"I have to come clean about something. For a while now, when writing about the state of the Premier League title race, I have treated an impending Arsenal coronation as basically a fait accompli. This has been in part an earnest reflection of my belief that the Gunners have the best top-to-bottom roster in the world, employ one of the game's best managers, and, maybe most importantly, compete in a field without challengers of the level we've come to expect."
"While I of course have no influence on the performances or states of mind of anyone on the team, I do get a dark little thrill when I imagine one of my Arsenal-supporting friends seeing me assure them on the page that they shouldn't fear the thing that they are obviously, rightly most terrified of, in doing so only increasing their dread."
"Nevertheless, I don't think even the biggest haters would've expected Arsenal's title charge to get this dire, this quickly. On Wednesday, the Gunners traveled to the West Midlands to face Wolves. The odd timing of the game (scheduled during the Champions League playoffs to compensate for Arsenal's domestic cup duties) and the gap in the table between the teams (first-place playing last-place) meant most neutrals probably didn't even bother monitoring what would've appeared to be an easy three-pointer for Arsenal."
Long-standing confidence in Arsenal rested on belief that the team possesses the best top-to-bottom roster, one of the game's best managers, and few equal challengers. Part of that confidence was intentionally framed as a jinx, aimed to provoke the anxious dread of Arsenal supporters. Arsenal's historical tendency to falter made such a collapse plausible, but the team's recent downturn accelerated unexpectedly. A midweek trip to Wolves—scheduled during Champions League playoffs to accommodate Arsenal's cup commitments—pitched first-place against last-place, leading many neutrals to ignore the fixture despite expectations of an easy Arsenal win.
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