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

[Keeper!]

45 mins of madness coming

45 mins that will define our season

 

[Tricky_Trev]

Will be interesting to see what Arsenal do in the second half. It wouldn’t surprise me if they now switch to a high press against our defence. I remember against Newcastle this season when they sat off first half and then came out really aggressive 2nd half and got loads of joy against us. Arteta could be doing similar, as it takes away Pep’s ability to react to it at HT. They might do, they might not. Just a thought I had, as I expected a high press from the off. But Arteta knows as well as anyone how good Pep is at adapting at HT.

As for us, we’re so limited in what we can do because we have such an average build up from this defence. We can’t get close to their box. Feel like this will be another game where KDB gets taken off (for Doku or Grealish).

 

[abu13]

2 sides that know they cant afford to lose today, that said we are the better of the two.

 

[blue moony]

Grealish winner incoming

 

[eastmanc]

Tough first half for us. Arsenal pressing high up the pitch and not allowing us to play out from the back, then getting everyone behind the ball when they lose possession. Foden, Debruyne and Bernardo struggling to get in the game. Time for a Pep talk.

Bernardo has been OK. We need to have more shots in the second half. We have to win.

 

[Blu1]

All they want is a smash and grab goal. Content to sit back. Let's hope we break them down 2nd half and get the first goal.

100% this. 20 mins to go & they will go for it.just waiting for counter at the minute

 

[Eccles Blue]

Arteta is taking the Michael with his coming out of his technical area/box!! 4 more steps and he’d have been sitting on my knee!! This time it wasn’t just me shouting at him. Everyone round me was yelling get back in your box andd dc s couple shouting at the 4th official to sort him out.
The ref is hopeless!!

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

I’m not sure if he’s fit or not, but grealish would be good to come off the bench

 

[Beanhead]

I don’t mind that half.

 

[TinFoilHat]

Who wants it more?

We will happily contain them for a point.

Will they want to go full caution to the wind? If they do we'll hit them on the break.

 

[homerdog]

Like I keep saying...

8 posts in 13 years? Mate, you need to give it a rest!

 

[phargrave]

Possession based football with no end product, how times have changed….

 

[jimharri]

We win games through control.

Take away that midfield control, you take away our biggest way to win the match.

And a draw is absolutely fine.

No, it isn't.

 

[Keeper!]

All they want is a smash and grab goal. Content to sit back. Let's hope we break them down 2nd half and get the first goal.

They are playing it well, playing well within themselves

 

[Tourist since 1971]

I enjoyed that. We have played with fantastic control, and made sure the Arse haven’t been able to change the narrative that they are crap at the Etihad. They MIGHT get a breakaway worldie but it’s not a very good strategy to win the game.
Come on City!

 

[BringBackSwales]

How have arsenal had no bookings? 5 or 6 the rag has not yellow carded that would have been automatic yellows for us. Cheating in plain site was never more apt. Utter ****

 

[Damanino]

problem is if Arse ups the tempo and decides to attack us we will be in trouble. they st back and dont risk much so far, even wasted bit of time. they play for safety, block the center areas, leaving us with some wide options which ends up with Akanji and Gvardiol where they rightly happy to take risks. we also dont want to risk too much and play safe passes back and sideways as soon as we hit a wall rather than some risky passes and lost possession.

with dippers winning a draw is just not good enough here, bit worried if we have another level up to go if we have that has to come imo in first 10 ins of second half.

 

[Zenmanc]

Foden very quiet IMO, Haaland not dynamic enough not troubling the center backs to create chances or draw defence to him for there to be chances for other players.

 

[Chi-town blues]

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

disagree from a doku fan kova is playing in a vital position and he’s the only one pulling strings

 

[youngbob]

Can tell Pep doesn't trust Dias, Ake (now Lewis) and Gvardiol with the ball against this team, so he's got Kovacic babysitting them essentially. Problem is it's killing us up the other end and leaving Foden, De Bruyne and Haaland miles apart without any connective tissue between them linking everything together. We're dealing well enough with Arsenal's attack but we're a man short when trying to build our own moves. Grealish and Stones, if he's fit, needed. Think Haaland needs to drop 10 yards as well cos he's only made it stick once and it was when he finally gave up wrestling with Saliba and Gabriel and just dropped into our half to do some link-up play. Needs to do it more.