Is Anti-Arsenalism A Reality Or A Myth
ByLike many Arsenal supporters out there, I suffer from an acute case of Arsenalitis. It’s a disease characterized by a deep emotional attachment to anything that has to do with Arsenal football club.
Some of the symptoms include chronic insomnia when the Gunners lose games or draw games we should have won; and frequent bouts of hypertension and anxiety attacks when we feel the club is unfairly being misrepresented in the media.
Despite the responsible thing of managing one’s own health and well-being say by not watching or listening to diatribe – you can’t help but notice the blatant cases of bias against Arsenal.
So is this anti-Arsenalism really a myth, or shall we stop beating around the bush and call it what it is – blatant bias and xenophobia by the establishment towards Arsenal?
Years ago, my Liverpool loving friend Dean asked me why I love Arsenal so much. You see, Dean and I grew up together and we’ve been really close friends for just shy of 30 years.
When we were kids, we played our own leagues in the council estates and equivalents of Hackney Marshes. This was in the early to mid 80s when Liverpool were flying and many of the local neighbourhood teams adopted the names of big clubs like Liverpool and Manchester United, despite the fact that we were lucky to even watch a televised match once a month in our part of the world.
The funny thing is that we knew more about the team we supported and the players of the time, than we did about school work and the local curriculum. Prozone would have been proud of us at the time.
Dean was the local Liverpool’s star. Their Graham Souness, the guy who made them tick. He’s the only footballer who I know will nutmeg you and dribble past 3 players, turn towards you with that impish ”gotcha” smile, before smuggling the ball into the goal from a ridiculously impossible angle.
So I wasn’t the least bit surprised about his allegiance to Liverpool. His question to me about the roots of my allegiance to Arsenal did make me think though.
I suppose the biggest driving factor for me is to do with what Arsenal as a club represents. Victoria Concordia Crescit says it all, but it’s much more than that. It’s about the club’s values and philosophy of openness and opportunity. About the clubs desire to go about things in the right and fair way, and about the clubs patience and determination to develop an ambitious vision, stick to it and work hard at realising it.
There are many aspects of Arsenal’s journey over the last 2 decades that are a reflection of my own journey in life. In the last 18 years in particular I’ve identified more with the Gunners than any other development in my life I guess.
Friends tell me in a way that I’m lucky that my wife is also crazy about football. The down side though is that she’s a diehard Chelsea supporter (yeah! I know) – but I guess we all make sacrifices in life and have to live with the consequences.
Perhaps these are the reasons why I feel more sensitive and aggrieved about the open bias towards Arsenal that I encounter every day from the English football establishment. And it’s not paranoia. I know paranoia, believe me.
I’ll give you 4 examples (and there’s loads more) to illustrate my point.
1. Broadcasting of Arsenal Games on TV or radio
I’ll cite the group stages of the champions league. Out of 6 match days, there’s 24 opportunities that 2 radio stations have to broadcast the commentary for the games involving the 4 English sides.
I’ve used radio as an example because on the specific Tuesday and Wednesday nights of the Champions league match days, I was working and where I was , we can only listen to radio.
Out of the 24 opportunities that both radio stations had, only one Arsenal game – the match day 1 game between Standard Liege and Arsenal was broadcast. In a fair world, you’d expect that more than 1 out of 24 Arsenal games would get air time. In most cases, both stations broadcast the same match involving either Chelsea, Man United or Liverpool.
Don’t even get me started on the debacle of the Sky vs. ITV split that sees Arsenal relegated into broadcasting wilderness.
2. Anally Retentive Commentators.
It’ was refreshing that in his last webcast to Arsenal supporters, Wenger confessed that he rarely watches Arsenal games on TV with the volume on. The outright bias and diatribe the commentators have against Arsenal can drive you loco.
It’s almost like it’s a scripted attempt to brainwash Arsenal fans with negativity. Whether it’s constantly referring to Gallas’s drama at St. Andrews in February 2008, or the application of selective amnesia that blanks out any virtues of the Arsenal game and amplifies Arsenal’s shortcomings; some commentators need to be lynched.
In many cases, commentators have publicly referred to the opposing team as ”our”. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they’re on the opposing team’s payroll, but to be fair, such commentators are just thick.
3. Xenophobia towards Arsenal’s colourful squad
The constant references to Arsenal’s supposed lack of English players is mind numbing and bang out of order. They serve to reinforce stereotypes that promote the dislike of the unknown and the misunderstood, and essentially fuel xenophobia.
The way the non-English mantra is latched on to suggests that there is something inherently wrong with not being English. An argument has been made that the English premier league is actually English in an attempt to justify the xenophobia.
Frankly speaking, in the 21st century, that’s an argument that needs to be filed right between shit and syphilis. There’s no room for that level of ignorance and arrogance for that matter in a game that is prostituted around the world as the best league competition on the planet.
Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the Premier League is only popular in the world because of the myriad of international players and managers in the game. If it was still quintessentially English, the league would still be in the wilderness of the mid 80s to early 90s following the 5 year UEFA ban caused by hooliganism.
Furthermore, the billions of pounds Sky and other TV broadcasters pump into the game is only made possible by the ability to sell broadcasting rights all over the world. The English premier league can’t be a reality without non-English participation.
Inevitably, Arsenal is the whipping boy of this ”you’re not English enough” band wagon. It’s a shame that no one takes notice of the composition of the Arsenal youth and reserves team, and Arsenal’s stellar work in bringing through talented English players for the future.
4. Misguided truths or convenient lies about Arsenal
Take your pick:
- Arsenal don’t have strength and depth
- Arsenal need an English spine to win the EPL
- Arsenal must play ugly to win
- Arsenal can’t hack it if you bully them or kick them off the park
- It’s OK to actually kick them weak and brittle Arsenal players
- Arsenal are broke and there are a poor man’s imitation of the big 2 clubs
- If Arsenal don’t win a trophy this season then Wenger must go
- Wenger is a tight fisted egomaniac who refuses to spend money for big name transfers
- Arsenal are a selling team
You get the picture…
Basically a narrative has been building for several years now to serve the purpose of pigeon holing Arsenal into an also-rans outfit. There will always be a negative edge pursued on any Arsenal story.
A good example is when Andrey Arshavin said that Arsenal needed a miracle to have all their first team players available at the same time. This was swiftly rehashed and reported as “Arshavin says Arsenal need a miracle to win the title”
What is also noticeable is the contempt and disdain that Arsenal and Wenger are held in by the I-Zombies (pundits and hacks) in football. Most of them find it really hard to hide their contempt for all things Arsenal. It’s so pathetic to watch them pretend to be impartial.
It’s true what they say though. If they hate you this much, you must be doing something right. Is choosing to win by playing beautiful football such a bad thing?
Tue 13th September 2011; 19:45, Dortmund
I enjoyed this post enormously Darius.
Obsession with a club; A media that drives supporters round the bend; football lover spouse supporting a rival…..good stuff.
There’s one, and only one, response, speaking of Arsenal, that’s best under the circumstances: Consummate this project with championships, both premier league, and, more ambitiously, Europe.
Let’s see how we emerge from the this run of demanding games. The outlook, one imagines, will be clearer then.
Great post, the champions league broadcasts or lack thereof really pissed me off.
About watching the games with the commentary off, you should try it. I’ve been doing so for the last month and the post match comments I hear on the radio or TV or even from our own fans makes me wonder if I was watching the same game.
Recent example was against Villa, I thought Cesc and Ramsey was our worst players on the pitch and Denilson was quite good rarely gave the ball away and won possession for us a lot. However all I hear is Denilson is not good enough.
As usual Darius, you summarise the reality of supporting Arsenal in a world of strife comprehensively and beautifully. Great article. All Arsenal supporters should print it off and stick it on the wall next to your TV. We should all send another copy to all the broadcast channels as part of a serious complaint about their standards.
Having said that, didn’t you suggest that we should all ignore the bastards and just get on with supporting the greatest team in the land a couple of weeks ago?!!
I know, I know, it’s difficult not to rage against the injustice, isn’t it. I actually attempt not to shout at the TV and radio every time that there is an Arsenal match on these days, not to cite the injustice of it all to consolslel, who is also a football fan. You see, she told me recently that we Arsenal fans always see ourselves as victims. That is another misguided truth and convenient lie about us but it’s very effective because as soon as you open your mouth to complain at yet another calumny, you confirm their argument.
So, I sit now quietly. And stew. Only shouting when we score. Inside the rage burns brighter and brighter.
I am an Arsenal Supporter. I haven’t sworn at Andy Gray for ten days.
Saloner.
Glad you enjoyed the post. It’s only a matter of time before the first pot arrives at Ashburton Grove and that will inevitably open the flood gates.
I think that first trophy will do more than consumate the club with its new cround – it will fill that very big vacuum that will make many fans feel that it’s home.
It’s only a matter of time my friend, and when it comes, as Frank on ACLF says, it’ll be because we win it by a country mile.
Wengerball, I have thought of actually writing in to complain about the Arsenal coverage, but I suppose this blog would do a better job than me writing a letter in.
In a fair and level playing feield, you’d expect that Arsenal get their fair share of air time as an elite English football side.
These broadcasters will even spend thousands of pounds (some of it my TV licence money) to send commentators, producers and soundmen abroad, yet a London Transport travel card for the day will take them to the Emirates and back.
Consolsbob – As you know, I am unashamedly Arsenal through and through.
My son knew how to say Arsenal even before he went to nursery school….LOL! There’s this argument I’ve had with my wife as to whether he’s a Chelsea supporter or an Arsenal supporter. It was swiftly settled by my insistance that unless she’ll be on the terraces with him week in week out, then she should just let this one go.
I know, I know about the dilemma between listening to the biased diatribe and keeping away. And like you, I haven’t sworn at anyone for a long time. Think of it as a strategy to look after my health and well-being.
My wife has her moments. You should see her screaming and cursing out the TV when things don’t go Chelsea’s way. You’d be proud of her…LOL! Sometimes hse’s so nervous she can’t watch the live match and will only watch the replays after she knows the score.
I am trying to find ways of distributing the posts to a wider audience – so anything you can do will help – just use the social networking links or e-mail a friend to help.
Darius you are unstopable, another great post. Loving the passionate support.
Hi Darius.
This is quite a read. For some reason I can’t watch the game without the commentary, not so much the commentary but i like the crowd’s noise.Until recently,Most often than not when we were playing i ended up angry at the commentators because of the stupid things they said about my beloved team.Lately my ears have become accustomed to their criticism and bias such that my brain mutes out everything negative they say.
Wengerball- I raised the issue about Fabrigas not being at his best on Wednesday despite his goal attempt that hit the bar (i attributed this to him having played in the difficult game away to stoke)but most people seemed to disagree, as you said most of us choose what to see and what not.
Excellent article Darius, you’ve definitely scored a bullseye!
I’m in a fortunate position where I can watch Arsenal (and many non-Arsenal) games on tv with the commentary off, and have been doing so for some time now.
It’s well worth it….you’ll be amazed at how much more you can observe and focus on what’s really happening on the pitch, without being distracted or told what to think by the commentator and the iZombie sidekicks.
I think a key part of the anti-Arsenalism is a reaction to Arsene Wenger having the audacity to effectively say to the English football establishment…”many of your elite professional English players are simply not up to scratch, in terms of their technical ability, skill and vision…and I’m not prepared to buy and play them simply because they’re English, and it provides them with a job.
“We now operate in a highly competitive world, and if the available English players are not good enough to play for me (and/or are too expensive) then I’ll find players who are good enough, at the right prices, from elsewhere within the global football economy, and in the meantime, I’ll develop my own English players to the standard and quality that I desire”.
So Arsene has effectively slapped the English powers that be in the face (which they needed…it’s given them a wake-up call to some degree) and attempted (successfully) to raise the standard and quality of footballers that are employed by and play for Arsenal.
Well done Arsene!
Darius, great article. Your summation of our reality is so encapsulating that, had you been a woman, I would marry you instantly no questions asked in the name of Arsenal (though were I a woman, I doubt you’ll want me because I would be too old for you) lol.
Seriously though, the trash coming from some of our own so called fans far outstrip that from the iZombies. That is very disconcerting. Like ‘Wengerball’ said up there, some of our own supporters do not watch our games with open minds. They see what is most often not there because the iZombies have conditioned them to always see it. Psychology calls it Classical Conditioning. They have also conditioned their minds not to see Ramsey’s mistakes on the pitch but to attribute it all to Denilson. Even when Cesc makes errors, it is Denilson’s fault according to this anti-Denilson brigade. One of them even wrote a very big comment blaming Denilson for a game that Arsenal did not win. He commented on how Denilson gave the ball away too much, could not read the game, was easily pushed off the ball, etc. When it was suggested to him that Denilson was not even on the pitch because he was injured, he seemed baffled arguing that even the commentator mentioned that Denilson gave the ball away.
Well, doesn’t that prove your point? The commentators make mistakes (or did they?), the listener, a supposed Arsenal fan, does not have a mind of his own enough to believe his own eyes. Isn’t it almost subliminal?
For me, I have realised that the only way to treat these people is to enclose them in their ignorance. Just like the rest of the world barracked them away when they thought hooliganism was a virtue. By the time they pull their heads out of their asses, the world will be a completely changed place.
UEFA is actively trying to push the Spanish League ahead of the English League. If care is not taken, they will be nowhere, in no time. That will be sad; I do not want anything to affect my beloved Arsenal.
ooh haha! nice one a very nice one love it. ur wife’s a chelsea fan? must be tough…
Couldn’t be more true, Darius. I have never tried keeping the television on mute, but should try now.
Will tell you of a rather incredulous discussion with a few friends, and the extent of the mindwash.
I was once having a heated debate with a few friends, all ManU supporters. And the basis of the discussion moved into them arguing why Arsenal needs a core of British players to succeed, why that is the only way to achieve success in the Premier League, et al, the standard media hogwash.
Here’s the fun part. My friends and I are all Indian, have stayed in India nearly all our 30 or so years of existence, and have physically visited the clubs we support a handful of times at the most. And these are smart, well-educated, supposedly intelligent folks. How much brainwash is this, really? As they say, if a lie is repeated enough times, it becomes the truth.
Chelsea’s core is as much Carvalho and Cech as Terry. As much Lampard as Drogba. And Essien more than anyone else. Is Vidic a lesser part of ManU’s core than Ferdinand? Did Ronaldo and Tevez contribute much less than Rooney in the last three years of ManU’s League dominance?
And to clarify my plastic origins, I consider myself a serious Arsenal supporter, and not a fan. I am from India, and was born a fan of Mohun Bagan, a local club, and the best, I will claim, in India. Green-Maroon runs through my veins, and Red-White occupies a lot of the mind. I feel bitter and empty after an Arsenal defeat, and probably worse after a Mohun Bagan one.
Wow. Literally the best.
Darius, I really hope you get paid properly because your’s is the kind of depth, insight, and understanding sorely missing from sporting news — especially here in the US. It’s great being a Gunner, particularly when we have such a well-thought-out advocate like Mr. Stone.
A classic example of the anti Arsenal agenda occurred to me today while listening to Talksh**e radio this evening (which is nearly always a mistake). They were discussing the vile chanting directed at Arsene by opposing fans. It has taken 13 years to become a topic of conversation and it was only on air today because Ferguson has spoken out against it. You would think it incumbent on the football authorities, league managers association and the media to do something about this but the fact that it is directed at a Frenchman means that the xenophobic establishment are happy to ignore it. Just look at how they all jump to defend Redknapp, Allardyce, Hughes and all the other British managers – it makes me sick.
An cool blog post there mate ! Cheers for the post .