Arsenal post big profits...

[Upton]

Arsenal, who lost £6.1 million over the same period in 2010, might have made only a small profit but for the controversial departures of Fabregas and Nasri last summer for a reported £54 million.

Arsenal enjoyed an overall profit on player trading of £46.1 million, having made a loss of £5.9 million the previous year.

They made £63 million overall in player sales, while there was an investment of £74.7 million in new arrivals and contract extensions, the cost of both being spread evenly over the length of an individual's deal. Arsenal's cash reserves also swelled to £115.2 million, up from £110.4 million, with their turnover from football rising to £113.5 million from £97.6 million.

Chairman Peter Hill-Wood told the club's official website: "We are proud of Arsenal's record and consistency over many seasons and have the foundations in place, at every level of the club, to ensure we remain a force in the seasons ahead.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1028118/arsenal-post-six-month-pre-tax-profits-of-L49.5m?campaign=rss&source=soccernet&cc=5901

Okay swell. Time to put some money back into the team this summer. I don't care that they kicked Spurs ass Sunday, it's been obvious for awhile the Gunners need a couple impact players. Arsenal is a big club, they should be challenging for the title every year, not fighting just to finish fourth..

[Ron Obvious]

1. Who needs trophies, eh?

After all, the money is what it's all about now, isn't it?

I can't wait for the celebrations in May when the team holds aloft the giant £30 million Champions' League cheque for winning fourth place. The normally quiet Emirates crowd will just go wild.

Seriously, I yield to nobody in my admiration for Wenger's shrewd stewardship of the club, but it's just not enough. If Van Persie does leave in the summer, as seems quite likely without significant investment, I see Arsenal dropping further off the pace unless the Financial Fairplay rule kills off all the other big teams.

I suppose I'm just sick of the whole football as business mentality and clubs being listed companies.

[Upton]

3. I don't know what's going on at Arsenal..

I'm not real happy about having Kroenke in control. He's no Abramovich or Shiek Mansour, either financially or in passion for the sport. Not that I'd necessarily want them, but they're going to be Arsenal's competition year after year. The Man U people must really be pulling their hair out over the Shiek. Of course, that's what's wrong with the European game these days..spend enough money, you'll win a trophy. I don't have much hope for the Financial Fairplay rules. The EPL, and La Liga too, remind me of MLB only without the playoffs..

Arsenal want to compete when clubs like Barca or City come calling for stars like Cesc, Nasri or maybe RVP, and then go out and sign the needed quality, they're going to have to get into too...which means giving Usmanov a seat on the board, he already owns almost 30%, and taking him up on his offer to spend money on transfers. I know a lot of people don't want that, his shady past not the least of the reasons, but it's become like politics, sometimes you have to get down in the dirt to compete..

Personally, I don"t know why people get on Wenger's back for this trophyless drought. He just doesn't have the transfer kitty necessary to make a run year after year. Under the circumstances, I think he's done a great job. I hope he never leaves Arsenal.

[Rambis]

2. There are people who do not believe it

I don't know either way but I have heard more than a few voices say they don't believe the financials coming out of Arsenal football club.