Arsenal: How Much More Can Supporters Endure?

Arsenal have gone seven Premier League games without a win.

Only two goals have been scored from open play in that time, with no visible signs of any improvement. How much more do Arsenal fans have to endure?

It hurts to keep writing negative words about Arsenal. But currently there is absolutely nothing positive to say. In 30 years of supporting Arsenal, I have never seen it this rotten. Even in the few years prior to Arsene Wenger, the situation was never this shambolic, and heck, we had some bad players – Eddie McGoldrick and Chris Kiwomya spring to mind.

In fairness, if you can endure them you can survive anything.

It has got to the point now where it’s a struggle to even motivate oneself to watch through an Arsenal performance, something that was unthinkable two years ago. It’s rinse and repeat, week in and week out, seeing zero evidence or positive signs indicating a turn of fortunes.

Regular inept performances from the same incapable players, followed by the same rambling interviews from a manager whose disillusion convinces him that Arsenal played well and were unlucky in defeat.

The same question gets asked more regularly: does anyone at the club understand, or even care, about the mess they find themselves in? We are breaking unwanted records with each full-time whistle, but our backroom team are approaching interviews with the attitude that the club are making strides.

Edu Gaspar‘s interview last week in which he stated that ‘Arteta was doing a great job‘ was beyond questionable, and an embarrassment to long suffering Arsenal fans.

Let’s be absolutely clear, at this current time, Mikel Arteta is not doing a great job. Far from it. That can even stretch to him not even doing a good job with the team at his disposal.

Going forward we are leisurely, uninspiring and directionless. Doubtlessly, this is relegation material.

Yet, if you listen to Arteta post-match, you’d be mistaken for believing he was managing an Arsenal side just short of luck. Nothing else.

Come next Sunday evening, we could find ourselves in the relegation zone. It’s shambolic on an unprecedented scale.

Is our current predicament resonating with those running the club, or is it just being brushed aside because the hierarchy truly, in their heart of hearts, believe that what they are seeing is acceptable?

I previously stated that if you can’t see a problem, you are part of it. Right now I can’t see anyone who is offering a solution to this rut we find ourselves in. Instead we’re treated to the usual social media rubbish – calls for unity and support. Then, come game day, it’s like watching 11 strangers. The same vicious cycle repeats itself.

When Arteta assumed the role it was made clear that a long road lay ahead to claw back Arsenal’s reputation. We’re now at the stage where that is no longer an acceptable excuse.

I’m sure that not even he would have expected Arsenal to be in this position a year later, especially when he signed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to an expensive new deal and Thomas Partey in the summer.

European football would have been the minimum requirement. A top ten finish even looks even looks beyond Arsenal’s reach.

The Arteta era which once promised so much is now becoming known as one of the worst periods in Arsenal’s recent history. Surely we can’t be expected to endure this for much longer.