Everyone likes an underdog, nobody likes being considered an underdog.
Arsenal’s UEFA Champions League campaign got off to a drawing start as they held Paris Saint-Germain to 1-1 at Parc des Princes on Tuesday night.
The French Champions were in sensational form heading into the Group A opener having lost just one of their past 40 home games in Europe. It looked like they were on course for another win when Edinson Cavani’s glancing header struck the back of the net just 42 seconds into the match.
That was the end of the joy for the Uruguayan striker though, as he wasted several golden opportunities which kept the Gunners in the game. Arsenal’s talisman Alexis Sanchez managed to salvage a point by firing home a rebound from the Londoners’ first shot on target in the entire game… in the 77th minute.
It was a disappointing Arsenal performance as they were completely outclassed by a PSG side who really could have put the game beyond all doubt before half time. Olivier Giroud’s sending off in added time only worsened the mood of the Arsenal faithful.
So the club’s decision to send out a positive tweet about the lacklustre performance shortly after the game ended probably wasn’t the best idea.
The poor sod who runs Arsenal social media channels was probably right. PSG won Ligue 1 last season and are the top seeds in the group. Considering just how awful Arsenal looked against them, a draw was probably the best they could have hoped for on the night, and they were even lucky to get that much.
However, the brutal honesty of admitting that Arsenal aren’t the front-runners to progress to the knockout stages as group winners was just too much of a bitter pill to swallow for some fans.
Cue a load of vexed football fans arguing that the glass was half empty, not half full.
how the hell you admit they are the favourites?
— goonerbr (@goonerBR) September 13, 2016
https://twitter.com/GoonRambler/status/775835470995554304
The state of you calling them favourites.
— Jas (@JasAFC) September 13, 2016
we should be the group favourites.
— ∞ (@TheFalseNein) September 13, 2016
Fuck off!
we are the group favorites, we Are Arsenal ffs— ⌒ (@Sl63_49) September 13, 2016
what's wrong with you guys. What kind of trash mentality is this? Why aren't we favourites? Disgusting. @hughwizzy @ArsenalMoh8
— Jash Vora (@jashvora17) September 13, 2016
how did we get into a position where PSG are group favourites. Disappointing that this is our reality now
— David Haggerty (@david_haggerty) September 13, 2016
PSG are the group favorites? I thought Arsenal was?
— The Swedish Gooner (@TheSweGooner) September 14, 2016
PSG are the group favourites? MC, Chelsea, MU are EPL favourites? This thinking means one thing – Arsenal won't win anything.
— ShockTreatment (@ShockTreatment3) September 14, 2016
delete! We should be the group favorites. Change the mentality.
— Abhi ☁️ (@Abhi_Musik) September 13, 2016
Listen to The GAA Hour live in Castlebar with Brendan Devenney, James Horan, and Pillar Caffrey. Subscribe here on iTunes.