Some Arsenal fans need a reality check on patience by ThirdManJW
As recently as yesterday, I was lambasted for daring to suggest that this strange season could be used partially as an excuse for our struggles. Despite the fact it’s clearly affecting other managers and clubs, this was apparently an unacceptable excuse.
What I find very interesting about is, is that every excuse under the sun was used when defending Wenger’s long periods of sustained failure, yet some fans have only been willing to give Arteta half a full season to deliver, with NO excuses acceptable! Although Wenger had plenty of credit in the bank, excusing 14 years straight of league failure, 9 years straight of winning nothing, and his last 7 years in Europe which were just humiliating, was beyond ridiculous! Yet despite that horrific run, fans like myself who wanted Wenger out because we had no patience left, were constantly attacked. We were told we need yet even more patience! As if waiting 14 years wasn’t long enough!
That was an extreme reaction from those defending Wenger, and now we see another extreme reaction from those wanting Arteta gone. Some have wanted him out pre-Christmas, which equates to around half of his first full season at Arsenal. Like Wenger, Arteta has little a credit in the bank as well, winning a couple of trophies in his first 7 months. One would think that early success, along with other areas of improvement, would buy Arteta more time, but it doesn’t seem to be the case for some fans, and it’s just a sheer outright lie when some fans say he has done NOTHING positive at Arsenal. Clearly winning trophies is not acceptable!
The best way to expose these fans, who clearly have an agenda against Arteta, is to play devil’s advocate. Let’s say I completely agree. Arteta DID inherit a club in a fantastic position, with no problems at all. A huge transitional phase should have ZERO impact on results. Arteta DID inherit a squad jam packed with quality, and the right mentality. Arteta DID inherit a brilliant defense. And Arteta is badly underperforming. So even if EVERYTHING was perfectly setup for Arteta to be successful, as some are making out, is half of his first full season showing enough patience? Is that enough time for him to be considered successful, even in perfect conditions?
Some may argue, we need to also look at the second half of last season as well when judging Arteta, which is also baffling if one using that as a negative, because ZERO criticism could come from that. To win an FA cup, and qualify for Europe from the position we were in when Arteta arrived, was almost unimaginable! Huge credit to him for getting success out of what was becoming a complete embarrassment of a season before his arrival.
With that huge success from last season, arriving mid-season as well, most fans were in agreement that we could start judging Arteta at the end of his first full season. Yet despite that, some feel half of his first full season is enough time, and Arteta should be gone. Ignore the fact that Pep needed a season, Klopp needed over 3 years, and Fergie needed around 4 years to be successful. Half season is apparently a fair amount of time to fully cast judgement on one’s performance, regardless of any internal/external factors.
So again, let’s say I fully agree, and Arteta should have got the sack before Christmas. Is this now our policy going forward in regards to patience? Half of your first full season? Regardless of the condition/situation of our club/squad when any new manager arrives, if they’re not meeting certain requirements within the first 6 months, they get the sack?
I will be fascinated to see what some of you say about patience. Before you start slagging me off again for an apparent Arteta bias, ignore that he’s even our manager. Do we only give managers half of their first full season to be successful from now on? Can one even be considered a success/failure only 2/3’s of a way through a season? If managers keep failing to meet certain short-term requirements, do we keep changing managers every 6 months or so then? Is it fair to completely ignore any other factors that could possibly hinder a manager’s ability to be successful? E.g. Wenger was excused for 9 years straight of winning nothing, because of the Emirates stadium debt.
Before some you start basing your arguments of, well the likes of Pep, Klopp, Fergie, etc, deserved more time because of their previous successes at other clubs, remember that is not a fair argument for novice managers. With a new manager like Arteta, we have no historical evidence to base that argument on. We have no idea whether he could be great or rubbish, and we can only go on what’s been happening in the present.
If you’re going to abuse me, fine, but for those wanting Arteta out, or feel he should have already been gone, at least give us all an insight into your thoughts on patience. From all the comments I have been reading for the last few months, it does seem half of your first full season is enough time for a lot of you.
ThirdManJW