Written by Gabriel Bosscielny on Saturday, 18 February 2012 23:58

I'm hurting. There's no two ways to say how I'm feeling. Seething? Angry? Raging? In the same vein but with extra venom. Today was almost an annual ritual of sorts, that one day in February when Arsenal find themselves out of every competition (or on the brink of it). It dawned on many fans, practically most, that Arsenal were out of all competitions and their only redemption was fourth spot. It's sadly a reality we all have to face, that fourth spot is our trophy now. But then it's the aftermath of a loss that is deeply disturbing.

I am an avid user of Twitter, I'm sure you are too. The days we lose, everything goes Pete Tong. Criticisms of players come to a head, fans calling out other fans on what they said, some fans basking in the loss just so they can say "I told you so.", Twitter really becomes a venomous battleground after a loss. There seems to be a divide of "Arsene Knows Best" (AKB) and "Wenger Out Brigade" (WOB). One side calling Wenger out and saying he is leading us into mediocrity. The other half saying Wenger is the greatest man to have ever lived and he shouldn't be criticised for what he has done/is doing for the club. This begs the question, why should we divide ourselves?

I find it completely unacceptable fans have audacity to say "You're not a real fan if you don't support your team." Absolutely unfathomable. Since when was being a real fan blindly supporting whilst pretending everything is peaches and cream? I believe you are entitled to criticise the team as you see fit, not many may agree, some might even be angry, but that is your opinion. I recently got told to "shut the f##k" up about 5 times for saying the team let Arsene Wenger, Arsenal and themselves down. It seems the players aren't to blame for lacking the desire and the heart to give fans the results they deserved for the support given. But end of the day, we all support the same team, why must we be at loggerheads with ANYONE that disagrees? No one lives in a pretty world where everyone is on the same wavelength, why must you feel the need to attack someone when all you do is disagree with their opinion? Isn't that the point of diplomatic approach? To sort it out by talking?

In many ways, you can say the divide is brought on by the team and Arsene Wenger himself, they really aren't helping themselves. Over the last 2 games vs Milan and Sunderland, we were comprehensively outplayed by one, and the other, we got caught cold respectively. I've always said this and I'll say it now, taking a loss is never easy, but it's much harder when the players don't show any determination, desire, heart, pride, commitment to that cannon they wear so casually on their chests. I am struggling to find any positives to take from either game. All 11 individuals that started both games were poor each time. It doesn't help we're having defensive problems with injuries, but surely, that might galvanise the team to strive and win for them? No. What bothers me about Arsene is when we're down and out, like in Milan, he sat there with his head in his hands. I was like a lost puppy, thinking to myself "Where are these players meant to draw inspiration from when the coach himself doesn't have the answers?" It's been a struggle accepting what has happened. But it's been more of a struggle talking with fans who have no sense of how a company works, one even as big as Arsenal.

Offering stuff like #sacktheboard and #WengerOut is all good and all, but where are the alternatives? Sack Kroenke? He essentially owns Arsenal! How can you sack him?! Sack the board?! Who will come in? All of Stans men. Then the complaining will begin again. Right now, our best option is Arsene Wenger, changing manager NOW will not help us in any shape or form, you're only kidding yourself if you believe that is the answer. Sacking the board isn't as easy as you think either, it takes a lot more than just a tweet. I know you want a new manager, but AVB took over, and Chelsea are 5th and struggling. Kenny Dalgleish took over and is dragging Liverpool through a crapstorm right now, new managers doesn't guarantee success, it just guarantees some fickle fans get their wish. Regardless of what side you sit on, remember who you are and what you represent, you are a human being first, a Gooner second, don't let your sport allegiances stop you being a decent human being to other people and be accepting of their opinions whether you agree or not. Talking down to someone over the internet doesn't make you any better, in fact, it makes you look the stupid one. Case in point, support your team, have an open mind and last but not least, chin up, our day is due.

As usually, I'm available on Twitter through my handle, @Bosscielny. Hit me up for anything you might've disagreed with on this. Peace.

Mean Lean's Response

I'd honestly forgotten how poisonous the Arsenal online fanbase has become. It doesn't matter what side of the fence you sit on, how balanced or imbalanced you may be, you are not safe from the vitriol thrown around by another Arsenal supporter. This had almost totally vanished from blogs and comments sections post Tottenham away until our bad run around Christmas.

This whole back and forth war with other Arsenal supporters is over the top and I try and avoid it if I can, I'd rather go curtain shopping with the missus than have to read abuse for posting my own views.

Tim, a Gooner who posted on another thread shows that you can have very different views and still remain respectful and civilised, unfortunately not everyone who posts online are either old enough to construct a sentence or have an IQ high enough to surpass their age.

What the run of good results a few months ago told me is that we will have a united and content fan base as long as we are winning games, although it is in some Gooners DNA to need to moan and complain about something.

We all have our ideas as to why we are not better than we once were but hopefully Arsenal fans want the best for this team.

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Comments (23)

• 20-Feb-2012 13:23 | | pika
  

  lol the fans are babies
  
  when babies aint happy ..they cry

• 20-Feb-2012 13:55 | | Julian @JD_gooner
  

  Very good and mature article, glad to hear somebody talking sense to all of us schoolboys. I have a long time that i dont go on twitter after a match because I know it will be the same tweets all over again, I have enough on my mind to add the others complains too.

• 20-Feb-2012 14:02 | | Duss  - Only 1 criticism of this article!
  

  "it just guarantees some fickle fans get their wish"
  
  In one sentence you say everyone is entitled to an opinion and then you call people fickle for having one.
  
  I aim neither in the AKB or the WOB camp. I'm the camp that travels home and away, supports the team through thick and thin and allows the other stuff to take its natural course.
  
  In no way shape or form do I think everything Mr Wenger does is correct as I can point to countless things I would do differently. (every fan is a manager) However (unforuntely maybe) those choices arent mine and while Mr Wenger is the man who makes those decisions he will get my support, particularly when the team is playing.
  
  This isnt me sitting on the face either or burying my hand in the sand as I won't cry if Mr Wenger were to walk tomorrow but I won't be calling for his head in the meantime as thats not supporting the club I love.
  
  If we do get beat on Sunday I really do hope no one in the crowd give them lot the satisfaction of hearing any anti Wenger chanting!!
  
  United we stand divided we are falling!!! (I've seen a few too many altercations amongst our own this season to last me a lifetime)

• 20-Feb-2012 14:22 | | KnysnaGunner
  

  A house divided against itself cannot stand. You all know the saying.

• 20-Feb-2012 17:29 | | 2 cents
  

  whilst i dont see the manager as blameless in this strange footballing affair (big club - no money), in fairness to the manager he has seen his best players leave the club season after season, and is now left with the not so very good ones. If youre pissed, imagine how wenger must feel!
  
  Arsenal moved to a bigger stadium, but they didnt move to bigger contracts and whether we like it or not - its all about money. Until they revise the wage structure to something resembling a "big club" - it is unlikely you will see goetze, hazard et al join the club. If City, Utd, Chelsea are gonna pay me £140K and youre offering me a "paltry" £80K; sod your tradition, im going to the highest bidder.
  
  Also perhaps we can consider that £300 - 500mill on a brand new stadium is pretty much your budget for the next 7 years gone (especially if you consider that somewhere in between these figures is what it has cost chelsea and now city to buy the league).
  
  Clearly there is currently no "war chest" available to the manager. Tell you one thing, when he finally does go - the book will be some read!

• 20-Feb-2012 17:57 | | MeanLean
  

  Great comment Duss, that is pretty much exactly how I feel. To be honest a view like that is wrapped up and thrown into this mysterious AKB box. The truth as far as I am concerned is that, whoever the manager of the club is we should support that person until as you say, natural progression takes over and either they move on or they are told to move on.
  
  I was the same with George Graham but the term GKB wasn't around back then.
  
  Things need improving and as this is out of my control, I will continue to support the team through thick and thin.
  
  @2 cents, good comments also.
  
  It is hard to know who is doing wrong and why decisions are being made. Clearly Wenger's job is not easy, certainly not as easy as it is at other clubs who have more in the way of transfer budget and wages.
  
  Let's hope there is some improvement in the wage structure at the club from now until the summer.

• 20-Feb-2012 18:12 | | paul  - 7 year itch
  

  one of the problems is that we didnt buy the right playes in the summer.
  we are told there is money to spend but in the summer we spent the money that we got for selling the midfield.
  the players that came in were,well lets say on thewhole so/so.
  wenger loves not tocashsowhy didnt he get cahill and parker who were wenger cheap.
  3 points a must this weekend.

• 20-Feb-2012 19:05 | | redboy
  

  AKB sideways sideways sideways back sideways sideways sideways back sideways sideways sideways back and so on how can any arsenal fan be happy about the way we playing its shocking

• 20-Feb-2012 22:05 | | Kevin  - Paddy Gooner
  

  January buys are only the latest mistakes.

• 21-Feb-2012 04:57 | | dy  - precious
  

  one has to remember that a footballer's 'life' is very short, it might even end before it 's started, e.g. a leg breaking injury which spells the end of a career. For this reason alone, I don't have a negative opinion if A or B chooses to leave Arsenal because there's a bigger pot across the street. They're professional and as long as they finish the job at hand, I won't complain. Loyalty is a rare commodity these days, even if you bring a kid into the club at a young age, there's still no guarantee he will stay and don't look for greener pasture elsewhere. One can only hope.
  My point is, AW chooses the players (presumably) ultimately he's responsible not just for their play and wellness in every sense of the word. He has to support them through thick and thin, rightly or wrongly. I can understand his philosophy throughout his time at Arsenal, whether you agree with him or not, or you choose to say you only support the club but not the manager, fine, I can appreciate that. But history and tradition, an recognized identity isn't built in a year, a decade or two, NO.
  Any great tradition, be it a football club, an institution, is built on numerous up and down, high and low. If you can't stomach a rough ride then by all means, jump when you have a chance or else please buckle up and let the man does his job. As Duss said, let things take their natural course.

• 21-Feb-2012 11:39 | | Spectrum
  

  Results of a poll from Goal.com - "Is a fourth-placed finish and no trophy good enough to keep Arsenal fans happy? "
  
  No - Arsenal have underperformed for too long and fans are no longer happy
  
  66.36%
  Yes - Champions League football is enough to keep fans content
  
  33.64%
  
  What's amazing is that one in three are content to settle for the fourth place "trophy". Thankfully, they're in the minority. Good news, eh, A.K.B.'s ? ( Oh I forgot - winning things is no longer in vogue at our club ).
  
  How far our ambition has fallen.......

• 21-Feb-2012 11:48 | | MeanLean
  

  Can you actually make a comment without referring to AKB's? Is there anything else that you are interested in apart from Arsene Wenger of course.

• 21-Feb-2012 12:37 | | Colesy
  

  ML - It would be interesting to get your take on the AST stuff which came out this morning. Please share your thoughts on the concerns they raised.

• 21-Feb-2012 12:38 | | Spectrum
  

  Mean Lean - Wenger is the focus of attention even more now, and that is as it should be. And as he has been allowed to gain so much power and influence at Arsenal, and as the team's performances are closely tied into that, it's only natural that he should be held to account. And that is what I dutifully intend to highlight. And shall continue to do.
  
  Wouldn't you expect ANY Arsenal manager to be treated the same way, given our shocking season, and the previous ones ? Nope guess not, Wenger is a special case, and is not subject to the same scrutiny that applies to " lesser " managers.
  
  I bet you're also relieved that two thirds of us aren't satisfied with fourth place. You ARE, aren't you ? Also, don't you think that given the intense dissatisfaction with the fourth place issue, that Wenger's latest comment about it, was misplaced at best, and totally insensitive and patronising at worst ? Has the man no shame ?

• 21-Feb-2012 12:42 | | Colesy
  

  Just read an interesting article in the London Evening Standard
  
  see here; http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article- 24037169-arsene-wenger-faces-being-left-with-just-pound-10m-to- rebuild-arsenal.do?
  
  Which raises some of the key questions that some people have been posting on this site over the past few months. Growing expectation (soon a reality) that we'll have no CL football and the revenue that comes with that. The article raises the serious questions about our ability to operate financially without the CL money, our ability to retain talent in the team like RVP without CL football.
  
  It goes on to question (quite rightly so IMO) the size of our squad - it refers to 71 players!! - and rewarding "average" players with above average salaries - Johan's recent contract renewal at £50K per week being the latest example of poor management going on.
  
  Like I said, an interesting article - let's discuss.

• 21-Feb-2012 12:54 | | Spectrum
  

  Mean Lean - Regretfully, there is a civil war on among Arsenal supporters at the moment. Well not just at the moment, it has been going on for some years now. But this season it seems to be coming to a head, and this should not be surprising as it's long overdue.
  
  We realists have coined the term "A.K.B." as a way of differentiating ourselves and our views. A form of demarcation, if you will. And like it or not, Wenger ( and to some extent the board ), have polarised opinions to the point where this distinction absolutely NEEDS to be made.
  
  So to answer your question - it's hard to discuss matters Arsenal without the subject of Wenger coming up. He is integral to the club on and off the field. To you supporters of his, that appears just fine and dandy. To us, it's the reason why we're stagnating and even going backwards. We don't even do defence training F.F.S. !!!!

• 21-Feb-2012 13:58 | | MeanLean
  

  Oh dear Spectrum, hitching yourself on a self made pedestal I see. So much of what you have said in three paragraphs is wrong but we have been over this.
  
  There is no defensive training? Hahaha ok then.
  
  
  Szczesny: "We work together on the training ground and it seems to be working during the games," he added. "We are much more confident, we concede less goals and I hope we can keep it going."
  
  http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/szczesny-i-can-feel- defensive-improvement
  
  There are other examples that I haven't got the time to find right now. Arshavin, Vermaelen and a few others have spoken about how they do defensive work in training but who needs players facts when you have an axe to grind with the manager.
  
  @Colsey,
  
  I will write a blog hopefully later on today and I will mention it then if I get the chance to do it amongst other things. I found it interesting that we do not have as much cash as others have suggested. £45m which includes players contracts, if we don't make the CL then we lose roughly that amount.
  
  Do we really believe that Arsenal would not be weary of this before handing over the cash to the manager? This is why he balances the books and not because of some weird vanity project that others have made up.
  
  Anyway, must dash.

• 21-Feb-2012 15:14 | | Spectrum
  

  Mean Lean - Nigel Winterburn, the man you yourself were quoting recently, sees it differently. Extract from The Guardian, 23rd September last year .......
  ( quote ) ; Despite Arsenal's now-perennially leaky defence, Winterburn states that Wenger's philosophy is not to drill his back four separately. "No. Arsène Wenger's training is all about possession of the football, movement of the football and support of one another. Then he really expects you to be able, when you lose the ball, to organise yourself and dictate to players around you in what areas you want the opposition to go," he says.
  
  This approach is in direct contrast to that favoured by Graham, under whom Winterburn won two league titles. He says: "We still did small-sided drills of two against two, three against three [under Wenger] which is a bit like a defensive situation, but Arsène Wenger doesn't do anything like George Graham did. George worked many hours with the back four, sometimes with no opposition there, just moving into position. Then, he would introduce the youth team: five, six, seven, eight, nine players against that back four."
  
  Apparently Gael Clichy has said that defence training was almost "non-existent " when he was at the club. And another interesting fact that we could take note from ( also from The Guardian ) ; "Martin Keown occupied a temporary role of specialist defence coach in 2005, whereupon Wenger's team made history by putting together a 10-game run to the Champions League final without conceding a goal. "
  
  Impressive yes ? So might it not be a good idea to bring Keown or (someone similar ) back AGAIN, - he's helped us before ! But now defence is not our only weak area. We also have trouble scoring as well. Could be to do with having only one striker, who has to do all the work HIMSELF.

• 21-Feb-2012 15:17 | | MeanLean
  

  September last year? Oh I see.
  
  My quote from a player who actually plays at the club, in fact is part of our defence is quoted this season.

• 21-Feb-2012 18:36 | | Colesy
  

  Interesting that the players talk a lot about defensive training but clearly whatever it is that they claim to be doing - it ain't working!!!
  
  Which suggests that either the defensive training is a) wrong, b) not being applied or c) the players being asked to perform the defensive duties are not up to the job.
  
  Can anyone think of a d) ??

• 22-Feb-2012 02:08 | | Man United Killer  - Good Points Spectrum
  

  Hey there Spectrum.I am following your debate with ML.You make some really solid points-as always.As far as the abysmal performances go, I am bereft of the energy to complain anymore.Leagues and trophies are won with quality players and quality players cost $$$.In any trophy winning side, a majority of the squad should be quality.As it stands the situation is reversed at Arsenal.More crap-less quality.
  In fact, If we don't pull the cash out and sign some world class players (who might not want to join us anyways), it really does not matter how much defensive training we do-we will never win anything.No brainer!

• 22-Feb-2012 02:11 | | MeanLean
  

  Out of interest,
  
  What do you think the manager should do if the AST figures are correct and he doesn't have big money to spend? (Should we not get fourth)

• 22-Feb-2012 11:29 | | Spectrum
  

  Hello again Man Utd. Killer. Thanks for the kind words.Good to have you back. Don't worry, you haven't missed much since you've been away. Mean Lean and his guest writers are still trying to convince us that black is white, and that we're not in another crisis ( not even a mini-crisis ? ). Oh, and apparently I've been forbidden to use my catchphrase, as it upsets the A.K.B. natives. So I've ( reluctantly ) complied.
  
  The A.S.T. report didn't reveal much new. Just that most of the spare cash has not been reinvested in the team. But that's plain to see. But as Colesy pointed out, we have 71 players ( ! ) on our books. Way too many. And a number of them grossly overpaid and overrated, and taking up space on the wage bill that should be reserved for the world class players we actually NEED. And who is in charge of the wages policy ? A.W. Now we hear that the board are starting to realise that we can't realistically compete with the current wage structure and are considering loosening it, i.e. directing Wenger to get real, and pay according to actual merit, experience and ability, not youthful potential.
  
  We must be the only club in the E.P.L. or even Europe, who operate this way. It's a false economy to persist with it, when it ends up making you uncompetitive in the market, and unable to keep, and attract the better quality players. Wenger is like a stamp collector. He has a large number on show, but most of which have little long term or resale value. However he feels he can't bring himself to part with any of them. Yet he feels compelled to keep adding and adding, in the hope that one or two might turn out to be the next penny black.

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