Match Thread | Man City vs. Arsenal (31/03/24)

[DavidWhitesUnderpants]

Expected today to be a bit "blood and guts" full-throttle kinda stuff, but looks like a bit more like a pre-season friendly so far.

 

[Stoned Rose]

Going the way I said in the pre match thread.

Keep it controlled and tight and bank on the attacking subs winning the game.

Best I’ve seen Gvardiol play.

 

[Fordyboy46]

Stop showing them too much respect City

 

[heslops barnet]

No it's because it's boring to WATCH

Not if you understand the game

 

[give it to gordon]

Got a feeling gooners will come out all guns blazing in the second half. I've noticed other teams doing this against us lately

 

[WallyA]

Honestly we dont really need subs.

Foden and KdB just need a talking to or something, they are the main issue in our attack.

 

[Damanino]

they completely took Foden, KDb, Haaland out of our game. Arteta done well on that front.
Foden also drifts inside leaving Gvardiol for the left wing but he isnt very creative or a good crosser in general, he wont really make anything with the ball most of the time despite some nice place front of him.

Kovaacic is a safety option giving us bit more safety and control but attacking wise he adds zero.

created fuck all apart from the early close range corner chance from Ake. really poor for our attacking players. one of those games for Haaland again where he is again marked out of even receiving a pass let alone do some damage?

 

[paulchapo]

kovacic off for doku. Doku on the wing and Foden in the centre

We can't now we've lost Ake.

 

[Kippax77]

Taylor nailing his colours to the mast again in this fixture I see

 

[Silva&Silva]

I've never seen a team hide behind the ref so much since the murderers back in November

 

[madloaf]

Questions at half time:

1. Did Southgate break Foden?
2. Will we be architects of our own downfall with the sloppy passing?
3. If an arsenal player beheads Rico Lewis will Anthony Taylor give a yellow card.

 

[Keeper!]

Very tight game, but Foden, KDB and Haaland have to be got into the action more, somehow

 

[BossHog]

if we score one and they don’t score, we win.

If it stays like this it will be a draw :)

 

[cookster]

Safe and sterile.
Can't execute the final ball.
They'll have a spell so we need to up it.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

Dire half that. Plenty of control but absolutely no cutting edge.

We need far more from KDB, Foden and Bernie.

Kovacic (brain-fart aside) and Rodri have been good in the middle.

Gvardiol been our best player by a mile.

Rico on worries the shit out of me.

Why does Taylor get the freedom to ref the game completely different from every other week of the season? He’s there to apply the rules, not potentially influence the game by not carding players for clear yellow card offences.

 

[bluke]

Ake sitter aside, fuck all created

Nothing to write home about and could easily get sucker punched later on

Gvardiol best player on the pitch

We've got a defender with a Mahrez-quality first touch. Unreal.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Felt I was going to fall asleep. Neither team did anything

 

[Crooked_rain]

We should try a long range effort now and again.

Anyway, lacklustre first half. Not been a threat at all as of yet. Knocked the ball about decently enough but we can do that in our sleep anyway.

Better second half to come

 

[baggy]

If Foden and KDB decide to play today we will be fine...

 

[Blu1]

I think we are fearing them too much.

Too many players changing positions.

Gvadiol needs to stay back to allow Kova in the middle & put doku outwide for foden who looks knackered. Kova is left back more than gvadiol which leaves Rodri alone

We just look unbalanced & not using wings

Not seen much from arsenal but the ref playing well for them.

Haaland needs to get involved or put Alvarez on for him. Not working hard enough