Hello how are you?  Saturday the 7^th of February sees the Mighty Cannon host a visit from Wearside and Sunderland AFC. KO is at 3.00pm local, with  partly cloudy weather, temps at 11° ( feels like 5°) and 41% chance of rain.

So, as we swim through the waves of negativity and lies “even if Arsenal win the league nobody will remember it as they are so boring” and through the spoilt ‘banter’ of “all that money and you’re still only second” etc we face Sunderland. It could be said that the match last November up on Wearside was out first blip, as we came out of the match with a draw, so now we have a chance to put that moment away and keep building the momentum.

 Sometimes I worry in our age of fragile ego, and desperate glory hunting that any fault will have such tremors of negativity that it could affect the team badly? But voices like mine are less and less needed or wanted in the lie of clear cut (binary) analysis and so slowly I find myself taking a back seat and just watch the parade. What can I do?

The cat shall mew and the dog have its day, but all things change…if there is a single answer, how does this look in the face of flux and mutation? Personally, any talk of the quadruple goes against us and plays into the hands of undermining agendas of those who wish us to fail, and those are the true dark arts, if there are any? If it happens they X4 great if not, then perhaps it could be considered how difficult such an achievement is? One step at a time? Some  negative perspectives might show us how it is, but positive attitudes potentially show how it can be?

Bukayo Saka (hip) and Martin Odegaard (unspecified) and Mr. Merino are out and about, Timber! at this moment looks unlikely, but we finally have a great squad and coverage.

For the Black Cats, who are aiming for the Euro spots are missing our old friend Xhaka (phew! the last thing we wanted was some kind of revenge?). The Mackem’s are doing well with their last three matches going unbeaten, so time to stomp out that one.

Statto HQ delivered an encrypted message that revealed that the Arsenal have been designated 76.8% chance of winning and Sunderland 7.6%. Next up a trip over to Brentford. So COYG!

Mills

Xhaka being missing is fantastic news for us, I think he’s been the best midfielder in the league this season. Now I understand that people are screaming “RICE” at their screen right now, and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but know this……………..You are wrong.

A win will put us 9 points ahead of City and with them having to go across Lancashire to a revitalised Liverpool, I suspect it will be 9 points come Sunday evening, That will be massive, given that City are realistically the only team that can stop us winning the holy grail come May.

So come on Mikel, handbrake off, let’s show the world we are not afraid to win.

Pedantic George.