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It’s only December and Arsenal look nervous

Originally posted on Just Arsenal | By Admin Martin | Last updated Dec 14, 2025 5:00 AM ET

I’m a big believer that mentality is crucial in sport. It can separate the good from the great. That’s why I have stressed that if Arsenal are going to become champions this season, it will be by building up a healthy lead by February/March.

I worry that if we reach the title run-in with Man City only a few points behind, it will be too much for our young squad to handle. Pep Guardiola not only has a group who know how to get over the line, but have done it with a smile on their faces.

Signs of Fragility

It’s just my opinion, of course, but if you ever needed an example of where my fears come from, look no further than Saturday night. Clearly I’m not the only Gooner who’s been burnt before, as with half an hour gone at the Emirates, it was noticeable how quiet the crowd was, with commentators saying you could feel the anxiety around the ground. The atmosphere at our home is something Mikel Arteta improved, but in 2025 it’s gone back to the days of it not taking a lot for nerves to be apparent.

For most of the evening, we lacked the leadership to respond. Players showed fear of the ball; hence, Wolves’ keeper didn’t have a lot to do.

When we needed composure, David Raya was running over halfway to get involved like we had seconds left to play. In reality it was still the first half.

Learning the Hard Way

Our manager looked white in the face, shocked by what he was witnessing. I even sensed at full time the Spaniard struggled to hide his concerns about just how bad we were. Maybe he knows the positives those at the Etihad will find from us struggling to beat a side with 2 points?

Yet the only way a team ever discovers that mentality is by doing what we did in stoppage time. I agree with Martin Keown that when the visitors equalised, the next 6 minutes were crucial in the title race. Dropped points, the nature of the performance and the backlash would have made Man City favourites. Suddenly we rescued the title by the skin of our teeth.

That’s being positive. Deep down, you can’t help but worry if this was how we were reacting in December, what’s it going to be like in a few months’ time?

Dan Smith

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This article first appeared on Just Arsenal and was syndicated with permission.

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