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Top 4 still on IF Arsenal beat Manchester United

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How far have they fallen?

That is my first thought when the likes of Sky Sports attempt to big up this Sunday’s game against Manchester United like it is a massive game.

Back 15 years ago, clashes between Manchester United and Arsenal were one of the key fixtures of the season. 1st v 2nd. The winner often defined the title race. The 2016/17 version of the game is simply a foot note in the Premier League. Both teams outside of the top 4, between them making 6th place their own this season.

In the late 90’s / early 00’s, Arsenal and Manchester United were the two best sides in the country. Now they are not even the two best sides in their respective cities. Their dramatic fall is akin to Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour. No longer a force. In a downward spiral.

Arsenal have not won the league since 2004, and barely been competitive in the Premiership since then. This will be Manchester United’s 4th season without as league title – for a club who won 13 from 20 that is a long time.

It is the fall from grace of Manchester United that should be a warning to all clubs that success is temporary. Having won 7 out of 9 Premier League titles in the later years of Sir Alex Ferguson, their recent finishes of 7th, 4th & 5th, coupled with a likely finish of 5/6th this further highlights how consistently brilliant they were under Ferguson.

The season is not yet over, however. Despite both being poor, neither side is a million miles from Liverpool or Manchester City.

If all sides win their game in hand, there will be 3 points separating Liverpool in 3rd and Arsenal in 6th. And that is what makes this weekend key for Arsenal and Manchester United. Win and you still have a chance in the top 4, lose and you might as well pack up now and head to the bench.

The ironic thing is despite a poor league form this year, the sides could end up splitting 3 trophies between them. Manchester United have already won the League Cup, and have one foot in the UEFA Cup final, whilst Arsenal have a season ending clash with Chelsea at Wembley to look towards.

For all the talk, all the progression of the likes of Liverpool and Spurs, they will both finish the season without a trophy, whilst their big rivals could point to silverware in the cabinet, albeit with minor trophies.

With Jose Mourinho talking about resting players for this weekend, Arsenal are favourites to win on Sunday with Betvictor Bookmakers Review having Arsenal at Evens to win. If they win, top 4 is on. A lose for either side and they might as well rest players for the rest of the league campaign for their (potential) upcoming cup finals.

Keenos

When was the last time your club won a trophy?

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The fall out from this season continues. A lot of talk about progression over trophies and that Spurs finishing 2nd is a more successful season than Arsenal winning the FA Cup (if they do) got me thinking.

We had a decade of the media going mad every time Arsenal got knocked out of a competition. An extra year added to the Years Arsenal have gone without a trophy spreadsheet. And the press are already counting the years since the last league title.

Now whilst the decade of Arsenal not winning a trophy and 13 years without a league title is too long, and each year hurts, I do notice a double standard.

No other side in English football has their Years since they won something documented as much as Arsenal. So I put together a little bar chart. And this then expanded to a few more bar charts. Some of you might find it interesting reading. Others will probably say I am just trying to deflect from the criticism of Arsene Wenger and justify our failures using other clubs failures.

Whatever your thoughts or agenda, the below does make interesting reading:

Spurs win their cup final whilst Arsenal chase real honours

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It is all a bit hilarious, a tad cringey, one big joke. As Spurs fans started to sing “North London is Ours”, “Arsenal mind the gap” and “Arsene Wenger we want you to stay” I struggled not to laugh.

Yes, Spurs have been superior than Arsenal this season. They have built a good side on a low budget, spending a lot less than those around them in transfer fees and wages. They have played a brand of attacking football which has also been offset with a defensive steel. They will finish the season with a goal difference of 50+.

But ultimately, and Spurs fans seem to forget this fact, Spurs will finish trophyless once more. They do not get a trophy for finishing 2nd.

The way their fans have gone on this season, you would think they have won a historic treble:

  1. Highest Domestic Attendance in English Football Cup
  2. The Finishing Above Arsenal Trophy
  3. PFA Young Player of the Year

The reality is, these are all meaningless if you do not end the season lifting a major honour. Yesterday was Spurs’s cup final. It was their most important game of the season, just like it is every year over the last 3 decades.

And like the majority of seasons over the last 30 years, Arsenal have more important fixtures on the horizon. We have real finals to play, real honours to challenge for.

Yes, Spurs have finished above Arsenal once in 22 years, but they have:

  • Won nothing for the 10th season in a row
  • Failed to win the FA Cup for the 26th consecutive season – losing their 7th FA Cup Semi Final in a row
  • Not won the league for 56 years

To put it in perspective, since Spurs last finished above Arsenal – 1995 – Arsenal have won 3 league titles. That is more than Spurs have won in their history.

So well done Spurs, you might have finished above Arsenal for the 1st time in 22 years. There will be DVD’s, open top bus parades, Spurs fans will talk about the 2016/17 season for years to come. The season they finished above Arsenal. But the history books will have it down as just another season when Spurs won nothing.

This is the best Spurs side in half a century. They have won nothing, yet talk about it being a successful season.

The worst Arsenal side in a quarter of a century could end up with the FA Cup, and fans will be disappointing, see it as a failure.

And that highlights the lack of a power shift. Arsenal fans see an FA Cup final as a season of failure, Spurs fans see winning nothing as a season of success.

As for Mauricio Pochettino, in 8 years of management, he has won nothing…

Spurs, well done, you finished finished second.

There are no prizes for second place. You are just the first loser.

Keenos