The Arsenal Way
Trophies this season?
I believe when a football fan (the non-local fans) chooses which team to support, it reflects on his mentality, his belief, and the value he holds in life to a certain extend.
True, every top club has its share of glory hunters. Yet if you take Arsenal for example, despite our success under Wenger early this decade, we were never as dominating a force as Man Utd in the Premiership. The fans who started supporting Arsenal within the past 10 years could have easily choosen Man Utd or Chelsea to support instead, if all they wanted to see is trophies. So what made them choose Arsenal?
I believe, more or less, it’s because they share the same values as Arsenal. What are those values? They are “Arsenal Way”. Which is; running the club the right way (the board), building the team the right way (the manager), and playing the football the way it should be (the team).
The term the “Arsenal Way” we see it so often these days, both on and off the pitch. In the past, when a side were playing good, attractive football, we would hear the cliche “just like watching Brazil”. Today, more often than not, we hear, “just like watching Arsenal.”.
Off the pitch, I have read time and time again chairmen from the smaller clubs expressing their desire to run their clubs the “Arsenal Way”. Citing Arsenal as an ideal business model for them to copy.
That, to me, sums up what our club is all about. And I am proud of it. Had I not been an Arsenal fan, I too would want to be associated with a club like Arsenal.
True, to run a club the “Arsenal Way”, life is bound to be more difficult than Man Utd, Chelsea, Man City and the likes, especially in terms of what matters most – f winning trophies. But the “Arsenal Way” makes every achievement truly worthwhile.
Nobody could accuse Arsenal of BUYING our two doubles under Wenger. Noone could accuse us of BUYING our unbeaten season. We EARNED them, and 100% DESERVED them.
Despite Chelsea’s two titles under Mourinho, we never saw anyone speak about the desire of running their clubs, or playing their football the “Chelsea Way”. If anything, people often are quick to remind them how the club had BOUGHT the titles with every chance they got. I bet even the most diehard Chelsea faithfuls would secretly wish that they had won their titles with a team they built rather than Roman’s deep pocket.
18 comments
Leave a reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Tottenham have lost to Stoke. We need to beat West Ham to set up a tasty derby next weekend.
Looks like they may lose Lennon for a while as well.
Defoe is also out with a suspension. So if Lennon can’t come back for next week – they really only have the lanky one to depend on.
I was going to predict earlier that this will be another weekend where a lot of top teams drop points. So far, Villa drew Wolves. Tottenham are going to lose. Sunderland will lose (not really a top team but they are up in the table for now)
I think Blackburn are going to give Chelsea all they can handle and hopefully draw. Fulham will do the same at Man City. And I think Liverpool are going to rise to the occasion against a Rooneyless Man U. We need to take care of business against West Ham. Hopefully, they are able to bounce back after the draw in the CL. Even though West Ham are down, it should be a good test of Arsenal’s growth.
I guess it is too late to back the Chelsea vs Blackburn comment. Oh well. I am no Nostradamus.
This is my take on the “Arsenal Way” – to limit it to just a style of play frankly narrowsighted.
Yes other clubs try to be self-sustainable and at the lower leagues its a fact of life. However, in the modern age of huge wages, a team that is bent on sustaining itself through its own revnue is rare.
The Arsenal way to me is a self-sustainable business model that supports the primary product – the squad on the pitch. Every part of the club is geared towards that.
Prudent financial decisions, making the right decisions on whom to sell/buy, not financing debt in such a way as to jeopardize the long-term position of the club and to rely on primary talent grown from within rather than relying on large scale purchases to secure wins.
True, I don’t think the Mancs or Pensioners have any issue with how they got their trophies. True, Arsenal do have a little more weight when it comes to signing players than most.
However, I would rather the Arsenal way stay exactly as Andez stated it then ransoming the future for the present. I would rather we stick with the Arsenal way than say the Liverpool way. Liverpool are in deep jeopardy and not just because of their losses. I firmly believe they cannot sign players because of their huge debt amounts. They have no sustainable youth system and if Hicks and Gillett don’t sell the club within the next few years, then I think that storied club could be up for Administration. I absolutely do not want us to do business that way.
I also do not want us to do business the City way. I do not want hired assasins to win something. I want a team we built and nutured. Because as I have said before, City’s hired guns, if the team has any success will start talking about the “attactiveness” of this La Liga or Serie A team. Why? Because they could care less about winning and more about their wallets.
I like our lads and our system because, while we haven’t won anything, there is a system being built and the group is learning and growing together. They seem more supportive and hungry to win for the team rather than for personal glory.
I live in Philadelphia and we are going through a golden age of baseball. That was after suffering from years last place baseball. The team was built base on sound business and a core of players from the team’s youth system. PLayers were brought in not becauase they were huge price ticket players (they weren’t) but because they offered the right skills and mentality at the right price. Now, after years of suffering without any trophies we are 4 wins a way from our second trophy in as many years.
I remember participating in one such discussion last year on our dear old ArsenalAmerica when everyone was questioning the future of our team and virtue of Arsene’s methods.
Well, I think what all Arsenal fans share is a hope.
If I were a Liverpool fan, I could not think very brightly of what the future holds.
If I were a ManUtd fan, I would cheer at the end of most seasons on the outside, and yet doubt my conscience for it, and feel embarassed by all the theatrics at OT, the more than random favor that we get from the referees, and also by Ferguson the bully.
If I were a Chelsea fan, ( lets say I just like Chelsea a bit more than the others), I would try to defend Roman’s money that it was just to bring us at a level equivalent to top two, and investments have been drying now. Still, I would be annoyed everytime a big name player came and left, as if eroding the soul of the club with his departure. Now, I do not think, at this point supporting ManCity warrants an explanation.
What I think is good about this Arsenal era is that despite being a big team, we can hope for newer and far better things to come, like say a small team. We enjoy the best football in the country, second at times to only Barcelona in the world. Our youngsters, make us dream during the day of the future which beckons us. In Arsene’s press conferences, we get to see wit and reason, which is something we all inherently respect and rarely find in people in the news. We love it everytime Fabregas coyly detaches himself of the transfer speculation, but truthfully never denying the eventuality that he may leave. This truth is an essential ingredient, and which always annoys us with Eboue’s behaviour, despite his enormous potential. And the financial management, eventhough reaps benefits for the shareholders, it gives us the satisfaction of suppoting the better business, one which is definitely headed higher. That is what makes us happy to see <$1m player leave for >$15m. And later, when players who left, recount and at times regret their departure, it subtly reassures us that something inside must be right. The history, the trophies during the past years, gives us a chance to support our choice in public forums, eventhough it only forms a small portion of the reason we support Arsenal.
The Arsenal Way is just a tribute to the greatest brand ambassador any advertising firm can everdream of ie Arsene Wenger.
Just carrying on from the previous discussion about defence vs attack and the surprising stat that Barca ended up with the best defence in La Liga: I wonder how much of the defence was due to their attack, or rather the threat of their attack.
I remember back in about 2004 when the Arsenal counter attack was SO lethal that centre backs and other opposition players were a bit less committed to attacking us in set pieces etc. because of the fear of losing possession and getting punished for it. We’ve lost that fear factor in recent times but I think it is slowly coming back.. we’ve started scoring a few more from counter attacks this season and generally looking more dangerous on the break.
And it was nice to hear Wenger talk about the defensive stats and how he is optimistic that the league table at the end of the season will show an improvement in our defence. If nothing else, at least he is aware that there is room for improvement.
I think you’re right Andez about mentality and values. Whenever I see someone walking around w/ a football shirt on, over here in the States, my head is automatically filled w/ preconceived notions about what type of person he/she is.
If they’re wearing an Arsenal shirt, I’m like “Now here’s a guy who gets it… this guy is alright in my book.”
A Man U shirt? The thoughts are more like “Has that guy ever watched a full game of football in his life? Can he name a player other than Christiano Ronaldo?”
Real Madrid? “Yeah, I bet he’s a “fan” of the Yankees, Patriots, Red Wings, and Lakers too.”
Liverpool… “What a damn fool!”
Chelsea… “That must be one arrogant, ignorant, rich fuck.”
The only jerseys you see with any regularity in the US are the English big 4, the Spanish big 2, both Milan teams, sometimes Bayern, and also Celtic (but not Rangers).
Anyways, regardless of how true it is, I automatically associate values with people based on what football kit I see them wearing.
If they’re wearing an Arsenal shirt, I’m like “Now here’s a guy who gets it… this guy is alright in my book.”
Yes that’s true.
‘Cos let’s face it – Arsenal have not won anything (as some critics would love to remind us) the past few years. So naturally it’s far EASIER to SUPPORT someone else.
If all one wants is glory, wearing a Man U / Real Madrid / Chelsea / Barcelona kits would have been far easier a thing to do than to stick with our red and white!
I supported Arsenal at first because I was taken to an Arsenal match, as my first football match in England.
I was told that THIS was the team, and I should support no other!
But I would say Ian Wright was the reason I fell for the club… he had an electricity, and the crowd swooned every time he touched the ball. Expectation.
While I love the way we play… I don’t believe we are “special” in regard to spending money and running things “right”. In comparison to about 4 or 5 other teams in the Premiership, YES. No doubt. But we have financial resources that dwarf every other team in all of England. We are a big club and can outbid everyone except the other Big 4, Tottenham, and ManCity. Everyone else sees Arsenal as a financial bully in comparison to their team.
You don’t have to like that reality, but it is reality. Do you think Stoke believe or Sunderland or QPR think we a club that can cry poor-mouth?
Perhaps the way the board run the team as a BUSINESS is a wonderful ideal for other owners who don’t have a lot of money. I am sure it would be a business model to them, because they won’t likely have tons of money to throw around.
But I also see absolutely nothing wrong with a club spending money to bring in players.
Do you really think at the end of the day… after many many years without a trophy, Chelsea’s supporters are concerned about how they won trophies?
After watching ManU win every year, and spend freely, I highly doubt they give a damn at all. It’s about winning and competing.
ManCity. Same scenario. Their owners have the money. It is THEIR MONEY. They can do whatever they like with it. If they bring a winner to Manchester City, the supporters will be ECSTATIC. They already are.
So, yes… there are always these catch phrases… the Arsenal way?
I think the style of play… with the ball “on the floor”… free-flowing, beautiful football… is what really seperates us from other clubs. I’ve been lucky enough to travel quite a bit… and Arsenal supporters are everywhere. What I’ve heard the attraction is to the club, is how we play. Even other supporters like to watch Arsenal play.
Arsene Wenger would be responsible for bringing this style of play to the club. No doubt about it. He’s the architect and the wizard. But without trophies, its just pretty football. He’s won titles and trophies at the club, so thats what makes it special. It works.
Stag, how you started supporting the club does not matter. But how you KEEP supporting the club when we had not won anything the past few years is the IMPORTANT part.
No matter how you rant about the club, at least you had not jumped ship.
To me, it shows that whether you like to admit it or not, you are attracted to the “Arsenal Way” to a certain extend.
‘Cos let’s face it – Arsenal are NOT our LOCAL club. It’s far easier for the non-local fans to jump ship than stick with it when things are not going well.
If you really completely disagree with the way Arsenal and Arsene running the team, you would not have been here today.
Stag, I hear your point, and yes we are all in it to win trophies.
But, as a fan, it gives me a huge sense of pride that Arsenal conduct their business in a sustainable and dignified manner.
Arsene Wenger truly is a visionary of the game, and while I like to have a moan as much as the next person, he will forever be one of the most inspirational people in my life.
sorry to be off subject
DAG – another change of pace blog would be to expand on your current survey……silverware this year.
Ask readers to make their prediction and offer 2-3 reasons that influence their decision.
I’d say so too Andez. DB10 was the biggest factor that drove me to Arsenal. Over the years it would have been easy for me to make the switch to support ManU etc but the style of play on those initial years was captivating. And over time as I listened to AW speak and his philosophy and the club culture it started making more and more sense to support our great club. Now after around 7-8 years those things you touch on in your article, are much more relevant — the game is important — the trophies LESS SO… the style of play very important.. but the feeling that we are trying to do it in exactly the way it should be done “ideally” is special.
DAG,
I like this topic, but as soon as you post the West Ham match preview, the post will be lost.
You are so right about the ‘non-local’ fan, THE ATTRACTION TO ARSENAL and OPTIONS.
For me it was never about how the club was or is being run, I admit that aspect is low priority.
Its all about style of play & player talent.
’98 WC
Argentina v. Netherlands / QUARTERFINALS drama
tie match, then in the 89th minute Frank De Boer (for Netherlands) launches this 70 pass (from
the left of his penalty area) to an upfield teammate who, under on a ‘dead run’, nestles the ball under
control with his instep, pulls the ball back to create space from the defender, then (from about
18 mtrs volley’s the ball over the GK into the far corner of the goal…….
as casually as you go to slip on a pair of loafers.
(sorry if I’m off on the details, time can embellish the memory)
It was Bergkamp that caught my eye and led me to Arsenal, but it was the additional play of PV and
TH that cemented my loyalty.
Andez,
apologize for not giving you credit for the topic, but again, its a nice change from the usual player rant and line up speculation.
no problem man, glad u like the subject!