No disgrace for Gunners in cup exit at the Etihad

Manchester City 1 Arsenal 0   
FA Cup 4th Round   
Friday 27th January 2023 8pm    

Arsenal unsurprisingly made their exit from the FA Cup away to Manchester City, but their performance was credible, and this was nothing like the 4-0 cup exit at Manchester United in the 2007-08 season, a game that was flagged up by ITV’s coverage as being significant in that season’s collapse.

 

All the same, Mikel Arteta’s team selection confirmed this trophy was not high priority, and in financial terms, it really isn’t. This is why the status of the trophy has declined over my lifetime. In the 1970s when I was a youngster, it felt of equal importance to winning the league. Now we see weakened teams and I don’t habitually watch the final. Manchester City last won the trophy by thrashing Watford 6-0 in 2019. I didn’t watch it and would never have recalled that without a prompt. I am of an age where my memory only retains stuff of greater personal meaning. 

 

Pep Guardiola made two changes from the team that beat Wolves in their previous outing. Mikel Arteta made six. Turner came in for Ramsdale. In defence, we had Tomiyasu, Tierney and Holding starting instead of White, Zinchenko and Saliba. The other two swaps were Vieira for Odegaard and Trossard for Martinelli. So not a poor eleven, but certainly a less familiar one. And the team fashioned a couple of decent chances in the first half, Tomiyasu and Trossard both having efforts saved. Erling Haaland had an ongoing battle with Rob Holding and was unsurprisngly a threat. Holding eventually received a yellow card before the interval and had to be subbed at the start of the second half to avoid a very possible second yellow. Lokonga also entered at the same time, for Partey. I have no idea if the latter was struggling, but it weakened the side in that part of the field and may have contributed to City’s winning goal. Those two half-time switches were kind of polar opposites. Saliba for Holding avoided a gamble, whereas Lokonga for Partey felt like a big one. You do wonder if Lokonga is in the last chance saloon with the club’s interest in Brighton’s Moises Caicedo.

 

The game did provide an opportunity for Tomiyasu to stake a claim for the starting berth at right back and he made a good case for himself. We will see how much he convinced the manager when the teams are announced next weekend at Everton. It was a game with plenty of pressing, both sides happy to get numbers forward, and some decent goalkeeping at both ends. Matt Turner showed confidence and good anticipation where Ramsdale has at times been a little inconsistent (such as for the second United goal last weekend). I wouldn’t worry if Ramsdale were injured as Turner looks the part. He is an example of one area that the club look to have strength in depth. Leo Trossard has been purchased with this in mind and performed well. He seems to gel with the other players already, and when he was subbed for Martinelli we had a fresh pair of legs on the left flank that created problems. Of course it is a 16 man game now.

 

Arteta used all of his five subs, Zinchenko and Odegaard also getting game time after City went one up in the 65th minute. The home side’s goal came about as they were allowed to advance through the middle. Arsenal’s midfield seemed more concerned about runners ahead of the ball and Alvarez’ unchallenged shot struck the post before the ball found its way to Grealish, who cleverly found Ake. The Dutchman’s measured finish was excellent and ended up deciding the tie. 

 

Arsenal did have their opportunities. Vieira had time and space before City’s goal but rushed a volley that went well wide. Nketiah came very close to touching the ball in shortly after his side went behind. But ultimately, the visitors only had two efforts on target. City had just three, reflecting this was a close game. Credit to Arsenal for not being blown away. It put a marker down for the more important clashes between the two clubs that lie ahead. 

 

But ultimately, there was always a feeling that this cup was a distraction Arsenal didn’t need. Much like the League Cup. Sure, a win would have been enjoyable but given Arteta uses many of his main players – either starting or from the bench – in this competition, it’s probably just as well. Everton were eliminated in the previous round, so this opens up the possibility for the postponed match against them at the Emirates to be played on a cup weekend. 

 

Defeat was expected, no debate there. Not least once you saw the starting line-ups. Holding is no Saliba and Vieira is no Odegaard. But the players will have benefited from facing City’s – especially Saliba getting a half against Haaland. Back to more important matters next weekend, and the hope that the new manager bounce does not prove a curse at Goodison Park.

 

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