Written by Gooner Fish on Sunday, 15 May 2011 17:45

Afternoon Gooners,

Ok, first of all I will point out that I know I will get a load of abuse for this next blog and that's fine, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Here's mine.

I don't live in London so usually average about 6 - 8 games a year at the Emirates and I feel privileged every time I am there. This year - more towards the end - I have witnessed something that quite honestly annoys the hell out of me and whilst at the Villa game on Sunday this 'thing' reached it's pinnacle. This 'thing' annoys me more than Wenger's 'reluctance' to spend, more than our rate of injuries, more than more than our trophy drought and more than the press' opinion of the over hyped grassmonkey Gareth Bale...... OK, maybe not that much, but still quite a lot.

This 'thing' that has annoyed me is all around the stadium, in every corner, on every level, it's us, the fans. OK, I'll rephrase that it's SOME fans, a small minority but the number in this group is growing. The attitude that seems to be slowly filling our stadium is worrying to say the least and it shows no sign of stopping.

I know that supporting a football club is tough, it's full of more disappointments than championships but before we come crashing down on the players for not being good enough, losing faith, lacking effort, having the wrong attitude and seemingly giving up before the game has finished  we need to take a good long hard look at ourselves.

I will use the Villa game as my example for these arguments. Can we really slate our players for lacking effort when the crowd can't pull together more than a dozen verses of 'We love you Arsenal' and about the same number of 'Arsenal, Arsenal' chants during the entire game. The away fans have put us to shame on every occasion I've attended this year and from talking to other fans, it's the norm. We outnumber them 19/1 how are they consistently so much louder than us?

How can we accuse our players of not being good enough when we can't show our support for them during a game? It took less than five minutes of the game for the crowd around me to go crazy shouting abuse, and I mean proper abuse, when a player misplaced a pass. Surely we have more patience than that..... don't we?

How can we scream at our players for giving up before the game has finished when the ground is less than half full by the time the final whistle goes? People were leaving the ground on Sunday 15 minutes before time. 15 MINUTES!!! There was a steady of stream of people leaving as soon as there was 10 minutes left. I know it's a pain in the arse queuing for the tube after a game but come on people, seriously, don't tell the players they're useless for giving up before the final whistle then leave 10 minutes before the final whistle! Here is a picture I took of a corner of the stand just after the full time whistle went:

Lets not also forget that the players were participating in a lap of appreciation after the game. If you were in Cesc Fabregas' boots at the final home game of the season and this is the crowd applauding you then why on God's green Earth would you not want to go to Barca? If he leaves I guarantee part of it will be because he feels let down by the support (Although he'd never say it publicly). Even before the game the amount of tickets still available was astonishing, especially for the last game of the season.

Finally, we cannot abuse players about attitude when half way through the second half we were singing "six percent, your having a laugh" in reference to next years price raise. FFS people, people are moaning about losing the values of our club, one of our biggest values has always been class, Sunday's chants were far from classy, now I don't like the raise either but there is a time and a place like the Q&A coming up or even during the marches/protests that took place before the game (although I didn't witness any). During the game surely our job as the team's 12th man is to support the team. We have the best away record in the league this year and one of the worst home records of recent history, there has to be a reason for that.

Now again, I want to point out that this rant does not apply to all fans, but the number is growing rapidly and If we want the team to succeed we need to help them do it by showing support in our own stadium rather than looking for the first excuse to slate everybody.

Arsenal is our club and we should support our club through thick or thin, in an over dramatic comparison, if your child was under performing would you continually remind them of their faults and shout abuse at them or would you support them and try to bring the best out of them? If Arsenal is still a family then why do the same rules not apply? I am not saying that our players have been faultless because we all know they haven't but just like our stars, we need to look at our own performance to see where we can improve.

I want to end on a good note though, as those who know me know I am a very positive fan. My faith in Gooners was somewhat restored by the 25'000 or so that did stay behind after the game and applauded the players. Even after the disappointment of this season and the extreme disappointment of the Villa game itself, Gooners saluted our players and even managed a rendition of 'We love you Arsenal' showing that our love for our club will prevail all.

We have one last game to get through this season and now face the very real possibility of finishing fourth so for those going to the Fulham game I'm sure as always our away support will be superb but for everyone else lets take the summer to think about why we love Arsenal and come back next year and prove ourselves as the best fans in the country.

Goonerfish

Mean Lean's Response

There certainly seems to be a different vibe and atmosphere around the Emirates this season. I can think of many games where the atmosphere was top class. Our home game against Everton, Chelsea, Manchester United and especially Barcelona. I have no doubt that our fans contributed to some of those results.

I was watching back the Barcelona game a couple of days ago and what struck me was the response to David Villa's goal. As he was running away celebrating the crowd started roaring 'ARSENAL! ARSENAL! ARSENAL!' it gave me goose bumps. I do not remember that at the time of watching it live and the players responded.

The players appear not to be motivated against the lesser sides at the Emirates and the crowd have certainly mirrored that.

If the fans could replicate the atmosphere of the big nights in every game then I am 100% sure that our home record would not be as bad as it has been this season. At times it can be a cauldron and at other times it feels like a poison.

It is very much a catch-22. The fans want the players to produce so they can support whilst the players want support so they can produce. Something has to give.

I hope for a double dose of improvement next season.

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Comments (41)

• 16-May-2011 15:21 | | ALfie
  

  Gooner fish..
  
  What you fail to see, is that a large portion of those that left have had enough. Some of them go EVERY WEEK, and not a few times a year..
  
  Some of those people pay huge sums of money to Arsenal and are fed the same promise each year, super super signings, judge me in may, best squad ever, and each year the very same thing happens. Players bottle it, and wengers selections ultimately fail to live up to HIS billing.
  
  I was at the Barcleona game and it was immense. The reason it was immense, was because every arsenal player put in a shift..
  
  Now if you want to whine about people leaving early then thats up to you, but realise first, people have had enough and to stay around to show "appreciation" for some of the rubbish thats been dished up is bordering on masochistic..

• 16-May-2011 15:22 | | Josip  - Mirror Image
  

  I feel that the home fans, (not the away fans, they a bloody fantastic, and make me very proud), are a mirror image of the current playing team. Lacking heart and desire. Both need to buck up and improve their performances.

• 16-May-2011 15:35 | | denis  - spot on!
  

  Totally agree with your blog! I also watched the West Ham game on television, a loud crowd, and they have every reason to be angry, but not the Arsenal supporters, what a bunch of moaners.
  If you support like this, then Liverpool, for example, would not have a fan left, now they are outside fourth place...

• 16-May-2011 15:35 | | Kenny
  

  AKB bollocks.How dare we criticise Wenger and his team.Lets all bury our heads in the sand.Our team and manager have thrown in the towel for the last two months of the season but we should be singing and dancing in the streets.Its great. We were handed the title on a plate by Man Utd and Chelsea and we end up fighting to finish 3rd.Wenger the tactical genius who plays one up front at home to relegation candidates who brings on Bendtner and plays him on the wing.And whose fault is it?Yes the fans who pay the highest ticket prices in the world.

• 16-May-2011 15:35 | | Gooner  - Great article
  

  Fantastic article, great to see some optimism within all the gloom. I'm as depressed as other fans of how the season has turned out, but there's a time and place for everything, I do think the fans do have a right to protest over the ticket rise, and to be perfectly honest, in the heat of the moment I probably would have booed as well, but in hindsight, there are far better ways of venting our frustration, once again, great article

• 16-May-2011 15:36 | | GD  - Just a few points:-
  

  1) We pay £1000 a season (average season ticket) whereas the players are paid between 40k and 90k a week. So why exactly in your mind is it up to the supporters to get them going?
  Sorry but imo its down to the players to get the crowd going some of the time.
  
  2) If you paid said amount for 6 years and never saw squad strengthening despite also selling players for massive profits and losing key men on freebies, your entitled to be pissed off
  
  3) If you watch the same poor tactics for years, with the same poor substitutions (Bendtner the battering ram on the wing FFS) your entitled to be pissed off
  
  4) If you see the same shocking defensive errors that you'd be annoyed about if your sunday league side did the same, every other week AT TOP FLIGHT FOOTBALL and they've never been learned from, your entitled to be pissed off.
  
  There is more, I just can't be arsed.
  
  Point is: The club have brought this all upon themselves. They've taken the piss for years and never change that it's gotten to the stage where we as fans have to be vocal to get change to happen.
  
  Saying that: I personally joined in the 6% chant but stayed behind and applauded the team after.
  If we were charged £500 for this, then I don't think there would be many complaints but as it stands the club charge us caviar prices for dog food.

• 16-May-2011 15:36 | | mr Singh  - Harsh but true
  

  Have to agree with this 100%
  
  I attend at least 10 games per season and it is sad to see the amount of plastic fans who do not support the team in this time of need. it mirrors what is happening on the pitch.. giving up after prematurely. These supporters either do not see what they are doing to the team or just don't want to accept that they are bad supporters.
  
  Have you noticed the Tweets after games.. were Cesc and co are praising the fans, it always seems to be after away games. I think they are indirectly trying to get the message across. Of couse they cannot say it blatantly.. though can you imagine if they did!? I think a well established player, maybe RVP or Wilshere (because he's English) should say something. It would instantly change the crowds expectations and patience levels.
  
  You can see what Roy Keane's comments about prawn sandwiches done to the atmosphere at Old Trafford. Also Joey Barton publically told the Necastle faithful that they expect too much from the team. Harsh but true.
  
  We are Arsenal.. Classy on and off the pitch. It's time we showed a bit of that class!!

• 16-May-2011 15:38 | | top_gunner  - AW is the problem not the squad
  

  I have always read your blogs here and rarely comment...I usually do not agree with the booing....but to be honest if I was at the grounds yesterday I would have booed.
  
  It felt good seeing Wenger squirm at the boos and I hope it haunts him as much as the capitulation this season hurts me!!
  
  I do not believe he does enough to address the failings of the team if he had tried and has failed then he is not the one to lead us to the promise land.....it means just like the boys he is not good enough...and don't give me any bullshit....I love the man and this club more than you do....The majority of arsenal fans feel just as I do...we love Arsene ....but he is too stubborn and we can't take the pain anymore!!

• 16-May-2011 15:40 | | GD  - On the 'atmosphere'
  

  I forgot to add that Away fans as a rule always outsing the home crowd.
  
  Seriosuly watch and concentrate:
  Every ground, every game the away fans outsing the home crowd. Unless it's a derby or massive game.
  
  
  That said, I do agree our home support needs to waken up a bit.
  Where I sit (in block 5) the atmosphere is usually fine though. It's the rest of the ground that has the problem

• 16-May-2011 15:41 | | Spectrum
  

  Gooner fish - You've got it the wrong way round. It's not the fans causing the TEAM to be flat, uninspired and listless. It's the TEAM causing the fans to be. The team haven't just been doing this today or last week. It's not a knee jerk reaction, you know. This has been happening for months, and that's why despite supporting the team on many occasions, there comes a time when the team has to support the FANS, by delivering on the pitch. Not just by winning, but by showing desire, commitment and the will to win - something Wenger has long lost the ability to instill in them.
  "******************"

• 16-May-2011 15:42 | | cootas
  

  i know these things are a two way street, with the fans inspiring the players and the other way round , but the fans are at the end of their tether they are actually DEPRESSED with the lack of ambition the club is showing and if there is no effort on the part of the club then its difficult for the fans to get motivated and get behind the team.

• 16-May-2011 15:44 | | Spectrum
  

  OH, by the way - Szecnesy himself has just said in the media that the fans "are RIGHT to boo the team". Demolishes your argument, Goonerfish.
  "******************"

• 16-May-2011 15:45 | | Angelic Beardy  - Outpricing real fans
  

  Arsenal FC are the real villains as they have out priced us proper fans. I used to go to all our home games rain and shine through George Grahams era and before that even but since our move to the Emirates our ticket prices have risen dramatically. I would consider myself a vocal supporter but with a family to support i can no longer go to live matches myself let alone take my kids it's disgraceful.

• 16-May-2011 15:45 | | roger
  

  it's always been like this bar 4-5 top games in a season..The Arsenal support in terms of creating an atmosphere is terrible and it was like this at Highbury..i remember going to a Rangers game whilst i was in Scotland..They make more noise when they get a corner then us when we score

• 16-May-2011 15:51 | | Danish Gooner  - Crowd.
  

  No wonder people boo when they are fed this abject and inept tippy tappy !!! WENGER OUT !!!!!

• 16-May-2011 15:52 | | Iron Man
  

  Totally agree that no-one should EVER leave early. I know it will never happen but if you leave a match early, you shouldn't be allowed back. Simple. There are thousands who would love to go and watch Arsenal. If you go, stay til the very end. I don't buy the transport excuse as we are better served for links than most football clubs in London alone let alone the rest of the country. Ever tried getting away from Upton Park or White Hart Lane after a match? How many times do you see their fans leaving in droves before the final whistle? Even on the rare occassion the team wins these days, how about hanging around to show them some appreciation?
  
  The atmosphere at the Emirates is a disgrace at the best of times.
  
  However, paying fans have every right to be disappointed. Yesterday was a culmination of what has been a disastrous few months. If booing is their way of expressing your unhappiness then by all means do so. I would never boo the team personally because I believe it is counter productive. Particularly with the current crop. Any slightest bit of dissent and this collection of pussies just shrink up and wilt. Your example of children is spot on because that's exactly what they are. Mentally weak children.
  
  As for the complaints about the increase in ticket prices. I'm happy the fans in the ground were vocal about this. The board need to know that it is unacceptable and what better way to get the message across than actually expressing it in the stadium. I hope it continues next season even in games that we're winning.

• 16-May-2011 16:08 | | The Tank  - Not classy any more
  

  Mr Singh.
  
  We were classy until they started to rip the genuine fans off for every penny they can. 50% increase in membership how do you justify that, all started when they ditched the badge in 2002 the rot set in from then.
  
  Didn't go yesterday because i'd had enough, standing there at Stoke and Bolton singing all game and no response from the players. If i had been i would have booed too absolute disgrace to the club.
  
  The club only want the nice people at the home games all they want is the money, it's coming home to roost for them. At the carling cup final i'd say there were at least 30% with tickets that didn't even raise a cheer all match pathetic, the club has done this with the people it wants in the ground.

• 16-May-2011 16:12 | | goonersam
  

  Buying a season ticket is a serious investment in both money and the dedication in giving up the time to travel to games. With this poor team I cant seriously dedicate either. It takes me ages to earn the money so I am not going to chuck it away
  
  That said for me its not about the money. I would pay 10% more on tickets if the club showed 10% more ambition.

• 16-May-2011 16:14 | | Steve of Chiang Mai  - Wrong
  

  Spectrum I was at the Emirates for the first game of the season, Arsenal won 6-0 but were still out shouted by the travelling Blackpool fans who numbered maybe 1-2000 max.
  
  Sadly I would have to say "same old Arsenal fans....always wingeing"

• 16-May-2011 16:34 | | Pete  - Booing
  

  Acknowledge that people have the right to boo. However it is a fact that our away record is relatively far superior to our home record and I don't think anyone will dispute that our away support is much better than our home support.
  
  Add 2+2 and you probably get 4.
  
  Again, I don't dispute people have the right to boo (and I am as frustrated as anyone) but I think it is clear that this is counter-productive in terms of positively impacting the match outcome. It may impact managerial or boardroom decision making, or it may make the booing spectator feel better, but they are different matters.

• 16-May-2011 16:50 | | Spectrum
  

  Steve - There's a difference between being quiet and despairing. We started the season being quiet, but as it went on, we steadily became despairing. Can you blame us ?
  "******************"

• 16-May-2011 16:53 | | Spectrum
  

  I wonder how many on the season ticket waiting list would still be on it, if they knew then, what they see today ?
  "******************"

• 16-May-2011 17:45 | | Goonerfish  - WOW!!
  

  Wow, didn't expect this much response.
  
  Thanks to all for sharing your thoughts (especially the positive ones ). Just a couple of points:
  
  ALfie, are you suggesting that the more games you go to the bigger fan you are? I live for this club and even if I could only afford the money and time to get to one game a year it would make me no less of a fan!
  Kenny, Where did I say we can't critic the players? We all know we have been a long way below par and they need to improve in many areas, the point I am making is that the fans can also improve and if we could replicate the atmosphere we created against Barca, Man U, Chelsea etc at every game then maybe teams would fear coming to our ground and that maybe the players would respond better to encouragement and support than they do to constant abuse and negativity.
  Spectrum, again I am not saying that the team - or manager - is perfect. There is a lot of things that frustrate me at the club but I am a fan and my role is to support the team. Give it a try, many have mentioned the times they remember a good crowd are our good results. ML mentioned the crowd's response when Barca scored, was that the response the players got from us after Bent's first goal on Sunday or after going behind at any other time? I don't think so. The connection between good support and a good performance/result cannot be coincidence yes it's a two way thing but are we doing our bit? Also, you've mentioned my argument as demolished due to Szczesny's comments..... I'm not sure but I don't think I even mentioned the booing.
  
  Please understand guys, I am not saying there are no problems at our club - on and off the pitch and I know it is a lot of money to pay out but I am a firm believer that you should not slate others unless you can 100% say you are giving your all yourself.

• 16-May-2011 17:47 | | RobM  - Sorry but I disagree.
  

  I've never booed the players or manager. Never will.
  
  BUT
  
  The fans that did boo the team are disgruntled. They have every right to be. I agree with them actually - not what they did but their reasons.
  
  They expressed their annoyance. They have every right to do so *whether you or I agree or not*. Deal with it. Both the players, the manager and the board have a lot to answer for given the spineless displays we've seen on the pitch and the clueless behaviour we've seen off of it.
  
  Sorry if that's a problem for you. People have a right to express themselves and that doesn't make them bad fans. If you want to talk about "class" then maybe you should show some of your own and accept that people can disagree with you without it meaning that they (or for that matter you) are wrong.

• 16-May-2011 21:48 | | MeanLean
  

  Great comment Goonerfish, totally agree with every word.

• 16-May-2011 23:12 | | richie
  

  ALfie I can't agree! As Goonerfish says 25k stayed behind to salute and applaud our players. They are the proper Gooners. I haven't been as many times this year as normal but its struck me whenever I've been that there are lots of corporate fans in the crowd.
  
  There are so many of our own who can't afford to go and so many corporate fans who get free tickets it shouldn't supprise when they boo our own boys. They aren't really Arsenal supporters, they ain't real Gooners!
  
  The obscene thing for me is that some of our own fall into line behind the corporate fans and slate our own team. How can anyone who would do that call themselves Gooners? We as Gooners should stand for something. It shouldn't be us Gooners that are regarded as fickle.
  
  The cop ain't fickle! They stand squarely behind their team and no matter how tough the times they never boo their own, we should take a lesson.

• 16-May-2011 23:26 | | richie  - Kenny support your own team!
  

  Are you only a sometime-ish Gooner? Criticise Arsene and the board all you want! Criticise the ticket prices or don't renew your season ticket in protest, but as a Gooner show the class that those who came before bequested to you. All thats asked of anyone who wants to be a real proper Gooner is your loyal support. Not the fickle "I love Arsenal" only when we are winning crap thats being offered.

• 16-May-2011 23:43 | | richie  - JD just a few quid
  

  It must be hard being a tiny tott one CL qualification, never won the prem. Last won the league in 1961. Spend loads and never achieve. We ain't won anything in 5+ they aint won in 50+ I wonder how many Spuds would pay our ticket prices to be where we are?

• 16-May-2011 23:46 | | richie  - one of our own
  

  Well said Mr Sing! Really well said.

• 16-May-2011 23:50 | | richie  - At the expense of our own
  

  The Magnificient Emirates didn't come cheap.

• 16-May-2011 23:54 | | richie  - Danish Gooner Out!!!!!
  

  Go support Kobenhavn thats your local team.

• 16-May-2011 23:58 | | richie  - Thanx goonersam
  

  Its great when supporters like you see that you are taking a real Gooners seat and you are prepared to give it up, much appreciated!

• 17-May-2011 00:00 | | richie
  

  Plenty! Give up your season tickets so that real Gooners can go.

• 17-May-2011 00:06 | | richie  - Even If you only go once a decade
  

  Fantastic my man! Its not a 2 way street we support, thats what we do. WIn Lose or Draw we should be there for our team!

• 17-May-2011 03:45 | | Man United Killer
  

  As usual.Always comparing us to lesser teams.Embarassing!you shoiuld be ashamed of yourself.settling for second best.just like your manager.

• 17-May-2011 09:40 | | richie
  

  Surprse surprise Muk. He ain't only my manager! He's the most successful manager of the club you claim to "support" therefore respect is due. I'm never ashamed to compare my clubs record with our closest north London neighbours, I actually enjoy it. I suffered hearing all about their first double throughout the 60's. I enjoy reminding them at every oportunity of the 2 doubles and the unbeaten season and the 15 years of CL qualification we've enjoyed under AW, while moving to a magnificent new stadium. Something they can only dream about. I'm smiling just thinking about their need to sell players as they haven't qualified and earnt money.

• 17-May-2011 15:39 | | Man United Killer
  

  Respect is not tantamount to being blind to mistakes and failures.You got it twisted "Mr. Perfect Supporter".
  Dont even try to wiggle your way out of this one.It's shameful that you are making a point like Tottenham would be happy to be in our position.Guess what? Arsenal>>>>>>Tottenham.Dont even begin to compare us.Tottenham is not a bad team but your readiness to settle for second best and drop your standards is embarassing.
  You are not an Arsenal supporter.You are a Arsene supporter.Talking about Arsene is the best manager we ever had..well guess what,the biggest room is the room for improvement.so it can always get better.He is certainly not the best manager in the world.

• 19-May-2011 20:45 | | anonymous  - Away fans, eh?
  

  If the comments people have been making related to home vs. away fans are true, then I guess that would explain why Arsenal had the best away form in the league this season...
  
  30 points for Arsenal from away games (as of 37 games played) vs. 15 for Man Utd (champions) away from home... Says a lot I think!!!

• 19-May-2011 22:54 | | Leo  - Pathetic support
  

  I sat right next to the villa fans on Sunday. I go to around 15-16 games per season at emirates. The villa lot put us to shame!
  They were chanting directly at us "groundfull of tourists" and "your support is Fu***ng s**t!!" - and it was. I stood up and started singing and all
  the so called fans around me ignored my chants. The villa lot then started singing "you've only got one fan" to everyone else. It's pathetic. West ham have just gone down and their fans are incredible.
  Where's the pride?

• 20-May-2011 03:02 | | Man United Killa
  

  Now, Arsenal=Feeder Club. What Nonsense!

• 20-May-2011 07:48 | | Omglol
  

  You hit the spot realy well, we just ask and not give, we all know that when someone go down you dont push him you give a hand of support.
  Its sad that so many supporters joined Media war against own team. We failed to resist. What we do here dont damage wenger it damage our own team. Its easy to cheer when everything go well and we winning. Why for a change dont look Lpool supporters, even after all that happend this year Anfield support was fantastic after 18 years in EPL without title. Even their record is better then us at Home this season.

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