FTK rant: Who do you want to win?

By Fabregas_The_King Published: 3rd September 2010

fans1

OK, this is Friday and there’s no TGIF as this is International Week. The prospect of seeing Theo destroy the Bulgarians this evening is a mouth watering prospect. The reason for the short rant today is that frankly everything has been said on this site by my contributors Eldo 71 and Vic Crescit. Arsenalinsider has NEVER been afraid to nail it’s colours to the mast. We are firmly supportive of Arsene Wenger, when we criticise the Club, players and the greatest Arsenal manager to walk this planet bar none, we feel that this criticism is CONSTRUCTIVE and the consensus of the many Gooners that we meet and talk with everyday. These views are opinions, musing, debating points, they are NOT statements of fact. Ever since I came to edit this blog I have found that the family of Gooners is wide ranging in it’s views but essentially we are ALL on the same side. Some blogs strike a chord with many, and some can be found almost disloyal by some fans. This is the way of the world. It is in the eye of the beholder.

YET…. One thing cannot, I repeat CANNOT be allowed to happen this season, and that is when opponent teams play the Arsenal home or away, we must support the team as put on the field by Arsene Wenger. ABSOLUTELY. No moaning, no booing, no deep sighs of frustration. Why? Well we are ALL disappointed about the failure to land an experienced goalkeeper. This happens. OK for Manuel Almunia it will have been very unsettling. But in the final analysis, unless the next incumbent is going to be an improvement, then Arsene was right not to buy anyone for the sake of buying. Please note, I am not saying that Arsene’s behaviour over this transfer is without criticism, the expectation levels should not have been allowed to reach such heights. However until we have ALL of the facts, we can only deal with hearsay. No-one should condemn a manager based on tittle tattle and hearsay. Did Schwarzer fail a medical with the Arsenal? Who the hell knows?? and if he did, why should we pay £4million??? Did Mark Hughes put a block on the deal through disliking Wenger? Who the hell knows??? The facts are Mark Schwarzer remains a Fulham player so DEAL WITH IT.

You want Buffon? Landreau? Given? Well it isn’t going to happen, why? Cos the flippin transfer window is CLOSED… get it? CLOSED so lets move on! Stop whingeing and support ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB. I recall the moaning made over several seasons about Alex Song. I recall some Gooners saying this player was absolutely useless. He went out on loan to Charlton and grafted. It was only when he was finally able to play without moans and boos from his so called home fans that he blossomed. Would you give him away now? Forget Flamini, I’d rather have Song. What about the history of booing of Eboue? I sit in the West Stand shouting “I like Eboue Eboue, I like Eboue Eboue, I Like Eboue Eboue, I LIKE….. E-BoUEEEEE!” (to the refrain of I like to move it, it from as Wiki tells us

“I Like to Move It” is a 1994 music track performed by Reel 2 Real (Erick Morillo), featuring ragga vocals by Trinidad and Tobago rapper The Mad Stuntman (Mark Quashie). The song appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1994, peaking at #89, reached #5 on the UK Singles Chart, and was a #8 hit on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The song is featured prominently in the Madagascar film series.

Now Alexandre Song and Emmanuel Eboue are strong personalities, they have risen Phoenix like from the ashes of derision heaped upon them by some of their so called loyal fans. Both of them were players chosen by our manager to serve our club, despite the critics. In good time we then could see what Arsene Wenger himself sees on the training pitch. Thank goodness that it is Arsene Wenger who has to make the final decision, who has delivered this club over a decade of regular Champions League football a fact often ignored by the minority of spoilt Gooners. So what if the personality of Manuela Almunia is not so strong? Confidence is everything and if your own support is against you, then that confidence will disappear faster than a rat down a drainpipe. I would like to make some suggestions. Before you, yes I mean YOU, start to moan and sigh when Manuel comes for a cross and gets fouled or mistimes a catch. THINK…

WHO DO YOU WANT TO WIN?

Give the guy a break cos shite happens… Ok perhaps you really are not an Arsenal supporter then, because the logic of dissing your own keeper is to want the oppos to score no? If we reduce our own Spanish Keeper to a pile of weeping paella then we are absolutely stuffed. Lets back the player LOUDLY and fully. Lets give him the confidence boost that he so badly desires. Let him convince us all that now He can make the number one position his own this season and NEXT, by assertive performances. Remember every keeper will makes mistakes, but this season is critical for us. Champions League and Premiership trophies at stake. So I ask you again,

WHO DO YOU WANT TO WIN?

I want The Arsenal to win, everytime….ok?

I rather suspect that you do too. So lets move on and SUPPORT THE GUNNERS.

And of course SUPPORT ARSENE WENGER, together we will succeed.

VICTORY THROUGH HARMONY!!!

Nuff said!

p.s I hear that Arsenal TV online has finally released the Interview with Le Boss following the affiliation of the Arsenal Football Club with Arsenalinsider. See the Interview below

Thank you all of our loyal readers who have by their regular contacts with the site, and positive feedback made us one of the top Arsenal web blogs out here in cyberspace! Keep it ARSENALINSIDER!

FTK. {jcomments on}

Fabregas_The_King

Tony aka FTK co founded Arsenalinsider.com in November 2006. often found on the site having a rant about the topic of the day.

Mr H

YES!!! Well f***ing said. That is the way to the light. Let’s all get past all the doom and gloom that some of the fans think should be cast across the club for failure to sign MS.

You can only look forward, theres no point dwelling in the past.

When Bolton come for a visit, I want to hear the ‘Rates gettin rocked by fans shouting Almunias name! He is OUR keeper, now lets support him and our club and our manager. Hence, we call ourselves supporters.

VCC
Chief Gooner

All Arsenal fans want arsenal to win. Its stupid to even question that. The issue is fans differ in how they want to make a statement to arsene. I agree booing or jeering will only make things worse. so lets show him some unconditional love and hopefully he comes through for us. My head says he wont get any better but he’s a top guy who you’d like to see answer his critics and succeed. lets see how the next 4 months go. we dont really have any choice
Angarse

I couldn’t agree more. The constant complaints concerning Almunia will only serve to undermine an already fragile keeper at a time where a boost in confidence might make the difference to the whole season. I expect to hear his name sung loud and long at the Bolton game… MANUEL ALMUNIA, MANUEL ALMUNIA!!!
Wembley79

Well said FTK !!

About time some people on the net remembered:

Supporter = one who gives moral or psychological support, aid, or courage to; “Gooners are Arsenal supporters”

Manager = In association football, a manager is responsible for running a football club or a national team. The manager of a professional club is responsible directly to the board of directors, or the club owner.

Now, I know what I am, and I also now what I am not – hands up anyone who actually manages a premiership team.

Oh, that’ll be none of you then !
jeffers

I half agree half dont.
Agree on supporting the team, I still dont understand why there has to be a hate figure.

Disagree on the goalkeeper ‘transfer’. We have just witnessed another example of Wenger trying to do it on the cheap. If he wanted a keeper he should have got one. I dont care if it’s schwarzer, Given or some other keeper I have never heard of. If he didn’t want a keeper he should have backed Almunia, as you have so eloquently requested that we do.

It’s now his fault we are in this kind of halfway house. We know Almunia can be suspect, Wenger also evidently knows and we are risking it for the 1st 1/2 season as we all know the stand ins simply aren’t there yet.

Is it really worth an extra 5million on the balance sheet?
Songs Hair

You are a fuccking idiot. You think that because we think Almunia is bad that we won’t support him. YOu think that because we don’t think he’s good enough that we don’t support Arsenal, about as retarded as it gets. We’ll all support Arsenal, but we will disagree with some decisions, you are the one that isn’t the fan if you think we should accept everything handed to us. FYI I never thought Song was crap, Eboue yes, Song no.
jacko

Agree we should all get behind whoever AW selects in goal…… but can see AW using this as a reason to keep Al long term to save more money, whether Al performs well or not. Catch 22 but we need to support AL regardless.
walter

Great article FTK! Well said
Andy

You guys write a great blog and people need to realize that Le Prof is where he is for a reason, he knows what he is doing and hes the best at what he does.
Fabregas_The_King

@H
Amen brother!!!
Fabregas_The_King

Chief Gooner said

“All Arsenal fans want arsenal to win. Its stupid to even question that.”

You say that, but I have heard some Arsenal fans wanting the club to mess up so that it gets taken over by Usmanov or Wenger booted out. Stranger than fiction some Gooners…
Fabregas_The_King

Manuel ALLL-MUNIA…!

Arsenal’s no 1, Arsenal Arsenal’s no 1,
ARSENAL’S NUMBER ONE!!!
goonamerica

Fabs gets subbed. And MA gets the armband! He’s not just our gk he’s the club’s 2nd captain! It’s not just a title but a hugely important role in the club and on the field. How’d he get this role? Appointed by AW? by his fellow pros? In either situation it is a sign of respect. Why does AW and fellow pros respect MA so much? What do they see in the player that most fans don’t? Maybe the hardwork he examples to all his fellow pros and the youth and a strength of leadership which isn’t obvious. Why the huge difference?
Fabregas_The_King

Awesome Wembley…
Just AWESOME….
Stu

I’m not sure that abusing the writer of this article soi the way to go mate. There is no where in this article where the author says we should just accept everything that is handed to us. Calling him a “fucking idiot” is not very helpful is it? I understand that some may find it difficult to articulate what they are trying to say but stooping to abuse is not on in my opinon. Yes disagree. You also say that the author is about retarded as it gets cos he does not realise that Gooners who do not think Manuel is good enough will support him… can you just remind me what happened to Emmanuel Eboue??? He got booed – we do not want a repeat of this! FYI Eboue was NEVER crap!
FTK – great article, and thanks for saying what you think! I concur completely!
Fabregas_The_King

What ever the facts are I don’t claim to know them as well as you do.
Hearsay is ALL we have got. I heard that Arsene seriously tried to sign Joe Hart, so what else could he do if the other club won’t sell???
Be fair at least Jeffers…
Fabregas_The_King

Ahem, Songs Hair, I was referreing to a minority of Gooners.
and yes booing YOUR OWN KEEPER is going to help the Oppos WIN.

YOU JUST DON’T GET IT DO YOU??? :zzz
Fabregas_The_King

Cold Logic….

Nice one Jacko!
Fabregas_The_King

Thank you Walter sir!….
Fabregas_The_King

May I say
ARSENE KNOWS…..?
Arsenal Shirts

Brilliant post, been meaning to say the exact same thing myself for far too long.
Bart

!00% Agree FTK, well said. Dare I say it?: you’re a proper Gooner.
Fabregas_The_King

Goonamerica, good comment as always!
Fabregas_The_King

Spread the word then and this blog post to those who need to be reminded to

KEEP THE FAITH!!!
Fabregas_The_King

Takes one to know one my Fellow Gooner!!!
spectrum

http://www.arsenalnewsreview.co.uk/index.php?mact=News%2Ccntnt01%2Cdetail%2C0&cntnt01articleid=1754&cntnt01returnid=42&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ArsenalNewsReview+%28ANR%3A+Arsenal+News+Review%29
An alternative view.
“In Arsene we rust.”
Terence McGovern

I caught a recent comment on a certain blog with” “le” in the title and there seemed to be a concensus there that and I quote: “At least we can slaughter him every time a goal goes in”.

I used to think that in a polarised blogosphere this particular site at least served a function in keeping all the retards in one place, however now I see that in a sense they have become a cancer within the support whipping all amlcontented element to a frenzy of anti-support which is disgusting.

I hope your article and readership help push any undecideds the other way because it is going to be a tough season for all concerned.

Thank you for this excellent article and the sentiments behind it.

I sometimes wonder if alot of these so-called arsenal “supporter” blogs truly understand our motto and how much they violate it.
The BearMan

I am beginning to wonder? Our club and its management has become the model in the footballing world, yet there are some, if they get their way will not hesitate to press the self-destruct button while we are just on the verge of great things. Perhaps there are Spurs supporters among us? A house divided cannot stand. Get wise, end this nonsense.
Fabregas_The_King

Spectrum

dear oh dear….!

:zzz
Fabregas_The_King

Terence,

I have just replied to Spectrum who holds up Myles Palmer as the alternative view.

I agree that all is not united in the Gooner world.

i have said that the situation regarding the buying of a new keeper was not handled in the best way, but equally in fairness to Arsene, We are NOT in possession of all of the facts.

To equate this barren spell with failure after having witnessed some of the most sublime football under Arsene Wenger is frankly disturbing.

We have no god given right to be number one, we have also got to balance our books. We are at the edge of greatness and a real dysnasty… Lets not throw it away before we ahve even started!
Maestro

Great article FTK! I agree 110% as the window is now closed so we have to get behind the players we have. Quite significantly, I think we have a good squad of players which, if all are fit at one point, Arsene will have a selection headache and I know he would relish having that problem. Nevertheless, I think the Goalkeeping Order should be: Almunia – 1, Szczesny – 2, Mannone – 3 and Fabianski should be sent on loan with an option to buy. Szczesny should be promoted to No.2 as that’s the best way for him to get the experience that he needs.
Fabregas_The_King

Well said The Bear Man!
Fabregas_The_King

Good Comment Maestro,
also what some Gooners fail to realise is that we currently have the BEST Goalkeeping prospects of the next generation playing in our Youth setup.

I shall introduce them to you all in another blog!
Notoverthehill

FTK keep up the good work pointing out that ALL should support their team through thick and thin. In the old days that were not so good for so many, the team represented the local area from the stink=pot of a Lane.
In the old days the Reserve XI played every week, but with the new rules the “stiffs” sit on their backside perhaps 80% of the time. A long term injury and suddenly the poor “stiff” is expected to replicate the first choice.
I took a look at the XXXXX 5 You know who 1. The You know who were ghastly and look at who was playing, mostly “stiffs”. For a goalkeeper practice truely makes perfect and unfortunately, sitting on the bench is not the answer.

For the groaners and moaners look at the number of minutes the “stiff” has played that season and reflect that once you ride a bike you never forget – but remember the initial wobbles and near misses from being out of saddle for a while!
BTW Vic will get his “ton” shortly!!
Chief Gooner

seems like you only get a thumbs up if you completely agree with the author here.
i didn’t realise the comments section was for ass-kissing.
i am sick to death of supposed real fans calling others spurs fan because we’re not happy we didn’t sign a keeper. how much sense does that make? spurs fans are delighted we didn’t sign a keeper.
Gooners who are complaining about this are the ones who aren’t happy with status quo. aren’t happy with glaring weakness in the squad being passed over transfer window after transfer window. the ones who want to see wenger deliver on his promises. and who desperately want to see their club lift some silverware. the ones who want to see arsenal compete against united and chelsea over 90 minutes. if that makes you a spurs fan then i guess i am one
jeffers

I tell you what he could do. He could say fair enough and find a keeper that does want to play for one of europes top 8 and a club that wants to sell. It’s not like looking for the holy grail, other clubs manage it just fine.

Instead he puts in a crappy bid for a past it keeper and hopes he can get away with it. This is the very same thing we were whinging about Barca doing with Fabregas.
NickA

Unfortunately I cannot attend games, but please guys those of you who are lucky enough to watch our great club week in week out please please get behind AlMUNIA.Sing the guys name, let him know that he’s a big part of this club and hopefully the confidence he’ll get from knowing the supporters are behind him will elavate him to the next level.
Songs Hair

Where did I say that we should boo him? Don’t EVER boo your own players is kind of rule 1. If you don’t then it’s just silly, I’ll always have an opinion, but I won’t rip apart one of our player’s confidence.
Songs Hair

Was Van persie on the pitch at the time?