Our wins against Chelsea and Tottenham were a real turning point for this young Arsenal team | OneFootball

It’s been 2 decades since Arsenal were last Champions.

I have memories of a young Nasri, Fabregas, Van Persie, Wilshere, etc, being top of the league in March screaming out for leaders to help. The club was unable or unwilling to bring in experience.

I have witnessed youthful squads in run-ins being crippled by a fear of failure.

I have been haunted by the Birmingham League Cup final which led to our whole season falling apart.

I have been scarred by teams overcome with anxiety.

I’m tired of listening to ‘what if’s’.

I’m impatient being asked to be patient.

A generation brought up on zero ambition.

Not just given scraps for my money but told I should be grateful.

My peers were brainwashed by buzzwords and misled by what progress means.

That’s why last week was a turning point. No matter what happens in the next month, mentally it was a huge moment for this group.

First of all, don’t underestimate the significance of the result within the history between Arsenal Vs Chelsea. The heaviest we have ever won this Derby.

The biggest compliment I can give the last two performances is that we treated the occasion like it was any other game. Like it was a routine match on a casual midweek or weekend under the floodlights.

If you were an alien who purchased a ticket with zero knowledge of the sport you wouldn’t know that the Gunners were under immense pressure with zero room for error. One mistake essentially could end our campaign.

Whisper it quietly, we played like a team who were enjoying the moment. Which it’s how it should be. Don’t worry about how bright the lights are, how wide the stage, don’t consume yourself with what happens if you fail.

Embrace how close you are to immortality, be excited that you can write yourself into history, consider when you dreamt of being a professional that these are the matches you went to bed imagining.

As recently as the visit of Aston Villa, these players have not done that.

For three seasons in a row, we have frozen in March to May. That’s the perception of us within the footballing community. Arsenal FC – beautiful football but when it matters will go missing.

Not criticism, a reflection of where one of the youngest squads stand. As Thierry Henry and Fabregas have said, the only way you get that knowledge is by eventually getting over the line. The first time we do that the easier it will become. If the Kroenke family keep this team together (big if) it will happen for us.

That’s why the last two Derbies were massive. Physically and mentally we didn’t look tired like we did at Wolves. We didn’t over celebrate or get over emotional. We took this in our stride, like this is now our usual environment where we belong.

That’s why our 5-0 and 3-2 win is more significant than the short term of this title race. As much as Aston Villa was like a movie we have seen before, this was hope that the story can one day be different. Evidence that Arteta himself is learning. Proof of maturity from 12 months ago.

Gary Neville gets a hard time from our fanbase but to me he simply tries to stress how hard it is to get over the line, something some Gooners take for granted. 12 months ago, he commented on how we were ‘over celebrating’ and ‘using up too much emotion.’

I don’t know if I agree with that, but at the Lane, I noticed each goal was met with a muted response. Our players would get in a huddle with Ben White and Declan Rice in particular instructing their peers to keep their heads. A sign we have all grown up.

Our strength of mind wasn’t perfect. I can’t say that when Raya is passing the ball to the opposition, and we are conceding a penalty. Yet in the last campaign we panicked at 3-1 / 3-2 and drop points. Outside of individual errors we actually managed that second half well. How many saves did our keeper have to make?

Havertz’s game management was exceptional, holding up play, winning free kicks, etc.

All I ever ask is my team leave it all on the pitch.

After that, I can’t really ask for anything more.

Two of our best displays of the campaign when the stakes were at their highest.

A huge turning point for this team

Dan