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Now Is the Time to Fight!

By on April 9, 2010

As usual following a big defeat or a competition exit, the hue and cries go up about everything is wrong at the club. The players aren’t good enough, the manager doesn’t care, the board is greedy, etc…. But, as always, it pays to step back and get some perspective on the situation.

Going out to Barcelona after having held a lead in the second leg at the Nou Camp despite missing more than half of our regular starting XI including almost the entire spine of the side. There’s no getting around it… we were outclassed throughout the tie. Yet, if we want to take positives from the two legs, they are there. We put in a valiant, albeit handicapped, effort against the best club side in the world. There is no shame to be had from that. I have every confidence that barring some kind of freak events Barcelona will go on to win it again this year.

Still, some of the stuff I have been reading online from supporters makes it sound as though the season is over and we are complete failures. We are still in this title race. The important thing is that the players don’t respond the way some of the supporters have. We must keep our focus. It is not only the league title at stake but finishing above United would also be an achievement.

Are there issues with the side that became glaringly obvious over two legs with Barcelona and need to be addressed this summer? Sure. Is NOW the time to worry about them? Hell no. Supporters and the club will have all summer long to discuss and rectify shortcomings and issues with the squad but we are still in a meaningful position in the title race and anything can happen.

And what better than a trip to Tottenham to get the side focused on what needs to be done? Our record against Spurs in the last ten years has been nothing short of phenomenal. And we have seen this side show a lot of resiliency in the past year when coming off bitterly disappointing defeats. Now is not the time to hang our heads in shame. Now is the time to fight!

15 Comments

  1. kid kle

    April 9, 2010 at 1:04 pm

    the third place team also goes into group stages automatically. but if we fall short of the title, i’d love to finish above united. for all the media ass kissing they’ve received, to finish below us would vindicate us and the amount of times we’ve been written off (including before the year even started).

  2. spit yo game

    April 9, 2010 at 5:36 pm

    yeah because going to tottenham after losing to barca and them reaching another cup final(YES A CUP FINAL,REMEMBER THOSE OCCASIONS) is really a place you want to go.As for we are in the title race still your chatting shit,we surrendered at birmingham,and do you know why,because the players are not good enough…

    • Shevo

      April 10, 2010 at 3:14 am

      What a muppet. Just look at where we are you prat and that’s despite a diffcult season for injuries. Did Manure, Liverpool or the Chavs win at Birmingham? …..NO!
      How many teams would have had any chance against Barcelona with the injuries we had. Even Barca would have struggled without Messi, xavi, iniesta & ibrahimovic out. We can still win the league this year against the odds if we all get behind the team. If thats not good enough for you then piss off somewhere else.

      • Comrade23

        April 11, 2010 at 6:33 pm

        Hear hear, Shevo. The more people that have a pop at these plastic haters-in-disguise, the less we’ll hear their shite opinions. Well done.

    • Muddyfunster

      April 12, 2010 at 5:28 am

      What Cup Final is that then?

  3. Mannix

    April 9, 2010 at 5:47 pm

    I don’t thnk there is fairness in this league. Wait & see how our remaining match will be made difficult by Referees coz FA won’t be happy to see Arsenal finished above their favourite team Man utd.Dean is being demoted jst bcz allow utd beaten by Chelsea last wknd.Isn’t tht rediculous?

  4. Comrade23

    April 9, 2010 at 6:13 pm

    AS, what “supporters” are you reading? These idiots all sound like Tottenham in disguise to me. Or Chelsea, if you’re one of those who think as soon as we lose a match it’s time to completely replace the squad.

    • ArsenalStation

      April 9, 2010 at 7:29 pm

      You’re right when you say “supporters.” I don’t know how you can call yourself a “supporter” if you don’t support the team. Liking a club or liking to watch them play isn’t the same thing as supporting a club. I’m the kind of person who gets joy from my love of the club and the game itself. If I allowed it to make me a cynical bastard that hated his own club, then what’s the point? There’s enough things in this life to be miserable about and I’ll be damned if I let Arsenal become one of them. For me, Arsenal and football in general is my escape from all that.

      • jonathan

        April 10, 2010 at 3:23 pm

        Agreed. One of the pleasures in life is being able to support the Arsenal, through the good times and the bad. It is an escape from all of the other crap that we deal with throughout the week. Does anyone know if the match against the spuds will be televised in the states? If so what channel? I am off work on wednesday and really want to watch us beat the hell out of tottenham.

        • Ted Harwood

          April 10, 2010 at 6:22 pm

          3 PM EDT, ESPN 2, jonathan. Enjoy.

          • Comrade23

            April 11, 2010 at 6:30 pm

            Ted, are you certain? I was assuming this was on fsc or fox soccer plus…

          • ArsenalStation

            April 11, 2010 at 8:50 pm

            Until two days ago I didn’t think it was even being shown. But I checked the ESPN listings on their site and on Comcast and it is being show live at 3pm on ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD.

  5. peter

    April 12, 2010 at 2:37 am

    hi, arsenal boys now is the time to revenge for premier Trophy please . becase Man U has drawn and Chelsea is loosing soon.

  6. jonathan

    April 15, 2010 at 1:47 pm

    well to find something good out of yesterdays performance against the spuds…it was nice to see RVP back on the pitch. I just hope we can finish the season above united now.

  7. Microraptor

    April 19, 2010 at 8:46 pm

    Now is the time to sell: Almunia, Silvestre, Campbell, Denilson…. (and maybe) Rosicky, Sagna, Diaby…. (and also quite possibly) Carlos “where’s my passport” Vela, Theo “one trick” Walcott

    As for Fabianski, the Glue Factory beckons.

    We have technically proficient players, but we do not have winners.

    This was written after the Spurs and Wigan debacles. I cannot express how disappointed I am in those lazy immature millionaires. They had the title almost within their grasp and blew it….

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