Tag Archives: Arsenal

Are you prepared for Wexit?

This is surely Arsene Wenger’s last season at Arsenal. His contract is due to come to an end. It will be time for him to retire in the sun.

Like many, I feel he should have already gone. His time was up a couple of years ago, but he has held on – unlike many, however, I will not blame everything that is wrong with the world on Wenger.

So it is coming to an end. 20 years of one man being in charge of Arsenal. And the question we need to ask ourselves is, are us, as fans, prepared for Wenger’s exit? Or Wexit as I am labelling it.

Over the last 5-10 years, a lot of fans have defined themselves not as Arsenal fans, but as how they sit on Arsene Wenger’s employment at Arsenal. For a while, it seemed you could not simply just be “Arsenal”, but you had to also be “Wenger In” or “Wenger Out”.

It went as far as people creating Acronyms for both sides. WOB & AKB.

At the same time, we saw the rise of social media. Twitter and Facebook. And people created an online persona, based on whether they were Wenger In or Out. They have gained followers, notoriety, maybe even disciples, based solely on their opinion of the manager.

Their followers have given them a false sense of security. A false sense of status. It has made losers prophets. Thinking that they are preaching to their disciples, above all those around them.

We have seen Wenger In groups pop up on Facebook, where they act like everything is rosy. Wenger Out Whatasapp groups where people link in a comment made on social media backing Wenger, a call to attack, so to speak.

There have been fights online, punches thrown in stadiums, and banners, a hell of a lot of money spent on banners.

People have basically defined themselves over nearly a decade based on who they see the status of a single man.

And how will these people react when Arsene Wenger leaves?

How will they go on to get their heroin-like attention? Will they move on to pretend to be in-the-know? Will they massively support / abuse the new manager? How will these people define themselves post Wenger? Will they return to just being amongst equals, a normal Arsenal fan, or will they keep preaching like a prophet?

We have a year of transition. You will see some who are smarter changing their online persona. Becoming less argumentative. Trying to look more informative. In the hope by the time Wenger leaves, they have returned to just being a normal fan, who go’s for the enjoyment of football. Maybe move on to other causes, like ticket prices, safe standing, etc.

Of course, you will have the attention seeking idiots who will just not be able to let go. Despite them becoming less and less relevant, they will continue to spout their bile, their abuse, at anyone that disagrees. Each time getting less Retweets, fewer likes. Eventually they will realise they have become irrelevant and probably jump off a bridge.

After living your life for a decade so aggressively based on one man, how will they cope when that man is no longer in their life?

Personally, I have always been just Arsenal. Next season, when Wenger is no longer here, nothing will change for me.

I will still write crap blogs, still argue on Twitter, still go to every game, home and away, and still spend way to much money on beer before, during, and after games.

Are you prepared for Wexit?

Keenos
Follow @KeenosAFC

How could Arsenal line-up on the 1st day of the season?

1 Reply

I am usually one of the more chilled out people involved in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. I go for the booze, I go for the banter, and if the football is positive, it’s a bonus. I try not to concern myself with club finances, scouting, transfers, what will be will be. There is no point spending hours a day, every day of the year, moaning about everything.

Many people complain about everything, football is there life, success is their king. And I see them on Facebook, on Twitter, every day, finding a new thing to moan about. Usually twisting things round to having a go at Arsene Wenger, abusing him.

I wonder how unwilling their lives must be, how depressed they must be, how they must always walk round with a frown on their face. A very sad, negative, abusive bunch of people.

Social media has done this to fans. You live the club 24/7. Let it affect your days. Rather than just turn up on a Saturday and enjoy yourself with your pals – interestingly, those who seem to be the most negative, the most abusive, do not go. Maybe that is their problem? Living your football life through Facebook or Twitter can be a depressing place.

Go to The George after a defeat. People are annoyed for about half an hour, then the booze starts flowing, the tunes start playing, and your sadness is lifted. Those who do not go to games then spend their time on Social Media moaning and bitching about the result all evening. It must get them so down.

Anyway, I digress. Despite me being fairly care free about what happens outside the 90 minutes, I am starting to get a tad concerned about how we are going to look on the first day of the new season at home to Liverpool.

We have just 1 month to go until the new season starts. Pre-season is in progress. Preparation beginning. But we look short.

Not just short due to only signing one senior player, but also due to the amount of player who will miss up to the 1^st month of football.

Arsene Wenger (rightly) gives players a full month off. This means those involved in the later stages of the European Champions or Copa America are unlikely to be involved for a while. Then it usually a month to get back to 100% match fitness. You are then looking at it being about 8 weeks between a players last game on international duty, and them being fit and ready to play again.

Arsenal had 10 players at Euro 2016, and a further 3 at Copa America.

Not all 13 will be unavailable come Liverpool on the 1^st day of the season, as some barely played, others were knocked out so early it does not effect anything. But their will be a few key players missing. And of course, Tomas Rosicky is no longer with the club.

Hector Bellerin
Last game: 7^th June
Notes: Despite not playing a single minute at Euro 2016, Bellerin is still on holiday. I would imagine he would return to the club at some point over the next 7 days. He is a fairly naturally fit guy, so it would not take him too long to reach match fitness.
Expected Return: Leicester away (although an outside bet to make Liverpool)

Joel Campbell
Last game: 11^th June
Notes: Campbell had a poor Copa America, playing just 124 minutes of football as Costa Rica crashed out in the group stages.
Expected Return: Liverpool (if he is still with the club)

Petr Cech
Last game: 21^st June
Notes: Not currently in training. But with David Ospina (see below) also out, Cech will return first
Expected Return: Liverpool

Olivier Giroud / Laurent Koscileny
Last game: 10^th July
Notes: With France making the final, they are both unlikely to return to training until August the 8^th. They might have an outside chance of making the Watford game. But then we have an international break. Southampton after is more realistic
Expected Return: Southampton (10^th September)

David Ospina
Last game: 25^th June
Notes: Columbia made the semi final at Copa America, Ospina an ever present. Not yet returned to training but likely to by next week. Will be on the bench.
Expected Return: Liverpool

Mesut Ozil
Last game: 7^th July
Notes: Named Germany’s player of the tournament, expect him to be given an extended break and return after the international break
Expected Return: Southampton

Aaron Ramsey
Last game: 6^th July
Notes: It will have to be taken into account that this is his first major summer tournament. Another who will get an extended break. Might make the bench for Watford.
Expected Return: Southampton

Alexis Sanchez
Last game: 26^th June
Notes: He struggled in the 1^st half of last season as it felt like we (or he) rushed back to fitness. Needs a proper break otherwise he will break down
Expected Return: Leicester

Wojciech Szczesny
Last game: Who cares?
Notes: Likely to be not with the club on the 1^st day of the season. So who cares?
Expected Return: Who cares?

Jack Wilshere
Last game: 27^th June
Notes: Was only a bit part player for England. Taking into account he has been out for the year, I expected him to report for training last week. But he is still not back. Does he need a holiday? Will probably return to training on Monday. Bench for Liverpool.
Expected Return: Liverpool (bench); Leicester (start)

Granit Xhaka
Last game: 25^th June
Notes: Currently on holiday in Kosovo, but pictured himself training with local club FC Prishtina.
Expected Return: Liverpool (bench); Leicester (start)

So how could Arsenal line up against Liverpool?

Keenos
Follow @KeenosAFC

Are Arsenal Fans Playing Pokemon Go?

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Gotta catch em all.

Yesterday, when all the fuss was happening over Thierry Henry turning down a full time coaching position at Arsenal, one comment really hit a cord with me.

We have had so many top players play for us over the decades. So many fans favourites. So many legends. And it seems that every fan expects every top former player to get a coaching job at the club.

That is just not realistic. It is like fantasy coaching.

What I picture now is fans travelling around the world, seeking out former Arsenal players in a coaching position (or acting as a pundit on TV), and attempting to capture them, bring them back to London Colney, and force them into a coaching job at the club.

It is like an Arsenal version of Pokeman Go.

We have Thierry Henry over at the Sky Sports studios in Isleworth.

Up in Salford, Martin Keown can be found in the Match of the Day studio. Somewhere in London, Lee Dixon can be captured working at ITV Sport. David Seaman was last seen at Lea Valley ice rink, practising his twirls

Go south of the river (don’t get a black cab, they don’t go that way), Ray Parlour is to be found at TalkSport Towers. For Ian Wright, you have to go to Kings Cross, Platform 9 and ¾ and get a train to Hogwarts.

And then Arsenal Go turns international.

Go to Amsterdam under the guise of coaching an Arsenal legend (we all know why you are really going their). Dennis Bergkamp is to be found. You can capture Marc Overmars too.

Down in Azerbaijan, Tony Adams can be found. Although he might not be there longer. Then get a flight to Brazil.

In Brazil you will find Edu, and if you are lucky, Gilberto might be in town as well.

A trip to New York will enable you to capture the rarest of them all. Patrick Vieira.

And then it is a return to London. Will all your Arsenal Pokeman captured, to release them all onto the Arsenal training ground.

You have captured them all.

Of course, it does not matter that there are not enough jobs to go around. It does not matter that you have to sack proven, quality coaches to make space for unproven, unqualified, ex-players. None of that matters. What is important is that they all have jobs. Every single one of them. Anyone who wants a job gets one. And those that do not, as they would rather be working in their home country for their boyhood club, they can be chained to the centre circle. A chain long enough to get around the training ground. But not leave. Like a dog in your back yard.

It is silly isn’t it?

In the past, the likes of Geordie Armstrong, Pat Rice, Bob Wilson & Liam Brady have coached at Arsenal under Arsene Wenger.

Currently the likes of Steve Bould (assistant manager) & Freddie Ljungberg (U15 / U16) are at the club. Robert Pires also has a role. There are others too that did not have a stellar career.

Arsenal academy graduate Ryan Garry retired at 27. He is the clubs U13 coach. Greg Lincoln, another ex academy player, is also at the club.

Add in the likes of Giles Grimandi & Danny Karbassiyoon currently have scouting roles at the club. Steve Morrow is the head of scouting.

Steve Gatting has been at the club for what seems forever. People do not realise he is also an ex-player.

Kwame Ampadu has a 3 year stint at the club. He would have been Theirry Henry’s boss. Tony Adams has now taken up that position as his number 2.

So there are plenty of Arsenal people around the club. Some are ex-players of a legendary status, others players who’s career did not reach them heights.

But it is important we get the best coaches.

Look at Jose Mourinho. He is one of the top coaches in the game right now. He did not have any sort of professional career. Arsene Wenger did not exactly do much either. Within the club you have a man like Neil Banfield – who has been at the club for 20 years, Vic Akers (31 years), Steve Leonard (23 years) & Tony Colbert (18 years). Between them they have nearly 100 years of service to Arsenal.

Should we get rid of these stalwarts of the club. Proper Arsenal man, to make space for someone like Marc Overmars, who was at the club for 3 years, or Patrick Vieira, who spent 3 years trying to force a move away from Arsenal?

We demand the best players at the club, we should also demand the best coaches. We should not be handing out jobs to coaches who are not the best, just because they used to play for us.

Keenos
Follow @KeenosAFC