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Fabregas - if you don't say anything it can't be misinterpreted

Thursday, 25 June 09, 01:16 PM

Stories are rife today of Cesc Fabregas' disenchantment at Arsenal's lack of success in the past four years.

Although I attach little credence to the content resident in the publication of his comments, of which quotes have doubtless been cherry-picked to give a negative, sensationalist tone, you do have to question the player's motive for speaking so gregariously in the first place.

In the last year we have had countless statements from Fabregas firmly denying reports he wants to leave Arsenal, but the player doesn't seem to help himself by continually leaving himself open to misinterpretaion by talking to the media.

Is this naivety or is something more sinister going on?

Cesc Fabregas is captain of Arsenal and needs to realise, and should have learnt by now, that anything he says is even more likely to be scrutinised and warped for the sake of a handful of tabloid headlines.

Haven't these players ever heard of the phrase 'no comment'?

Fabregas, like Van Persie in the recent past, may well be using the media as their own political tool - to force Wenger into improving the squad. But in the end, all you get is the usual distorted, exclamation-marked quotes, followed by a denial from the player the next day, none of which is likely to have the slightest impact on Wenger's transfer directive.

At the end of the day, such comments, however innocent are more trouble than they're worth.

Doubtless, one day the headlines will come true. Personally, I would not be at all surprised if Fabregas left Arsenal next summer should the club fail to come considerably closer towards fulfilling his expectations in the forthcoming season. But that's a personal opinion, not fanned by the player himself - at least not consciously.


In the meantime, it would be preferable if our captain could keep quiet for a few months on the subject of his "welfare" at Arsenal, or at least think very carefully about who he is making comments to and who the quotes are likely to be sold to on the free market.

If it continues then you would have to start thinking there's an agenda.


It's easy to blame the papers - but we all know how they operate by now. All the more reason not to give them any ammunition in the first place.


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Posted by ArsenalTruth | Comments (27)

Wenger moving towards a squad where players catfight for their place

Tuesday, 23 June 09, 03:43 PM

That's the message I'm getting from Arsene Wenger, and it's a good message.

Over the past four years fans have had to witness a paper-thin Arsenal squad, where injuries have meant a discernable weakening of the team, resulting in points dropped and trophies inevitably discarded.

Certain players, too assured of their position have become lazy and/or complacent - Adebayor and Toure to name but two. And maybe a few others when the chips were down.

Wenger promises no players are leaving Arsenal, and that he will purchase one or two more.

If that's the case, Arsenal would be approaching what I would call a healthy-sized squad, where if you want to play you will have to be at your very best and give 100% or expect to spend the season sitting on the bench, or even in the reserves.

I have coined a new phrase for it, it's called being "Hlebbed."

Wenger has spent too long putting the message over that Arsenal are a mid-sized European club punching above its weight. It suits him that way, but it doesn't communicate well to the players.

It tells them that Arsenal is merely a stepping stone to greater things.

If you make it too easy for players to play, and give youngsters silly money, they think they've made it already and start taking you for granted. They get big-headed, sloppy, and then bugger off when what they deem to be a bigger club comes in for them.

That mindset really needs to be disturbed, addressed.

Arsenal are a massive club, bigger than Chelsea ever were or ever will be and should be winning trophies fairly consistently.

It's time the club acted big, had a big squad, and to hell with any players who aren't up to the challenge.

I also see Wenger trying new formations next season - he's hinted as much, and last year we saw the manager moving towards 4-3-3. Unfortunately, however, the lack of quality in the side, and injuries, meant that in the big games Arsenal were too often on the back foot. The two wide men were often playing too deep, so the formation became a defensive 4-5-1 rather than a attacking 4-3-3, with an inappropriately isolated lone striker up front and wingers who were stuck between defending and attacking.

This needs to be worked on pre-season, but it seems the right way to go because so many Arsenal players are suited to playing in an attacking 4-3-3 formation. The spearhead can be Bendtner or Adebayor, the wide players Eduardo, Rosicky, Arshavin, Nasri, Walcott, Vela, Van Persie.

The players are also highly interchangeable. Van Persie plays wide right for Holland, why not Arsenal? Eduardo can also spearhead - but he's so good he could probably play in goal.

Next season, the introduction of a top class holding midfielder (added to the steely Vermaelen) will allow the team to push further up the pitch, allowing the flair players to play knowing there is some sort of insurance behind them.

There seems little doubt that a holding midfielder will be purchased, but I don't think it should be Felipe Melo. I watched the Brazil vs Italy Confederations Cup game on Sunday evening and I was not at all impressed by the 25-year-old. In fact, ex-Arsenal man Gilberto had a much better game without doing anything spectacular.

Unlike Gilberto, Melo doesn't get tight enough to his man; even snail-paced Italian men.

He was good technically at receiving the ball in tight spaces, but his long-range passing was awful. Physically stronger than Denilson, otherwise much the same player - get it, give it, but completely lacking in creativity, with a highly dubious positional sense. It was only one game, but Italy were absolutely dreadful and Melo did not excel.

Regardless, there's no evidence to suggest Wenger is even looking at Melo. Nobody expected Vermaelen, and doubtless nobody will expect the player Wenger buys next.

In my last post I was a bit negative about the Vermaelen signing - a bit too negative. I'm pleased Arsenal have signed the player and hope Wenger's scouts have made the right choice on this one. I am not entirely convinced but have to be optimistic - he's got to be significantly better than Silvestre, Djourou or Senderos.

In fact, I remain unusually optimistic about next season, but still worried the transfer window will not pan out how I hope. I'm still worried Gallas will leave, and Adebayor won't.


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Posted by ArsenalTruth | Comments (10)

Vermaelen more likely to signal the end of Gallas than Toure

Saturday, 20 June 09, 11:31 AM

As if you didn't know, yesterday Arsenal signed Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax for approximately £10m.

Naturally, speculation is rife as to whether Vermaelen will merely complement the squad or come in as a straight replacement for Kolo Toure or William Gallas.

Well, seeing as Vermaelen is primarily a left-footed centre back, he is more likely to play left of centre, which is therefore more likely to signal the end of William Gallas career at Arsenal rather than Kolo Toure.

Gallas also prefers to play left of centre - as does Johan Djourou, meaning Arsenal now have three defenders whose primary position is left of centre.

As I mentioned several weeks ago, a straight swap; Vermaelen IN, Gallas OUT, would not impress me, in fact it would underwhelm me as Gallas is a far better defender than Vermaelen.

In fact, the Vermaelen signing does not impress me regardless.

The opinion of many Ajax fans is that Vermaelen is hardly irreplaceable and Arsenal have somewhat overpaid for the Belgian. Vermaelen often struggled in the centre of defence playing for Ajax last season, in fact he played in the heart of their defence throughout all of their heavy defeats including the 4-0 defeat at Sparta, 6-2 at PSV, 4-1 at Vitesse, 5-2 at Heerenveen.

Whilst it would be ridiculous to blame Vermaelen for those results, the fact is he was a mainstay performer for Ajax last season, and captain, of a team that conceded - in a relatively poor league - almost double the goals of AZ Alkmaar.

In the Premier League, Arsenal will play better teams than that virtually every week - and Vermaelen will face far superior players.

The overall consensus amongst the views of a number Ajax supporters I happened to read online seems to be that Vermaelen is not the quickest, has his fair share of bad games, but could well blossom under a more experienced coach than Van Basten. Problem being of course that Wenger does not have a good track record of either buying or coaching defenders.

I certainly don't see Vermaelen, or any defender, improving considerably under Wenger's stewardship unless something fundamental is changed within the coaching staff and on the training ground.

Leafing through the records, bar Kolo Toure, Wenger's best defensive signings were all top quality before they came to the club: Sagna, Campbell, Gallas, Lauren (arguably).

When Wenger has brought through youngsters, or unknowns, they have mostly failed to perform or settle: Upson, Stepanovs, Cygan, Senderos, Hoyte, Eboue.

For me, the jury is still very much out on Clichy, Traore, Song, Gibbs, and Djourou.  Decent youngsters no doubt, but if you're going for the big prizes they'll all cost you defensively - and let's face it, they have done. The lesson of last season is that it's abundantly clear that Arsenal need more than just potential if they want to seriously compete for the Premier League or win the Champions League.

Most Arsenal fans wanted a powerful, experienced centre-back to come straight into the team next season, but I fear that Vermaelen, at 23, is more of an experiment than the experience Arsenal require.


Yes, Arsenal desperately need a defender, and Arsenal have got one, but quality is more important than numbers, and you can be sure that Vermaelen will certainly have his work cut out when thrown into the Premier League deep end.

Still, there's plenty of time for Wenger to buy another defender, and no-one's left yet, but
I won't pretend I'm not concerned following last summer's transfer les diabolique.

 
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Posted by ArsenalTruth | Comments (25)

A vote of no-confidence for Sepp Blatter, please!

Friday, 12 June 09, 05:21 PM

Compare these quotes:

12/10/05


FIFA president Sepp Blatter has vowed to stop "greed ruling the world of football" and launched a blistering attack on hugely-wealthy club owners he claims are threatening the future of football.

In an astonishing column in the Financial Times, the FIFA president says the "pornographic amounts of money" being thrown around by some club owners could suffocate the game.

He adds: "This cannot be the future of our game. FIFA cannot sit by and see greed rule the football world. Nor shall we. The time has come to take action to curb the excesses and ensure that the sport protects its roots.


"It is simply insane for any player to 'earn' £6million-£8million a year when the annual budget of even a club competing in the UEFA Champions League may be less than half that. What logic, right or economic necessity would qualify a man in his mid-20s to demand to earn in a month a sum that his own father - and the majority of fans - could not hope to earn in a decade?"

"Unlimited cash has given a handful of club owners the wherewithal to control the global club game by splashing unimaginable sums on a tiny group of elite players. More than ever before, the majority are fighting with spears, while the greedy few have the financial equivalent of nuclear warheads.”

12/06/09


Blatter: "We are in a sensitive market at the moment and there is an economic crisis. But football is a good product and we are giving people what they want."

"It is the game of the people and full of emotions. Football needs to have stars like Ronaldo."

"Almost ten years ago, Luis Figo went from Barcelona to Real Madrid for £37m, at the same time a Picasso painting was sold for £100m at Sotherbys in London."

"But they hide that away and no one can see it. A football player is everywhere for everyone to see. They are stars."

"You can't say it's too much money because you have to make it relevant to everything else, what is £80m now? Let us be generous about it.”


----------------------------------------

If they're not the words of a hyocrite, I'm Elvis Presley.


I've never been a big fan of Blatter and I'd like to see him try and weasel out of his own quotes should anyone be fortunate enough to confront him with them.


Isn't it about time his organisation gave him a vote of no confidence?

Other dumb comments the 71-year-old Swiss has made over the years include his threat to  step in and overule the FA's automatic 3 match ban for Birmingham's Martin Taylor - having broken Eduardo's leg.

Fine, one might think, except it was Blatter himself who made up the idiotic rule that players sent off should face a fixed suspension that cannot later be overruled whatever the evidence - including if innocent.

Apart from insisting that women footballers should wear "tighter shorts" to increase the popularity of the game, in 2008, Blatter described Ronaldo as "a modern day slave".

Preposterous comments in their own right, particularly the latter - the former was more predictable coming from him, but even more so considering it's his organisation that insists on burning out its members by continually organising nonsensical and greedy cash-raising tournaments such as the African Nations Cup, Confederations Cup, Men's Olympic Soccer, Europa League, friendly quotas etc., ensuring that very few top level footballers ever get a career-break such is their congested fixture list.


Even World Cup qualifying groups are increasingly packed with idiotic pub teams such as Andorra, Faroe Islands, Belarus, and Azerbaijan - piling on even more fixture chaos when it's least wanted or required.

Of course, these players could object to playing in Europe or for their country, but then they'd live in fear of being dropped from bigger tournaments such as the European Championships or World Cup.

That's a lot more to do with "modern slavery" that not not allowing a player under contract to leave his club.


In 2007, Blatter claimed that he wanted clubs to be limited to five foreigners in their starting eleven. His argument was that football deserves special treatment because it's not like any other job:

"Workers in Europe can circulate freely but footballers are not workers," said Blatter.

"You cannot consider a footballer like any normal worker because you need 11 to play a match - and they are more artists than workers."

Anyone reading this work in an office? According to Blatter you can now regard yourselves abnormal workers divorceable from European employment laws because you work in an environment that requires a team of people to run a department.


As Blatter has already discovered, his scheme is illegal and unworkable, not to mention unethical. How can European immigrants, when offered a job, have the right to live and work in a foreign country, excluding footballers? If these plans were accepted under European Law, it wouldn't be long before bigots used the new laws to kick immigrants out of their jobs, saying it's beneficial for their company to employ only whites or muslims or christians.


Blatter is a joke, and his organisation is a joke - and his Ronaldo comments highlight his hypcorisy and to some extent irrelevance.


I can't think of a worse person to be running FIFA and I honestly don't know how he keeps his job - other than the fact that allegations of corruption within FIFA, including the surroundings leading to his own appointment, have always been rife.


For the record - I'm glad Ronaldo's gone. A great player no doubt, but his perpertual diving and childish, cry-baby antics embarrassed English football no-end. My abiding memory of Ronaldo will be this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q-Zqvlz3bA.

He'll be welcome in Spain, where that sort of thing is happily accepted, and if his head gets any bigger it will probably blow up. It also means Man Utd are significantly weaker without him, although obviously they have the firepower to replace him, with bells on.

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Posted by ArsenalTruth | Comments (11)

Vermaelen looks a go-er - can Wenger coach him?

Monday, 08 June 09, 01:17 PM

There's a lot of smoke and no denials on the Thomas Vermaelen-to-Arsenal transfer rumour mill.

You can't trust or believe anything the papers or blogs say when it comes to transfers, you just have to go by intuition - and intuition tells me there's probably something to this story.


A lot of has been said about "size" - or lack of it, but if Arsenal were to buy Vermaelen I would be more concerned about experience - or lack of it.

Yes, it would be preferable if Vermaelen was two to four inches taller, but it's more important that defenders are well coached in how to attack aerial balls and positional play.

However, positional adeptness usually comes through experience, and at 23 I don't imagine Vermaelen being anywhere near his peak in that respect and I don't see Arsene Wenger coaching him to be positionally sound either.

Arsenal require quality and experience at the back NOW - someone who doesn't need to be coached.

They say Vermaelen is a good tackler, but so is Kolo Toure - that doesn't stop the defence ending up a total shambles at virtually every set piece.

Perhaps Wenger sees a role for Vermaelen as a defensive midfielder.

As a central defender, this signing would not immediately impress me. If Vermaelen was a straight replacement for the departing Gallas, that would make Arsenal weaker not stronger.

My only hope then would be that Wenger plans to bring two CBs in.


I was concerned throughout last summer, and this summer I remain equally concerned about Wenger's transfer choices/decisions.

They say "Trust Arsene", but I don't. I used to, but not anymore - he has to regain my trust because Arsenal have won nothing for four years, Wenger's tactical formations have been a disaster, last season was hopeless and 2008 pre-season was a transfer joke that I don't want to see repeated.

Last season was dead before it even started, will 2009/10 be? We'll know in less than 8 weeks, Wenger can't afford to play this squad in the Champions League qualifier on 18th August.


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Posted by ArsenalTruth | Comments (21)

Let the bollocks begin

Thursday, 04 June 09, 03:58 PM

Starting with Thomas Vermaelen, the Belgian superstar (ahem).

Unsubstantiated rumours imply that Vermaelen has signed for Arsenal. He's doing a great job for Ajax at the minute, who finished third this year, beaten by FC Twente and AZ Alkmaar to the Dutch Eredivisie.

Alkmaar conceded nearly half as many goals as Ajax throughout the season - so for Denilson-like stat lovers, Vermaelen's defending does not make pretty reading.

I know Wenger's record of signing defenders is pretty horrific, but surely even he wouldn't compute towerhouse plus experience equalling a 5'11, Belgian 23-year-old playing in Holland.

On a serious note - I'm seriously worried about one thing that might happen this summer, that being Wenger sells William Gallas and just buys a straight replacement. That is not strengthening the defence.

Gallas has to stay, if anyone should leave it should be Toure, otherwise it only takes one ill-timed injury for this Arsenal team to be stuck with a centre back partnership of Toure/Djourou/Silvestre and the impending suicide of everything that that entails.

Any other news? Yes, but nearly all of it's comedic.

Headlines over the past week have included "Eboue: I may leave Arsenal".

Is that a threat or a promise?

Meanwhile, pink-booted, trouser-collapsing drunkard Nicklas Bendtner supposedly says: "In about three years, I will be better than Zlatan (Ibrahimovic). I have a plan, I believe in it and I am ready. Next season, I can finally make my breakthrough and then I still have two years to become better than Zlatan – and I will. By then I will be close to my peak and will be able to look upon myself as one of the world’s greatest strikers."

I always think it's better to boast after you've achieved something, not before it - although, in truth, these quotes look somewhat artificial. It seems that wherever Bendtner goes, trouble follows.

But good luck anyway Nicky, we're right behind you - someone needs to hold your trousers up after all.

Now on to ex-Gunner Alex Hleb, who still needs to borrow a jimmy bar to prize his arse from the Barcelona bench. "I am bitterly disappointed," said Hleb in The Sun. "It's time to change my situation."

I
n the Champions League final, even 17-year-old Muniesa made the bench ahead of Hleb. Still, before we start gloating too much, it's worth remembering that Hleb did feature in six Champions League games this season, starting three - and he has a winner's medal to prove it. So obviously his move has not been a complete disaster.

Now on to Tony Adams, who says that Wenger has an enemy on the board and seems to be under the misapprehension that his "good friend" Wim Jansen will appoint him as Celtic's manager should he be appointed as technical director of the Scottish club.

A perplexed Jansen stated, "I can honestly say I don't know anything about it," No doubt perplexed Arsenal board members are saying exactly the same thing.

There's something about Adams that just doesn't sit right. An Arsenal legend no doubt, but also a bit of a strange chap. He's a good 15 years of management away from the Arsenal hot seat he would so love to acquire, although criticism of his credentials to date is slightly unfair. His two jobs to date, Wycombe and Portsmouth would have been desperately difficult for all but the most experienced of managers.

That just about wraps up this weeks' bollocks.

My advice is, don't believe anything you read in the tabloids, or the broadsheets - who have now become tabloid in their desperate attempts for attention. Money ruins everything it seems. Don't believe the bloggers either, the're just piggy backing on every story going to get hits for advertising, or plain making things up.

Only one website will tell you what's happening with regard to new Arsenal signings, Arsenal.com. And they won't tell you until the day it's done.

Arsenal Truth doesn't need to do tell fibs; I don't see a penny from advertising. Although if I could make serious money out of click-throughs, maybe I'd sell my soul to the devil too - after all, it's the nature of the beast.


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Posted by ArsenalTruth | Comments (7)

Arsenal Truth responds to criticism

Wednesday, 27 May 09, 01:35 PM

Haven't done this before, but thought I'd respond to those who kindly commented on my Player Ratings and Assessment blog written yesterday.

"A bit harsh for a team who got into the CL semis, 4th in the EPL and FA Cup semis. How did we do it with such mediocre plaers?"

Well, there's mediocre and there's mediocre - it's relative to your club's status and  the supporters' expectations. Arsenal are a mediocre top level European side, whereas a team like Tottenham is just mediocre full stop.

Is it really such an achievement to reach the FA Cup semi-final having been drawn against Plymouth, Cardiff, Burnley and Hull? In the Champions League Arsenal beat medicore teams with mediocre players. Last season they played AC Milan and Liverpool after the group stages - quality sides, this year Roma and Villarreal - mediocre sides.

"Some of these ratings make perfect sense, others are way wide of the mark."

If I am wide of the mark according to you then you can bet that you are wide of the mark according to someone else, and so on. It's called having an opinion, and everyone has different ones.

It's not so unusual to be considered wide of the mark when compiling player ratings for the season, however, you won't be suprised to learn that I think it's pretty accurate.

"Why be so negative towards the players. Give them confidence instead."

It's not my job give players confidence, it's Arsene Wenger's job. When I attend a game I support the team and give them confidence through my support. Writing a blog is completely different; my objective is to tell the truth -  my truth - and be honest in my opinions.

If I tell lies simply to boost players confidence or moral, then I am not being true to myself and what I am writing is completely valueless. Besides, I very much doubt any Arsenal player has ever read my blog  - and even if they did I certainly wouldn't change anything.

"Van Persie should have a higher rating as i feel he has carried us a bit this season"

I agree that Van Persie carried Arsenal during periods of the season. However, if you were to rate players performances throughout the season yourself then I guarantee that you would also arrive at some surprising conclusions.

For example, a player might have 5 very good games, marked 8 out of 10, and 5 anonymous games scoring 5 out of 10 - his average rating would therefore be 6.5, which seems rather low, but that's because you only remember the good games a player has and quickly forget the bad ones, especially if they were 9 months ago. That's why giving an average over all the games gives a much more accurate reflection of a player's season in its entirety.

"Sell Clichy? Have a word with yourself son!"

Where does it say I want Clichy sold? I don't want him sold, I want him to stay and improve. if he DOESN'T improve, I want him sold. I don't understand  why any supporter would want a 'promising' left back that delivers little going forward and a worrying amount of mistakes at the back to stay in the team every year, costing the club important points along the way.

Clichy has potential, and has delivered on that potential at times - but not consistently enough. He has to cut out the stupid mistakes and focus on defending properly; going forward is secondary - a defender's job is to defend.

"Why so down on Djourou and Ramsey? I'm not saying we don't need to buy CB's but this kid has still got potential to tap."

I'm not down on Djourou, I actually rated him level with Toure, Nasri and Vela. Djourou has done a reasonable job at the back. What do you want me to say? He's the new Vidic? He's a capable player, nothing more than that - why dress it up?

As for Ramsey, he's shown very little. I think he has a fair bit of potential, but my rating is based on what he HAS done, not what he MIGHT do. I hope he becomes a very good player, but don't see where the opportunity to do that will come from.

Arshavin should never be the player of the season as we have not seen him play a full season with consistency, therefore the rating is not fair to more deserving players like Van Persie and Almunia, who are my players of the season.

How can I exclude a player who has played around 14 games, scored 6 goals and created equally as many assists? If it wasn't for Arshavin Arsenal might not have even finished fourth.

If I only included players that were signed up from last summer onwards then I would have probably given the player of the season award to Van Persie or Sagna - but as I am sticking to the ratings I gave them throughout the season if I changed them I would only be disagreeing with myself.

"I've given you a chance throughout this season as occasionally you write a good article but actually its now very obvious that you are writing sensationalist negative articles to atract click through revenue."

Thank you very much for giving me my chance, it's a blessing. I wish all blog writers would be as appreciative to their audience for giving them the opportunity to use the Internet.

Unfortunately, any click through revenue I attract goes directly to OleOle.com. I don't see a penny of it. All I do is spend hours of my time writing a blog in my own honest way - and get mostly abused for it as if I were a rapist or paedophile (which I'm not might I add).

Not that I'm complaining, I don't have to do it, I choose to do it.

"If Arsene Wenger can look back at the season as honestly as you, and make the necessary decisions and changes, then next season could be a cracker."

I agree, there's no reason why next season cannot be a cracker. My main concern is the defence and Wenger's bad record in buying defenders, and his even more horrible coaching of defenders.

When you look at what a manager such as Roy Hodgson has achieved at Fulham - conceding three less goals than Arsenal with a defence of Paintsil, Konchesky, Hughes and Hangeland, it certainly puts into perspective how lack of money is a very lame excuse for a team not having a well organised defence.


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Posted by ArsenalTruth | Comments (33)

Arsenal Truth - End of Season Player Ratings and Assessments

Tuesday, 26 May 09, 02:50 PM

So, Arsenal's season is over, and what a poor season it's been. It was all very, very predictable following the summer departures of Gilberto, Flamini, Lehmann, Hleb, and Diarra last January.

Of course, not all of those players were missed - but for me Flamini's departure had a massive negative effect on the team, whilst Hleb's departure robbed the club of some much required creativity in midfield. His replacement, Samir Nasri, has been a decent purchase, but has obviously required time to settle, whilst his youth has inevitably counted against the team.

For me the biggest pre-season cock-up was Wenger's refusal to buy a natural replacememt for Flamini, instead hoping that Denilson or Song could step-up to the plate. But, despite an improvement from the latter, this has proved to be a horribly predictable miscalculation from the manager.

Wenger's refusal to strengthen the defence with anything other than Mikael Silvestre has been another calamity. There's no doubt in my mind that this season I  have witnessed some of the worst defensive performances from a Wenger team since his Arsenal management began, and considering the manager was preceded by George Graham, you could argue that this is Arsenal's worst defensive unit for nigh-on 25 years!

Needless to say, that is NOT to the manager's credit and is something that needs to be seriously addressed in the summer if Arsenal are to have any chance of winning silverware next season. Wenger should have addressed this last season, and said that he intended to, but, bizarrely, he didn't and I think this is a major reason why supporters grew very disenchanted with his management, as all their fears came to fruition right from the off as the season unfurled.

In fact, this season has seemed like a complete waste of time for my perspective, with no discernable progress made from 2007/2008 despite the manager's protestations. Despite an improvement in results over the latter half of the season - incorporating a long unbeaten run - still a lot of points were dropped and performances were anything but convincing. Ask yourself, is the Arsenal team we saw at Stoke on Saturday really any better than what we witnessed during the 2007/2008 season?

Hopefully, next season will be about getting back on track, and the return of Rosicky and Eduardo will go a long way towards that. I'm looking for these players to come back and bring their undoubted quality and experience to the first team, allied to Arshavin's impressive start and the continued progress of Nasri, Walcott and perhaps Bendtner. Long-term, I agree with Wenger that his vision needs to be hitting the heights two years from now - but we need to see a huge improvement next season too with a trophy high on the agenda.

There has been a lot of moaning and groaning and a lot of animosity shown towards the manager, some of it justified, some of it over the top - but it seems as though Wenger has taken on board the criticisms and is ready to get serious in the summer with some quality signings. Here's hoping he can appease the fans - of whom many might accept Arsenal's season, but few can be happy with it by any stretch of the imagination.

Signings will need to be made early, and not left until the last day in August to shave off a few million in transfer fees. Arsenal could potentially face a top 4 side in the unseeded qualification stages for the Champions League; the club cannot afford to go into that scenario with the squad as it has now, or there may well be no Champions League next season.

Ultimately, however, we have come to the end of the season and it's a question of how have the players performed. Many of them have been dropped in the deep-end and ended up on the end of some harsh criticism. In some cases understandable and deserved (Eboue, Adebayor), in others, a bit unfair (Bendtner, Gallas).

Regardless, readers of Arsenal Truth will know that I have been rating the players' performances all season, so here is my best and the worst. which has been calculated by adding up all the ratings I have given per player throughout the season and dividing them by the amount of games each has played to get an average rating. Note I have only included players who have made 10 appearances or more throughout the season.

PLAYER OF THE SEASON

Andrei Arshavin
Seasonal Rating - 7.2

It says a lot that despite only joining the club in January, Arshavin is my player of the season. It's all the more remarkable considering players usually require a lengthy period of adjustment when entering English football. Arshavin's 4 goal heroics at Anfield have definitely been the highlight of the season for me, even if the game simultaneously highlighted everything bad about Arsenal including their wretched defending. I've no doubt that Arshavin will be a sensation next season, but do have a few reservations about playing him wide left, and also the player's temperament. It's good to have a couple of players who speak honestly and don't just come out with  the usual mind-numbing rhetoric, but Arshavin's at a big club now, he's no longer a big fish in a St. Petersburg pond and cannot expect to dictate his opinions to the manager. However, I feel this is unlikely to be a major problem if it's kept on top of.

Cesc Fabregas
Seasonal Rating - 6.7

Credit to Fabregas in that a season for which he's missed 13 consecutive games with a serious knee injury, he has still performed at a high enough level to make him one of Arsenal's most productive players. This is often despite being surrounded by a distinct lack of quality and played out of position in a host of games. Next season, surrounded by players of the calibre of Rosicky, Arshavin, Eduardo and a world class defensive midfielder, Fabregas can really blossom and shows us what he is truly capable of - perhaps getting amongst the goals again, which he's been unable to do since Flamini departed.

Bacary Sagna
Seasonal Rating - 6.6

Sagna has not quite hit the same heights as last season, but he's still by far Arsenal's most consistent defender - if anything, the rest of the defence has been dragging him down to their level. It would be nice if Arsenal could have as good a full-back on the left-side too. If there is a negative then Sagna needs to improve on his crossing next season - it's often woeful and wastes far too many attacks.

Manuel Almunia
Seasonal Rating - 6.4

I think we all had doubts about Almunia taking over from Jens Lehmann to claim the club keeper's jersey full time. However, the Spaniard has done well for the most part and has been one of Arsenal's most improved players this season. One of his greatest assets is his temperament; he's not the kind to panic and by god have Arsenal's defence needed a calming influence behind them. Yes, he still makes the occasional mistake and cannot be considered world class, but then so have Cech, Van der Saar and Reina. Most importantly, I believe that Arsenal are capable of winning a major trophy with Almunia in goal.

Robin Van Persie
Seasonal Rating - 6.4

Van Persie has been Arsenal's top scorer this season, with 20 - his best tally for the club to date. In January, Van Persie single-handedly carried Arsenal through their bad spell with his goals and assists, which became the catalyst for a long, unbeaten run of games in the Premiership. Some still doubt Van Persie, who has a tendency to slow Arsenal's attacks by taking too many touches and an over-reliance of his left foot. However, Van Persie has hardly been assisted by what has been a dour midfield and he is by no means a sole striker either, so all things considered he has delivered.

William Gallas
Seasonal Rating - 6.3

Gallas has had a mixed season, but I have always sympathised with the player. He is clearly a winner, with a winner's mentality - just what Arsenal need right now, but he failed to captain the team intelligently and his criticisms had an adverse effect on so many of the young players. Gallas would probably be a good captain in a team full of men, but not babies. Although Gallas struggled at times he was often surrounded by clueless performers such as Clichy, Song, Denilson and even Toure, for whom the players share a strained relationship. Yet Gallas took all the criticism on the chin and performed like a warrior prior to his injury in early-April. If Arsenal are to buy the big stopper they so desperately need at the back, then it needs to be Gallas playing next to him. I really hope we do not lose this player in the summer, it will only be another big step
backwards when everything needs to be going forwards.

Theo Walcott
Seasonal Rating - 6.3

A lot of Arsenal supporters don't rate Walcott too highly, whereas others laud him purely for being English. Personally, I am surprised that I have rated the player marginally above Nasri this season. This may have something to do with the fact that Walcott is more direct than Nasri and usually shows in games even if he lacks end product. I still feel his future is as a central striker, Walcott would terrify opponents on one-on-one situations through the middle, whereas on the wing he often struggles to deliver that final ball. Walcott still has a lot to learn and has learned a lot this season. I still don't feel he is quite ready to play in the big games though; on many occasions Walcott would be better deployed coming off the bench in the final 20 minutes.

Kieran Gibbs
Seasonal Rating - 6.2

Gibbs did as good a job as could be expected covering for the injured Gael Clichy in the latter part of the season. Yes he made some key mistakes, which is only to be expected, but I would much rather blame Wenger for having to shove such a young player into massive games at a key period in the season when he's clearly not ready. But Gibbs performed very well in many of those games and proved equally as capable as Glichy who is prone to consistent errors. At the moment, I don't feel there is a lot to choose between the two - and I'm not really sure if either are good enough to be staking a claim for a first team place at a club with a tradition of fielding such great left-backs.

Johan Djourou
Seasonal Rating - 6.1

Yet again I have surprised myself, but the stats don't lie. Djourou has done a reasonable job at the back for Arsenal, but then 6.1 is hardly a high-level rating. I am quite happy for the young Swiss to remain at Arsenal and learn his trade, but don't feel he should be playing as many games as he does; he will clearly never be first choice.

Samir Nasri
Seasonal Rating - 6.1

Nasri's first season as an Arsenal player has been mostly positive. He hasn't quite brought to the team what the departed Hleb did, but that's understandable considering the age difference and his requirement to adapt. Nasri did score seven goals from midfield, however, whereas Hleb only managed 11 in three season, although it's not all about goals. It will interesting to see how Wenger deploys Nasri next season, what with Arshavin stealing his right wing bearth and Rosicky hopefully coming back into the fold. One thing's for sure, holding midfielder he isn't.

Kolo Toure
Seasonal Rating - 6.1

Toure has had a poor season for Arsenal, carrying on from a poor second half to last season. Without Sol Campbell next to him, Toure's aerial deficiencies are cruelly exposed - he's pretty witless in that department to be honest. I don't feel Toure and Gallas is the way forward, the duo do not complement each other and don't even like each other, which despite what Wenger says is not a healthy situation. Unfortunately, I feel that neither Toure or Gallas will be willing to make way for a third first-choice defender next season and it could be Gallas that Wenger decides to lose - but given the choice I feel that would be a big mistake. Although Toure is undoubtedly an Arsenal legend, there is no room for sentiment, Gallas is the better defender and I would prefer to see him stay at Arsenal above Toure. I also get the feeling that once Toure's electric pace goes he will be almost completely redundant as a player.

Carlos Vela
Seasonal Rating - 6.1

Would like to have seen more of Vela this season and felt a little worried for him sitting on the bench for so long. He has shown in relatively few appearances what a quality young striker he is with bags of potential, and is a far more natural finisher than Bendtner or Adebayor. Hopefully, with Adebayor leaving in the summer Vela will get many more opportunities to shine.

Alex Song
Seasonal Rating - 6.0

Song had a ghastly start to the season, but over the duration began to show many signs of improvement. The player is willing to put his foot in, reads the game fairly well and even shows a willingess to get forward and passes well in the final third. On the minus side, he is still very young and inexperienced, and that has cost Arsenal in many games this season, but Song is definitely worth keeping as a squad player.

Lukasz Fabianski
Seasonal Rating - 5.9

Fabianski got his chance this season, but more often than not disappointed - making several howlers in a variety of games. In fact, he has never looked comfortable and it's a worry that the young Pole is second choice keepr, he could quite literally wreck Arsenal's season next year if Almunia sustained a long-term injury. I'm not saying the situation is not understandable, Fabiasnki is young and a young goalkeeper's mistakes are punished a lot more than the mistakes of other young players, but that's the nature of the beast. Goalkeepers need to have exceptionally strong mental attributes at the very top level, even if they have all the physical capabilities, which Fabianski clearly possesses. Personally, I thought Alex Manninger showed a lot more than Fabianski does, and he wasn't deemed up to it.

Emmanuel Adebayor
Seasonal Rating - 5.8

Three words sum up Adebayor's season "Not Good Enough". He dallied with AC Milan in the summer, got a pay hike to keep him sweet then performed miserably, often displaying a lack of effort which was his hallmark when he first joined the club (effort, not lack of it). Even when Adebayor attempted to defend himself later in the season, one week later he would make contradictory statements to the press about his loyalties. Allied to the fact that Adebayor is not the sharpest tool in the box and hasn't been able to learn the offside rule in three years, if there's big money on the table Arsenal should take it - and undoubtedly will take it. Eduardo will be back next season, and Vela could do with getting more games too - Adebayor won't be missed.

Nicklas Bendtner
Seasonal Rating - 5.7

Adebayor has more natural talent than Bendtner, hence why on the rare occasions he has performed well this season he has brought a little more to the table than Bendtner has. By Bendtner's own admission, his performances were often awful up to Christmas but he has noticeably improved of late. He's not the finished article by any means and has a tendency to be big-headed - just like Adebayor - but 15 goals is a very good return for a developing fourth choice striker so he has earned a new contract.

Gael Clichy
Seasonal Rating - 5.7

Rather like Kolo Toure, Clichy had a nightmare end to last season and carried that forward into the new season, making needless error after needless error that consistently cost Arsenal goals and points. His tendency to stand off wingers and not close them down is pretty infuriating and you have to question why he is still making such elementary mistakes. The defensive coaching at Arsenal really does leave a lot to be desired, but the player should use his brain more. I would suggest Clichy is given one more season at Arsenal to see if he can get back on track and deliver his undoubted potential, otherwise the club should cut their losses and get a solid Sagna-type left-sided full-back who primarily knows how to defend.

Denilson
Seasonal Rating - 5.7

Some supportes love him, others think he's a waste of space. I fall into the latter camp. For a laptop manager such as Wenger, Denilson is a dream, because statistically he appears to be a world class passer and retainer of possession. However, Denilson is playing in a defensive midfield role, and those attributes, whilst important for any player, are secondary to the requirement for him to tackle, block, anticipate and initiate attacks with direct passes - not just play numerous 5-yard short, square and backwards passes that merely slow play down and pass the buck. Denilson also gives far too many fouls away in dangerous areas, which has cost Arsenal goals as they are so poor at defending set pieces. I don't rate him and he has certainly not shown he is good enough in the defensive midfield role. Should Denilson leave he would not be missed in the slightest and I wouldn't fear him playing for any other team either.

Abou Diaby
Seasonal Rating - 5.5

Make no mistake, Diaby has had a wretched season. Although often deployed as a left winger in an act of perpetual crass stupidity by our manager, Diaby has never produced consistently in any shape or form. Just because Diaby is tall doesn't mean he wil naturally defend set-pieces well, because quite simply he doesn't. Diaby is also lazy, equally lazy as Adebayor - sometimes he simply can't be arsed to track a midfielder back and his passing is terribly sloppy. This is a player supposedly fighting for a first team place, yet he plays like he has 100 trophies stuffed in his living room cabinet. I'll admit he has talent, but many players have talent and never produce. Diaby is clearly expendable.

Mikael Silvestre
Seasonal Rating - 5.5

A godawful signing from Wenger. The day the signing went through, a million Bart Simpson-like "doh's" reverberated around Arsenal's worldwide fan base. Unfortunately, the fans have been proved 100% right to deride this calamatous signing. Silvestre has brought nothing to the team; he's dreadfully slow, positionally inept and doesn't even seem to display the necessary passion -  Wenger's sole reason for signing Silvestre appears to be because he is French. The shareholders called him a "geriatric", because he is. Wenger needs to get rid of this aberration sharpish - his record of buying defenders is pretty woeful to be honest and he needs to get some advice in this area because any half-decent assistant manager - not a puppet like Rice - would have pleaded with Wenger not to buy this chump.

Aaron Ramsey
Seasonal Rating - 5.4

Why Wenger bought Aaron Ramsey is a complete mystery to me. In a team with an abundance of central midfielders, you have to ask why a supposedly hard-up manager would waste almost £5m on a 17-year old such as this. I can't imagine what sort of progress Ramsey has made this season other than in training, as his performances have been severely restricted to sitting on the bench and twiddling his thumbs. When he was give the chance to shine, against old club Cardiff in the FA Cup, the whole occasion seemed to get to him and he was quite dreadful. I don't see how Ramsey can expect to feature much next season either unless Wenger decides to cut loose of Denilson and/or Diaby. Meanwhile, Roskicky is coming back and Wilshire looks to be an equal prospect - a long-term loan looks the best bet for Ramsey before he himself asks for a move.

Emmanuel Eboue
Seasonal Rating - 4.3

My worst player of the season award falls to Eboue, who could barely raise his performances above an average rating of 4.3 per game. I'm sure few fans can forget Eboue's witless performances earlier in the season, resulting in the player being booed off at home to Wigan amidst the Ivorian's fake tears. He wasn't much better after that either, although he has marginally improved of late - particularly his attitude. Howeber, if any player is expendable, it's Eboue.


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Bullshit week at Arsenal

Friday, 22 May 09, 01:46 PM

Tomorrow is Arsenal's final game of season, a sadly irrelevant affair hardly worth passing comment on.

Instead, I'd rather focus on a week of total bullshit.

Bullshit Story No. 1 - Wenger leaving for Real Madrid

The most transparent, bullshit story of Arsenal's season. Wenger makes a vague pro-Perez comment on French TV, in full knowledge it will be picked up the British media and circulated like the common cold. Then, when the lemmings lept to his defence - as he knew they would, Wenger promptly slammed the door in Real Madrid's face at today's press conference.

Job done.

All in all, a brilliant tactical move from the greatest footballing politician of the century. He didn't just play the Arsenal supporters, he had the board bending over backwards too, and blasting anyone that dared criticise a manager who believes he is beyond criticism.

Of course, only the most idiotic of Arsenal supporters would have been entirely convinced of Wenger leaving. The truth of the matter was most likely to be found in the blog of Spanish media correspondent Guillem Balague; but he wrote off the story almost as quickly as it arrived.

Today, it seems clearer than ever that Arsene Wenger has no intention of ever managing any other club than Arsenal. He'd rather retire than go to Real Madrid.

Bullshit Story No. 2 - Phil Brown vs Cesc Fabregas


Did Fabregas ever spit at Hull assistant manager Brian Horton? There's no evidence. As I realised no less than one hour after the event supposedly occurred, this story was almost a complete fabrication and never had legs - the whole thing has been a farce and Brown has been wasting everybody's time.

Mid-season, following an excellent start to Hull's Premiership campaign, Phil Brown's head began to expand to Jose Mourinho-like proportions. Hull's victory over Arsenal
at the Emirates back in September was a major catalyst for that.

In the return game, Hull were beaten fair-and-square by an out-of-form Arsenal side, with the manic Brown seated in the stand in full view of the television cameras - from where he knew his every self-indulgent motion would be analysed. It was like watching a Shakespeare play that night; an oscar-winning performance by Brown - beating his chest at every decision, furrowing his brow and throwing numerous delightful pirouettes.

Unfortunately, at the final whistle - when the curtain had fallen - Brown went beyond acting. Brown made some hasty, nasty comments, and rather than retract his numerous idiotic remarks, began digging a hole for himself of Grand Canyon proportions.

He even went as far to invent a story about Cesc Fabregas spitting at his assistant Brian Horton. Which he later altered from only Horton witnessing to himself witnessing, then several players witnessing - and a tea lady or something. Amongst other ridiculous remarks, Brown was hauled up in front of the FA for attacking the referee, for which he will be punished, and today we've learnt what we all knew - his accusations against Fabregas were completely foundless, and all charges have been dropped without the player even being required to attend a hearing.

How embarrassing; what a plum! I'm not usually vindictive, but I hope Hull go down and we never see Brown again in top flight management.

Bullshit Story No. 3 - Adebayor to stay at Arsenal

He's not staying, he's going. Wenger won't be drawn on it, but Adebayor has no injury - there's nothing physically wrong with him, but a lot mentally. Some supporters forgave him after his Milan wanderlust last summer, but his lazy performances this season and manical greed and lies have seen supporters grow weary and obnoxious of him.

An interview with the BBC's Garth Crooks last weekend showed Adebayor up for what he is. A preposterous, badge-kissing fraud of epic proportions. I hope he goes to Chelsea for £30 million, where  there's a good chance he will help cripple their future.

There is a very good player lurking somewhere inside of Adebayor, but he's too dumb to ever be a consistent, world class striker - any  player that is blown offside as frequently as he is, game after game, year after year, has to be have his brain cell quota questioned.


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So that's it folks - a week of bullshit. After the Stoke game, which I will not be watching, I will be totalling up all the player ratings I gave for the season to calculate who I consider to be Arsenal's player of the season.  Even I don't know what the result of that will be and ajoined to that will be my player assessments for the season.

Then, I'll probably wrap up the blog for a good while before deciding whether to continue it into the future. It takes up a lot of my time, but maybe I won't be able to resist writing about Arsenal on the Internet.

You have to be an opinionated loud mouth with extraordinarily broad shoulders to do it, but I happen to have those qualities.

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Arsenal fans stunned by critics

Tuesday, 19 May 09, 01:24 PM

Let me get this straight, I don't enjoy criticising Arsene Wenger - and I very much doubt that any of the shareholders who criticised the manager at last weeks' AGM enjoyed doing so.

This has been my first season as a blog writer, and, for many reasons, it also happens to be Wenger's worst season of his 13-year management of Arsenal. Being truthful, my blog has had to reflect that, and an accumulation of seasons where the club has not only lacked success, but seemingly remains as far away from achieving success as it did four years ago, has naturally strained the patience of supporters, including myself.

I believe this would happen at ANY club. Football is a game, a sport. Sport is about winning, and if you cannot win then gradual improvement is a minimal requirement.

Every club has its own standards and expectations. At some clubs an almost indefinite patience is required, at others, their wealth and history demands a lot more. In Arsenal's case the board, manager and players are paid incredible sums of money to deliver in proportion to that pressure, and the supporters are charged incredible sums of money to view their team in proportion to those expectations and what the club claims it can deliver.

Personally, I feel dismayed that the Arsenal board and Arsene Wenger cannot, or refuse to understand, this simple premise. They seem to think that the people who pay their wages, i.e. us, should just sit down and shut up no matter what happens at our club, and no matter how high those expectations and claims of impending success are communicated between the two.

Sometimes supporters go over the top (in my opinion) such as in Arsenal's case where they've asked for the manager's head. Sometimes the custodians of the club go over the top, like they have been this week in attacking Arsenal supporters who dare to criticise.

There is pulling and pushing on both sides and as a supporter you can hold vehement opinions on one side or the other, or you can sit on the fence. However, when it comes to proportionality, based on what supporters are expected to stump up to watch this club and how much the manager and players are paid of our money, I happen to believe the Arsenal board and Wenger are wrong to try and forceably suppress dissenting views in the way they have been.

First of all, you have to ask yourself, are they forgetting who pays their wages? Are they so arrogant that they think the club is their actual physical property and the supporters are only there to be manipulated and used as a cash cow?

It seems to me that in the past few days a majority of supporters are being attacked for holding perfectly valid opinions, and I find this troubling.

Chairman Peter Hill-Wood is threatening to remove the shareholders right to communicate with the manager at forthcoming AGMs simply because the board only appears to tolerate safe and sanitary communication between the supporters and the manager.

That's not communicating, thats subjegating.

Subtracting Arsenal's current domestic plight, or whether or not you feel Arsene Wenger is doing a good enough job at present, do you think this is appropriate behaviour from the board, of whom its members are merely custodians of the club?

Arsenal supporters have been patient with Arsene Wenger, very patient, yet much of the criticism aimed at Wenger has been fuelled by this lack of communication, lack of transparency between the club and its fans.

Let me take an example. On the one hand the club maintains that Wenger has never been refused money to purchase a player, whereas Wenger insists he is working on a budget ten times less than that of his opponents. A clear contradiction that confuses supporters and often has them at each others throats.

Yet simultaneaously Wenger has never refuted the notion he has money to spend should he require it - and the £16m signing of Andrei Asrahvin seems to prove the boards theory that he has never been denied funds for a player.

Wenger wanted a player, he was expensive, and the board clearly backed him 100% with funding.

It feels to me that Wenger is playing the supporters here. When things go badly he blames the budget and looks for the sympathy vote. However, even if he is operating on an extremely tight budget, there is still room for some searching questions about his management - it's not ALL about money.

But sticking to the subject of money, if Wenger is so hamstrung by available funds, why did he spend £16m on an attacking midfielder when Arsenal's defence is in such obvious and dire requirement of funding? Surely, it would have been more sensible to save that £16m and use it to acquire a centre-back and/or a defensive midfielder?

If Wenger is so skint, why did he allow Flamini to wander off on a free transfer (merely stating, "I didn't expect him to leave"), why did he waste £4.8m on Aaron Ramsey - a player who can't get anywhere near a first team that is overloaded with central midfielders?

Manchester United bought Vidic for £6m, Chelsea bought Alex for £2m. Why is the perenially-skint Wenger throwing £4.8m at a teenager for the long-distant future? 

Are these reallly the actions of a manager who needs to count every single penny? Who supposedly now only has a €13m transfer budget? That story seems planted to me to get the fans off Wenger's back and doesn't make the manager immune from criticism.

Arsenal supporters need to be strong here and stand up for their rights as supporters to make their feelings known and not be afraid to question where questions need to be asked.

It is only a very small minority asking for Wenger's head - a tiny minority - but in order to protect Wenger, and themselves, the board has used the media to insinuate that a large majority of supporters want him gone. Yet after four trophyless years, all the shareholders did is have the temerity to question the manager at an AGM.

Never mind Wenger, now the supporters are being made to look as though they've "killed someone".

Yet the difference is clear, as supporters, it's our club! Our money funds everything. If anyone has the right to criticise the manager or the board it's the supporters. If anything, the paid employees have less right to criticise the supporters.

Put into context, the supporter discontent is relatively mild, and if the board is going to block supporters from questioning Wenger at the AGM this will only further strain the relationship between club and fan and will result in even more anger and frustration on the terraces that will only affect the team negatively. I would urge the board not to take that route, the supporters need a voice, and the AGM is an important instrument.

All the shareholders did at the AGM was give Wenger a prod, a poke. Remind him of the standards expected. I'm not for one minute suggesting Wenger does not work incredibly hard at his job, we know he does - and I have a certain sympathy for him if he feels a little underappreciated right now, but by the same token, Wenger and the club have to allow room for criticism, both now and in the long-distant future.

And I'd also like to put in on the record - as quite a few supporters have suggested that this blog is anti-Wenger and also wants him out. I do not want Wenger out and I have never said I want him out.

Far from it, I want the manager to get back to his best and make Arsenal competitive again. That's all I'm asking for. This club is no longer competitive.

If Arsenal are in the same place this time next year - that does not necessarily mean trophyless - but still far from competing and still bogged down with the same problems that we are currently witnessing, as supporters then I do concede that I will have to ask very searching questions about whether Wenger is still the right man for the job, but it's far too simplistic to predict I will be calling for his head.

However, if I did call for his sacking, that's my right, my perogative and I won't shy away from that. But I hope it doesn't happen - in all honesty, I don't expect it to happen. I WANT Wenger to succeed, but I also want Wenger to know that as a supporter I am dissatissfied. I also want to represent supporters that want to be represented, in my own small way. My blog alone will not change anything, but as part of a sea of opinion, it can change something - it is changing something.

The mood at Arsenal is very different at present. The manager is a little clearer on what is expected from him, how passionate the fans feel at this perceived underachievment.

It's quite obviously hurtful to him, but the supporters are hurt too - they care as much as Wenger about their club of course.

In this respect, a strong statement has been made by the supporters, and perhaps it's now time to back off the manager a little and see what happens in respect of new signings.

The dissenters (including me) have had their moan and groan, we just have to hope it's been taken on board. The manager is intelligent enough to understand that, surely. Surely the club is? Now let's clear a line in the sand and get back behind the boss. It's what I want to do as I have not enjoyed writing the blog much this season, and have seriously thought about quitting it after one year as it seems like an awful lot of hard work to just be negative about everything all the time, even though when I am compelled to speak I am incapable of doing anything but report MY truth, as I see it.

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