The Fanbase is willing you to make this work
We have your back after that other berk
It’s like homegrown talent, a fact well known:
Supporters are more patient with one of their own
We know financially you have one arm tied behind your back
We know that defence can be the best form of attack
We were buzzing for you at Wembley, the first trophy won
And you raised our belief, it could be the year of the Gun
City, Chelsea and then Liverpool dispatched in the Community Shield
You got your man in Partey, what could the season yield?
Promoted to Manager as a reward, no longer Head Coach
Time to step up then Mikel and change the approach
Stand or fall by the choices and decisions you take
Patterns and structures won’t cut it, unless chances they make
If you make bold calls then extra pressure is the reward
Don’t let leaving out your creator mean you fall on your sword
You have shown us you are your own man, so show us once more
Select the team on current merit, and not what players did before
It isn’t working at home so fix sooner rather than later
It is not about individuals when the need of the team is the greater
You know so well what it means to play for this team
An aspirational career peak of which young players dream
If Lacazette and Willian cannot justify the privilege, they should not play
We have Young Guns who know Victoria Concordia Crescit is our way
Starved of creativity so give the homegrown a break
Yes, it’s a risk but a calculated gamble I’d take
We talk up the talent we have in the squad
Well after the Villa debacle, maybe give a few the nod
You talk up Nelson, tell him he should reach for the sky
But he can’t justify your belief if you won’t give him a try
Our midfielders are measured, but not finding their groove
And none barring young Joe, the type to get on the end of a move
Something has to give Mikel, so come to your senses
Set up as we are, we cannot break down opposition defences
A back four is the way to go with a double pivot in front
Get the fullbacks bombing on, you know it’s worth a punt
Move the skipper through the middle, brought in off the wing
He is wasted there at present and centrally will be King
With a pacey and inventive three behind him we can start creating
After all, it is for this your patient fanbase is waiting
And if the youth don’t step up like Saka has what have you lost
We have seen what sticking with senior experience has already cost
Show them their places aren’t secure and have to be earned
Perhaps when they return, a lesson they will have learned
A fresh tongue in cheek ditty from the author of “Arséne’s Double Double”.
(The book is still available at Legends Publishing.)
Passionate fifty-something Arsenal supporter who has been making the journey to N5 regularly since the early 1980s – although his first game was in 1976. Always passionate when talking about The Arsenal, Dave decided to send a guest blog to Gunnersphere in the summer of 2011 and has not stopped writing about the Gunners since.
He set up his own site – 1 Nil Down 2 One Up – in February 2012, which he moved on in 2016 to concentrate on freelance writing and building Gunners Town, which he launched with Paul in 2014.
The objective of GT was to be new and fresh and to give a platform for likeminded passionate Arsenal fans wishing to write about their team. Dave still of course, writes for the site himself and advises the ever-changing writing crew.
Just an idea Dave, ask your youth expert to do one of his profiles on Nikolaj Moller because he looks quite an interesting player, almost Alan Smith like in style and he was one hell of a good centre forward as you’ll know.
Having a break this week as moving house. I won’t do Moller purely as the whole point with John is he has watched this kids for years and obviously due to the his recent arrival and lockdowns he won’t have any more insight on the mew player then the next person.
Good luck with the move…
You are absolutely right Dave. Mike McDonald is very precise about the talent we have in the youth teams and I think it would be a good idea to give some of them a chance to get into the top team. Partey and Gabriel are both good signings but we know very well that the regulars such as Lacazette and even Pepe are not contributing what they were bought for. I was not a fan of Willock but in his game against the Austrian team he played well. The difference was that he was picked from the start and he did his best to make a difference. He was clearly successfull because he injected speed and determination all over the midfield, Nelson is worth a run as a winger on the Pepe position on the right wing. Pepe should be played at a partner in the middle with Aubo and Tierney given leave to duplicate Bellerin to support our attackers by playing the ball forward. Our players have switched abilities so that the forwards are making the defence easy for the opposition to neutralise them whilst our defence is usually
( until Aston Villa ) frustrating the opposition attackers. Im not going to criticise Arteta because our present distress is a legacy left by Wenger. He made huge mistakes at the end when he had enjoyed the experience of Managing a top team for 13 years. Arteta has only been here for months rather than years and he is picking up the debris of Wenger and Emery.
P.S, Best wishes in your new house. Hope you enjoy Xmas in it.