Kevin Whitcher
The failure to kill off Leyton Orient in the first game of this 5th Round FA Cup tie was not without cost… to season ticket holders. With seven home cup ties (excluding the Carling Cup) paid for in advance on the season ticket, before this replay, six had been used up. Let’s say Arsenal get through against Barcelona (yeah, I know, but just bear with me). There would be an eighth home cup game (this one at Grade A prices). The cheapest adult season ticket holder in the lower tier will be paying £49 extra to watch this game. If Arsenal had beaten Orient at the first time of asking, they would have already paid for the match as part of their season ticket fee. Assuming that Arsenal do not make the last eight in Europe, a £33 discount on their 2011/12 season ticket has been denied. All because of the arrogance displayed at Brisbane Road the weekend before last. The players tried marginally harder last night and it made a hell of a difference on the scoresheet. But their complacency the Sunday before the Wembley calamity has cost supporters dear either way.
However, even if they had taken a financial hit, many gold members were not interested in attending this replay. I would estimate that out of 45,000 season ticket holders, 20,000 did not take their seats last night. The true figure for attendance was around 40,000. Certainly at least one in three seats was vacant and possibly even more. Fortunately, the game was a technical sell out because more Orient fans attended last night than were able to see the drawn game in the flesh. 9,000 of them turned up. Although the prospect of a trip to Old Trafford probably had them salivating, this, in reality, was very much their cup final and a lot of discounted ticket pricing meant it was affordable for them. So having taken up 15% of the capacity, it left Arsenal with 6,000 tickets to sell. They managed it by putting the game on general sale pretty damn quick, although if this had been an optional game for season ticket holders, they would have only filled it by charging Carling Cup prices.
It meant I was able to select one of many pews near the front of the upper tier on the halfway line, then move round to the end Arsenal were attacking in the second half to sit with some pals I bumped into at half time. It was the freedom of the E******s, although gatecrashing club level is not as easy as simply seeing an empty seat and sitting in it these days. The club have wised up to that one.
The game? Well, I don’t have much to report on that. Arsenal did what they should have first time round with only two changes to the starting line-up. Connor Henderson replaced Arshavin and Abou Diaby came in for Alex Song. The most alarming thing was Emmanuel Eboue’s positional defending. Totally atrocious. Orient’s best chances came down his flank. As a right back he has regressed a long way since 2005-06. Then again, as many a game this campaign has proved, Arsenal don’t really do defence a lot of the time. Gael Clichy is not strong positionally either. If trophies are to be won, this really needs addressing. The concept of simply outscoring the opposition may give them a shout if they can keep their best attacking players fit, but we all know that isn’t going to happen.
Some of the squad that turned out last night will be utilized in the run-in. I have stated before that the only competition Arsenal have a real chance in now is the Premier League. Alex Ferguson will field a strong enough team to take care of the quarter final at home. You won’t see some of the names that started against Crawley Town, such as Bebe and Obertan. It will be a mix and match team that demonstrates United have better back up than Wenger. As for Tuesday next week in Barcelona, the only real question is how many Barca will get. You could see Arsenal nicking one, but it won’t be enough. Accept, sit back and enjoy the football. I will.
However, there is a genuine chance in the league. The key will be Fabregas remaining fit once he returns and Robin van Persie returning to the fray before too long and critically finding his form immediately once he does. The fixture list in the league has been kind in that the next three weeks sees Arsenal only play twice and face opposition that they are capable of beating without being 100% full strength. If they are incapable of beating Sunderland at home and West Brom away, then frankly, the team have no right to be considered genuine contenders. These are the meat and drink games that fans shouldn’t be thinking twice about. However, such a glorious opportunity has been provided that many a fan is concerned we will even beat Steve Bruce’s side at home. Arsenal don’t tend to react well these days when a chance is presented to them on a silver platter, such as the prospect of beating relegation contenders on a decent neutral playing surface to land a first trophy for six seasons.
I am sorry to not be optimistic about the current team, but it’s like love affairs. When you have been burned too often, you go into the next one knowing what’s ahead. There is always the hope at the back of your mind that it won’t turn bad in the end, that this is the one, and that’s why you keep coming back for more. But ask yourself this. Would the team of 2002-04 have had you even contemplating they would fail to beat Sunderland and West Brom when there was a title to go for? That team, I think, may have been the love of my football life. It’s been downhill ever since, and the attempt to recapture the glory days has been painful. I admit I have lost faith, a feeling certainly not helped by events last Sunday. Although I felt I was over it by Monday, the pain has actually lingered on. The players let us down as Birmingham showed more desire and commitment. Wenger’s men play with a belief that technical quality is enough. But not enough of them are made of the right stuff.
I so hope I can write on 23rd May with my face covered in egg and a microwaved hat on a plate in front of me. I really do because I want my team to win things. It is so possible from this point, their destiny totally in their own hands. It’s certainly the reason I would prefer to see a stronger selection face Sunderland than Barcelona and would have no issue with, on this occasion, Wenger throwing the FA Cup at Old Trafford with a half-baked team selection. People have to realize that those who have lost the faith state their doubts because they do care, not because they get any pleasure from doing so. In 2008 and 2010 the team had a great chance of success in the league, but were without key players at the business end of the season (Van Persie and - last season - Fabregas as well as key defenders, and others). It’s where your back up men come in and do a job. In the four seasons of five trophies, it was the likes of Edu, Parlour, Luzhny, Grimandi, Wiltord, Kanu and Keown that came in and did the business. When Arsenal won the title at Old Trafford in 2002, they did so without utilising Henry, Bergkamp, Adams and Pires.
In developing Project Youth some key ingredients have been left out of the mix – chiefly, knowhow and character. I hope that this group of players proves me wrong, get some big results and go on to win the title this season. It is certainly there for the taking, no doubt about that. With so much money sitting in the bank the manager has left himself open to some justified criticism if his squad fail to deliver from this point, given the 11 fixtures that remain this season.
I am sorry I cannot write a nice fluffy piece about how good it was to stuff a League One side at home by five goals. But many fans demonstrated last night that they are simply not that interested. It was a case of job done and about time too. I’ve expressed what is on my mind this morning, given air to the gnawing doubt that things are going to go pear-shaped as they have in the past and that the club are treading water without serious ambitions to do anything but ensure the value of Arsenal Holdings PLC as a commodity continues to grow. I conveyed the view last night to more than one acquaintance that Arsenal is well set up and ready to go places. It’s like a rocket primed to take off into outer space. However, it needs a different philosophy at the level of the boardroom and in the dugout.
Prove me wrong Messrs Gazidis, Kroenke, Fiszman and Wenger. Please.
The current issue of The Gooner will be on sale for the matches on Saturday against Sunderland. For those unable to make the game, it can be bought online here.
