I'm writing this on the back of a win so I get a little distinction from those whiny, fickle fans.
Don't get me wrong, we just beat Aston Villa 3-2 after being two goals down after the first 45 minutes. That's worth some celebration. And I highly recommend that you celebrate away, because there isn't much to keep an Arsenal fan smiling these days.
Football is more than a game. It's the spirit and glue that holds a community together. You may not see it if you aren't part of the community, but it is. It shapes cultures and lives, and especially, in the past few decades, economies.
The fact is, the game has changed. It no longer is the weekend pleasure pit where everyone can turn to. Game are now expensive to watch. Footballers no longer hop on the bus to get home after games. They ride in style in fancy cars. Football clubs still boast about their histories, but it is undeniable that the present will soon be part of that.
We are the club that are financially stable and respectable. We are the club known for raising young talents (not the only one though) and giving them a chance. We are the club that makes stars, not buy them (also not the only one, to be honest). For these reasons and many many more, I am proud of the Arsenal. That doesn't mean though that I can't see the trouble brewing. We are on very thin ice.
Our fans have been divided into two camps in the last few seasons - the ones who stand by Arsene Wenger, and well, the ones who don't. For me, it goes a lot deeper than just the manager. And I am not going to discuss who people have in mind to replace Le Prof should he go - no one is good enough, in my opinion. How though, can we escape the fact that we need to rebuild this team? I love that we have a group of young blood so hungry to prove themselves. I love that former players are so true to the club, they come back here because there is no other English club for them. These players make me feel like they know how fans feel. We need more. We need more than that unfortunately.
When we are in a situation like now - inconsistent, no trophies (now, or in sight), no core strength in the team on the field - we show no intent. Why would any decent, respectable professional footballer stay with/sign with us? Plus, we aren't exactly the club that would pay a king's ransom in wages per week. What's the draw? The integrity of the club? Our class and history? Sure, but the present events will write and change that too, no? And who wants to be part of a history that is a barely a blip on the scale of greatness during the best years of their footballing career?
Juan Mata went to Chelsea. Eden Hazard came to see us play like school kids. How many more?
I am not here to preach, because I don't have a solution. Where do we start? I only have an inkling. Otherwise, I'd be paid a whole lot of money to do something a lot more useful. I want to buy players. Not big names like Ronaldo, or Kaka (hahaha), or Messi. I want technique over flair (yes, there is a difference); I want hunger over playing for a paycheck; I want team over individual. You know what I mean.
That's why I think it's so important to keep players like Robin van Persie, while adding more depth and quality to the squad. Despite what others say about Robin being our "one man", I truly don't believe that. Everyone in the team has to pull their own weight for anyone else in the team to shine. We need to keep Koscielny too. We should be so lucky to have an unsung hero like him to work his arse off every single game despite the scoreline. And Vermaelen, he embodies the phrase "leading by example". He plays where he is needed and he attacks when no one else will. Thomas is an absolute inspiration. Most of our current players actually. But we need to be rid of some dead weight. I have the utmost respect for players like Arshavin and Chamakh, but they are exactly the kind of players we have to clear out to make way for new and real quality. We need to spend some money getting not just fresh blood into the team, but stability. We need to get back belief and capability - one can't truly exist for long without the other.
We can't chastise others for spending money and doing well. That's the way the game is moving towards. Spending money does not mean abandoning your heritage. We do not have to do it the same way as others have, but we need to start loosening the purse strings for sure. I do think we should start paying the players more, but not on a whole and absolute level. We need to work out an even more attractive incentive system in the wage scheme to reward based on meritocracy. You can't ask for sky-high salaries when you fail to hit the target week after week - this is true of any profession. We are not a charity and we will not pay for players to sit on the bench, or run around like a headless chicken, or spout arrogant comments on camera.
All these barely scratch the surface of the iceberg of problems we have. But we have to start somewhere, no? We can't just sit by season after season, sulk, complain and drift to obscurity. We need to move with the times. We need to show the world that this club is never down and out. Fans need to stand together. Management need to shake off fear. Players need to play like they understand what this game is about.
Red and white, loud and proud - I'm Arsenal till I die.
