MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

Given their near misses in recent seasons, it is entirely understandable that most sentient Arsenal fans are not prepared to publicly entertain the notion that their team will almost certainly win the Premier League this season. While they’re all lying in bed at night secretly fantasising about Martin Ødegaard’s trophy lift, most remain too scarred by ridicule over perceived “bottle jobs” to confidently state that as far as the title is concerned, nothing can possibly go wrong. While they have gladly accepted Mikel Arteta’s invitation to jump on the fun boat, all are wearing life preservers. Quite what these same Arsenal fans make of various pundits blithely weighing up their chances of winning an unprecedented quadruple is anyone’s guess, but since they booked their place in the Fizzy Cup final, the external chatter has begun. Having won the square root of eff all in over five years, assorted experts are seriously suggesting Arsenal – Arsenal! – could win four shiny pots in the next four months.

While achieving such a feat is not out of the question, it is almost certainly out of the question. Yes, Arsenal are clear at the top of the table but they have recent form in the field of Devon Loching that particular marathon with the finish line in sight. And while it’s true Arsenal were imperious in Bigger Cup group stage, so were Liverpool last season and look how unstuck they came at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in the Round of 16. Should they overcome Wigan in the fourth round of the FA Cup, Arsenal will still have to win another four matches to lift the famous old trophy, all of them against teams who will be better than the plucky northerners. And yes, they may have booked a Wembley date in March after seeing off a Chelsea side who approached the second leg of their Fizzy Cup semi-final with all the vim and vigour of a sloth on duvet day, but they will still have to overcome one of two tournament specialists if they are to tick off the first and least prestigious leg of a prospective clean sweep.

As Arsenal themselves have proved repeatedly in recent years, winning any football tournament is really, really difficult. Winning four in one season has thus far proved impossible for any English team in history, let alone one whose mental fortitude in the face of even the slightest adversity is often questioned. They could do it but historic precedent dictates they almost certainly won’t do it and as long as they don’t come up short in the quest for that first elusive league title in over two decades, few if any of their fans will be particularly bothered. “I think the crowd was brilliant today,” whooped Arteta following last night’s win. “They brought so much energy and belief to the team in different moments. It was very much needed and I think we all deserve to be together in Wembley. They were great and it wasn’t easy today because it was a late kick-off, windy, rainy, cold and they responded. The energy was very good from the beginning. I sensed it was different. They are on board.” The Arsenal fun boat is on course but expect no end of nervous chundering over the port and starboard sides between now and the end of the season.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Never in the history of humanity have we had the info in front of our eyes more clearly than now. The genocide in Palestine, what happened in Ukraine, what happened all around the world – in Sudan, everywhere. What happened in front of us? Do you want to see it? It’s our problem as human beings” – Pep Guardiola speaks out against wars across the world, including in Palestine, Ukraine and in Sudan, where a paramilitary group backed by the United Arab Emirates, Manchester City’s effective owners, is embroiled in a civil war that has cost more than 150,000 lives.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

I have to feel sorry for the Ipswich fans who made plans to visit Fratton Park last night with the game being called off for the second time (frozen pitch previously, now waterlogged). Not sure how we are going to stop the next rearrangement if it doesn’t suit our knack-list but I hear floodlights do lose power sometimes” – Ben North (and no other devious Pompey fans).

No disrespect to anyone – least of all Matt Atkinson – but comparing Timo Werner to the Yorkshire Stakhanovite that is James Milner (Monday’s Football Daily letters) is like comparing a pony to a thoroughbred” – Kev McCready.

If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day winner is … Kev McCready. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, are here. 

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