Arsenal Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2015/16 ( Mod Note linked in OP 29/12)

Up until a few years ago I wouldn't have classed myself as a Spurs hater. I figured if you were from North London, then hatred of your near rivals was fairly understandable. It would be a bit odd if you didn't hate your longstanding footballing neighbours, or at least not totally approved of them, it's rooted in geography. But, considering I was from the West of Ireland, and the fact that Arsenal played in London had no bearing whatsoever on why I supported them, I felt it was a bit stupid to actively dislike Spurs, just because I supposedly had too. I wouldn't have disliked them the same way I disliked Man United, or loathed them like I did with, in more recent years, Chelsea and even poor, pitiful Stoke or Bolton.

But things have changed for me lately - I hate how Spurs consistently are over-hyped in the media and usually at Arsenals expense. Arsenal might underachieve, but they are constantly beat over the head about it. Spurs, on the other hand, are praised - even though they consistently fail to even reach Arsenals level of underachievement. For Spurs, to finish in the top four once in ten years is proof that they're a massive club. For Arsenal, to finish in the top four every year for nearly twenty years is evidence of stagnation - or so some of the chattering classes might say. They are most consistently overhyped team in football, only Leicester's year of ludicrousness is stopping the back pages from being clogged with ad-nauseam stories of how Maurico Pochettino is part descended from Jesus. And more Spur fans have started coming out of the woodwork in recent years. While they were tapping about for twenty years, collapsing over the line inanywhere from fifth to fifteenth place, I never met one, or at least very,very rarely had the misfortune. You do hear a few peeps from them nowadays and, by and large, they are most singularly deluded breed of supporters there is - Completely sure of Spurs brilliance and utter certainty of finishing ahead of Arsenal by the seasons end. Why? Just baffling really; I find most fans of teams generally are hopeful and, understandably, talk up their team, but at least they let reality intrude on their worldview a bit: not Spurs fans. It's usually a case with them of a remark along the lines of "how long's it been since you won the league, wha?", as if Arsenals position of superiority- which they would all sell their mothers for- is something to be sniffed at. Their record is arsing about, being lauded and talked up, and then blowing a once unassailble lead in the table, and yet Arsenal are the "chokers"? They are in no position to talk. And yet they still do... THAT'S why I hate Spurs.

It really reached ridiculous levels in the years that Harry was in charge. When Spurs were pushing hard in the league, coming into Febuary during 2011-12, you would have sworn that these were the best team some journalists had ever seen: Then they and their idiotic fans were absolutely hammered 5-2 by The Arsenal, and I don't think I've enjoyed an Arsenal victory in recent years quite as much as that one.It was one of those that I enjoyed because my enjoyment came from hate: I hated the team we were playing- I hated their media hype and I hated their deluded fans who couldn't contain themselves with their premature assumptions of Arsenals demise, it was great to put them in their place, it felt right - mind the gap indeed.