You could argue that the Man City game tonight is our biggest League fixture in decades? While it’s too early in the season to say it’s a must-win, it’s a must-not-lose.
Obviously not mathematically, but mentally, a defeat would be a blow we wouldn’t be able to bounce back from.
If the worse were to happen, we would be joint on points with the Champions with a game in hand and our destiny still in our own hands. Yet I’m a firm believer that talent gets you so far in sport, your mental strength decides who gets over the line. Think tennis. Any professional ranked player has proved they are skilful, yet there’s a reason why for so long the same names win the majority of the Grand Slams. In the key moments at key points they have the character and strength of mind.
That’s the question mark over Arsenal.
We know Man City can handle ‘squeaky bum time’ in April and May, we don’t know that about the Gunners yet. That’s not an insult, it’s acknowledging that we have the youngest squad in the division and an acceptance that this might be a step too fa. Imagine a youthful group being told for months they are the best in the country, and they suddenly find themselves chasing a side who apparently have been below par and not even at their best yet.
In that scenario, trips to Villa Park and the King Power Stadium become tricky and our title bid could be over by March.
When coming from behind to beat Spurs 4-2, there’s a reason Pep Guardiola dismissed his players the way he did. A proven winner, he knew what he was doing by portraying Arsenal as performing on a different level to his team.
He knows his big advantage over Arteta is that his players know how to every few days win under intense conditions, where even a draw isn’t good enough. His former assistant doesn’t have that yet, hence the pressure kicked in at Goodison Park and at home to Brentford. Bad habits from the last campaign have crept back in, and suddenly you don’t know which Arsenal show up this week.
By making out they are favourites, Pep is putting as much pressure on his rivals as possible knowing our reputation for choking when it really matters.
Make zero mistake, we play like we have in the last two weeks we will lose heavily.
Pep knows how psychologically huge it would be if he can address his players on Thursday morning as League Leaders, having not even been at their best so far this season.
I have long maintained that certain Gooners haven’t respected City’s body of work and the standards they have set. Some of our fan base thought winning the title would be easier than the reality, based on half a season’s work. If that were a Spurs we would mock them for their arrogance.
Even the notion of us beating them. Look at our Prem record against them, they always beat us, often by threes and fours to nil.
Take the emotion out of it, suddenly beating them when the stakes are at their highest seems unlikely.
Yet what if ……….
The only way to get that mentality is through experience.
If Arsenal were to beat Man City we would go 6 points clear with a game in hand, and all our confidence would return with Everton and Brentford a distant memory.
We have to play a lot better then recently, both in terms of collectively and as individuals, where a few have gone missing.
I can’t help but have flashbacks to last season when the race for 4 and the fear of failure crippled us.
One thing I do know is that the atmosphere at the Emirates will be special.
It’s incredible how the outcome of one match can change the outlook of a whole season.
I would bite your hand off for a draw right now!
What’s your predictions peeps?
Dan Smith
————————————————————–
WATCH Mikel Arteta discuss the problems with referees ahead of the big Man City clash..
WATCH EVERY ONE of Mikel Arteta’s and Jonas Eidevall’s Full Press conferences by subscribing to our YouTube Channel – JustArsenalVids
Arsenal 3:1 correct score
I’d be happy with a draw, because of our recent performance
I guessed the writer even before I saw the name. Can you never be positve for once. If you talk of the two recent games where we lost points there were controversies which have been acknowledged by everybody. The writer admits that we still have a game in hand so unless we lose most of our remaining games I still believe we shall be fine. Assuming, God forbid, we lose today’s game we still have enough games to repair the damage.
As for the experience factor, how did Man city aquire it? How much winning experience did Leicester have in 2014-15? Our team ha stood the test against all the big boys except City whom we meet tonight. It is my principle not to bet the outcome of games but I have a feel good factor that Arsenal will win this game.
Dan’s articles ooze fear, u can aforehand tell who the author is
I understand
– the team hasn’t given fans reasons to be confident in the past years
But it seems you see the bad quickly
That we didn’t get 3 points in a match doesn’t mean we didn’t play well
The team played well against Brentford
The team is still alright
U say u getting flashes of last season
WHERE ?
The team ain’t capitulating, not yet, there isn’t any sign of last season’s lapses yet
You’ll see our beautiful game tonight against a team who’ll not pack-the-bus
I would say last 2 games we didn’t play well , struggled to make chances and players went missing
The writer has written many positive articles but I guess it is human nature to only remember the negative.
Anything more than a loss and I will be happy.
sws It is the highPERCENTAGE of negative articles Dan writes, compared to the very few positive ones, that gives a true and honest summation about his general negativity.
Ask yourself WHY SO MANY Gooners constantly mention his negativity!
Do you suppose that for no important reason ALL those Gooners just want to blame him?
Or is it perhaps, that they have FULL JUSTIFICATION in so doing!!
Jon mate , win tonight I’ll be positive
I’m so nervous lol
Depends which Arsenal show up. If it’s the Arsenal we’ve seen in the last few games then yes I’ll take a draw. If it’s the Arsenal from before than then no I won’t happily take a draw I’d want a win.
Unfortunately our lack of rotation/competition has started to show in the teams performance, everyone get’s complacent at some stage and we’ve allowed that to set in.
Oh here we go again! Grown-ups on JA shi**ing bricks like those 12 yr olds on football Twitter! Dan, grow a pair and just relax man. You of all the people should know that there are still 15 games to go! The title race won’t be decided tonight. We could give City a hiding and still fail to win and vice versa. I for one won’t be treating this fixture like a do-or-die battle ’cause there will be more twists and turns in the coming months. Just tune off Twitter noise. In all honesty, Pep seems to have Mikel’s number in EPL, if we lose I’m still rooting for the boys to pick themselves up. The hype around this fixture is soo fabricated and smart minds are getting sucked in. There are at least 16-17 tricky fixtures for both teams after today!
I don’t know who the Gooners are who haven’t acknowledged the body of City’s work. The fact that they are serial winners more than suggests that they have been superb. The fly in the ointment for them is their lack of a CL trophy under Pep so did Pep bottle it? Are Man City still the same force that they have been over a number of years? Our players are now a year older and currently top of the league and Arteta is another year along in his managerial career. They may not win it come May, but the signs are so much better this year.
I wouldn’t bite my hand off for a draw unless we are, for some reason, outplayed. It is too close to call and Arteta has to really show his stature tonight with his team sheet and his match management. I hope the crowd sing their hearts out and support them non stop tonight
We are at home we go or 3points nothing less. I might be bullish but can’t see city beating us. Tough game ? Yes . Could I bite off someone’s hand for a draw , no, city are absolutely beatable.
Yes Kenya001
Bullish or bust!!
Personally think we will edge this one
2-1
Front 4 whoever starts need to step up though .
Maybe have to change that prediction now if the rumours are true about Partey
How things change in a blink of an eye.
Just 2 weeks ago we were about 70-80% confident that we will beat Man City in this home game (today). A draw was being looked at as worst case scenario. But now I would take a draw. 🤣
The last 3 games have now turned out to be a big concern.
City are not as scary as they used to be, but we go into this game on the back of 2 losses and 1 draw.
We are at home, I am not accepting a loss against this City side.
Rumour that Partey may be out
Muscle injury picked up in final training session
I’d be content with a draw tonight but honestly, if the author is right that Arsenal are so mentally fragile that they wouldn’t bounce back from a loss, then maybe we should all pack it in for the season because we are unlike to even making top six.
Fortunately I think he’s wrong on that mental fragility count so I’ll.keep tuning in regardless of what happens tonight.
That’s the spirit
Optimistic pessimist here😊.
I’ll be happy if we don’t get hammered, celebrating if we draw and over the bloody moon doing cartwheels if we win.
Here we go again
Another long, drab, negative article with a supposed fan quaking with fear. Thankfully, there are many more positive fans these days.
It is one game and we need to get three points. If we can’t get three we need to do our best not to lose. If we lose we need to pick ourselves up and move on. There are many games left. This game is important but it is not the most important or defining game as thing stand.
This is not last season or any previous season. It is this season and there is all to play for. The fans at the stadium will rightly cheer the players on and the players will give their all. At this point being properly supportive, encouraging and driving the players on is what all fans should be about. It is a good thing is that most fans do not seem to accept this mental fragility nonsense that this author keeps spouting.
Lols
Fans accepting it and something happening isn’t the same thing
Last two games have been poor
In the absence of Partey, I would settle for a point.
Draw leaves us in a decent position but I wouldn’t bite anyone’s hand off for it, happy yes. A win I would as it puts us firmly favourites again. With a chance to open a 9 point gap against Everton at home. Away would be different but at home we have to look for a win if we want the title surely even if a draw is no disaster.
3-1 Arsenal is my prediction but that was my leaning with Partey fit, Jorginho is a bit of an unknown in our system. Still quietly confident of that scoreline anyway. Just hoping my gut feeling that we are going to be right at it and take it to City is correct.
Partey out, Jorginho in, still hoping for a win but wouldn’t be too unhappy with a draw.
Terrible after some previous good attacking
Awful mistake
🙁