I was delighted to read that our 25 year old Japanese international Takehiro Tomiyasu had just signed a new contract. But it wasn’t just the fact that he had committed his future to the club, it was what he said that impressed me.
Quote: “I’m so happy to extend my contract because Arsenal is one of the best clubs in the world. It’s a dream to play for this club.”
So far, so good, and I would expect nothing less – but it’s what he then went on to say, that really impressed me.
Quote: “The connection between the players and the supporters is a different level. That’s what makes it more special. I’m playing for Arsenal and that means I’m playing for the Arsenal’s supporters. So that’s why I dedicate my life for this club and for the supporters.
I want to give them something back. I want to achieve something. I want to win something with my team mates, with the supporters.”
Now this made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up as a supporter of The Arsenal. Here was a player including us in his aspirations, his dreams and his thinking.
We’ve been reading from to different viewpoints on JA, regarding the” arrogance” of the fans and the woeful input of players – but this message from Tomiyasu cuts through both of these views, as it shows two things.
1. The players don’t see any “arrogance” from the supporters, they join in with us in wanting to succeed.
2. There can be no player giving “woeful” performances since signing for the club, as it wouldn’t and couldn’t be possible with the mindset of a player such as Tomiyasu.
Now WHO has bred this mindset that links players to supporters in such a way? None other than our manager Mikel Arteta.
He has been taken to task over his celebrations, his antics on the touchline, his backing of the players and the calling out of decisions made by referees, both on and off the pitch.
Not since the days of The Invincibles and the lead up to our CL final, have I witnessed such a bond between everyone involved with the club, and I go back to 1952 when I first went to Highbury.
Of course we all want trophies and CL football, but if we fail to win the PL and/or the CL, I’m witnessing a complete turn around within the club from the last season of our greatest manager Arsene Wenger.
We are playing great football, we have a owner who is backing the club to the hilt and it’s brilliant to know that we are included as part of this.
Merci Mikel – and can we stop this nonsense about arrogance and woeful views? It just doesn’t fit the scenario if one thinks about it… don’t take my word for it, take Tomiyasu’s!!!
ken1945
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Nice to hear a positive note on Just Arsenal. Keep it going in good times or bad.
I assume that Ken didn’t write the headline, so where did this “best in 50 years” idea come from? He even mentions “since the invincibles”, which I I’m pretty sure was less than 50 years ago.
I’ve been supporting the club since the 1952/53 season ArGooner, so I’m assuming that’s where Pat got the headline from, but he didn’t take into consideration my comments regarding The Invincibles.
I would clarify that further by saying there were instances (for example Bertie Mee and George Grahams time as Double winners) when the crowd was incredible, but I’ve never known a player come out and include the supporters in his vision as Tomiyasu has done – hope that clears your question up.
Excellent article. Well done Ken, a true gunner for over 70 years, that is incredible!! and why Tomiyasu’s message has resonated with you so much.
I have a feeling we will see Tomiyasu been around for quite some time too… He will get better still as well.
A well penned article. Exciting times ahead, let’s do this together. COYG!
👍
Wonderful reading Ken, I appreciate your positive thoughts and opinions. As you know I have been behind Arteta from day one and never doubted the appointment. When we play our best football I’m thinking about the legacy of Merci Wenger. To be honest I think it’s beautiful that one of Wenger’s players is leading the club into a new successful era 🔴⚪️
I could not agree more Didrik
Great article!!!
I really liked Arteta’s tactics and I believe he’s still got plenty of interesting ones up his sleeve, so I hope he’ll win several major trophies for us
Interesting read Ken, it’s been a revelation, made even better when a player comes out and says such kind and appreciative quotes. We really deserve to win a cup or two for our efforts. Let the boys give their all, knowing the fans are behind them every step of the way
I thought there was something special about Arteta. His non negotiables and giving everyone a chance to impress. All he had to do live up to those words.
His wasn’t a promotion from a lower league club but a novice taking on, at an extremely difficult time, the rebuilding of the Arsenal to being contenders again.
It was never going to be straightforward and there times that I wondered if the supporters would give him the time. Waving a magic wand was not going to cure the culture. Emery had not been able to cure the culture, unfortunately, so the non negotiables were going to be an important part of Arteta’s success
There were mistakes made and Arteta would have to have been a genius not to have made them. Many an article has been produced or commented on that referenced MA’s inability to have a plan B, make substitutions at the right time and to trust the young players coming through, or being a cheque book manager. Often it has been levelled at him that he should have been able to get the best out of what he’d got.
What struck me then, and strikes me now is that there was never going to be any room for players who thought they were more important than the club. It’s well documented on JA that I thought that Ozil, regardless of his vision, was one of them. Guendouzi refused to apologise to his manager after an incident with Neal Maupay. PEA was another one. It’s supposed to be a team game and they didn’t act like team men.
The unity that Tomi has referred to came about be because Arteta does have the necessary man management skills to inspire, and watching the Amazon documentary was a revelation to me.
As Tomi has spoken so glowingly about devoting himself to the Arsenal, I am reminded of the huddle at the start of the matches, the captain leading his thanks to the supporters after games and that “all for one and one for all” attitude. There isn’t an individual ego in sight- more like a collective one- if such a thing is possible Belief is returning.
The connection between the players and the supporters has been Arteta’s finest achievement so far. It bodes well for the future
Absolutely well said SueP.
I couldn’t have put it any better. Every single point u made was spot on.
Big ups!
Agreed word by word. That ” team ego” must include the fans then!
Kenya001
It’s team Arsenal 👍
It reminds me of the love shown by Liverpool fans to their manager and players I don’t think many were calling for Klopp’s head last season
I generally agree with much of what you have written but there are several of those suggested weaknesses which I have always taken issue with.
An example is the “plan B” criticism. These types of criticisms often come to the fore in the aftermath of a negative result i.e. classic “Monday morning quarterbacking” where it is assumed that the result would have been different if only X or Y had been done.
Another is that of trusting the young players. This is something Arteta has done as well as any manager. It is the reason we have one of the youngest teams in the PL. As for getting more out of the players he had, I really struggle to process this one. The best was a cup run which we had and effectively allowed Arteta to establish some credibility. The squad was simply not good enough to challenge for any major titles.
The reason we are still having some of these discussions is that some people were in a haste to write off Arteta. This includes the person who penned the article.
Some time ago I pointed out that for the last few years the work Arteta has been doing at Arsenal has been noted around Europe.
He had already been recognised by various sources as one of the best managers in Europe long before some of the naysayers on JA and elsewhere finally woke up. B
His principles and man management skills have always been up there right from the beginning. This is a major reason we now have such a strong team and committed players.
@ David
I m behind your views in general. It was painful reading the sometimes ill thought out comments or the plain hateful ones.
I wasn’t suggesting that Arteta made all these mistakes- particularly on a regular basis – as he would have been sacked if the Board had lost faith that there were not better times ahead.
We are not privy to what the club was thinking and Arteta didn’t appear to be under any threat. Perhaps the process was jointly agreed upon and it was then down to Arteta to focus on delivering it. It’s going ok with a few hairy moments up to his two year anniversary.
As the person who penned this article, I disagree.
Not once have I said that Mikel Arteta should have been replaced (AdminPat checked back on this, as it was previously claimed I had) but neither was I just letting him get away with mistakes that both AW and UE had been slammed for.
You fail to mention the amount of money that has been spent to get to the point where we have “such a strong team” and neither do you address the money that has been wasted on grotesque salaries, players who were not good enough and money lost by devaluing players who were sent on gardening leave.
You were obviously quite happy to watch a squad of players who had never finished lower than 6th, competed in a European final and European competitions for the last two decades and won fa cups, being dismantled weeks after winning said fa cup, only to be presented with our lowest results since the last century!!
Out of Europe, out of domestic cups, our lowest league finishes since 1995/96 and watching the kind of football that saw the Emirates with more empty seats than during Wenger’s last season.
I wasn’t prepared to join those who blamed what he had inherited, as that was just an excuse… you were and that’s your perogative.
I don’t knock you for that and I resent the fact that you think you can knock me for holding MA to the same criteria as our previous manager and coach.
Finally, I go back to your statement that the squad was simply not good enough to challenge for major honours – neither was the squad that MA put together, as 8th 8th and 5th demonstrate.
It was only when Mr Kronkie decided to, finally, get behind his manager, listen to Mikel’s project and spend nearly £900,000,000 that the tide turned and I have no problem acknowledging the fact that he has brought the club together in such a great way.
I suggest you think about the fact that we ALL support the club and want it to succeed – differing opinions on how that happens will always be discussed and trying to score points is both childish and pointless… Now, how about commenting on what Tomiyasu said, rather than what you THINK I said?
Brilliant article Ken1945.
The best offering from this team is obviously yet to come, & that’s a rather delicious prospect to look forward to.
But then why does this false and already debunked narrative that “Arteta is a bad man manager” is still being sneaked in by some fans to this day?
A bad man manager does not last at any club for more than 4 years while absolutely changing the mentality, attitude and professionalism of the club as a whole (players, the majority of the fanbase and owners). All pulling in the same direction while the toxic egos (Ozil, Auba, Guendouzi etc) clique being cheered on by a certain section of our fanbase were trying to pull us in the opposite direction. Pulling us farther and farther into more mayhem and disarray all because Arteta dared to challenge their entitled / over inflated egos..
It’s partly due to a lack of candour from those who wrote him off and are still trying to claim they were right for the negativity and vitriol directed at Arteta when he was overhauling the squad and the team was struggling to be competitive. Classic fair weather fans.
I disagree.
It’s partly due to those fans who accepted less than mediocrity and not asking, or challenging, what the plan actually was.
Typical sheep like fans who haven’t the sense to ask questions..
Thanks for the positive comments, it’s nice to see.
As you all know, I was one of those who questioned Mikel and I take nothing back from those early days.
But to see the strides being made by the club is incredible.
The owner has to be recognised and I can’t remember one positive comment about Silent Stan, until the end of the “super league” debacle.
His absolute backing of Mikel Arteta has changed the landscape of our club both on and off the field of play.
Mikel himself has brought the knowledge of working alongside Pep and used it to create his own idea of style and play – and I can only applaud him, stand back, hold my hands up and say brilliantly done sir!!
That brings me back to Tomiyasu and what he said – I have this feeling that the group of players have the same mentality towards each other that The Invincibles had…one for all and all for one!!
That’s why his words resonated so much with me, as I felt he was talking directly TO ME and I felt part of what Kronkie, Arteta and the players, every single one of them, are striving for.
ken1945
Nice article
Nice to see you admit Arteta has proved you wrong. It takes humility to do so
I thought I was a very old gooner for supporting the Arsenal for 20 years until I read this article. 72 or so years of supporting the team!!! Wow. Hats off 👊👊👊🙌🙌🙌
I dream to watch Arsenal live one day if God wills
I love Arsenal, I love Arteta and I love all gooners
#COYG
Freddy, thank you.
More importantly my fellow Gooner – I’m NOT admitting that I was wrong about MA!!
I stand by my every word of criticism that saw my club in it’s darkest days since 1995 in league, out of Europe for the first time in two decades, out of the fa cup in rounds 3 and 4, playing the most boring football in years and playing silly boogers in the transfer market!!
Of course I questioned what he was doing, as many others did, but, with the help of Mr Kronkie he has turned it completely around to the point where I see us now and I congratulate him and recognise whar he’s done.
I’m actually loving the football I now see, rather than squirming in my seat and Tomiyasu summed it up for me
Simple as that Freddy, simple as that!! .
Ken1945
Are you suggesting that it was just Kroenke’s money that helped Arteta or belief by Kroenke that he had got the right man and was prepared to back him? 😊
SueP, I believe that it was both, along with the reaction to Mr Kronkie trying to get our club into the so called “super league.”
The passion shown by ALL fans across England and the public backlash against our owner, saw Josh Kronkie coming over to shore up the damage.
As we now, many meetings took place and that’s when, again only my opinion, Mikel put forward his plans / vision / project and the Kronkies decided to back him to the hilt come what may.
Let’s not forget, until then, Mr Kronkie had been so far in the background, he earnt the nickname “silent stan”.
So, for me, that’s when Mikel was able to implement his plans and we find ourselves where we are today – making mistakes along the way that were duly discussed and dissected.
Here’s my suggestion Jon.
You both make a list (bullet points) of your opinions spanning the years from 2008 onwards with regards to all things Arsenal.
Pat then takes those bullet points as the subjects for discussion – for example…. Was MA responsible for the Willian debacle and why?
One bullet point article at a time so that proper discussion could take place, with ArGooner supplying the final brushwork to gloss over any problems arising.
Imposible my friend. There is no glossing over any of this nonsense. One is a blow-hard bully that thinks they are better than everyone else, and the other is an overly-sensitive blow-hard that believes they can slander other fans without reproach even when they are proved demonstranly wrong, and then preaches that the rest of us are idiots for questioning them. Nothing is to be gained, hence if target watch paint dry.
ken Glad you read my second reply to you before that too was censored.
But I will NOT delve back into the Wenger years, as that has all been and disagreed on between you and me COUNTLESS TIMES.
I chose to move on and I hoped you might have also done so.
HAPPY THOUGH TO ALWAYS WRITE ABOUT OUR CURRENT TEAM AND OUR CURRENT AND ALSO LIKELY NEXT LONG TERM MANAGER, IN MA.
Jon, I have moved on, both with regards to AW and also Mesut Ozil etc but you obviously haven’t done so, as you keep mentioning them – the latter especially – as often as I have hot meals and that’s at least twice a day!!
It really was a tongue in cheek suggestion and ArGooner coming in with his drying paint scenario gave me the opportunity to use my awful dry sense of humour regarding glossing over etc.
I think his comments about you and Dan are also amusing, but as for Pat “loathing” you, that’s completely OTT and your comments are still here for all to read!!
What I “loathe” about Jon is his never-ending abuse of Dan in every post, and I have told him I will delete every further continuation of his childish feud. He has continued though, but if it doesn’t stop VERY shortly, we will see him no more…
Either he “moves on” or he moves off!
This post wasPARTLY censored, as sadly, I have now come to expect.
Any post of mine which remains exactly as I write it is comparatively rare now. Freedom to write my OWN opinion is denied to me now. Sigh!
Stop insulting people then. You tell me that I will delete your post so why write it?
The fact is Jon you carry on ignoring my rules which just means you are asking to be banned.
Jon, have you asked yourself WHY it seems that only YOUR posts are causing problems?
As I read this I was smiling all the way, what a club we all support with our hearts and minds. Go! Arsenal Go!