What I noticed Arsenal players doing seconds before Man City equaliser speaks volumes
Arsenal fell at the final hurdle on Sunday evening, with Manchester City scoring with virtually the last kick of the game to steal a point at the Etihad Stadium. It was a hard-fought, physical encounter between the two likely title candidates, albeit the clash did wind up being conditioned by Leandro Trossard deep into firs half stoppage time.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdFortunately for the Gunners, goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhaes saw them establish a 2-1 lead before that point, allowing them to go all out with their defensive efforts in the second half. Ben White came on to form a back five, which was often more like a back six, and the Gunners defended valiantly with what looked like a 6-3 formation for the most part.
But in the final seconds of the game, City won a corner, and after an initial goal-line clearance, the ball dropped at the feet of John Stones at close range, and he couldn’t miss, making it 2-2. Arsenal hearts were broken, but Mikel Arteta will surely still look upon the result as a good one, given the difficulty of facing City at the Etihad, and especially when playing the whole second half with 10 men.
There is, however, an issue that is plaguing Arsenal, and it threatens to undermine their title bid for a third straight year. Arteta’s emotional approach to the game is what has made him a fan favourite manager at the Emirates Stadium. His animation on the sideline is something the Gunners have come to adore.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdWhile the jumping and shouting is not a problem in itself, it does send a hidden message that appears to be filtering through to the players. Arteta’s game plan was the right one on Sunday. Bernardo Silva and others can criticise it as much as they want, but in the absence of Martin Odegaard, the Gunners were not going to outgun their hosts, and a defensive performance protected them against falling into a shootout. Naturally, the red card only increases the need for a more defensive plan, and the game naturally changed from that point.
It was the kind of cold, calculated game plan that successful managers employ. Successful managers assess the tools they have available, the quality of the opponent and show no fear in adapting from their usual style if it gives them the best chance of picking up a point or all three. There are no morale wins in football, and playing pretty while losing is not going to win you titles.
The problem with such a cold and calculated game plan, is that you need cold and calculated execution from players to pull it off. Arsenal defended well for the most part, but they remain far too emotional, and it will cost them in key moments in the biggest games. Around one minute from the end of stoppage time, David Raya jumped up to gather a cross and collapsed to the floor.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdUpon his landing, four Arsenal players jumped on top of him to celebrate the moment, believing they were one step closer to securing the win. That’s complacency. The job is not done until the job is done, and defenders celebrating as though it is done before the full-time whistle is a horrible sight.
That’s the sort of emotion that filters from Arteta’s animated approach, and while he can continue his usual antics, he must get the message through to his players that they must be cold killers who never celebrate until the job is done. They must keep full focus on the job at hand, something they did not do.
One minute later, City win a corner, no one picks up the short runner, with Arsenal marking completely zonal with no clear plan for the situation, and a free cross comes in, creating the goal. If only the Gunners had been as alert to defend the corner as they had been to jump on Raya a minute earlier. Sure, there is a time to celebrate, and celebrate it as much as possible when the moment comes, but it is not before the full-time whistle. Cast your mind back to the Chelsea and Manchester United back-lines in the mid-naughties, and the Arsenal back-lines in Arsene Wenger’s best years. Those defenders were like factory workers who wouldn’t flinch until the job was done.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdIt may be a small thing, but it tells the opposition that you are complacent, and it gives off the image that you are a soft, emotional team that will not get the job done in the biggest moment. The Gunners must be ruthless, and until they cut emotion out of their performances altogether, they may not cross the threshold from candidates to winners.
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.