This is the real meta, and it needs a nerf

It's a consequence of the stupid way in which arena works. The current system is arbitrarily screwing over people that can't play at a certain time of day every day, for starters, as well as being open to all kinds of exploits.

There are other and better ways to do a ranking. You can even reduce the top spot rewards a little if you give the competitive people something else to work on.

I'll toss something from the top of my head: Leagues that last two weeks. Every league has a special rule (like in Hearthstone Tavern Brawl), and redivides the players based on their relative strength. Then people get to figure out a new meta for a short while to get a bunch of rewards.