Apr 05
Right now there is only one acceptable stance for Arsenal fans to take: Total support for Wenger and the team. We can discuss who didn’t step up or what tactical errors were made at the end of the season. Right now there just isn’t time to be anything but positive and supportive.
It is conceivable that at this time next week we could be desperately clinging to the hope of winning just one trophy where 10 days ago we were dreaming of three.
Arsenal America has been, and always will be, a place for supporters to express their views no matter what they may be, but right now I’m interested in reading about how Arsenal are going to pull through, not who is to blame if they don’t.
15 Responses to “Time For Arsenal Fans To Stand Up”
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April 5th, 2004 at 8:25 am
You are 100% right…..Saturday brought a mixture of emotions….a kind of dulled sense of acceptance that, maybe we cant (at this stage have our cake & eat it too)…….When the season started, I had this season down as a ‘transitional’ one…..by that i mean…the stadium was still to be confirmed (amid constant negative speculation that we were broke)…..we hadnt gone out and bought any players other than Lehman (cos we were broke and couldnt attract the best)…and a few youngsters…(Clichy)…..also, Wenger had stated that he wanted to give some of the already established youngsters (Bentley, Aliadiere, Senderos, etcc) a real chance this season…..so i hoped that a) the youngsters would prove what alot of the fans had thought (hoped) …that they are good enough to be our future…and that Wenger doesnt need to go on a spending spree…we have the talent here..!! This has been proved. Also i hope we’d be there or there abouts with regards the title…….we have surpassed that. The Champs League…..ask any Gooner…..NO-ONE would have forseen the position we are in now….NO-ONE..!!! again we have in fact surpassed manys expectations……so after putting our season in context…..we should stand resolutely behind this team….they need us right now, not to jump on their back…(or to give silly praise)…..they need us to sing our hearts out when they play….they need our support…..players like Henry, feed off us….anyone who has seen this guy when he’s in the thick of things, know he is THE no# player when it comes to passion……and he will feed off ours…as we also feed of his…..This has been an outstanding season so far……lets get away from this ‘Highbury the Library’ rubbish….and show, that when it really matters…we can rejuvante the team, the same way they do it to us…when we hear all the crap from biased commentators, or had a bad day at work…..how many times has our team done something to remind us of why we are so, so lucky to be Gooners……UP THE ARSENAL…!!!!!!!
April 5th, 2004 at 9:26 am
Well I dont think anyone is against the Arsenal but cant hide from the facts. Each team is bound to lose a game but is the way we lost on saturday which pissed most of us off.
Like most gunners I support my beloved club 100%. But these excuses from the boss and some fans just dont add up. This was the FA cup semi finals. I have being waiting for 4 yrs for this and the way we lost the game is a joke. That is the facts but still support my team.
Football is Religion, also about pride and passion and the last team I was waiting to lose against was Spurs and not United again in an important FA Cup.
Also dont blamed any commentators here. If something is red say so dont say is light red. The media did their job and know people with Arsenal connection in the press and will tell you the gamble did not work. As simple as that. facts.
Always a Gunners and up with the Gunners.
April 5th, 2004 at 9:29 am
As a Gooner for 48 yrs I have seen the good & bad times but never a team like this years. Everybody loves a winner & this team is. THEY dont QUIT niether should WE. Take a lesson from our Team stick together show them you are a GOONER. BE proud & cheer with all your heart thats why the GUNNERS are great theyve got heart & togetherness & that will pull them thru. UP THE GUNNERS.
April 5th, 2004 at 9:37 am
Always a gunner and will be till I die. I have see lots for bad times as well but proud to mention the Name.
Who to be..
April 5th, 2004 at 9:55 am
You are my Arsenal, My only Arsenal,
You make me happy, When skies are grey,
You’ll never know just, How much I love you,
So please don’t take, My Arsenal…Away
Na na na na na (ooh ooh)
Drink together in praise of the AFC
Fulham can stay at the Cottage
Chelsea can go to Moscow and wouldn’t win fuck all
And as for Tottenham hotspur
They can go to hell, to hell
Away in the manger…
no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus
stood up and he said…
WE HATE TOTTENHAM, AND WE HATE TOTTENHAM…You shit
April 5th, 2004 at 10:11 am
Hard to say what my support will do from across that big, wide ocean, but if there’s any truth to positive energy, good karma, and all that?GUNNERS GLORY!
I guess its also true that worrying never made for a good time, so I’m going to resolve myself to ENJOYING this quarter-final.
In other news:
Word is that Freddie and Reyes aren’t as bad as first thought, either. Wenger reports that they looked good in practice, but he still doesn’t know. Big change from 3 weeks. Mind games of our own, perhaps? Guilty hex on Paul Scholes? Guess we’ll have to wait and see.
One last thing:
Could Arsenal.com please do their part in maintaining a postive vibe and NOT post pictures of AW and Edu looking like someone just ran over their dog? If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check out the interview pick of Edu today. I know we were upset, but, Oh goodness…
April 5th, 2004 at 10:46 am
Rick, u bet I’m all with u on this one!
If someone asked me would u mind to settle for one Premiership title before the start of the season? i would say hell, yes! Quite frankly, during the close season, when Chelsea spent a fortune, United brought in their “bright young things”, Liverpool added their another “final piece”… I really thought this would be a very difficult season for us. So i’m more than happy with the team’s current position!
like every Gooners, i had also waited for 4 years for us to have a chance to revenge on Man U. Sadly it didn’t go our way. So be it, let’s stand by our team to beat Chelsea tomorrow night! Anyone saw Fergie’s comment on our CL chance? “Don’t bet on it” that’s his typical answer. Let’s shut him up!
April 5th, 2004 at 12:16 pm
Is it our capacity for love, our ability to dream, or our very soul? Well, yes to all of the above, but for today, at least, it is the ability to rationalize. Especially this week, as we all try to find meaning in the loss the Man U.
So, here it goes…
First off, Man U is not dead. The turmoil we’ve read about all year is probably only “turmoil” in comparison to the splendid year that Arsenal has had thus far. They are still a very capable team. In a home - and - home week (first in the Premiership and then in the FA Cup), they stole a tough draw at our place and beat us at their place. Let’s face it, Man U sold Beckham (it was their decision, but losing a player of Becks’ skill is hard to replace) and lost Rio with a very harsh sentence. He’ll be back and Man U will be just as strong next year.
Secondly, Cheslea is still playing well in the EPL and putting some heat on. They’ve had major injury woes, certainly they’ve lost more player games than we have, and they’ve hung around.
Ultimately, and here’s where I get back to my rationalization: this is good for English soccer. I want to see several strong teams in the EPL. I want Man U to be frightening, not toothless. I want to see some stability at Chelsea (I’d love to see Duff all year), I want Charlton to continue to improve, I want Micheal Owen to re-learn how to take a PK, I want Newcastle to be strong. Who wants to win the EPL because every other team rolls over and dies? Where’s the greatness in that? I want us to win the EPL certainly, but I would much rather us be the best of the best, rather than the best of a bunch of mediocrities. If I wanted that, I’d be a Celtic fan.
The heat is on. We’ve been SO good in the EPL this season, that we have some well-deserved breathing room so that realizing that we’re not better than Man U is not crushing. We don’t have that luxury with Chelsea tomorrow. How will we respond when Chelsea scores that first goal tomorrow? This is what competing is all about. We’ll see how tough the team is. And if we lose, we’ll find out how tough we as fans are. And that is what being loyal is all about…
Val
April 5th, 2004 at 12:29 pm
When things looked bad and extra inspiration was required TA used to quote from Shakespeare’s Henry V. It was the speech he gave on the eve of the Battle of Agincourt and has inspired men throughout wars and sporting events.
I made an attempt to paraphrase but thought it best to leave as the original and let you all amend it is you wish.
The language can be difficult in places, but in others totally inspirational. The scene is with a small band of Englishmen in a muddy field in Northern France as they contemplate how better they would be if there were more of them.
What’s he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin:
If we are mark’d to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires:
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England:
God’s peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more, methinks, would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made
And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
We would not die in that man’s company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian:’
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
Enjoy the game.
April 5th, 2004 at 12:58 pm
Rick you’re right on. I for one have been given allot of grief from all the Man U supporters at work about the loss this weekend. I’m 100% behind Wenger and the team no matter what happens for the rest of the season.
We still have the opportunity to win the Premiership and Champions League and even if that doesn’t happen, it has been a great year to watch and has been successful in my mind.
There is always going to be criticism of who Wenger should have played and who shouldn’t, but the bottom line is we wouldn’t be where we are today without him.
Go Gunners!
April 5th, 2004 at 1:09 pm
“And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.”
It seems that there was even a ManU in Elizabethan times. Poor William. Though the speech doth stir the soul, methinks he must’ve been a Spurs fan to have come up with it, I wot.
April 5th, 2004 at 1:23 pm
Kelvin,
Thanks for bringing this to mind. Certainly the greatest of WS’s writings.
Have you ever seen Renaissance Man, with Danny Devito? Best situational use of the above I’ve seen.
April 5th, 2004 at 5:16 pm
Thanks someone here knows United not dead yet. Like you I have read some crazy stuffs here about how bad they are. But always I called these so-called fan with no cure about football glory hunters. Each team have some.
As someone put it to me at work. What will you say if I said United are better than Arsenal? I said to him are you out for your mind ?
He replies by saying no. 3 games, with 2 draws and one win. I have nothing to add.
April 5th, 2004 at 5:26 pm
BarnetFCGunner, I agree that it is ridiculous to claim that Man U are already dead.
I do believe though that you are making a small mistake. You cannot decide which team is better based purely on head-to-head results. A club’s entire record in a season must be taken into account. What I mean is, just because Man U has drawn twice and beaten Arsenal once does not mean they are necessarily better than Arsenal. If you based it only on head-to-head results, the likes of Southampton and Man City would be better than Man United. To the person at your work who claims Man United is better than the Arsenal, you only have to ask, “Then why are they not at the top of the table? And how could they not beat Porto?”
April 6th, 2004 at 3:49 am
Indeed I have