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I, Supporter

An Arsenal Manifesto

22 April, 2011 10:00 19 comments
I, Supporter

Can’t we all get along?

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I have eyes.

I know that if we hadn't conceded four against Newcastle, conceded in the last minute versus Liverpool, been shocking against WBA (twice) or beaten Sunderland and Blackburn at home, we would be walking the league.

I know Arsene Wenger has his faults and it's all getting a bit much. I even understand that his job is on the line, but please, Gooners everywhere - let's not lose our heads.

Reports in the press are suggesting that fights are breaking out at home games over whether to support our boss. I have read countless blogs and twitter posts on how Eboue should never play for Arsenal again. I think Arsenal fans need a fans’ charter, similar to the one that Liverpool fans have for the Kop (i.e. - arrive on time, don't leave early, CHEER THE TEAM ON). And of course, there naturally shouldn’t be any booing of home players.

As Gooner W pointed out, there is a real chance Man U could win the league at the E******s and the anti-Arsene brigade could be pushed to its limits. I think that the team needs us more than ever at the moment. Even watching the Liverpool game on television, you could sense the tension. Let's get behind the team - win or lose. If worse comes to worst and we don’t beat Man U, think of the television cameras panning around looking for a story. Don't give them one.

Cheering Arsene Wenger doesn't mean that you think the man is faultless, it just means you are supporting your team. And isn't that what supporters are meant to do?

Other clubs sing and cheer in defeat. We can too.

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19
comments

  1. wenger out

    Apr 24, 2011, 21:09 #5703

    I was there today, we got behind the team and what did they do? Repaid us in the usual spineless way. Then they walked off at the end without so much as acknowledging us (with the exception of Arshavin and Fabregas). Losers to a man. Get Wenger out!

  2. jetplane

    Apr 24, 2011, 18:40 #5693

    Can see Jane is the only gooner here as the rest of you only go to the empty crates to spend your bonuses Theres only one Peter Storey .... one Bobby Pires. Oh well - at least Bolton put us out of more misery.

  3. Bob

    Apr 23, 2011, 16:27 #5638

    I don't agree - supporting the Club does not mean writing a blank cheque to a manager who has been allowed to stagnate. This is not a knee-jerk reaction to a bad spell, or even a disappointing season - it is about making crystal clear that we are not going to stand by and watch the Club we love become synonymous with losing.

  4. Eeyore

    Apr 22, 2011, 17:08 #5598

    ps: You need to introduce a new House Rule that bans posts containing "wud", "wit" and "dat".

  5. clockendpaul

    Apr 22, 2011, 17:04 #5597

    How about a managers charter to not be so stuborn, listen to advice, read up on tactics, spend the money thats there,go to anger management classes and to stop treating us like ****ing mugs!

  6. Eeyore

    Apr 22, 2011, 16:53 #5596

    Completely agree with Leon's post (6093). Nothing more to be said except "Wenger out. EIE"

  7. aero192

    Apr 22, 2011, 16:20 #5595

    Brilliant, well said but if we're unhappy and we we are, don't we also have the duty to voice our concerns and increasing levels of anger? We know we have to change otherwise we'll fade and that's not acceptable, Sperz or Man City will take over.

  8. SUGA3

    Apr 22, 2011, 14:15 #5593

    cheering Arsene Wenger? the only cheer I have is for the team IF they pull their weight - fair?

  9. Gman

    Apr 22, 2011, 13:21 #5592

    Of course we can’t stop supporting the club we love and have grown up with, but with any relationship it will have its ups and downs. At this particular moment in time it’s a frustrating one, I am pulling my hair out with every passing game and enduring endless jibes from mates who support other clubs. We have to get behind the team of course but that doesn’t stop us plotting mutiny against Capt. Wenger of the AFC Bountyless. If we can’t enjoy the teams performance then we should enjoy attending matches with a with a sense of jollity, the season will soon be over and a new one will be upon us bringing back a wave of new enthusiasm. At the last home game why don’t we serenade Cesc with ‘the last Waltz’’, or for the whole team and Mr Wenger ‘Those were the days’!!

  10. wenger out

    Apr 22, 2011, 12:24 #5589

    Well said Jane!!! Could not have put it better. So the author of this article wants blind allegiance to a failing manager. That is not loyalty it is stupidity. I have no loyalty to this team or manager - I have loyalty to this Club which I love. Wenger is not Arsenal, we are. How about they take the time to come and applaud us (like they failed to do after the humiliating FA Cup defeat at the moaners - where they all just trudged off the pitch). How about Wenger shows some respect for us rather than saying "we cannot be concerned by what the fans think" as he said recently. They are a disgrace and deserve to be turned on by the fans - especially those that travel home and away. Get Wenger out!

  11. Jane

    Apr 22, 2011, 10:56 #5588

    Get behind these multi millionaire bottlers.Who cant perform unless the crowd who pay the highest tickets prices in the world are cheering them as they make their 100th pass around the edge of the box.Do me a favour.We have bottled the title for the third time in 4 years because of our dictator of a manager.You want us to get Behind Wenger and his losers like the Gadaffi supporters are getting behind him.Next season their will be even more empty seats at the concrete bowl

  12. The Happening

    Apr 22, 2011, 10:43 #5587

    We are a club in transition, totally agree, the Emirates, (and the new fans which fill it up week in and week out) were probably waiting for years to watch thre Arsenal, whilst Highbury would never have the capacity, they have the chnace now, but changes in the club, are fully confirmed with the news that supporters are growing frustrated, and these supporters, you could argue, are the old guard, with cummulative loyalty firing their passion for all these Arsenal! AKBs or whatever you call them V the old guard, an open dialectic, for the club and all of us follow, as long as its positive for the club in its result, can't do any harm can it??

  13. Badgerhead

    Apr 22, 2011, 9:46 #5585

    Great comments. A lot has been gained moving to the Emirates but critical things have been lost. Atmosphere being one, everytime I've been that all pervading air of quiet disapproval,the 'here we go again moans' at every misplaced pass, the general sense of disappointment continues to grow. Its no wonder we have a better away record the support is better. I've been to a few baseball games in my time and everytime I'm left with the feeling that food and drink and chatting with friends is more important than the game, which is the backdrop to the evening not the focal point. It feels the same at the Emirates especially with 10 minutes to go and the ground starts emptying. Look at recent home games, the boys struggling to get a win, needing that extra something to get over the line and half the ground has ****ed off, doesn't say a lot does it. And lets be clear home form has cost us the league nothing else.Sure Wenger's intransigence in anumber of areas has reached a critical point but a lot of supporters need to look at themselves. To all those season ticket holders not renewing perhaps you'll be doing the team a favour and the atmosphere will improve.

  14. Bertie

    Apr 22, 2011, 9:18 #5584

    Sorry mate, understand what you are saying, but other than vent our anger on blogs like this, what else are we to do? The Board will think everything is Cosy and sweet in Wengerland unless we show our anger at the current discredited, lying regime. Apart from give up my season ticket so leaving the Emirates even more full of 'fans' who have no understanding of our football club and it's traditions pre-Wenger I really fail to understand what other form of protest is open to us as fans. Finally when you are watching us struggle to a 0-0 against Blackburn and the team are hopeless and you know the manager can't/won't do anything there isn't a whole lot of cheering even the most rabid pro-wengerite can muster

  15. charliegeorge

    Apr 22, 2011, 9:13 #5583

    Other clubs don't have to put up with Colonel Gadaffi!

  16. Leon

    Apr 22, 2011, 9:12 #5582

    Thats it - post all posts that agree with your article to get a perfectly balanced debate going. Numpty.

  17. Leon

    Apr 22, 2011, 8:59 #5581

    Several issues with this. 1. We pay a lot more money that other fans do. 2. There is never any investment in the team when it is so desperately required. 3. The squad consists of chokers and greedy mercenaries only in it for the money 4. The board and the manager have complete disregard for what the fans think 5. The board, the manager and most importantly the players are satisfied with failure. 6. The players have no desire to play well. All of these factors are why Arsenal fans are so disgruntled - can you blame them ?

  18. paul griffin

    Apr 22, 2011, 8:59 #5580

    Totally agree we need to get behind the players now more than ever.If we want to criticise and boo then do it at the end of the game and leave our feelings be known then. By doin it during the game it wud be more destructive and the players wud play wit a fear factor and as arsene wud say the handbrake on. The best atmosphere we had since goin to the e******s was the barca game and is it any coincidence the team gave every drop of blood to get the desired result. Even RVP came out and praised the support dat nite.

  19. Taj

    Apr 22, 2011, 8:48 #5579

    Well said. One thing all Gooners should never forget. We are The Arsenal. so f*** the lazy English media, f*** united and their plastic fans, f*** spurs and their publicity hungry satchel faced manager. Get behind OUR team and the manager during the matches, shout and sing until your fellow Gooners around you HAVE to join in. It's us against everyone else, and we are united in our love for the Arsenal