Arsenal are on the verge of history. In just a few weeks, they could lift the Champions League trophy for the very first time. Yet, you wouldn't know it from listening to some Gooners, who have somehow found reasons to complain—even when the team isn't playing.

Tuesday night's Champions League semi-final between PSG and Bayern Munich was an absolute classic. A 5-4 thriller that had fans on the edge of their seats. While most celebrated the attacking brilliance on display, some in the Arsenal faithful wasted no time using that result to take a swipe at the other semi-finalists—and at Mikel Arteta's style of play.

Let's be fair here. You can critique Arteta's approach, but calling him out for playing two-legged football the same way most managers would seems harsh. Back in England, the narrative is that he's somehow responsible for draining the Premier League of entertainment. But here's the thing: defending is a massive part of football. It's not glamorous, but it's essential.

Whisper it quietly, but Luis Enrique and Vincent Kompany both know that Tuesday's basketball-like scoreline isn't sustainable. You don't see 5-4 games every week for a reason. Both coaches were happy to let the match turn into an end-to-end shootout because they knew the other side's defense was vulnerable. And while they'll get plaudits for their attacking flair, they failed at the other half of the game.

For as long as football has existed, keeping the ball out of your net has been a crucial part of winning. There's no single way to win a match. That used to be accepted wisdom, but somewhere along the way, a generation grew entitled—demanding a specific style of play and feeling owed an explanation when they don't get it.

If Arsenal make it to Budapest—and that's far from guaranteed—don't expect their opponents to find it as easy to score as PSG and Bayern did in France. Because on that night in Hungary, the man in the Arsenal dugout will be one of the best in the world at setting up a team defensively. You don't have to like the Spaniard's tactics. But you should respect them.