Sweet Ain’t Sweet Without The Bitter

I always thought being an Arsenal supporter deep down in the south of the continent is not easy. After watching the DVD ‘The official history of Arsenal FC’, it has come to my knowledge that it has been far from ‘easy’ for everyone on the island as well. I mean, yes there is the privilege of going to games, becoming a season-ticket holder, but as we can see from the pics and comments of LD and other Arsenal fans it doesn’t go without the usual ‘kicks and bruises’.

The last two years have been particularly difficult for the Gooners, especially for those who were bread during the Wenger years (like myself and many others), and became spoilt by the team’s success. The transition from the 49ers to last year’s defeats at Everton, Bolton, Blackburn, Newcastle was hard to swallow. It all ended with the loss in the CL final where this transitional team was 15-odd minutes away from having their hands on the cup.

I am sure that all of you have recently read and heard comments (from gooners, too) such as ‘Wenger’s lost it’, ‘We are a light-brigade’, the inevitable ‘We lack the Englishness, the grit, and the determination’ and the odd ‘sack Wenger’ shout. Yes everyone is entitled to an opinion… well, except when AW’s competences are the topic. The fact that these individuals came up with such thoughts is a reason enough why I make no attempts to engage in a discussion with them about anything, let alone football and Arsenal.

As everyone who genuinely cares about Arsenal, this year started frustratingly. Draws at home, losses away and more ammo for the ‘shoot’ and ‘sack Wenger and the foreigners’ brigade. Yet, it is the blind who cannot see.

Yesterday’s game along with the two games at Anfield is just a glimpse of what the brilliance of Arsene (supported by his staff and the Board) has in mind. It is not a finished product yet but it is a vision and version of football unlike anywhere else. The improved version of the Dutch ‘total football’. Everything what all the Jose’s, Rafa’s and Sven’s of this earth dream about when they are watching their dire teams play day-in day-out.

The game against Blackburn pushed forward a few messages, especially from Arsene Wenger:
‘We are north, we are away, it is raining. We are a player down, we are being kicked… But! I will not take Van Persie out and put in Flamini or Djourou. I will leave you three in the MF, because I believe in you, because I know you are good enough to win this game, no matter how light-weight they say you are. You are faster, smarter, technically-superior and have great hearts and will to win.’ He went for the win. It was a message to Cesc, Tommy, Alex, and the rest of the team, but it was a message for the Gooners, the doubters, for Blackburn and for the rest of the Premier League.

This team is slowly coming of age. But as the title says…


Article submitted by G4L



Articles submitted by Vital Arsenal members are based on the opinion of the member and not necessarily the view’s of the network itself.