Very good article on our current situation.

[northbankbren]

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion ... 20765.html

It is just like having a row with your favourite uncle.
You love him, think the world of him and never dreamed it could come to this.
But that is exactly what has happened among Arsenal fans, and it is Arsene Wenger who is playing the role as lovable ageing relative.
It's hard to contemplate life without him, but he's upset you, you're angry and, no matter how much you love him, your patience is being tested.

Trouble is, some of the family are on your side but the majority are staying loyal to Uncle Arsene. If my family is anything to go by, no wonder passions are running high. There's a nasty split.
And that is certainly what happened at the Emirates on Saturday. Hard to believe that a place labelled The Library (a nickname brought across from Highbury) by cynics and frequented by Islington's latte sipping classes could arouse such anger.
But fights broke out at the Emirates during and after Saturday's goalless draw with Blackburn, and dear old Uncle Arsene was the cause.
They were just odd pockets of scuffles and would usually be glossed over at some clubs. But civil war has broken out at Arsenal, and you can only hope the club's hierarchy are listening.
There is one obvious way to broker peace talks - and that is for Arsenal to win a trophy. Sadly for Arsenal fans, their last remaining hope from their quadruple dream is the Premier League title and they are seven points adrift of Manchester United.
Fulham now have their statue of Michael Jackson. Arsenal need one of Jim Bowen with the inscription underneath: "Look what you could have won."
The fights at the Emirates, from what I'm told, consisted of people abusing certain players (Manuel Almunia), then turning their annoyance towards the manager, and leaving even earlier than usual in protest.
Wenger loyalists defended the team and the manager's honour. There were pushes and scuffles, and even fists. Staff handing out Club Level renewal forms - with tickets going up by 6.5 per cent next season - also got stick.
That's one of the grievances. Arsenal are charging top dollar for tickets but are buying at the bargain basement. Example: Sebastien Squillaci. Forget what happened to Tottenham in Madrid, Squillaci is not a patch on William Gallas.
The truth is that Arsenal and Wenger have not listened to their fans. Everyone in January was saying that Arsenal should buy reinforcements, particularly in central defence.
But Wenger didn't want to pay over the odds for Gary Cahill even though, the critics argue, they're happy to charge over the odds for expensive tickets.
It's easy for journalists, pundits and ex-players to stand up for Wenger. He is, after all, the most successful manager in the club's post-war history. Probably the greatest of all time.
But that is to ignore what the fans are saying. They know they are lucky to be in the top four each and every year. But do you win a trophy for that? No. That might be the measure of success for the club, but not for the fans.
Arsenal fans want some silverware. You don't get a cup for finishing third. And if the club ignore that then they are being extremely foolish.
They're not a finishing school, or a business with a plan of getting in the Champions League each season.
Arsenal also isn't merely a theatre run just to put on pretty football. If you want the theatre then go to The Old Vic.
It is a football club with fans who desperately want to win things. The fans are getting restless because, being realistic, it is going to be six years this summer since they last did.
Wenger set out his long term plan and kept faith with players who have time and again not realised their potential and yet they are still on the scene.
Arsenal used to buy proven quality. Gilberto Silva and Thierry Henry were World Cup winners when they arrived. Arsenal don't buy from that bracket anymore.
But just imagine what a few experienced, quality players alongside the likes of Jack Wilshere, Samir Nasri and Robin van Persie could achieve. What an incredible prospect.
Wilshere is going to rule the world, so why not complement him with more world class talent?
I still think the majority of Arsenal fans are backing Wenger. But even many of those want him to change his ways and to buy better players.
Sadly, there is a growing minority who aren't backing Wenger. There's a few fringe groups who want change now. They want a new manager this summer.
They want that change because the club has ignored them in the past couple of summers and their dissent and frustration has grown.
They were the ones who were shouting the odds on Saturday. And the trouble is, Arsenal desperately need to listen to them. They need to address issues to stop even the ardent Wenger loyalists from growing disillusioned.
This is not about getting rid of the manager. It's about getting the manager to tweak his philosophy. David Dein used to have his ear. Who does that now? Who tells him that a new player is needed or a change in the set-up?
I often joke that Wenger will decide when it's time for the board to sack him. But that's the truth. His contract expires in 2014 and don't expect him to leave before then.
What must be ensured is that he retires on a high and in glory. He's been a brilliant manager for Arsenal, the Premier League and for the footballing world. He deserves better than an ugly, painful exit.
However, for Wenger to go out on a high, he needs to change. That much is obvious. The last six years hasn't worked. His faith in players is admirable but when will Denilson, Diaby, Rosicky, Eboue and so on ever realise their potential?
It is time for change and it's no secret - he has hinted as much publicly - that Wenger is planning a clear out and shake-up.
But the players coming in have to be of proven quality. Forget the £2m bargains or free transfers. It's time to spend £18m on Cahill and a similar amount on a striker. A midfielder would be good, too.
Don't believe the nonsense about not being any money. There is money. Wenger has chosen not to spend it. He didn't want to pay over the odds.
But fans won't stomach that much longer. They also don't want to hear conspiracy theories about playing on a Sunday after Manchester United.
The league programme is set out, 38 games, 19 home and 19 away. It's open to everyone. Same rules, same refs, no mystery men at the Premier League plotting Arsenal's downfall. Fergie doesn't think he gets a fair deal either. It's Paranoia City.
Wenger still has the majority of the fans. But the boss of any company would be foolish not to listen to the concerns of their backers, be it shareholders or fans.
They want top quality, proven signings, strength in depth, leaders and a trophy. You can't have one without the other.
And unless Wenger addresses the key issues this summer, expect more fisticuffs next season. And what a shame that would be for one of the all-time greats to see his reign end in bitter disappointment.



Mods if this has been posted already feel free to delete.

[Boomer]

Yep, that sums us up perfectly.

[topgoon]

Agree with a lot of that but no way spend £18million on Cahill, he isn't worth that.

[Arsenal 1991]

A big problem I see with AW is that he doesn't seem to even have a plan B when it comes to transfers. He is bidding for players but it seems just one player. IE He bid £20m for Reina but then didn't try for anyone else!

[Arsenal 1991]

Oh and top class article as usual. He really is the only Journo who gets Arsenal. The rest don't have a clue whats really going on.

[Boomer]

Agree with a lot of that but no way spend £18million on Cahill, he isn't worth that.

Maybe, but we need quality defenders and more importantly to get back to basics and have a British element to the team, including leaders. That's whats been lacking over the years.

I know this is just a stat but there alot of proof in it. No team has won the Prem without an English centre half.

If you look around we won't be taking Rio or Terry for starters. (nor would we want to). Same with Dawson and King
Left is Upson, Lescott and maybe Jagielka?!? Plus we lost out on Smalling!
I really need to see him more that I have but someone like Cahill isn't that bad a shout.

With him, Jack and Theo I think the core of the lost spirit is there. Wouldn't mind seeing Parker also.

[mikeyb772001]

Mr Cross emailed me before writting that article. Proper nice guy!!

He feels the same way we do.

[GoonerJim]

To think it was the anniversary of David rocastles death and that was the best the team could produce.

[franksav63]

Not a bad summary, but I think Cross is missing the point a bit, well imo he is, it's not the fact of 6 barren trophy-less years, its the clear weaknesses within the squad that are not being addressed season upon season. If he does see them, he is not buying proven quality to fill these weakness, 10 million on Koscielny for example. The endless saga of the goalkeeping situation, the stale tactics, substitutions. I think these points are frustrating the supporters, who care, more, instead of the glory of a trophy.

[SpanishJoe]

The best description of our predicament that I've read and an honest assessment of AW.
I want AW to tweak his approach and buy three or four quality players (A goalie and a centre half would have delivered us the League this year). If he can't or won't then, reluctantly, I think he should go. However, I think the writer's view of AW is spot on. I can easily understand people's frustration but a number of posters on this forum speak of Wenger as if he's a cross between Hitler, Fred West and Glenn Hoddle. Overall he's been great for Arsenal but of late his approach has been faulty and we need a change. He needs to change or he needs to be changed.

[USMartin]

Not a bad summary, but I think Cross is missing the point a bit, well imo he is, it's not the fact of 6 barren trophy-less years, its the clear weaknesses within the squad that are not being addressed season upon season. If he does see them, he is not buying proven quality to fill these weakness, 10 million on Koscielny for example. The endless saga of the goalkeeping situation, the stale tactics, substitutions. I think these points are frustrating the supporters, who care, more, instead of the glory of a trophy.

I think there is something to that.

But I also think it has a lot to do with the fact that from 1998 -2005 wehad a historic run of success and did without threatening the club's long-term survivla or spending like Chelsea, and you hear comments from the club that suggest the club is not doing its best to produce the same quality and not being honest about that. There would be a lot less frustartion if we won the League just the one time and finished second the rest of the time we would feel like the club was doing its best to reach the highest level.

Instead we get to hear how the Board deson't care if we go trophyless - again - from the Chairman.

I think that fuels this as much as anything. Its a bit like watching Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares, and seeing just how cheaply some of these resteraunts try to serve us overpriced food (bad food, of frozen microwaved food and presented as fresh cooked) and that isn't good.

[Bergkamp-Genius]

Yes good article....spot on...

[cusamano]

very good article.
I wonder if Wenger will read it

key sentence:

Wilshere is going to rule the world, so why not complement him with more world class talent?

amen

[augie]

Yes he made some good points but, even though he says that the club and wenger would be foolish to ignore the disent amongst the fans, I still feel that he is dismissing those very fans himself by proclaiming that they are in the minority. While I do accept that wenger still has a sizeable backing amongst the fans (it takes all sorts ) I also believe that the split amongst the fans is at least 50/50 now and maybe even 60/40 in favour of replacing wenger. Cross is making a very big mistake if he dismisses the anger and frustration as just being felt by a small minority

[JMascis666]

Tha latte sipping anology annoyed me for some reason and I'm not sure exactly why.