Thanks Neil,
I read your written review first so wasn't surprised by the Pink. The strength of the Wrap from the start has been the sense that it's a group of people who are part of 'us' rather than 'them' and for the most part that's reassuring because for the most part we all tend to agree (give or take differences over particular players).
We are in a strange place at the moment when it's clear that we have the potential to win the league but also know that City are juggernauts with their oil money and Pep.
We've been there before when Roman bought Chelsea and Mourinho won the league with a relentless campaign. But we had Rafa and Istanbul and for a while it seemed that he would take us to the title we all crave - 08/09 felt like we were almost there but the ownership issues bought it all crashing down.
In 13/14 we won the league (almost) and played amazing football but again it was a false dawn. I don't want to speak for you but for me there's a small nagging doubt that even as we assemble an amazing team with the perfect manager under owners who are showing real commitment, that circumstances (City) will once again snatch away victory unless we are absolutely perfect.
There are very few teams that are going to lose to City and we have to match that. We can't rely on anyone taking points off them - it will happen but rarely - so our attitude to every game has to be the same. And though it's mad to be worried about goal difference after 10 games, it will be an issue. We should have scored 7 or 8 and we shouldn't have conceded. That's not arrogance of entitlement - it's simply a question of whether or not we ant to win the league this season.
Keep up the good work. It's good to hear new voices as well as the old favourites.
Totally disagree with this and the narrative about City on here and growing on TAW.
So, if this becomes the prevailing viewpoint, that we have to score an avalanche of goals and match City's goal difference then it becomes problematic. You are enabling a financially doped team to distort the context of what our team are achieving. Noticed City sell any important players recently? No, me neither - see Sterling become one of City's best players last season, and Coutinho and Suarez beat Real Madrid 5-1 yesterday? The team that are statistically the best team to have ever played in the top flight in English football? You want us to score more, concede less, beat on points and in doing so amass our record points tally and goal difference. And if not: fume?
Here's what will happen: it will start with people such as Neil and yourself becoming disillusioned with 4-1 wins at home, putting us on 8 wins and 2 draws - stating that we absolutely need to keep pace with City because: Crystal Palace. This will eventually become a narrative for a whole strata of fans on Twitter, who will ignore the nuances of the narrative and reduce it to: we need to score 5 a game. Then, when we hit a rocky patch, where do you go from being frustrated with 4-1 at home to drawing with Wolves at home? I'll tell you. Just like the West Ham game all those years ago, booing - cruel, twisted, vindictive bile. Soon enough, we'll have "crisis" pods with Paul Senior and Nevin popping back to tell everyone he was right. (I really like these two contributors, by the way, but facts are facts).
The Ronnie Moran analogy harks back to an age Mourinho is desperately attempting to cling onto - klaxon: it doesn't exist any more. Modern players don't respond to being berated, so hammering players when they have won 4-1- whether it be from managers or fans who have a social media presence- it just becomes part of the Arsenal TV cycle, a reductive narrative that ignores the achievements of the team and manager in the pursuit of something we have never achieved in our lifetime: 100 points and a goal difference in the region of 80. In 1978, our goal difference was 69, in 87-88 it was 63. Never mind our history, or we got 75 points last season and a goal difference of 46 - we have decided we need to match City. That's the flag in the ground and I'll be "seething" whenever my flag isn't hoisted like a league title.
Klopp has raised expectations beyond belief with 8 wins and 2 draws from 10 games - once we hit a rocky patch, the masses will begin to swirl and smell blood. Just as they have on Henderson.
It reminds me of the cyclists who were watching the yellow jersey of Lance Armstrong as he doped himself to seven Tour de France victories - I can imagine their fans hammering them for not nailing Alpe d’Huez, not being as fast or as brilliant as Armstrong. When in fact, they were absolutely performing at their optimum.
Conclusion? Fucking enjoy going toe to toe with them. Forget goal difference, I'll bet you £100 now they will have a better goal difference, whether we win the league or not (genuine offer). it's not going to happen, hammering the team to do so will be counter productive to atmosphere.
Support the team, don't let the vile disenchantment of goal difference deter from what is shaping up to be a tremendous season. And believe me, from going to Anfield for 30 years, I know that will happen - the shouts, the desperation, the groans, the dissatisfaction - the bipolar opposite of the great European nights.
Up the Mighty Fucking Reds.
