Arsenal's worst ever signings

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JULY 23: Nicolas Pepe of Arsenal after the Florida Cup match between Cheslea and Arsenal at Camping World Stadium on July 23, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Even the world's biggest clubs can have a mare in the transfer market, and Arsenal are no exception.

The Gunners have signed many a star player over the years; they've also brought in some absolute duds.

Here, we take a look back through the worst acquisitions in the North London club's history.

32. Auston Trusty

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JULY 26: Auston Trusty of Arsenal applauds the fans after the Pre-Season Friendly match between Arsenal and FC Barcelona at SoFi Stadium on July 26, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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Auston Trusty was at Arsenal for 18 months – and never made a single appearance for the Gunners, initially remaining on loan with Philadelphia Union, then spending the 2022/23 season with Birmingham City of the Championship.

As such, including the American centre-back – who joined Sheffield United in the summer of 2023 – on this list might seem harsh, but paying a fee – however small – for a player who doesn't see a minute of action hardly constitutes a successful transfer.

31. Alex Runar Runarsson

WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 02: Runar Alex Runarsson of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal at Molineux on February 2, 2021 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Sam Bagnall - AMA/Getty Images)

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Icelandic international Alex Runar Runarsson joined Arsenal from French outfit Dijon in 2020 as goalkeeping back-up – and it soon became clear that he wasn't going to be challenging for the number one spot.

His calamitous Carabao Cup quarter-final performance against Manchester City did anything but endear him to Gunners fans, and a string of loan spells away from the Emirates Stadium followed.

30. Kim Kallstrom

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 15: Kim Kallstrom of Arsenal during the match between Arsenal and West Ham United in the Barclays Premier League at Emirates Stadium on April 15, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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Kim Kallstrom's penalty in a shootout against Wigan Athletic put Arsenal through to the 2014 FA Cup final.

But that was as good as it got for the Sweden legend during his short stint in North London on loan from Spartak Moscow: he was left out of the squad for the Gunners' victory over Hull City in that final at Wembley, making a grand total of four appearances for the club.

29. Andrey Arshavin

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 20: Andrey Arshavin of Arsenal dejected during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on August 20, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

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Andrey Arshavin belongs to a select group of players who have scored four goals in a single Premier League game, but the Russian winger's iconic display in Arsenal's 4-4 draw with Liverpool at Anfield in 2009 was about as good as it got for him as a Gunners player.

Frustratingly inconsistent during his four years at the club – who he joined from Zenit Saint Petersburg – Arshavin fell some way short of living up to his £15m price tag, still a hefty sum at that time.

28. Henrikh Mkhitaryan

WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - APRIL 24: Henrikh Mkhitaryan of Arsenal looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal FC at Molineux on April 24, 2019 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images)

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One of a number of players to make the switch between traditional Premier League rivals Manchester United and Arsenal this century, Henrikh Mkhitaryan arrived at the Emirates Stadium in January 2018 in a part-swap deal that saw Alexis Sanchez head the other way.

The Armenian midfielder had flattered to deceive for United – and the same was true to an even greater extent following his move to the Gunners, who he left for Roma just 18 months later.

27. Pascal Cygan

ST. ALBANS, ENGLAND - JULY 10: Pascal Cygan of Arsenal poses on July 10, 2002 in St. Albans, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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Arsenal's 2003/04 Premier League-winning Invincibles all enjoy a degree of immortality – but Pascal Cygan certainly isn't the first name that comes to mind when you think of that legendary Arsene Wenger crop.

The French centre-half joined the Gunners from Lille in the summer of 2002, but he never came close to dislodging the likes of Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure from the starting 11 on a regular basis.

26. Willian

ST ALBANS, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 05: Willian of Arsenal during a training session at London Colney on February 05, 2021 in St Albans, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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A free signing in the summer of 2020 after leaving Chelsea, Willian was an Arsenal player for all of a year – and it's fair to say it wasn't a particularly memorable one.

Willian – who left for Corinthians in his native Brazil in 2021, before returning to the Premier League and London with Fulham in 2022 – certainly thought as much, describing his Gunners experience as "the worst time that I lived as a professional". Ouch!

25. Julio Baptista

London, UNITED KINGDOM: Arsenal's Julio Baptista of Brazil celebrates after scoring against Reading during their Premiership game at Emirates Stadium in London, 03 March 2007. AFP PHOTO / JOHN D MCHUGH Mobile and websire use of domestic englisg football pictures subject to a subscription of a license with Football Association Premier League (FAPL) tel: +44 207 2981656. For newspapers where the football content of the printed and electronic versions are identical, no license is necessary. (Photo credit should read JOHN D MCHUGH/AFP via Getty Images)

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Another player who had a four-goal night at Anfield but otherwise made scant impact for Arsenal, Julio Baptista arrived on a season-long loan from Real Madrid in the summer of 2006.

The sizeable Brazilian forward found the net more times in the Gunners' 6-3 League Cup quarter-final thrashing of Liverpool than he did in 24 Premier League outings over the course of the 2006/07 campaign.

24. Lucas Perez

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 07: Lucas Perez of Arsenal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg match between Arsenal FC and FC Bayern Muenchen at Emirates Stadium on March 7, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)

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Arsenal's £17.1m outlay to sign Lucas Perez from Deportivo La Coruna in the summer of 2016 suggested that they had high hopes for the Spanish forward.

Unfortunately for Arsene Wenger and co, he didn't live up to expectations – making just two Premier League starts before returning to Deportivo on loan the following the summer then joining West Ham permanently 12 months later.

23. Carl Jenkinson

BLACKPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 05: Carl Jenkinson of Arsenal during the FA Cup Third Round match between Blackpool and Arsenal at Bloomfield Road on January 5, 2019 in Blackpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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Signed from Charlton Athletic having made just nine senior appearances for the then League One club, Carl Jenkinson was an Arsenal player for eight years without ever truly establishing himself.

The right-back did win an England cap while a Gunner, but he spent much of his time in North London out on loan at West Ham and Birmingham City. He was sold to Nottingham Forest in 2019.

22. Oleg Luzhny

14 Apr 2002: Oleg Luzhny of Arsenal leaves the field on a stretcher during the AXA FA Cup Semi Final match between Arsenal and Middlesbrough at Old Trafford, Manchester. Arsenal won the match 1 - 0. DIGITAL IMAGE. \ Mandatory Credit: Ross Kinnaird/GettyImages

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Oleg Luzhny did the Premier League and FA Cup double with Arsenal in 2001/02, but the right-back didn't play all that much of a part in the Gunners' success that season.

Luzhny won't complain about the solid collection of medals he picked up while in North London, but the former Ukraine international – who signed from Dynamo Kyiv in 1999 – isn't exactly remembered all that fondly by Arsenal supporters.

21. Mikael Silvestre

WIGAN, ENGLAND - APRIL 11: Mikael Silvestre of Arsenal in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Wigan Athletic and Arsenal at The JJB Stadium on April 11, 2009 in Wigan, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

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Hugely successful under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, Mikael Silvestre's late-career switch to Arsene Wenger's Arsenal yielded considerably less glory – none at all, in fact.

The French centre-back – who was the first Premier League player to take the now relatively well-trodden path from Manchester to North London – made a mere 26 Premier League appearances in two campaigns with the Gunners, who he joined in 2008 and was released by in 2009.

20. Gervinho

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 30: Gervinho of Arsenal during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Reading at Emirates Stadium on March 30, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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Arsenal have made something of an unfortunate habit of signing flops from Lille, and Gervinho was another one – having joined the Gunners for £10.8m in the summer of 2011.

The Ivory Coast forward had banged in 28 goals in two seasons in France prior to his move to North London – but he was unable to replicate that kind of form in the Premier League, netting just nine times in 46 appearances before departing for Roma.

19. Marouane Chamakh

Marouane Chamakh of Arsenal (Photo by Catherine Ivill/AMA/Corbis via Getty Images)

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Lampooned for his ineffectiveness in front of goal, Marouane Chamakh was far from the prolific striker Arsenal will have wanted to be when he joined as a free agent in 2010.

Chamakh hit double figures in his first campaign with the Gunners, but that 11-goal haul was as good as it got for the Frenchman in North London – and he went on to score just three more goals for the club.

18. Junichi Inamoto

23 Jul 2001: New Arsenal signing Japenese star Junichi Inamoto poses for the cameras during a press conference held in Colney, England. \ Mandatory Credit: Jamie McDonald /Allsport

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Japanese star Junichi Inamoto joined Arsenal on loan from Gamba Osaka in the summer of 2001, arriving at Highbury seemingly with plenty of promise – but he never showed it for the Gunners.

The midfielder didn't make a single Premier League appearance during his one-season stay with Arsene Wenger's side, featuring just four times in all competitions – before faring better in his subsequent loan spell at Fulham.

17. Nelson Vivas

3 Nov 1998: Nelson Vivas of Arsenal is tackled by Yurii Dmytrulin of Dynamo Kiev during the Champions league match in Kiev, Ukraine. Dynamo Kiev won the game 3-1. \ Mandatory Credit: Alex Livesey /Allsport

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Signed as back-up to established full-back duo Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn, Argentina international Nelson Vivas made the £1.6m switch from Boca Juniors to Arsenal in August 1998.

He didn't have the happiest time in England, though, missing the crucial penalty as the Gunners crashed out of the League Cup to Middlesbrough in 1999/2000 – a season halfway through which he was loaned out to Celta Vigo.

16. Kaba Diawara

Arsenal's Kaba Diawara (front) takes a fall with a Malaysian player 19 May 1999 during a friendly match between the two teams at the National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur. Arsenal beat Malaysia 2-0. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Jimin LAI (Photo by JIMIN LAI / AFP) (Photo by JIMIN LAI/AFP via Getty Images)

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Guinean striker Kaba Diawara didn't register a single goal during his six-month stay at Arsenal, failing to make the grade for Arsene Wenger's Gunners after joining from Bordeaux in January 1999.

His torrid time at the club was encapsulated by his string of misses against Leeds late in the 1998/99 campaign, with Arsenal's defeat at Elland Road ultimately seeing them cede the Premier League title to Manchester United.

15. Glenn Helder

Glenn Helder of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Nottingham Forest on February 21, 1995 in London, England (Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)

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The final signing made by Arsene Wenger's predecessor as Arsenal manager, George Graham, just a week before his departure from the club, Glenn Helder's time at Highbury was beset by off-field problems.

Unsurprisingly, as a result, the Dutchman was never really fancied by Wenger – who loaned him out to Benfica shortly after taking over, before offloading him to Dutch outfit NAC Breda at the end of the 1996/97 season.

14. Andre Santos

Andre Santos of Arsenal (Photo by Catherine Ivill/AMA/Matthew Ashton/AMA Sports Photo/AMA/Corbis via Getty Images)

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Signed from Fenerbahce in the summer of 2011 for £6.2m, Andre Santos wasn't exactly a hugely expensive signing – but he didn't even justify that rather modest price tag during his two seasons at Arsenal.

Already in Gunners' fans bad books, the Brazilian really provoked their wrath when he swapped shirts with ex-Arsenal man Robin van Persie at half-time after a shocking 45 minutes against Manchester United.

13. Mathieu Debuchy

Arsenal's French defender Mathieu Debuchy plays during the English League Cup quarter-final football match between Arsenal and West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium in London on December 19, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Ben STANSALL / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)

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A £12m signing from Newcastle in the summer of 2014, Mathieu Debuchy cost Arsenal almost £1m per Premier League outing: the French right-back made just 13 appearances in the competition for the Gunners – in three-and-a-half seasons at the club.

Granted, injury was a big factor in his lack of playing time, but value for money Debuchy was not – and he joined Bordeaux on a free transfer in January 2018, six months before his Arsenal contract was due to expire.

12. Sebastien Squillaci

ST ALBANS, ENGLAND - MAY 04: Sebastien Squillaci of Arsenal gestures during a training session at London Colney on May 4, 2012 in St Albans, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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Another French flop of the Arsene Wenger era, summer 2010 arrival Sebastian Squillaci's first season with Arsenal was so woeful that he only made one further Premier League appearance for the Gunners.

The defender's disastrous spell at the Emirates Stadium came to an end in 2013, when he left for Ligue 1 outfit – with whom he would spend the final four years of his career.

11. Ryo Miyaichi

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 28: Ryo Miyaichi of Arsenal during the UEFA Champions League Group F match between Arsenal FC and Olympiacos FC at Emirates Stadium on September 28, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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Japanese winger Ryo Miyaichi began his professional career at Arsenal, signing professional terms with Arsene Wenger's Gunners in 2011 after impressing during a trial.

He would never make the grade in North London though, spending most of the next four years out on loan and featuring only seven times for his parent club before leaving as a free agent in the summer of 2015.

10. David Grondin

11 Nov 1998: David Grondin of Arsenal in action during the Worthington Cup Round 4 match against Chelsea played at Highbury in London, England. \ Mandatory Credit: Gary M Prior/Allsport

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A £500,000 arrival in 1998, once-prodigious French left-back David Grondin made a sole Premier League appearance for Arsenal before being loaned back to Saint-Etienne.

A further three loan spells away from North London followed, before Grondin left the Gunners for Scottish outfit Dunfermline Athletic in 2003. Half a million well spent? Not really.

9. Amaury Bischoff

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 19: Amaury Bischoff of Arsenal during the FA Cup 4th round replay between Arsenal and Cardiff City on February 19, 2009 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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Do you remember Amaury Bischoff? Chances are you don't: he was at Arsenal for all of one season, failing to make a single Premier League start and featuring just four times in league and cup.

Upon signing Bischoff as a free agent, Arsene Wenger admitted that his move for the French midfielder was a "gamble on talent" – and, to be frank, Gunners fans didn't see any of the T-word. 

8. Christopher Wreh

30 Nov 1997: Dominic Matteo (right) of Liverpool clears the ball from Christopher Wreh of Arsenal during an FA Carling Premiership match at Highbury in London. Liverpool won the match 1-0. \ Mandatory Credit: Stu Forster/Allsport

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A £300,000 arrival from Arsene Wenger's old club Monaco in 1997, Christopher Wreh had to fight it out with Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp and Nicolas Anelka for a place in the Arsenal side.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Liberian international never established himself for the Gunners. He found the net only three times in 28 games, going out on lean several times before leaving Highbury permanently in 2000.

7. Igors Stepanovs

19 Feb 2002: Ze Roberto of Bayer Leverkusen is closed down by Igors Stepanovs of Arsenal during the UEFA Champions League Stage Two Group D match between Bayer Leverkusen and Arsenal at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany. The game ended 1-1. DIGITAL IMAGE \ Mandatory Credit: Stu Forster/Getty Images \

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Igors Stepanovs left Arsenal with a Premier League title and two FA Cup winners medals to his name – but, despite those three pieces of silverware, the Latvian defender's Gunners career was far from a success.

Signed from Skonto Riga in 2000 after an injury to skipper Tony Adams, Stepanovs was ultimately little more than a bit-part player during his four years at Arsenal.

6. Yaya Sanogo

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - DECEMBER 09: Yaya Sanogo of Arsenal during the match between Galatasaray and Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League on December 9, 2014 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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Somewhat cruelly nicknamed Yaya Sanogoals by Arsenal fans, French striker Yaya Sanogo found the net just once during his time at Arsenal – who he joined on a free transfer in the summer of 2013.

Hailed as "excellent" by Arsene Wenger after his first start, in an FA Cup fifth-round win over Liverpool, it was really all downhill for Sanogo from there. In fact, he scored four times as many goals in a single pre-season friendly against Benfica than he ever did in competitive football for the Gunners.

5. Park Chu-young

Park Chu-young of Arsenal (Photo by Catherine Ivill/AMA/Corbis via Getty Images)

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Park Chu-young signed for Arsenal amid exceedingly strange circumstances, if the rumours are to be believed: the South Korean forward was reportedly set to join Lille, only to catch wind of the Gunners' interest and abandon his medical with the French club.

Whatever the truth of it, though, Park's decision to move to North London backfired big time: he scored on his debut against Bolton Wanderers, but that was to be his only Arsenal goal – in a total of... seven appearances.

4. Francis Jeffers

Francis Jeffers of Arsenal, 2003

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Seemingly England's next big thing when he broke through at Everton in the late 90s, 20-year-old Francis Jeffers joined Arsene Wenger's Arsenal for an initial £8m in the summer of 2001.

The Gunners never saw the striker at anything like his clinical best, though, with his time at Highbury heavily disrupted by injuries. Jeffers made just 22 Premier League appearances for the Gunners in all, managing only four goals.

3. Clive Allen

1980: Portrait of Clive Allen of Arsenal. \ Mandatory Credit: Adrian Murrell/Allsport

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Clive Allen is a Tottenham legend – but the 1986/87 PFA Player of the Year played for Arsenal early in his career... sort of. 

Signed from QPR for £1.25m in the summer of 1980, Allen became the most expensive teenager in world football – but he never made a competitive appearance for the Gunners, who offloaded him to Crystal Palace the same summer in a swap deal for future captain Kenny Sansom.

2. Nicolas Pepe

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 26: Nicolas Pepe of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Watford FC at Emirates Stadium on July 26, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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Arsenal's record signing until the 2023 arrival of Declan Rice, Nicolas Pepe joined the Gunners from Lille for £72m in August 2019 – and proved to be probably the most expensive mistake in the club's history.

Brilliance was expected of the Ivory Coast winger – but, despite scoring 16 goals in all competitions during the 2020/21 campaign, he showed it in all-too-fleeting flashes, eventually departing for Trabzonspor on a free transfer in September 2023.

1. Shkrodan Mustafi

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 03: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Shkodran Mustafi of Arsenal controls the ball during the UEFA Europa League Group B stage match between Arsenal FC and Rapid Wien at Emirates Stadium on December 3, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Vincent Mignott/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

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Ask Arsenal fans how Shkrodan Mustafi made more than 150 appearances for the Gunners and they'll probably struggle to answer – but the German international was a regular at the back for three seasons after arriving at the Emirates Stadium in August 2016.

Costly error's defined Mustafi's stay in North London and, after having his contract terminated by mutual consent in February 2021, he joined Bundesliga outfit Schalke – and played a part in their first relegation for 33 years. Awkward...

Tom Hancock

Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...