Match Preview: Arsenal v Man City; Not Really a Preview
Match Preview? Not really, more a cathartic exercise to try and stay interested in Arsenal. If you’ve been a long time reader of YAMA (both of you) you’ll have noticed we haven’t been writing with any frequency for a while. Tim Stillman touched on it a few months ago about how hard it has been to write regularly about something that is so depressing.
Honestly, what new ground can anyone cover? The issues are the same, they haven’t improved and frankly everything that is out there seems recycled and uninteresting. Arsenal are in a tailspin and they are taking all of us with them.
The apex of apathy was probably this weekend’s cup final against City. A cup final! It surely didn’t look like it from our end. On the heels of that failure, the hierarchy at the club quickly briefed the press on the list of managerial prospects they were considering when they review Wenger’s position at the club at the end of the season.
The jaded Arsenal fan in me went to the default “it’s just a PR exercise.” The hopeful Arsenal fan in me lifted a little because at a minimum it looked like there was actual a plan to remove Wenger this summer. Depending on the day you may fall on either side of this argument.
The fact is tonight we might take the pitch and show up and actually beat City. This side is so Jekyll-n-Hyde, you just don’t know. It’s not likely, but it could happen. We have sometimes this season shown up when we can be arsed.
Look in the scheme of things losing to City in the cup final shouldn’t be a damning indictment. They are by far the best side in England since the Invincibles. It’s the manner of the defeat and the lack of hear that was on display that day that irks many. When did you ever see fans leave 20 minutes before the end of a cup final?
What we get tonight is anyone’s guess. How many people actually show up is another big guess. With the weather coming into play combined with the general apathy it could be the emptiest night at the Emirates since it opened (short of youth and reserve matches of course.)
I want to desperately believe in Arsenal again. I want to be able to think tonight was going to be an epic show down of two great sides but its likely not going to be that. And as such I struggle to find anything positive to say about the club.
Top 4 is fading. While there is an outside chance of still making it, it’s more like 5th or 6th is where we will wind up. When we last played in the league we talked about being able to generate end of season runs that lifted us to that top 4 chance. It is seeming more likely that won’t happen this year as Wenger seems devoid of ideas on how to invigorate and motivate his players.
Sigh
All that’s left to do is sit back and try and find some enjoyment from somewhere. A good scoring run, the brilliance of an individual player, something, anything.
Sigh
Ah well, we may not be writing much but soon, very soon we’ll all be back for as the saying goes, once you’ve rock bottom the only way is up. We’re at rock bottom.
Injuries and Suspensions:
Arsenal: Cazorla (plantaris), Lacazette (knee), Monreal (back – doubtful)
Man City: Fernandinho (hamstring), Sterling (hamstring – late fitness test), Medny (ACL)
Last 5:
Arsenal: LWLWL
Man City: LWWDW
Goals Scored Per Match (season average):
Arsenal: 1.89
Man City: 2.93
Goals Conceded Per Match (season average):
Arsenal: 1.33
Man City: .74
Match Officials:
Referee: Andre Marriner
Assistants: Scott Ledger, Ian Hussin
Fourth official: Mike Dean
Broadcast Information:
UK: Sky Sports 19.45 GMT
US: NBC Sports Network 2:45 PM
What the Manager Said (courtesy Arsenal.com):
“First of all, no matter how much you try to lift the players, they need time for grieving. You need to digest that and only time helps. The next target helps again. The DNA and the values of the club help because that’s where you want to stick together. What you want at our level is to be confronted with difficult situations and respond to it in a positive way.”
Match Facts (courtesy BBC.co.uk)
- Arsenal have won just twice in their last seven Premier League fixtures (D2, L3).
- The Gunners have won only one of their eight league games this season against the other teams in the top six of the table (D3, L4).
- Only the two Manchester clubs have earned more points at home than Arsenal’s total of 32 this season.
- They have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last nine Premier League matches – they last went 10 without a shutout back in February 2002.
- Petr Cech is one short of becoming the first goalkeeper to keep 200 Premier League clean sheets.
- Mesut Ozil has provided 49 assists in 138 Premier League appearances. If he adds to that tally in this game he will set a competition record for the fewest games taken to reach 50 assists.
- Manchester City have won only one of their last 32 top-flight away matches against Arsenal (D11, L20).
- Pep Guardiola’s side could do the league double over Arsenal for the first time since 1975-76.
- They could become the first team to beat Arsenal three times in the same season since Chelsea in 2005-06.
YAMA Predicts:
Arsenal 0 – 2 Man City
