I am the first to support Arsene Wenger. I don’t really appreciate the ex-players who just have to have there two cents worth of fame on what appears to be on a daily basis about how we should be doing things differently, in a club that needs very little media attention right now.
The fans have had a hard run as of late with departures, injuries and the usual lack of players coming in to the club and their vented frustration have recently been heard around the Emirates. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and there is no right or wrong way, but we as fans are very quick to forget just how much we have achieved under Wenger.
Blackpool boss Ian Holloway put it best this week when he stated in his Mirror column:
‘Being a football fan isn’t just about cheering your team’s successes. To be a genuine supporter you have to get behind your club when times are tough as well.’
Now I completely agree with Holloway on this and know those who are true to the club will agree with him as well. I am not suggesting that those who are booing aren’t true supporters; I just think we as fans are quick to forget and suggest that we want change right now, and to spend hefty sums of cash.
Games like Football and Championship Manager have almost left us thinking we are capable of the day to day running of a football club when I imagine, realistically, it doesn’t even scratch the surface, and the intense pressure you come under from the media and fans in this country is more so than any other job. Imagine if you will you’re at work and you make a mistake. It maybe a little one and you lose out on a sale, some money or a business deal, you may get moaned at by the boss, feel pi**ed off for a few days or just sweep it under the carpet. I will guarantee you though that you won’t have close to 60,000 people booing you or calling for your sacking. Do we as a club really want to turn into the likes of Chelsea who have a new manager every season because they don’t win a trophy? The start to this season has been the worse that I can remember in a long time, but I still cheer Arsenal on every game. I still go through the emotions during a match, shout at the TV and question decisions, but I am still convinced that Wenger is the right man for the job.
Ian Holloway went on to say:
‘Wenger has built one top team after another. He should be bulletproof even if it is now almost seven years since he last won a trophy. There are some Gunners supporters out there who need a reality check.
‘Perhaps they should take a trip to Fratton Park and ask Portsmouth fans whether they would swap their club’s FA Cup success for a bit of what Wenger has brought to Arsenal.’
Again, all very valid points from Holloway in my opinion. I think any club in the country would love to have some of the success that Wenger has brought to Arsenal. This could easily be our year to end our wait for silverware and be a successful season, if of course we play well as a team and results go our way.
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I like holloway …
But im getting sick of people not understanding the situation.
Its not just that we haven’t won … in fact, booing the team and manager for not winning when they do occasionally get to finals and always compete, there or there about, against clubs with massive spending power, would be massively harsh.
It is a combination of things which are really getting on the gooners nerves:
– Most expensive tickets in europe and price hikes
– Selling our best players every season for the last 5 or so years and not feeling like they have been replaced
– An absolute moron for a chairman
– Poor sponsorship deals which hold the club back
– Under performing players being given chance after chance to improve and it never happening
– Wenger willingness to stick with these players
– Our style of play is just boring now … we play with one striker, pass it around the middle, never shoot, lack any real pace or counter … boring and predictable
I wouldn’t say we have sold our BEST players for the last 5 years and the sponsorship deals were front loaded to allow us to get money up front for the stadium, 2 more years to go until freedom!
I agree with the commenter above with respect to mediocre players given a plethora of opportunities to prove their worth. Also, Wenger’s stubborn policy to stick with players addicted to getting injured, shows he cares more about his ego than the team’s success. The football club as a whole is now drowned in this philosophy of “creating world class” rather than purchasing “proven players” is more of a move to safeguard their pockets and a ridiculous excuse.
If we got rid of all the players who suffered injuries sustained whilst playing we would not have Song RVP or Sczesney. Still Man city and the most expensive team ever assembled should maybe sack Mancini as they lost 1-0 to everton tonight, are out of the champions league, the FA and the carling cup. They are only without the toure bros not ten first team choices. All goners must keep the faith, the press have been an absolute nightmare to arsenal for years, now the bloggers who are mainly true fans are finishing the medias dirty work for them. Nobody has the right for a top four finish and unless we want the sterility of Spanish top flight you have to bring more than just money. Let’s keep our perspective till the end of the season and enjoy the work in progress. Keep it real gooners
how much does holloway know about arsenal???? he is a total jerk…hes just giving a typically rash knee-jerk reaction. He should think before he puts his foot in it.
Arsenal fans generally are very patient, having endured 6 years or more of feeble tippy-tappy football with no guts or drive. This team has no chance of even getting close to winning a trophy and being run by profiteers and a senile clueless manager.Paying the highest prices in the world and being served up wishy-washy football and having to watch players like squillacci that wouldnt even get into the stevenage team.The disgrace is the arsenal board and manager not the PAYING fans.
ha ha, knee jerk. pot & kettle I think
its only football..u twits. Go outand look after the familiy. spend more time with them and not on arsenal…or any other team.
and if u do not have a familiy then go find one!
Here here supporters need to show more understanding and fight for the cause
LADS,
its only football..u twits.
Go out and look after the familiy. spend more time with them and not on arsenal…or any other team.
and if u do not have a familiy then go find one!
wenger nun and anon,
just have a look at the players coming back from injury and we are still in c.l. f.a.cup and fifth in league.
We all know that Arsene has made mistakes, please name me one manager in the premier league, la liga, bundeslega etc. who hasnt?
I am certain you cant – please prove me wrong.
Havving supported Arsenal for over 55 years, I remember the REAL hard times, you moaners of today are spoilt brats.
Either support your team, manager and club through thick and thin or go elsewhere to ply your rubbish..IN ARSENE AND ARSENAL WE TRUST!!
Ken, great to see someone with sense. The last 15 years has been the most successful 15 years in our history, even with us not winning a trophy for 6 years, some people need to look at the history of the club they started supporting only when it was winning.
its only football..u twits. Go outand look after the familiy. spend more time with them and not on arsenal…or any other team.
and AS YOU KNOW if u do not have a familiy then go find one!
its only football..u twits. Go outand look after the familiy. spend more time with them and not on arsenal…or any other team.
and PLEASE if u do not have a familiy then go find one!
KEN..
its only football..u twit. Go outand look after the familiy. spend more time with them and not on arsenal…or any other team.
and if u do not have a familiy then go find one!
AND the fans are not spoilt brats just b’coz they are accostmed to sucess. get real…they are not as oldand frankly as bitteras you.
So what are you saying – that we should settle for mediocrity? The fans are frustrated and they are frustrated because they want Arsenal to do well. We can see the decline. Arsenal should be fighting for the top, and not for 4th spot! (and now, even this looks ‘iffy’)
Wenger has lost his hunger and belief. He is living off his past glories and hiding behind excuses and gripes. That’s why our ex-players said that Arsenal does not have the winning mentality. It’s not about spending money but about getting the team right. Wenger has not been able to get the team right for a long time – certainly not in recent seasons.
It’s good for fans of any team to let the Manager and the players know what their sentiments are.
Under-performing players let the fans know what their sentiments are.
The manager with very questionable team sheets and tactics let the fans know his sentiments.
The unrewarded faith shown in the overly tried and tested proven failures also tells us the manager’s sentiments.
The unsellable deadwood at the club endlessly mires our progress and is replaced with more deadwood after selling top players tells us the sentiments of the Manager.
So the fans, who make all of it possible, have a right to voice their sentiments.
The manager, the board and now Ian Holloway think the fans are servants of the club. NO THEY’RE NOT. They have paid for a service to be provided and the service is not what they expect.
If you struggled to raise the finance needed to build a home and the end result requires lots more finance to correct the many costly mistakes, you are going to have something to say about it.
Likewise, when fans struggle to raise the finance for their season tickets and the finance for their tickets to the games and the finance for the all day travel if they don’t live locally, they have a right to voice their sentiments.
Eboue became a much better player after being booed, Arshavin worked harder when booed, Walcott plays better when cheered.