The Arsenal the fans want back is the upwardly mobile team of the late and early turn of century. The team that played for us in the years 96=2004 was dynamic, tough, athletic and overall fearless. This was a Wenger made team but essentially not made entirely in his image. It was also not without its flaws too. However the core of Englishness made it strong and moreover, they hated defeat. This is a team that went to OT and expected to win. Not anymore. Norwich and Wigan approach these games with a better mindset than we do. I blame Fergie for this, his ability to install a greater warrior spirit in even his average teams finally broke Wengers spirit in 2005 with the famous defeat at Highbury noted for the pre-game flare-up between Vieira and Keane. In that game we went for it and ended up thoroughly embarrassed at home. this led to the utterly coward display we gave at the FA cup final that year. In his mind Wenger realised he couldnt beat Fergie in a battle of wills, simply because SAF trains his soldiers better for war. It has been the same ever since and our teams have progressively lost their willpower ever since. Since then Wenger has eschewed signing big personalities for more malleable types...his so called youth project. He has gone down that road and still ended up with nothing to show for it
We are now left with a man at his wits end but who will not acknowledge it to himself or anyone outside and who now replaces deep thinking with effusive bursts of pique. He is trapped in a well cash padded prison of his own making. He will indulge himself in it for as long as he is not called out from his reverie.
Why should we not expect more when we pay the highest match day costs in the whole of human existence, with the 4th highest wage bill and 5th highest turnover worldwide. previously the mantra was Arsenal always come 1st or 2nd. Now we have changed it to 4th at worst, what next?. Europa cup dreams?. This is not to detract from what Wenger has achieved but why should we go against the grain of human existence for always striving for better days and decide that these good times are now part of our history, Do our fortunes rise and wane with our current manager`s abilities.
Will someone tell Manunited fans that the real united is the one that went 25 years without the title or Liverpool that 7 CL titles is all written in their destiny. Somehow we have created a parallel reality for our Wengerworld, one where failure is really a mini victory cast in bad light. Where instead of football what we are really engaged in is an expensive game of musical chairs where we have to accept that in reality WE are the hapless dancer that is likely to be left without a seat. This would have been palatable if some finacial tsunami had befallen us like Leeds or Portsmouth where stark reality has no counter argument, but our finances are strong and viable yet our football prospects have nosedived. Enough of this self emposed defeatism please. We can do better...we deserve better than this smoke and mirrors charade.
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Originally Posted by Letters
