A dramatic headline for dramatic times my friends.
Today, we’re announcing our partnership with YouGov and their fancy new ‘Chat’ service. YouGov is all about consumer research. If you work in advertising, your media team has used them to tell you what type of biscuits northerners like. If you’ve seen a poll for the elections, it’s usually them. They are the best in the business, so I’m happy to have them on the site. The tool they’ve given us is called Chat. It’s a little button in the bottom corner of the site. Click it and then follow along. It’ll ask you to answer some very specific questions related to Arsenal. Your reward? It’ll tell you what fans are thinking across those topics instantly. The hope is that we can get a more accurate view of what Arsenal fans are thinking, and it’ll give me some extra content to work with.
My main point of excitement here is tracking fan sentiment around the club in real-time.
We have a little bit of exclusive fresh data (sample 461) to share with you today based around Arsenal, and it might ladder back to why we’re seeing more gaps in the stadium, and why people 27,000th on the waiting list are being offered season tickets after just 3 years of waiting list time.
Before the start of the season,YouGov ran a survey and asked ‘How confident are you in the football team.’ They found that Arsenal fans were confident but hardly bullish. Only 10% of fans felt very confident, 44% felt somewhat confident. ‘Not very confident‘ sat at 36% and ‘Not at all confident‘ was 8%.
Quite staggering that Arsenal fans could feel so low despite unleashing so much cash this summer.
Fast forward 3 games of pain…
Things have taken a dramatic shift for the worse. After only 3 games 33% of our fans are fully ‘Not at all confident‘ about the team (Only 8% registered here before the start of the season). 37% of fans are ‘Not very confident.’
Team positive only makes up 29% of the fanbase as of this week. Where are my people?!
Confidence in the manager has also cratered over the 3 Premier League games. 60% of the fanbase is Not Very Confident or Not at All Confident in the manager. At the start of the season, amazingly, 66% of the fanbase registered Very Confident or Somewhat confident. This is a dramatic decline and shows you how much danger Arteta is in with the fans as we head into a group of fixtures that lead us to a massive derby game against Spurs one game before the international break. No doubt the club will be keeping an eye on this one, and if results are poor, there won’t be much protection for Arteta from the numbers.
Things don’t get much better for Arsenal when fans are asked where they think the club will finish come the end of the season. Now this question is very much wrapped in the emotion of the moment, losing 3 games doesn’t help with clarity, and no fan will listen to the word ‘context’ when they are being lampooned by their mates in the group chat for supporting a relegation fodder side. However, it’s notable that 0% of fans thought we’d finish near the bottom of the table at the start of the season, now 23% do! At the start of the season, a whopping 33% of us thought we’d finish top 4, after 3 games, that’s down to 13%. A massive 60% of us think the club will finish midtable… that’s after spending the largest amount of cash in the league this summer.
So in short, after two surveys, Arsenal fans are in the absolute gutter. We don’t rate the team, we don’t rate the manager, and most of us think Arsenal are heading for another season of midtable mediocrity.
Is that important? Yes. It’s important. That sort of sentiment stops fans from going to games that are midweek. It lessens the appetite for away day season tickets. It starts to break the habit of attending and supporting through thick and thin. This is dangerous territory for KSE because the fans are at the apathy stage with Arsenal before the winter weather has arrived. That spells difficult times for Arteta and it likely means there’s going to be more turbulence at the club if he doesn’t get his act together. We all know it was the empty stadiums that terminated Wenger and Emery. Mikel needs to shape up, get the team playing some sexy football, and he needs to put some results on the board.
I also think the club needs to do a far, far better job of communicating the vision for the future. Where is the football going? Why should I believe in this new project? When do we exit the transition? What is going to stop the next manager arriving and ripping up this plan? Wenger was the master at selling tomorrow, the current crop can’t sell out a home game against the European Cup Finalists.
What a mess we’re in. Let’s hope we can see a solid reaction this weekend. Arteta needs a result and so do the fans.
So, that’s the first of the data runs. Let me know what you think in the comments. I’ll have more time to spend with the next round of data, so I’ll make the charts fancier and do a deeper analysis of the numbers. Also, have a play with the chat feature and answer the questions!
P.S. Get involved in the latest podcast and video.
Hello!
Really appreciate the survey Pedro, gives one an opportunity to be heard
3rd
4th
Going to admit, not much to be excited over for this season. An iffy TW and Arteta showing that he’s really a questionable choice for Manager as he continues to fumble his way along the learning curve. I want to remain optimistic but the club gives more than enough reason not to.
Crickets
BTW, Happy 14th Pedro!
Did anybody see Karl Hein against Wales?
Does anybody know anything about him?
Love to know how representative the Legrove responses would be to Arsenal fans everywhere, similar or noticeably different?
No cause for alarm. Yougov only corroborates what we all know: football fans are fickle.
It also confirms that out there fans are more confident than the anti-arteta brigade on here would have us believe.
England’sbest
You’ve obviously been the only person on here going on (and on and on and on…) and opting for ‘very confident’ I shudder to think how high your phone bill is going to be this month. Unless, of course you’re doing it from your office inside the Emirates. 😉
But you are very confident right? Get well soon with the rsi.
I was 100% confident Arsenal would do badly hiring an unknown quantity.
Englands best
You’ve got to be admired for sticking to your guns…but…really?
There is a child-like quality associated with being overly optimistic, which asks a question of EB.
When you’re dead,you don’t know you’re dead.
All of the pain is felt by others..
The same thing happens when you’re stupid.
I’m 100% certain that polls are often not accurate (Ask Jeremy Corbyn)
I’m amazed that 5% of Arsenal fans are happy or very happy with the team right now.
Real surveys? Or
Wag the dog from internet scum….?
Don’t you know Hillary won?
Don’t you know that the Donald won…..even more recently?
One of this sunday afternoons we will storm the Emirates, grab Diet Pep dress him in a pair of jeans and a creased shirt, tell him to raise one foot on the couch without shoes, give him a few slaps
Then round up Steve(no pun) and his accomplises, The Arsenal will be restored
“I’m amazed that 5% of Arsenal fans are happy or very happy with the team right now.”
95% of people are fuxking idiots. 5% are clinically delusional.
I’m 110% certain that people are 46% certain of their opinion
Pedro
I also think the club needs to do a far, far better job of communicating the vision for the future.
—
The communication I want to see is on the pitch. Not a PR release.
Sid, the goalkeeping coach will be on the lamppost like Mussolini
If there is no vision then we would be best advised not to communicate it.
At the moment it seems to be buying people at the right age so we don’t lose too much money when we sell them. Though the manager has done a great job of depreciating the sellable assets we had when he took over, so I take that with a pinch of salt.
Does anyone know if that spare cunt Josh is still in town?
If not, it would signal to me that Tets has a few more games to fuck up before he’s sacked.
P
“”””” That sort of sentiment stops fans from going to games that are midweek””””
We aint got any midweek games.
Arteta has seen to that.No Europe.
Arteta has done an Arsexit!
Orbinho
@Orbinho
·
Sep 6
Arsenal average the highest points per game of any team in Premier League history during September
2.17 Arsenal
1.95 Man Utd
1.81 Wimbledon
1.76 Chelsea
1.67 Liverpool
1.59 Man City
1.58 Leeds
Orbinho
@Orbinho
·
1h
Arsenal have only ever lost their first four matches of a league season on one occasion and that occurred in 1923-24.
Arsenal v AFC Wimbledon Wednesday week.
The survey shows that Arsenal fans are very reactive and fickle. Win a few games and most of them will again start feeling confident about everything related to Arsenal and Arteta.
“””Arsenal v AFC Wimbledon Wednesday week””””
Thank you Bob, for reminding me of that humdinger.
If zero supporters turns up and ‘ go on strike’ for this match , we can get shot of the bloody pair of them. (A&E) by the Burnley match.
A.Conte is poised.
One phone call, thats all it takes.
UK Gov or whatever it is called , will be crashing if Conte is announced.
White, Partey, Gabriel and Eddie available for selection on Saturday.
Partey-Lokonga in midfield and White-Gabriel in central defense – Arteta will have his preferred starting 11 available for selection, no room for any excuse.
TOP 10: Transfer fees spend to assemble current squad
1. Manchester City – £926m
2. Manchester United – £877m
3. Paris Saint-German – £820m
4. Real Madrid – £675m
5. Chelsea – £669m
6. Liverpool – £576m
7. Juventus – £563m
8. Arsenal – £551m
9. Barcelona – £542m
10 – Tottenham Hotspur – £472m
TR7
Arsenal fans are the pits. We are 100% the new scousers. But worse, because we don’t have their history or pull.
Now, we are that guy who hangs around the popular kids hoping to get an off cast from their orbit.
We are a shitty big spending club with a shite fanbase.
The data further revealed that Premier League clubs expenditure amounts to over £7 billion, more than double the amount clubs in the La Liga and Serie A have coughed up on signing players. Top 5 European leagues squad expenditure: 1. Premier League – £7bn 2. La Liga – £2.9bn 3. Serie A – £2.8bn 4. Ligue 1 – £2.3bn 5. Bundesliga – £2bn City only lured Jack Grealish to the Etihad Stadium for a cool £100m ahead of the close of the transfer window. Meanwhile, United brought in Jadon Sancho (£73m), Raphael Varane (£41m) and Ronaldo (£19.7m). Chelsea brought back… Read more »
Team line up for Saturday should be
Leno
AMN White Gabriel. Tierney
Partey Lokonga
Pepe. Odegaard. Auba
Lacazette
There’s a quality of ‘I told you so’ about reactions on here to Yougov findings, as if they were written in tablets of stone. They are not, as Yougov would agree, merely a test of opinion at this time. The real issue is whether or not Arteta’s project, a long term process, will succeed. So judgement based on current opinion has small value. So, looking ahead, we know from their statements and actions that both Arteta and Edu have a clear vision, a common purpose, to return Arsenal to the lite. Some will question their choices, rightly in some cases… Read more »
We didn’t need a full selection of players to go to newly promoted Brentford and get a result, or to put up more of a fight against Chelsea and City. We beat Chelsea last season at home and lost 1-0 against City away (you would have thought otherwise judging by Arteta’s joy afterwards though). Injuries, suspensions etc are a part of football. It’s only Arteta that seemingly has to have everything perfect to get results. These numbers do not lie, they point to a man in last chance saloon and one I cannot wait to see the back of. Going… Read more »
Al Gore is looking down on you alll
1. We don’t have Petro dollars to spend
2.the Spanish clubs sold their futures to award outrageous contracts albeit to quality players
3.United is only now managing a budget albeit larger than ours due to their commercial success – Liverpool similar.
With success comes rewards
If you believe people leaving comments on The Athletic’s Facebook page, AFTV is to blame for this, not the poor performances, poor in-game management, one-dimensional play and defensive incompetence. It’s all down to Robbie and his contributors.
Rebuilds are never easy when nobody has the oatience
Thanks Pedro, for the data analysis from YouGov, I believe more pleasure from winning games with beautiful football is what we want to be reading with each write up of yours.
So, a survey of 461 people from the traffic to this website. 0.77% of the Emirates capacity. What percentage of this websites visitors responded? Are the responses slewed by the atypical visitors to this site, or are they typical of the millions of AFC supporters? Did the surveys follow negative or positive articles on this website or in the press? Were all responders AFC fans? Where there any questions that preceded the questions you have posted? There are so many variables, and it is such a small sample size. That’s why the adage “There are lies, damn lies, and statistics”… Read more »
Regardless of how critical I’ve been I’m expecting a good win tomorrow, probably a good performance to boot
Gabriel back and partey back, xhaka out, I think ESR is the only good player out injured? There should be plenty enough in there to do Norwich.
Win that in style and at least it takes the sting out of it and the jokes of being bottom etc. lose or draw tho and it’s going to be a cacophony of hate and I doubt arteta would even survive beyond the NLD
Wow that top 10 list. Some proper shockers in there
Man utd spent all that for such little in the trophy cabinet!
How about PSG? They play in a one team league, spent all that money and still haven’t won the CL and don’t even always win their league. Very embarrassing
Tomi still doesn’t have a work permit?
Man immigration is tough! Brexit arsenal!
Billp79
September 9, 2021 13:30:01
Rebuilds are never easy when nobody has the oatience
——————————————————————
We’ve been rebuilding since summer 2018. There’s been 7 transfer windows. That’s not a lack of patience, it’s bordering on inaction. And for all the time spent rebuilding, we’ve gone from top 6 to bottom of the league.
Hein should be made 3rd choice GK and Okonkwo moved down to 4th.
Hein is a starter internationally so should handle pressure better than Okonkwo if emergency appears.
Also, his contract runs out next year. Have a better chance of extension if we move him up the pecking order.
In other news, Stuttgart will reportedly buy Mavropanos for 2.6m. Good business for them, fair play to Sven.
Thanks for polls, Pedro, but I will be ignoring them because too many fans are too fickle.
SpongeBob, Colic Charlie, Englandswaste, topbunker are very confident in the manager
so anyone taking bets on when Partey is back on the injury table? Im guessing he plays the next 2 games and when we need him against spurs, he’ll either get injured in that game or before the game begins.
Thats just my take though! Will be great if he can play the next 35 games!
Do you know I absolutely detest Arteta. Every time I see a pic of him or on the telly I just want someone to smash that smug face in. Sorry.
Fickle fans…..really? We haven’t won the title in 17 years , out of Europe for first time in 25 years, year on year we’re getting worse as a team, but we’re supposedly fickle. I think we’re some of the most patient fans out their.
Jumpin’ with Symphony Syd
Gooner fans are the most fickle and moaning fans anywhere in the World right now, and maybe after the steady and predictable decline year on year, over the last 10 years, it is justified, however,… The season started with 3 tough fixtures that we all said before a ball was kicked that they could yield Zero points. Throw in the key injuries, Covid isolations and unfinished transfer business into the pot, and the context of the start of the season looks slightly different. I’m not super confident it will be a dramatic and fast turnaround, I still think we are… Read more »
EnglandsBest
“So, looking ahead, we know from their statements and actions that both Arteta and Edu have a clear vision, a common purpose, to return Arsenal to the lite.”
Return Arsenal to the lite?
Job Done 🙂
3 tough fixturea at the start of the season, really. Does that include a team thats newly promoted and never been in the Pl before?. Really!. Arsenal zealots continuously lowering the bar for a pass mark. There was a time when Arsenal expected to win EVERY fixture and were sad at a draw and despondent over a loss to any team. If this were the Olympics, these superfans would have the high jump barrier placed knee high and applaud enthusiastically as Arteta jumped it with aplomb
Within 5 years of fergie leaving the united fans were trying to burn down Woodward’s house in protest against him. How many years did it take Liverpool to boot out hicks and Gillette? Yet we were promised in 2007/2008 we’d be able to compete with the big boys in the future, instead we’ve gone backwards. Sorry but I think Arsenal fans are very patient. As for Arteta he’s had longer than Emery , spent more money than Emery, and yet he’s got us playing as bad if not worse than anything under Emery’s tenure. Just like Emery wasn’t the right… Read more »
@globalgunner
I know it’s really embarrassing.. seriously you wonder what or who they’ve been watching the last 18 months
Wilshire to train with Arsenal?
Should sign him on a pay as you play contract.
Wilshere not Wilshire…….
Thought the same about Partey @Gonsterous, but we have to keep it positive on le grove, mindful of others feelings
Gary Ssss
They need telling – but they won’t listen
Englandsbest, what’s your prediction, bare minimum requirements for Arteta this season to justify keeping him on?
Ray+in+LA
E- asy now. But I kinda like OTT Hollywood language. ‘To the lite’ hits the button. Okay if I use it myself?
Fickle fans have fuck all to do with the polls. It’s pretty basic… win and fans are happy and lose and they are not… This is basic human nature. It applies to every Club and life situation. . When your on a roll at the gambling tables … or just in life in general people tend to be happy. When your bill collectors are calling every day, you lose your job and your wife and your dog dies… Your not happy. Well Arsenal’s mascot just died after our owner executed him… we have finished 8th 2 seasons in a row…… Read more »
Some of you need to have a word with yourselves. Always jumping on the managers back at the first opportunity. Call yourselves fans? Pathetic. We had to play Brentford, ok we lost, but look at the players they have, an incredible ensemble of attacking talent and defensive grit. I can’t see anyone beating them this year. And fair enough we haven’t scored but everyone knows how hard it is to score in the premiership, look at all the other teams that haven’t scored. If the manager had been given money to spend you could have some reason to lash out… Read more »
Tom
I don’t see any minimum requirements. Arteta will stay, come what may.
But II’ll gladly repeat my expectation come end of the season: a place in the top 6 and a final under his belt
Almunia,
Clearly this is your funniest post.
Knowing you, it is obvious that it is satire, but you should be careful, some may take it at face value…😁🤯
“I don’t see any minimum requirements. Arteta will stay, come what may.“
Maybe that’s the problem then.
Pedro
I’m all in favour of the new feature with one exception. On a laptop the chat icon is not a distraction but on a phone it feels a little intrusive. Is there a way for a user to either disable or hide the icon when they are not using it? Otherwise, it makes a lot of sense and I’m sure I’ll adjust to it on the phone.
Arteta will stay, come what may. ________ No he won’t… he has to start winning… now and one win against Norwich won’t switch the momentum if we then go on to lose to Spurs and struggle against poor opposition. Looking at our schedule 8 out of the next 10 games are winnable. He won’t survive unless we start winning at a high rate immediately. And nothing Arteta has done so far indicates he can go on an extended winning streak. There is certainly basic expectations … not being humiliated regularly as an Arsenal fan is one of them We could… Read more »
Love it Almunia
While the fickle nature of fans may impact the polling results, fickleness will be less of a factor when it comes to opinions on players. I doubt Saka or ESR’s popularity have lowered despite the bad early start. For example, I am curious to see how the Leno/Ramsdale or Lokonga/Xhaka polling plays out over the course of the season.
Just watched Arteta’s press conference. He has become the master of saying ‘we don’t make excuses’ before running off a series of them in the next sentence.
No Seedy I’m not confident in Arteta but crack on with your b*llshit if it helps!
There is no excuse that makes sense anymore… honestly.
“Just watched Arteta’s press conference. He has become the master of saying ‘we don’t make excuses’ before running off a series of them in the next sentence.“
My all time favorite has to be Xhaka’s late injury at left back ruining the entire game plan against Villarreal
I like the polling thing.. and yes I hope it can be expanded to include more then the basics of happy or unhappy.
“Just watched Arteta’s press conference. He has become the master of saying ‘we don’t make excuses’ before running off a series of them in the next sentence.”
Yes, excuses and a constant effort to remind Arsenal is a “project”
this nightmare has to come to an end at some point
Think maybe they should have explained the so called project 2 years ago… and see if season ticket holders would buy into… that. Instead Arsenal fans were told to expect competing for top honors and to be excited by Josh K. Now it just looks like explaining away failure after the fact. I’m all for patience but at some point patience just becomes cowardice to do what is needed. Think we have crossed that line or very near it.
TR7
Djokovic pretty much 2 wins away from being the undisputed GOAT now.
Not really sure an objective argument you can make for Fed or Rafa if Djoker holds all of the records along with the most slams.
International break really is footballing torture.
Someone tell Mikel to stop referring to a prestigious club with a fabled 135yr history as a “project”.
Feels like Arsenal is being dumbed down to make Mikel look competent.
In order to sell a vision, you first need to have a vision. Even Mad Men showed that.
Interesting bit of gossip, d luiz rejected interest from OM in favor of a brazil return. Not that too many care but inthink its a sign of bad blood. The two owners surely know each other from LA as one used to own the dodgers and the other just built what should become the main stadium for the majority of large events in LA…
Then u have guen and saliba who are less than respectful to arsenal in the press… wonder whats happening
Djokovic pre Wimbeldon 2014 had won 6 Slams was 6-7 in Grand Slam Finals.
Since then he is 14-3 in Finals and has won each slam x2+. His only 3 losses were to Rafa in RG 2020 and twice to Warinka (RG 15, US 16).
Pretty incredible domination, just like Federer’s pre Rafa except with better competition.
@Almunia
🤣🤣 I agree with you mate. 100%. How any of this is Arteta’s fault astounds me
WE Yes Djoker the most complete player out of the 3. Has pretty much dominated grass and hard court in the last 5 years and won 2 French Open in Rafa’s era. Fed really struggled on clay and won a fair share of his GS when Rafa and Djoker weren’t around. Rafa’s record now too lopsided with a dozen GS from one single tournament. Djoker has a better head to head record too against both of them. Of course he has taken advantage of the fact that Fed has been in semi retirement mode for the last 4 years and… Read more »
WE…..two matches to go for Novak, but Sasha will be a tough nut to crack, beaten him in Tokyo so we shall see. Whatever happens Novak’s game has steadily improved year on year. An amazing pro eking out every ounce of himself in every aspect of the game. I’d love to see him win US Open….
TR7
Yes, excuses and a constant effort to remind Arsenal is a “project”
And the subtle reminder about winning trophies. Dude, it was one FA cup in a club that is the record FA cup winner. It’s like saying you score with the ladies because you touched titties in a brothel.
Needless to say I am rooting for Medvedev in this US open, the only player who can beat Djoker.
Current opinion just shows very few fans believe this long term bullshit has any chance of success at the end of it.
Keeping Arteta is crazy. His signings, his lineups, his tactics, his man management, his results……..everyone can see this is more than just a rookie making a few mistakes!
Worst of it is there’s a proven world class manager, in his prime who’s available and we’re limping on with a guy who’s going to prove he’s our man by beating Norwich, Burnley and Wimbledon.
englandsbest
please feel free to use “To the lite” after all you coined it 🙂
Is this an omen?
On the BBC site you can pick your Arsenal team…when I clicked the link it went to Aston Villa — are we relegated already?
Arteta is like Martinez of Belgium a good talker full of hot air, I am looking forward to my first home game of the season, let’s see what the atmosphere will be like
TR7
Was nodding in agreement at your entire post up until the bit about Fed being semi-retired for 4 years.
He played some of his absolute best tennis from 2017-2019 imo, even started spanking Rafa in H2Hs who he has always struggled with prior.
Was as close as you be to beating a near prime Djokovic at Wimbledon 2019 Final with 2 match points on serve before losing his nerve. He outplayed the Djoker the whole match and won much more overall points but lost the crucial tie-breakers where mentally Djokovic had his number.
“Think maybe they should have explained the so called project 2 years ago…” There was no project two years ago, Midwest. Arteta thought he was a player or two away from the CL birth after riding high having just won the FA cup, hence the whole Willian saga and Auba’s extension. No long term project should ever involve a three year deal for a 32 year old winger at £200 kpw, There is one now, however, having signed all these young players, but Arteta has no record of having done it before so it’s all on blind faith. That’s why… Read more »
Fed has been semi-retired for 2 years now though, that is fair. And Rafa has missed a fair few tournaments too. Nextgen still yet to get over the line, they are right there ability and level-wise with Djokovic of 2021. It is just that they are all mental midgets and Djokovic is a mental giant. Tsitsipas was 2 sets to love up in Australia and cruising before shrinking and the inevitable Djokovic comeback. Medvedev and Sasha as well as Thiem have all also folded in Finals vs him from winning positions. Thiem is lucky to have a Slam if we… Read more »