By Lindsay Sheehan

Sometimes me and George are Ike and Mike - we think alike. So following on from his blog here is my take on the current ruck radiating through and fracturing Goonerdom. What’s your view? Please GET INVOLVED.

At the beginning of the season I worried over the potential for serious unrest amongst Gooners in my blog "United We Stand." Unsurprisingly, the Groundhog Day we have been tortured by this season has seen the gaps between us widen. Some of us are in danger of falling right into the cracks with our behaviour. As Redaction said, "The thing with civil war is that all the casualties are all on our side."

With infighting and disrespect rife on both the Internet and at The Emirates let’s take a look at the situation.

Obviously the majority of fans should not be labelled. Most wobble between opinions depending on the result and mood. As in life nothing is completely black or white. However there are 2 clear militant groups and these warring factions are

AKB – Arsene knows best – In this corner fans believe that our current manager is the best we’ve had and, more importantly, still the right candidate for the job. Most see and acknowledge the issues at our club but still ‘believe’ (lol) that AW is the man to address them and move us forward.

Ideas vary on how responsible Arsene is for the lack of investment. Some say that the "new stadium will not hinder our ability to spend and compete" promise from the board was in fact a smoke screen. They feel that Wenger has been laid out to dry by the rest of the people in the know who are themselves doing very well. For example the salaries of Gazidas and Tom Fox who together earn almost £3 million from the club must be paid for somehow. There is also Keith Edelman who made disastrous commercial agreements leaving a club like Arsenal with no where near the revenue they deserve from their sponsors - quoted as the equivalent of us loosing over £30 million in 4 years. The players, our wage bill and their contracts also figure highly among their debate. In their eyes, the fact that fringe players earn much more than necessary, on long contracts without past service or evidence of real talent/fight/experience to justify that amount, also contributes to the current situation. Why would they move on or even try when their pockets are lined nicely.

They feel that we will see a change in philosophy from Le Boss now that the 5-year plan has been unsuccessful with regards to winning trophies. They acknowledge that although on the pitch it’s been disappointing, you can not underestimate the value of the functioning business model we have implemented and its role in the long term future of Arsenal Football Club.

All fans plotted down in this camp want some spend, some reinforcements and the moving on of those who are under performing consistently in our Arsenal shirt. They want investment but not on the scale of those clubs with rich sugar daddies – i.e.-sustainable rather than reckless spending.

The staunch AKB dismiss criticism of the current regime. They see any condemnation of Wenger as being negative, short sighted, disloyal and immature. Some feel that it is the Johnny-Come-Lately fans (ironically those who have been spoilt by the very success Wenger himself has brought) who need a reality check and a history lesson when they call for his head. They feel if these fans supported more vocally the home form would not be as poor.

 In Arsene We Rust - This group have the overwhelming feeling that Le Boss has lost le plot and should be replaced at the end of the season. While most acknowledge his achievements they feel he has taken The Arsenal as far as he can and that we need new blood coupled with a fresh outlook. It is widely believed that he is too stubborn to make the concessions we all want and will continue blindly until the club has fallen even further behind our competitors into oblivion. The board are also in the firing line for allowing Wenger’s control of the club to increase unchecked whilst enjoying the profits. They look at the investment of other clubs and feel that if we had invested a fraction of that, success would be ours.

Wenger’s confidence in and loyalty to his under performing team frustrate them. His repeated use of meaningless phrases such as "Strong mental belief" when the opposite is glaringly obvious convince them he has gone la la mentally.

Candidates to replace him are wide and varied. This is one thing they do not seem to agree on as a group. Some names are credible, some would be dream team stuff (Pep) some would change our football style dramatically (Mourinho) some are ridiculous (Warnock) some are interesting (Coyle) while most probably couldn’t or wouldn’t happen.

Plenty of clubs have had political movements, most recently the Green and Gold "Glazers Out" at Man Ure, but trust us to have one that divides rather than unites.

Both sides of the argument have merit yes? They make valid points we all understand and relate to yes? When you were reading could you see the qualities of their position clearly even if you did not concur yes? Therefore being either AKB or their opposition does not solve any of our problems.

We all agree that the manager, the player, the board and, yes, us the fans, have to all take some responsibility for the current situation. Football is a game that divides opinions constantly. So why such handbags? Why are we falling out so badly? Why such scornful dismissal of the opposing point of view? Why must we subscribe to one or the other opinion? My thoughts have always been "among ourselves discuss, debate, question. To every other fucker defend together til we die." Who forgot the first bit?

I was delighted at the impact the Internet has made to the Gooner community. (Please see my blog Tweeps) We can talk Arsenal for 24 hours a day 7 days a week with Gooners all over the globe and unite behind our red and white. Now the seedy side is coming to the fore. People can say crude, cruel and distasteful things whilst hiding behind their PCs. Movements can gain momentum and notoriety simply from being discussed or RT’ed and battle lines can be drawn in the most public ways. The direct abuse at players is sickening. No wonder people are spoiling for a punch up come match day.

Why has all respect for manager, team, players and fellow fan gone has out the window? Have we lost our minds? Why are we are talking to our own in this manner and making such a show of ourselves? Say what you like about Arsene Wenger but that man, mistakes and all, loves our club and has been absolutely revolutionary for both us and the English game. Is it right and correct to call him a cunt? Is it equally correct to dismiss and abuse another who has tired of the status quo? Some of our behaviour has been more fitting of Stoke rather than the class usually associated with The Arsenal. After the unfair and un-relentless battering we’ve taken from papers, pundits, radio shows, Sky and other fans alike I feel it’s harmful and downright rude to be speaking to each other in the way I’ve seen clearly illustrated time and time again this season. I thought we were a family.

(Please excuse the spelling and grammar – that’s how its been posted)

I ‘believe’ (last time I promise) that we ‘overall’ (it’s just too tempting) are in agreement that this season has been at the very least – severely disappointing. If you hadn't experienced the race you may have thought 2nd /3rd/4th again is about par for The Arsenal right now. In fact some may say considering the backup players to our first 11, it's an over achievement. Hearing that we'd been knocked out the CL to the world's best Barcelona and the FA Cup to the probable EPL Champions, an alien may well find himself shocked at the depression, despondency and despair radiating in nuclear waves from Gooners right now. But the lucky alien three-eyed bastard would not have witnessed the CC final, the manner of the defeat to Man Ure, Newcastle away, Newcastle Home, Tottenham home, Blackburn home, Sunderland away, West Brom home and away, Bolton away, jeez I’m stopping now before I shoot myself. Had he, he may well be currently poking out said 3 eyes in order never to witness such disastrous calamities ever again. The frustration at being so VERY FUCKING NEAR (check out last years’ episode here) yet falling away again has driven us all to the brink of insanity.

So we have clear issues. Lack of investment, lack of experience, lack of competition, lack of leaders, lack of motivation and lack of new ideas. Its been soul destroying, such an apt description because I, like you, have felt the slow death of our season drain the life out of me drip by drip by drip. For my Arsenal have become a cliché, predictable in our shiteness.

So with Arsene Wenger I stand. But I, also like you, want change. I want all the things we all want - strength, depth, experience, stronger training and most of all success for our club. I’d just prefer that Wenger is the man who brings that to the table. If not – I’m afraid he simply must go. Whatever happens in the last few games, however low we fall or how high we hold our heads, one thing is for sure. This summer is going to be the most important period in the history of Arsenal football club and the relationship with its fans for as long as I’ve been alive.

I am ashamed at the behaviour from some of our ranks and I find it bum clenching to explain it to other fans. We will be humiliated when the usual cunts in the media properly get behind the drama and whip it up. It’s time to pull our heads in I think and express ourselves properly.

To finish it seems ironic during this time that our motto is 'Victoria Concordia Crescit'. Right now although there is certainly not much victory going on, there is also precious little harmony.