“Kill Circle” Mentality

My family loves the movie Croods. Its comical depiction of the family life of cavemen is accented by Nicolas Cage's underrated performance as the voice of Grug. He's an ultra-protective dad trying to fight off change at all costs. He encourages everyone to “stay in the cave” and to form “kill circles” by circling up with spears and rocks in hand when threatened. He takes the offensive in the search of food but otherwise is on the defensive. While hilarious to watch, Grug isn't much different from a lot of us. We're constantly guarding ourselves against threats and our anxious brains are predicting threats that are likely never going to be real. We have “kill circle” mentality.

Now, let's jump forward from cavemen to Ming dynasty China. The Ming dynasty ruled in China for nearly 300 years. In their early history, the Ming took robust offensives to expulse enemies from their lands, primarily the Mongols. They even undertook expansive efforts and naval expeditions. Massive global influence was at their fingertips. Still, the Mongols remained a persistent threat and events such as their capture of the Ming emperor led to a change in focus in China. Protection against the Mongols became priority number one. They invested huge resources and wealth into building defenses, contributing greatly to the Great Wall. They became the opposite of the Mongols. They didn't want to expand, just preserve. They didn't dare meet the Mongols in their territory and focused solely on strengthening their interior. They “stayed in the cave” and tried to form a “kill circle” in the most literally sense. Internal issues turned out to be the dynasty's downfall, not the Mongols.

The final jump takes us from 14th century China to the Premier League, obviously. Arsenal have become notorious for being second best in England. They've finished second for three years running now. In two of those seasons, they even led at Christmas. The greatest benefactor of Arsenal's short comings is Manchester City. Pep Guardiola's men came from behind in both the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons to take the title. Guardiola loves to play chaser. In his six title-winning seasons at City, they've only led at Christmas twice. His teams are molded to love the pressure.

Mikel Arteta and Arsenal do not have the same relationship with pressure. Up to this point, the Gunners have looked like they dread it. They've shown another side of themselves. They become frantic when a game's not going their way. Questions from the media are met with defensiveness. That is how “us against the world” Arsenal was born. The feeling of being under attack from all sides — opposition, match officials, the media, etc. — has been a uniting sentiment for the team.

Guardiola and Arteta have both built formidable footballing forces. But there are core differences in how they motivate their players. Arteta uses adversity to motivate the Gunners. Their whole identity is built around unity and emotion. In a Michael Jordan-esque manner, Arteta will create obstacles for them. Whether it's injuries, doubters, VAR, or the Carabao Cup ball, he finds a way to turn the blame externally and unite his group against those forces. Guardiola uses expectation to motivate his players. He expects the gold standard from his squad and instills that expectation in his team. City have never fought to prove the haters wrong; they've fought to prove themselves right. They're the best and they'll show you. They know the haters know it too behind their mask of scorn. That's what has made Manchester City the perfect title chaser and title winner.

City have always looked like the hunters even when they're ahead. Arsenal have been hunted by them before and not found escape. The Manchester City of today are not what the centurions of yesteryear were, but they're starting to show flashes of potential greatness. This year's title race could hinge on Arsenal learning how to be the hunters no matter what position they're in. They need to believe they're the best, even when results don't go their way. Pointing out challenges is healthy but if you believe the walls are falling in on you all the time, they just might. Arsenal needs to show they have the mentality to match their footballing ability. It's time to leave the cave. The days of “kill-circles” are over. An Arsenal that worries more about hunting records than being hunted could usher in a new era in North London.