It's been a bumpy season, but at the end of it, all I ever want is to be proud of my team... and that I am. We've all got our own ideas and grumbles about players, the manager, the board, whoever. But, I like that we went through some pretty dark times this season. Arsene massacred in the press, even more than the usual disrespectful, mocking, drivel they usually put out, all while they crowed about the eventual champions who have spent in the region of 1 BILLION pounds to get knocked out of the group stages of the world's hardest competition and the sickening sick fest for 'Arry and his Spuds. What was more ludicrous? That Arsene is over the hill, that he's lost his football intelligence, lost his players, was leading the club to relegation or that that lot at Riot Town were going to win the league. Ludicrous. All while people who pay attention to the media all get carried along and worked up by it all.
It was obvious after our start that this season was gonna be a struggle, not just cos of the results, but you could see the team-play had vastly changed. Well, it would when you lose 3 of your starting midfielders (Fabregas, Wilshere, Nasri). That's a massive chunk of balance, vision and creativity gone. We found it hard to adjust. As most would. You could say "Well, he should have bought in preparation for that." Hard when you're dealing with the likes of the Nasri's of this world, all the agents, the evil that is Barcelona and we've got it all to come this summer with the some evil agent, doing his best to rape a shitload of money from a RVP sale. But, let's be honest, who thought Ramsey would be as mediocre as he has been this season? We probably thought Theo might have gotten more consistent, but he remains patchy. Arshavin realised he couldn't hack English football and his head and heart went. The lack of a proper balanced, working midfield has affected our season. Arteta was one of our most important players this season. Without him our midfield lacked that balance I mentioned and since his injury, again, we lacked balance. It seems to affect the whole team, we become so disjointed. Arteta's important because he knows the game, he knows how to play his position, whether that be through talent or experience, perhaps both, I don't know. But, Ramsey's still a young professional. Song, you could argue should have become a bit more disciplined positionally, but his faults are much more obvious when Arteta isn't their. And you can't really account for some of the injuries. Incredibly unlucky to have 4 full backs out for such great length, one in Sagna who's had his leg broken twice in the same season. Metersacker, who I thought actually did well this season, to a freak injury at Sunderland. Santos, broken ankle. Take all the major, longer term injuries we had and replace them like-for-like with players in any other team in the league and it would knacker them a fair bit, too.
We've done alright. We have done alright. That's how I feel. Before I felt we've underachieved, cos more often than not we've crashed, when in positions to wing things. But after the season, we've just had, to come back and pip the Spuds and their "fantastic squad", Chelski and to beat a Newcastle, who were resurgent, who didn't have European competition to distract and tire them, in that respect we have done alright. But, there does need to be a mini-cull in terms of players leaving. Chamakh should not be being paid by any team in the league. Dreadful contribution towards a football club when you consider the wealth and quality of life it brings him. All the rest are obvious. I just hope we can shift most, if not all em. I don't want no Winston Bogarde's at my club. Hopefully get a bit of bunce for Bendtner, too. Job's a good 'un. It will be interesting to see how we deploy Jack next year. Is he gonna play the same role as before or will Arsene move him further forward, more to what he was recognised for in the youth team? If he stays in the same role, then we need to sign a ready made, creative, dynamic midfielder to play centrally or even roam. To me that's the thing we miss the most. All the best teams have one, some even have two!
Can't wait for next season. But first I've got the Euro's and Ireland. Paddy's doing the Poznan! Ole, ole, ole, ole! Or in my case, a Plastic Paddy!
