Arsene Wenger: 9 Reasons Why Arsenal Fans Should Keep the Faith

This season has been an extremely trying one for the Arsenal faithful, and much of the anger that has built up over the years is finally being unleashed against manager Arsene Wenger.

Many fans have expressed disdain for the Frenchman's infuriatingly frugal transfer policy and his stubbornness in persisting with players who are clearly not performing to a level commensurate with the reputation of Arsenal Football Club.

The level of bile has ebbed and flowed somewhat during the season, though, as the animosity surrounding Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's substitution against Manchester United turned to ecstasy as the Gunners torched Blackburn Rovers 7-1 at the weekend.

Though Wenger is certainly not doing his best job during his 15 years in charge of Arsenal, there are reasons why Gooners should keep the faith in their beleaguered manager.

Experience

Sometimes one must pause and realize that Arsene Wenger is the second-longest tenured manager in the Premier League, behind only Sir Alex Ferguson.

He has been through it all before: title fights, trophy hunts and, yes, even scraps for that coveted fourth-place spot.

Few people possess Wenger's knowledge of the English game, and, moreover, what it takes to succeed in England.

His 15 years of Champions League experience is invaluable in managing a team in the toughest club competition in the world.

Beautiful Football

Even though the club have not been successful in recent seasons, few Arsenal fans realize that they are treated to some of the most lovely football on offer in England.

Very few teams possess Arsenal's technical acumen, and it truly is a joy to watch such swashbuckling play against teams who simply cannot match Arsenal's quality.

Power of Persuasion

Many do not realize that Wenger has stopped several players from leaving at the last second with his extraordinary persuasive powers.

Patrick Vieira stayed longer than he otherwise would have after the manager persuaded him to resist the temptation of Real Madrid, Thierry Henry remained a Gunner until the last of his prime years before moving to Barcelona and Cesc Fabregas was persuaded to stay for one more year until the lure of Catatonia was just too great.

You never know when you will need this ability. It could be extremely useful in getting Robin van Persie to stick around, and that alone would almost be worth keeping the manager around.

Foreign Connections

Despite some fans' reservations about the influx of foreign talent at the Emirates and the paucity of English players, Arsene Wenger's connection to France is still an extremely valuable one.

I doubt that any fan would rather have a middling Englishman than a French player of real quality who can have a real impact with the team.

Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry, two of the greatest players in the club's history, were lured to Arsenal by the nationality of the manager, and, more recently, defensive stalwart Laurent Koscielny has shown that the manager's eye for French talent is as keen as ever.

Stubbornness

One of Wenger's most aggravating qualities can also be one of his greatest strengths.

Though he sometimes persists for far too long with ineffective and sub-par players, there are also many cases of the manager's faith being rewarded, as well.

For example, everyone wrote off Alex Song a few years ago when he seemed to be an ineffective and one-dimensional defensive midfielder.

But Wenger stuck with the Cameroonian while he developed, and he is now arguably Arsenal's best and most versatile midfielder, spraying passes around the pitch and retaining all of his firmness in the tackle.

Developing Youth

It cannot be disputed that, under the stewardship of Arsene Wenger, Arsenal have been unparalleled in their ability to develop and cultivate extremely talented young players.

Whether they arrive at a young age from other clubs or come through the famous Hale End youth academy, the list of youngsters that Arsenal have brought through the ranks and have achieved success during the Frenchman's tenure is remarkable.

You can be sure that, with Wenger in charge, Arsenal will never be stuck in a situation like that which Chelsea currently find themselves in: aging, on the decline and forced to undergo a painful youth transition.

Sustainable Business Model

Many Arsenal supporters turn away in disgust every time Arsenal Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis mentions the club's sustainable business model as something for its fans to be proud of.

But, even though this cannot be used as an excuse for poor performance, Gazidis makes a valid point. Wenger's frugality and emphasis on youth development puts the club in a much better fiscal position for the long term.

Arsenal do not go out and splash £50 million on one player during a single transfer window a la Chelsea, and, although Le Professeur often takes his austerity too far, his philosophy will leave the club in a much better position when other teams' mountains of debt inevitably come crashing down on them.

Arsenal Have Shown That They Have the Quality

Even though the Gunners currently sit in sixth place, behind even Newcastle, they have certainly displayed the quality necessary to claim that precious fourth-place spot at the end of the season.

Mixed in with the 4-3 defeat to Blackburn, the humiliating 8-2 capitulation to Manchester United and a myriad other losses are some genuinely great victories.

For example, Arsenal took down fourth-place rivals Chelsea 5-3 at Stamford Bridge as part of an extended run of fantastic form during the fall. And the Gunners recently regained a lot of that lost confidence by destroying Blackburn 7-1.

All they need now is consistency, but it is clear that the raw quality is there for the team to compete late into the season, despite the criticisms leveled at the manager.

The Season Isn't over Yet

As the manager himself likes to remind us, the season is long from over, and there are still many goals available for the taking.

Despite all of Arsenal's trials this season, they currently sit only three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea and are still very much in the hunt for the FA Cup and even the Champions League.

It would be very rash to fire the manager at this juncture, as he has already brought his team back from the doldrums, and only one win separates the team from their most coveted goal of this campaign.

If Wenger fails to qualify for next season's iteration of the Champions League, harsh words will justifiably fly the manager's way.

But there is still ample opportunity for the Frenchman to succeed with his current squad, and I have complete faith in his ability to do so until he shows over the course of a full season that he cannot.