BIG BOY BOOTS REQUIRED

TIME GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER, GLORY AWAITS

Fans giving Zinchenko abuse in the Aston Villa game are a disgrace. I can sort of understand folk leaving early when we’re 2-0 down, but abusing one of our own players after the season we've had? Outrageous behavior – brings back memories of those dark times when players hated playing at the Emirates.

Let's not forget where we came from: hyping up Mustafi, watching Coquelin get turned inside out by Eden Hazard, Gallas sulking on the touchline, getting dominated by Watford, eight seasons without winning a top-tier game. Remember those days of trying to understand why Wenger only signed Petr Cech, or giving Ozil insane wages only for him to disappear in big away games? We had zero standards, zero hope, praying for miracles and eating out of dumpters.

Fast forward to 2024. We're 2 points off the top of the Premier League, unbeaten all year until Villa. We're in the Champions League quarters... and after one bad half, some fans target Zinchenko with boos? How is that us?

Even those who left early after seeing so many incredible late comebacks – what were they thinking?

We've been scraping by for a decade. Now that we're dining with the best, we turn our noses up at players like Zinchenko? That's wrong, and don’t think for a second the rest of the squad missed that.

Those claiming he shouldn't have started forget that in the first half he did his job. He slipped into midfield, played great balls over the top. With sharper finishing or better offside trap management, he'd be a hero.

The game changed in the second half, and when we lose control as a team, it doesn't suit him. But booing? Honestly, takes me back to the Theo Walcott years. How does that carry-on help anyone? These fans demanding absolute perfection are the worst.

Now that the dust has settled, it's time for a dose of 'Vintage Perspective'.

We're chasing footballing perfection: a team with a decades worth of Champions League prestige, the world's best manager, the biggest budgets, an outrageously talented squad. Arsenal's attempting that with half the budget and a squad three years younger than theirs.

We're two points behind, with 5 games left, and could even face them in the Champions League semi-finals!

Two points is nothing. It’s one of the many shitty VAR calls. It’s keeping the ball an inch under the bar. It’s a miscommunication at the back. It’s Arteta in the dugout. We are this close to the promised land because everyone in our squad has pushed us to this incredible level.

Will Arteta make changes to strengthen us? Of course. But don't think we could have moved faster or this isn't some sort of footballing miracle.

Arteta said leaders show up when things go badly – same for fans. Those calling players losers or whining about mentality are the first to panic online, reverting to opinions they've been wrong about before. "Arteta Out" was trending yesterday – imagine a worse idea! It just shows you the level of some people.

This week will be tough. Arteta's system demands peak fitness and mental sharpness. That loss will have stung, on top of the emotional rollercoaster of the Bayern Munich tie. This is new for these players – elite football is brutal. Look at what happened to Newcastle after their early Champions League qualification, or what Conte's 'elite mentality' did for Spurs after they beat us to the spot a few years back.

Arsenal was supposed to struggle this season. Young team, first taste of Champions League, three games a week from September, new keeper, left back, midfielder, striker...

What we're doing is incredible. Anything we don't achieve this season is a lesson learned, building that winning formula, making us stronger.

Now is not the time to cry on the internet. It's time to get on the hopium, put on your big boy boots, and tell everyone Arsenal is back this Wednesday, and we're going to a Champions League semi-final.

Ok, we feeling good now? Excellent. See you in the comments. Also, check out the future home of Le Grove and sign up to the Newsletter if you haven't already. xxx