Whether a point was good enough or not depends on whether we lift the title Konstantin Mitov
Welcome lovely Arsenal people. We got a point at the Etihad. It wasn’t a pretty watch, but I’d rather that, than a hammering. That said, I am a little disappointed with our pressing and play on the transition.
We had a small spell in the second half where we closed the distances a little faster, went a little braver, and immediately caused some mistakes. Unfortunately it didn’t last 10 minutes even. The other thing is our final balls were awful and very few.
Trossard should’ve squared it to Martinelli, Saka should’ve checked where Jesus was before releasing his cross. I thought we played with history on our mind and wanted more not to lose.
Now look, before people come out with the “you’re negative” narrative and so on, I’m applying some context. If this game was in round 10, or it’s in the CL semis, I’d be absolutely over the moon with this point, but in the context of the title race and the injuries to their defense. They had 3 of the back 5 missing and Ake went out in the first half, I really thought we could’ve troubled them more.
I just had a feeling we would win and what a message it would’ve been. If we don’t win the title, drawing at the Etihad won’t be the reason. I’ll be looking at the 2 Fulham games and West Ham, not this one for sure.
But if you think of the last 10 games as a sprint with handicaps, because I do believe our run-in is the hardest, this was a great opportunity to start with a bang.
And I understand that being disappointed that we didn’t win at the Etihad is chalk and cheese compared to where we were 4 years ago, but I’m just an Arsenal fan desperate to see us win the big trophies.
I’ve been following Arsenal since 2006. I fell in love with the team back then in the CL and this team has become so important to my life ever since. And the effort this team has put on to win the title has been huge.
I just want us to do the job ourselves. Too often have we relied on others doing us a favour. The last 2 seasons we had a clear target and a cushion – and we folded both times. I think that now it’s pretty clear we must win every time we step on the pitch and hope Liverpool slip somewhere.
Make no mistake, Luton will be a hard game on Wednesday. We drew at Anfield and lost the next 2. We must rotate to manage the amount of games and I hope we utilise the fact that (bar Timber) everyone is fit.
Overall, the point leaves us 2 behind, with 9 games. Wether it was good or not, we’ll know at the end of May. We were top for almost the entire season last year. This year I hope we are top when it matters – at the very end.
Konstantin
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What is gone is gone we didn’t lose though that would have been a big blow and would have lowered arsenal players confidence and pundits would have skinned arsenal severally, game by game is how arsenal likes to do their business Luton next win it and it will be back to the top if Liverpool happens to squander next game which is a big one.
Naftali, Acually Liverpools NEXT game is at home to Sheffield United.
Some would not call that “a big game”, though I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT WITH ONLY NINE GAMES LEFT FOR ALL THREE TITLE RIVALS, ALL games left ARE big ones!
“A draw with Man City…” Brilliant.
Lets think and talk about the next game. That’s the winners’ mentality.
The result was a draw, but there was more to that match.
They nullified the City attack in spite of all their possession. How many clubs can set up defensively, stay disciplined and organized, and hold City scoreless at home?
We can play with City, we’re not the underdogs of yesteryear.
Now it’s time to accomplish something tangible, like a PL or CL trophy.
The draw against City was a good result, a very good result, no matter what the occasion. Draws against United & Spurs will also be good results, especially so if we win the rest of the games.
It is not credible to suggest that MC were severely weakened by the absence of certain players in their back line to the extent that is being implied. Even with the absence of some of their “preferred” options they started the match with a defence that cost over £150m, including a player that has been considered by some as one of the best defenders in world football. This team also had a number of other top class players, possibly the best striker in world football, and possibly the best midfielder in recent PL history.
City missing players is quite different from almost any other team. Added to that they were at home and we were up against a team we have done poorly against for years. The historical context meant that Arsenal had to be fairly conservative.
Where one can agree with you is the fact that we have dropped points against teams that are not at MC’s level. Therefore, it is those games that have cost us till now, not our games against MC.
Statement wins are all very good if you succeed . However, if we had gone for broke and been slaughtered you and others would have been here complaining and bitterly criticising the manager and certain players.
DAVID, LIverpool WERE playing. Their game finished just minutes prior to ours starting!
This reply should have been to jod, NOT to DAVID!!
You can’t look at a game in isolation, as if there wasn’t a wider picture. If Arsenal had been ahead in the race for the title then it would have been a good result, but they weren’t. If they had been neck and neck with City in a two horse race it wouldn’t have been a bad result, but they weren’t. Its a three horse race and they handed the advantage to Liverpool who weren’t even playing. In a title race like this it isn’t about not losing, every draw is two points dropped.
We all look at things from different perspectives. And that’s okay. This is how you see the whole picture while other see it different.
Lets wait and see where we are at.
Must it be a win? Even you can lose at Etihad and still win. Gove the boys there strips, a draw at the Etihad and a win at the Emirates against City and same over Liverpool is something worth cooing about
5 teams have got a point at Etihad Stadium this season; Liverpool, Spurs, Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Arsenal.
3 teams have got three points against Man City this season; Wolves, Arsenal and Aston Villa.
No Konstantin, I cannot agre with your take that rthis draw ois only agood result if it leads to our winning the title. That canno tpossibly be so. All points won in EVERY game are a atep toward wining the title . That ia not opinion but fact!
Therefore, any point won when we were widely expected, except by Gooners, to lose, IS PLAINLY a good result.
It cannot possibly be otherwise and is simply logical thinking!
I think that the draw is more than that, whether or not we win the league.
It shows an ability that we haven’t had in ages.
I agree with jod’s point, going over the season there are any number of places where key points slipped away, and on the other side, games where we got more than we deserved.
All the games still have to be played and all that matters is Luton.