We must stick together and stay behind the team

I am gutted about today's game. It was a painful afternoon for me. But I am naturally an optimist and I will always look to the positives. I love Arsenal so much, that's why it hurts so much and it's also why I will stay loyal and get behind the team and cheer them on every game (even if they can't hear me).

Yes, today we were not at the races, yes we weren't convincing enough at the back and yes, we didn't seem to want it enough. It's worrying that we had an off- day in the cup final as you would expect teams to be at their best when playing in a cup final, as Birmingham were. And we have missed a massive opportunity to end the trophy drought. But having said that, people from outside would still have said 'well it's the only the Carling Cup'. Not that that's what's important but what I'm saying is that it wouldn't be a massive achievement. It would have been an achievement but it wouldn't be like winning the Premier League or Champions League. If Arsenal had won today I would have been ecstatic saying 'get in! what a great day, we've finally won a trophy!' and I would have been delighted at the achievement, but at the end of the day we have just missed out on a consolation/ bonus prize. Not one of the biggies.

As I have said, I am an optimist when it comes to Arsenal. I don't like being miserable or sad so I like to look up and put a positive slant on things. So here I go:

1. In a week's time, things could be looking rosy. Man Utd play at Chelsea and Liverpool in the next 7 days. We play Sunderland at home so we should get 3 points and I expect Man Utd to lose one and draw one so we could be closer to top spot, Man Utd would be on a low and we would be on a high. We should also be through to the next round of the FA Cup and one step closer to that stadium I'm beginning to hate! I'm not just clutching at straws either, there is a serious possibility that Man Utd will drop a few points in the next week.

2. Jack Wilshere, along with Nasri, was very good today and just highlights the fact that we have a bright future ahead. Van Persie and Arshavin also continued their good form and hopefully van Persie's knee injury isn't serious and he will be available soon, hopefully for the weekend. It didn't look bad so I'm not too worried.
3. There was an element of unluckiness today as it was extremely unfortunate that our best player and inspirational leader was missing today. We missed his creativity in centre midfield and his goal threat and we didn't really have much of a goal threat from centre midfield today, Fabregas always looks dangerous and scores a fair few. We also missed his leadership. Now, by leadership I don't just mean vocal leadership. I mean the way he drives on the team, but especially the way he leads by example and leads Wilshere and Song in centre midfield. He is also the focal point of our team, and we missed that massively today. There's no shame in that, anybody would miss their best player in a cup final.
4. The winning goal was just 'one of those things'. However it was 'one of those things' that often seem to happen to Arsenal. But we can't do anything about that, it's just a mistake, and it didn't half bounce unfortunately. It couldn't have dropped to Szczesny's right where no Birmingham players were could it? (If I'm wrong about that I apologise, I haven't seen it again.) I don't blame Szczesny at all for our loss, nor Koscielny.

5. Also, we're still in three competitions. There's plenty more heartache opportunities for glory ahead! And better glory. I think the league format suits us more too, rather than the cup format as it's played over a 38 game basis rather than just a one game basis. Therefore, if you have one bad performance in the cup you can easily be out, whereas that's not the way of the league.

I hope everybody stays behind the team and aren't too downhearted about today. I think Arsenal fans are some of the best and loudest in the country and are the most under-rated in the country. So I hope they/ we continue to be supportive and get behind the team, I'm sure everybody will and it would be nice for eveybody to chant Szczesny's and Koscielny's names in the next game.

Come on Arsenal!