So the season is coming to a close and Arsenal fans have another visit to Wembley. I’ve said it many times before, but as a fanbase, we have been spoilt. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed some wonderful days visiting cities all over Europe, watching monumental league fixtures and of course, some great days out at Wembley.
I have managed to get hold of a ticket for the final and I’m looking forward to a good day out. I’m fearing for the result (due largely to our defensive injury problems), so I’m determined to enjoy the pre-match build up. I’ll be heading up to Wembley early and it sounds like it will be a scorcher. It could be 30c plus and enjoying a few beers in the sunshine is going to be fantastic day.
It’s been a roller coaster of a season. The Wenger In/Wenger Out debate has been an ongoing saga. Fans of other clubs have stated how bored they are of the story. Well, try being an Arsenal fan. I still maintain the majority of fans are pro-Wenger. However, the vocal minority have dominated social media and the tabloids have lapped up the divisions within our fanbase. The anti-Wenger marches at our home games have been pitiful in their numbers but their relevance and influence have been overestimated by the mainstream media in my view.
I have no doubt Wenger will sign as extension. I am relieved he’s staying on. We have seen how poorly Utd have suffered post-Fergie. They have spent an enormous amount of money and still languish below us in 6th place. For them to be below us is extraordinary, given our poor season. But they can afford such mistakes in appointing the likes of Moyes and Van Gaal. Upwards of £500m has been spent in the last four years. With their commercial power, they can stomach such huge losses.
However Arsenal, even with their impressive match day revenue, do not have such reserves at our disposal. I’m very fearful that we don’t have the calibre of ‘football men’ on our board to make key decisions on the makeup of our coaching team. I’d be much happier for Wenger to stay on and then for the board to formulate a succession plan for when he leaves. It’s far from ideal. Wenger is all-powerful and there hasn’t been a figure to challenge and question him since David Dein left the club. Our PR has been a disaster and the communication from the club generally has been shockingly bad. I’ve actually felt sorry for Wenger at times. He is having to appear weekly in press conferences where he has seemingly had no support at all from the board.
So the lead-up to Saturday has been far from serene. The lack of clarity for the club’s plans for next season, the uncertainly over the futures of Sanchez and Ozil and the chronic injury problems have all cast a shadow over what should be a special day for the fans. I’m just grateful we are playing Chelsea and not Spurs. It will be gut-wrenching to lose to Chelsea but losing to Spurs wouldn’t be worth thinking about.
I’m going to enjoy a few beers before the game, bask in the great weather and just hope our game-changing players can really excel on the day. A high scoring win is our best way of winning the cup.