By Bulldog Drummond
OK here is the horror story. If we fail to score in this match against the United Arab Emirates club, this is going to be the first time since the origins of the universe that we have failed to score in four consecutive home league games against the same opponent.
Those three games were
| Date | Game | Res | Score | Competition |
| 01 Mar 2018 | Arsenal v Manchester City | L | 0-3 | Premier League |
| 12 Aug 2018 | Arsenal v Manchester City | L | 0-2 | Premier League |
| 15 Dec 2019 | Arsenal v Manchester City | L | 0-3 | Premier League |
But of course we have actually scored in the last two home games against Manchester C. It is just that the BBC doesn’t want to count the FA Cup match and the League Cup match because, well, that messes up their Arsenal knocking.
Our home form of late has been an improvement on earlier in the season with three wins and two goalless draws. That gives us nine goals scored and two conceded.
| Date | Game | Res | Score | Competition |
| 9 Jan 2021 | Arsenal v Newcastle United | W | 2-0 | FA Cup |
| 14 Jan 2021 | Arsenal v Crystal Palace | D | 0-0 | Premier League |
| 18 Jan 2021 | Arsenal v Newcastle United | W | 3-0 | Premier League |
| 30 Jan 2021 | Arsenal v Manchester United | D | 0-0 | Premier League |
| 14 Feb 2021 | Arsenal v Leeds United | W | 4-2 | Premier League |
Of course that looks ok until we compare it to Manchester City’s run away from home.
| Date | Game | Res | Score | Competition |
| 26 Jan 2021 | West Bromwich A v Manchester C | W | 0-5 | Premier League |
| 3 Feb 2021 | Burnley v Manchester City | W | 0-2 | Premier League |
| 7 Feb 2021 | Liverpool v Manchester City | W | 1-4 | Premier League |
| 10 Feb 2021 | Swansea City v Manchester City | W | 1-3 | FA Cup |
| 17 Feb 2021 | Everton v Manchester City | W | 1-3 | Premier League |
That gives 17 goals scored and three conceded, which rather confirms what we saw in our previous look at the club. They are doing rather well at the moment, as indeed they should do with that amount of money behind them and Uefa utterly having failed to reign them in.
But the four home defeats we have had this season is equal to the worst home record we have had since moving to the new stadium. Another will make this the worst ever. So it’s doom and gloom all the way.
But (again) in July we did beat Liverpool who were top of the table, so if we do win it will be the first time since 2007 that we have won two in a row against league leaders. Last time we did it, the second game was against…. Manchester Money.
Of course there is no chance of Manchester C being unbeaten through a whole season – they are good, but not that good, having already been beaten twice, the last time being a defeat by Tott Hots last November.
Sports Bank were the first out of the blocks to give us a team
Bernd Leno,
Hector Bellerin, Rob Holding, Gabriel, Kieran Tierney,
Dani Ceballos, Granit Xhaka,
Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith-Rowe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang,
Alexandre Lacazette
The Evening Standard offer a similar lineup at the back but not at the front…
Leno;
Bellerin, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney;
Ceballos, Xhaka;
Pepe, Willian, Martinelli;
Lacazette
which is, if I may say, a trifle odd. But maybe they have some insight into how the manager is thinking in terms of resting players for Europa games.
Whoscored have something that to my eyes looks a little more likely
Leno;
Bellerin, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney;
Ceballos, Xhaka;
Rowe, Oedgaard, Saka
Aubameyang
Mykhel.com who I don’t think we have noticed before has the headline Arsenal vs Manchester City Line Up and then list 33 players for Arsenal and 35 for Liverpool. I don’t think the laws of the game allow Arsenal to play that many players on the pitch at once, but if they do, then isn’t it a little bit unfair that they have two more players than us. And I am not sure about having four goalkeepers on the pitch at the same time.
After which I think I have to say we’ll leave it there, stop typing and cross my fingers. (Have you ever tried typing with fingers crossed? It is rather hard.)
PL Refereeing: where it has all gone so wrong.
- Abuse of players and referees is in part at least, PGMO’s own fault.
- If PGMO don’t act now, someone is going to get seriously hurt.
Here are the confirmed line-ups:
Arsenal
Leno; Bellerin, Mari, Holding, Tierney; Elneny, Xhaka; Odegaard, Saka, Pepe; Aubameyang
Subs: Ryan, Cedric, Luiz, Gabriel, Ceballos, Willian, Smith Rowe, Martinelli, Lacazette
Man City
Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Stones, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Bernardo, Mahrez, De Bruyne, Sterling
Subs: Steffen, Walker, Jesus, Aguero, Laporte, Rodrigo, Torres, Mendy, Foden
So I guess you don’t want anybody to allude to the fact that we’re often playing against anything between 12 and 16 opponents then 🙂
We are down by a goal but not doing too badly. We are getting some half chances.
Well, after going a goal down in the second minute and looking completely outplayed in the opening fifteen we have arrived at half time with no further goals and we looked better as the half progressed. Moss being his usual twattish self and not booking a City player for a snide professional foul which would have been nailed on for anyone playing in red.
After that initial 15 minutes it’s been a fairly even game. It’s arguable we’ve shaded it.
If only we could pass, cross and shoot.🤦♂️
Sterling is a cheat…dives with a howling visage before he even comes into contact with Xhaka.
Just a warning and a joke for Sterling showing dissent
Sterling slams the ball down in disagreement with Moss…a yellow? Nah…he’s not that kind of lad.
Don’t mind losing to the better team on the day ( they are ) but when the smallest player on the pitch out jumps and scores ( unchallenged) our 6ft centre backs Well I shake my head
80+ mins and Auba is barged by Stones and the blind Moss lets it go. Saka has been kicked from pillar to post and most have got away with the fouls.
Moss now in his element of rubbing the salt into the Arsenal wounds by blowing his whistle for nothing but vindictive glory.
Damn we were shite…losing 0-10 at home…oh…we didn’t?…sorry, I was online looking at the headlines again…silly me!
Man City were better than us…but we are getting better. Our lads were communicating, which is good; Man City don’t need to communicate overtly because they have a settled squad, using tactics of a manager who has been there for five years. We are not satisfied with the results but I am satisfied that we are on the up!!
Sorry, but is one shot on target and one corner in 90 minutes in the up?
Up where?
Certainly not up the league.
Just for context. Won 10 games Lost 11 games Think that’s a worry .
I admit I play the long game. I am by nature an optimist; neither Klopp nor Guardiola had much success their first year in charge of their teams.
Exactly. We played okay against a team that is better than us. It’s fair to say probably a lot better than us. But they are a lot better than just about every team in the premier league.
Given the start we could of capitulated but we didn’t. In fact we rallied to the point that we could well of gone in at half time all square.
Unfortunately the 2nd half was a bit of a damp squid. City seemed happy with their 1 goal lead, alas so did we.
All in all though I do think we are slowly but surely heading in the right direction, the problem is I fear not quickly enough to reach the European places.
Just an observation which probably requires more research before drawing an6 conclusions but…..fouls and cards today
London teams got a yellow every 3.6 fouls
Non-London Teams got a card every 6.5 fouls
Just saying……
Spurs lost today despite Craig Pawson (remember him?) playing a blinder for them in the second half. Every time a Spurs player threw himself on the ground with a theatrical scream, he obligingly gave a free kick and awarded a yellow card to a West Ham player.
Moss realised that his boss would be annoyed that he gave a yellow to Man City, so he made sure that the next Arsenal player who went anywhere near an opponent got an immediate yellow – it was Xhaka, penalised for being kicked by Sterling
GoingGoingGooner
Again I have to agree.
Look, I think we all know it wasn’t brilliant today, but the opposition does have to be taken in to account, and these are their last 5 away results:
26 Jan 2021 West Bromwich A v Manchester C W 0-5 Premier League
3 Feb 2021 Burnley v Manchester City W 0-2 Premier League
7 Feb 2021 Liverpool v Manchester City W 1-4 Premier League
10 Feb 2021 Swansea City v Manchester City W 1-3 FA Cup
17 Feb 2021 Everton v Manchester City W 1-3 Premier League
This team scores goals like they’re going out of fashion. Despite everything we WERE still in the game right up to the final whistle. They’ve been blowing teams away for fun. Give us some credit.
And just to reiterate what you said about Klopp, the following is his first year at Liverpool in season 2015 2016:
Games: 52
Won: 23
Drew: 17
Lost: 12
Win %: 44%
This was Artetas record after a year:
Games: 52
Won: 27
Drawn: 10
Lost: 15
Win %: 51%
Klopps 2nd and 3rd seasons win % were 57% and 55% respectively, so hardly pulling up trees then either. Also Klopp only came 8th in his first season and won nothing in his first 3 seasons.
Arteta has already beaten that by winning an FA Cup and he may yet match Klopps first season finish of 8th.
Also it has to be remembered Klopp came to Liverpool as an experienced coach at the top level. In case anyone had missed it, this is Artetas first stab at the job. Personally I think he’s making a decent go of it. Maybe that’s just me.
But yet again we have some of our own fans who it seems just cant wait to criticise.
As I keep saying, Liverpool and Spurs went years without a trophy, spurs are continuing in that vein, and yet I swear I never heard their fans whinging and whining like our lot.
@ Nitram
That’s a brilliant comparison (and bit of research) in respect of Klopp v Arteta. Yet again I love your take 9n things.
I may have had a glass too many given we’ve never met but we have to have a beer together on the Holloway Road after this madness is over!
Mikey
Any excuse for a swift half or 3 my friend. 🍺🍺🍺
Klopp came in 8th in his first season as did Arteta.
In his first full season Klopp came in fourth and we are tenth at the moment.
I wish people would stop that silly Klopp/Arteta comparison already.
It isn’t doing Arteta any favors.
does that mean if Klop the football saviour was at Arsenal he would have been fired Nitram? Lol sure are interesting stats and double standards. Your sentiments logic and statistics are always a great read as most of the time I think the same thing. At least more enjoyable than the poodits it’s hard watching with the sound on and selective VAR. you’re right Mikey would be good to see faces to these names Nitram now I’m guessing your faces lol
what i would like to know is why the liverpool player who caused the penalty and was not playing the ball was not sent off -seems at odds with the luis situation
Ron,
You answered your own question.
Liverpool and Arsenal players are governed by different rules