By Tony Attwood
Sitting in the north bank always made me feel part of the action – being at the heart of Arsenal support. But this season being in the front row of the East Upper, facing the 18 yard line at the North Bank end, I get a panoramic view of what the North Bank are up to, as well as a perfect view of the game.
Of course when I moved at the start of this season I never thought I’d use this perspective to be able to get a clear view of what the protesters were up to, but so it turned out to be. And given that the protesters were all ordered to put up their notices at the same time, it was easy to count how many there were.
I counted 55 placards held aloft. Out of a crowd of around 55,000 (I didn’t count the crowd, and the number given by the club is always the number of tickets sold, not the number of people there so that is a guess.) Maybe I missed a few, and if someone said “I made it 75” I wouldn’t argue. It was something in that order. Certainly under 100. As I said, I sat there and counted them.
That would make it 0.1% of the crowd. 0.15% at most. One person in every thousand, maybe one in every 850. Even if I was 100% out and the number was double (and I really can’t see how I missed that many) it would have been 0.2% – one in every 500.
As a way of trying to influence the club it wasn’t very effective. And not always very co-ordinated Blacksheep, standing in the North Bank Lower Tier told me that the young lad he had noted before, isolated in an Enough is Enough t-shirt, was once again there, but had mistaken when the time was to hold up the placards and went several minutes early, holding it up in splendid isolation until he realised his mistake. It seemed to sum it all up.
But what happened next was perhaps the most interesting. As the 55 (or maybe 75) placards went up, so the chanting, which had been much, much stronger than of late, went up considerably. There was “Arsenal Arsenal Arsenal” and some booing. There was quite a bit of “One Arsene Wenger” as well. It was all very confusing. I was expecting more placards, and applause for the placards, not the considerable rise in noise, the counter-placards and the clear pro-Wenger messages.
As an organised protest it most certainly didn’t work. And so this morning I turned to the Daily Telegraph who have been wholehearted in their fulsome support of the anti-Wenger movement for years, and this season have utterly upped the volume, publishing anti-Wengerian commentaries every week – sometimes two or three times a week.
Their headline today is in the bizarre questioning “how and why” (sometimes varied by using “when and where?”) style that now dominates the paper’s football pages.
How and why did Arsenal beat Norwich and how vicious were the protests against Arsene Wenger?
This was supposed to be the day on which Arsenal fans made their feelings towards manager Arsene Wenger and the board crystal clear. But, while the ‘time for change’ protests were both visible and audible, they did as much to encourage support for Wenger as they did to spark revolt.
There is a long distance shot which manages to capture many of the placards with Wenger standing in front of them, but to be fair they also have one of the “Proud of Arsene Ashamed of the Fans” placards. They then continue
Many of those who did not hold up placards in the 12th minute booed the protesters and there was a loud chorus of ‘One Arsene Wenger’ which the Frenchman appeared to acknowledge. Arguments broke out between supporters inside the Emirates with different views, but the atmosphere was a long way from mutinous.
They even have a moment to note that Wenger got the tactics right
The loudest jeers were reserved for the decision to take off Alex Iwobi instead of Olivier Giroud, just minutes before the striker nodded the ball down for substitute Danny Welbeck to score. Wenger will have no doubt enjoyed getting that one right.
It was indeed a good move both by Wenger and by Giroud, for this was not one of Iwobi’s best games – he is still learning the trade after all – and leaving Giroud on the pitch while placing Welbeck on the wing was enough to pull the defence both ways and lead to the goal.
The affair leaves both Red Action (an organisation officially recognised by the club as a voice of supporters) and the unrecognised Black Scarf (whose credibility was diminished, if there ever was any, with its outside the stadium protests several years back which involved maybe 100 people at most. Whether Red Action will continue to enjoy the same ability to meet with club officials that it has had in the past will be one of the interesting outcomes. Arsenal Independent Supporters Association – the group of which I have been a member for many years – maintained its position of not commenting on matters involving the manager or the team.
Now, I must admit that the line taken by the Telegraph is different from that in the Guardian, which spotted 500 placards (just on 10 times the number that I saw and 1% of the crowd) and the Independent which saw roughly 10 per cent of the home fans stood and directed A4 sheets with “Time For Change” printed on them at Arsene Wenger standing in his technical area. That would be about 4500.
So how on earth could I sit there on high looking down at 55, each counted individually, while the Guardian had 500 and the Indy 4500? Of course you can take your choice as to who is making this up – certainly two out of the three of us are – and by such a degree that “making it up” rather than “mistaken” is the explanation.
But here is a point. As I said at the start, I sit in the front row of up East Upper. The only bit of the ground I can’t see is the back half of the East Lower, and maybe there were quite a few placards there. Maybe that was the dominant part of the ground for placards – although I suspect not, because I often watched games from there since we moved to the Ems, in the years when I didn’t have a season ticket (having given it up during a period of post-divorce financial hardship in the latter years at Highbury). It was not the most active area in terms of the home support.
But the press sit at the back of the West Stand close to the south-west corner of the ground, so to see the section when Red Action stand (the north west quadrant of the ground) it quite difficult. You can see some of it, but not all, and even to do that you have to stand, lean forward, and twist your neck round a lot.
So I think that if the correspondents of the Indy and the Guardian were there (and I often doubt if this was the case) they could only see a part of the ground, and thus estimated what the core support was doing. If they were watching their monitors taking the TV feed (which I know is what they often do, and which is why they miss some of the more interesting events in matches) then they could indeed have got the wrong story.
The Indy has no picture to back up its assertions, and nor does the Guardian. But the Indy does have this which must be the most boring picture from a Premier League match ever.
It is from Getty Images, and appears within this article Why, I wonder, publish this and then write a lot about 10% of the crowd holding up placards.
55, 500, 4500 – these are huge differences in estimation. It’s a funny ol’ game.
- Arsenal 1 – Norwich, boo boys, pgmob 0
- Arsenal v Arsenal. Welcome to the Witchfinder Stadium.
- Sticking and pulling together or not?
- Arsenal v Norwich Saturday 30 April 2016 – The Match Officials
I was there too my seat is in line with the edge of the penalty area. There were definitely more than 75 and probably nearer 500 rather than 5000
The protest was weak and did nothing. It only highlights the divisions in the Arsenal fan base. I think the majority of fans probably do wish for change but don’t want to disrespect our greatest manager even though most of the success was in the past.
Another terrible performance, many many empty seats, banners, protest cards, fans that did not collect cards so could not show them, a very divided fan base. Which ever side of the fence you sit on no one can deny the Emirates is toxic at present. For me it’s the shocking drab football that depresses me most. I cannot see anything on the pitch that gives me any confidence for next season, the players do not appear to be driven. As for Giroud yesterday, he is was absolutely shocking one knock down can not hide 14 games without a goal.
I noticed on MOTD that Claude was one of the anti brigade. No surprises there then.
It couldn’t have been easy attempting to count them all, but one of the commenters on yesterday’s match report (who was at the game) said he saw a few hundred antis, and he NEVER lies, so it must be true.
KR a very divided fan base – really? How many empty seats – how does this number compare to previous home games on May Bank Holidays? If you cannot anything on the pitch to give you confidence – open your eyes.
Put you dummy back in.
Was really proud of the true supporter with ‘ashamed of Arsenal fans’ placard!! Not to mention the singing to support Le boss.
It seems the ever anti Arsenal Jamie Redknapp has given up on focusing on protesters, and now is saying that Alexis walk straight to the tunnel indicates disharmony within the squad.
Desperate….a man with a clear agenda……like many ex Liverpool punters
Thanks for this report, Tony. It tallies with my experience at the game as well, but I was on the North Bank so I didn’t have your panoramic view.
It seems the first four contributors to this discussion are determined, come what may, to try to big up this ‘damp squib’ of a protest.
I was in the North Bank, and though I could only see the upper tier, there only seemed to be small isolated groups of 5 or 10 holding the signs.
The response from the vast majority was great though …. to try and lift the team as well as demonstrate their support.
Most players look short of confidence – not surprising with the atmosphere at some recent matches. They know they have missed a big opportunity this season.
One concern for me was Alexis’ attitude when he was subbed with 5 mins to go – AW bringing Le Coq to close the game down (and avoid a repeat of the Palace game).
Again he’s been one of our very best players this season, and one of my favourites, but yesterday he kept trying to do too much on his own and lost possession regularly.
COYG
Interesting to note that the BBC sports website made a much bigger thing of the protest than MOTD where Lineker described it as “a bit of a damp squib really!”
@Tony,
I sit in the lower east adjacent to the away support. There was a sprinkling of people putting their cards up, in the lower East, including the chap who sits directly in front of me. My response was to sing up and support the team. I would say that there was no more than 500 and certainly nowhere near 1000 protesters.
Incidentally, the chap in front of me left his seat 15 from the end of the first half in a huff at the performance (which was admittedly laboured) and left the game 10 minutes from the end. In the second half he started to have words with a couple of chaps sitting two down from me.
It really is an unpleasant atmosphere and I’m sure that it must affect the players but this has been coming for a good number of years with the dissent that has been growing, most of which I don’t get. I understand the issues around the cost of attending and have a lot of sympathy with that but the “12 years” arguments I don’t get. Of course I would love us to win the league every year but it isn’t going to happen and this isn’t even the longest stretch without a title since I started supporting as a boy (in 1970). I don’t see how you can enjoy your football if you have the expectation that we ‘must’ now win the league or the Champions League each season. Seemingly the FA Cup, which I love, is meaningless now.
It’s a very (un)civil war so to speak between our fan base and I find that sad. I don’t see an end to it.
@KR
Was you there? It was a laboured performance but I’ve seen a lot worse and of course we won! The protests didn’t amount to much and showed that most Arsenal fans just don’t agree with it. The atmosphere is unpleasant; on that I agree but I wouldn’t say toxic.
I would say it was more than 75 but fewer than 500. A few around me, who got some abuse.
Mike – Where is your evidence for thinking that the majority of fans want change? I think the majority of fans are disappointed with this season – but that is something else entirely. Can’t win ’em all…
KR – You might struggle for confidence if a sub-set of your supposed supporters were protesting. They are human beings. There is no doubt that our pathetic support, particularly at home, costs us points. What yesterday demonstrated is that the haters are a small (but vocal) minority, led, in the main, by click-whore blogs. Bad news and controversy is, sadly, more exciting than good news and stability. Protesters out – supporters in.
Mandy/Barry – Not that concerned re Alexis. We know he hates missing a minute. I understand, from an informant, that he is committed to remaining in England (which hopefully means Arsenal).
I would hope our players have the wisdom not to be deterred by one disappointing season – whereas the haters frequently seem to be unable to think beyond one disappointing match.
Might be a tad radical but presuming the 500 is accurate (my estimate is that was high), why dont Arsenal write to the season ticket holders in the seats that held placards and mention that there is no one forcing them to renew for next year,they did seem some pretty good seats and I for one would like them,the waiting list would absorb them and make the atmosphere far less toxic. I have in fact already offered to purchase season tickets from protesters on some of the Anti sites but yet to have an offer.
Serge – the email address you have been giving on writing to Untold does not appear to be valid.
Please could you correct it when you make your next post, and also drop me a line to TonyAttwoodofLondon@gmail.com to confirm. It may be just a temporary blip, but invalid email addresses are flagged up by the system, and it needs to be resolved.
I was in the Family Section and from my view estimated the number holding up placards at no more than 300. Around me, most of those holding up placards appeared to be schoolboys. One father had brought his very young sons to demonstrate with him, one of whom was clearly too young to read as he held his placard upside down.
Although the demonstration was pre-planned and organised it was drowned out around me by spontaneous chants of Arsenal and Only One Arsene Wenger.
Hopefully we’ll win the league next season but I think that that will disappoint the Arsene Haters if he is still the manager.
I think there were a couple of hundred or so bits of paper, but in the context of the total
crowd it was negligible.
Numbers – Tony I am in the top center of the North bank & I would estimate about a hundred beggars without seeing the north bank cards. The clock end had about 40 if that.
The planned protest against the Boss by the Red Action & the Black Scarf of Arsenal fan base had taken place and ended peacefully at the Ems yesterday. Thank God for that peaceful ending.
My kudos goes to Arsenal for allowing that protest to hold. Had they suppressed the staging of the protest, which I am sure they can if they wanted to, but that would have amounted to flagrant abuse of power by Arsenal to suppress the in-voice of decent at Arsenal. Which would have amounted to anti-democratic action.
Now that the protesters had had their show, they’ll have known by the consequent of the negligible reception their action had received by the Arsenal fans at the Ems that, they’ve fought a lost cause.
I’ve always proffered the solution to the teams who’ll come to the Ems and park the bus and later lunch 1 to 3 counter attacks throughout the match to steal a goal like Norwich tried to do yesterday.
Arsenal have 1 solution in Joel Campbell who can scheme & wriggle past defenders & turn them inside out.
KR
It grew into quite a worrying performance in the first half, with us looking short of ideas as well as confidence as the half wore on.
Our ability to handle deep defences at home has dominated my thinking this year and been crucial- the challenge, not my thinking- to how the season has panned out. Wenger stated that directly after the game.
We knew it was coming, surely, as it was such a prominent feature of the end of last season. The challenge was laid out in front of the team of finding ways to beat the bus often enough at home; and unfortunately we didn’t do it.
However…I think success or the lack of it, or just performance, against a bus deserves to be judged differently than in other types of games. It’s halfway to being a different sport, with about as much in common to other football as rugby league has to union.
I’m not for crying about it (honest), though I hate to face it and hate to see it. It’s here and, alas, it works often enough to provide ample justification for doing it. Similarly, I don’t switch off my judgement of the team’s performance when facing that unique challenge, nor shrug my shoulders if we don’t succeed at it.
But I do think the only fair way to judge performances against it is by paying full attention to the challenge of beating the bus.
One of the things that alerts me to many people not seeing and judging it this way is when they compare non-bus to bus (why didn’t we play like x), or when there’s no mention at all that we were facing a bus (we were terrible, not good enough).
The main test for me, though, is seeing what the reaction is when we attempt more difficult or direct passes and they don’t work. Anyone who believes there is far too much sideways passing, or that we are boring and predictable, should surely have a very high tolerance level of difficult, direct or different passes which don’t work out; or, I suppose, an attempted dribble or long range shot.
The shame is I don’t get to actually catch any individuals who lambast our predictability, etc, but have zero tolerance of misplaced difficult passes,etc. I’d love to, because those people are nigh on asking for the impossible : don’t play it safe or show patience; and don’t make mistakes trying more difficult things. (Ouch. Tough, irrational crowd).
But I do get to read so much criticism of how we approach the bus, and then hear or read discontent when a player tries something different or difficult.
A lot can happen in a football match but a deep defence greatly reduces the possibilities, and really brings into focus the main actions that remain available to attacking players. Breaking into space is a near impossibility. The only chance of doing that is with an excellent one-two, deep in enemy territory, or an absolutely fantastic pass, preferably a quick, unexpected one. Even there,though, you need either the opposition to make a slight mistake or at least not have too many players positioned to block things.
Like I say, I do still judge the team on their ability to break through the bus, and there’s no way to claim we’ve been as good as we need to be at it this year.
I obviously hope for a serious improvement next time around, even though I know it is no easy challenge. In the end, what I really want is an improvement so great teams will have to reconsider even playing this way against us. I frigging hate the bus and will take immense pleasure if we can start smashing it to bits on a regular basis.
There is more of it to come. I read last week that the average different in income between a premier league and a championship team has in a relatively short space of time gone from three times as much to seven times as much, and no doubt is growing at a faster rate than ever. That is a lot of justification for at least half the teams in the league to do anything to survive. It guarantees a hell of a lot of desperation and deep defending.
I want to take you back to 1971. It was, for one sport-mad ten-year-old boy from Islington, a “very good year”, as Frank Sinatra used to put it. His beloved Arsenal won their first-ever league and cup double, and he actually got to hold the FA Cup at Islington Town Hall during the parade, due to his Dad being on the council. He was the envy of all his school friends the next day when his picture was published in the special souvenir edition of the Evening Standard. He was into cricket, too, and his county, Surrey, won the county championship that year after a long period in the wilderness. And there was one more sporting highlight.
In March of that year, Muhammad Ali fought Joe Frazier for the first time. Both boxers were at the peak of their powers. Most of this boy’s school-mates were Ali fans, natch, but this boy loved Joe Frazier and really wanted him to win. His mates all challenged him to a bet on the outcome, so the boy gulped and asked his Dad what he should do. “Take the bet, I’ll underwrite it” came the response. Dad was vindicated, and the boy came home from school the next day happy and richer.
Three years later, the two fought again, by which time my hero Frazier had been battered by George Foreman and was a shadow of the boxer he had once been. Ali, on the other hand, while he had clearly not been as good as Frazier while both were in their prime, had stood the test of time better. Before the fight the now 13-year-old boy asked his Dad “Shall I see who wants to bet me this time?”. “If you do, you’re on your own, son” came the reply. Thankfully for his pocket he took the hint.
You may be wondering what all this has to do with Arsenal, or with Arsène Wenger. However passionate I now am about wanting him gone, I don’t forget that he was once a great manager. Just as Frazier’s greatest rivalry was with Ali, so Wenger’s was with Alex Ferguson. When both were in their prime, in the late 90s, there was very little to choose between them. If pushed, I’d say that during that halcyon time Wenger was slightly the better of two fantastic managers, and, were it not for Dennis’s missed penalty at Villa Park in the FA Cup semi-final replay, the history books might have reflected that.
But, just like Joe Frazier, Wenger lost his powers far earlier than his great rival did. While Fergie successfully reinvented United so that they continued to be a major force even after the financial doping of Chelsea and Manchester City, Wenger continued to be outpointed, even if his loyal fans would perhaps fairly say he has never been knocked out. Yet, in the end, even Fergie was wise enough to know when it was time to go, as a champion, when he no longer had the energy or powers to rebuild an ageing United team.
You’ll have worked out by now that I am of course the boy in the story. You can tell that I have a long memory, and just as I will always respect Joe Frazier for being the greatest boxer of his time, so I will always respect Wenger’s earlier achievements. But he has taken way too many punches, and it is way past time for the towel to be thrown into the ring. If he hangs on one more season, I fear he will be remembered by most for all the wrong reasons. Is that really what he wants? I know I don’t.
On my journey home after the match, I was listening to that Sports Station just to hear how much Mr Collymore could ramp up the desperate situation that we are supposedly in, when one of the co- presenters, (probably Mattaface) suggested there were in the region 20% of the crowd were protesters . I thought probably in the region of a hundred or so max.
Mandy
Jamie Redknapp the serial trophy winner knows best. One League Cup I think.
Says it all
COYG
It was fairly obvious from the way the media presented the protest that they were hoping for something larger and more dramatic, the disappointment showed. Once again the media displayed their diminishing integrity.
What every supporter needs to do is to back their team as loudly and enthusiatically as possible – trying to lift and encourage the team (basic stuff really), especially when the team is short of confidence. To try to undermine the team and manager is contemptible. The public face of the underminers appeared to be of the brain dead variety – possibly self indulgent neo-hooligans or possibly cannon fodder under direction of someone or a grouping with more sinister intent.
Arsenal deserves better than the cardboard boo boys.
Good to see Sanchez walk off straight down the tunnel, I take that as a covert sign that he is anti wenger and with the AOB, if wenger stays he goes in the summer and who can blame him, the current crop of players are middle class posh boys, like the majority of the home fans, away fans are the fanatics, I was one but not anymore while wenger is in charge, he has drained the passion out of the club.
BTW DONT POST THIS MIGHT UPSET THE POSH BOYS
Whether the protest was a “success” or a “damp squid” is really irrelevant and should not be used as a marker to hide the discontent of supporters.
The fact is, there was protest, and whether we want to admit it or not, protest tells those that are comfortable with the situation at Arsenal that it is not all right at Arsenal.
Do not be fooled, AW and the board will pay attention to the protests and will redress their thinking and policies, after all they do not want to see a stadium full of protesters, trust me on that.
So i would say the protests served their purpose if it does just that, push people out of their comfort zone and make them redress the situation at Arsenal and make this great club greater.
All in all a win-win situation for both sides of the fence, who in reality want the same thing, to see Arsenal living up to it’s standard on and off the field.
Rich
Good post. People moaning that we are too predictable and we play tippy tippy only.
Can they suggest any other way of unlocking parked busses which had been the order of the day by the lesser teams.
In fact our quick passing style is the one which is attractive to see and make us the only team in EPL to copy the Barca way. (One may argue that we are not upto Barca standard but atleast we try to play the way football viewers adore)
We have been told for some time from many sources that the fan base is ‘split’ on the need for ‘change’. We now know that is untrue.
Yesterday, we saw the first reliable evidence of that. I was at the game and at the most there were 500 protestors out of say 50,000, no more than 1%, a tiny minority that cannot be said to be a spilt. However, this tiny minority is loud, and courts and gets publicity.
In my section, the minority were shouted down by the loyalists.
I am terribly disappointed by this season, but like the vast majority in the stadium, I consider that change, whatever that means, is unlikely to have the effect that the vocal minority suggest it will.
The post at 10:26
That’s what happens when one is posting under fake names. I’ve had my strong suspicions that this individual could very well be the same poster who used to masquerade as Rupert aka tailgunner aka rolf…
The protesters are a bunch of idiots, with no ability to do an analysis of their own. The project Arsenal and the manager set out to achieve more than 10 years ago is coming to fruition. We’re no longer a selling club, finances are sound and we’re not mired in toxic debt, now attracting marquee players, and Arsenal are about to become an even bigger club. Obviously there are people who don’t want to see this happening, hence the increased and unprecedented levels of robbery from the pgmob this season.
And to ensure the project fails what better way to achieve that than to get rid of the captain who steered the ship through choppy waters. So obviously Wenger has to go. That’s the only way Arsenal can be destabilised a la clubs like Utd, Chelsea, etc. And these banner-wielding idiots are being used to bring their own club down. How stupid.
In agreement with Stevo on listening to Talkshite lat night, Stan Collymore was really ramping up this protest. On 12 mins he was stating “This is BIG, really BIG” the implication was that almost 1/2 the stadium was holding up cards! I watched on Sky and they tried but couldn’t find hardly any cards to linger on, quickly turning to the lad with the ‘Proud of Arsene, Ashamed of the protesters’ banner. When the crowd starting to chant ‘One Arsene Wegner’ that finished any real serious mentioning of the protesters.
Agree with the ex Liverpool players bias against Arsenal though, Collymore did all he could to play up the non-event.
When the ‘One Arsene Wegner’ chant began this restored my faith and it really made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. Thank you all for that.
Both plundits on the motd sofa couldn’t deny what happened, and had to describe the AAAA as a noisy minority.
Yet the actual footage shown by the Bleeb and their lunchtime broadcast today both are still banging the same old drum
Kind of funny when you think about it. What we are witnessing in the Meedjah predominantly the same media that smeared all football fans and then couldn’t apologise to hem this week is a wonderful example of propaganda in action for us all to observe, a projection that is in splendid being tallied with the reality on the ground (or pitch side)
Arsenal football club and AW gave us the Invincibles.
The AAAA have given us the Uncredible S&M Self-trumpeters.
As the Bleeb plundits had to admit (Jenas might be getting a telling off from his editor haha!) It’s not so much a divide amongst the support as it is a study for bored anthropologists.
< a projection that can't tally with observations on the ground…
Strange day :-
Strange day yesterday , It’s truly sad when a marriage breaks up and the acrimony being displayed is making this situation very similar. All sides are blaming each other and everyone trying to bend reality to suit their argument. As you read your way across the various sites there are different calculations on the numbers which probably are all totally inaccurate. It will just have to be put behind us, the club ,although they will try to belittle things will have the message that not everything is rosy however it is now down to them to ignore things or react. I fear that if they choose to ignore that the protest will increase and those that sat on their hands yesterday will become more vociferous.
As for beating the parked bus , if you watch other teams in other matches you soon realise that this tactic is often solely used against The Arsenal because our one and only style is tailor made for it. As I watched what can only be described as a turgid display yet again yesterday many things crossed my mind . Why was Ozil ignoring Giroud and looking for Alexis most of the time ? Why was Alexis holding the ball and losing possession ? Why doesn’t Bellerin skin defenders and use his speed any more ? The only answer I could come up with is because there is a lack of direct movement up front. Giroud has his merits but seems very static , Welbeck is more mobile and has pace but his finishing is suspect , Walcott is not and never will be a central striker. We switched to having two up front yesterday and it worked with Welbeck providing the movement but playing this way means losing a body in the middle which means that those there have to run further and be more circumspect about holding on to the ball. Elneny has the engine and never seems to stop moving and so far Coquelin has looked his best partner quite where that leaves Wilshere , Cazorla and Ramsey other than on the bench I am not sure
One thing is certain though is that we need to move the ball quicker through the midfield and we need to have more mobility up front . Width at pace , turning the defences , cross over movement from the forwards and the ability to be more positive and take half chances. None of which we are doing at the moment.
One meme the radio plundits were just gibber jabbering upon was that understanding AFC have lost out on other top managers over recent years.
Swansea 2, Liverpool 0.
Hehe.
The only marriage that exists at any club is between the owners and the coaches, would be slightly ‘delusional’ is I believe a word the aaaa recognise to imagine that a fan is married to the owner of a club. That would be quite a weird thing to think, have these football experts forgtten the story of Cloughie’s marriage at Derby? Nowt to do with the fans!
And the marriage between AW and the board looks strong to most. Hell even the Tottenham plundit had to admit it. Perhaps they’ll be tempted to now renew their vows. That could be quite funny.
@Rich
Agree with your post re- playing against the parked bus , even an early goal doesn’t change there tactics(more open to get back into the game) they rely on putting away the 1or 3 chances most teams have in a game very difficult to play against when low in confidence
Maybe wrong but Barcelona lost 3 games recently with park the bus tactics played against them and with the so called best forward line in the world .
If your fortunate to take an early lead it’s a matter of not losing your concentration for the rest of the game
Great to see the majority of the fans showing their support for team and manager. Feel really proud. I hope that this division will end and the supporting fan base unite as one voice.
For to long the media has used this division to constantly attack our great club, I just hope finally we don’t provide the media with the narrative and ammunition and we all can tell them F… Off.
‘Arsenal we love you.’
I agree we did not play well but we won. How can these players who right now more than ever need the full support of the supporters behind them play with any sort of confidence when this sort of display is going on inside what should be a fortress for them. It’s our home and their is a saying “don’t S**t on your own doorstep. Sorry if that is a it crude but it rings true for me.
I have been to all but two home games and when the going starts to get tough instead of seeing with our own eyes that the players need our fullest support even more then we’ll we get the boo boys and some of the name calling has been degrading.
Walcott, Giroud, Ox and Ramsey even Ozil at times have had to put up with abuse from their own fan’s and I have said this before but I will say it again, how tell me would you feel if you were sitting listening to your son, husband, father and brother taking this abuse. How do these players feel knowing that their families are hearing these vile shouts insulting their loved ones.
Walcott at times has looked like a deer caught in headlights, frighten to put a foot wrong but doing so because of the lost of confidence. Yes I’m sorely disappointed we have not won the league and I know these players must feel even worse but has AWenger made mistakes? Yes of course he has, have the team not played well? No they have not at times but while you blame Wenger for all the wrongs just take a time out and ask yourself are you not a major player in what has occurred also.
That abuse and abuse is the right word , their is no excuse absolutely none for the vile name calling when a player lost the ball or when a pass went way word. No excuse for calling them useless bastards, no excuse for calling them useless W*****s. It’s a total and utter disgrace and I felt so ashamed of the support because I could see what it was doing to these men and if any want to leave I would not for one minute blame them at all.
Before you blame Wenger for everything just remember that Arsenal have a board and as I’ve said before we do not know what restrictions that this man has had to work under. We do not have the money that the Manchester clubs have or Chelsea but we will have more from the TV rights and I hope SK plows that money and then some more back into the club for the Players that AW may want to sign. That is if he can convince them to come after all they may have seen or being told about the Arsenal support especially at the Emirates.
I love my club like people on here and it breaks my heart to have been a witness to what has gone on this year. Arsene Wenger rightly deserves to see out his contract which he will and let’s just wait and see how the Arsenal play next season and let’s all make our home a fortress, United together because of our love for her and her great history because if we don’t then we play apart in this whether we choose to believe that or not.
We have two games left that we all want to win so good luck to those men who pull on the Shirt with that Cannon on their chest and good luck to the best manager Arsenal ever had and may we finish above the Spud’s.
Interesting game Sunday morning. Will Leicester’s generous treatment by officials continue or will MU get all the breaks in their push for CL spot?
Klopps Liverpool humiliated at Swansea 3/1. Had it been Arsenal it would been have been curtains for Wenger and the team.
not a Leicester fan but having to cheer for them today.
Ted, managing to read an entire set of motives from one event, while simultaneously trying to insult a group of supporters is quite something.
Ted are you Tottneham in disguise
Within 15 minutes Leicester have only had 20% of the possession, yet they have had 4 free kicks, whilst Man U have had none. Hmmmm….
I find it hilarious to think of the hundreds of millions Man U have put into their squad, yet their tactics revolve around hoofing it to Fellani and trying to get someone on the knock down. Embarrassing really.
Well said Linda, I totally agree with your post.
I come on this site regularly, but do not post. I think you guys do a grand job at analysing the refs (maybe a smidge of arsenal bias – but its abundantly clear that we are getting shafted by the PGMOB, FA and the media’s coverage of it all)
As to for Wenger. I am a huge wenger fan. He has done an immense job for our club. But I said at the start of this season after the transfer window not signing a DM (and a striker, although I thought it was the lesser of the two) is on him 100%, he has to own that. I’m afraid that during our annual injury collapse had we signed El Neny (or the like) last summer we would be winning the league right now as our november, december, january, february struggles with key players our killed us. Wenger has to take ownership of that. Blaming the fans this week was very bad choice of words and timing from Arsene. Continually backing the players character when its clear that even when we still had the chance we couldn’t step up and win easy games at home. This team lacks character. Even yesterday was just a boring going through the routine win with like 3 chances in the whole game. This was Norwich V Arsenal at home. It should have been a demolition, but instead was a scrap. Why are Coquelin and Welbs not starting over Ramsey and Giroud when with the former in the team we were playing some of our best football of the season and now its back to mediocrity and average results against bad teams creating next to nothing.
As sad as it is to me I do not think Wenger is the man to take Arsenal to the next level. This season has made it abundantly clear that he is too set in his ways, too stubborn and proud to look around for advice. No-one should be above accountability, no-one should have impunity against their actions. Right now Wenger has both those things. Wenger talks about how he kept the squad together through the stadium move, through offers from the biggest teams. I credit him 100% for that. But now we are through its and are sitting on record cash reserves and we didn’t buy a single outfield player. He chose to rely on his “favourites” many of which were so clearly past it that only Wenger and those who refuse to critique him could not see. We failed this season when we needed to stand up and be counted the most. He needs to own that! Don’t blame the fans that is making the environment toxic!
Personally I think he should walk away at the end of this year, but I cannot see that happening and the board definitely will not sack him. I hope beyond hope that he changes things up next year, calls out players, take some responsibility himself and be accountable, addresses squad weaknesses, ACTUALLY ADJUST TACTICS ACCORDING TO OPPOSITION!! but I just don’t think he can or will
As for the protest. Those people have their rights, so do the others that did not. I personally would never do that as this club isn’t in disaster state AND even more importantly this is a game. There are MASSIVE issue in this world that NEED protesting and state of a football club is not one of them!! And if I was EVER lucky enough to go to an Arsenal home game I would go and scream my lungs out even if we lost 5-0
Beautifully put Linda. There are many who only love themselves.
Yes Linda, well said.
Only Manchester United, under Ferguson, and Arsenal with the present manager, have 20 years of 19 or more wins, every Premier league season!
This season, only the Arsenal remain, with that win statistic.
The other clubs in the English Premier League, wish for that stability.
I do not believe there is any schism, division or whatever, between the fans. The fans support the club against all comers, but will argue between themselves. To have an opinion, of their own!
Then there are the fellow travellers, the rag-tag and bobtail whom follow any football club hoping to make a killing.
One must give credit to teams, who maintain their shape, regardless of the opposition. An early goal, should mean a defensive set-up, attempting to equalise.
A few of course, will have a form of dementia with the last 20 years of the Arsenal history?
GGG – I was cheering for United. I want Leicester to give spuds hope. It make St Totteringhams day so much sweeter. Come on Chelsea. Time to show how good you are.
From where I sat back here in Nigeria, the camera men must have been in on the squib, cos they kept zooming in on the few hundreds of supporters with the “change” placards and a few tens of supporters with the pro Wenger banners. They must have been gutted the protest was dead on arrival. One thing for sure was that themes was nothing close to the “library” it used to be. Coyg!!!!!
Has anyone heard from serge, or is his fake email stopping him from posting?
@ davood MC1: “had we signed El Neny (or the like) last summer we would be winning the league right now” – Who’s to say we didn’t try and sign him in the summer? You can’t really say “El Neny (or the like)” as he is an extremely good player brought at a extremely cheap price. He is unique and it’s unfair to say we would be winning the league and that’s all Wengers fault, because you couldn’t possibly predict that.
“Blaming the fans this week was very bad choice of words and timing from Arsene.” – No he didn’t. That was just what some of the blogs put heading their articles as clickbait. He actually just said that it was sometimes harder to play in front of a anxious crowd; he didn’t outright blame them for our poor results.
“now its back to mediocrity and average results against bad teams” – There are no bad teams in the PL. Just look how competitive it has been this year; there are no easy games and everyone can potentially loose to anyone.
“This season has made it abundantly clear that he is too set in his ways, too stubborn and proud to look around for advice.” – According to who? Who have you spoken to that said Wenger doesn’t take advice from other people? As with most the “FACTS!” that people use to try and scrutinize Wenger, it’s completely unsubstantiated.
“He chose to rely on his “favourites”” – I assume you have some insider knowledge that we didn’t even try to buy someone then? And who’s to say that it’s not the board that is restricting how much money we have to spend? I really don’t understand how people can put this solely on Wenger, when it is far more likely that the owners are the ones limiting how much money there is to spend.
“ACTUALLY ADJUST TACTICS ACCORDING TO OPPOSITION!!” – You mean like he did against Bayern, Barca and other “big” teams?
But not against Watford , Swansea , Southampton, Bayern , West ham , Barcelona This year, and Chelsea for God knows how many seasons.
@ JammyJ
I think El Neny is a class player and wish we had him all year (my point). But:
“because you couldn’t possibly predict that.”
Yes I could and so could everyone else because we have the same injury issues EVERY year…BE MORE PREPARED and don’t rely on the bargain basement options in Flamini and Arteta…I mean come on they wouldn’t even make the Norwich midfield nowadays and that is a pretty average midfield
Don’t worry I watched the whole interview it was all about passing blame, anxious atmosphere. The only reason that exists is because we couldn’t get the job done in so many home games. Then to say “We have to realise that away from home we are championship winners.” that is 100% incorrect. Have a look at the away points table Leicester is like 7pts ahead of Arsenal and so are Tiny Tots…so?! Where does he get that information? He was calling out the fans and that is the WRONG thing to do. TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY!!! I ask why can’t he do that?
“There are no bad teams in the EPL”. Sunderland is BAD, like really BAD. Aston Villa aren’t even worth mentioning. Norwich so average. They are a championship team and that is where they will be next year. You have to beat those teams not just at home but away…(convincingly would help too!)
“I assume you have some insider knowledge that we didn’t even try to buy someone then? And who’s to say that it’s not the board that is restricting how much money we have to spend?”
Did you watch the interview this week? Wenger on Kroenke:
“there are no financial restrictions in place. We can work with complete freedom.” He chose not to because he believes in his players. Credit to him. I said ok, your decision Arsene, but if it fails you have to own it. He isn’t owning it. I would be much more behind him if he at least did that.
“”ACTUALLY ADJUST TACTICS ACCORDING TO OPPOSITION!!” – You mean like he did against Bayern, Barca and other “big” teams?”
Interesting argument…how did those games end?! Seriously it looked like he was onto something with El Neny and Le Coq in mid and front three of Iwobi, Sanchez and Welbs, then Ramsey comes back and Wenger feels its time to play Giroud until he scores a goal and we are back to our uncreative struggles on mid-season. Ramsey just flat out doesn’t work in the box-to-box role. I can get behind him on the wing because he has more freedom to allow his creativity to blossom but in the midfield he tries silly things in bad places and expects the DM to cover for him too much. In a league that plays the counter this hard Ramsey can only be an AM or winger.
All I am asking for is adjustments, self reflection, some accountability for players and manager, but right now its not there. And yes it is sad for me because Arsene is a GREAT GREAT manager, but he isn’t handling his role with the media, or advancing tactics well because his has too much faith in his system. As UNTOLD-ARSENAL banner says: ‘Football should be an art’. I agree 100%, but right now Arsenal is not doing that. So many games this year have been the antithesis of art. Just dour. Keep posession at all costs and hope it eventually translates to a win…but Leicester are proving that isn’t the case. Arsenal are proving that isn’t the case. Our tempo needs to be so much quicker. We play best at high tempo, but we play so slow so often. Arsene MUST see that. He simply MUST! Why is he not adjusting? Does it mean his system is a failure is he does? I just don’t know. And I just don’t think he has the answer. And for thinking that I am truly sorry because it hurts as such a big fan of such a great manager
I was involved as a personal individual in organising the protest with representatives of the two fans groups and The Gooner fanzine (8 of us in all). I paid for the print run set up and first 1000 copies of the A3 posters so others could add run on’ copies if they wanted and I distributed 1000 with my daughter on the Arsenal tube approach road to the stadium with some help from a friend. I have never done anything like this before.
We offered free banners and asked those taking them to display them during the 12th minute and at the end of the game and to support the team during the match. We proffered no reasons for the protest nor targets for change and if challenged just replied “it’s a peaceful protest sir” or looked to the ground and stayed silent.
We started at 3.50 and finished at 5.15 in time to get to the game having handed out all bar 10 of the 1000 which we took with us to our own seats in the North Bank upper.
During that time, we were largely in good spirits with lots of laughter and banter between us, in no large part due to the Arsenal Gentleman’s poster proposals but we held short of singing the “I’m the Arsenal War Chest” song. The happy faces together with the fact it was a white haired man with his pretty young daughter made us very non threatening.
What struck us both afterwards was the fear. We all know 50%+ of our crowds are the over 45’s and the vast bulk just strolled by and gawped or pointed and chatted blandly.
I had a banner hung round my neck and received 7 or 8 very strong verbal assaults including one from a group of eight or so I just avoided looking at and stayed quiet until they had passed. At that moment I felt like John Snow in Game of Thrones and feared I would go the same way…My daughter had 4 or 5 foul verbal assaults and one man who screwed a poster up in to a ball and threw it in her face. Our friend from The Gooner had his box of banners kicked in a couple of times during the 30 minutes or so he spent helping us on the exposed pavement on the other side of the street.
People were clearly scared to take them and even though I said “free banners” people kept asking how much they were. Often if 2 or 3 came to get a banner for themselves or their friends, others quickly joined in so 20 or 30 banners would go in seconds and then nothing would go for minutes at a time. People swept in like schoolboys buying condoms at a chemist or a gentleman buying a top shelf magazine and were quick to come and go, clearly nervous. That said we often had verbal support with no taking of a banner.
The bulk of the takers were 16 to 24’s and under 16’s with their dad. The other third were the full cross section of match goers; older people, young couples, older couples, overseas fans and quite a few away fans, even five city fans attending the game in a corporate box but proportionately, we were missing the over 45’s.
Inside the ground, the mood was good but there was a lot of empty seats (5-7000 maybe) that I would like to claim as protestors as the bulk of my friends who are season ticket holders have been boycotting games since the Swansea debacle in silent protest as what else can they do….
At the start of the game we gave 6 of our last 10 posters to immediate neighbours and during the 12th minute protest we all sang “Arsenal we love you”, both protestors and those who did not approve alike. The “One Arsene Wenger” chant that followed was sung and booed in equal mix to my ears but we didn’t join in for either side nor did we join the muted boos at half time, many of which seemed to emanate from the “One Arsene Wenger” song singers….
At half time and during the second half, the Arsenal Gentleman’s Giroud poster attracted much attention as dear old Oliver proceeded to head and knock the ball in any direction but at said goal and prompted one wag to suggest Mesut should borrow the ref’s spray can and spray up a helpful arrow on the grass for your man. In short, the mood remained light.
That said, if Norwich had managed to get any of the goals they deserved I suspect the mood would have turned rancid very fast. The crowd was very edgy for the last ten minutes after Alexis was substituted and stormed off down the tunnel but thankfully Cech stayed strong and we won..
As to the impact of the protest, well before the Club and media look at the number of banners held up in silent protest and think, “oh, they don’t want change”, can I just emphasise:
• We are a nation that don’t do protest, especially an individual protest with banners surrounded potentially by hostile non-protestors. These sorts of protests are normally mass groups and the domain of Trade Unions, students and passionate radicals. It is not the British way to hold up a banner and draw attention to oneself and there was a real sense of fear emanating from many of those who did choose to get involved. So don’t think the silent majority are all on the Club’s side.
• Those 5000 empty seats are a protest too. A protest from fans so disheartened at the prospect of effecting change at their Club that they have done the only other thing open to them and elected to boycott games (either reselling their seat on ticket exchange, or not and leaving it empty)
• Only 3000 banners were printed up for distribution. If there had been more to give out, and the distribution points publicised in advance, I suspect there would have been more held up.
Barry thank you for your detailed explanation. As always of course when one tries to do something there are those who join in, those who don’t and those who feel angry. Sadly, the language used within the ground, not just on this day but at all matches is not what it might be and not something I would choose to expose my grandchildren to.
Certainly when the man sitting one row behind me rushed forwards waving his fist, screaming “This is all your fault Wenger you French c***” I was pleased I had long ago taken the decision never to bring youngsters to a PL match. Non-league maybe, but the atmosphere and language in the ground just isn’t right for young people.
Barry
In your rather longish post you neglect to articulate what it is exactly you’re hoping to achieve by that protest. I also find your description of ‘if Norwich had managed to get any of the goals they deserved’ a giveaway that you were willing them to score a goal. I’m not sure who was worse, between Norwich or Palace, at bus-parking. FYI Norwich only managed 31% possession overall, not a sign of a side that was deserving of a goal to me. The point is why?
A few questions, if you don’t mind;
1. Do you agree that referees don’t treat us fairly, and if there is going to be a major incorrect decision in a match involving us it’s bound to go against (the sun, telegraph, and metro did analyses which all concluded Arsenal were the worst affected team from incorrect decisions). Have you ever done, or are you planning to, anything about it?
2. Do you think your protest would have helped the team during the match? In other words, do you think your protest had a positive or negative effect on the team? Do you not think it may have contributed to Giroud being ‘woeful’, as your lady friend described him?
3. What if Norwich had gone on to win the game from the potential negative effect your protest might have had, and that result contributed in us missing out of a top four finish, would you have been happy about that?
@davood MC1
Some interesting points.
Villa are the only bad team.
Ramsey is a player who needs the freedom to express himself, almost a luxury player, as I agree he does too many tricks in dangerous areas. Almost needs to play off the front man and get in the box as much as possible. But at the moment we can’t accommodate him as Ozil has more freedom to attack and not defend than anyone in the side.
The tempo is much too slow, I agree, but teams are so improved in setting up defensively that it is really difficult to play through the lines. However as I have said before, this is where Jack or Tomas or Santi have been missed. A player to receive the ball on the half turn and beat their marker and either run into the space created and commit the next defender or look for another forward pass.
Our full backs don’t push high the field together as much as before, maybe due the number of times we have been done on the counter in the past. But with Elneny/the Coq as cover then that should help, but with Mertesacker playing his lack of pace means one or sometimes both have to stay at home. His injury could be a blessing, not that I wish anyone injured, as it will give Gabriel the last two games with Kos and they both are quick. The point being we don’t have enough width and the ability to push teams deeper and have to defend more space as before, so making their back four or five lined up on the edge of the area pulled wider apart, and allowing the pass lanes to be wider.
Are we as fit as we could be? And by that I mean, are we as quick around the pitch to attack with pace or recover the ball quickly by pressing the opposition? Klopp has brought the gegenpress with him from Dortmund and more teams are trying this tactic, win the ball back as high up the pitch as possible and as quickly as possible. Sp**s have taken this onboard and look as athletic and fit as any team in the league. That is something that the whole team has to buy into and you can’t carry one player as it breaks down if one can’t do the running. It starts at the top of the attack so if Giroud is playing he has to do a better job of chasing all the time not selectively and from what I have seen doesn’t look capable, whereas Welbeck immediately has that ability. I love Ozil and his calmness on the ball and his range of passing is exceptional, I only wish he would make a bit more of an effort to win the ball back when he loses it. He is a brilliant player but we can’t carry two players who can’t or won’t press all the time.
It will be interesting to see what team plays next Sunday at the Etihad as everyone is fit apart from Per. Set up like last season or play a more adventurous line up? City struggle at the back if Kompany doesn’t play as yesterday showed. Their mood will depend on the result of their match with Real on Wednesday, either on a high or a low, so our team selection could reflect on that mood, they win and we set up as last season and hit them in the counter, they lose and we play a more attacking line up.
Maybe sometime in the future those poster could really be as valuable as those iconic and ironic “Dewey Defeats Truman” , newspaper headline of ….’Chicago Daily Tribune on November 3, 1948, the day after incumbent United States President Harry S. Truman won an upset victory over Republican challenger and Governor of New York Thomas E. Dewey in the 1948 presidential election.’
Do save them , or better still use it now to line your bird or hamster cages . Doesn’t bother me anyway .
But that , “Proud of Arsene Ashamed of the Fans” poster should be printed on t-shirts and given to the fans during the last game of the season . Walter ? How about you and your hardcore AKB group from Belgium ? You could all be on tv ?
And how about a ” WOO HOO , HOO !” for me ?
As the LIKE button is again not working , many , many LIKES from me to all the faithful, hardcore regulars who posted great and supportive comments above .
UP THE GUNNERS !
Not sure about Frazier but I agree about Wenger. It’s not about the politics for me just that football has passed him by .
Bricksfields,
Brilliant idea, reproducing that “Proud Of Arsene Ashamed of the Fans” banner. Hope the club gives that supporter a season ticket, if he hasn’t got one already, from one of the 5000 who protested by not attending. He’s a true supporter.
Come to think of it, perhaps the club should look to not renewing the season tickets for those who plan on causing disruptions during matches, and pass the opportunity to those who have been on the waiting list for years.
Interesting to have a report by Barry Gething the poster producer.
I’d like a more detailed account of what exactly Barry is objecting to about our club, manager and players. He went to a lot of trouble to produce and distribute Time for a Change posters. Change what from? Change what to?
I don’t know whether he wants us to feel sorry for him and his daughter because they were a bit nervous doing what they did. It was their choice. People in Britain and the world do a lot more dangerous things to stand up for what they think is right.
This is why I’d like to know more about why Barry did it. The only clues in his post are some rather small minded criticisms of individual players. Don’t let’s forget the much abused Giroud made the assist for the vital goal that gave us the three points, and vitally hacked a ball away late in the game to help prevent an equaliser – and that’s just in the Arsenal.com highlights.
Barry Gething – have you ever bought a brand new car? It takes a lot of decisions to finally choose one. Buying an asset susch as a footballer in a professional club is a million more times as difficult. Buying a player on Fantasy football is easier than tearing off loo paper. Yet many of those you handed your ‘beggars’ cards to were not in an economic class to understand major purchases.
Change in football clubs happen because the boards or sole owners decide. Fans never decide unless the club is owned in some illegal fashion. You made a decision to undermine the manager together with the biased press & stupid fanzine. You have done nothing constructive for the club. You & your daughter went into the stadium & sat in your seats never realising that without Wenger, those seats (let alone the stadium) would never have existed. Wenger realised Danny Fitzmans dream of an Arsenal stadium. Danny apparently had a picture of an Arsenal squad with his face on every player. Don’t know what it signified but he never hid from his love for the club.
In all honesty what you assisted with on Saturday was lose a fortune of goodwill that Arsene Wenger built for Arsenal. You loaded the media with ammunition to hurt our proud properly run, shareholder Limited Company, record breaking club. One bad deed in advertising takes more than a hundred good deeds to recover brand position. You are truly amongst the worst negatives that this proud club has had. You should never grace the stadium again & hang your head in shame.
@ Barry Gething – If anything your protest has had the opposite effect. It has just proved to everyone that the WOB are just a loud minority. I was under the impression that our fans were divided 60/40 (in favour of “Wenger out”) and Wenger said himself that he expected most of the stadium to be part of the protest. Turns out that’s not the case; excellent!
As for the booing, i thought that was directed at the protesters. If what you’re saying is true, then it’s great to see what a lovely bunch of “supporters” you are, that you feel the need to boo when the actual supporters are doing actual supporting by singing and getting behind the team and manager. I bet that really gave the players a moral boost..
Just wondering what minute the protest was supposed to start?
When the cameras panned on the supporters the clock said 12 minutes had been played so technicaly the protest started in the thirteenth minute.
They didn’t even get that right lol
The fact that the move to the bowl amidst promises of glory, has marginalized many and completely priced out countless others is lost on the media and cared not for by our hierarchy, the real core of our support those who would make the place rock have been replaced by the type who are meek and timid who accept whatever utter tripe their fed by their god Wenger, even now I suspect some will be wearing sack cloth and ashes whilst flogging themselves with thorny branches as they moan of how their sin has cost their lord the premier league title, how anyone can give credence to Wengers mad uttering’s anymore is beyond me. We who have been cast out from Wenger heaven know we have lost the battle to oust him this season, we have not however lost the war , next season will I have faith, vindicate us and see at last the false gods demise, another season of turgid , tip tap fare with its all too predictable collapses will surely turn even his most ardent devotees against him , or at least enough of the all but insanely blinded of his apostles, to force his removal or his own resignation, that is my only crumb of hope as we go forward!
There are a number of reasons more than what I have already stated above why we carried out the protest.
•Our majority shareholder, Stan Kroenke, showing he’s purely motivated by cash when he went on record to say he doesn’t care if Arsenal are not challenging for honours.
•A complacent Board with absolutely no football experience, focusing purely on Arsenal as a profit-generating entity, not a football club.
•A Board happy with Kroenke milking millions of pounds out of the club every year, and refusing to give valid details of what the payments relate to.
•Being sold the vision of moving stadium to compete with Europe’s elite. We’re now close financially but in a football sense we’re probably as far from the top European sides as we have been for many years.
•A huge amount of cash sitting in the bank and comments from Ivan Gazidis that we can buy pretty much anybody, yet the money remains banked and our squad remains lacking in key areas, year after year.
•A manager who seems to be past his best, refusing to adapt to the modern game and dragging us down through lack of signings, poor tactics, predictable poor performances, and not being able to get the best from his team.
•Consistent failure to challenge for football’s big prizes and using 4th place finishes as a cause for celebration, when all Champions League football means is more income for the Board to celebrate.
Basically speaking, Arsenal Football Club has gone stale.
We are seeing the same failures year after year, and amid rumours that Arsene Wenger may be given a new three-year contract there really seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Kroenke and the Board are seemingly content with Champions League cash, so outside of finishing 4th best in the league there is no pressure at all on the manager. This isn’t good enough.
It’s time for change.
Whether it’s the manager, whether Stan Kroenke has to go and whether the Board needs shaking up and reminding that we’re a FOOTBALL club, change is needed at Arsenal, A fresh approach to bring some excitement back to this great club of ours.
Have your say
Have just noticed that the post from Barry Gething is identical to an article in the online Gooner written by Simon Hill
http://www.onlinegooner.com/article.php?section=exclusive&id=3446#.Vyd6NLQl_jQ
I see Untold being give ‘due’ credit on the first comment of that link !
Will the real poster producer please stand up?
I have an issue with these people who assume multiple identies and post under different and fake names. I was just having an argument a day or two with one such poster. I have always used one name, even when I was posting on sites such as BBC 606 or the daily wail, before I discovered Untold. If these protesters really believe in their actions how can they even want to be taken seriously if they can’t be known by one identity, even if it’s a pseudonym?
I’m uncomfortable being around such individuals; they’re clearly disturbed, one way or another. I know its not down to me but perhaps it’s about time users wishing to post here have got to register, and go through a verification process first. Lots of sites do that, and it keeps nuisance posters away (the process of registering then going through verification can deter someone going through all that trouble just for the sake of trolling).
Only a coward will not use their own name, tell’s me all I need to know.
Hey look, it’s another copy and paste from Barry! It’s pretty embarrassing to be honest. How often do we see this on Untold?
@ Linda – I think Barry is just plagiarizing other peoples work and trying to pass it off as his own, rather than him being the same author, but using a different name. Utterly pathetic really.
I agree Jammy J. These posts are not in the same style. We’re being conned and can’t believe anything he says.
Generally when you see a anti-Wenger comment on here that is more than 1 paragraph, i would say well over half of them are just copy and pasted from a different website and that’s genuinely not an exaggeration. If you put sections of their posts into Google, more times than not it’ll just be a word for word copy of someone elses work.
That wouldn’t be a problem in of itself, but these people intentionally don’t put quotation marks or leave a link, to give the impression they have come up with it themselves. Whenever you call someone out on, you’ll never see that username appear on here again (out of embarrassment that they’ve been caught out, i guess).