Mikel Arteta is working towards kitting out Arsenal’s trophy cabinet at the Emirates Stadium this season.
Arsenal have yet to christen the Emirates with a Premier League title since their move from Highbury in 2006.
20 years on from the move and Arteta’s current side are on track to change that, sitting top of the Premier League with 13 games to go.
The Emirates is a different place from what it was prior, thanks to Arteta for changing the energy in the stadium.
It’s not just on the pitch that things are different, but in the stands too, as a major change was noticed in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg.
Prime Jose Mourinho vs current Mikel Arteta – who wins and what would be the score?
Arsenal change placement of additional away fans at the Emirates
The Emirates felt nervous during the second-leg, as Arsenal carried a one-goal lead from their 3-2 win at Stamford Bridge.
What was also noticed was the unusual lack of noise that Chelsea fans were making, not just after Kai Havertz scored.
Chelsea were given an allocation of 6,000 due to it being a cup game, which would usually see the entire lower end of the Clock End freed up for away support.
As an Arsenal fan, one of my most haunting Emirates memories was seeing 6,000 Tottenham fans explode with jubilation when Dele Alli lobbed Petr Cech in the 2018/19 Carabao Cup.
Things were different, however, when Chelsea visited, as the away end allocation was split between upper and lower tiers, which impacted the atmosphere to Arsenal’s benefit.
Arteta requested the Emirates tunnel to be removed, which has been a huge hit this season, and if the Arsenal manager was responsible for the away end change, then he’s a genius.
Arsenal fans now want a permanent away end change at the Emirates
Despite the fact that more often than not, they leave without a win, away fans enjoy visiting the Emirates more than they should.
After the change to the away fans for the Carabao Cup semi-final, Arsenal fans made it clear on social media that it’s something they’d like to see more of.
We think Arsenal MUST move the away fans to the upper tier at the Emirates, do you agree?
In reaction to Chelsea fans sitting upper tier, one X user wrote, “They all should be shoved up there in the sky!! Other teams do it.”
Another agreed, saying, “It’s about time. They shouldn’t be all around the pitch.”
When you think about the placement of away fans at St James’ Park, which has a notoriously boisterous atmosphere, it’s no surprise that fans want a permanent change at the Emirates.
“Definitely prefer this. Give them even less in the lower tier than prem games and stick most of them in upper. Give us more in the clock end,” a Gooner said on X.
A fellow fan urged the club to review the away end, “Hope Arsenal look at this post, definitely couldn’t hear the Chelsea fans, gave us such a better atmosphere.”
So, what do you think? Should the Emirates away end be moved? Let us know your thoughts.
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