Would you really give up Arsenal winning the Europa to make sure Tottenham fail against Liverpool?

Would You Choose Arsenal To Lose Final If It Guaranteed Spurs Lost In CL? by Dan Smith

There’s a cruel irony that the moment we get to win a rare European trophy it could be overshadowed by Spurs being in a Champions league final. Can we enjoy beating Chelsea until we know the outcome of June 1st?

Atletico Madrid threw a street parade when winning the same competition 12 months ago in spite of Real being days away from a third consecutive European Cup. While it’s been their history to settle for the scraps their more famous rivals didn’t want, Tottenham winning a trophy which has eluded us contradicts what we have seen most of our lives.

Chelsea was hard enough, yet there was a sense of inevitability the moment they were bought by a Russian Billionaire. Spurs on the other hand just are not meant to be doing this type of thing. So how can we ask planning permission for a street party when there might be a bigger one in North London that same week?

Some gooners have said they rather lose in Baku if it meant Liverpool triumphed in Madrid. My feelings are do I really want Arsenal to suffer for the sake of banter? I don’t really care about the aspect us qualifying for the CL, I have long felt we won’t challenge for the major prizes under the current ownership.

There is nothing like watching your team lift silverware. Isn’t that why we put ourselves through this every week, the journey, the drama, to have moments that last forever? In what has been a poor period in our history we could lift our fourth trophy in 6 years. Do I not want that because of what another club is or isn’t doing? Are Spurs that important that I would choose my gunners to go without?

Sometimes you have to taste your own medicine. I’m grown up enough to listen to other supporters gloating if it meant the club I care about are bettering themselves. I am comfortable enough to know Spurs winning one cup competition does not change our whole history. A lucky cup run (no matter how good) doesn’t surpass what I have watched my team achieve in my life. It would be disrespectful to what Arsene Wenger did to say one cup run could match his CV. Making such imaginary deals with the devil shows a small mindness in our fan base. You wouldn’t wish harm on an ex because you don’t care about them, so why let what is happening elsewhere ruin a rare experience for us?

Arsenal are miles behind the likes of City and Liverpool. Spurs could lose 4-0 in Madrid and it won’t alter how Mr Kroenke runs us. We are not good enough to be putting our nose up to any trophies, who knows when we will next get a chance to win the next one?

So let’s just worry about our own success and don’t worry about the Spuds, eh?

Dan Smith

47 Comments

  1. Who cares about what Spurs are doing? all i care about is a trophy and Champions league qualification! If Spurs win the Champions league, all glory be to God!

  2. I for one, I wouldn’t give a shit if Tottenham wins the UCL, yes it’ll hurt but It won’t bother me, we got ourselves here, we have to face it, i’ve spent my whole life supporting Arsenal, Arsenal has and will always be my first and only love when it comes to football, the bitter truth is I saw our Legends looking to battle United, to be better than every team in the league, all those years, the NL rivalry has been there but it was never the forefront, but for the past ten years, I’ve watched and seen Arsenal fans get obsessed with finishing above Tottenham, I’ve seen the squads and squads not really giving a shît bout United, Liverpool and the rest, but when it comes to Tottenham, we all act like it’s a life and death issue, yes that’s why it’s called a Derby, but while we spent every year hoping and waiting to see our team finish above them, they spent years fighting with dignity while still becoming better at everything they do.
    I’m an Arsenal fan, but I’m also a football fan also, some of you will know that by now.
    Both Tottenham and Liverpool deserve the UCL if either win it, maybe if Tottenham wins it, this obsession about finishing above Tottenham instead of aiming for the league will stop.
    For the past six years, I’ve also complained and pointed out how I don’t get the ecstasy most fans derive after Tottenham finishes below us. I mean really? The league is there, we had, we have stronger teams to always focus on and fight with but we always ending up doing zilch but when it comes to Tottenham, everybody suddenly gets a boner, like they’re waiting just to fvck Tottenham up.
    Shoot for the moon, and if you fall you’ll land in the clouds.
    If Tottenham wins the UCL, good for them, they deserve it as much as Liverpool.
    Maybe it will give us the wake-up call we need just to know that the football world is bigger than comparing our status with Tottenham when we should be aiming to compare ourselves with the likes of Barcelona and Madrid

    1. Bravo Eddie! A fine post , sensible , mature and evolved! I will let anyone reading this into a secret. As a life long Gooner for over sixty years I have disliked Chelsea as they are classless in so many ways, FAR more than I have ever disliked Spurs who, lets face it, have been cannon fodder to us for well over 50 of my own 60 years attending. What is there to be jealous about anyway? Of course I want Spuds to lose every game EXCEPT when it helps us , like when typically, they became all Spursy back in 98-99 when one nil up in the final Prem league game at Old Trafford when if they even drew, we would have retained the title. But they blew it, probably pleasing some of their fans. But that attitude of mine is just normal fandom and par for the course of most fans anywhere. I do not and never will HATE ANY mere football club; dislike l yes some of course but HATE , no way. That is for silly immature children only. I hate terrorism , cruelty, violence , war , famine, disease and the bigots who have never evolved to conquer Neanderthal racism. But mere rival football teams? Do me a favour! I also love correct use of our wonderful English language and it grieves me to see so many silly know nothings use “hate” incorrectly and damagingly!

      1. Jon Fox ?, I’m hoping most of fans get to realize this also, I’m more concerned about where we are now, and where we should be in the coming years more than any other thing or rivalry with other clubs

        1. I don’t give a shit, it wouldn’t bother me if Tottenham won The Champions league, it will hurt, contradiction I’m afraid, your words Eddie, not mine, Well I don’t know where you were bought up Eddie, should imagine somewhere well away from North London, probably the countryside where rivalry doesn’t exist. Well I was born in the old City of London Maternity Hospital in Hanley Rd, off the Hornsey Rd, about 200 yards from the Emirates Stadium and lived in Hoxton as a youngster, an area half Tottenham and half Arsenal and to me it does matter. If you knew what we went through when Tottenham won the Double in 1960/61 you’d vaguely understand although I’m still not sure about that either. This is why I’m a bit surprised by Jon Fox’s post agreeing with everything you said. Jon was an original North London boy and a full blooded Gunner at the time.

          1. By the way, if anybody out there thinks I’d substitute Arsenal success for Tottenham success, you must be crazy. Obviously I want Arsenal to win at all costs however I would prefer the best of both worlds. Trouble is, I got to support those damn Scousers in the final.

            1. Haha I know Kenny… what a bummer having to support Liverpool ? I’m going to take my youngest daughter to the cinema that night – can’t bring myself to watch it ?

              1. Good for you Sue, I’m thinking of going to Thailand. No Tottenham fans or Scousers where I go.

          2. “At the time” only? Not now too then? In fact I was born in South London and moved to Palmers Green aged four and grew up there. I will be a North London “boy”(or old git, if you prefer the truth) all my life!

          3. “I don’t give a shit, it wouldn’t bother me if Tottenham won The Champions league, it will hurt”
            Kenny if you do understand English and the use of it well you’d know there’s no contradiction there, that a situation hurts doesn’t mean it has to bother you.
            People lose stuffs and get hurt, move on from it without batting an eye.
            Yes it’ll hurt to see them win it, but it doesn’t have to and it won’t bother me because they won it.
            Clear now?

            1. No, still not clear, It hurts but it still doesn’t bother me, contradiction. I think it’s you who needs the English lessons Eddie.

    2. Totally agree with you and Adaba. Why should we give a shit about what Spurs could achieve at this point with what is at stake. No, I can’t give up on European trophy. I wanted us to win it so badly. I witnessed Henry missing that penalty against Gala and also losing to Barca in Paris. Even though I was in front of tv, my dejection was the same with those watching live. I never want to witness that again. Why getting to final and throw that away because of personal gloat and pride.

      1. It was Suka and Vieria who missed the penalties against Galatasaray in the Final, don’t know what TV you were watching

    3. you said it all. Well done. When Spurs starting finishing above us they barely even bragged about it because Poch and Levy were far more ambitious than that. We need to match the ambition of our rivals. And winning titles like UEL is a start.

  3. It would hurt seeing them win it, but we haven’t won a European trophy for 25 years, so I choose that!

    I would never in a million years even consider giving up a trophy, just to stop a rival from winning. We as fans want fantastic memories from our club, and beating Chelsea in yet another final, would be fantastic!

  4. how can somebody write something like this, the article is childish , to say the least.i salute EDDIE HOYTE on his comments, he has written what any fan is thinking. for too many years we have been obsessed with finishing above spurs, to hell with spurs i say !!!. let us concentrate about our own success firstly, then , and, only then can we look down at the spurs.never in my life have i seen such childish behaviour revolving around st.tottinghams day , what a waste of time.it would not bother me if spurs did the treble being quite honest. only teams who deserve to win titles and cups are in such a position because of their superior football. right now , we are in the europa cup final, lets take that as a starting point to the next chapter in our clubs story.if we all put as much energy into supporting our team as we put into hating spurs then i think we will see a lot more success.`after it is only a game , and to bring hatred of any kind into the game is crazy.of course we will have the banter , but leave the hatred that i hear on here out of it, thats goes beyond SPORT.

    1. ?gerburke, Tottenham Hotspurs won the first First Division Title/FA Cup Double in the 20th Century in 1960/61. Aston Villa did it twice in the 19th Century.
      It took Arsenal 10 years to emulate Spurs feat in 1970/71. However Arsenal have completed two further doubles and Spurs have failed comparatively. Any success Spurs attain, as for any club, would normally be deserved
      Arsenal FC needs to concentrate on itself, disregard others and who knows what the future may bring.

  5. It’s frankly unbelievably sad that the question has even (in all seriousness?) been expressed.

    You fought to get to the final and genuine supporters, Spurs or not, wish you good luck!

    COYS

  6. If we are honest, the spuds have been better than in the past 2 – 3 years with less investment than us so they actually deserve to be in the CL more than we do but WE STILL THE BIGGER CLUB IN TERMS OF EVERYTHING,PERIOD!

  7. These comments are quite refreshing I must say. After reading tons of articles basically minimalizing the spurs feat of reaching the final I was very disappointed although I must say it was expected. It simply amazes me that after being the superior club for decades that now that Spurs have a relatively minimal edge, certain supporters attempt to diminish our success. I love this rivalry but it needs to remain clean and all in good sport. The fact is Spurs have had to watch Arsenal raise many trophy’s and enjoy very little success. Now it is our turn and while I understand the need to want to get back on top this is just a childish way of going about it. I would hope a club with as much history and success as yours would want to get better and prove your better. Not sacrifice a trophy to see us fail, come on grow up a bit.

  8. If there is any Gooner stupid and dumb enough to say they prefer us to lose if it guarantees Spuds lose their final too, then I say this to them, IF THEY EVEN EXIST, which I profoundly doubt they do in any case: you are sick in the head and are a disgrace to our club. Remember please, I am saying this to someone I very much doubt and pray does NOT even exist. The posts already on here before I write this are reassuring and evolved, as one would expect of ANY Gooner! Further, it is hardly the most well chosen article is it! Which, in plain fanspeak means, it is nonsense and unworthy of this site.

    1. Unfortunately jon, there is an idiot fringe represented by some (a minority) on AFTV.

      1. Then why not publicly name and shame them on here Ozzie. Direct confrontatio of racists is the way to defeat them , The overwhelming majority of fans anywhere are decent and abhor racism and will support my suggestion. Cowards hide away and flinch when confronted with racism and so good, decent and lovely human beings who just happen to have a different skin shade from white fans are forced to suffer . NO! THAT IS EVIL, WRONG AND TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. NAME AND SHAME THESE RETARDS! We all have a sacred duty to confront evil wherever it shows its disgusting head!

        1. Jon, I wasn’t discussing racists but people interviewed on AFTV, who stated that they would sacrifice Arsenal winning the Europa League for Spurs to lose the Champions League. A proper fan wants his or her club to win every final they are in.

          1. Sorry for misunderstanding Ozzie. Far less harmful to their (AFTV fans) human decency than racism but still stupid and pathetic. Care to name them anyway please?

            1. Jon, you’re infatuated by racism, no ones being racist on here but you keep bringing it up, please, chill out

  9. It will be great to win the Europa League. Our fourth trophy in 6 years, even though we have been in a difficult period is excellent, by nearly any other clubs standards!
    Unfortunately the media and certain fan elements will disagree! For example, the FA cup is meaningless and if we win the Europa League, we will hear the same said about that too!
    I wonder how meaningless the FA Cup will be if City win it or indeed how Watford will feel?
    I think we have become a bit of an embarrassment as a fanbase!
    I cant wait for next season. I believe with the integration of the young players we have, it will be like when we had Rocky, Merse, Thomas and Adam’s coming through.
    COYG

  10. I don’t want success, if my neighbor gets more than I do. Then I would rather have misery.
    What a way to think…
    Let’s go for a win the Europa League this season and a win in CL soon.

  11. no. if spurs win we’ll just have to win the competition ourselves. What is best for our club right now is winning this trophy and getting back into UCL.

  12. One thing I love about the game is all the “what ifs”.
    What if Spurs beat Liverpool. What if Arsenal win over Chelsea?
    There is another trophy, UEFA Super Cup. The winner of champs league plays winner of Europa over two legs. What if we won that? That would truly be something!

  13. Couldn’t care less about Spurs, we are the better club in so many ways, there is an element of luck in winning the CL, but they need to remove the name Champions and replace it with chancing. I hope we win the EL as our record in Europe is pretty poor, a trophy is a trophy and any fool daft enough to state I’d rather Arsenal lose so Spurs will is no fan, just some Johnny come lately supporter trying to make himself look good on a crap TV which makes Arsenal look bad when they spout their ill educated crap.So are in with a great chance as Chelsea play in the States a week earlier, not very good preparation, we have nothing to fear, just a shame corrupt UEFA decide to have a final in Asia and not Europe, what a rubbish atmosphere it will be with six thousand fans each.

  14. I must be the sick in the head disgraceful gooner then……………………along with Perry Groves and hundreds of other Gooner who texte talkSPORT a few weeks ago that they would rather njot get top 4 or win EL if it DEFINATELY meant Spuds not winning the CL.
    It may be an age thing as being in my 60`s I was brought up with just as much hate of the Spuds as my love for Arsenal, like a piece of seaside rock if you chopped my head off you would see I hate Tottnumb running through me !
    I even go further than Perry Groves and say I`d take a points reduction and relegation rather than see the Spuds win the CL !
    Alas I think it is one of those things like when Chavs won it, they will fluke it and my nightmares will begin and no amount of Speed dialing The Samaritans is going to help, so it`s with regret that I have booked myself into a Euthanasia clinic for the night of the CL and if by any chance they lose then I will ask the clinic to induce a heart attack and revive me as I at least want to get some monies worth out of the visit !
    FOYS

    1. You are one damaged human being then! I truly feel sorry for you as you must be a deeply unhappy and immature man. Truly upsetting to read. That you feel content to so reveal your own torment in this public forum says a great deal about the sort of person you are. Sigh!

      1. Thanks Jon for the sympathy…………………..my wife will agree with you about my immature nature, she says I take nothing serious !……………after forty years of marriage she obviously still doesn`t know how serious I can be about the Spuds ! hahaha

        1. Absolutely hilarious, LCM … I know you’re deadly serious, but it’s the way you explained it ??brilliant!
          I’m dreading June 1st… can’t stand either team, but will hope Liverpool win it… am definitely not watching it!!

          1. Thanks Sue, glad you see the intended humour…………………..I have put a link regarding Perry Groves, but it is in admin at the moment !………………do you blog on Arsenal Arsenal by any chance ?……..as there`s a Sue on there .

            1. I read that Perry will emigrate to Australia if they win it… I think a lot of us gooners will!! ?

              Yes that’s me ? not been on there very long, but it has been very amusing!

              1. Thought so…………………I used to blog a lot on there until I was banned by Big Raddy for my humour ! hahaha……………………..RA was one of my blogging buddies , he`s like a walking dictionary ! …………mention me to him and he will know !
                😆

                1. You were banned?? Seriously?! ? well I’m sure your humour will go down very well on here!
                  RA is hilarious! Absolutely nuts! ? will do!

  15. I’ll take you at your word Le Coq, but I have to wonder why Perry Groves would say such a thing.

    1. Georgie…………………………….it was on talkSport and only one person who phoned in disagreed with Perry, all the ones that texted in agreed with Perry, if I could remember the date (it was a Friday as thats then day Perry is on) you could re-listen to it !

  16. Dan Smith you have put forward a very valid point which i cannot argued against if i should take out the emotions surrounding spuds winning champions league before us, however it would be a hard pill to swallow should that happen but i would love to see my Arsenal winning a european title

  17. Lets just win europa league first, then we can hope for a small earthquake before champions league final

  18. LE COQ Thanks for clearing up the confusion I was under. Think I’ll take a few deep breaths and relax.

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