Free goal alerts on your iPhone or iPod

This week Arsenal extended their run of games without a win in the Premier League to four matches. In the same week, Arsenal Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis staunchly defended his club’s business model and transfer policy, highlighting the importance of remaining self-sufficient.

“[Our business model] does mean we can’t afford to compete with oil money, and we can’t afford to compete with super-wealthy individuals from Russia,” he told Fox.

“But I think the more important thing about our model is that it’s sustainable. If we’ve learned anything from the world’s economic crisis, it has to be that football clubs need to have responsibility – not just for today, but for their own futures.”

“Our business model means that we can continue to do what we’re doing forever.”

The importance of a sustainable business model is clear, especially with the prospect of UEFA’s ‘Financial Fair Play’ regulations on the horizon. Arsenal have, all things considered, done an excellent job of remaining financially sound in the aftermath of their expensive move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium. In 2010 the club recorded a record pre-tax profit of £56 million.

At a time where wealthy owners taking over clubs and spending hundreds of millions of pounds is becoming more and more common, the ambition to remain completely self-sufficient and the success Arsenal have had in remaining one of the world’s most profitable clubs is even admirable.

However, what seems to have gone amiss is the blindingly obvious fact that the sustainability of the business model Gazidis is so proud of hinges on having a successful playing squad.

Football is a business. However, the most important aspect of any football club will always be the football team itself.

Champions League qualification for teams like Arsenal brings with it massive revenue and the ability to negotiate top commercial deals. Success brings with it season ticket sales and international recognition. These things are hugely important for Arsenal’s business model. The ‘football’ and the ‘business’ must operate in tandem. In order to sustain their business model, Arsenal Football Club simply has to deliver results on the pitch.

That aspect of Arsenal’s business model is perhaps under more scrutiny now than at any other time during Arsene Wenger’s reign as manager of the club. A 0-0 draw with Bolton on Wednesday night left the club in 7th place in the Premier League table. Finishing in the same position would surely represent a disaster for Arsenal.

Over the years, Wenger’s ability in the transfer market to buy low and sell high has generated significant money for the club. However, the sale of top quality players like Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri at the beginning of the season, and the subsequent failure to replace those players with footballers of similar quality is clearly costing Arsenal.

However, it’s wrong to look at those players in isolation. The policy of selling top players for big money and not spending to adequately replace them has been a theme for Arsenal in recent seasons, arguably dating back as far as the sale of Patrick Vieira in 2005.

The result has been a steady decline in terms of success. The club has gone six seasons without a trophy. Finishing without trophies was seemingly considered acceptable by those in charge while Champions League qualification was assured. However, Arsenal now face the realistic prospect of failure to achieve even that.

Consequences for such an on-the-pitch failure would certainly have a massive impact on Arsenal’s business model. It would also have a futher impact on the ability to attract top footballers to the club and to hold onto players like Robin Van Persie. And so the cycle continues. The club would then have to try to combat the threat of a complete downward spiral.

Despite the quality of their football, Arsenal were already failing to win trophies and achieve footballing success with players like Fabregas and Nasri in the side. The worrying thing is that the overall quality of the playing staff decreased over the summer and the club seemed to anticipate no major consequences.

While operating as one of the most profitable clubs in world football since the move to the Emirates Stadium, each year, the club has regressed further and further on the pitch. Perhaps those in charge will not fully feel the effects of that until they are hit by a lack of Champions League revenue, or a fall in season ticket sales. The danger is that by then it could be too late.

Arsenal do have a successful business model, which they should rightly be proud of. However, it has to operate with a greater emphasis on footballing success. Making the “business” a priority over football will eventually lead to a decline in business success because the two ideas are inextricably linked.

Follow Jason Mitchell on Twitter @JasonOffside

Join the Best Football Manager game now, Its Free!

//

Watch the Premier League Live Streaming

Part 1

Part 2

Join the Best Football Manager game now, Its Free!

Watch the Premier League Live Streaming

Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas has spoken of his desire to one day play for Arsenal again.

The Spanish international left the Emirates Stadium in the summer after a protracted transfer saga involving the Gunners and the club where he first began his career.

The 24-year-old eventually joined the European champions for an initial fee of £25 million, but says that leaving north London was a deeply emotional time for him.

“If I have to leave Barcelona, I will go back to Arsenal – I would like to,” Fabregas told Sky Sports News. “I am not embarrassed to say that the day I left I could only say ‘Thank you very much’, I couldn’t say more.

“I’m not embarrassed to say that I nearly cried. Arsene Wenger, I have never met someone that loyal. He is one of the best, I really believe that.”

SOURCE: Goal.com

Would the former Gunners skipper be welcomed back by his former fans? There was certainly a certain amount of anger among some Arsenal fans when the former Barcelona youth team graduate left North London for the Nou Camp though most probably accepted the fact that the midfielder longed to return to his first club.

Clearly any possible move back to the Emirates Stadium would be some time in the distant future as the Spanish international has started his second spell at the Catalan club with a bang. Some assumed the 24 year old midfielder would struggle to get first team football at Barcelona but thus far this season Fabregas has started 15 matches and has netted an impressive 11 goals in the process.

Fabregas has also picked up the Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup winners medals in his first few months at the club.

Join the Best Football Manager game now, Its Free!

Watch the Premier League Live Online

Join the Best Football Manager game now, Its Free!

Watch England v Sweden Online

Former Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas has told Robin Van Persie that if he wants to leave the Emirates Stadium, he needs to do it now.

Van Persie currently has 18 months left on his contract, and the Dutch forward has admitted to not being in any hurry to begin contract talks.

Fabregas, who quit Arsenal in the summer to sign for Barcelona, has told van Persie this could be his last chance to leave, given he is already 28.

“I don’t know if they will keep him. It is his decision,” Fabregas said of his former team-mate.

“At his age, if he wants to move it will be his last chance and if he wants to stay he will stay and retire at Arsenal. We will see what he decides but he’s been very loyal to Arsenal for a few years. He is a key player, the fans love him. He is the role model of Arsenal, the star player and they cannot afford to lose him.”

SOURCE: Sporting Life

Possibly not the first person Arsenal fans would want advising Robin Van Persie on his future but he may well be fairly accurate with his thoughts on the matter. Robin Van Persie does seem like a loyal fellow but if the Gunners failed to end their silverware drought or even fail to claim a top four spot then one would imagine Arsene Wenger would be mighty worried about what the Dutchman may decide to do in relation to any contract offer.

The 28 year old has been at the North London club for seven and a half years and has thus far one single FA Cup success to his name. Now that the former Feyenoord man has steered clear of injuries for probably the longest period of his Arsenal career, he is showing just how effective a striker he can be, and a number of Europe’s elite clubs are seemingly ready to pounce.

Join the Best Football Manager game now, Its Free!

England v Spain Live Streaming

Spain have named an experienced squad for their friendly matches against England and Costa Rica this month.

Manager Vicente Del Bosque will not pick any debutants for the international and has recalled Andres Iniesta from injury.

Barcelona team-mate Cesc Fabregas also makes the list after suffering a hamstring tear during club training.

Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo, who was also forced to pull out of the squad for the October qualifiers with a hamstring problem, is still unavailable while Barca forward Pedro is also injured.

Sevilla winger Jesus Navas has been recalled to the squad, with Malaga full-back Nacho Monreal included.

“They (Navas and Monreal) have been included because they have been with us before and are also playing well,” Del Bosque told Marca.

“In the search for wide players, what better time than now to bring in Monreal.

“As for Jesus, he has already been with us and he has always put in a good performance and we have seen fit to call him up.”

Spain squad:

Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Jose Reina (Liverpool), Victor Valdes (Barcelona).

Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Jordi Alba (Valencia), Raul Albiol (Real Madrid), Nacho Monreal (Malaga).

Xavi (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Santi Cazorla (Malaga), Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao), Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), David Silva (Manchester City).

David Villa (Barcelona), Fernando Torres (Chelsea), Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao), Juan Mata (Chelsea), Jesus Navas (Sevilla).

Join the Best Football Manager game now, Its Free!

La Liga Live Streaming

Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas admits he is no saint but he did not direct any racist abuse toward Sevilla’s Frederic Kanoute during a heated encounter on Saturday.

The two players were involved in an altercation which saw Kanoute sent off and Fabregas facing accusations he racially insulted the Mali striker.

While Fabregas immediately denied the reports on Twitter, the allegations continue to haunt him.

“Like every other football player, I’m no saint, but I never said anything racist and no one is saying any different,” the Spain international said today

Fabregas says he has already held clear the air talks with Kanoute.

In England, police are investigating Chelsea’s John Terry following allegations he racially abused Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand during a match.

The Football Association are also launching an inquiry as well as determining whether Liverpool striker Luis Suarez directed racial slurs towards man United’s Patrice Evra.

As yet, the Spanish FA have done nothing.

Meanwhile Faregas’ team-mate Pedro has been ruled out for two weeks with an ankle injury.

A statement read: “The club’s medical services’ first examinations revealed he had not suffered a broken bone, but had damaged the tendons in his left ankle and is expected to be out for between 10 and 16 days.”

Join the FREE CaughtOffside Fantasy Football League and Win Big Prizes!
Join the Best Football Manager game now, Its Free!

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed “half the dressing room wanted to leave” Arsenal this summer and has blamed the poor start to the season on that.

The Gunners currently lie in 10th and 12 points off league leaders Manchester City. They face a huge battle to make the top four and suffered humilating losses to Manchester United and Tottenham.

The worst start in Wenger’s career in north London came off the back of big-money departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri despite the boss’ reluctance for them to leave.

“It was a very difficult summer because half the dressing room wanted to leave,” Wenger told French radio station RTL.

“You’re preparing for a season where you don’t know who’s going to come in, the players who are staying are asking themselves what’s going on at the club, you’ve got a pre-season tour of Asia.

“It was extraordinarily difficult. What saved us is that we’re a club that are extremely solid and united. Other clubs would surely have gone to pieces in those circumstances.

“What people forget is that we lost three key players because we’ve also lost [Jack] Wilshere. Three who were important in our midfield. Nasri, Fabregas and Wilshere have all been lost and they were the basis of our midfield last season.

“We’ve had to reconstruct our midfield entirely because Wilshere won’t be back until January.

Still, we’ve disappointed this season so far, given what’s expected of us, but I think we’re on the up again.

The problem is you can only climb the table slowly. We’re not too far away in terms of points from fourth place. We’re too far away from the top two.”

Wenger admitted simple economics meant players wanted to leave Arsenal because there was more money on offer elsewhere.

“It’s not that (players have to leave to win titles),” he said. “The problem isn’t that. Frankly, if you compare what Manchester City have won in the past and what Arsenal have won, then you don’t go to Manchester City to win titles.

“Players go to Manchester City because they pay much better than Arsenal. They are a force clearly, because they have exceptional financial clout, so it’s not surprising what they’ve done.”

Now the Frenchman is facing questions over the long-term future of Fabregas’ replacement as captain, Robin Van Persie, who insists he is committed to the club but is yet to agree a new deal with 18 months left on his existing contract.

“For me being professional means that right up until the last day you are at a club you give 100% to that club,” added Wenger.

“I’m not asking myself whether Van Persie is going to extend his contract in 18 months’ time. For me what is important is that he plays well for us (against Marseille) on Wednesday. After that the next match. That’s how I think.

“He’s scored 28 goals in 34 games, so they’re exceptional statistics. He’s got a contract for another 18 months and he’s a man who is attached to our club. I’m not especially thinking about losing him.”

Join the Best Football Manager game now, Its Free!

Arsenal v Sunderland Live Streaming

Arsenal had a £22million offer rejected by Lyon for midfielder Yoann Gourcuff last summer, according to the French club’s president.

The Gunners wanted the 25-year-old to replace Barcelona-bound Cesc Fabregas and provide the creative spark to their midfield.

The France international has been on manger Arsene Wenger’s radar for some time with the boss failing to land his signature in the past.

But Lyon president, Jean-Michel Aulas, claims he turned down a fresh bid for Gourcuff in the last transfer window.

“There was a request from Arsenal and I said no,” Aulas told L’Equipe. ”He has a five-year contract, wants to succeed with Lyon and I believe him.

Gourcuff did not enjoy his best campaign last season as he was troubled by injury.

But Aulas has hinted he may be ready to sell the playmaker as he needs to balance his books.

“To be totally financially secure, it may be necessary to sell a player in the winter transfer window,” he told Le Progres.

This may tempt Wenger with another bid in the January window, but Lyon will only sell if they are knocked out of the Champions League by then.

Join the Best Football Manager game now, Its Free!

Tottenham v Arsenal Live Streaming

Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke has declared: “Arsene’s our man.”

The American gave his backing to the Frenchman, who has endured his worst start to a season in his 15 years in charge.

The Gunners are searching for their first trophy in six years and the departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri have added to the unrest in north London.

But Kroenke remains a staunch supporter of Wenger and pointed to his record of developing young players such as Fabregas.

“Maybe it is one of those times when we have to work our way through, maybe with some young players,” Kroenke told the Daily Telegraph.

“Arsene has been really good at developing these guys, people like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere.

“There are some really good players that Arsene thinks can be special. Sometimes you go through periods like that.

“Arsene’s our man. As an owner, that’s who we put our confidence in.”

Kroenke also insists it is up to the Frenchman how long he wants to continue as manager at the Emirates Stadium.

“With Arsene, it’s his decision and only he will know that,” he added. ”He still maintains himself in tremendous physical shape. You need stamina and energy.

“Arsene has great energy and that will always be his decision.”

Kroenke revealed the decision to not stand in the former captain’s way was down to the manager, as was Nasri’s departure for Manchester City.

“That was between Arsene and him,” he said. “I like the kid but I’m not going to change his mind. Arsene made the decision.

“If we wanted to be really hard about it, we could have done but Arsene believed that it was the right way to do it.

“I also get it on Nasri. If we didn’t do something on Nasri people would be looking at us next summer and saying, ‘Why didn’t you do this?’

“We bought in a lot of resources that we can use on other players.

“I honestly didn’t make the decision on Nasri.

“Of course the board talks about these things but at the end of the day, that’s for Arsene.”

Join the Best Football Manager game now, Its Free!