State Of The Gunner Nation: Time For Tough Love

It was one of those moments in life. You know those times when the sky seems to have fallen on your head and you happen to be taller than that guy in the Guinness book of records (the dude who surprised the world when he found love  in the mold of a significant other, who not by any standards can considered long legged ), and weight of  the burden on your head makes it  feel like your neck muscles are holding up the sky for the rest of humanity.

Lehmann back at Arsenal.Image:The soccerroom.com

There we were- a lonely wooded avenue, the last rays of the sun drawing patters on the tarmac littered with dead and dying leaves. My hands folded across my chest and her's agitated in movement  helping out her mouth trying to bring some clarity to what she was saying.

Unlike the embracing ambiance ,her words were harsh-what I didn't want to hear but needed to hear. At first, I couldn't believe her. But on she rapped  in spite of my unwelcoming body language screaming out what I couldn't bring my mouth to: How-can-you-say-that-yet-you-claim-to-love-me!

Now, in my part of my world, not many men will admit such happenings. Correct me if I am wrong but I suppose my observations are not geographically bound as not many men admit to mistakes, let alone make public a rap from the Mrs. To us, bearers of the 'y', competition is everything and getting right everything else. It is something of the instinct, undefined, misunderstood and impalpable.

It goes beyond ego issues or the prejudices of a patriarchal world nor the vanity of a capitalistic mindset, some suggest  it's Darwinian. It's being a man. Maybe when life on Mars becomes a reality, humanity will finally place a finger on the pulse and make a diagnosis.

Back to the incident with the Mrs, I am glad it happened as it opened up a new world. To date, am grateful for that dose of tough love. Moving on to matters Arsenal, Arsene just placed another (to some) irrational, unilaterally minded, high risk, unconventional and largely naive wager. Might I add, with emphasis on the adjectives which happen to typify the 'y' question.

In Jens Lehmann, Mad Jens, comes the much called for experienced head in the Arsenal dressing room. Trouble is, at 41yrs of age and on with the next stage of the career of a footballer- the acquisition of coaching badges, Arsene Wenger might have just armed his critics with what must be an equivalent of F-35 in the critic world.

If Wenger's intentions are that Jens Lehmann will offer some tough love to his old rival Manuel Almunia and Co in a charge towards winning the Premier League title, it might cut off some of the noise directed towards Arsene's door.

On this, Wenger explains that Lehmann's job description goes beyond dishing out tough love, if the injury gods call on Almunia as they have with Szczesny and Fabianski, Lehmann will take up the gloves. Attempting to lay out the possible scenarios and link them with the presence/absence of a trophy in the Arsenal cabinet in just under 60 days to come, is not only an improbable task but as ill advised as the Capello Index (remember that one?)

 I can only hope that Lehmann does the job he has been brought in to and without doubt with all things held constant, a new world shall unveil for the Arsenal family.

Speaking of family, what is up with all this 'We-Love-Arsenal-The-Most' competition? I understand  that this truffle might be just a case of sibling rivalry among the fans,pundits and bloggers and thus, at least  for the sake of Arsenal should be stomached as we best can. However, what cannot be stomached are  the blatant slurs flying around of which some border on racism and other ugly forms of discrimination based on nationality.

Even though Sepp Blatter has had his own share of criticisms, his contribution to the game is undeniable. Though the football world in June might see the 75 yr old Swiss relinquish the FIFA presidency to the challenge of  Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed bid Hammam,  the football fraternity shouldn't throw out the baby with the bath water.

Football seeks to unify humanity across social classes and borders, we Arsenal fans shouldn't allow it's ideals to be nullified just because of a few years of kuambulia tupu (Swahili: coming up empty handed) or just because we canot stomach the contrary opinions of a section of Arsenal fans.