Arsenal. The team we all love. Yet sometimes I have been guilty of paying too much attention to a certain other opponent. Maybe I get caught up in the media hype, who are always trying to promote matches by creating a rivalry. Face it, a rivalry is great for ratings — there has to be a good guy and a bad guy. In the past, this opponent has always been Man U. I have had my reasons for disliking them. One reason had to do with how Canadian tv always showed Man U games. That is not going to change for the next little while. As much as I hate that fact, I have to accept it. Then the next reason was their manager. And he is not leaving any time soon. Then I felt we were cheated by Man U on a few occasions. But I told myself after this year?s F.A Cup final, this is it ? no more worrying about Man U. They are not our prime target. But I can?t worry about Chelsea as well. What if next year, another billionaire came from nowhere and invested his money in some other team. That team would get all the attention and win. Will that make Arsenal?s situation any better?
So I figure I have to focus all my energy on my team ? Arsenal. If Arsenal play to their full potential, then it does not matter who our opponents are, we will prevail. But the players and fans are human. Everyone has their threshold, and if someone keeps pressing buttons, somehow a reaction will occur. In this game, the person who instigates problems always gets away, on the field or off the field. On the field, we have seen how if someone fakes a dive against Arsenal, the Gunners get punished. Off the field, if someone spreads a false rumour, the team gets affected. If these negative tactics would be stopped, everything would be great. When Alex Ferguson talks trash, the media calls it ?mind-games?. Instead of not printing garbage, they continue to recycle it. This is their job, they have to keep creating stories in between games. When someone cheats on the field, it?s just ?gamesmanship?. That has always been part of any sport, so we are told to accept it and move on. But if a team is strong internally, then nothing can break them apart. You know that old saying ?United we stand, Divided we Fall?. There have been some really good posts and comments on this website recently about belief and faith. Yet I wish somehow these feelings get conveyed to the team as well. Arsenal?s main focus now should be how to improve themselves ? how to defend better, how to find creative ways to open defenses up, etc. Their main threat could be Chelsea or even Wigan ? at the end of the day, if we score more goals than our opponents, we win. Simple, isn?t it? Ofcourse easier said than done.
Personally, I don?t like ?derby? matches. I think if a team is chasing a title, a derby match against a team lower in the table does not help. For example, take a scenario against Spurs. Arsenal are chasing the title and need to collect points. Spurs are in mid-table with nothing to play for. Yet they are fired up for the game against Arsenal and set their targets on only taking Arsenal down. Arsenal are dragged into a dogfight and taken away from their prime task of winning the title. What amazes me is that Spurs might play average for all other games and their fans shrug their shoulders and go home. However, for the derby game, the fans will be happy if their team beats Arsenal. Same applies for all other derby games in other parts of the World. I do believe as a professional, each team should give everything for all their games. Why does a team roll over against one team and then fight tooth and nail the next week against an opponent? Yes I do know about the history of some of these derby games. But in this day and age, when Champs League and so much more is at stake, shouldn?t all teams be concerned about improving themselves?
Some say ?derby? games add that extra spice to the soccer season. These games are part of the great tradition of this sport. Yet, sometimes I feel these games are an unnecessary distraction. But if a team is strong internally, then they should be able to overcome anything. One of the great things about this game is that on a given day, any team can by beaten by anyone. One of the charms of the F.A Cup is to see lower ranked teams knock out EPL teams. It does happen year after year. So for now, I just hope Arsenal can put all the crap aside and focus on improving themselves. I know as a fan I am now only going to worry about how MY team is doing. If someone cheats against us, I will try to cheer my team on instead of shouting at the cheater. This will be hard but I have found I waste more energy cursing than cheering.
Heck, I might wake up tomorrow morning and change my mind. But for now, since the season is over, it is easier to write this stuff. Real test will be in August.
12 Responses to “Searching for Arsenal’s Zen”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
May 29th, 2005 at 9:32 am
Hmmm!!! Interesting post
So you don’t like the derbies and don’t like competition from what I’m reading. That will not be football but You rightly said sometime that I agree with you
What if next year, another billionaire came from nowhere and invested his money in some other team. That team would get all the attention and win. Will that make Arsenal?s situation any better?
My question is nope, Arsenal have to worry about itself and no one else. I found it funny how others going on about Chelsea and United. I appreciate good football and even if the spurs play well I will say it not because I love them. I will talk about chelesa/united but don’t spend my time being jealous about them. That is not football. Without them I guess we will be watching the SPL for some competition.
They are only 2 teams out of many we have to play each season. The only game I look forward to is the derby cuz it have history and tradition with it and don’t care if Fulham have all the money and buying players. At the end of the day they have to be manage by someone who can put some hope and winning spirit in them.
Is a team work and star players don’t win you games but a group of guys who are happy playing for and with each other. You need passion, unity and fight spirit for any team to win and a great manager.
May 29th, 2005 at 11:18 am
Hmm, well I didn’t think I said anything about not liking competition. If it were not for competition, teams would simply trod along the field, moving the ball gingerly without any purpose.
But my big problem with derbies is that they leave players far more emotionally and physically tired than regular matches. And games against Man U have been 10 times worse than derby games. If the Arsenal players were not so emotionally tied in those games, they would not have been affected as they were from that Oct game. I do believe if they had not lost at Old Trafford,they would have won the title.
I just feel with all these London derbies and these ultra charged games with Man U, Arsenal feel the mental strain a lot more than other teams. I think Wenger has mentioned that a lot as well. And Ferguson’s response what about Man U’s games against Leeds and Liverpool? Are they not derbies?
Some teams only live for derby matches and slide under the radar for most of the campaign.
So I wish Arsenal only focussed on their own game, and regardless of who the 11 players are against them, treated each game as a must win situation. They just should not get caught up in mind games that Man U use or sometimes derby charged scenarios.
May 29th, 2005 at 2:09 pm
I agreee with SachinG.
I hate the derby game with Tottenham. I don’t think that tottenham will finish any close to Arsenal in those coming years.
This season Arsenal and Man U cared so much about their rivaly and Jose took the Title and ran aways while AW and Alex were fighting.
Look at the 4-2 defeat in London against Man U, Arsenal is awalys able to beat Man u and to get the 3 points and to role in the EPL but they wasted the win because of the fired up minded between the players.
I think that Arsenal played more comfortable games against Chelsea than against Man u and Tottenham !
And I am always worried also if some Billionair buys a club like Villa or Newcastle what will happen.
I think it worked with Chelsea cause they have a little more passion and a little more ability than Newcastel and Villa. I am sure its not money … Chelsea has been from the big 4-5 clubs for a while and needed a push. But I am sure it will not be as easy as this year. I guess they will have harder game next season. Jose will have more rivaly games that will waste their time and points.
I enjoyed Arsenal winning the FA cup, even the media was saying that Liverpool is the king of Europ “but they are just some team in the EPL that plays and finsihes between the 4th -8th every year” . I am not ganna laugh at Man u for leaving with nothing …
I am happy that Arsenal won something, I would be happier if Arsenal won more. So I hope this for next year !
May 29th, 2005 at 3:47 pm
I don’t mind the Spurs games because they play fair and (occasionally) skilful football. The games I am dreading next season are Blackburn. So many good players got injured by their incompetent brutish tactics - Robben, Cisse (who came within a couple of hours of having to have his leg amputated), van P who got his lip split and teeth loosened, to name but a few. I’d like them banned from the Premiership before they do any more damage. The Manure come into the loutish category too, of course, but they are at least redeemed by having some skill. It would be poetic justice if Blackburn disabled three or four of their key players early on in the season. The English ones for preference, not because I’ve got anything against Rio and Roon, but if England’s World Cup chances were ruined, the FA might get off their bums and do something before the thugs break anymore good players’ legs.
May 29th, 2005 at 4:05 pm
It is no doubt true that our loss to United back in October cost us our season, or at least our chances to be well in it to the end. And its interesting that you point out the energy-wasting properties of derbies, rivlaries and mind games propogated by the media. My question is, what can be done about it? It is part and parcel of why football exists in the first place. The fans want blood, the passion heats up, pride is on the line…the next thing you know you’re caught in the grip of the distraction.
Every time Ferguson starts in, I hope that Wenger finds that “zen” point and just ignores him. I hope that the team is not rattled, but rather “up” for it. I have to believe that some rivalries brings out the best in teams and that a win, no matter how hard fought, drives them to do well week in and out. As a supporter, I can only hope that my club, being professionals, can go with the flow and keep centered throughout the year. But once the blood gets flowing, and the kicking starts, the emphasis on football begins to devolve into something else altogether.
Part of the good thing about having so many young players in the side is that they bring some fresh perspective to these rivalries. In Cesc and Sendy we have a couple of lads who don’t rattle too easily. Again, I can only hope that their mental strength will continue to improve and go on to positively affect the others.
I (and Wenger from what I read) think the the right thing for the players is for them to focus on improvement and taking things one game at a time without letting the media and the hype fool with their feet. I’m just not sure, as human beings, its entirely possible. But if we learn as supporters to truly get behind them no matter how well things are going, we just may find that it is.
May 29th, 2005 at 4:09 pm
Totally agree, miranda. They’ve not been touched by the FA and I can only think that their karma boomerang is coming back with deadly speed. I’ll be cheering their flirtation with relegation with much greater fervor next season.
May 29th, 2005 at 7:24 pm
Yes, I agree it is not easy for players and even our calm Manager to maintain their zen in face of such ragged opposition. It is just not humanly possible. But Wenger is not one to be rattled, atleast he didn’t in the past. I do think he is finally getting a wee bit annoyed with certain people now.
Anyone who has played this game knows sometimes certain opponents can under one’s skin. And that is the danger. When a player’s emotions gets in the way, the normal reasoning goes out the window. But how do you maintain cool when you are being kicked or elbowed in the face like Blackburn did to Van Persie? I don’t think you can maintain cool. It is easy for me to imagine an idealistic situation where our players can shrug everything and get on with it.
Given the number of points Chelsea got this season, it seems that the bar for EPL points has moved up quite a bit. So in order to win the championship, each game might have to be approached with a cold logic of attaining 3 points, be it a derby or a match against Man U. And at the same time, not compromising the quality that is Arsenal futbal.
Dammit, I am really talking too much. Reminds me of some Brazilian fans who not only want their team to win the World Cup but want it done in style. But did any of them complain after their team scraped a 0-0 penalty shoot out win in 1994?
May 30th, 2005 at 3:10 am
And who is their manager… Mark Hughes who learnt so much from… Sir Alex.
May 30th, 2005 at 3:24 am
If you live in England it’s very hard not to get caught up in the whole United/Arsenal Fergie/Wenger build up. It’s all over the papers and all over the TV. Rising above it is easier said than done. But I think we scored a brillant point over United before the FA Cup when Vieira brought up the whole thing about Keane questioning why he didn’t play for Senegal and Vieira bringing up Keane’s walk-out on Ireland in the World Cup. We also focused entirely in the loss at Old Trafford as opposed to the th loss at Highbury which must have really got their back up because although they were thugs ot OT they were the better side at our place.
I think in most people’s minds United have replaced Spurs as the team they love to hate, the team we must beat as Spurs were maybe 15 years ago. So that only adds further ful to the fire. What is most important tho, is for Wenger to be seen to rise above it. When he refuses to react to Fergie’s taunts he takes away half his power in the media as soon as he responds Fergie gets the chance to say something else and inevitably it gets out of control.
Perhaps the one good thing that has come out of the Chelski thing is that there is a genuine third party on the scene and they have to e taken seriously. This coming season they will have to treat Chelski as on eof a three as opposed to challengers and that can only be a good thing.
You make a great point about Cesc and Senderos and their mentality, they are both extremely inteligent players and show maturity well beyond their years. At thi level of the game the talent a player has is taken for granted, how they apply it and how they react to pressure situation sis what sets them apart and in these two we have exceptional players whose positions in the team will make them ’spinal’ playes at Arsenal in years to come.
Dunno if you caught the rumour about us bidding for Atletico Madrid’s Fernando Torres, but Sky are going big on it. As a target man, with skill and intelligence he really fits the bill as a Wenger type buy. I think this may be the most credible rumour after the Alexander Hleb story so far this summer.
May 30th, 2005 at 5:49 am
Apparently Preston are even worse, so fingers crossed for West Ham today.
May 30th, 2005 at 9:27 am
Can’t say I blame Wenger for being standoffish with the Precious One, but it might have been a smart move for him to have sent his condolences when Robben was so badly injured. Fergie and Mark Hughes are thick as thieves in the thuggery camp, so a Chelsea-Arsenal alliance, plus Liverpool and some others, could be helpful in putting pressure on Blackburn to watch their step. Perhaps some organised jeering from the fans would also be good at all Blackburn games. The Blackburn hatred of us and Chelsea looks likely to get worse rather than better after the (mild and ineffective) complaints ’southern’ managers made last season. These put Mark Hughes on the defensive but he showed no sign of being willing to change. I’m absolutely terrified we’re going to lose key players to serious injuries before long, probably before crucial CL games.
May 30th, 2005 at 11:51 pm
The main focus should always be the league. So, the league matches are all very important. In the “big” matches, with United & Chelsea, there is the added importance because essentially, it can be a 6 point swing. We win we get three points, and they don’t get any. We lose, and they do the same. The derby matches are part of what makes the EPL special. In my opinion, its where alot of the fantastic passion comes from. Arsenal v Totts is always a BIG DEAL. This passion is what hooked me into Arsenal and Football in general. If we played the derbies like they were just another tired match, where we didn’t want to get hurt, and were focusing on the Champion’s League… then the season would be a joke. When that happens, its time to create the SUPER LEAGUE of EUROPE.
The EPL is what it is, because you have to come to play each week. Chelsea can lose to Man City. Liverpool can lose to Palace, and then win the Champion’s League. Anything can happen, and usually does. Thats why its so enjoyable.