This Is How it Started.... ARSENAL

ARSENAL
The new season on all Europe elite leagues has started. Well the season of excitement come back again. At least every weekend meet up friends also has something to talk about. Mamak stall finally have the business back on the track. New jersey of respective team can be seen everywhere now. Feel so excited. LOL
Another year, another season. Well same wishes like every other season, I wish Arsenal will blah...blah...blah...... . Seriously I really blah....blah....blah a lot for Arsenal dy. But for for the past 5 years I really tired dy. High hope on every beginning of season, disappointment in every end of season. LOL.

The journey...Arsenal
I first started to watch football was during 1999. That time I was 12 year-old and start to get into this sports. Well, I still remember the first time I play football was during a PJ(Pendidikan Jasmani) lesson. That time I scored a goal and felt so excited about it. (No wonder cannot become professional lah, 12years liao only started to play, Ryan Giggs 12 year-old already signed by Man. Utd......LOL)
During that time, the whole world of football is about Manchester United. Win Treble, got David Beckham, blah...blah..... . Wonder why I did not became Manchester United fans? Actually is the nature of me that resulted me as Arsenal fans. I want to be different from others. That time everyone and and everything is all about Manchester United. So I go for Arsenal, a rare supported top team. I watched their game for the first tme through telecast and Oh gosh, that fella Dennis Bergkamp is formidable. So I really got into their playing style and games. This was how a prototype of Arsenal supporter was formed. LOL. From that time onwards, football is everything to me. I played football almost everyday of my life. Sometime even curse the weather for raining because cannot play. LOL. Me and my friends gathered and formed a small amateur football club, AAFC (I will cover on that next time). We will come together and play together every evening. I still remembered there was a time when my friend damaged my poster of Thierry Henry, Arsenal, I ended up fighting with him. LOL (Mo Siong don't do that again liao,LOL). Every Monday worried about going to school when Arsenal lost, and walked like a King when they won. Debates all the time about how great is Arsenal.LOL. Even the way of myself playing football was fully influenced by the Arsenal style. I love to learn how they play and no doubt Thierry Henry was the one I admired most. As an Arsenal supporter for almost 10 years, I have since the up-climb, peak and down-fall of Arsenal. I seen them won trophies, players in and out, players retired, development of players and disappointment. Is a complete taste of football already that you can ask for (Not to mention club bankruptcy and club relegation <---- Wooi Kuun and Tham is for you, LOL).

Throughout all these time, I can categorized Arsenal squad into three generations.
When I first supported Arsenal, 1st generation , the players were Tony Adams, Lee Dixon, Silvinho, Kanu, and Nicholas Anelka. This generation I have not much to remember because, during that time most of them are either almost retired or some of them did not committed enough and left the club. But there are still some like Ray Parlour, David Seaman and Denis Bergkamp that are well recorded in me.



The 2nd generation, I shall named it the Legend generation. During this generation, the players were Freddie Ljungbeg, Robert Pires, Patrick Vieira, Gilberto Silva, Ashley Cole, Lauren, Sol Campbell, Kolo Toure, Jens Lehnman, Sylvain Wiltord and the "Genius" Dennis Bergkamp. Did I missed out anyone, LOL, Of coz the Thierry "King" Henry. This generation is where most of the success of the club were made under the "Master-Mind" Arsene Wenger. They were once called "The Invincibles"



The 3rd generation were the growing stars, new faces and youngsters. Most these players develop themselves at Arsenal and some are through Arsene Wenger brilliant scouting and evaluation that brought them in through transfer. This generation are also the current Arsenal squad. With the departure of Kolo Toure, marked the total 3rd generation of Gunners. A few names of 3rd generation, Cesc Fabregas, Robin Van Persie, Gael Clichy, Emanuel Almunia, Nicklas Bendtner, Carlos Vela, Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, and many more. Famous name like Andrei Arshavin, Eduardo Da Silva , Samir Nasri and William Gallas (Controversy with Ashley Cole) are those well spotted transfer by Arsene Wenger that make immediate impact to the squad. During the build of new generation, there were some names that used to be a part of Arsenal but due to temptation they left for good. Some of them are doing well and some are doing bad after leaving. Those name I would reckon Alexander Hleb, Mathieu Flamini, Jose Reyes, and Emmanuel Adebayor.





Looking back as an Arsenal supporter, the first proud moments came during the season 2001-2002 where they won the FA Cup and English Premier League. The additive of this sweet moment was that the English Premier League champion title was claimed at the home ground of Manchester United. Then the 2nd consecutive FA Cup winner at the following season. After that season came the most historical success that Arsenal has ever achieved and the world see the best of football in Arsenal. Winner of Barclay's English Premier League 2003-2004 without beaten by any other teams in the league for the entire season. This unbeaten run was extend to 49 league games consecutively. Imagine not losing to any team for 49 matches running (At least no worries of being laugh by other supporters for 1 year. LOL). I think the current Barcelona or Real Madrid also cannot do it. The next season Arsenal won the FA Cup again. So the up-climb and climax peak part are over. Now come the down-fall. After winning the FA Cup in 2005, Arsenal did not won any competition until now (Not to mention pre-season cup). The closest they came was during 2006 where they were beaten in the UEFA Champions League final by Barcelona 2-1. That was actually the first time Arsenal in the European Champions Final (Not to mention UEFA Cup final on 2000). So the waiting still goin on. After a few years of emptiness in the trophy cabinet, I hope they will win back something this season. Arsene Wenger no longer have excuses. They are no longer youngsters. So for this new season of 2009-2010, I hope Arsenal won't left me with another disappointment. I pray hard for it.


Ray@HenRayes@ArshRayvin