gunnersayit.com

Do Arsenal Football Club have the most fickle fans on the planet?

Now, this may seem like a silly question to some, but to me (Arsenal supporter for 42 years) this is something that needs to be discussed, and I’m well placed to invoke said discussion.

I watched my beloved Arsenal take on Manchester United at Old Trafford, a venue where we have an abysmal record, on the opening weekend of the return of the Premier League.

The atmosphere was electric, from both sets of fans. Arsenal fans were buoyant, as we finally landed the type of striker that our team has desperately craved, since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s departure, and Manchester United fans were optimistic for their first home game of the season.

Add the historical animosity between the two clubs, and no hype was necessary. The pundits gave their best efforts to hype it, nonetheless. Trying their utmost best, to make it a Gyokeres vs Sesko clash, like they were two boxers about to finally give the people the long awaited bout.

Sesko hadn’t had a full pre-season, and had only been with Manchester United for a week, so he didn’t start the game. Thankfully, the tie quickly reverted back to Arsenal vs Manchester United, as it should’ve been.

The game started at an unbelievable pace, tackles were flying in, and both teams struggled to control the game. This concerned me, as I thought our midfield of Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, and Martin Zubimendi, would embarrass Manchester United’s midfield of Dalot, Casemiro, Fernandes, and Dorgu. I was wrong.

Ruben Amorim bypassed our midfield completely, by instructing his players to play balls over the top. Straight balls, or diagonal balls, it didn’t matter, as shockingly, we struggled to deal with it. This tactic unsettled the Arsenal team, and made us invite unnecessary pressure, with a plethora of miscommunication, and misplaced passes.

Despite these early exchanges going against Arsenal, a corner was earned in the 13^th minute, and a beautifully flighted ball was put into a dangerous area by Declan Rice, Manchester United’s nervous keeper Bayindir couldn’t catch it, and made a feeble punch on the ball, that fell perfectly for an unmarked Calafiori, and Ricardo Calafiori headed the ball home with an ease that surprised him. The Arsenal were 1-0 up at Old Trafford, even though we hadn’t been playing well.

Cue the jubilant, but somewhat cautious celebrations, as our awful record at Old Trafford, was in the minds of the Arsenal players, and the fans alike.

From a Manchester United perspective, they were a team looking determined, and assured in attack, and caught Arsenal on the break numerous times, but I’m not here to give Manchester United’s perspective. The match continued in this vain, coupled with some Arsenal half chances, and a commanding display from the dependable David Raya. Some wonderful saves from him, kept Arsenal’s narrow lead intact, along with Arsenal’s dogged defensive determination. Gabriel, and Saliba, in particular, refused to be beaten, and their colossal display inspired the rest of the team, to see out a hard fought 1-0 win.

However this is not the story I wish to tell, because the victory was marred by some Arsenal fans, who sadly chose to focus on everything negative about the performance.

There was nothing but kneejerk reactions, and opinions that seemed to of been force fed to the malleable, and online ignorami, from incompetent, agenda wielding pundits.

Balanced analysis, has now become a relic of yesteryear, and the ludicrous demand for instantaneous success, hasn’t helped matters.

I’ll be the first one to admit that we didn’t play well, but is that not what the great teams do.. find a way to win, when not playing well?

I was all awash with befuddlement, at the reactions I saw from the Arsenal fanbase, because they seemed to of ignored the fact that we won the game! It seemed like they were incapable of standing back from the performance, and looking at the bigger three points gained, picture.

This is what prompted the question I asked at the start.. “Do Arsenal Football Club have the most fickle fans on the planet?” I’m leaning towards an emphatic, YES.

Viktor Gyokeres needs to settle, and get used to not only a new league, and new country, but also a new system. An understanding needs to happen organically, with his teammates, none of which happens overnight. Shockingly, some Arsenal fans slated his performance anyway.

I’m supremely confident, that Gyokeres will be a success at Arsenal, but I’m also under no illusions, that this will take time.

Lets be patient, and lets not over react. Lets stand back, look at the bigger picture, and give a balanced view. I promise you, we’ll all be better for it.

I’m certain that some of you will agree, and some will disagree, and that is the beauty of discussion. We wear our football opinions like a badge of honour, but will the integrity of your badge be compromised, after lengthy, intelligent discussion?