Mikel Arteta remains Pep Guardiola’s kryptonite, and once again it showed. Manchester City failed to register a win against Arsenal, extending a frustrating run against the Gunners.
Erling Haaland struck early, finding the net inside nine minutes to give City the lead. But by the 68th minute, Guardiola had deployed a back five, desperately trying to protect it.
Swapping attacking threats for defensive cover, Guardiola did the unthinkable: he parked the bus, a tactic he had recently vowed never to use, all while insisting he would stay true to his philosophy. But that tactic did not pay off.
Arsenal found their moment in injury time. Gabriel Martinelli – assisted by Eze – broke through and lobbed the ball over the City keeper to seal a dramatic 1-1 draw.
Guardiola: “I don’t change”
Not long ago, speaking to TNT Sports, Guardiola declared:
“Never, ever will I change my beliefs in the way we are going to play. But if you regain [the ball] up the pitch, I want to attack quickly.
“When the opponents do high pressing man-to-man and we break the first press, I want to attack quickly. But after that, I love to pass the ball a thousand, million boring passes. I love it.”
If we were to take him at his word, then watching him go defensive against Arsenal makes him look like a liar. It is clear he conceded his side could not go toe-to-toe with Arteta’s Arsenal, so he chose to defend. Sometimes you defend because the opponent is better. And this Arsenal side? They are the real deal.
Guardiola’s kryptonite
Arteta has Guardiola’s number. That much is obvious; he is forcing him into decisions that betray his own principles. Arsenal are now unbeaten in six against City, with five of those wins / draws coming in the league.
Those five league games also make Arteta the only manager to go five straight Premier League matches unbeaten against Guardiola. Once a trusted lieutenant, now a tactical nemesis, Arteta must surely haunt Guardiola’s dreams.
After all the bad Arteta press at our draw with City, do you have any positive points to add?
Daniel O
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I was wodering too. City played like us against the 3 to 4 years ago. How are the falling.
City played like us against them 3 years back. How are the mighty falling
I said before the game don’t expect the Citizens to come out and attack us.
It was criminal not to start Eze in the middle, but somthing tells me gaffer will not make the same mistake going forward
I don’t assume anything. Merino in AM last year was awful, remember the 0-2 loss at Bournemouth?
Yet again he started Merino at Anfield, and creativity was anemic at best. Started him again at home against City, and Merino created little to nothing, no surprise to anyone.
Yet Eze and Martinelli came on and it became a different game, and we actually looked dangerous. Possession without purpose is wasteful, and a bragging point amounting to little; with all that possession, still created so little; nothing to brag about.
Only 5 games into PL season, but so far I don’t see a change from last year, except the addition of 180 million in attacking players.
Lastly, I thought it rich that Arteta says we need to get the ball to Gyokeres more, yet continues his pragmatic defensive approach. Interesting to see if Arteta changes his approach, or continues his philosophy expecting a different result.
I’ve been so frustrated not to see Eze operating in that left #8 where he is most dangerous. I have also wanted to see Martinelli on the left wing in the same games as I believe Eze would be our best hope for bringing out Martinelli’s best, whatever that could be again.
It can’t be any coincidence that Merino looks a completely different player in a Spain shirt as apposed to an Arsenal one. Any body would think that Spain are more creative than us. 😂
Was Pep forced or he chose it? In the first half City were dominant. In the 2nd half as City were leading and played on Thursday, I think he chose defensive methods to safeguard his lead. Pep knows Arteta will not come all out to score goals taking risks. Immediately after Arsenal scored it was Arteta who retreated (parked the bus) and bolstered his defence with substitutions even killing time. Arteta psychologically fears Pep otherwise with a fixture scheduling and home support advantage, Arsenal should have won the match by a good margin.