Written by Wenger Boy on Monday, 07 February 2011 15:48

First of all I want to offer up an apology to the entire Arsenal fan base. I am, regrettably, a terrible optimist, and when times are bad I tend to look on the bright side –  a flaw for which you are all well within your rights to crucify me for. Having said that I have been unable to change my ways, wrong as I know they are, and it is for this reason that I felt compelled to write this argument. I just hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me for my sins.

But before we start this hideous ‘optimism’ thing I think we will all feel better if we go through the negative points again first. The more we repeat these the more they will sink in and the more we can forget about all those stupid positives which hinder our real progress towards mid-table mediocrity and another trophy-less campaign. 

So:

1. Arsenal often have problems holding a lead
2. Diaby is an idiot
3. Barton is an idiot
4. Dowd is an idiot
5. Referees are idiots
6. Wenger made the wrong subs
7. Arsenal often have a scary and serious inability to hold a significant lead

Now let me just clarify one thing before I go on: I agree wholeheartedly with those points. I am not (as the title of this article may suggest) happy with the outcome of the game and neither am I sure the team will bounce back as quickly as we all hope. I am however convinced of a few positive things which seem to have either been relegated to status of footnote or to have not been brought up at all and it is my intention to at least highlight these views a bit more clearly in the hope that they become better engrained into the psyche of Arsenal fans across the world.

So with that in mind it is time to present an alternative outlook which I shall offer up in the form of several arguments which I feel are somewhat foolproof and difficult if not impossible to argue against (although there is a beautifully constructed comments section below for those who wish to try).

The ‘Friday night’ argument

I’m not sure if any Arsenal fans can even remember back that long ago now but if you could try and place yourself back on that happy day - back before 4-4 was a horrifically memorable score line - and just ask yourself one question. Given the games taking place this weekend (Newcastle v Arsenal and Manu U v Wolves in case you hadn’t checked the fixture schedule yet) if you were offered a draw for us and a loss for Man U right now would you take it? 

The answer to that question, however much you want to fight against it, is quite obviously ‘yes’. Man U, unbeaten all season, against bottom of the league and us with a winnable but potentially tricky tie against a team we have lost to already. Really you would expect both teams to get three points from those fixtures so I think that any scenario in which we end up closer to Man U is a massive plus. 

No-one would have expected it beforehand and however insignificant it may seem that we are now one point closer (insignificant?!) it has been, in my crazy eyes at least, a f*cking good weekend in terms of our challenge for the title. That’s right, a F*CKING GOOD WEEKEND! How many more times can we guarantee that Man U will drop points in the league? We can’t guarantee that at all. So we need to feast on whatever scraps we can and a point gained now come May could be the difference between 1st and 2nd place.

All of which brings me nicely onto my next argument.

The ‘but we could have been three points closer’  argument.

Everyone clearly feels that it was two points dropped and that we had a real chance to move even closer than we are now - three points rather than one point - but I’m afraid to say that however much you want that to be true it is far from definitely so.

What is the reason for this belief? It’s very simple really, and it basically comes down to the fact that we played at 3pm and Man U didn’t play until 5:30pm.

Let’s again go back in time. This time we’ll head back to another, even happier place than Friday night: half time. 4-0 up and cruising I now plan to change the course of history for good by imagining that in the second half Arsenal continued their demolition of Newcastle by grabbing two more goals of real quality. Van Persie completed his second hat-trick in three weeks and Rosicky came off the bench to score a 45 yard screamer and we ended the game on a massive high. Everything would be better right? Right?

Wrong. Bear in mind that by adding two more goals to our tally and winning the game we had to change the course of history. And by changing the course of history we will have to change the history of the Wolves v Man U game as well. Yes they might lose 2-1 again, or even 3-0, but then again they might win 2-1 themselves or even 5-0. 

So with that in mind I have a second, similar question for you to answer. If you could go back in time and change history so that we won the Newcastle game would you do so knowing that the Wolves v Man U game might turn out different?  

So you would be throwing away a definite one point gain and opening yourself up to not only a potential three point gain but also a potential no point gain. Take the car now or risk it all on the holiday? 

It’s a difficult question but given the game itself – top v bottom don’t forget – I would take the one point gain every time. And any sensible Arsenal fan would do the same I’m sure. I do not expect Man U to drop many points between now the end of the season and we need every gain we can get.

The ‘all my other arguments rolled into one argument’  argument

At this risk of running out of time and space I thought I would condense my further, shorter arguments into a single section. They are probably not long enough to warrant a section of their own so I will just do them in bullet point form.

* Of the top four Man U and Chelsea both lost, we drew and only Man City won. The same Man City who we still have a game in hand over.

* Man U’s next four games are Man City, Wigan, Chelsea and Liverpool. Ours are Wolves, Stoke, Sunderland and West Brom. Whatever you may think about our team’s chances this is clearly a really good period for us. We have a genuine opportunity to make up some points over the next few weeks and you’ve got to say the likelihood of our doing so are fairly decent.

* Stupid Arsenal - who can’t hold a lead for sh*t and have serious issues - are currently top of the Premiership form table. The only team in the top five (and the whole top flight I might add) not to lose in the league this year - if anyone is hitting form at the right time, we are.

* Who do you think should feel worse? The team that blew a four goal lead but ended up a point closer to the top or the team that blew the chance to go seven points clear and ended up a point worse off? Man U will definitely be smarting after that loss - a much bigger missed opportunity for them than us – and going into such a difficult period that could really play on their mind. A draw next week in the derby and they will really begin to rue this weekend’s results.

And finally...

* Had us and Man U both won our games we would probably be sitting here much happier but we would ultimately be worse off than we are. Weird but undeniably true and something worth remembering.

Ok, so I’m pretty much done and if anyone has anything to say in response I would love to hear your opinion. For now though I’m off to celebrate a great weekend for Arsenal’s title challenge by making myself a super indulgent mocha-choco-frappe-lattachino with heaps of whipped cream and fair trade chocolate sprinklets– triple yay! 

Have a great week Arsenalistas and try to remember that things ain’t as bad as they seem. Our unbeaten season is still unbeaten, we’re one point closer to glory and there’s still a long way to go.

We ain’t out of it yet. If anything we’re right back in it.

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Comments (25)

• 07-Feb-2011 18:17 | | go stop the show  - Fuck this hurts i wont lie
  

  I bleed it out!!!!!!!

• 07-Feb-2011 18:25 | | Ahmed El Hawary
  

  I was thinking the same thing for the past two days, at the end of the day points are the only thing that matter & we gained a point in the title race. And I'm sure that if our game might have had a negative effect on our coming fixtures, the man utd loss might help prevent that ( judging by players' tweets, it indeed has).

• 07-Feb-2011 18:29 | | Ben
  

  very true, but i feel the implications of the draw could be much more severe, condience will be very low. add to that the fact that djourou who has been a rock recently during Arsenal's good patch is apparently out for the season, leaving two shakey central defenders and i personally start to see problems.
  
  HOWEVER. it is true that in the coming weeks man utd have a much tougher fixture list than us, so you could argue, that if we had to lose players at any time between now and may, thern the coming weeks would be as good as any (bar the Barcelona match). Utd will inevitably drop points against the top three, be it due to a draw or a loss, so i think we will get the chance to close the gap. the only potentially tricky tie is stoke, even though it is at home, due to our extremely weak defence.
  
  the frustrating thing with this team it that you never know. we could easily lose to west brom for example.
  
  all in all, not all doom and gloom, but its going to be a very interesting few weeks which, i think, will make or break our premier league season.

• 07-Feb-2011 18:44 | | Joeys Parole Officer  - There's always a silver lining
  

  I'm an optimist, too. And so remind you that Rio Ferdinand is out two weeks with injury. On the other hand, United may feel a relaxing of pressure now that they cannot be invincible, and relief that they only lost a point on a day they should have lost three.
  
  Is this a worse 4-4 than the one against Spurs, where they actually manufactured the goals, and scored two at the end?
  
  And don't forget: we don't have Gallas around to do a major pout.

• 07-Feb-2011 19:20 | | Steve
  

  To paraphrase RVP - I don't care what Man U do, I only care what Arsenal do.
  
  Saturday only offered us further evidence of Wenger's limitations as manager and coach.

• 07-Feb-2011 19:31 | | arsenal11730
  

  
  
  Mate
  
  Interesting perspective.
  We could go on and win it, or blow up, like we did at Brum with the Eduardo Clichy debacle.
  There will be no, in between.
  
  I am not sure, but they are psychologically frail to lose a 4 goal lead in 28 minutes.
  JD out ,is a bigger concern, as his replacement is crap.
  I am interested also in Song , we need him.
  Diaby is a joker who cost us these two points.
  I have lost it with Rosicky, who should know better, maybe he was on the take.
  Long and Strong a Gooner

• 07-Feb-2011 19:40 | | inzaghi  - not avin it!
  

  Sorry lads but if I was one of the players I'd be feelin angry more than sad. We were CHEATED repeatedly in that game. I never blame the ref but saturday was an exception. Phil Dowd was Man of The Match. Don't tell me "yh bt we shud nt concede 4 regardless" I'm not avin it!!!! Dowd did everything he could to make sure Newcastle came back. Two goals were ligit,the rest should never have happened. And none would have been scored in the second half if Dowd wasn't being an impartial Twat! I tell you the difference between what Diaby did and what Nolan did...one was english and the other was French! Who saw the lino RIGHT INFRONT of the incident??and Dowd had clear vision too. I have NO woRries for the wolves game! If the players let saturday get to them then they don't deserve to win the title!!

• 07-Feb-2011 20:13 | | BobbyPires7
  

  Great article and as much as I was livid all weekend even when I found out that Man u lost I must say that this article makes me feel much better.
  
  I hope the Arsenal players motivate themselves for the next game, it will be tough but the players have realise that they played pretty much the whole 2nd half with 10 players our best centre back injured and the fact that the ref gave Newcastle a massive lifeline and boost in confidence with his decision making.
  
  This isn't like Birmingham or the 4-4 draw with Spurs which IMHO were both terrible draws pyschologically for our team. This is a point gained yes and I agree no national newspaper is talking about how man utd ew the chance to go 7 points clear! Conspiracy? Well the pressure is on Man u over their next four league games, it will be tough for us though especially with Djourou out. Let's just hope none our players get injured across the international week we can't afford any more injuries.

• 07-Feb-2011 20:33 | | PGroves
  

  The optimism is there for all with a non-clouded mind to see. United still have to play united twice, have a city derby, game against liverpool & will no doubt make it through to the next round of the champions league. If we win our next 4 games I'm sure we'kk be top of the league

• 07-Feb-2011 20:37 | | Grissom  - My Two Pence
  

  The following are my humble thoughts on your summary:-
  
  1. Arsenal often have problems holding a lead
  ans: What do you expect from the boys, they already have problems holding onto their nuts.
  2. Diaby is an idiot
  ans: No. Barton is an idiot. A conniving idiot. Diaby is a pre-evolutionary single cell organism that got conned by an idiot.
  3. Barton is an idiot
  ans: Barton is an oxymoron. Refer to above.
  4. Dowd is an idiot
  ans: Dowd is a genius who managed to convince virtually the entire footballing world that he is clean.
  5. Referees are idiots
  ans: Referees want you to think they're just "idiots". Being crazy lets you get away with anything.
  6. Wenger made the wrong subs
  ans: This would only be noteworthy if he actually made the right subs.
  7. Arsenal often have a scary and serious inability to hold a significant lead
  ans: My sentiments exactly.

• 07-Feb-2011 20:43 | | carlos
  

  spot on mate, what gets me is the English media's reaction to anything anti arsenal. I seriously think there is something going on. Why is it that b4 games ppl can prdeict the behaiviour of the refs in some of our games and they turn out to be very correct?? how many times have i not read about a particular ref when he is due to officiate our game , then they go on and perfectly fulfill the prediction?? anytime webb, dowd or any of the anti arsenal refs get our games ppl highlight it , then bag on they dont dissappoint. im baffled and i feel sorry for English football. Until the truth is made bare, this country will not win anything in football trust me

• 07-Feb-2011 21:36 | | Go gunner  - It's not over yet
  

  Wonderful piece from an unrepentant optimist. I kind of agree with you anyway.

• 07-Feb-2011 22:29 | | Elirob72 the Gooner...  - love the optmism!!!
  

  I've been looking for an article like this one all weekend. Fantastic work!!!
  I was saying all along that United's game focus would have drastically changed if we blew out Newcastle. But despite our misgivings, we are now a point closer to the Top of the League with the run-in to come. Indeed, it pays to see the glass half-full rather than half-empty.
  
  And to all the "Wenger Out" followers out there, I ask for only one thing. When you post such ludicrous messages, back it up with a name of a ready-made replacement to take over for a certified footballing genius. Until then, shut your gob and support the side. We are that much closer to the title, and AFC needs our support, rather than our derision. We could do more by hearing less from the likes of you.
  
  Once again, Brilliant work!!!
  
  Elirob72 the Gooner

• 07-Feb-2011 22:38 | | Tommo
  

  It's not often you learn a lesson whilst still gaining in the league. It can only make us stronger.
  
  The only thing that worries me is Dojouros injury. Now that is scary!!!!!

• 07-Feb-2011 23:07 | | MeanLean
  

  Fletch, be constructive or refrain from posting.

• 07-Feb-2011 23:28 | | johnny Hoy  - Nice one
  

  This is a really, really good post. I know all the bad side of what happened on Saturday but the fact is we are a point closer to United. Plus, and I suspect this will become relevant over the coming weeks, Chelsea lost. I don't think they'll be losing many more. One other thing, I appreciate that it's all about winning but no one has really mentioned the majestic style in which we swept NUFC aside in that first half. My point is that we're getting closer, it may not be this year but it's coming. This is not an excuse for we ought to have held on despite it all - but there were mitigating circumstances for what took place in the second half. That bitter & twisted excuse of a man Dowd being the main one. People keep saying the first penalty was soft - it was fucking nonexistent. The second was even worse. The fact that they got the Necastle offside goal wrong shows that they're not just biased - they're inept to boot. In regard to the Barton tackle, it's all very well people whinging about it - but he got the ball and maybe it was a bit strong but it is supposed to be a man's game and none of us banging on about Diarby's earlier lunge at Barton, in retaliation to the Arshavin one are we? Come On Arsenal!

• 08-Feb-2011 02:32 | | richie  - Defensive partnerships still the key
  

  JH Junior? is that you? is your dad still with your sis?
  I agree Barton won the ball but the blocked follow through was calculated to do harm. I'm not saying he was trying to leg break but he wanted Diaby less mobile. Diaby ran the mid first half. I also agree Diaby was lucky to go unpunished for his attempted retaliation on Barton for Barton's kicking of Shava.
  
  As you say its a mans game and I wished Diaby had got sent off for a proper offence not a ponsy push, if he'd of decked Barton I'd have been a lot happier, better still revenge is a dish best served cold. He should've waited and took Barton out with a full on two footed tackle, it would've been the same red card.
  
  With the right attitude we can make this into a point gained which it was and not 2 points lost which it also was. Manu'er result was key.
  If Arsene can get into our players minds he can turn this to our advantage. He'll need to foster the idea that its them against us that its them trying to take things away from us unfairly. Develope a siege mentality. Manu'er will drop points, how they've managed to scrape by this far is testament to Taggarts ability to get the best from his teams, without the flair players he's made them difficult to beat. But they ain't a great team.
  
  We could still nick it but this will depend on who we get to partner Kosh without Djourou. Center halves, Central defenders come in pairs Kosh & Squilla don't work we can all see it and the stats bear it out. Squilla was OK early on with Djourou. As Arsene couldn't find the loan we needed, either Arsene promotes from within or he changes players positions and drops Song into defense. Our seasons progress is now very dependant on Djourou's injury.

• 08-Feb-2011 03:58 | | richie  - Johnny Hoy 2
  

  There's a great read in the Indepentant online that ML tuned me into
  entitled "Has football gone nutty not the proffesor" Plus read desi gunners blog Tongue in Cheek are we really all that bad.
  Two excellent positive Gooner articles amongst all the doom & gloom.

• 08-Feb-2011 09:59 | | MeanLean
  

  WB, have you considered being a motivater in the Arsenal dressing room?
  
  Great read

• 08-Feb-2011 10:19 | | _AhuraMazda_  - Discipline is the real issue
  

  If I were a football manager in the premier league, about to face the Arsenal, I would know 2 things. Firstly, I would know that the Arsenal are more skillfull than my team. Secondly, I would know that if any of Song, Wilshere and Diaby got provoked sufficiently, my team in all likelyhood would be playing against 10 men. My instructions to my team would then be simple. I would say, Joey, you go out and slap Jack, kick Song and floor Abou. Playing against a more skillfull team is easier when there are only 10 of them. I am not a football manager in the premier league. However those that are already know these things. Arsene, you need to fix your team discipline, otherwise the coaches and Joeys of this league will continue targetting your players. Ironically if you need an example of discipline, watch Wolves vs Newcastle from earlier in the season. More specifically watch Henry kicking bits out of Barton, who put his team first, and did not lash out.

• 08-Feb-2011 12:25 | | Wenger Boy
  

  I'd be well up for the job! The only stipulation would be that they would have to make half time three days long to give me time to gather my thoughts.
  
  Doable though I think, given how quick the F.A. usually react to new initiatives.

• 08-Feb-2011 12:36 | | Lele(le)  - Nothing wrong with optimism
  

  Brilliant post, totally agree. I'm sorry, but I refuse to see Saturday as anything but an excellent day in the context of the title race - on the proviso, of course, that Djourou's injury is not season ending.
  
  We GAINED points on Manchester United. Gaining points = a good thing. That is an irrefutable fact, and it really is that simple. Why, in the aftermath of this game, have fans superstitously decided to set more store by hypothetical scenarios and psychological speculation than objective facts? Gaining points on United is a fact, regardless of the flaws of our own performance. Psychology is an intangible that could, I readily accept, have some influence. But only if we let it.
  
  I abhor the fatalistic presumption that this result will somehow have consequences far beyond the Newcastle game; the presumption that we will now inevitably drop points from winning positions again. I've really no statistical authority here to back me up, but I would strongly argue that there is very little correlation between dropping points from a 2 goals or above lead in one game, and doing so again in further games.
  
  Another presumption I detest is the idea that the circumstances of the draw will somehow have consequences terminal to our season. Again, for every example of an ignominous result having long-terms effects, there is an equivalent example of a horrendous draw/defeat being immediately forgotten.
  
  As I say, psychology is an INTANGIBLE. How hard is that for people to understand? This result will only have psychological ramifications if we let it have psychological ramifications. And really, psychology is of far less importance than a team's technical and tactical ability.
  
  Going in to yesterday, if I had offered every Arsenal fan an opportunity to take a draw at Newcastle, so long as United lost, literally everyone would have immediately said yes, because it's manifestly a better result than both us and United winning. Now that that outcome has transpired, it's ridiculous to see a reaction so converse.
  
  Incidentally, anyone who says - and I have heard it oft repeated since the full time whistle went at Wolves - that the Man United result somehow makes them feel "worse" about our result is, with all due respect, a freaking moron. Apologies for the expression, but seriously, if you even consider thinking that then your grasp on reality, and in particular logic, in very loose indeed.
  
  4-4 is no different in practical terms to a dull 0-0, so I can't endorse any of Arsene's post-match comments pertaining to the psychology of the result.

• 08-Feb-2011 19:53 | | Wenger Boy
  

  Precisely.
  
  And the only way this 4-4 will be any different to a 0-0 is if we continue to highlight the psychological aspect and ignore the basic facts. If we just 'get on with it' - so to speak - then we can let the media keep this result as a 'famous comeback' and confine it ourselves to the basket marked 'results that helped our push for the title' and push on from here with an improved sense of optimism.
  
  We are in a better position than we were on Friday and people need to deal with that. With all this negativity you'd think they didn't want to go top.

• 08-Feb-2011 20:37 | | mags  - n
  

  still NO reply

• 09-Feb-2011 05:53 | | luis zelaya
  

  the real worry is djourou, without him or song we're done against barcelona, which we probably would have been anyway, but a closer game.
  last year when song played messi virtually did nothing at the emirates aside from one good shot. then at nou camp with song out and silvestre at cb he scored four. i'd be cautious about playing diaby against them, since it is known he's prone to react on a bad tackle, they could send someone like buskets, who does their dirty work to target him.
  i do feel for diaby, he is talented, but if he cannot overcome these reactions out of fear or indignation and learn how to better deal with them it does not matter how well he plays, he will always be a big fat target for the opposing teams and suffer more for it. he should roll on the floor, scream, grab his ankle or something to get the offender cautioned instead, and it isn't cheating, but highligting what is being done to him, he has to protect himself.

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