A lesson in history

Arsenal are enduring troubled times recently. Results in the Premier League so far this season have been unexpectedly poor, leaving the club with no chance of even pretending to compete with United and Chelsea. They have already lost more games than Hull City, and have even lost twice at home. So have Chelsea, of course, but the difference is that they at least look like title contenders.

In the Champions League their position appears to be stronger, but they have hardly convinced against average opposition, needing a highly biased referee – note the difference in the free kicks which led to Arsenal’s goal and Dinamo Kiev’s red card – to earn qualification without needing to win their last game. Chelsea have yet to impress either – but again they look more likely finalists.

Off the pitch things are hardly any better. William Gallas was photographed supposedly leaving a nightclub with a cigarette in his mouth, prompting sadly predictable references to Clinton. Gallas compounded his alleged sin by deigning to have an opinion on the team he captains – indirectly hinting at the reasons for the problems – thus inviting the ire of a manager who has always gone to ridiculous lengths to pretend his players are perfect.

Gallas’ replacement as captain is a highly unpopular youngster with no obvious leadership skills who has yet to demonstrate his mettle under the greatest pressure. And talking of youngsters, the teams fielded in the Carling Cup add more fuel to the fire by playing so well in a trophy already devalued by the likes of Arsenal that there are suggestions that they should replace the first team in the Premier League.

And perhaps the worst aspect of this crisis of confidence is the fact that record numbers of Arsenal fans are calling for Wenger’s head. Actually, no, the worst thing of all is the number of fans bleating about how this could possibly be happening in such a historic club.

A SENSE OF HISTORY

What do these fans mean when they talk about a historic club? Taking into account that most people do not know the exact difference between the words “historic” and “historical”, are they referring to the club’s history? Obviously every club has a history – it’s everything that has happened before today. Even teams that have never won anything have a past. Even MK Dons.

Are they trying to suggest that their club is older than most? Arsenal was founded in 1886, by which time dozens of clubs already existed in England alone. Age alone would make Prescot Cables a historic club.

Let’s face it, history means trophies, the only reason that clubs put teams out every week. And in that respect, Arsenal are simply a bunch of arrivistes.

NEW BOYS IN TOWN

Arsenal have won five league titles, five FA cups, one League Cup and the European Cup-Winners’ Cup – a fine haul indeed, but all won in the last twenty years. Before all that, Arsenal were just another run-of-the-mill team, except during a brief moment in time in the 1930s when they won another five titles and two FA cups. By the same token, Huddersfield Town dominated one decade, winning three league titles and an FA cup in the twenties – does that make them historic too?

For the rest of their existence, Arsenal were habitual runners-up who occasionally won the odd trophy. Most clubs manage to win the odd trophy, even if it is some random cup, including Leicester City, Norwich City and Luton Town. Even Sunderlandnil have won stuff.

Some may retort that United’s only period of dominance before the Ferguson years was from the late fifties to the late sixties, with the Munich tragedy causing a desperately unfortunate pause in that supremacy. However, at least during those glorious years United did manage to make history.

ONE OF THE FAMILY

There are, of course, other ways of interpreting the definition of the word “historic”. There is no doubt that there are certain clubs around England that have had a considerable “importance on or influence in” history, albeit in a more local sense. There is absolutely no denying, for example, the contribution that Newcastle United have made to the local community in the north-east.

The same can hardly be said of Arsenal, who are just another London team, and not even the only team in their area. Their brand-new stadium carries the name of a foreign country, not a local street or neighbourhood. Their fans are regarded as either non-participatory (as in “the Highbury Library”), members of the prawn sandwich brigade or people in distant countries whose favourite sons have managed to impress Wenger enough to secure a place in the team.

YOU’RE HISTORY

This is one of the unfortunate side effects of young fans jumping on the bandwagon of a club’s temporary success. I can remember when nobody had ever heard of Arsenal; kids nowadays only remember Wenger’s trophies. Arsenal fans like to look down on Chelsea fans as upstarts, people who support a club which has bought success and that only in recent seasons.

How conveniently they forget that that describes Arsenal fans of ten years ago to perfection.

And now that the Arsenal “faithful” are baying for Wenger’s blood, perhaps it is appropriate to mention the anti-climax being experienced at the club. The manager that many consider to be a genius appeared to be slowly but surely building up to a period of total European domination – yet when they finally stepped up to the stage, they were found wanting. And they have won nothing since.

Indeed it must be said that the overriding impression which comes from Arsenal today is that their years of success are now no more than history. Perhaps that’s what the fans mean.