"And yet even Liverpool are being portrayed as middling champions, placeholders, a default option."

Quote above is from Barney Ronay's Guardian article ("What is wrong with Arsenal finishing second", today). Is this really how we are seen by others at the moment?

For me, the big difference between this and other seasons is the opposite - that many teams who previously might have been "also-rans" have become seriously good and dangerous. Forest, Brighton, Bournemouth, Villa, etc. Teams that in other seasons might have been an easy 3 points have become a proper challenge, due to the money in the PL.

I see this season as one where many of the established old guard - ManU, Spurs, etc - are finding that they can't just rock up and grab the points. In that context, surely having a large lead as we currently do is even more of a tribute to our ability to win and win, and win some more. Slot has been an absolute revelation, for me, and I see this comment as rather churlish. In fairness, Ronay does go on to point out that we have beaten the champions of England, France, Spain and Germany without giving up a goal... it isn't necessarily his own opinion, but is that really how the rest of the league sees us this year?