'It wasn't stage-managed, it was just joy'
[BBC] [Getty Images] Arsenal should celebrate. If there's one learning to be taken from the days between Saturday's victory over Fulham and Tuesday's against Atletico Madrid - it's that vibes are paramount. For the majority of this season, Arsenal have been top of the table, soundtracked by endless talk of a quadruple or non-quadruple, unable to move for bottle memes.
The sporting evidence would suggest it's been fantastic, but it's felt so hard. I begrudgingly watched the Manchester City fans and players love every moment of their league cup victory as I shuffled out of Wembley. For a while after that, they seemed totally infallible, a giant blue behemoth blocking out the light.
The importance of winning - of good feeling, particularly as energy fades - cannot be overstated. I will never forget the Arsenal players streaming on to the pitch, Freed From Desire booming out around the ground. I'll never forget the fans drowning out Martin Keown before kick-off - sorry, Martin, but I'm proud of how loud we were.
It wasn't stage-managed, it was just joy - so hard to come by, but so simple. Mikel Arteta has been searching for that sensation. On Tuesday, North London Forever suddenly lost its hackneyed ring and became a rousing anthem.
It's like the whole of the club and fanbase finally realised the sporting power of pure support. Find more from Scarlet Katz Roberts at the Goal Difference podcast