DW Thomas
I watched the Man United vs. Stoke game after watching Arsenal defeat Bolton. While watching this game something of an epiphany happened to me. I have been very critical last and this season of the manager, players, and board. I am no AKB, but do appreciate all Wenger has done. Yet, I am one who believes no one man is bigger than the club. I will continue to vent frustration on this site until I feel Arsenal are playing by the standards Arsene himself set and the board starts acting like proper caretakers of our much loved club.
I never thought in my life I would become a fan of any team in any sport like I have with the Arsenal. I am infatuated with the club, like so many supporters become. I feel gutted when we lose and/or perform poorly. I look forward to each successive game not wanting to miss a single minute of the action. Often, I go back and watch old games on my DVR just to enjoy some of our outstanding displays. I remember the Aston Villa game a couple seasons ago when Cesc came on and changed the game with his free kick goal. The Barcelona home game last season was perhaps one of a few supremely satisfying games these past 5 or 6 seasons. Yes, Barca is the best on the planet, but on that night our magic was displayed in front of a home crowd. The build up to and the goal by Arshavin is one of my favorites of all time. What drew me to Arsenal as a former youth coach and player of now 34 years is their pure attempt at the true game. Passing to me beyond anything else is what football is all about. It is what separates it from individual sports and allows it to stand out above other team sports. The continuous flow of the ball, the skill and technique needed, the pace of the game, and the connection and focus the players of great teams must have to reach that level is what I believe Arsenal fans love about our team.
Watching Stoke play United I was struck by a thought that spurred me to write. Yes, Stoke has a few decent, skilled players, but each time I watched Delap dry off the ball to attempt the long throw they are known for, I was strikingly reminded of how much better it is to watch our team than theirs (or most any team for that matter!). Yes, results and trophies are important. I for one have blasted the manager and board for not winning anything since 2005, despite being so close so often. And, yes the players are at fault as well. But, let me ask you this. Besides Barcelona, what team would most world fans say plays the purest form of football? Let me rephrase. If you were not an Arsenal fan to begin with and stranded on a desert island, with only one team to watch for a season, and it couldn’t be Barcelona, who would you choose? Many fans outside of Arsenal supporters love this team because even when they play poorly, there is still some quality. And when they play well, it is like seeing a beautiful sunrise to a majestic day. Even the Man United game this year had its moments where it seemed we could come back and get a point or at least make it close. Watching Stoke hack their way to a tie against United I was reminded of our great club’s ability to play masterful football. You can’t tell me Stoke has a better squad to get a result against United. On our day, Arsenal would destroy Stoke. But that’s football, isn’t it?
In the first ten minutes of the Stoke game Chicharito was badly fouled and injured. Stoke committed at least 3 other poor tackles early on. We all know how they play, it is no surprise what they set up to do against teams of better skill and quality. But, for my money, I could never be entertained and love a team like them as I do the Gunners. Just think of any of their key players and compare them to any of ours over the current and past seasons. There is no comparison. I think this is true for most teams in the Prem., save the top four. So yes, even though we need to keep some pressure on as fans that Wenger and the team performs to their best each game, we must always remember that we are the Arsenal. We are the club who went undefeated for a season. We have been in Europe for 14 straight years (this counts even though I have made it known this is not my favorite positive stat that Wenger throws out constantly!). We have won doubles, cups, trophies galore. We have enjoyed talents like Seaman, Adams, Bergkamp, Henry, Viera, Pires, Fabregas, Van Persie, and many other world class players. And even though that past was great, and we know what we’re capable of, it is still no good to rest on our laurels. We must defeat the Uniteds and the Stokes to be champions again.
Wenger must achieve and soon. But, whatever happens to the team and manager over the next few months, we must remember who we are. The football we play is often other worldly. Now the time has come to blend together the style with the substance, and win games. Period. The Swansea, Dortmund, and Bolton games show that we can scrap out wins and even still pass like the Arsenal teams of old and get an end product. And I can take some losses too this season. Just not too many and no more like the Blackburn or Man. U results. As long as we win many games along the way. When our beautiful passing doesn’t work, we must adjust, and still get results. All great teams do this, even Barcelona. This season it is time. We fans have been patient, heard all the excuses before. Deliver Arsene. The club’s fans deserve it.
