After the string of results our beloved Arsenal has had over the last month, followed by the ensuing venomous vitriol, I needed to get some perspective. The most pertinent question I sought to answer is why do I watch the Arsenal?
I mean, why would I continue to subject myself to something that would find me punching a wall and screaming in frustration when Bobby Zamora strikes an injury time winner? It can’t be because I believe it’s good for my health like eating rice cakes or broccoli.
Well, here is what I came up with. I watch the Arsenal to be entertained and to have fun and I want this to happen as often as possible.
Now before you jump all over me let me explain what entertainment is to me. Entertainment is competing, it’s putting in an effort and giving yourself a chance for success (in this case winning) each time you step out onto the field of play – whether that be a football pitch, a sheet of ice (I am Canadian) or a boardroom.
But just competing isn’t good enough; if that was the case you could argue I’d be just as happy supporting Stoke or the like.
No, I want more.
I want to compete against the very best and I want to do it with panache and style, and with power and grace. I want Arsenal to step into any arena and, no matter the competition; I want the team to have the confidence in their abilities to give themselves a chance to achieve something special each time.
This is what the best clubs do.
I’ve made a point in an earlier post that I want to have Arsenal become like Real Madrid and watching Madrid since I feel this more than ever.
Take Madrid’s 3-1 win over bottom-dwelling Real Zaragoza at the Bernabeau a couple of weeks back. Despite going down 1-0 after just 11’ minutes, Madrid never lost belief, stayed with what they do, kept ticking the ball over. Subsequently they equalized 20 minutes later, added two more by the 56’ and strolled to a 3-1 win. They never wavered. They just stuck with the plan, had belief they were always the better squad and won the game.
Unfortunately, I shudder to think what would if the Arsenal conceded an early goal at home right now. I for one would be sitting at home, raising my hands in exasperation, muttering something like “typical Arsenal” under my breath and sitting glumly until the team did something to break me out of it.
But, responding to this negative energy the team would feel the need to get the goal back immediately, start forcing the ball into impossible places, and concede possession.
This may go on until 60’ minutes with the supporters becoming increasingly frustrated. Arsene would go on to make some changes and perhaps the team would get a goal back. They may even go on to win but nonetheless the game would feel like a relief or a get out of jail instead of a confidence building “we were always going to win” type of game.
Now of course, the team has something to add to this equation and their performances have been below par recently. But honestly I don’t feel they are too far off. Let’s not forget they’ve taken four of a possible six points off the best team in Germany, four of six from until recently the hottest team in Ligue 1, beat the third-best team in Italy twice, scored five at Stamford Bridge, and gave Man City a better go at the Etihad than anyone.
And now we’re starting to get healthy (knock on wood) and may finally have some semblance of a difference-making bench with the likes of Gerv, Ox, or Theo and possibly Ramsey being used as a sub depending on the matchup.
There are no doubts the team has not done itself any favours this season and going into Sunderland is no easy task. But let’s believe our team is better - because they are- and if one pass goes wrong or a chance is missed let’s keep cool heads, implore the team to maintain their belief and go and get the three points.
Come on the Gunners!
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