Match reaction v Swansea

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

I never said anything about being proud of what they won. Im saying show pride in themselves, show they can be as good as the rest. Too many players like to talk a good game and don't back it up.

No point saying we can win the league then have a shocker in the next few games.

They say the can win the league, because our manager (who happens to be among a select few who have won it several times) tells them they can. Despite their woeful past, despite most independent experts not rating their chances and even the bookies making it pretty clear it ain't going to happen, our players put their trust in a Manager who has done it all- and that's the way it should be.

I mean its like expecting a schoolboy who does track not to believe he has a realistic chance of being an Olympic champion when the guy who discovered Bolt tells him he feels he has the potential to be a better than Bolt. Its a trust thing - and just like in the Armed Forces trust is a BIG thing in sport. If players or professional athletes don't perform the way they'd expect or been told they would, they almost always put the blame on their coaches. I mean how many times did most experts tell Murray he had the abilty to be a grand slam winner, and when he had a succession of near misses the thing he'd change/blame was his coach. Roll on a few coaches later and he's achieved his potential. During that time did you hear of Federer changing his??

Personally I think the problem we have now is since AW has been wrong so many times our players don't rate his word that much anymore- at least all the smart ones anyway- and that why almost all our long serving players wanted by good clubs end up leaving. The Cesc situation was my first real confirmation of this, just before he left he stopped making the rounds saying all the Bull you'd expect from a captain. Even on the field he didn't show he believed in the team anymore in those last days. Then you have Captain RVP who demanded the club show ambition before he'd sign- does that sound like someone with a 100 perecent trust in our world acclaimed manager?? I wonder why he didn't ask Fergie to make sure he signed a few world class players this season before joining so he'd be sure Man U would challenge for the title this season?? You see where I'm going.

Honestly no one intelligent or that has been around the game long enough can believe in this manager- and this has to be as a result of saying something at the start or every season and shifting the goalpost as soon as it becomes clear you are faltering. As far as AW is concerned, by the way he always measures success in January with his imaginary cups, he has been successful every single year at Arsenal. Do you currently feel like the fan of a successful club??