11 May 2026 14:26:27
A lot gets said about our gross spend from lazy journo's, click bait pundits and bed wetting trolls. But very little is ever mentioned about the extraordinary amount of money that is made from player sales. Apparently Arsenal will pay Chelsea an extra £30M for Kai Havertz if they win the Champions League.
They
will pay another £20M for Madueke if they win both the UCL and EPL and
another £8M for Kepa if they also do the double.
That's incredible business by Chelsea.
11 May 2026 15:13:18
Except we sit in 9th and replaced both with players who are worse... Perhaps the club needs to focus on getting better players on the pitch for Chelsea.
11 May 2026 15:22:21
Greenaway. I will always give praise when it's due, but they (owners & SD's) have also made some awful signings.
I said a few seasons back that a lad I met, who works for the blooms betting/investment company, reckons about 20% of any club's signings do not work out. The problem is that doesn't take into account sequencing. You could sign ten and they are all duds.
Of course, you also have the issue with how long it can take a player to settle at a club.
We have had fans right off the likes of Caicedo, Cucarella and Hato after just a few games or even a season.
I personally try to give a player at least two seasons before I make a judgement. Gusto, I have given up on but I hope I'm wrong and it's just a season's blip from a young player.
11 May 2026 15:26:38
I would rather Pedro than Havertz every day of the week. Neto, I think, is better than Noni.
11 May 2026 17:11:01
Neto is not better than Noni. Both equally as bad, and neither cut out for top players.
11 May 2026 17:39:16
Kazblue, I agree about Neto: one-dimensional player not suited to possession football, lacks vision and creativity.
11 May 2026 17:39:55
Sorry, Tom, I have to agree with Kazblue. Neto has been a big disappointment.
11 May 2026 17:48:28
It's all about opinions. I would stick with Neto over Noni every day of the week. He works harder, and, thankfully, hasn't got the apparent disciplinary problems of Noni.
How about this: Gittens will be better than both.
Havertz being better than Pedro is off the scale bonkers as far as I'm concerned. Pedro has impressed me more and more as the season progressed. Again, it's all about opinions!!
11 May 2026 17:53:33
I was no fan of Noni. Gittens better than both: hardly a high bar. Gittens is awful; a poor man's Sterling.
11 May 2026 18:09:15
Time will tell about Gittens.
11 May 2026 18:21:51
Gittens has not even looked Championship ready yet.... We need to get serious. This isnt football manager. Need serious work to raise standards at this club.
Time for the owners to make a decision on where and who we want to be...
It's depressing to see Arsenal flying high on the verge of a double, and we're left arguing over who's better between Neto, Gittens and Subject 49.
11 May 2026 18:24:59
Tom,
I don't believe anybody said Havertz was better than Pedro, just that Neto was not better than Noni.
Gittens, the jury is still out, but will give him next season depending on if Silva wants to play him.
11 May 2026 18:52:13
Bill, maybe I misunderstood the word "both." The only two players I could see Greenaway referencing were Havertz and Noni, and their replacements are both worse.
I certainly believe Delap could ever be described as a replacement for Havertz. Totally different players.
Anyway, I don't care about Noni, Havertz or any other player who chose to leave.
11 May 2026 19:35:22
Agreed, Tom, and that goes for coaches as well.
11 May 2026 20:08:09
Bill, I 100% agree. We can learn lessons from looking at history, but we still have to focus on the future.
Next season, I will start off as a pessimist, and just before the first game I will be thinking/hoping we will win everything. It's been the same every year for 64 years now!!
11 May 2026 20:51:59
Bill, you are being a bit hard on Silva: we won't get relegated: he will steady the ship and get us to around 10th to 14th next season.
11 May 2026 21:36:46
Jimbo
If that is the height of our ambition, then it's very sad indeed.
11 May 2026 22:31:21
Bill, I was joshing, but if Silva was appointed, it would indicate the club's lack of ambition and ruin my summer.
11 May 2026 22:32:17
Bill, I told you many a time the grass was not greener, mate.
11 May 2026 22:26:56
Kaz, you really rate Havertz above Pedro? Wow, you remind me of your twin Standard and donkey's. Will now scroll past your future posts as I do her.
11 May 2026 23:22:06
I rate Pedro, very highly.
I dont rate Delap or Guiu or Jackson or Datro Fofana or Deivid Washinton (or Emegha n all that although will let him off as hes not got here yet). How about you add up the cost of all of them, and compare it to a couple extra pennies we'll get from Havertz winning a UCL at one of our rivals.
12 May 2026 05:46:22
So Pedro is better than Havertz.
My guess is, if we choose to sell Jackson, Delap, and Guiu, the profit would cover any loss on Fofana and Washington.
I will reserve judgement on Emegha for a couple of seasons.
12 May 2026 06:32:40
Is there much of a loss on Fofana? I'm sure his book value must have dwindled by now. He's been here four seasons.
12 May 2026 07:19:21
Bill, there have probably also been loan fees, but let's not count them!!
12 May 2026 09:53:41
Look at the state of us... talking about book values and loan fees... it's depressing.
12 May 2026 10:37:04
What I find depressing is people looking to create a negative from a positive just to somehow support their view.
Mistakes have been made. Let's just jog on and support the club when it needs its fans most.
12 May 2026 11:04:24
Support the club.
Question the clowns running it. So far, nothing to suggest anything has changed, more press briefings, no actual decisions made. But we should jog on and pretend it's all great... No thanks.
12 May 2026 13:02:30
Nothing changes, including my support for my club.
Your first comment fell apart under your own scrutiny. You then make claims that are financially wrong, and then you revert back to your real issue.
We all try and find things to support our arguments, but let's try and be close to accurate with our statements.