Arsenal look in a ferociously good position to win back-to-back Premier League titles, having strengthened wisely to the point where they have two great players for every position, according to Metro columnist Kate Mason. However, the week before the league starts brings a feeling of possibility for all clubs, regardless of past form or logic.
The Feeling of Possibility
Mason compares the pre-season week to the start of summer holidays as a child, where endless days of freedom and sunshine create a sense of hope. She notes that only seven clubs have ever won the title, but Leicester City's triumph proves that anything is possible. "The bright shiny feeling of hope. New players, new kits and – perhaps most importantly – no real games," she writes.
Pre-season matches, she argues, are like fun dead rubbers at the World Cup, providing entertainment but telling nothing about the season ahead. Tottenham beat Arsenal in pre-season last summer, and Arsenal won the Community Shield, but only eight of 34 Community/Charity Shield winners have gone on to win the Premier League.
Arsenal's Strength and Others' Dreams
Arsenal may have a big miss in injured William Saliba, but they have strengthened wisely. Yet Mason emphasizes that this doesn't matter to other clubs until the season starts. The Sky Blues can take courage from recent promoted teams like Sunderland, who not only survived but competed and now play in Europe. However, the previous two campaigns saw all promoted sides go straight back down.
Frank Lampard is contracted to 2029, and Coventry are resplendent in the most gorgeous home kit in the league, Mason adds.
Learning Environments and the Season Ahead
Mason explains that pre-season games provide a 'kind learning environment,' as described by author David Epstein, where jeopardy is limited, patterns repeat, and feedback is immediate. In contrast, the Premier League season is a 'wicked learning environment,' with bad takes, bad refereeing calls, and the disproportionate significance of every 90 minutes.
She looks forward to competitive games again, without the devastation of knockout football, but acknowledges that the relentless schedule will quickly lead to saturation. For now, it's all theoretical, allowing fans to dream of perfect starting line-ups, indestructible players, and ideal owners. "Because school's out and the ice creams are on mum," she concludes.
