Former Arsenal man Paul Merson is no longer confident Arsenal could earn a win when they face Manchester City in the Premier League this week.
The Gunners and the champions have battled for the top spot in the league for much of this season and Mikel Arteta’s men have been winning.
Arsenal is beginning to show cracks after struggling to win their last two matches and it opens the door for City to take advantage.
The Gunners’ next game will be against the Citizens and it could be a defining game when it comes to momentum and confidence.
Merson is no longer so confident in the Arsenal team and admits he would be surprised if they beat City.
He tells Sky Sports:
“After today’s performance, no I don’t see them beating Man City on Wednesday night. I’d be quite shocked.
“They were so open at the back, played two versus two at the back. If they’d have picked the right pass at times, Brentford, they would have got in and won that game.
“Toney misses a real good chance when he hits the bar, they had other chances where they counter-attack. Man City have better quality players to pick that right pass. I think come Wednesday night I’d be quite shocked if Arsenal went and won that game.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
The loss to Everton and draw against Brentford have shown we could easily struggle if we are not at our best.
Our players were easily kept out in both games and we need to find a Plan B to unlock sides who have mastered our first plan.
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Actually,I am more optimistic playing City after our underwhelming mini run.i believe the boys have gone through our dip in form or whatever you want to call it and are now over it.
Hope you are right, Siamois
I could only listen to the weekend game on the radio but the crowd sounded magnificent. They never stopped. Will need that enthusiasm again.
I’m hoping to be right too SueP! hopefully as you said the crowd will be fully behind them.we all know that’s easier to cheer on your team when winning but a different story when not.
I wonder why Arteta won’t Try Trossard and Martineli together, Nketiah doesn’t offer much in Stamina, skill and holdup play,
If we are to gain points from the Citizens, we would need speed, Tierney for Zinchenko, trossard for Nketiah, with Martineli as false 9,
Tomiyasu and Zinchenko could refresh the team in the 2nd half. We need to confuse Walker and isolate Rodri,
It’s going to be tough,
Rodri -Partey, KDB-Odegaard/Jorginho, Gundogan-Xhaka/Jorginho.
Grealish-White and Mahrez-Tierney looks easy, then we have Haaland-Gabriel,as Saliba and Ramsdale seem to need some motivating,
Here’s to hoping we start an unbeaten run against the citizens.
Why can’t guys understand the importance of Zinchenco to the way we play. We are stuck with this guy, and it’s Arteta’s tactical rigidity from the beginning. You see that beautiful play we all love about this team, Zini is one of the key players behind it. Now, you want to start a rusty Tierney in a game with City? I can accept Trossard for Nketiah and Tomi for White but Zinchenco will always play in a tough league game when fit. Other managers usually shake things up after few games to keep other players sharp but we stuck with a single 11 until a player is injured. I am sure Arteta will learn and begin to integrate other players in the team better but it is definitely not starting with City.
Merson is right, city is winning. The dream is over. Neville will be laughing at us very soon. Why did we have to lose the two wash games ?
Actually I’m having a good laugh at Gary Neville. Days ago after the Spurs City game, he said and I quote “I thought for the first time that Arsenal could win the league”. Funny how we had to make him eat his words so quickly by drawing with Brentford. Lol
The same paul.merson who said arsenal will win rhe league after we beat manu a few weeks back?…hopefully arteta can fire up the lads just need to rest players now and again. The way we beat united and spuds wasnt no fluke and i think we can beat city just need to change it up👍