Master 1 Apprentice 0 as Arsenal avoid humiliation at home to Champions-elect

Arsenal 0 Manchester City 1
Premier League
Sunday 21st February 2021  4.30pm

Five changes made by Mikel Arteta would have surprised nobody after the strength of last Thursday’s selection against Benfica, and there might have been more. After all, given the two teams’ respective league positions, City’s extra day of rest from midweek, and Arsenal’s current priorities, this game was effectively a free hit as far as the Gunners were concerned – nothing expected really, as reflected by the long odds on a home win before kick off, which were soon to lengthen even further. Some would have been very pleased to see a centre back pairing of Holding and Mari, and everyone would have been delighted to see Kieran Tierney declared as fit to start. A midfield of Xhaka and Elneny suggested that Arsenal would likely play on the counter attack.

The early goal was a shocker as Raheem Sterling should not have been able to get a free header by Rob Holding, although questions about Tierney’s backing off are reasonable. After that, a lengthy period of attack v defence, Arsenal often in two banks of five and relying on counter attacks. City could have killed the game stone dead in this period, but their hosts survived further damage.

Arsenal were on a hiding to nothing with this game being sandwiched in between trips to Rome and Athens. Given the amount of COVID testing in top flight football teams, is there really no way that the two Europa League matches could not take place in, for example, Spain and France? 

Although Arteta’s team were on the rack for much of the first half, having survived City’s movement and domination, they enjoyed a decent spell when Tierney was able to get forward a number of times and provide an outlet. Ultimately though, in terms of attempts on target, the home side created very little, a testament to City’s well established defensive form. 

Their cynical fouling is something that Arteta is trying to replicate at Arsenal. Given he is effectively trying to imitate City’s football for obvious reasons, it was interesting to see the gap between the sides. Ultimately, City are better at what their manager is asking them to do, no surprise given that Guardiola has more experience, has been able to shape the side for much longer and of course his club’s ability to buy quality. Still, it must be said they don’t pay huge sums in the way that, for example, Manchester United do – and indeed Arsenal have done occasionally. That’s down to good scouting and coaching. Neither seem to apply where certain of Arsenal’s plus £30 million buys in recent seasons are concerned.

City’s away shirt looked like a pair of 1970s pyjamas. What is the game coming to? Mind you, it was a good match for Raheem Sterling’s tattooed arms. A more pertinent point is Pablo Mari’s passing – which at times was shocking. No wonder Guardiola decided to, er… pass on him. 

Emile Smith Rowe and Lacazette came on for Odegaard and Pepe as Arteta tried to inject something new into the team. Pepe had stunk the place out unfortunately – invisible compared to Mahrez, the most similar player on the other side. Odegaard had a strange game – generally playing with his back to goal, and frequently passing the ball back to the player who had passed it to him. On a side note, Odegaard was one of six left-footed outfield players that began the game, which might be some kind of club record.

In the end, although Arsenal could have got lucky and somehow nicked an equalizer, it felt like they got off lightly, saved from humiliation by some close shaves and at times, it must be said, some committed defending – which would have been nice to see in the first two minutes, but there you have it. In spite of Tierney being partly culpable for City’s goal, he and Saka were the team’s standout performers, the Scot registering their only shot on target. It’s hard to win games with that kind of stat.

I expected, like many, a defeat in this game. Given the lack of matches Mari and Holding have played together, allowing that Pepe was on the pitch for the majority of the game, and with City’s incredible run, frankly if you’d have given me a 1-0 defeat before the game, I’d have taken it. Athens on Thursday is a lot more important. 

Nothing to see here (except a much superior football team than Arsenal), everybody move along.

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