Despite being top of the League with 10 games to go Arsenal will still have to alter recent history to be Champions.
You could argue that of our fixtures remaining, 3 are traditionally at grounds we find the hardest to win at, the Etihad, Spurs and Old Trafford.
That’s why Sunday would be mentally huge if we could get a result. I’m someone who believes in any sport, talent gets you so far but it’s your mental strength that gets you over the line. That’s what separates the good from great.
There’s a lot of good things about our young squad and one year it will just happen for us, but are we ready to take that next step?
That’s why the weekend is crucial. Be successful in the blue half of Manchester and it will convince the Gunners they can do the same in the red half and in the NLD.
That’s what is fascinating this week, can Arteta make his players believe they can win at the home of the Champions.
This time last year was very similar. We knew if we beat Pep Guardiola’s men our destiny would be in our own hands. We didn’t show up.
In fact, not just have we not won at Man City since 2015, we often lose conceding 3, 6 or 5 goals – often conceding in the first 20 mins.
So, when I read one Gooner saying he wasn’t losing any sleep over this match, in reality to stay top of the table we might have to do something we haven’t done in a decade.
We have won once at Old Trafford in the League since 2006 and once at Tottenham since 2015.
So, take the emotion out of your predictions. We have to do something we have never done in our Prem history if we are going to win at all 3 venues.
Only twice since the competition’s inception have we won at Man City and Spurs in the same season.
Such is the standard that Man City have set, that over the years that it feels like even draws are not good enough. That’s why we might kick ourselves for the silly points we dropped after Xmas.
Such is the bar City have set you can’t afford to not show up at Fulham like we did and get away with it.
Again, to be Champions, Arsenal might have to do something they have never done in their Prem history.
Dan
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History, DANS reason for saying we cannot win at tough away teams grounds, has NO, I repeat, NO bearing at all on what happens THIS season!!
This commonly made and unthinking mistake in claiming history- sometimes decades ago(though to be fair, not in this piece) is of importance in claiming this season is no different from past years ,is a fundamentaly foolish thought.
Unless you believe the past, even the sometimes long long ago past, hinders any present time chances of winning, then IF you are a free thinker and therefore not trapped into repeating often held and fundamental thinking mistakes, you will entirely disregard ALL that went before, as it has ZERO bearing on THE PRESENT!!
TO MY BRIGHT MIND THAT IS OBVIOUS, BUT SADLY, NOT ALL MINDS ARE BRIGHT!!
,
Do you honestly think the experience of winning many league titles for City, and the inexperience of our team and manager played ZERO difference in City beating us to the league last season?
Absolutely ridiculous when you say history has no bearing on the present, because it does, and in all walks of life.
Do you think The World War, had no bearing on World War ll? The 2008 financial crash has had no bearing on people’s lives today? Covid lockdowns and mandates have no bearing on people’s health and finances today?
Jen, You are plainly not amega bright fan or you would not write so nonsensically. Plainly, in the examples you list, which are however of complete irrelevance to Arsenal of today versus Arsenal of previous years, certain historical situations DO directly affect future historical situations.
I never suggested they do not!
I spoke of Arsenal teams of today and yesteryear and compared THEM( and NOT World WAR 1 to WW 2)
If you were as wise as I am, YOU WOULD PLAINLY SEE THAT WORLD WARS ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES from mere football teams of different times.
I spoke only of football teams from different eras and not of political matters, such as war and financial crashes.
You are in fact attempting to compare “apples to oranges” and that is daft and unthinking!.
Jon you need to go and read what you wrote, because you more than suggested that history plays no part in the present when you said -“History, DANS reason for saying we cannot win at tough away teams grounds, has NO, I repeat, NO bearing at all on what happens THIS season!!”
That is a direct quote from you.
So it is you, not me, it isn’t bright. I say history does play a role, maybe not always a big role, but you clearly stated it doesn’t, then in your response to me, you now state “certain historical situations DO directly affect future historical situations”.
So you’re clearly you’re all over the place on this issue. Either history does play a role or doesn’t, make your mind up!
I’ll give a simple football example, in relation to what you say about THIS season.
We’ve seen fantastic support at Anfield this season. There’s nothing else like it in the league, and saw what a role the crowd played in helping Liverpool almost beat City the other day.
Do you think that amazing support only happened overnight during the summer for this season, or do you think that support is historical, cultivated over decades?
We can’t win the league
Is it easy for teams to come beat us at the Emirates ? NO
Not even the big teams
Then we’re dreaming to go beat 3/4 big teams at their own place
Do you see how we blow Man Utd away almost everytime they come to Emirates – but we never do so in Old Trafford
We still didn’t win in Anfield this year – just like we didn’t win last year
It’s “3” tough away matches
We could win 1 or 2
But we can’t win all 3
To be sincere, we can’t win any
The best we can get is a win at White Hart Line
Finally at the deciding stretch of the season. How the last 10 games unfold will determine whether there is any real improvement from last season
We often talked about how winning at these matches will cement our spot at the peak of the table whereas losing would put an end to our aspirations for this season. I do wonder about drawing these fixtures. Will draws be able to keep our hopes alive or will it have a negative effect similar to a loss?
Draws in these matches will be ok if City and Pool have poor results. Let us accept the League is tough and it is not possible for City and Pool to win every match.
I’m not at all bothered about the city game, because we have already shown that we can beat them at The Emirates and at Wembley.
It’s city who are behind us in the league as well, so bring it on.
One game at a time Dan, one game at a time!!
Yeah win at the Ethiad suddenly we believe we. Can beat Spurs and United
Arsenal need to focus on the next game against MC. We can’t be worrying about the other matches. Those games will take of themselves.
For the first time in a very long time I have the confidence we can beat City. I don’t think they’ve beaten any of the top 5 this season, and we’ve already beaten them twice and got 4 points off Liverpool. We’re in fantastic form, and although their form is good as well, they look poor at the back. Liverpool’s weakened team should have beaten them.
I’m very confident we’ll beat Spurs. Even when they win, they give so many chances on their goal.
The dodgy one is Utd. It doesn’t how awful their form is, or how many players missing, they always seem to get a result against us at Old Trafford. It wouldn’t surprise me if we battered them, they play rubbish, but get a couple of counter attacks in and win the game.
I think we’ve been playing good football in our run up to the international break and if we can continue that form, then yes we can beat City. Over the course of the season I think we have been playing better football than City, Man U and Spurs. Out of the three City is the hardest due to the quality they have but KDB is key to them and him not being available for a large chunk of the season and now his minutes being managed, will be key in the run in. Without KDB city have been exposed as a bit toothless and lack that clinicalness in the final third. Man U haven’t been great this season and I think had Ten Hag lost against Liverpool, there would have been sacking rumours and all the uncertainty that brings within. As it stands, I’ve not seen anything about how Man U are currently playing to be worried about. They should be worried about playing us because if we get an early goal, it could easily be floodgates open as we have been free scoring recently and they don’t have the best defensive record. As for Spurs, well that’s just it, it’s Spurs. Anything can happen and their manager is proving he has got the minerals to manage on the PL but having the nous is one thing, having the talent to execute his plans are another and I see Spurs puncing above their weight at the moment. I don’t believe their first 11 can match ours and see us winning the NLD, maybe it will be a moment of brilliance or an individual goal from some of our players Saka or Ode. The NLD will be played at a fast pace and we have been forging our style over a few seasons and think we have more in the stamina tank, to last the whole 90 at full speed. Spurs are in a transition season, we have an established style of play and this game will be one their fans might be looking forward to but their players are not. I heard tonight that Spurs will have a 15 day break before our game and long breaks are not good for a team, fitness levels drop off and you lose momentum. I much prefer the games coming thick and fast as it gives the players less time to think themselves out of form. A striker is more confident if he scored three days ago than if scored 2 weeks ago, so the schedule suits us better I think.
Bring these games on, it’s what it’s all about. These three are the games we need to win, in between grinding out wins against the other teams. Now is time to show we have held the pain from last season and used it to fuel a strong finish this season.
Time to show we have the minerals to be PL champions Come on Arsenal!❤️🤍🏆
I have to agree with Jon that we are almost talking our team into coming up short.
It’s often said that the first prize is the hardest to achieve and I go along with that as City took a while before they became serial winners. Last year was indeed a wake up call for us,and I’d like to think that we have a damned good chance of making a proper fist of it come May on our second serious attempt in years. Others have already commented on our improvements so if we do have aspirations then let’s see a bit of confidence in the lads.
Everyone said the same last year Sue and probably will say the same this time next year
Mentally we struggle when the pressure is on
It’s not going to be easy at these or any other venues for that matter. There are going to be some more twists and turns yet in the race for the PL title. Our winning the title may not depend on the results at those three venues at the end of the day.
You guys stop
We beat City only once
If we played 1-1 at the Etihad would it be considered a win ?
Would there be penalties ?
We’ve beaten them once in Full Time this season and that’s in our own home – a hard fought 1-0
Which is enough proof that we’re not good enough to beat them at their own home
When Man City used to beat us Home & Away, it would be something like 3-0 at the Etihad
Then maybe 1-2 at the Emirates
Showing that it was still difficult for them in our home but also showing that were no match in their own home
We just won 1-0 in our house
Common!
A draw is amongst the best we can get at the Etihad
I don’t blame people that call us deluded at-times:
– We almost lost to the worst Chelsea in years at Stamford
– We lost to Newcastle away
– We lost to Aston Villa away
– We couldn’t beat Liverpool in Anfield
Can’t you guys see it’s difficult to beat good teams in their own turf
To now think we feel we’ll beat ALL OF THEM in their homes is deluded of us
Man City has been bullying the league yet
– They always lose at White Hart lane
– They always lose at Anfield
– Till last year, they can’t get a win at Old Trafford
– Till last year, they can’t get a win at Stamford
That’s a bullying Man City
To now think we fans sit here and say we’ll go BEAT EVERYBODY AT THEIR OWN TURF is too much bluff
That’s twice you used “deluded”. There should be a Godwins Law rule regarding that word when applied to our supporters.
There are some who are deluded
We beat Porto over two legs on pens …suddenly we can win the CL
We obviously can Dan, as we’re through to the next round – Porto can’t because they were knocked out!!
Dan, I believe there is a first time for everything. It may be the first time Arsenal beats City, United and Spurs at their individual home grounds in the same season. That said, I agree it is easier said than done but as I say, there is a first time for everything. We have the talent, the energy and the players to take us over the line and if arteta instills the mental strength in the players, I fully believe we can do it.
If we are to win the league, we must do something, we haven’t done for 20 years!
Finish with more points than any other team 🙂
That’s what I call a FACTUAL post Anders!! 😂😂
I wish to give a thumbs up to Jon for shattering the myth of history determining games. Games are won and lost on the pitch not in history books. Last year did we have Rice, Havertz and Timber (even though he is still injured)? Last year could we play without Partey, Tomiyasu, Zinchenko Martinelli and Jesus in a single game and win it? What has happened this season? We have been without the five players for
different periods of the season and yet we have been winning games. So what history is Dan talking about? It is not prudent to just recite some beliefs without scrutinising them to determine whether they are applicable in all situations. I have always argued that the world is dynamic, not static. So, football historians learn to adjust your thinking to suit the changing times.
That’s the same logic peeps said last year when we said about winning at Anfield and the Ethiad
do have the mentality – yes I think we do this season
do we have the squad depth and variety – yes I we do this season
and I think two go hand in hand, both in terms how summer additions add to both depth of squad and strength of mentality – thinking Rice and Havertz particularly here
i think part of last season not winning the league was a feeling we had ‘blown it’ with the 3 successive draws to Liverpool, West Ham and Southampton, the first from being 2 – nil up
also a ‘lack of belief’ in quality of some squad members, e.g. Holding a long way from a like for like for Saliba
this time in every position we have more quality in depth, and near fully fit squad, that is another advantage not to be under rated
mentality – yes
squad – yes
fully fit – yes
on top with 10 to go – yes
The Spurs game’s going to particularly hard, not just because of it being at WHL, but because they’ve got a two week break before the match, and we play on the Wednesday before.
I think I prefer our schedule as we could be going into the game with winning momentum. My thinking is the two week break will make the Spuds a bit ring rusty. Here’s hoping 🥂
Once I see foul languages (like foolish, senseless, unthinking, dull minds), and self praise (bright minds) I know that poster automatically.
Must we disrespect and insult people to pass our opinions?
I believe we will come out on top in those encounters and then win the league eventually. 😎
No doubt. This is the Arsenal of the new age.
No doubt. This is the Arsenal of the new age. We will beat city or force a draw.