Que sera, sera « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News, supporting the club, the players and the manager
By Walter Broeckx
The last home game of the season and for the past 3 years this is a moment for me to come to the Emirates. I’ve seen us win, I ‘ve seen us lose and so it was in fact written in the stars that we would have a draw this time.
Looking back at the game and getting in to the general “football lover modus” it was a cracking game of football. If it would have been a game between two random teams I would have enjoyed it very much. As a ref I didn’t enjoy it. As the ref let some things go that he shouldn’t let go. But more about that in the ref review.
But the final result was very disappointing. But what I cannot get is the way some people (I will not call them even fans, just imagine to call them SUPPORTERs) reacted. You could see the open joy. “They were right”. So to be right you want your team to lose points? This sounds like a real supporter to me. But not an Arsenal supporter. That sounds like a supporter of himself.
But apart from the result I had a great day. I saw us taking a brilliant start with an early and well taken goal from Benyaoun. And then… it was as if some players thought the game was over. We fell asleep. And before we knew it and at least a lucky goal later we found ourselves 1-2 down. I don’t know what was said at half time but I can imagine that some things were said. And we dominated the second half very much.
How shit this team might be for some, it is a team that can fight back. And yes we can be grateful for Van Persie this season. A bit like Barcelona can be grateful for Messi, and Real Madrid for Ronaldo. It is not a disgraceful thing to be in a big way depending on a world class player. That is why they are world class. But Robin, forgive me but you should have scored at least one if not two more goals yesterday. But that is life. That is football. I remember the days not that long ago that I had to defend you against some people who told that you never would come good and that we should get rid of you. Now they can’t sleep by the thought of a possible departure. Or at least they give that impression.
What I certainly didn’t like, apart from the ref being not up to it, was the way we reacted to going back in front. We suddenly looked in doubt. Go for a 4th goal? Settle for defending the lead. Both options are good options in fact. But when 5 players want to defend and the other 5 want to attack…you are asking for troubles. I would have expected our back 4 to stay back after that. But just before Norwich scored I only saw 3 defenders and Norwich took advantage of that. I think the rush of adrenaline after getting in front was carrying a young man way up the field instead of staying back to defend the lead. Ah youth….we all made mistakes then.
When going home I had a chat with different people. Non-Arsenal supporters, Arsenal supporters, Norwich supporters. The last ones were very happy of course. Well you can’t blame them feeling that way. North London was a good place for them this season as they also won at Tottenham. That is part of football. The Arsenal supporters feared that Newcastle and Tottenham would take over our 3rd spot.
And as I type this they didn’t do it. Now with all those “people” saying how shit we are, I wonder what they are thinking of those other two teams. All our players apart from Van Persie are useless sh*t. So apparently with one game to go with the shit players we are in third position. How utter shit are those other two team in that case?
I also just don’t like the idea that a team in 3rd can be shit. I even don’t agree with the idea that the team in 5th is shit. The way things stand in the PL this season there will be a difference of maximum 5 points. Now I cannot consider that to be shit. I think it is unfair to say that the one team then is far better than the rest. The only thing I have to admit (and I don’t like to admit this) is that both teams from Manchester have been far better when it came to gathering points. There are a few reasons why they have. Both are 5 letter words. But you cannot call the teams that end between 3rd or 5th or even 6th shit and great.
I don’t like the tots at all but whatever position they will reach at the end it will be one of their best seasons ever. The only difference is that according to some “people” they will have done it with world class players and we did it with rubbish players, apart the one.
What I remember most and for all about our game last Saturday was the way the team reacted. They bombarded the Norwich goal in the second half. We didn’t take all our chances (usually nobody does this) but I thought the players fought with all that was left to them after a poor first half performance. And if you want to ignore this, fine. But I will not ignore this. I will praise the players for the great come back. For the character they showed in doing this. Of course the regret is there for the defensive mistake late in the game. But well…that is just part of the game. Look at the goals, most goals are just a result of some mistake some way on the field. Without those mistakes football wouldn’t exist or be as popular as it is.
Of course we should try to avoid mistakes, but calling the players names will not add anything to it at all. Why don’t we just stay calm for the next week and see what will happen. I think all teams who are in the chase for 3rd have their problems. It could depend on little things. Like who will be the ref. Will a penalty be given or not. Will an offside be judged correct or not. You know the usual things we can’t control.
The only thing I ask of the players is that they do their best. That is the only part they can really control. What will happen, will happen but whatever will happen will not stop my love for this great club.
By the way it was nice meeting the Gooners from Dublin in the stadium and I enjoyed the chat we had. Hope you had a good home journey and didn’t have to sleep in the car park this time.