Arsenal fans take themselves far too seriously, say rival supporters

Football would be nothing without completely reasonable, emotionally balanced debate.

Unfortunately, Arsenal fans exist.

Research from Midnite’s Built Different Index asked supporters which fanbase takes itself too seriously.

Arsenal didn’t just win.

They absolutely cleared the field.

24.3% of fans surveyed chose the Gunners — more than double Manchester United in second on 12.0%.

Liverpool came third on 9.8%, followed by Chelsea on 7.4% and Manchester City on 5.5%.

The internet will presumably react calmly.

Arsenal are clear at the top

The result becomes even more emphatic among Premier League fans.

There, Arsenal rise to 29.8%.

Championship supporters also put them first, with 20.0% choosing the Gunners.

So whichever part of the football pyramid you ask, the answer is much the same.

English football thinks Arsenal supporters could maybe loosen the tie a little.

Spurs fans certainly think so

Naturally, North London provides some of the strongest numbers.

Among Tottenham supporters surveyed, a massive 49.8% said Arsenal fans take themselves too seriously.

Spurs fans also had another accusation ready.

39.9% picked Arsenal when asked which supporters have the most irrational confidence.

Which, coming from your biggest rivals, is hardly surprising.

More awkwardly for Arsenal, the wider survey doesn’t completely disagree.

Overall, Arsenal also finished first for most irrationally confident fanbase, on 14.1%, narrowly ahead of Manchester United on 13.1%.

A clean sweep in the “please stop talking about your title chances in August” categories.

The unofficial enemy of English football

It gets worse.

When supporters were asked which club they dislike despite not considering them a rival, Arsenal finished first again, on 9.6%.

And this wasn’t driven by one pocket of supporters.

Arsenal were the number-one answer in 10 of 34 reportable club-supporter groups.

That includes:

16.9% of Liverpool fans.

16.3% of Manchester City fans.

14.9% of Manchester United fans.

15.3% of Newcastle fans.

And 13.4% of Leeds fans.

That takes commitment.

Plenty of clubs manage to annoy their actual rivals.

Arsenal have apparently developed a broader national network.

But Spurs still admit Arsenal bring noise

Football opinions are rarely tidy, though.

Despite all that contempt, 28.8% of Tottenham fans said Arsenal were the loudest away supporters they had hosted.

And when asked which rival fanbase they secretly respect, 8.1% of Spurs supporters chose Arsenal.

The feeling goes the other way too, although a little less enthusiastically: 5.7% of Arsenal fans chose Tottenham.

Which is the great thing about football rivalry.

You can think someone is deluded, annoying and unbearably serious while still begrudgingly admitting they’re quite good at being a football fan.

Just never tell them.