What Ever Happens At Anfield, Keep Perspective by Dan Smith
I can understand why other supporters want Arsenal to get a harsh reality check on Monday Night. Even as a Gooner myself, I have to admit some of what I have heard and read from our fanbase borders on arrogance.
Yes, winning the FA Cup was fantastic, but beating opposition in a one off knock out competition doesn’t equate to suddenly having the consistency to close a 43 point gap, behind a Liverpool team who have since added Thiago and Jota.
Even if you believe the Champions lose focus and struggle to match 99 points, why do you think a squad who finished in our worst position in 25 years will magically find this new found consistency?
Because we brought Gabriel and Willian?
Be honest if Man United had finished 8th and then net spent approx. 6 million would you be calling them title challengers?
I understand why some want to convince themselves this could be our year, but we have to take little steps, you can’t just make things up.
For example I read how Arteta deserves credit for starting this campaign with a winning start not seen in years. We beat Fulham and West Ham, two fixtures we should be winning.
Guess what, we started the last campaign by beating Newcastle and Burnley. Again that was expected, before in our third match we were comfortably beaten at Anfield.
If that happens again it shouldn’t be a shock. It confirms where we are, capable of getting three points against those outside the top 6 but likely to lose away at the big clubs. Hence why we finished 8th.
Yet some Gunners are talking about our trip to Anfield as crucial in the title race.
Let me stress, if we win, it’s another huge step in the progress Arteta is making, but it wouldn’t make us contenders .
We lose, it’s equally not the end of the world.
It’s a reflection in society that some don’t have the patience to watch the project unfold, people want success now.
We win a trophy and suddenly our manager is being compared to Arsene Wenger.
We win we overreact, we lose, it’s the end of the world.
Like anything the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.
We have someone special in our current coach who has improved individuals and has the man management to get a group to tactically follow his instructions. Yet he can only work with the resources he’s got, and his owner simply doesn’t match his ambition.
So while he can improve a Luiz, Xhaka, etc, I don’t see him turning them into the best in the UK in their positions. That’s the standards.
Many call me negative but by being realistic with my expectations I’m the least likely to be putting pressure on our boss in May if we are outside the top 4.
While everyone is entitled to their opinion, if you’re talking about winning the CL in 3 years (yes that’s a thing) then your just putting pressure on our boss which is unfair.
Whereas if your level headed, you’re not going to think it’s the end of the world if we end up 6th.
Whisper it quietly, if I had a choice I rather us win on Thursday. That will put me in the minority but if you offered me another trophy this year, I would bite your hand off for it. Victory in the Carabao Cup puts us in the Quarter Final, three wins away from silverware.
That’s where we are at… A chance of a top 4 finish and a cup run.
So whatever happens in both games this week at Anfield, think with your head not your heart.
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Dan Smith
