Monday Cannon Fodder: two days

Good Monday morning, TSFers. It’s unseasonably cold in D.C. right now (there’s a freeze chance tonight), which is neat because it comes on the heels of it being unseasonably hot (as in the warmest April on record, thus far). That’s the world we live in now, I guess.

Two more sunrises. That’s what stands between Arsenal and arguably the most important match since the Champions League final in 2006. No, I haven’t forgotten the Europa League final. This feels more important than that.

I’m doing my best not to think about what happens with the club this season after Wednesday until we get to the final whistle of the Manchester City match. It’s such a high-leverage game that there really isn’t a point to it. According to one tweet I saw, it may have been Opta numbers, an Arsenal win makes them 54% favorites to win the league, a draw 28%, and a loss 9%.

I think the larger part of me is kinda resigned that it isn’t gonna happen. That’s not to say I don’t believe in the team and hope that they do the thing, but the reality of how monumental an ask it is to beat City at the Etihad, something Arsenal haven’t done since 2016 with Mikel Arteta scoring a goal, has set in. It’s not over until it’s over, and even with a draw or loss, stranger things have happened, but I’m not gonna lie, my mood and confidence are slipping.

That doesn’t take any of the gloss off what has been an absolutely incredible season for the Gunners. And maybe they’ll do it. They’ve defied the expectations and odds all season. Why not one more time?