Choose your best and worst Arsenal moments of the season to win 1 of 5 Arsenal books

Arsenal fans show their support for Arsene WengerThe season is officially over and the boys went out on a high with a 4-1 win over Stoke City.

All the goals were scored in the first half as Robin van Persie grabbed a pair to end the season as Arsenal’s top scorer and Abou Diaby scored the sort of header he had been threatening all season. James Beattie put also put through his own net early while Stoke grabbed a consolation through Ricardo Fuller.

I must admit that I was unable to see the match – Australian Foxtel chose to play the relegation battle games instead and I couldn’t be arsed fiddling around with a stream – but from all reports it was a relaxed and comprehensive performance. In terms of the starting side, Vito Mannone made his debut in goals while Alex Song got another start at central defence alongside Kolo Toure. Meanwhile Theo Walcott returned in place of Samir Nasri and Denilson start alongside Cesc Fabregas for the second game in a row.

The major story of the game was the tremendous support given to Arsene Wenger by the fans in the wake of his recent criticism.  The fans were out in full force and images like this left the manager in an understandably happy mood after the game. As a staunch believer in Wenger’s footballing philosophy I couldn’t have been happier with the support he received and I think it was a clear indication of the high esteem he is held in by the majority of Arsenal fans.

As well as thanking the fans for their support, Wenger also made some very interesting comments after the game about the need to analyse Arsenal’s current situation before next season. He said:

“I feel the team is moving forward but the question we have to analyse now is are we strong enough to win the League next year? If not, what do we need to add to the squad? That is the basic question we have to answer. There is some great quality here, that is for sure. The squad is very young, that is for sure as well.”

They’re extremely intriguing comments because they very clearly state his desire to win the Premiership, his openness to bring in new players if requireand as clear an indication as he has given yet that his current squad are too young. I think if he asked any Arsenal supporter in the world what areas we are lacking they would reply the centre of defence and the centre of midfield and you have to hope that Wenger will come to those conclusions as well. The manager may be stubborn and frustrating at times, but he stupid he definitely is not and I feel that will be confirmed in the summer.

So that’s that for another season. No trophies for a fourth year in a row and although we moved a step closer to winning the Champions League it has to be said that this campaign saw a bit of a wobble in the growth of this group of players. In saying that there were still some great wins (Manchester United at home, Chelsea away etc) and some great moments (the penalty shoot-out against Roma, the 4-4 draw with Liverpool) and the football was generally quite good to watch. Our boys will be back again next season and with a couple of shrewd signings from the manager we’re sure to put up more of a fight at the top.

Arsenal FC Blog 08/09 Survey & Readers Choice Awards

This season I am conducting a survey about Arsenal that everyone who reads the blog is welcome and encouraged to complete. The idea behind the survey is to give out Readers Choice awards for things like Player of the Season and Goal of the Season as well as to gain an insight into your opinion on where we currently stand and what needs to change going into next season. In addition, the results of the survey will provide the crux of the content for the Arsenal FC Weekly Season Review podcast show that will be broadcast on Monday next week.

Complete the Arsenal FC Blog 08/09 Survey by clicking here.

The survey will take no time at all to be completed and as an incentive, Simon & Schuster UK have given me 5 free copies of Jason Cowley’s excellent book ‘The Last Game’ to give away to those who fill it out. The book is an excellent look at the football culture in the UK before and after Arsenal’s unforgettable 2-0 victory at Anfield to win the Championship on the final day of the season. I’m about two-thirds way through it at the moment and can personally say how much I’m enjoying it, so be sure to fill out the survey for a chance to win a free copy.

Thanks in advance and I hope you enjoy the survey. I’ll be back soon with the results.

Have your say on Arsenal’s 2008/09 season by completing the survey or leaving a comment.
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Comments

  1. Dude ur blog rocks. i am a regular reader for a while now. take care and keep up the good work man.

  2. Same here, SF. In the US Fox decided to show the Hull-United match, and we were having weather so the stream was utter crap. So…didn’t get to see a quality version of our season closing match.

    What a season. Some real highs, and some quite unnerving lows. It was always going to be tough to pull out the Premiership after the start we had, but we did well to achieve TWO semifinal berths.

    In the hue and cry of “Sack Arsene” & “Ade Must GO”…it’s easy to look past the achievement of the FA Cup & Champions League semis. Granted, our performances we’re less than stellar once we got there, but just to get there…after the season we had…I think is a real achievement for the lads.

    Putting aside any new players who might join this summer, I remain quite hopeful and excited for the club. Arsene IS the right manager for us, there is no doubt in my mind. And I do give weight to the amount of time we lost over the last 2 seasons to Eduardo, Rosicky, Theo, Cesc, van Persie…and yes, even Ade this season. That’s just too much firepower to be without for long periods of time to push through to a trophy. Add on top of that losing Clichy & Gallas this year at a very critical time, and I can easily put myself in Wenger’s shoes and say “We were successful” with the squad we had.

    I daresay, if we had the entire squad this year, the results would have been different. And I think the youngsters on the team, Gibbs in particular, will come the better of it soon for having been thrust into the fire as they were.

    We have one of the best managers in the world. We have a supremely talented and young side who gained valuable experience this season. We have a world class addition in Arshavin. We have every reason to be excited going into next season with everyone healthy.

    And most important of all…

    We Are The Arsenal!

    Up Gunners!

    :o)

  3. Although we were no way near good enough to win the title this season, I feel if we hadnt got som nay injuries to key players at key times for so long, we may have finished 2nd or 3rd, add that to the thought of new great players joining us next season and it looks quite good. Our main problem is the lower league teams, we lost 1 out of 6 against the big 4, draw 3 and won 2. Which puts us 2nd in the the big 4 vs. all. I am looking forward to pre-season, the transfer window, and wearing the new away shirt.

  4. @SF
    Since finding your blog I have realy enjoyed it. It is one blog that the comments attached are thoughtful and meaningful, not just someone saying hello. It will be interesting where your blog goes over the closed season, hopefully it will be talking about the CB and DMC that we have bought with the money from Ade’s sale.
    I listened to the arsenal.com commentry and the game especially in the 1st half was all arsenal. I was expecting more goals but sadly we had to make do with just 4. I think even without new players we can have a go next season but if we get injuries like this season the depth in squad is just not there. If we do get a world class defensive midfielder we would have Song as back up. Maybe with Newcastle going down Steve Taylor would be available on the cheap!!!

  5. Great post SF. The season was not a disaster, but im still quite disappointed that it ended trophyless.

    Anyway im sure that we will challange for every trophy next term. With a few defensive signings and a decent replacement for Ade (if he leaves), we will be right up there with the best. Im looking forward to it.

    My best moments this season were Eduardo’s brace in his 1st game, Arshavin’s 4 goals against the poo and beating the mancs. And the worst were losing to the mancs at home and to Chelsea at wembley.

  6. This has become my daily routine work. I get disappointed when there is no blog for the day. Some times I get so many people from different parts of the world talking about arsenal ground and there experience it just thrills me. Because me were I am from it is just an dream which can’t be satisfied. I just feel the experience the people share in the blog about the Emirates stadium and also about the comprasion of Highbury. Good no SF for setting up such an platform were an one day old gunners fan can interect it an 60 Year old gunners. Mate Carry on the good work. All the best for future blogging. And by the way the survey was point to point and precise and short and sweet. Excellent work

  7. Well now. My best moment was winning the penalty shoot-out with Roma. That was amazing.

    The worst moment was letting Man U walk all over us with an unspirited complete lack of pride.

    For next year, I am hopeful, as I remain every year. Arshavin is the quality of player we need. The defence desperately needs reinforcing in all areas and if Adebayor goes, so be it.

    In Arsene we trust, and to Arsenal we stay loyal.

  8. Not a happy ending but after all ,I can accept it .Can’t wait to see the new chapter !

  9. Arshavin’s 4 goals were the best moment for me, I was sitting next to my best mate who is a liverpool fan listening to the radio (we had spoken before the game and he insisted that we had no chance of getting a point. So when Arsha put us in the lead, I went wild, then they got 2 and we were getting beat badly, he was loving it but not as much as I was at the end of the game when it announced that Arsah had struck 4 goals at Anfield, it was a proper where you moment, and I remember exactly, at his house, wiping that smug smurk of his face :D, however beating the mancs felt amazing, it always does, but also the Roma penalty shoot out, a lot of Young Guns were out there and we missed our first pen. Worst was defo leting the mancs walk all over us in the UCL, getting beaten by Chelski was nice but I could stomach it, it was hard to stomach the mancs tho.

  10. COME ON GUNNERS.WE CAN’T WAIT FOR NEXT SEASON.
    EAST OR WEST ARSENAL IS BEST.
    “IN ARSENE WE TRUST”

  11. @SF,Great post once again, its great that you always try ur best to add something new and exciting to your blog, really appreciate, Its been always a pleasure to be part of this blog community, and guys here are all very faithfull and honest on their opinion.
    There are lots of games that really gave me nightmare like the CL semi-final game against Manu beating us on our own ground or the PL 4-1 against Chelsea and there were lots of good times this season where i was really feeling like dreamin like the two CL game against Villareal but my worst was the early PL game against Spurs 4-4 draw when we should have won the game and My best moment was Arshavin’s 4 goals against Liverpool.
    Anyway,Im happy enough for our overall result this season.One of the things that I desperately need to complain about is the fact that we always lack people in the opponent box and particularely our lack of acceleration and speed on our attack.Slow run without the ball, and failling to spread and give an acceleration to escape from opponent’s defenders without the ball in the opponent’s box.

  12. We have to take things with a bit of salt I think. Remember all the ‘pundits’ saying that Arsenal will lose 4th place to Villa/Everton? Did that happen, no. They went close to winning silverware than say the likes of Real Madrid, AC Milan and other top teams. Unfortunately, the three other teams arguably better than arsenal are in the english league.

    Liverpool were fourth last season, quite comprehensively fourth, and they did quite well this season. There is no reason that we cannot hope for a better campaign next season, particularly with the quality of Arshavin in the squad now.

  13. I think arsenal in my personal opinion are one of best teams in the world and wenger is a gr8 mananger SF your blog is the best there is i cant go through my day without reading it.and wenger must buy velloso,martins and a strong defender bt sendaros i cuming guess we dnt have 2 buy in that dptmnt cnt wait 4 da next season go u gunnerzz!en next month is a confedarations cup cnt wait 2 c Cesc playing against south africa cheers

  14. we will def have a wonderful season the coming season.There is nothing 2 worry about.Wenger will purchase a few plus the ones we already have.Keep it gunners

  15. hard to choose some of the answers there, most improved and favorite goal. hard choice dude. keep up the good work SF.

    heres lookin forward to a whole summer of speculation and frustration

  16. Ive thought about it a bit more and here is where I am at:

    Wenger is testing Song at CB the last few games. He obviousy feels that is a need and that Song could be replaced in CMF. So he is actively looking for replacements in this area. I think he will buy a CMF (LORIK CANA = GATTUSO jr.) and then either move Song back or buy a CB depending on what Gallas does (I hope he stays…).

    As for striker its a bit more of a dilemma. Ade is gone IMO. But whether a replacement is bought or not depends on lots of things. I do think we could get by with Arshavin + RVP up front successfully. But I also know that Wenger likes his tall strikers. Bedtner obviously factors in but I dont want him starting. This means no Diaby + no tall striker to cover on set pieces- this has me worried beceause Wenger may opt to start Bendtner- which IMO he is absolutely not ready for. So its a bit complicated there- I could see him bringing in a tall striker to compete but I dont see it being a Villa/ Benzema type as much as we like to dream. Roque Santa Cruz could work perfectly. Santa Cruz + Cana would be a great offseason, and great value as well…

  17. Gordon Strachan has quit Celtic. This opens the door for AW to go for my man, Gary Caldwell, to shore up the defence. A tough, combative 27 year old Scot with Premier League and European experience who probably wouldn’t cost mega-millions. He was just voted Player Of The Year by the Scottish Football Writers assoc. He’s a central defender and can play in other defensive positions too. Are you listening, Arsene?

  18. We should do well next year, provided Wenger brings in a new centre-back, who’s tall and commanding. A new central midfielder is also needed, as I don’t think Song is ready to be first-choice throughout a whole season.

  19. @ James – Concise but spot on. I don’t think anything else needs to be added to that 🙂

    Thanks to everyone who has completed surveys so far. If you haven’t done it yet then what are you waiting for? There’s free things to be won and a chance to make an impact on the first end-of-season awards on the blog. Cheers!

  20. well sf i,ve only found this blog in the last 6 months and have to say its the best gooner blog about keep up the good work,my best moment of the season was arshavin,s 4 goals at anfield,the worst has to be drawing 4-4 with them lot down the road as i left 5 mins from the end with us 4-2 up got back to my car to hear we had drawn 4-4 and losing 4-1 at home to chelski our biggest home defeat for many a year.

  21. sf that was me talking about the 4-4 game with the yids etc it came up anonymous for some reason.

  22. Lorik Cana looks an monster in this video…I would love to have him in arsenal. An player who is not afraid of tackling and backing himself to win very challenge.@MoMONEY great pick Man.

  23. Cana has the attitude we are missing. I think he is perfect for us. A guy that will get in anyone’s face- no fear and tons of energy. He has even said he is willing to leave if they win the league-Would love him in an Arsenal shirt.

  24. Another option- though I dont know how realistic- would be Lucho Gonzalez from Porto. He has always been a player

  25. End of season. There are some disappointing moment, some great moment.

    For all moment, I thanked you for writing such a great blog on discussing Arsenal.

    Gooners Forever!

  26. arshavin’s four goals against liverpool was the best moment of the season for me but the worst moment for me, was arsenal match against chelsea in the premiership.

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