I’m trying to remain positive, I really am. It’s very hard though, in the face of not only negative press, but negative news and views from Arsenal fans.
The peculiar case of the Arsenal Left Back
So Gael Clichy, my favourite player of the last six years at Arsenal has gone, is no longer an Arsenal player. I’m very very sad of course, and will miss him terribly, as will Arsenal (despite what some fans are saying). I’m annoyed he’s gone to Man City because we’ll have to face them and him, and that doesn’t ‘feel‘ right. I wish him success in his career of course, but not at the expense of Arsenal – never at the expense of Arsenal.
Amidst the great sadness of Clichy being sold I also felt great anger at the whinging crap coming from some quarters about “how poor he was” and how “he hadn’t put in a really good season for ages”, and “it’s high time he went and we strengthened the left back position”. All bollocks of course – utter utter crap. Repeated enough times however, it becomes “known fact” about him.
It annoys the hell out of me that one or two people putting out crap about a player (particularly one or two fairly influential voices) turns something from a personal annoyance into a “known fact”. It is happening with alarming frequency on twitter particularly, especially so since the news media outlets have started using twitter as a source of news.
The same people who denounce media outlets for taking twitter related lies/mis-truths and spreading them about as fact in regards to the transfer situation, are some of the same people who are quite happy to repeat lies and innuendo about players themselves. It’s hypocritical and not fair on the players.
Anyway, all the crap about Nasri now means some very vocal and influential fans have turned a lot of fans against him too, and even if he starts the season for us it’s highly likely he won’t have anywhere like the level of support he’s enjoyed until now. In some quarters they’re even saying it would be “better for him if he left”. Ridiculous.
The unusual events surrounding Arsenal transfers
It appears that Arsenal are not active in the transfer market. Or are they? There are signs that Arsenal are a lot busier than some people give them credit for, but I suspect not in the areas or way that (again) those vocal minority would like.
Arsenal are not (and will not) splash the cash – certainly not in the way that Man City or Chelsea are doing. Whether that’s because they don’t have the cash to splash or simply that they value financial prudence above recklessly endangering the future of their club is up to you to believe.
If Nasri leaves (as more and more people believe he will), and Fabregas leaves (as increasingly few believe he will, so far), does that signal an exodus of “top players”? Does that mean Arsenal are finished?
Some people (including some journalists) believe so. Or maybe they’d just like you to believe so.
With my “glass half empty” hat on I could say – looking at at least five players who actively want to leave (Clichy, Nasri, Fabregas, Bendtner and Arshavin – that I know of), and assuming that only the tip of the iceberg is showing – it looks like there is a lot of dissention, dissatisfaction, and concern in the current squad. That doesn’t look like a happy squad.
Happiness is your personal responsibility
Why should they be happy when they wasted their (great) chances not only last season but the season before? Why should they be satisfied? Obviously you’d want them to turn that unhappiness into performances – to push them on to winning something. It hasn’t so far though.
If Arsene Wenger’s ability as a manager, his skill as a tactician, and his personal charisma, haven’t won his players over to his side – then whose fault is it? The answer of course, is implicit in the question.
I love Arsene Wenger for what he’s done for Arsenal – my club. Despite being a fan and supporter of his though, I’m beginning to feel some doubt. My positivity about the future of the club rose after the end of the season, and I was already looking forward to (a) some small changes in the squad, and (b) the new season, with eagerness. Now? I’m worried and looking forward with trepidation.
My heart aches and my head hurts – is this love spurned?
So I face the new season with no season ticket (because I simply couldn’t afford to renew), and with no Gael Clichy.
I face a decreasingly short summer with no real hope in prospect and no news. Unless Arsene pulls a rabbit out of the hat, it’s looking odds-on that Arsenal could finish outside the top four for the first time in a long time. All those fans bleating about us not winning the league might feel even worse if we don’t even qualify for the Champions League.
I think some of the youth players coming through could come good – but that takes time, and we don’t have enough time.
If Arsenal finish 6th or 7th next season, then what? Arsene to become director of football and a new manager installed? Lots of cash being splashed suddenly? Who knows.
Angry of Arsenal writes to an Agony Aunt
What I know is that I’m angry with some Arsenal players for simply not trying hard enough at the end of last season. Gael Clichy isn’t one of them though, as he almost always gave 100% – and partly because of that I’m angry with Arsene for letting him go.
I’m angry with a lot of Arsenal fans who think so little of our players that they willingly slag them off not only behind their backs but to their faces. I’m angry with some influential Arsenal bloggers for believing moronic things about some of our players, our manager, and indeed our club – and then encouraging their readers to believe them too.
I’m upset that Arsenal appear to be watching silently as our squad disintegrates (yes that’s an exaggeration of course), and frustrated that there’s nothing I (or we) can do about it.
So what can I do about it? Tell me?
Sit silently by while the Arsenal universe explodes in an enormous big bang all around me then implodes in on itself? That’s what I’m doing: largely and increasingly ignoring the on-line lies, rumour, backstabbing and innuendo from within and without the Arsenal fanbase.
Image via Wikipedia
I believe that Arsene Wenger doesn’t sleep well at night – that he lies awake worrying about his squad – about their maturity, their motivation, their
commitment. I’m sure he is more affected than any of us by the rumours and lies – not least because they also make it increasingly hard for him to simply do his job. I hope, at least, that he does care. I have to believe he cares at least that much.
My greatest hope however, is that he has a plan for getting Arsenal out of what is looking like a bit of a mess.
You couldn’t afford to renew your season ticket? That is the real tragedy here. How much do they cost?
They vary from about £800 I think to upwards of £5,000. Mine was a club level season ticket priced at £2,770. I sold my motorbike last year to pay for it, but this year – not much in the way of contract work, and no more motorbikes (or anything else large to sell) – so simply can’t afford it. Many people would say (a) it’s extortionate, yet many people still pay it, and (b) be glad you could afford it for the years you did, and I am very grateful for that – though still very very sad to lose it now.
For 19 home games? Yes, I would consider that extortionate.