Are we too obsessed with Arsenal?

[dimiSpur]

Imagine this:

It's January and Spurs are 5th in the table, 6 points off second place. We are also in the last 16 of the Champions League. Arsenal, meanwhile, are somewhere in midtable, about 8 or 9 points behind and Arteta's future is in turmoil. City meanwhile are top, running away with the League playing their easy on the eye style of football.

Do we think that under those circumstances, serious questions would be asked of the manager? Do we think that chants for the owners and/or Levy to pack up and leave would be heard during matches?

Personally, I think it would be a lot milder than it currently is and we would not be so panicky.

My point is, all the hypotheticals above are actually all factually correct today as we stand, with the exception of course being that Arsenal are top and seemingly pissing their way to a league title. And it's clearly that meteoric rise that has us rattled even more than our own fortunes.

I hasten to add at this stage that I too am actively calling for ENIC to depart. I think their time is at an end.

But my question is, are we too obsessed with those ****s up the road? Do we, as a Club and a fanbase, measure our happiness based, to an alarmingly high level, on comparisons between Spurs and Arsenal? That meaning we'd be more content being 6th right now if they were 7th?

I think we are and I am guilty of it too. I hate Arsenal almost as much as I love Tottenham. But is that right and should we perhaps try and self-evaluate those feelings? I say this to end on this note: Yes things are bad, but are they as bad as our mood would suggest? A couple of wins on the bounce and we are in the CL race, which, let's face it, is some overachievement given our squad.

Food for thought that I thought might need its own thread.

 

[EastUpperDK82]

Yes... I hate Arsenal very much too... that's fine.

But what about our strategy ?? ... are we backing Conte ? ... are we not ? ... do we want to continue with him ? ... are we serious about challenging for honours ? ... Or do we have other ideas ?... who says something... ? ... fans are confused... nothing is happening... again... and it's just frustrating. It kills my passion for this season. And worries me.

That's it really...

 

[cjbyid]

Yeah I don't particularly care about arsenal and what they do and if they'll win the league. Least of our worries.

More concerned about our shitshow behind the scenes and on the pitch.

 

[Trotter]

It may have a little to do with Arsenal, however there really are no differences between now and with Nuno last year (when crowd were wanting Levy out then), in fact the football under Nuno was probably better and more cohesive than it has been for long period this season.
at the time it was felt that this was last chance saloon for Levy, his appointment of Conte really has been disastrous and final straw.
All that is happening with Arsenal is what should/could have happened with us if we didn’t appoint 3 anti-football managers in a row, and that is what grates most, we have had to put up with dreadful football now for too long. Levy is at fault however Conte has compounded the issue

 

[ILS]

I don't see why . Yes they're the local rivals and will always have that rivalry with them but the only thing that is really comparable is the stadium size.

They are a bigger club than us whether people want to admit it or not, who have won more trophies, pay bigger wages and at this moment are in a better position in regards the league table.

We have done tremendously well to achieve what we have in respect of league positions over the last 10 years with the cards that have been dealt. I remember being there for the FC Twente match at home thinking "take this in..it may never get any better". The only downside for me is that I felt we should have a couple of trophies to show for it but football works in cycles and always has done.

This could well be Arsenal peak years again but for a team that has spent what they have, to not win the league for 18 years is also a joke and the FA cup victories have glossed over that period of failure by the media.

At the end of day if they end up winning the league, they have done it the right way and we need to concentrate on ourselves and only ourselves.

 

[Blake Griffin]

maybe but then football is about winning and if we're not doing that then the next best outcome is that arsenal don't either.

if you offered me these two scenarios:

a) arsenal 1st spurs 4th
b) arsenal 2nd spurs 14th

i'm taking option b.

 

[spursfan1991]

maybe but then football is about winning and if we're not doing that then the next best outcome is that arsenal don't either.

if you offered me these two scenarios:

a) arsenal 1st spurs 4th
b) arsenal 2nd spurs 14th

i'm taking option b.

You are right, i have ordered my arab clothing in support of Man City on thursday night. I feel like we have gone back to the 90s when the best moments in our season was Arsenal messing it up against someone else.

 

[Duke of Northumberland]

I don't see why . Yes they're the local rivals and will always have that rivalry with them but the only thing that is really comparable is the stadium size.

They are a bigger club than us whether people want to admit it or not, who have won more trophies, pay bigger wages and at this moment are in a better position in regards the league table.

We have done tremendously well to achieve what we have in respect of league positions over the last 10 years with the cards that have been dealt. I remember being there for the FC Twente match at home thinking "take this in..it may never get any better". The only downside for me is that I felt we should have a couple of trophies to show for it but football works in cycles and always has done.

This could well be Arsenal peak years again but for a team that has spent what they have, to not win the league for 18 years is also a joke and the FA cup victories have glossed over that period of failure by the media.

At the end of day if they end up winning the league, they have done it the right way and we need to concentrate on ourselves and only ourselves.

Many fans are over concerned I'd say with them.

I'd say we're as 'big' as each other- I think people think of bigness as numbers of social media followers which is not really much of an indication of anything more than casual interest.

Historical trophies don't count for much, as we all know.

Wasn't there a table of wages recently showing we pay more than them?

You're right that if they end up winning the league it's actually good for football, the EPL and clubs like us, because they've basically copied our strategy but in a different order, which appears to have worked at this point. Build the new stadium for extra revenues, support a young manager who likes young players and invest from the stadium revenues. Unfortunately we built the stadium the same time as having the young manager and didn't have the revenues for the team. Since then we're desperately hiring 'proven winners' to win something with what's left of his team and the buying has been hit and miss.

 

[ILS]

maybe but then football is about winning and if we're not doing that then the next best outcome is that arsenal don't either.

if you offered me these two scenarios:

a) arsenal 1st spurs 4th
b) arsenal 2nd spurs 14th

i'm taking option b.

What if we added option C) we win the Fa Cup after beating them in the semi final and they win the League?

Sound Familiar....

 

[mil1lion]

Never really fussed about Arsenal until we play them or if they're in a match where they can win a title
Other than that I honestly don't think about them and have never joined any of the chants

 

[dontcallme]

Arsenal doing so well certainly does make this season more of a downer for me. Just like I'm sure when Arteta was taking them to 8th they wanted to "trust the process" at the same time as hating seeing us finish in the top 4.

But ultimately my displeasure this season is at being told Levy was stepping back to allow a DOF and a world class manager to run the football side of things only to show he can never let go. I've resigned myself to us never going the extra mile or supporting the manager and we'll be treading water until things change at board level.

 

[dimiSpur]

maybe but then football is about winning and if we're not doing that then the next best outcome is that arsenal don't either.

if you offered me these two scenarios:

a) arsenal 1st spurs 4th
b) arsenal 2nd spurs 14th

i'm taking option b.

So would I. That's why I opened this thread. Collective self therapy. Is it healthy?!

 

[WhiteStripe]

Imagine this:

It's January and Spurs are 5th in the table, 6 points off second place. We are also in the last 16 of the Champions League. Arsenal, meanwhile, are somewhere in midtable, about 8 or 9 points behind and Arteta's future is in turmoil. City meanwhile are top, running away with the League playing their easy on the eye style of football.

Do we think that under those circumstances, serious questions would be asked of the manager? Do we think that chants for the owners and/or Levy to pack up and leave would be heard during matches?

Personally, I think it would be a lot milder than it currently is and we would not be so panicky.

My point is, all the hypotheticals above are actually all factually correct today as we stand, with the exception of course being that Arsenal are top and seemingly pissing their way to a league title. And it's clearly that meteoric rise that has us rattled even more than our own fortunes.

I hasten to add at this stage that I too am actively calling for ENIC to depart. I think their time is at an end.

But my question is, are we too obsessed with those ****s up the road? Do we, as a Club and a fanbase, measure our happiness based, to an alarmingly high level, on comparisons between Spurs and Arsenal? That meaning we'd be more content being 6th right now if they were 7th?

I think we are and I am guilty of it too. I hate Arsenal almost as much as I love Tottenham. But is that right and should we perhaps try and self-evaluate those feelings? I say this to end on this note: Yes things are bad, but are they as bad as our mood would suggest? A couple of wins on the bounce and we are in the CL race, which, let's face it, is some overachievement given our squad.

Food for thought that I thought might need its own thread.

The questions I am asking of Levy, ENIC and to a lesser extent Conte have absolutely nothing to do with Arsenal position in the league. I have questioned the former for years, finally it would appear that the tide is turning. Daniel Levy always talks the talk, but that is all it is. Enough. Arsenal have zero to do with it.

 

[H-SF]

Yeah I don't particularly care about arsenal and what they do and if they'll win the league. Least of our worries.

More concerned about our shitshow behind the scenes and on the pitch.

Yeh. Shocked by people saying they’d like to lose twice to City. Arsenal will probably win it anyway and 6 points (yes I know it’s not happening) would completely turn our season around.

 

[Black]

It wouldn't be an issue if our team was playing football we were happy with.

 

[Danfunkel]

Don’t care about them, only when we play each other.

I dislike Chelsea a lot more. Chelsea winning stuff bugs me far more than Arsenal considering how far behind they were back before the money era. Plus battle of the bridge etc. Arsenal will never be that for me, they’re just another club.

 

[Trent Crimm]

Yes.

 

[sparx100]

I hate them with a passion. However they have continued to win silverware for a sustained period, have a decent set of young players and a style of play that the fans appreciate.

We on the other hand have had a long period of opportunity which we have failed to capitalise on other than qualifying for the champions league.

I am not obsessed with them but it is difficult not to appreciate the way in which they have started the season.

 

[NickHSpurs]

I don’t give a shiny shit where they are in the league, it’s our performances that worry me most, plus the horrible football I’ve unfortunately already paid to watch and the fact we have a manager that is putting his own stubbornness ahead of the team and doesn’t seem to have any flexibility at all.

The same manager that won’t commit to us whilst also expecting us to go out and back him in the transfer market and for potential signings to ignore the fact he probably won’t be here in six months.

We have no direction from top to bottom.

 

[Kingellesar]

Arsenal doing well just adds insult to injury.

Taking out league positions for a moment, they are doing everything we thought we would be doing after pinching that CL spot from them.

They backed the manager in the summer
They continued to play with a young team
They are playing good attractive football

Sure, we bought in the summer but we still didn’t address the cb issue, for a club wanting to play with 3 CBs, we should have quality in depth at that position.

They seem to have had a project in place that has had a lot of lows but it has now turned a direction which unfortunately looks a very positive one for them, I don’t think many people saw this coming and lets all hope the real Arsenal of the last 3/4 seasons comes back out but it looks less and less likely. They backed him, when he could have been sacked on so many occasions, he had some horrendous runs / results that not many people would have survived but there we go.

The biggest gripe I have is that City gave them two players to strengthen them…thinking they weren’t a threat…then go and lose stupid games themselves.