I can’t consider a future at Arsenal without Arsene Wenger.

When I think of the quality of the football we’ve played during his time, the gems he’s unearthed and the trophies he has delivered, at a fraction of the price that other clubs have invested without similar reward, I wonder whether the dark years of the mid 1970s or mid 1980s will return when he finally decides to retire or try something new.

I laugh at those who mock him for refusing to condemn or comment on misdemeanours by our players. I keep faith when he persists with inadequate footballers (the likes of Nelson Vivas, Pascal Cygan and Manuel Almunia) who don’t reach the standards some of his other discoveries have met.

I remind myself that the difference between success and failure at the top level is minuscule. I keep calm despite my frustration that he doesn’t have a Plan B. I trust in his superior knowledge while adheres to a 4-5-1 formation that doesn’t seem to be working on a weekly basis as much as it did for those glorious one-offs such as Real Madrid last season.

I pride myself when he fights for the club’s cause in a way which is always going to make him unpopular with authority; such as his rightful condemnation of the international calendar which always seems to result in a handful of our influential players on the treatment table; his demands for justice when horror tackles such as that made by Dan Smith at Sunderland last season that almost finished Abou Diaby’s career; and his vow to contest FIFA’s plans to ensure half a club team could be eligible to play for their league’s national side – after all, many diehard Gooners couldn’t care less about the England team and the recent troubles with the likes of Sol Campbell and Cashley Cole only underline that being English doesn’t necessarily breed loyalty.

When I see him clash with Alex Ferguson, Sam Allardyce, Martin Jol or Jose Mourinho, I realise he cares more than most. Arsenal is in his blood and seeing the team lose hurts him just as much as it does us. But for the first time since AW joined us, I found myself unable to excuse his behaviour against West Ham on November 5th. We were denied a clear penalty, admittedly, and with Gooner-tinted glasses on, Mathieu Flamini was fouled in the build-up to West Ham’s goal, but we have taken advantage of refereeing mistakes as much as we have suffered through them. Whether we accept them or not, they are a regrettable part of the game. Arsene was clearly riled by tasting a second away defeat, watching as his well-oiled machine failed to fire on all cylinders.

Sports journalists always love to criticise those who lead high profile lives, and Arsene is no different. But it may be surprising to some readers to know that actually, the majority of sports hacks enjoy speaking with our manager. He always answers the questions put to him and is intelligent, entertaining and knowledgeable, providing material that makes copy flow with ease.

Whether it was fury, adrenalin, fear of saying something that would have invited a further disrepute charge, I don’t blame Arsene for not speaking to the media after the West Ham game. I don’t even blame him for not doing a preview press conference for the Everton Carling Cup match. But not to speak even after the Everton victory when his young charges again showed their worth?

But the time has come, Arsene, to tell the fans exactly what upset you at Upton Park. Did Pardew’s celebrations simply offend you and you’re embarrassed by your reaction? Did Pardew, enthused by the possibility of a second and unlikely win, say something insulting or derogatory that you considered overstepped the mark? Or do you feel that you were in the wrong and are waiting for the right opportunity to phrase your own apology for Sunday’s events in a way, to his credit, Pardew did straight after the game.

Arsene, we love you. But please tell us, via the club’s website if you wish not to risk the media misinterpreting your comments, what is going on, how you are thinking and what exactly happened. This is our club too and we value what you say. Your silence is deafening.