Why last season was a success and Wenger can lead us to the title again

Is coming 2nd a failure?

I now turn my attention to the timing of the outbreak of this disappointment and anger. All this blew up in March and April and resulted in protests and calls for a new manager. As Arsène wisely commented at the time – the fans should wait till the end of the season to draw conclusions about the team and managers performance. He called for solidarity in getting behind the team and warned that turning against the team in the run-in with boos and protests during the game could have a negative impact. Was he right about that? Possibly, yes. Clearly it can’t be argued that it helped our cause because it undoubtedly added to the tension in the ground on match days and at a time when all our players need our support rather than our disapproval.

Whilst I am a regular participant in political protests and demonstrations — I believe it is right to protest against something you see as being wrong — I think people need to remember that when players are struggling with form and confidence and the team is under great pressure then it is your duty as a supporter of your team to get behind them during the match. I think judgements or protests should await the end of the season when a fair and proper assessment can be made.

For example, how many of us still felt that same strength of disappointment that we experienced in April on the final day having pipped Sp*rs? I believe that most of us would have been happy if someone had told us last August that we would leap-frog Sp*rs on the last day to secure 2nd place — our highest position since 2005 in the League. If that someone also threw in that Chelsea would sack Mourinho after 3 months and would finish up 10th in the division – we would have snapped their hands off! There is so much more to life and happiness than merely winning the league!

Talking of Mourinho, on a recent Good Morning Britain TV chat show the guests were Piers Morgan and Jeremy Corbyn – both Arsenal supporters - and the subject of discussion was the need for a new manager. Morgan was saying ‘get Mourinho in’ whilst Jezza was saying ‘get behind the team’. Jezza, like Arsène - a man of principle, integrity and decency - won the day and in the subsequent vote by viewers Arsène secured 75% of the votes.  Morgan like Mourinho – a man of X, X and X - got 25%!

Much of our earlier disappointment was offset by the joy and hilarity of the Sp*rs League position reversal but what about comparing our final league position of 2nd place with the position at the start of the season where every book-maker and media pundit expected us to finish - in 3rd place. In that context – we have exceeded all expectations and we should therefore be happy! Fourth in 2013/14, Third in 2014/15, Second in 2015/16 – is this progress or failure? The sequence answers the question.

Is #WengerOut fair?

It’s always difficult to separate out the contribution of the manager from that of the players in assessing a club’s performance but let’s have a go. How did we get on?

We did well against the 4 top teams – not losing to any of the main competitors to come top of the mini league:

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