I’m penning this on the eve of our grand day out to Wembley, the weather has turned here, and I’m feeling all sorts of positive about the day ahead.
I’ll go out of my way to read tea leaves in the build to a final, and you’d best believe I was raiding the Chelsea and Liverpool canteen cupboards when I watched them get decapitated by Brighton and Everton on Saturday.
Two Champions League teams, dipping, when they’re in the fight for their lives for UCL qualification. What conclusion can I draw knowing Arsenal AND Man City are Champions League teams? I’m struggling, I gotta say, but the best I could do is imagine that the game is going to be tight, but the second half might be where the action is at. Is there a loser brand of tired that settles in faster? My hope is there is. Man City aren’t a strong second half team, so hopefully they’ll fade, and we will decimate.
With regards to how we line up? Well, ain’t that a mystery. You’ve probably had the forwarded notifications in your WhatsApp groups that there are BIG injury issues. Eze, out for 6-8 weeks. Gyokeres, not available. BIG WILLY DOWNED.
Just feels like Arsenal fans being psychos if I’m honest. It could be Arteta and Berta trying to flood the zone. We know they LOVE staging photographs and don’t you think I didn’t notice Odegaard front and centre in .com pics when the likelihood of him being near that pitch is very low.
I’m not going to worry myself, Arsenal have enough for City whatever the weather.
My view on the line-up is Arteta is going to put his best attacking cogs out on the pitch. This will be the game we see Kai Havertz as a 9 flanked by Saka and Trossard. Midfield will be Eze, Zubi and Declan. Defence will be Calafiori, Saliba, Big Gabi, and Benny Blanco. Keeper will be… Kepa.
Look, the keeper situation is not my favourite. But James Trafford will be playing over Donnarumma. I think the right thing to do is to play the back-up keeper who has sacrificed his ego to make sure there’s a competitive environment for the number 1. Kepa could be starting for most clubs in the Premier League, we are lucky to have him as our second string keeper, and I’m 100% certain he’ll start.
The only counter to all of that softboy sh*t above is I really want to win a trophy and David Raya is the best keeper in the world right now and him rolling deep against City would make my knees a little firmer.
Alas, culture eats feelings for breakfast, or something very American corporate rah rah like that!
I did find some of the narrative build to this week quite interesting. Jamie Carragher wrote a really good article about rival fans not liking the taste of what Arteta is serving and he found it a bit weird. The article likened Arteta’s pragmatic approach to some all-time greats like José and Simeone, but ultimately said stylistically he’s more aligned with Pep G.
Neutral fans not liking Arsenal is for one reason and one reason only: we’re being compared to Man City and no one cares for them. They’re easier to stomach as a Premier League winner because no one gives a shit. If this was an Arsenal vs Man United title run-in, I can tell you, the split would be very different. I don’t know which way, but Man United for a neutral has you feeling a way.
But come on… do we really want to be the neutral fans’ team of choice? If you’re a neutral fan in general, you’re a loser. Is that too blunt? Get a f*cking team and stop being a melt. Have you ever met a person at a party, asked them who they support, and been surprised when they call themselves a ‘neutral’? No way. I could pick a neutral in a room of 20 in about 5 seconds. I have a sense for them, like Spurs fans, and I will avoid that inevitable conversation of:
‘Oooh, to be honest, I do enjoy the Premier Champions Cup, but I tend to follow players. Like Messi, wow, so good, right? Have you ever been to a Matcha Morning Rave by chance? Amazeballs.’
You know the type.
Why would we cater for those people?
I want to be hated. Arsenal getting plaudits for delicate artistic football after another 6-1 loss to Mourinho, whose team of thugs had the ball in possession for 6 minutes, did not fill me with pride. I want the dark arts, now we have the most progressive dark arts coach on the planet. I wanted beastly players who bully. I want pragmatists who can play long ball, tiki-taka, possession, non-possession, and whatever brand of sufferball you fancy. I wanted players that, when given the chance, can rip anyone a new one. Now I follow a team that Man City will play 5 at the back against.
When you are winning, everyone hates you, and if we’re struggling with being hated right now… that’s an us problem.
Drink it in my friends. Accept that if today is another hate watch that ends with an Arsenal trophy, it was all worth it.
Ok, on that note, have a f*cking great day. Then come and join us for an On The Whistle after the game! Get subbed up right now so you are READY! x
50% off if you’re a student with a student email.
Also, I dropped a little member’s special for those who dropped a hot take. AND we dropped a little bonus Before the Whistle that everyone can watch for FREE.
I had a dream that we won! My dream fruition is typically in the 70/30 range (70 being chances of actual occurrence). Do with that what you will.
Champions