Why English Media’s Bias Against Arsenal Is Unfair

Arsenal has fallen easy prey to the vultures in the English media on countless occasions. It looks as if there is a campaign to malign the north London club despite their enviable contributions to the game in the country. Many of the papers and electronic media alike have always found something to pick on the Gunners, mostly for the wrong reasons.

Recently spurs have had an upturn of results especially following the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino. This has seen them finish above Arsenal in the table for two successive seasons. As a consequence, many a pundit have come out full-blooded in praise of Tottenham and how the Lily Whites are now closer than ever to usurping Arsenal to become the bigger club. Well, I find that laughable! It shows just how biased and/or excited people can get. Taking the mantle of a bigger club doesn’t happen overnight. Just because Spurs have finished above Arsenal twice in as many years doesn’t make them bigger or close to being bigger!

There are so many factors at play here. The history, the trophies, the annual revenue, the valuation of the club, the global appeal, the social media following, etc.

Today, many have jumped on the bandwagon that Liverpool are going to win the league. They are entitled to their opinion, but for me, it’s of wishful thinking than reality.

First, their squad doesn’t come close to that of City, both in depth and quality. There’s scepticism that Mo Salah may not repeat the same exploits in front of goal, having not done it before consistently and the other forwards do not score enough. They lack enough creativity that they didn’t replace when they sold Coutinho to Barcelona. Whatever they are not, City is and whoever tips Liverpool based on the slim hope that the curse of being champions might just haunt Pep’s men to swing the title into Liverpool’s favour.

It is also a little wishful to think that a team that finished 25 points behind the champions can suddenly usurp them and lift the title. Man City look even more formidable than we last knew them. They have added Riyad Mahrez and are more experienced than they were last season. Yes, Liverpool is stronger than they were last year but are behind City in every aspect on the pitch. To think that they are poised to win the title ahead of City is an overstatement unless City conspires to lose it!

It is true therefore that Arsenal had declined in Wenger’s last few years in charge. It is also true that it is 14 years now since they last won the title. It is true as well that Liverpool and Spurs have done better than Arsenal in the league in the last few years, but Arsenal have won more trophies that the two clubs combined in the last 5 or 6 years (6-0). The silence over the underachievement of the two clubs and the outburst against Arsenal was undoubtedly unfair.

They ought to have been accorded the respect they deserve.

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