On the back of the news of freshly minted cash- 36million pound net profit made by Arsenal PLC the past financial year as per the released end year returns, all that bloody dough made in the midst of a hostile investment climate globally, most certainly Europe, as rightly pointed out by Wenger; understandable it is why tagging entry to London’s hottest sporting event since the XXXX Olympiad at such a premium finally makes its way as trending sports news in mainstream media.
This ‘revelation’ unmasked way after the deed had been done when the big dogs at Arsenal decided on the abridged ticket prices structure.
For those of us still out on the loop, the abridged ticket prices structure ensures that class and star acts, football sell out showcases if you may, such as Arsenal vs. Chelsea or say vs. Manchester United or Man City, are priced as V.I.P tickets while the likes of Reading and Coventry occupy the eastside of the scale.
The sports economics of such a move has been well discussed in other fora, including our latest review of an Arsenal Chelsea match; therefore in this take, we shall dissect the move a psychological perspective. Might we add a perspective as credible as a TVs shrink’s (pundit) take.
The new ticket pricing structure for matches at the Emirates is:
1. A ploy to take off the steam of traveling fans of the big teams. The thinking here is that The fancy restaurant effect is employed here: That unexplained anxiety and insensible drive, akin to the motor behind alien hand syndrome, to be at one’s best behavior when your happen to veer off course and land out of your league in a restaurant fancier than you ever dreamed it could get.
Translation: A quiet away zone, robbing the opposing team the 12th man effect.2. A motivational tool to the players that is far removed from the X-Y theory of motivation. The thinking here is: The bigger the artist, the bigger the performance, the bigger the show and inevitably, the bigger the bucks.
Translation: If the public is willing to pay the biggest bucks just to be there as you ply your trade, it’s only fair to give Cesar what belong to him.3. An early move to prop up Arsenal the brand in preparation of the soon to come end of the Emirates shirt sponsorship deal. This in a way, a more ingenious way than the Man City Etihad sponsorship deal aimed at coping with dealing with the advent of Financial Fair Play rules.. The thinking here once again is: The bigger the artist, the bigger the performance, the bigger the show and inevitably, the bigger the bucks.
Translation: Among the FFP suggestions is that sponsorship deals sought be somewhat in direct propotion to a club’s generated income
Giroud, Prince Poldi Podolski, Gervinho or Walcott to play upfront?
Who to play upfront for the gunner’s against early Premier league pacesetters and defending European champions is a dicer affair akin to the ongoing debate surrounding the length of John Terry’ ban from competitive football vis-à-vis that of Suarez on account of both being found guilty on racism charges.
Here we go
Giroud
French Ligue 1 joint top scorer the season last finally broke his duck against lowly Coventry. Giroud admits the relief as is pumped up for the future. The French international has proven his worth in other ways notably by notching up assists, an asset when defending set pieces, sound movement and satisfactory target man play demonstrated by not only holding the ball up, but also serving as a magnet to opposition defenders thus creating pockets of space for the likes of supporting Cazorla and wing players.
With Terry out, the stock of a more physical player upfront may reduce, but such a conclusion is tantamount to foolhardy dismissal of David Luiz, Ivanovic and Cahill’s abilities in that regard.
Going for Giroud: Confidence, physical presence, and off-ball movement that is good enough to trick out a penalty from Luiz or conjure a mistake from Cahill whose positioning is at times wanting.
Against Giroud: Lack of pace as compared to the speedy options that Chelsea have as all three Chelsea center back options have a demonstrated a bit of pace.
Prince Poldi Podolski
The German centurion is Arsenal’s top scorer in the Premiership. His up and down work down the flanks has been legendary save for the Man City game where he seemed somewhat out of sort in the attacking third. Ivanovic may prove to be a headache to him defensively, but the real work is cut out in him helping out Gibbs when Ivanocic bursts forward. This a task not alien to him in light of the splendid work against Johnson at Anfeild.
Going for Podolski: His ability to draw defenders deep when playing as CF in a manner reminiscent of van Judas when drifting deep into midfield thus opening up space for the wing players and Cazorla (this might be crucial as he might help lighten Mikel’s hold on Carzola in midfield or allow the predatory wing players to take advantage of the space left behind by the Chelsea center back tasked to track man mark Podolski) , impeccable finishing, dead ball specialist
Against Podolski: Unless when coming t from deep and wide he just fails to connect to those crosses when whipped in by the wide players as somehow there always seems to be a defender in the way, prince Poldi is a victim of his own success as of arsenal’s attacking four, he is so far the best at working up the left prong
Gervinho
Arsenal’s most consistent threat going forward so far, though the Ivorian is not so consistent in converting chances. Joint top scorer in the Premier league for Arsenal alongside Podolski, a reverse kind of Henry type who just like our baba (Swahili: father) Henry, drifts from wide positions towards the center albeit from the right rather than from the left.
Going for Gervinho: Seems to have found his own testament by his trying to take chances by himself rather than finding van Judas all to great effect, dribbling, pace and the little motivation that he can take over from his tutor at the international level- The Drog Didier Drogba- as the Premiership’s most feared forward and top African striker in Europe.
Against Gervinho: Almost nascent target man capabilities and chance to goal conversion rates
Walcott
Theo is Arsenal’s latest contract rebel and Arsenal’s top scorer in all competitions. Enough said.
Going for Walcott: Can more than get Chelsea’s back-line for pace, has thing for Cashley Cole and an even bigger thing for scoring against Chelsea plus the boss vouches for his credential s down the middle plus he wants to emulate King Henry!
Against Walcott: A first touch that needs working on and like Gervinho, nascent target man capabilities.
The spinner: Events that might influence who starts
Chelsea mix of defending; that is, the mix of zonal marking vs. man-marking.
Our Verdict:
Podolski- Giroud- Gervinho
Your take on the attacking three?Join us on our facebook page, follow Swahiligunner@ twitter and leave your comments. Till next time....
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