Arsenal 2008-09 Season

Okay. Some people might think its a tad too early for this article. After all, pre-season has just dawned on us and there is still a fortnight for the 2008-09 English Premier League to start in all earnest. However, the clairvoyant in me cannot resist the urge to pen down my feelings: if only for the sake of posterity (or even better, for the sake of "I told you so!")

I've been an Arsenal supporter for eight years now. Come to think of it, I think I became a football fanatic (as opposed to a cricket fanatic) because of Arsenal. Much was made of Manchester United's treble achievement in 1999. I think it was a Reader's Digest article I read about this which made me sit up and take notice of this sport. Till then, football for me was just the game to be played during the rains (when of course, there was no way of playing cricket) Also, I had been recently introduced to the EA Games FIFA series of games.

The first team I noticed in the English Premier League was Arsenal. The symbol was the legendary cannon on the red background. And I thought to myself - that's an interesting name, Arsenal. It conjured up images in my mind of players running on the ground with guns drawn, gunning down opponents who dared to stand in their way. Incidentally, the first FIFA game I played, I chose Arsenal as my side and played against Liverpool. As is wont to happen to a newbie to football (and especially, football played on the PC) I lost.

However, the name of the team and some of the players stuck. I found that I was often selecting Arsenal to play against a plethora of opponents. I found that I could interlink passes between a certain Dennis Bergkamp and a Marc Overmars pretty well. And there was this chap called Thierry Henry, who would constantly outrun defenders at will. I was slowly falling in love with this team called Arsenal.

I don't remember the exact time I made the transition from cricket to football. However, I think that getting admission to an Engineering college which had football enthusiasts aplenty had a lot to do with it. Circa 2001, I started following the Premier League. And in 2002, Arsenal won the EPL under Arsene Wenger for the second time. There had been some records set during this season; however, I was to be made aware of these only after two years.

I took up playing football when in college and realized that I had certain qualities essential for a footballer. One, the ability to spot my team mates. Two, being in the right place at the right time. Three, a loud voice to shout out instructions to team mates. :)
I realized that Arsenal represented in every way the way I felt football should be played. It epitomized team work and passing and the bonding of the team was evident in the celebrations. No matter who scored, the entire team would join him to celebrate. And so would we fans.

The 2003-2004 EPL season was a realization of dreams of sorts. Arsenal played great football and won the Premier League after going unbeaten through the season. Every goal was a treat to watch and every match won was a thrilling spectacle. It was quite befitting then that the most successful team in the history of the Premier League should end this unbeaten streak. What was not befitting was the subsequent results that the team faced. A certain Mr. Mourinho took advantage of this and took an unknown Chelsea team to the top.

The seasons after that were nothing to write home about. We knew that Wenger was in the process of rebuilding a team and that honours would come. That a coveted prize came within our grasp and was snatched away was the cruel twist of fate. Although history will show Arsenal as the beaten Champions League finalists of 2006, live witnesses will remember the game as one totally dominated by Arsenal.

I digress. This article has got nothing to do with the past and / or my love of Arsenal. This article is about the coming year.

I last recall looking forward as eagerly to a season like this in 2003. The previous season, we had been unlucky in losing out the title to United. The 07-08 season was another heartbreak for the same reason. Yet, whatever I saw during that season enthuses me with confidence for the coming season. There is a sense of expectation, an anticipation of glory coming to The Emirates.

We have in our midst, for the first time in many years, a Winner. Something that was lacking all these trophyless years. Sure, we had Thierry Henry, Ljungberg and other veterans who had all been there and done that. However, they were at times out of place in the new squad that Arsene was building. Right now, Arsenal have a gem of a person in Cesc Fabregas. The young lad of 21 has under his belt a Euro win. And that win alone is enough to sustain his hunger for further titles.

Already, there are other players at the club who look up to this guy, who is short in stature but large in accomplishments. Look at his experience: filling up the boots of the erstwhile Patrick Vieira, taking up the creative responsibility in the midfield at a tender age of 18, Champions League silver medal at 19, being selected for the Spanish national team, Euro win at 21. So much accomplished in such a short time. Yet, the difference now is going to be the fact that he has won something. And it is reflected in his statements. Once you get a taste of winning, you have the confidence to go ahead and do it again.

Then again, we have winners with never-say-die attitude in the team. Players like Sagna and Eduardo, talents unearthed by Le Boss who have it in them to turn matches on their heads. Plus, they don't have the mental baggage of past losses; of just being there and not winning. The team is young and they are more athletic and agile than the other teams of the EPL. That this fact has not been used to our advantage is the only sore point I have.

There is so much to look forward to. And so much media pressure on these young chaps. I am sure they will cope well. I believe this team has what previous Wenger teams lacked: the so-called bottle that is required to grind out results. A combination of bad luck and loss of focus resulted in them losing out on a rightful Premier League title. However, this time around, things are going to be different. All because of a win.

This year, as always, Arsenal are placed first in the EPL at the start of the season because of the alphabetical arrangement. At the end of it, they are going to be at the top of it because they deserve to be. More importantly, they also have the desire to be.