Arsenal Fans - Relax (606 is rubbish)

It's never a clever idea to listen to BBC Radio Five Live's 606. Generally it entails a multitude of aggressively below-average human beings - such as John from Reading or Sue from Milton Keynes - calling in and either complaining or gloating rather sensationally while listening to feedback from Robbie "I was a football player so I don't need to explain my opinions" Savage.

Nevertheless, I listened to the podcast last weekend and was disturbed by one Arsenal fan who seemed to think that a 0-0 draw with Sunderland on the opening day of the season is cause for major alarm.

It wasn't a great performance from the Gunners by any means. A few players stood out. Santi Cazorla showed touches of class, Gervinho was an effective outlet on the left, and (Corporal) Jenkinson showed good attacking intent from right back. They came close to opening the scoring on a couple of occasions but couldn't quite find a breakthrough. The best chance fell to new signing Olivier "I'm sexy as fuck" Giroud, who skewed the opportunity wide of the post, and that one instance of poor composure was enough to make this yokel on 606 question whether the French striker is "good enough for the Premier League". Apparently 20 minutes is more than enough time to formulate an opinion on a new signing. Relax, yokel. Giroud will be fine. Giroud will be better than fine, and will score the goals to prove it. And if he doesn't, at least he's bloody gorgeous.

The same caller also complained (as did the host of the program) that Alexandre Song had departed without Arsenal signing an adequate replacement, ignoring the fact that the Cameroonian's transfer to FC Barcelona was completed after the game ended. RELAX, YOKEL. Arsene Wenger has already stated that he will make a move to replace his most defensive of midfielders. It appears very likely that Nuri Sahin will sign on a season-long loan from Real Madrid. Rest assured that Sahin is an absolutely class act. One doesn't captain Borrusia Dortmund to a league title at the age of 22 without some serious pedigree. The boy can tackle, intercept, has a wonderful range of passing and has a shot on him, too.

Arsenal will bring in one or two more new players before the end of the transfer window to add depth to what is already a strong squad. The wounds from the losses of Robin Van Persie and Alex Dimitri Song Billong will take a little time to heal as the squad reforms, but heal they will. The club faces an Olympian task in usurping the two Manchester clubs and taking the title, but they'll finish between second and fourth which is in-keeping with their financial clout.

The way we consume sports these days is in hyperbolic bite size chunks, and while I'll admit to being as addicted to it as everyone else, I also think it is highly lamentable. But I can't fight it all, so I'll just stick to Arsenal fans. Relax. Be patient. In your darkest moments, think of Eboue. Or this: