Arsenal: The Gunners' Only Route

Football is the best sport in the world.

The ability of one to combine speed as in the sprints, stamina as in the marathon, skills as in basketball (this time predominantly with the legs), and a technical sharpness as displayed in the martial arts brings beauty to the eye.

It will remain the most popular and followed sport only if...

Arsenal F.C. has over the years become synonymous with beautiful football. This is the result of a quick passing and attacking pattern of play. Usually, their play is guaranteed to be a spectacle.

Arsene Wenger is the man who brought the beautiful game to the English Premier League, and he has since been regarded as one of the best coaches in the world.

His philosophy of football is strictly adhered to as a way of giving both entertainment and value for money to the huge fan base that football and indeed Arsenal have.

In recent years the effect of an unprecedented injection of funds from all sorts has turned the beautiful game to a profit-oriented business venture.

Returns have to be derived on investment, usually doled out to individuals and consortiums. This in turn ensures that pressure is piled on managers and players to justify such investments in a short time.

Supporters talk about how much money their club has in the coffers or about how rich the club's owner is. Collecting a trophy has become more important than the talk of how good a game was played on the pitch.

In the new era of Wenger's building process, which has been in effect since 2005, the world has seen a group of young and exciting players come together. 

They have produced football that catches the eye and keeps true to the Arsene Wenger philosophy. The drawback is an emptiness of the club's trophy cabinet.

Also, repaying the debt from the magnificent Emirates Stadium ensures he doesn't spend as much money as those doled out by the other clubs of same stature.

Many would point to the fact that he is not a spending manager as the figures would show. He has spent £52 million in the past five years as compared to over £120 million by Liverpool F.C., £170 million by Manchester United, and a staggering £250 miilion by Chelsea F.C.

Tottenham F.C. has even spent more than the Gunners in that period.

The line between success and failure for Arsenal has been very thin. Since winning their last trophy, the 2005 FA Cup, they have reached the Carling Cup Final once and semi finals twice, the FA Cup semi finals once and quarter finals once.

They have also finished second, third and fourth once each in the Premiership, Arsenal have also lost in the final and made two quarter final appearances in the Champions League.

These near misses have demonstrated the club has done a good job. However, a little extra is needed to complete this story. True football faithfuls would love to see a happy ending.

A few big names and top class rated acquisitions wouldn't hurt, while a show of thoroughness would complement the already beautiful game that is the hallmark of the Gunners.

I am totally in support of Wenger's philosophy and the Gunners cause, but for once I plead with The Boss to go get it big, so that all his good work would be justified and trophies would begin to roll into the cabinet.