Arsenal know the feeling: close enough to taste silver, far enough to miss it. Last season ended behind Liverpool; injuries, flat spells, transfer gambles—little things that became loud.
Now the clock snaps to July, and the opening road is ruthless.
Old Trafford first. Anfield soon after. Forest at home. City at home. Newcastle away. Leeds tucked inside the run. No hiding places. Start fast. Stay brave. Suffer well.
History whispers and hurries. Champions average roughly 12 points from the first five; the Gunners must live in that zone or chase fumes.
Eighteen from ten last year left them seven adrift—mathematically alive, emotionally taxed. Yes, United (1993, 2003) and City (2021) recovered from slow starts, but those were seasons of freakish streaks. Don’t plan on miracles—plan on margins.
Pacing will decide it. Rotate ruthlessly around a swollen September when Europe collides with City. Control transitions at Old Trafford, survive the first 20 at Anfield, turn the Emirates into a pressure chamber for Forest and City.
Lean on set-pieces, squeeze restarts, buy time when legs burn. Hurry when it’s on; slow when it isn’t.
The omens aren’t all cruel. Arsenal have won three straight Premier League openers. Bukayo Saka can join Henry by scoring on matchday one for a third year. And while Old Trafford has scarred them across two decades, recent meetings tilt red-and-white.
Purpose is the point. This group wants its ending to change.
Start like champions. Keep the fire. Finish what the last two seasons began.