10 Reasons to Follow Arsenal
Today I’ve decided to write about the team I support: Arsenal. But it’s not just some piece of pointless bias to promote my favourite club, there are some terrific reasons for following Arsenal and many of them could lead you to IMPROVE YOUR OWN SOCCER PERFORMANCE! So I now encourage you to sit back and see just why watching and learning about Arsenal could be so valuable to you. You don’t have to support them like I do, I’m sure you have your own team to do that with based on your passion or locality, but just taking an interest in them could really pay off.
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1) They Play Beautiful Soccer and You Can Too!
This is the greatest possible reason you could have for following Arsenal. The quality of their intricate, passing, attacking game is rivalled only by Barcelona and perhaps Manchester United. This is all part of the general style of play which has been cultivated by Arsene Wenger over the last thirteen years, but it’s also due to their having had the presence of some technically fabulous players during his excellent reign as boss. Think about it…Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Cesc Fabregas and Arshavin amongst many others have all brought their own flair to the club and integrated it within the team culture. An Arsenal goal is in most cases a beautiful goal (even if it doesn’t always come as often as I’d like!) and this reflects their performance as a whole. Just watching them play will rub off on you and influence your performance for the better at your own level in the long term.
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2) They Have the Philosophy of Champions… Which You Can Inherit!
Their style of play is a direct result of their soccer philosophy which is again the product of Arsene Wenger. With Arsenal, the quality of play and manner of victory are almost more important than winning itself. And yet this very philosophy is just what makes Arsenal such winners, for it takes true champions to value perfection so highly above pragmatism! Here is a Wenger quote which really does some up the Arsenal way of thinking:
“There is no disgrace in wanting to win, but it has to be done-
the right way-within the spirit of football”
That was back in 1999 and it is even more true today. Arsenal have had a trophy drought but have maintained this attitude and in the long term have the faith for it to pay off. When we do win again it will be in the right way and it will make victory all the more sweet. Learn from this philosophy that style of play is central to the champion mentality and you too will enrich your game and your life!
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3) They Have a History of Great Players who Inspire Fans Like Me
Whether it’s defence or attack, Arsenal are known for their fantastic players. Back in the 90′s the Arsenal backline was legendary: David Seaman was once ranked the best goalkeeper in the world, Tony Adams was branded a ‘professor of defence’ by Arsene Wenger and Martin Keown, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn and Steve Bould were all called graduates in the art of defending. These players gave authority and stability to the team. What most people forget about the old sayings ‘boring, boring Arsenal’ and ’1-0 to the Arsenal’ have another side to a lack of Arsenal goals: notice that ARSENAL ARE NOT KNOWN TO CONCEDE ANY GOALS! 1-0 to the Arsenal was fine back in the 90′s because the defence was just so good. Since then, as has been suggested, Arsenal and driven forward and under Wenger value attack supremely. This has led to the entrance of players like Freddie Ljungberg, Marc Overmars, Jose Antonio Reyes (despite his short stay), Sylvain Wiltord, Thomas Rosicky, Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie amongst others. These players all brought skill, speed and attacking flair to the team over a number of years. Great players are a common feature at Arsenal.
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4) They Drive the Future with Modern, Tactical Thinking
Back in the 1930′s, Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman together with player Charlie Buchan pioneered the 3-2-2-3 soccer formation and helped it to spread all over the world. Formations have developed a lot since then, so when Arsene Wenger came to England he was a key advocate of the 4-4-2 formation which again became one of the world’s most popular lineups. Yet more recently he’s switched to the 4-3-3 formation, so if history repeats itself then maybe we’ll see everyone else following suit pretty soon!
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5) They Think of Talent Over Passport…It Doesn’t Matter Where You’re From!
Arsenal have often been criticised for not having enough English players- there have been many times when the starting eleven has not contained one English player. To refer back to John Lenon’s ‘Imagine’ song, ‘imagine there’s no country’, Arseneal value talent over nationality. This is evident from the number of Frenchmen and Spaniards we have had, rather than just playing natives. This opens opportunities for players around the world and works within the modern spirit of globalization rather than protectionism. Every premier league club now has lots of foreign players, yet Arsenal were criticised for it. We still have bright young English players, like Theo Walcott, but nationality is not everything in today’s game and Arsenal are a prime example of this.
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6) They Have a Great Academy System for Young Players to Succeed
When I was training with the academy of an unnamed English premier league club, which was unfortunately not Arsenal I hasten to add, Arsenal’s reputation spread like wild fire and was reknowned amongst us players as the best in the country. There is a reason for this- that Arsenal like to develop young talent, so much so that this has drawn some distasteful jokes in the past! Players rise up through an amazing academy and this nurturing system is second to none.
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7) They Have State of the Art, World Class Facilities for Players and Fans
Having been to the Emirates stadium for both matches and tours, I agree with anyone who calls it a state-of-the-art arena both in the spectacle of it and in the practical benefits. It is luxurious for players and fans alike, especially so if you are a diamond member or have your own box! The training facilities won’t let you down either- ex Arsenal player Silvinho said the traing ground is probably the best in the world. It is made for stars, and that’s why it’s a great idea for you to track Arsenal’s progress and watch them. Go to the games, feel the grandeur and enjoy it!
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They Have Solid Financial Backing: A Model for Business-Driven Sport
In an age of foreign football club ownership, Arsenal may not have been fully taken over yet but are nonetheless influenced by overseas pennies. Usamanov and Kroenke both have sizeable stakes in Arsenal, for example, and this just typifies the modern era whilst retaining sufficient independence to remain original. The financial backing and rapid growth made Arsenal the world’s richest club in terms of revenues a couple of years ago. Whilst the financial outlook may have tailed off somewhat with the real estate market declining and loans still outstanding, the club has been lifted by the mega sponsorship deal signed with Fly Emirates for both the shirts andthe stadium. Soccer is now a global industry and clubs are businesses. Arsenal reflect this fact and are an admirable sign of the times- up there with any other top club in Europe (though we may not quite have LA Galaxy’s wage potential for David Beckham just yet!)
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9) They Have a Widespread Reputation for Technical Excellence
When I was training as a soccer coach, the instructors always used to point out the skills of a certain player. This player was not Ronaldo, Kaka, Ribery, Gerrard, Lampard or even Beckham. Instead it was none other than Arsenal’s own Cesc Fabregas. His example was drilled home to me time and time again because of his technical passing ability, his vision, his movement and his centrality as playmaker to the Arsenal midfield. Above all it was because of his reliability for keeping posession and maintaining the beautiful flow of Arsenal’s football. There is a reason that Arsenal have been offered the big bucks for their top players- the reputation for technical excellence has spread throughout the world. Did you know what a year before Arsenal sold Henry to Barcelona for around £16 million, both Real Madrid and Barcelona had offered £50 million: at that time this figure would’ve been quite staggering.
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10) They Are Embodied by a Great Man
Arsene Wenger brought his philosophies about attacking play, good nutrition, advanced formations and champions’ mentality to the English game and changed it forever. His philosophy has become Arsenal’s philosophy and the club has undoubtedly been moulded by his influence. Though ‘great men’ theories of history are out of fashion, it cannot be denied that the most succesful institutions in life are embodied by a great person. The Virgin empire is represented by Richard Branson, American hope is symbolised by Barack Obama and Arsenal is led by Arsene Wenger. It’s even in his name! Simple as.
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Well there you go: that’s hopefully given you ten fantastic reasons to at least follow the progress of Arsenal even if you don’t support them. Remember above all that the team plays beautiful football and this could really help your own soccer performance if you watch for long enough. Two of the teams I have played for in recent years have been coached by people highly influenced by Arsene Wenger and who have tried to instill the Arsenal philosophy in us players. I approve of this approach and suggest you try it to taste true soccer achievement by winning and performing in the right way at whatever level you play.