Here is a copy of a letter I have sent to the club for Mr Wenger's attention, I doubt I'll get a response but at least I feel better having written it and done something other then moan to fellow supporters.



Dear Arsene



I am fairly confident that this letter will never find its way into your hands for you to read, and fully anticipate a standard response (if indeed any response at all!) from one of your colleagues, however I would truly appreciate your comments on a number of issues that I, and many other long standing Arsenal supporters, are concerned about.



Firstly, allow me to address your comments in the press recently which basically stated that you, our manager, feel that finishing second in the league is good enough. Frankly, from a supporter’s perspective this is not only insulting but also disrespectful to the thousands of supporters that pay money to watch this team week in week out. We now know that we do not have any ambition, drive or motivation to do anything other than finish as the best of the runners up. The average demographic of a football supporter is a young 40 year old, earning around £40,000 per annum (not per week). When we take into consideration cost of living, supporting children, running a home and generally making ends meet, there is probably little dispensable income and what little there is, is spent following the things we love, namely Arsenal. To be told that we’re not even that interested in finishing first is galling.



We shouldn’t be surprised really. We left our ‘home’ at Highbury and moved to Ashburton Grove. Why? So we could compete with the best clubs in Europe. With hindsight I take this to mean that we can welcome other teams to a shiny new stadium, a metaphoric diamond ring, to impress them. It certainly wasn’t so we can compete with them on the pitch. Our transfer dealings are a thing of immense frustration and we are the laughing stock of other Premier League supporters. We come across as a used car salesman, looking for a car on the cheap, give it a service and a polish then sell it for maximum profit.



I, and  other true supporters,  do not want us to spend beyond our means like other clubs have done in recent years and we fully agree with and back the self sustainability model, however, reading or hearing that ‘The manager has funds available to him and he can have any player he wants’ only to see no real player investment is annoying, especially when we consider there are first team players that really should only be allowed to wear an Arsenal shirt if they buy one, at extortionate prices, from the club shop. I am naming no names here, but as a man with his finger on the pulse, I am confident that you hear fans’ frustration at certain playing personnel.



Not only are fans frustrated with your stubbornness to spend money that we are told is available but your constant use of the word ‘spirit’ in post game interviews is ridiculous. How any managers could say we ‘showed great spirit’ when their team capitulated a two or three goal lead? We don’t have to go back too far for any supporting evidence of this; Newcastle, Tottenham Hotspur (Twice), Liverpool must bring back memories.  Teams with ‘spirit’ do not let leads slip, and certainly not with the regularity that we do. I get it that this is probably a motivational tool to show that you are backing the players, but I get the distinct impression that some of our players feel completely protected by you. No matter how badly they perform, irrespective of the scoreline, publicly they will be protected and backed. Of course we do not see what goes on behind the scenes in the dressing room and I would hope that things are different and certain players are ousted for their lack of effort, enthusiasm or ability.



I am not a qualified football manager, just a humble supporter whose opinion, in the grand scheme of things counts for nothing, but I believe there is a lack of work ethic amongst some of our playing staff. From the outside, looking in, with the exception of four or five players, they seem disinterested. This is not The Arsenal way. We seem to lack the Keown / Adams work rate and passion. The heart of Henry / Vieira and the desire of players like Bergkamp / Wright.



Many supporters point the finger squarely at you, however I tend to disagree. If this was the case then all the players would be the same, but there is a minority that wish to play for the shirt, let their talking be done on the pitch rather than telling the press how amazing they are, when on the pitch their self elevated status diminishes and their first touch or their finishing lets them down and shows them for what they really are. These players do not belong at this club. This club has standards, morals – ‘Victoria Concordia Crescit’, there is no ‘victory’ and certainly little ‘harmony’. Things have to change, either that or we change our club motto to ‘in secondo luogo è giusto’.



Things have got so bad, my children were contemplating writing to you. Of course their knowledge of Arsenal is different to mine. They inherited the Arsenal gene from me, but their earliest memories are of the ‘Invincibles’, a time when we were successful, teams feared playing us, home or away. Opposition players knew that we had pride, passion, commitment, dedication and we would do whatever was needed to win games.  This is The Arsenal that my kids and indeed every generation of Arsenal supporters want to see return. Second is NOT good enough, being eliminated from 3 competitions in the space of two or three weeks is NOT acceptable and the supporters are starting to become impatient.



You have no idea how often I am heard screaming at my television or from my seat for players to stop ‘over playing’ around the 18 yard box, trying to find a player to pass to inside the 6 yard box to ‘tap in’. You can feel the frustration in the stadium. Teams know that’s what we do, so they get 10 players behind the ball and simply block our play, we now have no other way to play and teams can just negate our game. Don’t get me wrong, we are applauded for the style of our play, but unless it wins us games, leagues and trophies, then it is futile.



We are, too often, regarded as a football club that puts bottom line profit before trophies. I understand business ethics and the need to ensure we run at an operating profit, but first and foremost we are a football club and without football there is no business.



I see this letter as on open invitation for you to give myself, and my fellow Arsenal supporting friends, an honest reply, to allay our fears, to give us hope and explain why we feel so frustrated at these things. Deep down we love this club and do not wish to see this era of mediocrity continue and we urge you to take some action.



I look forward to hearing from you.



Best

Wojciech Szczesny concedes three but still a talent

The Arsenal goalkeeper has the charisma and confidence to match Jens Lehmann and last night, despite conceding three goals, he showed he has the talent. Wojciech Szczesny was commanding from set-pieces, important as there was to be plenty of balls aimed up to Peter Crouch and made one superb save when Luka Modric ran into the penalty area unmarked. The score was at 3-3 and with one outstretched leg and the momentum taking him the other way, he saved Arsenal a point. However, he could have done better for the first, allowing a powerful Rafael van der Vaart shot to squeeze past his near post. Szczesny also conceded the penalty to round off an impressively mixed performance.
Tottenham's energy alleviates man disadvantage

This was a fantastic game of football with both sides going all out for the win. Arsenal played their usual 4-2-3-1 with Cesc Fábregas playing at the tip and initially their natural creation of triangles came out on top. However, Tottenham are known for their energy and their propensity to push men forward and this alleviated any numerical disadvantage they started with. The 4-4-2 gave Arsenal problems as it stretched play and with the extra space, Crouch and van der Vaart were able to drop into pockets between midfield and defence. That meant they could theoretically make a four man midfield in the centre to outnumber Arsenal's three. Crouch dropped off the Arsenal centre-backs to attempt to link up play while van der Vaart was a constant menace, never sticking to his right-flank. This enabled him to enter the danger area unmarked and delivered Tottenham's first blow, getting on to a through ball to squeeze home. Diaby tried to track him but the goal was symptomatic of Spurs general speed and commitment of resources forward.

Arsenal passing accuracy was at 78% and that indicates best, how well Tottenham's pressing game worked.
Who says Cesc Fábregas doesn't care

Arsenal raced to a 3-1 lead and in parts, looked back to their glorious best. Much of that was down to influence of Cesc Fábregas who again showed why Arsenal must match his ambition. He is crucial to the Arsenal cause and initially allowed them to dominate. He did this by dropping deep to collect the ball thus enabling Abou Diaby the freedom to get forward. Most importantly, this made Arsenal's best player and passer harder to mark and he was able to play Theo Walcott through for the first goal. And his link up with Samir Nasri helped create space for the second. Emotions seemingly got the better of him at times and at the end of the first half in particular, when Spurs pressed for an equalise at 2-1, his frustration was visible for all to see. He desperately wants to win for Arsenal but he also needs Arsenal to win for him too.
Arsenal need to learn "Recovery Possession"

In a coaching seminar delivered to aspiring and senior coaches alike last season, Pep Guardiola highlighted the growing importance of "Recovery Possession." In simple terms it's the positioning and intensity of the team to allow them to win the ball back quicker. This season, Arsenal have tried to use the Dutch principles of through-marking when they press the ball; positioning themselves so that they eliminate their opponent's passing options. This works because the players look to back up the man who presses by sticking tight to the other opponents so they are unable to receive the pass. It's an effective way of squeezing space but Tottenham's movement and wide 4-4-2 stretched play and in recent times, the tactic has become more unstructured. On the break this make them more vulnerable but it also means in open play, they are also likely to concede chances. Arsenal had trouble tracking Tottenham's runners and that always ensured the game was never over at 3-1. Perhaps the substitution of Abou Diaby had a bigger impact than what was first thought but Wenger was unhappy with the amount of space Arsenal were giving and he was quickly whipped off.

Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna will not leave the Gunners during the summer transfer window.

Speaking to L’Equipe, the player’s agent – Christophe Mongai – explained that the player is happy and has no desire to leave.

One of the best players this season, the Frenchman joined the Gunners from Auxerre during the 2007 transfer window and ended his first season in the English Premier League on a high after he was named in the PFA Team of the Year.

Back from injury after missing games against Blackpool and Liverpool, the 28-year old had a very solid game against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night, keeping Gareth Bale – this season’s PFA Player of the Year – at bay in the first half.

On the player’s future, his agent said:

There is no desire to leave. He is happy at Arsenal. But you never know what can happen.