Arsenal get some credit for their unbottling but there’s also some criticism for their approach. It was ever thus.
We have gone full Arsenal with this Mailbox; we are saving some Carrick and co for later. Mail us at theeditor@football365.com
The Arsenal Bottle Job still on?
This is an amazing opportunity for Arsenal to lose their 5th European final in a row. Bottletastic!!!
Ben Teacher
…Budapest is a long way to go to get spangled by PSG or Bayern.
Dave H, Bucks
Ps Sod the Celebration Police.
Will Arsenal deliver a classic plot twist?
To me, the greatest plot twists are the ones that leave you with only three words at the end: “What…the…f***?”
I’ve only truly experienced that feeling four times. At the end of Fight Club, Memento, Old Boy and The Sixth Sense. Do yourself a favour and watch these four films, if you haven’t.
I’ve been searching for a fifth for years and I think Arsenal winning the Champions League and not the Premier League might be it.
Just picture the scene. Arsenal finally get the biggest trophy in club football and the first reaction from rival fans is still: “Yeah but they bottled the league.” The literal champions of Europe being bantered for not winning England would be football discourse at its absolute dumbest and, therefore, funniest.
The awkwardness would be incredible. Pundits tying themselves into knots trying to explain why conquering Europe somehow isn’t enough. Rival fans desperately searching for loopholes because they can’t process Arsenal fans having a European Cup over their heads.
And the thing is, both sides would somehow be right. Arsenal would have achieved the one thing every club dreams of, yet the “but no Premier League” jokes would never fully die. It would be the football equivalent of a movie ending where everyone leaves the cinema arguing about what they just watched.
Which is exactly why it belongs with the other four.
Gaptoothfreak, Man Utd, New York (Honourable mention: The Usual Suspects)
READ: Four games in 25 days stand between Champions League finalists Arsenal and unfathomable glory
Arsenal: Insufferable
Diego Simeone, when prompted and baited to talk about referees: “I’m not going to get into that. We all know it’s a foul. We all thought that the ref had got it right. I’m not going to get involved in that because I don’t want to make excuses… If we got knocked out it’s because our opponents deserved to get through; They took their big chance.”
That’s Diego Simeone, one of the wildest and most manic managers in the game. Has he considered that the grass hasn’t been measured, though? Is it not “completely unacceptable?”
Good luck to Rice and Saka; Eze if he plays. But by god it’d be bloody brilliant if this lot stack it yet again.
Tom G
…Arse fans: yes you will finally win the title. But at what cost? You’ve had to watch turgid, time-wasting, manipulative rubbish all season. Arteta has gone gung-ho for win at all costs.Your alleged fan Sir Starmer is a very appropriate reflection of your current team.And look what’s about to happen to him.
Well done. You must be so proud.
Pat CAFC
…Arsenal fans promise to be insufferable. How will we tell? In other news, the sky promises to remain above the ground.
Badwolf
Fair play to Arsenal
I’ve written in being very critical of Arsenal a few times recently, but I must say I might have been wrong. They have been outstanding last two games (still 10 mins left in this one).
So fair play and well done! If they win anything, they’ll deserve it!
Also great to see 5 or 6 English players starting!
Anyway, well done Gooners, and on to the big one on Saturday (the National League South Play Off final, in case you’ve been under a rock).
Paul, TUFC
…I’m not sure what the correct term is – the ‘ reverse bottle ‘?; to ‘ unbottle’ something?; pumping the ‘ bottle brakes’ ?; the Mother of all ‘ anti-bottles ‘?
Whatever the right way of describing it is, we’re sure as hell seeing it now.
James, Liverpool
Dear Arsenal Marketing and Merchandise Department…
I really hope you got your mass order in for Arsenal branded plastic water bottles in early enough. A license to print money methinks!
Ted the Jambo
At last, the Arsenal fan view
It’s hard to put into words just what last night meant.
I’m used to a nervous Arsenal home crowd. Whether it was Highbury or the Emirates, the crowd has generally been quiet. Unless it’s North London derby day.
I can remember one match where it was literally just me and one other bloke in the North bank singing the Arsene Wenger’s red and white army song.
But yesterday. Just wow. As I walked through the Arsenal fans, I saw this red smoke and through the smoke the team bus emerged. Literally never seen anything like that at the Arsenal.
I’ve no idea what happens from here on in, but last night I didn’t recognise my own club’s fans. And I kinda liked it.
Graham Simons, Gooner, Norf London
Calling for Bottle fairness
What’s with the sudden whining and crying about the usage of the ‘Bottle’ football slang?
For years, we Arsenal fans have endured the bottle jibe thrown at us, seasons after seasons, with someone even making it a live performance art – literally with an Arsenal water bottle.
So after Sunday’s Everton v Man City match, now its suddenly silly, inappropriate, and an abomination to use it?
I’m mean Man City did in fact threw away a 1 nil lead and a 3 points Win – and this is a perfect example of a bottle job. And it is perfectly appropriate for football fans to criticize City for bottling that.
There’s no reason for us to ‘play nice’ and be expected to behave like gentleman in the world of football rivalries.
If we score first but end up losing to West Ham next match, i will be absolutely okay with anyone who would sneer at us for ‘bottling it’. In fact i know many gunners including myself would criticize the team if this happen (touch wood).
So let us continue calling a spade, a spade; a bottle a bottle.
Alex Pang, Singapore Gunner
(Really not sure what your beef is; the Mailbox on Tuesday called it a bottle job, as did we in our match reaction piece. You are seeing whining and crying where there is none. Well, none until you came along – Ed)