While Wenger has spent years convincing the world that his eagle eyes can spot potential a mile off, Rafa Benitez sees the Arsenal man’s methods in a totally different light - he said this to liverpoolfc.tv:
“I think we are signing fantastic young players but not spending big, big money. I think that is the massive difference between Arsenal and us. They have spent big money on young players for a long time. We are trying to do our best not to spend too much money. If I told you some of the figures we have paid for certain players and what other clubs are paying you’d be surprised.”
72 responses so far
1 grime // May 12, 2008 at 12:46 pm
torres 22= 25million,
pennant 22 = 7 million,
babel 23= 5million,
mascherano 23 = 17million,
walcott 19= 11million,
rafa wants to keep his job. fair go, but he’s knocked out a fortune compared 2 us gooners.
2 Chris // May 12, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Erm… so how much exactly did self confessed Arsenal fan Babel cost? Splash the cash, dash integrity and credibility…
3 Karim // May 12, 2008 at 12:52 pm
The difference is that Wengers youngsters play first team football - Walcott, Fabregas, Van persie, Eboue etc
I love Rafa and i love LFC but our youngsters are nowhere near ready to play in the PL.
I would love us to sign Dos Santos from barcelona and let him loose on our right side of the attacking 3 next season. he could be a diamond waiting to be discovered on the big stage rather than a bit part player of a dying barcelona team.
4 brun // May 12, 2008 at 12:57 pm
I think he is refering how much the repective clubs play for players who go straight into the youth or reserve teams. for LFC players like nemeth and Insua.
5 Stuart // May 12, 2008 at 12:57 pm
It’s good to point out the youngish Liverpool signings that are in the first team but Rafa was referring to young (i.e. >19 yo) players. All the big 4 spend lots on 1st team players. Arsenal have spent (and correctly so) a huge amount on players under 19.
Note: babel = £10m
6 RvP // May 12, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Jeeeez….Rafa is getting desperate!
7 noel reynolds // May 12, 2008 at 1:00 pm
you are talking cobblers rafa. what about all those young players you have bought who have sunk without trace at anfield.
8 Slag // May 12, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I think you will find he is probably on about the cost of the likes of:
Nemeth, El Zhar, Insua, Plessis etc
compared to Walcott, Bendtner, Diaby, Denilson etc
The difference at the moment is that the Arse ‘n’ al kids are more advanced than Liverpools.
Only time will tell whether Rafas plan will work.
9 Sue // May 12, 2008 at 1:03 pm
What a load of cobblers - Rafa needs to leave the vino alone
10 drew10 // May 12, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Walcott Bendtner Diaby and Denilson have ALL been called up to their national squads!!! And let’s face all are worth more now than what Arsenal paid for them. Can the same be said for the Scouse youngsters?? I think not!
11 East // May 12, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Walcott’s fee has been settled early at 9 million due to the financial problems at Southampton.
Bendtner was a nominal fee - not even a million.
Denilson was 3-4 million.
Diaby was 4 million.
All these players have good experience and have played in the Champions League.
12 Vinyl // May 12, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Rafa pales in comparison to Wenger in regards
to spotting talent. Period.
13 Simon // May 12, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Seriously - a secret method? Anyone who watches football knows that Wenger prefers to spot young talent than to buy established players. I hardly feel that a lid has been removed from any secret. Should read ‘ Benitez states obvious’.That said Wenger is streets ahead of Benitez and quoting Walcott is a joke. The mosy expensive youngster Wenger has bought, why because he will be the next Henry but faster and English. In 2-3 years you can add a nought to his purchase price. Benitezis out of his depth.
14 brian the gooner // May 12, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Whatever the rights and wrongs of this argument it is pathetic to see the amount of money Benitez has spent without much in the way of success unless you want to count the biggest fluke in football history in Istanbul.Whenever his huge outlays(e.g. Torres,Babel,Mascherino etc all more or less at the same time)doesn’t bring success he then winges about needing more money.If Arsenal had spent the amount for the three mentioned above we would have been looking for,at least,the treble and probably more.What he does is up to him and his club but he certainly should keep quiet about other clubs.
15 Laura // May 12, 2008 at 2:13 pm
He was talking about the reserves not Torres, Babel etc after the won the league last week.
16 Andy // May 12, 2008 at 2:15 pm
I can only assume Rafa is referring to youngsters yet to break through into the first team. Or those who just have:
Insua - El’Zhar - Nemeth - Putteril - Lindfield - Mikel San Jose - Plessis - Pacheco - Bruna - Brouwer - and there are more. all these kids are 19 and under I believe. All internationals as well, some weren’t when they came - developed nicely - thankfully, and hopefully they will continue to do so. Will they get a chance in the league or cups? given the pressures on LFC to win and bring in money due to board room issues unfortunately I doubt they will, and thats a shame as we may well lose good talent.
All these players have helped LFC reserves win the youth FA cup back to back and the reserves leagues.
Average cost is pence compared to what you see Chelsea inflated prices floating around for.
No denying some of the kids who have come in for Arsenal, have done a great job - the squad it self plays great football for a reasonably young age. I think (dunno for sure) Wenger has done ok with youth, you can only be judged on what you win and both the players mentioned above, to the best of my knowledge where international players before they came to Arsenal.
To comment Babbel was an Arsenal fan is like a lfc fan saying that Walcott’s whole family support Liverpool and thats where he wanted to go but you guys out bid us with bells on and thats not included clauses..
As a Liverpool fan I have HUGE amount of respect for Mr Wenger, he is an incredible manager who promotes youth and brilliant football. An honorable guy that has been imo the best manager the prem has seen for overall contribution. I also think Rafa is of a similar ilk - Rafa from his time at Real M as youth coach imo can spot young talent and the reserves are benifiting - if Rafa can bring the same success and gets the same support from the board (what a mess that is) i will be more than happy.
I would like to see the whole article as it seems this may well have been taken out of context and an example of provocative selective reporting. I think Rafa would pay respect to a system he is simile developing.
17 Frank // May 12, 2008 at 2:18 pm
I think there are too many overly sensitive gooners out there!!! Wenger has been buying young players for development at a higher cost to what Rafa has been doing and for a much longer period. Rafa was interested in Denilson for example but was not willing or able to match the millions paid by Wenger (fact). Similarly with Walcott who is a Liverpool fan from childhood with a whole family of reds, LFC simply could not compete with that level of deal for an untried 16 year old. That’s not a criticism of Wenger, just statement of fact, so its difficult to understand why gooners are so sensitive on this.
What Rafa was alluding to IMO is the success his recently acquired youngsters have achieved within such a short amount of time. Which is a fact as the Liverpool youngsters, in both reserves and under 18s have won most of the trophies they have competed for, including two FA youth cups in succession as well as a number of other trophies. There is nothing to get worked up for in the statement, though the titles (by this web site) might be a little provocative.
18 Andrew // May 12, 2008 at 2:24 pm
This is laughable. Where have we spent big on a youngster? Theo Walcott? Yes, one player! and at around 10 million, 3 million more then pennant. Ha, a good deal i’d say. Just look at the list;
Fabregas = Around a million pound? Enough said..
RVP = Under 2.5mill (much less then babel)
Toure = 250k i belive.
Eboue = Under 1mill
Bendtner = Under 1mill
Thierry Henry = Brough for 10.5 mill, then sold for 16.5 mill after 8 fantastic seasons (I think.. 1999-2007?)
Denilson = 2.5 mill
Diaby = Around 3 mill?
Im sorry Rafa, but your not prooving anything with this statment, just that your an idiot.
Andrew
19 thenry // May 12, 2008 at 2:26 pm
good point made above
our yoof eventually end up int he first team. which young player that rafa has bought for penuts has ended up in the first team.
our penut players are
CESC 500K at 16 now 21 and an established world star.
CLICHY 150k at 17 now establidhed in the 1st team and recognised as one of the best in europe and capped recently by France.
RVP 2.5mill one of our expensive penuts a stay in the first team and for holland.
ALEX SONG emerged this year at 2 mill he is now ready to step into the first team and was voted best young player at the recent ANC.
NICKLAS BENDTNER bought for 500k at 16 is now a target for many team across europe notably bayern munich. his first full season at brum scored 9 goals. ast full season at Arsenal hes scored 13 goals. full danish international and scoring goals at international level.
DENILSON 3 mill at 18 now beggening to establish himself in the 1sr team and made his debut for full brazil team.
the next Arsenal kid crew reads like this.
CARLOS VELA 1mill alreday completed fulls eason with ossasuna in la liga.
HARVELDT NORDVELT 1mill captian of reserves and ready to be part of 1st team squad.
teh following all English cost us nothing
JACK WILSHIRE future star of ENGLAND and will be introduced into the 1st team next year.
HENRY LANSBURY
KEIRAN GIBBS
MARK RANDELL.
lets not forget the likes of ANELKA 500k to 23mill.
what exactly is rafa`s record in buying very cheap and then transforming them into world stars. i havnt seen any kids come through and regularly hold down places.
rafa should remember its not about the price of a young player but the QUALITY and ABILITY of the young player.
rafa should produce before whouting from the roof tops that his system is better.
we have cahnged our whole team whereas pool are still palying with the core of houlliers team.
get real rafa you are not in the same league as WENGER when producing young talent.
20 Laura // May 12, 2008 at 2:38 pm
thenry- You entire post is based on the fact that Wenger has had the time to let these players break through.
The first of our youth system under Rafa are coming through now ie. Plessis and Insua while the rest of them are off winning reserve titles. Not bad considering he’s had many years less than Wenger.
Core of Houllier’s team? Er no.
21 rex // May 12, 2008 at 2:38 pm
wenger hasn’t got any cash to spend on established players (or chooses not to) so has to spend on youngsters to plug the talent gap, it’s a question of priorities.
if benitez didn’t plunder so much cash on talentless shite (apart from torres) maybe he’d have a little money to spend on the future talent going into the first team. taking just last season into account: -
£27.5m torres (inc. £6m signing garcia going other way), £17m masch, £12m babel, £7m lucas, £6.5m skrtel, £5m benayoun - that was just last season!! £75 frigging million and the tool has the cheek to question wengers extravangence!!
send him off to the asylum
22 Laura // May 12, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Is anyone reading any of the other posts before they post their own comments?
Rex etc- Please see Andy, Brun and Stuarts above comments. HE WAS REFERRING TO THE RESERVE AND YOUTH PLAYERS.
23 Andy // May 12, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Sorry to reign on on your fire mate but where was the skill and risk in :
Fabregas = Around a million pound? Enough said.. You stole him from Barca youth offering a pro contract when they couldnt - he was an international already - no risk.
Toure = 250k i belive. - Was actually £150,000 and he as well was a full international player
Eboue = Under 1mill - Was a captain of his national side…
Bendtner = Under 1mill - again already playing for his national side
Thierry Henry = Brough for 10.5 mill, then sold for 16.5 mill after 8 fantastic seasons (I think.. 1999-2007?) - a great by no one can deny that.
Denilson = 2.5 mill - you out bid us and again he was an international
Diaby = Around 3 mill? Again an international
Sounds like Arsenal fans are very sensitive - Wenger has bought cheap players developed by other teams under different academies and bought players cheap - invariably these will have sell on clauses (you would think)
Agree, some great players listed there, most prem teams would have them = but buying an international player for low money - hardly a risk is it?
When was the last time Wenger or Arsenal produced a local english talent through there youth academy and was good enough to play for them and country?
Im thinking Gerrard, Owen, Carrager, or Darby, Spearing coming through now?
24 TopGunPires // May 12, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Rafa is missing the point. Wenger only really spends money on young talent so he has every right to do that. Benitez spends 20M+ on Torres, 17M on Mascherano, 10M on Babel and has moan because the purse stings weren’t loosened for Denilson. Great tactician but his constant sniping is patheric and i thought he would’ve have learnt his lesson after Drogba.
25 Baz // May 12, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Interesting comments by Rafa. I like Rafa, i think he’s a great manager.
I dont think its a slur against Arsene. Rafa is defending his own policy and asking for more time. Maybe even saying ‘dont expect a lot of big summer signing this year’.
One thing for certain is that he cannot compete with Wenger when it comes to talent spotting. There might be some good young kids playing in Liverpool Reserves but they cannot be compared to Arsenal Kids. One must have a good scouting network and Arsene has built argubly the best one around. Rafa needs some time and knows he cannot go on spending 40 odd million every summer. He is taking a leaf out of Wengers book and admitting is it even harder to do due to the uncertainty surrounding a young player. Thats a risk Wenger has taken but he has had more success than failures. Rafa will go about the same way.
Why might Rafa fail however? His job isnt safe like Wengers. You have amercian owners who dont care about the clubs history and arent loyal no matter what they say in the media. End of the day, its a business and if you dont make money, you sell it off. Even for the most loyal scouser, if you start losing money youre accountable and you will end up ‘making a decision for the best for the club’ which probably favours you.
Note to Rafa: You have frankly not delivered with your expensive first team buys (and it dosent give you much money to spend on young players), so i would like you to step up and admit your rotation policy backfired and some of your buys have not played well enough to win the league. Arsene pays well for kids because he refuses to pay big on established players, thats his policy and we all know it. Your policy has been pay big, bench them because they need to stay fresh….it dosent work mate. Play your best team, week in week out and belnd you kids in when you can, against the likes of Derby etc.
26 East // May 12, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Andy your facts are not entirely accurate…all the players you mentioned weren’t full Internationals when they joined Arsenal in one form or another.
Fabregas was an Under 17s international when we took him at the age of 16.
We had a partnership with a Belgian side Beveren to develop African talent who were spotted through our scouting network - there were no quota restrictions on foreign players in Belgium at the time. Unfortunately we could only take one of the Toure brothers, and Eboue as they had already established themselves as Ivory Coast internationals.
Note we have done the same with Carlos Vela who has since become a full Mexican international and has gained EU citizenship. He has played a full season in La Liga for Ossuana and will be joining Arsenal next season.
We took Bendtner on as a sixteen year-old for a nominal fee. Recently Bayern Munich and Dortmund have offered 10 million quid for him.
We got special clearance from the home office to bring in Denilson under the special talent ruling – he was u19s international not a full one at the time.
Diaby was a France u21 player when we took him. He’s now on the fringes of the senior team.
27 ethan_gunner // May 12, 2008 at 4:37 pm
raffa will never have the balls to play 90% of your youth squad , scared for his job he can never ford the luxury like wenger to play his youth at the top level like Arsenal has .. Also what star youngster has raffa played as a 1st team regular which has been developed in his youth academy ??
please anyone ?
clichy ? cesc? theo?senderos?hoyte? oh man the list is endless !
liverpools list is below ……..
————————————————
its just jealously of the best youth development club in the EPL …..definitely the award goes to :AFC !
ask any pundit … who has the best 1st team fully developed youth from its own academy !
please scousers enlighten me who is from your academy and plays top flight 1st team football at your club ?. i double dare you !
28 roadender // May 12, 2008 at 5:44 pm
erm, didn’t the Mighty knock the Arse out of the champion league, though
29 Austingunner // May 12, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Benitez isn’t good enough to wipe AW’s ass. It was a bad referee in the first CL encounter and the Kop in the second that saved him…but we consistently outplay The Poo (who bore me to tears anyway)
30 Chris Evans // May 12, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Youth Youth Youth, doesn’t matter if half your team are leaving! Eboue is a tosser as well. Senderos is shit. Arsene has had ten years to sort out his squad. You lot talk about rafa buying shit, quoting Skrtel, Babel, Lucas (all who would get into your first team) well if Arsene hadn’t insisted on youth maybe you’d have a bit of depth and be able to compete over the entire season. I will bet any gooner that Liverpool win more next season or are placed higher in the league than Arsenal. And its not like Arsene has an unblemished record, what about players like Reyes, Wright, Jeffers
31 GunnerX // May 12, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Benitez, Keep on taking the pills
32 Austingunner // May 12, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Reyes played a key role for us for one season, he wasn’t a wash as a player he just couldn’t handle being in England and returned there because he was homesick. Liverpool are incapable of playing attacking football and will always finish beneath us in the league. You were L-U-C-K-Y to be GIFTED two wins against us in the Champions League
33 Jacob March // May 12, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Aren’t LFC the UK’s highest scoring team this year in all comps? 116 goals isn’t it? So how can dickheads say we’re not an attacking side?
I guess we’re just lucky then?
J
34 lushesturk // May 12, 2008 at 7:59 pm
……wenger just buys players that arent pl worthy but just plays them…look at plessis or insua both have been good since they got first team experiance plus what 2 teams won the reserve league? villa and lfc…liverpool reserve avrg age is 21 where as arsenal is 23 plus liverpool are best reserve in england…another point plessis nethmith simoa babel all unde 21 players lfc have snatched up under wenger nose…tells u something about the clubs stacture u aresenal may be higher in league but we have far far far bigger fan base look at pre season in chinathe stadia was 20k+ lfc fans witch may not sound alot but most places like that prefer united or spures coz of there korean asain players give rafa 2 more season to mount a title challange then bring in the one and only kk(not kevin keegan)
35 Martin // May 12, 2008 at 8:32 pm
No point taking lumps out of each other, over something so trivial. Arsene, has been superb in the transfer market over the years,but the reality is, they have not won A trophy for three seasons and Rafa,has nothing for two! Both teams have made progress, but Utd and Chelsea are not standing still. Chelsea, spent near 17 mill on A right back today! Wenger, has to change or he will get left behind and Rafa, may be able to bring Insua, Plessis, Nemeth and San Jose through, but he still needs to spend big to make an impact. Respect to Arsenal and Wenger. YNWA
36 Highbury93 // May 12, 2008 at 8:35 pm
If we’re talking about RESERVE and YOUTH players as Liverpool fans keep telling us, then why are they mentioning Denilso, Cesc, Theo, Bendtner and Diaby? They are all 1st teamers.
Our regular reserve squad are all 16,17 or 18 except the goalkeepers this is the squad that have played most of the games this season:
GK Fabianski or Vito Mannone (both trnasfers one £3m, the other under £1m.
RB Paul Rodgers- came through academy
CB- Gavin Hoyte- came through academy
CB- Harvard Nordveit- £2m
LB- Rene Steer- cam through academy or Traore- £400k
RM- Abu Ogogo- came through academy
CM- James Dunne/Mark Randall- came through academy
CM- Henri Lansbury/Jay Thomas- both came through academy
LM- Nacer Barazite- £100k
ST- Rui Fonte- £100k
ST- Gilles Sunu- £2m
Also- Fran Merida- free (court ordered him to pay Baraca £2m in compensation, Arsenal offered to pay it for him- not a transfer fee)
Kieran Gibbs, Jack Wilshere, Rhys Murphy and other English players have played for the reserves and all came through the academy.
If Liverpool players are talking about players under 19 in general than:
Cesc was 16 had just played in the U-17 world cup and was £500k
Diaby was £2.5m- France u-21 captain
Bendnter was a coulpe of hundred grand (can’t remember how much exactly)- only got a national call up after impressing in the reserves
Denilson was £3m- was than called up late to Brazil squad as a replacement, but I don’t think he actually played
Senderos- was £250k was in between full national squad and u-21’s
Djourou- was at the club since 14/15- free
Clichy- was £250k (I remember because the season we went unbeaten we sent a total of £2m on transfers that summer- lehmann was £1.5m and Clichy and Senderos were £500k altogether)
Eboue was 21 when we brought him for £1.5m
Toure was also 21 when we bought him for £150k both he and Eboue were full internationals
Flamini was 20 and free
Walcott was £5m rising to £12 based on trophies won, appearances and goals although that may have been settled to £9m a few weeks ago.
So we haven’t spent as much as everyone thinks- apart from Sunu and Nordveit, players we have spent a few million on are 1st team regulars- El Zhar, Plessis, Insua aren’t. The only one who is is Lieva.
And Lushesturk, the average age of our reserve squad is not 23, apart form the keepers they are all 16,17 or 18- they were our u-18’s last year.
Our u-18’s are made up of a majority or 16 years olds with a few 17 and 18 put in as well.
37 Carloz Gunna GetU // May 12, 2008 at 9:01 pm
All these liverpool people mouthing off, stop for a minute before comparing wenger with rafa. How much exactly have both of them spent over the past few seasons ? What has been the league positioning ?
If wenger spent like benitez, where do you think arsenal would be ?
arsenal and wenger are used by all wanna be’s to big themselves up .. thats why the scouting of many of them is based on indications about who arsenal is interested in: typical copy-cats in this mould are (in order): one-day ramos, rafa, chelsea fc .. these guys just wait to see who arsenal seem to be looking at, and then they wade in to start a bidding war.
Rafa just wheeled out wenger’s name to big himself up .. he doesn’t know shit better than wenger.
Now to the ‘pool fan above who is adring gooners on liverpool being better this season, it seems u have a very short memory .. liverpool were supposed to win the league this season, and arsenal were supposed to drop out of the top4 .. this after rafa blew more than £100m on new signingss, on top of the £100m+ he blew the season b4 …
You guys are just jokers … and I have found reading some of your comments quite entertaining … LOL
38 Jonesy // May 12, 2008 at 9:18 pm
So all we’ve established is that Rafa has spent money on 1st team players (Yes he’s also recouped most of that in sales and will probably do the same this summer) Making a profit on Sissoko was good business!
And yes we have been buying youth team players on a budget - less than Wengers budget but more of them have come through so far.
Oh and we established that Arsenal are unable to hold onto 1st team players and have turned into a bit of a selling team - Viera, Henry - Flamini (Free?) all moved on…
39 mike // May 12, 2008 at 9:53 pm
All of the above are good points but aren’t arsenal fans forgettin a few others youngsters that wenger has signed? Richard Wright and Francis jeffers. How much did those super talents cost?
40 Crash // May 12, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Wenger is a great manager, but he is also a whinger & liar
I am sick of hearing this about how young Arsenal are. This was Wenger just yesterday
” we had a very young side today. Our average age was 22.3 without the bench, & with the bench, it would have gone down to 20.”
These are lies, pure and simple. How can “Le Professeur” be so bad at math?
This was the starting lineup
Player…..DOB…….Age in Mid May 2008
Lehman…11/10/69…… 38
Gallas …..8/17/77…….. 30
Toure…..3/19/81……… 27
Eboue ….6/4/83………..24 (25 in 3wks)
Clichy…..7/26/85…….. 22
Sagna …..2/14/83………25
Rosicky…10/4/80……. 27
Hleb………5/1/81……… 27
Fabregas …5/4/87……..21
Flamini……3/7/84……. 24
VPersie…..8/6/83…….. 24
avg 26.27
This was the bench
Almunia…5/19/77……. 31 (in 1 week)
Senderos..2/14/85…….. 23
Song……..9/9/87……….. 20
Walcott….3/16/89……… 19
Bendtner…1/16/88……. 20
total starters age w/bench age - 25.125
The man is lying by nearly 4 years average for the starters, and over 5 years for the whole starters and bench.
Is he honestly this much of a liar, or is he truly dumb? I am beginning to suspect he is delusional, because nobody with his intelligence could possibly make such obviously absurd and incorrect statements.
41 Col O'Tooray // May 12, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Crash, the line up you quote is not the one that Wenger refers to and played on Sunday.
Lukasz Fabianski
Johan Djourou
Philippe Senderos
Alexandre Song
Gael Clichy
Emmanuel Eboue
Denilson
Gilberto Silva
Theo Walcott
Emmanuel Adebayor
Nicklas Bendtner
Substitutes
Vito Mannone -
Havard Nordtveit -
Armand Traore
Mark Randall
Nacer Barazite
End of season silly stuff I know, but I reckon Wengers arithmatic is about right on the ages.
Time will tell how good Rafas youth players are. Arsenals policy is to get them ready for the first team, not necessarily to win youth or reseve trophies. (bit like the first team?)
Its great when your team wins the youth cup or the reserve league, and congatulations to pool on this. It doesn’t mean they will all make the grade though. The last time Arsenal won the Youth Cup (2000, 2001) not a single player made it as a regular first teamer.
42 leashy // May 13, 2008 at 12:03 am
TO BRIAN THE GOONER…
CALL IT A FLUKE BRIAN BUT THE FACT IS WE STILL WON & GOT TO YET ANOTHER FINAL IN 2007 WHERE WE PISSED ALL OVER AC MILAN…YOU GET TO A C/L FINAL ,TAKE THE LEAD & FUCK IT UP..! YOU GOONER CUNT…! HA HA HA !!!! WE WON IT 5 TIMES & BEEN TO THE FINAL 7 TIMES…! MATCH THAT GOONER CUNT..! FUCK OFF…!
& P.S. THERE IS ONLY ONE TEAM IN RED…LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB.
SO FUCK OFF AGAIN…! CUNT…!
KIND REGARDS, LEASHY RED
YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE…
43 Crash // May 13, 2008 at 1:50 am
Col O’ Tooray
thanks for the heads up. I thought he was saying this about the squad in general. My mistake.
I do stand by the facts I laid out though as being true whenever he starts saying “we are so young” as an excuse when he has done so.
The average of 26.27 years of age though is accurate for the normal Arsenal lineup and bench (though I would replace Song with Adebayor, or Rosicky with Adebayor either one would not make much of a difference in the overall average) and 25.125 for the entire squad and bench as hardly a “young” team.
The only real youngsters in the Arsenal squad that are important regulars are Fabregas (21), Clichy(22), Bendtner(20) and Walcott.(19)
OF those, Clichy is a great player, and he has plenty of experience. Fabregas has been playing at the highest level for close to what, 3 seasons now? He is not your average 21 year old player. Walcott is in fact young and has loads of potential, but he not been asked to carry the team on his shoulders. Bendtner is not very impressive at all, and his youth is irrelevant, since he ultimately is spare part, since he is nowhere near the quality striker that Van Persie, and Adebayor are.
So I strongly disagree with the whole “young and inexperienced Arsenal” mantra that is touted by many press apologists and Wenger. (I was not aiming that at you, btw, from what i can tell, you seem level headed and knowledgeable)
I just get tired of hearing about how “young” Arsenal is as en excuse.
Frankly, they will be truly young next season, with Ben Arfa probably arriving, and Hleb and Flamini and possibly Silva leaving.
also, with Eduardo out till December, players like Traore, Denilson, Song, Walcott, etc, will have to step in to the breach.
44 RedbyDawn // May 13, 2008 at 2:14 am
Bitter, bitter Goonies chatting the usual bitter old bollocks because they haven’t won anything in ages.
I think you should note that Rafa has only just took charge of The Academy following Steve Heighway’s step down.
In two years time the press will be raving over Amoo, Ellington, Bruna, Pacheco, Bouzanis etc and hopefully Wenger will have packed it in and moved back to Japan were he might win something for a change.
45 Omar // May 13, 2008 at 7:28 am
You arsenal supporters…
Stop crying…
you not won anything yet..
We have finished above you for the last couple of seasons..
We knocked you out of CL..
You knocked your self out the PL..
Your best players are leaving..
You will contunie to chase the Mighty Reds..HAHA…
Dont forget about all the crap players that you have bought too! (eg Cygan.. Sendros)
46 plastics A'hoy // May 13, 2008 at 7:50 am
Any of the numerous Liverpool “fans” on here actually ever been to Liverpool? Support your local team you fakers.
47 Liverpool Fan // May 13, 2008 at 8:26 am
Wenger = Jose Antonio Reyes / 20 Million
Hehe. Just to piss you off Gooner fans.
Ok ok. Wenger is good. No denial. Dont be mad.
48 MarTy // May 13, 2008 at 8:27 am
Sorry guys but the pure and simple of it is!
3.ARSENAL
4.LIVERPOOL
END OF
49 Liverpool Fan // May 13, 2008 at 8:32 am
Ok Marty. We got it.
Liverpool 4 - Arsenal 2 (Champions League Quarterfinal)
4th goal scored by Arsenal Fan Ryan Babel.
hehehehehhe. LOL
50 East // May 13, 2008 at 8:59 am
Liverpool Fan Muppet…it has been documented that we paid Seville between 8-10 million in total as Reyes wasn’t at the club long enough to reach the milestones that were agreed. We sold him on to Athletic Madrid for 8 millions, so perhaps at a net loss of a couple of million despite him being part of the squad during the invincible run and reaching the Champions League Final and Quarter Final. I’d take a loss like that any day of the week.
51 A // May 13, 2008 at 9:38 am
Rafa is totally jelous of wenger, as he has the best youngsters in the world. Fair enough we spend a little bit more than other teams. Rafa spent over 40 mil in the summer, arsenal spent about 13 mil. Liverpool came 4th, and were never in the title race, they were actually only going for the champions league, which is a cup comp = Can be lucky to win.
The next generation of Arsenal youngsters are all from around London, since the age of 9.
Lansbury, Wiltshire, Randel, Gibbs, Jay Simpson
Benitez would have gone if there was no boardroom drama.
52 A // May 13, 2008 at 9:40 am
Benitez = crap
will never win th PremieLeague
53 Arsenal fan1 // May 13, 2008 at 9:49 am
Talk about moaning, Benitezhas been moaning all season.
Everton are small club?
Arsenal spend to much?
We can win the league?
Chelsea were lucky?
Ive made a dossier on Drogba on the floor, he is a total cheat? - did he see Torres against Chelsea and Arsenal.
Everyone knows when Benitez is under pressure, he will probably spend another 40 or 50 mil next season and still lose to some1 like Barnsly, and finish below Arsenal.
Benitez is a joke, even Liverpool without a manager would have won the champions league that season.. Because Destiny, Luck, Gerrad and a doggy linesman.
54 Matt // May 13, 2008 at 9:51 am
Rafa doesnt know what he is talking about.Ryan Babel cost them £11m and Lucas cost them £8.Compare that to the £3.5 we spent on Van Persie and Denilson.The bugger all that we spent on Toure,FlaminiBentdner,Vela and Fabregas. You can name all those players that liverpool have that havent broken into thier first team yet, but the fact is that they never will because they are all useless.Are we forgetting when Arsenals Youth team destroyed Liverpools at Anfield? Benitez is once again talking out his arse!
55 London lad // May 13, 2008 at 9:58 am
Am a west ham fan,
I actually respect Wenger for spending more on youth, than spending 20 or 30 mil every time.
Lets get this straight Liverpool has not won anythng for 2 seasons, arsenal for 3.
so if nextseason Arsenal win something and Liverpool does that make Rafa crap.
Both managers are great, but I personally think they are totally different. One a master in Europe and cups, and won who is a master at attacking football, and devloping youth.
Both set of fans need to get a grip, and just concentrate on their own team and beating chelsea and man u next season.
Id take any of the manager for West ham, better than Allen Crudishly.
56 dazzler // May 13, 2008 at 10:04 am
In summary, Rafas kids played arsenals kids at the Kop a year back in the Carling or FA Cup and Asenal won 6-3 away. Now, whos kids are better?
57 Arsenal fan1 // May 13, 2008 at 10:08 am
Why do liverpool alys bring up the fact tha they were the best team in the 70’s and 80’s. That is there biggest claim to fame, all those European cups won, before half the people chatting on here were even born. If that is the case then Arsenal should harp on about how good we were in the 1920’s.
If there wernt a plane crash for man u, They woud have far won more than Liverpool.
58 Andy // May 13, 2008 at 10:58 am
Diaby = £2m
Bendtner = £75k
Walcott = £5m (rising to £12m depending on success)
Fabregas = £2.25m (compensation fee)
Eboue = £1.5m
Senderos = £2.5m
Vela = £2.5m
Clichy free
Toure £100k
Pennant £2m - Didn’t make it but we still made a profit
All these players were purchased as youngsters and many of which have made it to the first team…I understand that Rafa has purchased the likes of Nemeth for a low fee, but the fact remains that a player like Torres cost more than the entire list above! Rafa is absolutely off his case to make such a claim, pure jealously….
59 its all about arsenal... // May 13, 2008 at 11:00 am
fuck liverpool we have bigger fish to fry….
lets worry about winning the league something liverpool have failed to do,17 years going on 18 not long before to go before it becomes 25 years.
60 Ozz // May 13, 2008 at 11:19 am
When we played Liverpool the last time this season, Torres alone cost more than our whole team combined.
Torres alone!
What a load of bollocks Rafa is talking.
61 Ozz // May 13, 2008 at 11:21 am
All he’s doing is trying to play mind games coz he knows with all the money he’s spent, he’s achieved fuck all this season. He know’s the only way he can get his team into even the top 3 is if Arsenal comes short next season. So he’s trying his best to unsettle us knowing all the bad media speculation surrounding Arsenal these days.
62 Upminster Iron // May 13, 2008 at 11:27 am
I think you’re spot on Ozz, it’s all mind games. However, based on their league performance Jan-May and Arsenal’s, combined with losing Flam and maybe Hleb, they do have a very good chance of overtaking Arsenal next season if they maintain recent consistency, which they have lacked for ages until recently with nothing to play for.
Then again Arsenal have defied the critics before…
63 Ozz // May 13, 2008 at 11:29 am
Try thinking about how much money we spent to aquire these players:
Sagna (the best right back in the premiership and soon enough probably even the whole world)
Clichy (the best left back in the premiership and on the same path as Sagna)
Fabregas (the best young central midfileder in football)
Toure (one of the best central backs out there, though he’s suffering a bit with bad form these days)
Benitez probably spent more on Babel alone!!!
64 Ozz // May 13, 2008 at 11:30 am
You’re having a fucking laugh Rafael Benitez you fucking Spanish cunt!
65 Topgunwenger // May 13, 2008 at 11:37 am
Rafa Benitez is a bumbling fool with a head like a sun tanned Dodo egg.
66 Gooner4Life // May 13, 2008 at 11:45 am
Rafa has always been quite positive of Wenger’s youth set up. Looks like selective journalism to me.
At the end of the day arsenal may have spent more than liverpool were prepared to offer for the youngsters but arsenal’s starting 11 costs approximately £35m. Just swings & roundabouts.
67 Liverpool Fan // May 13, 2008 at 12:30 pm
LOL. As expected. Gooner fans will be mental with the negative comment. Ok. I am Liverpool fan, but what’s more I am football fan. I do acknowledge Wenger is really good with limited amount of money. What Rafa meant is his youngsters are cheaper compared to Wenger’s Arsenal which is true because Wenger are plotting a first team youngster while Rafa is merely buying for reserve team or youth team. So the conclusion is, read properly before jumping into conclusion. You have brain, dont you? Use it.
68 Liverpool Fan // May 13, 2008 at 12:38 pm
But even as Liverpool fan, I love the Arsenal way of playing. If we dont have Rafa, i would have love Arsene Wenger to be the Manager of Liverpool anytime. He’s really good with money, style and tactic but his temper is bad and he’s not sporting (In other word, sore loser. Dont deny it ok. You can see the way he disrespect Alan Pardew). But other than that, he’s absolutely world class. Honestly, Rafa has not reach Wenger’s standard yet but he has potential.
69 Upminster Iron // May 13, 2008 at 12:46 pm
^ Fair play that man, a very honest appraisal.
70 morgan // May 13, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Walcott by the way ended up costing far less than £11m. Southampton, finding themselves in a financial crisis earlier this year accepted an advanced but reduced payment from Arsenal, I believe the deal totalled no more than £9m in the end. To date Sylvain Wiltord remains Arsenal’s most expensive ever signing at £13m… but for how long?
71 Abnet Arsenal // May 13, 2008 at 1:14 pm
what kind of potential dose rafa has taking too much last year when arsenal beat LFC 6-4 in the L.cup he was all prasing Arsen what hapend now RAFA come on!
72 Puff // May 14, 2008 at 10:11 am
Rafa is talking out of his arse