So, the Spy was reading the forum responses to his online thoughts after the Everton game, when he came to the postings of ‘goonersteward’. As he considered these comments to be the most critical, he felt prompted to respond. Think ANR’s Myles answers his readers’ emails, but without the Count Basie references or minutiae about the offspring’s gap year!

goonersteward: Like the way the Spy moans about Wengers CL tactics in the final. Despite the fact he got us to it. 1st London club there ever WHAT.

Spy: Agree, Wenger did a fantastic job getting us to the CL final but what's the point of committing suicide when you get there? It's a once in a lifetime experience for most clubs and teams and that could've been our once in a lifetime chance to win it. Barcelona were on the ropes and it was Arsene Wenger's decisions with his substitutions that changed the game. Of course it was wonderful to be there, but would you not rather have won?

GS: As for taking best players off (bar Thierry, already disproving his point) what about bring on subs who change games and score equalisers & winners?

Spy: Granted there is equally as many substitutions that change games for the better, but I am talking about Wenger's decisions in CRUCIAL games such as the CL final, the recent the FA Cup quarter final and at Everton last week. Arsene Wenger is a genius at most things no-one would deny that, but he's not perfect and in my experience of talking to Arsenal fans, substitutions and tactics are NOT his strong points. Not even the most purist football fan would ever admit that tactics were Wenger's greatest strength.

How can you say he doesn't favour Henry? Whenever we are losing 0-1 in some awful hole up north, such as Blackburn last season, and Henry is stinking the place out, by hiding and not getting involved and glaring at all the other players instead of being a proper captain, he's the last player to be taken off. Do you think that is good for team spirit? Does it inspire you to think we can pull the goal back?

We lost by a one goal margin more than ten times away from home last year and we have already done it seven times this season in the Premiership alone. Add CSK Moscow (0-1), PSV (0-1) and Blackburn (0-1) in the FA Cup that's ten already and it's not even April yet. Do you not want to improve on that? Do you just want to suffer a 0-1 defeat every other week without ever even having the slightest bit of criticism of the manager or the team?

As I said nobody's perfect, and we have the internet and the fanzine to air our thoughts. If we all just put up with everything that came our way, it would be a waste and a terribly boring and frustrating way to live. You are naive if you think injuries have anything to do with this. We have struggled to score goals away from home for three years now and this year we have struggled at home as well. Beating Blackburn 6-2 and Watford and Sheffield United 3-0 is fine but you are kidding yourself if you think all in the garden is rosy. When it came to the crunch we couldn't score in Eindhoven with nine of our best eleven players on the pitch. It was groundhog day yet again and it will be again next year unless we question what's going on.

GS: Was the Spy moaning about Diaby being on against Villa? thought not.

Spy: In my piece I wasn't talking about Diaby's performance in the Villa game. I like Diaby and I thought he played very well at Villa. He was awful in the second half against Everton that's all I was saying. Judging by your comment, a player is immune from being substituted because he played well in the last match is he? Diaby was probably tired after the Villa game, so why not take him off? Your response is facile.

GS: I agree about Gilberto being in the back four. I don't get it either. How you can call him a c**t I don't know, since you're also on about midfielders chipping in with goals.

Spy: Half of Gilberto's goals this year have been penalties. The rest he has invariably scored with his head (Bolton and Villa excepted). My complaint about Gilberto is his casual passing and giving the ball away to the opposition in dangerous areas. Even the most blinkered Arsenal fan would not disagree that is the worst part of his game. maybe I was over the top in calling him a c**t, because believe it or not, I do see his strengths, but I was frustrated after the Everton game when he was the captain and should've made damn sure we didn't concede in injury time yet again.

GS: Why you're starting on Pat Rice I don't know. Like picking on Wenger's tactics, was this an issue in 98, 02 or during the invincible period? thought not. Wasn't Rice lurking when we pulled off the 1st domestic Cup double in 93? want him out then?

Spy: There is a growing groundswell amongst Arsenal fans that we need a coach such as Martin Keown or Steve Bould to counteract Arsene's cavalier approach. When we kept ten clean sheets in the Champions League last year the defence were being coached by Martin Keown. He did a magnificent job. The players loved him and he was very well respected. Much more so than Tony Adams in fact, despite what Cashley Hole said in his book. Was Martin asked to stay on? No. Did Wenger see the advantage of keeping Martin on the staff? Sadly, he didn't and it is more evident than ever this year that the defence is not being coached properly. My guess is Arsene got away with it until 2005 because he still had one or all of Martin Keown, Tony Adams or Sol Campbell at the back during the 1998, 2002 and 2004 seasons and they didn't need much coaching. This current lot do.

If you want to carry on blindly not questioning some of these decisions then fine. I love Arsenal more than anything and all I want is for them to be successful. What's the point of being a fan if you can't make your opinions known? I had a go at Pat Rice because he should be taking some responsibility for the current form as the first team coach and/or Arsene Wenger's right hand man, whichever job he's doing at the time.

GS: Adebayors great. He pops up with important goals and teams struggle to contain him. I wonder if you wanted him shipped out after Old Trafford earlier in the year?

Spy: Excuse me mate, you must be reading the wrong article. I never criticised Adebayor in the original rant and in fact I am fed up standing up for him in arguments with fellow Gooners who think he's crap. I like Adebayor, he has a great attitude and he scores some important goals, but I don't see him as a prolific scorer. Sorry.

GS: You'd rather be successful and hated like Chel$ki?

Spy: Maybe I used the wrong analogy. My point is that I am fed up with all the media and other supporters liking us because of our pretty pretty sideways football and because we are not a threat to them. And most of all because we are in the habit of losing and people always love it when Arsenal lose.

GS: You sir are a mong.