Journalist explains why Arsenal are “worthy champions”

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Just Arsenal News

·26 May 2026

Journalist explains why Arsenal are “worthy champions”

Several neutrals and critics have attempted to diminish the significance of Arsenal’s Premier League title success this season, with some suggesting that the Gunners relied heavily on set pieces and did not score enough goals from open play.

This narrative has been used to downplay what Arsenal have achieved in securing the league crown for the first time in 22 years, despite the consistency and resilience shown across the campaign.

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Setpiece Debate and Public Perception

In seasons where Arsenal have fallen short in the title race and finished second, they have often been criticised for ‘bottling’ the competition, with little attention given to how goals were scored or the tactical approach used.

However, now that the title has been secured, similar discussions have emerged around their style of play and reliance on set pieces, although the team themselves appear unconcerned by external opinions.

Ladyman’s Defence of the Champions

The men at the Emirates continue to focus on adding more trophies and have received external defence of their achievements, with journalist Ian Ladyman having supported their status as champions. He writes in the Daily Mail:

“When Manchester United won the treble in 1999, Sir Alex Ferguson’s team needed just 79 points to claim the Premier League title. United won ‘only’ 22 of their 38 league games that season.

“That brings some perspective to the performance of the new champions Arsenal over the course of the last nine months. Victory over Crystal Palace yesterday took Mikel Arteta’s team to 85 points and that’s a total that would have won the league last season, too.

“So Arsenal are worthy champions. Their football has not been to everybody’s taste and it has been underpinned by what is statistically the best defence across all of Europe’s top five leagues.”

This perspective reinforces the view that Arsenal’s achievement stands on merit, highlighting consistency across the season and addressing criticism surrounding their style of play while underlining their defensive strength and overall performance as champions.

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