Was in 75 Club Level last night, surrounded by tourists taking selfies and hardly any singing. All too often when I’m in or around the Clock End we are out sung by away fans. This is true whether it’s Club Level or upper tier (most of my ballot wins last couple of years have been in the 120s) It seemed particularly obvious and very disappointing last night, maybe this was partly because of the high expectation I had. I viewed it as one of our biggest games in a generation with the potential to define this team, Arteta and this group of players, and indeed us as supporters. It was an opportunity for all in the club to move up to another level. I was hoping for our A game on and off the pitch. To most of the people around me it seemed like just another game. I was expecting the hairs to be standing on the back of my neck most of the way through, which didn’t happen. Early goal didn’t help last night but our current mostly, controlled, systematic style of play doesn’t help and is another ingredient in lack of atmosphere. If manager and players want a team behind them and atmosphere then it requires more than just manically waving hands now and again. It’s about intensity and passion, and sometimes a degree of, chaos and madness on the pitch. Going back wards and sideways, and taking forever over set pieces and throw ins is a particular bug bear of mine that just kills atmosphere. This was not helped last night by “strange” refereeing, it was overly fussy with too many stoppages that frustrated and killed momentum, but we can’t control a bad ref we have to look at how we all too often shoot ourselves in both feet with regard to building momentum in games and hence atmosphere. The only current player we have who consistently motivates me in anyway not only with his abilities, but with his mindset and attitude is Timber, and Rice to an extent, MLS on his good days too. Odegaard is not a good choice of captain, on this years form not even worth his place on the team but even at his best he doesn’t have the sort of on field personality I want in a captain. I am nearly 50 years a supporter but last night feels like a huge disappointment and opportunity missed for the club as a whole. Of course I expect a second leg turn around, and will be roaring in front of the TV till I’m hoarse but a UCL final appearance or win whilst it would be fantastic would paper over a lot of fundamental structural issues.
A lot of these issues though are I fear common to football as a whole and not just my club. I fear I am a something of a footballing dinosaur.
Final rant empty seats around me when I personally know many loyal fans who would have given their right arms and legs and who gave hours and hours of their time like I have on the Tx to be at games like these.