Stone Cold Friday: Exposing The Myth of Arsenal’s Soft Underbelly

A robust little opener, the first in a regular Friday column from Darius of Stone Cold Arsenal.

Déjà vu is a feeling that taunts Arsenal fans during this spell of every season. Whether it’s the creeping cold, wet and windy nights that we’re perceived not to be able to handle, or the increasing collection of injured players hanging outside Colin Lewin’s physio room at London Colney – this period of the season during the last 4 years has brought a feeling of “Oh, not again”.

Since our last trophy, the pundit and hack establishment has associated Arsenal with ’soft under-bellies’. There is an expectation on their part that every season, Arsenal will fold and fade away into the dark, cold nights of northern winters. Arsenal is commonly seen as an irrelevance tagged with a big ’NEARLY THERE’ symbol by those who promote sensationalism in the media. But is this accusation about softness levelled against Arsenal a fair one?

After our FA Cup win in 2005, the club has changed considerably. My sense has been that the expectations that we would follow the achievements of the ’Invincibles’ squad were always an unreasonable one. The footballing landscape changed with Roman Abramovich declaring war on the reasonable convention that suggested living within your means is still an honourable thing to do.

Secondly, the imminent move to Ashburton Grove dictated that Arsenal must take a different approach, build a young competitive squad that challenged for trophies whilst we are shackled with financial commitments related to our move.

The courage of Arsenal to follow a vision that secured our future amongst the elite clubs was totally lost on the establishment, and unfortunately, many fickle, glory-hunting Arsenal fans who wouldn’t understand patience if it slapped them in the face. This lack of understanding of Arsenal’s vision and long term objectives, as well as refusing to acknowledge the opportunity cost of such an ambitious strategy, has led to the myth of our perceived weakness.

Don’t get me wrong, the last 4 years have been difficult and disappointing in part but it would be equally unfair not to acknowledge the mileage that this team has travelled in that period. The disappointments we’ve had have been a necessary cost of the youth development strategy and an invaluable lesson to the current team about what it takes to be champions.

Ten men were 18 minutes from becoming European champions with the best defensive record in Europe in 2006. In 2007 mental strength was put to the ultimate test after we capitulated following the sad events at St. Andrews in February last year. Some cite Eduardo’s injury as the point at which things started to go wrong for us, but I would suggest that Rosicky’s injury a month earlier was also a very significant turning point. We missed Little Mozart badly.

Last season, we progressed in the cup competitions, giving way at the semi-final stage. Many people under-estimated how difficult it would be last season to cope with losing 75% of a midfield that was successful the previous season; Hleb and Flamini went to pastures new and Rosicky became Lewin’s new best friend in the treatment room.

While all the invaluable ‘growing up’ was happening, the simpletons decided to settle for that ’Arsenal can’t hack it’ mantra that normally accompanies the definition of soft underbellies. It’s no surprise that as this young team emerges from obscurity into inevitable super stardom and eventual domination of football, many of these hacks, pundits and fickle fans find it difficult to come out of their comfort zone and take note of what has been happening.

The ’Arsenal will drop off as usual’ sentiments, coupled with the hyperbole and perceived threat that disaster and a hostile takeover are looming if we don’t win a trophy, seems to be an easier stance to take. Far easier than trying to understand the virtue of what Arsenal has been developing and why keeping true to this is a sure banker for success.

This year, despite the customary set-backs, only a fool would argue that Arsenal is not intent on winning a trophy. Not only are we playing the best football in Europe, the notion that we have a soft underbelly holds no water. Any examination of statistics of any manner will illustrate that we’re mixing it up there with the best. Many will still attempt to point out that we concede goals, but my belief is that negativity about a leak in our defence is a red herring convenient for those who have no idea how to cope with the notion that this young Arsenal team is actually coming to fruition.

Of course there’s room for improvement. It would be naive and arrogant to suggest otherwise and the sign of any great team is one that seeks constant improvement. But equally, it’s totally naive and arrogant to suggest that Arsenal is an irrelevance particularly if your only argument is based on ’soft underbelly’.

The experience that this team has gained by playing together, for the most part, in the last 3 years, the maturity they’ve achieved and their continued stellar performances on the pitch all make it worth the wait. It’s the sort of experience, team spirit and ethic, and camaraderie that Abramovich or the Sheikhs of Abu Dhabi couldn’t buy with all the tea in China. In my view, being wrongly perceived as weak is a cost worth paying for success in decades to come.

This weekend, another opportunity to dispel any myths about Arsenal’s intent for greatness is at hand. We have 3 points to collect at the Stadium of Light, a tricky fixture for us in the past. It’s a difficult away game after an interlull, and in past seasons, it’s the sort of game that would make us nervous. The boys have ruthlessly dispatched teams that in previous seasons were a challenge, and Sunderland is a team to be respected, but not feared.

I would suggest that this Arsenal team has no intention of showing anybody anything soft this weekend.

’til Tomorrow.