So today we can expect an official announcement from the club which will confirm that Arsene Wenger will continue as Arsenal manager for at least a further two years. This news will be met by varying degrees of enthusiasm and disappointment across the fanbase, media and social media.

First let me try to make my feelings clear – Yabba Dabba Doo!

This is absolutely a triumph of sense over stupidity. There is no way that our greatest ever manager ,being at the helm for an extended period, can be anything but a tremendous result for the club.

Make no mistake about it, Arsene Wenger is a colossus of an elite manager. In fact he is the very epitome of “elite manager”. I believe he is every bit as good as he ever was, all this bollocks about him being past his best is just that – BOLLOCKS.

Lets consider for a moment who wanted him out.

We can start with the easy and obvious target, the absolute melts on AFTV. Seriously, just look at and listen to this shower of Muppets. I seriously doubt any of them could tie their own shoelaces, and they must surely have supervised meal times.  They have consistently embarrassed the lot of us by association to the club. They claim Arsenal are mocked by fans of other clubs, well too right they are, and they are the main reason. People defend Robbie, saying he gives the fans a “voice”, but he doesn’t, he give a select few idiots a platform. He cultivated the stupidity, it’s his garden, they are his weeds. He could have taken AFTV in any direction, but he chose to make it The Jeremy Kyle Show.

The vast majority of Arsenal bloggers haven’t helped either. These special leaders of opinion have taken every opportunity to show us how smart they are and how stupid Arsene and the board are.  They spout their expert opinions on failures in tactics formation, fitness, players, finance, well everything really, and most of them are doing it for no other reason than to let the readers know how much they understand about football. The problem is it actually shows anyone with an ounce of sense the very opposite. They know nothing worthwhile. Nothing. Zilch !

Podcasters, see above, except they love the sound of their own voices as well. Again, I have to say “most of them” As with bloggers,  there are some rare exceptions to the rule.

Pundits?!?!?! . We are served up with what can only be described as a bunch of tossers that think management is “paint by number” . Forget Arsene for a moment and see how they have now collectively decided Pep doesn’t understand English football. The qualification for the job appears to be that they once played football and are incapable of actually doing a job in management. Their stupidity is without bounds . To be fair, they get nothing right, it’s just we notice their crapness more when they speak about our own specialised subject. The Arsenal.

Twitter super fans. These might just be the worst of the lot, they are known for nothing in life apart from their hatred of Arsene Wenger. They are an embarrassing stain on Arsenal’s underpants.

Just watch them all start playing the victims now and claiming they did it for the love of the club. Well no, they did it because they are no marks that saw an opportunity to become somebodys. And guess what? They will all be fuming because the club has recognised they are nobodies and ignored their pathetic drivel. I don’t care how many readers, listeners of followers they have, they are important only in their own minds and to the sheeple that are stupid enough to be led by the nose and accept the bilge they spew.

Where do we go from here then? Do we say “let’s forget that they did everything possible to destroy our season and move on” ? Well no, because they won’t move on, they are defined by the toxic atmosphere they created. They are nothing without it. They will cling to it like Ishmael clinging to the wreckage of their sunken protests. There is no point offering an olive branch because they don’t want to grasp it.

All we can do is try to ignore them. Those that backed the manager and those that respectfully wanted a change can come together. The decision has been made. Lets move along together, And here is the important part – Give the club and the team the best atmosphere to thrive in.

Just last Saturday we got a glimpse of what the team is capable of. We saw Arsene’s vision of how he want’s his team to play. We have won 3 trophies in the 4 years since spending restrictions were loosened. But we are told we are regressing. Bloody hell. It makes my head spin.

I got asked a question on twitter (loaded of course) it was “do you really think Wenger will win the PL in the next 2 years”. My answer is no, I don’t believe he will. But what I do believe is Arsene gives us the best chance to defy the odds and win it. We might spend £100m in this window, but City (for example) with one of the best managers in the world. with a squad already packed full of hugely expensive players, will spend £300m. So I “expect” a team like them to win it. But I hope our continuity and the brilliance of Arsene can do the business.

It’s clear there has been a disagreement at board level about something. However Arsene is unlikely to either tell us about it or allow anyone else to do so. Whatever it was Arsene has prevailed. There will be no Director of Football selecting transfers and deciding who should be sold, sense has won the day and whatever faults Kroenke might have he has backed the proven winner. There may be casualties, but at least we can be confident that when push comes to shove, Stan knows what is in the best interests of our great club. And that is Arsene Wenger, all day, every day and twice on match days.

That’s it then, everyone that can come behind the manager, players and club have this opportunity to do so. We should take it and ignore the proven failures that refuse to want to support unconditionally.

Did I mention I was happy?

Arse_or_Brain writes;

It is fitting with all the talk of players turning up for big games that Steww and Andy have produced some excellent pieces in the last two days, in fact in a difficult season all the writers this year have been fantastic bringing their own particular expertise to look at the issues from slightly different angles.
Being positive gooners it is difficult to admit before a game you think there is only a small chance of winning, even if you know your team have the potential to beat anyone on their day. The magnitude of this victory has not been realised amongst the media and the dark parasites of the ARSENAL following, to lose three centre backs and a left back in the week leading up to the final would destroy most teams, add that to the fact you would be playing the newly crowned champions of the hardest league in the world seemed to make the task impossible. When you look back at the game and realise the 2-1 score flattered Chelski and in reality the ref could had disallowed the goal and we still could of walked of at half time three or four up.

Again and again when our historic manager and his current team are slagged off or are pegged back they find the resolve to come through and show the top, top quality many deny they have. To see the most rubbished duo Ramsey and Giroud again win the cup for their Manager and our famous club would make a better film than Leicester.

 
I screamed so hard yesterday and went through the ringer during the ninety minutes so much I was  physically drained and felt crap when I got up this morning. When you invest not money but heart into something, see it struggle and then win against all odds the feeling is ecstasy. It is what is missing from those who believe buying your way to pots is the only route to football happiness. They are wrong, missing the point and denying themselves football heaven which is achievable by any club at any level and the reason why we have ninety-two professional clubs and an amazing amateur league, reserve and youth league. The chance of that football heaven is why they are all so amazingly supported.

I thought that the 79 final was the greatest ever but to honest it was the final minutes yesterday however was awesome. Our club is in great hands our team is still top quality, this site has held together many friends from all over the place when we felt a little blue,

I love Positively ARSENAL I love the ARSENAL COYG.

Good morning Positive fans (and friends),

Every one of you saw the game. Every one of you was delighted to see us take hold of the initiative from the opening moments of the game and barely relinquish that vice like grip until the 94 minute. There was no trace of nerves. There was no inkling that our back three had not played together 40 times this season, a model of concentration, a pattern of clockwork efficiency. The sneering references to Granit Xhaka as the season’s worst purchase confined forever to the dustbin of media punditry. And Alexis ? He may stay, he may go, but I can recall no player savaging the opposition at Wembley with such persistence and inexhaustible imagination. Mesut “disappears” in big games …… “Nickin’ a living” ?!?! You will have your own favourites and moments of the day. And yes it really could have been 5 or 6 goals.

It was a tense afternoon, no point in denying it. The first time since the 80’s that we have gone into a domestic Final as the clear under-dogs. Every one of you then watched our players cavort, our fans scream with joy, and saw that Arsene had grown six inches in the space of 24 hours. Football that we could enjoy, a victory to be relished. Every one of you was as proud as I was. The record is set down, forever.

Is there more to say ? Probably not but I am in the mood.

Of our opponents ? I do not think Chelsea were that bad. While they had played far fewer games than us this season I think the had emptied their ‘tank’ over the League season. They did not have it in them for one more battle and Wembley is a big pitch with no corners to hide in. I thought Pedro was good and so, in his own lunatic way, was Diego. I shall miss the ugly, cheating, vicious bastard for reasons I don’t understand myself. Victor Moses’ red card was a pleasure in itself. No Chelsea fan I know, or even have read on social media, had any doubts that it was the right decision and the proper punishment. May the force be with the referees in the opening weeks of next season.

One thing that did strike me yesterday, during the game and with about 10 minutes to go, 22 superb athletes who have each invested years of their lives to be here today, looking at the stadium, the fans, pacing my domestic technical area, frantic, feeling the tension, feeling the COMMITMENT. Whatever I pay for this, whatever anyone pays for this, for all its faults – it is WORTH IT!!

I attach below a copy of a picture I have had in the desk draw for a while. It is Avenell Road before an Arsenal and Spurs game in 1948. It occurred to me, in the light of Stew’s references to the unbroken line of the fan, and of era and fashion, success and failure being twin imposters, and Gf60s earliest attendance, it is best out of the desk draw today.

I shall leave it there. I suspect we have a busy week so enjoy your Sunday.

I am firmly on team “Quiet efficiency”. How many here know who the CEOs and owners of the very many organisations, whose products and services we patronise, are? I have no idea who the owners and CEO of Tesco are and I spend more on the supermarket than I do on Arsenal. A lot more. The only time we should be interested in these people is when they have done something wrong (as was the case with a sexism controversy around the CEO of Tesco not too long ago). I don’t want the CEO or owner of any company I do business with to be in my face. Their job isn’t to be cheer leaders for their company; that is what the PR arms of organisations are for.

I am going to disagree with those that feel the club’s top echelon should engage with the fans. What purpose is it going to serve? I cannot see any good coming from it; I can only see lots of bad. The fans who are likely to appreciate the gesture are exactly the type who wouldn’t clamour for it. Those clamouring for it are only looking for opportunity to grandstand and get cheap popularity by asking populist but stupid questions aimed at embarrassing these men. We see enough of this at the AGMs.

Look, let’s not over-analyse this issue, okay? There is one and only one problem here: the cry babies (and in my opinion, pathetic losers) are interested in one thing and one thing only. They want the club to win either the PL or the CL. Anything short of either of these 2 will always be branded as failure. I hear the cry of “Arsenal regressing” and I keep having to check my sanity and dictionary. In the last 4 seasons, Arsenal have come 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 5th in the league getting over 70 points in each season. We have won 2 FA cup and in the final of the 3rd. Look at these and tell me that the PL and CL aren’t the cause of the whining. Just take a look!

The most satisfying trophy Arsenal has ever won (for me) is the 2014 FA cup because of the obsession with and constant repetition of “no trophy in X years” meme. We won 2 in the next 3 years (including the Community Shield in both subsequent season but we have been told those don’t count – unless we failed to win them). We improved our league standing from 4th to 2nd but even before our final 5th finish last week, the cry had been about us going backward.

These people aren’t interested in any dialogue or explanation. They want their trophies – PL & CL only – and nothing other than that will satisfy them. They use the words: “challenge”, “compete” etc but this is bullshit. They only want either of these trophies and nothing else. The fact that the teams led by Wenger haven’t won either in the last 13 years has solidify the believe that Wenger, being the only common denominator, is the problem and if he is removed, then the PL (or CL) will just be forwarded straight to the Emirates. Removing Wenger will enable the team, managed by ANYBODY else, to just simply collect the title.

Simple!

You see, we are dealing with idiots and simpletons here and to idiots, everything is simple; unless you ask them to do it and then it is the hardest thing in the world. Case in point, Donald Trump. All he ever did before he was (still) inexplicably elected president of the US was shit on the efforts of people who are infinitely more intelligent and competent than him. Lo and behold as soon as he was given the task, we are not only horrified by his stupidity and ineptitude but the orange buffoon himself is perpetually whining about how difficult the job is and how complicated issues like healthcare etc are (despite sensible people all over the world having always known that POTUS is a very difficult job).

Every time I hear anybody trivialise a complicated issue, I know s/he is a moron. Running an organisation the size of Arsenal is so complicated that I cannot even begin to fathom what it must take to do it as well it has been done consistently for decades. I am immensely proud of and grateful for the efforts of the people running the club. Managing a top team on Arsenal’s calibre is complicated. That is why managers of top teams earn millions to do it. If, as we get told regularly by the twitterers and bloggers, anybody can see what needed to be done to manage these, why would their boards be paying the top managers that much to do it? A key indicator of intelligence is understanding of one’s limitations and appreciation other people’s expertise.

The stupidity of the noise makers is also exposed by the campaigns they engage in. They tried to get the manager sacked. They failed after several years of effort and now they move on to getting the company owner to sell his shares to rival. One must wonder at this point how people this dumb are allowed to walk about on their own.

End of rant.

I have nicked this from the comments section without the permission of @Bootoomee. 

Pedantic George (a.k.a. @Blackburngeorge )

Good morning Positives,

A fine afternoon rounded off our league campaign in style. We opened as though we were going to put five past the visitors by half time, then Laurent went a bit wild and became the first of Enver Valencia’s three victims of the afternoon. My goodness that boy can writhe and roll when the mood takes him, cant he? Just 15 minutes gone, hot afternoon, a talented Everton side with a good goal-scoring record in recent weeks ………..!  A fair bit of teeth sucking on my part I admit.

With that slight setback we had to grind out a routine win that called on every Arsenal player to put in a determined contribution – I saw none of them waver. As was mentioned on the TV last night it was difficult at times to tell which side had 11 players and which 10.  And when the Toffees did manage to clamber through the defensive barriers to get a clear strike on goal our man in the hat was in commanding form. As fautless a display as I have seen all season. The notion that Cech will not be our Number One ‘keeper next season I believe is not plausible.

Of our other lads the MoTM award is shared between Hector and Mesut. Hector is very much back to his best. Is it a coincidence that post–concussion syndrome symptoms can last up to thee months and Hector’s skull was smashed on the 4^th February at the Bridge?

There is no such thing as coincidence.

If the Ox is fit for Wembley I have no idea which player Arsene will choose as right wing back.

For Mesut a game in which, despite some fairly robust handling in midfield, he became stronger and more influential.  He is a pleasure to watch.  The perfect footballing package.

And in the 92^nd minute the boy from Caerphilly hit a beauty into the top corner.

For our opponents Robles had a rather good game didn’t he? Second keeper in a row to keep us at bay.  We shall be third time lucky I am sure.

A day to savour.  A result to enjoy, even if it did not quite bring us the fourth place finish that we all hoped for.

A busy week in prospect.  Arsene’s focus I guess will be on putting together the best back three to face Chelsea and ensuring they have time to work together in training. We have good defensive players. What a year for Rob Holding? This time last year relegated with Bolton, probably in seven days time walking out in a Cup final.

That FA Cup final is the important horizon at present for the club, the players and, I hope, for the fans. What comes after we shall see, in the medium and the long term.

Enjoy your Monday.

Good morning Positive fans far and near,

The penultimate hurdle of the Premier League season safely skipped over last night. A predictable result for us. The two goal margin hardly reflected our control for long periods of the game and the siege of the Black Cats’ goal. Our performance was as easy on the eye as any home game this season, and a good deal more pleasant than some dour bus parking events. Fair play to Pickford, and all the Sunlun defence, who gave their best and were a good deal more competent than I have seen them in their other diabolical excuses for professional football this season.

Of our lads;

Another very good evening for Xhaka, from ‘zero’ to ‘Arsenal legend’ in just four games. His diagonal, long passing game is exquisite at times. Hector had another impressive match and it is very difficult to see quite where he and the Ox are going to fit onto down that side when both are fit. Both can play at right wing back and do it well. Where their combination leaves Theo I am not sure, sweating presumably? Ozil and Sanchez’s instinctive appreciation of each other’s position and intention sparkled, and Larry battled throughout.

Very disappointing to see Aaron succumb to what looked like another muscular injury. Hopefully the Welshman’s withdrawal was precautionary as he is a man who is made for Wembley.

I suppose the only slight question mark in the course of the evening was whether we really, REALLY, required a three centre back set up against the PL’s weakest team, and who play only Defoe up front ? One advantage the approach had was that, at various times, Rob, Shkodran and Nacho all carried the ball forward and were prominent in attacks. The centre backs were a bit cautious for my taste but the job was done. We will certainly play three at the back against Everton and against Chelsea so it may just be ensuring the players are as used to the system as possible. I suspect that Arsene will have the defence in this morning for an hour of “passing back to the goalkeeper” practice. (Bloody Nacho !)

So the dice are set to roll on at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Top Four or Thursday, Madrid or the Moldovan Post Office team ? We press onward with hope, as ever.

Enjoy Wednesday.