Guest Blog: Support & Pride.
Looking back over the last few months since my last blog post, the thing that strikes me most is how quickly things can change in football. It’s not so long ago that I was brimming with confidence about this ‘newly mature’ Arsenal team, daring to dream of far more than the now-elusive 4th place.
At the start of February last year we were coming off a series of 3-0 wins, unbeaten in 2011, about to beat Barcelona and dreaming of greatness and trophies. We all know how that turned out. This time last week Gooners the world over were deep in post-United depression, agonising over a controversial substitution. It was our 3rd consecutive loss. (Wouldn’t it be nice if we could reverse the pattern of last season?)
Just a few days ago we had a moment of shared euphoria and renewed optimism – the unlikeliest of comebacks executed in ferocious fashion over a seven minute period, including the award (at last!) of two penalties. It seemed our luck had finally turned.
And yet… and yet. Today, twitter is once more awash with the suicide-inducing depressed haze of petulance, abuse and frankly ridiculousness. And over what? A goalless draw in a challenging away trip. I feel for our much-maligned defence – they might have had some shaky moments today but a clean sheet is the most any of us could have possibly asked for. Yet it still wasn’t enough to seal the win. Well, I say Twitter is flooded with these things. My timeline isn’t. I seem to have managed to follow only like-minded sorts of people – those who yes, are disappointed, in the extreme, at many aspects of the club. But who know that with 15 games still remaining in the league, there is an enormous amount of support that still needs to be put behind this (admittedly deficient) team.
I’ve read many people’s opinions on the state of this Arsenal squad in recent weeks. I read with interest, and with respect, not merely because they are the voices of my fellow human beings, but because I was raised to respect my elders. And when it comes to football, I tend to assume most everyone is my ‘elder’. My experience with our beautiful game is shorter than most, having only been introduced and converted to the sport during the 2010 World Cup – yes, less than two years ago. This is only my second season following the Arsenal. As such, I’ve never experienced our glory days. Never witnessed us raising a cup. Merely listened with awe to the tales of our legends and Invincibles. And do you know what? For every sideways pass Denilson made, for every calamitous centreback miscommunication, for every goalkeeping flap, for every chance skewed wide or shot straight at the keeper – through it all, through every game, win, draw or loss – my overriding emotion has been one of pride.
Pride in being part of something great. Something representative of history, tradition and class. Pride in our style of football, in our sensible business model, in the loyalty and consistency of having the one manager for 15 years. Pride in the community of amazing people who likewise bound themselves to the Arsenal.
That pride maintained itself throughout everything that has gone on for the last two seasons, through the humiliation of the Carling Cup final to the mauling at Old Trafford. But I can tell you that last weekend, during the United game, I began to question its sense.
And it wasn’t because of anything that went on on the pitch.
Yes, we lost – but with a severely depleted squad, we fought hard and were good value for a draw. We could have even nicked the win. In the end, a 2-1 scoreline against Manchester United is nothing to be ashamed of. No – the source of my shame, the thing that made me question my unwavering pride in my community, was the incredible reaction of large portions of the home support (obviously not the entire home support – I wouldn’t dare to include the mistress of this Blog amidst this generalisation, and of course there are many others like her). However. The lack of singing when the chips are down is bad enough. I understand you feel dispirited and not particularly inspired to sing. But the booing? Frankly it’s disgusting. For me, hands down, it was the booing that lost us that game. Say what you like about the substitution – and I disagreed with it as much as every single other fan around the world, including Robin van Persie – but a substitution does not kill morale. A substitution does not destroy belief, cause heads to drop. It might have the potential to – but a good crowd could always raise it right back up.
What happened last week was that after a period of the game where we had just scored an equalising goal, where we had all the possession and all the momentum, and looked likeliest to score again – at that moment, our most creative player was subbed off. But instead of getting on with it and putting all our support behind the player coming on – a player so woefully out of form that he needed all the support he could possibly get to attempt to display some of his considerable talent – the crowd in one fell swoop destroyed not only his belief in himself, but also his motivation, and the spirit of the players around him.
For me, it’s that simple. People can say what they like about these players being professional footballers, about how earning obscene wages should make them thick-skinned – but at the end of the day, these guys are just human, same as you and me. And humans are ruled by their emotions before and above their mind, or their body, no matter how professional the athlete. So for me, some of our ‘supporters’ ‘supported’ us to a loss. And to me, that’s just not good enough.
You hear a lot about fans who are ‘self-entitled’, who think that their matchday ticket is a transaction that deserves a trophy at the other end. There is nothing wrong with this per se – ambition is a healthy virtue. But when that very ambition is the cause of your own self-destruction when you can’t handle anything other than perfection, well I’m afraid then it’s a very destructive quality indeed. And I think it is this, above all else, that is dividing our fans. Those who are expressing their discontent with the state of the team are perfectly entitled to do so – but likewise the rest of us are entitled to take issue with how and when you choose to express yourself.
Booing, at any point during a game, is simply unacceptable. Likewise, verbally abusing our players on Twitter, whether you feel they gave a lacklustre performance or not, is not OK, nor is it productive. Do you think that the team are blind to their failings? Do you think they like the feeling of losing? Do you truly think our manager, so widely respected and who has led us to such success, cannot see the blaring deficiencies so obvious to the rest of us? If we are frustrated by his seemingly inexplicable lack of movement in the transfer market in January, we have every right to be perplexed – but to me, it reeks of politics behind the scenes that have left his hands tied. Or perhaps he’s just a very stubborn old man. But regardless, he is OUR stubborn old professor. Those are OUR boys out there in the red and white. They are bleeding for us, and they need our support. Our real support. Now, and every day, until the end of the season. Then, let the judgement befall them.
How I would love for us to have an FA Cup and 4th place secured by then as well. (Note from Sian – Errrrr and the Champions League!) Come on Arsenal – and by that I mean all of you – keep making me proud!
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Follow Gabi on Twitter: @GabiBoyd
chas
122 days ago
Nicely written, thanks.
Unfortunately, it was the substitution that killed morale against yoonited, simply because it was the trigger for everything else that followed. (even though what followed was wrong). If Theo had been replaced, the rest wouldn’t have happened.
Gabi
119 days ago
I agree in that it’s a chicken-and-egg kind of situation. But for me, the boss’s decision was already made, the substitution executed – it was then up to the fans how they reacted. We’re all human though of course…
gunny
122 days ago
Excellent blog!
You’re either a supporter or not. In front of my television in Holland I felt embarrassed by the booing and indeed, it had a negative effect.
Gabi
119 days ago
Thank you! I guess it’s easier for us to feel embarrassed in front of our TVs.
Daniel
122 days ago
Brilliant!
Absolutely spot on about so much and said with gusto. Well done and thanks Sian for giving Gabi the platform.
Am going to be taking a break from Twitter. I feel that last night’s result (and others of late) really brought the very worst out of a selection of so-called fans. While I do love Twitter for the good things it can bring, on nights like that it is becoming a magnifying glass, a microscope that projects the worst kind of bacterial bile into plain view. I really sometimes find it rather depressing and suffocating – which sounds dramatic but hey ho. Like you, I don’t follow anybody of that nature but you always get to see the worst of it whether you like it or not. And last night I saw the worst of the worst.
Losing has changed so dramatically since Twitter came along. It used to be hard enough with all the mass coverage on every news outlet going, but now you are simply bombarded with opinions and anger (winning has probably got better for the opposite emotions you see). And I genuinely think this kind of mass-communication was all part of the boiling pot that ended with those disgraceful boos which you are totally right in saying probably cost us at least a point vs United.
I’m probably looking too far into it but I think between the press telling us what to think constantly about our own team and people overreacting to an enormous degree, the entire game is on eggshells, each kick on a knife edge and it’s pretty much killing all the magic right now.
Thank goodness for this blog.
Gabi
119 days ago
Hi Daniel, thanks for the great feedback
I know what you mean about twitter getting just ridiculous at times, but I’m glad your faith has been restored in the last couple of days! Amazing what a resounding win can do for morale 
Tinashe Venge
122 days ago
Great blog post! Touched on so many things that a lot of gooners feel right now.
There’s no denying the team (And fan base) Is in a bad space right now. Those of us that HAVE experienced the good times (All 49 games :’( ) should be strong through the bad times. Because that’s football, that’s sport, and that’s life.
I just think some people need to learn the difference between criticism and abuse. Between being an honest fan and being a spoilt brat. I’m not going to tell people how to support a football club, but it would just be nice to see some respect for the club we all know and love- as well as for the people who support it too.
Gabi
119 days ago
Thanks Tinni Vee! Glad you liked the blog. Agree with your points about respect!
El Greco
121 days ago
An excellent blog, heartfelt and possionate. If only the boo boys had a little bit more loyalty – afterall, they are the first who piss and moan when they consider a player to be disloyal!
And to think there are supporters up and down the country whose team have been fighting relegation year-in, year-out, and they’re right behind them through thin, thin and more thin!
“Oh, but this is the Arsenal” I hear the boo boys scream, “we have great expectations, we pay our money and we make can make demands”
Well, we all have great expectations, and we are ambitious, and we want to be the best. But we are also realistic, considerate and loyal.
And if you don’t like it, give up your friggin season ticket and take a hike…there are others waiting in the wings!
Gabi
119 days ago
Thank you, I’ve often wondered how fans from relegation-fodder teams stay so passionate when ours can’t handle a draw! I know we’re meant to be better but as you say, perspective needed.
vaders_grandfather
121 days ago
Me Gusta.
Gabi
119 days ago
Cheers! I aim to please…
1NilToTheArsenal
121 days ago
Great post – well written stuff here as usual – kudos. But I am divided.
My own personal choice is always to cheer on the Arsenal no matter what, come what may. I absolutely HATE it when we boo and jeer our own club in our own stadium, especially as we have such a storied and classy history.
We are often reminded as supporters that silverware is not a right and winning is not a given, but those responsible for putting the product on the pitch should also be reminded that unconditional support cannot be guaranteed either.I completely understand the frustration that comes when one’s tolerance is taken to the breaking point.
Because I’m still cheering COYG doesn’t mean that I and everyone on this blog don’t deserve better.
Now, COYG!!!
Gabi
119 days ago
I love your comment that just because we’re cheering doesn’t mean we don’t deserve better. I think that’s exactly the sentiment I was trying to convey – of course we all want and deserve more, but the way we express that reflects on us as fans and frankly we should do better too.
Daniel
121 days ago
Since I commented, I have had my faith restored in Arsenal fans and Twitter. We do have some of the most laugh-in-the-face-of-adversity, up-yours-idiots-fans fans going. Just thought I’d let you know after my doomy last comment.
Lee
121 days ago
Good article, and completely agree that booing is not only immature, sad, and a rather a bizarre noise, but is a self-fulfilling prophecy in that it will only make a player play worse (or a returning player play better).
Negative people will always make themselves heard – some United fans boo at Old Trafford if they have the audacity not to win at home, and the less said about the ‘New’ Chelsea fans the better – but in our case, although unpleasant, there is no getting away from the fact the ubiquitous boo-boys are being heavily provoked.
Although many fans are polarised over the issue, I think any fan who is objective and can separate themselves from the fact that Wenger once did great things for us but whose performance as a leader is now not up to the requisite standard, will surely realise that we are at a vital crossroads. Sticking with Wenger can only lead to an acceptance of mid-table mediocrity (aka Everton’s accepted decline after their eighties hey-days) whereas a quality replacement can hopefully lead to the sort of fresh impetus that Wenger himself inspired back in ’96.
Gabi
119 days ago
Thanks for your comment! I’m not convinced that Wenger’s days are up, I still hold out hope that he himself can be the one to provide that ‘fresh impetus’ – but I agree with you that we are at a crossroads, and surely something must change in order for us to turn things around. Let’s hope that something is as simple as the players we have stepping up a bit more and churning out a few more 7-1s please haha!
Alex
120 days ago
Come on you Reds, with you all the way lads
(The Support is strong in overseas Gooners, it is.)
Gabi
119 days ago
That it is Alex! Keep the faith
copernicus
120 days ago
This club is on a long term downward spiral; it’s bloody obvious. If fans cannot speak our opinion then that’s too bad; it’s all about winning not about a ‘business model.’ The fans (in the stadium) or watching on TV abroad pay for the gig. Wenger has to be respected (for what he has done) but he has no longer has what it takes and we need to move on. I for one, hope Mourinho comes to AFC and breathes new life into a mediocre mid table club. I’ve supported AFC for 40 years and never been so pessimistic about the future. The status quo is no longer acceptable!
1NilToTheArsenal
119 days ago
Sports IS a business, and winning and sustainability may not be mutually exclusive. If any club can prove it so, surely it is the Arsenal. If you have been following the club for 40 years, I would think you’ve seen more ups and downs prior to the Wenger era.
Anyway, hats off to anyone that seen as much as you have following the club. But why so down now? What is it about 2012 that is different from other far dodgier campaigns (looking at the record books)?
El Greco
112 days ago
What is it about 2012? Well it’s the end of the world as we know it…right?
Gabi
119 days ago
I respect your opinion that Wenger’s time is up, at this stage there is certainly weight behind the arguments that he needs to go. I can’t say I quite agree with you though. For example, having just trounced Blackburn 7-1, do you still feel quite so pessimistic? Is this still truly the worst Arsenal side you have seen in your 40 admirable years of support? And if the answer is no, and things can change so quickly within a few days, surely Wenger should at least be given until the end of the season for us to judge him and his choices?