…like a journalist scorned, is perhaps how the old English saying could be reworked to bring into the 21st Century. Rather predictably the rabid dogs of Canary Wharf are scenting blood with Arsene’s refusal to talk with them this week. At a stroke, a vital artery of information from Arsenal Football Club has been severed and they have been left to feed off of the scraps of lesser mortals such as Gilberto and Thierry Henry. In a world led by media-frenzy, this has hit them hard. Unusually, they have not created or rehashed quotes and attributed them to Wenger, misleadingly giving the impression to readers that the writer is in fact a “close personal friend” of Le Boss. Instead, we have page upon page of criticism from his peers or pompous outpourings from ultimately bored hacks.

Arsene’s Press Conferences are part of footballing legend, apparently, intelligently answered with his dry wit apparent. In an age when footballers are amongst the most linguistically challenged sectors of society, he is a refreshing change to the norm. It is little surprise that the hacks love to quote him, personal attacks are delivered under the guise of an aside – “Everyone thinks they have the most beautiful wife at home” – although the media managed to convey his undeniable anger with Jose Mourinho last season.

So it was little surprise that this mornings sports pages were filled with thinly veiled attacks on him, most choosing to do so under the guise of reportage concerning Rafa Benitez’s comments regarding the behavourial standards that managers must respect due to their position within society and the influence upon others that they have. The Daily Mail in particular, managed to spin this story into the back three pages. Two were devoted to the Liverpool managers valid point about behaviour standards but also tried to portray the interview as a “swipe” at Arsene Wenger when in fact two thirds of the article are devoted to use of video evidence and his own team for tomorrow’s clash. Paul Hayward then adds to this by suggesting that Arsene has lost his love affair with English football. Quite where he has this idea from, I know not, other than the fact that Arsene did not speak to the press.

In taking this line, the media have missed the point. I have no doubt that on Sunday and perhaps even Monday, Arsene was furious with himself, the team and Alan Pardew following Sunday’s visit to Upton Park. However, I suspect that Arsene felt the team were too nice in recent weeks, accepting their failings in front of goal with perhaps with too much good grace. The team was proving to nice, not a soft touch but the absence of nastiness was noticeable. He needed to create a siege mentality and this has given him the perfect vehicle to do so, dare one even say that he has used the easiest target of all, namely himself.

Gilberto commented that Wenger said nothing about the incident after the game to anyone, least of all the players. The Brazilian noted he had never seen Wenger so angry. However, none of this was conveyed until late on this week. Instead, there has been five days solid of criticism of the manager. This coverage will have had one effect on the players, to varying degrees. They will feel protective of their manager, desiring to repay him for their poor performance. In order to achieve this, they will pull together wanting to prove their point to the rest of the world. Result? Siege Mentality imbued, Wenger’s aim achieved. Only one person has noted this, adding to the mire with one choice phrase; Sir Alex Ferguson’s attempt to diffuse the situation – “I like to see managers with passion” – adding fuel to the fire instead for in the current climate this is seen as thinly veiled attack, the opposite of his intention.

All cueing up Sunday’s clash rather nicely. Expect to see an Arsenal team with a fire in their bellies, ready to prove a point to the rest of the Premiership.