Arsenal: The ‘noise’ is dictated by the club

Arsenal have seemingly suggested that negative atmosphere among the fanbase is to blame for the club’s recent struggles. However, this ‘noise’ is not the cause of the team’s poor form; rather, it is the symptom of it.

Things are not going very well for Arsenal and head coach Unai Emery. Just two wins from their last 10 Premier League matches, the latest of which a 2-0 defeat to Leicester City that leaves them eight points behind the top four, the lack of identity coming to roost in the team and a natural conservatism leading many fans to call for change.

Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — Unai Emery out, again

Emery is under increasing pressure. And he very much deserves it. There are a decreasing number of reasons to keep him at the helm. Patience is the only valid reason in favour of Emery, and there is only so long that a club should be patient with a manager who is failing.

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Nevertheless, the Gunners are set to stick with their man, for now, at least. On Sunday, they leaked to the media their support for Emery. David Ornstein of The Athletic was the first to report that the club are 100% behind Emery.

In Ornstein’s report, there was one especially concerning aspect from the club’s ‘statement’ — they did not release an official statement but they are using Ornstein as a mouthpiece. The club ostensibly blame the atmosphere around the team for the team’s poor performances. From Ornstein:

"“They [Arsenal] are adamant their project is sound, well-planned and will bring success, provided the external atmosphere allows it to do so. They hope the international break comes at a good time for the Arsenal squad — allowing them a welcome change of scenery — but accept the absence of domestic matches will increase the “noise” around Emery and they are determined not to let it influence their thoughts or actions.”"

This ‘noise’ that the club refers to is the general criticism and toxicity that surrounds the club at every turn. From the captaincy debacle to the abuse that the players have dealt with, there is a belief that Emery’s poor management record can be reasoned away because of the response of the supporters. Quite frankly, that is offensive to the fanbase.

To think that the fanbase’s critical response to the troubles is the source of the troubles is utterly asinine. First and foremost, it is a response, not a cause. The supporters’ questions of Emery would not exist if Emery was doing a good job. Quite how they can then be the source of Emery’s incompetence is difficult to compute.

But even more pertinently, it is irresponsible and disrespectful of the club to shift the blame away from themselves and those they employ and onto the supporters. The supporters are nothing more than onlookers, hoping and wishing the best for their team. They do not make the decisions. They have no blame for the team’s fortunes, positively or negatively. And yet, Arsenal imply that their own fans are to blame for their poor form.

The ‘noise’ that the club wants to blame is their own doing. If the team played well and won matches, such noise would be positive, not critical. To suggest anything otherwise is utterly false and, quite frankly, offensive. Arsenal really are a mess.