Arsenal: It's Time to Back the Club During Difficult Times

"A friend in need is a friend indeed."

The same can apply for fans of football clubs as well. A real football fan would never turn his back on a club he or she loves. A sensible fan would not come out in anger and start a petition to sack one of the legendary figures of the club you support. 

Is this what fans of football clubs have become today?

We all support football clubs. All of us had a stage where we started following the club that we so passionately support today. Arsene Wenger was one of the prime reasons why I started supporting Arsenal football club.

I didn't even know the man, nor had I ever heard anything about him before I started following the club. But, as time went on it was clear that the new and improved Arsenal football club was down to the players and the philosophy brought in by who many called "The Professor."

A majority of the Arsenal fans today have been spoilt. They've been spoilt by the football played by some illustrious players like Patrick Vieira, Dennis Bergkamp, and Thierry Henry and have seen their club win trophies by playing mind blowing football.

It has been a difficult three or so years for all Arsenal fans. Losing in the Champions League final in a heartbreaker at Paris against Barcelona was horrible enough, but then losing against Chelsea in the Carling Cup final a couple of years later was not all that great either.

Then came last season, where Arsenal came so very close to winning the Premier League and well, in November 2008, things have gone from bad to worse.

In fact, I cannot remember a time where things have been at such a low ebb for Arsenal fans in awhile. 

That's exactly my rationale behind suggesting that a lot of the Gunners fans have been spoilt. Under Arsene Wenger, things have never been this bad. The man came in and transformed the club and made it win titles and challenge the best club in the country at the time.

Fans were naturally happy with the progress made by Wenger and came up with what are now very popular phrases such as "Arsene Knows," and "In Arsene We Trust."

Today, though, so many have turned against him. So many people lost faith in the club they supported for so long because he refused to sign a couple of players (or so it has been made out to be until now) during the summer. There was never really any positivity coming out from the fans' side from the very beginning of the season.

I'm not saying that the fans are to blame for the current situation that Arsenal football club faces today—but the fact that so many lost faith in the players and the manager who has, make no mistake, put the club's name on the map on a global level musn't have helped.

When Arsenal first moved into the Emirates Stadium, they drew a considerable amount of matches for a few months in the new ground. You could see the number of empty seats when around 80 minutes had passed and Arsenal were perhaps 1-0 down—fans lost hope in their team and didn't even care about the premium prices that they had paid to watch the team they support.

These fans were, are, and will forever be a disgrace.

If anything, respect the value of the money that you have paid to watch two football teams play.

Criticism is fine. I have criticised Arsene Wenger on certain policies of his and the fact that he is so stubborn (something which I still maintain). People on this website have come out and pointed out the weaknesses in the team.

But to come out and say "sell half the team!", "sack the manager and the board!" is just plain stupid.

What will be left of Arsenal football club then?

For better or for worse, we can only criticise the team when things aren't quite going well. We can only point out certain issues, rant about them in a couple of articles and vent our anger when we're incredibly upset.

I'm sure that most Arsenal fans are now beyond all that now though. We're beyond being upset and angry.

We're now a disillusioned lot.

People always say that the crowd in a stadium can be the 12th man—imagine how fans all over the world can galvalise a team. Liverpool haven't won a title in almost 20 years now and they've had tremendous support from their fanbase all over the world.

They have a rich heritage of winning so much during the 70s and 80s, and yet despite their lack of success during what can only be described as difficult times for the club - the fans have stood by them.

Arsenal fans love the club—I love the club. I also respect Arsene Wenger, because for me, he was the one who was responsible for getting me interested in football and watch all the wonderful moments which I will never forget all my life.

Today's crisis has been brought about by a combination of factors—not just William Gallas or Arsene Wenger. Gallas was wrong in that he came out and said some things in public—but what he said wasn't exactly wrong. The current Arsenal team lacks the bottle to win trophies.

Arsene Wenger also did the right thing in not slagging off his former captain to very interested, news-hungry reporters. The dirty linen had been washed in public already—why on earth will Wenger come out and wash some more?

It's time to move on from all this nonsense. This is a club with great history, and despite what many people say, Arsenal are still fifth in the Premier League, on course for qualification in the Champions League and in the quarter finals of the Carling Cup and are not going to get relegated. The future? The future looks great as well—you only have to watch the Carling Cup to understand what a fantastic future this club has.

Being upset and downbeat is absolutely understandable right now. In fact, in the post match interview, Arsene Wenger looked down so many times that I started to wonder whether he was thinking about all the mistakes he had made in the past couple of years. The reporter asked him a question very clearly and Wenger seemed to have heard it, but then looked up and asked.. "Sorry? Can you repeat that?" 

He is not happy. We're not happy. I'm sure that none of the players are happy.

After we stop feeling upset, and to an extent let down—let's get back to supporting our club. Nothing can be done in terms of transfers until January—so, let's back the team that is playing today. Arsenal have a big game next weekend against Chelsea, and most of us will be trembling at the prospect of watching that game.

However, you and I both know that we'll be there, at the place where we watch Arsenal every weekend and follow that game—because win or lose, we will always support Arsenal football club.

If anyone can bring this mess to an end, it's Arsene Wenger. As fans, we can only hope, pray, be patient—and most of all, support the team that we love.

Mistakes have been made by a lot of people—but there is always light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

Let's just hope that the light appears sooner rather than later for Arsenal football club.