All I ever have asked of Arsenal is to try and be the best version of themselves. I haven’t always been able to say that in the last decade.
Sometimes there are performances that are bigger than the result.
There was a point in the second half where I said: ‘no matter what happens, each and every Gunner can be proud of what they have done today’.
As professional sportsmen, of course they will be disappointed to be so close to what would have been one of the greatest defensive performances in Prem history.
Yet all any fans want is those wearing the shirt to give everything for the badge. Not one of our players can be accused of leaving anything on the pitch. From our defence to our attack our work rate was exceptional, all earning a standing ovation from the away end.
Let’s not underestimate what we did in the second half at the Etihad. I was never someone who followed the narrative we had to win this weekend to be Champions. People reached that conclusion because we got 4 points against Man City last season but still couldn’t finish above them.
Yet one 0-0 draw in 9 attempts on the blue half of Manchester never meant we had closed the gap.
It’s still a ground where our record is terrible.
I would have bitten your hand off for a draw before kick-off, and Mikel Arteta (he might not admit it) accepts a 2-2 result the moment Trossard is sent off.
I’m not sure Pep Guardiola does?
How our manager, in the space of 15 mins, convinced his squad they could successfully defend with two lines of 5 shows a spirit that can only help us in the future.
Our opponents mostly played in front of us, restricted to long range shots. The one-time Grealish got down the side, it cost us.
I was mostly amazed how poorly Man City approached the game after having a man advantage.
Zero exaggeration, most versions of Arsenal (even in Mr Wenger’s glory years) would not have believed, yet alone get a result, under those circumstances.
Some were critical of our time wasting and didn’t like how many times our players went down with cramp. it’s dark arts you don’t associate with our club. It’s tactics reserved for Jose Mourinho or a vintage Italian team.
I love that we are no longer too nice.
Don’t let the disappointment of the timing of Stone’s equaliser let you lose sight of what we have done this weekend.
We have got Villa Park, the Lane and Etihad out of the way and are only two points off top.
Proud to be a Gooner!
Dan
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There is something menacing about this Arsenal team…its coming of age nicely….and judging by the City players’ comments we have them somewhat rattled..im do here for it..COYG
Im so here for it*
On a side note Rodri, out for season.
Is that definitive Reggie ?
A cruel blow for him if that’s the case.
Not reported mainstream yet but it is an ACL injury. Its looking that way.
It’s already being said that we deliberately set out to injure Rodri – imagine the comments if he’s out for the season!!
Still, city115 can look at the way we managed without Timber last season and bite the bullet!!
Them losing rodri throws it wide open. I don’t think it’s a coincidence we scored after he went off, and I don’t think they’re the same team without him. Normally I’d be more questioning of the idea we’d have won with 11 men (possible, but definitely not a given), but with rodri going off, I’d say the odds would have been well in our favour.
I won’t celebrate a player getting injured like that, though – whatever you think of city as a club, I don’t think anyone can say much against rodri, he’s just a class player.
Their effort was amazing, they gave 100% and that is all we really want to see. You can’t win every game, but you can certainly give 100% effort win, lose, or draw.
Can’t remember the last time I have seen Pep and this City team rattled, and they certainly did not have that swagger and confidence they normally do; evidence by their CB’s taking long range shots outside the box, because they couldn’t find space and were out of ideas! Playing Stones as a 2nd striker shows that they were desperate and throwing everything at us.
Trossard ejection changed the game, but in all fairness, losing Rodri had a massive effect on City as well. Not making excuses for them, but with KDB out and Rodri off with injury, they were a different team.
Like us without Rice and Odegaard, the sharpness and spine are lacking.
However, you play with what you have, and we did fantastic. I felt sickened for the fellas after giving everything, to see City grab that goal at the end just felt cruel considering everything they overcame that game.
In the circumstances, which were unfortunate, Arsenal did well. It’s better to be two points than five behind City, particularly after this run of “difficult” games.
There’s a long, long way to go yet but things aren’t looking too bad at all currently.
Just like last season, our performances will lead to more drop point soon. You cannot keep playing like this with few chances created every match and expecting to win.
Right even attackers motivation will disappear. Defenders and the keeper will eventually overwhelmed
So proud…..
Our Boys were awesome
To be honest this draw felt like a win
Went away to City
Was leading 2-1 for majority of the match
And almost won it with 10 men
It shows that our boys have ❤️ and are fighters
So proud 👏 of them
Arsenal been playing boring football since start of January. Barely register five shots on target per game these days.
Atlanta and Tottenham had more possession than us. If it weren’t for the defence we would be really struggling now.
All out defence and counter attack is not what Arsenal are. Very boring.
Wow Hass, you must have confused The Arsenal with another team if you seriously think that we played boring football since January. In the PL we scored 53 goals in 18 games ! That is just under 3 goals per game !
Lad you not looking at the game through the reality lense, we basically hadn’t had the chance to play our preferred game this season bar the Villa game.
I reckon Arteta’s been an astute improvisor from what has unfolded, in fact he’s shown another side to him that’s surprised me most: he’s thrown the young blood we so dearly love in the deep end, in both games when we were under immense pressure he’s done it.
We lost Ode, we lost Rice-baby for the Spuds game through suspension, drew the brighton game (same one Rice got suspended for) and drew the City game with Tross sent to the showers before mid-day in game terms.
We’ve got ourselves a winner ladies and gents – Arteta..
The tide’s changing and City can see it, their players are starting to talk more than they play on the pitch, and what do we do we turn the bloody Etihad stadium into a mini Emirates by playing almost an hour with 10 men against 11.
Digest that my fellow Gooners..
Sometimes when your team draws a match it feels like a loss and you cope with it by telling yourself that it is one point gain as oppose two dropped, yesterday was the first time a draw felt like a win. The feeling was not that of a 2 points dropped but that of we had them (citey) and we got them very scared and rattled that was why they celebrated that draw like they just won the league.
Arsenal’s progression is witnessed by the way Man cheaty hounded, moaned, panicked and cheated last Sunday. You know they are triggered by their comments and petulance, you’re supposed to do your talking on the pitch.
The referee did not handle the game properly. The level of inconsistency is astonishing. Gundogan chopped Partey right in front of the referee which was a definite yellow card offence but he simply gave a foul which I believe had it been an Arsenal player a yellow would have been shown. We definitely have ruffled City as they seem eager to surround the referee looking for decisions to get us punished. They know we are match for them and are very capable of dethroning them of the top.
However I wouldn’t blame the referees for the two red cards as our players have acted foolish whilst on a yellow card. Our players are lacking maturity and for people earning so much money you have no right to act such. We should be on top with maximum points but because of our own demise we have lost 4 huge points. It will be much tougher for us this year as the team looks much weaker upfront and we have not much options. Not sure why Arteta and Edu released both ESR and Vieira who were natural replacements for Odegaard. Arteta seems not to like to have anyone to compete against our captain. I believe for us to go above City we need a better striker and a better playmaker. Havertz is not the striker we need and Odegaard doesn’t have the nastiness that KDB has. Fabregas, Kaka, Modric, and Zidane for example used to have that nastiness and drive to win games single handedly. I am sure with KDB City would have scored a lot yesterday. ESR has that drive to either pass and move the ball into danger zones at a faster pace with precise movements. Odegaard is more of a Bernado Silva type of player who is good but won’t drive the team forward single handedly. He is a very good player but must not be our main source of inspiration and captain.
I believe the role of a captain is not one Arteta really gives much attention to. Surely Odegaard and Jesus as our two main captains is not a good sight at all. How does the two get ahead of players like Gabriel and Rice as captains. The captain is sometimes more important than the coach during games and we really need someone who has that influence and respect from all that is team mates, opposition players and referees. Some referees decisions can go your way because referees are afraid to go against your captain. We miss captains like Adams, Vieira, Xhaka, and Fabregas who would go toe to toe with the opposition and the referee. The competition is so fierce it doesn’t pay to have a likeable character as the captain.
Lastly am worried about the numbers we have in midfield and attack. The numbers are just not enough. No replacement and competition for Odegaard. We just have three defensive midfielders in Rice, Partey, and Jorginho. We are yet to see what Merino brings to the table and his best role. In attack we have no natural gunmen. Why have the team gone to such bare threads in these areas yet we continue to pile up defenders. I love Partey and Jorginho but their best days seem to be past we should be having players pushing them out of the picture slowly. We still need their experience but there must be a plan in sight for eventual replacements and it seems we only have Rice.
My other worry is that doesn’t seem to improve players. Most of the players arrive at Arsenal playing really well but seem to degenerate and luckily because of the support he gets from the owners he just buy replacements.
Simba
I respect your opinion, but let’s be realistic: The transfer window is already closed. Smith Rowe and Vieira now play for Fulham and Porto respectively. We let them go and we brought Calafiori and Merino. And am happy with that . Let’s move on
About Captaincy? Odegaard is the best. Fabregas left us when we needed him the most, Van Persie the same, Aubameyang was a nuisance, Xhaka was saved by Arteta, so let’s not undermine Odegaards influence
I remember when Wenger first came to the PL, United(who were dominating the league at the time, similar to city) began to take shots at Arsenal players and Wenger, because they saw us a a threat. They were right.
Same thing is happening with City players. They know we’re the ones to take the crown from them. They feel threatened. And they’re not used to it. So it’s natural for their players to take shots at them. I for one see it as a complement.
Well said Ogaraku Ben – as one well known quote goes :
“They don’t like it up ’em!!”
Ogaraku Ben
👏👏👏 Nice one.
And alot of people don’t realise that Arsenal is hated because of Arsene Wenger tampering with Ferguson’s dominance, as well as winning the league unbeaten
Years later, his son is doing the same. And who is trying to block Arsenal? PGMOL.
Under Who? Howard Webb.
Who is Howard Webb? Man United and Ferguson’s darling during the days
Arsenal were not hated under wenger quite the opposite ,they were lauded by opposition fans and critics alike .
I remember plenty of times opposition fans clapping and cheering our team .
Wenger and Arteta are nothing alike ,one did it for the club the other is doing it for himself.
seeing the City people freak out when every single thing didn’t go there way was really encouraging for me, they seem to have been a bit rattled. Like they have a lead at half and are down to ten men, so of course they should try to play expansive football and let City score six…
It was too bad that they let off at the very end for the corner but I was so impressed with the team!