5 Reasons: Why the world hates Arsenal

It seems that whenever Arsenal lose, fans of all the other teams join together in celebration. Even when Arsenal do win something big, there is doubt and skepticism. For example, this article written during the Arsenal’s Invincible run. It may have some valid points, but such scathing criticism is never handed out just after a major success – apart from Arsenal that is. So what makes Arsenal the most hated team in English football? Here are 5 reasons:

1. Cheaper than thou

No buying success at Arsenal

Arsenal fans never fail to portray themselves as a ‘self-made’ team. A club that has not bought big name players in order to win trophies. Indeed, Arsenal’s record signing to date has been the £15 million Andrei Arshavin. Compare that with the numerous £20 million + signings of Chelsea, Manchester United and now Manchester City. The wage structure too is much tighter at Arsenal. Despite this, Arsenal has remained competitive and at the same time played some slick football. This apparently hits a nerve, especially with Chelsea fans.

2. Prettier than thou

Champagne Football : Only at Arsenal and Barcelona

Arsenal brings continental flair to English football and their dazzling display of quick passing is surpassed only by Barcelona in all of Europe and possibly the world. Of course, this can be pretty annoying to fans of the traditional English game. after all – awe often inspires jealousy. But luckily for them, since 2004 it has been beauty without substance. Still, for some reason Arsenal’s tendency to pass rather than shoot, annoys the Arsenal critics more than Arsenal fans themselves. This comes down to the debate of whether the ends justify the means, and both sides have stuck to their guns.

3. Cleaner than thou

Men and Boys? Arsenal are hated for complaining about 'physical' football.

Arsenal are hated for complaining about teams who break their young player’s legs. How dare they? Unfortunately for Arsenal, many teams see this as the only way of disrupting their style of play. Rivals dont mind of course, especially when threatening talents like Diaby, Eduardo and Ramsey are nipped in the bud. Naturally, they find it pretty annoying when Gooners make a hue and cry about this.

4. Not our fault we lost!

Ryan Babel may have posted this on twitter, but Gooners get the 'moaners' tag

It is a well discussed fact (oh my) that a certain team received certain well timed favors from certain officials. All rival managers and fans have complained about this. Rafael Benitez has famously ranted about this and so has Mourinho. Arsene Wenger has often rubbished such allegations. But the ‘moaner’ tag unfailingly sticks with one team – Arsenal. Probably because of his policy of not criticizing his players in public, he chooses to invent excuses like the pitch, fatigue, etc. The media doesnt care when Ferguson, Redknapp or Moyes say the same things, but then again they are British.

5. Sons of the Soil brigade

Arsenal – not Brit enough!

All the above stereotypes are relentlessly propagated by the English press, while anything and everything British is glorified. If we believe the English media, then Harry Redknapp and Sam Allardyce would win annual doubles and trebles with ‘bigger’ teams. The sharp drop in criticism of Liverpool after the departure of their Spanish manager is there for all to see – even Hodgson’s failures were blamed on Benitez. Arsene Wenger is not British, he is French (oh dear) and worse – there are hardly any Brits in the Arsenal team.

This is the single biggest reason for the media’s (and in turn the general public’s) irrational hatred for Arsenal. How dare that Frenchman and his bunch of foreigners on work visas show us how to play our game? As the article in the first paragraph proves – no matter what Arsenal do, it will not be enough to please the critics.