On the Arsenal History website today: How Arsenal moved from 20th to 2nd in one season under Chapman
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By Nitram
Why are Arsenal always accused of being ‘bottlers’, when in fact they are nothing of the sort? Or at least if Arsenal are, then so is everyone else.
The reason I ask this is because following Liverpool’s mauling at the hands of Newcastle in the League Cup final there has been a bit of a debate raging on Talksport as to whether Liverpool ‘bottled’ it. The accusation was made by our very own Martin Keown who had the temerity to suggest that if what had happened to Liverpool over the weekend, and beyond that what has happened to them over the last month or so had happened to Arsenal, they most certainly would have been accused of bottling it. In fact, as we are all only too aware, we have been called bottlers for as long as I can remember.
But is Keown right? Did Liverpool bottle it against Newcastle? In fact, are Liverpool bottling it full stop? Of course, Talksport are having none of it. There are, as usual, excuses abounding for anything and everything that goes wrong with Liverpool.
To find out I thought I’d do a bit of research and so drew up some comparisons between Arsenal and Liverpool over the last 2 or 3 seasons to see just why Arsenal are bottlers, and Liverpool are not. What is it Arsenal have done so badly to warrant that insult whilst Liverpool seems able to avoid such derision?
Lets start by going back to season 22/23, a season Talksport claim Arsenal bottled, specifically on the basis that we blew an 8 point lead. So is that true? Did we blow an 8 point lead?
Straight off the bat, no we didn’t.
Arsenal were never ever in reality 8 points clear of Man City. After beating Leeds on match day 29, yes Arsenal sat 8 points ahead of Man City, but only because we had played one game more than Man City. Man City had a game in hand, and what is more that game in hand was against a very poor Everton side at home. In other words, in reality, Arsenal were really only ever 5 points clear.
And even then, not only was it just the 5 points and not 8 points, Arsenal still had to go to the Etihad at a time when Man City were still at their rampant best. That was always going to be extremely tough, and most Arsenal fans, if they were honest, didn’t expect us to come away with anything.
So again, the reality was that most sensible Arsenal fans knew the lead was realistically only going to be 2 points following Man City’s game in hand and our visit to the Etihad. So no, we didn’t bottle an 8-point lead. Most realistic Arsenal fans saw it as a 2 point lead. That was the reality. And in the end, we simply got reeled in by a very very good Man City side. Man City won the title fair and square, it’s as simple as that. They were better than Arsenal.
But of course, this is Arsenal so we had to of bottle it.
In Season 23/24, despite taking a still magnificent Man City to the wire, we were yet again accused of bottling it. But again, this is simply not the case. From the turn of the year Arsenal dropped just 5 points. Man City dropped 6 points. so we were the better team in the second half of the season. Hardly bottling it is it? If, on January 1st somebody had said Arsenal would only drop 5 points from then until the end of the season and still wouldn’t win the league, most people would have laughed at you. But, that was the level of the team we were up against.
And again of course this is Arsenal. We can’t just be beaten by the better team, we have to of bottled it.
So, how about Liverpool then? Surely if Arsenal dropping just 5 points in half a season is bottling it, then how about Liverpool in the same season?
At the turn of the year the top of the table looked like this:
- Liverpool 42 points
- Man City 40 points
- Arsenal 40 points
After match day 27 in early March the table stood like this.
- Liverpool 63 points
- Man City 62 points
- Arsenal 61 points
11 games later at the end of the season it stood like this:
- Man City 91 points
- Arsenal 89 points
- Liverpool 82 points
Arsenal dropped just 5 points over those 11 matches up to the end of the season, yet were accused of bottling it. Liverpool on the other hand dropped 14 points over those same 11 matches, yet faced no such accusations of bottling it. Why is that do you think?
Moving on to this season Liverpool have gone from possibly, nay probably winning The League Cup (embarrassed by Newcastle), The FA Cup (Humiliated by Plymouth Argyle), The Champions League (Despite going to penalties, totally outplayed by PSG) and The Premier League, down to just the one. It matters not a jot that it is the Premier League. They have bottled it. Well at least we all know that’s exactly what Talksport would be saying if it was Arsenal. But just as they ignored Liverpool bottling the Premier League last season, they ignore that little capitulation.
But that’s Talksport and the media in general for you. Only Arsenal ‘bottle’ it. Everyone else just loses.
Season 22/23: Arsenal were never 8 points ahead of Man City. After beating Leeds on match day 29, yes Arsenal were 8 points clear but Man City had a game in hand which was against a very poor Everton side at home. So, in reality Arsenal were 5 points clear; it always shows how weak your argument is when you have to exaggerate. Not only that but Arsenal still had to go to the Etihad, when Man City were still a decent side. So, again in reality most sensible Arsenal fans knew the lead was probably going to be just 2 points following those 2 games. Not bottling it, just the reality of the situation. Man City won it. Simple as that. They were better than Arsenal. Simple as that.
Season 23/24: From the turn of the year Arsenal dropped just 5 points. Man City dropped 6 points. Hardly bottling in it is it. If on January the first somebody would have said Arsenal will only drop 5 points from now until the end of the season and still wouldn’t win the league most people wouldn’t have believed you. But that the was the level of the team we were up against. If dropping 5 points in half a season is bottling it, then every team that has ever came 2nd has bottled it.
But this is Arsenal, where objective punditry goes out of the window in exchange for endless abuse, especially from this mob on Talksport.
Nitram,
This ridiculous anti-Arsenal bias by the media continues unabated. It’d been going on so long it’s woven into the DNA of just about every facet of the media. That’s the base level they start at. then it gets worse. Your research and stats prove the point. Even when AFC contend, they bottle it. Besides the next level vitriol they direct at the club they’re too effing lazy and comfortable with the situation; seats, eats, drinks paid travel to exotic foreign climes and other suspected perks. It begs the question, who actually reads this tripe?
BGooner72
I know my friend, ridiculous isn’t the half of it.
I have done similar analysis to this before, looking at other teams such as Man Utd, Chelsea etc. and every one has suffered similar setbacks over the years.
Leads of 5 points of more eroded away.
Hopes of quadruples, trebles and doubles lost to the wind.
It happens. But as I say, when it’s Arsenal it is blown out of all proportion, like for no other.
I mean, how under any judgement, losing 1 match, dropping just 5 points and actually gaining a point on your rival over half a season can be called ‘bottling it’, is beyond me.
If we do manage to overhaul Liverpool and become Premier League winners this season do you think we would get any credit.
Of course we wouldn’t, the narrative would be that we only won it because Man City and Liverpool fell to pieces, nothing to do with our quality and ability.
If we were to win the EPL this season , I would not care a hoot what others think . It would be a season like no other , and would gladden me heart !
I am least bothered with all that negativity that pundits spew out regularly .
Up the Gunners !
May we have something more to celebrate this season . We already have two new emerging players to crow about !