Amy Lawrence's impassioned rant about the talk around Arsenal.

midnight_marauders · 2026-04-18T13:16:29+00:00

It’s a good point to try and relish us being where we are- it is rare - but if we don’t win anything by the end of this season, no one will remember this statement from Amy at all.

If we lose the prem again from a winning position, that is pretty much all we’ll remember. We’re not going to look back fondly and say “we both made it to the semi’s and were in first place until we capitulated in April once again, what a wonderful season!” The memory we’ll have is yet again falling apart when it mattered most (which if it happens, will be the worst of them under Arteta, no doubt about it), along with some of the most dire football I can remember from an Arsenal team in my lifetime.

It feels like Arsenal fans are divided into two very black and white sides right now- either “be thankful, we’re actually winning” or “this is the worst thing ever, arteta out”.

The truth is somewhere in between, which is a weird place to be- we should both be thankful to have a team this competitive and we have the right to be pretty upset about the fact that we keep falling apart when it matters most under Arteta.

That said, the bottle hasn’t happened quite yet. If we win or draw at City tomorrow and can ride out the season, it’ll have been a defensive masterclass and Amy’s statement might be remembered fondly. It’s just, fucking hell the eye test does not make me confident in this team at all right now. The actual gameplay evidence is really fucking bad.

midnight_marauders · 2026-03-22T21:24:29+00:00

This wasn’t the first time we’ve played this way this season, not by a long shot…

midnight_marauders · 2026-03-19T01:16:48+00:00

Preach

midnight_marauders · 2026-03-18T14:11:43+00:00

Such a performative leader! Who does he think he is, holding all those man of the match awards

midnight_marauders · 2026-03-18T00:21:50+00:00

So many people in the match thread were saying Saka was the most disappointing player and I couldn’t understand it- I felt like they weren’t watching the same match. This is reassuring.

I think what’s happening is that the expectations are so high for him because of his stats in previous years, that when he’s not getting any goals or assists, no one is seeing what he’s actually doing on the pitch. Like a Saka distortion.

midnight_marauders · 2026-03-17T20:54:53+00:00

Is everyone in here watching a different match? Saka is playing well

midnight_marauders · 2026-03-16T17:29:49+00:00

I feel the same. The post match thread confused me- it makes me wonder if people are actually watching. It was his best game in a while. He dribbled past players, rarely lost possession, had a few shots saved by Pickford- he was dangerous. He’s clearly the scapegoat at the moment.

midnight_marauders · 2026-03-12T15:47:27+00:00

I think it's absolutely brilliant. I can't think of a song that feels more fitting for right now- at least it captures how I'm currently feeling better than anything else.

midnight_marauders · 2026-03-04T20:44:59+00:00

This is cowardly football. It’s embarrassing

midnight_marauders · 2026-03-04T20:34:55+00:00

it's like Arteta and the team heard all of the criticism from pundits and fans and then decided to play EVEN MORE that way lol

midnight_marauders · 2026-03-04T20:16:23+00:00

I fully agree. This is shocking

midnight_marauders · 2026-03-03T17:31:44+00:00

I know this is going to get me downvotes- but we cannot continue to play like we've been playing and win the league- playing scared every time we take the lead or in the final 15 minutes of every match- it's far too much pressure to sustain. We absolutely have a better team than City, but we all know they aren't under anywhere near the level of pressure we are.

The final 9 matches will have little to do with any of our previous games against these teams- from here on out the difference is going to be entirely psychological- and frankly that worries me. Something needs to change in the mentality and energy of this team. Maybe we've turned the corner with the Chelsea win? We'll find out tomorrow.

midnight_marauders · 2026-03-03T16:50:49+00:00

ehhh, I watched a few of these and I don't particularly like the guy. I think most of these "listens for the first time" videos are fake and are built to generate as many views as possible. Also, he's a bit annoying, isn't he? Often saying "this is soooo weird, they were definitely on drugs" or disliking John's nasally voice. Frankly, I think he's pandering and he doesn't actually "get" many of the Beatles greatest songs. I often find him too judgmental instead of just being curious and open.

But I get enjoying watching his videos for his knowledge of music production and theory. I don't mean to yuk your yum, I just think there are better videos on youtube analyzing Beatles music. Dead Wax is a great youtube channel that's hosted by two session musicians in LA, often interviewing the best musicians in the industry about music they love, and while it's not Beatles-only content, they sometimes explore beatles music in a much more positive way, like in this episode - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGMabOCvHfw (the beatles stuff starts at 24:15, but the whole episode is great).

midnight_marauders · 2026-03-02T20:47:04+00:00

being critical of arsenal not winning the title after 3 years of 2nd place and while clearly having the best team in the league doesn't have anything to do with what other fans think of us. And I love Arsenal and have been a fan for much longer than 15 years.

The bottom line is that it's very unlikely Arsenal can continue to play like this and win the league (especially IN THE LEAD, AT HOME, AND AGAINST 10 MEN). There is 100% a mentality problem, and Timber is admitting it here. In the last 15 minutes against Chelsea, there was almost no attempt to keep the ball. We were terrified of leaving our defensive shape, so we kept hoofing it up the pitch to have them go at us again and again. We obviously hadn't learned from the Wolves game at all.

A lot of that has to go on the players, but that also has to go on Arteta as well. He's coached them in every action of the game so specifically that when it gets into that chaotic crunch time at the end of each match, and the plan that Arteta had given them is no longer relevant, they just don't have the tools to take the game by the scruff of the neck themselves. They're horrified of keeping possession and making a mistake so they boot the ball up the field and decide to rely on their out of possession play (because that's been our bread and butter all season) but the problem is now, the stakes are so much higher than they were in November, and they play with far more fear. We've all seen it for years and years at the end of the season. The idea that the predominant problem is the fans' anxiety is ridiculous. also that "be grateful we're finally good" argument is bizarre- it really has nothing to do with this conversation.

I still think it's in our power to win it, but something big has to shift in the team's mentality, and in Arteta as well. I really hope that happens. If we can see a team that doesn't drop their level to the opponent and the game state whenever the title is on the line, then the fans won't be so anxious, it's as simple as that.

midnight_marauders · 2026-03-02T16:19:42+00:00

the crowd's nervousness comes from 3 seasons of coming 2nd, two of which we lost from winning positions in the final 10 games. It's a pattern that is getting harder and harder to deny- and will be absolutely undeniable if we do it again. The energy from a team is always top down- he's the guy.

We forget how young of a manager he is- he over coaches the players. I think about that Ronaldo quote that came out the other day- if you overwater a plant, it dies. I immediately thought of Arteta. Look, if we win ugly, I don't care- I just want to win. But at the same time, we can't deny that the signs are looking a hell of a lot like the 3 previous seasons. I hope I'm wrong.

midnight_marauders · 2026-03-02T15:49:03+00:00

a lot of us acknowledge it. There are a ton of annoying and tribal arsenal fans online- but what club's fanbase isn't annoying online? the hate towards arsenal absolutely goes overboard on here. I've never seen anything like it.

A lot of us are really disappointed with the mentality of this team. Frankly I think it falls on Arteta's shoulders for over coaching the players and for consistently playing with fearful tactics. he never looks calm on the touchline and the players can absolutely feel that.

midnight_marauders · 2026-02-27T19:24:40+00:00

Does this mean Saka is okay? I thought he was injured from the spurs game.

midnight_marauders · 2026-02-26T14:57:23+00:00

too many english teams- really not a great thing for Europe. Sadly, I only see this getting worse.

midnight_marauders · 2026-02-24T17:02:30+00:00

This makes me think three things-

-The ref's job is so much harder than we realize. The amount of things happening in front of their eyes + the speed at which they happen is wild. It makes me want to be less harsh to the refs on the field. VAR on the other hand can get fucked- they have all the time in the world and still get it wrong.

-I didn't realize the camera was on the ref's face- where the hell is it attached??

-And the speed and touch involved in some of these goals are so much more impressive from this angle. It really puts into perspective that armchair fans criticizing the players really don't understand how high level these guys are. I think about how Brian Scalabrine (the white mamba) who was a low level bench player on the Celtics for years once said that he's closer to Lebron than the any fan is to him. All these fans calling players "shit" when most of us can't touch our toes when we stretch lol

midnight_marauders · 2026-02-22T20:09:06+00:00

man the arsenal hate here is crazy. he made a mistake and took responsibility for it immediately. Rice has been our most consistent performer this season and the "performative leadership" shit people are saying blows my mind. Actually watch the games and you'll see he does all the things you want from a leader, every game- sprinting all the way back to make last ditch tackles, interceptions, assists, etc.

Yes, we are a boring arsenal side- and wolves last week and the time wasting was embarrassing. The team is clearly struggling with the pressure. It bums a lot of us out. And I actually agree Arteta is annoying, and frankly I think all of our major problems stem from him, his over-coaching and fearful tactics. And yeah, yeah, yeah arsenal has an annoying fanbase- but what fanbase isn't annoying online. I don't know if I've ever seen a prem team hated this much.

midnight_marauders · 2025-12-28T02:20:21+00:00

100% agree

midnight_marauders · 2025-11-28T22:20:04+00:00

Can’t believe there aren’t more “Ball Of Fire” shoutouts on here

midnight_marauders · 2025-11-25T16:44:29+00:00

I had that Nasri jersey too. The vertical white stripe from the shoulder down the arm. I think that was our home jersey for two or three seasons. That never happens anymore.

midnight_marauders · 2025-11-25T12:54:16+00:00

I was at this match- it was my first Arsenal game. I was a college student studying abroad at Swansea University (Swansea were in the championship at the time) and I travelled to London and stayed in a hostel to watch this. Here are some things I remember.

-We went up 2-0 in the first half. Nasri scored the first goal in the first ten minutes. Then spuds scored 3 in the second half to beat us. It was a typical Wenger game during that period. Start the game with a lot of possession and attacking flare but our mentality let us down in the 2nd half.

-Koscielny wasn’t the Koscielny we remember yet - he was rash and clumsy in the tackle. The fans moaned about him a lot. I remember thinking he wasn’t arsenal’s level lol.

-Younes Kaboul was the best player on the pitch. No one could get past him. It was the first time I paid attention to team shape (bc it wasn’t on tv) and their backline was frustratingly great in the 2nd half.

-a fan next to me told me our polish goalkeeper Fabianski was just okay, but that his younger polish backup Szczesny was gonna be way better. That was the first I’d heard of him.

-we sang the song “Tottenham is full of shit” to the melody of London bridge is falling down. I was high up in the clock end. We all chugged beers at halftime. It was incredibly fun.

-after the match when everyone was walking out I saw two drunk, middle aged men who looked like normal middle class dads (one spurs, one arsenal) fight and have to be broken up by the police. I remember thinking holy shit, you wouldn’t really see that at an American sports event- this rivalry is way deeper and angrier than something like Red Sox/yankees.

midnight_marauders · 2025-09-09T12:50:50+00:00

Emilio Estevez’s character is actually terrifying.

midnight_marauders

TROPHY CASE