I have been a passionate Arsenal fan since I was 8 years old. My Dad took to my first game in October 1972 when I was 10. I have had a season ticket for 31 years. I have been a Gooner reader for years and love the Gooner online. This is my first ever article. It is from the heart. It started in response to a comment on the Arsenal Mailing List that basically said stop calling for AW’s head now. It isn’t going to happen and it’s boring. Save the debate for the end of the season. Below is my response.
The reason the tide has turned against Wenger is because he hasn't been doing the job so why should we believe he can do it now. When the rumblings about Wenger started three or so years ago you would get slaughtered if you dared to question Wenger. I haven't seen many defending him recently and none for Saturday’s debacle. My E-Mail (to the list) on Thursday evening said No More Excuses. There are none after Saturday’s rubbish and that is why no one is defending him or the team.
I have watched the club I love become a laughing stock. Micky Quinn on Talk Sport yesterday morning was mimicking choking noises. I hated to hear it but it was true. Again this team has fallen apart in March. Why? The last few weeks have been a disaster yet all Wenger can talk about is the team’s mental strength and spirit. Can anybody please tell us where it is and why on earth he keeps going on about what everyone can see we clearly haven't got?
The early season results were bad enough. Sunderland away, West Brom and Newcastle at home. The lay down and quit performance when we were 2-0 up against that lot down the road. Followed by Wigan away after the great result against Chelsea. We could have got over all these results with a good run after Christmas. Then came Newcastle away. We managed to do what no Premiership team had ever done. Throw away a 4-0 lead and with only 20 minutes to go to boot. Then we get a chance of a trophy against a team fighting relegation who hadn't won a trophy for 50 years. Lost. Losses to Barcelona and the Mancs were expected by most of us.
At that point I, and many others, predicted implosion. It wasn't rocket science. I further added that we would win five or less of our remaining ten games. Having said that I dearly wanted us to mount a title challenge. What a let down. Fans at the stadium at the Blackburn game were openly unhappy. We all know nothing will happen while the season continues. We also know barring some catastrophic disaster, like a collapse that means we don't qualify for the Champions League, nothing will happen after the season.
We will hear:
We are disappointed with no trophies again
We need to strengthen but not much (and then do very little)
Qualifying for the CL is like winning a trophy (which is complete BS and an insult to the fans)
We are grateful for your support (and oh by the way your season tickets are going up)
(And my own personal favourite just before the season starts) Judge me in May.
I am tired of seeing our club being a laughing stock at the way they collapse like clockwork every season around March time. I am severely p***ed off that the Spuds are in the CL Q/F while we stay at home and watch. Why? Because AW thought it was a good idea to play the reserves after we won the first three games of our group and therefore throw the group away, not for the first time.
I have had enough of our beloved club not being able to defend a lead, crap centre backs, goalkeepers who wouldn't get in Chelsea or Man United’s teams in front of the youth goalies and players who think they are great when they clearly they are not. The club needs a major overhaul. The media can see it, a lot of Arsenal fans can see it. The only ones who can't see it are the completely blinkered AKB's, and even they have been very quiet the last few weeks, and Wenger himself.
When we drew with Sunderland some AKB’s said stop moaning we are three points behind with a game in hand. When we drew with West Brom, don’t worry we are five points behind but we still have a game in hand. Now we are seven points behind but we still have a game in hand. Am I allowed to be worried yet? Seriously AKB’s are becoming more and more deluded.
We all know Wenger ain’t gonna get fired now or probably ever. That does not mean we cannot call for him to be fired now, at the end of the season or whenever. The other quotes we regularly hear is be careful what you wish for and who can replace Wenger. It’s quite clear what I wish for and I know I am not alone. Your time was up three years ago. Thanks for the memories, except they were so long ago I can’t remember them.
Now for the next manager. Are we serious about taking the next step? If we are then pay the money to get the best. Two candidates. Pep Guardiola has made it quite clear he won’t be at Barcelona much longer. He has to be the number one choice. However I would be more than happy with Jose Mourinho. You don’t win the Champions League with two different clubs and almost a third without being a great manager. So for those asking the question there are two answers for you. I am sure there are more.
More disappointment will follow next season if Wenger is still in charge. We will win nothing further with him as manager and it’s getting very tedious.