Arsenal....0 Old Boys....44

[Jimbob]

Interesting article in the Sun (Yes I'm aware some of you refuse to read the paper)


ALEX SONG’S £15million switch to Barcelona capped a seven-year exodus of stars who won 44 winner’s medals — with Arsenal flops getting NONE.

While Song and £22m Robin van Persie, who joined Manchester United, have yet to win a gong with their new clubs, they are almost guaranteed to do so.

SunSport looked at how many medals ex-Arsenal stars won since leaving. Gunners fans may want to look away now!

Since winning the 2005 FA Cup, Arsenal have gone trophyless as they offloaded 17 top players, who won 44 major medals with 11 different clubs.

Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, RVP and Song are some names who left for glory.

Arsenal raked in £163m for those who left, without the £39m they will get for RVP and Song.

In our research, we have not included the Community Shield or national Super Cups.

Ironically, players won medals with PORTSMOUTH (1 FA Cup for Sol Campbell and Lassana Diarra) and BIRMINGHAM (1 Carling Cup for Seb Larsson and Alex Hleb).

No wonder midfielder Song was happy to have joined Catalans a year after his close pal Fabregas, who won three major trophies.

Song said: “I said ‘yes’ to everything Barca wanted. This chance is once in a lifetime. They’re a team of champions.

“My kids are happy. They play in the garden and pretend to be Messi. I’m in a team full of stars.

“The style of play is similar to Arsenal. Cesc will help me adapt.”


Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... z24FZkNKZT

[Facts and Stats]

But they are in the top 4 each year so it's all OK.

[delfino_1936]

It's funny though how the players who have left us apart from Thierry Henry (even to an extent), Cashley and Sol were all bit part players at their clubs....Flamini, Hleb, Cesc, Nasri, Toure, Ade etc. all these players had opportunities to win trophies but they BOTTLED IT!
UCL 2006
Carling Cup in 2007 and 2011...FA Cup 2010 semi final loss
League title 07/08

Top 4 is a minimum requirement Nicky and i just can't understand how you'd prefer to be in the situation your club is in compared to ours!

[Nice One Cyril]

It's funny though how the players who have left us apart from Thierry Henry (even to an extent), Cashley and Sol were all bit part players at their clubs....Flamini, Hleb, Cesc, Nasri, Toure, Ade etc. all these players had opportunities to win trophies but they BOTTLED IT!
UCL 2006
Carling Cup in 2007 and 2011...FA Cup 2010 semi final loss
League title 07/08

Top 4 is a minimum requirement Nicky and i just can't understand how you'd prefer to be in the situation your club is in compared to ours!

You're only one point ahead

[delfino_1936]

It's funny though how the players who have left us apart from Thierry Henry (even to an extent), Cashley and Sol were all bit part players at their clubs....Flamini, Hleb, Cesc, Nasri, Toure, Ade etc. all these players had opportunities to win trophies but they BOTTLED IT!
UCL 2006
Carling Cup in 2007 and 2011...FA Cup 2010 semi final loss
League title 07/08

Top 4 is a minimum requirement Nicky and i just can't understand how you'd prefer to be in the situation your club is in compared to ours!

You're only one point ahead

ahahahaha i'm not talking about this season, i'm talking the past 3-4 seasons!

for me 1 carling cup victory is paper over cracks....though this season i definitely would take a carling cup win, i would not trade it for UCL football, because end of the day, UCL football is what brings in top quality players!

[Big Mac]

But they are in the top 4 each year so it's all OK.

Arsenal are not worried about the top 4 this season...it's the Carling Cup or bust!

[Derek]

But they are in the top 4 each year so it's all OK.

Stop talking mate, you will only embarrass yourself.

[Facts and Stats]

You can't have it both ways.

LFC win a cup but it's a failure as they weren't in top 4.
I then state top 4 is good and you say I am talking rubbish.

Which is it? Top 4 or silverware?

[Big Mac]

You can't have it both ways.

LFC win a cup but it's a failure as they weren't in top 4.
I then state top 4 is good and you say I am talking rubbish.

Which is it? Top 4 or silverware?

Depends if you talking about siverware for a comp. where most of the Clubs play their "B" teams.

[Old Redback]

As a Chelsea fan I am obviously glad that we won the Champions League and the FA Cup but bitterly disappointed with our league finish last season which is just not good enough. The FA Cup has lost its shine a bit in my opinion but of course I would rather win it but ultimately we all go for the league title.

[Big Mac]

As a Chelsea fan I am obviously glad that we won the Champions League and the FA Cup but bitterly disappointed with our league finish last season which is just not good enough. The FA Cup has lost its shine a bit in my opinion but of course I would rather win it but ultimately we all go for the league title.

So where do you rank the Carling Cup then?

[Derek]

As a Chelsea fan I am obviously glad that we won the Champions League and the FA Cup but bitterly disappointed with our league finish last season which is just not good enough. The FA Cup has lost its shine a bit in my opinion but of course I would rather win it but ultimately we all go for the league title.

I think the FA CUP is slowly regaining its stature as decent cup to win, but apart from that your post is spot on.

All the so called "big four" clubs would have the league as the number 1 goal.

[Old Redback]

As a Chelsea fan I am obviously glad that we won the Champions League and the FA Cup but bitterly disappointed with our league finish last season which is just not good enough. The FA Cup has lost its shine a bit in my opinion but of course I would rather win it but ultimately we all go for the league title.

So where do you rank the Carling Cup then?

Carling Cup does not even get a rank. It is only viewed as a wiorthwhile Cup to win by those who rarely challenge for anything else and win it - eg Spurs, Liverpool, West Ham etc etc

[Facts and Stats]

It's only considered a non event by the clubs who don't win it.

I assume the 44 Old Boys medals includes Carling Cup medals?

[Facts and Stats]

As a Chelsea fan I am obviously glad that we won the Champions League and the FA Cup but bitterly disappointed with our league finish last season which is just not good enough. The FA Cup has lost its shine a bit in my opinion but of course I would rather win it but ultimately we all go for the league title.

So where do you rank the Carling Cup then?

Carling Cup does not even get a rank. It is only viewed as a wiorthwhile Cup to win by those who rarely challenge for anything else and win it - eg Spurs, Liverpool, West Ham etc etc

When did West Ham win it?

I saw them lose a final in 1981.

[Old Redback]

Nolt sure they have won it but along with Spurs and Liverpool it is probably the limit of their aspirations and these clubs are bracketed accordingly.

[Facts and Stats]

the same spurs that were in the CL QF recently?

Since 2005 these are the winners. All big teams except Birmingham. All teams who aim for CL qualification.

I think this table proves your point invalid?

2005 Chelsea
2006 Manchester United
2007 Chelsea
2008 Tottenham Hotspur
2009 Manchester United
2010 Manchester United
2011 Birmingham City
2012 Liverpool

[Big Mac]

the same spurs that were in the CL QF recently?

Since 2005 these are the winners. All big teams except Birmingham. All teams who aim for CL qualification.

I think this table proves your point invalid?

2005 Chelsea
2006 Manchester United
2007 Chelsea
2008 Tottenham Hotspur
2009 Manchester United
2010 Manchester United
2011 Birmingham City
2012 Liverpool

The difference is the supporters of those other clubs you have listed dont bask in the "glory" of the Carling Cup.
They are all a bit more ambitious I guess.

[Facts and Stats]

Funny how the argument changes when facts shows people up?

I was hoping we won the FA cup to make it a great cup season, we didn't so we made do with just the one.

One small cup is better than no cup.

[Derek]

Still doesnt make it a successful season. Once again finishing top four is far superior to winning the Carling cup.

[Facts and Stats]

As I posted somewhere else.

No wonder Australia flopped in the Olympics, the mentality is 4th is successful and accepatable......

You aim low you get low.

We aimed to wine the cups, 1st in 1
2nd in another

Using the Olympic analogy, one Gold and one Silver > one 4th.

[Derek]

You either win a cup or you dont, second doesnt exsist. If you feel you had a more successful season winning the Carling cup and finishing 8th then it would appear your standards are much lower. Do you really have to continue with this losing battle?

[Facts and Stats]

I am not losing anything.

[barcabarcabarca]

carling cup not even exist now

[Facts and Stats]

What relevance does that have to last season?

[Derek]

As a Arsenal fan, of course i want us to win trophies.......However if we were to finish 6th this season but win the Carling Cup i would be bitterly dissapointed (even the FA Cup) I would much prefer to see us pusshing for the title or playing Champions league football.

[Old Redback]

Nicky - the only thing you are proving by continuing to argue the point is that clubs such as Liverpool and Spurs (although I don't see too many of their fans banging on) are the only ones that would celebrate a win in the Carling Cup. For the top clubs it is a nice to have but they aren't really bothered by it - probably why they play fringe and second string players in it. In all seriousness - with the log jam of games from March onwards - which comes with success - the Carling Cup is more of an irritation and I know that Chelsea fans such as I would rather leave it to the lesser clubs to fight over.

[Facts and Stats]

@Ian

I agree with that one.

I do think Arsenal are like us, and being starved of success a trophy does the morale the power of good.

7 years is too long.


@Old

Have you ever been to see Chelsea in a Cup final? Being at a final is better than beating Charlton 4-0 to qualify for CL (having been there and witnessed that).

Chelsea played a strong team v us in the Carling cup.....teams rest some players but still play good teams, that's the point of squads. All this, it's a nuisance stuff is bollox. The media and fans of teams who don't win say that, not the clubs!! They don't have to enter.

Look up 1979 and how many games Arsenal played!!!

[Derek]

@Ian

I agree with that one.

I do think Arsenal are like us, and being starved of success a trophy does the morale the power of good.
7 years is too long.


@Old

Have you ever been to see Chelsea in a Cup final? Being at a final is better than beating Charlton 4-0 to qualify for CL (having been there and witnessed that).

Chelsea played a strong team v us in the Carling cup.....teams rest some players but still play good teams, that's the point of squads. All this, it's a nuisance stuff is bollox. The media and fans of teams who don't win say that, not the clubs!! They don't have to enter.

Look up 1979 and how many games Arsenal played!!!

I agree, it certainly does. However in my eyes it would be irrelvant to Arsenal if we didnt manage to break the top four.

[Facts and Stats]

RVP left because of lack of success, I think that's what he said. You have had top 4 every year but wasn't enough.

I think we pretty well agree on this so no need to go over each post