Written by Mean Lean on Friday, 18 March 2011 12:41

Good afternoon,

Well that is to the UK based Gooners anyway. Good morning or evening to the rest of our lovely Gooner family.

Many thanks must go out to Wenger Boy who rather wittily filled in for me yesterday at late notice. I usually foresee a window of opportunity to jot down my thoughts at some point during the day but yesterday it was apparent that there was just not going to be any light at the end of the tunnel.

Arsene Wenger had his press conference yesterday which has given us something to talk about. Much of the conversation has been about Thomas Vermaelen's end of season, or more to the point, Wenger admitting that it was unlikely that he would play again. This has caused plenty of outrage with Gooners across the blogosphere, especially given the fact that Djourou will now miss a substantial part of the end of season run in.

Pete from the Beautiful Groan summed it up perfectly and those who are calling Wenger a liar and cheat should really have a read of his article. After you finish mine of course, no up and leaving without finishing the meal I just made for you thank you! Manners will get you a long way in life.

In any case, If Wenger meant that he knew back in January that Vermaelen would never ever play football ever again.. like forever and stuff why would he now say that we badly need Vermaelen?  We know that Arsene Wenger more than anyone protects his players and wants to install confidence and belief in his troops. What confidence would it give to Squillaci and Miquel if Wenger said

'We were banking on Vermaelen's return and now with Djourou out of action we are probably screwed. I am going to close my eyes from the touchline and hope for the best until Djourou returns'

That may well be the thought process of supporters who fear the worst but it is not the angle that Arsene Wenger likes to come from. Personally, I feel that Squillaci is our weakest central defender and is rightly fourth choice but now that we need him for some very important games in this run in, the only thing that can help the team is if he is mentally right. A big cheer from the away fans on Saturday when his name is announced or powers out a defensive header could be the difference between a very good performance or a nervy showing.

Jens Lehmann is officially an Arsenal player for the second time. We all knew it was happening but yesterday the manager confirmed the news that the mad one will be back to warm the bench.

I have pretty much said all that needs to be said about it really. I hope he doesn't play too much but I hope he does get the chance to wave goodbye on the pitch. Preferably with a title winners medal around his neck come last home game of the season against Aston Villa. That would be just lovely wouldn't it.

He has said that he is here to win the Premier League and why on earth not?

I can see it now. Eboue jumping on Lehmann's back wearing some sort of ridiculous hat. Van Persie with his shirt hanging over one shoulder, screaming with delight. Theo Walcott pointing and grinning to the crowd laughing and joking with Bendtner. Nasri with his arm reaching over Chamakh's and Wenger holding the cup with Fabregas. Denilson doing his samba dancing on the touchline with Wilshere doing his best to follow but getting it horribly wrong. The Arsenal fans are all standing clapping and waving their Arsenal scarves around. A section are singing 'Champions, champions, champions!' and it spreads like wildfire until the whole stadium and players are singing and jumping in a huddle.

Please footballing gods, let that happen. You know it sounds right. A team who have mainly been brought together as teenagers, played the game the right way for 99% of the time and learnt some harsh lessons over the years and have improved. We have looked after our club whilst building for the future. I know we will undoubtedly get there but can we have it this season? Pretty please.

I will help Grannies cross the road on a regular basis, I will make my girlfriend happy by putting the toilet seat down every time I use it. Hell, I will even pick up the duster and dust the TV unit in the middle of an Arsenal game just to prove my gratitude.

*Wipes the tears away and blows nose*

Whatever happens come the end of the season, our destiny is in our hands and that is what every team would have wanted with ten games left. Chelsea and Manchester City who were expected by many to finish above us would love to be in our shoes. They are not, we are. We are because our quality has got us to this position. You can write down a list of things that we do not have. You can talk about missing a central defender, missing leadership, missing experience, missing a striker who sports a crew cut, missing a player who can juggle five balls at a time but whatever that could be foreseen as missing can be ignored because what we have, the quality we have, the ability of our coach has got us to within 10 games of a league title success in the most competitive league in world football.

You can talk about our rivals being weaker and that is why we are where we are but wherever that is, it is still three points off the top with a game in hand. Football goes in cycles so yes team's will improve or decline. Perhaps it is no coincidence that we are improving, the age of the squad will explain that one whilst others are on the way down at least for this season.

Quality of the squad has never been my concern. I believe we have quality in abundance. My concern for the run in is team and player condition. Confidence, momentum and attitude. Some of those points are in our own hands the rest is a little less straight forward but hopefully good attitude will allow the rest to line up with the attitude.

For this reason I believe a victory at West Brom is almost make or break. Not for the three points that we need but for the team momentum. Not only do I hope for a victory but a strong performance. If we get that then I think the title could head our way, especially when the Mancs barely have any defensive legs to stand on as well as having more games to play.

Arsene Wenger and Samir Nasri have been given a one match ban for telling the world what they already knew. Well the world minus UEFA and that referee. I hope Wenger has a can of whoop-ass ready to unleash on them the way that the club did when Eduardo was found to be the only player in the world who dived.. allegedly.

Well given what followed our strong case, it may not be such a good idea to defend ourselves. Arsenal were no longer allowed to receive a penalty kick for the next however many months. I still find it weird the way this was hardly spoken about as if it just didn't happen.

I have never seen so many so called stonewall penalty kicks not being given to one side in all my life. I wonder what would be in store this time. Perhaps we could have a red card for every offside for a six month stretch. That could be a good punishment for the dirty cheating Arsenal who shoot at goal and stuff.

Anyhoo, I am off. Back tomorrow.

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Comments (9)

• 18-Mar-2011 13:26 | | Gooneritup
  

  sorry for nit picking ML but Jens would have to make 10 appearences to get a medal!! butr hey would be amazing to see him come on in the last game to get to that landmark 200 games!!

• 18-Mar-2011 13:37 | | MeanLean
  

  You have to go and destroy my dreams Gooneritup!
  
  It would indeed be great for Jens to reach that landmark.

• 18-Mar-2011 13:43 | | D.Dappa
  

  ^^^^if Lehmann plays after the liverpool game, he will become our all time oldest player, record has been held for some 80years.

• 18-Mar-2011 13:44 | | Mr H
  

  Great article ML... It's good to have you back, not that you were really missed, since in your absence, Wenger Boy pulled out some really funny stuff.
  
  I've been told that picturing your future makes that future more likely to be realised. SOmething about creating your own destiny... I dunno. Don't wanna sound like Uri, but I guess I've watched too much damned Derren Brown. What I'm saying is that it's no surprise that bad shit happens to negative minded people. And as a fan I feel we need to clear the air for the fog of negativity that clouds Arsenal.
  
  Too many 'fans' complain so damn much. It's at the point we people are coming up with excuses for our victories. Like our win against Chelsea and Barca wasn't all that for such and such reasons.
  
  PISS OFF!!!!
  
  Get your heads out of them negative clouds. If we all picture the good feeling of the day we win the title, as you have just done, that good feeling is contagious. as contagious as the negative.
  
  I don't know what I'm saying, I got a mega hangover from a St Paddys piss up so I'm gonna leave it at that...
  
  COME ON YOU BEAUTIFUL GUNNERS!!!!

• 18-Mar-2011 13:48 | | Green gooner
  

  UP THE ARSENAL, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up when reading this article, get in there you gooners and make it happen with a bit of lady luck on our side for a change

• 18-Mar-2011 14:31 | | Wenger Boy
  

  Top article as per ML.
  
  I would love to win the title just to see Wilshere attempt a samba dance. I'd probably take up samba lessons to be honest.
  
  Let's all samba together in celebration.

• 18-Mar-2011 16:22 | | dkgooner
  

  Great stuff ML. That's the spirit. We all know how it feels when things don't go our way - the only thing to do is get back on track and give it hell. As a player and as a supporter.
  We have a depleted squad again - apart from TV and JD, there is Cesc, Theo and Song, and two goalkeepers. Now Diaby is injured again - I seriously doubt he will ever be up to more than 14 games a season. Look at Jack - takes all these wacks and late tackles and just gets up and carries on. Amazing how two players can be so different from the resilience point of view. Anyway, we have to do the best we can with who we have left and they are enough to beat West Brom, even with Vela. Let's hope Bolton can pull something off too.
  Wonderful to see that Chelsea and United drew each other in the CL quarters. That means they have to play each other three times before the end of the season. Very draining on their resources and stamina. But we have to take advantage of any slip-ups, starting on Saturday.
  COYG

• 19-Mar-2011 02:29 | | arsenal11730
  

  Great article ML

• 19-Mar-2011 03:54 | | richie  - Against the odds
  

  The first bit of silverwear of my life came to us midweek 1970. From the begining we weren't expected to win the competition, after all Ajax of Amsterdam were in our way with the best player in the world, one Johan Croyff in their ranks. Yet we beat them in the semi's 3-0 at home and lost 1-0 in the Dam. We were the under dogs in the final because on aggregate we were 3-1 down from the first leg but just as in the semi against Ajax we beat Anderlecht 3-0. So much for History lesson.
  
  Now as is usual at this time of year there's a lot stacking against us injury wise and no amount of wishing and hoping is going to make it happen. So what can we the lowly supporters do? If anything?
  
  I would like to put forward my little suggestion. Its a suggestion that doesn't go out to ML nor Wenger Boy not DKG or many of the other worthy contributers. But it is a heart felt plea to the rest of our own. In 1970 we didn't know we could win it because not only were we the underdogs up against great oposition, but we hadn't won anything for such a long time, did we really know how?
  
  There was one thing the team of 1970 could count on. Before the next match if they came across one of our own they could count on our support. If they'd had a set back when they saw one of our own they could count on our support. If they'd put one in their own net last time out they could count on our own to empathise and wish them all the best for the next game, and yes you've guessed it. They could count on our support.
  
  Almost 20 years later during the 89 run in no one that I can ever remember ever voiced anything negative. The fever in and around Highbury grew to a crescendo in the weeks leading up to Anfield.
  Even though most of us knew that Liverpool we in those days technically superior I can't ever remember anyone voicing any negatives. We were all behind our team. Giving them all our support. As supporters is there anything we we can do now in the run-in?
  If only our players could count on all our support now.
  
  Set backs or not lets hope that if any of our players happen across this site between playing with their play stations and training, that they understand that we are supporters and we will be supporting them every step of the way!

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