Arsenal are on the verge of winning the Premier League.
I am a Newcastle United fan who lives in London.
I work with Arsenal fans.
When I go out for a drink there are Arsenal fans in the bar.
The mother-in-law is an Arsenal supporter, as are all my son’s uncles on that side of the family.
About to win the league you would expect them to be happy…but they confess their emotions are double-edged.
At the start of the season they wanted Mikel Arteta sacked. Just like the Prada-clad Gooners that I met on the train to Newcastle for our game against them back in September.
The style of football harks back to the George Graham era and the one nil to the Arsenal chant ringing out.
My in-laws have supported through the Arsene Wenger years, hence their disillusionment with the current Arsenal set up.
What worries them is that though they want Arsenal to win the Premier League, it is the manner of the victory, the style of the football, with an embarrassing manager to boot, that they are uncomfortable with.
But. The big but is if Arsenal are successful in this manner, will the owners back Mikel Arteta with the win at all cost mentality and continue with a style of football that is unpalatable to them?
Uncle K and his brothers hope not…but will celebrate the victory. It is football after all.
Winning and entertaining at the same time though, is what real football supporters want.
Kevin Keegan created the team of entertainers but was ultimately done by the pragmatic football of Ferguson and his Man U side.
If Newcastle were to grind out a Premier League title in the manner that Arsenal have done, would I be happy? No doubt about it, but it is one hundred years since we last won the league.
If we’d had the recent success that all the top clubs in the Premier League have had, then I would be in the same camp as my Arsenal brother-in-laws. I’d take the win but not be happy with the football and like them would want a change. I want us to win but also entertain.
When Arsenal secure their Premier League title I will suffer a huge bout of man flu, as all those smug part-time Arsenal fans will be insufferable.