SADNESS AND STEAK KNIVES

 

“As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. Anybody want to see second prize?
Second prize is a set of steak knives.”

 

 

Yes we all want and dream of victory this evening but today is feeling like a tipping point for many Arsenal supporters. There are all sorts of opinions and statements coming out on the old Internet/Twitterverse, many views on team selection, ethos, goals of the club, competitiveness, resting players, mental issues, fatigue and basically the kitchen sink of critique. Yes there is the now usual in-fighting and "I've been supporting Arsenal longer than you therefore etc etc" going on but the general feeling is one of sorrow.

What comes across from the majority of comments I have read is not so much anger, nor in fact frustration, more a sense of deep sadness. Sadness at the poverty of the current Arsenal squad. A good squad gives supporters a sense of relief when key players are missing; as an example The invincibles preffered lineup was supplemented by Kanu, Wiltord, Keown, Parlour, Edu, Reyes and Fabregas.

Our goalkeeping squad is frankly not of the required standard and therefore when Szcezny is not playing well, injured or dropped for whatever reason there is little alternative. That also seems to be the case with our most reliable (or less unreliable to be honest)players.

A club and a team has to live and die by the players on the pitch and the players in the squad. If any player employed to play for the Arsenal is not good enough to be in a starting XI then there are serious questions to be answered.

A club can't compete without the correct tools to do so. An inferior squad equates to a reduced competitive edge and that once cutting edge has seriously been blunted.

Competing for the Champions League each year as the raison d'etre of the club's season seems to have been superceded by merely participating in the Champions League



"A.B.C, A-always, B-be, C-Competing. Always be competing, always...be...competing"