Arsenal are now under pressure, but we are not dead in the water

Fast forward a week later after dropping 2-0 leads twice in a row I’m really in the dumps. I started following Arsenal and English football closely in 2006. So this is my first proper title race. One I am actually emotionally invested in and I’ve fully followed.

Let’s get it out of the way, I’m hugely disappointed. Every way you look at it it’s 4 huge points dropped. In this title rice that’s equivalent to swimming with a wound leaving a bloody trail, with a hungry shark following it.

My PTSD is telling me to just accept that City will win it, I’ve tried to do it all season to avoid the pain if we don’t. But in reality 7 games remain, City are now everybody’s overwhelming favorites and with good reason – experience and current form backs them.

But we are not dead in the water just yet. Arteta has the biggest job on his hands. First of all we must beat Southampton and it won’t be an easy game. The mental battle right now is as difficult, if not more, than the physical is.

We need a result, but more importantly we need a performance. In a game of tennis what separates the great champions like Djokovic and Nadal from the rest is that when the pressure is on, they summon their best game.

We need a solid win. The overarching feeling is that City are going to win it. We must turn the tides of that. If we win at the Etihad and I know it’s a mammoth task, it swings the tides massively in our favor. It’s like going to the hydra’s lair, cutting it’s heads off and going out with the treasure.

If we lose to City it’s done. If they get their noses In front they won’t let go. Ask a Liverpool fan if you don’t believe me.

So what do we need to do? We need to lift Saka. He had a terrible game, and the penalty miss summed up our whole week – missed opportunities.

We need to improve our ball controll. We missed Zinny against West Ham just to help Partey on the ball. Also Holding is not Saliba. Our defense is a chair that has 2 make shift legs right now and it’s wobbling.

We also need to just calm down. You think Bukayo misses that penalty if it’s gameweek 10? Right now nerves are getting the better of us. Xhaka at Anfield issued an emotional battle we had no chance of winning. We need to cool our heads a little.

We need to defy some parts of history and reaffirm others. Obviously our record at the Etihad is terrible, that has simply got to change. On the other hand, out of the last titles wins have happened at places like White Hart lane, old Trafford and Anfield.

We need to remember that this is what you play for. To be in the title tussle. We’re now the underdogs. The haters are finally getting what they wanted, we’re bottling it. Last year all over again, but maybe we can use that pain as motivation. We’ve defied the expectations all year, so maybe the narrative will be changed one last time.

Or maybe not… As you can see anything can happen in a week of football. It can be boringly long or extremely short. Whatever happens next Wednesday will likely decide the title. Comparing to last season, I strangely like the fact that we must go to the Etihad and get something.

Last season we had a “free hit” at Spurs and guess how that turned out? We can’t rely on others all the time. “It’s all in City’s hands” is all I’m hearing, when in fact it’s just as much in ours.

We’re massive underdogs in that game, but heck, let’s see what we are made of. We have to prove that we deserve it.

But let’s not forget Southampton first.