- Champions Champions Champions
- Why I want Arsenal to win the league and have an asterisk in this season’s league table
By Tony Attwood
It is of course a bit hard to get up and write a commentary first thing in the morning after a night like that, and even harder to find anything to say that hasn’t already been said 100 times. And who needs clever-clever headlines after a night like that? “Arsenal crowned Premier League champions after Manchester City draw” says the Guardian. “Arsenal players and Ian Wright in wild title celebrations” announces the Telegraph, which also has a very generous headline reading, “Arteta inherited a toxic mess – this is how he fixed Arsenal,” followed by “Manager’s unique methods and attention to detail created a united squad strong enough to end 22-year wait for Premier League title.” It’s just a shame they didn’t say that lasts season as well.
But still, that second headline from the Telegraph does get it right, overall. Arsenal was left in a dreadful mess by Emery, and he took one and a half seasons to fix it, selling off or even giving away players of great quality who simply did not want to be there while bringing in a new type of player. Paying massive fees where he felt it was worth it, while also bringing through players from the youth teams.
Yes, this season will stay in our minds not just because we won the league but also because it was the culmination of a progress we have been honoured to track, while around us many were saying “no”.
8th, 8th, 5th, 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 1st. There is nothing to be ashamed of in that progress, because it reveals exactly the opposite of what was happening down the road. It happened under one manager’s vision and guidance, and to my mind, we should all be as pleased with the way the vision was followed as we obviously are with the final result.
Of course, within a day or two, or even less, we will have the old phrases like “next season starts now” and talk about who Arsenal desperately need to sign and all that stuff. But I would suggest that there is something more important to say.
We should remember that Arteta did indeed take his own route and follow his own methods. And we should remember just how much this will hurt ManC who have acted as if breaking the financial rules and doing things in their own way, which led to 110+ rule breaks. They won’t take this lying down. They will be back with another load of money and another collection of rule breakages, unless the Premier League finally get down to the business of dealing with them properly.
That story of course, has long since vanished from the media, but it is still there in reality They broke all the rules, they were found guilty over and over again, and NOTHING HAPPENED.
Let’s all hope that Arsenal players and management get a really good few weeks’ holiday, and continue with the wonderful policy of recognising that we have in the junior teams some great, great players. And if I may, perhaps I may also say we should continue to have a few jolly chuckles about Tottenham Ho and all their talk about taking them back up to the league top. And here is a point. Arsenal took a huge risk in appointing a manager as young as Arteta to be its manager, and he has paid them back. Although there have been critics of the run of second-place finishes, who is to say now that it was not worth the wait? We have finally regained the crown.
Of course the style of football is different from that which we had under Wenger – because the world of football moves on just like every other world. But it worked – even when the whole of the media was against us all the wat through until last night when suddenly they all became Arsenal supporters. It was ever thus. And there is even a video from Arsene raising a glass of red wine saying, hampions go on when others stop. “Now go on and enjoy every moment.”
And I feel it is right for Wenger to be in on the celebrations because he was not just the manager who gave us the last title, but also the man who kept the club stable and profitable during the period after the move from Highbury, and all the massive costs involved in that.
I do hope that those who have spent their time in recent years criticising Arteta will be big enough to admit they were wrong, and to agree that if we had changed managers before now, last night might not have happened. As it is it did happened, Arsenal are champions, and here’s a thought. We’ve still got another trophy to play for.
I must admit the thought crossed my mind that if Arsenal had not won the league, going into the Euro final would have been psychologicially so difficult, with all the media saying “they tried for four trophies, now it is down to the last one”. The pressure would have been impossible. Now the situation is different. We are champions.
Thanki you for reading Untold, but far more than that, thank you for your support of Arsenal.
Tony
Cheers. Great fan of Untold for long time.
Spot on Tony. As usual! In my own supportersclub (Arsenal Belgium – I’m no longer the chairman as I stepped down 3 years ago) I saw idiots (yes that is what they are) coming out of their dumps demanding Arteta to be sacked after every dropped point. Fair weather fans…. bah…. I believed and kept believing. Just like Declan Rice did after City. I never lost the faith even though some matches have been bad for my healt… 🙂
Long live Arsenal! Long Live Arsène! Long Live Mikel!! And long live Untold!
Tony
Well said.
I put this up on the previous thread, but I believe it bears repeating.Whilst we are thanking people, surely we have to raise a glass to our very own miracle worker, Mr Arsene Wenger, whom without, this day would not of been possible.
He brilliantly guided us through the most difficult of times.
1: The building of a new stadium, a project that almost always leads to a catastrophic down turn in fortunes, (as our noisy neighbors can attest to) that resulted in 10 years of zero net spend on players.
2: Whilst at the same time, the arrival of what now appears to be Billions of illegal spending on players.
The building of the stadium was essential and underpins everything our wonderful club can now achieve.
The record number of champions league qualifications, despite those obstacles, ensured we didn’t do ‘a Leeds’, and led directly to where we are today.
Thank you Arsene, we will be forever in your debt. I will raise a glass of ‘red’ in your honour, as you did last night for us!!!
“I believe the target of anything in life should be to do it so well that it becomes an art”
Well deserved Champions! COYG.
We must appreciate the miracle work done by Arteta and his team, the boys, and Wenger who made this club what it is today.
Thank you to Tony and the Untold team for keeping the positive energy and support all these years.
May I say thank you to Sammy and everone who has posted a kind note about Untold following the club’s title win. AS you can probbly imagine I get a lot of negative and rude post, which I don’t put up, so to receive so many kind comments is really quite overwheling.
Tony Attwood on behalf of everyone involved with Untold
You could see how proud Arsène Wenger was last night of his ‘children’ (manager) and ‘grandchildren’ (players) – we all could not have done it without him! It could be argued that Messrs Arteta and Mertesacker have been his greatest signings of all!
Quality post, very proud of the lads and yes I was critical of Arteta and must say I thank God we won this. Now come on, get the big one in boss.
when I think about the first Arteta year and compare that with how Tiny Tots treated the manager who got them the biggest trophy the club ever won, I just wonder what would have happened, had the Tiny Tots management just stuck to their guns and trust the process. At the time they did have a good team. I can’t remember them having such a grear academy. Still, Had Poschettino had more time, I believe they would have sat much higher in the table.
So credit to the Arsenal owners. To the Arsenal organisation. To Arteta. To the teams. To the fans who stood behind the team.
As for the others. I don’t care. And hope WestHam make it through and stay in the PL.
Onwards to Budapest now
Congratulations to everyone at Arsenal who have contributed to this great achievement, gained despite many disadvantages, PGMOL and near universal media hostility. etc.
Thanks also to supporters of Untold, who have kept the faith in the management and players when others have been influenced by the negative media narrative.
Whilst I do not doubt that we can beat Palace a t their ground, I am particularly pleased that we now do not have to wait until the last match for the title to be decided. I look forward to watching it without any tension now that the pressure is off. Also hope that the players enjoy the freedom to play knowing that the title has been won. I hope as well that this situation will enable the manager to factor the PSG final into the team plans for the day.
Congratulations to everyone at Arsenal who have contributed to this great achievement, gained despite many disadvantages, PGMOL and near universal media hostility. etc.
Thanks also to supporters of Untold, who have kept the faith in the management and players when others have been influenced by the negative media narrative.
Whilst I do not doubt that we can beat Palace a t their ground, I am particularly pleased that we now do not have to wait until the last match for the title to be decided. I look forward to watching it without any tension now that the pressure is off. Also hope that the players enjoy the freedom to play knowing that the title has been won. I hope as well that this situation will enable the manager to factor the PSG final into the team plans for the day.
Arsenal are champions! I’m just sat here enjoying this feeling. Thank you Tony for providing Arsenal supporters from across the world with a place to celebrate together. It makes the celebration more special!
It’s been a long time in the making Tony. Thanks for persisting in your beliefs about this team and for dragging us along. Thanks to Arteta, his staff and the players for making so many people around the world so happy, at least for one day.
Now onto the next project. Let us continue to beat the drum against shady referees and dodgy pundits. Onward. Upward.
This would probably be my first time to drop a comment here even though I’ve been reading this blog for over seven years.
Congratulations to all the players, staff, fans and Arteta most especially. I love that man, he inspires me.
Thanks to Tony and all the writers here. This site is indeed an “Arsenal-support” site. I always run here, away from the toxic media to look for find solace whenever we had a rough patch at Arsenal. I also love your facts-based analysis. Long may it continue.
Friday from Nigeria.
I’ve been following Untold since 2008 and its been a really really long time since I last posted. But its befitting that we are all still here and can share this wonderful wonderful title win together. Loads of love to Tony. I am not sure where Walter is but hope he is doing well.
Yesterday was awesome , with me trying to read everything positive being written and sung about the club. That we stood firm against all odd was a wonder in itself .
There were times when doubt crept in , when we played , very unlike ourselves , but still we held firm, and allowed MA to strut his stuff .
I had posted to so many Arsenal sites , but the message was the same , ‘ Keep the Faith !’
Up the Gunners !