Going, going, Gooner

Arsenal ‘s Brazilian midfielder Denilson is quoted in papers today as wanting to get away from the club and is looking for a fresh start somewhere else after five ‘trophyless’ years. Fair enough. The guy has a right to leave if he wants to, but …


In the article is a direct quote from him claiming that he made his mind up “eight months ago”. If that’s the case it might be one small indicator as to why the North London club haven’t had that killer touch this season. No goals and seven bookings this term isn’t a great return for a player who cost £3.4 million as a teenager. Then again, maybe I’m being unfair as he’s never been prolific in front of goal – nine from 120 games if my math is correct.

There’s no doubt that the Arsenal have the ability - and in my view are one of the best footballing sides in Europe - but how many other players have, like Denilson, been playing with one eye on an end of season move?

If you’ve decided you’re going to leave a club just after the season’s begun, how committed to the cause are you going to be?

Perhaps I’m doing the lad a disservice, but I’d be interested to hear the thoughts of regular followers of Arsenal. Has he sweated blood for the Gooners this season? Indeed, are there other players who have looked like they have wanted away for much of the campaign?

Looking at Arsenal from the outside, the game that seemed to sum up – and maybe finish – their season, was the away game at St. James’ Park. When you are four goals to the good away from home and you allow the opposition to claw back a draw, there would appear to be a certain mental frailty to the group. This might just be down to youth. What do Gooners think?

Friends of mine who support Arsenal have been frustrated by the team in recent years and the lack of silverware. However, in my humble opinion, I think that Arsene Wenger will ultimately go down as one of the club’s best ever managers – up there with Herbert Chapman I’d venture.

Moving from Highbury to the new stadium will have been a strain on the club’s financial resources (even one as historically wealthy as Arsenal) and so to keep them in the hunt every year (and qualifying for the Champions League during that time) is no mean achievement.

There are ‘big’ clubs in English football (Everton, Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds, Spurs, etc.) who would love to be as consistently ‘unsuccessful’ as Arsenal have been during the last five years.

Of course Gooners don’t really care how poorly the others are performing and understandably they are looking ‘up’ rather than ‘down’ and so maybe this summer is the time for Arsene to invest in a couple of experienced heads to supplement his exciting young squad.

As a neutral fan I’d love to see Wenger rewarded for his work and also for the way he likes his team to play football. Next season could prove to be make or break for the French master, but I don’t think the fans or the board should lose faith in him. I still believe he’s done enough for the club since 1996 to merit a little more time at the helm.