Chronicles of a Gooner

21st May 2005: Patrick Vieira, in his last ever kick in the red and white of North London, scores the winning penalty to secure Arsenal their 10th F.A. Cup against arch rivals Manchester United. More than 30,000 Gooners go crazy as the red half of Cardiff's imposing Millennium Stadium erupts with joy. An amazing time to be an Arsenal fan, what with the rivalry between two of the biggest clubs in Europe and the fact that Manchester United were beaten by an Arsenal team that comprised of some absolute legends, cult favorites like Dennis Bergkamp and the aforementioned Vieira, then captain of Arsenal.

Quite what has transpired between that wonderful summer day and now is difficult to comprehend, something that will forever be documented in football history as the period of time when Arsenal massively underachieved. Instead of continuing their dominance from the Invincible days, Arsenal's trajectory plummeted into, by their very high standards, an abyss. An abyss they have yet to recover from.

So what went wrong? Why did one of the superpowers of club football, a team that had gone an entire season unbeaten in the League, a team that had some of the greatest players to have ever graced the shores of England, a team that, under the stewardship and tutelage of Arsene Wenger, had decorated the Arsenal trophy cabinet with well-earned silverware, have such a steady decline? What happened to the Arsenal of the old, the same Arsenal that instilled such fear among opponents that they would start counting their losses even before the game started, the same Arsenal that played some of the most exciting football, football from another planet and quite rightly so after the utterly insipid days of George Graham? This question has been answered no less than a million times over the past 6 years. Most people would have you believe that Arsenal's decline was so rapid and so definitive that they were almost on the verge of relegation. But as much as that wasn't the case, some common-sense indicated that there was something more to this decline, a reason for this drop from the top.

Arsenal's old guard had served well for many many years. But with most players either nearing the ends of their careers or surpassing their peak, there was little doubt that a change in personnel was required. But quite how do you replace players like Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires, Sol Campbell and Freddy Ljungberg? The very names of these players were enough to scare the living lights out of opponents. Together, they conquered the league and etched a place for Arsenal in the highest echelons of European football. Vieira left for the seemingly greener pastures of Turin, Campbell sought revival at Portsmouth, Bergkamp retired in 2006, Pires decided to ply his trade at El Madrigal, Henry moved to Catalunya and Ljungberg, well, lets just say his career dwindled ever so rapidly, starting at Upton Park. These players, legends of their time, could never be replaced. Arsenal were forced upon a period where they had to re-build, re-think and re-do the hard work to bring them back to where they had been earlier. But all this had to be done with a paltry transfer budget, which would further diminish as Arsenal made their transition from good old Highbury to the 21st century Emirates Stadium. The club were in debt. The team was changing. The transfer war-chest, was, lets face it, a little bigger than a laundry bag. The fans were brought down to earth from the giddy heights they had by now become so accustomed to. The decline of the team was apparent. Arsenal's dominance was no-longer effective. Regular finishes outside the top two sealed Arsenal's state as a superpower in decline.

To lead Arsenal through this phase, a great manager was needed. That man was Arsene Wenger. The astute Frenchman from Strasbourg had achieved almost everything at Arsenal, and was responsible for their greatest transition in footballing terms since the days of Herbert Chapman. His toughest phase was yet to come, though. A phase where he needed to build an entirely new team from scratch at a minimal budget, move to a new stadium which put the club in debt in excess of 500 million pounds as well as continue the tradition of champagne football that was the characteristic of the modern Arsenal. All this at a time when a certain Russion billionaire was splashing his roubles around like a water fountain in West London, and when Sir Alex Ferguson threatened to take his club's dominance to a new level. Arsene Wenger decided that it was time to usher in a new era at the club. One that would not only look to emulate its predecessor, but also do it against the odds. He turned to youth. Cesc Fabregas, Gael Clichy, Robin van Persie, Theo Walcott and Alex Song were to be the torch bearers in chief, players who with their youthful zest and a hunger for success would lead Arsenal out onto the lush green pastures of Ashburton Grove. Wenger's vision was simple, yet intricate. In his quest to shower North London with success once again, he decided to build his team right from the bare bones. He wanted a culture where the players would develop with each other not only in terms of matches, but also in terms of their understanding and bonding. The players would learn to fight for each other on the field, and it was no co-incidence that it would lead to Arsenal developing a nasty streak, something that was needed to counter those wet and frigid evenings "up north".

For 6 years, Arsenal's youth project went through many ups and downs. From the heartbreak in the Champions League in Paris, to the unlucky defeat at the hands of Chelsea in the League Cup final at Cardiff. From the amazing title run of 2008 which was derailed by the horrific injury to Eduardo, to the most recent League Cup implosion at Wembley against Birmingham. Arsenal's youngsters always fell short of the finish line. They were the perennial underachievers. The talent was there, as was the hunger. But they were underachievers, very much the opposite of their predecessors. When on song, Arsenal are poetry in motion, elegantly dismantling opponents piece by piece. But when they stumble, they do so ever so dramatically. From being in a strong position in all four cup competitions to challenging for fourth spot in the span of a fortnight. This has been a template of a typical Arsenal season, somewhat a regularity these days. Arsene Wenger has stubbornly stuck to youth all this while, and it has *almost* paid off on many occasions. But *almost* is not an option when you are a club as big as Arsenal. The youthful chocolate cake, it seemed, needed its experienced icing on top. That was not provided, and the general consensus was that Arsenal's failings were due to their over-reliance on youth.

But there was a different perspective that it could be looked at from. In an inflated economic climate where teenagers are sold for astronomical fees, in a money-driven environment, in spite of being heavily debt-ridden, in spite of having their best players regularly linked to "bigger" clubs, in spite of spending a sum total of a quid and a half on signings, Arsenal survived. No, not on the fringes of the relegation zone, but in the top four of the league. Consistently. Arsene Wenger has always been a visionary. His over-reliance on youth may seem like a folly now. But if past occurrences are anything to go by, the over-reliance might just pay its dividends. There is a refreshing feeling to this whole idea of developing a team from the base, something which not many people can see. Sure there are outliers and then there are good players who go just when it seems their development is complete. But there is a general sense of continuity that is prevalent in this Arsenal team, something that bodes well for the future. Cesc Fabregas is on the verge of leaving for Barcelona. Arsenal need to replace him. Who does Arsene turn to? Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey, both prodigiously talented. Gael Clichy will be replaced by the extremely reliant Keiran Gibbs, while Szczesny looks set to be Arsenal's number one goalkeeper for years to come. After a few years, when these players decide to leave, new players will step in and take their place with relative ease. And this will all be a result of Wenger's magnificent vision of the future.

Being a Gooner has been tough. Continuous heartbreak, regular goading from rival fans and some bad luck have become a regularity of sorts. But the ideologies differ. Trophies do not define a football club with such rich traditions and deep roots as Arsenal. A football club is more than the amount of silverware in the trophy cabinet. With its move to a modern stadium, its redevelopment of Highbury, its regular finishes in the top four and three cup final appearances to boast, all in spite of working under serious financial constraints, Arsenal Football Club under Arsene Wenger has set an example of how a modern superclub ought to be. Manchester United are the greatest team in English football history. But they had their rough patch in the 70s where they were relegated. Yet they rose from the ashes and went on to become the most successful team in English football. That is the mark of a great football club. Nobody is dominant forever. One era gives rise to another. And then another. The life of a football club is not defined by the trophies. It is defined by a lot lot more than that. It is defined by tradition. By a vision for the future. Continuity is important in football. There is no point in being extravagant and buying the best players in the world for instant success. The long run is important.

As I write on the eve of another premier league season, another season where the hope remains of success, one that is richly deserved for the way this club is run and the football it plays, another season where I dream of more magical nights, quite like the Champions League night against Barcelona at the Emirates last season, one thing is for sure: No matter what happens, no matter where we finish in the table, the faith still remains.

Oh to be a Gooner!