“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.” Mark Twain.
In my more optimistic moments I like to think this is the crux of the matter with regard to the Arsene doubters, and there’s more than a little ageism around when it comes to some of the Twitter comments. Indeed, many of the Tweets and the Tweeters remind me of the child who is forever telling his parents how much better and cooler all of his friends’ parents are. All week I have been promised “Twitter meltdown” should The Arsenal come up short against Wigan, and have even seen pictures of nuclear explosions posted as a warning of the least that AW can expect should he fail to deliver on the Wembley stage. In fairness, that’s not such a bad metaphor: it’s clear that the nucleus of Arsenal support was split some time ago, and I can only hope that a top performance today, and then a string of good results in the League, will allow that energy to be harnessed in a positive manner.
There was a time in the Everton game last weekend when such positive hope seemed futile. As we moved the ball laboriously back and sideways we looked a far cry from the side that carried all before it through much of 2013, our defensive frailties and toothless attacks making me wonder if I would ever get my Arsenal back. It hardly seemed possible that this was the same team that had swept Napoli so imperiously aside back in October, but of course, the point is that it wasn’t the same team at all. It was a team that had been decimated by cruel fortune, and for a moment it seemed to have no answer when Sagna was cynically dispossessed deep in the Everton half before our defence conceded its second comedy own goal in little more than a week. It all seemed too much, it simply wasn’t fair, and no wonder than more than a few shoulders slumped.
But then something rather special happened as Ramsey and Oxlade entered the fray. Although both were on the injury comeback trail, and hence were never going to be risked for the full 90 minutes, they made a significant difference: the game had already gone, but they brought more than fresh legs to the side. Suddenly there was forward momentum, vision and pace. Even more importantly there was belief. Belief that this side was good enough, belief that individuals could make a difference, belief that the season wasn’t going to implode. More players are returning too: Gibbs is back, and Kos, Mesut and Jack are on the horizon. Their return could well see us back to something near our best, and remind us why this squad is on the verge of something special. Today is a big day for us all. For the manager, for the players, and for the fans. We all have a stake in it, and we have been looking forward to it ever since Santi scored that wonderful goal against Spurs at the very start of this cup run. Aaron Ramsey reminded us all last weekend that we do indeed have a reason to believe, and I for one can’t wait to see The Arsenal back at Wembley again.
So put away your doubts, and remember that we are by far the greatest team the world has ever seen.
Today’s post was brought to us by The Gnabster @foreverheady
Positively Arsenal 
i like that spirit…….i feel like a born again arsenal fan…that encouragement and not critism all the time.
.#COYG
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At last a blog with some balance and common sense. Much guess is that the vast majority of doubters are young ish. She wore, she wore…
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Bringing my comment over from the last post as it really belongs here!
Sav, can you send those rallying words to the players please? I’m feeling a mix of excitement and nerves at the moment and hoping the former is the more prevailing feeling than the latter as we get closer to kick off. I want to just enjoy the day out, and hope that as supporters we can transmit quiet confidence to the team rather than crippling them with our anxieties. So far this season they have really stepped up in this competition and I hope they can step up again today and do themselves justice. Come on you rip roaring red & whites!
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“The players need to step up. Come on BFG, Sagna, Arteta, Ramsey, Rosicky, come on boys, step the fuck up and throw down these upstarts. Arsenal have the opportunity to become footballing royalty in the seasons ahead, but it starts today. The manager can coach, the coaches can teach, the referees can cheat, the opposition can kick. But at the end of the line, the players are powerful enough to overcome, they need only wake up and realise their strength and their worth.
Hurt them, destroy Wigan and demoralise that cheating referee. Send them north quivering, for the temerity of considering themselves equals. Right now, today, in this game, show the arrogance of champions!”
Wise words from Sav that I referred to in my post above!
And when I say ‘they’ have stepped up, I mean players and supporters alike!
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Good old Arsenal,
We’re proud to say that name,
And while we sing this song,
We’ll win the game.
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Wem ber ley, Wem ber ley,
We’re the famous Arsenal
And we’re off to Wem ber ley!
Where is everyone today? Fins and I are the only ones trying to get the party started!
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Guessing everyone is on their way to the match already, leaving just a few virtual warriors to party one step removed from the action. But it has been very quiet on here all week. Just enjoyed the wonderful irony of Nevin and Lawrenson on 5Live talking about the tactical superiority of Rodgers and Martinez this season.
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I’m going to the game foreverheady (great post BTW) but I thought I’d check in with my virtual mates beforehand, so I’m surprised at how quiet it is! Maybe because of the late kick off, people are just using the time to get their chores out the way first (or sleeping for those on a different time zone).
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Looking forward to one of your post-match posts then Pass (sorry – don’t know your proper name). Have a great day.
It’s like one of those old Cowboy movies: “I don’t like it – its too quiet out there.” Cue arrow through Stetson.
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Its quiet on here because the team is struggling, Better to say nothing than pontificate about why.
I bet its been packed on ACLF for the last few weeks.
Here is what my mate @Bradyesque7 tweeted
“When we win, I celebrate, you go quiet. When we lose, I make excuses, you criticise. I am Arsenal, what the fuck are you?”
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“When we win, I celebrate, you go quiet. When we lose, I make excuses, you criticise. I am Arsenal, what the fuck are you?”
Quote for all times, although perhaps “I look for the right reasons”, rather than “make excuses”.
Anyway, wonderful Bradyesque7.
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Too right George. People are afraid to be positive and hopeful, but why not? I was disappointed after the Everton result, but I’ve moved past that now and I hope to see a performance more like the second half of the City game. They can do it, they just need us to get behind them and to believe. It’s not going to be a walkover. Wigan have got their tails up and believe that having knocked out City, they can beat anyone. As long as we do not take them lightly or go into the game tentatively we have every chance of coming out on top. We just need to take the game seriously, focus, fight for the right to compete and then our greater quality should see us through.
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Not really Paul, because we do make excuses, We want to “excuses .” them, There is nothing wrong with an excuse, if its real.
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I have found out, the easy way, over the past decade never to write Arsenal off or offer any trite conclusions in any circumstance. Some do and some don’t see the growth of the club, foundations rebuilt, football remodeled incrementally on such a scale; some do and some don’t recall that another club, Barcelona, once took 5 years in a comparable phase without a new stadium to build, move into and pay for.
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Sometimes the reason Arsenal lose is that other team plays superbly. I like to think every team has to raise its game against Arsenal. It’s been that way for a while now. March 14 was not typical.
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PG at 1:11 pm
” Its quiet on here because the team is struggling, Better to say nothing than pontificate about why.” AMEN!
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Oh, fantastic PG – just what I needed. That apposite and wise bradyesque quote reminds me that we haven’t had a podcast in a while. Don’t leave the airwaves to the idiots, PG.
I’m too late to say “Enjoy and have a great day” to the fans who are going, but I’ll say it anyway. I am very envious.
Come on Arsenal!
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Does anyone have any team news?
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Good to hear this from The Ox:
“When people say it’s been weighing on the club heavily, the players are full aware of that and we want to make that right.
“But as a group of players, the most important thing is that we’ve been gelling together over a fairly short period of time. Maybe two or three years, for us it’s just trying to do the basics right and work together as a team to win a trophy.”
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Anyone else around for the match?
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Great post from the Gnabster, just what I needed, thanks.
I suppose it’s quiet because Saturday morning is a day of chores for many. Certainly it is for me. But now I’m back home and settling down in front of the box.
Arsenal will do the business today……
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Now that is the right kind of positivity, foreverheady!
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Every single Arsenal supporter has one job to do today. Get behind the team from start to finish.
Keep the agendas at home.
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I’m in my seat at Wembley, looking forward to a great game as well as the right result. Catch you guys later.
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Sanogo and Ramsey start!
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Passenal
Can’t wait for a positive match report….
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Team in full: Fabianski, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Monreal, Arteta, Ramsey, Cazorla, Podolski, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sanogo
Subs: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Kallstrom, Eisfeld, Akpom, Giroud
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PG, in answer to your comment/question from yesterday, yes, I got your email.
Good article to read half an hour before the game.
The excitement over the past couple of days is giving over to nerves now.
Here is the team news for anyone looking for it:
Fabianski, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Monreal, Arteta, Ramsey, Cazorla, Podolski, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sanogo
Subs: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Kallstrom, Eisfeld, Akpom, Giroud
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Damn. FG beat me to it.
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Here we go….suffer Adrian Chiles…..
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SA
Want to hangout?
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ArsenalPlayer commentary, G-P
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i want to hang out, G-P
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GP. I can come on for the second half. That ok with you?
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I’ll be here…..
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So will I, SA.
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Fun
Do you have google hangouts?
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It will be great to have you join us FG.
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Crap, Everton have gone one up…
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Chiles…on Wenger..”he’s shuddering under the prospect of another defeat”…now that is contemptuous….bastard….but ten it’s all part of the entertainment for the neutral I suppose
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Oh damn, G_P that was the news I was dreading. Is the game over now?
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GP. I am avoiding the bullshit and staying here and doing things until kick-off. I would rather watch paint dry than listen to those death inducing “pre-match analysis”.
How much do want to bet that x years without a trophy will be mentioned atleast 5 times during 90 minutes of commentary?
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I don’t do Google hangouts, I’m afraid. Never mind.
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SA
Wise man
FG
Never mind
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wtf are wigan doing with rugby tackles and diving?!
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SA – just what I was thinking. They are defending like a Championship side (physical and committed) and falling over like a European Champions League side.
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Sanogo looks pretty lively. Might get his first Arsenal goal in the second half. Ox is bright out on the right wing. Poldi just needs one good chance on his left foot. But I do think our midfield has been pretty tame. Missing TR’s drive and invention. Rambo is just coming back, so it is hard to expect him to provide too much creativity.
Hope they pick it up and don’t succumb to the caution of nerves. The crowd has been good but will start getting right if it stays line this. Looks a sea of red in there but was quite the last 10-15 minutes. Come on Arsenal!!
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Goat to Hero! Now get the winner!
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Heard the Fuck All Commentators…
preferred this…
Come victory or defeat, I do not care. Death take us before despaire, let the media scream in delight, we know to which deep darkness they are destined…don’t laugh…its sadist to laugh at the unfortunate,,,let them burn quietly I supposed…
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And the boys are back, ehehehe
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