Arsenal have already come under fire for their 2-2 draw with West Ham on Sunday, a game that saw the Gunners drop more points in the title race with Manchester City now just four points off the top with a game in hand.
Aside from the obvious criticisms and being told to 'get off your PlayStations' by Gary Neville, the Arsenal players are now under attack on social media for their treatment of the match day mascot: a young girl.
Footage doing the rounds yesterday shows a young girl asking the Arsenal squad for autographs. One by one they sign the jersey but all of them fail to say anything to the child.
Making memories with our mascot ❤️ pic.twitter.com/LjGWmzd2Vl
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 16, 2023
The player's reactions to the young girl sparked a heated debate online as to whether the mascot deserved better or the players were well within their rights to focus on the game. The vast majority of reaction, even from Arsenal supporter Piers Morgan, is critical of the Arsenal reaction.
There's also been some reaction from Irish football quarters, with Daniel Lambert, COO of Bohs amongst those weighing in.
She looks towards each player with a smile, none even look back at her.
Remarkable Arsenal shared this as something positive, all removed from normality.
Something that all LOI clubs do so well with players from all clubs rightly giving time to young fans for pics/autographs. https://t.co/aEKXyPv01L— Daniel Lambert (@dlLambo) April 18, 2023
This is how you interact with mascots. The players of @peamountutd. Look at the interest and the smiles. https://t.co/hpVOt2PEUW pic.twitter.com/4naNfsKkUo
— Bartley Ramsay (@bramsay11) April 18, 2023
This is pathetic. Not one of them said hello to the little girl. 🤬 https://t.co/0RRLtmSyAF
— Alan Cawley (@alancaw) April 17, 2023
While Arsenal were getting slack from these shores for their behaviour, plenty of people online rubbished the criticisms telling people to 'grow up'.
Seeing the other side of the row, fans were quick to defend the players, pointing out that they were in the heat of a title race, with each and every game now more important than the last for Arsenal.
A team in the midst of a title race are asked to sign a shirt moments before a a London derby vital to winning a 1st league title in 19 years, without being told why, and politely oblige.
But 2023 Twitter is crying because they didn’t pat the mascot on the head.
Grow up.— Danny Armstrong (@DannyWArmstrong) April 17, 2023
In the player's defence, their interactions with the mascots were a world away from a video just before kickoff they reached the tunnel and greeeted the West Ham mascots. Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard waseveen seen chatting away with the young girl as they headed towards kick-off.
— Dazza (@RazzaDazza) April 18, 2023
Either way it's a needless own goal for Arsenal as the pressure mounts with six weeks left in the season.
SEE ALSO: James McClean Blasts 'Useless' FA After Being Subjected To Anti-Irish Abuse By Blackpool Fans
