Is it all over ?
By Walter Broeckx
If you look at what some people say, it is all over .
Even worse because we dropped points against Birmingham in the last minutes we are doomed for the rest of the season. We will be out of the CL on wednesday, in fact why even bother playing it? We are finished, the manager has lost if for the 954th time this season, the players are again rubbish. This is the end of The Arsenal.
Do I share this so called ‘realistic’ vision? No, I don’t, it is just the way I am. I only give up when it really is over. I will not give up until we are mathematically and complete out of it.
After all, every time when we have a setback and I don’t deny the fact that it was a major blow to give away such a strange goal in injury time but as we know this is part of football. So I try to take a look that goes a bit further than these final minutes.
If we lose the title it won’t be in Birmingham we lost it. In fact we have done over there just the same as our main rival contenders for the title. In fact without the deflected clearance goal we would have done better than Chelsea and United. Chelsea played 0-0 and United did the same as we and they were lucky to earn a 1-1 at the end. So yes I’m still unhappy that we conceded the late goal but it gave us the same amount of points as the others got in Birmingham. So considering points gained or lost no difference there between us and the other two.
If you want to look even further I suggest you try to remember what they have been saying about us before the season. Remember the pundits proclaiming the title would go to Liverpool. Well that was the Liverpool based pundits. The rest of the pundits said Chelsea and United would be close to win the league. I think only one brave pundit dare to stick his head out and said that it could be that Arsenal could be involved in the title race. And yes I still think and feel that we are in the title race.
But for most of the pundits it was clear: Arsenal was the team that would drop out of the top four. We were doomed and should consider ourselves lucky if we would even qualify for the Europa League. Big money spender Manchester City was the team that would throw us out and if not them than it would be Aston Villa, Tottenham or Everton.
Many of the people who write us off now once again believed the pundits and since the start of the season they have questioned anyone and everything involved in Arsenal. From the manager until the team mascot, all were not good enough. But the results forced them to shut up for a while. But whenever we had a defeat they came out like a rabbit out of the magician’s head. And every time the team silenced them with another great run of results. Until we lost again and the whole scenario took place once again.
Now we don’t even need a defeat to see them come above water. No, playing 1-1 at Birmingham is enough to once again call for the sacking of Wenger, give away half of the team, sell the rest apart from Cesc who once again will be leaving anyway to Barcelona even after Cesc saying for the 17,425th time that he is not going to leave Arsenal.
Until the 90th minute of the Birmingham game when we had a hard fought advantage in our hands we were okay but since that fluke goal we are again rubbish.
I really wish they could make up their minds: are we rubbish or not? I bet the next thing they will come up with is the: this was “the worst season ever” mantra like last year.
To me we are not rubbish. We have a great young team, a manager who cares, a good financial basis to work for the future, we are in the quarter finals of the Champions League, we are 3rd in the League and still in the race for the title. We still could be the third dog running away with the title at the end.
We have lost what was supposed to be our Rooney or Drogba in Van Persie for most of the season. We played without our normal centre back’s against Birmingham, we had a lot of injured players during the season, we had again a fair number of strange referee decisions, we had to face the horror of leg breaking tackles once again….. and still we are in it with a chance. How could we have done this with a crap team and a crap manager ?
Am I blind? No, I know we still can end up with empty hands. This is part of football, there is only one winner at the end and the rest can try again next season. Even Chelsea could end up losing the title, just as Manchester United can. In fact one of them at least will lose the title and maybe both of them. Nothing is done yet and we don’t have things in our own hands for the moment. We have to rely on United and Chelsea losing points at some stage. But as this season has shown they also can lose points where you don’t expect them to do so.
But you won’t hear me saying: crap players, crap manager, crap board. Not now and even not even in case when we would win nothing. I loved the season so far and I think I will enjoy the rest of the season. I even will be out there on may 9th and hope I can applaud the new champions in the EPL. But even when we would not win the title on that day, I will be there –thanks to some good and dear friends – and I will be applauding the players when they do a lap of honour after the final game.
They have given us great moments and also disappointing moments. But this is part of being a supporter. And for those who cant stand the disappointment after the hope I can only suggest that you might stay out of the kitchen if you really can’t stand the heat.
Apart from us over here living in a fantasy world, who would have thought that at the end of March we would be fighting for the title ? So let’s keep it up and remember like I wrote over here after the two defeats against MU and Chelsea: it isn’t over till its over.
Well, it isn’t over yet.
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Fair Play, well put. Gooner till the end.
I’d only be p*ssed off, if our manager had gone and spent over £100m in the last 2 seasons, trying to compete for the top prizes, only to go and lose a game 7-1 to one of those teams we should be competing against. (no wonder there are rumours that Mr. O’Neill is thinking of packing it all in – poor bloke must be in bits. We all know the song so altogether now; Shhiiiit – onnn – the – Villlla!!!!)
Fact is, despite all the injuries and bad luck this season, we have still produced some great football, been competitive, and the progress in the team is there for us to see. Players like Diaby, Nasri, Eboue are looking more and more the top players we were told they would be. Cesc is just getting better and better and now goals are fully in his armoury he is truly one of the best on the planet – all at 22 years old. Song is worth at least £25m now and getting better all the time. Next season we will have Walcott, and Denilson getting there I reckon, and then there is Vela, Rambo, and Nic who are still maturing. The future is bright indeed.
Well said Walter. I said likewise on Hansen’s DT article yesterday. It ain’t done til it’s done is how I put it.
Gallas is back in tomorrow night’s squad, so play or not, he’ll likely be back for Saturday.
I know folks who support the blue part of Merseyside, folks who support Spurs, folks who support Leeds, folks who support West Ham. We had more to cheer than they did, but they still support their teams. So should we.
I see Arsenal as like ski-ing: some years I get fantastic snow, some years, less good. The odd year was terrible when I was a student as I went at Christmas/New Year. But I still think ski-ing is great and the resort I go back to isn’t the highest, the snow isn’t the deepest, but it’s my top place to ski for beauty, atmosphere and sheer perfection in communion with snow. Some people are nasty to me sometimes, but the snow isn’t. The mountain isn’t. So I won’t throw that away, I’ll just try and ignore the people I don’t like who throw stones at me to get rid of their own demons.
So should all Arsenal fans.
Great comparison with the snow and ski-ing.
I once started an article to compare my love for Arsenal with the love for my wife. But I stopped when I realised that in fact I am more sure that I will stay in love with The Arsenal for ever, than with the fact if I would be with my wife to the end of our days.
Of the last thing I really can not be sure even if I think now we will be together untill one of us dies, but I know for sure I still will be an Arsenal fan untill I will be dead.
I was to fast to submit.
I just wanted to add : I can think that I will stay with my wife for ever but she has to think the same to make this happen. I just know that Arsenal can do nothing to break the bond I have with the club.
Its not over untill its over we are still in d race…
Nice article Walter! Well said about the anti-Arsenal pundits really. It’s amazing how fast people can forget what we’re supposed to be fighting for according to those pundits (the Europa League spots) and what we’re fighting for now (the title of course!). The way they change their comments throughout a season alone is a huge disgrace and it’s amazing how so many people buy it. I think everyone on this site believes that if RVP had been fit, we’d definitely be top of the table. His injury came when he was in red-hot form too, winning the EPL player of the month award.
These are the words of a true gooner…well done mate.
Top article Walter..I share the same sentiments.
Whatever happens…this season will go down as one of the best seasons I have had as an Arsenal supporter. Simply seeing the emergence of Eboue, Song, Diaby and Bendtner is one of the things that will make it memorable.
That said i don’t think the league is done and dusted yet..Looks like Rooney got injured against Bayern yesterday and from the looks of it he is almost certain to miss the match against Chelsea..i believe there is still one more twist in the tale before we can probably predict who is going to win the league this year.
Cheers,
Spot on Walter ,I with you in thinking that this has been a good season so far and hope we win something to keep that momentum going.My hope is for RVP to be back for the last few games ,especially the Man.Shitty game where he can extract some measure of revenge for the treatment he got at their ground.And perhaps against Spuds where he nets to win us the league ?
Or in the final of the CL ?I keep on dreaming.
No matter what happens from tonight onwards, this season is already a success.
First off. Haha ManIOU. You guys made my day. Let’s see if their entire defense gets called shit for letting in a last minute goal. I won’t be holding my breath though.
Second, I watched the Birmingham match from home, and for this I apologize. I have tough luck on my home ground. Today, it will be back to my local pub to spur the team on. I have a feeling it’s going to be a Diaby-Eboue master class. I’ve got a feeling.
Finally, great article and Arsenal forever. I don’t think I’ll be able to work. What would Arsene say? Oh yeah, keep the focus and belief. Okay boss, I guess I can wait those few hours.
Unfortunately we have seen a rise in the number of arrogant, capitalist ‘supporters’ who expect to play well in every game, win every game and wipe the floor with every one we come up against. In their minds they have paid their money, so they can abuse the manager for not plunging the club into debt and over paying for ‘super stars’, and abuse the players for every little mistake. The table does not lie, we have scored more goals than last season and have more points. Other than the Chelsea (home) and Man U (home) we have turned up to every game unlike last season, and here we are 6 weeks from the end of the season with 2 trophies to play for. From where I am sitting this is unmitigated improvement and I have enjoyed every bit of it. As I said at the time of the draw, I predict we will knock out Barca over two legs and Bayern will do the same to Man U, but even if we dont I am still VERY proud of what we have achieved this season
nobody wants u to say whole team is crap, but u don’t accept present situation of players. Okay, player may or may not come good but surely, keep playing the same player again and again thinking he will come good one day is rubbish. One always has the option of loaning and then assess if he is capable of making it. That’s what frustrates me.
Walter – ‘Am I blind?’
Well…you are a referee 😉
No it is not over-70% of winning is in your head-If we win our remaining games we will go close at worst. There is a lot of Football to play. United and Chelsea want us to believe we have no chance.
Critic you are wrong on this one- these players and this team don’t yet know what they are capable of- anyone who saw Walcott against Liverpool 2 years ago knows he has it in him to take apart any defence-he needs to be fit, fed the right ball and fully motivated- frustrating yes-but most of these young players are only 21 and 22.
Is it really that disloyal to say that Arsenal can (and should) do better than Almunia? We have stayed in this season because:
1. Man Utd are weaker because they replaced Ronaldo with Valencia and has taken a season to adapt, and because they have been unable to field Vidic-Ferdinand for the bulk of the season
3. Chelsea hare weaker because they have an old squad and are unlikely to have the funds to regenerate
4. Liverpool has sunk without a trace
5. Arsenal are stronger because Song’s improved, Cesc’s improved, Vermaelen’s better than Toure and because 4-3-3 gives us more attacking potency, and allows us to field 3 central midfielders to compensate for our lack of class in the central midfield positions.
Does this mean we were right to field a substandard keeper? Or to not drill defensive coaching into the team? Or to find a DM to cope when Song left for the ANC? We’re were out of the league race in November, and only got back into it because the Top 2 are the weakest they’ve been for many years. Will that happen again? I don’t know, but relying on your competitors’ weaknesses is not a good way to start next season’s campaign.