With our game at home to Wigan not on until tomorrow late afternoon, today has felt like a bit of a barren wasteland so far, if I’m honest. I got up, did a whole bunch of jobs, didn’t get around to penning some thoughts until now, but there’s not a ton of stuff going on. I could talk about Wigan, I could have a look at them and how they are getting on, how they might set up tactically, but one look at their League One position and form kind of makes me feel like there’s no point. I’ll do a preview tomorrow. You should treat every game with respect, but if ever there is a time to sit a host of players down, tomorrow is it. Not even in the squad. Players like Big Gabi, Saliba, Zubi, Odegaard, Saka, Rice, and Trossard – none of those guys should be anywhere near the match-day squad.
So I think I’ll unload a little more of my concern with that impending two Premier League games on the horizon that, I think, might have a massive say in how we’re going to see the remainder of this season unfold. There’s a few reasons why I think this:
Building momentum back up again
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We talked about this last night on the [Same Old Arsenal pod](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO5IlZNvRZ8), but my concern from the Brentford game didn’t come from that game in isolation. Instead, it comes from our 2026 form so far, which has been patchy. Draws to Liverpool and Forest, a defeat to Man United, and some sluggish football at times until we scored the first goals against Leeds and Sunderland. We haven’t looked as imperious as we did around November time. The defensive lapses, the lack of a creative spark, the injuries – all seem to be compounding themselves. So if we can go to Wolves and put on a good display, then follow that by any kind of victory – good or otherwise against the Scum, then I think that will be a massive adrenaline shot in the arm for this team. Declan Rice sounded kind of okay after that Brentford draw, and Mikel Arteta seemed calm, too, but those players must surely know that now is the time to go on the run. And unlike in 2023/24 when we all saw things sort of clicking in front of our eyes around this time, I’m not really getting that vibe right now. That has to change.
More away games knocked down
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By the time we’ve played the Scum, we’ll have 10 games left, with six home games and four away. That feels good. That those games include a North London Derby and a Brighton side that are always decent against us feels less splendid, which is why I think these next two away games feel massive for us. We have been good at home, you’d hope that we could win all of those home games. I think with 12 games to go, we probably need to win 10 of the 12 to pretty much secure it. Maybe we could get away with nine. If we win our six home games (fingers crossed), then you’re talking about three away wins needed. If we beat Wolves, then go to the Toilet Bowl and also somehow pick up a win there, I will be in a much better place than where my nerves are at the moment, because it will feel like we’re back on track and getting there. Win the next two Premier League away games, then you would say that West Ham away should be winnable and then you have to go to Brighton and get something. IF we do that, then even a defeat at the Etihad is fine if we keep up our good home form. I get it, lots of ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’, but at a time like this, I am trying to sanitise the emotional side by thinking about the practical elements of what we need to do and where we need to get our points.
Marker in a big game (NLD)
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If City’s win at Anfield was the shot in the arm they needed to kick-start the run, the North London Derby could be the same for us. Don’t let The Scum’s terrible home form fool you, they will not play like the team who have been a shambles in front of their own fans all season. I am going to be super nervous ahead of this one, because this game feels like it has more riding on it than ever before at that horrendous Toilet Bowl of a stadium. They have a new guy in charge in Igor Tudor and when you look at what he’s tended to be pretty good at in Italy, it is breathing life into teams at this stage in the season. He can’t manage for any prolonged period of time, he falls out with owners and staff, he gets binned after he’s done an escape job when he first comes in, but he has been able to inject a bit of something into any team he’s joined. For the Scum, that ‘New Manager Bounce’ is needed more than anything and I really fear that. And I don’t think that will go away as we get closer to that match.
Their fans simply won’t stand for performances like Newcastle a few days ago. Those players know they basically need to leave everything out there next Sunday. We need to be ready for it.
If I’m thinking about a positive upside, it is that they are [decimated with injuries right now](https://www.premierinjuries.com/teams/tottenham-hotspur). There’s no Romero because of his sending off, but they are also expected to be missing Odobert, Maddison, Kulusevski, Bentancur, Kudus, Davies, Bergvall, Udogie, Danso, plus they are sweating on the fitness of Richarlison and Porro. If both of those players are confirmed to be out…well…if they weren’t the Scum you’d sort of feel sorry for them. We’ve had our fair share of injuries this season, but that’s a decimation. One just hopes that we do actually step up with all of those injuries and we don’t get the old Neil Mellor syndrome that haunted us all those years ago.
Right, I think I’ll leave it there for today. Still got more work to do, so will get back on with my chores before I treat the missus to the football tomorrow.
Catch you then for a match preview.