Some Gooners Deserve This by Dan Smith
A lot of us Arsenal fans are worried right now. Worried about our future. Worried just how far we will continue to fall. Worried who will leave. Worried what our financial situation is…
Just a few years ago our frustration was ‘only’ finishing 4th. That now would be celebrated. If I said to you that next season Arteta will get Arsenal to qualify for the Champions League, you would bite my hand off and hail his work.
Have we forgotten how we ended up in this situation?
We took the greatest manager in our history, a man who loved us and cared and a section of our fanbase disrespected him. I’m not talking about those who felt he was getting too old or things were stagnating, etc. I’m talking about those who verbally abused him, who hired planes, who took out banners, who refused to stay behind after his final home game to make a stance.
Those gooners ….
I have zero sympathy.
You got what you wanted.
This is what every week you screamed for, and when you saw it got you a few YouTube views you showed the man nothing but disrespect.
If you don’t believe me, listen to the man himself. The week of the Chelsea FA Cup Final he talked about ‘his hurt’ of a section of supporters who had acted in a way he would ‘never forget’. He warned we were in danger of losing out values, our reputation of doing things the ‘Arsenal way’.
He wasn’t listened too.
A generation of fans have now been brought up to think that if Arsenal lose, it’s okay to shout and swear and find a scapegoat. This campaign alone, 3 of our squad have spoken about how actions of their own ‘supporters’ has led to them struggling mentally.
That’s okay though, because those same people have become celebrities on social media yet now seem hurt that they realise just how much we have fallen.
Well you can’t have everything. It is like you dumping your long-term partner, calling them names, mocking them, celebrating the day they leave and claiming that you’re going to find someone better. Then expecting everyone to feel sorry for you when you’re not happy years later. To those fans, this is what you wanted and somewhere Mr Wenger is sitting with a smile on his face.
You see, no one person knew this club inside and out more than him. Pundits, media even us fans, we think we know, but deep down, very few know what’s going on behind the scenes. Wenger would know the true scale of the Kroenke ambition.
He’s the one who every season had to somehow qualify for Europe, while his rivals spent more than him (and got mocked for doing it). He had to get used to selling his best players (with people laughing in his face) yet kept us competitive. He did this out of loyalty. If it were about purely how many medals you end up with, in 2006 he could have just gone to a Bayern or PSG.
He’s an intelligent man. He would have known, no one is winning the title under this employer. He never has to worry about someone bettering his record because the Kroenke family don’t care enough. The moment his time was up, they viewed it as further money off the wage bill.
It’s hard to admit your wrong. Those with their own agenda now try to still blame the old regime (not sure how many years that washes?). Wouldn’t be great for AFTV’s reputation if they admitted their reputation is based on a campaign which has seen Arsenal go backwards?
Wenger didn’t hire Emery or Arteta.
Auba’s contract situation is not his fault.
Ramsey would still be here.
Wenger always played Ozil and didn’t fall out with him.
Wenger didn’t have 5 captains.
Wenger has a distinct style of play.
Did he leave things perfect? No. Most managers who are asked to leave tend not to. But it was still a group of players though who were better than 10th place.
The club wasn’t perfect when he moved to England. There was a drinking culture, we were known as boring, we were not competing for titles.
He didn’t blame the previous set up.
He introduced his own methods.
Taught new ideas.
Found hidden gems for value.
In 22 years, he got to an incredible 13 finals and won 3 titles. In other words, we were always relevant.
I clearly haven’t forgot.
Some have.
Some did.
We are 10th with 7 games to go.
We are bleeding.
Only when Mr Wenger left would we realise how good a job he’s done under these owners.
Be careful what you ask for (the likes of AFTV) now you’re going to get it. At least be big enough to admit the grass hasn’t been proven greener.
Dan Smith
