*Official* English Football Season 2014-15

[cpr]

Yeah its hard to prove a family didn't move for economical reasons - especially when it'd be a fair argument (if challenged on a non football footing) to say a childs potential career as a Premiership footballer is a sound economical reason to move.

Taking GIMH's comment, I couldn't help but think Mason's England call being a case of 'top club player' bias. I'd honestly not heard a thing about him until I failed to notice him in midfield against us. Yet there's a fair few midfielders doing decent things at mid table clubs who must be wondering what they need to do to get a call.

 

[Uppercut]

I also hate that the FA prioritises the English national team above all else (except possibly money). They should be working towards lower ticket prices, broader participation, eradicating discrimination from the game, etc. They suggest all these sweeping changes targeting national team performance, which is mostly random anyway, and don't give a thought to how it might affect the parts of the game that real fans actually care about. The "B" team suggestion is the most foul-smelling turd in the pile of ****e, but every one of these announcements demonstrates that they've got their objectives completely wrong.

 

[Furball]

Well both them are Southampton products actually. Hardly spent any time if any playing for Arsenal youth teams after being signed for massive money.

They may have played U12s football for Southampton but they've spent all of their professional careers since the age of 17 at Arsenal. Arsenal have clearly had the biggest influence on their professional careers regardless of who they played for at U12s.

 

[GIMH]

I also hate that the FA prioritises the English national team above all else (except possibly money). They should be working towards lower ticket prices, broader participation, eradicating discrimination from the game, etc. They suggest all these sweeping changes targeting national team performance, which is mostly random anyway, and don't give a thought to how it might affect the parts of the game that real fans actually care about. The "B" team suggestion is the most foul-smelling turd in the pile of ****e, but every one of these announcements demonstrates that they've got their objectives completely wrong.

Yes yes yes

 

[cpr]

They may have played U12s football for Southampton but they've spent all of their professional careers since the age of 17 at Arsenal. Arsenal have clearly had the biggest influence on their professional careers regardless of who they played for at U12s.

Pretty sure both of them were regular players for Southampton when you signed them, so not really all their professional careers. Whilst Arsenal can claim to have had an influence over their development, the 5-6 years coming through Southamptons ranks (especially considering how good their youth set up is) is being given a massive, massive disservice there.

 

[GIMH]

They may have played U12s football for Southampton but they've spent all of their professional careers since the age of 17 at Arsenal. Arsenal have clearly had the biggest influence on their professional careers regardless of who they played for at U12s.

I must have imagined Ox's visit to Prenton Park in League One then

 

[Cabinet96]

Pretty sure we paid 8 figure amounts for both. Which would've put them about 70% towards Arsenal's record transfer at the time. You don't do that sort of thing if they're not already far along the development line.

 

[cpr]

Especially if they aren't French...

 

[GIMH]

Pretty sure we paid 8 figure amounts for both. Which would've put them about 70% towards Arsenal's record transfer at the time. You don't do that sort of thing if they're not already far along the development line.

I can see his point which is presumably that they are much better players than they would be had they not joined Arsenal. And Walcott was, what, 15/16 when he signed for the gooners so a fair amount of credit goes to Arse there but Ox? Nah.

 

[Furball]

Pretty sure both of them were regular players for Southampton when you signed them, so not really all their professional careers. Whilst Arsenal can claim to have had an influence over their development, the 5-6 years coming through Southamptons ranks (especially considering how good their youth set up is) is being given a massive, massive disservice there.

I'll emphasise what I said since both you and GIMH missed it

They may have played U12s football for Southampton but they've spent all of their professional careers since the age of 17 at Arsenal. Arsenal have clearly had the biggest influence on their professional careers regardless of who they played for at U12s.

Pretty sure we paid 8 figure amounts for both. Which would've put them about 70% towards Arsenal's record transfer at the time. You don't do that sort of thing if they're not already far along the development line.

Theo cost us £5m - the other £7m of the fee was incentives that won't have been met since a lot of them depended on us winning trophies.

 

[cpr]

Maybe. But still my point about their development through a very good youth system still stands. Saying Arsenal have had the biggest influence on their professional careers is just wrong IMO. The biggest influence is the technical training, the discipline etc that went on between 12 and 17, which took them from skilled young kids into the hottest prospects in English football. So many young talents fall by the wayside at that point, through various reasons (don't have the attitude/brain for the game, physically or technically don't develop beyond where they were, fail to look after themselves properly etc).
If you can say Arsenal's training is such a bigger influence than all that, then why are you wasting £5 - 10m on a kid who's previous training is negligable to the stuff you provide, just pick your own youth product and give him the treatment instead.

It's like us claiming we made Januzaj, sure he's a product of our youth system, but lets not ignore the fact we shipped him over at 15 because he already looked the business. Likewise you'd scoff if you say we made Rooney because we've had him since he was 18...

 

[Cabinet96]

A lot of the stats bloggers of the last few years are actually working at some of the top clubs in Europe.

Ted Knutson's got a job somewhere

Turns out it's at Brentford. All gone full circle.

 

[Nate]

I hope the Anfield charity game has a good vibe this weekend. I am still bummed about the defeat.

 

[GIMH]

I'll emphasise what I said since both you and GIMH missed it




Theo cost us £5m - the other £7m of the fee was incentives that won't have been met since a lot of them depended on us winning trophies.

Hand on heart thought he was older when he came to PP in League One. Nonetheless you banged on about under 12s, he was playing first team football for Saints and was already getting national accolades. Arsenal didn't pluck him from obscurity, he was clearly going to the top. Yes Arsenal have improved him, but they didn't make him, they didn't produce him and no way can he be claimed in that respect.

 

[Pothas]

Hate the international break interrupting the most exciting league in Europe.

 

[sledger]

Oh **** is it an international weekend again? Dire.

 

[BoyBrumby]

More like an international week and a half now.

Think yer Sweaties play Norn Iron in a friendly tonight?

 

[GIMH]

so glad we don't stop for internaonals, though on the other hand we have to play a crunch game without our first choice keeper while he sits on the bench for Wales, which sucks

 

[Furball]

Hand on heart thought he was older when he came to PP in League One. Nonetheless you banged on about under 12s, he was playing first team football for Saints and was already getting national accolades. Arsenal didn't pluck him from obscurity, he was clearly going to the top. Yes Arsenal have improved him, but they didn't make him, they didn't produce him and no way can he be claimed in that respect.

Players aren't close to being the finished article at 17 and do a lot of development between 18 and 24/25. Walcott spent that entire period of his career at Arsenal and Ox will hopefully do the same. Arsenal will be/are mostly responsible for how they'll turn out as players, it'd be like crediting your school more than your employer for your career development ffs.

 

[cpr]

Actually thats a bit crap really. Surely even a team like Wales can afford to switch it around and release a player like that. Goalie is especially tough to lose, as its unlikely the back up has had much game time.