City Battered!!

Morning all.

What a great Sunday it was for Arsenal football club.

It started at lunchtime when thanks to goals from Mariona Caldenty, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Frida Maanum and Stina Blackstenius, Arsenal’s women beat Man City 4-3 at The Etihad. Two of City’s three goals came from the penalty spot, one of which was awarded for a challenge which occurred outside the box. I think a league title is out of reach this season as they sit ten points behind Chelsea but securing Champions League football is in their hands.

At 4-30pm, it was Arsenal v Man City again only this one was the men up against the current League Champions at The Emirates.

There are good games and there are great games. Good results, and great results. Yesterday’s match against Manchester City was great on both accounts. Yes, there were frustrating moments when we lacked a bit of attacking dynamic after going 1-0 up but no sooner had Haaland equalised, boy did Arsenal come alive.

Mikel Arteta opted for Myles Lewis-Skelly ahead of the more experienced Riccardo Calafiori but Ethan Nwaneri had a bit of a rest as Gabriel Martinelli started on the right, Leandro Trossard on the left. David Raya returned to the team which was a blessing. He obviously stayed in London during the week to get his hair cut.

Martin Odegaard gave us the perfect start. Akanji dallied on the ball just outside City’s penalty area, Rice pounced, played the ball to Havertz but instead of shooting, he squared his pass to Odegaard and he made no mistake. Only an offside flag denied Martinelli from doubling our lead.

After the fast and furious start, things settled a bit and City grew into the game. Gvardiol looked like he’d level the score when he got his head to a Marmoush corner but a big and strong hand of Raya deflected the ball onto the bar and away from danger. Brilliant save.

Then came a moment which Havertz probably wants to forget. Rice was again involved as City struggled to deal with our strong press. He robbed Kovacic of ball, the ball fell into the path of our big German but he dragged his shot wide of the post. At this level of the game, it was a sitter. He was mortified, you could see it in his reaction.

Just before the break, Raya made another big save. Savinho rifled a shot which looked destined for the back of the net but once again, the Spaniard preserved our slender lead.

Ten minutes into the second half and City equalised through Haaland. Looking back, it was the turning point in the game. Haaland was walking around looking like a cat who got the cream, City probably thought the second half would be theirs. How wrong they were if that was what they were thinking.

We pretty much went straight up the other end and regained our lead. Partey read a Foden pass, intercepted it and then took a couple steps before letting a shot go from just outside the box. A deflection off Stones left the City keeper stranded.

What followed was three more quality goals. Myles Lewis-Skelly showed vast maturity in the way he raced into the box from the left, turned his defender inside out before powering his right footed shot past Otega. Arsenal weren’t done yet though. Partey started a move forward from our own half, he found Martinelli who in turn, passed to Havertz on the right. He might have missed a sitter in the first half but he tucked this one home in style. The final goal was yet another thing of beauty, this one came from the left foot of Nwaneri following a wonderful cross-field ball from Rice.

There were special moments during the game other than the five Arsenal goals. The ongoing spat between Haaland and Gabriel, the home fans not only belting out North London Forever but “Lewis-Skelly, he’s one of our own” too. Gabriel telling Haaland to fetch him his boot after the City man had knocked it off. The way Lewis-Skelly brushed through City’s midfield with ease, leaving Haaland behind as he did and his goal scoring celebration too which must have cheesed off the big Norwegian. The same Norwegian who just a few months ago sneered “Who the f**k are you”? Well, I guess Haaland knows who Myles Lewis-Skelly is now.

It always feels wrong to highlight players when the team/squad has played so well but it’s hard not mention our two teenagers. One for his stunning goal having come on from the bench, the other for having a great game, and scoring his first senior goal. I thought Thomas Partey was outstanding. He was everywhere and doing everything really well. David Raya, who in the big moments, delivered big saves. I could go on, and on….

Mikel Arteta:

It was a great day; the result: massive. The performance, the manner that we’ve done it; really happy, really proud of the players. Really proud, again, of the atmosphere that we created in the stadium – it was mind-blowing. So, a good day to remember. To live moments like this with the stadium, that energy, with that cohesion between the team and our supporters, that’s something to build on.

Well, Mikel Arteta should be patting himself on the back too because a lot of today’s Arsenal is because of him.

Hammering City the way we did is something to savour but we have to go again, again and again for the next four months. We have another fixture on Wednesday night and we’re 2-0 down at the halfway stage. Whether or not we can overturn the deficit I don’t know. We’re capable, of course we are but it’s a big ask after the energy our players used up yesterday. I think Mikel Arteta will rotate his players as much as he can.

Have a great Monday guys, in case you hadn’t realised, it’s transfer deadline day…

Catch up in the comments.