Arsenal not at Manchester City’s level, but you know what? There’s room for growth. by Daniel O
Arsenal’s defeat to Manchester City revealed a number of issues. Many of us thought the Gunners were playing at City’s level However, it was apparent as day that the citizens are on a different planet.
Martin Odegaard admitted after the game that Manchester City were superior. “They were the better team; we didn’t play on our level,” said Odegaard as quoted by MEN. “They were a lot better than us in many areas of the games; that’s disappointing.
“They got the game where they wanted with the early goal, and the second one before halftime made it more difficult.
“City can do different things; with Erling up front, they can go more direct, and that was difficult to defend.”
It is simply not fair to compare Arsenal to Manchester City. Guardiola has not only had enough time to shape his team but also enough money to put together a dream team.
Odegaard’s remarks just confirm what we already knew. I suppose it’s evident by now that Arsenal are on the rise, but they’re not yet at City’s level. This is the first season in which we can see the influence of Arteta’s project.
Whatever happens this season, it is the beginning of something wonderful. Arsenal is not currently at City’s level, but there is still opportunity for progress, which is wonderful.
Daniel O
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8th 8th 5th 2nd. Our last 4 finishes if it stays this way. Improvement is obvious. Super mik arteta will improve us over the summer. Hopefully we will be a little closer to Shittys level.
Right you are.
We just need to sign Watkins or David, or maybe Vlahovic if Xhaka leaves. We will also need someone to compete with Saliba
However, Man City would likely win EPL again next season, if Guardiola still manages them. Check who won EPL in the last five seasons and I don’t think next year will be different
EPL has become a one-horse race since Guardiola came
We need more 4 or 5 players..
Like Adam Harry Webster as a back of Saliba..
He is good option as CB
Either of Zubimendi, Rice or Caicedo to replace Partey
Jarrod Bowen or Olise or Leon Bailey as a back up of Saka…
Either Harvey Barnes or Christian Pulisic as back up for Martinelli
And either between Dušan Vlahović or Youssef En-Nesyri or Olly Watkins to Partner Jesus…
These types of signing is really important to come even stronger next year
I like the players you mentioned, but I don’t think Kroenke would buy five 40+ M players. That’s why I’d prefer to prioritize the CF and CB position first
We need more 4 or 5 players..
Like Adam Harry Webster as a back of Saliba..
He is good option as CB
Either of Zubimendi, Rice or Caicedo to replace Partey
Jarrod Bowen or Olise or Leon Bailey as a back up of Saka…
Either Harvey Barnes or Christian Pulisic as back up for Martinelli
And either between Dušan Vlahović or Youssef En-Nesyri or Olly Watkins to Partner Jesus…
These types of signing is really important to come even stronger next year
Also Arteta need to be flexible with his tactics..
He is too static to change
I know Pép is cheqebook manager but one thing I admire about Pép is that he is pretty much flexible..
He has used various formations in past
Like 4-3-3
4-2-3-1 with false 9
Now he use 3 at back formation without using traditional LWB or RWB in team…
Arteta has to be flexible…
When you know Holding will struggle against Haaland, still why to play 4 at back..
Go with 3 at back and isolate Haaland… Man Mark KDB and cut 50% Haaland’s supply
When whole world is seeing that Partey is getting isolated because of Rodri, Stones and Ilkay Gündoğan and still he is playing like with single pivot..
Play with double pivot and Pack midfield
Arteta has to do changes..
Has to be flexible…
We have very much versatile players who can play on various positions so use that..
Like Tierney play superbly as CB in 3 at back system because of his defensive awareness..
Zinchenko can play deep line midfielder or anchorman to dictate play with passing…
Partey we know as usual very very good DM
He needs partner in midfield..
Saka and Martinelli are very young who can play RW, LW and RWB and LWB role at a same time..
Trossard is so clever who can play false 9 and also can play number 10 along with Odegaard behind CF
Arteta has to think and has to think fast
There is an awful lot of emotionalal crap being said and written after the loss to City. Yes it was a humiliating 90 minutes.
But Mr Keown for example saying City are 10 years ahead of Arsenal…err, Maybe they were 10 years ago – but so long as City win their next two games, Arsenal will be 2 points behind. So hardly 10 years. And our defence has been pilloried for its performance on Wednesday. Well it wasn’t good, but look at the league table – only City and Newcastle (that’s a worry) have conceded fewer goals, so credit where its due. This is arguably the only match this season that our defence has been found out – and that was against Haaland on a good night (the footballing equivalent of rugby’s late great Jonah Lomu). Can anyione name
any centrebacks who have pocketed Haaland this season? Yes our centre back options could do with reinforcing/upgrading) – but all the guys we have have done us proud for the previous 32 matches. Let’s also look at goals scored – Arsenal are only second to City, but our scorers are spread right across an incredibly young frontline (something not seen since United’s young Wayne and Ronaldo ripped up the League), while City’s goals are coming from one guy (though doubtless Pep would find a way to spread that load again if the Beserker got injured or left for Spain). Forget Wednesday, move on, dare I say “trust the process”. Our team is getting stronger. In earlier recent games against City, Arsenal have arguably started the stronger, until they made one mistake, a poor backpass, a penalty, a sending off. Those kind of mistakes used to plague us for years, against lesser teams, but Arteta has brought a new level of concentration to the players, but they are still young and will make errors. Remember how folk got down on Ben White when he first came up against Ivan Toney – then think how Toney has done the exact same against so many teams since then, but with us he can no longer talk about having a kickabout with the kids. Don’t fall into the narrative spread by United/Spurs loving pundits, this team is growing, Edu will invest wisely, and Arteta has proved he has the wit and intellect to produce a team that can go to the top.
Clever words.
We have shown improvement in a lot of areas, but several are still lacking.
1. Mentality has not changed in spite of adding Zinchenko and Jesus, who showed no leadership last 3 matches when we needed it.
2. Tactics on a rinse and repeat cycle along with lineup, regardless of opponents and little if any changes after halftime.
3. Rotation is rare still, even with January additions. In form Trossard benched while Jesus starting has seen team’s form drop. Jorginho and ESR sit while woeful Vieira starts? Tomiyasu is injured, but how many chances did he get when healthy?
LB Tierney frozen out on bench while a CM plays at RB.
We don’t have depth in every position, but ridiculous to say we lack enough depth to rotate players.
Even if we add players, what have you seen to suggest Arteta will rotate or bench out of form players?
👍Agree Durand, Arteta has to learn from some rookie errors and bad team use.
Sensible article that speaks plain unvarnished truth. We ARE second best and that itself is a great achievement , esp when you consider how much time and momey City have had to accumulate a squad THAT deep and THAT talented, by comparison to us and the lack of both we have had, comparatively. I firmly disagree with all those who claim our mentality has not improved.
IT OBVIOUSLY HAS, judged over MORE than just one disapppointing game.
This is funny
I have seen many teams win without been better than their opponent, football is all about efficiency and maximizing your strength, a far weaker arsenal team won against city in the FA cup, Arteta is the one failing us season after season, it’s hard for some to admit it but a serial winner like conte,gadiolla or mourinho with what has happened in recent weeks leading to the game at etihad will definitely setup this arsenal team to be hard to beat.. It’s quite annoying seeing this again season after season, what did he(Arteta) learned from last season because I am struggling to see the errors of last season he didn’t repeat…
When pundits predict this things we say they are hating on arsenal, deep down we all expect this things and the team always find a way to prove people right… We can console ourselves that we go again next season but there is nothing concrete we have shown that suggests we will be better than other teams coming up, especially when they have more experienced managers. we had our best season in years and let’s pray this is not what this is all about.
Whenever Arteta have faced injuries to key player he always do not have answers maybe the players are that good not the coaching, no flexibility or squad management skills
I see where you are coming from and agree with much you say. It has took Arteta 3 and a half years to get to here and i like you appreciate the improvements but fail to see a set up that can win things. I think everyone, the players and the manager have over achieved this season but we will finish runner up (no shame on its own) and not a sniff at winning a trophy. Can we improve next season? I dont know, i have my doubts but i hope Arteta has learned a lot from all his errors this last few months and can move us on again. We are all in the dark as to wether he can but he has to change his philosophy on how we play football or we wont improve. Teams have found us out and we have had no answers. We have got champions league football after 3 seasons of EL or nothing and that we have to be thankful for. I dont want to be CL fodder and Arteta has to step up because we have just had two months of concetrating on the league and failed badly. If Arteta can up his game great but if it is obvious next season we cant, we cant stick with someone not capable. The amount of expenditure in this team warrants some form of trophy success, it is unprecedented in the history of Arsenal. Arteta has to prove he can next season. In the same breath, so does Edu. Arteta won the FA cup with players he was left, so he proved he can do it with players that can. Can he do it with his players and his style?