That had nothing to do with Arsenal despite what the commentary tried to have us believe, they were there for the taking if we wanted it, they didn’t play phenomenally well, they just did their basics competently which is what Southampton and all the others that have beaten us this season have done to.
This wasn’t a game where players played poorly and made mistakes, it was a game that highlighted the glaring deficiencies in our system. no real surprise Arteta is aware of them as to be expected but the worrying thing is the likes of Southampton are doing it too. You take away the space for our one attack pattern on the inside of the fullback and were absolutely clueless.
I’ve never seen a team camp on the edge of the oppositions box and do fucking nothing with the ball for 10 minute periods before launching a pointless cross to the one person in the box.
When the opponents do that you have to draw them out or you have to go wide, they wasn’t coming out no matter what so we went wide but nobody was getting in the box, Jesus was in the box alone surrounded by defenders, david silva would join from time to time but that’s it. Sterling and mahrez/Foden we’re keeping out wide when they wasn’t delivering balls instead of getting in around the back post meaning they may as well had gone and sat down on the halfway line for all the threat they caused, Kdb went to the right to deliver, walker dropped into midfield which should have allowed Rodri to push in to the box too as time ran out but that didn’t happen either.
We don’t score late goals in tight games or come from behind late on anymore because we don’t apply any real pressure on their goal, Liverpool got so many late goals this season because they apply real pressure, they put quality in and get numbers in the box, we just go side to side in front of an organised unit and fizzle out. I can’t even name a solitary chance we had after going 2-0 down despite having 92% of the ball. Our attack is a bigger concern than our defence
The first half was a disgrace the lack of effort was unforgivable. Second half the effort was there again at least but it was an increasingly familiar story. Our attack right now doesn’t have enough variety or pace to win titles, we’ve lost Sane and we’ve turned sterling into something closer to the type of player we already have in abundance, far too many players wanting to do the same thing.
I’ve No real complaints with the defence today, The first was a good goal and the second was a consequence of the way we play with the high line, Garcia isn’t quick enough to play for us in this system, you either change the system or you need pace at CB.
I don’t think I’ve been this angry at City and their performance (no ref/opposition/bar influence) for a long long time, probably since Wigan in the cup final. There’s a big job to do this summer, smashing 6 past relegation fodder isn’t going to mask it
Thank fuck for covid, I’d be distraught if I had travelled down to Wembley for that.
