Match Preview: Arsenal v Manchester City

OVERVIEW:

This weekend’s match featuring Arsenal and Citizens of Manchester City are as much a clash of philiosphies as it is players on the pitch. On one hand we have the neuveau  riche of Manchester City who have spent enormously over the last two transfer windows in an attempt to change their fortunes. On the other, Arsene Wenger’s method of relying on the talent he has grown and nurtured rather than spend big. Which philosophy wins out only time will tell, but this Saturday goes a long way to see if either of these two teams is what they say they are.

Manchester City spent a record amount of money in bringing in a boatload of players, with former Arsenal stars, Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure featured among them. While Carlos Tevez was the signing to signal the club’s intent, Adebayor’s has been the one to show ready dividends. In three EPL clashes, the former Arsenal man has netted three times, and with the exception of a late goal by Steven Ireland, Adebayor has been the only Citizen to net in league matches.

City will be looking to extend their unbeaten run, having yet to concede a goal in three first three league  matches. However such a good run is a little overstated as they have been anything but lights out against lesser opposition. If not for some goal stopping heroics of Shay Givens and timely placing of some woodwork both the Wolves and Pompey matches could’ve been draws as the City back four looked a little wobbly. The team showed when pressed they were susceptible to giving up quality shots. Against Wolves Kolo Toure nearly gifted the tie when an errant pass in the middle was intercepted. Had the pass been intercepted by a marksman like Arshavin, Rooney  or Drogba, the result, I suspect would’ve likely been different. 

Also disconcerting for the Citizens is the lack of effectiveness from the wing position. For instance in the match against Pompey ,  Mark Hughes’ side only managed 4 crosses from the wing. This play up the middle works to the strength of Emmanuel Adebayor but if Roque Santa Cruz were playing he thrives on outside in feeds. Keeping the field of play in the middle will surely play to the strengths of teams with stronger center backs.

Mark Hughes has clearly set sites on a big 4 position this year. And Arsenal are often the team associated with being the one usurped. While it is early and nothing really will be told as of yet, a win by the boys in blue will go a long way to silencing some critics. A loss and everyone will begin to chirp that City are not yet quite ready for Prime Time.

As for Arsenal, the London side will be returning to Manchester after their last visit a fort night ago. The result that time was the much suprising loss against top four rivals, Manchester United. In that match, the Gunners new formation thoroughly confounded the ManCs. If not for a poor played challenge by Almunia and a bad header by Diaby the game is Arsenal’s.  For most of the 90 minutes the Champions did not have an answer to the Gunners new formation.

Even with the result at Old Trafford, the Gunners have been in excellent form controlling the play all of their previous matches.  The defense has a new resolve and the pairing of Gallas and new boy Vermaelen has choked up the middle of the back quite nicely. The emergence of Song has impressed many and Cesc Fabregas while out for the tie at OT has been a man clearly on a mission.

A stat that is both reassuring and of a little concern to Gooners everywhere is that the bulk of the scoring this season HAS NOT come from the strikers. While effective at pressing the opposition and creative in creating scoring chances, only Arshavin and Eduardo have netted for the Gunners’ strikers. If Arsenal are going to make a sustained run for silverware, Bendtner and RvP will need to become goal producers – soon. Both players return to Ashbourton Grove after successful international trips that saw each of them score for their national sides. Arsene, and Arsenal fans are hoping that trend extends to the club.

In addition to improved form from the strikers, Manuel Almunia needs to bounce back from his poor decision at Old Trafford that led to Wayne “I don’t dive” Rooney’s  equalizer. The Spanish keeper went largely untested against Everton, Pompey and Celtic (a testament to Arsenal’s new found defensive  composure). However, against Old Trafford his decision to challenge Rooney for a ball that was clearly not playable on net, reinforced in some fans minds that he still has not shown himself to be a number one back stopper. While his skills on the line are solid, he at times tends to lose the script and shows a lack of sound judgment when playing certain balls in the air or off the line.

Overall, Arsenal need to bounce back over the disappointment from the Man United match. They need to get back to their form and forget the loss. A win goes a long way to showing everyone that the mighty Arsenal – that of fluid, goal scoring prowess – has returned and is to be feared. A loss and we will all wonder yet again, if this is another season without silverware.

THE PRODIGAL SONS RETURN

The most interesting subplot to this match is Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor versus their old club.  We can fully expect that the away fans will shower Kolo Toure with the respect he deserves for his faithful service to the club. Kolo was a class act and loyal to the Gunners.  However, the reception his City teammate Emmanuel Adebayor receives is likely to be different.

Emmanuel Adebayor treated Arsenal as a pawn. A means to getting what he wanted. When playing well he or is people played up links to clubs like AC Milan, Inter or Barcelona. And then when given a raise to keep him here, he played poorly often times not showing the same effort he did in previous seasons. Emmanuel Adebayor is a talented striker, his goal against Valencia will down in Arsenal lore but his attitude towards the club and fans was at best disrespectful.

It is something that he cannot let go of. While Arsenal seemingly have moved on, there are recurring stories of how Man City fans are showing him love by singing his name and cheering for him. So now he is more relaxed and ready to play.

“These sort of things stay in your heart and I will stay with me, not just for the rest of my career but the rest of my life,” he says in reference to Arsenal fan neglect. “It was strange, I was such a happy boy and always gave my best for the team.”

“I even remember a game two years ago, when the boss asked me to play even though I had a hamstring injury. So I played for the team, worked hard and scored, but afterwards people were only interested in my being linked with Barcelona.”

To validate his claim that Arsenal fans did not like him, he constantly points out that when Fabregas is linked to Real, Barcelona, etc, there is no uproar. That only when he was linked with moving away was there a general outcry.  In fairness to Cesc Fabregas though, anytime there has been a link with him moving away, he has come out denied it and profess his love for the club. Something that never came from Adebayor. All the fans wanted was a stout acclimation of loyalty to the club. They never got it.

MATCH OUTLOOK:

If Arsenal can dictate the flow of the game and Vermaelen and Gallas control Adebayor,, then the game easily favors the Gunners. Let Adebayor into the box 1 v 1 on Almunia and I am taking Adebayor – though he will go offsides a lot. This is likely to be a cracker of a game with the Gunners looking to exert their mentality early.  The City fans will be up for the match based on the Adebayor subplot and the current form of the team.

Overall I think the scoring ability of Arsenal as well as their ability to hold the ball will be to the detriment of City’s game plan. They Blues have let too many shots in on Shay Givens and against better teams many of those shots likely go in. This will be City’s first real test.  I see it being a 2-1 Arsenal win.

INJURY REPORT:

Arsenal: Djourou, Nasri, Arshavin, and Fabianski are definitely out. Vela and Walcott are questionable.

Manchester City: Tevez, Santa Cruz, and Johnson are definitely out. Kompany and Robinho are questionable.

PROBABLE STARTING XI:

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy, Denilson, Song, Bendtner, Diaby, Eboue, Van Persie

Manchester City: Given, Richards, Toure, Lescott, Bridge, Wright Phillips, Ireland, Barry, Bellamy, Adebayor, Benjani