There’s been some real nonsense written about Arsenal; they’re top of the Premier League because they have won the most matches.
Send your thoughts on this or any other subject to theeditor@football365.com
Fanmail for The Big P
A man from thousands of miles away mails in – three guesses what the P in Big P stands for – to say Arsenal will never get respect for winning the title (he means he won’t respect us in his own head and will sulk because his team have been an embarrassment this season). I can happily deal with that.
Well Mr. Pillock, I’d prepare to lock yourself in a dark room for the summer because shit will get real. The reason we will be unbearable is because of the legions of people like you and the nonsense you’ve all written and said over the last 9 months. Hint: The best team wins the league every year, you don’t have to like it but you do have to deal with it. They have no duty to entertain you.
Hope this helps.
Paul Williams
…While trying really hard not to suggest what the “P” in The Big P, Vancouver stands for, I am going to bite and respond to his lengthy “what are Arsenal good at” missive.
Firstly, we are good at scoring goals (which I believe remains the main objective in football). As of this morning, we have scored 59 which is equal with City and the most in the league.
Secondly, we are good at not conceding goals (also, still, a key part of the game). Our Goals Against figure is 22, the lowest in the league (City are next lowest on 27).
Finally, we are good at winning football matches. This season we have won 20 so far, again the highest number in the league.
I realise that like many of your fellow Liverpool supporters you may be confused this season, but I hope the above statistics help to explain things. The title will be decided on the factors above, not “respect-gaining”.
Carolyn, (we used to get criticised for being weak and now it’s because we are strong, how times change” South London Gooner
…To The Big P, Vancouver – that was the biggest load of tosh I’ve read in the mailbox for a long time (I don’t read Stewie).
Firstly, if you don’t respect the winner in elite sport you’re either a) a fool b) biased or c) both. Imagine not respecting a 100m Olympic gold medallist because they didn’t have the flair of Usain Bolt.
Secondly, you appear to have such a short memory a trip to the GP may be in order. Many, many champions have won games the way Arsenal are winning them this year, including many of Ferguson’s teams. It’s why we have the cliche of winning ugly being a hallmark of champions. And as for being masters of the dark arts, Arteta is nowhere near Guardiola’s level, never mind the likes of Simeone. Guardiola perfected rotational fouling to an infuriating degree for example.
Finally if Arsenal win the league what will they be remembered for being good at? Well, aside from winning the most and accruing the most points, almost certainly having the best defence and maybe the best attack, how about having one of the best crossers of a ball in the league? Pretty sure some league winning Man U sides are remembered fondly for that. Having probably the best centre back pairing in world football? Arguably the best #1, #6 and #8 in Europe? Don’t forget in Europe where teams are more likely to play expansive football against us we’ve beaten Inter 3-1 (away), Atletico 4-0, an almost invincible Bayern 3-1.
Arsenal are not perfect and may still win nothing. But so far this season we’ve been better than everyone else and deserve to be top. That’s the way league football works.
Much love.
Simon Cochrane
…On behalf of all Arsenal fans sick of being called the most embarrassing fanbase, thank you to Big P, Vancouver for swinging things back towards Liverpool.
It clearly means more.
Sebinho
…Having spent years watching Arsenal being derided as a “soft touch” or mentally weak, and seeing opponents happily waste time against our supposedly “exciting” teams, there is a certain irony in now being portrayed as masters of the dark arts and time-wasting…
Kyle, Ilkley
Thank you to all the critics
I just wanted to thank Fabian Hurzler, Paul Scholes, Simon Jordan, Arne Slot, and every other pundit, player – ex or not, journalist and TV broadcaster for their relentless attacks on Arteta and Arsenal. He probably doesn’t need to do team talks anymore. Just put up a 4 minute super cut of their soundbites, and then says, go prove them wrong.
And 1-0 to the Arsenal is in my blood. I grew up in the Graham years. And as he said, “It’s fine if they hate Arsenal, it is part of our history.”
8 games to go.
John Matrix AFC
This man is not aroused by Arsenal
I hope Arsenal doesn’t win anything ever. I hope Madrid avoids a thrashing.
There are many reasons why Arsenal win is being frowned upon. Set mining, dark arts, very defensive are not. They basically don’t arouse me as a neutral. The past winners have all managed to capture a portion of neutrals to a varying degree. I bet in this unmeasurable metric, Arsenal is last.
The Chelsea under Mourinho had an aura, united were definitely fun to watch, city have always played excellent football since Mancini. City-liverpool spoiled us with their styles and identity, even Leicester had Mahrez who was soo good, even conte and the 2nd Mourinho teams were better. All these winners may not have sustained it throughout the season but they definitely had a phase where they stood out. Basically. Arsenal is doing it without giving anyone a boner, even their fans. There is no standout player or a team identity that anyone can give at gunpoint.
Arsenal has found a hidden cheat code which is there to attract losers to get a winning feeling. Set piece maxing will only get you basketball, if other teams get inspired.
I used to annoy my Arsenal friends saying Wenger is a great manager, hope he comes to Real. They used to get annoyed that plastic fans of a plastic club rate Wenger equally. That sums up both the clubs. One doesn’t mind to be hated. Other wants to be loved and is craving.
Madrid fan (hope Alonso comes back)
And nor is this man
Oh SC from Belfast, methinks the lady doth protest too much. Look mate I know it’s tough as an Arsenal fan being at those heady heights and (up yours Moses for getting this in before me) but uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. When you’re at the top, people will talk about your team because being at the top puts you in the limelight and brings everything you do, say, etc into stark relief.
Don’t get me wrong I wish you guys weren’t top so I didn’t have to speak about these cheating bastards all the time but here we are. Speaking of cheating. Cheating refers to actions designed to subvert rules or deceive others in order to gain an unfair advantage So when Gabriel dives like he took an RPG, when Saliba and Rice literally have their arms wrapped around opposition players in a literal hug…..they are, say it with me now, CHEATING. Other teams do it as well but YOU are top of the table so you can’t complain when people point out any skulduggery
Also the penalty thing. There is a much bigger ontological difference between 0 and 1 than between 1 and 2. Especially after seeing the obvious penalties NOT given against Arsenal. And I can see your argument for having a good defense, goals against etc but goals change games, They change the intangibles of momentum, pressure, mentality…Just those two examples of OBVIOUS penalties not given against Utd (Gabriel on Cunha) and Chelsea (Saliba aggressive cuddling), ceteris paribus, cost Arsenal anywhere between 3 -5 points. Especially if Arsenal end Matchday 1 without 3 points. And arguing otherwise is deliberately obtuse at best, and bloody stupid at best.
Look, Arsenal fans, you will probably win the league and you’re right, the name goes on the trophy as Winners 25/26: Arsenal without the caveat “but were cheating bastards”. And it’s a big thing for the club because it’s been a million years since you guys won the league
BUT and it’s a big but. Arteta is an insufferable prick, your players carry that through on the pitch (how many times have we seen Gabriel et al fighting with opposition players when things go wrong), yes your players cheat and have used extremely negative tactics at the expense of football as whole (time wasting, GK crowding etc) and the speed at which you will all defend these with the flimsiest of arguments, strawman fallacies and ad hominems in the face of what EVERYONE else is saying just makes you even more insufferable.
Well done for when you win the league. I hope you enjoy it but right right now you’re kind of like the kid winning the board game while ignoring the rules because the adults are in the other room and when you win you’ll puff up your chest and tell everyone how great you are at this game. Just be a little better
Regards,
Disgruntled RSA
How good was Joelinton v Man Utd?
A few hours ago, while awaiting a flight in a rental car in a South Carolina airport parking lot, I used my mobile phone as a wifi hotspot to watch Newcastle’s home win against Manchester United on my tablet. What a world. And what a match from the Mags.
Peter Bankes was infuriating. I can’t understand why he sent off Ramsey — no penalty, but also no dive, and the first yellow was rather soft — when minutes before, he denied Sesko’s raised-arm penalty appeal, not to mention Mazraoui’s 9th-minute dive (which he bought, calling a foul on Elanga).
And the 16 minutes of extra time? FFS. I’m not even sure Gordon’s penalty should have happened. I imagine ManU supporters had their own objections, though I doubt they’ll think they were robbed, given their reliance on panicky clearances and the immense space they gave us with ten men.
Joelinton was an absolute monster. I’ve no idea how he played with that much energy for that long. He was lucky to stay on the pitch in the second half; indeed, he could’ve gotten a first yellow in the 11th minute. (I suspect Bankes had realized his mistake with Ramsey during halftime and didn’t want to take responsibility for awarding the match to ManU.) He missed the one shot I remember badly. His touch was and often clumsy, as per usual.
But I’m not sure there’s a better player in the world at using his body. His physical strength, aerial power, and sheer momentum on the ball can dominate 50/50s and duels, and absolutely did so today. His passing was unusually sharp, too, by his mediocre standards. And did you see that 88th minute turn in the corner to release the pressure on the defense? Class. Scores365 rated his performance a 6.3, the daft c*nts.
Tonali was nearly as good: a captain’s performance without the armband, playing smart and reining in Joelinton’s emotions when required. Elanga is improving in small steps, but he can’t hit long crosses for sh*t. Harvey Barnes is fading into anonymity. Kieran Trippier remains clever, but he’s a target in the Premier League these days. (Also, why was he defending corners from inside the six?)
Gordon was lively and took his penalty well, but his best bits were playing teammates in and winning fouls. That 17th-minute clash with McGuire looked worse than it was (I thought yellow in real time) because Gordon moved his head to ensure Slabhead would contact it. Noice. Ramsdale came up huge when needed. Dan Burn is a quietly brilliant shithouse: that was surely an intentional elbow to Luke Shaw’s jaw in response to the constant holding, but he kept his eyes on the ball. He’s a little like Shearer: sneaky-dirty. Thiaw continues to delight. He’s been responsible for remarkably few goals against this season, even in a defense that’s exposed to counterattack. And Hall is England’s clear starter at the World Cup.
That performance ought to instill a lot of confidence in the squad, particularly Will Osula, who will spend the next training day being glazed by the squad and coaches. But as excited as I am over the performance, Casemiro’s was the twelfth goal we’ve allowed in first- or second-half stoppage time this season. That’s f*cking soft, and it’s a big part of why I’m still hankering for a new manager. Eddie did nothing wrong in this match, and a number of things right, but I think he’s come up against his ceiling.
Chris C, Toon Army DC (At least VAR didn’t f*ck anything up, other than slowing everything down.)
READ: Michael Carrick’s Man Utd future thrown into doubt by two insane Newcastle interventions
