Birthdays. A day to celebrate your life, throw a huge party, open up some thoughtful presents and get endless messages from your own supporters asking for you to be relieved of your job.
Pretty routine stuff.
Following yet another bang-average performance against Wolves on Saturday, Arsenal find themselves (somehow) in fifth, having won just four of their 11 league games thus far.
It's a pretty toxic atmosphere that encapsulates north London at present, and it doesn't look like easing off anytime soon.
48 today
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 3, 2019
Happy birthday, @UnaiEmery_ pic.twitter.com/g54YYoSK9X
But hey, what better way to take your mind away from another disappointing home draw than to celebrate your birthday the following day? I mean, it's the man's birthday, surely the brunt of the criticism he's receiving should be put on hold for just one day, at least?
Well, as we've found out recently with Arsenal fans, social media is their hunting ground, and anyone associated with the club are the ducks.
So, when the Gunners chose to honour their Spanish boss' 48th birthday with a simple Twitter message, they opened the gates to shooting range full of very angry, and heavily armed football fans...
— harry (@mufcxharry) November 3, 2019
Going straight in there with a regular contributor on the heavily-criticised and hugely-popular fan channel AFTV, the linked clip makes no bones about certain supporters' feelings towards their manager.
Neither did these...
— Big C ♂️ (@FlexInTheCity) November 3, 2019
Happy birthday, you should treat yourself and take a nice, long holiday. Preferably till May.
— C (@AFC_Carys) November 3, 2019
Present him the termination letter
— Ahmed (@Ahmed91Gooner) November 3, 2019
Happy sackday jk LOL, happy birthday ❤️
— Mohammed10 (@GrMohammed10) November 3, 2019
Although still on my opinion, not good enough for areenal邏
— Matt(Brad) Horton (@BradlikeArsenal) November 3, 2019
Listen to the fans #EmeryOut pic.twitter.com/VJYLt1mah9
— sam (@SalibaSzn) November 3, 2019
At least some suggested offering him a present.
Oh wait, nevermind.
Gift him with a p45 please
— Gally ™ (@AFCGally) November 3, 2019
Happy virthday Unai Emery. The best birthday present the club can give you is a £6M cheque buying off the remainder of your contract, thanking you for your services and wishing you the best of luck for the future. You get the money and we get our Arsenal back. A win win for all.
— WelBeast (@WellBeast) November 3, 2019
The club were naturally always going to offer congratulations to their manager, he is their manager after all, so of course they were going to honour the day in some way.
That's not what a lot of fans thought, however, who were wholly against the post even existing.
Because, y'know, they'd expect their club to sack off (no pun intended) wishing their manager a happy birthday because the team aren't playing that well. Yeah, of course, that makes as much sense as bringing in Jose Mourinho...
— (@Vieirology) November 3, 2019
— Be Well (@SkipperAFC) November 3, 2019
— Not a football account (@1886_blog) November 3, 2019
— #EmeryOut (@somtozil) November 3, 2019
People clearly expected a tidal wave of abuse and discontent and, for the most part, that's pretty much what they got.
There are those, however, who can cast aside their indifferences and pay tribute. Even if it is for just one day.
Happy Birthday emery have a good ebening with the family
— Sully (@CFCSully) November 3, 2019
Amidst all the hate, Happy Birthday Unai
— Dylan (@AFCDylan_) November 3, 2019
Awful timing, but Happy Birthday Unai
— evan 》 (@afcevan) November 3, 2019
Source : 90min