It’s been two decades since we were Champions. I’m old enough to remember all three of our Premiership’s vividly. Any club who win the title have that moment, one you look back on at the end of the season and say that was the turning point …. the injection of self-belief, the point where the outside world took you seriously, a wave of momentum to ride for the rest of the campaign.
In 1998, Marc Overmars scored Arsenal’s first ever Prem goal at Old Trafford. It’s an iconic image in our history.
One of our Gunners has a chance to replicate that this weekend. That’s not being dramatic or over hyping the occasion. It’s not as clear cut as whoever wins on Sunday lifts the trophy in May and it’s not as black and white as the loser should be written off. It’s more the mental impact it will have if either us or Man City get the 3 points.
Mathematically, if the worse were to happen by Easter Monday we could be as much as 3 points from top. With 9 games to go, not an impossible total to catch. That though is the standards that have been set where you are chasing down a machine who are capable of putting together a winning sequence.
That’s why the Fulham performance still haunts me. I said it at the time, in this division you can’t afford afternoons where you don’t show up.
Yet it’s what happens to the Gunners mentally based on the result at the Etihad.
I always stress that talent only gets you so far in Sport. Mentally separates the great from the good. Out of the three contenders that’s the question mark against our young squad. Perhaps the only question mark?
We no longer concede soft goals, don’t get bullied, are in-form, have scored so many goals in 2024 we have turned the goal difference in our favour (could be vital). The last part is’are we ready to get over the line’?
Can we perform with the lights on bright?
Or does it remain too big a step?
City and Liverpool have individuals used to winning silverware, we don’t have that.
It’s fascinating how many of our players this week in training, in the canteen, travelling to Manchester actually believe we can triumph?
Do we have enough leaders?
What can Mikel Arteta do to make his team have that confidence?
Because you know Man City players are not having the same issue in the build-up. For the Treble Winners, this is just another big game that they are used too. 12 months ago, I talked about Pep Guardiola’s men not just dealing with must-win conditions every few days but doing it with smiles on their faces. At the same time, we looked terrified, crippled by the fear of failure.
A lot of Gooners are confident and I can understand why you look at us and see a lot of positives. There exists though like we are a fanbase trying to convince themselves. Talk of City not being at their best, looking vulnerable; Haaland not being a great finisher; it’s wishful thinking. Everyone said the same about them this time last year and look what happened.
Yet Man City haven’t lost a game since December, don’t lose at home and haven’t lost this fixture in nearly a decade, mostly scoring 3-5 goals.
In our dressing room, who has the personality andcharacter to create their own Overmars scene?
The parallels to what the Dutchman did in our first Prem win has parallels to the current version of the Gunners. Like now, we headed to Manchester to face the Champions with a poor record at their ground. We were aware that Man United delivered at the business end of the season, their mindset stronger than the rest of the country.
In that double winning year, we still had work to do, with us having games in hand on the League leaders. Yet that one win made the outside take us seriously, made ourselves accept our dreams were now a reality and was one of the few times Sir Alex Ferguson watched his team throw away a big lead.
Let me stress, there is zero disgrace to lose at the Etihad, most do. It’s how you lose though. Not just have we not won at that ground in 9 years, we mostly get humiliated, conceding in the opening 20 mins. Our manager has failed to find a solution to that.
It could just be that this is too big a hurdle.
Or do we have the characters to seize the opportunity?
A personality who embraces the chance to be famous?
Who wants to write their name in our history and last forever?
Bravery to become immortal.
Who dares to catch their dreams while others chase illusions?
Or does that player not exist?
Who will be our Overmars?
Dan
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