There’s a fun irony that Spurs’ greatest win this season could play a massive part in helping us in the title race.
Tottenham fans are used to that of course ….
There greatest era in the Prem’s history saw us win 4 more trophies then them.
Their greatest ever academy graduate won the League at White Hart Lane …. Sol Campbell!
Now on a day where they had a post-match parade for Harry Kane being their greatest goal scorer, even then the day was more significant for the red half of North London.
My belief is if there a scenario where we become Champions is if Man City in the end don’t put any pressure on us.
If they were to get to April and May and the margin between the two clubs is a small one, then City have the advantage, simply because they are blessed with a dressing room of players who know how to get over the line.
Think back to Leicester’s triumph. They took it game by game but did anyone in the end truly chase them?
We should have after Danny Welbeck’s header, and Spurs think they did but in the end the Foxes lifted the Prem with room to spare.
Sir Alex Ferguson said he used to ignore the table at this time of the year and only cared about his team being in contention come ‘squeaky bum time’.
That’s when he would trust his players to use their experience as an advantage over the competition.
That’s what Pep will hope for. Yet will City actually ask the question?
Cancelo loaned out, KDB on the bench, before that Foden, senior players not in defence, etc, it’s a strange time of the campaign to be trying things out.
That’s why Sunday could prove so vital.
I believe a strong mentality is crucial in sport and ultimately decides who wins and who nearly wins.
A Man City win would have changed the focus on this week where the conversation would have been based on our points advantage being just two points.
It would have sent us into the Brentford game with anxiety and flashbacks to last season when we didn’t show up at Selhurst Park and then at home to Brighton.
There is a big difference between playing a home game to protect a two point lead compared to knowing a win sends our nearest competitor into Sunday eight points behind us.
If both Arsenal and Man City had won this weekend the gap would have been 5 points.
It’s never good to lose but the fact is it’s another match chalked off with our 5 point gap intact.
That’s how our manager needs to present the situation this week.
Arteta knows our attitude wasn’t good enough but that we got away with it.
It’s rare that you can use a loss as a chance to learn something from without being punished.
After Goodison there is zero reason why we shouldn’t be motivated for our next game.
If we get to April/May and it’s a small margin between the two clubs I fear we won’t have the mental strength to deal with the pressure and can see us crippled by our fear of failure.
Yet watching Man City at the moment, who says they will put that pressure on?
Dan
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It’s also given Man U a massive boost as they are only 3 points behind City now so something to keep an eye on, Ten Hag is starting to make me nervous with what he’s done in a very short time.
It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t at least get a point off of Everton but oh well can’t change it now. We can only focus on the next game and make sure it’s not 3 loses in a row.
Agree. Utd are looking really good
Well, essentially its like the past gameweek never happened, which is good for us.
2 tough home games incoming. Brentford hasn’t lost since October, during which they famously beat City at the Etihad. Need to treat this game like a cup final. A repeat performance of what we did against them in September would do very nicely.
Because we are out of the actual cups, we only have 18 PL and maximum of 7 EL matches left. So roughly we just play once a week until March and EL kicks in. Fatigue nor squad depth shouldn’t be a problem.
I would drop Martinelli for Trossard against Brentford. Maybe explore Tomi instead of White.
Not quite.
One game more has been played, which is good for the leaders.
Clubs lower down are catching up, which is bad for the top two.
Fortunately Newcastle slipped up as well, but although Man Utd won their match, losing Casemiro for 3 games may prove costly for them.
I still think the games against Man City home and away will further clarify who wins the Premier League. For now it is ours to lose. Beat them home and draw them away will do it. Some people are saying that the team is young and might not be able to withstand the pressure come the end of the season, but what I notice about this team is that, their maturity level in games this season is unbelievable. They’re playing like men in boys’ clothing. They don’t look like they are going to succumb to any pressure. On the contrary, I see some pressure on City. I see pressure on Haaland. There is some disorientation in this City team. Let’s take advantage of that. This year, this season, moment is ours. Come on gooners! Have faith
Yes, our players can use Brentford as a tough exercise to prepare against Man City. They surely know this season is their best chance to become Arsenal legends
So you have softened your stance a bit to a more sensible one. Not bad.
But there is a completely different way to look at it.
Maybe it is us, who are applying the pressure to City and others.
City could be seeing their former assistant manager outmanouvering the “master” Guardiola, with a young and very talented team. Put together and coached expertly for far less money, than what City have spent over the years. So not only could Guardiola fear being demoted a bit in prestige by a younger former assistant, the players could also be feeling, there is much more “hype” about younger and more talented players at Arsenal, than about themselves, and they have huge price tags to live up to.
I am not saying this is for sure how it is, but instead of choosing the negative angle for a guess about the psychology in the 2 camps, and a guess is all it is, you can choose a more positive angle. After all, the reality is, we have performed quite a lot better than anybody else so far this season, thanks to all the work that has been done earlier. So it is not just a coincidence or a “Leicester like” opportunity.
Leicester? People talk about Leicester as if we don’t have a history of winning titles. The players have seen 13 EPL titles won by previous Arsenal teams and are emboldened to attach their to it. Some of them also come with experiences from somewhere. Athletico Madrid, City etc
Yes Arsenal can never be said to have a Leicester like experience a giant as it is. Winning trophies for as long as trophies have existed.
Arsenal fans can digest city pipping us for the league but can we be able to withstand this if united miraculously win the title falling 11 points behind us after 19 games that will unsettle arsenal fans than any other thing this season
No way we’re blowing this opportunity away. Work hard win against City here and we’re on our way.
Breaking news….City charged with multiple financial irregularities. If found guilty, could lead to points deduction or even relegation!
Probably galvanise the club to a “us against the rest” reaction GB, but I do sense that all is not well at the club and I’m casting a wary eye at their noisy neighbours.
They knew about the investigation when it started in 2018. They’ve actively been uncooperative and delayed proceedings, they’d of known for months an announcement was coming soon I’d imagine too.
Stay tuned for pundits hypocrisy when they all turn against Man City after singing praise and kissing Man city bottoms all those years.
If “Arteta knows our attitude wasn’t good enough” why didn’t he change it at half time, during the second half, or with earlier substitutions?
I agree with your points Dan, but are you not asking the right questions?
@ Gun down.How about arsenal miraculously doubling the 11 points lead on United come end of season. Lol
Means nothing to united as long as they qualify for champions league
OT – City have been charged by the Premier League for their financial doping they managed to wriggle out of when Uefa charged them. One of their defences that the charges were time barred does not exist under premier league rules so they will need to find a new way to get cas to let them off the hook. Won’t expect an outcome soon with City likely to appeal to cas again once a ruling is delivered but might explain things seems a little off at city at the moment.
This has come after 4 year investigation by the Premier League. Charges are extremely serious and numerous. Talksport, BBC, Sky Sports, media, have been talking of nothing else since charges made earlier this morning. If found guilty, City could have points deducted, possibly be relegated or even thrown out of the league!!
Exactly good quote on the matter:
Sporting Intelligence’s Nick Harris, added, “It can’t be over-stated too much what a significant move this is for the PL. It’s taken 4 years. There are soooo many charges. It hasn’t been done lightly. The cop-out option would’ve been heaving fine for non-cooperation with investigation.
“This is NOT that. It’s dozens and dozens of serious allegations about long-term and widespread book-cooking. The ramifications for all concerned could be massive, including for Pep, who has been assured City never did anything wrong …
“As for sanctions … IF found guilty. They really could be anything from huge fines to transfer bans and spending limits, to docked points to stripped titles. Of course City will lawyer-up, yet again. Their legal obfuscation is why this has taken 4 years.”
There are over 100 charges !
About time too.
As I’ve posted before, I believe this is why Chelsea were spending their heads off these two windows – they saw the puny punishments clubs were getting in the past compared to the rewards of buying trophies and decided it was worth going all-in for one financial year, take a small punishment of a transfer ban for a year… win lots of stuff while clearing out the dead wood…
They can clear out later, since there’s never a ban on transfers out because that might bankrupt a club if they’re forced to pay wages for players they don’t want – and if they can’t get transfer income from selling players.
Angus an interesting post , so lets examine both the likelihood of these charges meaning City are guilty AND the future timescale of any possible punishment.
I only became aware of this breaking news at lunchtime today and have been digging for as much pertinent public info as is out there.
My gut feeling, based only on a lifetime of knowing how prolonged these matters often are and the multitude of ramifications to many other clubs besides ourselves, is this: I see extremely little possibility of City being found not guilty, as these charges would not have got THIS FAR, unless the PL were certain they have CITY BANG TO RIGHTS.
Punishments, by stripping PL titles are unlikely to be retrospective IMO, meaning that other clubs who finshed second behind City in years gone by, are very unlikely to be awarded PL titles in their place. Nor do I think that teams who finished fifth behind. CITY AND OTHERS, WILL BE ABLE TO CLAIM FOR RETROSPECTIVE DAMAGES BY MISSING OUT ON CL QUALIFICATIONS.
However, City are likely be relegated, possibly two divisions, and banned from any EUROPEAN quals for some years ahead, to apply from the season in which FINAL decisons are made .
That is unlikely to be this season. Points deductions are also a strong possibility but in the same timescale.
I see no way our club will benefit directly THIS season, but we and others are likely to benefit much in the few years ahead. I see City being prevented from spending much at all on incoming players and on wage increases. I do NOT believe that City will get off without HUGE punishment but THAT WON’T HAPPEN THIS SEASON, IMO.
It will of course drastically change the whole PL dynamic, but only from the date of final guilty verdict.
JUST MY TAKE, though I have no inside knowledge, but I do have good life judgement and a clued up laymans knowledge of legal principles.
Arsenal is bound to lose a game or two from mid season to the end. It’s EPL and it’s tough. This defeat can trigger Arsenal players just like how it did after the Man Utd defeat. A open opener or a kick in the teeth, they would say. It could be a blessing in disguise. I like Everton, as a club and its history. Arteta was a former player. I hope they will survive this season.
Yes very Lucky City lost too
Match against Brentford is a match we must win
MY ENEMY, WHO IS ENEMY TO MY ENEMY HAS BECOME MY FRIEND. Thank you so so much SPURS AND HARRY.
Manchester City are in DEEP DEEP sh!t. From what I’ve read, they CAN’T appeal to the corrupt CAS like they’ve done before. Seeing how they treated the Premier League like sh!t by stonewalling them and “schooling” them on the purview of the law, this is likely to end in tears! The dippers might get last season’s title while we win ours fair and square ’cause they’re about to lose points if the commission upholds the findings.
Where are you seeing that they can’t appeal to Cas?
That would be interesting if so, because that court is not fit for purpose to my mind. They seem to see their role as being to reduce or cancel every punishment.
It’s just another route for corruption, with another bunch of people who could be got at (just a personal view btw, since I find some of their decisions… perplexing).
So if they can’t use Cas it would be a big deal, as you say. Any pointers/links?
It was explained why they cannot appeal to CAS in great detail, by a Sky expert. They can appeal to the Prem league though and no time bar is possible and PREM REGS DO NOT BAR ANY COMPLAINT FOR TIME BARRING, AS CAS HAVE DONE PREVUIOUSLY.
LOOKING GRIM FOR CITY AND GREAT FOR FOOTBALL IN GENERAL ,INCLUDING US.
Thanks Jon, but “a Sky expert” doesn’t really have much credibility in my book.
When you have BBC introducing political activists and members of a political party as “experts”… that label is so tarnished in the modern world that it only means “some bloke we dragged on the show who fits our agenda” these days.
Regulations of the Premier to admittance entry state that the club can not appeal to outside court any punishment giving to them by the Premier Judiciary System.It is not the case with the UEFA.
Aha, I’ll have a look into that, thanks Georgy.
A welcome far more balanced piece than DANS normal negativity . It seems the many crits he has received, MAY, just may, have made him adjust his thinking a little bit.
No serious minded fans objects to rational alalysis including crits where our team or MA have made mistakes. But it is the sheer WEIGHT AND CONSTANCY of negativity that defines Dan by comparison with other JA writers.
Perhaps, just perhaps ,he may have had some sort of DAMUSCAN conversion to proper and rational analysis including criticism and praise. I see both in this rare and welcome article. Let us see what follows, before making any more judgements
Perhaps, just perhaps, you could focus on the content of the article rather than the author next time?
Sk Perhaps , just perhaps you can mind your own business and let and freedom of speech happen?!!
I believe in freedom to write as I CHOOSE, NOT AS YOU CHOOSE.
My last 5 articles posted ……..
Today’s – not negative
Losing at Everton – that’s the teams fault
Predictions game – positive thing to do
Jorginhio being a smart signing – positive article
How great it is Martinelli signed new contract – positive article
So 4 out of last 5 articles positive
I literally wasn’t happy when he LOST to Everton
Jon , what did you say about Xakha after we BEAT Palace ?
DAN, YOU STILL HAVE A MOUNTAIN OF GROUND TO MAKE UP, BEFORE YOU CAN CLAIM NOT TO BE A NEGATIVE WRITER.
I note your comment and will be watching what happens in the near future.
You also have a mountain of ground to prove your not negative
I too will be watching what happens in the near future
I’ll tell you how it works though Jon…….
If we lose and don’t play well at home to Brentford I won’t be bullied into writing a positive article
If we win …I’ll be positive
Can you just remind readers what you wrote about xakha after we BEAT palace ?
Just remind them your positive remark ?
Or do you want me too ?
Yes I would like to know as I missed it ,I’ve seen you post this 4 times now Dan so I would love to know
Sure , as you will see after we beat Palace , I wrote a positive article praising the team .
In the comments read how positive Jon is
https://www.justarsenal.com/winning-ugly-at-crystal-palace-shows-arsenals-boys-grew-into-men/316151
It proves that essentially he’s happy for negativity if it’s an issue he agrees with
A truly pathetic attempt to turn the tables but doomed to failure DS, as your long record of negativity cannot be wiped out by a pathetic attack on someone who is not negative about our club. I have said, as many others have, many things about Xhaka over the years and I, TOGETHER WITH MANY OTHERS HAVE SAID WE ARE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO HAVE BEEN WRONG.
CARE TO DO LIKEWISE AND ADMIT YOU ARE WRONG TO HAVE BEEN SO CONSTANTLY NEGATIVE FOR SO LONG AND SO FOOLISHLY, AS OUR LEAGUE POSITION PROVES??
Wrong about what ?
When have I said the League position isn’t fantastic ?
That’s my point it’s in your head
After Man U , spurs wins , etc I wrote performances were great
Everton performance was not and I won’t backtrack on that
My opinion is Man City’s experience will give them the edge but that doesn’t mean it would have been a bad season at all .
Last few years I maintain 8th and 5th were not good enough
A position you shared when Mr Wenger was ‘ only ‘ finishing 4th ‘
Lol
Even I was positive on that thread
As I can’t remember, can you put me out of my misery (along with many others I suggest) Dan or Jon?
I believe that the “negativity” and “positivity” isn’t confined to either of you…probably everyone who enjoys JA could be bracketed in the same way!!
Now, about Xhaka?!?!
Lol
This negativity line though doesn’t bother me
We lose to Everton ….yes I’m negative !
We finish outside top 4:….I’m negative
We finish 8th …..I’m negative
We win the Prem ….trust me I’m positive lol
YOU HAVE JUST PUBLICLY ADMITTED THAT YOU ARE POSITIVE ONLY IF WE WIN THE LEAGUE.
HOW REVEALING AND WHAT AN ADMISSION!!
Well I didn’t say only but okay Jon lol
But yes as a football fan I tend to be more positive after we won
Loseing to a team 19th with the worst home record in division ? Yes I will be negative about that everytime