Time to Grow Up!

Every time this current batch of the Arsenal team goes on to lose or draw a game from a winning position, pundits are quick to jump on the case citing a lack of maturity. How these players are not experienced enough to hold on to the lead. How their tender years have allowed the game to slip their grasp. The Arsenal fans are more than gullible enough to buy the hype up from these pundits whose only job it seems is to wind up the fans. With the January transfer window approaching, it is no doubt the likes of Alan Hansen, Gary Linekar, Martin Samuel etc will once again be paid overtime to churn out articles on why Arsenal will not win the Premier League due to their lack of depth. That Arsenal needs to buy in order for them to compete and other nonsense that they can come up with. It is high time Arsenal fans stop buying up the inflated hype covered materials from these doom merchants and trust their manager, Arsene Wenger. In short, it is high time Arsenal fans stopped crying and grew up.

For the best part of the twelve years that I have followed Arsenal, I have witnessed incredible highs (The Invincibles, The Third Double) and stupendous lows (Champions League Final, UEFA Cup Final). My earliest and to date most grievous disappointment would be the loss on penalties to Galatasary in the UEFA Cup Final. It was the first time I had truly felt a huge sense of loss due to my chosen football team. Seeing my disappointment, a much experienced Gooner taught me three golden rules. I do appreciate what he had taught me and every time since I always let the moments I share with Arsenal pass with a cause for optimism. I would always look forward to what the next year will bring instead of reflecting on the year that was. The golden rules were:

1. It is ultimately the manager who will decide what is best for the team, not You.
2. There will be many teams competing for the same trophy, and there are 101 factors that ultimately decide who wins.
3. Come next season, the previous season will be nothing but a statistic.

Those three rules have allowed me to develop an intense passion for Arsenal Football Club but it had also, over the years, given me perspective on all things Arsenal and sometimes let me analyse the situation from an outsider view. When I see some blogs whining about why Arsene Wenger should spent money, why Arsene Wenger should buy this or that player, I privately cannot help but laugh out loud. The reason, see rule 1. When we I also see the pundits giving their “verdict” on a club’s stature, I cannot help but privately laugh out loud. The reason, see rule 2. I also enjoy a good private laugh when I see fans of clubs dwell on old glories, some fans stuck forever in 1961. The reason, see rule 3.

I, however, am deeply frustrated by the ignorance of some people who refuse to analyse my beloved club from a critical perspective and thinks that their opinions are the ones to end all opinions. Their attitude is questionable. I, as a fan, cannot do more than hope for the best of my chosen club, Arsenal FC. I cannot say Arsene Wenger sign up David Villa or Lionel Messi or Lorik Cana, in some people’s cases. I understand my place, and it is definitely not to tell the club what to do. I know that even if I did, it would certainly fall on deaf ears. That is something, a majority of the Arsenal fans do not understand.

The current batch of the Arsenal squad has been labeled inexperienced and immature, even babies by some. However at such a young age to perform at such a level in front of tens of thousands of people week in week out, you need maturity that belies your tender years. Therefore maturity is something that this squad has shown in abundance. No, it is the fans that are lacking maturity. The fans are the ones that need to back the squad, back the club. Not tell it what to do, how to run itself. It is high time, the fans of this football club let go of the cradle that is the English media and Grow Up!

Cesc Fabregas, Unleashed!

Arsenal 3 – 0 Aston Villa

Arsenal captain, Cesc Fabregas, showed once again why he is the best central midfielder in the world. Putting in only a 27th minute shift due to lack of match fitness, he still managed to score two goals that changed a game poised to end in a stalemate. The starting line-up resembled the one predicted in the match preview, with Denilson finishing off the midfield trio. Cesc Fabregas was fit, but on the substitutes bench as Arsene Wenger was cautious with his captain.

The game itself started off in a high tempo. An early free kick from Samir Nasri into the Villa box saw a Thomas Vermaelen test Brad Friedel and the ball went beyond the far post. Seconds later Abou Diaby spun past his marker on the edge of the box and squared for Eduardo. The Croatian turned his own man expertly but his shot was tame and went straight into the hands of the American goalkeeper. Villa had their chances with an Ashley Young shot deflected off Bacary Sanga and looping wide. Denilson had a chance from dangerous free kick postion. His confidence high after that goal against Hull City. On this occasion, however, his shot hit the wall with a Sanga rebound that flew inches high. Half-time came with the scores level at 0-0 with neither side being clinical despite carving out few chances.

11 minutes into the second-half, Arsene Wenger brought on captain Cesc Fabregas for the efficient but ineffective Denilson. Wenger revealing in the post-match interview that Denilson had suffered a knock on his back. Fabregas breathed life in the game linking up well with Andrey Arshavin. The latter set Eduardo away on the left and, as Luke Young waited for Friedel to claim, Fabregas nipped in. He slipped the ball to Eduardo but the Croatian’s goal-bound shot was hacked clear by Cuellar. The deadlock was broken 25 minutes from time. A  surging Fabregas run drew a foul 22 yards outs. He picked himself up to take the resulting free kick. An exquisite curling effort that beat the wall and Friedel’s hand. 1-0 to Arsenal!

Villa began to press, and this led to Arsenal’s second goal. Armarnd Traore intercepting a Villa pass deep inside his own half and launching a diagonal ball into the Villa half. Walcott latched onto the ball and ran down the right flank. Sliding the ball into the path of Fabregas, who had charged through the centre at full pelt. He barely broke stride to slam the shot past Friedel and double Arsenal’s lead. 2-0 to the Arsenal!

Running at full stretch to score the second goal had aggravated his hamstring injury and Fabregas has to be replaced by Aaron Ramsey in the 84th minute. He spent only 27th minutes on the pitch, and yet that was enough to turn the tide of the game.

Arsenal was not done yet as Abou Diaby, with another impressive shift, received the ball in the halfway line before jinking his way past the Villa players and putting in a sumptuous curling effort in the left hand corner. 3-0 to Arsenal! It was game over by then for Aston Villa. Arsenal had established their title credentials at the end of this game and Villa’s Top 4 status will depend on how they respond to this defeat.

Man of the Match – Abou Diaby

Match Referee – Phil Dowd