There has already been much said about the way fans at the Emirates expressed their dissatisfaction with one Emmanuel Eboue on the weekend. Whatever the the reasons for the behaviour of fans one thing is certain, booing Eboue has done everyone more harm than good.

Eboue must shape up or ship out.

Let me make my position clear, I don’t believe in booing. I’ve never felt comfortable booing anyone, much less so booing my own team. That being said most Arsenal fan can understand why this happened.

I am one of those who’ve always supported Eboue, as an Arsenal fan I don’t think I have a choice, that doesn’t mean I’m blind to his antics. Time and time again Eboue would fall over, feign injuries, dived foolishly and have been on occasion a detriment to the team.

So why the boos on Saturday? Why now? Why Eboue? Well, it was a culmination lot’s of factors including:

• An overall poor display against a team that got beat 3-0 by the Carling cup Kids
• Frustration with the team taking 2 steps forward and 3 steps back
• The entertainment used to be worth the ticket prices, now it’s not
• A poor decision by Wenger to bring in Eboue who is obviously not fit in an unfamiliar position at the expense of 2 players who are better suited for the position
• A lack of effort from Eboue, showed a lack of respect for the team and the fans
• Eboue has cried wolf too many times before

The fans are human and can only take so much before our frustration boils over, the reaction was the only way in which the fan voices could be heard. It is naive to think otherwise, anything more “civilised” is inconsequential. Nothing resonates more with management than 60,000 fans letting their voices heard and herein lies the rub.

How many times have we sat in silence expecting the team to dazzle us before we express support? How many time have the team been down and we’ve raised the roof in encouragement? The same voices that booed Eboue should be used to buoy. The team, the same voices could be used against the opposition. Those same voices could create an atmosphere of joy for the team.

Sadly our voices are stronger, louder, and more forceful against our own.

I understand the frustration, but will the players? Will it make them stronger? Will they play better (to avoid the boos)? Will they want to stay, when offered a choice? Would you? Fans relationship with their teams are more than ever a one sided relationship. In today’s world players are nothing more than employees who do their best in the job only for their own rewards.

Booing those players will not have the effect we intend, in as much as I admire Arsene Wenger, he is the one responsible for the stewardship of the team. He has put faith in the talents of his squad and whether or not his judgement is sound that faith has not been rewarded. The situation is not as bad as we make it out to be, we can still salvage something out of this season, The FA cup and Champions League is a distinct possibility, the league less so but still possible.

We’ve vented our frustrations, let’s now let it go and move forward.