Arsenal v Manchester City. Tottenham were valiant; Man City’s time will come; “we know that”.

Posted on by Tony Attwood

By Bulldog Drummond

We are so used to being told that the FA Cup is not a trophy and that the only trophies that are real trophies are the trophies Arsenal fail to win, that it is curious to read the article on the Telegraph web site headlined, “For Tottenham yet again it is the hope that kills them”.

Interesting because here once again we are reminded (this time by the always droll Jonathan Liew) that “This is what being a Tottenham fan for the last quarter of a century must feel like….

“Hope is turning up at Wembley for an FA Cup semi-final full of optimism, even though the man who scored the last time you won one is now 56 years old, greying and presenting the BBC’s television coverage. Hope is ripping off the plaster and daring yourself not to see the scar underneath….”

The talk here is of, “The road to Tottenham’s first major trophy since 1991…” and it is quite a jolt to remember that even though the aaa don’t consider the FA Cup a trophy, it is the last major (or minor, depending on your point of view) trophy the Tinies won.   Indeed there are still some who speak of their “League Cup triumphs in 1999 and 2008, yet this, in its own way, is somehow indicative. Big clubs do not remember their League Cup victories.”

Thus for many who presumably will not only not be at Wembley today but also won’t even bother to turn on the TV, the FA Cup is an irrelevance.  It’s not for me, but then I’ve had the pleasure of being at Wembley four times in the last three years, seeing Arsenal win each time.   But I was also naive on that first occasion, for when we lifted the trophy after beating Hull I do remember thinking “that boring ‘last time we won a trophy’ stuff would now stop.”  It didn’t.  The FA Cup was instantly declassified.

In the final chitchat building up to our game today Mr Wenger is reported to have been talking about Alex Oxlade‑Chamberlain who he wants to stay at Arsenal for 10 years.  And given the range of positions on the pitch the Ox has willingly taken up of late it is not hard to see why.  He seems very close to having it all.

This could of course be a moment of celebration – a talent about to emerge.  But no, it is an opportunity to knock the demise of the “British core”.   But even the Guardian admits “Oxlade-Chamberlain appears to be… one of Arsenal’s most positive performers in what has been a beleaguered couple of months.”

Of him Mr Wenger said, “He looks like he is on an upward curve.   He has had little problems, but now he’s getting a little stability and more freedom to play. Before he played a bit inhibited and now he plays with the feeling ‘I’m a player’ and you feel that when he takes the ball. Chamberlain is a player who questions himself a lot. He always wondered: ‘Will I be as good as people want me to be?’ So he has matured – because he is an intelligent boy and gets to the level now where his mental level has adjusted with his football level.”

Alongside the Ox, Ramsey is seen by Mr Wenger as vital to the club’s future.  In a statement that made it sound as if Mr Wenger is about to leave he said,  “These guys have to take charge of what we have built and the values of the club.   They should lead and take responsibility to say: ‘Yes, that is how we want to behave, this is how we want to play, let’s go together.’ If they didn’t want to, that would be a huge disappointment. A lot is said about my future but what is more important is the value and spirit of what we have built in 20 years than my own person.

“For Aaron it is a very frustrating season. I looked the other day, he started his eighth game in the Premier League. When I realised that it was unbelievable. Injuries, injuries, injuries, injuries and not big ones. But every time niggling and when he came back – boom – a little calf – boom – a little hamstring.

“I hope he will have a strong end to the season because he is an important player for me. When you look at the start of the season, you count Cazorla, you count Ramsey to be important players. You come to the end of the season – no Cazorla since October and Ramsey has played less than 10 games.”

Meanwhile all the predictions are for a Man City win, although that was also the consensus before the last time the clubs met at Wembley.  To the total astonishment of the media, who had to go scrabbling for excuses about Man City not being ready for the match, Arsenal won 3-0, in the 2014 Community Shield.

In the FA Cup this is the first game between the two since 1971, when we went on to win the first of our three Doubles.

The last defeat we have had in 21 FA Cup games was of course not against one of the major players but instead against Watford, a match that ended the dream of three successive FA Cup victories.   And if we could keep City out today that would equal the Arsenal record of four consecutive FA games without an opposition goal.  That was achieved last in 2005.

And here’s a goodie.  The BBC website has just come up with “The Gunners have reached the FA Cup semi-finals for the 29th time, a competition record.   They have also won the trophy 12 times, a joint-record alongside Manchester United.”  Glad they noticed.  Maybe they were reading us yesterday.

One other good one they have found is that Alexis Sanchez has scored five times in his four appearances at Wembley: three goals for Arsenal, and two for Chile against England.

Final point before the teams: here are the top goal scorers in the league along with assist levels, included just in case the Guardian does another one of its “Arsenal have only two players who have scored in double figures.   It is indeed still two this season – although with a few league games to go Giroud might get one more to make it three.

As you can see, at the moment, Liverpool have two, Tottenham have two, and well that’s about it.  Be careful Guardian writers – we’re watching!

Player Team Goals Assists Total
Lukaku Everton 24 6 30
Kane Tottenham 20 5 25
Alexis Arsenal 19 9 28
Ibrahimovic Manchester United 17 5 22
Costa Chelsea 17 5 22
Agüero Manchester  City 17 0 17
Alli Tottenham 16 5 21
Hazard Chelsea 14 5 19
King Bournemouth 14 2 16
Defoe Sunderland 14 2 16
Mané Liverpool 13 5 18
Heung-min Tottenham 12 4 16
Benteke Crystal Palace 12 2 14
Llorente Swansea 12 0 12
Firmino Liverpool 11 6 17
Vardy Leicester 11 4 15
Deeny Watford 10 4 14
Walcott Arsenal 10 2 12
Colutinho Liverpool 9 6 15
Giroud Arsenal 9 3 12

And so, as I prepare to get into the car and drive to a convenient underground station… here is a possible line up.

Cech

Gabriel Koscileny Holding

The Ox                                    Monreal

Ramsey             Xhaka

Alexis       Ozil

Giroud

This would leave, on the beach by the Grand Union Canal

Martínez, Bellerín, Elneny, Mertesacker, Coquelin, Walcott, Iwobi.

The FA Cup semi-final

Arsenal v Manchester City: a win pays Arsenal’s salaries for a week and a half.

This weekend Arsenal become the most successful FA Cup team in history and Mr Wenger the most successful FA Cup manager

The FA Cup semi-finals Sat 22 and Sun 23 April – The Match Officials. We need to take Pawson totally out of the picture.

The sale of tickets for the Cup semi-final always brings tales of anguish but they are there is you want

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187 Replies to “Arsenal v Manchester City. Tottenham were valiant; Man City’s time will come; “we know that”.”

  1. I new the tiny totts were going to choke,Adrian Durham said “spurs will only lose if they suddenly remember they’re spurs”and it looks like they did..

  2. Safe journey Tony and enjoy the game. I have a granddaughters 12th birthday party to go to, I’m sure that she will understand my attention wandering from kick-off onwards as she is a supporter as well.

    COYG

  3. Have a feeling we won’t play 3 at the back today. It will be a tough game this time as Manc(Pep) will want to win something this season.
    Have we ever played 4-1-4-1? This combination seems to cause us problems every time, maybe we should try it sometime.

    //
    Anyway a little dig at the “positives” 🙂
    Dr Who S10 E2

  5. Could those attending the game, please tell those paddy power folks it’s disgusting to do a poll by holding up a Wenger in and a Wenger out banner where patrons walk through. How low could a company go?

  6. Let’s ignore the fact that Moses dived for the penalty or that the ref, typically refused to book Chelsea players (both Alonso and Kante could have been booked three times over before they eventually where).

    Let’s just concentrate on the fact that I began reading an article thinking it was going to be even handed and almost immediately we get the ‘tinies’ BS. Well done, you won some trophies while we were recovering from Mr Scholar nearly destroying our club. When that happened we were on a par with you (and United!) in terms of trophies won.

    But since you want to compare magnitude of trophies won, by denigrating the CC (something, you’ll notice, Mourinho doesn’t do), let’s cut to the chase. Many folk consider the real measure of a BIG CLUB to be European success. Spurs have won three major recognised by UEFA European trophies. How many major recognised by UEFA European trophies have the Goons won? I’ll give you a clue, it’s less than two! LOL.

    Are you resorting to this because we will finish comfortably above you this season? Even reinventing its meaning (and thinking no one would notice) won’t save your pathetic At Totteringham’s Day now!

  7. 2 hrs to go….Tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock

    Ccccooommmmeee ooooooonnnnn uuuuuuuuuu ggggguuuunnnnneeeeerrrrrrssss

    Yyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhh

  8. Eeefffffffff paddy power…

    Ccccooommmmeee ooooooonnnnn uuuuuuuuuu ggggguuuunnnnneeeeerrrrrrssss

    Yyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhh

  9. Thanks, good luck at the match COYG!

    –

    It is most revealing that some uber-blaggers and selfless yet gallant podcastateers started off the season by constantly slagging off Chamberlain, one of the best young English footballers. This was a constant barrage against they young gunner, week to week.

    Conclusion:

    A) they know even less then the sweet FA when it comes to the football.

    B) they know more about football agents (same agent as Sterling yikes!) then they do about the football 😉

  10. Interviewer: “Yaya Sanogo what have you won?”

    Sanogo: ”Yes boss, I win 2 FA Cup and 2 Shield at Wembley.
    Sorry my English not good. English not my language boss” ………….

    Interviewer: “Kane and Alli everyone’s talking about the two of you, what have you won?”

    Harry Kane: ”errrr…. well err… ummm.. POY errr league top scorer errr, League Cup losers medal, err…. might finish above Arsenal.. err bright future err.”….

    Interviewer: ”Alli do you have anything to add?”
    ………….SILENCE……………..

    ”And that’s a wrap up folks. That was Yaya Sanogo, Harry Kane and Delli Ali.
    Thank you for your time.” ….

    And moments later (when OFF-AIR) …
    Yaya Sanogo: Kane, Alli, you no speak English?…”
    ? ??

  11. Looking at this season’s FA Cup semi-finalists,
    it’s a sad reflection of today’s football that the “sugar daddy” (who freely injects personal finance into the Club he owns) has so far prospered.
    I trust Arsenal will break that mould after meeting Man Citeh. 😉

  12. It will be a big game today. Our boys should men up and make a redemption by beating City. We can do it if we put our best TEAM performance. Today’s game is the beginning of a difficult sequence that should serve as a major indicator who wants to play for Arsenal and Arsene next season and who should GTFO with a boot in the arse.

    COYG!

  13. Yeah boot up their arse….

    Ccooommmee ooooooonnnnn uuuuuuuuuu ggggguuuunnnnneeeeerrrrrrssss

    Yyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhh

  14. Where does a person find commentary? Arsenal.com probably has something, but I have yet to find a FA Cup game where LiveScore had anything useful. What is the international version of the NY Times? Maybe it could start doing neutral commentaries on games?

    COYG!

  15. I only bet on certainties so I am going to lay money on Man City being allowed at least one offside goal against us today.

  16. Will Le Prof starts a back three backline playing formation against Man City at Wembley this afternoon or not? For a back three backline formation that worked for Arsenal at the Riverside Stadium against Middlesborough save for some clumsiness in defending by Monreal and Koscielny which allowed Boro to equalised the 1st Arsenal goal in the game, i see no reason why Le Prof should jettison this 3 backline but enhance it by playing Chamberlain at the left side of the Arsenal 5 in the middle midfield formation. The Ox will track back to be helping out Holding when necessary. Coquelin and Xhaka whom I expect Le Prof to start at the middle of Arsenal base will be shielding Koscielny who will start as Mustafi is unavailable. And of course I expect Walcott at the right side and the deep lying Ramsey to offer defensive cover for Paulista.

    Arsenal 3-4-2-1 starts and bench for Man City just made available on Arsenal twitter account are:

    Cech
    Gabriel Koscielny Holding
    Ox Ramsey Xhaka Monreal
    Ozil Alexis
    Giroud.

    Bench:
    Martinez Bellerin Gibbs Coquelin Walcott Iwobi Welbeck.

  17. Gord,

    Arsenal.com will have a live sound commentary. In U.K. The match is on BT Sport but that isn’t available overseas

  22. Good afternoon all you Gooners.
    The Wembley pitch is being slanted already with The PGMOL picking on Giroud for being stronger than the City defenders.

  29. Silva goes down like a chicken & Pep wants a card. What is the 4th official doing? Pep should be sent to the stand.

  30. So a small city player going down draws a foul but a bully boy City player fouling Ozil is ok!!

  33. No Robson, I’ve got Arsenal 13 and Menace for commentary.

    The FA has a live game page. The only thing there is live stats (from Opta).

    Come on Burnley. It’s a home game, at least get a tie.

    COYG!

  39. Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

    Bummer i typed this before the goal, offside. Argh

  40. Card for Alexis for a tackle that was for the ball. What a cheating money grabbing bastard the official.

  46. Menace and Arsenal 13 .You really are the most braindead posters on here with no idea about football..

  50. Opta is missing a statistic, referee accuracy.

    Come on Burnley. It’s a home game, at least get a tie.

    COYG!

  52. Aguero is a cheating little bastard, seems to be a get them down to ten men please ref type thing going on

  53. Menace
    Just like tony and walter dont see a thing with your idiotic,racist,and homophobic comments.Your spending too much time drinking cheap ale in that cess pit where you live.

  54. Arsenal.com have 6 comments so far in the first half. About 1 every 5 minutes. Must be a really boring game for whoever is doing the commentary there.

    Come on Burnley. It’s a home game, at least get a tie.

    COYG!

  55. The sly kicking is not being picked up by the ref. Good thing & all because Kos kneed the Kun in the back.

  64. This is joke officiating going on here, kompany getting away with everything. Yet when our players just nudge any city player free kick against ud. Type 3 match fixing going on here. Sanchez just wrestled to the ground, nothing given. Absolutely disgusting officiating

  65. We will play 4 at the back second half starts or there after me thinks.

    Lost a pen.

  66. Quality call by the assistant who saw the ball curling out of play.

    The other assistant didn’t see the foul on Alexis that was a certain penalty.

  69. We’ll have to change our defensive shape back to the old one to boost the midfield if we’re going to get anything out of this. Must have been 60 per cent in our half. Two wrong game changing errors by the ref, so one all on that front

  70. That dodgy stream must be in good quality menace because BT Hd showed that all of the ball didnt cross the line.Nothing wrong with your selective vision as usual there!!

  71. Some English goal keeper…James thinks….Video referee is not necessary….

  72. What a shyte first-half by Arsenal. Although, we literally can’t seem to tackle without giving a foul away, but then on the other hand, City did have a perfectly good goal disallowed, but then yet again, we can’t aren’t given a fairly clear penalty. Brilliant officiating as always then, by the PIGMOB!

    Still, Arsenal are playing pretty terrible. Very disheartening to watch, after seeing how Chelsea and Spurs played yesterday (minus that “dark arts” shyte).

  74. I dont live near you menace as our village already has an idiot and hes not an Arsenal fan..

  75. markb, Al we seem to be watching a different game to nicky. This nicky anyway. I’m sure he’s not the one with family working at the ems.

  77. Don’t like the way we are playing, it’s not Arsenal, let go for it with no fear, win draw or lose, let play Wengerball. Come on Arsenal.

  78. Menace – So when a very, very questionable and ambiguous decision goes Arsenals way, the officials are without a doubt spot-on? Right.. It’s those kinda comments that take away any interrogatory from the numerous times that Arsenal do get robbed by the officials.

  79. I have watching Arsenal for over sixty years and never seen so bias a ref peformence we are not going win this game it has .been ordained as a Chelsea Man City final.

  80. Credit to Webb with his comments on penalty decisions. Kuns kick on his own heel brought him down. Navas pulled & then pushed Alexis & that was a penalty.

    Not happy with the advantage not given to Arsenal & the constant fouling by Kompany on Giroud including in our box.

  82. Jammy J – I am an Arsenal supporter not a referee. So take it the way I see it. If I were the referee I would have sent off Aguero for being ugly & Kompany for being a bully.

  87. A Google News snippet from The Sun:

    > [Twit] Ref Craig Pawson is totally and utterly out of his depth. Total disgrace that he has been given an FA cup semi. [/Twit]

    COYG!

  89. Bravo being Bravo. We’ve got him with the sun in his eyes too. Should throw a few high balls at him

  95. Come on ARSENAL
    Come on ARSENAL
    Come on ARSENAL
    Come on ARSENAL
    Come on ARSENAL
    Come on ARSENAL

  97. Yyyyyueeeeeaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh

    Ccccooommmmeee ooooooonnnnn uuuuuuuuuu ggggguuuunnnnneeeeerrrrrrssss

    Yyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhh

  101. I beat nicky too – don’t know f all about this game me. I was born with a kick that is still special & bare foot.

  102. Come on lads, concentrate and dont lose it now, close down.

    What was that???????????????

  105. How to go Nacho! Good work Ox.

    Let’s get another one now, or two.

    Come on CPalace, beat the pool!!!

    COYG!

  108. Another pathetic kick with the inside of the boot when the outside would have the ball in the net. Wenger you have enough coaches but they have not taught your players technique to kick the ball!!!!

  116. Yyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhh

    Ccccooommmmeee ooooooonnnnn

  119. Oh, commentating caught up. How to go Alexis!

    Come on CPalace, beat the pool!!!

    COYG!

  124. We have 3 games in hand on pool!!!, and are 10 points behind them.

    Come on CPalace, beat the pool!!! CPalace tied it up.

    COYG!

  125. OMG we do have some smart arse ‘n al supporters – thinking PGMOL change their spots.

    The ref will only do what he knows will not get picked on.

  128. A few months ago Sanchez was a “flawed” character who should be kicked out of the club. Now he’s a hero. Who’d have thunk it?

  130. Odd, TheFA and Arsenal.com at about 110 minutes, WorldFootball says Bellering comes on for Ox at 115 minutes.

    Come on CPalace, beat the pool!!!

    COYG!

  134. Pseudo fouls are now the PGMOL tactic. Who says officials cannot slant the pitch

  140. Have they both decided to play for penalty shoot out?

    Ozil off, good, probably tired though.

  145. who is nicky & his football knowledge. Arsenal are going to win the FA cup & I will be there.

  147. Massive game by the boys…

    We care playing the final again

    Woohoo
    The final again.

    Yyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhh

  148. The FA cup is not a trophy anymore!! It’s the new Arsenal anthem. It’s a stroll in the park – Wembley Park

  149. Great!Great!Great!
    Definitely the better side in the second half, by pushing up instead of sitting back.

  150. yeaaaahhhhh!!! Finalists!!!! Now lets go for this top four, it’s possible. permitting a few screw ups

  153. So there was a.plan….

    Played within ourselves.
    And upped it in the second.
    And physically better at extra time…..

    The manager who doesn’t do tactics…..Does it again….

  154. Wembley, Wembley, we still going to Wembley!!!! Congratulations to the team. One more hurdle to go. Come on Arsenal.

  155. Holding is a man of a match
    nobody pays attention to what a young defenders do if they did’t score
    but holding was brilliant

  162. Well AW did not forget my birthday…Great !

    Interesting to see what appears on the web now…. bet by tonight there’ll be hundreds of stories of the ‘wrong’ decisions agaisnt City.
    Can’t remember same thiong when it goes against Arsenal…

    But hell, we’re in the final.
    The guys held tough, I felt they had a fighting spirit I had not seen lately
    Not often did I see a ‘red wall’ in our box and tonight we did see this quite a few times.
    And the organisation on the field reminds me of a Belgium-Argentina 1982.

    let’s hope they’ll recover and catchup in the PL can be done

  163. WOOOOOOOOOW!

    Top performance from the boys. They did what was asked from them and got us a big showdown with Chavs. Fantastic performance from the team. Yes, it was a major team effort.

    Gabby and Rob were perfect. Wow. Mustafi will have to work double shift to return to the starting line-up. Ox was literally at every blade of grass.

    COYG!

  164. Great win.

    Could of gone either way to be honest, on chances at least.

    But that was a much much better performance.

    Personally I thought the ref had a good game. He made mistakes for sure but I thought both penalty shouts would of been harsh.

    Their disallowed goal should of stood as the ball never went out but it was milometers so it’s hard to be too harsh on the assistant. I know that’s easy to say when it goes your way but I mean it, and I would of said the same had it been the other way round.

    I can take close decisions going either way. Even the odd poor ones. What I cant take is when it’s deliberate pitch tilting.

    Today, despite some errors, I thought the ref tried to handle the game with impartiality, and that’s all I want.

    COYG and bring on Chelsea.

  166. @Menace,
    No, this guy is using the same name but it’s not me. I bet he hasn’t even got a Gran!

  167. YES!! Brilliant win! Played terrible in the first half (like we usually do, for some reason), but really stepped it up for the rest of the game. Very, very impressed by Gabriel. He was always fairly sturdy, but very rough around the edges, so hopefully he will continue getting better and better, to cement himself as a starter.

    Also, I really hate to say it, but I think this game really showed that Welbeck isn’t good enough to be one of our main strikers.

  168. I think Walter must be speechless.

    There are articles in the news already, showing how Pawson took the game away from City. Mostly that goal that was called back.

  169. [sarcasm] It’s always a good time to step on our own players. [/sarcasm]

    Benteke scores again, as CPalace lead pool!!! with 15 minutes left.

    Come on Palace!

  170. @ Alex – You’re completely right; everyone else is completely wrong – the Ox had a terrible game and only someone as brilliantly perceptive as you, could possibly pick that out.

  171. Don’t see how Pawson should be blamed over the City “goal” ruled out. It was the assistants call, although I agree that the ref is the final arbiter, so will always take the can in these sort of situations.

  173. Jammy J/Alex

    58% pass accuracy isn’t great, but that’s not the part of his performance that impressed.

    What impressed, and maybe was behind why some made him MOTM was the fact that he was the guy that forced the pace. He made things happen and he was key to us equalising.

    Sometimes when you’re trying to force the pace, to make the ‘killer pass’ you do end up giving the ball away more than you’d like, but without his dynamic performance the result could of been different.

    Personally, given his age and even more his experience, I would of given MOTM to Holding.

  174. @ Nitram – Sorry, I thought it was quite clear that my comment was sarcastic haha. I thought the OX had an extremely good game.

  179. What a great performance!! Stand on your chair and holler!!! Proportion, perspective, and sheer bloody-mindedness!!!

  181. Wife : I have heard that a man gets deaf if he has Viagra often.

    Husband : Who the hell is Jeff and why is he going to Niagara often ? .

  182. Scottish Daily Record claims that John Cross learned 5 things today.

    In the 5 things, we see that John Cross learned that City was hard done by the ref, that the ref was no good, and that Arsenal has a lot of goons.

    New Zealand Herald noticed there was a game, but I see little of note in their writeup.

    News18 thinks Arsenal was lucky.

    SBS noticed the game. Nothing noteworthy in writeup.

    The Independent claims they learned something. Why bother reading it?

    Straits Times had a story, large parts of which seem the same as other stories.

  183. JJammy J

    Yes I know it was, and I agree with you. I think you’ve misunderstood my post.

  184. Our 2nd half was nice to watch. We pushed the ball up and there was a mix between passing short and long balls. The club didn’t let the Aguero goal get us down.

    As for whether that ManCity cross was over the line…it seemed to go over the line in the air not on the ground. It had a wicked spin.

    It seems on balance…we are not as bad as we feared but not quite as good as we hoped.
    Of course, to the NEGATIVE NELLIES… we are not not as good as they feared but not quite as bad as they hoped.

  185. S-P; I think that the problem is that you have come to this site without seeking to understand the context of what Untold is and what we have been doing for 9 years. If you did some background work it would help. After all wouldn’t you do this before writing to the Guardian, The Morning Star, The Dail Mail etc. Why not with Untold?

  186. nicky – I figured it was not you. He doesn’t have the class.

    What a great result. Our boys played well. Gabriel was special. Kos was magnificent. The Ox was tireless. Ozil was always there but struggled for stamina. The whole team had focus.

  187. Ozil had a good game and really put a shift in. I thought the whole team played well, with confidence. Holding and Gabriel were excellent, Ramsey and Xhaka not perfect but good. Cech getting blamed for 1st goal, he should have just come out aggressively for the ball yes, but what you can’t see on television is that Aguero is giving him a choice, come out hard and I’ll flip it over you far post, wait and I’ll smash it low near post. I think Cech knew he was going with the flip far post but got caught between two minds. Maybe he was partly to blame but it’s basically a 1 on 1 that should never happen to a goalkeeper. Ox was really something today, MOTM. He’s really growing up in front of us, a joy to watch. No one on the field, or maybe any field, can touch his blend of pace and power and pure athleticism. A true sight to see. And with his comments recently about the team and the fans, he’s really becoming a leader on and off the pitch. In a team that desperate for leaders on the field, that’s really valuable.

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