Arsenal fans defend him and his football but has Mikel Arteta made the Premier League more toxic?
We also have views on Wrexham, Spurs and more, but we cannot get away from the Arsenal narrative until the Champions League returns on Tuesday. Mail us at theeditor@football365.com
The Premier League would be better without Mikel Arteta
Hey Tom, Leyton. It is interesting to compare the Wenger years and now. But maybe in a different way.
The English league is blurred between skill, and physicality and I can’t tell you where that line is. It’s somewhere between the Italian league played at walking pace, and Michael Essien taking your kneecap off. But that’s the same as all sides. Luis Garcia got Liverpool a Champions League title but it was Salah that got us title challenges. And importantly, Wenger judged that line excellently well, in several periods. Just not throughout. A side built around Rosiky, Cesc and Nasri was not as good as a side built around Henry, Gilberto and Viera, and we laughed at Arsenal fans when they tried to tell us they were, when the opposite was so patently obvious. The level of physicality was comparable for both.
But I agree there are interesting things to ponder when comparing Wenger era Arsenal and the current lot. Namely, why would you say the toxicity of the AFC TV lot, and the fringes of your fanbase has moved on from players and coaching staff, to PGMOL?
I believe it’s Arteta. Because I believe you. Arsenal fans wrote in en masse that you were happy Arteta was Mourinho-esque. But you’ve seemingly got utterly lost of in the fog of it all and are now baffled as to why a state of toxicity exists. We’ve had a half decade of rage-baiting and conspiracies, directly fostered by Arteta.
And you can’t make a straw man about ‘fans are more rabid nowadays’, because helpfully Liverpool have been bloody and laughably awful this year, and there’s not been the same toxicity.
LFC fans, rightly, have a poor reputation as a significant portion of the online fanbase are very much ‘too online’. They are blind, mad, emotional loons who genuinely do seem to believe ‘This Means More’ and YNWA and then call a league winning manager a blobfish, and league winning players like Gakpo and Salah, VVD and Konate every insult under the sun.
But you know what didn’t happen in the lows, even though PGMOL did admit errors, and some decisions were wild? Conspiracy theories and pile-ons. Well done gooners. You’ve been more obnoxious than LFC trolls.
Same too when City imploded last year; ‘Pep should retire’ but not refs. Same with United: it’s the board and churn and inherent madness, but the Mancs haven’t written in to say its PGMOL’s fault.
But Arsenal, and Arsenal alone; That’s where some of your mob have been. For years, now. That there is a provable PGMOL conspiracy against Arsenal.
Why, if not Arteta? Genuinely, I would be keen to know your thoughts. Why is it, if not the manager who has blamed referees constantly for nearly a half decade.
Arteta is on the grand total of one trophy + one referee requiring police protective custody, as his record in England. That balance is likely to change this year, but could be in either column.
Realistically, rival fans should all want Arteta to stay. He can’t last a month without humiliating himself or coming out with a Brendan-ism. Hearts and lightbulbs, wallet theft and speakers in the training ground. Europa league failure compared to Ole, ETH and Big Ange. That actually the other team all told me we were better, really.
But we’re sick of him. If Arsenal win, then they are the best. All the nonsense about asterisks and low points totals, and playing style are pathetic. Credit will go to the team at the top. But if they win, I hope Arteta goes. And if they don’t win then I would be staggered if he isn’t sacked, after so regularly failing. But either way, I hope he goes. The league is better without him. And hopefully, in a moment of clarity, the rabid fringes of the online Arsenal fan media will reflect that they behaved bloody appallingly.
Tom G
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A winning Arsenal or a more entertaining Arsenal?
I can see why some might feel following Arsenal/footy was more fun when the team wasn’t as good as it is now, but I enjoy this more competitive version of Arsenal more than many of the past teams. Football is a bit like pizza or sex in that when it’s ‘bad’, it’s still good to have, but to quote El Legohead: “pressure is a privilege”. The tension that seemingly makes every game feel more stressful than fun is preferable to starting seasons knowing deep in your heart that your club wasn’t truly competing for the biggest trophies.
During Klopp’s Liverpool pomp, I often watched their games because I enjoy football generally and I specifically enjoyed their approach and players – especially Mane, Firmino, and for a brief and too short moment, Thiago Alcantara. Despite Liverpool’s excellence at the time, the games were worth watching because of the team’s quality and the lingering sense of jeopardy since the games were so open.
Didn’t spend nearly as much time watching Pep’s lot outside of the big games. There’s the obvious off field stuff that’s hard for some of us to ignore, coupled with how one sided so many of City’s games against teams beyond the top 4-6 were during their peak. So many clubs seemed happily beaten before the whistle even blew and watching games felt a bit like watching wresting – the outcome always felt predetermined.
Oddly enough, City became more interesting the longer Pep competed against and learned from Klopp (and vice versa – thus, Thiago). That said, without any real needle or equal enough split in trophy accumulation, that entire “Citypool Rivalry” era struck me as pathetic, even if the games were entertaining.
Back to Arsenal, the football is admittedly not the easiest on the eye this season, but many of the same players were part of earlier versions of the team that were far more entertaining to watch 2-3 seasons ago. They obviously didn’t win, but knowing that they’re capable of playing in a different style combined with this season’s results (so far) is enough mitigation for me. The tension in this season’s games is its own privileged form of perverse entertainment and I wouldn’t trade it for the entertainment I got from watching flawed teams that had no realistic shot at the biggest trophies. This is what I asked the universe for back when Arsenal wasn’t competitive. Long may it last.
Deen (Arsenal FC)
…In response to Minty’s mail, who essentially asked the question was football better when your team was crap (relatively), the answer to me is a simple and emphatic f*** no, and if I had to hazard a guess you’ve probably been inundated with mails saying something to similar effect.
For me, the reason why is simple. For all the beautiful football under Wenger, all the fantastic players that graced our halls in that time, your Ozils, Cazorlas, Sanchez etc we were never truly ever seen as proper challengers. We were always ‘one player away’ from winning the big prizes, our mentality was frail etc.
Minty cites the pressure and anxiety as a reason why this season may not have been so enjoyable, but I would take that anxiety and pressure every day because that means you’re in something meaningful. Winning leagues and titles are hard, Arsenal and Pool fans from the last few years know that more than most, but I reckon that pressure and anxiety will exist regardless of the football you play, because at the end of the day, you’re in a trophy race. They are, by their very nature, precarious and twisting, treading the line between glory and tragedy. You’re going to be nervous about coming out of the wrong side even if you enjoy your side’s football.
Personally, I’ll take grinding my teeth away against Brighton any day as opposed to fawning over an Arsenal team which plays silky, glossy football but who we all know will wilt as soon as they play Chelsea at the Bridge or Man Utd at Old Trafford. It’s also worth noting that even in those heady Wenger years, we routinely ended up taking a battering from one of your Pools or Chelseas or Citys (Sometimes it wouldn’t even be them, it would be a Palace or Southampton pulling our pants down instead). Now, as Arteta has completely eradicated that from this club, we watch that happen to other clubs instead.
Ask me the same question in a couple years, perhaps after Mikel has finally gotten us over the line, maybe I’ll have a different answer. But right now, give me the ‘Boring Boring Arsenal’ chants. Give me the ruthless defensive efficiency. Give me all the pressure and anxiety and ratchet it up to 11, because currently that means my team may be on to do something very special indeed.
In summary, it is anxiety inducing. It is hard. It is pressuring. That’s what will make the achievement all the sweeter if/when they do it.
JM, AFC, Ireland
Liverpool have a major Trent problem
Watching Arne Slot’s Liverpool, the most striking thing isn’t results but the lack of progression and adventure in possession. The build-up often feels cautious and methodical rather than daring, with plenty of safe recycling of the ball but fewer moments where Liverpool suddenly break lines or change the point of attack with intent.
Everyone keeps asking how Liverpool replace Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back. That’s the wrong question.
Trent was never just a right-back. He was Liverpool’s deep-lying playmaker — the player who bypassed midfields with one pass, switched play instantly and turned defence into attack before opponents could reset.
Take that away and Liverpool’s midfield suddenly looks what it is: energetic, hardworking…and short on orchestration. Plenty of runners and ball-winners, but nobody dictating tempo or breaking lines early.
Which is why their attack now looks predictable. Instead of one Trent pass launching Salah in behind, everything has to go through slow midfield build-up.
Liverpool don’t necessarily need another Trent at full-back. They need a genuine attacking playmaker to carry that creative burden further up the pitch.
Someone like Florian Wirtz.
Because Liverpool didn’t lose a right-back. They lost their system.
Gaptoothfreak, Man. Utd., New York (watching the “post-90 minute bottler’s” problems with interest)
The Arsenal Fan Club v F365 again
Another day, another trash take by Ford on Keown. What has Martin done to him? Did he date Ford’s mum or something?
In yesterday’s ‘article’ Ford weirdly uses the Leeds game to take us back SEVEN YEARS to when Keown said he thought Sean Longstaff was a better passer than Declan Rice. What the hell has Keown got to do with the Leeds game?
Aside from the fact that it’s true to say the best part of Rice’s game is not stroking the ball around like Carrick, SEVEN YEARS AGO, Longstaff was being pursued by Man Utd for 50m. Rice was not quite yet West Ham Capt and was a couple months away from an England debut. It’s fair to say their careers have taken different trajectories (Longstaff I believe had a serious injury also) but SEVEN YEARS is a very very long time in football.
For example, lets go back to October 2025, when Ford described Keown’s view that Zubimendi was one of the league’s best summer signings as ‘biased Arsenal bullshit’.
Six months later Zubminedi has played the most minutes of any Arsenal player this season as we lead the Prem, are the No 1 ranked team in the CL group, in Carabao final and FA cup Quarters. He is probably also the favourite to start as the 6 for Spain at the WC this summer, and Spain are right up there as favourites for the whole thing.
Editor, do you check what goes out? No idea why this guy is employed. Any number of contributors to the mailbox could do a better job and would probably do so for very little. EdQuoththeRaven for example usually has sensible and fair things to say. Will Ford does not.
Josh, AFC
…Please, please stop paying John Nicholson for articles and let him send in mails to the inbox if he wants to air his reactionary nonsense. There’s enough negativity around everything at the moment without having to deal with his headlines – never mind his unreadable articles. Surely there’s a job for him at GB News.
Sick of the discourse. It’s a load of lads kicking a sack of air around. If recent history has shown us anything it’s that the football meta changes every 18/24 months. Enjoy the current version or don’t, but please stop trying to ruin the enjoyment of everyone else.
Joey
…Long time reader, first time writer. Can someone please give John Nicholson a hug. Football is life, when threatened we all adopt risk averse strategies, keep your mouth shut when a nutter mouths off at the bus stop to avoid a beating, why would you expect anything different from football.
Yes I’m a Gooner, old enough to have a signed Kenny Sansom shirt and remember Trevor Francis as a Million pound player. I’ve prayed we didn’t score in the first half under George Graham and enjoyed the highs of Arsene’s Invincibles, League and Cup Doubles. I took the drubbing from mates of our banter years and revel in the belief that this year is our year.
Are we dull and dragging down the league look at our champions league form. When teams come to play, we score the most goals and concede the least against the best teams in Europe. Bayern, Athleti, Inter their boys took one hell of a beating. If you face a low block week after week then a set piece will break the deadlock. If opponents play so will we, simple. Cheer up John.
Football like life no one wants to be humiliated.
Gooner Jay (Temporarily in South London and I don’t like it)
Kudos to Wrexham
I watched the Wrexham Chelsea game on Saturday – very entertaining match. You know why? Because Wrexham played ‘normal’ football. And they did it very well – with great technique, skill, pace and maximum effort. It was brilliant to watch.
Maybe if I’d watched this match 10 years ago I wouldn’t have thought much of it because it was the norm then but because I’ve grown (tired) used to what some are accurately referring to as horseshoe football in most Prem games of the foreseeable past – it really was a breath of fresh air.
It was so noticeable the difference in style – and the difference in entertainment/excitement. Chelsea – despite having more talented players (very debatable that – maybe more robotic), did what they and most other Prem teams do. Pass the ball slowly and accurately backwards and forwards, side to side – not taking advantage of any space becoming available – just more bothered about keeping possession. Dull as f###.
Wrexham played in the way that I’ve basically taken as the natural way to play since I was a kid in 70’s and 80’s. Get the ball, run with it, quickly give it to someone in front of you – on the floor or over the top – whichever is the better option at the time – player runs as fast as possible to get to the ball – crosses ball into box as quickly as possible – attackers try to get to ball first and attempt to score. This is never not exciting no matter who is doing it or how often – or at whatever level – Prem or at your local park. This was done with an impressive amount of flair and quality by Wrexham. Chelsea on the other hand did this hardly at all – they just kept possession and squeezed until an opportunity arose.
It wasnt the most negative performance by Chelsea – I’ve seen way worse from others this season – but it really did show clearly the stark contrast between the way Prem teams play these days and the way football used to and should still be played today. Ultimately Chelsea won but it certainly wasnt down to their method of playing and their supposed personnel superiority. Were it not for tight VAR decisions, a slip and a red card – things could have been much different. But thats football – its random – its meant to be.
It really was a joy to see that traditional football can compete with the robotic, scientific methods of top level (sadly diluting into lower levels including kids) football. And as I alluded to in a letter last week – this is ultimately down to managers. Phil Parkinson is old school – and he clearly still believes in the football he grew up with and has played and managed his whole career. And its clearly working. We can only hope they stick with him when they get to the Prem rather than thinking they need a trendy modern guy playing trendy modern dull as shit but affective football. Let the players play – not the manager.
I know its sounds patronising but well done Wrexham. Superb performance.
Shunt LFC
READ: Chelsea’s £1.5bn waste exposed despite stumble past Wrexham in Proper FA Cup Tie
Save our Spurs
Jeez I can’t believe how bleak things have become at Spurs. Yes, we’ve been a banter club, blah, blah, but it’s never been this grim… and yet, there’s still hope of survival.
Listening to Spurs podcast ‘View from the Lane’, I agreed with every word they had regarding the current situation: In particular – the total lack of football sense among Spurs directors and ownership at the moment has played a huge role in putting us in this position.
Staying too long with Frank: He could’ve been gone after Nottingham Forest in December, or certainly after losing to West Ham in January. Not this long drawn out nonsense that cost us another crucial month. The bleeding could’ve stopped much earlier before the mood was so toxic. To be honest, the writing should’ve been on the wall after Chelsea and Arsenal before Christmas: Not because of the results… but because of the absolute cowardice in how the team was set up to compete.
Hiring Igor Tudor. I’m not anti-Tudor, and I’m definitely not saying he’s the problem. I’m sure he’s fine in certain scenarios – he’s just so clearly not what was required here. This team is absolutely bankrupt in terms of confidence and positivity. Our problem isn’t about tactics, it’s about total collapse of belief. Spurs needed a Vibes Guy.
If he wasn’t 78, ‘Arry Redknapp would’ve been perfect to put his arm around the players and tell them their ‘triffic lads. That sounds ridiculous but that’s honestly what’s needed. I’ll be honest, the vibes guy I’d have loved after Frank is… Ange Postecoglou. The club would’ve had to swallow some pride but they deserve every bit of humble pie. I know, I know, Ange wasn’t perfect, etc. – but I can guarantee you: If Ange had been manager since mid January, we would not still be winless in 2026. We wouldn’t be chasing top 6, but we wouldn’t be talking about relegation. Ange shouldn’t have been sacked after Europa. In retrospect, we look even more laughable sacking a manager after winning a trophy for the first time in 20 years. Honest to God, if I thought he’d take the job, I’d sack Igor this morning and have Ange in by lunch time.
In the summer, *IF* we survive this calamity… we *need* Mauricio Pochettino back at the helm. And honestly, give him the keys to the kingdom. No Lange, No Vinai, no whoever. Be the ‘Poch’ club, built in his image. He’s the last person at that level who truly sees Tottenham as a winning football club, and we need to give him whatever he needs to succeed. Give him the trust and resources that have been given to Arteta, Emery, Howe.
And finally: If any of our players want to leave in the summer: Let them. I genuinely think we’ve some brilliant players in this squad, but there’s clearly an attitude issue. They’ve done little to rise above the noise and just get shit done. They take lots of responsibility too. So as much as I love Van de Ven, Romero, Bergvall, whoever, if they want out: Go. Spurs will recover with people who want to be high achievers at Spurs.
I can’t stress this enough though: Spurs need to do *Whatever possible* to get out of this mess.
Right, off to light a few more candles for a miracle,
Andy, Spurs, Eire
READ: Igor Tudor set for Premier League infamy after impossibly making Frank’s Spurs worse
