People will point out to our “excuses” of claiming that “next year” is our year. However, next year is very much a possibility to behold since we did not end up 21 points behind United

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR VISION ARTICLES ARE SENT IN BY READERS AND ARE NOT WRITTEN BY ARSENAL VISION WRITERS.

By Mohamed Hassan

As I settled at home to watch the Champions’ League final between Manchester United and Chelsea with my flatmate (an avid Chelsea supporter) by my side, excitingly anticipating an historic clash and a first European Cup triumph for a London club (he was not too excited at the final whistle), I could not contain my feelings of jealousy and contempt at the way the season has gone.

This is especially considering the fact that fans, opposition teams, and the media alike had heralded Wenger’s Arsenal as “superb, playing exhilarating football, exuberantly youthful yet irrepressible in their press for unlikely glory at the end of the season”. Come May, the very same sources came out with “inexperienced”, “immature” and “chokers” as the gist of Arsenal’s end-of-term report.

It is easy to be misguided by what the media and rival supporters claim to be Arsenal’s “plight”, their “ability to play pretty football without winning anything”. After all, such is the competitive and fickle nature of top-class football nowadays that such forthright criticism is bound to ring in Arsène Wenger’s ears throughout the summer.

And, with Grant’s sacking having come courtesy of John Terry ending up on his bottom when he had the chance to strike Chelsea into Chelsea into Champions’ League glory, it is another comforting reminder to our club’s best ever manager that he is being given all the time in the world to put things right and bring Arsenal the success that they crave and deserve after three trophy-less years.

This all sounds as if I am backing the manager and team to finally bring the title back and go on to win the Champions’ League. I am. Having finished four points off United is a clear indication that things are indeed moving swimmingly in the right direction.

Again, people will point out to our “excuses” of claiming that “next year” is our year. However, next year is very much a possibility to behold since we did not end up 21 points behind United, and have ended up scoring more goals, conceding less goals and winning more away matches than any of the last three seasons.

If indeed Arsenal are chokers as has been claimed time and time again, they would not have taken the lead at Anfield, Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford before ultimately losing all three matches. Lest we forget that many decisions, as well as immaturity and a lack of defensive composure it must be said, have cost us the ultimate prize of winning a trophy this season.

So, for every penalty decision that has not gone our way (ala Liverpool in the Champions’ League – TWICE!), there have been moments of madness in defence, with Gallas proceeding to slap the ball inexplicably in the penalty area at Old Trafford when we were leading and comfortable being a prime example. For me, a choker would be turning up to these mighty grounds, freezing in the occasion and ending up on the end of a 3-0 hammering (which brings me onto a major turning point, a sound FA Cup 4-0 thrashing at Manchester United in February).

So what is it that has led to us ending up with nothing? I have already pinpointed how several decisions have gone against the team. Injuries are another factor that has definitely played its destructive role.

Wenger did not foresee entering the busy Easter period without Eduardo, Tomas Rosicky, and Robin van Persie (who has had a shocking season with petty injuries); three massively important players in the Arsenal artillery, as well as a semi-fit Kolo Touré, who has not been his imperious self since returning from Africa in early February. Ultimately, the season can be summed up with these shortcomings in squad depth and a lack of composure and stability in crucial matches.