The thrilling high noon for fans of football

If we’re not all on some sort of prolonged, soccer-based, psychedelic trip, then perhaps arseblog’s Arsecast is right — we’ve only gone and shifted dimensions as a result of black-hole-induced gravitational waves. That must be it. It’s the only thing which can adequately explain the decision of the BPL (“Britain, pro Leicester”?) to choose such a funky set of new logo colours.

A shift to a nonsensical alternative universe might also explain another oddity. Sky deigning a game fit to be moved to midday Sunday with little over three week’s notice to fans. Of course all the while the idea of 3pm Saturday kick-offs is deemed impossible.

Bizarre.

Come 2pm on Sunday there’ll be something else bizarre as well. This Arsenal fan will feel merely the faintest of slaps to his pride should Leicester claim a win at the Emirates. A slap — and the immediate disappointment will be deep as it always is — but a slap nowhere near the sting provided by…say the 2007/8 title-charge ending loss to Birmingham City. No, Leicester’s slap will be an almost consolatory one. Why? Because never, ever, have I wanted a team other than Arsenal to win the Premier League quite so much as Leicester City. And never, it has to be said, has a team shaken the foundations of expectation so much in looking like they might just do that.

Let me lay my cards on the table right now. I would absolutely love for Arsenal to be crowned champions, and I’d take that every year if possible. Yet to not be enjoying such a change in fortunes of a previously relegation-threatened club seems a crime against the most pure of football joys. Not that of the underdog, as Leicester has long since disposed of that façade. Not the joy of watching your rivals fail against lucky underdogs. But the joy of good teams playing pure, genuinely brilliant, football.

Arsenal fan, Leicester fan or no, to not enjoy the performances of a team capable of fearlessly de-constructing Man City seems yet another bizarre thing. Honestly, to feel negatively about a collection of players with clear team ethic and a direct, devastating style of play is really a waste of the joy on offer. Leicester’s are the players today’s kids should be mimicking in playgrounds. Vardy’s goal against Liverpool the one every young dreamer with a pair of boots should be trying on Sundays (for me it was Le Tissier’s chipped lob against Schmeichel…with varying degrees of success). Mahrez’ motion, his step-over and dropped shoulder should be scrawled, heavy handed into aspiring wingers’ notes. And Robert Huth’s resurgence as a central defensive stalwart should be a lesson in the determination of making oneself indispensable.

Are you an older fan, playing or not, long since realistic in your football ambitions? We should be soaking it up; this rare, likely unique, opportunity to enjoy the play of a perfectly likeable team doing what we all wish our own team would do to regularly: Win and perform to the best of their collective abilities — play with freedom, fire and quality under a manager the perfect fit. All of us should be taking something from it, while respecting the sheer luck we have to witness this spectacle of modern sporting rapture.

Come Sunday, we may witness an odd scene at a wonderful ground where two teams try to outwit and out-style the other. One team to carry on this amazing story, and another in attempting to script a denouement. If Arsenal fans join those of Leicester City in protesting ticket prices and the sway held by television companies, the first five minutes of this mouth-watering tie may actually be a relatively quiet one. No doubt important conversations need to be had on both points. But that show of unity shouldn’t detract from a fine spectacle which should also unite us. A spectacle of the often favourite “second team”, Arsenal, battling the team of the season so far.

Of course, it would be all the sweeter should Arsenal come out on top of a thrilling encounter. The thought of catching and overtaking this Leicester City side is one of high triumph, a marvel indeed. If Arsenal show the tenacity, defensive solidity, crafty chance creation, and level of belief of Leicester, we’re in for one hell of a game (and title fight…not discounting Spurs). On the other hand, should Arsenal be eight points behind Leicester having lost, it’s the stunning story that just keeps giving.

Join me then. Ignore the “They Can’t > Can They…? > Title Favourites” narrative, and let’s enjoy the football — regardless of our dubious position in space-time.