NICK FEINBERG: Arsenal must be renamed ‘Arsey’
HELLO my good football people, guess you’re back into the swing of things as we find ourselves into 2025 post the festive!
I tell you what. There was a festive buzz in my house on Sunday as my boys and a couple of mates were over watching the football.
What is it about Arsenal that makes most people really dislike them?
Okay, so my two mates were Manchester United fans but we’re a Chelsea household, however we all wanted United to hold on and beat the Gunners on penalties.
I have poisoned my own a bit, as most of you’ll know, I’m from north London and grew to hate Spurs and Arsenal as my brothers and myself were the only Chelsea fans in the area.
It’s strange, when Chelsea weren’t playing on a Saturday or a game was postponed, I’d often find myself at Highbury or White Heart Lane, but those moments never diluted my dislike of them.
I remember being in the North Bank at Highbury and when United scored, I crouched down and shook my fists in celebration. My mate Bob refused to give me a lift home!
Sunday felt the same. Don’t get me wrong I don’t like United either, but their entitled, cocky behaviour has long been beaten out of them since the largely disastrous post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Arsenal fans, on the other hand, (generally) have become so painfully annoying over the last few years, you just want them to fail miserably, especially after showing so much promise.
No one cares that they pushed Manchester City close in the title race, and the quality of football on show at the moment is stale to say the least, so why the arrogance?
On top of all that there’s the AFTV brigade who switch their opinions week-to-week, of course its #ArtetaOut right now.
I do get their frustration, after another great season (last term), no trophies, but accumulating a huge 89 points (playing attractive football), you’d have expected them to kick on, buy a few players and avoid another last-gasp choke.
It’s ironic that Tottenham aren’t really “Spursy” anymore. They win half lose half, no chance of success - okay, they stand a chance of the League Cup this season - but bottling it at the last hurdle ain’t really a thing.
That title is owned front and centre by Arsenal… lets call it “Arsey” for now!
But what went wrong? Why have Mikel Arteta’s side gone backwards this season? A season where their rivals over the last few years (City) have finally popped.
Yes, they were short of a goalie or two and secured Neto from Bournemouth and David Raya from Brentford - f**k, I’ve never seen a keeper sell himself so early for a penalty like he did on Sunday - and yes, they were light at the back considering the form of a couple of defenders like Oleksandr Zinchenko so Riccardo Califiori was prized from Bologna.
All of that for another £100 million, taking his spending to £780m. But it was obvious to everyone that the issue of goal scoring, or the lack of a great finisher had cost them the title. I rate Arteta, find him extremely irritating, but he has of course done really well.
But he’s the second-highest paid manager in England at a club that is the most expensive to watch in Europe… do the fans deserve better?
And why has he kept with the peculiar idea that Kai Havertz can fill the role of a striker? Did he not watch the “silky German” flounder for three years at the Bridge?
Or was his goal that won Chelsea the Champions League the only moment that stuck? Either way, he ain’t all that. Lots of promise, but a k*k attitude.
His ‘performance’ against United on Sunday was shocking! But beautiful-mascara-eyes Arteta and his massive ego just won’t compromise. He chose Havertz and he is the coach who is able to create a world class striker out of him. That ain’t happening mate.
And then you look at the front three who finished the game off on Sunday - against 10 men who’d been running extra hard for over an hour - Havertz, Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling. No man, second tier. As is the form of Gabriel Martinelli.
Gabriel Jesus runs hot and cold and without the injured Bakayo Saka, these flop merchants aren’t winning the league. And to top it all, they’re also properly boring to watch these days.
The football that lit up the league over the last few seasons has been replaced with a more conservative approach, relying on set pieces and the “dark arts”.
Players have lost the fight and passion of last season and a top four finish should be the target. When one of the Premier League’s worst players Zig-Zag (Joshua Zirkzee) or whatever his name is, slotted the winning penalty, the room exploded! The pleasure was almost at Chelsea-win level.
We’ve said it before and been wrong, but that game could be pivotal for Ruben Amorim’s season. The never-say-die attitude, the generally solid defence and the threat up front even after the sending off were noticeable. I hope for my United friends the pain eases up a bit!
As for my Gooner buddies… sit down and shut up for 10 minutes.
Couple of shouts... big-up to Harry Maguire, big performance and David Moyes, “welcome home”. It’s a bit of a strange appointment but I always liked him at Everton.
A few all-Premier League match up’s in the fourth round, but nothing to wet the appetite, (unless Leeds play Millwall). Meanwhile, huge game tomorrow as Liverpool go to Forest and, Arsenal have to lift themselves for the visit of Tottenham, otherwise known as the Arsey, Spursy derby.
Be good, chat next week, bye bye.