Arsenal – Manchester City 0-2: the Untold match report

By Walter Broeckx

Arsenal XI: Cech, Bellerin, Sokratis, Mustafi, Maitland-Niles, Guendouzi, Xhaka, Ramsey, Ozil, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang.
Subs: Leno, Holding, Lichtsteiner, Elneny, Torreira, Iwobi, Lacazette.

The new era starting today with also two new players in the starting line up : Sokratis and Guendouzi. Certainly the latter is a big surprise when we bought him I didn’t expect this to happen to be honest.

The first shot between the post from Ramsey but too weak. Laporte with a crazy tackle from behind on Aubamyeang but Oliver keeps the yellow card in his pocket. Another foul on Guendouzy this time from Sterling and this time the yellow card comes out.

City with a good attack on the right flank but Cech stopped the cross. A minute later Sterling with a good dribble but Cech stopped his goal bound effort. Ramsey being pulled down just outside the penalty area but the ref ignores it. It was a blatant foul off the ball…  City the better team for the moment and when Sterling cut inside he made room for his shot and curled it round the defenders out of reach and sight of Cech. 0-1 after 14 minutes.

Cech again has to be attentive again when a low cross is being touched and has to concede another corner.  Maitland Niles with a good cross to Bellerin who cut out his defender but he couldn’t beat the keeper with his shot. The chance for the equaliser. Cech then at the other end almost with an embarrassing own goal but luckily his shot went out for a corner.

Arsenal still bad at playing the ball around their own penalty area and giving it away in the most stupid way.  Cech with a better moment following a Sterling shot. Sokratis with a tackle just outside the penalty area after once again stupid loss of the ball and he gets a yellow card for it. Cech with an excellent double save on the free kick that bounced awkwardly. Maitland Niles down and needing treatment after a challenge from Walker. Arsenal still 0-1 behind after 30 minutes.

Maitland Niles looking bad but he comes back on but looking shaky. A good attack from Arsenal but Mkhitaryan just can’t produce a shot.  Maitland Niles can’t continue and has to come off. There goes our third choice left back. Lichtsteiner comes on and makes his PL debut as a left back. Arsenal with a better moment but Maherz with the shot that went wide on a counter. Aubameyang with a shot from distance but it was too far off target. Mkhitaryan with an attempt that came off Mendy but no corner for the ref.  Arsenal 0-1 behind after 45 minutes.

Aguero with the dangerous shot that went wide but the ref gave a corner for City. Xhaka with a tackle gets him a yellow card. After 53 minutes Lacazette comes on for Ramsey.  Aubameyang with  a pass to Lacazette but his shot went just wide.

City wasting time now when they feel not so comfortable anymore. Taking a corner and making a change taking some 3 minutes. Meanwhile the PL TV stations don’t show offside decisions anymore? Oliver then starts helping wasting City time. Guendouzi then with a bad control and Aguero on his own to Cech but Cech with the excellent save. But it was only a delay of execution as a cut back from Silva who rifled it home from around the penalty spot. 0-2 after 64 minutes.

Mustafi being pulled down when Arsenal got a corner but again the ref sees no foul.  Oliver just his usual himself.  After 70 minutes Torreira came on for Xhaka.  Lichtsteiner with some space from time to time but he always had to come back to his right foot. De Bruyne gets a yellow card for a studs on the foot of Torreira.

Lacazette winning the ball but Oliver sees the foul. Oliver being Oliver when we play City even in the post Wenger era. And still Oliver doing nothing about the time wasting from City. Aubameyang scores but the flag had gone up correctly. Lichtsteiner with a good run but Özil couldn’t get his shot away and was then blocked. Then Özil intercepted a loose ball but Lacazette was so sure to be offside he let the ball roll to the keeper. He was not offside….  Seconds later Özil did score but again offside.  Özil to Mkhitaryan but he couldn’t get a shot away.  Cech at the other end almost again producing a bad moment. Mkhitaryan with a pass to Lacazette but he was too much off balance to keep his shot down.

Arsenal starting their season like they usually do these last few seasons: with a bad result. Once we went behind we never seemed to get ourselves back in the match. We still make the same mistakes by putting ourselves under needless pressure in our own penalty area.  Not having a real left back didn’t really help of course so we couldn’t really get it going on that flank despite that being a flank where Lichtsteiner could do a few things.

 

 

 

 

 

 

35 Replies to “Arsenal – Manchester City 0-2: the Untold match report”

  1. It was bad enough losing, but to have to put up with the biased commentators made it worse.

    I should have switched off the sound, but could not be bothered.

    Same again next week?

    AT least I won’t have to watch it.

  2. It’s unfair to judge this team by the result against the best team in the league by a countrymile. Mind you, Arsene lost both of his matches against the reigning champions when he first came to Arsenal (1996-97, 0-1, 1-2 against Man United).

    Applying new things take time. I’m still pissed over the fact that the league draw gave us City and Chelsea for the opening two matches. We know that it used to be fixed so that Top 6 teams don’t play each other on the opening day. Now they have changed it at our expense.

    What I’m worried about, however, is how Özil and Auba haven’t clicked yet. I expected their connection to flourish but Auba seems to be ineffective in big games and Mesut looks…not so good since he got a new deal. Our most expensive & highest paid players respectively are supposed to drag the team on their own in games like this one.

    Next game is against Chelsea. We play at SB, against the team that has a new manager. Mr Emery has probably learned a few things today and, hopefully, one of those is that Torreira has to start in place of Xhaka & Laca in place of Ramsey. I love Rambo but…

  3. Bad result, but we weren’t going to judge the team on the result of this game. Hopefully this match gives Emery better idea of what he’s up against. What I liked was the fact that we weren’t just brushed aside, we held our own despite the result

  4. Like Arsene would say ‘… there were some positives…’ Unai still has a lot to catch up with where the PigMob is concerned. I hope, for his own good, he would also prepare his team to play a ‘12th man’ who isn’t on the team sheet.

    COYG there are 33 more matches to go and Unai is bound to get it right before our 4th match.

  5. I agree with Josif, that it would be unfair to judge this team based on one match. We have a lot of new players, a sudden injury crisis at LFB and everyone is learning a new system…and we play the top team in the league. meh. I’m not worried about Ozil and Aubeymayang not meshing yet as it is one part of a whole (the system).

    People are already talking about Guendouzi’s weaknesses but that is WAYYYY premature. Not only is he young but he is also learning a new system and new teammates. Cech’s shot stopping was fine but his distribution of the ball was frightening, particularly when they made him use his right foot.

    Anyway, It sounds like Unai will use this as a useful match to learn from, keeping in mind that most teams could only dream of playing as well as a 75% Man City side.

    I am still optimistic about this season…we are pointed up.

  6. 33? Don’t you mean 37?

    My too long comment at the end of the game, seems to paint PGMO as doing the same old crap.

  7. If we continue this ref bias nonsense we’ll probably be distracted from areas where our team can and should improve. Hopefully doesn’t buy that crap.losing to man city now is not a shameful thing, last season it was 0-3. Let us analyze the match, see where we can improve and move forward

  8. I;ve just got back from the game & I must say City played a better game than us but got away with red cards from the off. The time wasting was pathetic by both City & Oliver. He is such a bent official with a holier than thou attitude. There were far too many fouls not called out but then selective vision is still something we have to cope with.

    We didn’t pass as well as we can and we were not tuned to each others positions or movement. Our mistakes were not fatal but we must play with more cohesion and tactical nous. It was clear that the passing from the back was not going to work with City’s high defence and quick pressure. A long ball would have opened several opportunities for us.

    It is early days for Emerys coaching and I’m sure he will pick up from here.

    COYG.

  9. Adamu the problem with your comment is that it open “if we continue this ref bias nonsense…” without explaining what you are talking about, and perhaps more importantly on what basis you are saying it is nonsense. Do you have some evidence? Is this your personal opinion? Is there some logical basis to what you are saying? It would be polite to explain the basis of your view so we can know whether it is just assertion or you have something to base it on.
    For example, in the Arsenal History series on Henry Norris I recently reached the conclusion that the story told by Arsenal manager Knighton that drugs had been used by players in an FA Cup match nonsense, because a deep fog have covered north London all morning and it was highly unlikely the match would be played. I don’t have proof but I draw conclusions from evidence. That’s really what I want to see.

  10. It was interesting that with regard to the incident when Mustafi was pulled down in their box, both commentators, who should pro $ity and anti-Arsenal bias throughout, said that if we had had VAR it would have been a penalty.

    In addition, Sterling was booked after a few minutes and was allowed to foul again and again at
    will.

    It was also clear to me that as soon as Lacazette came on we were a different and positive attacking force.

  11. It hurts to lose but that happens. Let’s stick with the team. For the fans who can get to the matches, let’s be the 12th player. Things will come good. Arsenal for life.

  12. Tony you’re right. This post was meant to be on the previous thread. The ref bias nonsense is in response to the usual suspects blaming the ref once again, perhaps for losing the match (I don’t care to read much of what menace or SAA write, but SAA was kind enough to say that early enough in his post b4 I lost interest which usually is before the 5th line).
    Why is it nonsense? Take for example, gord probably didn’t even watch the match, yet can come to a conclusion on how the ref performed? Come on, that’s crap.

  13. Adamu, I am only asking you about how you reached your conclusion concerning the ref, and that other people’s comments were nonsense. I would like to know.

  14. Adamu, I’ve spent my life doing statistics. Patterns come up.

    If 1 player needs treatment for injury with no involvement of the other team (apparently), you might allow that nothing bad happened in that one incident. Happens twice? Maybe both are innocent. Three times? We had players needing treatment 5 times in the first half. There was no mention of free kicks or cards in the commentary. The chances are pretty good that at least one of those treatment occasions should have seen a card.

  15. MOTD didn’t mention or show the penalty. Typical. If Oliver didn’t see it, the linesman should have, but TV viewers certainly deserve to.

    Keown spent a couple of minutes berating Cech for trying to play the ball out from the back (sometimes less than successfully), whilst conveniently ignoring the occasions when it went horribly wrong for City.

  16. We know that MOTD is a typical selective visioned report on the game. It shows only what their bias allows. We will never know the truth in a game of football if we only watch MOTD.

    Adamu, I may pick on the PGMO but I was at the match & saw the cheating live before my eyes. The TV cameras must have captured the incidents but chose not to show it. That is how corruption thrives. Personally, I don’t write for you but for those who know that there is something corrupt in process with select officials in a secret society.

  17. No real shame in being outplayed by City…we’ve got a new manager and they’ve got a better squad. I’ve got to say, though, I just don’t see how we can continue to use both Ramsey and Mesut against stronger sides. They both get caught out of position far too often, and we just don’t have the sort of midfield options to cover for two guys that offer little to nothing without the ball. I’d love to see one of them sacrificed for Torreira next week against Chelsea, that midfield they have is going to run right through us if we’ve got both Ozil and Ramsey out there.

  18. Walter has mentioned this, as have others. Apparently Emery wants us to play the ball out from the back. There are more than 1 topics in the News at Arsenal.com which mention this.

    If the players are being coached to play it out from the back, it doesn’t matter how much you dislike this; that is what is going to happen. And this influences how the goalkeeper distributes the ball.

    So, if this is something you hate (playing it out from the back), you are probably better off going to support some other team for a while. Or at least don’t bitch here about them playing it out from the back. That’s what the manager wants.

    —-

    Adamu

    You probably aren’t an engineer or scientist. I have looked through files of fixed format data (about 200 characters per line) that were 100,000 or more lines long, looking for patterns. By looking at the file, I mean looking at every line in the file.

    Some people can visualize things, I don’t. How I handle data is more by “feel” than by seeing.

  19. Adamu….who are you writing to….none of us control anything at AFC. By the way how do you know that referees aren’t bent…..because the media tell you so? Also, do you share a room with Gord or does he keep you advised of his viewing habits? I know Emery is eagerly awaiting your sage advice and wise counsel, so please call him sooner than later!

  20. While I am obviously disappointed with the result and much of our play , yet I see that there is scope for us to move forward and upwards. Its still early days and the players will hopefully gel and play better as a unit.

    I do get the jitters when we play across and in and around our box. Please pass it forward , or sideways , and try not to pass it back. Some of of our players were guilty of not releasing it early and getting caught in possession.

    I am however impressed by the effort and the tireless running of Guendouzi.

    As for those who feel that they must point out that referee had a great and unblemished match , please do go on and sing his praises. While the rest of us roll our eyes and have a laugh or two !

  21. The women drew 2-2 against PSG, which apparently means they won the Toulouse tournament. Congratulations! Especially with a shortened bench to draw from.

  22. I thought we played ok in parts against a real top draw City team and its much too early to criticize Emery and what hes trying to achieve.He needs time to change the attitudes of many of the players and instill the discipline and workrate needed (which hasnt always been there in the past).You could see in the second half the pressing aspect of play was better and when Emery has learned more about his players that will also improve.I thought Xhaka should have been replaced earlier in the game by Torreira and xhaka will find out soon enough that if he carries on with that level of performance he wont get much gametime,he was poor again.Also Ozil and Mikky struggled against Peps high press.On the plus side i thought Lichtsteiner and Lacazette looked good when they came on and Bellerin looked more solid than previously.On another note what is all that about,the advertising on the Arsenal shirt sleeve “visit Rwanda”??Youve got to be joking..

  23. I think you missed the debate in the summer about the sponsorship of the shirt sleeve Nick, but please don’t post the under two different names.

  24. @Tony, its my personal opinion, but I maintain that if you don’t watch a match, you have no business concluding that the ref is biased. That’s how I came about my conclusion that some people’s ref criticism is nonsense. I hope that answers your question?

  25. I seems rather irrelevant to send it to a site that has on line a review of 160 Premier League matches in which every controversial moment is examined with video evidence.

  26. Mustafi got neck hooked but somehow no penalty given, remember Monreal shoulder bump and penalty was given against Arsenal. Bring in VAR please because these refs need help.

  27. Polo and if I am not mistaken… it was the same ref. surprise surprise surprise….no not really….

  28. I don’t think it would have made much difference to the result, and we’ve certainly had far worse decision from officials in the past, but the fact that LaPorte finished the game without seeing a yellow card when he could have seen 3 of them, is a sad reflection on the officials.

  29. Oh dear Adamu even Andy Mack sees the blind side of Olivers PGMOl 99% accuracy.

    I was at the match, yet you mentioned me. Were you there or were you watching on TV?

    I still think that we could have beaten them considering the chances we created & messed up – even with some of our stars not performing.

  30. Greetings to all untolders. It’s been quite a while. Lots have happened since I last commented here. Arsene “my adopted grand dad” Wenger’s departure. Unai Emery’s arrival, players out and in…. and the match against city.

    I saw the last 25 mins of the match but was disappointed to see many seats empty before the end of the match.

    Fans at the match supposed to stick with the boys and the new manager. We should learn to SUPPORT Arsenal.

  31. Another oddity. I can’t see any mention of the Arsenal penalty in the BBC website match report. Now why would that be? The same from the Grauniad.

    Laporte committed his first yellow-rated foul less than 2 minutes into the first half. As expected, Oliver let it go.

    Wasn’t Oliver the ref who denied us another “stonewall” pen at MCF last seaon? Rhetorical question.

    I don’t think VAR is going to help. Its use at the WC bordered upon the farcical. PGMOL must be rubbing their hands in glee.

  32. Seismic, VAR may not make a great difference to the correctness of calls in the first season or two, but it will eventually. Eventually there will be a series of games where all the pundits etc make such a fuss over an important decision being called clearly wrong in each game that the PL/FA/PGMO will be shamed into cleaning up their act.
    They’ll also get much better at the process so that it interferes much less with the flow of the game.

  33. The effectiveness of VAR will not depend upon the quality of the technology, but upon the will and integrity of the authority employing it. The media/pundit interest has not been concerned with balance and fairness for a very long time. I am not hopeful.

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