Arsenal have quite simply lived rent-free in the heads of so many fans of our typical rivals. Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool fans have throughout the season questioned with puzzled expressions how Arsenal could have gone from eighth, to fifth and now to potentially first so quickly whilst overtaking their own projects and in some cases, “cough” Chelsea and Liverpool, watch as the mistakes made by them lead their clubs further and further down the table.
It's perhaps introductions like this to articles and similar smug tweets from other Gunners supporters that get on the nerves of our fellow rival fans and spark such disdain. I have a sudden sense of awareness for the Liverpool-supporting editor who will be reading this and inevitably rolling his eyes.
This Arsenal arrogance has been a long time coming and we’ve earned it after the years of stick and equally irritating arrogance of our rivals with very little outside of historic records and FA Cup glories to come back with alongside our assertion that this project will, to steal Mikel Arteta’s words, “bang!” But this is exactly what football is all about and after years of infighting at Arsenal due to the club’s purgatorial placement in the league between third and eighth without much hope to challenge the dominant force that is Manchester City, I am glad to say is all but over; or at least I desperately hope is.
READ MORE: Manchester City should worry as Arsenal go to Anfield like few others to show title ambition
But there is more to the desire of the majority of rival fans, I say majority based on simply the perception of the online and media-based responses we’ve witnessed this season than just a tribal dislike of the wry smiles on the faces of Gooners up and down the country. Arsenal potentially winning the league is a seriously damaging proposition to these clubs.
Every season we as Arsenal supporters have been worried that the next year will see the likes of Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool etc spend more, get stronger and make it even tougher for us to make it back to where we want to be. However, football doesn’t work based on who spends the most otherwise Chelsea might’ve invented a whole new trophy by now.
Success is a combination of factors which admittedly do lean on financial might but also the quality of the coaching staff, executive decision-makers, recruitment, social principles in the squad, player development and in-game management amongst plenty more. Should Arsenal win the league this season, based on everything we’ve seen and the age profile of the squad and the financial benefit coming the club’s way this does not look like a one-off.
Even if Arsenal don’t win the league, the process established by Mikel Arteta and those around him isn’t going anywhere. There are ambitions to win the race for Declan Rice in the transfer market, once thought reserved for the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City and other big names continue to be talked about in relation to the Gunners.
Huge bids have been made for Mykhailo Mudryk and Moises Caicedo and whilst unsuccessful, fans can expect these not to suddenly stop. Perhaps there’s hope if Arsenal don’t win the league some of these targets, and others unknown, suddenly won’t be as attracted to the project; although I believe that’s a bit of a stretch.
That said, the less expensive moves have showcased the excellent preparation for signings that sees the current Arsenal starting eleven top out at less than £300 million invested in the group. Aaron Ramsdale, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Magalhães, William Saliba, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Martinelli all cost sub-£35m, brilliant.
Put that in comparison to Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd’s best starting XI’s and you can see just how well the talent identification and youth development is in the red-and-white half of north London. Yet even if the project can continue to grow without winning it, there’s a view that missing out on the league would somewhat stunt that flow to some degree and hence the yearning for Arsenal’s title challenge to falter.
There’s also the element of us Arsenal lot being something of a reactive bunch. Arsenal missing out on the title could spark a meltdown the likes of football Twitter has never seen… even though it shouldn’t. After getting over the immediate crippling disappointment I’ll be reflecting on what has been a blessing of a year filled with drama, dreams and ultimately great football from a team destined to continue onward and upward.
What are your thoughts on the title race? Leave a comment to join the debate!
READ NEXT:
Supercomputer predicts Premier League title race outcome as Man City hold advantage over Arsenal
Linesman involved in Andy Robertson clash during Liverpool vs Arsenal finally breaks his silence
Man City handed fresh title race boost as Premier League make Arsenal fixture schedule decision
Why Arsenal hold clear Premier League title advantage over Man City despite Anfield slip-up
Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: All the latest news, views and rumours from the Emirates Stadium
