Dear Arsene.....

THE ESTEEMED John Cross tells us in the Daily Mirror you want to ‘feel loved’ before you sign a new two year deal, a contract you will once again observe to the day I’m sure.

All true Gooners do love you Arsene, you are the greatest modern-day Arsenal manager and we have memories to cherish until our dying days. The first double including that phenomenal run to haul Manchester United’s 12 point lead in and of course 2002 when we won it in their backyard.

None of us will ever forget 2003/4, the unbeaten season during which you and the players delivered the best football I have ever seen from an Arsenal team.

Those were seasons where we felt everyone was aiming high, pushing each other to win, win and win again. Since then I suspect many Gooners including myself feel an attitude of ‘that’ll do’ is the message, much of it coming from you.

We understand moving home was a nightmare financially and meant we had to sell the best players, but please remember before the move us fans were told it wouldn’t affect the team.

We do appreciate your loyalty and understand others wanted to prize you away, but that doesn’t mean we will just accept things.

And we do appreciate Champions League football every year Arsene and the stadium you enabled to be built. Personally if the Emirates deal ever ends I would be happy for us to play at the AW Stadium

But too often in the Champions League we end up throwing it away against sides we should beat or rest players in the group stages and end up with a harder draw in the knockout phases.

Arsene, we also pay some of the highest ticket prices in the country so it’s massively galling to see our team get so close and throw things away.

The Carling Cup final in 2008, we should have beaten Birmingham out of sight yet we went into the game thinking it was won already. AC Milan were disposed of in the Champions League 3-0 at our place, just a shame we were 4-0 down from the first game!

Put simply, when the pressure is on, a lot of us now think an Arsenal team under you cannot handle it.

Last year we beat Manchester City at the Emirates to go top of the league at Christmas. We then won just two out of the next seven league games and went a month without a victory.

We don’t understand Arsene how Leicester, a team which was all but relegated the Christmas before, held it all together to win the league. A team we beat home and away.

We struggle to understand how the current very talented team isn’t running away with the league like Chelsea – under a manager in his first season in English football.

And Arsene, we don’t like the fact them lot down the road seem to be building a pretty decent team!

We have a huge, beautiful stadium, a cracking team which you have assembled but then we lose to Watford, go 3-0 down to Bournemouth and inch past Preston North End.

We are football fans Arsene, we are forever asking ourselves ‘Would this happen to Man United, Chelsea etc’ and nine times out of 10 it wouldn’t.

That’s why we are frustrated and yes angry with things. We don’t want ‘that’ll do’ mentality, we want the Arsenal of old, the flourishing football with an insane desire to win trophies.

You are your own man and make your own decisions Arsene and we will always respect that.

If this is the end though, please be assured all true Gooners, even your fiercest critics will stand and applaud as you leave and thank you for taking a football club in a right state when you arrived in 1996 and putting us among Europe’s elite.

We do love you Arsene, but we love Arsenal Football Club as well. It was here before us and it will outlast us all too.

Merci pour l’écoute

Don't just blame Wenger, Arsenal as a club has lost its way

WEDNESDAY night was probably the lowest I have felt as an Arsenal fan for a good number of years, certainly since we were embarrassed by Birmingham City in 2011.

After a very limp performance against Manchester United on Sunday, I'd hoped the players would roar back and shove the critics words down their throats with a dominant performance against relegation strugglers.

Instead it was another of 'that'll do' performances where Arsenal went 1-0 up and reacted with horror when the opposition dared to make a game of it. It's a performance we have got used to sadly in recent years and usually explained away by the manager as 'tiredness' or something else.

In other years we probably didn't do enough to win the title, but this year with Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City bobbing along, it looked the golden chance to win the Premier League.

Instead Arsenal lie somewhat marooned in third, closer to dropping out of the top four than reaching the summit, occupied by Leicester City. A team let's remember who were 'doomed' to relegation the Christmas before last....

The more damning statistic was Arsenal have recorded just THREE Premier League wins since Christmas or more to the point, three victories since we beat Manchester City at the Emirates and established ourselves as favorites.

Instead of pushing on and doing all we can to seal the title, we nervously stepped into the New Year. To the outsiders, of which many of us are because the club won't have anything said anti Arsene, it looks like they simply don't want to win trophies bigger than the FA Cup.

Do I blame Wenger and want him out? Not entirely, the players are just as culpable as the manager, after all Arsene Wenger can't score goals or keep them out!

But my problem with Wenger is the lack of desire and the willingness to be challenged, where are the voices in the dressing room calling people out for slacking, challenging the manager?

Answer? Out of the club, Wenger rules and if you don't like it you can look for another club to play for. Gone are the days of Adams, Keown, Vieira, Henry, Lehmann, Campbell – big players who would drag the team to glory.

The players know if they don't deliver on the pitch there will be an excuse from the manager and most have slipped into their comfy trousers to pocket the salaries on offer.

Any other club would have shipped Diaby out with his injury record, would be questioning why Jack Wilshere troubles surgeons more than midfielders, would have told Theo Walcott to PROVE why he should be played through the middle.

Instead the squad is a mish-mash of bored players who have settled for the level they are at and the high quality ones who want to win trophies.

While I applaud Leicester for their efforts this year, they shouldn't be top of the league, Arsenal should be dominating this league this season. That they aren't is a chronic failure on behalf of the manager and the players.

What should be done? Well in my opinion all reasonable fans should be questioning Wenger's continued presence at the club. Not the sack but a departure fitting the status as the man who revived our club.

He deserves our gratitude and respect but even the best sometimes need to be told when to leave the stage. Arsene's legacy is in danger of being unpicked now, as Gooners we need to ensure it doesn't happen.

If he does depart then I hope the slackers in that dressing room get a rude awakening, a jolt into life.

After all 'Victoria Concordia Crescit' does mean 'Victory grows through Harmony'.

There has been a distinct lack of that in and around the club this season!

Abuse of Wenger is beyond contempt

ONCE again Arsene Wenger has been subjected to abuse at close quarters, this time a fan running into the dug out area to remonstrate with him.

Coupled with the vile, foul mouthed abuse from 'supporters' after the Stoke match last month and the Frenchman must fear the next time he leaves London.

At this point I will acknowledge I have called for him to go in the past but let me repeat for those who clearly can't read.

When I called for him to depart it was not to be sacked but a mutual parting at the end of the season to allow Wenger to be applauded into the centre circle and thanked for everything he has done for Arsenal FC.

Because what these morons who think it's OK to spout invective and bile don't understand is without Arsene Wenger, Arsenal may well be in League One by now. A club which stagnated after George Graham left and pushed into the dark ages when Bruce Rioch took charge.

Le Boss came, saw and conquered and has delivered many, many memories of which we are all rightfully proud. But that work and dedication, those trophies and glory days come with respect for the man who delivered them.

If and when he decides or the people running Arsenal decide it's time for a new chapter then we ought to replicate what Man United did for Sir Alex Ferguson, a guard of honour and a chance for the real fans to say thank you and goodbye.

Yes the league has been disappointing this season but we have an OK FA Cup draw and for once a nicer (not easier) second round Champions League draw. We all know how well Arsenal finish a season so who knows? This could yet be a good campaign.

Sacking him is wrong and completely unjustified. But there is another scenario bubbling away in the background now.

What if Wenger decides he's had enough and walks? Something for the morons to think about?

What to do with the misfiring Gunners?

IT'S fair to say Arsene Wenger has probably had better days at the office, an awful result again, shambolic defending and an increasingly vocal Emirates expressing their displeasure.

We don't do white hankies ala Barcelona or Real Madrid, but if we did there would have been more than enough on display to wipe up the red wine allegedly thrown at the Manchester United bench on Saturday evening, such was the anger at full time.

Why? Because yet again Arsenal have battered a team only to be caught out and beaten. If matches were played on stats and on paper Arsenal would have done the treble more than once.

But they aren't and again Arsenal huffed and puffed and just before blowing the house down decided to hold their breath some more.

Truth be told Arsenal should have been at least two goals to the good before the defensive calamaties but equally could have been down to 10 men as Jack Wilshere's fuse once again was lit far too easily for my liking.

Instead, a silly own goal gave United a lead they did not deserve and then Arsenal's lemming like attitude to push up the field gave United an easy second. It should have been three as Di Maria missed when it was easier to score.

What to do? Sack the manager? No, no our club owes Wenger more than that. Without him in 1996 Arsenal could have fallen away so badly we could have ended up like Leeds United.

But the time has come for someone at the Emirates to sit down with Arsene and ask about the future, does he want to carry on? Lately in after match interviews he is looking more and more like a man who doesn't have the answers he needs to find.

The problems aren't deep rooted, they can be fixed but Arsene needs to adapt his methods somewhat.

The back four needs training, to defend as a unit and to stop getting caught up field so often. Steve Bould is sitting there like a bubble in a can. Surely training can be adapted to allow one of George's legendary back four to nurture the current four incumbents.

A couple of a players need a kick up the backside. In my opinion one of them is Wilshere, if he put in as much effort into developing his talent as he does effing and jeffing referee's the kid would world class. I love Wilshere, a local lad done good, but his constant temper tantrums are beginning to wear thin.

Wojciech Szczesny needs reminding he's won nothing of note yet, the man is very good with the banter but frankly got a lesson in goalkeeping from David De Gea on Saturday night, another playing behind a rather porous defence.

Arteta is no longer a starter and certainly not captain. Mertesacker retired from German duty, is very vocal, give him the captaincy – if that doesn't 'motivate' him then maybe ask him to move on.

And buy, buy in January – Arsenal need a centre half and a defensive midfielder. Maybe just maybe something can be salvaged from what is beginning to look like a worrying campaign.

The 'Arsene Knows' banner still proudly takes its place at every home game. More and more though are wondering 'does he?'

Blue Moon rises to see off the Reds revival

So there you are, the end to yet another Premier League season, Manchester City triumph, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton and Spurs are booking the plane tickets for a Euro excursion while the trapdoor closed on the heads of Cardiff, Fulham and Norwich.

It's been an enthralling, captivating, surprising and dramatic season in the top flight, Manchester United's manager didn't get the six years he was promised and Crystal Palace and Sunderland went from doomed to mid-table comfort.

It was the year of the sack as everyone seemed to change their manager - some did well (Crystal Palace) while others left it too late (Norwich) or changed too many times (Fulham).

Ultimately it was a season where the best team overall won the top trophy. Manchester City have been consistent, threatening and capable of stunning runs of form and deserve their honour.

A lot was made about Pellegrini when he arrived, particularly he had not won the league and 'blew £200million' at Real Madrid to finish second to Barcelona.

The fact that Barca won the title that year with a RECORD La Liga points total seemed not to concern the scribes and opinion makers.....

The Chilean has united a squad full of egos and honed them into a potent outfit, a team capable of going even further next season. It's a season though where Yaya Toure and Aguero must have competent understudies as both world class players have been playing through the pain at times this year.

As for Liverpool, this season has not been a 'failure' despite what Alan Hansen said. Ask any Liverpool fan if going from seventh to second and within two points of a title is failure and I suspect you might get a rather sarcastic response!

Liverpool's only mistake this season was naiveity - Brendan Rodgers told his team to go for it against Chelsea when he should have played tactically, got a point and moved on.

But Liverpool's approach was understandable, they thrashed Everton 4-0, Arsenal 5-1 and beat Man City 3-2 by 'going for it' so why change?

Perhaps if the same happened next year, we may see a new more cautious Liverpool but if I was an Anfield regular I wouldn't be sad at the conclusion, I would be looking ahead to next season.

It's been a season to remember again, congratulations to Manchester City!

What happened to the ‘Happy One’?

When Jose Mourinho returned to Chelsea in the summer, he told the world he was now the ‘Happy One’ more than the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’.

It certainly seemed to be based on truth, hounded away from Madrid, not adored in Milan despite winning the Scudetto and a Champions League trophy – the Special One returned ‘home’.

But lately, the happy one is more ‘Mr Grumpy’ and it shows a side of Mourinho which has proven very unpalatable to many but overlooked by his many fans, including me.

When he arrived in England, I became a fan instantly – yes he was arrogant and cocky but my god did English football need someone like that!

Certain aspects such as his behaviour with Anders Frisk and Frank Rijkaard could be brushed to one side because he was good value and mostly charming.

But time in Milan and the frying pan which is life as a Real Madrid manager has made Jose bitter, angry and yes, a somewhat unpleasant man.

I stress, I am a fan, but in the last few weeks I think Mourinho has behaved pathetically and drew the wrong attention to himself and to Chelsea.

I normally back the British teams in Europe after Arsenal have been eliminated but tonight I could not wholly back Chelsea.

My opposition to a few players in the team is probably well-known but generally I did not want Mourinho to succeed tonight.

The exertion of pressure on referees, the bitter interviews, the search for malice in otherwise innocent questions in post-match interviews is frankly boring.

I hope Jose has a holiday this summer, I hope he shapes the Chelsea team to his way – at the moment he is dealing with a AVB, Rafa, Carlo Ancellotti hybrid of a team.

But I hope he remembers why he was so loved first time around and relaxes a little more next season and shows a little more respect to opposition managers.

Jose, this is not Madrid, our press pack are great fans of you, your supporters are totally behind you, let’s see the happy one next season hey?

Do or die time

YES it's got that bad that a perfectly winnable FA Cup semi final against Wigan has got us Gooners nervous

Partly because of Wigan's rather good win over Man City but mostly because it's all gone rather wrong for the Arsenal.

Two months ago we were top of the league, motoring in the FA Cup and doing alright in the Champions League.

Then Arsenal went to Anfield and were demolished by a raging Red tidal wave...though let's not dwell on that hey?

Put simply Arsenal have to win tomorrow and probably the final to save this season. Failure and being beaten to fourth is too much to contemplate!

The record away against the top five this season is simply horrific and what's even more worrying is teams seem to know how to set up against Arsenal now.

Do you think Uwe Rosler's side will just 'have a go' or be set up to blunt Arsenal and then hurt them? (It's the second one...)

Wigan have nothing to lose and that makes them dangerous, remember Birmingham City???

Of course I think we will win, however should there be one more catastrophe round the corner then tomorrow could see the end of an era.

I have no doubt Arsene Wenger is stalling on the contract to see how the rest of the season goes.

Defeat tomorrow may just make his mind up for him....

A mauling at the Bridge

A CATASTOPHE occurred at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, don't worry Mr Marriner I won't bring up your mistake!

No, what I mean is Arsenal got battered at the bridge, stamped on at Stamford Bridge, crushed 6-0 by Chelsea.

And Arsene didn't go and talk to the journalists afterwards! So the usual flurry of crisis columns were written and Twitter even went into meltdown over a baseless rumour which came out of Wenger cancelling his Monday press conference.

Certain Sun journalists went for the jugular over this, ignoring the fact the most-lauded manager in Premier League history, Sir Alex Ferguson, simply did not turn up for post match newspaper press conferences unless forced to.

Other 'experts' hailed it as the end of Arsenal's title hopes, the very same 'experts' who said they could not win it anyway!

Let's not beat around the bush, it was a rubbish result, a rubbish performance and a horrific scoreline. When you consider Arsenal have let in 34 goals this season, it's hugely worrying to know 17 of those have come in just THREE games.

Arsene and the squad need to reflect as they are all at fault, too many times this season they have failed to turn up on the big occasion, it's not solely down to the manager.

Many in the squad are not being pushed hard enough and are not pushing themselves hard enough, why for example is Vermaelen still captain when he has struggled to make the first XI this season?

The two things that do frighten me as a die-hard Gooner though is once Arsenal ship two in a big game they seem to be unable to stem the bleeding.

Secondly, for the first time in 17 years, Arsene looked out of ideas, frustrated again on the highest stage. How can a team that started so well against Bayern and drew in Munich fold so hopelessly?

The FA Cup now is pivotal to Arsenal's season, fail to win it this season might not only mean they will never win a trophy again but could see Arsene Wenger call it a day.

The man has never and will never break a contract but the fact his new deal remains unsigned suggests the Frenchman is considering whether to bring the curtain down on his reign.

A two-year-deal is reportedly being offered and I expect that to be Arsene's last contract as manager of Arsenal Football Club.

He clearly wants to leave his successor some transfer cash, talented players and success on the pitch.

Catastrophes like Saturday might end up pushing him towards the departure lounge sooner than he would like.

Win the league? I don't care, this has already been a top season

DO I want Arsenal to win the Premier League this season? Of course I do, will I moan if they don't? No, of course I won't.

 

The 'experts' don't think we can win the league, despite a first half of the season which has seen wins over Liverpool, Spurs and Newcastle and draws with Chelsea and Everton.

 

Yes we lost to Man United and were thrashed by Manchester City (who hasn't been?) but the point being is this season Arsenal have put themselves firmly in the top four.

 

This is a strange Premier League offering some strange results, if that continues then who knows? Arsene Wenger could end the trophy drought with his fourth PL title.

 

Chelsea have to go to Anfield and the Etihad before the end of the season, Man City have to travel to the Emirates and to Old Trafford in pursuit of the title.

 

Anything could happen between now and May, but if Arsenal miss the title but finish top four, this will be a top season...

 

Why? Because for the first time in a long time, the men in red and white BELIEVE they can mix it

with the best.

 

The past few seasons they have meandered along, normally around fourth or fifth before a herculean

like charge from March onwards for the Champions League space.

 

This year they bounced back from the apocalypse on day one against Aston Villa to be a surprise member of the top three.

 

Why? Ozil's arrival was huge, an organised and coached by Steve Bould back four and of course Rambo having a season to remember.

 

I adore Ozil, but for me if we are celebrating a league title or the FA Cup at the end of the season I shall congratulate Arsene on re-signing Mathieu Flamini.

 

Together with Arteta, the Frenchman has provided a barrier meaning Rambo, Wilshere, Ozil, Rosicky, Walcott can go and make incisions in the opponents defence.

 

More than that, he's given us something we have lacked since Gilberto Silva left, a ball winner who doesn't mind the odd yellow card....

 

Gooners, expect nothing, just get behind the team for the rest of the season, ignore the experts and who knows, we might have to have a party in May!

Ignore the experts and support the team!

SO tonight is Arsenal's 'biggest test of the season' when we welcome Liverpool to the Emirates.

That's just four days after the last 'biggest test of the season' against Chelsea and a fortnight after a similar 'biggest test of the season' when we played Dortmund in the Champions League.

Yes that's right Arsenal are being tested more than teenagers facing their GCSE's at the moment and if you believe the 'experts' have failed miserably.

Hmmm, sadly the experts are wrong. Failure would have been a mauling by Dortmund of 0-3, 0-4 proportions - it was 1-1 for 82 minutes.

And there's no doubt Tuesday was disappointing but Chelsea's squad was worth around £200million, Arsenal's was only worth as much as was because Ozil was on the bench!

Let's be honest, which Gooner expected us to be top of the league on November 1? Anyone? I doubt even the most ardent Arsenal fan expected what we have witnessed this season.

It's been fun but the notion we were a) going to walk the league and b) beat our 'title rivals' regularly is a complete fallacy.

Everyone will beat everyone this year, Fergie leaving United, Mancini leaving Man City and Mourinho coming back to Chelsea has made the Premier League a complete unknown quantity this season.

We might win some big clashes, lose other but newsflash - SO WILL EVERYONE ELSE!

We have been top four regulars since the dawn of time...I noticed Liverpool don't get 'biggest test' headlines each week and they are doing pretty well this season!

I was Wenger's harshest critic for the past two years but the signing of Ozil, the return of Flamini and the mentality change which appears to have happened has won me back.

Win, lose or draw today -just back the team ahead of a week full of fixtures we love, big teams, big stadiums and hopefully some big results.

It's not a test, this is football. COME ON ARSENAL!

REVIEW: Football Manager Stole My Life

BACK Page Press have hit the back of the net with Football Manager Stole My Life, if you not a fan of Football Manager you will be by the end of this book.

If you are a fan (spelt a d d i c t as many of us are) this book will help explain that the weird things you do as a result of playing Football Manager are perfectly normal.

Imaginary press conferences in the shower, suit on for the cup final, doodling tactics on a notebook at your real job? Yes all normal and all sign the game has got you good!

What I loved about the book though is while it’s written for the Football Manager fan, it sells the game to a wider audience.

I know of a couple of friends who have become rather hooked AFTER reading this book, sorry to them in advance for mentioning it!

From the tales of the legends of the computer game on how they got in the real game to tales of celebrities and TV presenters who have become lost in the game, Football Manager Stole My Life has it all.

It’s amazing to read how many pro footballers play the game and pick themselves and how many people have had encounters with footballers and sought to tell them about how the pro rates in FM.

Some people will never understand the fascination (my better half included who talks about the dots on the screen) but those of us who play it will never be able to quit – god knows I’ve tried!

Leading Leyton Orient from League 2 to eight in the Premier League (CM 01/02), 33 years in charge of Arsenal (FM 2006) and Southampton from League One to the Premier League are among the highlights.

Playing as Wycombe on the verge of play off and possible automatic promotion cost me a night’s sleep – only when I lost the play off final 8-7 on penalties did I realise it was 6.10am and I had to be ‘up’ in an hour!

Special mention has to go to Iain Macintosh for the Heidenheim chronicles which close the book, won’t spoil it but you will feel his pain and yes, understand the madness!

Bravo Back Page Press, a man of the match performance with this one!

Heard it all before Ivan, sorry I don't believe the 'hype'

ARSENAL fans are getting very excited after Ivan Gazidis was quoted in a number of national newspapers saying the club basically had quite a lot of cash to hand now.

Add to that the rumours stating the club had met the release clause for Marouane Fellani, were interested in Gonzalo Higuain and potentially had the cash to get Wayne Rooney and you could forgive us Gooners for getting rather giddy!

But we have been here before, a couple of transfer windows back a lot was made of the fact Arsene had the cash to splash but he didn't do anything

And I can't help but think Ivan, a man I don't particularly care for, spoke to journalists in a bid to secure an easier day on Monday at the Q and A session.

Talk a good game for the weekend and fend off some of the criticism he is bound to get, some Tweeps will brand me one of the WOB's (Wenger Out Brigade), I am an Arsenal fan who wants the best – celebrating fourth place in my opinion is vulgar.

I don't suspect anything will happen on any transfer matter this summer and the club will continue to meander along under the stewardship of a man whose best days are behind him.

In the pursuit of success, Man U went for a manager on a long contract, Mourinho was enticed back to Chelsea and Man City sacked a bloke who won their first PL title just 12 months before.

And Arsenal? Talk of a new contract for a man who has won nothing for eight years and not only that presided over a season which saw them dumped out of competitions by Bradford City and the basket case of a club that is Blackburn Rovers.

I won't forget the job he has done for Arsenal, I don't believe we would still be in the Premier League had he not come in.

Long ago I argued the case for him announcing before the last home game he would be leaving and then getting the ovation and respect he deserves before the game, ala Fergie's departure.

He deserves our gratitude, respect and adoration for ensuring the Arsenal remained part of the footballing elite.

But under him now, we will go nowhere.....prove me wrong Arsene and Ivan, make a statement this summer and put us back in the game.

I will not only admit I was wrong but I will be proud to do so!