Will Arsenal ever be great again?

[CrimsonGunner11]

Yes. But unfortunately not in some of our lifetime

[Est83]

Different landscape. Impossible to reach peak Wenger era again as long as there are oil rich clubs.

[alexafc12]

Not true. Liverpool have shown the way.

After years of crappy recruitment they started making smart moves in the market whilst bringing through academy talent. Most importantly they knew when and how to move players on.

As good as Klopp has been for them, their recruitment team and transfer team(s) deserves huge credit. Bringing through the likes of Mane, Salah, Jota, Diaz, Firmino, Robertson, Matip under the radar / for reasonable amounts.

And, at the same time getting huge sums for Suarez and Coutinho, they're also able to shift unwanted players and youth for hefty fees. Whilst at the same time we have been literally paying our top value players to leave and letting the unwanted ones run down their deals. Close to £150m from the below ...

Awoniyi - 6.5m
Wilson - 12.5m
Lovren - 10m
Solanke - 20m
Ward - 12.5m
Sakho - 25m
Benteke - 30m
Ibe - 16m
Allen - 15m

[UFGN]

Different landscape. Impossible to reach peak Wenger era again as long as there are oil rich clubs.

Leicester. And we have bigger resources than them.

This club has at no point in history been the biggest in the country, every time it has won the league it has had to do so against a richer and stronger club

[Est83]

I suppose it depends how we define "great".

But yea, fair point, we've got the infrastructure and wealth to be competing, no doubt. But "great" for me implies a period of dominance, and I feel these oil rich clubs can put a stop to that immediately.

[EliteKiller]

You're forgetting the money .....

2010/11 - Utd 331m, Arsenal 256m, Chelsea 222m, Liverpool 184m, Spuds 163m, City 153m

2015/16 - Utd 395m, City 353m, Arsenal 331m, Chelsea 319m, Liverpool 298m, Spuds 186m

2019/20 - Utd 651m, Liverpool 627m, City 617m, Chelsea 527m, Spuds 500m, Arsenal 435m

Deloitte 2022 Money League - City 645m, Utd 558m, Liverpool 550m, Chelsea 493m, Spuds 406m, Arsenal 366m

Next Season Estimated Post Covid - City 750m, Liverpool 700m, Utd 650m, Spuds 600m, Chelsea 600m, Arsenal 500m


Read into that what you will,

[Rockape]

When you throw away £72m on a player like Pepe, it shows something aint right, thats for sure.

[UFGN]

I suppose it depends how we define "great".

But yea, fair point, we've got the infrastructure and wealth to be competing, no doubt. But "great" for me implies a period of dominance, and I feel these oil rich clubs can put a stop to that immediately.

Well then Arsenal has never been "great" by the standards you're talking about. We've never been 1990s AC Milan. That's not what I expect, although if the opportunity to do it honourably without oil money came up, f**k me I'd be up for it! That's why it's so important for the club to take opportunities when they come along, like this season and missing out on CL. Terrible.

What I expect is for us always to fight and always be doing everything possible. If we do that then league titles will happen as often as possible

I just want to see us fight. I support the club from a local club perspective......it really was my nearest club at any level as a kid. I don't mind sharing it with the world, but don't ever expect me to lower my expectations to see my local club go to war and take anyone on.

Not aimed at you Est but more generally!!

[Hypergooner]

Not true. Liverpool have shown the way.

After years of crappy recruitment they started making smart moves in the market whilst bringing through academy talent. Most importantly they knew when and how to move players on.

As good as Klopp has been for them, their recruitment team and transfer team(s) deserves huge credit. Bringing through the likes of Mane, Salah, Jota, Diaz, Firmino, Robertson, Matip under the radar / for reasonable amounts.

And, at the same time getting huge sums for Suarez and Coutinho, they're also able to shift unwanted players and youth for hefty fees. Whilst at the same time we have been literally paying our top value players to leave and letting the unwanted ones run down their deals. Close to £150m from the below ...

Awoniyi - 6.5m
Wilson - 12.5m
Lovren - 10m
Solanke - 20m
Ward - 12.5m
Sakho - 25m
Benteke - 30m
Ibe - 16m
Allen - 15m

Recruitment plays a big part. It's about getting the right players for the system. Liverpools players probably would have been known as average players if playing for us over the last 10 years. We have bought quality players but made them look below par.
Arteta at leased, does appear to be buying round pegs for round holes. That is how Fergie done so well. It wasn't about the money, it was about the player having the attributes he wanted. The last time they won the league, they had a squad full of consistently average players in my opinion, with a few flair players to change games

[UFGN]

Different landscape. Impossible to reach peak Wenger era again as long as there are oil rich clubs.

Leicester. And we have bigger resources than them.

This club has at no point in history been the biggest in the country, every time it has won the league it has had to do so against a richer and stronger club

But the Leicester thing is just an anomaly. What have they done ever since winning the league back then? Has they all of a sudden become a great club since winning the title in 2016?
Throwing in the odd anecdote (Leicester) is a bit .
We need a bigger sample size than just one anomaly that has not been repeated ever since? How many decades did it take between a small club like Blackburn winning the EPL in 1994-95 to another small club Leicester winning it in 2015-16?

That does not give me any confidence that it can be done that way.. The Leicester EPL title win is not a good sample size.. If we always get medium sized clubs like Blackburn or Leicester winning the Title every other season then I would accept the Leicester example etc as a great example. But it was just a lucky season for them where everything lined up. It was like a lottery ticket win for them in my opinion. Because once the likes of Chelsea, City, Liverpool etc got their crap together that was it for Leicester as a serious title challenger..

You appear to have read the first word of my answer and then ignored the rest.....

[themessiah]

Unless another leicester city like season happens . Forget about the league title tbf. But we have to win the Europe league. We have only won Cup Winners Cup (which would now be equivalent conferences league). The club’s record in Europe is embarrassing.

[UFGN]

Unless another leicester city like season happens . Forget about the league title tbf. But we have to win the Europe league. We have only won Cup Winners Cup (which would now be equivalent conferences league). The club’s record in Europe is embarrassing.

CWC was respected at the time and roughly equal to the Europa League in stature

[Marsbar100]

CWC is a great comp, should be used instead of the europa imo

[Salibatelli]

The Cup Winners cup was a great competition and second to the European cup, it the UEFA cup was also good but of course you didn’t need to win anything to qualify.

I’m not sure why they’ve changed the format, they should have a tournament just for cup winners again because you have to win something to qualify (unless you’re beaten in the final by someone who has qualified for the CL) which gives it extra value.

[Hypergooner]

The Cup Winners cup was a great competition and second to the European cup, it the UEFA cup was also good but of course you didn’t need to win anything to qualify.

I’m not sure why they’ve changed the format, they should have a tournament just for cup winners again because you have to win something to qualify (unless you’re beaten in the final by someone who has qualified for the CL) which gives it extra value.

I agree. Constantly adding more teams and more tournaments, dilutes the emotion and pride of being in it. Wenger said, games without meaning are turning fans away and he's right.
I'm really not interested in the Europa League. To me it's a drain on the squad, not interesting till the semi finals and just highlights the fact a team isn't good enough to play with the big boys. The fact CL loosers join up part way through makes a mockery of the teams that start in it.
Bring back the cup winners cup. Atleased the teams in that deserved to be in it