PL: Arsenal v Manchester City | Sunday, February 21 | KO: 16:30 UTC | Sky Sports

[Jae]

Had you not mentioned positions in table and said at the end of February you will be 11 points behind West Ham not one single Arsenal fan would have been happy.

We look at West Ham. Crap last season. More or less the same squad. Yet they are in the top 4. Why? Because their manager is getting more from them. He's coaching them and its working. Now if someone wants to tell me that Craig Dawson, who has bounced around relegation candidates and the championship for most of his career, a 40 year old Mark Noble, and Michail Antonio are world class and top 4 players then go right ahead.

And yet he was utter garbage with a United team that had won the league the season before, ****e with Sociedad, got Sunderland relegated and then wasn't particularly great with West Ham the first time round with a lot of the same players that he has now. Poor example.

As always, things change quickly in football and football fans have short memories. Fickle at the best of times.

 

[14Henry]

And yet he was utter garbage with a United team that had won the league the season before, ****e with Sociedad, got Sunderland relegated and then wasn't particularly great with West Ham the first time round with a lot of the same players. Poor example.

As always, things change quickly in football and football fans have short memories. Fickle at the best of times.

Managers cant change and adapt? Adjust their styles and make the best of the players they have.

You say things change quickly? There's not much changing quickly at Arsenal. Well for the better anyway.

 

[wolfkidultman]

We don't need a miracle worker. We need a good coach. You honestly believe Arteta is one of the best coaches in the PL?

He has to bark orders continuously because he obviously isn't getting his message across in training.

If after 18 months he hasn't improved the team through his coaching methods and in play tactics then you have to wonder what he's gonna do different 1 or 2 years down the line to make it work.

Say we finish 10th this year. And we stick with Arteta. He makes 3 15-20m signings. Next season we finish 8th. We repeat same process. Finsihes 7th. The year after finishes around the same. When do we cut the cord.

Every year we are going backwards. That isn't a good move while the other teams are kicking on. We are free falling into becoming a run of the mill team like Everton and fans are lowering the bar every single year. Its sad.

He has improved the team through his coaching though. I think we still have the second best defensive record in the league, we’re much improved in defending set pieces, players come out and support what he’s doing every week in the press despite results not being where anyone wants them to be - something that very rarely happened with Emery.

As I said earlier, we still have a load of weaknesses. That will take time to address, unless we appoint a miracle worker who can turn the **** we have into sugar. I think that’s very unlikely though and we have to remain patient, not acting surprised that things haven’t been fixed after two Covid transfer windows.

 

[Jae]

Managers cant change and adapt? Adjust their styles and make the best of the players they have.

You say things change quickly? There's not much changing quickly at Arsenal. Well for the better anyway.

They can, but I don't think Moyes is an example of that.

I just think it's a bit of a straw man argument to be honest mate. You could quite easily turn around and state that everyone would have snatched your arm off at the start of the season if you'd have said we'd be within 6 points of Liverpool at this stage means nothing.

 

[14Henry]

He has improved the team through his coaching though. I think we still have the second best defensive record in the league, we’re much improved in defending set pieces, players come out and support what he’s doing every week in the press despite results not being where anyone wants them to be - something that very rarely happened with Emery.

As I said earlier, we still have a load of weaknesses. That will take time to address, unless we appoint a miracle worker who can turn the **** we have into sugar. I think that’s very unlikely though and we have to remain patient, not acting surprised that things haven’t been fixed after two Covid transfer windows.

Doesnt matter if you're losing games 1 0 instead of 3 0. If you're not picking up points it counts for nothing really. We are 10th in the league for a reason. Because we are crap.

Anyway. I've had my rants today with this ****ty team and performances this season. Gonna take another break from this site because Arsenal is only causing me depression and anger. I haven't got a single element of joy this season been by far the worst most depressing season ever in my 32 years. Honestly can't wait to the season is over to disconnect abit because every week I try not to care and put myself through the **** of watching us. I guess that's life.

 

[Big Poppa]

I didn’t watch the match so maybe my view is skewed but I still believe we must have been doing something right to keep the score down. It doesn't make sense that Pep would take things completely easy when one penalty or wonder strike could have lost city two points. In a league a 0-1 defeat is better than 0-5 because goal difference can count. So yes we did not get points which is what we wanted but let’s not pretend that losing 0-1 to the runaway league leaders is the worst result ever and the performance that produced is the worst as well. Truth is it could have been far worse. Staying in the game - while may not seeming brave or ‘big team mentality’ is actually smart. The sad thing is that we were unable to capitalize and nick something. The time the goal was scored made things a lot more depressing. If it had been the last minute we’d have been much more positive.

He had Aguero, Foden and Rodri on the bench, and didn’t need any of them. Even Jesus only came on as a sub for a half fit KdB. The first 20 minutes felt like watching a cat toying with it’s food. Trust me, they were being nice.

 

[Legend14]

If the manager isn't important then Kroenke should sack Arteta and put me as manager. I'd do it for far less money.

The manager is less important when the whistle blows to start the match. If you need a manager to shout instructions at you all game, the you are not ready to play.

Not sure what that has to do with sacking Arteta. It has more to do with how much any manager can influence quality during a match.

 

[Melquiades]

I didn’t watch the match so maybe my view is skewed but I still believe we must have been doing something right to keep the score down. It doesn't make sense that Pep would take things completely easy when one penalty or wonder strike could have lost city two points. In a league a 0-1 defeat is better than 0-5 because goal difference can count. So yes we did not get points which is what we wanted but let’s not pretend that losing 0-1 to the runaway league leaders is the worst result ever and the performance that produced is the worst as well. Truth is it could have been far worse. Staying in the game - while may not seeming brave or ‘big team mentality’ is actually smart. The sad thing is that we were unable to capitalize and nick something. The time the goal was scored made things a lot more depressing. If it had been the last minute we’d have been much more positive.

The notion that Pep was 'taking it easy on us' or some BS is absolute rubbish. City are chasing a PL winning streak record that would be a massive feather in his cap and he isn't risking that to worry about Mikel Arteta's feelings.

We sucked offensively today. But we were also really solid and organized defensively against a formidable opposition after a poor first 5 minutes. We put ourselves in a position where we could have achieved a result if, say, Elneny had hit the net on that turnover with about 15 minutes left.

 

[al-Ustaadh]

He had Aguero, Foden and Rodri on the bench, and didn’t need any of them. Even Jesus only came on as a sub for a half fit KdB. The first 20 minutes felt like watching a cat toying with it’s food. Trust me, they were being nice.

No. That's not Pep's style. We gave them fits today, more so than most on here want to admit.

 

[Polar Bear]

I know we never got slaughtered, but I honestly found that match depressing too watch, it was just sad. I felt like we could be playing until midnight and we wouldn't have scored.

Ederson was asleep the entire game, he could have played on his phone or ordered some Uber Eats and snacked. He was so bored that when they passed it back to him once in the 2nd half he just did some really weird ass kick in the air for something to actually do!.

I dunno, it felt depressing too me. I know we only lost 1-0, but the whole flow and energy felt like we were never showing up to score, let alone win.

 

[al-Ustaadh]

Na mate you're clutching at straws.

Its fine you clearly are another one who will defend Arteta with your life. Finishing 10th, 11th, 12th is fine because he doesn't have his perfect team.

Well some news for you. Hardly any manager in world football has his perfect team and if he finishes 10th this year he will have a budget of no more than 50m to somehow bring in players to bridge the gap.

Arteta kept Elneny, signed Willian, signed Ceballos, signed Ødegaard, signed Gabriel, Mari, Soares etc etc. Why is he signing so many players who can't "balance" the team.

Squad turnovers take time, especially when you're running a self-sustainable model.

 

[Highbury_Arsenal]

No. That's not Pep's style. We gave them fits today, more so than most on here want to admit.

LMAO "we gave them fits", I've heard it all now. You're a bad troll.

That performance was beyond lame, we didn't even get near their goal, it was awful. The bottom 2 sides West Brom and Sheff Utd had much more chances against Man City and both really pushed City hard and West Brom took points and Sheff Utd were so close to getting something too. They actually ya know tried to score!

 

[al-Ustaadh]

LMAO "we gave them fits", I've heard it all now. You're a bad troll.

That performance was beyond lame, we didn't even get near their goal, it was awful. The bottom 2 sides West Brom and Sheff Utd had much more chances against Man City and both really pushed City hard and West Brom took points and Sheff Utd were so close to getting something too. They actually ya know tried to score!

In defense and pressing, yes. In attack, no.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

That back to back games after the hattrick very poor today he just couldn't cope with stones yes service was so little but at least hold the ball he lost the ball many times

 

[BobP]

At least we weren't creampied.

 

[pikey2000]

To me, having watched the game, i didn't think we were far off, they had more possession at times and probably created more chances but we never looked like we were completely out of the game and we did work some good opportunities, for me, the clear difference was their calmness when in the final 3rd, that presence of mind to take a moment to pick the right pass into the box VS our final third where we would work a good position and then our final ball into the box was more of a rushed hit and hope than it was a calculated attempt to pick someone out.

This is where we need more work in order to become more clinical, defensively we are on the right track but offensively we need to be more precise and decisive in the final moments.

Also think we lack a CM that will get into the box more often, too many times we get wide with our full backs and there is only the CF and possible if we are lucky one of the wide forwards in the box, need someone arriving late from midfield more often, not sure we have that player in our squad at the moment, i'd say ESR does it a bit more than Ødegaard in the 10 role but none of our CM's do it naturally.

 

[squallman]

The manager is less important when the whistle blows to start the match. If you need a manager to shout instructions at you all game, the you are not ready to play.

Not sure what that has to do with sacking Arteta. It has more to do with how much any manager can influence quality during a match.

Who prepares the team for the match? Do you think they all sit around and play Fortnite all week?

If the preparations aren't right in the week, that will have an effect on the game.

 

[Rex Stone]

Honest question, how did Leicester manage to spank City at the Etihad but we didn’t create one chance at home?

Like what about their game plan could we not try? I don’t expect us to score or get a result but yesterday didn’t feel like a contest. Was like a training game.

 

[OnlyOne]

Honest question, how did Leicester manage to spank City at the Etihad but we didn’t create one chance at home?

Like what about their game plan could we not try? I don’t expect us to score or get a result but yesterday didn’t feel like a contest. Was like a training game.

As I was saying to you yesterday Rex, I genuinely don't think Mikel took this game seriously, rightly or wrongly.

It seems clear lately that, ESR, Gabriel, Ceballos and Luiz are all first names on the team sheet and because of our result vs Benfica, Mikel rested them in a game knowing it's likely a loss with them anyway in order to preserve their fitness. Again this is probably the right way to go but shows how far we've fallen.

You understand a little resting ESR, but suddenly resting your two CB's out of nowhere just showed, obviously my claim could be completely wrong depending on who starts vs Benfica, but I bet all who missed out vs City will.

In my opinion it was a case of resting and then trying to nick something at least, the game didn't really seem intense at all.

I don't know if this answers your question i'm just wondering if anyone felt the same.

 

[Rex Stone]

As I was saying to you yesterday Rex, I genuinely don't think Mikel took this game seriously, rightly or wrongly.

It seems clear lately that, ESR, Gabriel, Ceballos and Luiz are all first names on the team sheet and because of our result vs Benfica, Mikel rested them in a game knowing it's likely a loss with them anyway in order to preserve their fitness. Again this is probably the right way to go but shows how far we've fallen.

You understand a little resting ESR, but suddenly resting your two CB's out of nowhere just showed, obviously my claim could be completely wrong depending on who starts vs Benfica, but I bet all who missed out vs City will.

In my opinion it was a case of resting and then trying to nick something at least, the game didn't really seem intense at all.

I don't know if this answers your question i'm just wondering if anyone felt the same.

Yeah thats a good point because it did feel like a game we weren’t really arsed about and wanted to keep the score down from line up to performance.

City have a CL game so once they started conserving energy the game was played at walking pace for the final thirty minutes.

It’s just when I watched that Leicester game the likes of Maddison, Barnes and Vardy kept running into the box at the City defenders.

Yesterday the likes of Saka, Lacazette and Ødegaard just didn’t seem like they wanted to do it. We’d either have Xhaka trying to cross from in front of the City defence or we’d spam it to Tierney on the left.

Dias and Stones could just set up in the box and head balls out all day. It’s not even like we’ve got a slow team but they don’t seem like they want to stretch the opposition.

Perfect example was when Saka was leading a break first half and Auba made an incredible run between the two centre backs. If that’s Leicester and Vardy it’s getting slid into space so he can either shoot or panic the defender and win a penalty.

Saka though cuts back inside again and tries to switch it across the penalty area to Pepe where it gets cut out. We always look to play it wide rather than go direct and punch teams in the mouth.