Gutted to Tears Pt. II

It’s been four days since United were crowned EPL Champions. I’ve rebounded fairly well from the trauma of watching The Red Scum add another title to their collection. I remember a mate saying that he couldn’t understand why Taggart was bringing Giggs into the game. It’s simple, Giggs hates Arsenal so much that he had to be part of the affair. He more than any other United player represents the hatred between our clubs. Believe me, it’s mutual.

He’s the new Teddy Sheringham.

My mate couldn’t stomach that United continued to go forward in the 80th minute. I told him to accept it. It’s their right to do so.

These things have a way of leveling themselves. Sometimes cruelly.

What annoyed me most is how fearless they’ve been against us. We were determined Saturday but in the two previous (CL) games we were tame. No drive! That must be addressed.

Playing against United is as serious as it gets.

Could this new detente between Taggart and Arsene be diluting the acrimony between the two clubs? Are we witnessing a thawing of relations? Funk that! I don’t want to be friends with United. I don’t want to share warm moments with Giggs, Neville, Anderson, Ronaldo, Evra, etc. not one of them.

I hope Barcelona thrash them. Fock this England vs. Spain tripe people are spewing. It’s good vs. evil as far as I’m concerned.

Here’s to a blaugrana fiesta. United can stick their title up their bum 18 times.

Arsenal

A Defense From Another

Amen.

But it only takes one look at the first comment made by a reader to indicate just how delusional people can be.

Jack Hobbs

In the summer of 2005, Liverpool and Arsenal were in a tug of war over Jack Hobbs, a 16 year old English defender who played for Lincoln City. Hobbs had just become the youngest player to represent Lincoln, when he played three minutes as a substitute in a League Two match against Bristol Rovers.

Shortly after his debut, Hobbs agreed a development contract with Liam Brady, Arsenal’s Academy Director, as clubs cannot sign players on professional contracts until they are 17. However, the deal was never completed because Arsenal refused to accept a sell-on clause demanded by Lincoln as part of the six figure compensation package.

Hobbs instead signed for Liverpool in a transfer reported to be in the region of 400,000 – 750,000 pounds.

Hobbs had a good start to his Liverpool career. He was made captain of the reserves and was a member of Liverpool’s 2006 FA Youth cup winning team. However, he only made five appearences for the 1st team, three of which were as a substitute. After mixed reviews, he was loaned out to Scunthorpe where he only made nine appearences in the 2007-08 season.

Last July, Liverpool loaned Hobbs out to then League One side Leicester City, eventually selling him to The Foxes for an undisclosed fee. As part of the transfer, Lincoln gained 200,000 pounds due to the 25% sell-on clause from their deal with Liverpool.

Hobbs made the PFA League One Team of the Year, while on loan at Leicester, an accolade that Arsenal striker Jay Simpson won when he was on loan at Millwall last season. It’s an important award for the player when his agent is negotiating a new contract. For the selling club, like Liverpool, the award is useful when negotiating a transfer fee and this is my main point.

Players like Jack Hobbs are signed for two reasons:

1) They could turn out to be the next John Terry; or
2) If not, you can then sell them and make a profit.

Jay Simpson probably will not make it at Arsenal but the Gunners will make a profit if they decide to sell him. That money will then be reinvested into Arsenal’s academy and scouting network.

The buying and selling of very young players is a good source of income for the top clubs. Arsenal have sold Jeremie Aliadiere, David Bentley, Mathew Upson, Justin Hoyte for million pound sales. While, Manchester United have sold Kieran Richardson, Nicky Butt, Jonathan Spector, and Giuseppe Rossi for similar amounts. Chelsea have sold zero.

Arsenal’s forte has always been to buy young players (Vieira, Song, Toure, Ramsey, Walcott) or to pry youth players (Fabregas, Anelka, Djourou, Bendtner) from other clubs around the world. Jack Wilshire and Kieran Gibbs are the first home grown players that Arsenal have produced since Ashley Cole made his debut in 1999.

The emergence of home grown English players is not a volte-face by Arsene Wenger. The Arsenal manager has always stated that he would love to promote English players from the academy to the first team. English players are more likely to stay with the club and ignore the lure of more money from the top clubs abroad.

English capped players traditionally do not like moving abroad. They have a hit and miss record at foreign clubs. For every success abroad, like Kevin Keegan, David Beckham, Glen Hoddle, Chris Waddle or Ray Wilkins, there are numerous failures: Michael Owen, Ian Rush, Luther Blisset, Des Walker, Jimmy Greaves and Paul Gascoigne.

But Arsenal is not an English club. It’s a continental club that represents London that’s why players like Toure and Eduardo like playing for Arsenal. It’s why London born players fit in so well because they have grown up in a cosmopolitan culture. Northern English players like Francis Jeffers have not and thus fail at clubs like Arsenal.

Do you think that Wayne Rooney would fit in at Barcelona? Hell no.

Yes it’s true, players like Steve Bould and Lee Dixon are northerners and they were a success at Arsenal. However, they were signed in a bygone era. The late 1980’s were totally different and more English than today. It was pre-Premiership, pre-SKY, pre-Champions League, pre-Bosman etc. English clubs were still banned from European football when Dixon and Bould joined Arsenal. Comparing George Graham’s era to the Wenger era is like comparing security at airports to that of pre 9-11 and post 9-11.

Northern English players, in general, do not fare well at Arsenal.

Jack Hobbs would have been a failure at Arsenal.

Back in the summer of 2005, The Negatives moaned about Wenger’s failure to sign Hobbs. A missed opportunity they cried. I say two things:

They’d never heard of Jack Hobbs before Arsenal’s interest in him. Instead, they jumped on the media bandwagon denouncing Wenger for not signing English players.

Now they want to replace Wenger because this season was another year without winning the FA cup or Carling Cup – sorry I meant Premiership and Champions League.

Replace Wenger with who? With an English manager? Tony Adams? Alan Curbishley? Steve McClaren?

Your havin’ a laugh!

Gutted to Tears Pt. 1

The seconds ticked away agonizingly. United fans sang louder and louder. We played a good game but it wasn’t good enough – the common theme to many people for this season. We crossed into injury time. I was still hopeful of snatching it. I wanted to ruin their day if not their season.

It wasn’t meant to be.

I watched the screen with no more hatred than usual for either Taggart or United fans. I had Arsenal on my mind. I have Arsenal on my mind. Arsenal is always on my mind.

For a moment I felt numb. Save the liquid emotion welling up in my eyes, I was a statue of flesh, bone, blood, and anguish. Making my way out of the pub was nothing short of painful. They rejoiced. I receded.

The only solace I have today is that millions of United supporters are battling massive hangovers as I type. But as stated previously, I have Arsenal to think about. My club is paramount.

On my way home I saw a familiar face in an Arsenal top. He looked down and was looking down and I felt down. I shouted to him to keep his head up, that we’ll be back next season. We’ll be back more determined, hungrier, wiser, better equipped, fitter, stronger, more focused. Another difficult season ends but let’s be clear, we have a group of young players who will improve. People forget that not winning when you’re young doesn’t mean that you are shit and will never do. It means that you perhaps haven’t mastered your craft or that someone else is better at the moment.

Arsenal

The Fallout

Sometimes, I wonder if I care too much. I honestly do.

I’m not admitting to this because I want to pat myself on the back. My primary intention in supporting Arsenal Football Club is because I love the Club, first and foremost. I’ve been called a Wenger Apologist before, and I’ll probably be called it again. If I believed that Wenger was being completely ineffective and a change would definitely help our Club, I would be for it. I have zero interest in wanting to seem smarter than other fans or more faithful or anything like that. I care about the Club immensely, and that’s really all there is to it.

So, after reading some blow by blow recaps about the shareholders question and answer session, I was incredibly disheartened. The English media described it as Wenger lashing out at the shareholders in defense of his team. One blog gave a more objective description of the event, while another blog said he didn’t like what Wenger had become. That blog had said that he believed the way Wenger acted on the night was similar to a “classic symptom of paranoia.” Now that may be an accurate description of the event for all I know, as the ArsenalTV broadcast of the event was only 35 minutes long, and the more heated segments were edited out.

Wenger was subjected to some very direct questions about our team. And whereas before, Wenger could shrug off a question with ease and humor, he apparently seemed ill at ease and almost condescending to some of the people who asked the questions.

I could not sleep soundly last night thinking about all of this. The conclusion I came to was clear. If Wenger doesn’t win a trophy next year, the pressure will be so massive from a large segment of bloodthirsty supporters that Wenger may resign from the club.

To most, that won’t be of any concern. There are many people who ask for Wenger to be fired without asking themselves who would be better as manager of this particular football club. When I broach them on this topic, they say, “it’s for the board to find that person.”

Should we consider what our club would be like without Wenger? No matter who replaces him, even if we get a manager on a level of a Fabio Capello, there will be a massive turnover in the squad. That much is assured. Results may arrive within two years, but for a year, it might be a guaranteed struggle if players like Cesc leave the club. To those that say that players should want to play for Arsenal and not just Arsene Wenger, there is some truth in that. However, we are a unique football club. It is Arsene Wenger who has brought us to this level in international club recognition. He is the man who has led us to the Champions League year after year. He is the man who has imprinted a style to our offensive play that have people put us in the same sentences with FC Barcelona. He is the man who seems to trust youngsters more than anybody since Louis Van Gaal at Ajax. For all these reasons, players are attracted to our team. Before Dennis Bergkamp signed for Arsenal, he repeatedly asked his agent if Tottenham were interested in him. Such was the reputation of Tottenham, they were the aesthetically pleasing footballing mavericks. Now, would anybody consider Tottenham before Arsenal. The very fact that footballers say “Arsenal is my dream club” is quite remarkable compared to where we were 14 years ago.

Yes, Arsenal is a major club in European football. But the cold truth is, if Wenger never came along, could we be consistently mentioned as being one of the best clubs in the world by most everybody in football. I’m going to let you answer that question yourself.

Wenger today said that sometimes with everything he faces, he feels as though he has “killed somebody” to receive so much attention. People want trophies, and they want it now. And yes, in terms of the table, we have taken a step backwards in the league. But if we finish two points behind next year in the Premier League, in the semis of the FA Cup and Champions League, would people still just consider it another trophyless season? Can people accept progress and are they just frustrated that we didn’t challenge for the league this year? What exactly is it that allows our fans to crucify players like Eboue and Bendtner before they step onto the pitch?

When people ask, “how long can we be a feeder club for major clubs?” They should look to themselves and ask how a young player might feel when they get booed for every small mistake they make on the pitch. Wenger is trying hard to establish a team camaraderie that will want players to stay. In fact, I’d be willing to guess that’s why he let Lass Diarra leave; he didn’t want to upset the harmony within the squad. So, how are we supposed to keep up the team spirit and expect young players to stay when they’re in their prime if we criticize every mistake and rip players repeatedly?

A team like Arsenal should compete for major trophies every year, I am not denying that. Any fan who tells you that their club should WIN trophies every year has no idea what they’re talking about. Liverpool haven’t won the league for twenty years. Sir Alex Ferguson never won the Champions League until his 13th year with Manchester United. Sometimes we forget that only one team wins the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup every year.

Wenger considers this year to be a failure, but he can measure some progress as well. We have been fantastically unlucky with injuries yet again, and our entire defense was nearly decimated in the pivotal moments of the season. Wenger will look to get things right, and I hope he’ll have at least one more year to rectify this ship. He deserves that.

But a fair warning: If Wenger is fired by the board because of pressure from fans, we will become the laughingstock of European football. They’ll wonder how we ever let him leave, and he’ll get a job with a major club (if he wants it) almost immediately. I bet the moment the replacement steps into our office and sees the funds available, he’ll wonder how Wenger ever did it.

As for United tomorrow, we have to look at this game with a burning fire. We must attempt to prevent them from celebrating in front of our players and our away traveling fans (who are fantastic by the way). The added bonus to beating them would be the fact that they would have to try to get a point against Hull City the following week. That means Phil Brown, an utterly unlikable person, may be relegated in a season that once promised them so much. That would bring a smile to my face.

Get Lost Hull

On the evening of September 27, 2008, the pubs in Hull were packed. Many fans were locked out as drunken celebrations began in earnest over Hull City’s shock 2-1 win over Arsenal. Before the 2-1 defeat to Hull, Arsenal had only lost once in 59 games at The Emirates.

Arsenal were deemed to be in a crisis. Gallas was now a target for many Arsenal fans. It was only when Gallas was dropped as captain that they then turned their hate towards Eboue and Bendtner.

The period of September 27th to December 28th – when Arsenal beat Portsmouth 1-0 – was Arsenal’s darkest. It was a period where Arsenal were lagging behind Villa in the race for 4th spot. A period where Usmanov looked likely to wrestle control of the club. A period where the Negatives ruled. Gallas was the worst captain in Arsenal’s history. Bendtner was a carthorse. Eboue was a clown and Song was a joke.

Wenger had to go. If he stayed, Arsenal would not be playing any European football next season – not even in the Europa League. Wenger had failed to replace Flamini, made a huge error in making Gallas captain and as a result Arsenal lacked fight, character and had no spine. They were the complete opposite to Hull City.

Back in October 2008, Hull City were third in the Premiership. The media were talking up Hull’s chances of qualifying for Europe. Their manager, Phil Brown was seen as one of the best tacticians in the game, studying his opponents 10 times more Jose Mourinho. He seemed affable, dynamic, and fresh – making Hull the team that everyone liked.

Back in October, if Hull City were a pop artist – they would have been MC Hammer. Today, however, they would be Milli Vanilli.

The alleged spitting incident after Hull lost 2-1 to Arsenal in March and the verbal attack by Phil Brown afterward has left a different impression – a very negative and sour one.

Hull City are only 3 points ahead of West Brom who are bottom. I really hope that they get relegated. Seeing Phil Brown’s face when they are relegated will be priceless. It will help me to forget that dark period of the season.

It’s Not Easy

I’ve just read an article by a Yank who’s baffled by those who call Arsenal a club in crisis. In the article – http://bleacherreport.com/articles/173474-across-the-pond-the-arsenal-crisis – he lists a number of teams from different American sports that have gone through lean periods that make Arsenal’s four seasons without a trophy a laughable comparison.

I am extremely frustrated that we have fallen short again this season. Read my posts and you’ll understand how much it hurts. That United have bested us yet again is torturous. The fans who have called for Wenger’s dismissal – those whom we call The Negatives – won’t change. The anti-Wenger brigade will not change. They want to see silverware at any cost. Hence the “crisis”.

To say that a large number of our fans have become impatient is an understatement. As a non-betting man I would put down a large sum that Arsene will get us through this. Others may not agree. That’s fine! The disappointing thing is how they’ve behaved throughout the season. Rather than showing the players their support, they boo or call for the manager’s dismissal. A “supporter” best serves his club not when things are going well but when they are not. Arsenal fans have been a collective bust in that regard. Wenger is in it for the long term. It seems that this new breed of Arsenal fan (or at least this new mindset) is willing to settle for short term fixes just to say we won a trophy. In some cases people are now looking at the Carling Cup as an achievement.

Yeah, you pay your hard earned to watch the club and you expect to be entertained and you expect a quality product. I don’t question those expectations but the lack of respect shown this season has been a major disappointment. The Negatives’ view is that Wenger is past it and cannot right the ship. Arsene’s pedigree speaks for itself.

The Negatives are in the same pool as anyone who chooses to leave the club before winning something with this group of players. Yes, we’ll need to add two or three established or emerging stars to this team but we haven’t been the colossal bust that we’re portrayed as.

Leave now and you are a coward. Leave now and I will help you out the door. Leave now and it’s an admission that you are not good enough.

I expect every Arsenal player to link arms and accept the challenge that lies in front of them. Prove Arsene right for believing that you can achieve big things in Red and White. If he’s chosen you, it is because he believes in you. You must believe in the cause and in yourself. Leaving now would be the ultimate expression of Keeganism.

It’s easy to quit. It’s easy to be a Negative. It’s not easy stay the course. Be you supporter or player, man up and accept the challenge. The next chapter in our history start Saturday.

A Face in the Crowd

The face above belongs to Derek McGovern, chief betting expert at The Mirror.

Today, he wrote,

“Fourth place means a potentially tricky tie merely to qualify for next season’s Champions League proper. Arsenal will be desperate to avoid the likes of Valencia and Juventus and draw a no-hoper. The no-hopers will be desperate to draw Arsenal.

Ladbrokes quote Gunners at 11-4 to miss out on the group stage, which is a great bet, and 7-4 to finish outside the top four next season, which is an even better one.

Boylesports offer 7-2 that Wenger is no longer Arsenal boss at the start of next season.”

Watch this space in one year’s time, and be prepared to laugh at the English publication who would hire this man to write for them.

Diving

Cheats never prosper.

However, Didier Drogba and Cristiano Ronaldo do.

Two dives, two free kicks awarded, and two goals scored against Arsenal.

The first dive resulted in putting Manchester United 2-0 ahead and effectively ended Arsenal’s season.

The second dive by Drogba led to Chelsea’s first goal – against the run of play – with Chelsea eventually drubbing Arsenal 4-1.

Isn’t it about time that diving was punished? FIFA should make the different football associations use technology and punish cheats after the game has concluded with heavy fines and suspensions. Take Drogba’s dive, that should carry a 10 match ban, resulting in him missing the FA cup final. Ronaldo should miss all of the group stages for next season’s Champions League.

Adebayor’s pathetic dives against Chelsea should also be given similar punishment. I would even go so far as use the Lie Detector Test against those who plead innocence. It’s used in a court of law, so why not by the Football Association.

But when has FIFA been a pioneer? Never.

Goal line technology is too much for them even though NASA has filmed – live – men walking on the moon since the 1960’s. FIFA is keeping football in the Stone Ages.

In the World Cup next summer, if a player is caught diving he should miss the rest of the tournament. The punishment sends a message out and will cut out the cheating.

I hate divers. Ask any die hard American football fan what he/she hates about “soccer” and he/she will tell you it’s the diving.

FIFA needs to start making steps to eradicate it.

Crossroads?

It seems that Alisher Usmanov has called for Arsenal to spend more in the transfer market. The legion of dissenters to the Wenger transfer policy grows in numbers and grows more vocal with each season of failure. There are many reasons why Wenger has chosen to go with youth in rebuilding The Invincibles. We don’t need to explore them as they have been discussed many times. The question of resources however is an interesting one. That we’ve fallen short and at times struggled to keep pace with the teams ahead of us gives fuel to the argument that Arsenal should behave like a big club and employ players who can make a difference now.

I’ve read a quote this week, attributed to our manager – “I do as well as I can with my resources.” The quote concerns me. Was there something lost in translation or have the anti-board types been right all along? After years of constant reminders to the public by our Board that Arsene has had cash at his disposal but always chose to be frugal, is Arsene saying that there hasn’t been cash? I struggle to understand the real meaning of the quote but I stand by my manager and sincerely believe in what he is trying to accomplish.

There’s no guarantee that any player of any caliber will perform as he’s expected to. Buying big name players can be a cosmetic fix (to appease the dissenters in our case) as much as a real panacea. It’s a chance you take in the same manner as you do when choosing to go with youth. The chances are however, that the special payers that Wenger seeks – like AA23 – will come in and do the business straight away. That’s why they are special. Importantly though, they don’t come easily, often, or cheaply.

This team is not far away. We have suffered greatly from the loss of William Gallas. Like him or not he is our best defender. Defensive mistakes have undermined our chances recently. Arsenal need two world class central defenders. Gallas will be 32 next August and players must come in to push Kolo and Djourou if not supplant them. The form of Cesc Fabregas has been an issue for me since February 2008. But for a few moments over that period, he’s not been playing up to his own standards. Against United and Chelsea so far this season he’s been shocking. Man of the Match performances against Wigan and City are good but he must play big against the big teams.

We must address our goalkeeping situation. Almunia is a good keeper but he isn’t lights out. We need a world class, sound, and safe goalkeeper. Yes, he has improved but he isn’t the answer. Without going to deeply into what could turn into a season’s review, I’ll end the analysis there.

If Usmanov wants to fund transfers and wages I’m sure many dissenters to the Wenger policy will forget the fact that besides being a United supporter, he’s got more baggage than Heathrow at Christmas. Such is the level of frustration and disappointment amongst them. The coming months will be very interesting for Arsenal Football Club. We could be at a crossroads where we have to decide not just who will control our club on an Executive level but also how we’ll address the seemingly widening gap between ourselves and the clubs above us in the table.

After missing opportunities to go up against Chelsea by at least three goals in the first half today – Theo, Diaby, and Song all wasted clear chances – we were punished. Our unbeaten league run ends with a home thrashing in a London derby. The dissenters will want to use the Usmanov missive to gain momentum on the transfer policy matter. Wenger believes in his own policy and will stand firm as long as he controls the makeup of the squad. He won’t abandon the project mid stream.

But he will also seek more special players for key positions that need strengthening. I am sure of that. Finding those types of players will not be easy but is certainly possible to do. I trust Arsene will find them.