a few words for Martin Atkinson, the performance artist who has, in a savage lampooning of the lawmakers in western society and the very democracy they claim to protect, spent the last eighteen years pretending to be a Premier League referee. This is truly one of the most ambitious installation pieces any artist has ever undertaken, and the dedication which he has shown in his relentless effort to highlight the nepotism and lack of accountability in one of the United Kingdom’s most world-renowned institutions is, frankly, breath-taking.
I do occasionally wonder whether he has gone native, a spy so long undercover that he has lost himself and become his own legend. But then I see some of his decisions, and I can only smile at a subversive innovator at the height of his powers.
On 38 minutes, he positioned himself in the way of Thomas Partey, physically blocking him from making a vital tackle, only to book Bukayo Saka for making the covering foul his own bodycheck on Partey had made necessary. Only the myopic would look at this and see a shit referee who does not know what he is up to. Myself, I saw a genius at work, and I doff my cap to that man.
I assume tonight that he had a side project on the go to see how many minutes of time-wasting he could allow in a single game without penalising anyone. Unfortunately for him, a combination of Lage, Jimenez and the fourth official contrived a farce so ludicrous that, even after all these years, he feared his cover might have been blown if he did not administer an 88th minute card to the man an entire stadium was pleased to see return after his horrible injury, and again pleased to see leave without anything to show for his efforts.”.
Truly purple prose. Top, top as a certain French bloke formerly of this parish might have said.
That’s a superb report of a superb performance by the team, GSD.
I think you are absolutely correct in your observation that “we might be witnessing the unfolding of something truly spectacular”. The belief and commitment of our 11 men last night suggests we are indeed on the cusp pf something great.
Much as I admire Lacazette’s somewhat underappreciated work for the team and his remarkable activity at both ends of the pitch in the dying minutes of added time, just imagine this team with a dead-eyed, ice-cool striker leading the line.
Fourth place is firmly in our sights after that result. Whisper it softly, third place may be appearing on the horizon too. Of course, nothing is assured. There’s a lot of work still to be done and several major challenges but if this team can continue to produce this kind of spirited performance, then we have a real chance of finishing in the top four.
Your brilliant exposure of the Atkinson performance art project as an ironic parody came as a shock to me. However I’ve never been a fan of modern art so it still leaves me cold. Shit art, shit referee!
On the final whistle, Ramsdale ran the length of the pitch celebrating. He deliberately ran through the middle of the Wolves players. Here he reminds Neves how great it is to win a 6 pointer!
Great report GSD, bravo.
Odegaard was massive and still remember how pissed I was for Real to poach him in his youth years, but their loss. We’ll have him for his best years.
I admit, I’ve watched the highlights 4 times now, and yes, I did shout every time.
Nothing to add to the one and true master of disguise Atkinson is. F… him.
On to the next one, UTA
Just saw this:
Gilberto Silva
@GilbertoSilva
That feels like so much more than 3 points. Our boys played some wonderful football and never gave up. The fans were behind our team from the start. The fans AND the players won us 3 points tonight #ARSWOL #Arsenal
3:48 PM · Feb 24, 2022·Twitter for iPhone
And this lovely photo posted by Ian Wright shortly prior:
https://mobile.twitter.com/IanWright0/status/1496979485857652737/photo/1
Great report GSD!
A superb cameo by Pépé, a goal and an assist in 18 minutes. Always makes things happen in and around the box.
Love Ødegaard, a rare combination of industry and subtlety.
Gabriel had an iffy game, not just the backpass for their goal but in general was a little slower and unsure.
Laca was industrious and tenacious, and though his lack of pace and finishing are getting worrying hopefully that goal (even though not attributed to him) will get some confidence back in him. We do need a few goals from him.
Most of all I loved the intensity and belief until the end from the players that they can get the three points. If we can keep that attitude going we have a very good chance of finishing where we want to.
Cheers, GSD!
There’s definitely a spirit in this team and heads never go down. I liked our reaction after conceding, I liked our never giving up, and Lacazette in particular in that respect.
Certainly something good seem to be brewing there, and with the fans in the stadium too.
I can’t believe the criticism I read today of Ramsdale and Seaman for appearing in the fish and chip advert . The lady was saying we shouldn’t be promoting junk food. Ye Gods !
And is a Saveloy junk food? That’s ridiculously woke .
It’s not as if we were promoting rotting cockroach sandwiches 😀
Heh TTG. I guess you can’t make everyone happy. Some people just like to find a reason to moan.
I can sort of see their point of view but…I haven’t had a proper fish & chips for ages and I wouldn’t say no to one.
I’m sure someone somewhere could enjoy a rotting cockroach sandwich. Might depend on the sauce though…
I hate the use of the word woke. Used by lazy and talentless UK Government Ministers far too often to cover their shitty views of the world.
Meanwhile when is Roman Abramovich going to be sanctioned out of this country. Guess the Russian chimp won’t be seen much in the future.
Chelsea all fur coat and no knickers.
TTG @18, I dislike Saveloy sausages – at least, I have never tasted one that I regarded as anything but junk. I do think Saucy Seaman was being a tad risqué with both his leer and tone of voice when he ordered one. He was probably playing up to the fans in the old North Bank who always greted him with an obvious double entendre on his surname.
As to the term woke, it’s useful shorthand for a brigade of virtue signallers who like to impose their own values and their own approved vocabulary on others. They would fit very nicely in Stalin’s Russia and are extremely tiresome. I rarely use the term but would defend your or anyone else’s right to do so, as well as the players’ right to support local businesses (though I hope Ramsdale didn’t indulge and stuck to his approved diet) but also any non-player’s right to eat a Saveloy sausage if that’s to their taste. Chacun a son goût!
I love Saveloys and the term woke is used by right wingers who prefer name calling to policy discussion. See also remoaner.
VAR confirm the score of yesterday’s game. 2-1 stands. Wolves commence a new round of whingeing.
…
Surreal.
Do the unwoke go to Woking to seek enlightenment?
Not many baobab trees to sit under in Woking
Clearly the UK government should seize Abramovich’s UK assets. If Boris ran Chelsea, it would be a non-league team before you know it.
Abramovich should have his UK assets taken away. He his one of Putin’s oligarchs using money from asset stripping from the old Soviet republic to buy a football team to legitimise Russian interests in the West.
Obviously Chelsea fans are too thick to realise they are being used.
I just saw Boris speaking Russian on the news here. Is he a secret agent?
Also, nothing wrong with a saveloy and chips from my memory which, to be fair, might be a bit clouded from my absence. There’s a whole lot worse you could have in Oz.
UTA.
I was once sitting at Highbury two rows behind a middle-aged couple and a very pretty young lady ( I noticed things like that then) . When Arsenal came out Safe Hands waved up to them and when a fellow spectator harangued Seaman for a mistake this young lady turned on him ! She was Mrs Seaman number 2.with his parents !
I’ve spoken to Bob who has been his best man twice and all he says about his old friend is that he has an eye for a pretty face ! He also had an eye for a football being belted at him so that’s all I was concerned about . A very fine keeper for most of his career with us
Mrs TTG was very fond of a saveloy but it’s never been to my taste . Cod and chips me
What a superb report, thanks GSD, and what a game that was. I errupted with joy together with the whole Grove. What a moment to score, I am really proud to our captain, a box full of surprises. 🙂
GSD, sire, hats of! Your laser eye seen through all the layers that Mr Atkinson tried (and failed) to cover himself to hide his core antiArsenalness. Even Woodhouse (P. G.) would be proud phraising such description. Bravo.
Ohh, before I forget, MU just lost two points.
COYG
from a whatsapp group i’m on
https://mobile.twitter.com/Chirag_AFC/status/1497433711251722240?cxt=HHwWgMDUndqB-scpAAAA
oh, hell yes.
great stuff, scruz!
Great work Scruz
Peter Drury hails from this town where I’m living ( note to C100- No I’ve never met him) . But I did play football and cricket for his Old Boys team .
It is said that his footballing sympathies lie strongly with Arsenal
I understand that Peter Drury’s commentary role model was Peter Jones, none better.
I remember a Leatherhead Lip. Not your alter ego, TTG? 🙂
Does anyone understand what Abramovich has done legally by handing ‘stewardship and care’ of Chelsea to its Charitable Foundation, and how it would sanction-proof Chelsea FC plc?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60540278
There’s an analysis at the end of the article Ned. Doesn’t fully answer your question though. My best guess is that despite saying it isn’t for sale, I would have thought it must be as how can Abranovich hope to sneak back later.
Thanks, OM. That BBC piece did indeed raise more questions than it answered.
I can see that transferring ‘Chelsea FC’ (does that mean the football club, Chelsea Football Club Limited, the holding company Chelsea FC plc, or the holding company’s holding company Fordstam Ltd?) to the Chelsea Foundation would break the technical ownership link to Abramovich, who is the ultimate owner of Fordstam. According to its latest filed accounts (year to July 2021), Fordstam is both loss-making and has negative equity (ie, its liabilities exceed its assets) largely because it owes Abramovich more than £1 billion channelled through loans from another Abramovich vehicle, Camberley International. Fordstam and thus the football club is dependent on Abramovich’s funding to keep it a going concern. So I can see Abramovich giving the Chelsea Foundation something that is on paper worthless on the understanding that the status quo is restored if and when this all passes. Another debt to equity conversion would be an easy enough way to effect that.
The Foundation’s trustees include close associates of Abramovich and the football club, also run by his people, has the right to nominate a majority of the trustees. That would provide insurance that any unwritten deal could be enforced. The billion-pound plus loan liability also makes selling the club without his approval extremely difficult
If the UK government seized Fordstam from the Foundation, it would be faced with pumping millions of taxpayer pounds into the club to keep it afloat and at risk of Abramovich calling in his billion-pound loan, letting it go bust or selling it for a song it to any passing sheikh, hedge fund or Conservative Party donor.
bravo to arseblog.
Ned
The new era at the Bus Stop has not begun well .the endebtedness of Chelsea to Abramovitch is extraordinary. I thought it was threateningly large in 2004 when I had sight of some documents . But £1.5 bn! That’s a massive liability and as you say makes a club sale very difficult without Abramovitch’s acquiescence .
It is going to be very hard for any of the oligarchs to gain financial traction in the West now whether they want loans repaid, building projects sanctioned or any deals given the green light or whatever . We have a new order .
What interests me is when Abramovitch decides he has a serious sum of money tied up in Chelsea and wants it out . The charitable trust business is just a smokescreen as indicated by the timing . He could have done this years ago. If he gets fed up with the inability to realise his loan/ investment ( and if his asset base declines substantially this might happen sooner rather than later ) , Chelsea could have problems . The obfuscation by his people to blur the real position and strategic intent may deter future buyers and the contagion that Chelsea with its Russian associations might create suggests to me they might be knackered. Certainly it is unlikely that we will see huge investment into the club again . But who knows with this mob ?
Re Arseblog, that is truly an amazing achievement doing his bit daily for so long at such high quality. Feliz aniversario to the gent too.
Scruz@38: 20 years before the mast is no mean achievement by Blogs, and he paved a way for others to go down, too. Congrats to the man.
TTG@39: The Chelsea Foundation appears to consider Abramovich’s gift something of a Trojan horse. We shall see how this all plays out. A new order indeed.
Abramovich is still probably wealthy enough (at least at this point, although I suspect his serious money has been safely squirrelled away for many years) to be able to write off a billion or so as the cost of the ride. There is probably a few hundred million of residual value to be extracted by selling Chelsea to offset it if he was minded to offload the club. He is more like the sheikhs who own clubs for non-financial reasons than the capital gain-minded Americans.
Cheers all. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
It is too long between matches. Let’s get top 4 so we don’t have this next season too. Or the bloody Europa League
“Performance artist” seems to have a negative connotation in the way that “actor” used to have. Am I missing something, or don’t actors and performance artists basicallly do the same thing?
One thing is clear, though. Atkinson is giving performance artists a bad name, even as some commend his efforts. 😎
The EU has frozen the assets of our erstwhile shareholder and once-upon-a-time would-be owner Alisher Usmanov.
The EU Council in its announcement says:
Alisher Usmanov is pro-Kremlin oligarch with particularly close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has been referred to as one of Vladimir Putin’s favorite oligarchs.
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2022.058.01.0001.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2022%3A058%3ATOC
Might not the same be said of Chelsea’s owner?
the noose is getting tighter. i’m betting the oligarchs will use it on putin before this goes on too much longer. their bank books are getting flayed (even though no doubt they have a substantial amount of their money in secure havens away from the prying eyes of the international community).
The £107.3 million loss for 2020-21 explains the urgency to cut the wage bill in the January window. Even allowing for the drop of £75 million in matchday revenue from a year earlier because of playing behind closed doors, there is still a £30 million-plus hole in the accounts to plug.
Sruz@49: Sadly, I doubt that. The Russian elite has had eight years since the annexation of Crimea to sanction-proof themselves. Nor will the oligarchs forget the fates of their number that turned against Putin such as Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Boris Berezovsky.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60572525
Everton have publicly received an apology from the PGMOL over a clear penalty which their match referee and VAR failed to award.
Presumably the PGMOL have decided that, as a body that strives not to do excessive damage to environmental causes, it is unjustifiable to use the amount of paper it would require to issue Arsenal Football Club with the appropriate apologies for its failures to enforce the laws of the game.
Swiss Ramble’s Twitter thread on the financial results:
#AFC results were hit by £85m COVID impact, mainly due to playing games behind closed doors, reduced commercial income and cost of refinancing stadium debt (partly offset by deferred revenue from 2019/20 season and lower costs). Nevertheless, loss would still have been £42m.
The other key takeaway for me in Swiss Ramble’s analysis: Stan has stuck his hand deeper into his pockets.
After providing £15 million of funding in the 10 years to 2020 (the 16th stingiest owner in the PL; Man City got £837 million of owner financing over that time), he has now given the club a £202 million interest-free loan (repayable on 2 years notice) to replace bonds carrying interest rates of 5.8% and 7% (The club had to pay a one-off £32 million cancellation fee on the bonds.)
Overall, gross debt was unchanged at £218 million but net debt increased from £108 million to £199 million as cash decreased by £91 million from £110 million to £19 million.
Re: Swiss Ramble. If he’s so good with numbers, why has he never come up with a formula for replacing Xhaka with a cheaper and more effective alternative?
Re: Usmanov: Good (great) thing we showed him the door when we did. KSE never looked so good in comparison.
Reducing a £200m bond debt carrying interest of between 5 and 7% to a publically owned debt of £16m and an interest free loan of £200m from the owner, albeit with a two year call in period, has to be good for the club. Most businesses would give their right arm for such an arrangement. Mind you the fall in cash is concerning, given the need to go big in the summer. That £200m loan may turn into £400m
Looking at the table, Arsenal have the same number of wins as Chelsea but the Gunners have played one match fewer. Another story that doesn’t fit the media narrative.
Oh Florian! That would have made you a hero!
C100@56: The cash position is as of the accoounts’ year-end, May 2021. With the crowds back in on match days this season and the wage bill cut, cash should be rebuilding, though, against that, we won’t have any European money coming in.
not james but josh!
The neighbours spurz it up, again. There will be nothing new to dust in the trophy cabinet.
We have agreed a deal with Marseille for Guendouzi . We’ve had two loan fees but £9 million for a French international of his age is pathetic . We must surely have a sell-on clause . Look at the prices we’ve been quoted for midfielders in the window and what we paid for Sambi . We give players away . When we look at our financial position our trading would be helped if we got decent sums for players who leave us in the prime of their careers .
C100’s favourite song https://youtu.be/p8ko43-OCAQis
TTG@62: That is highway robbery. Guendouzi’s market value is in the £17 million-25 million range. He is only on £40,000 a week. Every little bit helps, but that bit, not much.
well done, oleg.
Ned,
Couldn’t agree more . But if you think that’s bad wait until Stuttgart buy Mavropanos for £4.5m and sell him for five times that !
Well done, Oleg. The Horse always gives 100%.
🇺🇦💪🏼
Stay safe.
🙏🏼
Do Stuttgart still get that option if they get relegated? They are 4 pts away from safety at the moment.
Abramovich has confirmed he is trying to sell Chelsea, with the proceeds going to a charity that will support Ukraine war victims. That suggests he is not expecting to get much for it, and it will be a political hot potato for anyone who buys it, at least in the short term.
Abramovich says he will not call in its £1.5 billion debt to him, ie, he will hang onto that in the hope he can get his money back once the Ukraine crisis has passed.
Bafflingly inept salesmanship. Guendouzi didn’t work out at Arsenal but will have an excellent career, it appears.
On another front Everton’s exclusive stadium naming rights deal with Usmanov has gotten away from him apparently. Megafon being by the boards, maybe they could try Goodison.
TTG@66: I know you mentioned that before about Mavropanos being sold on by Stuttgart at 4x, but would any club pay that when the Greek’s market value is only 2x our selling price.
This piece refers to Mavropanos. It suggests his ceiling is very high. I’ve heard £20 million as a potential fee. It also suggests Stuttgart’s relegation won’t affect it. In fact if they do go down they will need the money more . We are the patsies in any deal
https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/transfer-news/arsenal-transfers-mikel-arteta-edu-23266794
TTG@72: Football London seems a bit unclear about what happens to Mavropanos if Stuttgart gets relegated:
Stuttgart paid a €500,000 (£415,000) loan fee for Mavropanos and they have an obligation to buy him for €3million (£2.5million) next summer. That option isn’t valid if Stuttgart are relegated whilst they also have an option to buy if they don’t reach their team objectives this season.
It looks as if we will get a 10% sell-on fee, although if he goes for £20 million, that is only an extra £2m in the pot, taking the total sale proceeds to less than £5m, which to your point, isn’t great if he has the potential Mislintat suggests.
Southampton is on a bit of a roll. Seven very winnable league games coming up for them. Our visit there in mid-April looks like it might be another six-pointer, as will likely be the game after that, Man U (H), and the one after that, West Ham (A), if the schedule for those three to be our run-in holds.
It’s interesting how Saints creep up every few years into mid-table contention, and in the meantime always seem to avoid relegation. They seem to know what they’re doing.
I think Edu must go to other clubs and say, we have a player surplus to requirements; we’ll offer you a 50% discount on his value if you buy him. And the other club says, of course, we’ll help out; for you, we can probably go to a 75% discount.
Shearer on Abramovich today as reported by the BBC: “But more importantly, there is still no condemnation from Roman or the club about what is happening in Ukraine.”
If I were a victim of the Russian invasion of Ukraine I would not expect to see any of the man’s largesse. If any of the Chelsea sale proceeds wind up there I would look for it by checking the funding of laundered Russian industrial “investments”
Luton fans launched a few goodbtaunts at the Chelsea traveling supporters including “you’re getting sold in the morning”
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/60597286
Chelsea would become a fan-owned club in an alternative footballing universe where moral compasses still point true.
Yet all the quotes from players and fans seem to express hopes that the new owner will be super-rich.
Blogs is in a reflective mood today about the impact of Abramovich’s money on the game and how we have become numb to its morally distorting influence.
bt8@77: We would all be well advised to parse carefully Abramovich’s statement about his sale intention. Particularly, he talks of the net proceeds going to aid Ukrainian war victims. What is to be netted out? He also says he is not asking for any loans to be repaid. That is not an unambiguous statement that the debt will be cancelled, nor that it won’t be converted into equity as part of the sale.
Interesting and sad that Aaron Ramsey has played a total of 94 minutes( most of that in obscure cup ties) for Rangers who are most unlikely to take him on permanently. Consequently Juventus are likely to cancel his contract . That was a move that has done much for his bank balance and nothing for his career .
Very sad news on Aaron Ramsey. I am sure that that assault at Stoke continues to blight his fitness. Although I am no fan of Rangers, it looked a good move for him to get his career back on track. Pity he seems unable make even that grade.
Re: “Government announce full asset freeze on Usmanov”
If that’s got any similarity to the full monty then I prefer not to watch the videotape.
usa just did the same thing.
Maybe we won’t be seeing Usmanov taking over the Yankees then.
Shane Warne and Rod Marsh both gone. Cricket has lost two giants. RIP.
Very sad news from the world of cricket. Rodney Marsh did have a good innings but Shane Warne was a shockingly early departure. Out long before his time. RIP both.
Andrey over Oleh
better footballer (player)…much better
Two giants of cricket have gone , one of whom was the greatest spin bowler , very probably THE best bowler we’ve ever seen .
Hard to imagine Warnie resting in peace . Thanks for the memories big man
Our U23s beat S***s 2-1 tonight moving them up to second in the league
TTG@89: Certainly the best spinner I ever saw in their prime. Michael Holding would have to be up there for the best bowler in my lifetime.
Cricket
may be your
ticket
but …
I prefer
Wilson
Pickett.
Slides the ball in across the top of the box…
Taps in, in honour of cba.
Nicely worked ton, gents.
Indeed, lovely ton.
Ned,
Holding was incredibly athletic and thrilling to watch unless you were 22 yards away . The only spinner who was as lethal as Warne was Muralitharan who I saw skittles us at the Oval. But I was very uncomfortable about his action and he has nothing like Warner’s charisma or showmanship .
I suspect the tabloids will dissect his life and possibly his death in the coming weeks, I prefer to remember a quite magnificent competitor and sublime bowler
52 is no age. Such a shame.
What an absolute legend. RIP Shane Warne.
Personally, I love Murali.
Absolutely nothing wrong with his action (as proved countless times in testing) unless you were the bloke trying to hold onto your wicket against it.
He also provided an extremely intriguing counterpoint to Warne’s career. Some cricket buff will oneday write a book about the pair of them and their scramble to become the 2 leading wicket takers of all time.
I will quietly relish their sense in picking up on my excellent idea. 🤣
Does this alleged Turkish billionaire bidding for the bus stop in Fulham actually exist?
>>>>>>>