Importance of the FA cup, teamwork, belief, new found consistency, and role of fans by MH
Hi fellow Gooners
So our Gunners didn’t listen to so many fans and pundits about the idea of giving up on Europe. As a result we got one of the best performances of recent times. Now this is almost same team which played to Monaco at home and lost. This is also the team which lost to West Ham, Zagreb and Olympiakos. I have already written in my previous article about those losses and they were largely due to individual errors – not that team played very badly.
The last time we played badly and lost in a match of utmost importance it was against Monaco in last years UCL. That match was also at home so why did we lose? Simply because we were complacent. We gave the ball away too easily in dangerous areas and we couldn’t make up for that because we were not defending as a unit. Some players were simply giving the ball away and stood watching. Since the start of last season our biggest defeats came against Monaco and in UCL and 2-0 loss against Chelsea in the league so how did the team which got spanked all over the season before improve their defending so much in the course of just six months? Remember the FA cup 2014, our first trophy and not-so-important to many Gooners but that gave our team a real belief in themselves as a unit. They felt like winners and once a team starts to win something, a sense of collectiveness or oneness passes throughout the squad and they play like winners. They play for each other. They play as a team.
It is same thing as in our life as a student you work hard but you realise your ability only when you get some accolades and good marks then you would be appreciated by fellow classmates. This is why it is very important to win something. Now the last season saw us give our best performance in the league away to Manchester City. That was I think the most important league result of last 3 or 4 seasons. This was such a massive result and the team was praised at last by everybody, neutrals and pundits alike.
Next came Man United in the F.A cup quarterfinal and we broke our Old Trafford jinx of the last 8 years . Our next big win was in the F.A Cup Final against Aston Villa. Yeah it was a big result as it ensured that our team was maturing. Long gone were the days when we would lose due to some individual errors or sloppy defending. This win again solidified the belief in our players minds that they can win and defend trophies in style.
So there had been this trend of good results since New Year defeat against Southampton. This is what I see as our new found consistency. If you see the league table since the New Year we have taken the maximum points and I am glad the results against Man United and Bayern Munich are another proof of that. If we have the belief, we play together, work for the team, then bring on whoever be it, Real Madrid or Barcelona or Bayern!
Now coming to the role of the Arsenal fans. First I would like to tell you all I am not an AKB or an AOB, I am an avid supporter of AFC. It really surprises me how some fans have no clue what a cup win brings, and they disrespect the F.A cup. To all those I say try to appreciate our team more, it will give them more confidence.
Next is – whoever may be the opponent – we should believe in ourselves. It was very disappointing to see fellow Gooners arguing among themselves and after our win against Man United some gave the argument ‘Let us face Bayern – when we lose you will get a reality check’. Let’s cut out this negativity AKB and AOB thing for once and for all. Our job is to create a good environment for our team not just moan and moan and moan, as moaning during the season wouldn’t give us anything. It just leads to arguments and thus division among our fanbase. So during the season only constructive criticism should be done, not that ‘why we didn’t get that player or this player’. What is the point of these? Just get behind our team! That is the fact that our support should be unconditional. But it doesn’t mean that you guys are always wrong…. I have been to many fan sites and believe me guys this is the best fan site I have come across. Also this may be the final two seasons of our great manager give him some credit he truly deserves it .
Good bye
Mir
But without the Wenger out crew I will have nobody to call an idiot ..kidding. For real though we have had a awesome little period and it is uplifting and very gratifying to see almost all gooners doing nothing besides rejoicing.
I wonder what happened to Hafiz lol
It’s long go to say …
in between all these good times
Gary Neville nailed it- ‘he treated schweni like his puppy’ who other than ohhhsanti
Very soon, younger players will be doing that to Santi as well. LoL
@Twig
LOL!!! I doubt it though. Santi is too slick …
Santi is already an Arsenal legend since that free kick goal in the FA Cup
First of all, I don’t know how the writer can be in the middle, whilst at the same time, claiming to be an avid supporter of AFC. It’s a fact, that Wenger is a massive part of this club, and how we perform on and off the pitch. If you’re really a huge fan, you’d have an definitive view on Wenger. Either for or against. However, having read the article I would say, AKB all day long.
I find offensive that it’s suggested that some fans (probably referring to AOB’s) don’t have Arsenal’s best interests at heart, and that we don’t understand the importance of a cup win. Any cup win (FA cup or League cup) is great, but it doesn’t have anything to do progress at all! If it did, then why did Wigan get relegated the same season they won the cup? Because that isn’t progress. Real Arsenal fans aren’t happy because we’ve been going backwards in the league and in Europe, despite our squad getting stronger every season and lots of money to spend.
The reason fans like myself moan and complain is because we’re fed up with the same rubbish year after year. Clubs only exist because of the fans, we have a RIGHT to complain. I don’t moan at any little thing or a mistake a player makes, it’s moaning about consistent errors every season! Real Arsenal fans can see beyond Wenger, and know that change is badly needed. If you don’t believe me, then look at this season, the one before that, and so on, and so on.
I always get behind my club and support the players, but at least I can say I am not blind to how the board and Wenger treat the fans.
Thirdman – if it makes it easier to put every Arsenal fan in a tidy AKB or AOB box than knock yourself out. There are a lot of us that are quite comfortable living outside the false dichotomy you’ve created for yourself.
@Trudeau
RealTalk…
@Trudeau
I never created this AKB vs AOB, everyone just started using it, but I’m proud to be an AOB. Just like I’m proud to be an atheist. I believe in factual evidence over belief. I’m a passionate Arsenal fan, that only wants what’s best for the club. I don’t change my opinion about Wenger from game to game, my opinion has been formed purely from watching Arsenal for years. I believe managers/players should be given time and patience to succeed, Wenger’s had too much time.
It’s a shame and very surprising you do not seem to have a firm opinion about the club you claim to support. But there fans that just fancy a little entertainment here and there, catch the odd game on occasion, and I understand people don’t have the same passion for Arsenal as others. I really hope you get your enthusiasm for Arsenal back at some point.
So this season were 2nd and arguably in the best form of any team in the league… You claim this year is the same as previous years but we havent even hit Christmas yet…
The fact that you have such a firm belief that Wenger should go despite team performance (which throughout the whole of 2015 so far we have been consistently good) suggests to me that actually you seem out of touch.
@Billy
How am I out of touch, have you forgotten recent history? Yes we’re in great form at the moment, but we know how it’s likely to end. 13/14 season we were top longer than anyone else, and by quite some distance, but in the end we finished 4th. Last 16 every season in Europe, and even worse this season. No points after playing 2 poor teams is yet more EVIDENCE of how poor we’ve been in Europe in recent years.
Everyone seems so sure Wenger is a genius again, personally I say it’s a flash in the pan, but let’s see at the end of the season. I’m 99.99% certain we won’t win the league or Champions League
Introducing the love child of Hafiz & Haywill.
Our recent history?
2 trophies, 2 seasons?
Our best chance to win the league in years?
I’m missing something surely?
I would argue that regardless what divine right you think you have to moan, actually you are the problem and not Wenger.
As does the evidence suggest.
this is the sort of mentality you probably haven’t read it properly and jumping all over just like after a bad result you do, of course winning something is very important and it is directly related to progress if your view is taken then no football club is progress the fact that they got relegated don’t cancel out the fact that they won a trophy and winning something is always good don’t tell that u weren’t relieved when that trophy monkey got off our back so don’t talk stupid talk with relevant points.
What utter load of s**t this is man.
1. You CANNOT classify all Arsenal fans in either AKB or AOB. Simple. Because it is not about Arsene, it is about Arsenal. I am a huge fan and i have a view on Wenger but why does it have to be either AKB or AOB? Makes ZERO sense.
2. “Winning the FA Cup is not progress at all”. This again is a very naive statement to make and specially for some one claiming to be a big Arsenal fan. If we dicount the cups then technically only 3 clubs in England should have fans in the last 11-12 years.
3. Look at the season before – Finished 3rd, won FA cup.
Season before that – Finished 4th, won FA cup
Season before – Finished 4th
I don’t understand how is this not progress but anyways I know you would not understand all of this.
Forgot to say, that I’m also not blind to Wenger’s plus points either and when he gets it right. I thought he deserved a lot of credit for the win against Bayern. Tactics were good and good substitutions as well. I really hope we can kick on now after the Bayern and ManU wins.
OT:
Bellerini > Lahm
And Lahm agrees!
Chelsea won the champions league yet didn’t finish top four…….What’s your point @thirdmanjw
Well he’s close to the Premier League record, but I didn’t realise he was close to the Chamlions League record too…
Most clean sheets in the Champions League
1. Iker Casillas: 51
3rd. Petr Cech: 45
Casillas still plays with Porto of course, but I think that’s a record that Cech could get to in a couple season if he’s still around.
Just that Casilas is still playing. Hope he breaks it though.
If u can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen. Every team is as good as their last game, u dnt want us to criticize the team then they should play at level expected of them. Period!
We are Arsenal FC NOT Mediocre FC