There’s nothing like a former footballer going absolutely crazy on TV.
Graeme Souness launched his latest tirade towards Arsenal last weekend, blasting Gunners’ midfielder Granit Xhaka after his poor performance against Man United.
Nothing riles Souness more than seeing a bunch of prima donna footballers dancing around the pitch with pink boots and new haircuts every weekend.
He will tell you how that wouldn’t happen in “my day!”
The former Liverpool man is far from the only pundit who has had years knocked off their life after watching Arsene Wenger’s side.
So we took a look back at the times when pundits absolutely lost their s**t over Arsenal this season.
1 Graeme Souness (Sky Sports) – Liverpool 4-0 Arsenal August 2017
In just their third Premier League match of the season, the Gunners were already proceeding to trigger people. Classic.
Following their shambles of a performance away at Anfield, Souness launched a scathing rant towards Arsenal.
“What a bunch of schoolboys. I’ve officially given up on them,” declared a fuming Souness.
“Unless they were playing against Tottenham or Liverpool, I always looked forward to watching them and hoping they’d do well.
“I played in central midfield, my job was to defend the two centre-backs, Arsenal need proper disciplined central midfielders.
“That is a performance that can get the manager the sack, for professional players to be able to accept that level of performance is beyond belief.”
A classic Souness rant, calling for “proper midfielders” and comparing the players to children, genius stuff.
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2 Gary Neville (Sky Sports) – Liverpool 4-0 Arsenal August 2017
Whilst on commentary for the same match, Valencia’s greatest ever manager had his say on the Gunner’s shocking showing.
“I’d honestly stick all the players up on the transfer list.
“There aren’t many of them that would get a better club than where they are at.
“It’s a well told story that I’m not a Liverpool fan but this Arsenal team deserve a battering, they really do.
“It’s a great club. I came here quite composed today and I’m actually fuming and angry and I don’t know how the Arsenal fans feel.”
Textbook Neville, insisting that literally ALL of the players are sold, brilliant work.
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3 Jamie Carragher (Sky Sports) – Tottenham 1-0 Arsenal February 2018
Just over a year on from labelling the Gunners “a team of son-in-laws,” Carragher was back with some more kind words for Arsene Wenger’s side.
Following Arsenal’s lacklustre showing against their North London rivals, the former Liverpool man went off on one.
“I’ve always questioned Arsenal’s mentality but you’ve always felt they were good enough.
“I still question their mentality but they aren’t good enough now and Arsenal are actually getting worse, they aren’t getting better.
“Twenty-six points from 26 away games is an embarrassment for a team that are supposedly one of the top teams in the country.”
Slightly more highbrow than his usual outbursts, Carragher decided to throw in some damning stats to illustrate his point.
4 Roy Keane (ITV Sport) – Arsenal 1-2 Ostersunds February 2018
Roy Keane is usually such a calm and composed bloke, so I’m not too sure where this all came from?!
Wenger’s side had just slumped to a humiliating defeat at home to Swedish minnows Ostersunds in the Europa League and Keane decided to fire shots at Jack Wilshere.
“The manager summed it up, no energy, no desire, you’re looking for your senior players to lead by example.
“I always think, when Jack Wilshere’s your captain, to me, probably the most overrated player on the planet.”
This is the former United man at his finest, calling Wilshere the “most” overrated player on the planet is obviously harsh… Keane doesn’t give two s***s though.
5 Gary Neville (Sky Sports) – Arsenal 0-3 Man City February 2018
Everyone’s favourite pundit makes his second appearance here and puts forward a strong contender for the best of the lot.
Working as part of the commentary team for Arsenal’s Carabao Cup final humiliation against City, Neville waited a whole 60 minutes before ripping into the state of the Arsenal team.
“I don’t even want to talk about them because they’ve been an absolute disgrace (just stop talking about them then?)
“Ramsey and Xhaka walking at Wembley, absolutely spineless.
“It’s not even a team that play good football, Liverpool play better, Tottenham play better.”
This was peak Neville, nobody knows how he managed to keep this rant PG.
6 Paul Merson (Talksport) – Arsenal 0-3 Man City February 2018
Such an eloquent fella, it’s often whispered that the “Magic Man” was an ancient scholar in a previous life.
Merson voiced his frustration at his former club after their cup final defeat to City, going as far as comparing the Gunners to Wigan, who had knocked City out of the FA Cup a week before.
“I knew they couldn’t do what Wigan did against City, Wigan without the ball are a better football team than Arsenal.
“They are the worst team in the country without the ball, and it was proven again.
“You see Man City press and they all go at the same time; they all know what they are doing, but with Arsenal, nobody knew what they were doing.
“When the first goal went in, I just turned to my wife and said, ‘this could be any score you want,’ one team was playing in a cup final, the other team looked like they were playing a testimonial.”
Your sympathy goes out to Merson’s wife who had to sit and watch this game with him.
7 Roy Keane (ITV Sport) CSKA Moscow 2-2 Arsenal April 2018
Keane is back and just like a child who can’t keep his hand out the biscuit tin, he couldn’t resist another pop at Wilshere.
After the Gunners progressed to the semi-finals of the Europa League in unconvincing fashion, the Irishman was in a typically chipper mood.
“I’ve never been a big fan of his, for an attacking player he doesn’t get enough goals or assists.
“The guy’s career is drifting. I don’t like to see it, but as bad as Arsenal were he was really bad.
“If I was him I would sign it [the contract], because if he thinks he’s getting big offers in the summer he’ll be surprised.
Presumably Wilshere will never shake Keane’s clutches and will spend his entire career receiving sarcastic put-downs in the press.
Arsenal will have a new man at the helm from next season, but do we all really think that will be the end of banter era?
Whoever Wenger’s replacement at the Emirates will be, there’s no doubt that the players will try their best to give us the classic Arsenal performances.
Roll on next season with more glorious pundit meltdowns.
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