Greece lightning

OLYMPIACOS 2-1 ARSENAL
Rosicky 38 mins, Maniatis 53 mins, Mitroglou 73 mins
Att: 30,000

Tonight saw Arsenal visit Greek outfit Olympiacos, in a game that meant relatively little in terms of the Champions League. Arsenal had already qualified alongside Schalke, though it didn't take a genius to guess that Arsenal would like to finish top of their group. However, as stated in his press conference following the defeat to Swansea, Wenger felt his team were "jaded" by their recent efforts, and would take any opportunity to rest them; one can see his logic, to which most Gooners would probably agree with.

What next? What does Wenger do? Well, Wenger went with a team mixed with youth and some experience. Skipper Thomas Vermaelen kept his place, along with Szczęsny and Gervinho. Of the starters, one who certainly gained attention was Champions League first-timer Jernade Meade, the 20 year-old Englishman being granted his first start by Arsene Wenger. Another of the first XI was Sebastien Squillaci, much criticised and underplayed, he rarely sees a game for Arsenal these days. In fact, the last time Squllaci appeared in an Arsenal shirt was in February 2012, in the FA Cup defeat to Sunderland. Arsenal fans tend to wince when his name appears on the teamsheet, which is unfortunate for him, but one does often question what kind of quality he poses to the club.

The game began rather confidently for the young Arsenal side. The first ten minutes naturally saw few clear cut chances, but an air of comfort was oozing from the Gunners; that said, Olympiacos weren't particularly nervous either, and both teams seemed to approach this game as if it were meaningless, a foregone conclusion. 

Arsenal had their first clear chance in the 17th minute, when a ricocheted effort bounced kindly for Aaron Ramsey, positioned sweetly 7 yards from goal. But alas, the Welshman could only scuff his shot, being on his weaker foot, and his best efforts to have another pop ended with him dribbling himself into touch. Unlucky, but certainly not the end of the night's action. The Greek side responded two minutes later with a chance of their own. A corner looped in was found, and was heading for a goal but for a decisive goal-line clearance.  Both teams seemed revitalised by this recent spell of attacking football. The game was end to end, and in the 24th minute, Olympiacos could have scored again, Abdoun's fizzing shot palmed away expertly by Wojciech Szczęsny. Abdoun, who once had a trial at Manchester City, was seeing much of the ball and playing some excellent football, with the Arsenal defence just about coping with the recent barrage of attacks. 

The Olympiacos fans were in good voice, and it has to be said that on the past two occasions, the fans never disappointed. They will have been disappointed when Arsenal took the lead.

The first goal came in the 38th minute from TOMAS ROSICKY. Arsenal came streaming forward in a counter-attack which was initially squandered by thoughtlessness from Gervinho. But as Ramsey revived their attack, Gervinho held the ball in a highly congested penalty area. He played a bullet pass across the box, which Rosicky powered home into the bottom left corner, Olympiacos keeper Roy Carroll only managing to brush the shot with his fingertips. An important goal which Arsenal in general deserved, and at that moment in time Arsenal were all set to finish top of Group B, as Schalke were drawing 0-0 in Montpellier. 

The game didn't loose its zing, and Olympiacos were certainly not downhearted by conceding. However, as  referee Undiano Mallenco blew for half-time, Arsenal returned to the dressing rooms relatively comfortable. That said, Wenger would have wanted another goal to perhaps assert Arsenal's dominance. As the teams reemerged for the second half Arsenal made a substitution, bringing on Andrei Arshavin for goalscorer Tomas Rosicky; Arsenal's most experienced substitute of the night, the rest of the bench would be debutants. The formation was slightly edited, with Arshavin occupying the left-wing, Gerivnho on the right, and Oxlade-Chamberlain moving to a freer, more central role behind striker Marouane Chamakh.

Arsenal made their intentions clear from the kick off, applying pressure early on. Want-away Chamakh wasn't provided many goal-scoring opportunities in the first half, and a goal for the Moroccan could only do him good. And yet, in the 54th minute, Arsenal had another counter-attack, and it was Chamakh who played the decisive ball to Andrei Arshavin. However, the cross was ill-placed, and Arshavin was forced to attempt a header, which spiraled hopelessly out of play. A disappointing move, but at least the attacking intent was there.

Olympiacos were still an ever-present threat, and their visitors were given a stern reminder by Fejsa, who's shot in space hit the side-netting. Meanwhile, Schalke scored in Montpellier, pushing Arsenal back into second place in Group B. Whether the players knew of the current scores is unknown, but Wenger would undoubtedly be keeping his eye on proceedings in France.

Olympiacos finally equalised in the 64th minute, GIANNIS MANIATIS finding the net. After a corner was seemingly dealt with by Arsenal, danger-man Abdoun sent in a swerved cross that bounced in the box, finally met by full-back Maniatis, his half-volley brushing the post on its way in. A succor-punch for the Gunners, who were finally cracked despite their valiant efforts. Arsenal were firmly on the rack now, and the team needed to demonstrate composure if they were going to soak up the pressure.

Minutes later, Olympiacos should have been leading. In the 70th minute, Djebbour was gifted a free header after a brilliant cross, Carl Jenkinson caught daydreaming. The striker could only plunge his effort wide when he really should have found the back of the net. A scary moment for the Gunners, and one could sense a fightback coming on. 

And moments later, Arsenal were finally punished for their procrastination. Ever since the equaliser, the team had been greatly nerved. In the 73rd minute, they could only watch on in awe as substitute KOSTAS MITROGLOU curved a 25-yard beauty into the right corner of the net, a fantastic goal, which one could say they had earned. Arsenal disappointingly flat, Olympiacos looked in control. 

Though this game was, in majority, played for pride, Arsenal were not giving up just yet. The game was heading into the 80th minute, and Arsenal could be commended for keeping their heads high, not allowing themselves to plunge into the depths of insignificance. As much as they would have liked to win, a win away in Athens is always a tall order, whatever team you happen to be. Furthermore, there were encouraging signs from Jernade Meade, a makeshift winger-come-left-back who will have greatly valued his display tonight. At 20, he demonstrated general stability and athleticism, as well as forming great chemistry with his peers. Maybe not a first choice left-back now, but who knows what will happen in the future. There was a debut for Swiss full-back Martin Angha, who replaced Meade, another product of Arsenal's strong reserve set-up. He wasn't given much time tonight, but who knows, maybe soon he will be given a chance to flourish in the way Meade did tonight. 

The game ended in a 2-1 defeat for the Gunners, their second straight loss in a row. Wenger may grumble at the result, but deep down he will be satisfied that his team played some good football, and his first-team regulars were given a much needed rest ahead of some crucial games. I don't think that anyone can realistically criticise the performance tonight, though if Arsenal lose at home to West Brom on Saturday, serious questions will be asked by the press and fans. Do not prejudge, however; Arsenal need an incentive and they will perform. A win is a must, and I'm sure they know that, so let's give them a chance before we shoot them down.

In Arsene we trust, up the Gunners!

Enough talk - the day of the walk

ARSENAL 0-2 SWANSEA CITY
Michu 89 mins & 90 mins
Att: 60,098

Today was the day of the Black Scarf Movement walk. At 1:30pm, around 1200 fans gathered outside the Cannons pub for the demonstration which lead right up to 'Bear roundabout' outside the Emirates Stadium. It was a tense atmosphere, and the songs that were sung ranged from Anti-Gazidis to Pro-Arsenal in terms of material. It was a demonstration which left me feeling very proud of the Gooners who took part, as we showed to the board (and to the Prawn-sandwich brigade) that Arsenal's true core supporters are not happy with the current situation.

Arsenal went into the game off the back of two draws against Aston Villa and Everton. Both games, granted, were away from home, but Arsene Wenger was surely dismayed that Arsenal only managed to take two points from a possible six. Alarm bells were being readied by the Arsenal fans, who knew that the next two home matches against Swansea and West Brom were must-wins.

What happens next? Or rather, what happened next? The Arsenal fans who took part all strove for the same message: let's kick greed out of football, and let's reinstate that fighting ambition the club once had, instead of focusing on a fourth-place finish every season. And as if it was Sod's law was at work, Arsenal lost at home to Swansea City for the first time since 1982, being comprehensively outplayed by Michael Laudrup's young side. Where did it all go wrong?

The game began in similar fashion to the performance at Villa Park last weekend. No real clear-cut chances were fabricated by either side, and Arsenal were demonstrating the same kind of passionless, dreary  non-football, which is to sheepishly caress the ball around the edge of the box, without having a shot. 

There was so little to talk about in the first half, and it seemed like these kind of lacklustre displays were becoming the status quo for Arsenal; against Everton and Villa, the side barely showed any attacking intent - after Walcott scored inside 50 seconds, the Arsenal eleven were merely spectators for the rest of the game. 

And as the teams returned for the start of the second half, it seemed that all the game needed was a bit of zest, an infusion of brilliance, even the slightest glimmer of inspiration, and then one team would go on and win this. However, and rather sadly for Arsenal, that spark was not found. Arsenal continued in the same way as they had ended the first - fannying around with the ball. As the ball was frequently exchanged between Gibbs and Oxlade-Chamberlain, there seemed to be no striker for them to pick out. The general movement of the Arsenal forwards was atrocious, and, combined with sloppy passing, made for a pretty desperate situation for Wenger and his team. 

The Arsenal faithful were not happy, not even close. It seems the natural consequence for Arsenal to concede before anything happens, be it good or bad. And when Arsenal finally did concede - in the 88th minute - there were real questions as to how it was Swansea could unlock the Arsenal defence that easily. 

Michu, Swansea's £2 million signing, linked up with Luke Moore, exchanging quick passes. All of a sudden, Michu was bearing down on the Arsenal goal, with Szczesny in his way. What followed was simply an act of brilliance. The Spaniard finessed the ball into the top left corner with ease, and the boos rang out around the Emirates. Some Arsenal fans headed for the exits - they'd seen enough.

As if to rub salt into the wounds, Swansea scored again. As Arsenal pressed for an equaliser - though to not much avail - the ball landed at Michu's feet, and, thanks to a defensive slip-up, he found himself clean through on goal, again with Szczesny in his way. He opted for a low drive this time, sending the travelling fans into delirium, and the boos rang out around the Emirates again. This time, there was a monumental fire exit from the fans. Similar to the defeat to Schalke last month, the Emirates quickly emptied, though the fans that did stay made their feelings loud and clear.

The final whistle went, and Arsenal were left speechless, astounded and disappointed.

Was the BSM's protest in vain? Were they at fault for the team's below par performance? I'd say certainly not, as every fan has the right to say what they think about the club - after all, they're the ones forking out the money to go and watch them. Arsenal lie tenth in the table, 12 points off the pace of Manchester City. There is little more I need to say on the matter, as the following picture sums up the situation of the club at the moment. Thanks for reading.

Not quite. Nearly. Almost.

EVERTON 1-1 ARSENAL
Walcott 1 min, Fellaini 27 mins
Att: 37,141

Following their insipid performance at Aston Villa on Saturday, Arsenal traveled to Merseyside needing a win to keep their League form bubbling nicely. Arsenal were greeted by the return of Thomas Vermaelen, Bacary Sagna and Jack Wilshere, who were all rested, and notably Theo Walcott, returning after a shoulder injury. The contract saga seemed to have disappeared into the shadows of late, but with the return of the young winger came the speculation over his future. With less than a year left on his contract, the situation is becoming desperate, especially for a large quantity of Gooners who realise how valuable he is.

And, as if by pure coincidence, Walcott was off the mark in the opening minute. A quick move and pass by Aaron Ramsey set THEO WALCOTT on his way, and the 23 year old coolly obliged in finding the net. 1-0, Arsenal fans left gobsmacked at the sheer difference Walcott makes to the team. It appeared at Saturday's performance that Arsenal really looked average, and many pundits felt that it was the absence of Walcott that did the damage. Needless to say, Wenger will undoubtedly want to slap a long-term contract on the Englishman, before it's too late. 

Arsenal were dealt an early blow, however. Laurent Koscielny had to be replaced in the 5th minute after overstretching for a loose ball. Kieran Gibbs came on for the Frenchman, with the extent of the injury still yet to be seen.

After their early sting, Everton did not let their heads drop. For the next 26 minutes, Arsenal were denied by Everton's stubbourn midfield maestro, Marouane Fellaini, his physical presence proving to be a handful for Arsenal's relatively lean midfield. And the Belgian got his reward for his recent match-winning performances. In the 27th minute, MAROUANE FELLAINI picked up the ball and drilled a shot into the bottom left corner of the goal, Szczesny left for dead by his defence who had fallen asleep. A goal that, quite honestly, had been on the cards for a long time. 

After this, an ever shaky Arsenal defence were subjected to more pressure, especially from former Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic. But while Arsenal were uncertain in one half of the pitch, they began to wake up on the front line. Jack Wilshere was pulling the strings for the Gunners, seemingly looking fresh from his recent lay-off, and there were numerous half-chances for the Arsenal forwards to try and feed on; however, there as no killer bite, and the evenly matched first half ended rather quickly. 

As the teams returned for the second half, there was a real sense of urgency oozing out of Everton. A team that has been backed widely to secure a top four place, Everton began much the better side, seemingly building on their confident first-half display. Though Arsenal hadn't performed particularly badly, there was no "sharpness" (as Wenger calls it), and as the game trundled to the hour mark, Arsenal were hanging by a thread. 

Olivier Giroud, who had been rather quiet, did attempt to get himself into the game, and was desperately unlucky not to score in the 67th minute, his effort wide of the target. As much as Giroud tried, Arsenal were simply being dealt with by Everton, and were left looking second best in 50-50 challenges. In fairness, one limitation of Everton would be that they are guilty of sloppy passing in the final third, and a more clinical team would have scored two or three this evening. 

Everton began to utilise the height advantage of stocky Belgian Marouane Fellaini, with Bolton-esque long balls reigning down on Arsenal's 18-yard line. His efforts in feeding Jelavic were seemingly inaccurate, with balls bouncing either side of Mertesacker, before Thomas Vermaelen safely booting the ball into near outer-space on most occasions. 

As the game entered the final ten minutes, both sides continued to push for a winner, with Everton looking the most likely tenders. Arsenal so desperately needed three points to annul their blank performance at Villa Park, but there just seemed to be no coherency or clarity in the front line. Matters only worsened with the arrival of out of form Ivorian Gervinho. With Lukas Podolski unavailable, one struggled to see any kind of bonding between Gervinho and Olivier Giroud, both seemingly getting caught trying to do the same thing. Meanwhile, Everton's pushes for a goal were equally in vain, as mad goalmouth scrambles were seemingly 'dealt with' by Arsenal's defence. 

Arsene Wenger seemed to settle for a point, substituting Santi Cazorla for Francis Coquelin, and the game ended at 1-1. After two draws away from home, the next two home games against Swansea and West Bromwich Albion are must-win for the Gunners, otherwise they will undoubtedly slip further down the table. They currently sit below Everton, seventh and 12 points behind league leaders Manchester United. All is unsettled at the Arsenal. 

The BSM march takes place this Saturday, meeting on Blackstock road at 13:30, near Finsbury Park. If you are thinking of going, let me know as I'll be there! Let's kick greed out of football.

Outstanding, marvelous...and bloody ridiculous!

ARSENAL 5-2 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Adebayor 10 mins, Mertesacker 24 mins, Podolski 42 mins, Giroud 45 mins, Cazorla 60 mins, Bale 71 mins, Walcott 90 mins
Adebayor sent off 18 mins
Att: 60,111

Fantastic. Unbelievable. Shocking. These words sprung to mind when thinking about the last meeting between Arsenal and Spurs, back in February. Coming into this game, I pondered what kind of Arsenal will turn up. It has been proven that this tie produces goals, goals and more goals; and yet, not many people would have predicted an identical scoreline. Contextually, yesterday's game was very, very different. An almost completely new midfield has replaced the first-teamers of last season, and furthermore, Arsenal's front line has completely changed too; at least, their talismanic striker was not there.

Tottenham started more brightly than initially anticipated; the Arsenal didn't come out all guns blazing, and when Defoe capitalised on a silly defensive slip, EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR could not miss from all of about 4 yards, rebounding Defoe's effort. Arsenal looked shell-shocked, however as a Gooner aged 17 years old, the unfolding scenario seemed all too familiar; it seems the norm for Arsenal to concede before properly starting the engines.

The Spurs fans were reveling in the teams lead, though Arsenal fans were in good voice, and it proved to be a fierce atmosphere. More notably, the bitter chanting was aimed squarely at ex-Gunner, and goalscorer, Emmanuel Adebayor. Perhaps caught up in the heat of all the abuse, Adebayor produced a seriously mistimed and malicious challenge on Santi Cazorla, a foul which sparked outrage in the Arsenal faithful, who were calling for a red. Howard Webb, the day's referee, had little choice but to produce what the Arsenal fans were craving, and Adebayor was forced to leave the field in shame.

It can be said that this moment of madness is what inspired the Arsenal to come out and perform. Perhaps a mixture of a shaken Spurs side and a resurgent Arsenal side, but from that moment on, the Arsenal forwards were flooding wave after wave of attack. And eventually they got what they deserved, PER MERTESACKER rising high above ex-Gunner William Gallas to direct a Tony Adams-esque bullet header into the net, sending the Arsenal fans into delirium. His first goal for the Gunners, it was clear how much that goal meant to the lanky German, and Arsene Wenger could only be pleased for him.

Despite all the Arsenal pressure, it wasn't until the 42nd minute until Arsenal took the lead. LUKAS PODOLSKI scoring a rather scrappy goal, beating Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris, that squirmed into the right corner. That did not matter, however, and the German striker celebrated in similar fashion, and the crescendo of noise in the Emirates Stadium was startling.

The flood gates appeared to have opened, and when Santi Cazorla raced through the Tottenham defence, sending in a low cross, OLIVIER GIROUD nipped in front of Gallas and Vertonghen to sweep in a third for the Arsenal; his seventh of the season, the Frenchman does seem to be settling in rather well, at last. 3-1, and a flabbergasted Villas-Boas had a task on his hands to inspire his Spurs team who already looked down and out. The half time whistle couldn't have come quickly enough, and the teams returned to the dressing rooms for their briefings.

As the fans sat, trying to get their breath back, I can honestly say that these performances are not novelties any more; this kind of play is turning into a vintage Arsenal style, albeit a rather negative one. If the fans had their way, Arsenal would concede a minimal amount of goals; however, Adebayor's goal came far too easily, and this sort of defensive incompetency happens in great frequency, sadly. The teams returned from the dressing rooms, and Arsenal it seemed returned the more hungry.

Still benefiting from their numerical superiority, Arsenal continued to dominate the midfield passages, Cazorla notably demonstrating his claim for being Arsenal's best buy this summer. And as if by coincidence, the Spaniard was rewarded for his excellent performance. As the Spurs defence fell asleep, Lukas Podolski raced down the left flank before drilling a low cross for the waiting SANTI CAZORLA to drive home, low in to the bottom right corner, Lloris again left helpless by his lacklustre defence. It was a fitting moment, as Cazorla had arguably been Arsenal's man of the match thus far.

The Arsenal fans were rubbing their eyes in disbelief, and any neutral fan could spare some sympathy for the Spurs supporters, their team being taken apart by their most bitter rivals. However, Spurs did manage to score a consolation, a quite brilliant goal by GARETH BALE, penetrating the Arsenal defence before drilling in with his "weaker" foot. Bale had had a relatively quiet game, but he certainly reminded everyone of his presence and ability with that goal. Perhaps more concerning for the Arsenal fans was the fact that yet again, the defence had fallen asleep and let in a goal that in truth could have been avoided, or at least better dealt with. However, in retrospect, this goal didn't prove too detrimental to Arsenal.

As the game began to wittle away, the result was a formality and had been for some time. Arsenal fans were greeted by the re-apperance of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from injury. And the young England star made an instant impact, as he stormed forward before squaring for THEO WALCOTT to put in the fifth goal, and his ninth of the season. There were four minutes of injury time, though Arsenal were content with seeing the game out; Howard Webb blew his full time whistle, and drew to an end a game which demonstrated the best and worst of Arsenal FC. From hapless defending to artistic attacking, Arsenal displayed a mixed bag, thankfully outweighed with positives. It seemed ridiculous to predict another 5-2 as in February, but this was a rather ridiculous game in truth!

Next up for the Arsenal is the return of the Champions League, Montpellier will be visiting the Emirates on Wednesday evening.

Why we are angry

To fellow football fans in the UK and I guess most of Europe, the idea of Arsenal fans being unhappy or discontent in any way may seem farcical. Indeed, what right do we, fans of a hugely successful club, have to be angry? How can we possibly have the sheer cheek to complain?

Arsenal's apparent transfer policy:

Big arrivals since 2006:

• Olivier Giroud, c. £12,000,000, 2012 summer transfer window
• Lukas Podolski, c. £11,000,000, 2012 summer transfer window
• Santi Cazorla, c. £16,000,000, 2012 summer transfer window
• Mikel Arteta, c. £10,000,000, 2011 summer transfer window
• Per Mertesaker, c. £8,000,000, 2011 summer transfer window
• Gervinho, c. £10,800,000, 2011 summer transfer window
• Thomas Vermaelen, c. £9,000,000, 2009 summer transfer window
• Andrei Arshavin, c. £15,000,000, 2009 winter transfer window
• Samir Nasri, c.£11,000,000, 2008 summer transfer window (Now at Manchester City)
• Bacary Sagna, c. £6,000,000, 2007 summer transfer window
• William Gallas, c. £5,000,000 + Ashley Cole, 2006 summer transfer window (now at Tottenham Hotspur)
• Emmanuel Adebayor, c. £3,000,000, 2006 winter transfer window (now at Tottenham Hotspur)

Big exits since 2006:

• Robin Van Persie left the Gunners in the summer of 2012, for reasons left unknown to Arsenal fans, though the general consensus being that he wanted trophies. 
• Samir Nasri left the Gunners in the summer of 2011, for reasons made very known to Arsenal fans, "I want trophies with Man City" translating to "I want more money".
• Cesc Fabregas left the Gunners in the summer of 2011, for reasons made very known to Arsenal fans, he wished to return to the club he supported as a child (and win trophies), Barcelona FC.
• Gael Clichy left the Gunners in the summer of 2011, for reasons made very known to Arsenal fans, "I want trophies with Man City" translating to "I want more money".
• Emmanuel Adebayor left the Gunners in the summer of 2009, for reasons made very known to Arsenal fans, a fall-out with the club and manager, presumably over his contract.
• Kolo Toure left the Gunners in the summer of 2009, for reasons made very known to Arsenal fans, Man City clearly offered a better contract and promised trophies.
• Mathieu Flamini left the Gunners in the summer of 2008, for reasons left unknown to Arsenal fans, though the general consensus being that the board had ballsed up his contract offer.
• Alex Hleb left the Gunners in the summer of 2008, for reasons made known to Arsenal fans, believing that Barcelona was the place for him to develop his promising career into a successful one.
• Thierry Henry left the Gunners in the summer of 2007, for reason made known to Arsenal fans, after struggling with injury, Henry sought a new challenge for his career, moving to Barcelona, but keeping Arsenal very close to his heart. He returned briefly on-loan in 2012, during the New York Red Bulls off-season. His statue sits proudly outside Emirates Stadium - a genuine club legend. 
• Ashley Cole left the Gunners in the summer of 2006, for reasons made very known to Arsenal fans, after the club offered Cole a contract offer that seriously underestimated him as a world-class left-back.

Number crunching - the price of football

This weekend sees the Emirates open up its doors to Tottenham Hotspur, as part of the famous North-London Derby. On 26 February 2012, I managed to get a ticket as a junior member of the club's supporters schemes, and my ticket cost a very reasonable £18. However, since I am now not a junior member, should I wish to sit in the exact same seat as an adult member, the ticket would cost £62.

On 22 January 2012, Arsenal welcomed Manchester United to the Emirates Stadium, their first meeting since the dreaded 8-2 "Trafford-gate" incident. Similarly, as a junior member, my ticket sitting in the Upper tier was again, a reasonable £24. However, should I wish to watch the same fixture this season as an adult member, on 27/28 April, the cost would be £81.50. 

All ticket prices for the Arsenal home matches are clearly displayed on the Tickets page of Arsenal.com

Living in an area which is predominantly West Ham territory (though a positive number of Gooners live in my  locality), I am very well informed of the ticket prices for their home matches - £24 for a seat in the Bobby Moore lower against Arsenal. Now this may seem like a pointless comparison, but I believe that the sheer difference in price is concerning as a young football fan who struggles to count the cost of supporting Arsenal. To form a proper comparison, however, one must look at the prices of season tickets. To do this, I must compare Arsenal's season ticket prices with those of the Premier League Champions, Manchester City, and other clubs of a supposedly similar stature:

Manchester City season tickets - £425-£745

Manchester United season tickets - £532-£950

Chelsea season tickets - £595-£1250

Arsenal season tickets - £985-£1955

Arsenal FC can also 'boast' that they have the most expensive match-day ticket - a Category A fixture at the Emirates, seated in the Centre Upper, will cost £123.50.

The club's promises

The club, mainly the board, has promised season after season that Arsenal have ambitions, and do want to win trophies, and do recognise the constantly mounting cost of watching Arsenal FC. Something positive I can say about the board is the fact that they have listened, well sort of, to the Arsenal Supporters Trust, and have introduced a Category C type ticket price - for games like Southampton, Swansea, West Brom, Sunderland, Wigan - and that adult members can purchase a ticket for as little as £25.50. However, while they have lowered prices for a handful of games, they have risen ticket prices for both Category A and B fixtures, which, coincidentally, makes up the majority of Arsenal's home fixture list. In essence, the club has raised ticket prices, as they have done for consecutive years, but disguised it by introducing "cheap" prices for adult members. Furthermore, the club promised high-profile signings - in hindsight, the club has in part fulfilled this promise; however, the frequent departures of first-team players are never re-established, and some of the first-team spots are left to young, still-developing players.

Winning trophies. A promise or a distant dream?

When considering the Trophy haul of fellow clubs, the only way to compare Arsenal against other "big clubs" is to list the current list of honours since 2006.

Manchester City: 

FA Cup 10/11

Barclays PL 11/12

FA Community Shield 2012

Chelsea: 

Barclays PL 05/06 09/10

FA Cup 06/07 08/09 09/10 11/12 

League Cup 06/07

FA Community shield 2009 

UEFA CL 11/12

Manchester United: 

Barclays PL 06/07 07/08 08/09 10/11 

League Cup 05/06 08/09 09/10

FA Community Shield 2007 2008 2010 2011

UEFA CL 07/08

FIFA World Club Cup 2008

Arsenal:

Summary

Why are we angry? As Arsenal fans, it seems that in recent years, since 2006 at least, we have had to be contempt with Champions League qualification. Arsenal have been in two cup finals since 2006, both in the League Cup, both defeats to Chelsea (06/07) and Birmingham City (10/11) respectively. It would be unfair to not mention Arsenal's agonisingly close finish in 07/08, finishing just 5 points off the pace, and the few semi-final appearances Arsenal have made as well. However, much of the team that were part of these so-near-but-yet-so-far seasons have moved on to better, more successful clubs, and Arsenal's squad has been left to sag and replenish itself with below-par signings who simply don't fill the boots left behind. What's more, the fans have to pay astronomical prices to watch their non-successful team, and that is quite a bitter pill to swallow in the grand scheme of things. And as the years have rolled on, the fans feel more and more isolated from their club, as passionless board members, such as Ivan Gazidis, Peter Hill-Wood and Stan Kroenke, are more focused on the financial situation of Arsenal FC rather than the progress of the club, and refuse to communicate with Arsenal fans, leaving Wenger as the scape-goat for Arsenal's failures. As much as Arsenal like to think they are role-models for a perfectly ran football club, this simply cannot be said when the club are greeted by no successes in eight long years. In today's world, money talks, and Arsenal are definitely not famous for spending money...only its fans are. 

Of course, I accept that people will disagree with my views, that is simple fact of life. If you do disagree with anything I have said, please feel free to message me your views, they are always valued!

However, if you do agree with my thoughts on the club at present, please join the "Where Has Our Arsenal Gone?" protest march on 1 December 2012, starting at Blackstock Road opposite the Gunners Pub; let's kick greed out of football.

A decent point.

SCHALKE 2-2 ARSENAL
Walcott 18 mins, Giroud 26 mins, Huntelaar 45 mins, Farfan 67 mins
Att: 50,000

Arsenal came into this evening's match with a real task on their hands. Two weeks previously, Schalke visited the Emirates and the result was one that should have been a wake-up call for the slacking Gunners. Goals from Huntelaar and Afellay sealed the win and sent Die Königsblauen back to Germany sitting at the top of Group B, and as Arsene Wenger looked on from the stands, serious questions were asked about this seemingly below-par performance. Needless to say, after that nightmare, Arsenal fans would have been content with taking just a point from the Veltins-Arena against this breathtaking Schalke team.

After Saturday's shrug of a performance, Andre Santos was dropped, and Arsenal's defence was rotated to include three centre-halves, with Vermaelen shifting to left-back; a string of poor games for the Brazilian, compounded by his ludicrous "half-time shirt-swapping incident", condemning Santos to a relatively inexperienced substitutes bench. Further up the field, Jack Wilshere started alongside Santi Cazorla and Mikel Arteta, with Podolski, Giroud and Walcott up front; a 4-3-3 formation. Walcott was placed on the right-wing against his wishes, despite much of the pre-match hype claiming that he would be starting in a centre-forward role. 

And so to the match, and from the offset Schalke made clear their intentions. Indeed, it was mostly one-way traffic, with Schalke enjoying plenty of the ball and regularly advancing towards the Arsenal goal. However, in these early exchanges, all was basically well in the Arsenal defence, managing to fend off any danger with relative ease. As Arsenal struggled to find their feet, an opportunity suddenly presented itself in the form of Olivier Giroud, thanks to a Bolton-esque long ball from Per Mertesacker, sending the Frenchman through on goal, with Theo Walcott sprinting in support. Giroud dawdled on the ball, and a quite brilliant sliding challenge from Benedikt Howedes managed to dispossess him; however, THEO WALCOTT was on hand to round the goalkeeper and dink the ball into the net. A quite messy goal, not a typically "Arsenal goal", however, a precious goal, nonetheless. 

And things would only get better for the Gunners. Some Arsenal pressure was seemingly snuffed out by the Schalke defence, though Giroud retained the ball, poking it wide for Lukas Podolski to keep the attack alive. Podolski then sent in a bullet-cross which was headed home by OLIVIER GIROUD to give Arsenal an unexpected 2-0 lead. Baffled Arsenal fans watched on, as they witnessed a team playing with confidence, something which has been in short supply of late, especially for the rising-up Olivier Giroud; goals can only be positive. 

Arsenal were now coasting, all was well for Wenger. It's at times such as these that one can understand Arsenal fans frustrations. On Saturday at Old Trafford, the team seemed to display little ambition or attacking intent, and were beaten as if it were a formality. And yet, against similarly tricky opposition tonight, there were spells when Arsenal played with the kind of spirit and intent that has been missing in recent weeks. 

And yet, as quick as lightning, Schalke struck back on the cusp of half-time, KLAAS JAN-HUNTELAAR the  goalscorer, The Dutch striker latching onto a header by Lewis Holtby, burying the ball into the bottom right corner, a striker's finish.

The half-time whistle went, and both teams returned to the dressing rooms to ponder the events of the first half. On balance, Arsene Wenger will have been satisfied with his team's performance, though that familiar crushing feeling will have been ripe after conceding in the manner in which they did. 

The teams emerged for the second half, and Schalke started the half as they meant to go on. Arsenal fans were gritting their teeth, it was plain to see that Schalke were not going to lie down easily. Indeed, they enjoyed long spells of possession, stroking the ball to each other in the sort of arrogant manner which Arsenal used to master all too well with the likes of Fabregas and Alex Song. And yet, the goal would not come. As in-form Huntelaar was sent through one-on-one, Arsenal keeper Vito Mannone must have thought he was finished. Huntelaar let rip, but Mannone pulled off a fine stop, parrying the ball out for a corner. 

Sensing Arsenal's defensive weaknesses down the left-flank, Schalke decided to ambush. Jefferson Farfan, a pacy winger, rained cross after cross into the Arsenal box, but to no avail. Later on, Lewis Holtby and Afellay shot from close in, both dealt with by Mannone. Arsenal's defence was seemingly holding out, though they were not showing much intent down the opposite end of the field - Giroud was practically non-existent throughout the second half. 

However, in the 67th minute, JEFFERSON FARFAN leveled the score for Schalke, his shot deflecting in off Arsenal skipper Thomas Vermaelen. A goal that had been coming, and Arsenal were firmly on the rack. 

A blow for Arsenal, who yet again saw a two-goal lead slip away. Despite this, and quite refreshingly, Arsenal tried to get back into the game, Theo Walcott re-emerging out of the woodwork notably. However, nothing really seemed to click for Arsenal, and especially for Lukas Podolski, who has not been at his best since the international break. Both teams tired, and the game seemed to draw itself to a conclusion - before Theo Walcott was gifted with a golden opportunity two minutes into stoppage time, only to strike against goalkeeper Unnerstall. A frustrating miss, and an opportunity that could have stolen the points for the Gunners. 

Overall, the Gunners can be pleased with earning a point against a hard-to-beat Schalke team. Arsenal were taken apart at the Emirates less than two weeks ago by this side, so to take a point from away from home is decent. Next up is a home game against Fulham in the Barclays Premier League. 

Lacklustre and definitely second-best

MANCHESTER UNITED 2-1 ARSENAL
van Persie 3 mins, Evra 67 mins, S. Cazorla 94 mins
Rooney missed pen 45 mins
Wilshere sent off 69 mins
Att: 75,492

It was a crisp, fine start to the day in Manchester. As Old Trafford opened up its turnstiles, one name was on the mouth of every supporter entering the stadium: Robin van Persie.

Arsenal headed into today's game off the back of a 7-5 victory in midweek against Reading, though it was plain to see that the game at Old Trafford would pose a different challenge. Manchester United had lost only twice in the Premier League this season prior to today's game, but had won their remaining seven games. What's more, in-form striker Robin van Persie, would be starting against his old club.

The game began, and the first goal was conceded before any of the players had a chance to catch their breath. ROBIN VAN PERSIE pounced on a mistake by Arsenal skipper, Thomas Vermaelen, to drive home a powerful low drive into the bottom left corner. Much criticised for his summer move to United, Van Persie demonstrated professionalism in not celebrating in front of the travelling Arsenal fans.

After this, the Arsenal appeared to be in shell-shock, not managing to muster anything meaningful in front of goal; indeed, the half proved a spectacle for United goalkeeper David de Gea, who barely had a save to make. The United defence, despite having Nemanja Vidic, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling sidelined, looked to be in total control, snuffing out any approaches made by the Arsenal front-line.

While United's defence were relatively comfortable, they were always looking for any opportunity to attack the rather lackluster Arsenal defence. Andre Santos appeared to be struggling with the sheer speed of United's Antonio Valencia. Being constantly pulled out of position, the neat, quick passing from United always seemed to unlock the Arsenal defence, and it would appear that Arsenal fans cannot wait for the return of first-choice Kieran Gibbs.

Jack Wilshere was booked for 'unsporting behaviour' on in the 14th minute, as a frustrated Arsenal midfield failed to gel properly. Furthermore, with Theo Walcott on the bench, one may ponder the choice of Aaron Ramsey on the right-wing, given the Welshman's recent run of bad-form.

As the first half began to draw to a close, United were awarded a penalty. A blatant handball by Santi Cazorla gifted United a golden opportunity to go into the break two goals to the good. Van Persie opted not to take the spot-kick, and in his place stepped United talisman Wayne Rooney. Having scored a hattrick in this fixture last season, all but everyone expected him to convert the penalty. However, Rooney blazed wide, completely missing the target. The half-time whistle went, and though United were only a goal ahead, they needn't have worried themselves too much, as an Arsenal side lacking confidence trudged into the dressing room.

The teams reconvened for the second half, and it was plain to see that Sir Alex Ferguson wanted more goals from his side. United rained shots in on the Arsenal goal in the early stages, but still Arsenal escaped. In the 51st minute, Arsenal made their first change, Aaron Ramsey being replaced by Theo Walcott. After the break, Arsenal appeared to come out of their shell and managed to attack the United defence - Olivier Giroud struck the post in the 54th minute, and it seemed that Arsenal needed to build on this chance if they wanted to steal a point from the game.

However, despite this chance, Arsenal didn't look like scoring against this United defence. A neat move from  the Arsenal midfield sent Andre Santos through down the left-side with time to pick out a cross, but he could only blaze the ball out of play, a huge waste.

The game moved into the 65th minute, and United sensed they needed to score to squash any chances of an Arsenal comeback. And they did just that. Wayne Rooney worked a short corner before eventually sending in a cross that was headed in by United skipper PATRICE EVRA. 2-0 to Manchester United, and Arsenal staring down the barrel of another defeat.

A bitter blow for Arsenal, and matters only worsened when Jack Wilshere was dismissed in the 68th minute, a second bookable-offence doing the damage. The could be no arguments, as Wilshere clumsily barged into United goalscorer Patrice Evra.

The conclusion of the match seemed to be a foregone conclusion, as if delaying the inevitable. United's defence can be commended for a strong performance, though serious questions will be asked about Arsenal's ability in front of goal. Eventually, and somewhat miraculously, Arsenal did manage to score a goal in stoppage-time, SANTI CAZORLA sweeping the ball into the net beautifully from inside the box. But it proved to be too little too late, as Mike Dean's full-time whistle signalled the end of a comprehensive win for Manchester United. The only criticism of United would be that they did not score enough goals, but in reality, this is a much deeper issue in the Arsenal camp, who managed their three shots on target in stoppage-time.

This result moves Manchester United to the top of the Barclays Premier League, and sees Arsenal slump to 7th place, before the rest of the day's action commences. Next up for the Gunners is a tricky away game in Schalke, on Wednesday evening.

Super Sunday

Apologies for not releasing a post in over a month, the Christmas festivities and more notably school work have taken priority up till now. But I've found an ounce of time to go over a very important match that has taken place as part of an incredible day of football - Arsenal vs. Manchester United. Oh boy.

I was lucky enough to get a ticket for this one, albeit I sub-consciously feared another rout similar to the 8-2 massacre the Gunners suffered in August. But as I made my way to the ground, I decided to be logical about the prospect of this game; we may lose, but it can never be as bad as it was in August. We had some defensive issues cope with, but Wenger managed to sign a 10ft tall CB on transfer deadline day, so I reasoned it would be more solid than the defensive that took to the pitch during the event which can only be titled "Trafford-gate".

Then came the team line-ups. Man United looked much stronger in truth, but the fact that Arsenal were missing all of their full-backs and a few others was more than an excuse for playing some of the team we fielded. Wenger stuck with the trusted 4 CBs, 2 covering as full-backs, and already when the game kicked off at 16:00, I knew we were in a for a shaky one. In the ground I was feeling disappointed with the efforts of Arsenal RB Johan Djourou, who constantly allowed Man Utd danger man Luis Nani time and space to pick crosses towards Arsenal's shaky defensive set up. As time went on I began to believe we needed a RB with more pace and stability, and soon enough, Nani crossed unmarked to Antonio Valencia, who nodded home also unmarked coincidentally. A training ground goal, Sir Alex Ferguson could only be pleased. Luckily Wenger, as if answering a prayer, sent on Yennaris at half time, a young player who certainly added some reassurance to our failing back 4.

But in all honesty, the one player who really played well was Arsenal's 18-year old starlet, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. He had so much confidence playing against one of the best teams in England, if not Europe. Continually making challenging runs and exchanging good passes between the midfield and RVP, it was clear this player is a huge prospect for the future. As the fans rallied the team, the Gunners pressed for an equaliser, and quickly from the restart, Arsenal were gifted a golden chance to level up when Smalling slipped. Van Persie, however, inexplicably missed from all of about 7 yards on his strongest foot. This could have proved costly had Oxlade-Chamberlain not played a brilliant, defence-splitting pass to Van Persie, who struck fiercely below Lindegaard to make it 1-1 with just under 20 minutes to go.

"He scores when he wants, he scores when he wants. Robin van Persie, he scores when he wants" Was the chant from the Arsenal faithful, whose gloomy spirits, mine included, had been lifted by the goal, and a real sense of belief was lifted around the Emirates.

Sadly, this goal did not convince Arsene Wenger from substituting "wonder-kid" Oxlade-Chamberlain, with Arshavin replacing him. This was greeted by booing in no uncertain terms, as it was a decision that would cost the Gunners, who had looked very capable of stealing the game after the equaliser. Never-the-less, Arsenal tried to strive for a winner with the dispassionate Arshavin, and as A leads to B, United scored again, Danny Welbeck netting from close range with 9 minutes on the clock left. A devastating blow for the Gunners, who for much of the second half had looked the better team. What really rubbed salt into the wounds was that it was a defensive mishap from Arshavin, mainly failing to deal with Antonio Valencia in the run-up towards the goal, that gave United an opportunity they simply wouldn't pass up. Any last efforts by the Gunners were flattened by United's able, solid defence, who saw the game out. A degree of time wasting was to be had, but this can be expected, and in all honesty it would not have changed the result significantly.

I travelled home filled with disappointment, a game we really could have snatched at the death, but a silly decision once again cost us. However, as I thought about the game on Monday morning, I reasoned that although this result is disappointing, there are positives. Firstly, Arsenal put up a good fight against title-challenging opposition, losing narrowly, but even then, the team still looked capable of winning, which is only good considering the teams we still have to play. Secondly, and this is the main reason for optimism, Oxlade-Chamberlain is really starting to emerge as a class footballer, and Arsenal simply cannot afford to let go of him. So, my message to Arsenal fans is this - chin-up, at least we're not on channel 5 on Thursday nights in the Europa league!

Next up for me is Spurs in about a months time, god I hate all this school work.

Adiós