We go to Liverpool, play defensively looking to hit our opponents on the counter, lose 1-nil to a freak free-kick and are heavily criticised for the way we approached the game.
Manchester City come to Arsenal, play defensively looking to hit us on the break, draw 1-1 and are praised for the way they approached the game.
Thousands are cancelling Sky Sports every week, and it is not just due to the cost. Their agenda driven pundits who change their viewpoint depending on who is playing has also created a fatigue in football analysis. At least from a mainstream stand point.
The likes of Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher flip flop on every issue depending on who they are talking about. And when it comes to The Arsenal they will always look to paint us in a negative light, and our opponents in a postive.
Last season they criticised Arsenal for drawing against Manchester City, having had less time to prepare for the game following a mid-week trip to Italy, and being down to 10-men for the entire half.
This season it is all praise for Manchester City for drawing away from home having had less rest, whilst having 11 men for the entire game and taking the lead so early on.
A Manchester City of 4 or 5 years ago would have built on their early goal. Instead, they sat back and looked to defend the lead. And they have been praised for doing so..
We all know negativity sells. And we all know that writing or talking about The Arsenal gets more hits (and therefore ad revenue) then any other club in the Premier League.
This morning, the Daily Mirror have led with the headline Ex-Arsenal striker in coma with brain injury after horrific head collision during match. It is a headline that will quickly rise to the top of NewsNow and get everyone clicking.
The player in question was former Arsenal youngster Billy Vigar, who left us last summer and joined Step 3 side Chichester City.
Yes, Vigar was in our youth set up, but for the Mirror to use this horrific incident and his connection with us to generate ad revenue is crass. They would not have written the story had he not been a former Arsenal academy lad. And this just highlights that it is all about associating Arsenal with any incident to generate those clicks.
Papers have a history of using “ex-Arsenal star” in their headlines to generate that review, just like they did when Jay Emmanuel Thomas was jailed over a £600,000 drug smuggling plot.
JET played 5 times for Arsenal in a career that saw him make 384 appearances, inlduing over 100 for Bristol City. “Ex-Bristol City star” just doesn’t generate that revenue though.
We also had the Ex-Arsenal striker jailed for ‘chilling’ behaviour towards scared ex-girlfriend. Once again our name being used to make money. This time it was Anthony Stokes who made one appearance for us. He played just the 191 times for Celtic. But playing for small clubs does not matter as it does not get the clicks.
This agenda really does turn you off. And it was why so many like myself no longer listen to TalkSport or read newspapers.
It is clear and obvious what these outlets are doing, but still some fans eat it up and use it to fuel their own hatred towards their club.
In the last 24-hours we have been criticised for daring to celebrate a 93rd minute equaliser, and not picking the ball up and running back to the half way line. For a start, this is untrue as Martin Zubimendi attempted to grab the ball, was wrestled to the floor by City before making his way back to the half way line.
“You would not get Man City to celebrate. Their players would have gone straight back to the halfway line” was the line being peddled by many. Yet we all remember the incident a year ago when John Stones scored. Erling Haaland had the ball in his hands and decided to throw it against Gabriel’s head rather than run it back. He was priased by many pundits for showing passion.
“Liverpool never celebrate draws, that is why they are winners.” Yet not so long ago Liverpool players, being encouraged by Jurgen Klopp, celebrated a 2-2 draw with West Brom like they had just won the league.
The celebration police have been around for a long time. I do not get the criticism of any team or their fans that decides to celebrate a goal. Especially one in the closing stages of a game where they have been dominating but could not get the breakthrough.
On Sunday, the entire stadium erupted when it went to 1-1. Every Arsenal fan in the ground celebrated. So it was disheartening to see, when scrolling through social media on my train journey home, some fans crtisicing us.
They are the fans that sit at home and watch on the tele, phone in hand ready to moan for e-likes (note: not every fan watching on TV is like this, it is a minority), they are the fan that at 80 minutes would have left the ground to return to the pub. Those sort of fans that do not support and back the team for the 90 minutes (plus whatever stoppage time there is).
When we equalised, you should have celebrated no matter where you were watching. If you instead decided to take to social media and moan that players and fans were celebrating, then you are the one with the problem. I do not think football is for you.
We had one clown on the Facebook page claim that the final whistle was met with boos from Arsenal fans. When it was pointed out that no one booed, his response was “well you must not have been at the game”. As the conversation continued, he claimed that “my mates in block 95 told me they booed”. Imagine lying on the internet to strangers.
And that is where we are now. So many people, fans and pundits, are driven by the endorphine hit of e-likes that they will peddle whatever crap they think of in an attempt to get that attention or that rise out of someone. We welcome all views on the Facebook page, but those that are clearly lying in an attempt to paint our club in a negative light are quickly dealt with and banned. I only wish Arsenal would do the same with certain journalists.
2nd in the league. Only Liverpool with their incredible 100% record ahead of us. 6 games played in all competitions, 4 wins, 12 goals and just 2 conceded. It baffles me how anyone can be sitting their moaning.
We go again tomorrow!
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 