Sunday 6 April 2008

What a terrible season

It's amazing how our season has suddenly gone from being so amazing to so terribly awful in just a few weeks. Some people seem to see events through some rather strange lenses, and as a result some rather ridiculous comments emerge from one's fellow Arsenal fan.

It has been a terrible season, challenging for the title when we had been written off by the media before a ball had even been kicked, a good run with some excellent kids in the Carling cup and a solid run in the Champion's league including an awesome away win in Milan against the reigning champions, the FA cup was indeed best forgotten.

Suddenly after dropping a few points, admittedly points that we should not have dropped, this season is now seen by some as a dismal failure, such a failure that they think Arsene is taking things for granted, such a failure that they feel they should abuse Arsenal players when they play badly, and such a failure that life is no longer worth living. My message to these mighty Arsenal fans?

Get a grip man, use your grey cells to put these recent events in context, support your players and club when you attend games, after all it does no one but the opposition good to jeer Arsenal players, and if you are going to criticise the manager and the players, then do it politely, rationally and sensibly.

Eboue is not the spawn of satan, he is not evil, he does not need to be shot, he is just not a very good right midfielder. He's still not a bad player to have in the squad as backup for Bacary Sagna. I don't think he'll play better if you abuse him, most likely he won't notice as he's not the sharpest tool in the box.

Ade needs to be defended too, he works his socks off game in game out, has banged in 19 goals in 30 games in the league giving him a strike rate of 0.67, but still some people think he's not done enough. I just wonder where we'll find this striker that these fantasisers are after, a man who scores every game, works tirelessly for the team, has the touch of Bergkamp with the speed of Henry, the height of Crouch, the power of Drogba, the quick feet of Ronaldo, you get the picture.

We all have our own opinions as to why this season has gone pear shaped; undoubtedly several key refereeing decisions, unfortunate injuries resulting in the long absences of several key players and a squad that was too thin on the ground to challenge on all fronts have all impacted upon events.

I hate to be positive when so many are all doom and gloom, but next year the young players will all be a year older and wiser, Carlos Vela will be like a new top notch signing and Eduardo looks to be making an excellent recovery. The club is in excellent financial health, partly because Arsene hasn't felt obliged to pander to fans by signing big money players simply for the sake of it, we also have some excellent young talents emerging and we will still have one of the best managers around in charge. Who knows we might even have a slightly less terrible season?

Even if we do have a geuinely terrible season, then it does not give Arsenal fans the excuse to behave like glory hunting spoilt brats who are happy to abuse their own players and managers at the drop of a hat. Some people seem to have forgotten what it means to be a football 'supporter', I just wish they would get behind the boys, it just doesn't help the Arsenal if fans morph into glory supporting manu fans whenever the going gets a little tough.

6 comments:

Ted said...

100% right. The idea that Wenger's position is under scrutiny is completely ridiculous. We have a real chance at Anfield at Tuesday and if we can do something at Old Trafford on Sunday, then who knows. The fact that we are still in both races at this stage of the season is what matters. Wenger is a legend.

K man said...

Agreed. Those who question Wenger are just dumb.

I do think we need to strengthen the squad in the summer. That does not necessarily mean spending loads of cash but we could do with two or three players that are ready for first team action like Sagna was, rather than youngsters who might make it e.g. Denilson.

Obsinho said...

I do agree that Wenger's position is not under threat at the moment, and the team have done great this season, or at least had done better than most expected.

But still, potentially not winning anything again cannot be what the club aims for. And, theoretically, how many more seasons can Arsene go without winning something before he is sacked? Stability is good, but treadnig water is not.

Ted said...

You also have to remember that during 2004, 2005, 2006 Man United only won the FA Cup, and that was against Milwall, despite spending millions. In the same period we won the FA Cup (against Man United ) and got to the final of the Champs League. We have shown we can compete for the title this year and there is absolutely no reason why we can't challenge for the title again next year and win it, especially if Wenger gets a couple of players this summer.

Ted said...

In fact, 2004 was the Invincibles, so we won the league as well.

Wenger is under no pressure at all.

Wrighty7 said...

Spot on article.