Let’s Have A Meltdown, Man City Are Good At Football
By Flava
April 10 2026
That’s it. Shut it down. Fold the club. Cancel the rest of the fixtures. Manchester City have won some football matches again, and as everyone knows, Arsenal are legally required to fall apart the moment this happens. We had a good go, lads.
Arsenal Are Top of the League (But Let’s Ignore That) Yes, technically, Arsenal are still first. Yes, numerically, we have more points. But have you considered this airtight counter‑argument? “City just feel inevitable.” Checkmate. Debate over.
The Manchester City Cinematic Universe (Phase 6)
Every year, the same movie is released:
Act One: City jog
Act Two: City pretend not to care
Act Three: City win seven games and everyone screams
Critics call it “relentless”, “dominant”.
And yes, City are excellent. They are a machine. They are a system. They are an incredibly expensive assembled squad with fantastic footballers, but here’s the twist nobody wants to address, they are still behind us.
This appears to deeply upset people who prefer narratives over arithmetic.
Arsenal are still winning and still annoying everyone in the Premier League. Arsenal have spent the season doing something outrageous, beating teams without too much drama. No 4:3s, no basketball games just controlled football. Is it boring to watch? Absolutely! Will we care if we win the league? No!
We have been trained by trauma. We don’t believe any of this. Arsenal fans know better. We have seen our team top the league for most of the season and thinking, “Yes but when does the pain arrive?”
This is because Arsenal fandom is not an emotion, it’s a condition developed over decades of experience. But here’s the uncomfortable reality, this team is boringly resilient. It doesn’t wobble. It doesn’t implode after conceding. It bounces back after setbacks.
“But City Will Be Perfect”
Will they though?
Will they really win every single match in a league that famously exists to punch teams in the face when they least expect it?
Because that’s what they’d need. Not “very good”. Not “elite”. Perfect.
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s job is much simpler. Keep winning, ignore the vibes keep off social media. Basically, keep doing what they’ve done all season.
Nobody is saying book the parade. Nobody is saying relax entirely. Everyone is saying please stop acting like the trophy is in Pep’s back pocket.
We are top because we have earned it. We’re in control and we’re calm (Well, some of us are). We’re irritatingly competent. Manchester City may be coming. But Arsenal are currently leading, unbothered, and ruining everyone’s favourite storyline. Try to enjoy it. Or at least panic after we actually drop points.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Good article. It's total trauma and we've seen this story before, not just with City but since pretty much 2008 and the subsequent years we flattered to deceive.
But as you said this team are resilient, they don't have a soft underbelly like those Wenger teams, and getting pipped by City in those two seasons, as traumatic as it was, wasn't us "bottling" it, it was just City being perfect and us making that one fatal slip.
This season City aren't perfect and if we keep grinding the wins it won't make a difference what they do. So f.uck them and come on The Arsenal.
Before the last two games City drew with Forest and West Ham and lost twice to Madrid. They've had a couple of very good games. We were well beaten by City and lost to Southampton with a rotated team. No Saka, Timber, Eze or Raya in those games.
We've seen it time and again in sport, points on the board and scoreboard pressure are everything. No one is immune to cracking, not even City.
You maybe right mate, we might fold and they may win all of their games but I don't think that will happen.
In hindsight, I'm glad we went out in the FA Cup. Only the priority comps remain.
I can see this squad being up for the run in, starting with tomorrow's early kick off.
City aren't the financially doped machine they were (while we were in transition btw). Neither are they in transition now as some have suggested, because they still have spending power.
Either way, there's no reason why we can't win at their ground.
GS1 We've just lost a final by not turning up against City and a quarter final against a Championship side. I'd call that a very soft underbelly!
I don't trust us to win tomorrow either.
We're playing shite and City are on fire.
We're showing all signs of bottling it as usual.
I hope am wrong but you can only watch the same film so many times without pretending you don't know the final outcome.
.
There’s a very good song by Taylor Swift with Bon Iver called “Exile” with a chorus that goes “I’ve seen this film before and I didn’t like the ending”. But actually I think we will like it.
I thought we looked quite ok in Lisbon. No bottling. If we had played Kepa we would have lost. But hey we didn’t and Havertz scored a brilliant goal.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
We've had a couple of setbacks this season, Villa last minute, Wolves last minute and probably others I can't think of now, that would have taken this team two or three.games to shake out of their system in seasons like 2022/24 where we would draw the next couple before getting a win again.
We have shown huge resilance to bounce straight back from those setbacks and put winning runs of 5/6 games together each time.
One off Cup games are no barometer, especially when the League is all that matters and both cup games the team wasn't at full strength.
So the bottlers tag is unwarranted and for lazy journos and simple minded fans who live in a media induced heightened state of paranoia.
Jonny Bravo We've had a couple of setbacks this season, Villa last minute, Wolves last minute and probably others I can't think of now, that would have taken this team two or three.games to shake out of their system in seasons like 2022/24 where we would draw the next couple before getting a win again.
We have shown huge resilance to bounce straight back from those setbacks and put winning runs of 5/6 games together each time.
One off Cup games are no barometer, especially when the League is all that matters and both cup games the team wasn't at full strength.
So the bottlers tag is unwarranted and for lazy journos and simple minded fans who live in a media induced heightened state of paranoia.
Simple minded hay. Get off your high horse and smell the coffee!
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
It was tactics wasn’t it. Raya had second most passes for Arsenal. Bournemouth thrived on Arsenal playing out from the back and nobody could change that tactic. The midfield didn’t have the brain or power to switch it so the Cherries had a field day.
It also made me realise that an off form Saka is still better than the midfield players on show ( yes I know he’s an attacker) but he helps link the midfield with the attack.
Maybe we could do worse than employ the Bournemouth manager.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Spot on about Saka PP. He was a big miss today. Lets face it he doesn't score much nowadays (everybody stops him cutting onto his left foot on the edge of the box), he doesn't set that many goals up, and he looks knackered, but what he does still do, very well, is get the ball, keep it, vary his pace and shepherd the ball until the team is in the right shape, then more often than not makes the right choice in terms of who he gives it to. He also takes a nice corner.
Madueke is a bit of a headless chicken isnt he, and doesnt fulfil even remotely the same role as Saka. And Dowman is just too young.
So anyway I was never going to watch this 12:30 kickoff game. I'm pretty sure I was instructing a 13yr old on toasting pumpkin seeds prior to going to town for the afternoon.
It was a good afternoon. Will likely post a review (Have only done this once in my life so it's a big thing for me to even seriously think about leaving a review).
Anyway The League is Done. I suppose this means we'll be getting the thing not as soon as we could have. Anyway good to see Havertz Jesus White all confirmed currently fit.
celine dion It shouldn't take 2 hours to coach someone on how to toast pumpkin seeds surely, Mr Ares.
Ha ha. Good Call Celine. It was more of a Q&A. (Pumpkin Seeds acquired in town at a well known health store). By the way had a nice beef half moon shaped pie from a Local Savory pie bakery. (Had an M&S ubiquitousmeltonmoebray pork pie with a generous platefull of vegetables (half a ton of cauliflower, bell peppers, etc) Who ate all the pies? I did. Verdict I only had 1 meal today + 1 snack but really that pork pie is for 2. It's £4.25 and has about 208grams or so of pork in it and pork bone broth. This was just out of curiosity as I heard Waitrose & M&S do the best pork pie that is on the shelves nationwide. Obviously the best are found in local shops
Some restaurants are incredibly cheeky charging an eye-watering figure for something that looks not much bigger than a golf ball on their online menus.
By the way I've heard Kidderminster F.C. have the best pies.
They used to serve a decent greasy burger with fresh chopped onion on a bready bun
nottheubiquitousbrioche at Highbury.
Well if no one writes an article the site gets shut down. I didn't say anything egregious, I didn't realise they were going to play like Spurs
Good for you.
I will write another article soon after all these bottled-up frustrations in me are vented.
You wouldn't like it, and yes, on Arteta again.
celine dion It shouldn't take 2 hours to coach someone on how to toast pumpkin seeds surely, Mr Ares.
Ha ha. Good Call Celine. It was more of a Q&A. (Pumpkin Seeds acquired in town at a well known health store). By the way had a nice beef half moon shaped pie from a Local Savory pie bakery. (Had an M&S ubiquitousmeltonmoebray pork pie with a generous platefull of vegetables (half a ton of cauliflower, bell peppers, etc) Who ate all the pies? I did. Verdict I only had 1 meal today + 1 snack but really that pork pie is for 2. It's £4.25 and has about 208grams or so of pork in it and pork bone broth. This was just out of curiosity as I heard Waitrose & M&S do the best pork pie that is on the shelves nationwide. Obviously the best are found in local shops
Some restaurants are incredibly cheeky charging an eye-watering figure for something that looks not much bigger than a golf ball on their online menus.
By the way I've heard Kidderminster F.C. have the best pies.
They used to serve a decent greasy burger with fresh chopped onion on a bready bun
nottheubiquitousbrioche at Highbury.
I was at Sandwich, after taking a Thames River cruise, and my family was having pub food for the 1st time.
Worth waiting for 45 minutes for that incredible fresh fish & chips which made me forgot how the bitter tasted like.
You guys knew who did the best and freshest pub grub and Beef Wellington in London?
Ares So anyway I was never going to watch this 12:30 kickoff game. I'm pretty sure I was instructing a 13yr old on toasting pumpkin seeds prior to going to town for the afternoon.
It was a good afternoon. Will likely post a review (Have only done this once in my life so it's a big thing for me to even seriously think about leaving a review).
Anyway The League is Done. I suppose this means we'll be getting the thing not as soon as we could have. Anyway good to see Havertz Jesus White all confirmed currently fit.
Nope, not100% done yet, still 9 points lead.
It was like Napoleon winning battles before Waterloo and was undone when one part of his army got lost and that Prussian army finally arrived at Waterloo to join with the Duke in the nick of time.
Will our key players in Saka, Timber and Calafiori recover in the nick of time at "Waterloo" to defeat Napoleon Pep?
GS1 We've just lost a final by not turning up against City and a quarter final against a Championship side. I'd call that a very soft underbelly!
I don't trust us to win tomorrow either.
We're playing shite and City are on fire.
We're showing all signs of bottling it as usual.
I hope am wrong but you can only watch the same film so many times without pretending you don't know the final outcome.
GS1 We've just lost a final by not turning up against City and a quarter final against a Championship side. I'd call that a very soft underbelly!
I don't trust us to win tomorrow either.
We're playing shite and City are on fire.
We're showing all signs of bottling it as usual.
I hope am wrong but you can only watch the same film so many times without pretending you don't know the final outcome.
You're wrong. You're projecting, You probably need to go out and have a good time and You really need to stop thinking about football every single day of the week every single week of the year.
Our Best Player is David Raya. If you see us in a Domestic Knockout Cup Game or in a Domestic Cup Final and Raya is fully fit but is not the 1st name on the Team Sheet it means that competition isn't a priority.
Re: Bournemouth. It happens. Teams with no european football and plenty of rest and a terrific attitude will do that.
How many people realise We are the only team who has beaten Bournemouth in the Premier League in 2026.
They are on a 12 game unbeaten run (after going down 2:3 to us on January 3)
They are the most awkward team to play against in the Premier League right now.
(12 game unbeaten runs in The Premier League don't happen by accident)
Congratulations to them.
I see that Money City have to go to them in May LOL They are going to drop points big time in May. That postponed game of theirs vs Palace. Have a look at their schedule.
Ares You're wrong. You're projecting, You probably need to go out and have a good time and You really need to stop thinking about football every single day of the week every single week of the year.
If projecting is using ones eyes and expressing ones fears and/or feelings (in my case) then you are right in your terminology.. anything else you are mistaken.
Do agree though, need to get out more and stop thinking about football as it keeps coming back to how we are performing.. it's a case of anti depressants or alcohol right now 🙂
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:04:14:03:07:18 by blueamada.
Agree on the latest points. I enjoy football, I still watch it a fair bit, but I just cant let it rule my life. There isn't much point caring incredibly deeply about football, because football certainly doesn't care about YOU.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Sheer genius Flava.
Tell you what the fat lady doesn’t sing from another venue. Which is why Opera goes on and on
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Finished my melting down against Arsenal vs Bournemouth game.
So depressed I quit football for a few weeks.
Literally saw Fat Lady limousine slowing down in front of Opera House.
Thereafter numbed with that "ghastly fact" Man City will again win another title with consecutive wins after wins.
And my wish came through with Everton holding them.
Thanks goodness Fat Lady was only slowing down to take a good look at Opera House.
And suffered another meltdown in happiness against Bournemouth vs Man City game.
Arteta was right it was a new league, we cruised in the end and Haaland had to sing outside the Bournemouth Opera House
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
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