The hysteria that has swamped the internet since this afternoons defeat at West Ham United has been its usual excissive self.

It's almost like Arsenal aren't allowed to lose a match nowadays.

Well, here is a news flash. Teams lose football matches. All teams.

This Arsenal team is still a work in progress and is nowhere near the level of the 49er's side from a couple of years back. That team took a fair few years to reach its peak and the players in that side were at the top of their game throughout that run.

But those days, and a large number of those players are gone now. And we have to move on.

I love Arsenal as much as the next man and it annoys me greatly when they lose. But it is a part of the game, let's learn from it and move one. I think it is easy to forget how young some of the players are and how even a 1% drop in their performance levels can make them look like they are playing badly.

Thierry Henry is a case in point. I have read so much bullshit this evening about how he should have been sold to Barcelona in the summer and how his heart isn't in it at the moment.

The simple fact is that he is playing badly. He is in a run of bad form and he needs time to come out of it.

Think of how he pretty much single handedly carried our side last season, think about how he adopted a similar role in getting France to the world cup final, and then understand that his workload over the last 12 months has led to a dip in his attainment.

I take the point that our best win of the season (at Old Trafford) came without him, but if you think that is anything other than coincidence then you are a muppet.

Arsenal would not be a better team without Henry. FACT.

I think he will come good, whether it will be soon enough for us to stay in the Championship race, I am not sure, but he will be back. If he goes into his shell and struggles all season, then some of you lot may get your wish if he decides he wants out.

The most sensible thing I read was about the two different sort of Arsenal fans we have following the club at the moment.

There is the 'fan' a core of supporters who are in it for the duration and have probably been through the leaner times of the 80's with the club. This has given them a sense of perspective on how losing to West Ham in November isn't the end of the footballing world.

Then there are the 'consumers' who have arrived with the Sky money. Now a lot of these supporters are also 'fans' but some of them are moany arsed idiots who take every defeat as a personal slur and need a reality check. I am not a fan of 'consumers'.

My advice to all connected with Arsenal is to pull in one direction and get through this current malaise in front of goal.

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Arsene Wenger has been above criticism from me for over a decade now, but his actions this afternoon did leave me feeling a little uneasy.

I know that Alan Pardew has admitted celebrating the West Ham goal with Mourinho like gusto and getting in Wengers face, but it would have said a lot more about the class and sportsmanship of Arsenal if he had put that to one side and shook the opposing managers hand.

We hear day in day out about the poor example players set young people, but this afternoon it was the two men on the touchline who set the tone for some pretty unsavory scenes at the final whistle.

Rise above it Arsene, accept the apology and be the bigger person in future.

Jimmy

Good article, I haven't had time to read any other blogs this afternoon but the comments about Henry strike a chord. Having spent the night on the streets of Paris after the final defeat listening to the same rubbish, only to hear the same arse****s about turn the following morning having heard he will stay means reading them would be a waste of time. A poor performance, yes, a penalty, yes a season still full of promise also yes!

You are spot in regards to the "new" supporters: I have been going to Arsenal games for now nearly 30 years and at the end of the Moscow game I couldnt believe it when I heard some people booing behind me.

Those of us that endured the Don Howe and Terry Neil teams appreciate the exciting brand of football we all pay good money to watch and whilst we didnt score against Moscow the football was breathtaking and to boo at a performance like that was incredulous.

Needlees to say they got a full abuse from me!

It is the same with todays game: hugely frustrating but these things happen (they normally do for us in November)!

Everyone should keep their chin up - I am sure Arsenal will come good this season.

Since when did henry carry france to the world cup final? you live in a bubble. His international performances are proof that he is half the plaeyr in the big games and outside of teams that give him the ball every time he asks for it

A-hem..or even the Seventies. Spot on for the first article - hope we can learn from these growing pains. Sadly there are many come-lately (leave early) fans who do not understand football if it's not presented to them in some kind of package with a guarantee and free pundit attached. We lost. We will lose again sometime. The Chav$ lost. Man Utd lost. At home. To us. Let's see the Hammers back at our place later when Diaby, Ralph, Freddie and Phil are all jostling for thier place and we're really rolling. As regards Arsene's frustration on the touchline I'd like to see that kind of venom transmit itself to the team.

Hey Jimmy, Long time now speak bud!

Great comment mate, I was at the game on Wednesday and you could see the effort that the guys put in. Yes that was a very frustrating result but it was a very very impressive preformance and the result didnt go our way. Today we did lack something but I think it was down to WHU selfless pursuit of every ball. They were awesome in the middle of the park. If Reo-Cocker was to put on the red and white then i would be a very happy man. We were out played pure and simple. we lacked clinical finishing but that will come. like Jimmy said all teams loose, Even the untouchable Chelski.. so chill and it will come right soon, very soon. and when it does then we will be drooling but until then just sit back and hold your head high and not bitch because at the end of the day all that matters is the AFC!

ey Jimmy, Long time now speak bud!

Great comment mate, I was at the game on Wednesday and you could see the effort that the guys put in. Yes that was a very frustrating result but it was a very very impressive preformance and the result didnt go our way. Today we did lack something but I think it was down to WHU selfless pursuit of every ball. They were awesome in the middle of the park. If Reo-Cocker was to put on the red and white then i would be a very happy man. We were out played pure and simple. we lacked clinical finishing but that will come. like Jimmy said all teams loose, Even the untouchable Chelski.. so chill and it will come right soon, very soon. and when it does then we will be drooling but until then just sit back and hold your head high and not bitch because at the end of the day all that matters is the AFC!

I am what would be considered a true 'fan' by your reckoning, yet I am deeply unhappy at the attitude of Thierry Henry. Every player goes through bad spells but he is failing to lead his team in any way at the moment. His constant arms-in-the-air whinging and seeming disinterest in chasing 50/50 balls is contributing to our lack of bite up front. No player is above criticism. If only he had Kolo Toure's attitude.

At least that what the chelski bastards call me. lovely to see lennon ease past a. cole to flatten the team that never deserves to lose but as much as i feel the futures ruthlessly bright, i'm at a loss how these little missed penalties and phantom handballs (cs moskow) are sucking our energies after great efforts. its not conspiracy but i think we are judged to a higher standard than other clubs and perhaps its the tempo we play at that will inspire replay. when you are up 1-nil you would never concede such a cheap goal to harewood, you'd defend it. its 3 points lost on a crap call and wenger's fed up with it. Henry's fine, sometimes they double mark him and it gives space to the others. its all good but the officiating. viva afc

Noone should stand above criticism and at the moment i am very frustrated with Wenger.He refuses to adopt a plan B and every Mickey Mouse outfit now know how to stifle Arsenal.Anyone watching Arsenal.Van Persie is never gonna make it at Arsenal but wenger refuses to see it he clearly thinks he is another Anelka and can do no wrong etc.Fan since 1981.

Great post sir. Glad to see some sensible fans putting today's result into perspective. We have a great team, and today was an offday when nothing seemed to go right. This team is on the verge of greatness - and don't write us off for a title challenge just yet. Today reminded me of the Newcastle game at Highbury a few seasons back when Graham Poll's ineptness resulted in Henry hectoring him off the pitch - and earning himself a ban. The next game as at Anfield (I think) and we went down to ten men after Gio got sent off for diving by that t**t Durkin. Leeds and Man U were ahead of us then, though we had a game in hand. We went on a run after that game, all the way to the Double (Wiltord at Old Trafford, and Ray at thwe Millenium stadium against Chelsea BA). Chin up everyone - we have the personnel, the attitude and the manager.

Just to repeat, it is refreshing to read blogs like this - I'm jut so fed up ith the Skysportsheads monaing and whinging.

Henry needs to stop being a f*****g woman who's always on her period if he wants to succeed as captian! it's really getting on my fuckin nerves that he's always f*****g moaning and moaping around - which is trickling down into the rest of the team. I elect kolo 4 captain.We need some hard lads back in the side (the beast, even freddy).remember we still have to play teams like bolton - if we play like we played today, then say goodbye to the league.And to the fickle arsenal fans moaning about - ITS STILL EARLY DAYS!! every team loses, if u cant handle that -F**K OFF, pratts!

Great article... esp the bit about 2 sorts of fans... its so damn true... they probably got a backup ManUre and Chavski kit in the closet just to put on when either of the 3 teams win the EPL .... Personally I havent been supporting the team for as long as alot of the true fans have but I think no matter what team you support in whatever sport, it tells alot about your attitude and the real person you are when "your team" hits a bad spell...

Nice comment about the Wenger - Pardew biff at the end too... Wenger knows better than that. Id expect him to apologize soon but hey hes human too and he makes mistakes so get over it.... im more sick of those people complaining about him being a cry baby , sore loser etc... Trust me anyone wouldve done the same thing but not everyone will have the same courage to apologize (and I really hope he will so he proves me right)

Lets get on with it, win the next few games and get another winning run going!!!

has everybody forgotten that we won at Old Trafford without Henry?

I totally agree that Henry needs to find his form he has lost two of the bigest finals possible in 2 months. As far as a commentator saying he dosent perform in big games thats rubish. He was man of the Match in the European Final which france won in 2000. And I thought he was pretty good against Juventus, Real Madrid, Spain and Brazil last year not big matches? In the finals one he had to play on his own due to sending off and the other he was injured but still gave the pass for frances goal.

I would think that Wengers silence is in the hope that the story will go away. If he comes out and gives a press conference on it he will be forced to say what Pardew said to him that caused the row in the first place, AND THAT COULD INFLAME MATTERS MORE. I would think that as Pardew apologised so quickly he probably wants to hide the incident asap.

At the end of the day we lost what was an even game. If we had won it would still have been an even game but I wouldn't have to hear about Thierry Henry's attitude. Anyone moaning about Thierry moaning needs to wake up and realise that this is what he is like. You knew it in the summer when you were begging for him to stay and you know it now. I will say this though. I was embarresed by Arsene Wenger yesterday. He f*cked me off.

I do not think Pardew was entirely blameless but Arsene Wenger will apologise. Or at least I hope he does. I agree with what you say. Henry is in bad form but he'll get his act together sooner or later. Its a great team, top quality players and if we lose so what, its not the end of the world. This team has a glorious future, anyone can guess that.

Well observed Jimmy. With regard to your point on the "consumers", don't kid yourself this is a new phenomenom at our club. Five years ago I had the dubious pleasure of sitting through a number of games in the upper East around the Directors area and on a number of occasions I was left fuming by the total ignorance I encountered there. After one misplaced Ray Parlour pass the shit for brains next to me rose to his feet exclaiming "You're not fit to wear the badge", at which point with 20 minutes to go against Villa I walked wondering if this guy had any idea what things were like in the late 70s/early 80s. At times this season I've encountered similar protestations but I feel it's important to realise that the vast majority know what it is to be a Gooner and appreciate the privileged position we find ourselves in. TH will come good and I am still convinced this is going to be a fucking great season.