“There’s a meme that goes around Arsenal Twitter whenever the Gunners start doing well. It’s of a young man in a red Arsenal kit, leaning back with a hesitant smile that belies bone-deep anxiety, with the text ‘You know, as an Arsenal fan, it’s the hope that kills you.’ That’s the attitude Gooners have adopted for nearly the past two decades, since Arsenal last won the Premier League in 2004. In that time, promising young squads have turned sour, prospective star signings have opted for greener pastures—oftentimes scoffing at the idea of playing for the North London side—and encouraging starts have ended in heartrending finishes. …”
The Ringer