Lia Walti gives Arsenal Women fans “a little reminder” on kindness & respect in football

By Michelle - 19 October 2024, 11:45

Yes, Arsenal women had a disappointing start to the season. Yes, they failed us Gooners. But was it appropriate to vent our frustrations on them, even though we desperately needed a turnaround? After last weekend’s 2-1 London derby loss to Chelsea, the Gunners had only one win in five games since the start of the WSL (the other two were draws and two were losses), which wasn’t great.

On our side, some of us Gooners were solely focused on blaming one or two Gunners for the poor outcomes, neglecting to offer supportive messages to our girls to motivate them. Perhaps I was unkind to some of our Gunner women during that difficult time, for which I sincerely apologize. And you, too, should be regretful after hearing Lia Walti describe how difficult that period was and how the reactions were so inhumane before they rebounded with a 4-1 Champions League triumph over Valerenga.

Walti said: “Just a little reminder: Whether we win or lose, we all share a deep love for football – it unites us, brings us joy, and fuels our passion. Together, we have a responsibility to uplift the game and respect one another – player, fans and ourselves. Let’s always remember the humanity in each other, and strive to be better by treating one another with kindness and respect.”

Let us be humane. Hopefully, even if our Gunners struggle, in the future we’ll trust they will recover. Our unwavering support is critical because it offers the girls much-needed confidence. In sports, confidence is important, which is why someone like Kai Havertz is riding high with the Arsenal men.

Having said that, our Gunner women should have gained momentum following their victory over Valerenga, and they will aim to secure their second WSL victory against West Ham in the London derby this Sunday. Let’s give them all our support.