Boos rang around the Emirates after the final whistle on Sunday following a match that could act as a metaphor for what the club has become. Arsenal started on the front foot at the beginning of the match, showing incisive passing and creative movement to create problems for the relatively new Liverpool defence.
A penalty was no less than what was deserved, however with Walcott, arguably the most out of form player at the club stepping up to take it, millions of fans across the world, held their breath, and expected the worst. His spot kick was easily saved by Mignolet, however this was quickly put right as the Englishman found the net one minute later.
This represents the first aspect of Arsenal every single season, hope. Despite a lack of serious transfers at the club, Arsenal were the dominant team and looked as though they could add to their lead. Each year Arsenal have a purple patch where they are effectively untouchable and beat every team that is put before them.
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However this spell of good form has not been consistent since they last won the league in the Invincible season of 03/04. The excellent Coutinho brought Arsenal fans back down to earth though with a truly phenomenal dead ball strike just before half time.
After the interval Liverpool ran riot for about 20 minutes, they were unbelievable and Arsenal were unable to get the ball off them for minutes at a time, this was quickly becoming an embarrassment, this highlights the second aspect of every season for Arsenal; the collapse.
A string of matches where we fold time after time. The top teams are able to avoid this, even Leicester showed that they have enough grit to win when they aren't playing their best, however Arsenal are consistently unable to do this. The collapse is something that fans wait for expectantly, rather than have it unfortunately creep up on them.
The introduction of fan favourite Alex Oxlaide Chamberlain (The Ox) gave Arsenal an instant route back into the match as he scored his teams' second following Liverpool's fourth.
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Shortly after, Calum Chambers got on the end of a Santi Cazorla free kick to cut the lead of the Merseyside team to only one, and so we have the false hope, Arsenal make it seem as though they will do enough to get back into the match, but it inevitably is not enough, too little too late. Every single year. Ultimate disappointment, where, despite the wishes of the fans, we are consistently let down.
Stan Kroenke, the majority shareholder is worth $8 billion and so when he refuses to spend and extra £5 million on world champion Mustafi, which amounts to roughly 20p of your salary by broad comparison.
He is not a winner, not like Abrahmovic who, love him or hate him, will do whatever it takes to ensure that his team is victorious over all opponents, spending whatever it takes. He runs Chelsea for success, whereas Kroenke runs Arsenal for profit. Of course Kroenke is a shrewd businessman, however this is not what Arsenal need at this current moment.
Having the largest stake in a sports club the size of Arsenal, you would think would be stylish and lavish, however as it has become habit that at the Emirates every match ends with a chorus of booing, Kroenke begins to lose his credibility with every misplaced pass.
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A shake up is needed, this isn't the club that it once was, the top four is nothing to be celebrated, it should be the minimum requirement. Look at Manchester United for example, since the problematic David Moyes season, they have employed whoever they need and spent anything in order to ensure success comes back to The Theatre of Dreams.
Arsenal are in a rut, Kroenke must go, Wenger must go, then perhaps the club can go back to where it belongs.
Words by: Henry Williams
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