Arsenal derided as ‘creepy, underhanded and weird’ as Arteta debate continues | OneFootball

Arsenal v Liverpool seems to be the battle of the week, with YNWA merchants dismissing the claims of Mikel Arteta greatness.

It’s another great Mailbox. Send your views to theeditor@football365.com

Why Arsenal are not liked (by a man who clearly just wants to tell us he’s had lots of sex)

I am a typical male. I’ve a two-track mind; one track football, the other you might guess. F365 has a breadth of readers but if you’re typically male and inhabit these mailbox pages, your mind runs at least one of these two tracks but at a decent likelihood, both.

On the countless many tracks that exist in a life, I’ve always felt blessed having had at least what I quantify and observe as inordinately considerable positivity derived from these two tracks alone. Support of Liverpool has simply been a joyful cornerstone down the years even upon days as grey as these. Yeah the other track has likewise been one of varied and happy trails if I don’t sound too much the prat saying so, but we’re here about the football.

Possibly still typical / perhaps less typical: I am bilingual, passably quadrilingual at a push. My own theory is that the Prem is inarguably tops as Liverpool and Manchester United are the two biggest football institutions not just in England, but in the English-speaking world at large. The rest of the English pack have strength in their means and ways just as well, and yes MadridBarcaBayernJuve2MilansParisLAFClol all too have good shouts with a banana for scale, but this is nonetheless my theory on sizes and reaches etc.

So here’s what I’ve also observed: faring well on certain tracks in life can bring schadenfreude, possibly envy, sometimes outright hate. If you’re a supporter of Liverpool or Manchester United, you’ve felt this generationally and for a lifetime, much the way crowd-think summons to manifest industrial reasons to root against Verstappen or the Kansas City Chiefs, say, or the Jordan-era Bulls, Steffi Graf, maybe Chinese Olympic divers, Kasparov, whatever, whomever.

All champions, but especially hegemonic ones, face degrees of hate by default. It’s human nature, your side can’t always win; with the results come all the sentiments. But within a hate for champions there is usually a begrudging respect, perhaps even dissonant admiration for what was achieved. As incumbents, this is precisely NOT the brand of hate Arsenal would face as division winners, and never before on such unprecedented scale. Theirs is a different kind of hate, the lowest kind… layers of hate woven not with a single thread of respect.

For myself, I can’t fully explain why people have grown to despise Arsenal to such core depth. Memes of Salt Baes and set pieces abound today, sure, but I can admit there was a time I admired the Gunners and glanced vicariously over at that Thierry Henry bandwagon back in that day looking for a half-seat. I don’t reckon this blanket revulsion can be summarily narrowed down to the current day’s grapplers in the box or Arteta doing weekly Arteta-cringe.

To draw it full circle, I can only think of that “second male track” in life I was talking earlier about… and that’s that not everyone loves the lad who’s class with the ladies; often times haters and even the lad’s own mates will see green at their pull. We’ve all come in second fiddle before, and unless you have zero awareness you might stop and think well he’s done well for himself there, what can I take from this. There are cool ways to go about your tracks and trophies in life as in sport.

There won’t be an asterisk for it, of course not, but Arsenal have instead been the creepy, underhanded weird ones lurking in the corner scrapping for all the afters, glomming onto it. When people notice that sort of thing, disguised as the win, it’s impossible to respect. Eric, Los Angeles CA (And for the record Freddie Ljungberg was always cooler than Henry anyway.)

Which Premier League titles have no asterisks?

With all the (correct) talk of the impending Gooner title having an asterisk placed next to it since they aren’t actually playing football, it got me thinking about others that need to be labelled as such.

Obviously there’s cuddly old champagne socialist Turkey Teeth and his solitary PL title, asterisked due to COVID, everyone agrees on that one.

Then there’s all of Chelsea’s since their brown envelopes recently came to light, and then City’s too if they are found guilty.

So by my reckoning, since (and including) Arsenal’s last PL title in 2003/4, there have been a grand total of 8 out of 22 Champions without an asterisk next to them (if City get found guilty):

The aforementioned Arsenal win, all of Man U’s, Leicester, and Slot last year are the only valid ones left standing.

The funny thing is, when you ignore the nefarious off field activities and just mark up titles discounted due to the playing of a different sport in a football league – seemingly some new risk averse all-in wrestling derivative – thereby breaking league rules (this is a football league guys, not a dojo), it’s just this year’s champions-elect who will have a wee star next to their name, playing whatever the f*** it is that Arteta has them playing. Be a nice stand-in for an actual star next to their badge when the first part of their punishment is mercilessly dished out by PSG in a few weeks time though. RHT/TS x

(The recent wave of mails from This Means More FC fans embarrassing themselves with ‘I just don’t care any more’ crying the season after they won only their second PL title in 30 years is pathetic, although at least they’re still turning up here I suppose – you’ll never walk alone indeed)

On that Arteta v Klopp ‘debate’

That’s superb bait. Claiming we won the title by playing games in front of no fans when we had more points before lockdown than anyone managed for the entire season is a special touch. He’ll catch a few with that. Tom, Andover

…I started reading Harry, AFC, Dublin’s mail on Klopp v Arteta, but couldn’t get beyond the mention of Liverpool’s one title under the German being won without fan pressure or atmosphere, seemingly as some sort of slight on the title.

Perhaps Harry should be made aware that Liverpool had amassed 82 points from fully attended games before the suspension, and subsequent playing of closed door games. Manchester City finished the entire 38 game season in 2nd with 81 points.

Being a West Ham fan, I have no particular skin in the game, but maybe we could just put an asterisk against Harry’s mail? Uncle Albert

…Imagine comparing your manager’s as of now non-existent achievements to someone who already did it. Klopp won the league having beat single team whilst achieving points tally your manager or any of your best teams can only dream of. Nevermind Klopp, Slot’s achievement is bigger as he had already won at this point unlike your team which almost fumbled a one horse race.

It’s funny that you should discount the PL as covid title while proudly celebrating your F.A Cup won in the same season. I must have missed the part where Arteta won the trophy in full stadium.

It’s funny that you should sneak Bayern in there having not played them in the knock out stages, the outcome of which we already know had you actually met them instead of the second rate teams you played and only just managed to squeak by.

Let’s see how your ‘best defence’ holds up in the final against a proper team. The last time I checked it couldn’t save you in the final against City and the title deciding match which you lost as well.

Good luck in the final, you are gonna need it. Haha Philip Correa (the audacity to ask if we agree with him)

This Mailbox really does keep delivering..

Darren, no he didn’t drive Trent out – Trent had by all accounts already decided before Slot arrived that he would leave.

He also didn’t drive Mo out – Edwards was shopping him after the Autumn and Mo’s team found out about it.

He’s played Rio extremely well. For a kid who isn’t even allowed to train every session he’s played plenty of minutes but has also been protected from overstressing himself which will help him in the future as well -look at all the player who played far too much as teenagers who were done by their late 20s.

Virgil isn’t being cast aside- he’s still here and not leaving.

Robbo was showing serious regression last season and hasn’t shown huge improvement this. His contract’s up, he’s second choice and he wants to go somewhere else. He’s a legend and we wish him all the best.

While Slot probably needs to go at the end of the season, given fan sentiment, what has Alonso done that makes him an automatic winner with us? He’s won the German league once and Real were a shambles when they came to Anfield this year. If Alonso does go to Chelsea we’ve done well to avoid him – no serious manager would go there with how they operate.

If you’d rather be a Chelsea fan if they get a manager you like, you should probably be a Chelsea fan already. Seems like you don’t want to be a Liverpool fan anyway. Tom, Andover

…So Harry, I typed too soon. Not 5 minutes after sending my despatch on the Klopp v Arteta debate, I read Darren, LFC (for now) in the space of about 20 words relaying his intention to switch from being a Liverpool fan to Chelsea, and type “YNWA”…

Serves me right for standing up for them… Uncle Albert

…Just to reply to some of the points from a clearly depressed mail from the mailbox earlier.

He says ‘First we let this fraud come in and drive Trent out of the club.’ Where is your evidence for this? TAA and Real Madrid’s flirting predates Slot if my memory serves me right.

He says ‘Then he’s driven Mo out, with his lack of man management skills driving a wedge between Mo and the club.’ Again, where is your evidence for this? Mo has been poor this season, is it not better to get an under performing, high wage earner out of the club and move on asap?

He says ‘He’s treated Rio like rubbish, seemingly unwilling to let him prove himself for whatever reason.’ In my eyes hes using the best approach to promote and integrate a young player into the first team without burning out or breaking him.

He then goes on to bleat on about the potential for Alonso to go to Chelsea, and that he’ll become a Chelsea fan if that happens. Does Darren know that Alonso wants the LFC job? I haven’t heard this. Perhaps Alonso’s burned by his experiences at Real Madrid, and thinks that going back to another former club would be a bad idea?

Darren, I’m not sure you need Chelsea, I think you might be better off with Prozac or something! A, LFC, Montreal

…This is a cracking mailbox.

I would broadly agree with Oliver, but I’d challenge the idea that Slot inherited a title-ready squad. We had been miles off it in Klopp’s last season and our level, at least until the PSG games, was significantly higher than it had been for a number of years. That was down to the manager. If you’re saying that Salah’s regression this season is Slot’s fault, you need to acknowledge that him having the greatest PL season of all time last year was with Slot’s support.

Ultimately, I think Dara’s email is pretty spot on. The fans want him gone. The atmosphere at Anfield this weekend was great for 20 minutes and then everyone got tense and it never really improved. Booing the (absolutely correct) Rio sub just shows everyone’s frustrated and fed up. If he stays and we lose a couple of games early next year it’ll be toxic. Given he’s only got a year left I would think it would be better for all parties if we parted ways, for more than footballing reasons.

I think that’ll be a real shame because he’s clearly a very good manager and I’m confident he’ll turn it around, but I’m very aware I’m in the minority there. Tom, Andover

Be careful what you wish for on corners

I am loving all these great ideas to stop the WWE at corners. And the perception amongst many that this will massively hurt Arsenal’s chances of scoring from set-pieces. However, I believe the opposite is true.

The reason Arsenal are so good at corners is not because they’re physical or bend the rules, it’s because they’re smart. Arsenal crowd the keeper but they don’t grab or hold him, smart. Opposition often but a blocker in place between the attacker and the keeper, so Arsenal just push the blocker into the keeper rather than pushing the keeper, again smart. Arsenal don’t want the oppos holding their players so they line them all up far beyond the back post so they can’t be held, again very smart.

If and when any new rules do come in I think the smartest team at set-pieces will be the beneficiaries, guess what, that’s Arsenal. Jover will be cock-a-hoop with a bunch of new set pieces to launch on an unsuspecting Premier League. And as with all new rule changes, if you can find the nuances before anyone else you have a competitive advantage. I’m sure Mikel and Jover will leave no stone unturned.

And if they do start giving Pens for holding at corners, guess who will benefit the most? Again, Arsenal! Arsenal get a lot of corners. Gabriel positions himself on the penalty spot and is often fouled by 2 or 3 players at once at every single corner, Arsenal will be getting 5 pens per game. The alternative is the oppo let Gabriel run free at corners, good luck with that is all I can say. He’ll be posting Haaland numbers if no one is allowed to touch him in the box. AB Maidenhead

Holding Richard Hughes to account at Liverpool

As this season comes to an end, I believe Liverpool supporters need to call out Richard Hughes, not for confrontation, obviously, but for accountability. This silent executive, whose buying and selling decisions have contributed significantly to a dreadful season, needs to explain his thinking. I strongly suspect he won’t, having proven himself more Teflon than Bill Clinton. He appears to believe he never has to justify his decisions to fans, despite helping run one of the biggest clubs in the world through a season he has partially overseen into failure.

There is a long list of issues demanding explanation: Diaz and Trent leaving, the failure to sign a centre-back, and a tactical system that has somehow neutralised Salah despite handing him a massive contract after a GOAT‑level season. Then there are the no-contract extensions yet for Konaté and Szoboszlai. Why was all pace effectively removed from the squad? And was Isak a genuine strategic target, or a vanity buy?

Finally, what is the actual plan for next season? Is Arne Slot the man or not? If he is, does he get a new contract? If not, he starts the season as a lame duck. And if he isn’t the manager, the club needs to act quickly.

Nick, in yesterday’s mailbox, suggested that it is only an entitled minority calling for change. Others argue that you shouldn’t sack a title‑winning manager without giving him the chance to put things right, and I would agree if I had any confidence that this could happen. I don’t. The regression is obvious, the football is poor, and the overall mood is bleak. Much of that inevitably points to the manager.

I’ve worked in education for over 20 years, and it’s generally accepted that a pupil takes around six months to fully understand a new school. Reversing that, it can take a class six months to fully understand a new teacher. Slot began working with the full squad in August 2024, so by February 2025, that transition period was complete. At that point, Liverpool’s record stood at 19 wins, 7 draws, and 1 loss, a 70% win rate. From March 2025 onwards, the Premier League record is 23 wins, 9 draws, and 14 losses, a 50% win rate. That is a marked decline, and it coincides with a very obvious drop in intensity. Intensity doesn’t disappear by accident; it comes from training, and that drop must be central to a manager’s game plan, why?.

Alex Oxlade‑Chamberlain recently said that, despite a full pre‑season and three games at Arsenal, he could barely cope with Klopp’s first three months of training due to its intensity. Trent and Robertson said they trained the way they played. Milner recalled players being physically sick when Klopp first arrived. Salah has spoken about hoping standards would not fall. Curtis Jones noted that Slot’s first session involved less running and more use of the ball. The results are telling. By early April 2026, Liverpool had been outrun in 26 of their 30 games. It’s hard to pin that on anyone other than the manager.

Most worrying of all, after this weekend, and really all season, my Reds‑watching mates and I see no identity to get behind. There are no green shoots, no sense of recovery, and no anticipation of enjoyment. We go into matches without hope of being entertained because we genuinely don’t know what the plan is.

Nick says we need to stop living in the past. Mate, that area was only in February 2024, when Wembley was serenading a group of youngsters in perfect harmony with a manager who truly understood what it meant to lead Liverpool. Just over two years later, Hughes and Slot have stripped nearly all positivity from the club I love.

I dread to think what Anfield will be like if Slot is still in charge on the opening day of next season and we concede first.

Best regards, Ian Hewison

The next manager of Man Utd should be…

It’s a tricky one…

If you look at the managers after Moyes then it’s a mixed bag.

5 trophies won, 2 Fac, 2 Efl and one Europa.

Solskjaer lost in a Europa league final 11-10 on penalties. He also got 2 champions league qualifications

Ten Haag won two trophies and one champions league qualifications.

Mourinho won two trophies and one champions league qualification.

Van gaal won one trophy and one champions league qualification.

Amorim lost in the worst Europa league final ever!

So United haven’t been bereft of trophies like Arsenal etc. they still will win something g every other year! Not a real disaster.

New manager, Carrick has qualified them for the champions league. But it’s been a much better watch than Mourinho, Van gaal, ten Haag and Amorim but still not great.

The problem is? Who else? Utd have taken risks on successful managers of smaller clubs and even proven winners.

I would suggest that unless Ancelotti, Flick or Enrique become available then Carrick is the only option. The rest are the same failed gambles, Carrick will be a cheap gamble. Iraola must be tempting but a major gamble.

If he fails then wait to get the best. Alonso won’t work for Utd like he didn’t for real. Xavi has no real experience. Maybe Klopp if he fancied it, or even perhaps in a year Guardiola after a rest.