I started supporting arsenal since 2005/06 season, only 11 years of age, when they played with so much zeal, fight and commitment. They were one of the teams to beat then and they once again displayed that in the 2006 Champions league beating top teams including Real Madrid to square up against Barcelona in the final. Although, it panned out unexpectedly but that doesn’t take it away from the fact that they put in a great show only that all odds were against them. The loss never stopped me from believing this leader-studded team could go on to become the best in the world.
Years later, we were still one of the Europe elites making waves across it like never before, thanks to the crop of great players and leaders we had in the team.Mr. Wenger was still active so also his philosophy. It was always fun watching my great club play fantastic attacking football. All hopes partially came crashing on the ground following subsequent drubbing at the hands of Barcelona and Bayern Munich, resulting from the sales of too many keys players all in the name of financially stirring the club forward, was that even necessary?
Many years went on and I still carry that passion to always watch and support them as my club but what happened afterwards?, more and more disappointment erupted stemming from bad and uncalled for performances including the most recent one against imminent 2017/18 Premier League champion. What team plays like that in final? A more disgraceful thing there was how Mr. Wenger seated and never, for once, shouted at his players for a better performance. Does that mean he was contented? It is pertinent to mention how drastically Mr. Wenger has retrogressed at his usual abilities, no thanks to his stubbornness and needless adamancy.
"What Arsenal lack are leaders. Once you cross that white line, you've got to sort it out yourself. They've had big players in the side in the past with the likes of Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Vieira.We had these figureheads who when you weren't doing your job you knew about it, but I don't see that anymore" says Ray Parlour.
He came into the club as a fighter and became an instant hit, playing a very good counter-attacking football & scooping major personal and collective awards, he was only unlucky not to have beaten Barcelona to the Champions League in 2006. But now,he's only made more fans dejected.
In retrospect, we used to have players who can account for their mistakes and take responsibility for whatever they do, talking of the almighty Thierry Henry, Freddie Ljunberg, Patrick Viera, Sol Campbell(the wall himself) to name few. These people are who I call LEADERS, which is exactly what we lack today in an Arsenal team. It’s so disturbing seeing arsenal turn out this way they play now. This club used to be a club of plethora of great players, but financial crisis, needless sense of frugality coupled with bad management is all we can blame for our predicament today. Now, we sell great leaders and footballers to buy craps in average players.
More disgraceful I can say seeing arsenal fall short of top four spot twice now and more painfully, behind SPURS!!!!! Too many dejecting performances especially on big occasions is enough to lose all hope of this club rising once again to its usual level of performance and prestige. I am highly gutted and I think the only solution is WENGER OUT!
photo credit: google
quote: skysports.com