The trees have parted, the sunlit path has opened, and the vista that has revealed itself is terrifying.
There are few things scarier than being given the chance to get exactly what you want.
Arsenal supporters know that better than most, and even while celebrating the 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace or the Liverpool and Manchester City defeats they will have felt a thud in the pit of their stomach.
The sense of calm reassurance in the Arsenal performances must make them panic. The sound of pundits sagely calling it Arsenal’s year must be like nails down a chalkboard.
The last time Arsenal supporters experienced this kind of pain was much later in a season and therefore much, much deeper than the twangs they feel now.
At the start of April 2023 when Arsenal, after seven league wins on the trot, were five points clear at the top of the Premier League table pretty much everyone said it was theirs to lose.
And they did.
They were never in charge of the title race in 2023/24 and never truly got going in 2024/25, so this week is the first time those old sensations have returned. The fans might want to push it away - but the players cannot afford to.
It is a universal truth that winning championships in any sport requires a laser focus on nothing but the next game. Arsenal, perennial runners up, are the exception.
They have to look this thing square in the eye. They have to truly feel this moment and seize the opportunity.
It wouldn’t be fair to say it’s Arsenal’s title to lose. But it is Arsenal’s title to win. They have to walk tall and embrace that fact. It is the only way the squad will overcome a perceived psychological frailty.
And the battle now is purely psychological, because Arsenal undoubtedly have all the technical and tactical components.
This is a better squad, and a deeper squad, than the one that picked up 89 points in 2023/24 yet judging by the stuttering form of Liverpool and Man City, Mikel Arteta’s side won’t even need that many to come out on top.
But to take this final step on the journey they might need to get on a trajectory towards 90+ points, simply because the safest way to overcome fears of a wobble is to avoid a title race altogether.
Liverpool, falling just short in battles with Man City, ended their 30-year wait by blitzing everyone in the first half of the season, forcing their rivals to submit before a challenge was even made. Chelsea’s first Premier League title in 2004/05 was similarly dependent upon racing clear in the first few months, as was Leicester's in 2015/16.
This is Arsenal’s clearest route.
Liverpool’s malaise shows no sign of ending before the hectic winter period, not with tactical issues getting more pronounced as clubs learn from previous successes against them.
Man City are clinging on but there are too many problems in a new-look central midfield for Pep Guardiola to put a run of form together before the new year.
Arsenal’s eight league games before Christmas include Sunderland, Burnley, Brentford, Wolves, and Everton. Win all five and then take at least four points from Tottenham at home and trips to Aston Villa and Chelsea – which seems entirely reasonable - and on Christmas Day they will have 41 points from 17 matches, on course for a 91-point season.
It is very difficult to imagine Man City or Liverpool taking as many as 19 points from their next eight. They both have far tougher fixtures than Arsenal, including a game against each other next month, which means Arsenal only need to grind their way through very winnable games over the next few weeks to emerge in an extremely strong position.
In years gone by Arteta has had every right to bemoan his luck, coming up against a very strong Man City team at the peak of their powers. This time he is the fortunate one, a brilliant transfer window for the club coinciding with off-years for all of the chasing pack.
A first Premier League title in 20 years is theirs for the taking. It really is now or never, and there is nothing more frightening than that.
But the plan is in place and the path is clear. All they have to do is take a deep breath, puff out those chests, and walk into the light.
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