The Largest Arsenal Group On Facebook Is..

It gives Us@11G, immense pleasure to bring before you, views from the largest Arsenal Group on Facebook, courtesy Adam Esker, a founder admin of the same. With over 75,000 active members to date, this is by far the best place for any Gooner to vent out his rant & rile regarding his l.o.v.e called Arsenal.

In this piece, Adam throws light on how the group came into being first of all, the way it is managed on a day-to-day basis, it’s global reach & impact, why Arsenal & ‘tradition’ are synonymous with each other, & what keeps him devout his allegiance for the club for now, & forever. Hope you all like it, & join the forum ASAP thereafter. Enjoy..

The group has been around since the early days of Facebook and the administrative privileges have been passed down to members who are consistent with their posts and may be counted on to updating the group often. The four of us have been admin for quite some time now and we work together to keep things flowing. We try our best to spread the Arsenal news to the people.

The group has evolved quite a bit with the emergence of Gooners from all around… It’s quite amazing how broad the community has become. The passion is as strong as ever as we enter the final stretch but we must be complacent – the faith must remain genuine through the thick and thin. Very often we get a few people who snap like a twig when things go awry, but the senior and more experienced fans tend to those matters efficiently. The “Wenger should leave” and “Bendtner needs 2 go” posts are usually very amusing because it shows the maturity of some fans. Nick Hornby makes a very interesting point to say that Arsenal fans of today are spoiled.

Yes, I understand that it’s difficult and frustrating to support a team with such a rich history and one in which we expect so much. But think about that trophy drought that ravaged our cabinets between 1971-1979, or 1979-1987? Peculiar how that run ends, doesn’t it? There’s more to it than just the trophies and the glamour. With those supporters who understand football, there is a connection that digs a little bit deeper. Which leads me to the point as to why Arsenal is such a special club:-

I always found that it’s difficult for me to explain what it is about Arsenal FC… part of it is the connection with the club and its history. We are a vibrant team with a rich history and our manager has helped preserve the fidelity of our team. We have not gone rotten because of glory-hunting-gimmy-money-cuz-I-want-to-by-half-of-the-continent-scoundrels routine. There is something about this team that no other team in the entire world has – tradition.

I admire Arsene Wenger because he is a genuine person. Of course there are certain roadblocks between the source-media-people but there is a peculiar honesty about Arsenal. Where else would you see a player looking up to their manager as their father? Be part of a team which is so closely knit that it is practically like family – through the good and the bad times. Unfortunately for us it has been a rather cloudy last few years but that doesn’t mean we let our heads down, do we? Manchester United has had it tough in the first half of the decade when we were on top, and who was Chelsea? Lucky enough to get bought out by a rich owner with his mind on the money, that’s for sure.

When the tough gets going, I recommend to be prepared for it. For example, what happened during our recent Champions League endeavors? Barcelona is an undoubtedly incredible side, but take a glance at our resources at the time. Silvestre. That’s why it’s always safe to be prepared for the worst. We had Mikael Silvestre playing at CB for crying out loud. That has to be the worst signing in Arsenal history. The. Worst.

Imagine how difficult it must be for Arsene, whom the entire club essentially falls on his shoulders. I admire the fact that he’s still going at it despite the numerous times people have questioned his philosophy and ideals. It must be very, very difficult to be a football manager and I don’t think that people realize that.

Despite the Messi show at the Camp Nou you cannot deny the fact that our Arsenal boys played their souls out over those two legs. That entire tie could have ended on a much sourer note. And you know what? It’s moments like those where I am so proud to be an Arsenal supporter. You’ve been battered and beaten but you realize what’s at stake if you give up… You’ve been battered and bleeding but you’re definitely standing clenching your jaw.. It’s resilience. We (Arsenal fans) get so much stick every season, and I give my praise to Wenger who is amidst all this pressure.

Not only do you let yourself down you also disappoint a lot of people. What this team has shown this season is that they are a unit that’s not going out without a final roar. The man behind it, Arsene Wenger; who as I see it, is like a gardener nurturing and watching over a tree. The players are like the branches, which he cherishes and gives them a chance to grow and succeed. He knows that someday this tree will grow and be an absolute brilliant sight because that is his vision. And you know, perhaps by September he’ll grow a few more (wink wink, nudge nudge).

In Wenger we trust. Forever and ever.

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Note: If any of you want to share your views/opinions on the club from N5 (read: Arsenal!), leave Us a comment at the bottom. We’ll get back right away & be glad to give you a chance. Keep Gunning..