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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
17 Jan	5:30 PM	P	Hull City (A)	3	1	Win

So, it's the second team to win at our shiny enormodome up today. In slightly less grand surroundings. But revenge isn't on anyone's mind today. Or it is, it just depends which section of Arsenal.com you happen to be reading.

Le Boss has further cooled talk of Arshavin, saying that he isn't the only player Arsenal "are on". Which leaves this observer wondering just how many players are being buried underneath the gaffer and his extraordinary network of scouts. In any case, according to Zenit's Alexei Petrov, they have invited Arsenal officialdom over for tea and scones on Tuesday and maybe, just maybe, a deal can be thrashed out at the same time. It will be interesting to see how Ivan Gazidis does at the negotiating table. Not, I suppose, that we'll get to hear too much about it.

Arsène has told Cesc to stop being so silly, though naturally, he's been a bit more gentle than that. Responding to Cesc's match day programme suggestion that it was "not normal" for a 21-year-old to have played 270 games for club and country - that is a staggering amount, isn't it? - the boss has responded that he does worry about burn out but if a player wants to play, is available to play and I guess most importantly, is good enough to play then he plays him. I think he's right when he says this: "But, first of all, it's not normal because Cesc is an exceptional talent and secondly, he has said this because he is out through injury and is analysing what has happened."

There is, though, an implication in those words that if someone is "exceptional", then the boss will have no qualms about playing them whenever he can, which can lead to burn out. I know this is something some Arsenal fans have worried about with Cesc in the past, and for my money, a certain Thierry Henry might have suffered from this at times in his Arsenal career.

Ever a beacon of sanity in an ocean of swelling, churning madness, the boss has also been talking about the need to keep the fans "faithful". He points out, whilst not quite answering a question about whether ticket prices should be reduced, that fans will stay with the club, if the club survives. I think in categorising the crowd you see at the Grove on a match day, he might have taken quite a brave step; splitting the crowd into clients, spectators, fans and supporters. At least it would be brave if the clients and spectators were likely to have read what he had said. He wants to keep the fans and supporters onside. I guess the implication is that, no matter the size of the market, there will always be spectators (day trippers) and clients(corporates) around. Fans and supporters? Though we love the club, and how we love the club, our resources are not infinite. So whilst we will always love the club, we might not always be in the ground to show the love.

What would help the cause is if the Gunners could show now that this team is a team that can go places. Returning to where we began today, a win today against the team that denied us going to, in the process precipitating a mini collapse, would be a good start. As Hull won on their first trip to the Grove, let's return the favour on our first trip to the charmingly named KC Stadium. There is no real team news to speak of, Alex Song may return to the side. He may not. Otherwise, it's as you were.

User Comments

stowe

Posted on 18 Jan, 2009 at 08:58 PM - Reply

mike, they play every day. they have practice, they travel, and then we expect them to play at a high level every game. I am sure they love to play but soccer is also the only thing they ever do. they don't get to take a break or spend much time doing other hobbies. they also get hounded by the press and fans. i can totally understand how they get burned out since it has happened to me with sports I play

steve

Posted on 18 Jan, 2009 at 05:34 PM - Reply

the third last sentence in this article makes zero sense.

paddy

Posted on 18 Jan, 2009 at 09:50 AM - Reply

i completely agree with mike! We all work hard. I work more than 12 hours most of the days, in different but still difficult conditions. If i tell my boss this burn out excuse i will be sitting home rest of ma life!

omosh

Posted on 18 Jan, 2009 at 09:07 AM - Reply

no, they are not they are just expressing honest opinions

Mike

Posted on 18 Jan, 2009 at 03:16 AM - Reply

I have never understood this burn out crap. These guys are paid to play a game and act like it is so hard to play football for 90 min maybe twice a week. This is their job they should be able to handle it. If they can't recover after a few days rest then the trainers need to really look at the how these guys train.

I am 47 years old work a full time job and play on a open mens team and a over 40 league that is 2 games a weekend. and I get up monday morning and swing a hammer at my day job remodeling houses. I know I am not playing at the level of the prem but lets not forget these guys are still just playing football. Let me tell you just because we don't get paid 50,000 a week we still play just as hard.

Heck at over 40 I still play with young players in weekend tournaments that is 4 games plus a final in 2 days and still go to work on Monday morning. Maybe these big stars should remember that they are paid to play a game it is supposed to be fun. I do not know about how these guys feel but if I was as good as these guys I would thank every day that I could make a living playing football and I could not get enough playing time even with 2 games a week. I do not expect a player to have a great game every game but having played for over 30 years now I can say that that is life we all have good days and bad days and this burn out crap is just a excuse get out there and play and stop complaining that life as a footballer is so hard.

ian

Posted on 17 Jan, 2009 at 11:37 PM - Reply

Why are Arsenal fans so negative?

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