I wrote an article earlier asking if readers thought that Tottenham had dislodged Arsenal as the top North London club, and surprisingly enough some people said yes and some said no (no change there then!). But we also received some sensible comments from Tottenham fans, and I thought this one was a very well-written insight into the view of Arsenal from the Whites point of view…
Thanks to Matt for kindly allowing me to publish this. Maybe we could get some interesting comments from both sides of the divide?
Right now last season’s league table, the current league table and recent form in the NLD would suggest that Spurs have the upper hand, however, as a Spurs fan, I don’t yet see a definitive paradigm shift that would negate years of Arsenal domination in terms of head to head encounters, trophies won or financial wherewithal.
What is undeniable is that Spurs are currently ‘punching above their weight’ while Arsenal are under-performing and right now Spurs are a better managed club, with more dynamic ownership and a vision for the future which is driving them forward as a united force.
Arsenal by comparison, from a management standpoint, are fragmented and factionalised, both on and off the field. A dismal reflection of the ‘laissez faire’ ownership of an American oligarch whose numerous sporting franchises in the US are a byword for mediocrity. A parasite, devoid of vision or ambition for the club, who is content merely to milk the profits that the club generates and run it like the average NFL franchise, where financial performance is only marginally affected by results on the field of play, or lack thereof.
Whilst the ‘status quo’ remains unchanged, i.e. with Wenger ‘in situ’ and Kroenke at the helm, Arsenal will continue to stagnate and underachieve, whilst Spurs, under the more dynamic management of Pochettino and with the more visionary and astute stewardship of Daniel Levy driving them forward, plus with the increased revenue to come from the new stadium, will continue to close the gap financially off the field and hopefully widen the gap on it!
The worry for Spurs is if Arsenal ever get their act together! Currently that might not appear likely, however it should be noted, between Usmanov and Kroenke, that Arsenal are the richest club in the country, with three times the net worth of Roman Abramovich and five times that of Joe Lewis. Fortunately for us they hate each others guts and have entirely divergent opinions on how the club (Arsenal) should be run.
The worry for Arsenal must be that Spurs might actually win something, God forbid the Champions League or the EPL! If Spurs were to actually win a major trophy or two, with the increased profile and advertising revenue that would bring to the club, plus increased gate receipts, the current small gap between the performance of the two clubs on the field might become wider. However, as it is right now, until we have finished above you at least for a season or two, plus won a couple of major trophies, it cannot be said that we have genuinely overtaken you.
Matt From Tottenham