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
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