Do not allow the negativity of football seep into your life

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A few years ago I ewas not in a great place. I quickly worked out that my mental health was being affected by the negativity around football and fuelled by social media. As a result, I deleted all my social media accounts and actively stopped listening to those who projected their negativity onto others.

The result was I bought a new house, began a new career and started my own company. I am in a much happier place now than I was in 2017.

I tell this short story because I see others heading towards the same place that I was in (I am now back online due to the social media needed for my company).

After a brilliant 12 months, Arsenal are going through a rough patch. And like rats at night, some fans have grabbed on to this and using our poor wrong to project their negativity once more.

There are two sides of this that I see.

The first is those that are very unhappy in their personal lives. They then use social media to project their negativity onto you. Instead of trying to bring themselves up, they try and drag you down.

Instead of dealing with their own issues, and self-reflecting on what is causing them, they attempt to justify them by making others like them. “It is not me, it is society” is how they think.

It is not just in Arsenal or football you see these people, it is throughout the world on all topics. Their negativity is not actually aimed at whatever company (or individual) they spend hours a day trying to bring down, they are aimed at themselves.

Then you have the attention seekers. Those that realised that negativity sells.

These folk have created a fake negative persona for hits, RTs, impressions and views. Many try to monitise it.

What they then try and do is lead those in the first group who do have that negativity mindset. They become the leader of this group, almost cult like. This then become negativity on steroids as they create the network and echo chamber for those around them to feed off, and the negativity grows amongst them, becomes more aggressive and more extreme.

These folk are basically spreading negativity to try and make money or for attention. But what they are doing is damaging their own mental health.

We have seen before with many a YouTuber and blogger that they begin by showing fake outrage, the attention they gain from this persona is like a drug and their postings become more frequent and extreme.

The issue for them is at some point they cross the line and their fake persona becomes their real one. They entire the pit of depair. They have voluntarily decided to damage their own mental health and a few quid from Elon Musk.

Back to Arsenal, what is interesting (in my opinion), is that in our darkest days, the club was actually a less negative place.

Many of those who spew their negative garbage had stopped going in the last year or so of Arsene Wenger. They no longer wanted to spend their hard earned money. Their places were taken, post-Covid, by fans who were just happy to be there. Who would support the club win, lose or draw.

Then last season, after the first 6 months, these folk began showing an interest in football again. Began to get tickets and frequent message boards that they had not been seen on for years.

They turned their backs on the club during our dark times and as soon as we had an upturn in fortunes, they scuttled back from under their rocks.

12-months on and the atmosphere at the club is back to how it was in 2017.

To start with, I pointed out 6 months ago that a big reason why Arsenal had a ticket crisis at the moment was because of our upturn in form. This saw more demand from those fans who are only interested in going when times are good. There was no problems getting tickets when we were 6th or 7th in the league, not selling out in the Europa League.

Then we go on the little poor run we are now in. It happens in football. anyone who has followed their club through thick and thin for decades will know the ups and downs. But due to the return of the boo boys in our good times, the ground is back to the toxicity of the bad times.

I am seeing fans on message boards, in WhatsApp groups reappear and spread their brand of negativity. They said in 2017 that they had not interest in Arsenal anymore and would not be back. They returned in 2023. And now in 2024 they are saying once more that they are turning their back on the club.

These people are not supporters. They just want to jump in and out of supporting depending on whether we are good or bad. And they will also use any opportunity to deflect the negative aspects of their own life onto others.

I said decades ago on a forum that I would love Arsenal to get relegated. It was said facetiously as I would never want that to happen. But my thinking was by getting relegated, you would shake off all the casual fans, the day trippers, those only interested in the good times. Arsenal would be a much better, more positive place, without these.

For those that do not believe me, keep an eye on Aston Villa.

It was not too long ago that Villa got relegated. They recently accounced that they were reviewing their away ticketing policy to ensure that is was not a ‘closed shop’. Sound familiar?

The result will be those 3-4,000 who have been home and away in the good and bad times will be diluted by fans who only want to turn up in the good times. And as soon as the tide turns at Villa Park (and it will), those fans boos will be heard loudly.

Those casuals will then stop turning up, leaving the loyal “through thick and thin” fans to pick up the pieces. And of course, next time Villa have an upwards turn of form they will be back again!

I will finish off by reminding fans to not let the 90s minutes get in the way of the football.

Pre-social media it used to be easy – lose a game, go pub, talk it out, conversation moves on. But with social media, and those using to exploit it and spread their negativity, it can feel like you are in a dark place 24/7.

Put the phone down, get some fresh air, and block those who deflect their negativity onto others all day, every day, and especially those that try to monitise depression.

Keenos

MATCH REPORT: Arsenal 0 – 2 Liverpool

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Arsenal (0) 0 Liverpool (0) 2

FA Cup Third Round

Emirates Stadium, Drayton Park, London N5 1BU

Sunday, 7th January 2024. Kick-off time: 4.30pm

(4-3-3) Aaron Ramsdale; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Jakob Kiwior; Martin Ødegaard (c), (Jorge Luiz Frello Filho) Jorginho, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Reiss Nelson, Kai Havertz.

Substitutes: Emile Smith-Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, Cédric Soares, Leandro Trossard, David Raya, Ethan Nwaneri, Lino Sousa, Reuell Walters.

Yellow Cards: William Saliba

Arsenal Possession Percentage: 54%

Referee: John Brooks

Assistant Referees: Lee Betts, Nick Greenhalgh

Fourth Official: Josh Smith

VAR Team at Stockley Park: VAR Simon Hooper; AVAR Adrian Holmes SVAR David Coote

Attendance: 58,538

For some of the third round ties, there is also a support VAR official in place, whose “duties will include assisting the VAR and AVAR with evaluating incidents and assisting with the communication between the officials,” according to the FA official website, apparently. More importantly, our players will wear an all-white kit at the Emirates for the first time in Arsenal’s history as part of a campaign against knife crime and youth violence, entitled “No More Red”, which is a joint venture which was launched with Adidas two years ago. Additionally, our ladies team will also wear the kit for the first time when they face Watford in the Women’s FA Cup fourth round game at Meadow Park on Sunday, 14th January. It is to be noted that the all-white kit will not be put on sale to the general public, but a new bespoke “Community T-shirt” will be available to purchase from Arsenal stores for £30, with all profits going to their charity partners. With regards to today’s match, Aaron Ramsdale is back in goal, and Kai Havertz starts today also. Interesting to note that three of our youth players, Ethan Nwaneri, Lino Sousa and Reuell Walters also sit on the substitute’s bench for this exciting FA Cup third round tie against Liverpool this afternoon.

The visitors started the proceedings today, and both teams started to show their intent early on in this game. Within the first two minutes, we should have taken the lead through some quick thinking from both Aaron Ramsdale’s clearance and the quick feet of Reiss Nelson, but sadly his sterling effort found the side netting of Liverpool’s goal. So close, so early in the game. We were putting Liverpool under pressure in the early stages of the game, with our players finding the gaps in the Liverpool defence quickly and easily, it seems. Kai Havertz took a half chance which Alisson just about got to, and a couple of minutes later, following some great play in the visitors’penalty area, our captain’s shot hit the crossbar and bounced out into open play. By rights, in the first quarter of an hour of this game, we should have scored at least four goals, but were desperately unlucky not to, it has to be said, as we were putting Liverpool under serious pressure. The match started to settle down with both sides challenging for loose balls in the midfield and chances started to come few and far between as the game was tightening up. Trent Alexander-Arnold moved forward before releasing Darwin Nunez out wide, who crossed it into our penalty area, which was cleared out for a corner that went nowhere thankfully, and at the other end, some great play ended with a Bukayo Saka shot that was saved by Alisson, who managed to save our man’s attempt on goal. On the half hour, a beautful assist by Martin Ødegaard found the feet of Kai Havertz, whose left-footed shot from the centre of the goal went wide of the mark. On the right wing, Bukayo Saka was moving around the Liverpool defenders with apparent ease, and with ten minutes to go before half-time, he slotted the ball to Ben White, whose cracking twenty yard shot was tipped over the bar by Alisson. After winning the ball back just outside the Liverpool penalty area, our captain slotted the ball to Kai Havertz, who took far too long to shoot, and as such, when he did finally take a shot, Alisson easily picked it up. At the other end, Trent Alexander-Arnold curled a shot towards the net from just inside our penalty area which rattled against our crossbar, and although we had a couple of chances during injury time, the first half finished goalless. Unbelievably.

The second half started with much expectation from our supporters to take ourselves into the fourth round of this illustrious competition. As in the first half, we started positively, winning balls and pushing Liverpool back into their own half. Kai Havertz was fouled in the centre circle, but the referee waved play to go on, and shortly afterwards, there was a superb run by Bukayo Saka who went deep into the Liverpool half, but Joe Gomez somehow managed to clear it. The game became real end-to-end stuff now, with chances going begging for both teams at either end of the pitch. A well-worked free-kick exposed the visitors’ defence and Kai Havertz found Bukayo Saka but he hooked it over the bar. William Saliba received a yellow card for a silly foul on Diego Jota, and just afterwards Gabriel Martinelli replaced Reiss Nelson with twenty-seven minutes of the game remaining, and almost immediately he made a positive impact on the match with some exciting runs. Amazingly, the game appeared to speed up as it came to the last quarter of an hour, and out of the blue, Diego Jota set up Luis Diaz but fortunately his shot was saved by Aaron Ramsdale to keep us in the match at this late stage. The visitors started putting pressure on us, and a Diogo Jota header hit the crossbar which fell into the path of Darwin Nunez who blasted it wide thankfully, which was a massive let-off. Unbelievably, the visitors went a goal ahead when a ball came into our penalty area and it simply flicked off the head of Jakob Kiwior for an own goal, which was immensely disappointing. With three minutes of normal time remaining, Leandro Trossard and Emile Smith-Rowe replaced Kai Havertz and Jakob Kiwior, in an effort to score an equaliser and to try to grab a replay at Anfield next week. We were awarded a free-kick when our captain was brought down by Ryan Gravenberch who was booked for his troubles, but the resulting set piece was both wasted and disappointing in equal measure. In the four minutes injury time, in our efforts to score a goal, we were caught cold at the back and Luis Diaz finished the job clinically for Liverpool, which ultimately meant that we were unceremoniously ejected from the FA Cup. 

Let us be honest, we should have held a healthy advantage by half-time but we were let down by a major flaw, namely the lack of a decent striker of any shape or form. Because of our ineptitude in front of goal over the past few matches, we are now five points off the pace in the Premier League and out of the FA Cup, and if this carries on, and we crash out of the Champions League against Porto in late February/early March, then all of our hard work and effort in the early part of the season could all be in vain. We all know the question, but only Mikel Arteta knows the answer to this problem, and if he does not address it, and quickly too, then things could unravel quite dramatically at the Emirates. So disappointing for everyone.

Remember everyone, keep the faith, get behind the team and the manager, as this season is going to be crucial for our future success in all competitions. Stick with the winners. Our next match: Crystal Palace at the Emirates on Saturday, 20th January at 12.30pm (Premier League). Be there, if you can. Victoria Concordia Crescit.

Steve

Too Dearly Loved To Be Forgotten: Arsenal v Racing Club de Paris 1930-1962 by Steve Ingless (Rangemore Publications, ISBN 978-1-5272-0135-4) is now available on Amazon

No excuses for Arteta to not play strongest XI

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FA Cup 3rd round day is finally here for The Arsenal.

It is our competition. We have won 4 of the last 10. And I am certainly not one of those who says “it’s only the FA Cup”. I love the tournament.

But in between those wins, we do not have great memories.

After a brilliant run under Arsene Wenger, where we had never been knocked out of 3rd round in his first 22 years, our form outside of winning has been shakey.

In his first 22-years at the club, Wenger’s Arsenal only got knocked out in the 4th round or earlier (and it was never earlier), 4 times. An incredible record. Since or 2017 win, we have made it past the 4th round just one (and went on to win it).

Wenger would almost always put out a weakened team in the early stages. His justification was that he was putting out an XI that he thought would win the game. It his view was almost proved correct. then we face Nottingham Forest away.

Not only was Forest in 2018 the first team we had been knocked out of the 3rd round, it was also the first time in decades a team from a lower division had beaten us. It was a game where we were not at the races and confirmed that Wenger’s time at Arsenal was up.

The next season, we were thrashed 3-1 at home to Manchester United, and in 2020 and much changed Arsenal team lost away tou Southampton. Both defeats coming in the 4th round.

In 2021, Mikel Arteta made a numbder of changes as we went once more to Nottingham Forest in the 3rd round. A midfield of Albert Sambi Lokonga and Charlien Patino were overwhelmed and we crashed out again. Then last season we were beaten in the 4th round by Manchester City 1-0 in a close game that we might had won had Arteta not made so many changes.

So today we face Liverpool. And if we live by Wenger’s view that we “put out a team that should win”, we need to play our strongest XI. And with a “winter break” coming up, there is not reason for Arteta to shuffle the pack.

Yes, I get Aaron Ramsdale coming in for David Raya as is the norm for almost every team in the cup. But after that it should be our strongest XI.

White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwor (if Zinchenko is out), Rice, Odegaard, Havertz, Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.

I will understand if, for example, Arteta goes for Jorginho instead of Havertz and pushes Rice wider to help make the left hand side a bit stronger defensively. But beyond that, we need to win this game.

We will not win the league this season. One point in three has left us a little too far back. The fA Cup is our best chance to lift silverware.

Hopefully Arteta respects the competition, respects Liverpool and respects the fans and puts out his first team. We need to make winning trophies the norm at Arsenal, and the cups are a good way to help build that winning habit.

Sometimes, some foreign managers just do not get what the FA Cup means to English fans.

I have seen a video of Brentford manager Thomas Frank bemoaning the fact that his team have an FA Cup replay following a home draw against Wolves.

For a start, it does annoy me when foreign managers are happy to come to England and earn the huge money they do (in comparison to what Frank would earn managing a mid-table German, Italian or French team), but then moan about the structure of our football the provides that income.

FA Cup replays are an integral part of our great game and, in the past, Brentford have benefited hugely.

Back in 2005 Brentford were £7m in debt. They drew Southampton at home in the FA Cup 4th round and earned a replay. That replay earned them £500k – a huge sum for a then League One team. Without that replay, Brentford might and went a big way to helping the Bees improve their financial situation.

Secondly, Brentford only have themselves to blame for not being able to beat Wolves at home.

Frank made 4 changes to his first team, and Wolves have a man sent off after 9 minutes. Calling for the FA Cup to scrap replays is just Frank deflecting for his and his teams failure to win a game having played 90% of it with an extra man.

If you want to manage less games, go to France or Gremany. And then take the pay cut that comes with it.

Finally, please remember there are train trikes after the game today. If you are not able to go and have not yet sold your ticket in the Ticket Exchange, please do so now! We need to make sure every seat is filled!

Keenos