Arsenal News 24/7Writer: Nick Simmonett 
Date:Saturday April 7 2007
Time: 11:52PM
UK time is: 03:14:19
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Always Look On The Bright Side
Now, I know that Gooners everywhere will be feeling like they've just been sat on (crushed) by Michelle McManus following Arsenal's first ever defeat at The Emirates stadium but let me tell you that it's not all doom and gloom.
Let's drown our sorrows today, for tomorrow is a new day and the new season is a mere 4 months away, and I wouldn't mind betting it will be a season to remember. This season and last has been a period of transition for Arsenal, just as the last 3 years have been for Manchester United (despite the fact that they have spent plenty of money).
The Arsenal first team squad has been plagued with injuries this season. Henry will have missed most of the season, Gallas missed 3 months, Baptista has suffered several injuries, Rosicky has spent a total of around 2 months out, Van Persie has been out since February and walcott has been playing with a bad shoulder for most of the season.
Imagine what losing Rooney, Saha, Scholes, Giggs and Ferdinand would do to United! Or if Chelsea lost Terry, Lampard, J.Cole, Drogba and Shevchenko...see where I'm going? So just avoiding injuries to so many key players next season will see an instant improvement in results.
Then there's the biggy - the youngsters. This season has seen Diaby, Adebayor, Walcott and Denilson experience their first full season in the Premiership. Diaby has had the added handicap of recovering from a career threatening injury.
Adebayor has been excellent this season, leading the line superbly in the absence of Henry and Van Persie, I'd say he has exceeded everyone's expectations - even Arsene Wenger's. Oh, and he's still only 21.
Diaby's sensational performances have drawn comparisons to Arsenal legend patrick Vieira. Indeed the great man himself has even come out recently and said he sees a lot of similarities in their game.
Theo Walcott had a great start to the season. He made his debut on the opening day of the season and set up the goal that ensured Arsenal's first Premiership match at The Grove didn't end in defeat. Since then he has suffered a quite serious shoulder injury, an injury he was forced to play through due to injuries to other players. He'll be back with a bang next season.
Then there's the dynamic Denilson. He arrived in the final minutes of the summer transfer window from Sao Paulo as a completely unknown player. Most people, including Arsenal fans scoffed when Arsene Wenger said he had a bit of Gilberto's defensive stability, Cesc Fabregas' passing ability and Rosicky's tenasity. I had the audacity to criticize Wenger when he brought him on against Sheffield United when we were 1-0 down but of course, Le Boss was right once again. It's a well known fact that Brazilians take a long time to settle into the Premiership so imagine what this lad will be like next year after such an impressive debut season.
We also have to consider that the class of 06 will have another season's worth of experience, one of only 2 or 3 things Arsenal have lacked this season. Clichy, Eboue, Toure and Gallas will have the summer to get used to playing with each other, Van Persie and Henry will at last be able to spend pre-season getting to know each other's's game without having to worry about preparing for a match. Rosicky will have his first pre-season with the club and provided Wenger want's to keep him, Baptista should have adapted to life in the Premiership.
That's without Wenger signing anyone. I'd expect to see one or two of Ribery, Babel or Robinho arrive in the summer. Arsenal have lacked goals from midfield this season, something all three of those players can bring.All three have something else Wenger likes in his players - versatility. Ribery can play anywhere across the midfield, Babel can play on either wing or up front, as can Robinho.
Add to that the return of Bendtner and Muamba from their loan spell at Birmingham. Both players have been fantastic in the Championship and it'll be interesting to see if they can make the step up to the Premiership. Bendtner I'm sure will make it, if he's patient enough.
So Gooners, that's just some of what we have to look forward to. I hope it helps relieve some of the depression of losing to West Ham, if not go and seek professional help because you have serious issues.
The future's bright, the future's RED & WHITE!
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Your Comments
well...Always look on the bright side of life....We don't really need a mass exodus. Except may be baptista, aliadiere, ljungberg, flamini, replaced with midfielders who can score goals. I believe we have the players to win things for us but we also need more goals from midfield and keep it tighter at the back.
I don't want to talk much about injuries becuase, bar newcastle, Arsenal have been unjustly and shabily treated by the treatment table this season. Injuries, combined with deliberate FA raps, have wrecked our season...If chelsea had had drogba, terry and lampard out at the same time from November to february, they'd be in our place right now. Likewise manutd, Ronaldo was available for every game this season.
Its not all doom and gloom. If only there were not injuries in football.....
49ers
I really do feel comfort when I see things this way... My only worry, however, is that with the difficult fixtures coming up, we may not qualify for the CL and some of our star players might want to leave us ...
yazz
Well done Simmo, you've lifted my spirits! a damn fine read!
TR7
Glad to have been of service, TR7. As Little Dutch has said on several occasions, the defeats in the 00 & 01 cup finals was the making of the invincibles...
simmy8_2000
dimmy bannnn your sorry arse to the hell of learning to lose
cusop
I said i would never write on this site again but in time of need we all need to stick together. I watched as we lost to W.Ham but felt from the goal they scored our fate would a loss. I know next year the tide will flow the other way but I do so hope we keep a hold on 4th place because the rush to leave the club from stars we have brought on will grow. My worse fear is if we lose to that crowd down the road.
alwaysgunner
Henry is finished, thats your problem. The difficulty you had replacing Vieira will pale in comparison to the difficulty you'll have replacing Thierry. Lehmann has probably been your player of the season, he'll need replacing too. And I honestly dont think your youngsters are all they're cracked up to be. I think what you need is a new manager. Wenger has been phenomenal, built a team that plays such fantastic football and he's done it on a fairly tight budget. But era's end, and I think his needs to, Oh and you dont want Robinho, he's cack.
Nozzy06
babel, robinho and ribery are all k a k, lightweight and overhyped. you need lennon, but we definitely wont give him to ya. alwaysgunner - you better start taking those nightmare pills, cos the crowd down the road are itching to make your worst fear come true!!!!!!!!
powerspur
I haven't learnt to lose Cumsop, I just know that sometimes you have to take a step backwards in order to move fowards - you should know that being a spurs fan...except you forgot to move foward again! Nozzy (odd username), Henry isn't finished, he's injured. He'll be back next season banging them in. Powerspur - get real! Robinho and Ribery are two of the biggest talents in world football, Lennon is a good player at a **** club!
simmy8_2000
I raise my glass high simmy. cheers.
Phantom of the Grove
Great article -- you're saying the exact same things that I have been. Too many gooners are spoiled whiners with no perspective. Our team is a dynasty in the making, its just a bit of growing pains at the moment.
devvil
yesterday was tough, my 6yr old said after the game, its ok daddy, i enjoyed the game, it was WEALLY exciting.. personally i would demand the players didn't get paid for performances and defeats like that, and now i hope it will spur wenger to buy in the summer for a much needed striker, a poacher in the box, and maybe some other areas.. lehman was in 2 minds as whether to come or go back on his line, so a new keeper would be needed too... doom and gloom, if we lose 4th it will be a disaster !
PUREGOLD
I'll tell if I feel all Doom & Gloomy after tomorrows game. A loss would be a disaster and would make Saturday's game with Bolton even bigger. I know everything Simmo says is true, but I still feel down about yesterday's result.
Rocky7
simmy, this is getting depressing, but we need articles like this to get some perspective. And it is difficult not to feel down at this stage. What bothers me is that we keep making the same mistakes and the team doesnt seem to learn quick enough, I hope we do that for the remaining games of the season coz 4th place hasnt been sealed yet.
prits
To look at atleast one bright spot, the players showed that the Liverpool game was a one-off. There was commitment on the pitch, and we scored so many goals and dominated west ham. I guess I'm clutching at straws here, coz its extremely difficult to find anything positive now.
prits
Nozzy, do i get the funniest feeling you're here to wind us up....Get rid of wenger ?? wtf ?! like thats going to happen ! Powerspur, the crowd from down the road ? do you mean the mindless hooligans throwing chairs and bottles at the police and generally showing the world why England got banned from Europe in the 80s, you lot showed you are not fit to be in Europe, and hopefully wont make it back next season, lets face it, its not looking good, that will then spell the end of the north london 'powershift' haha!
TR7
As I previuosly said, I went, I sat next to the away supporters and even they said how the **** did we win that?. We played very well indeed, and I would not panic. We will start to bang the goals in again, this is our one *****e season out of five.
gunnerb
Lads, nozzy is just a kopite wind-up merchant, Henry finished?? if that is true why are there rumours that cesspool want to buy him in the summer, dream on "analfield redsox". Arsenal have had a lot of injuries, and a few bad results, but you know you are a class team. Cream always rises to the top. EVERTON FAN.
weeman john
G4L, I hope your starting to count out the money from your piggy bank. Anything less than 3 points tomorrow & you have lost the bet!!
Ashburton Gooner
thanks for a bit of optimism simmy, even though it's sickening losing like that...
Andy-bayor
rather tevezthan all the names there.
hazzagooner
Do you really believe that Ribery, Babel or Robinho would swap their current club for a team not in the champions league?? The only reason Ribery will leave Marseille is if they don't qualify for the cl (he has already said that) so why would he join us when it's highly unlikely we will be in it?? Of all our remaining fixtures the only ones I think we are capable of winning are at home against man city & fulham with the odd draw thrown in. I seriously doubt that will be enough.
Ashburton Gooner
Why is it "Highly unlikely" We'll be in it? We're still 2 points clear with a game in hand and Bolton still have to play us AND we still have 3 pt lane to go to...chill winston, we'll be there.
simmy8_2000
It could be worse we could support spuds from up the road. I always look on the bright side of things, that team will click soon and goals will be a plenty.
gunnerb
Well all us Arsenal fans were saying this was the first season where we had nothing to play for...we have now!
Gooner_Vin
Fantastic stuff simmo. Really cheered me up. And the bit that made me feel good the most was the bit about United's transitional period. You're right. They have been very average in the last couple of years (like us now) but have come back with a bang this season. And we'll do the same! Up the Gunners!
super_gooner
I like Arsenal as one of our rivals, got a bit of class unlike United or Chelsea or even Everton (if you could count them as rivals). But I really do think you need a big change rather than just expecting these youngsters to be huge names. Fabregas is a terrific player, doesnt score enough. If reports are to be believed Gilberto'll be off too in the summer. You need a clear-out. Keep Van Persie, Walcott, Toure, Fabregas, Gallas, Eboue and your youngsters, get in a new manager with new ideas and start again. Henry, Gilberto, Ljungber, Lehmann are/were all fantastic players but the times come for a new idea. Otherwise you'll end up winning nowt, crowing to everyone how you play good football though. The last two seasons didnt happen by coincidence.
Nozzy06
Schozzy, go cry in your milk mate and stay on your site, I daresay if it were any good you wouldn't spend so much time on others! You make it sound as if you are the only club to suffer injuries this season. What would you have done if Lehmann and Manuel and Toure had been out for an extended period without cover? (Sorry, that's an unfair comparison as Cech is so much better that the difference is far more obvious.) The bottom line is would you rather lose pretty or win ugly? You have to score goals if you want to win, which you have struggled with, what's going to be different next year? Is your goal scoring rate lower now than when Henry and RVP were playing??? What you need is a Drogba, not a beast.
Westl
Westl, any time any place big man :) Such a bruiser insulting people on the internet aintya?
Nozzy06
Nozzy barks loud but doesn't bite, lol. : - )
k_chelski
Lol you're a funny one you k_chelski. Why do you support Chelsea again and not a team from your country? Hmmm.....glory perhaps?
Nozzy06
Yes, there's no sucessful brazilian teams. : - ( . Not even the one that spanked you in the world club's cup.
k_chelski
Nozzy, if I stepped on you I wouldn't waste my time wiping my shoe unless it really started to stink. You're (obviously) very young, when I was your age I had lots of better things to do than sit in front of a screen. GET A LIFE! Now that I am officially an old fart, sending toots in your general direction, I can be forgiven.
Westl
Why not support them then k_chelski? Fans like you are everything wrong with football, nothing in common with Chelsea, you'll never step foot in Stamford Bridge and yet you believe your opinions are valid. They're not. Westl, you wouldnt step on me basically. Very young? 21. Now I know you wouldnt want to send out the message that you're ready to insult people over the internet but not prepared to follow that up to someones face??? As an old fart surely you'd want to keep some self respect? I'd even drive to London :)
Nozzy06
I don't care what you think. Zzz, couldn't care less.I won't never step a foot in stamford bridge? hahahaha, quite de nostradamus there eh?And if there's anything in common with me and the club it's not up to you to judge.Dumbass
k_chelski
Sorry if I offended ya k_chelski, didnt mean to. Its just that in this country we tend to support the side from where we live, sometimes the side our dad supports etc. Its nice you were attracted to the bright lights of the Premiership, and its good for Chelsea that you were attracted by their success. Like I say, its up to you the mentality you have in 'supporting' a team. But if the only way you 'support' someone is talking ***** on the internet then whats the point? Its a shame k_chelski, but I suppose glory hunting is maybe your countrys tradition.
Nozzy06
Just because you we win most trophies doesn't mean we're glory hunters.Do you wish to talk about the brazilian national team as well? You go on and on about my country.Just so you stop bothering me.I do support a local team.Just like you in your wonderful country.But since they will never ever conflict, nor be in the same competition, nor continent. I don't have a problem with that.Chelsea 1# though.So nozzler, are you saying you don't want foreign people cheering for liverpool?
k_chelski
Nooooooo I'm not like that k_chelski, dont go chucking dirt about. Just wondered what was your connection with Chelsea FC? And no, there's a fair few Chelsea fans who arent glory hunters. But a young, strange boy from Brazil, never been to England suddenly starts 'supporting' Chelsea? Alarm bells are ringing. Its people like you that abandon sides in their own country to support fashionable sides. People in the East, in Africa, in Australia I have no problem with. But someone from Brazil? Which has sides that in your own waords battered Liverpool in the World Club Champs? Really shameful k_chelski, that you show such disrespect to your own country.
Nozzy06
Haha, but you didn't know i was from brazil.Nozzy don't try to deny it.Not backing that claim that we are glory hunters eh?tsc tsc...
k_chelski
Nozzy what part of liverpool do you come from? I ask because i dont think you come from here, you annoy people from chelsea on an arsenal site, you say you are 21, i dont believe that either coz if you spouted off like that in liverpool you would end up in A+E quite regularly. i also very much doubt that you have ever been inside analfield ever.
weeman john
I didnt know you were from Brazil? Even though you've just said 'Shall we talk about the Brazilian Nation Team' and in the past have said 'A team from my country beat you easily in the World Club Championships'???. Please, please, please stop your own pain k_chelski, we're not all as dumb as you. That last post sums you up, pure, unadulterated stupidity. Thats why no-one could get offended by you, it'd be like getting offended by a marshmallow.
Nozzy06
I live in Childwall John.
Nozzy06
" Why do you support Chelsea again and not a team from your country? Hmmm.....glory perhaps?"IF you knew i was from brazil you would know there is glory in those teams.Yaaaawn.Now that you asked me about chelsea, let me ask you about liverpool.Is it common for a liverpool fan to spend all his time on the chelsea site, and ZERO time on the liverpool board?
k_chelski
I'm sure we've discussed this before k_chelski havent we? I enjoy winding you all up and getting under your skin, and it works oh so often. Now maybe you could explain to me why you and Westl chose to comment on me when I was on an Arsenal page talking about Arsenal? Oh and go and have a look on the Liverpool board, I've got plenty of posts there, clever dick
Nozzy06
Shocking.I thought you said it was boring.What you say is hardly winding up.Simply stuff that is not even about football. That gets me *****ed off.
k_chelski
You have one or two posts nozzy coz even your own fans dont like you, and answer my question how manny times u been to analfield?
weeman john
Awww see I've achieved my goal and then some. How often have I been to Anfield? Bout 20 odd I'd guess. Probably something you cant understand at Everton, but its tough to get tickets at Liverpool.
Nozzy06
AG, as I said in the thread on the game u have my respect. Not my money yet. Still, admit it, you were clutching straws there on Saturday :P
G4L
20 games in 16 years, No sorry you sad little man, that is pathetic, 20 games!!!! And you spout your tripe about other peoples teams and fans, and you've only been to 20 games, ive got undercrackers that have been to more games than that. and dont give me the "cant get a ticket" crap, jesus 2 minute gloryhunters or what !!
weeman john
How much do you want me weeman john?!?! Why ya following me around Vital Football? You're a Chelsea fan disguising yourself as Evertonian, how proud!
Nozzy06
Dont think so 20 games, EFC born and bred. "it's hard to get tickets, yeah OK" . I apologise to arsenal fans for our petty argueing, but he dosn't go on his own site, they cant stand him.
weeman john
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