Arsenal have to play through the barrier tonight, and the fans must drive them on

Ever since the Aston Villa defeat our fanbase has been divided on our title chances. With our destiny no longer in our own hands some feel we have to win all our remaining fixtures to have any hope of being Champions. That’s led to debate if mentally the run in is too big a step for our youthful squad?

Even if we are mentally strong enough, we are physically (with certain players) possibly playing through the pain barrier.

Mikel Arteta has been questioned if he could have rotated more?

Perhaps our manager should have shown more trust in his fringe players?

The Spaniard needs to prove he has the man management skills to help his team cope with the pressure in the next month. He will be aware of the perception of the stage being too big for us at this time of the year.

Naturally at this time of the season every aspect of the club has a microscope on them. That includes though ….us Gooners!

Of all the things that have improved over the last couple of years, the atmosphere at our home is the most drastic.

Once mocked for being a library, our venue can be now so loud it intimidates opponents and dictates a result. One of the new regime’s first targets was to give the arena an identity, making little tweaks like finding a pre match anthem.

Gooners are entitled to an off afternoon.

The reason so many left the Emirates early in our last League game wasn’t as black and white as the scoreline. In reality, the stadium had been quiet long before Eric Bailey’s goal.

In one afternoon, trauma got the better of us, we were conflicted by our past, consumed by too many memories, guilty of fearing the worse. Our players were not playing well enough to lift the crowd, spectators had been burnt too many times to pretend they didn’t know what was about to happen.

Many have seen this movie before, know how the book ends, and can predict the ending of the play. It’s an insult to be told you’re not being patient when your heart has been broken for two decades.

The irony being at Unai Emery’s return to North London, he regularly managed in that kind of environment, as did Mr. Wenger in his final years as boss. Where you can feel the anxiety in the air, you can almost smell it. Unless you have never attended our stadium it’s hard to put it into words but if you have been there on a match day you will know what I mean.

Even with good teams and great talent, spectators feared the worst, because of how many times they put their faith in the teams and were disappointed. Opposition would know that if you got to an hour still in the game, it wouldn’t take a lot for anxiety to creep in.

That will be central to Pochettino’s team talk on Tuesday. He will play on the fact all the pressure is on us and that we have zero margin for error.

He will hope the game follows the pattern of our last home match, where without the early goal we froze, crippled by the fear of failure.

That’s why Trossard’s goal before half time at Wolves was vital. Any longer and we would have been consumed by worry.

That’s where we play our part this week. If that early goal doesn’t come, if it’s level at half time, even if Chelsea score first, we need to be the 12th man. We need to make so much noise that it’s uncomfortable for Chelsea to play in.

Because to be honest some of our Gunners look exhausted yet prepared to give it a final push.

We need to help our players. Inject them with extra energy, be their parachute when they fall, be their cape to let them fly.

The likes of Thierry Henry and Fabregas have insisted that the only way our dressing room gets that knowledge and leadership is getting over the line. The first time we do that, the rest will be easier.

So, we are meant to be nervous. This is meant to be tricky, the best things in life are not meant to be easy.

If this proves too big a step that’s not a disgrace, a reflection of where one of the youngest squads in the division is at. Keep this group together and it will happen for us.

Yet, we got all summer to mope around and say what if.

Let’s leave it all on the pitch with zero regret.

No letting the moment pass us by.  Players and fans!

If we fail, let’s die on our sword with pride.

Let’s on Tuesday night make this a cup atmosphere. Let’s make some noise!

Dan