Yesterday on the 14th hole, just after I sliced my tee shot into the rough (again), Steve, my mate and diehard Arsenal fan, decided to launch into a full-blown sermon on why this is finally their year. He was grinning like he'd already seen the Premier League trophy engraved with “Arsenal 2025/26.”
Now I’ve known Steve long enough to recognise blind hope when I hear it. I let him have his moment, just like I let him take the hole, mainly because I was still looking for my ball in the bushes. But as I walked to the next tee, I couldn’t help thinking: Arsenal have had a decent window, but Liverpool are still the benchmark.
Today’s clash at Anfield will say a lot about where both clubs stand. And make no mistake, it's not just about three points. It's about aura, experience and mentality. And right now, despite all the noise, Liverpool still lead in all three.
Arsenal Look Polished, But Polished Isn’t Proven
Steve spent a good chunk of our round rattling off Arsenal’s transfer list like it was a shopping receipt. Gyokeres. Eze. Madueke. Zubimendi. All good players. But here’s the thing: signing good players doesn't automatically mean you're a great team.
Arsenal have finished second three years running. That’s not a platform, that’s a pattern. They’ve built depth, sure, but they still lack that ruthless instinct when it really counts. It’s like polishing your driver, but still slicing into the bunker under pressure. Familiar, isn’t it Steve?
Mikel Arteta is under real pressure this season. They’ve thrown over £250 million at the squad and still don’t look much better off in terms of control or cohesion. Their set-pieces are a threat, no doubt. Declan Rice has become their dead-ball maestro, but when your biggest attacking weapon is a corner kick, you’ve got a ceiling.