ARSENE-AL FINALLY DELIVERS ON PURPOSE
A look at the Premier league table on Saturday night told Arsene Wenger what he didn’t want to know; unless something dramatic happened between now and May, Arsenal would not climb the podium to receive their usual consolation prize, the final Champions League spot.
Tottenham had gained a point on them, Manchester United were four points clear already, Southampton were six points clear with none of them looking like taking their feet off the pedals, and yet Wenger was waiting for his next opponents at the Etihad, Manchester City.
As for me, I had already given the three points to Manchester City, surely Arsenal would come and attack and attack until they forgot to defend and get thumped 3-0
Surely they would be enjoying sixty percent ball possession when the two full backs overlap again and get caught out by Aguero and Milner and Navas.
Surely Arsenal would commit all men forward and leave Merteseker with Aguero and Silva alone at the two decisive points in the game. How I was wrong! Arsenal can play another way!
It’s a warning to everyone in the Premier league and even in Europe, that Arsenal are coming and they are here. Not many teams win at the Etihad, and not many teams beat a City team with Kompany and Aguero and Fernando and Fernandinho and David Silva and Joe Hart and Milner.
Arsenal played a perfect game. Why did Wenger wait so long to start respecting the opposition and the big teams? With this performance the sky is the limit for this Arsenal team, if he plays like this in crucial games; soaking up the pressure and giving up possession and still remain deadly the few times they have the ball.
I felt sorry for Kompany and company. They were hit by a stealth bomb, and they took the equivalent of a sucker punch in boxing.
They waited and waited for Arsenal to come out and attack, but they were stunned, as Arsenal stubbornly refused to do so, sitting back and allowing city to dictate play, only hitting back on the counter attack.
I looked at Pellegrini’s face a few times and even though he is Mr Cool, he looked like he was suffering and needed the referee to put him out of his misery.
He had no tactical plan B to counter this Arsenal side, in fact he didn’t plan for a plan B as he ‘knew’ how Arsenal would play, but just like many of us, he was stunned. This Arsene-al was delivering on purpose: every jab was precise and painful, every hook was deliberate and piercing and every body hug was pre-meditated.
Pellegrini and Man City had been ambushed into a corner and this was a rope-a-dope at the Etihad and only the final whistle could end the torment.
Arsenal were narrow, compact, aggressive off the ball, surprisingly disciplined and the players were playing for next season’s champions league, applying the manager’s tactic to perfection.
Cazorla had no “like” player to compete with in the middle of the park, so he could play his game, and did he not play the game of his life yesterday! With Ozil, Arteta and Rosicky on the bench, Arsenal didn’t have two or three number tens on the pitch as they usually do, they had only one Santi Carzola running the show.
Coquelin reminded me of Makalele in his Chelsea years, anticipating, reading and winning crucial balls, denying David Silva of any ball possession and doing his job of protecting the back four.
Giroud was the Eiffel Tower in front, winning battles and headers and controlling the ball with so much finesse as if he was playing his own mini game.
Whenever the Ox and Sanchez got the ball, they stretched the City defence and gained grounds on the pitch, and with Ramsey running from box to box waiting to pounce, the signs were ominous for Man City.
In 94 minutes at the Etihad, Arsene Wenger finally became a manager to be reckoned with among the elites, as Arsenal finally dropped their circuit suit which has seen them become the circuit clowns of the Premiership for long.
Maybe now, players would stay with Arsene Wenger, and trust him to bring them silverware in their careers.
Maybe now the tides have finally turned for Arsenal, and they would attract good players who want to win silverware and not 4th position in the league.
Maybe now the Penny has finally dropped for Arsene-al Wenger and the board and have realised that the days of scheming for the champions league spot are finally over, the others have caught up with them and have left them trailing.
Whatever the case, they have sounded the warning bells to Europe and to the big guns in the Premiership: the gunners are coming and don’t be surprised if the song 2-0 to the Arsenal becomes a hit on the terraces all over the country.