Have we — Arsenal fans — become too tame to be truly angry?
I’ve been a Gooner since 1993.
My first real memory? Steve Morrow broke his arm after scoring the winner in a cup final. Chaos. Pain. Passion.
That was it. Hooked for life.
I’ve never been to North London, mate — I’m thousands of miles away in Malaysia.
But this club? It runs deep. It lives in me. Every season, I feel the highs, the heartbreaks, and everything in between.
And truth is, these days… I feel more restless than hopeful.
The Mentality Issue: It’s Still Not Quite There
Look, I love this team. I see the talent. I even get the project.
But let's not kid ourselves — something’s still missing.
We bottle the big ones.
When it really counts — title deciders, key cup games, away days that should be routine — we go soft.
That ruthless edge? It’s not consistent enough.
Take our recent Champions League run. A semi-final spot looks great on paper.
But did we play like a team obsessed with winning it all?
Not really. The fire against Madrid fizzled far too quickly.
If that was Vieira, Henry, or Bergkamp out there — they wouldn’t have let it slip like that. Not a chance.
Transfers: Still Slow, Still Reactive
Our transfer approach? Painfully cautious.
While we’re negotiating for weeks, others are sealing deals in days.
We could’ve had Alexander Isak for a steal back at Sociedad. Now he’s lighting up the Prem and worth double.
Why wait until players hit world-class status before we move?
Look at Liverpool. Didn’t spend huge last season — but they won the league. That’s smart, focused planning.
And City? They snapped up Haaland for peanuts considering his output.
That’s a team with a strategy.
Us? We hesitate — and then complain when prices soar. It’s exhausting.
Arteta: Respect’s There, But the Clock’s Ticking
I rate Arteta. He’s shifted the culture.
We’re no longer a soft-touch side defensively.
But come on — how long does "trust the process" last before it becomes a cliché?
Progress is nice. But we’re Arsenal.
We’re not meant to be a ‘nearly’ club.
Still Here. Still Watching. Still Hoping.
Despite all of it — the bottlings, the transfer fumbles, the near-misses — I keep showing up.
Every season, without fail.
Red and white on.
Heart on the line.
Hope is somehow still alive.
But hope alone won’t win us trophies.
We need more fire. More urgency. More edge in big moments.
This club has waited long enough.
Let’s stop almost winning — and start actually winning.
#COYG
🗣️ Over to You:
What do you make of where Arsenal are right now?
Leave a comment. I know I’m not the only one feeling this.
Malay Version.
Dari Malaysia, Dengan Cinta: Harapan Jujur Seorang Gooner
Aku bukan budak London. Aku tak pernah jejak kaki ke Emirates.
Aku bukan pembeli tiket musim. Aku tak pakai jersi original setiap tahun.
Tapi aku—seorang lelaki dari Malaysia—dah lebih dua dekad hidup dengan Arsenal. Dengan suka, dengan duka, dengan darah yang merah dan putih.
Arsenal dalam Hidup Aku
Aku kenal pasukan ni sejak zaman Henry meluncur macam angin, Vieira jadi jeneral tengah, dan Wenger mengajar dunia bahawa bola sepak itu bukan sekadar menang—tapi seni, prinsip, dan cara berfikir.
Tapi aku juga saksi zaman gelap:
-
Tahun-tahun tanpa piala.
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Kekecewaan separuh akhir.
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Musim-musim di mana kami 'hampir' saja.
Aku bukan sokong Arsenal sebab diorang selalu menang.
Aku sokong kerana Arsenal tak pernah jadi plastik.
Diorang ada jiwa. Diorang ada gaya. Diorang ada nilai—walau kadang kadang terpaksa bayar harga yang mahal.
Tahun Ini... Satu Lagi "Hampir"
Musim ni, aku tengok setiap perlawanan dengan harapan.
Rasa macam “mungkin ini tahun kita.”
Tapi akhirnya, satu lagi episod klasik Arsenal: kami hampir.
Hampir juara. Hampir cukup. Hampir sempurna.
Dan sebagai peminat... sakit tu tetap rasa.
Tapi aku tak nak marah. Aku cuma rasa... letih.
Letih, Tapi Tak Lari
Letih bukan sebab kecewa.
Letih sebab aku dah bagi hati aku.
Tapi aku tahu, dalam letih ni, ada sesuatu yang tetap kekal: Cinta!
Cinta yang tak bergantung pada piala.
Cinta yang tak berubah walau lawak “Arsenal always bottle it” makin menjadi.
Cinta yang buat aku bangun 3 pagi semata nak tengok pasukan yang mungkin kalah lagi. (kadang-kadang ada juga aku tak bangun, sebab esoknya kerja, hehe)
Harapan Aku Tak Mati
Aku tak mahu perubahan palsu.
Aku tak mahu pemilik baru dengan duit tapi tanpa jiwa.
Aku tak mahu trofi jika ia dibeli dengan identiti yang hilang.
Aku cuma mahu lihat pasukan ini berjuang dengan bermaruah.
Dan kalau satu hari nanti kita menang segalanya, biarlah kerana kita masih Gooner.
Bukan kerana kita jadi salinan murah City atau Madrid.
Akhir Kata, Dari Jauh Tapi Dekat
Aku mungkin jauh—beribu batu dari London.
Tapi setiap kali Arsenal turun padang, aku rasa dekat.
Aku rasa aku adalah sebahagian darinya.
Aku rasa ini 'home' bola sepak aku.
Dari Malaysia, dengan cinta.
Daripada seorang Gooner, yang tak sempurna, tapi tetap setia.
COYG!
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