English Premier League: Arsenal Fan Reaction Reflects Nature of Twitter Age

How quickly we forget.

A 2-0 Liverpool victory, achieved only after 19-year-old Arsenal defensive midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong—deputizing for the suspended Alex Song—was sent off for a justified second booking in only his second-ever Premiership appearance with the senior XI.

The victory had Liverpool fans praising their side's fastidious display and salivating over skipper Kenny Dalglish's genius in sending his spark-plug of a striker, Luis Suarez, on as a substitute to run Arsenal's tired legs ragged.  This, after their energy-sapping display mid-week against Udinese Calcio in a Champions League play-off.

It was the Uruguayan's performance that decided the match as his pressure led to Arsenal's bumbling Miquel-to-Ramsey-deflection of an own goal. He slotted home the second with incredible ease after a lovely build-up from the visiting (Mersey) side. This was Liverpool's first win away at Arsenal since a 2000 victory at the now-razed Highbury.

Arsenal fans are dismayed with the season thus far and how it threatens to spin out of control by next weekend's end.  They might have been longing for Nostaliga Lane after mistaking the second Liverpool goal for one of their side's vaunted fluid goal-scoring movements of yesteryear.

That makes one point from a possible six for the Gunners after two weekends of play. It's a gross understatement to allege Arsene Wenger hasn't endured his most trying spell as manager of the North London club in recent weeks.

Liverpool, meanwhile, has taken four points from their first two matches. While critics chastise Monsieur Wenger and lament the inexperience of Arsenal's infants, they have gone into overdrive in predicting great things ahead for the Scousers.

Mind you, they were languishing in the middle of the Premier League table less than two seasons ago.

Arsenal, meanwhile, continue their streak of qualifying for the Champions League. Every year.

Forgotten are the bumbling performances of Dalglish's predecessor, Roy Hodgson, who did not even make it into 2011 after taking the job at Anfield before the season's start.

The man who made the brilliant signings of such Liverpool mainstays as Milan Jovanovic, Paul Konchesky, Christian Poulsen and the greatest-on-paper-player-of-all-time, Joe Cole, did nothing but install a playing style that Liverpool rejected like an ill-suited transplant.

"What have you done for me lately" definitely rules the roost these days.

And to be fair, Liverpool seems, in all likelihood, to be in a better state than Arsenal at this juncture.

The Reds (from Anfield) are not losing their stars (Fabregas, perhaps Nasri if reports are accurate), and they are not seeing their players sent off with abandon. Arsenal have had three players suspended in their first two games of the season.

Then again, Liverpool have yet to face Joey Barton, the one-man wrecking machine from St. James Park. Maybe Joe Cole will look up from his tea and "scrumpets" meal during the second-half and will rush onto the field to defend Suarez's honor against the ignoble Barton.

I am not attempting to sugarcoat what has been a jamming-down-the-throat-of-the-most-vile-concoction-imaginable start of the season, from the perspective of Arsenal fans.

Rather, I am exhorting fans to not toss hope overboard. Leave that for the final day of the season!

Remember the fans at the Emirates today, who despite booing want-away Samir Nasri during preseason introductions, widely refrained from heaping vitriol upon the former Marseille man during the actual game.

Perhaps they realized just how greatly this Arsenal side could benefit from his staying this season. Or maybe they just forgot why they were mad at him in the first place. The whole thing  smacks of a superb romantic comedy.  Ben Affleck in the role of Nasri could work.

Or maybe they saw Nasri make a couple of charging forty-yard runs, ending in some of Arsenal's only decent attempts on goal, and figured, "Hey, that guy's our best midfielder. Might as well cut him some slack until his name is signed in ink on a Man City contract."

I believe Arsenal will be galvanized upon Jack Wilshere's return from injury. His absence from the lineup has hurt Arsenal more than many would admit.

Wilshere was the best player in Arsenal's run of preseason fixtures—he looked the most dangerous of the midfielders going forward, at any rate.

And with fellow prodigy Aaron Ramsey showing today that, while he has unquestionable talent reserves he is not yet a dangerous, driving force going forward.

Wilshere and Nasri are just that—and, should they end up playing together, might just get Robin van Persie a touch on the ball with their link-up play. The Dutchman, and new club captain, has cut an increasingly forlorn figure in the first three matches of the season.

Perhaps recently-injured Arsenal youngster Conor Henderson summed up the early-season best, via his Twitter:

"Come on you lot... Gooner through thick or thin! Prem season is a marathon, not a sprint!"

Hear hear.