Is it too early for the pre-Leicester sticky?

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

[Classic Jorge]

[Monty91]

will have a huge bearing on our title chances, and the crowd instantly gets on the back of the players, it is because the ticket prices are too high and not at all because they are emotionally crippled man-children :nod:

[redgunamo]

has no effect. If it did, they wouldn't have become professionals.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

Hmm?

[redgunamo]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

It’s just the latest ploy in Monty’s ongoing and enormously tiresome “football fans are scum” schtick.

[Luis Anaconda]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

Bugger.

[Monty91]

even ok, then our fans are great. And occasionally, if the context of the game deems it justifiable in their minds, perhaps by dint of the quality of the opponents, then they will even stick with the team during a difficult period.

But the quickness with which they can turn is simply indefensible.

As someone once said, our fans are like Ofsted inspectors - tutting if they haven't scored in the first 10 minutes and collectively groaning at every wayward pass. This transfers to the players, putting everyone on edge.

How can you justify this level of counter-productive behaviour in people who claim to love the club?

[Monty91]

and I thought that was the motive behind it, then I'd be happy to consider whether that makes it justifiable.

But is the sheer mindlesness of it, and the fact that it often quite clearly has a negative effect on the team and individual players, that makes it so utterly contemptible.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

You just don't notice because by the time you enter the stadium you're utterly spasticated :irish:

[redgunamo]

But it actually makes NO f**kING DIFFERENCE. All that matters is you do your work and you get paid.

Try it next time you have an electrician or a plumber in, or you go in for kidney surgery or take your car to the garage for running repairs.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

They are not robots who can be programmed to be upbeat and positive at all times. Humans have emotions and moods which include joy, anger and frustration.

Now I admit I have not been over since September so cannot really judge accurately the current mood but when teams are playing poorly fans mostly reflect this - and this happens at all football clubs and all football grounds. This is not unique to us.

Our fans are no worse nor better in this respect than other clubs, despite your continued efforts to paint us as such.

At risk of stating the very obvious I expect any current frustrations exhibited by the faithful are exacerbated by the very commonly held belief that this is the best and most realistic chance we have had in perhaps a decade to win the league, yet in recent weeks we have stumbled, albeit stumbled and still in 3rd place and probably / justifiably favourites when we win on Sunday.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

And when exactly were you even last in the stadium????

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

[Monty91]

A murderer in court: "I am human, I get angry sometimes"

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

A person goes to a restaurant and complains when he or she thinks a professional chef has f**ked up their meal.

A person goes to a Rolling Stones concert and complains when Jagger announces a song from the new album.

To complain or moan is a normal human trait, amplified at football as there are many people.

I admire you if you can attend a football match and no matter what is occurring in front of your eyes you can steadfastly stay positive and supportive.

[Ashberto]

My point was not that all expressions of disappointment and frustration are caused by ticket prices, but that the process of 'customerisation' of supporters is only likely to provide further cause and indeed justification for complaining.

And before you deploy the old 'then remove your custom if you don't like the product' retort I would refer you to the lack of alternative providers. There is only one Arsenal, making them monopoly providers of Arsenalness.

I am not excusing the worst excesses of negativity, though I am understanding of the minor ones. What I am doing is saying that under the 'spectator is a customer' model, justifications for complaints exist where they don't under the 'spectator is a supporter' model.

As usual, I have to explain this over and over again, battling strawmen, nitpickery, obtusery and all the rest of the weapons deployed in the battleground of what I increasingly suspect is an utterly pointless excercise, discussion on the internet.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

You missed 'whataboutery'.