I don’t know why, but I feel more nervous about this game tomorrow than I have done in years. Actually, scrap that, I think I do know why.

Firstly, it’s because this feels like a game that, unless we win, we may very well be on the verge of being out of a title race that three week’s ago the bookies were paying out on us securing. But some shoddy performances, some lacklustre displays, have meant that when City beat Newcatsle tonight (and it is a ‘when’, because you only have to look at Newcastle record at Man City – one 0-0 draw is all they have to show for 26 years of Premier League games going back to 2000), it’s going to feel like the pressure is all on us in one of the most intense periods of the season, as well as one of the most intense games of the season.

Which leads me to my second point, which is the way this team has handled the pressure in 2026, and the answer is ‘not great’. Two wins in seven is the kind of form we saw in 2007/8 when we led the league until the Eduardo leg break derailed our season. That was on 23rd February 2008. Two days from now. If you read my blogs regularly, you’ll know that when it comes to football, I am a deeply superstitious man. So finding out that date this morning as I’m typing away today’s thoughts, doesn’t help me.

Thirdly, I worry about Mikel Arteta and his reluctance to utilise the full might of his squad. We have never had such an impressive array of talent and depth, yet some of the well-documented and spoken about lack of minutes for some players, is really troubling. He needs to recognise when some players look dead on their feet and he needs to develop that skill Pep always had of sitting some players down – no matter how talented – for a few weeks. Timber is the obvious candidate from midweek, but I doubt we’ll see that.

But given that yesterday we had Declan Rice issuing a rally call to the fans to stick behind the team, and given Arteta reiterated that they need the fans with them now more than ever, I’m going to try to be as positive as possible and send as many positive vibes to this Arsenal team as I can possibly transmit.

I’ll admit that seeing Arteta’s post-match Wolves interview had me worried, because he looked quite shaken by what he’d seen, but yesterday he was the epitome of calm, which reassured me. There are press conferences I’ve seen over the years where he’s looked spikey, he’s bristled at questions, he has looked rattled. It didn’t look like it to me yesterday. Given the magnitude of the game, given how from a supporter perspective it feels like we are standing ona precipice, given our recent form, it is heartening to see a manager talk about how he didn’t lay into the team, but he was delighted with the way they have been speaking in the aftermath of that disappointing Wolves performance.

I do think, however, that when the players had their ‘talk, they needed to have spoken about the mindset after we’ve been going ahead. The retreat towards our own box just simply isn’t sustainable. It invites pressure. It encourages inferior opponents. It makes us look weak. There needs to be some bravery from those players, and this weekend will hopefully provide that. I’ll admit I am still ultra-nervous right now, I’ll be worse tomorrow morning and by kick off I’ll be a bit of a wreck, but if those players are feeling relaxed and loose as they step off that bus into the heartland of the Scum, then that may at least dial down my worry by at least a percentage point or two.

Igor Tudor also gave his press conference, saying that he’s been working with only 13 fit first team players, whilst also confirming that nobody new is back fit, but then I’ve seen a video in which he’s said Richarlison is back fit. There were some training pictures that showed that, so I guess it was to be expected, but that little rat-bag even being available is a shame. He’s the archetypal Scum player; dislikable, annoying, snide and having him available from the bench might prove problematic. Let’s just hope that Big Bill Saliba and Big Gabi have his number if he does get minutes on the pitch.

For us, the team news seems pretty positive. Based on what Arteta said (which admittedly, and predictably, was sketchy and not definitive), I would hazard a guess that both Havertz and Odegaard make the match-day squad. Whether they are fit to start remains to be seen; Havertz is a weird one because you’d think that he wouldn’t be fit to start, but Arteta had no trouble starting him against both Leeds and Sunderland, and the rumours are that his injury has been more about managing load when he felt something. If he’s been back in training for a few days, having played 3 week’s ago, maybe he could be an option from the start tomorrow? It’s the same with Odegaard, who went off against Brentford nine days ago, so his knock has hopefully recovered, and that means he could be ready.

Having that full complement of attacking players to choose from could be huge. With The Scum looking at their team as being just about those players who can get on to the pitch, maybe (hopefully) it means their options to change it are limited. But our options are (hopefully) plentiful. Let’s hope that we don’t need them to ‘make a difference’ in the second half, but at least having those players ready to play is a boost.

Right, I’m going to leave it there. I want to leave you with a bit more positivity, because tomorrow is when the nerves really do kick in.

Have a great saturday kids.