
That, a message loud and clear by the passionate yet perplexed away faithful as the Arsenal played out this absolute damp squib of a season with an uninspiring 2-2 draw at Fulham.
Those, the most hardcore of hardcore Gooners, the staunchest of backers for those out of their depth, some the very remnants of the dying "Arsène Knows Brigade" breed. Well, they were in no mood for charity or joviality on Sunday. Anything and everything they did not like they let known in no uncertain terms. From bashing Cesc's somewhat unwise decision to spend his afternoon taking in the Spanish Grand Prix in the flesh, to ironic cheers of "we defended a corner" every time a threatening set piece was averted, to the very appearance of Emmanuel Eboué and Theo Walcott (bit harsh on the latter, I thought) on the pitch in an Arsenal shirt. Culminating in what most definitely is the chant of the season as far as we are concerned, with that most emotive yet expressive of expletives suitably starred out here!
But basically, when the away fans speak up, you listen!
Of course, it does remain to be seen whether the man at the centre of this storm of ire will indeed act on the supporters' frustrations, pleas, and now orders, but it wasn't long after full-time at the Cottage when Arsène Wenger promised action in the transfer market.
"Active", "busy summer", "strengthening", all words uttered by the clearly hurt and crestfallen manager as various reporters grilled him about the Club's under-whelming lack of success in recent times despite the promises and the false dawns.
Whether indeed he does act on those words does very much remain to be seen. After all, this is the same man who had done it time and again, most recently in January. Well-placed in the league and fighting on all fronts, with Thomas Vermaelen no nearer a return, Johan Djourou injury-prone as ever and with only two fully fit suspect centre backs, Wenger had stated "we were in the market for a defender" on New Year's Day, the very first day of the winter window. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Many a year have come and gone, many a chance have come and gone, and each and every time we were let down. Horribly. Heartbreakingly.
If anything, many have and will question the validity of this frustrating air of invincibility about the man, with his position certainly having not been questioned at an official or even media level. That, despite having failed to act repeatedly on crystal clear weaknesses that have infested the Club for years and years, weaknesses seemingly known and flagged up by everyone. Everyone but Wenger himself!
A few miles down the road, and following a spectacular first season in charge of a Double-winning Chelsea side, none such invincibility about Carlo Ancelotti; shown the door within moments of his final day post-match conference barely two years into his tenure. Meanwhile, you have Wenger: 6 years with bugger all and some comedy collapses and tepid excuses along the way and he can practically put his feet up, cigar in mouth, nonchalantly uttering: "you can't touch this"! Cheeky!
Just over two years ago, an impassioned Arsène Wenger pleaded with a furious AGM crowd and the thousands of despondent supporters to judge him on the next two seasons, stating he would be the first to admit that he and his fabled policy failed should we not win a trophy or at least show signs of progress. Real progress.
Two years on, may I be the first, or definitely one of the first anyway, to remind Mr. Wenger of that day. The two years are up, sir: please admit that we have well and truly fluffed it as you previously promised!
How someone so stubborn, almost deluded can be allowed to continue in the same path of self-destructive freefall is beyond any reasoned mind, in any walk of life, let alone when you are on £6 million a year! Back to the drawing board, and back to the broken record and "same old, same old", you fear. Not that I condone Wenger's sacking, in any way, given his one-time great past and his undoubted role in drawing millions to Arsenal (there's a double-entendre if ever you needed one).
It is a case of having had to accept that it is over, that it was over long ago, perhaps, and stepping aside, dignity intact. Boss, I will never ask nor hope for your sacking because you are simply bigger than that, and always will be for what you had done in the past. But, I also do not see a winning future under your faltering leadership, and although I would love to be proven wrong, I have been waiting for that insurmountable egg on face moment for many a year. Heck, you'd even made me believe that this was the year, only to be hit with that "same old, same old" plague yet again.
For all those clinging to the past, we have been let down, almost cheated, and you don't carry on with your cheating wife simply because she bore you two children twenty years ago! Well, I wouldn't anyway!
Anyhow, he is here to stay, determined to bow out on the right note, the winning note, and we cannot do much about that other than wait. And hope.
What we do know for sure is that Arsène Wenger needs to stop talking now, and start acting very, very soon.
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