Kevin Whitcher
The last five matches the club has played have proved a very frustrating period for Arsenal fans. The familiar feel of a succession of cup exits followed by unexpectedly dropped league points has had even the staunchest supporters of Arsene Wenger feel a total lack of confidence in the players’ ability to take advantage of a fantastic opportunity in the Premier League. The mood has not been helped by the news that a 6.5% rise in ticket prices looks likely in the close season.
However, as supporters, although protests against the board are entirely warranted, the situation at the moment demands we back the team and hope that fears of another trophyless season prove unfounded. The bottom line is that the players have been handed a fantastic opportunity by Manchester United’s mix of injury misfortune and progress in the cups. Their fixture list is packed, to say the least, and their treatment table list pretty lengthy too, specifically where defenders are concerned.
However, what Arsenal’s players have to do is to play with commitment, desire, energy and footballing intelligence. Take players on sometimes, make a run behind the defence, test the opposition goalkeeper more often, defend properly and as a team. Basically play effective, penetrative football and f*** the tip tap bollocks coached by the manager and especially the showboating before the game is won. I’d rather see two scrappy goals than one perfect one. There will never be a better opportunity to win the Premier League than the one that has been presented to Arsenal now.
Supporters can get their frustrations off their chests in many different ways, but at this time, during matches, until the team have written themselves out of title contention, we have to back them. By all means refrain from chants of ‘There’s only one Arsene Wenger’ if you believe, as I do, that he is guilty of making the same mistakes on a repeated basis out of some stubborn belief he has to prove he was right all along. But support Arsenal, the team, on the pitch.
Most, though not all, of the doubters would like to be proved wrong, would like the team to win the title in spite of some of the calamitous performances and idiotic mistakes that they have made at different times this season. It is time for the players to seize the moment and play with the right attitude. Spirit and hard work is the order of the day, not arrogance. They can save the latter for pre-season if they do actually finish top of the table in May. We, as fans, have to suspend our disbelief and hope they have what it takes to simply fulfil one the one over-riding purpose of their professional duties…
Win!
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I’ve been asked to raise awareness for members of both the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust and AISA that the two organisations will be staging an event to celebrate 25 years of Arsenal in the Community next Thursday, which concludes in the Club Level Champions Bar. So if you want to find out exactly what the club are doing to help out with local affairs, full details can be found here. You will need to RSVP whichever organization you are a member of to let them know you intend coming along. Plug over!
P.S. – I will be offline until the latter part of Sunday evening, so for anyone that foolishly enjoys reading my take on Arsenal games, don’t be alarmed about my wellbeing if you don’t read anything on the West Brom game until 24 odd hours after the final whistle!
