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Arsenal are good again, and despite the 'banter years' which were largely silent, their return to the top seems too much for the critics to bear.
There is a very good chance that Arsenal could go on to win the Premier League this season and end a painful 22-year-long wait for the ultimate goal. However, it seems to be a reality that many in the football world and community are finding it difficult to come to terms with.
Rage bait, a term used to describe content which is designed to engage a reader or watcher by making them agitated, irritated or angry and at the very least, click on the video, podcast or written piece, is prominent. It works… look! Here I am talking about it.
Discussions around the side that have been the most dominant force, not just domestically but in Europe as well, seemingly centre around a facet of unworthiness. In the sense that the style and substance are not that of a team who should be able to lift the biggest trophies in the game.
For the record, having watched Arsenal for the majority of my 30-plus years of existence, it’s been worse than this, much worse. Finishing eighth (twice), knocked out by Unai Emery’s Villarreal in a European semi-final, Shkodran Mustafi, Sebastian Squillaci, an away record against the “Big Six” which was frankly laughable, Kim Kallstrom’s medical, Birmingham City, misidentification, Yaya Sanogo, the trophy drought, Yann M’Vila, You Spend We Spend and smoking in the showers.
Yet despite all that, Arsenal appear to be criticised more now than ever before. Why? It really is quite simple, because they’re good.
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This is an Arsenal team that has managed to put ten goals past Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan in this season's UEFA Champions League. They currently have the second-highest number of goals in the Premier League this season and are now in a League Cup final, having put four past Chelsea over two legs.
Yet, whether it is former Premier League players, some of the club’s rivals, or even former Arsenal stars, there have been numerous examples of scrutiny and criticism that have followed Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal side throughout the season so far.
Even before the campaign started, former club captain Tony Adams claimed the club would never win the league with Martin Odegaard as skipper. The Norwegian has emerged as the latest scapegoat, it seems, despite suffering four separate injuries this season.
Some reports have even tried to suggest a rift between the Norwegian and Arteta. You should be unsurprised to learn that football.london understands these are obviously wide of the mark.
Former Manchester United defender turned pundit Gary Neville in commentary was seething after Gabriel Martinelli wrongfully misinterpreted a Conor Bradley injury for time-wasting, attempting to push him off the field after replays showed the defender appearing to edge back onto it.
"I don't know how the Liverpool players didn't go over and absolutely whack him to be honest with you and take a red card,” Neville said. “Absolutely disgraceful, that."
I mean… this one needs little commentary. Considering the amount of youngsters likely watching the game at home with commentary, what message that is sending is simply too ridiculous to even attempt any defence of.
Another ex-Man United player Paul Scholes was forced to renege on comments suggesting Arsenal would be the worst side to win the Premier League. Ian Wright was thankfully on hand to put him firmly in his place and remind him of the Manchester United side that won the league with just 75 points.
To beat that, Arsenal would need 26 points from the remaining 42 points available. If that is indeed even the measure of the supposed “worst to win it” leaderboard.
It wasn’t much of a U-turn from Scholes; however, he corrected himself to claim Arsenal would be the “most boring” instead. Arsenal have played the highest defensive line in the league this season on average, and are playing against the deepest average defensive line.
When Arsenal lost 1-0 at Anfield earlier in the season, another former Manchester United star of the 1996/97 team, Peter Schmeichel, went as far as to say: "I have never in my life ever wanted a team to win a game of football more than Liverpool today. Arsenal bring an ugly brand of football to our game!"
Arsenal had one more shot than Liverpool at Anfield that day, and won the expected goals battle too (Liverpool (0.34xG) 1-0 (0.39xG) Arsenal). Perhaps it was the five extra corners the Gunners won over the Reds that riled the Dane so much. We may never know.
But, perhaps people should start looking at the bigger picture of the Premier League and how sides are setting up to defend desperately and deep, stifling any creativity. They won’t… but no harm in making the suggestion.
Frankly, it does not matter how Arsenal win this league; they just need to make sure they do. I actually feel as though the mental burden that has built over these last few years is being lifted, might even go some way to giving the side a boost like no other, sparking an ascension to an even higher level of dominance than we’re seeing now.
For now, all the “noise” needs to be fuel. It needs to energise and propel this team forward and make the taste of success all the sweeter come May and June.
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