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Have I really misplaced my faith?

Ok, two points were unluckily lost at Wigan, but things are still going well

1 January, 2011 9:00 7 comments
Have I really misplaced my faith?

Arsene: No-one in the league is doing better

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Just after the Tottenham game I sent in a quick message saying that I thought that this would be the last lesson that a good side needed to learn and that we would be top at Christmas. Clearly I was looking through rose tinted spectacles, but was my faith completely misplaced? I wrote a submission after the Wigan away game last season, a game which I unfortunately attended and said some very negative things about Arsene and the then current squad. Again, this season, I was disappointed that Arsene made so many changes against Wigan and we only drew 2-2. I wanted us to ride roughshod over Wigan, score 5 and go top as I predicted, but because what he did didn't quite come off was it really the wrong thing to try to do?

We seem to forget that we are still in the mix and if we were to depose King Arsene, who would we replace him with? Ferguson has drawn 8, Mancini has lost 4, Ancelloti has lost 5, or heaven forbid Redknapp, who has also lost 4.

Wenger is suffering now, because of his initial success and the idea that resulted that he was perfect, AKB. Winning the league is about percentages, the aim to get most of it right over 38 games. Arsene played his percentages against Wigan, the aim was to get 3 points but with as little impact as possible on his first choice eleven, he only got 1 point, but we did come close.

I put a bet on at the start of the season that we would win this league, and often I really do doubt that I will win that bet. But I do believe that game by game the squad, not just the best 11, is getting stronger and that it is still possible.

Last season, many people were complaining that we didn't put strong enough sides out in the Carling Cup, a competition that we were just throwing away. This season Wenger has put out stronger sides, although why he has done this is a matter of contention. However now we have a great chance of going to Wembley and winning a trophy. However, tickets for the semi final - even at the reduced prices - are going out on general sale. So where are all those people who want us to try harder in the Carling Cup? Is it that when they get what they want they don't really care about it?

I really do think, we should start looking at positives from this side and get behind them, they really do have what it takes. Cheer up and have a Happy New Year.

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7
comments

  1. Jan 01, 2011, 23:53 #616

    mate ive done my part following arsenal over land and sea and i couldnt give a f**k about the the reduced prices at the the bowl for the cc semi at the end of the day i would rather stand down the boozer with the lads than sit in the bowl with a bunch of students and ex theatre goers who now see football as being fashionable, and yes my spelling is shit but all the same good result at the home of the zulus 2day shame aw didnt take the game at wigan as seriously

  2. Qayum08

    Jan 01, 2011, 20:07 #615

    Great piece Paul. I whole heartedly agree. Yes there are times we will slip up and people will make mistakes. However there is way too much negativity amongst Arsenal fans when things domt go to plan, sometimes even when they do! We have no choice but to get behind the boys no matter what as it does no good to be negative as is the law off energy this negativity will rub off onto everything that is Arsenal. So come on no more negative articles (ever the optimist!)

  3. QtheGooner

    Jan 01, 2011, 16:31 #614

    I really do believe that offensively we have what it takes but scoring goals is not the problem with this squad. Time and again the masses of gooners will bemoan our defensive frailties and with good reason. I'm probaly the billionth person to say sqaullici and kosceilny are not good enough. I wont say AW is defensivly inept (lauren campell toure+cole... wot went wrong?) but so long as we have poor cbs and poor gks then 1st place is beyond us. Also can we not moan about Vermaleen being out hence the poor performances?! Good teams tend to have more than 2 decent defenders ya know!

  4. Dan

    Jan 01, 2011, 16:21 #613

    Your talking rubbish.

  5. The BearMan

    Jan 01, 2011, 13:06 #608

    The Bear will be 100% behind his team today! Come on Arsenal, You Can! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH YES YOU CAN!

  6. BigL

    Jan 01, 2011, 12:48 #607

    Happy New Year Paul I'm 100% behind the team but don't feel they have what it takes. They almost have it but are 2 numbers short of a winning lottery ticket.

  7. the snood

    Jan 01, 2011, 11:05 #601

    I respect every decision made against wigan except the timing of substitutions.after wigan were reduced to 10 the subs would have come in,and they ought not to have been heavy weights. jet-arshavin vela-bendtner.these two would have been enough trouble for wigan.again lack of tactical nous.