Is this your role model??
THE PIECE ABOUT KEEPING THE PEACE.
“Patience is power. Patience is not an absence of action, rather it is timing, it waits on the right time to act, for the right principles, and in the right way.” These are the wise words of Venerable Fulton Sheen, once Archbishop of the American Catholic Church.
I already imagine a few readers already abusing the power of patience they wield and murmuring insults towards the writer of this piece after such an introduction. But after the tumultuous end to the transfer season we have witnessed, without the team we all hold dear to hearts going the extra mile, you are within your rights to go ballistic and attack Wenger, the board and the hierarchy at the Emirates as a whole, oh yeah and even the writer of this. But ask yourself this question before you become like THE ONE on an unremitting campaign against Monsieur Wenger and all things Arsenal (a.k.a Piers Morgan), ‘what will you gain from your actions?’
This much of a Dick?
Before I began to write this, I was stuck behind my computer from 17:50 BST constantly refreshing the Newsnow Arsenal page hoping, praying and willing anyone at all to be brought on board, even if not as an improvement on our current Striker and Defensive Midfield options, as an improvement to the squad, as a whole. It was not to be. Another transfer market had passed by and we did not strike the hammer while the iron was glaringly hot, despite our blatant shortcomings at home to the Hammers. Sorry Bob Marley.
I am sure many Arsenal fans shared my sense of quiet grief whilst trying to collect ourselves to defend and argue, against fans of other clubs mind you, for the love of the greatest football team out of London, for the rest of the season with our current squad. There were some who chose to go about what must frankly be deemed an inadequate transfer window by Arsenal in a different manner; a more unhealthy way. I spoke in my debut article about social media and its effects on the team and its following and this was most evident on Transfer deadline day. Several Gunners spewed their disgust at what is an unpalatable situation through sites such as Twitter and Facebook. It may be your belief that raging against the machine that is Arsenal on social media might change a thing but this is far from the truth and every die hard Arsenal fan knows this. I am not saying it should be reason to cower and not air your grievances, but being even-tempered in this moment will allow you chance to really assess the qualities at hand in this squad and how challenging may not seem as impossible as is being painted by journalists who are supposed to be enlightened ( I see you Neil Ashton).
The anger is justified. We all expected more from this transfer window. Arsenal should have made quality signings. Teams who won Championships found enough quality to strengthen their teams so we also could have. This fact is inexcusable, but this does not mean we should give up on Arsène Wenger or this team he has meticulously put together after years in the financial wilderness. It’s in times like this, when it seems nothing good will happen, that all of us Gunners worldwide must stand by each other and most importantly the players available.
Wenger is laying his legacy on the line for these guys
These players have been defended by Mr. Wenger on several occasions where he has placed his legacy on the line to ensure they save face despite despicable performances. Every person called upon to represent Arsenal this season must know one major reason the transfer window went the way it did, is because the gaffer believes in each and every one of them and they must play above themselves to prove this and ensure we perform at the highest of levels throughout the season. They also owe it to the devotion and faithfulness Arsenal fans have always shown to the team by unfailingly filling up The Emirates despite atrocious ticket price hikes to ensure even in defeat, everything is left on the field of play.
Now, the onus falls on every one of us red-and-white hearted supporters of this club to be patient and temper our words with wisdom and maintain a sense of belief as we continue on this journey to football redemption.
I’m a 20 year old from Ghana in West Africa. I strongly believe I fell in love with The Arsenal in 2000 after watching that heartbreaking loss in Liverpool, thanks to the now pestiferous pundit Michael Owen. Or maybe, I love The Arsenal because Gunner rhymes with the name of my country. Shrug. I am an avid supporter of Monsieur Wenger and still see him as a visionary. Also, I believe the result must not always trump the means and glory days on the European stage are just a few steps away. Thanks to all who take time out to visit and read.
Your argument holds no sway whatsoever. What happens when Coquelin gets injured ? Where’s the back up ? To say that Wenger is justified in being satisfied with his squad is ludicrous particularly as a manager who should be aspiring to win the EPL. Sorry he has brought the wrath and ire of the fans upon himself with his naivety and will fall on his own sword.
Faisal,
I applaud your restraint and your patience but I have some points to put to you.
In various comments I have made, I have tried to make allowances for AW. I dont know how much actual control of the purse strings he has, but I do know that he admitted that he had picked his targets prior to the window. There are matters that he is in full control of i.e. the 70th minute substitutions whatever the state of the game or the non performance of certain players. Was he in charge this time?
If he identified his targets a la “The Special One” then why did he not get them? Are we not entitled to know? In the absence of any explanation to satisfy the concerns of the fans, we are left to conjecture; and it is in those circumstances that unrest and anger festers.
I believe that my contribution as an Arsenal fan is important. I chose to be part of the club and the club is part of me. I, and my fellow supporters are entitled to be considered by the club and I don`t think that either Arsenal or the Board are appreciative of the role that fans have in the club. Are we not entitled to share our ambitions when we have waited patiently while a team is assembled to sit comfortably with “The Invincibles”? It certainly seemed at the start of the season that we were almost there. Now, we sit once again with ashes in our mouths because it looks like we are not going to do any better than last year.
I believe that these are legitimate complaints and I have delivered my point of view reasonably. I would not like to be classed alongside Piers Morgan. Nevertheless, I am angry at ( a ) the lack of activity which I have already dealt with in a previous comment and ( b ) The lack of attention people like me and fellow supporters get from the Board. It seems that whether we complain viciously like Piers Morgan or reasonably as in many other well written articles and comments, the result is the same.
One has to ask what is the point of being reasonable as we can expect no answer to our concerns and therefore no advantage in being restrained. I do not advocate anarchy and I shall not resort to abuse, but I fully understand why other people do.
Victor Thompson