I often like to tell the story of how, when Highbury was being painted, Herbert Chapman paid out of his own pocket for marble red paint. The idea was that our manager wanted any visitors’ first impression of our stadium to be that, at this club, things were done the right way.
That became Arsenal’s reputation. Even our biggest rivals, regardless of our level of success, would testify that Arsenal were the classy club.
When Mikel Arteta returned to North London, he talked about having non negotiable principles. Our former captain had watched from the outside, listened to the whispers and realised that proud standards had dropped. Mr Wenger admitted in his final years in charge that a section of our fanbase were in danger of impacting the sacred values he had helped maintain.
A Club Built On Pride And Standards
I thought about all of this when I saw the scenes around the Emirates on Sunday.
It had not even been 24 hours since the heartbreak of losing the Champions League Final on penalties, yet there were an estimated hundreds of thousands of people standing for hours to get a decent view of a parade.
Booking a Premier League celebration the day after Budapest was always potentially going to be awkward. Players are still human, after all, and would have been hurting on that bus.
Yet this was a time to focus on the happy memories created this season.
Debates about style of play, what our squad needs, who should leave and who should stay, all of that can wait for another point this summer, and it will.
This weekend was not that moment.
It was about Gunners and Gooners saying thank you to one another.
The Arsenal Way
It was about letting Eze know that we are aware he is hurting and giving him the world’s largest cuddle. It was about taking Gabriel’s pain and becoming his comfort blanket. A crowd of strangers became the parachute, refusing to let anyone fall.
No blame.
No complaining.
Just pride.
In his first press conference as manager, I waited to see if Arteta was simply telling supporters what they wanted to hear. I am not naive enough to ignore that the Spaniard is paid very well to lead us, yet I genuinely believe his love for the badge is real.
His desire to make those around him smile is genuine.
As he stood with the Premier League trophy, I am sure there was a moment when he looked out at a sea of red shirts and realised he had done it. Not only had he returned the Gunners to the top of English football, he had repaired the disconnect between those on and off the pitch.
He gave people their Arsenal back.
Not just a talented squad, but characters and personalities you are proud to see wear our shirt.
Because you learn the most about character not when things are going well, but in how people respond to adversity.
A day after Hungary, the Arsenal family acted with class, did things the right way, the Arsenal way.
Proud to be a Gooner.
Do you agree, Gooners? Did Sunday’s parade show exactly what makes Arsenal different from so many other clubs?
Dan Smith
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Non negotiable principles? Arsenal only conceded because of Mosquera’s mistake and only lost in the penalty shootout, so Arteta would likely reuse his 8-2-0 formation if we meet a scary team like PSG in one of UCL knockout phases
As for the parade, the previous EPL champions did it, but I heard Arsenal’s parade is the biggest
Because Arteta knows his attack has not fully clicked. There is a bit overhaul in the attack needed. Once our attack clicked, we needn’t to employ this tactic. But at least we have mastered the dark art of defending.
I hope Arteta will use more courageous tactics in advanced UCL stages after getting new CF and LW, because he might not be able to rely on the park-the-bus tactic again next season
FIFA have just banned the blocking of the defending players in set-pieces for World Cup 2026 and I’m sure the FA will implement this rule for EPL next season
I guess in order to get my thread in , I have to say how amazing Arteta has been and go on about false this and that, as well as pretending I know what I’m talking about when praising the joys of watching our inverted centre halves destroy any possible attacking move.
And your point is?
“Inverted centre half”, I had to look that one up.🤔
Keep ’em coming Joe.🤪
JS
No need to go over the top on MA and the team but at least give credit where credit is due.
We played the only system we were capable of to win a match against a far superior team.
Would you rather us play an open expansive game and get rattled 5-0
We played to our strengths as did they.
No one likes losing but no one likes losing by a cricket score and everyone is disappointed as we were very close to pulling it off as the underdogs.
Next year is what we are wishing and hoping but until then be proud of what we have already achieved this season
Onwards and upwards
There’s nothing better than watching a top defence nullify what everyone was saying was the top attack in European football.
PSG did not score from open play, despite the possession they had and ran out of ideas against our “inverted” centre backs, whatever that means.
George Graham, Arsene Wenger and, now, Mikel Arteta have all built from the back and we are as solid as a rock.
Now’s the time to work on our attack and I have every confidence Mikel will end up with the same result as he has had with said defence.
Just a quick check😂 – poster gives a negative(apparently )comment
-same old posters all reply,creepy .👆
And the same old troll is lurking, which is double creepy🤮
Same old snide comment from Dan kit…what a surprise.
The parade was also about Arsenal Women (3rd van) who won the FIFA Champions Cup at Emirates. Let’s talk about and applaud them as well.
For me Dan
Best piece you have done this season.. a really good read. IT ALMOST BOUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE
It had been building for the last few weeks
The day we won it the frustration, tension was let loose.and Tuesday night at the stadium became a place of joy and happiness. It exploded in to 22 years of pent up emotions Being released.
Sunday when we lifted it. The streets just got swarmed with a sea of red and white. The whole place buzzed. I dint think it could be supercede.
Sundays parade was a joy. People from.all over the world attended. Young children, the older generations, people who have never seen us lift this trophy ever.
It was a privilege to have witness that
It may me realise that moments and feeling like this don’t come along to often in your life. I am exceptionally proud to have been born a gooner.
the club, team, staff, manager and owners i thank you.
Some of the football we played this season wasn’t easy on the eye but no one can argue that if you end up with moments we have just had the end justifies the means
In an ideal world easy on the football and moments like we just had… I am sure they are working on it
The old saying
“You can change your car, change your house,.change your wife but you never change your team. once a gooner always a gooner ”
Onwards and upwards
Allanball08 you’re a lucky man to have been there. I opted for the live screening instead. Disappointment obviously, but nothing untoward from the 35000 in the stadium and in the streets afterwards. Still singing the team’s praises as we all headed home.
The parade was so joyful to see on my laptop. Look what it means to people to share and show their appreciation and to be around others from the same tribe. To thank the club for all their efforts this past season.
I believe Arteta is very much an Arsenal man. I’ve seen footage of him in the City dugout as Pep’s coach struggling to look happy when City scored against us. He has put his heart and his soul into getting the club back to where it belongs. No wonder that Wenger thought so highly of him. He has carried on the same ethos. Football might be different but this season it has got the club to the promised land again
SueP
Moments like these don’t come along every day so I will savour.
Godforbid it’s another 22 years wait.
I know some fans have been critical of MA, weather it been the money he has spent, the length of the process or the style of play at times but hopefully us lifting the trophy has not justified as that is the wrong word but shown that there is a strong bond now between fans,club players and manager.
Hey .. it only lasts as long as we keep winning or it become fractured again but MA has been a big part of that and he seems to wear the badge on his heart. For now the king is very much alive but as I always say he will one day move on a d the king is dead long live the king or queen and we start a new era but for now it is great to be living in this great red and white bubble.
Last thing .. I really don’t care what the outside media or other fans think of us what some times Hurts is sometimes our own fans having a go when it is non constructive ..everyone has a right to there opinion but let’s be constructive
Onwards and upwards
Dan, nice piece, and wow! It’s just remarkable to see all this smiles and jubilation less than 24hrs after a defeat.
I am already looking forward to next season! Not fearing to fail, but proof ourselves and fight for every trophy again.
Me and my 3 son’s were there , 3 of us live in Oslo and made the journey .
The CL loss was unfortunate but we were mainly there for the parade.
It was a great occasion something me and my sons will never ever forget.
My my 2 youngest 16 and 24 had never seen us win the league before .
Shame we can’t post videos or photos here.
So happy for you. Hopefully there are many more to come that your family can celebrate
Ps
Well done for making the effort and contributing to making a great atmosphere