Fabian Hurzeler may suggest otherwise, although the dominance of Arsenal's Premier League title charge is to be admired, with the Gunners putting past disappointment behind them to deservedly sit atop the rest at the summit.
After successive seasons of ridicule for supposedly 'bottling' it, amid accusations of an inherent deep-rooted weakness, the physical and mental superiority of Mikel Arteta's side is now also not to everyone's liking. Go figure.
From the days of marvelling at Jose Mourinho's pragmatic yet imperious Chelsea side, fans and pundits alike - looking at you, Paul Scholes - have turned their noses up at Arteta's approach. Jealousy is never a good look.
Alas, those at the Emirates care not, still in the running for a potential, albeit unlikely, quadruple, all while enjoying the sight of rivals Tottenham Hotspur plummeting down the league table.
How Spurs & Arsenal were shaping up before Mikel Arteta took charge
There was a time when finishing eighth, ninth or tenth was seen as disastrous for the so-called 'Big Six', although the floor has very much dropped in recent seasons, with Spurs the obvious case in point.
Spurs-Igor-Tudor
While last season's 17th-place finish was in part impacted by the Lilywhites' Europa League run, the point stands that Arsenal's rivals have now lost 36 league games since the start of 2024/25. For comparison, the Gunners have lost just seven top-flight games in that time.
What a rise it has been under the Arteta regime, and while Arsenal never sank quite as low as their north London foes, the Spaniard arrived in December 2019 with the club languishing in tenth, having last secured a top-four finish in 2015/16.
As for Spurs, they themselves had just parted ways with Mauricio Pochettino that winter, albeit after a run of four successive top-four finishes under the Argentine, as well as a run to the Champions League final in 2019.
For a brief time, it looked like the power dynamic had shifted in north London, yet slowly but surely, Arteta has put paid to that, with Arsenal now looking set for a fourth top-two finish in a row at the very least, while Spurs haven't even finished in the top four since 2021/22.
Arsenal's last ten league finishes (timeless)
There is a very real scenario in which Igor Tudor's men tumble out of the division, in the same season in which the Gunners end their lengthy wait for a league crown, with 2019 arguably marking a defining crossroads for these two warring clubs.
For all the turmoil at N17, however, that's not to say they don't have talented individuals, with even Arsenal's squad and starting lineup certainly not perfect.
Arsenal must sell £27m star who wouldn't get into Spurs team
If this season is to end in glory for the Gunners, the defensive unit and midfield core will have been the driving force, with Gabriel and William Saliba both shining ahead of arguably the world's best goalkeeper, David Raya, while both Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice have led the charge in midfield.
Arsenal-Chelsea-Raya-Timber-Pedro Related
Better than Gabriel & Rice: £27m Arsenal star is now the best in the world
Arsenal overcame Chelsea 2-1 on Sunday and they had their £27m signing to thank.
It is remarkable, however, for a side at the summit to not have a truly firing forward line, with Bukayo Saka still the cream of the crop, having again been the difference-maker in midweek.
Those around him simply haven't found any consistency, with the lack of a genuinely elite option on the other flank a long-running concern, not least amid Leandro Trossard's dip in form.
The Belgian - who signed from Brighton on a £27m deal in 2023 - has been an astute pick-up for the Gunners, although 35 goals in 161 games in all competitions isn't exactly wholly impressive.
Indeed, the 31-year-old has only scored five league goals this season, none of which have come in 2026, and with just over a year left on his current deal, a permanent departure could be an option for Andrea Berta and co this summer.
Arsenal top scorers - 25/26 PL stats
Player
Gyokeres
Eze
Saka
Zubimendi
Trossard
Rice
Merino
Timber
Gabriel
It could even be argued that he wouldn't get into Spurs' starting lineup on current form, considering he only has one assist in the league this calendar year.
For comparison, while options are slim at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Lilywhites do boast young Mathys Tel on that left flank, a player who has been described as "Thierry Henry-like" by Jermain Defoe.
mathys-tel-spurs
The Frenchman has only scored once himself in 2026, although his three goals in the league this season have come in only 756 minutes, while Trossard's have come following over double the amount of game time (1687).
That's not to suggest that Arsenal should be looking to poach a player like Tel from their rivals, although it points more to just how underwhelming Trossard has been of late, with Arteta set to win the title in spite of and not because of his forward line.
While the Gunners did splash the cash last summer, Berta needs to oversee another statement window this time around, with an upgrade on Trossard a real priority.
declan-rice-arsenal Related
[Best signing since Rice: Arsenal have struck gold on "monstrous" £45m star](https://www.footballfancast.com/best-signing-since-rice-arsenal-struck-gold-piero-hincapie/ "Best signing since Rice: Arsenal have struck gold on "monstrous" £45m star")
He's become a key man for Arteta.