OK maybe it’s getting boring now; The MOTD bashing, but come on, give me a break. Here at arsenalism the media and it's relationship towards The Arsenal has been reported and rationalised a number of times but its crystal that MOTD is absolutely and irrefutably anti Arsenal. It’s been proven week after week now.
Take last night (please)and the critical eye on Wigan Athletic. Yes we all know they are poor but Arsenal are in the same business as every other team in the premier League; the business of beating the team in front of them.
Hansen and Lineker keep wittering on about how ‘exciting’ this years Premiership is; the games the goals. Yes goals have been flying in left right and centre since the start of the season. Man City are characterised as free scoring swashbucklers, ‘Arry’s boys are upholding the Sp*rs tradition and every victory of more than 1-0 is being met with enthusiastic declarations about the quality of the League.
Except in Arsenal’s case. Our victories are down to terrible defending from our opponents; it was the analytical focus of the 5-3 win against Chelsea and yesterday’s 4-0. It’s either frailty at the back of our adversaries or our status as a one man team.
It is of course no surprise. Anyone who has watched Sport on TV read the press or listened to the radio is fully aware of the prevailing bias towards anyone but Arsenal. Underrated most certainly. Disrespected, absolutely.
Ive mentioned the roots of this feeling often enough, but every time I try to not let it bother me it does. Every time I say that it's not important that Arsenal are marginalised I get angry that, yet again, we are.
Every underwhelming highlights package, every victory tucked away in the back pages, every ignorant comment about The club, every sneer should embolden us supporters, but I guess it's hard to see the Club you love being abused. The best response is to keep on doing what we're doing. So we get zero acknowledgement for our qualification as group toppers in the Champions League while those around us stumble. So what if we don't get embarrassed at home by a poor team from Greece. Who cares that we aren't in debt. What does it matter that we consistently have better attendance figures than our peers.
All these positives go unrecognised. But so be it. We must just carry on; our own unity will see us through.
I've noticed also that a little thing is currently happening. Not that much of a deal obviously or Football focus, MOTD et al would have put together a couple of tributes. Yes it's Arsenal's 125 birthday. But hold on, maybe it's actually next week that the special articles will appear. I dare say that the start of MOTD will be a piece on the 125 years of this most historic of clubs.
But I won't hold my breath.
Tottenham beat 10 man Bolton at home and got a proper post match analysis showing us all how fantastic spurs are. Arsenal win 4-0 away to Wigan and we get "werent wigan rubbish".... next game.
ReplyDeleteWhilst you complain about the unfair media bias of Arsenal (rightly) you also perpetuate the myth that Greek opposition is weak. In the case of POAK Salonika (no I do not support them) they knocked out of the UEFA cup a vey good Arsenal side of Seaman, DIxion, Adams, Bould, WInterburn, Parlour, Vieira, Petit, Overmars, Wright, Bergkamp, (Platt) in 1997 and have now put paid to Spurs' delusions of grandeur.
ReplyDeleteGreece also won Euro 2004 a tournament that England never have. My point is that similar to your theme it is not about the opposition it is about you, how you play. Thomas Bjorkman complained that Pete Sampras was faking injuries before playing opponents to gain an advantage. Sampras' response was to tell him to just concentrate on your own game and don't worry what my physical condition is. Your job is to beat me no matter what state I am in. Sampras as usual thrashed him.
If it was just down to the media then we would not have to play a single sporting event, they would just decide all.
Captain Kirk