Ok, So What Now For the Arsenal

“Success is how high you bounce when you hit the bottom.” – George S. Patton

I have no intention of going into the why’s or where’s of the Carling Cup crash. Suffice it to say we lost. Birmingham should be congratulated for playing a full out game. Rather than spend time in trying to figure out who is right or wrong in what happened – I am going to spend my time ponder what’s next for this team, for this fan base and for Arsene Wenger.

The club is still active in three competitions. I mean that not as a boastful pride statement, but as a reality. If the club sits back and dwells on the Carling Cup loss, surely will place some strain on their ability to go through successfully in these other competitions. We talked previously how winning the Carling Cup could be a launching pad for great things. Now the club, the manager and the fan base have to take a negative and turn into a positive – somehow.

Sure seeing a positive from a negative is never easy. Especially, when you are mirred in a negative point of view. Positives are scoffed at, ridiculed as optimistic thinking when none should exist. But as Patton alludes to success can be born from failure.

For Gunners fans, a fan base wanting a trophy to cheer as much as the team, we were looking for a win to give all our doubters and critics one giant “fuck you.” We’ve endured more stick for supporting our team than your average Spurs fan gets for supporting the 2nd best club in North London. Pointing to a new silver trophy would’ve put an end to that. Now we are questioning ourselves and our team. I saw an unprecendented coming together of all sections the fan base. From the die hard, “the club can do no wrong” faction and the “club will fail” faction. Belief was returning once again for the Gooner faithful. Now, it will have to reexamine itself and waves of thinking about the club could very well be hardened yet again.

For the team, the questioning and doubt have to be put aside rather quickly. There are still many competitions to be played and the first one is in the midweek against Leyton Orient in a replay of the 5th round tie that ended in a 1-1 draw. The club can certainly wind up going in a shell and basically tossing all the good that has been achieved this season. They can cede ground in the EPL title race and let Barcelona have their way when the get to Nou Camp and just wrap it up. It is probably what m0re than one pundit and even some our own fans expect.

Or, they can take the adversity and use at as a learning moment. Losing, leaves a very bad taste in anyone’s mouth. They need to let that taste linger, know what it tastes like, spit it the hell out and move on. Sure it’s a cliche but really if this team is going to achieve anything it is what they have to do. They have to use the loss as motivation to carry them on or its the end to the run for them. If they can use it as motivation then there are surely moments they can have that are greater than what they wou;d’ve achieved with the Carling Cup.

For Arsene Wenger, the man is certainly getting a lot of stick, some of it deserved some of it not. A win at the Carling Cup would’ve validated his policies towards running the club. Now he’ll have to endure a continued run of questions and doubt.  But Wenger not only has to pull himself together but he has to use every ounce of his ability to keep this team focused on what lies  ahead. In honesty his mettle and make up as a manager is about to be called on and challenged. He’ll have the whole off season to address that circumstances of this season.

Finally, I think I want to draw attention to number 53 Wojiech Szczesny. It is very easy right now to lay the blame at his feet or even Laurent Koscielny’s feet. But for Szczesny, at barely 20 years old there are maybe 15 more years left to build glory wearing the Arsenal kit. He is going to have to move on from this and get focused on his next task. Based on what I’ve seen of the lad on the pitch and read via twitter and the press, its no doubt he has the mettle to do so.

Finally, interesting stuff from Bob Wilson on twitter today about the cock up with Koosh and Sneezy –

“Felt for Szczesny/Koscielny. Brought back memories of Ian Ure & yours truly presenting Swindon Town with gift during 1969 League Cup Final. But we learned a lesson & trophies were just around the corner.”

Bob gets it. Let’s hope the team does.