Written by LandrySubira Monday, 22 August 2011 15:53

GunnerTalk Blog

By Landry Subira

Indulge me a moment. My brother said many years ego that expectation was the root of all disappointment. We were in our early teens at the time and it was probably a non-issue. It stuck with me though and has proved to be right over several years. Hopefulness is the same. It sets ones sight to a specific standard and requires effort and faith that the occurrence comes to pass. Below is what happens when it doesn’t.

So was the position of all Arsenal fans in May 2011. From a possible first or second, to third and ultimately fourth. But we all thought the coin had dropped. There was so much anger against Arsenal that I couldn’t see us getting through the summer without a mob of angry Londoners burning down the Emirates. Promises were made and we stood back and watched the most mind-numbingly dull summer take place. Arsene Wenger lied. His team is not better but worse than it has been in my short Arsenal memory. Saturdays 2-0 defeat was painful; not because of any other reason that we mismanaged one of the summers where we could have really taken the opportunity to get it right. The guys played with all their skill but could not win against a very poor Liverpool. Now, I’m very young for a supporter, 23, and I don’t want people to start with their shit. I do not believe any team has the right to win anything. One need only to look at Wolves and Wigan’s celebration last season to see what staying in the Premier League means to some teams and fans. My problem is that Arsene Wenger and the board seem to do absolutely everything in their power to lose.

Cesc Fabregas, the most creative player in Europe is gone and we haven’t heard a sniff of a replacement. The only one we were excited by was Juan Mata, who is now a Chelsea player for £25 million. Now correct me if I’m wrong, isn’t the Nasri deal (if it goes through) worth that? I’m no believer of splashing to save problems but if you can sell a player for something, logic states you can buy others for the same sum. I think the £10million on Gervinho was a great deal. I think the Oxlaide-Chamberlain signing was premature, or rather mis-timed. We needed many positions filled before another green midfielder was signed.  I don’t profess to know who to sign but I know value for money is misleading in football. Chicarito cost £6million, Henderson £20m and the difference in quality in colossal in the opposite way. So the quality to player parity that is enforced in Arsenal is not lost on me. My problem with the board is the number of signings (3) and the type (Jenkinson, Miyachi, Oxliade). They’re too young; Chelsea felt their players were getting on in years and they’ve bought three players now to counter that. Our core team is still so young so why the investment in more youth. 18 is too young for first team football. I hear the “look at Messi/Wilshere” argument going off. They are unbelievable sportsmen and like Usain Bolts height in short distant sprinting, a rarity.

I really do not understand what is happening at Arsenal. It’s simple things that confuse me too. What is their obsession with being “in the black”? Being solvent is very important I understand but every economist in the world would agree that loans or borrowing is fine as long as it is in investment and not consumption.  Why not buy experienced players? No one answers this question. No one is doubting the quality of the new signings but they need years to develop and a few loan spells to come together.  Arsene Wenger and the board confuse fans and then insult them by saying that they are being manipulated by the press.

Yesterday was also a bizarre day in that 2 players who have publicly said do not want to play for Arsenal did play. Now I have a different stance on Nasri; I simply do not care about him. He has not done anything to warrant any emotion from me. That people call him a cunt for leaving for double his salary is silly. Any one of us would. What is more painful is that the team he is leaving us for has a roster of quality players. Most of them are misused by Mancini but they are there and that is another reason he wants to be there, to rub shoulders with Aguero and Da Silva. Is this a reason to call him a cunt? I know he stalled his negotiations and wanted more money but that is so ordinary, so normal, so blaze that it doesn’t really warrant any of my emotion. That the team needed him to play yesterday, instead of shipping him off pisses me the fuck of on the other hand! Bendnter too wants to leave and will only get a sentence; he’s a decent player who scored goals from out of position but he is not as good as he thinks he is.

I kind of laugh to myself because even with all my eloquent arguments above, not one person who can change the situation will read it.  It’s like all the UN people speak about helping a Somalia famine amongst themselves and then go home cause their job is done. I just have a message for Arsene Wenger. You have had an amazing time at Arsenal and have set very high standards, so that you are judged by them is not unfair, it is life. It is what is expected from all people in all lines of work. Arsenal is its own worst enemy right now. Tick-tock tick-tock

Follow me on Twitter @LandrySubira or in person if you prefer.