I am confused, it’s not that hard to be when discussing religion or politics, but when it comes down to football and especially Arsenal Football Club I usually do well. I struggle with the nitty-gritty of finance, but overall I think I have a good balanced view of the club and how it is run.

An olive branch yesterday, just outside Blackburn.

Earlier this week I read a post in our comments section from GoonerKam, which got me thinking.  Sadly that means you are going to have to read my incoherent ramblings on the subject. But have a read of his post before we meet that challenge:

“At the pub this past weekend there was no room to sit so I asked to please share a table with three other Gooners.

They were kind and told me to bring a chair and share the table with them. Very nice guys, all in their red/white copies and spirited too.  The early early goal relaxed them a bit and the high fives were flying left and right.  The conversation started at half-time and they were talking about AW, Stan,  Ivan and the team – individual members and as a collective. 

Dear me, all in all they shared the same opinions on most topics.  AW’s last year, more investment, Stan-not-the-man, yarayarayara.  I kept my cool and stayed out since it was just the media BULLSHIVEK being repeated and rehashed.  Like Stew I have run my course and have no patience getting into this line of talk again and again. 

Then they asked my opinion on things discussed.  They were amused then shocked and interested to here more.  To make a long story short by the end of the game they were not talking the same bollocks.  All three were saying what I said made sense and they left the pub uplifted by the win and more hopeful than when they had come in.  They had a different perspective on Stan, Ivan and AW; they are looking forward to the future and a successful run at winning titles.  The black cloud around their heads had lifted significantly.  All it took was a little talking in a logical and calm tone and all the crap they had been reading was suddenly not the gospel any more.  There were other versions of goings-on out there.
Made some good friends and they got me to promise them that I’ll watch the last game of the season at that pub on the same table with them.  So all I’m saying is they are not diehard moaners and born doomers.  They had learned this way of thinking and they are now on the way of unlearning what they had read and accepted as the truth.  I’m so glad I met them and changed their thoughts on things. 

Especially regarding Sagna.   I mean, all three wanted to sell him in the beginning.  Not any more.
Keep the fight alive… Tnx PA.”

Whilst in the process of deliberating what Kam had said, I happened to be on the phone to Stew, he mentioned that he too had seen this post. I would like to say “great minds think alike” but I think that would be piggy-backing Stew’s mind somewhat. But still, it indicated that I was right in thinking the subject should be explored.

For some time now the battle lines have been drawn.  On one side the righteous, clear thinking, informed and enlightened( that’s is us in-case  you were wondering).  On the other, the ill-informed stupid idiots.

Right there we have the problem. That is how I have seen it and how I think of them.

All I know of these people is what I see and hear in the media, in blog comments and on Twitter.  I don’t like them, in fact I dislike them.  I have no time for their ignorance and stupidity and I tell them in rude and no uncertain terms.  Anyone who knows me, knows I would say the very same to their faces.  A characteristic that has led me down some paths I wish I had never trodden.

The problem with this is I don’t differentiate between outright idiots and the misinformed.  My first response is to treat them all the same.

Kam’s post suggests that I am making a mistake in doing so.

Other than ourselves and Untold Arsenal, I am struggling to think of any constant source of support for the club.  I can on the other hand, sadly think of a multitude of outlets that seek to de-stabilise and stir up trouble for the club.

Of the two extremes the negative camp greatly outnumbers us.

The problem is that the vast majority of fans are occupying the middle ground.

If politics has shown us anything, it is that you must take the middle ground if victory is to be achieved. Every party is fighting for this middle ground.

I am of a mind that rather than fighting with the utter idiots, we should do a Kam.  Educate the reasonable people who have based their opinions on what they have been told by the halfwits. They can be persuaded. The people like Le Grove can not.  So why bother?

Easier said than done for an argumentative old curmudgeon like me, but try we must.

Also we don’t have any personal relationships with these people, so our level of of tolerance is reduced. Take John Cross for example. He comes out with some things that had someone else said them I would go straight into attack and abuse mode.  All the usual tools, bad language, mocking sarcasm – all would be brought to the fore. But because I like to think I have some sort of a friendship with him, this never happens. We debate and disagree. I have to think that more would be achieved if I remembered that disagreeing with me does not make someone a bad person.

If you need some pointers on how it should be done follow @GeoffArsenal. The man is informed, knows club business that we don’t, and is unbelievably patient. He engages with both ends of the spectrum and all stops in between. I now feel that this is the way forward.

If we stick to a combative tone, the middle ground will simply see us as a bunch of extremists. Which of course some of us are.

We are outnumbered by the negative sources and if we don’t adapt, the battle will be lost, and Arsene with it.

History proves that once the majority of fans are against the manager, he is for the off.

It’s up to all of us to turn the tide while we still can.

So my disciples.  Go forth and preach my word.

I really have to get out more.

Hello and welcome to this week’s round-up. The round-up will attempt to take on a spherical form as I attempt to make amends for my absence last week, for which I apologise.

First up is a very quick look at our game against the Mancs. We saw something in this team in that first half that was a bit special. It was the spirit of men who refused to lie down, regardless of the opponent. A good goal finished by Theo was undone by Bacary’s moment. We could have been in the clear, had we made more of our dominance. I think it’s probably symbolic that I spent the first half on my feet and the second chewing my fingers. Our opponents woke up and the game became tense and restricted. It finished 1-1 and I agree with Szczesny when it called the second half a bit boring.

The Votes have been collected and counted for April’s player of the month award and the accolade went to a deserving Aaron Ramsey. Now I think I believe in democracy, and I’ve never been one to Tomas voters into making a decision they’re not completely Rosicky about, but there was another way. In fact, there were several players who could easily have won the award in what can easily be described as a successful month. Four wins and two draws at the end of the season they call business, is not bad at all.

( note from editor-Ramsey won it,so Nah nah nah )

Santi Cazorla doesn’t want to let anybody down, and that is what he attributes to his excellent first season, according to this week’s interview with Arsenal Player. Having dragged our attack through a tough slog of a season, Santi has done anything but. If anyone other than Cazorla gets the Arsenal player of the season award this year, I will be furious. Unless it’s Arteta, of course. If anyone other than Santi or Arteta win it I’ll be furious. Furious! Or Per.

This week brought about the trip to Q.P.R. where three points were vital. The early-game butterflies were still mere caterpillars awaiting metamorphosis when Arteta found Theo lurking in the box and the winger slotted home. 1-0 to the Arsenal! It was the Gunners who started the game and, but for a wild header from a former player, only Arsenal players touched the ball before the goal. Rosicky was the spark but it took a composed pass to find Walcott and  the power in his shot took it through Green’s gloves. Rosicky was at it again when he created another chance for Theo but this time the keeper managed to touch his effort onto the post. A better player than Tomas may have found themselves on the end of the rebound but then a better player than Tomas probably has super powers. There were some lesser chances for both sides but it was all about winning and our refusal to concede chances made kicking on a risk deemed not worth taking. Sagna recovered well from his thing the week before and had a good game and Szczesny made an incredible save which could prove to be vital come the time to tally the points. It finished 1-0 and the pressure went back on our opponents.

There was then a shit-storm, the likes of which I once vowed to never address. There are some players who, after a few good months, fans are lining up around the block to get a little touch of his todger. Six months of quality – nothing but love, 16 years of genius – you get until the end of the season to prove yourself. I digress. I’m talking about the complete FABrication that is the story of our old, young skipper returning to the home of football. The Cesc situation is quite clear but there does seem to be some confusion draped in hope. He has gone to Barcelona to become their new midfield linchpin. Entropy spares no man and Xavi is already looking like a guy whose years are of concern. Whether you want Cesc back or not, you’re not getting him anytime soon so do kindly give it a fucking rest. Thanks.

Wojciech Szczesny has been upsetting the neighbours with some rather forthright comments about which Andy House Snake was none too impressed. The Pole in Goal remarked that Bale wasn’t good enough to get them into the top four and, to be fair, Wojciech spoke with history on his side. If it’s us or them, it’ll be us. We’re us and they’re them. It is that simple.

A huge story was broken by the writer John Cross and his Mirror yesterday morning. Arsenal have allegedly signed a deal with Puma to manufacture the Arsenal kits for some amount of time. For this, Puma will pay a lot of money over said period of time. Whether the deal is in fact concluded or not remains to be seen as we await an official announcement. The financial breakdown you have just read is a Positively Arsenal exclusive. Speed of the Puma! Bravestar, no?

Last night all eyes were firmly fixed on the crucial tie between the Spuds and the Chavs. In the blue corner was everything to detest about modern football whereas in the shit-stained white corner was the enemy of all things pure and decent. Even though a point each was my favoured outcome, I didn’t feel very good about myself after watching such filth. Positively Arsenal will be setting up a support group for those who were affected by the issues in last night’s programme. Remember, people, some things aren’t for all eyes. I won’t upset you with more details than is essential. It was a draw. The march to third continues!

That’s all for this week, thank you for reading.

Up the Arsenal

People are always banging on about us buying “World Class” players.Whatever that means.

Anyway, that got me thinking about when we did have a team full? The Invincibles?

Or have we ever actually had one?

Was it the greatest team the Premier league has ever seen, or did the stars align and give us a gift from the football Gods? Indeed, was it even a gift or is it a curse, an achievement that means that we will forever be underachieving in the minds of some of our more demanding fans?

I have actually heard people say that we failed to build and progress from that team .What did they want, a season where we won every game? What then, would we have to improve on that?Of course they completely ignore the move to the new stadium ,which ensured a few backward steps would by necessity be taken,rather than  building on what was a once in a lifetime team.

So, for the sake of argument, I want to ask and then answer a couple of questions about the class of 04.

1.  Would that squad win the league now?
2.  Would they all have been playing in sky blue by 05?

Would that squad win the league now? I am not sure it would.

I have no doubt that the first eleven would still be the best in the league, but I am not convinced the squad players were good enough to cope with the strength of the current league. I believe every team is better than they were then, including United(controversial I know). We say there are no easy games in the Premiership now; well I think there was then.

Every team has better players and more of them .Even teams at the very bottom of the league can have several full internationals.Some of the players in the bottom half in 04 would struggle to get into League 1 teams these days.Don’t kid yourselves,there were some real dross a decade ago.

They ended the season with one more point than last year’s champions and the runners up. Would they have dropped more than one point in last year’s league? I think they would.

On the other hand, perhaps they would have turned some of the end of season draws into wins.

In 05, basically the same team, finished with seven less points and twelve points behind the Champions. There is an argument to be made that if Chelsea were not a better team, they did seem to have bought a better squad.

The thing we are told now is “Teams win games, squads win championships” .The numbers would seem to suggest that the 04 squad would now be found wanting.

Would they all have been playing in sky blue by 05? The way things have gone, I believe that our team of Invincibles would not now be given the chance to stay together. As soon as Chelsea started paying inflated wages “Cashley” headed for the hills.

Because we have won nothing for eight years, players can claim they are leaving because they are ambitious to win silverware. That was hardly the case for young Mr. Cole. For him it was the money. Simple as that. Imagine how many would have headed up the M6 with the riches on offer today. Remember Ashley was a Gooner; if anyone should have been loyal, it was him.

Does anyone think that if Vieira had been offered £300k Per week and a 4 year deal,aged 29,he would not have flown the coop.Or that greatest of icons Dennis Bergkamp,rather than the one year deal he was offered by us?

I like to imagine Dennis would have stayed.But who am I kidding?

I suppose what I am saying is that people, fans, do not always appreciate just how much the Oil Money has changed the game. My contention is that not only would the greatest eleven ever seen, a team with five(I think)of the best players in their positions in the whole wide world, would have struggled to win today’s league ,but it could never come to be in the first place.

We did have though, didn’t we, us, no one else? Just us. And we will have it forever thanks to a certain French genius

Success On The Pitch, Unity Off It?

Trying to define what a ‘supporter’ actually is, is practically impossible, on a par with trying to describe what ‘freedom’ is in a liberal democracy. We can sometimes work out what it ISN’T, and, on Monday, celebrity PA contributor Mel O’Reilly did a fair job in isolating the ‘imposters’ by highlighting the extremist nature of their views – the ones that wish short-term harm on the club in the name of long-term gain.

But where does being a ‘good’ supporter begin and where does it end?

For example, it can only surely be ‘right’ to highlight the brilliance of the currently peerless Kos-Per partnership bang in the heart of the Arsenal defence. But to do so as a way of slaughtering the reputation of a less in-form colleague – in this case, Thomas Vermaelen – is surely ‘wrong’?  Nonetheless, TV is (currently) not the favoured first choice player in this partnership despite being captain of the club and that is a little awkward for all concerned.

That the support for the club is split is practically self-evident. But even this split is not at all clear-cut. Some want Wenger out regardless of any other consideration. Others want Kronke out but Arsene to stay. Others would just like to see an ambiguous (and ever-changing) list of supposedly ‘deadwood’ players disposed of.

And plenty don’t really know what they want yet ‘feel’ we need some sort of change.

Some of us – and I’m looking at you George – get told off for calling the worst of such people ‘stupid’, get called out for ‘abusing’ those whose opinions are seldom troubled by the need to reference at least some kind of factual basis for their often libellous, poorly thought out remarks. Suddenly, WE’RE the bad guys!

So where, indeed, DOES it all begin and where does it all end?

My guess is – on the pitch.

I was incredibly heartened to read very recently (Friday?) that Arsene is interested in the possibility of signing a new contract with the club. Regardless of anything else it speaks volumes about his confidence – in the club, his colleagues, the club’s finances, the squad and the players coming through. I suspect also he looks at the quality of the opposition and is similarly encouraged even if he does confess to being somewhat daunted by their purchasing power.

The splits on the Arsenal terraces will probably be only healed by ‘success’ on the pitch. But if Arsene is now publicly non-averse to re-signing then I think it can only mean he is supremely confident of the club’s prospects going forward, and in the immediate future, to boot.

About a week ago I wrote a piece for PA which was variously described (and with some justification) as bleak.  It was borne out of the tepid nature of the Emirates support for one of the biggest games of the season played a day earlier and a game – against the red Mancs – in which we went undefeated whilst appearing to throw away a largely deserved victory.  Wandering around the club the next day on a tour of the place led me to contemplate life apres-Wenger.

Frankly, its a scenario I’ve long dreaded.  As in the case of Brian Clough, I have always been of the view that Wenger would only be more fully – and widely – appreciated once he’d gone.  And like the great Brian Clough, Arsene is largely unique. and pretty much irreplaceable., at least on a like-for-like basis.

I’ve had but one wish for our current manager these last ten years or so and that is for him to get at least one contract to serve whereby the previously tight fiscal reins gripping the Emirates-era have been loosened.  It’s been no coincidence that many if not most of the current ‘great’ managers in world football have also been commanders of vast purchasing budgets.  I still hope to see Arsene compete on a more level playing field.  If his recent pronouncements on his contract are sincere then maybe we will get to see at least a version of this, after all?

I’ve no doubt the question mark over Arsene’s contract – will he sign or won’t he – will become THE running narrative of the next year or so.  If we get a great start to the season then maybe he’ll sign up at Xmas, just to end the distraction of the debate.  If the season ends up becoming one of the great battles for the League then maybe he’ll wait until the end to decide.  I imagine he will take the nature of the support into consideration given that the loyalty of the Arsenal fan base has been shown to be ephemeral, at best.

My prediction is that either way, the split within the fan base will become less of the open wound than it currently is.  A ‘successful’ season will see the majority of followers returning once more to the legions of ‘good’ supporters (which ever way that is defined).  A season of disappointment could see Arsene gone and that same support lining up behind the new manager.  For a while, at least.  The king is dead, long live the king (so long as he wins stuff).

So that’s where it could all start or end.  It doesn’t make me feel massively proud of some of our supporters but that aside, in many ways I can’t wait for the new season to start.

Because I truly believe that with Arsene Wenger at the helm, anything and everything is possible.  All we have seen so far, as we mark our eighth year without a trophy, and we move beyond the post-Fabregas and post-van Persie eras, is the end of the beginning.

And one of Arsene’s greatest triumphs awaits.

That of him making ‘good’ supporters out of all of us.

Good Bank Holiday morning folks.  Today, star of Arsenal.com and the West End, it’s Mel O’Reilly

Mel will amuse you for free on Twitter as @40shewore

I listen to a lot of podcasts,most of the football ones and at some point or other.  I’ve listened to every Arsenal one ever made. I’m not sure any other club has as many as us, neither am I sure what it says about Arsenal fans.

Maybe we have more passionate fans than any other club,maybe we’ve got more ‘got to be heard show offs’, I’m still not sure which but when you drive for a living and radio has (in recent years) followed TV into ‘cretin country’ these podcasts are a welcome relief from the likes of Robbie Savage abusing my ear holes (congratulations to his agent for getting him work by the way,I reckon he could sell sand to the Arabs).

One such podcast (Footballistically Arsenal) I recently listened to brought to light a worrying development in the shape of an ‘imposter’, a supposed Arsenal fan that actually sits at games willing us to lose and to finish outside the top 4 so the manager will go and there will be change.

As I tie my high horse to the rail outside the saloon and avert my eyes from those girls on the stairs with low self esteem and even lower morals (I wish that bloke on the piano would give it a rest as well) let me just say I think everyone’s entitled to an opinion,.One of my mates refers to Arsene as Mels ‘French dad’ such is my love for the professor. The same mate thinks Arsene’s time’s up, he’s wrong of course; Arsene’s earned the right to leave on his terms in my opinion, there it is again ‘opinion’.

Some Arsenal fans say they pay a fortune for a season ticket so their opinion is more valid.

Some go to every game home & away so theirs is more valid.

Some get up at 7am on the other side of the world to watch us play on TV so theirs is more valid.

Me? I think if your Arsenal ,your Arsenal. Games attended and location doesn’t come into it as long as when we’re playing your behind us.

Everyone’s got an opinion,valid or not.Their always better when based on fact of course but we’ve all been guilty of talking bollocks and swearing its true.

Anyway, back to our  ‘imposter’ (climbing back onto my high horse) he in my opinion is as much an Arsenal fan as I am a millionaire male model (they don’t have time to listen to podcasts),the thought of being sat at a game or in a bar watching us,near anyone like him ,would have me pulling at my holster (can you tell I’ve been watching westerns?).

He is an imposter.

He is everything that is wrong with modern football fans.

He is as the brilliant Ben Winston told him on the podcast a “spoiled  little prick”.

Its sad that he claims to support our great club, embarrassing in fact and his opinion on anything Arsenal is just plain wrong .In fact the sheriff should lock him up immediately and stick Robbie Savage in with him while he’s at it.

If some gooners think the managers times up,fine, I disagree, but when you’re willing your team to lose because of it?  Jesus wept.

Buckets.

This is what I said following the reverse against Spurs on the Fourth of March,Two months ago

”

There are thirty points still to play for. 

All is not lost by any means. But even if it was, nothing is to be gained by withdrawing our support for the team.  Every week I see a team of huge potential.  We simply must give them to time to fulfill that potential.  I honestly don’t see why people can’t relish the challenge.  Rather than throw their arms up and ask for change. “

Since then we have played 8, won 6 and drawn 2.

That’s 20 points and undefeated.

Three of them came yesterday.  And a fully deserved 3 points it was.

Were we at our irresistible best? No.

Do I care?  Yes, I do if I am totally honest. I would have liked to see a Champagne performance. However yesterday I predicted a poor game, the pitch is a disgrace. You can not play one touch intricate stuff, as we do,with the ball bobbling all over the place .

Am I upset ? Hell no

The points are the main thing.Its not like we played badly.But after scoring within 20 seconds ,I think all of us thought we would have a more comfortable afternoon than that which was forthcoming.

As Arsene might say: “We played with the handbreak on”

In fact if you ask me its stuck on at present.Arsene might have to visit the nearest Pound Shop and get a can of WD40 if we are to take the last six points.We will have to create more chances if we are to see off  Wigan at home and The Barcodes away.

Dont worry though, I am sure we will.

It was all a bit dreary yesterday. Of course the importance of collecting the points made it nail biting dreariness.

We  dominated, without managing to dominate. If that makes any kind of sense ?

We are constantly told that title winning sides are built on a sound defence. Well no matter how often the dimwitted pundits and match commentators say “Arsenals back four are suspect” The statistics and evidence ,since the Per and Laurent partnership was formed,tell a very different story.Those two boys are consistently excellent.Conceding an average of a goal every other game,that wont lose many for us.

Nacho,despite getting skinned a couple of times by the Spurs player on loan(who’s name escapes me ,and as he is a Spurs player I wont give him the respect of looking it up) showed enough to convince me he is going to be a great asset.

Bac, the butt of endless abuse last week, showed class is indeed permanent.  So can I just say to his abusers:  Go fuck yourselves.

Arteta again displayed everything you want in a Captain.

I feel Aaron is hesitant with his through balls.Again its a handbrake thing.He seems to be more intent on retaining possession than taking a punt.And who can blame him with thousands of fans waiting for the next ball he loses so they can vent their anger towards him.The abuse he has had this season must make him think twice before he releases the ball.And that moment is the difference.

Tomas was good again.He always is.But not so much magic as efficient conjuring.

And Wojo, another much criticised young man, pulled off a magnificent save towards the death.

Once again the amount of negativity on Twitter and other Blogs,following and during the game,is quite sickening.I really wish these miserable bastards would STFU, at very least for the next two games.

This post is not intended to tell you lot what happened,most of you know better than I do. It is just a vehicle to get us to the comments section. That is what Positively Arsenal is really for.

So please do your bit by commenting.

Thanks for reading.