Arsenal had to expect the jibes from Tottenham and they were not disappointed. Just before kick-off in last Sunday’s north London derby, the Spurs support in the South Stand of their stadium spelled out a giant message in mosaic form. “North Ldn since 1882,” it read.
A clear dig, then, at Arsenal’s south of the river history from the Woolwich days and, as mentioned, very much a part of a rivalry where goading and baiting go hand in hand with the loathing. Arsenal had been similarly provocative before the derby against Spurs at the Emirates Stadium last November, lighting the pre-match scene with a tifo featuring images of various club greats. The most prominent at the top of it? Sol Campbell, of course.
What was more surprising – and certainly led to raised eyebrows at Arsenal – was Wolves’ now infamous TikTok post on the Thursday before last. The 80-second clip, uploaded after the 2-2 draw between the clubs the previous night, was a savage take on Arsenal’s “game management”. Or, to put it another way, and as Wolves surely intended, their dark arts and shithousery.
The social media team at Wolves showed how Gabriel Martinelli taunted the home crowd by flashing up the scoreline on his fingers as Arsenal led 2-1. They highlighted the delay in Arsenal taking a corner as they continued to lead. They mocked Gabriel Magalhães for going down after an apparent head clash before he got back up and carried on.
There was indignation from the in-house commentators when Leandro Trossard also went to ground after an aerial clash in the 90th minute. In the background, it was easy to make out the chant from the Wolves fans: “Same old Arsenal, always cheating.” There was laughter and the corresponding emojis on the clip when Wolves equalised at the bitter end.
There was more from elsewhere later in the day. At tea time, Manchester City’s X account piped up with a three-year-old clip of their team playing keep-ball by the corner flag in the dying minutes of a 2-0 home victory over Newcastle. “Seeing out the win,” read the text with a tick emoji above footage of Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish, well, managing the game to a successful conclusion. It was a mickey-take with an obvious target.
This is where Arsenal find themselves as they prepare for Sunday’s home game against Chelsea – the latest staging post in their draining push for the Premier League title. Their rivals, big and small, are lining up the pot shots, eager to have fun at their expense, to prey on their sensitivities. To drive a particular narrative and make Arsenal prisoners of it.
The Wolves TikTok clip overlooked a major detail when it came to Trossard. On as a 73rd-minute substitute, the winger was cleaned out by a shoulder barge from Santiago Bueno, who was on a yellow card. Trossard had eyes only for the high ball; the Wolves defender looked directly at him and left a calling card on his opponent’s jaw. A dazed Trossard was forced off after treatment, Arsenal relieved that he avoided injury, and how do you think the club’s doctors felt about essentially being accused of complicity in a plot to run down the clock?
Nobody thought about that. They were too busy enjoying the clip, which went viral for the reason that these things always do. It struck a chord. It fed a perception with which opposing fans are seemingly on board. Arsenal as the roughhouse guys – and not only when they are loading men into the six-yard box on corners. The ones that will do whatever it takes to win.
Arsenal were much better than Spurs. They deserved to beat them, which they did; to clear their heads after the trauma of Wolves. As an aside, it was only this Spurs team. Chelsea ought to be a tougher prospect. Yet Arsenal did get away with one in the 53rd minute as they led 2-1. Would it have been different if Randal Kolo Muani had not been penalised for the slightest of pushes into Gabriel’s back before he shot past David Raya? At the very least, Arsenal would have felt their anxiety levels rise.
Gabriel drew the contact to the referee’s attention in theatrical fashion, as he had done at Newcastle last September in a similar situation against Nick Woltemade. That day, the referee said no foul and Woltemade scored. This time, Gabriel got the decision.
What did Gabriel do after the game? Did he a) keep his head down and quietly count his blessings? Or b) post a picture to social media of him holding a hand of cards with the four of hearts visible, signifying his team’s four goals? He went for the latter, even tagging the Spurs forward Richarlison. Cue a host of diving memes in the responses. Was goading really the right option given the climate around the club? On the other hand, you have to admire Gabriel’s chutzpah.
Mikel Arteta’s response to what we are obliged to call the “outside noise” has been to narrow the focus; to dial up the intensity while also talking up his players and their mindset. The manager has his eyes on the prize and there are a number of points that need to be made, beginning with the feeling towards him and his side in coaching circles.
Towards the end of January, Pep Guardiola described Arsenal as the “best team in the world” and it did not sound like just mind games from the City manager. The Wolves head coach, Rob Edwards, messaged Arteta after last week’s game to say that Arsenal were the best side in the league and there have been others in their positions who have privately expressed the highest admiration for what Arteta is doing. Namely, how Arsenal press, massing men around the ball, cutting off the passing lanes, forcing turnovers. How they dominate in possession, playing on the front foot, creating overloads, moving it quickly. The watchwords are remorselessness and control.
According to Opta, Arsenal have had seven yellow cards for time-wasting in the league this season – the same number as Chelsea and behind only Bournemouth and Fulham, who each have eight. They are the seventh-worst offenders for the average time of delays for restarts, taking in set pieces and goal-kicks. They sit behind Sunderland, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Leeds and Burnley on the list in that order.
Arteta and his players remain at the centre of a storm, buffeted by ill winds, Chelsea ready to bring the latest of them. If Arsenal hold their nerve, they will have done it the hard way.
