Just a small, humble and probably hugely unpopular comment before bed if I may? Many would agree that prof. footballers are spoiled/pampered these days. I wonder if the same is true of us fans? Chel$ki fans had nothing to cheer about for donkey's years. Now they're having a go at AVB after a couple of defeats and a draw.
AFC had some fallow years to say the least before AW took office. Now it seems we're demanding excellence and a win every time we take the field. Criticising every minor slip-up.
I think it would do us good to remember that there are two teams playing and both are striving every sinew for a win. And it is not our God-given right to win everything.
Life is about highs and lows - without the lows, the peaks are not as high or as stimulating. If you're a Man-U fan, the only way is down after the last few years. They expect/demand to win. A good mind-set but if you always expect to win - and you simply cannot win always - then only failure is out of the ordinary.
I'd rather be in a place where winning is desperately wanted but not certain. Where defeat is a distinct possibility. And where victory becomes a really worthwhile and valued achievement - out of the ordinary and special.
When people are throwing stupid money at winning, I think we should be proud to support a club that is trying on the basis of fair play, on the field and financially over the long term rather than striving for a quick gain and blowing everyone else out of the water financially.
It would soon get very boring if we had the biggest wallet and that guaranteed winning everything all the time. Winning is only an achievement if it is done against a background of good and fair competition. Winning 'against the odds' is much sweeter than if the win is expected all the time like it has been at Man-U and will become at Riyadh Rovers (Man Citeh) and Chelski because of the financial skewing of the level playing field. I should also say here that United have won on this basis in recent years and deserve our respect.
All this is why I personally am proud to support Arsenal - we want it with a passion, but we will never buy it unfairly, we will never cheat in order to win, we will respect strong competition and, in the end, we will enjoy our victories because they have been achieved on the basis of fairness and genuine endeavour.
COYG
