there's a significant difference between Arsenal and teams like Man Utd, Barcelona etc that I've observed this season. They always win, no matter the situation. People can say that they were lucky, they had the help of the referee and whatnot but they win nonetheless. Arsenal is the exact opposite: gallant losers. We want to play beautiful football. We take pride in playing cleanly and fairly. We hold our heads high even if we lose because it was a good game. But fact is, a win is a win and a lost is a lost. And the results are what that matters and really unfortunately, we've been ending up on the losing side for the past 8 years.
so what's the matter?
quality of the players? many arsenal fans will say yes and complain that arsenal don't really have world class players and they do have a point. but the players we have aren't really as bad as many fans think. on the attacking front, giroud isn't the fastest player but he can hold up play, can score and is very good at assists. he was the top scorer for montpellier last season in ligue 1 and it proves a lot. walcott really improved a hell lot this season with his composure, finishing, decision, timing etc and it is proven as he is the top scorer of the club. in midfield, cazorla is a magician and wilshere is en route to becoming a legend for arsenal. i'll just skip the defense because no matter how you think about it, its horrible.
manager? arsene wenger has been at the helm for 16 years and the only reason he's capable of doing that is because he's really really good at it. again, fans would argue that in half his tenure he has made sure that the trophy cabinet is empty but also remember that in his first half of his tenure he has kept it full. besides, he was the one that created the "Invincibles" and even alex ferguson haven't been able to do that in is 25 years at united.
transfer policy? i admit that i was really frustrated in the past few transfer windows. seeing our star players leave one by one and being replaced by players i haven't really heard of, like nacho monreal and giroud. not every purchase have been successful, namely andre santos and gervinho but most were undiscovered gem, like cazorla. many fans outside spain haven't really heard of him because the teams he were playing for (malaga and villareal) are constantly overshadowed by la liga's powerhouses, namely barcelona and real madrid. not to mention current first team members like arteta (everton), koscielny (fulham), mertesacker (werder bremen) just to name a few. as former director david dean said, arsene wenger doesn't pay to buy world class players. he molds them. and then sell them off
so what is really lacking in this arsenal team that fails to meet expectations time and time again? as arsenal legend ian wright, along with many other famous people say: winning mentality. there's no doubt that arsenal wants to win. everyone wants to win. but how much are you willing to give just to win? are you willing to give up all your strength to win the ball off the opponents' feet? are you willing to risk an injury to take that shot? are you willing to give it all you've got and make that tackle?
i'm sorry but the only player i can see doing that is young jack wilshere. the others seems like they play because they get paid to play. like they're forced to. even for our captain thomas vermaelen! he used to be the guy shouting at the back four, keep them concentrated, and runs forward like there's no tomorrow but since he's became the captain, i can't see it anymore. i really don't see the spirited centre half that scored the winner against newcastle in the final minutes of the game last season. sagna no longer runs like he's life is on the line when chasing wingers. the guy with weird hair that scored the goal that started the comeback against tottenham that finally ended 5-2 last season is no more. all of them used to play for arsenal because they love to play. and they loved to play for arsenal. but now they play like they are forced to do something annoying, like homework.
we used to have 11 players on the pitch, filled with passion like wilshere's but now that's no longer the case. every time i see an arsenal game i feel like it is wilshere against the rest of the world.
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