The Europa League final is now in the rear view mirror, and as most of us know, it was Chelsea who came away as the victors after demolishing Arsenal 4-1. There are a lot of storylines coming out of the game, but we want to focus on one that’s flying a little bit under the radar: and that is the reaction from the fans. We aren’t just talking about Chelsea and Arsenal fans, either, because the neutrals have had a lot to say too.
It’s well known that AFTV, formerly known as Arsenal Fan TV, is a pretty divisive tool for fans to vent their frustrations to the world. While it’s always interesting to hear some of their thoughts and concerns on the team, the majority of people choose to mock the YouTube channel because of how entertaining it is when they suffer embarrassing losses. Of course, they know this pretty well, with some suggesting that they don’t really care about losing and just focus on the profit they make.
Coming to terms with it
That seems like a bit of an over the top reaction, but it isn’t exactly the craziest theory we’ve ever heard. Even with that being the case, it seems like Arsenal fans are split regarding their opinion of AFTV. Some find it really entertaining and enjoyable, whereas others believe it’s no good for the club and their reputation.
If we put that aside, though, it’s also pretty intriguing to hear what the masses are saying about Unai Emery. Despite the fact that it was predominantly the players that let him down in that second half, people are still choosing to blame the Spaniard for all of the issues that came from the defeat last night. While we understand the reaction to an extent, let’s just think about where we are here. We’re in a post-Wenger world, and we always knew it was going to take at least a few years to undo the mess that the Frenchman created.
That sounds like we’re just piling all of the blame onto him, and we understand that too, but we do appreciate that Emery needs to receive some of the blame.
The disappointment
Then again, we are still talking about a man who guided the club to a 22-game unbeaten run and the final of the Europa League. Not winning it was a disappointment but in terms of progress, they still managed to go one step further than they did last season.
The bookmakers will have their say regarding whether or not Emery is still in the job in just a few short months after the summer transfer window, but either way, this is just the first step in the re-development of the club. We have to pick the small victories out of the agony of Arsenal fans, because otherwise, what is there for them to cheer about?
Perhaps they shouldn’t be cheering at all, but to be perfectly honest, it’s going to be a long summer one way or another.
