The Emirates Stadium is a football stadium located in the Holloway area of London. The stadium is the home of Arsenal Football Club, which is one of the most successful clubs in English football. In this article, Chief Sports Reporter Jeremy Wilson of Telegraph Sport visits the Emirates Stadium for the first time since Arsene Wenger’s final year as manager in 2018. Wilson describes his experience of returning to the stadium after five years and finding a transformed club with an atmosphere that is completely different from what he remembers.
Wilson recalls the atmosphere in the final years of Wenger’s reign as being one of tension, protest, and outrage. The supporters were furious with the management and the team’s performance, and the club seemed stuck in a vicious cycle of negativity. In contrast, Wilson finds a club that is now full of pride, passion, and patience for a young, talented team that is coached to perfection. The fans are more patient and supportive, and the players feed off their energy to perform better.
Wilson notes that the club has changed in many ways since Wenger’s departure. There are more young fans in the stadium, and the club is more open to change and suggestions from supporters. The staff is the same, and the club continues to pride itself on internal class and values.
Wilson also comments on the players, noting that no player embodies the transformation of the club more than Granit Xhaka. Xhaka famously left the pitch cupping his ears and throwing his shirt on the ground following the jeers that greeted his substitution from a game in 2019. “Pure hate – I was done with Arsenal,” he said. On Saturday, Xhaka celebrated his headed goal with a heart sign to the fans and was then among the last to leave the pitch following a prolonged mutual love-in.
Wilson concludes that Arsenal has changed dramatically in the past five years, and for the better. The club is now more united, more patient, and more supportive of its team. The supporters are more engaged and vocal, and the players are responding positively to their energy. Overall, Arsenal is a club that is now moving forward, and it is exciting to see what the future holds for this storied football club.
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Reviewed by Eclectic Streams
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April 02, 2023
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