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The Board
The Board are more concerned with the results on the balance sheet rather than the pitch - no surprises there, after all, they have investments to protect. The move to the E******s has coincided with a collective complacency that finishing 2nd - 4th with a decent cup run is acceptable, as long as the cherished Champions League place is preserved. This way of thinking might have been understandable when only the so-called Big 4 could even think about qualifying. However, the emergence of Man City and Tottenham has moved the goalposts so that there is now genuine competition for a place in the top four.
When the plans for a new stadium were announced, we were told that the increased revenue streams would provide the manager with the necessary resources to compete in the transfer market. The lack of expenditure has since been attributed by some to the manager not being given the funds to buy the players he wants as loans on the new stadium were repaid. Does anyone believe this? Does anyone really believe that a club that generates over £3m ticket income from one match alone cannot afford larger transfer fees? Think about that one the next time you are asked to pay over £100 for a league match. The fact of the matter is that the manager chooses not to spend big because he cannot trust his judgement (more on that below). The money is there, in huge bundles, but the manager will not use it. The policy of nurturing young talent instead of huge transfer splashes would be laudable given that UEFA's fair play rules are on the horizon. But we were not told this when we were asked to pay top dollar for a cushioned seat at the new home.
Notwithstanding the moving and shaking that has been going on in recent years by various parties, there has been a complete absence of a dominant figure since David Dein left. Whatever the rights and wrongs of Dein's activities leading to his departure, the fact is that he was the only person at Board level who could influence the manager, which meant the creation of a power vacuum as soon as he was shown the door. Nobody else on the Board has since been able to pull the manager aside and tell him to pull his socks up or that things on the pitch are not good enough. He might not have been everybody's cup of tea, but Dein's role in working alongside the manager should not be under-estimated. Instead we are left with a manager who is untouchable and completely unaccountable for failings on the pitch.
The Manager
I have yet to refer to him by name as I have got to the point that mere mention of it sends me into an unhealthy mixture of anger and frustation… just like him. But I am allowed to feel this way because I am simply a fan who is suffering. The manager is the single most important representative of the club and yet his increasingly embarrassing antics on the touchline, his negligence in dealing with obvious failings on the pitch and his insulting and graceless attitude displayed in post-match interviews are a disgrace… and he is allowed to get away with it. Some might say that his frustration shows that he cares. But he does not seem to care about the reputation of the club. Yes he has achieved the transformation of the club's reputation from the "boring 1-0/arms in the air for offside" days to the swashbuckling and cosmopolitan reputation of today. However, his constant rantings at referees, his repeated attribution of bad play to bad luck and his demented mantras about "team spirit", "togetherness" and "leadership" reveal a manager who has lost the plot.
His inability to acknowledge in post match interviews that the other team might have played better than his own is galling enough, but his positive characterisation of his team's performances regardless is just insulting to the fans. We know what we have seen. What we need to hear from the manager is that he recognises the faults that we have witnessed and is addressing them. Just repeating the same mantra deludes nobody but himself. Is it asking too much for the manager to come out after a game and say that the other team was better or that the referee got a decision right? This should be a serious issue for the Board to address, but of course they are powerless to act (see above). Do we really want to be represented by ignorance and arrogance?
As for the failings on the pitch, where to start? The lack of meaningful tactics that can overcome the proverbial parked bus in front of the goal. The lack of heart to want to win. The lack of courage to deal with adversity. The lack of character to overcome the odds. The lack of leadership not just from the captain but throughout the team. These are all failings that have not just appeared in the last few games but have been evident since the move to the E******s… yes, five years. The manager's inability to address these failings can only be described as negligent and arrogant. His transfer dealings have been, at best haphazard. Without going through all the ins and outs, his decision to shop at Asda instead of Waitrose has left the squad full of the average and the mediocre.
The Players
Where should we start? The goalkeeper(s) who cannot keep goal, the centre halves who cannot head the ball or talk to each other, the left back who cannot cross a ball, the reserve right back who is just poor, the midfield who cannot defend, the midfield player who cannot tackle, the reserve centre forward being asked to play on the wing, the centre forward with glass ankles who cannot play more than 20 games a season, the captain whose heart is elsewhere. I won't mention all the poor quality players we have had to put up with as there are far too many to go through. Collectively, they have no trophies and therefore (for Arsenal) they are not good enough. I feel sorry for some of them who have been asked to perform to a level they are not capable of. Some are in the comfort zone and do not appear to hurt when they fail.
It has been said recently that it's a pity that Arsenal "have thrown the league away" in a year when Chelsea have gone backwards, Man City have not quite got there and Man Utd have their worst team in living memory. The truth is that Arsenal have not thrown anything away as they simply have not been good enough. The fact that Arsenal are still second (at time of writing) with six games to go only demonstrates the paucity of the Premier League as evidenced by performances in Europe.
The takeover by Stan Kroenke has delivered the message that nothing will change - this is supposed to be the good news. The only message the Board will understand is from the wallet. Not renewing season tickets, not renewing memberships and boycotting merchandise are the only things that fans who want change can do. Otherwise it's more of the same. Anyone got something better to do with their £900?
