February. It’s the worst month of the year, isn’t it?
Just after the hope that January brings with the new year, February comes along and shoves some reality down your throat.
You’ve failed with your resolutions to stop smoking or go to the gym or stop letting people trample all over you.
And there you are.
Valentine’s Day comes along and you are reminded that no one loves you.
And then Arsenal decide that the football season is over.
Ja, I’m going to vent, because that’s all I can do right now.
This is when Gunners fans, like myself draw the line under the campaign.
Without a Premier League title since 2004, most Gooners sort of expect the team to fall apart right when really important matches come along.
The big game against Chelsea two weeks ago was massive for Arsene Wenger.
Wins against Watford and the Blues and they could have slashed the gap to two points in that week.
Then with Antonio Conte’s side being held by Burnley on Sunday, Arsenal could have been right up there.
But no. It never happens.
And this time, it wasn’t down to the usual injuries or even Wenger’s allergy to spending in the January transfer window.
No. This time, the team just showed no guts or hunger to win the big games.
The 5-1 Champions League humiliation at Bayern Munich played to a script that’s as predictable as a Fast and Furious movie. You know exactly what’s going to happen, so what’s the point in watching?
Arsenal knew the danger was coming from Arjen Robben, Robert Lewandowski and Thiago Alcantara.
Or rather if Wenger had prepared his team with a couple of videos of Bayern, they would have known this. But the boss didn’t do anything to stop the threat – no tactical drills.
Kieran Gibbs was charged with marshalling Robben and Wenger left the slower but more defensively solid Nacho Monreal on the bench.
Giving Gibbs Alex Iwobi didn’t help either. Alexis Sanchez would have been a better wide option to track back or even Danny Welbeck on the bench.
But hey, at least I’m not the only fan feeling this. Ajax CT and Orlando Pirates are also feeling the same hopelessness.
Let’s hope the professionals that we support find the motivation to still fight to be their best and give us mere mortals something to cheer for.